《Untouchable》


 Chapter 1

    "And what if what are you if the people who are supposed to love you can leave you like you''re nothing?" - Elizabeth Scott Halima Cheering and words of encouragement erupted from the yard, echoing through the woodsy air like sirens.


    My eyes peeked at themotion through the kitchen window, squinting from the sun''s re. It had a full view of the lush-green front yard, allowing me to witness the spectacle with a front-row seat. Pack members of all ages gathered around a blond-haired pubescent boy going through his first shift. His motherforted him with his head on herp, while his father coached him through the pain. Little Jordan did nothing to damper the cheery mood but fueled the outpouring of support for him. The love and care radiating from the pack members were palpable, overwhelming my senses to where I could feel the strange sensation around me.


    Their love for Jordan choked me, invoking the painful reminder that I would never have what he had.


    First shifts were a celebratory event for Zircon Moon. It marked the sacred passage from wolf pup to a full wolf, functioning simrly to when one goes through puberty for the first time. During this time, the pack members gather around the shifting child with love andpassion, passing on their good wishes as they too remembered how dramatic and painful their first shift is. It sheltered the child and strengthened their bond with the pack. Their parents served as guides and the pack members serve as their unyielding support. It was, honestly, the moment each wolf pup looked forward to-knowing that they''re cherished by theirmunity.


    The snapping of the young bones filled my ears. I almost flinched at its shrill volume. I watched the boy sprout ck fur from his pale flesh and his face morph into that of a wolf''s snout. Just as the shift had started, it ended. Each member came to congratte the boy on his official entry into Wolfhood with a pat on his head or a caress of his inky ck fur. Jordan released a howl in pure delight, and the rest of the members howled along with him, the volume shaking the foundation of the pack house.


    Could that have been me? If I hadn''t been damned into a life of pain and servitude, could I have gotten a celebration like that? Could I have felt the love and admiration from the pack and my parents? I shifted alone in my dingy, foul stench prison alone at twelve years old. I had no guide, nofort, and no support. I had no one to cheer me on through the pain. I didn''t dare to howl, for the guards would''ve beaten me to silence.


    "You forget, they don''t consider us a part of this pack." My wolf spoke through our mind-link. She must have felt my sorrow, as she always did. "But it doesn''t erase us from not getting the support and celebration we deserved. It hurts."


    "It''s whatever," I replied with sadness, putting away thest dishes. I bore the mark of Zircon Moon on my right shoulder de, a wolf howling at a crescent moon, but it would be a bitter day in purgatory before I was considered a member. "No use in moping in something that would never happen, Artemis."


    I grabbed my bucket and filled it up with soap and warm water, getting to work on scrubbing the kitchen floor with my nylon brush. My bony knees were red and blistered from the constant work, and my fingers were pruned like raisins. However, I found that the sooner they lose sensation, the easier it was to work, and I was counting on it.


    Artemis, my beautiful white wolf, was my only friend and confidant. Friendships were impossible toe by, let alone anyone to have an idle chatter with. Five years ago, I was horrified to see that I had shifted into a white wolf. Werewolf history considers white wolves to be the rarest form of a wolf. There was a one- in-a-million chance anyone would shift white. And yet, I was the one. The lowest scum of the earth was special. I thought I was special.


    But Alpha Jonathan made sure I remember there was nothing special about me. I was worthless and disgusting. ording to him, being a white wolf did not and would not erase my past sins. He beat both Artemis and me, solidifying my dark thoughts that I was better off dead. I couldn''t walk or kneel for days. His brutality was what I would always fear, for he was the mighty Alpha. I trembled violently at the thought of him towering over me with his fists raised.


    By the time the pack members entered the pack house, I had long since finished the kitchen floors. Slipping by unseen, I got to work in the plethora of bathrooms. My b*dy was aching, but the only motivation I had was, the sooner I get this done, the sooner I could be left alone. I was not in the mood to run into any pack members today. But trouble always reared its ugly head to someone like me.


    I was mopping the hallways, deep in my thoughts, when I was shoved forward. With nothing to grab onto, I collided into the pristine floor, knees first. Old blisters popped and oozed as I hissed silently in pain.


    "I thought I smelled something rancid." The vile voice rang through the air. I turned around to see Raina, my older sister, with Odessa nking on her left. Raina, older by two years, towered over me at five feet nine. Her chestnut-brown skin could absorb the sun''s rays for days. Her long ck curls bounced with her every movement, and the blue tank top she wore revealed her muscr arms. Her upturned deep brown eyes revealed the dark intentions she had, involuntarily sending shivers down my spine.


    Odessa was another beauty, her brte hair rivaling that of silk. She was the lover of our future Alpha and destined to be the next Luna. Herplexion gave way to her Grecian beauty: olive-toned skin, mesmerizing almond-shaped hazel eyes, and cupid-bow I*ps bound to make any man fall to their knees. She never hid her hatred for me, always punishing me any chance she got.


    ''You belong on your knees'' she would say to me.


    Raina and Odessa were childhood best friends, just as Nuria and I were. Their mocking smiles and head nods to each other told me what wasing next. I wanted to run, but I couldn''t. How could I? Those two would chase me down and drag me back, kicking and screaming. They were, by far, stronger than me and could tear me apart if they wanted to. My eyes pleaded with Raina to leave me alone.


    In one swift motion, Raina grabbed the mop water, circled me, and dumped it over my head. I closed my eyes and allowed the soapy water to ssh all over me, drenching my raggedy dress. As usual, I didn''t make a sound. I didn''t cry. I didn''t whimper. I just cast my eyes to the ground and waited for the next part of the torture.


    What was that quote the humans would say? The most beautiful could hide the most evil?


    "Water didn''t help at all to curb the smell." Raina sneered behind me, her voice dripping with disgust. "She smells like a wet dog. At this rate, the entire pack house would lose their lunch. I know I''m about to."


    "I have an idea." I heard Odessa reply, the evil in her voice clear. A hand reached out and grabbed hold of my curly hair, crunchy and lifeless from many days without a decent wash. She dragged me along the ground, unable to escape the clutches of the brte who made it her life''s mission to cause me the most hell. My weak struggles did nothing to deter their mission or theirughter. They pulled me to an empty bathroom I had just cleaned and threw me against the floor. I heard the squeak of a faucet turn on in front of me as rapid sprays of water began to fill the bathtub. Steam quickly filled the room. Raina ced her foot on my spine, ordering me to stay still.


    I was trembling with fear at what was toe. How could I not be terrified? My arms were too sore from all the work to even push her foot off me.


    "Is it full yet? The stench is making my eyes water." Raina sneered.


    "Almost, Rain! Hand me the soaps." I heard the squirting of bottles and the sloshing of water. "Damn, this shit is hot!"


    "Perfect! Time for your bath, bitch!" They forced me to my bare feet and then, without warning, tossed me into the scorching hot bathtub. My screams reverberated off the bathroom walls, drowning out demonicughter. Both girls held me down as long as they could in the scalding water, throwing insults at how filthy I was and how I should be grateful that I was being cleaned. I fought back, desperate to escape the scalding prison. The hot water slowly, but surely, entered my lungs, searing me from the inside out.


    Is this the day I finally die?


    "What are you girls doing?" A third, gruffer voice entered the bathroom, and just like that, Raina and Odessa''s fun sizzled away. Their hands released me for me to crawl out from the bathtub coughing the hot water out of my lungs. I recognize the voice as my father, Beta Steven Lane.


    "Steven, hi! You look good today!" Odessaplimented with a smile on her face.


    "Don''t you girls have anything better to do than to bother the ve?" My father asked.


    I couldn''t remember thest time he referred to me as his daughter. My heart felt like a rock in my chest. It shouldn''t still bother me after all this time, but it did.


    "We were just cleaning it, Dad." Raina''s voice was void of the earlier disgust, now filled with repulsive sweetness. ''It''. I was just a thing to them. "It was stinking up the hallway!"


    I heard Dad sigh. "Rain. It could clean up itself and the mess in the hallway. Odessa, Neron asked for you."


    "Oh! Well, that''s my cue to leave." Odessa gave my sister a side hug. "We have ns for his passage to the alpha ceremony that we need to discuss. Meet me by the garageter so we could go shopping!"


    "We aren''t using my car this time! Val still hasn''t forgiven us for backing into his!"


    Raina bellowed out as she followed behind her friend in a fit ofughter. I felt my father''s presence linger for a moment longer, unable to look me in the eye. I slipped onto the wet floor. I hoped-no, prayed my dad would provide some words offort. I was not asking for much! I just wanted to know if a small part of him still cared for me...still loved me...N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    But, ''disgusting'' and a door m were all I got.


    Pain skyrocketed through my weakened b*dy as my eyes burned with unshed tears. I didn''t need to look at my flesh to know that brown became red upon the burning. If I was a human, I surely would have died. But I only have Artemis to thank for helping me heal. It wasn''t much considering we''re both weak, but she helped subside the pain so I could get up on my feet.


    "Halima..." Artemis whimpered in our head.


    "Artemis, please. Don''t say anything." I respond, defeated, "Maybe things would be better if I were dead. Death is better than this."


    "You can''t give up yet, Hal. We must live, for our mate is out there. They''re our only chance of happiness." She yipped back.


    Artemis was right. There had to be someone out there who wanted a broken and bruised werewolf as their own, right? I looked at the mirror above the soapstone for the first time in a long time and the floodgates opened. A heavy sob escaped me as I slowly covered my face with my quaking hands. My curly hair, lopsided from the forced chops and weakened curls stuck to my skin, now marred with red with colorful bruises littering my b*dy from head to toe. My cheeks were sunken, the bags under my eyes were heavy, and my I*ps were crusty. My only piece of clothing, an ugly, sleeveless gray dress, clung to my skin like a second skin. Someone must want me, or else what was the point of all this? I must keep holding on for them. The longer I looked into the mirror, the more disgusted I felt. The girl in the reflection was disgusting. I was disgusting.


    Who was I kidding? Who would want this ugly thing in the mirror? I dropped to my knees, choking on my gut-wrenching sobs for a good minute. The pain and abandonment of my family flooded through my b*dy, making me cry harder. I was alone, in a house full of strangers who desired my torment. Why couldn''t I just die?


    Moon Goddess, why subject me to this horrible fate? Did you think I deserve such treatment? Answer me!


    Please...


    "Don''t go near it, sweetheart! It''s an abomination and I don''t want you getting hurt!"


    "It''s like a monster, Mommy?"


    "Yes, it is. It killed our Luna and the Angel. Do you want to be anywhere near it?"


    "No, Mommy..."


    I never understood how parents could instill hatred in their children. I wouldn''t hurt the little girl. Outside, under the harsh rays of the sun, I was scrubbing the pack members'' clothes with a lone washing board. Functioning washing machines were in the basement, but why use that when the pack could make the ve wash their clothes the old-fashioned way? I hated washing clothes, but it was also the only time I could sit outside in the sun.


    I could feel Artemis itching to go for a run, but I pushed it down. Thest time I went for a run was when I was fourteen, attempting my first and only escape. I was not only dragged back by the border patrols, but the Alpha made an example of me by beating me in front of the entire pack. I would have died back then, but my father stopped him.


    It wasn''t out of love, however. It was out of the desire to continue to use me as a pack ve. Today, I was seventeen. As much as I wanted to escape, I couldn''t bear another beating like that. Artemis was unresponsive for a week, and I almost lost my mind.


    Pinning the wet clothes on the clothesline, I made sure all stains came out of every article. Even a minor stain couldnd me in a world of trouble. My ears suddenly perked up at the sounds ofughter and muffled conversation. I turned to my side and notice Raina, Odessa, and two other pack members piling into a car to go shopping for the alpha ceremony tomorrow evening. Squinting my eyes, I glimpsed at Neron, the future Alpha.


    Goddess, he was gorgeous, more now than when we were kids.


    Compared to my five feet five stature, he towered over me by at least another foot. His long ck hair was tied back in a low ponytail, giving me the perfect view of his chiseled chin, working a smile. He wore a tight ck shirt that outlined every curvature and groove of his chest and arms, exemplifying his honeyed skin. I dared to nce down at the designer blue jeans he was wearing, outlining his muscr legs. His blue eyes were parallel to the deep depths of the oceans. Never would I dare to look him in the eye. I shouldn''t even be looking now.


    His brawny arm wrapped around Odessa''s small waist, molding perfectly in his hand. What was I doing? They shared a k*ss and it pulled me back into the reality that he would never look at me like that. He hated me as much as his father does. Artemis whimpered within me, growing restless at the affectionate sight. I knew she was eager to find our mate so we could be loved like that too, but I feared that day may nevere. After a few seconds, I got back to work, ignoring the car engine roaring in the distance.


    "SLAVE!"


    Alpha Jonathan''s mighty roar echoed throughout the field, making me leap with absolute fear. My mind races to find the errors I could''ve made through the day and came up empty.


    Trepidation epassed my senses, preparing me for an iing beating. Dropping my washing board, I sprinted into the pack house. A pack member tripped me with his foot andughed at me along the way, but I remained focused and followed Jonathan''s cardamon and cinnamon scent. If the Alpha demanded something, I must respond promptly. If he called for me twice...I didn''t want to think about the ramifications.


    Neron was a spitting image of his father, but Alpha Jonathan had auburn hairpared to his son''s ck. The ck came from Luna Celeste. As fast as my legs could carry me, I found him near the doors of the enormous assembly hall, impatiently tapping his foot.


    "Never make me wait for you again. When I call, you are to get here within seconds! Understood?"


    "Y-yes, Alpha." I croaked, bowing my head in submission. Artemis whimpered again, this time in fear. She was just as afraid of our alpha as I was. "You are to clean this entire assembly hall. I want every tile, chair, and stair spotless. You are aware of the Passage of the Alpha ceremony tomorrow evening, are you?" "Yes, Alpha."


    "Good. I want nothing less for my son. You are to work the event to ensure the utensils and tes are clean. Lead Omega Cassandra would give your orders, and I expect you to follow them to the letter. As for the assembly hall, I''ll punish you if any corner is left unclean, understood?"


    I nodded, keeping my eyes focused on the ground, hoping to escape from his vengeful res. He sighed in frustration, turned on his heels, and strode out of the assembly hall. I sighed, letting out a breath out that I didn''t know I was holding as I took in the enormous hall. Its white and gold interior wasrge enough to fit all 300 pack members plus more. Standing up on my feet, I knew for a fact it would take me the entire night to clean this mini-pce.


    "At least we would be left alone." Artemis purred in our head.


    "Don''t jinx it, Art," I replied.


    After I finished with theundry, I spent thest of my energy sweeping, scrubbing, and polishing the mess hall from head to toe for the rest of the afternoon and deep into the evening. The cleaning chemicals burned my nostrils and stung my eyes, but pushed through. My stomach rumbled in the agony of subsistence, but I couldn''t do anything to provide what it needed. I was lucky if I got something other than scraps and unwanted left-over food.


    I hadn''t had a decent meal in eight years. Werewolves could go for prolonged periods without food and water, and I was edging up on day four without food. Some days, I''d be so desperate for food that I rummage through the trash for something to eat. One Omega caught a whiff of my behavior and made a habit to take out the trash every evening so I wouldn''t be tempted. I got the lovely nickname of Racoon because of it.


    The pack house quieted down, signaling that the members were retreating to bed. I smiled to myself, knowing that peace was on its way to me. Nighttime was when I was free from the abuse. I could think and speak to Artemis without interruption. Like tonight, there were some days I didn''t sleep. Even if I could, having a full night''s sleep was a raremodity. Once the sun rises, I was working, and everyone made sure of it.


    As I scrub the farthest corner of the stage, I heard the assembly doors open. Sucking in a breath, I continued to work, ignoring the neer. I knew who it was by their frankincense scent. There was a nk of a ss te against the floor. I instinctively flinched as it slid in my direction. The visitor turned and left, closing the doors behind them. I turn around to see a te full of scraps of meat and pasta.


    My stomach roared at the sight of the food. I grabbed the te and scarfed down the food. It had long since lost its temperature, but something was better than nothing. I looked back at the door and reminisced on the one member of the pack who had some amount of decency to be polite to me.


    Future Gamma Kwame Dubois. Out of everyone, he made sure I was fed something rather than let me go hungry. Who needed a feral ve on the loose? But years of abuse have made me cautious. As much as I wanted to believe that Kwame was kind to me out of the goodness of his cautionearscor heart, I refused to believe it. He gave me food now and then, but it would not fool me. It was all an act to keep me as a working ve. I was sure he could see ''guilty'' written all over my face whenever he looked at me. Just like everyone else.


    How could I expect him to be any different?


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 Chapter 2

    "There is something about losing a mother that is permanent and inexpressible- a wound that will never quite heal." - Susan Wiggs Neron


    "I love you, Neron."


    "And I love you, my darling," I whispered into Odessa''s ear, thrusting deep into her again and again. Such a little tease she was; grinding on me this earlier in the morning, getting me all worked up. Her sweet moans and shouts of praise added fuel to my fire. My fists balled up the bedsheets. Passion and heat rocketed through every synapse in my body. With her warmth epassing my cock, I was nearing my release. Fire swelled in my core, striking deep in my groin. Growling, Iid my im on her in myst thrusts. My love''s beautiful amber eyes rolled to the back of her head, apparent to her near release. Her sharp nails pierced my back, scraping down my n*ked flesh as her face contorted into my favorite expression.


    The face of pure ecstasy.


    Goddess, she was so breathtaking. From the hairs on her head to her cute toes, her beauty and amazing body were all mine.


    It wasn''t long till we both reached our climax, slowly riding out the highs of our desire until we copsed on my bed. The sun had barely peeked its blinding rays through my curtains, marking the start of another day. I pulled the exhausted Odessa into my arms, pressing her body flush against mine as her auburn tresses tickled my flesh. Catching my breath, my ears picked up slight movements around the pack house, telling me my members were awake.


    I snorted to myself, wondering if anyone had heard us in our throes of passion. Werewolf ears could pick up anything.


    Today was the day of my passage of the Alpha ceremony. I would finally be Alpha of the Zircon Moon Pack. It was high time my father retired from his position and lived the rest of his days in peace. It was a real shame my mother wasn''t here to help with the transition. Throughout generations, the Luna had been present at the sacred ceremony. This was the first time we wouldn''t have our Luna with us. She always knew how to soothe my father and me. Tranquility was embedded in her aura. My heart ached at the final, happy memories of myte mother, her gracious smile, and her words of pure love.


    I wished she was here to see me take the mantle she raised me for. She and Nuria.


    "Baby?" My eyes darted from the ceiling to Odessa, her doe eyes filled with concern. "You''ve grown quiet. Are you alright?"


    I sighed, expelling my pain. "I''m fine. You know what today is, right?" She nodded. "I was just thinking about how much my mother would have loved to have been here. Knowing her, she''d be ordering our sorry hinds around for decorations and food."


    "Hey. Your mom would have been proud of you. You are her son; you could never disappoint her." Mydy replied with aforting smile. "I''m sure if she was still here, she would be the first person to cheer you on. You know this. And once you be Alpha..." Her feather-like fingers drew circles on the crevices of my chest. "I''ll be your Luna, and all the pieces will fall into ce."


    There was another thud in my heart. Not a painful one, but one of futility. Deep down, I knew Odessa couldn''t be my true Luna. She was not my true mate, for that was whom the Luna title rightfully belonged to. Mydy didn''t exactly have the most positive reputation amongst the pack, given her asional petty attitude and haughty behavior, but I didn''t care. She had been with me through thick and thin, and I held a lot of love for her. So, what if she didn''t enjoy training or getting her hands di*ty? She was more than perfect in my eyes.


    I k*ssed her forehead, soft, and chaste. "Babe. I wouldn''t have it any other way."


    "Of course, you would say that, idiot." My wolf rumbled from the trenches of my mind. That was our routine now whenever I made love to Odessa. He''d retreat bute back afterward to reprimand me when I finished. I never understood what his problem was with Odessa or her wolf, Ariel. "She''s not ours. You can continue to dance around the thought of this woman being our Luna, but I''ll wait for our TRUE mate."


    "Are you sure about that, Onyx?"


    "Yes. Do whatever the hell you want. Don''te crying to me when it alles back to bite you in the ass." With that, Onyx retreated yet again. With a groan, I rolled out of bed to get ready for the day, reluctantly leaving Odessa''s warmth. I needed to discuss the final event details with my father and get my suit pressed. Humming, I thought back to what my wolf had told me. Would he wait forever for some random girl instead of recognizing that we have an excellent woman right next to us?


    The entire mate thing was pathetic. After watching my father crumble from his broken mate bond, I rejected the desire to have a true mate. If my mate ever died, whoever she was, I didn''t want to fall in that same pit of darkness my father had. Watching him fall was hard but getting him out of that pit was even harder. I felt like Sisyphus, moving the boulder up the mountain, but having it roll down on me every time I neared the top. Alcoholism and depression were brutal on his brain and his body. Beta Steven had to take over his duties for a good six months before Dad was well enough to be Alpha again. I lost Mom and Nuria, I couldn''t lose him too.


    Behind me, I heard the rummaging of my sheets. Warm arms wrapped around my waist and a soft k*ss nted itself above my Pack Mark, sending shivers down my spine. "Raina and I will be busy all day getting ready for your ceremony. Will you behave while I''m gone?"


    I chuckled, lifting one of her hands to my l*ps. "No promises."


    "You''re such a sly dog."


    "Guilty as charged."


    By the time I''ve escaped Odessa''s tantalizing hands more of the pack had begun their day. The delicious scent of breakfast rises in the air, coaxing me towards the kitchen. On a normal day, the packed kitchen was crowded with hungry werewolves drooling over the artistry the Omegas hade up with for the morning. They never cease to amaze me with both the amount of culinary knowledge they hold and their mastery over the cutting board.


    The pack never went hungry. Excellent food plus full bellies equaled happy wolves.


    It must be an old-fashioned breakfast this morning. The scent of bacon was driving me crazy. Onyx emerged and howled at me for the sustenance, annoying the hell out of me. I rolled my eyes. He had the energy to chastise me for having s*x with Odessa, and yet, was easily seduced by a b of bacon? I couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought. He was an Alpha, but even Alphas couldn''t resist the bacon!


    However, when a particr scent hit my nose, it soured my morning. A blended scent of fresh strawberries, honey, and vani. A scent that reminded me of the tropics. It wasn''t even a foul scent. In fact, the scent made me feel good. It made Onyx feel alive, making him stir uncontrobly.


    It pissed me off.


    The problem wasn''t the scent itself, but who it belonged to. That scent did things to me, wonderful things, like igniting every nerve in my body with a pleasant heat. It dripped to my core, awakening my desires like it was a match to gasoline. The sweetest scent I''d ever smelled belonged to the worthless cur polishing the marble floors of the assembly hall, looking close to copsing on the job when I peeked through the ss on the doors.


    Only clothed in a raggedy gray cloth one would call a dress, it was easy to tell just how malnourished it was. Its bones were prominent in many ces and had little to no fat in areas ady should have. I wouldn''t even call it ady at this point. The curls in its hair were hanging on a thread of dear life and its pale brown skin was littered with bruises, welts, and cuts, aside from the obvious cracking of the skin on the soles of its feet.


    The pitiful thing was suffering. Good.


    After all the shit it had put this pack through, put my family through, it deserves every bruise on that frail body. It was the reason I no longer have a mother or a sister, and I made sure it remembered it every time I go down to the dungeons. The ve should be lucky that it lived to polish these damn floors. But I must say, it had done a remarkable job at cleaning. There was some use in it, after all.


    But, deep down inside, there was that smidgen of remorse. Regret. Sometimes I felt the ve didn''t deserve the treatment it got. I did O


    care a lot about it, once upon a time. N Alot, actually. But its pain was nowhereparable to the pain my father, and I felt the day our bonds with Mom and Nuria broke for good. It changed my life forever. No matter how much pain we, collectively as a pack, put it through, I still felt the loss. I still felt that agonizing burn deep in my soul.


    I could hear Onyx''s whimpers every time Iid my hands on it. I always ask him what his issue was, but he never answered me. I took it as a sign that he didn''t want to partake in the punishments. He had to face facts at some point. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.


    My eyes caught the sight of an empty te on the corner of the stage. It had dried up food stains. My body suddenly shook, vibrating with anger. The fury in my body boiled over like an erupted volcano. Did it steal food against night or did someonee and feed it? How many times do I have to rify that this piece of werewolf shit does not deserve any sustenance?


    I no longer had control over my body. My rage did. From my reflection in the ss peering into the assembly hall, my ocean-blue eyes turned obsidian ck. Kicking the doors open, the ve shrieked and fell right on its ass, scooting as far away as it could from me. Once it hit the wall, it finally registered in its pathetic mind that there was no escape.


    "It appears the stupid ve doesn''t like to listen. ves only exist to obey, and you broke your one f**king rule!" I grabbed the te and threw it at its cracking feet. The sharp impact of the ceramic destroyed it into a million shards, embedding some into its flesh. Ugh, even the scent of its blood was bothering me. "You stole food from the kitchen again? Are you that much of a f**king animal?"


    "No! I didn''t-!" The desperation in its m


    voice disappeared the instant I backhanded its face. Its whimpers coiled the strings in my hearto causing my heart to burn. I pped it again, but my pain only grew worse. Its pruning hands shot up to shield its face from my blows, but that didn''t deter me. Its whimpers grew to full-blown sobbing, grating at my ears. Goddess, why didn''t I kill it a long time ago?


    "Don''t lie to me, mongrel! You know the rules. You aren''t allowed food unless the Alpha or I am feeling generous!" Multiple scents billowed entered the room, the spectators watching themotion, but my focus was on the shriveling mess in cowering before me. It got one thing right, it should never look at me straight in the eye or raise its head.


    "Tell me the truth or else...well, you could take a gander at what will happen next."


    "Chill the f**k out, Nero. I gave her the food."? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


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 Chapter 3

    "Don''t cry over someone who wouldn''t cry over you." - Lauren Conrad Neron I whipped my head around to see my destined Gamma, Kwame, standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed over his chest. Wearing his signature white shirt and ck pants that brought out the mahogany-brown of his skin, his face contorted into one of annoyance. "Are you saying this just to save it from punishment?"


    "I''m saying it because it''s the goddamn truth. I gave her, not it, the food. She hasn''t eaten in four days! If you want her to keep working, you need to feed her when she needs it, not when you feel like it."


    I looked down at the sobbing ve, already curled into a fetal position with its head guarded with its arms. I trusted Kwame for his honesty was his best trait. It didn''t mean I had to like it, though. Sucking in a deep breath, I stuffed my anger back below the dirt, catching a glimpse of my reflection in the window of my eyes return from ck to blue.


    Finally, I backed away from it. I would never understand why Kwame treated it differently from the rest of the pack. It wasn''t anything special. Growling, I walk towards Kwame, ring deep into his dark eyes. He was one of the very few who didn''t cower at my authority.


    "I''ll feed it whenever I feel like it, Kwam. Don''t interfere."


    "Fine." He put his hands up in defense. "But if you bitch about your floors not being cleaned, and she keels over, don''te crying to me." With that, Kwame left, the pack members parting away from his path. The ve''s pained sobs have quieted down, but each hup only irritated my ears and heart. I hated the feelings it gave me. The spectators parted to make way for me, leaving the sorry thing behind.


    I hated to admit it, but Kwame was right. If I expect the ve to continue to work, I must feed it. Nourish it, as he liked to put it. Something about feeding someone who brought nothing but pain and suffering just didn''t sit right with me. I hated that thing and wanted it dead, but its parents convinced me to keep it around, that the thing was better off maintaining the pack house in silence than buried underground. Hell, my Omegas didn''t seem toin. Lead Omega Cassandra hated cleaning up after a bunch of dogs, anyway.


    But Cassandra''s cooking never ceased to put a damper on my anger. After my encounter with the ve, she made sure that I was well-fed, courtesy of Odessa. I worked up quite an appetite. However, that appetite diminished by a couple thousand when I walked into the main room to see Valerian, my best friend and destined Beta, already having his breakfast.


    Raina sat on hisp as he licked crumbs off her I*ps. I understood they were mates bute on! People eat here! Clearing my throat, the two stopped k/ssing. "Can''t you take that shit to the bedroom? I like to eat in peace."


    "Normally, yes. But we got a lot of work to do for the ceremony tonight." Valerian chuckled; his arm locked tight around his lover''s hips. His green eyes never left Raina''s brown. "Could I at least have a little sneak preview of the dress you would wear tonight?"


    Raina giggled. "No! Why spoil the surprise?"


    "But I hate surprises."


    "Too bad." Her hand reached over and picked up his te of food. "Enough talk. You need to eat, honey."


    "You or the pancakes?"


    A deep crimson blush rose in Raina''s cheeks. "Well..."


    "That''s it. Out!" I did the shooing motion with my hand and the couple left with their tes in a gaggle of high-pitchedughter. I was happy that Valerian and Raina turned out to be mates. Val had been pining for her since he first moved here with his parents. As a bonus, Beta Steven was already looking at Val to be his sessor, admiring his strength and humility. There was no one else more fitted to be his daughter''s mate. One look at them and one could tell that they fit so well with each other, the perfect blend of light and dark.


    I wondered how long it would take Valerian to notice the tiny scent growing in Raina''s belly.


    After breakfast, I helped my father toplete the final details for the ceremony. By the mid-afternoon, the Omegas and other pack members had decorated and organized the assembly hall with the help of Beta Female Ashley, standing in ce for my mother. The wafting scent of the dinner prep epassed the pack house, along with the pungent mixture of perfumes.


    It made my nose itch.


    Despite it all, preparation went smoothly. The ceremony was to happen the minute the full moon rises at 8:30 PM. That was tradition. The Passage of the Alpha ceremony must happen on the night of the first full moon when the future Alpha was twenty-one years old. Standing in front of my mirror in my clean and pressed ck and white suit, I couldn''t help but feel nervous about what wasing. This was the day I take over the mantle as the Alpha, and the entire pack would witness me be their new leader. Historically, there have been a handful of times that outsiders or rogue attacks disrupted the ceremony, but I pray to the Moon Goddess that tonight goes off without a hitch. My hairid gently on my broad shoulders, framing my face. The reflection of my eyes pierced deep into my soul as if I was staring down Onyx himself.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "This is it." I heard him say. "Are you ready to im the crown? I sure as hell am."


    "I''m ready, don''t worry. This would be a night both of us would remember for a long time."


    "Lest we agree on something. Let us make our pack proud."


    Yes. Let us make Zircon Moon Pack the proudest of them all.


    Halima The water pressure was too low. The water was too cold.


    There wasn''t enough soap. The unscented bar would disappear in two washes.


    There was so much dirt all over me. Much I couldn''t seem to get rid of.


    I didn''t have a loofah or shower puff. All I had were my hands and nails to wash me.


    I''ve heard that humans treated their pet dogs better than this. They were just as part of their family as their children were. Hell, they considered some to be their children. Yet, I''m treated less than what a domestic dog deserved.


    The icy water fell on me from the garden hose attached to the ceiling, doing nothing to cool the stinging on my face. Neron''s ps were powerful, like being hit in the face with bricks. Who knew something as small as an empty te near me would be enough to set him off? I should''ve been more careful. I deserved this. I should''ve taken that te back to the kitchen in the middle of the night. I was so damn careless, and I got punished for it.


    The freezing water slides down my frail body, my involuntary shivers rattling me to the core. I couldn''t remember thest time I got a warm shower. Nothing could warm me these days, not even the sun itself. The cold water glided over my wounds and cuts, sizzling underneath its chill. I hissed. The chill was supposed to make the pain go away, not exacerbate it.


    I could only hope Kwame didn''t get reprimanded further for feeding me. He didn''t need to do that. He got nothing out of feeding me, so why put himself on the line with his best friend? The way he looked at me in the hall that look of pity and indifference. His only reasoning for feeding me was so I have more energy to work. To continue being the pack ve. To scrub the filthy floors until I die on the job.


    That day couldn''te soon enough.


    That alone was enough to get Neron off my back to stop him from painting my body further with his fists and feet. He was an artist back in the day. These days my body was his canvas, and his fury was his tool. The stinging on my cheeks continued as I run my soapy hands all over my face.


    But there was one thing I didn''t understand. I am disposable, and yet, I am not?


    The leaders of this pack had every opportunity to kill me and yet they kept me alive to do the duties the Omegas didn''t want to do. I''ve heard their snidements about how they wished I lived long enough so they would never have to touch a mop or the washing board again.


    My hands ran down my chest, caressing the outline of bone and fat that couldn''t fall off. There were some remnants of my womanhood. I have some inkling of curves andm breasts but it was hard to tell from a distance. My malnourished body made its peace by eating the stored fat in my body to sustain me. If a human were to see me, they might think I was anorexic, but I was just being deprived of food and water. Thest time I shifted to Artemis, the malnourishment hit her too. She was a big wolf but awfully skinny, akin to me. I didn''t believe it was even safe for us to shift anymore.


    My hands reach my thighs and legs, rubbing profusely to get rid of the dirt that isn''ting off. It only took me a minute to realize that the "dirt" was merely more bruises. Bruises afflicted by the ''special game'' that one guard in the dungeons would y with me. I still felt his hands on my body.


    In my body.


    I suddenly couldn''t breathe. I rubbed as hard as I could to get rid of the devilish sensations that refused to leave. They stayed haunting the very fabric of my mind, singing their song of malice. My eyes burned with unshed tears, and the water pressure soon lessened. I wanted to die. I don''t want to go another day of being the guard''s little doll. I couldn''t stand his disgusting hands on me! Why won''t the feeling ever leave?!


    I want to die. I want to die. I want to F***ING DIE!


    "Hali... Hali, focus on me." Artemis''s voice was like a soothing song, drawing me away from the abyss of my mind. It was as if I could feel her snout pushing me forward, away from the darkness. Away from the torment. Away from the devil''sir. "We''re in this together. I''m here with you, every step of the way."


    "It''s too much, Art. Why am I so dirty? Why did this have to happen?" "Because they know they can get away with it. No one is there to stop them, so they''ll keep hurting us. My words may not seem like much right now, but you''re not dirty. We''re not dirty, nor have we ever been. We''re okay. We...we''ll be okay."


    She''s right. Her words mean little, but there was a certain warmth in them that calmed my palpitating heart. I sucked in a deep shaky breath, slowly emerging back into the awful reality that was my life. The dirty bathroom that I couldn''t clean. The minuscule hose now drips droplets of water from the ceiling. The soap on my body that I didn''t have time to wash away.


    I still had work to do before the ceremony. Stepping out of the dingy bathtub, I wiped myself down and put on my raggedy dress once again. It was the only piece of clothing I own, so it wasn''t like I had a choice. Stepping back into the gloomy room I was given to shower away from prying eyes, I sucked in a deep breath again. Anxiety pooled in my stomach as I stared at the door leading back into the lively pack house. It was time to give what I had left for this ceremony so I could finally sleep.


    It''ll be okay. I''ll be okay.


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 Chapter 4

    "I was never good enough for my mum and she never let me forget it" - Sarah y Halima I couldn''t understand how she-wolves could wear so much perfume without choking. The amalgamation of perfumes, food, pheromones, and children was abination so gross it surprised me that no one had upchucked their lunch. The house was lively as ever, with everyone dressed in their best clothes. Children ran through the hallways in their formal outfits as the adults chased them down, and the leaders of the pack barked out their orders for the other wolves to hurry.


    The sun had finally set, and the full moon would rise within the half-hour. I was in the kitchen, washing the mountain load of tes and silverware that the pack would use for the Grand Feast.


    "Madam, shall we ce the desserts in the fridge?"


    "Yes! Alice, be a dear and garnish the steak, please!" Lead Omega Cassandra''s sweet voice was not what I was used to. With the Omegas, her tone was sweet and helpful,parable to a wise elder speaking to her children. But it takes a drastic 180-degree turn when speaking with me; with disgust and contempt peppered with hatred.


    The food for the feast was ced on therge ind some distance away from me, an assortment of the world''s finest cuisines. Just ncing at each dish feels as if you were traveling the globe right in the kitchen. As much as I dislike the Omegas, they have a Goddess-given talent with food I''d never tasted.


    "Ooh, is that your famoussagna I see?" My breath hitched in my throat as the familiar voice made my heart pound. I didn''t dare to look behind me to know who the voice belonged to. My mother. I forgot she was the chief organizer of the ceremony, in the absence of Luna Celeste. I heard a gentle p and a "Hey!"


    "You know the rules, Ash. No taste testing!" Cassandra replied with a chuckle. "Knowing you, one bite turns into a missing pan!"


    "It''s your fault for making the food so irresistible." My mother chuckled in amusement. "Maybe just one egg roll="


    "Nope! Out!" From the corner of my eye, I saw Cassandra, a notably smaller woman, push my mother out of the kitchen. egg roll she sessfully swiped was in her mouth. My mother was dressed in a halter-top midnight blue dress adorned with a silver pendant on her neck, with matching bracelets. Her curly hair was now straight, brushing against her mid-back. She looked beautiful.


    I wished I could tell her that.


    But she didn''t acknowledge my presence in the kitchen. My eyes stung with tears once again, but I blinked them back rapidly. No, no crying. Not now. Releasing a silent sigh, I continued my duty of scrubbing the ceramics clean, ignoring the distant echoes of excited chatter.


    "Racoon, are you going to take all night with those dishes? Hurry!" Lead Omega Cassandra shrieked at me. The chorus of snickers and giggles from the other Omegas followed soon after. The Omegas were dressed as their best and yet, no amount of makeup or jewelry could hide the true ugliness they hold.


    "I apologize, I''m nearly finished," I whispered, speeding up my work. But whispers didn''t fall on deaf ears, especially if they were a werewolf''s ears.


    "Nearly? I don''t need nearly; I want them done now!" She sneered, mocking my tone. "No one is in the mood for your screw-ups tonight, ve. One mishap and it''s on your head. Understood?"


    "Yes, miss."


    "Good."


    "Oh, I''d give anything to rip her throat out." Artemis snarled in my head. "She''s just an Omega!"


    "Still several rankings above us," I replied, already on myst set of dishes. "Omega is not a bad rank. At least she''s treated well by the pack. She feeds them, after all."


    "But not us."


    "Duh, because she hates us. Plus, she''s been ordered not to. Have you forgotten?"


    "I haven''t, but I know you''re feeling the same way as I am."


    Maybe. That didn''t mean I''d admit it. "I just wish to be alone instead of being on cleaning duty. It''s a big night."


    "Yes, I know. But something about tonight seems off."


    That caught my attention. "Off? How so? Is something going to happen?"


    "I feel like something will, but I don''t know what. It''s a weird inkling I have."


    "The only thing happening tonight is just the passage of the mantle. That could be what you''re feeling, Arty."


    "Something tells me it''s not just that. And don''t call me Arty!"


    A slight smile graced my I*ps. Artemis hates the nickname Arty, and it slipped from my thoughts sometimes. As I havepleted the final stint of my dishes, I drained the water and clean the sink.


    Afterward, I was forced to sit outside the kitchen doors on the floor. Just another show of my humiliation. The Omegas didn''t trust me to be anywhere near the food, so they m forced me to sit in the hallway. I didn''t dare to look up at the pack members who ignored me and piled into the assembly hall. Judging by their shining shoes and the fancy embroidery of the hems of dresses and pants, each was dressed to impress. Even the children and teenagers.


    Sitting, hugging my knees, was humiliation enough. I was so deep into my embarrassment that I didn''t notice my family passing me bym the Raina kicked me in the shin to spur a reaction out of me but ended up walking away when she didn''t get what she wanted. Odessa and others tried to bother me to see if I would whimper or cry, but I didn''t give them the satisfaction. I was too numb. Disassociating myself from the world was the only thing I could do.


    I was invisible. Everyone piled into the assembly hall, leaving me alone in the silence. The ceremony noises garbled against my ear, but the cheers were crystal clear.


    I truly wasn''t part of this pack.


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 Chapter 5

    "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not be a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche Third Person POV The Passage of the Alpha ceremony marked a new beginning for all werewolf packs in the world.


    As the new Alpha ims his or her new title, it paved the way for the new generation of leaders to be greater than their predecessors. It honored the Alphas who served before their time, passing on their wisdom and honor to the new sessor, in hopes they''d follow in their footsteps. Following in line was the next generation of the Beta and Gamma, who served as the Alpha''s right and left hand, respectively. Once the passage wasplete, a new light of hope was born, and celebrations stretched until the moon rests for the night.


    From top to bottom, Zircon Moon''s assembly hall glittered with magnificence. Gold and white decorated every tile, stair, chair, and table across the room. Near the front of the stage stood three tables, each decorated more intricately with Greek insignias, representative of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma families. A big chandelier hung above, shining brightly like cut diamonds. From the human eye, the assembly hall was decorated simrly to that of a wedding reception. Every pack member, male, female, young, and old, piled in and sat in their respective seats. Each dressed in elegance, in apetition of who could outshine the other. Chatter echoing andughter infectious, everyone was ready for the best night of their lives. The Omegas began serving wine for the adults and juice for the little ones.


    The Elders of Zircon set up the ceremonial table and the three Passage Goblets meant for the official ritual. The golden goblet for the Alphas, the silver goblet for the Betas, and the bronze goblet for the Gammas. Each bedecked with rubies and diamonds across the rim, shining with prestige. But at the centerid zircon crystals, the gemstone the pack was named after. Matching ceremonial daggers rested next to its prospective chalice.


    "I think I''m going to be sick," Valerian mumbled, sitting at the table marked for the Beta Families. Dressed in a clean, double-breasted gray suit, he leaned back in his chair. "Is all this attention necessary?"


    "Don''t think about it too much," Raina whispered, holding his hand in hers. The future Beta Female dressed in an off-shoulder silver dress that reached to her knees with her matching jewelry glittering underneath the lights. Her normally coily raven hair was curled to perfection. "You''ll be on stage for, like, five minutes. You do your thing and you''lle back to me."


    "That''s the only thing I''m looking forward to." He chuckled, capturing her lips in a kiss. Before they could go any deeper, Beta Steven cleared his throat.


    "As much as I love watching young love blossom, have some decency for these old eyes." He chuckled as an Omega filled his winess.


    "Oh, don''t be too hard on them, my love. I could name a few instances where wecked decency during thest ceremony..." Ashley''s voice dropped an octave, her hooded sending shivers of pleasure down Steven''s spine.


    "Oh, Mom. That''s gross." Raina gagged for emphasis. "We don''t want to hear any of that."


    "Who is this ''we''?" Valerian''s mother Michelle asked, holding hands with her husband, Jesse, under the table. "I, for one, want to hear more. Remember that one time all those years ago where you skinny-dipped in the river and-"


    Ashley threw a balled-up napkin at her friend, who burst into cackles. Much to their children''s dismay, their parents still acted as if they were young again. Kwame, with his family, was talking logistics about the ceremony, but his mind was elsewhere. Messing with the cuff of his tanned suit, he gave away that he wasn''t paying much attention.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Kwame." His father, Gamma Omar, tapped him on the shoulder. "What''s on your mind, son?"


    "This doesn''t feel right." He muttered, ignoring his little brother''s airne noises, and his mother''s failed attempts to make him sit still. "All of us should be in here, celebrating this monumental time. She''s just sitting out there, alone and forgotten."


    Gamma Omar sighed in sadness, aware of what his eldest son was speaking about. He spoke about Halima, the ve, presented merely an afterthought to the rest of the pack. Like Kwame, he too feels for the girl. His wife, Gamma Female Amani, prayed often for the Moon Goddess to bathe her in her protection, given that the Alpha''s orders restricted them from interacting with her.


    "We are doing the best we could to prove her innocence, but it is difficult." His voice dropped to a whisper, to where only his table could hear him. "Tracking down those rogues had taken years. They have grown cunning over the decade, but we won''t give up. Halima will be free, even when everyone has given up on her."


    "I worry about her survival," Amani muttered, brushing her fingers through her youngest son''s, Adama, hair. "I fear she might not live to see her next birthday. Her only sce is escaping from this pack. She grows skinnier and sicker each day..."


    "I, too, worry about her, my love," Omar responded, grasping his wife''s hand. "But I have faith for her better days. We will draw closer to bringing enough evidence to Jonathan. I promise."


    Kwame grunted in response; his deep brown eyes glued to the doors. He could feel her sadness seeping through the cracks. As much as he respected the Beta Family, he abhorred the way they treated her. Halima was their flesh and blood, and they treated her as if she was nothing. He could only hope that one day, they and the pack would realize the error of their ways.


    The mood at the Dubois table did nothing to damper the surrounding mood. At the designated Alpha table, the mood was befitting of kids'' y. Odessa and Neron were ying footsie as Alpha Jonathan had a brief conversation with one of the Pack Elders. Noticing the heavy-lidded looks the couple was giving to one another, Jonathan rolled his eyes.


    "Alright, enough. You could continue that after the ceremony," He grunted, snapping his fingers between their faces. "Are you ready, son?"


    "Ready as I''ll ever be." Neron smiled, his voice brimming with confidence. Odessa gripped his knee to grab his attention. Wearing a baby pink, strapless dress made Neron hot underneath his suit. His love looked so beautiful, so innocent in such a soft color. His fingers trembled with the desire to just run his fingers down her curves and-


    "Focus!" Onyx bellowed in his mind. "We''re about to be king of the pack and you''re busy wanting to bed her!"


    "I can''t help it. She''s so beautiful. Don''t you think so, Onyx?" Neron teased, fully aware of Onyx''s dislike for Odessa.


    "Yeah, yeah, she''s pretty. Big whoop. We both know you''ll take her to bed after."


    "Care to watch this time?"


    "In your dreams. Anyway, it looks as if the ceremony is about to start. Pay attention!" It was no surprise that Neron and Onyx were opposites. While both were confident, Neron wasxer, whereas Onyx was more straightforward. It wasmon for wolves to have distinct personalities from their humans. Wolf and human bnce each other as yin with yang. Regardless, whether they like it or not, whatever personality the wolves adopt was merely one-half of theplete picture. Onyx kept Neron straight, even when he fell overboard one too many times.


    Alpha Jonathan, Beta Steven, and Gamma Omar made their way to the stage. All conversation ceased, and all attention was now to the highlight of the ceremony. The hall had a lot of echo and space, so it was easy for all pack members to listen, no matter how far they were from the stage.


    It was not like werewolves needed microphones, anyway. "Zircon Moon!" Alpha Jonathan''s booming voice pierced through the silence. "I wee you all to this monumental asion, the Passage of the Alpha ceremony! It has been a long timeing for the next generation to assume their roles as your new Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. This pack holds the pride and strength that each of you contributes to as a whole. Our strength lies in our numbers, so whether you know it or not, each of you lending a smidgen of your strength to yourmunity, your family, was how we all escape the toughest of circumstances. We suffered through substantial challenges and hardships as amunity that we''re all ustomed to, but we all emerged stronger than before!"


    Cheers and apuse thundered through the air, each member feeling rejuvenated and jovial to be part of such an amazing pack.


    "Today, you all will bear witness to the passing of the torch to the next generation of leaders. While we old men step down from the roles we have assumed for decades, I was proud to see how enthusiastic and strong this next generation was ready to lead. They would serve as your guides, holding the legacy of the pack within their minds and their hearts. They''re young and sometimes a little hard-headed, but they''re more than fit to lead the next generation of werewolves into a new era that would go down in history. Give these fine gentlemen your well-wishes and gratitude, for they will take the first step into the roles they were born to fill. May the Moon Goddess serve us her blessings and bathe these young men in her protection and her love for decades toe." "Now, it is time to pass the torch to our chosen sessors. Kwame Dubois, Valerian Mikos, and my pride and joy, Neron Prince, pleasee to the stage and ept your destiny!"


    All three men rose from their tables and walked towards the stage with thundering apuse and cheers erupting from behind. The three men worked, trained, fought, and yed together from childhood to adulthood. Each holds a special ce in each other''s hearts and couldn''t agree more that they were an unstoppable trio. Standing next to their predecessors, it was time for the important part of the ceremony.


    The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma each hold a Zircon Ring that marks their rank.


    They had passed each ring down to future leaders, one generation after another. Gold, Silver, and Bronze respectively. It was to be ced on the ring finger of the sessor''s right hand; the hand always ced over their heart. It was a sign of dedication, gratitude, and readiness to lead the pack in the right direction.


    The predecessors grab their ceremonial dagger and slice a thin line on their palm, holding that hand over their goblet as their blood drips into it. The sessors held up their hands over the same goblet, ready for their oaths.


    "I, Jonathan Prince, pass the title and honor of Alpha to you, Neron Prince, with the duties and obligations thate with such responsibility.


    Honoring the generations of Alphas before us, I bestow upon you their knowledge and strength to lead Zircon Moon. Do you ept?"


    "I, Steven Lane, pass the title and honor of Beta to you, Valerian Mikos, with the duties and obligations thate with such responsibility. Honoring the generations of Betas before us, I bestow upon you their knowledge and strength to lead Zircon Moon. Do you ept?"


    "I, Omar Dubois, pass the title and honor of Gamma to you, Kwame Dubois, with the duties and obligations thate with such responsibility. Honoring the generations of Gammas before us, I bestow upon you their knowledge and strength to lead Zircon Moon. Do you ept?"


    "I ept this honor." All three men responded with overflowing confidence.


    The ceremonial daggers cut through their palms at the same time, bleeding into the goblet below. Then, the men join hands as the passage flows through them by blood. Each man could feel their bond with the pack strengthening, bearing the responsibility that at that moment, they have be the new Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.


    The mixing of blood within the goblets flickered with silver energy. For the Moon Goddess had recognized the sacred passages.


    Blessed and protected, the blood el disappeared in wisps of white energy, rising in the air. The Moon Goddess had acknowledged and epted the men as new leaders of one of her many packs. The older men took a step back, signifying that theypleted their task and stepped down.


    "I, Neron Prince, will serve faithfully as your new Alpha!"


    "I, Valerian Mikos, will serve faithfully as your new Beta!"


    "I, Kwame Dubois, will serve faithfully as your new Gamma!"


    Howls erupted from the crowd, rocking the foundation of the packhouse in eptance of their new leaders. Full of pride and happiness, the men bumped fists in unison, their rings clinking against one another. Now, they were ready to honor and serve their pack.


    Theirmunity. Their family.


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 Chapter 6

    "Fear cuts deeper than swords." - George R.R. Martin Third Person POV The Grand Feast went off without a hitch. The Omegas brought out decadent dishes of all sorts to all the pack members, serving each a hearty amount. After the new crowning of their trio of leaders, everyone was more than ready to celebrate properly. The mingle of conversation echoed in the air as delicious food-filled bellies and the children had time to y with one another. The Omegas took a break from serving and joined their fellow brothers and sisters at their table to dig into the artistry of their cooking. Kwame and his family bonded closer now that their oldest son was officially instated as Gamma. Adama gave his well-wishes and that once he grows up, he would take over as Gamma. The new Gamma couldn''t be happier.


    Raina congratted Valerian with peppering kisses on his face and pats on the back from the former Beta. He vowed to serve the Beta title honorably now that Raina was officially the Beta Female. Typically, the Beta title was passed down from parent to the oldest child, but Raina did not want the official title. Since Valerian was her mate, the title went to him. Steven and Ashley could retire easily, knowing the new Beta and Beta Female would fulfill their duties with grace.


    Odessa couldn''t be more excited when her Alpha returned to her with open arms. It meant she was one step closer to bing his Luna; mates be damned. Peppered with many kisses from his littledy, Neron felt like a new man. Now officially recognized as Alpha, he knew that turbulencees with being an Alpha, and he was more than ready to face those troubles head-on. Everything seemed to fall into ce.


    The keyword being seemed.


    Back in the kitchen, d*rty dishes flew in from all directions. If Halima finished with two dishes, ten more appeared. Ordered to work fast, Halima scrubbed hard with little enthusiasm. Dessert was to be served and they cannot serve dessert without clean dishes, the Omegas would say. Exhaustion overtook her faster than her mind could process, desperate for sleep. But none would leave her be until the celebration had ceased. Her arms and hands were on autopilot while her body worked against the constant exertion of energy. The delicious scent of the food was killing her as her stomach grumbled with need.


    "Hurry Racoon, we don''t have all night!" One Omega, Samantha, screeched in her ear. Samantha was one of the brattier Omegas, exhibiting her true ugliness to the ve only while everyone else revered her as a walking angel. The Omega ''identally'' bumped Halima''s arm, causing the water to spill on her raggedy dress. Amused, Samantha departed with the dishes in her hands. The kitchen was empty momentarily, serving as Halima''s istion from the celebration. The ve eyed the running water from the tap, her throat suddenly parched.


    In a moment of weakness, her head leaned in and took in several gulps of water. The water soothed her scratchy throat and her small stomach filled with the slightly metallic-tasting water, unable to take much more. She trained her body to run on extremely low food and water and taking in too much would make her vomit everything she risked putting in her stomach. The girl did not want to risk any punishments tonight.


    "How do you feel, Artemis?"


    "Not great, but the water helped." Her wolf responded; her voice gentle. "It''s better than nothing."


    A small smile graced Halima''s lips as she wiped them and continued working. She felt slightly better with the water, but her stomach still demanded food. Food that she would never get. She forced her mind to push out the hunger thoughts so it would no longer bother her. After all the dishes were cleaned and taken back to the assembly hall, Halima sat in her little spot and awaited her next orders.


    The humans say thatughter was contagious, but despite hearing so much, she felt nothing. Her heart stilled, rigid and cold. How could a pack that takes their honor and pride seriously turn around and break her down? That was what she never understood. If only there was a way to make the pack, see her truly and listen to what she had to say...


    An enormous rubber basket mmed on the ground, startling her out of her thoughts. Fearful brown eyes looked up to see Lead Omega Cassandra leaning over her with her fists on her hips. "Go collect the dishes. The Omegas and I are tired."


    "Collect the dishes...in there?" Halima''s eyes looked at the assembly hall doors. Fear rolled off her flesh faster than she could blink. She couldn''t go in there! For once, against all the orders given to her, the girl refused. Shaking her head rapidly, she cowered away from Cassandra.


    Groaning in annoyance, Cassandra gripped Halima''s bony arm painfully, forcing her up on her bare feet. "I don''t have time to repeat myself, but since you''re so hard of hearing, I will." She thrust the basket into Halima''s chest, nearly pushing the girl over.


    "Take your scrawny a*s inside the hall and collect the f**king dishes! Unless you want the Alpha-excuse me, former Alpha, to know of your disobedience?"


    Fear could make people do many things. In this case, fear propelled Halima forward to do her job, despite her internal protests. Like her fear, the burns of her anxiety rolled into her stomach. Her heart palpitated, stress gripping her. Nausea gued her stomach, pushing her to vomit the water she had just consumed, but she held it in. Her body shook like musical rattles the closer she got to the doors.


    "Artemis..." Halima called out to her wolf desperately. Tears slid down her cheeks in rapid session, dripping on her dress. "I can''t go in there! I can''t do this!"


    "Then allow me," Artemis responded thoughtfully. "Allow me to take control, and I''ll get us in and out of there as fast as I can. You don''t have to face anyone you don''t want to."


    "You''d do that for me? This is the first time you ever offered such a thing."


    "Remember what I said yesterday? We''re in this together. If you go into battle, so will I." If Artemis was physically next to her, Halima would feel her snout nuzzle into her side. "Now, give me control."


    "O-okay. Thank you, Arty."


    "You''re wee. And don''t call me Arty!"


    Artemis I gagged.


    The jumble of smells was awful. Werewolves, perfume, food, dessert, and so much more made for an even worsebination than what I sniffed earlier today. How could anyone stand this stench? Their pride must have made these fools noseblind.


    Unlike Halima, I didn''t take kindly to this pack. After our harsh and unwarranted treatment for a crime, we held no responsibility for, my detestation for Zircon Moon grew every day. The daily round of abuse we receive should be punishable by wolfw. I was confident that the former Alpha hid our existence so that he and the pack could continue to hurt us. Corruption was a nasty thing, and it could affect the best of us.


    I stuck out like a sore thumb in a room full of prissy elegance. I stood no chance at the expensive clothes and shoes each person was wearing. Thebined cost of all these damn clothes must be hundreds of thousands.


    Sucking in a deep breath, I worked quickly to gather the tes of the dozens of tables of satisfied wolves. No one made it easy as I expected. Conversations at the tables died as soon as I arrived. I nearly got stabbed in the hand with many knives and forks from bratty teenagers and angry adults alike. It was as if merely acting as their maid and picking up after themselves was an insult. My very presence was an insult to them.


    There were several rude and degradingments here and there. I''ve heard them all. Bitch, worthless ve, murderer, mongrel, and everything else in between. For a mighty pack, they could benefit from expanding their vocabry. Tell me something I hadn''t heard in my five years of existence.


    The more tes and utensils I picked up, the heavier the basket became. I had to heave the heavy thing on my non-existent hip as I continued forward to collect more of their filthy tes. I could already feel a bruiseing on, but I couldn''t do a thing about it.


    But I wished I didn''t have to collect the tes from the Gamma, Beta, and Alpha tables. As I draw closer to him, my heart ached deeply. His scent overwhelmed my senses as I grew closer to thest table. His scent of sandalwood, sage, and ginger ignited a fire in my body, mapping out every vein and artery andmitting it to memory.


    How could I tell Halima about this? How could I live with myself if she knew of this connection? I collected the tes from the Gamma table, ignoring their sympathetic stares at me. Did they feel sorry for us? What a f**king joke.


    I reached the Beta table, working as fast as I could. I could feel Halima''s pain as she sensed our family. The family that had abandoned us and turned us over to be the ve of the pack. I wanted nothing more but to rip their throats out for forsaking us, but I knew Halima still loved them. Deep down in her fragile heart. They were still our flesh and blood, even if they were horrible people.


    And finally, I reached the Alpha table. The table I feared most of all. The Alpha and that harlot Odessa was exchanging kisses. Kisses that didn''t belong to her! It isn''t fair! An extremely low, near-silent growl rumbled in my chest as I hesitated. If I was closer, his scent would be my undoing. How could I do this without losing my head?


    The weighted basket on my hip pressed firmly against my flesh in protest, forcing me to hurry with my task. I partially dissociated from reality as I got to the table. Faster than ever, I grabbed the utensils and ceramics and piled them up on the mountain I carry on my hip. However, I made a mistake.


    One. Huge. Mistake.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    As I picked up the dishes, my arm brushed against Neron''s. Light as a feather, yet still present. Sparks shot between our connection. For the first time, the touch. of gentleness brought forth the truth of the link between us. I couldn''t feel it with the violent touches, but now it brought forth a new terror that rocked my body. The distress in the back of mine coiled and tumbled, knowing Halima had felt it too.


    "Mate." I heard Onyx say in a small whimper.


    "Mate." I replied the same way.


    "NO!" In a moment''s sh, I was forced out of control of Halima''s body. I was once again in the backseat as she assumed full control. I regret this.


    Halima... I''m so sorry that I kept this from you.


    Halima No! Oh Goddess, no!


    This couldn''t be happening! Neron cannot be my mate! He couldn''t be!


    The gentle touch gave birth to the truth my wolf hid from me. My mate, my soulmate, my other half, was Alpha Neron Prince. The man who hated me with a passion that burned brighter than the sun. This changed everything. I felt the destined sparks, which means he had as well.


    I need to get out of here!


    In a panic, I heaved the heavy basket on the opposite side of my waist and rushed towards the door, not caring if I had missed a te or two. It was hard, considering I was carrying over thirty pounds'' worth of dishes. I sped walked, but I lookedparable to a penguin trying to run to its mother. My dream of finding my mate had shattered into a million pieces-because my mate was the very person I want to escape from. The very person I would have never dreamed of being my destined partner. I could have anyone in the world, and yet, I was paired up with him!


    Moon Goddess, this was a sick joke. Are youughing at me in the heavens? Is this how much you hate me?!


    The double doors were in my grasp. I might make it through the doors unscathed


    Suddenly, a hard object struck me on the back of the head, knocking mepletely off bnce. Whatever it was, it exploded on impact.


    like Everything around me slowin those slow-motion movie movie scenes I saw when I was a kid. Gasps and other sounds echoed around me as I nosedived forward. The basket fell from my hands. Dishes and utensils ttered and shattered against the marble floor. Inded on the broken pieces, hard. Blood oozed from the back of my head, dripping down to my neck and shoulders. Gasping in pain, I brought my shaky hand to the wound, pulling it back to see a furious red staining my skin.


    I slowly turned my head to see Neron, standing over me with an unbelievable amount of fury scorching his eyes. No longer blue, now ck, signaling the beast had taken over. The ferocity of his anger was astronomical. My soul shook in absolute fear. He didn''t just want me punished. No, Neron wanted me dead.


    "The Moon Goddess must be one sick woman to pair me up with a piece of shit like you!" His Alpha voice boomed across the hall. Whispers O and gossip circled amongst the pack in an instant, in disbelief that I was the destined mate of the Alpha. "You stole my mother and sister away from me, and now you wish to steal her title as well?"


    "N-no! It''s not like that!" I pleaded, with tears streaming down my face. "I don''t want this! You have to believe me, please!"


    Hisrge hand grabbed my throat with the might of a war god, lifting me off the ground without effort. His fingers trembled with every squeeze, tightening the airways vital for my life. I coughed, wheezing, as his rage burned through my pores and incinerated my soul. The amount of hate Neron held for me was strong, and I knew there was no getting out of this alive.


    "As if I''ll believe a murderer!" Neron''s voice was shrill against my ears. Any louder and my eardrums would burst. My weak, cracking nails wed at his hand, but he was far too strong. The next words out of Neron''s mouth decimated my heart, destroyed my hope, and single-handedly ruined all that I wanted to live for.


    "I, Neron Mchi Prince, the Alpha of the Zircon Moon Pack, reject you, Halima Zira Lane, as my mate and Luna." He tossed me onto the ground like a piece of trash, leaving me gasping for air. He then grabbed something off the ground, turned me over, and shed me. shed over my Pack Mark. With a knife. "And I, hereby, sentence you to death."


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 7

    <h2><strong>Chapter 7 - The Escape</strong></h2>


    "I didn''t want to wake up. I was having a much better time asleep. And that''s really sad. It was almost like a reverse nightmare, like when you wake up from a nightmare, you''re so relieved. I woke up into a nightmare." - Ned Vizzini


    Neron


    I wanted it dead! I wanted it out of my life! My father allowed it to live this long, but it was time for it to go!


    That thing was my mate? My other half? I wanted to vomit at the thought of it. How dare my Moon Goddess pair us together! I was the goddamned Alpha, and my Luna was to be strong, beautiful, and fierce. Not this sack of quivering shit.


    The rage that erupted the moment we touched outmatched what I had felt before. The fated sparks, the fated touch, were to onlye from anyone else but this thing. Out of all people in the world, I should''ve feltthe fated sparks with Odessa! Why was it now that fate revealed that the ve was my mate and not the other times I hit her? Why didn''t I feel the sparks then? I gripped the bloodied knife in my hand, watching the blood from the wound on its head and shoulder de drip onto the marble floors, seeping into the crevices.


    The ve now bears the Mark of the Betrayer. In ancient times, when a pack member hadmitted a crime so horrific against their pack or pack members, the alpha had the power to brand that individual as a betrayer. The alpha takes a knife or a dagger and shes the pack mark in one swift cut. It marked the betrayer for death or exile, whichever fate the alpha decided. The mark was to never heal so that other werewolves could see and know the mutt for who he or she truly was. Scum.


    This worthless cur was and never would be a genuine member of my pack. The tension in the air was so thick that I could butter a piece of toast with it. It did nothing but aggravate the pain in my heart as the mate bond disintegrated. I could hear her wolf howl in pain, as it felt the destruction of what could never be. Onyx howled and convulsed in pain. Knowing that I hurt Onyx also hurt me, but it had to be done. Throwing my te at its skull was only the beginning of its torture. Onyx would understand one day.


    "Please..." It wheezed as its feeble hands tried to cover her bleeding wound. "I didn''t mean for this to happen-!"


    "Just as you didn''t mean to rip out the pack''s heart that day eight years ago, right?" I roared at it. It pressed its body further against the floor, fearful of my approach. "But, not to worry. As my first decree as Alpha, I''ll have you executed. You will not have the honor of being buried in our cemetery next to honorable werewolves. No, I will burn your corpse to ash, and I will dispose of your ashes far from this territory. Any trace of you will be destroyed and from this day forward, you no longer exist in the Zircon Moon Pack." I smirked. "Be grateful. I''ll grant you the deathyou always begged for down in your cell."


    The murmurs behind me grew louder, many agreeing with my decision. I was not the only one who wanted this cur gone.


    "Get rid of it!"


    "It''s an awful sight. It deserves to die!"


    "May its death heal us all. It will face


    punishment from our goddess!"


    "Make her execution public, so we can all bear witness!"


    "You''re making a colossal mistake, you fucking idiot!" Onyx roared in my head, fighting for control over my body. His anger seared through me like lit gasoline, nearly causing me to buckle over. "I won''t let you harm our mate!"


    "It is not our mate and would never be our mate! Our mate is Odessa, and its high time you realized that! I''m doing this for our good, Onyx!" I screamed back, shutting down our mind-link. I growled low, ready to wipe those damn brown eyes from my mind. Onyx knew this entire time we were mates and didn''t tell me! My wolf betrayed me! This madness ends now, starting with the death of this stupid ve!


    Before I could make any move against her, two powerful arms wrapped around the underside of my arms, forcing me away from her. I didn''t need to look behind me to see who it was. By the scent of frankincense alone, I knew Kwame was holding me back. His strength matched mine, and he was pulling one hell of a fight. I won''t let my gamma stop me from exacting justice.


    "Run quick, Halima!" Kwame roared, pivoting to the side and tackling me to the ground. All hell broke loose behind me.


    Halima


    "Run quick, Halima!"


    This couldn''t be real. This couldn''t be the world I was living in. Neron injured me, rejected me, and was marked for death in under two minutes. My mate, someone who I dreamed would rescue me from this hell, had pulled me further into it. The Mark of the Betrayer would never go away. This mark will stay with me until I die. No werewolf pack would ever want me. Once you''re branded, that''s it. I was officially a criminal to all werewolf kind. Without trying, Neron destroyed the hope in my life, never to return.


    No one had dared to help me, not my family or any other pack member. But Kwame, the new Gamma, is...fighting for me? He body mmed Alpha Neron to the ground like a weightless dummy. I heard a screaming from a little boy, his brother, to draw the attention away from the spectacle, and his father flipped the Gamma table to crash into another.


    Chaos erupted, and I caused it. All becausethe damn mate connection set the new alpha off. Screams and shouts echoed left and right through the hall as I tried desperately to stop the bleeding on my shoulder de. But


    nothing was working. I was heading to hell in a handbasket. I might as well ept my fate. The fight in me was gone. The guards nking my left and right wereing to take me back to the dungeons, where I would be tortured and promptly executed. Nothing mattered anymore. I was finished.


    I could only hope that, in my new life, I''d have a better oue than this.


    But something I never thought would happen, happened. Amani Dubois, the former Gamma Female, ran to me at near-blinding speed and scooped me up into her arms. "I''m getting you out of here, sweet child." She whispered in my ear.


    She was saving me. Why?


    We burst through the assembly double doors, dashing towards the pack house''s exit. I heardformer Alpha Jonathan''s roar behind me, ordering the guards to not let us escape. To capture us and bring us back. This was no longer just a minor disagreement; this was a battle for my life. My freedom. I knew both the Gamma and Gamma Female were to be not only expertbatants but also strategic analyzers. They knew how to exploit the weaknesses of enemies and could uncover secrets and hidden things that no one else could find. Third inmand of their packs, and yet, the most intelligent of all leaders.


    Avoiding all hindrances to my escape, Mrs. Dubois brought me out of the pack house. The moon was high, and the cool breeze licked my skin, making me shiver. However, the moonlight made the fire of determination clear in the older woman''s brown eyes. The blood seeping from my wounds stained her dark green dress, yet she was unbothered by it. From her looks alone, I knew this woman wanted me to live. She was risking so much for me and didn''t aim to reap the benefits of it.


    Footsteps and tramples of the guards echoed behind us, edging closer. Alpha Neron must''ve mind-linked anyone and everyone possible to stop us from escaping because Mrs. Dubois frantically looked around for an exit. Guards and pack members spilled out from all sides of the pack house, making the situation even more serious.


    "Here! This pathway is clear!" She deduced, bolting toward an unfamiliar route into the woods. The full moon, bright as a diamond me, illuminated our path toward freedom. As if the Moon Goddess herself is showing us the way. Mrs. Dubois''s heartbeat thudded against my ears, along with multiple footsteps and shouts from the distance. We''re being chased down!


    "Why are you helping me?" I asked the former Gamma Female. If there was any time


    to ask a question, why not now when I was near death? "Why aren''t you leaving me to die?"


    "Because, dear..." Mrs. Dubois spoke throughpants, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she dodged every tree and jumped every log in her high heels! I don''t know whether to be terrified or amazed. "You don''t deserve this treatment. You won''t believe me, but I


    speak the truth. You are innocent. And you deserve to be free."


    "How do you know I am innocent?" I questioned dubiously. "Everybody decided I was guilty years ago. What not you too?"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She cast me a smile filled with reassurance and confidence. I peered into her eyes and see no hint of malice or deceit. She was telling me the truth. "My husband and I have been working quietly to prove your innocence. The death of our Luna and Angel hurt our pack deeply, and they still hurt to this day. Blinded by their pain, they hurt you. However, that gives them no authority to break you as they''ve done. Pain upon pain is just an endless cycle where nobody wins."


    The woman leaped over a small pond in a single bound, her arms locked and tuckedunder my body. "Why now?" I asked.


    "The Alpha ismitted to executing you for a crime you have no fault in. The animal responsible for killing his mother and sister is still out there. The Gamma Family works quietly for a reason, baby girl." She stopped for a moment to look at me with an expression full of determination. "My only regret is not taking you out of Alpha Jonathan''s clutches sooner."


    The rapid footsteps behind us quieted down, the farther away we got. In the moonlight, Mrs. Dubois''s eyes zed over, meaning she was mind-linking with someone, probably to her husband. Sooner thanter, we came across a clearing that stood over the rocky edge of a cliff. The faint scent of freshwater tickled my nose. There was a river flowing far below us, and it pacified me. It felt good. Mrs. Dubois gently set me on my bare feet as my eyes glued to the woodsy horizon.

 Chapter 8

    <h2><span style="font-size:24px"><strong>Chapter 8 - The Suicide</strong></h2>


    "Some people are just not meant to be in this world. It''s just too much for them." - Phoebe Stone


    (Content Warning: This chapter


    contains the subject of suicide. Reader discretion is heavily advised.)


    Halima


    There was an unfamiliar world beyond where I was standing. I''ve never been this far out of the pack house in my years of very. Was this what it was like to be free? To feel the gentle breeze on my skin?


    To see the bright full moon casting its


    light down on me? Was the Moon Goddess witnessing it all?


    My feet moved on their own ord,


    walking toward the perilous edge of the cliff.


    "Be careful, dear. You might fall."


    ''Is that a promise?'' I thought bitterly to myself, stopping a few yards from the edge. I turned to face Mrs. Dubois, giving me


    something no one had ever dared to give me in a long time.


    A warm smile.


    "You don''t belong in this pack anymore, sweetheart." I frowned but continued to listen. "What I mean is that this ce is no longer safe for you. It used to be your home, but everyone turned their backs on you when they shouldn''t. We all have failed you in countless ways. I know I have. I don''t believe the Moon Goddess would ever forgive us for willingly harming one of her children. You need to leave and build a life out there, somewhere far away from here."


    She scoffed to herself. "We preach honor and pride, yet we turn around and brandone of our own as a traitor. A girl barely in her womanhood."


    The betrayer sh stung at the mention of who I was now. The blood finally


    coagted and stopped flowing, but it


    didn''t take away the unfairness of it all. I looked at Mrs. Dubois in silence, soaking in all she had said to me.


    "I can tell you''re special, Halima. Incredibly special."


    "No, I''m not," I retorted. "I''m nothing."


    "You are something." She corrected. "I don''t know what it is, or where it came from, but a special girl like you shouldn''t be condemned to this hell."


    "But even if I escape, where would I go?" I asked incredulously. "All I''ve done for eight years is clean. I barely have an elementary school education. No other pack would ept me with this mark on my back. I''m packless and mateless." Thest word brought pain, stinging my heart like a pack of angry hos. Artemis howled in misery at the recent rejection. "I won''tst as a rogue. I need to face facts, Mrs. Dubois. My life is over. There''s no hope for me. Whatever hope remained; your Alpha took it away."


    A violent storm of pity, sadness, frustration, and anger brewed in her mahogany-brown eyes. I forced myself to look away, unable to hold in my sobs. What was the point of being free when death itself was waiting for you at its door? If I remained at Zircon Moon, I die. If I be a rogue, I die. If I somehow survive, it won''t be long until death ims me.


    The biggest loser of all of this was me. There was nothing I could do to turn this situation around. Life dealt me with a


    shitty hand, and I was fresh out of moves.


    Mrs. Dubois'' scream yanked me back to my senses. The guards, border patrols, and other pack members have finally caught up to us. Some as human, others as horse- sized wolves. Mr. Dubois restrained Mrs. Dubois, shouting obscenities at those whoe to kill me. Every pathway back into the forest was sealed by a body, cutting any chances of escape through the trees.


    But I wasn''t scared. Tranquility engulfed me, enveloping me like a warm nket. It spoke to me, telling me I had another option and that I''d be all right.


    Because I knew death would wee me once I jump off this cliff. We stood high enough that if I were to fall into the river below, it would break my neck. For the first time in my life, I had the power I always craved, the power to decide my fate.


    The power to end my life with my own hands.


    "Come back to the dungeons and ept your punishment, ve." One guard demanded. My eyes darted to him, every fabric of his being made my skin crawl. He was that one guard who would force me to y his games in the dungeon with my dress up and his pants down. I never knew his name. I still remember his disgusting fingers prating me while I cried. I begged, and pleaded for him to stop, but he never did, and now he wanted tomand me back to the very hell they put me in?


    In defiance, I stepped backward, closer to the deadly ledge. They knew I was serious. Their movements faltered. It reced the brimming confidence they all had with uncertainty. They now knew if they move, I jump.


    I had nothing else to lose.


    "Baby girl, don''t do what I think you''re about to do." Mrs. Dubois begged, tears brimming in her eyes. "You can''t go out that way."


    "Listen to her, please." Mr. Dubois finally spoke up. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn''t have to end this way."


    "There is no hope for me," I spoke, the coldness of my voice frightening him. "It disappeared the moment your Alpha branded me as a betrayer."


    A mate was someone you were to love, cherish, and protect. Mates don''t inflict harm on one another. They don''t cast you aside like garbage or condemn you to a life of abuse and servitude. Only a monster does that. My mate was a monster. Besides, I was sure Neron would be happy to see me dangling close to my death. One less problem he had to deal with while he fucks Odessa to the end of days.


    "Move! Move out of my way!" I looked to my side and see Raina, standing under the moonlight with all the beauty in the world. Behind her were my parents, stricken with horror. It''s the first time I''ve seen them express something other than disgust to me. It was also the first time I notice Raina''s belly poking out slightly from her dress. "Halima, I..."


    I took another step back, distancing myself as far as I could from my family-no, they weren''t my family anymore. They were strangers to me. Whatever familial connection we had was dead. I could only hope that Raina''s baby doesn''t grow up to be like her-evil and callous.


    "N-no!" Raina raised her hand in a feeble attempt to stop me. "D-Don''t do this, baby sis. I...please..."


    I wanted to vomit stomach acid all over her fucking dress. Anger boiled in me, raging like a bonfire. How dare theye here! If my looks could kill, all three of them would be the first ones to die. Artemis growled deeply, in hopes their wolves could hear just how much hate we held for them.


    "W-we can fix this..." Raina''s mother pleaded, walking towards her daughter. "J- juste back with us and-"


    "And what? So, you could hand me over to the fucking Alpha?" I shouted at them, my voice booming louder than what they were used to from a meek ve. Some men bristled at my disrespect, but I didn''t care. "So, you could continue to live yourvish lives as I clean up after your filthy selves? Don''t you dare act as if you care now! You had your chance when I was nine and you threw it away! Damn all of you to hell!"


    That wasn''t a quarter of my anger, but I had enough.


    I made my decision. Neron would not take my life. There would be no man or wolf to decide my fate. It was my decision to die. My decision to end the pain. My decision to cut my pitiful existence out of this world. With me out of the picture, they all could continue to live their happy lives without a care in the world.


    "We''re in this together, right, Artemis?" I


    asked my wolf onest time.


    "Always. I love you, Halima. May we


    meet again in the next life?"


    "I love you too, Artemis. And yes, I''m sure we will. I''ll see you on the other side."


    The Omegas would clean up their messes. Neron would have Odessa as his Luna. Everyone would be happy. May the Moon Goddess grant me ess to heaven once I meet her.


    "I, Halima Zira Lane, hereby reject Neron


    Prince as my Alpha, and renounce my affiliation with all having to do with the Zircon Moon Pack, effective immediately."


    I felt my bond with the pack snap and fizzle out. It was like a dead tree finally chopped toward the ground. It felt liberating, like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. My right shoulder de, where the Pack Mark was, burned before fading away. The mark disappeared.


    The surrounding atmosphere changed, separating me from the Zircon Pack members. Raina''s parents gasped tearfully, and Raina fell to her knees. I looked to see Mr. and Mrs. Dubois in tears, staring at me with finality. I look into their eyes, conveying my final message to them.


    Thank you for being one of the very few who were kind to me.


    "You all can send this message to theN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Alpha, courtesy of the ve. I ept his rejection of our mate bond. May you all burn in hell."


    I turned on my heels and jumped off the cliff. I fell faster than I couldprehend. A genuine smile appeared on my face for the first time in years. Screams and shouts of Zircon Moon above me grew quieter the further I fell. The tranquility of it all hadn''t left me. I felt good. I felt safe. I felt happy.


    I was free.


    I hit the water with a mighty ssh, pain searing through every bone in my body. The dark, bone-chilling water surrounded me in its ckness, pulling me deeper into the bottom of the river. I opened my eyes to see the light of the full moon growing dimmer as I sank.


    Death wasforting. Death was peaceful. I closed my eyes and allowed Death to cradle me in its arms. The power in my limbs was fleeting, and the warmth finally left. My lungs filled with water and my heart slowly came to a halt. It released its final beat before silencing forever. I was drowning, yet I''d never been happier.


    No one could hurt me ever again.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 The Goddess


    "Great mothers are benevolent beings with irreceable supreme love."- Wayne Chirisa Halima Silence. Theplete absence of sound.


    A world full of silence was a world worth living in. There was no pain, no sorrow, and no tears. Just me, alone, in a void ofplete darkness. Death had always been something to fear, instilled in the minds of man and beast since the beginning of time. But really, the world of life should be feared. The mortal realm was full of gloom, and if you''re lucky enough, you could beat it.


    I did.


    The world full of misery and corruption was behind me, for I no longer existed. I died and was nevering back. It was a joyous asion, for I broke the shackles that chained me to earth, releasing my soul to where it needed to go. I loved it. It''s a feeling I didn''t want to escape from.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Halima..."


    What was that? The voice of an angel at the gates of heaven?


    "Halima, my sacred child..."


    The feminine voice was unfamiliar, yet it gave me a deep sense offort. It held no evil, no malice, only love, and care. If all the angels'' voices were like this, then I had made the right decision to abandon the mortal realm.


    "Halima, my sacred child. Please, open your eyes."


    It wasn''t an authoritative order, but a gentlemand. How could I open my eyes if I didn''t have a body? The void split open, revealing and of white light, rivaling the golden light of the sun. Shining with magnificence, it was unlike any light I''d ever seen. Not long, the void of light bathed me at all sides. My feet, somehow there, wiggled above the airy ground. It was a sign that I had a body. Bending down, I saw my near-tangible body was like the shell I left behind, yet it was more translucent. I could see through my flesh, but I didn''t have any bones. I also noticed that I was wearing a knee-high white dress with thickened straps.


    "Where am I?" I whispered to the cool air.


    "You are in the realm of light, my child. I''vee to speak with you. I never expected to see you so soon." Tiny balls of light flew in from every corner of the realm, dancing, and twirling merrily like fireflies. Mesmerized, I watched the little lightsbine to outline a female figure. I couldn''t believe my eyes at who appeared, because I was in awe of her blinding beauty.


    What emerged was an ethereal woman, a beauty iparable to anything on earth. Her snow-white hair cascaded down to her ankles like expensive silk, the strands dancing in the gentle breeze blowing around us. Her celestial gray eyes stared me down, full of love and adoration. They were like two full moons, reigning beauty, and femininity over Earth. She had to be more than a foot taller than me, as expected from someone of her status. The woman''s ivory skin stood out in the silver dress she wore, adorned with clear-cut diamonds and sapphires. Her cupid-bow lips widened to that of a smile as she stepped into my space, cing her hands. on my shoulders. The moment her warm hands touched me, it all dawned on me.


    173


    ho this woman was..


    "Moon Goddess?"


    "Please, call me Selene." She chuckled, moving her Handcup my cheek. "Oh, my dear. You have suffered greatly. I can see it in your eyes."


    I couldn''t hold it together. I couldn''t control the tearsstlint ftell from my eyes. Thebined sensations of h supple hand and her words broke the dam inside me. Thecontortaand warmth of Selene were what I desperately needed on Earth. I needed someone to look intoycevesitosee my pain. To recognize how clos was to crumbling. I needed someone to hold my cheek the way Wicon Goddess Selene was holding me right


    11 needed someone to care for me.


    Selene..."I cried out as hups violently jerked my body. She dreav melintoller arms, hugging me with the Hove of a mother. With my head on her stomach, I cried my hearttontt cartsch echoing the amount of tortu I''d been through, and each bruise inflicted on my body. Thall expected Seltto push me away, but she didn''t. She held me, tightening her hold, allowing me to have my releases Her sitt hushes calmed me down sher fingers gingerly ran through my curls.


    We remained like this for what felt like an eternity. When I was sure I couldn''ttery anymore, pulled away from iter arms, looking up at her beautiful face. "Am I in heaven?"


    "Yes, and mo." Selene chuckled, wiping my tears with her thumb. "You''re in my readin, myyedhilld. The Realm the Micon Goddess. My children pass through here before I give them the blessing toetterther final resting ce Tyneet mie, we have a brief chat, and then they are on their way."


    I gasped instuck. This was the space between earth and heaven? It wasn''t exactly how imagine the path t heaventoling,thuth wasn''tining. To see the legendary goddess was rewarding enough. Sollied?"


    "Yes, you titerssmille turned into a sad frown. "You sank to the bottom of the river, lost inediationess. Your body sufforce damage from the fall, but the water took your life. You''ve drowned, my dear."


    "That''s what wassalining for."ughed dejectedly. My joke didn''tnd, telling by the tormexpression Selene''s face..lengtelkonce. Him..I''m sure you know what happened to me when I was alive.


    "Yes. Shame on those wolves. Selene shook her head in contempt. You didn''t hear this enough while you were alive, but you diilinut deserve their treatment. You did not deserve to be branded and cast out. Youare innocent, always have beem, and always would be. Such a fool that alpha is; rejecting the one I''ve made from him."


    "Well, he''s got someone ciscenow.Ilim sure they''re on their way to making their little pups." I rolled my eyes, pursing my lips in disgustatitlinght of Neron. Another thought entered my mind, something I always wanted to ask if I ever gott this on- in-lifetime chance. "...Why didn''t you answer my prayers before? car remember the number of times provellforan escape...but you never answered me. Why?" Selene''s frown fell to deep sadness ancoragain. Regret swam in her eyes as she soaked in what I had just asked. It looked as if she wanted toery that was wilding herself back. I remained still, bracing myself for the answers I''ve sought for years.


    "There is only so much a Moon Goddessill interfere with for her wolves."


    She whispered. "I may be a god Chapter 9 The Goddess my dear, but I cannot interfere in everything my wolves do. My job would never end! While it is my duty to watch over my pups, I also must allow you all to make your own decisions. To make mistakes and learn from them. To see the errors in your ways and, with great hope, allow that to push you on the correct path. Unfortunately, not many of my children are lucky enough to have this level of wisdom and continue to do wrong to theirmunities and for themselves."


    "But you abandoned me." I used, feeling my chest tighten. "I needed help, but it never came. Even when that guard did the unspeakable, I prayed for you to save me."


    Selene shut her eyes and mewled in sadness, as if she could feel the very pain I was feeling. "I know, my dear. There b were times where I wanted to bring you out of that misery. To punish those wolves for harming their own. But if I did, your pack would never learn to regret what they have done."


    I wanted to be mad. I wanted to shout and scream at Selene for deserting and feeding me to the hounds, but I couldn''t. The momentary anger I felt faded the instant she opened her mouth, m didn''t have it in me to be angry at my Moon Goddess, despite having every right to. Growing up in the werewolfmunity, it was instilled in young wolves that Selene was this well-known, omnipotent being who could do anything for us. She cured our ills, healed ourmunities, and protected us. She loved us. But now, seeing this deity in front of me, told me she was not our fairy-godmother. She couldn''t grant all our wishes and fix our mistakes for us. We needed to do that ourselves.


    Every decision we made had consequences and here was mine after killing myself.


    "If you do everything for us, we wouldn''t learn anything. We''d bezy dogs while you wait on us, hand and foot." I concluded.


    "Yes. You all would not learn the value of self-efficacy." Selene finished with a smile, cradling my cheek once again. "knew you were smart enough to understand me. It''s a shame that intelligence wasn''t cultivated when it was needed the most. Don''t think I''ve abandoned you, my child. Even I have limitations."


    "I know you didn''t." I shook my head. "I was just...I was angry. I epted my fate as a ve. You tend to learn things quickly when you''re in captivity."


    Selene drew me into a hug once again, reminding me I need not worry anymore.


    I was safe with her.


    "I know. While the circumstances of your death were terrible, I needed you toe to me." I arched an eyebrow while she spoke. "There is something you have to know about yourself and your purpose. Have you ever wondered why you were blessed with a white wolf?"


    Before I could answer, several barks resounded from behind her. I took a nce over Selene''s shoulder to see said white wolf dashing toward us from a distance..


    It wasn''t just any white wolf.


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 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 The Choice


    "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."- William Shakespeare Halima


    "Artemis!" A smile spread across my face as my wolf trotted toward me. I broke out into a run and hugged the big snout of my other half. Large and magnificent, Artemis was a thing of absolute beauty. As big as a horse, her pure white fur glided through my palms like silk, and her soft tongue against my cheek was wet with drool. "I knew I''d see you again!"


    "It''s great to see you too, Halima," Artemis spoke through our mind-link. Her jaw didn''t move, but her sweet voice was clear as day. She affectionately nuzzled her snout into my belly, her enormous tail wagging in excitement behind her. Gosh, she was so cute! I peered into her eyes, noticing they were a bright, piercing blue. It was strange to never see the eyes of your wolf before, but mirrors weren''t exactly my best friends when I was alive. As I pet her ears, I noticed something else. There was a glowing silver patch on her forehead, shaped like a crescent moon.


    I petted the crescent mark, and she purred, eyes fluttering close. I smiled widely and nted a soft kiss on her snout, resting my head on it.


    "That feels nice."


    "I hope it does."


    Seleneughed behind me, walking toward us. "Wolves are in their physical form when passing to their final resting ce. Just as you both were together in life and death; you''re together in the afterlife as well. How does this feel?"


    "It feels great." I sniffled. "I''m d to have Art by my side. We really are in this together, aren''t we?"


    Artemis and I spent another moment together before turning back to the goddess. She waved her hand to the space next to her and a bench made of what I believe to be a moon rock rose from the ground. She took a seat and patted the empty one next to her, motioning for me to sit. Artemis rested her head on myp once I took my seat, huffing silently.


    "Why was I blessed with a white wolf?" I asked suddenly, scratching behind my wolf''s ears. "My, um...parents, have red and brown wolves. Raina is also a red wolf. Where, in my werewolf gics, did whitee from?"


    "That''s because it didn''te from your gics. I''m responsible for that." Selene chuckled, also scratching behind Artemis''s ears. The pretty wolf loved the pampering she was getting, judging by the powerful gusts of wind her wagging tail was making. "White wolves are rare for a reason. A white wolf is made in the image of the Moon Goddess and serves as her avatar-both her sacred child and her representative on Earth. They are born once every century, destined to carry my message to all werewolves. I believe in eptance, love, peace, and harmony. Many are not lucky to ever see a white wolf, but if they do, they know that I have blessed them and their pack with protection."


    "Um..." Heat rose to my cheeks as I thought of how to n my next words. "I don''t mean to be rude, Selene, but...if I''m your avatar...you didn''t do a good job at designing me. I look nothing like you. Have you noticed how dark my skin is?"


    Selene burst intoughter, pressing her hands on her chest. The heat on my cheeks intensified, wondering if 1


    Chapter 10- The Choice thoroughly embarrassed myself in front of the werewolves'' multron god. I died inside; no pun intended. There was a eulogy and everything.


    "You have it wrong, dear. Your human looks have nothing to do with it. In fact, all my previous avatars look nothing like me. It was for your protection! It is only when you stiff does one see the avatar of Selene. White wolves are powerful, more than the average wolf. You and Artemis are bound for life, death, and everything after. You''re a white wolf because I have chosen you. After all, you were hom to do derful things. Magnificent things! Your true self was to be cultivated and only them could you fulfill your destiny to bring peace."


    I sighed heavily, feeling Artemis shift on myp. "I''m sorry that it didn''te to fruition. Being beaten and condemned to servitude didn''t really help in ''finding my destiny. I leaned back on the bench. "I''m sure my former pack is more than happy to get rid of me-wait!" I shot back up,, my thoughts pulling puzzle pieces together left and right. "White wolves help protect the pack they are born inon, right?"


    "Yes." Selene nodded. "White wolves have a direct connection to me; thus, the presence protects theirmunity. Think of it as a silent guardian."


    That made total sense. I always wondered why Alpha Jonathan kept me alive all these years. It wasn''t just to deum his filthy floors. He kept me around to protect the pack. Rogue attacks vanishedpletely only after I shifted, and the pack grew prosperous. I was more than just a ve. He selfishly kept me around just to leech off Selene''s protection, and yet, he failed to protect me from the threats thaty inside the pock My disinin for Zircon Moon was limitless. He should''ve disobeyed thews and killed me before I reached shifting age. But alphas work for the betterment of the pack. Why kill the source of their pronection?


    "I can feel your anger, my dear." I looked back at my goddess. "You have every right to be. What your family did is unforgottle. By my word, they will learn the consequences of their actions."


    "I don''t care!" I shouted, anger twisting in my chest. "They ruined my life! The best thing about all this is that I never have to face them again." Sucking in a deep breath, I squashed my anger and turn back to the prior conversation.. "You said all wolves meet you here before they pass into heaven. Does that mean..."


    Selene nodded as if she could read my mind. "Your former Luna, her wolf Ashia, and her daughter are beyond the gates of Heaven together. They are doing well if you''re wondering about that. Nuria had grown to be a lovely woman. Her waiff Amgulika is the cutest pup."


    Tears burned my eyes again. Wey best friend was okay! She made it into Heaven! Artemis looked up at me and bumped her nose into my arm, her way of asking if I was okay. "I''m okay. I''m happy." I turned back to Sele "Can I see them?"


    "Those who pass through the gates of Heaven don''t return to my realm."


    "That''s fine! I''ll see them when I get through the gates, then!"


    Selene was suddenly quiet, her eyes finding interest in her pale feet. The surrounding atmosphere changed from serene to tense. Artemis noticed the change, now sitting upright on her rear next to me. She towered over me by two feet. If I wasn''t nervous betare, I sure was now. "Selene? Is there something you''re not telling me?"


    "Halima, you aren''t going through the gates of Heaven," Selene revealed, her toneced with seriousness. "You are to return to Earth."


    O I


    I sucked in a sharp breath at the unexpected inuws. Site dropped albombshell on my head with no warnings stared at her for a good while, curling my lips into a smart. "No. Absolutely not. I''m not going back there!"


    "I know you don''t want to, but you must. You are here before your time." "Are you kidding me?" I shouted, standing on the soles off my fent. "killed myself for a reason! I ended my pain, and you''re asking me to go back to that?"


    "I''m not saying it out of maliciousness, my dear." Selene albo strut!


    I turned away, my back facing her. My shoulders heaved as my solis returned to me in full force. "I don''t...I can''t...!" Artemis reached over and rubbed her snout in my belly again, this time with the gentleness of a feather. "I rather die a thousand deaths than to return to that life."


    "Halima," Artemis spoke. "Let''s hear what Selene has to say.


    But...


    "Please, for me?" I peeked into Artemis''s electric blue eyes and felt my solis quieting She knew exactly how no calm me down. My wolf was my security nket, always there for me whennome dise was. I exhaled a huaww sigh, nodding before turning to face Selene again.


    "Sary." I sniffled. "Exin, please."


    "You have a mission...nny, a destiny, to fulfill and you have not yetpleted it."


    She slinvily brought the bot of us davm to sit again. "You have not fulfilled your purpose on Earth. I was not joking, when said you are menni tao dio great things. Yes, you''ve died. Your death is one to cause a systemic change that history had! failed to mymize. Your death was a catalyst for what ising, but your rebirth is one thing pate."


    "I can''t go" I whimpered again, my body trembling at the thought of returning to a world filled with monster in human festh. It made me want to crawl into a hole and nevere out. I kneeled from the bench to hugm wall, feeling her trombling fear. Our old life terrified us both. "They hurt us, rejected us, beat us...the did so many horrible things to us. We can''t...I can''t... please, Selene. Understand why I did what I did."


    "I do, Halima.. Edin" She limeiled with me, taking one of my hands into her own.


    "But you are no ordinary werewolf. You are special. You are a diamond in the rough, a rare find. The world is a cruel ce, and you will face many obstacles and adversities at all angles. It''s not a question of whether you can manage them, but how."


    Her warm thumb wiped my taurs again, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. "There shouldn''t be so many obstacles to deal with."


    "Yes. They all cane at once, hitt you cannot conquer them all at once."


    "Do we really have to go back" Artemis asked Selene, bowing her head. "What would happen if we don''t?"


    "Werewolf kind would fall." That got our attention. "I cannot reveal too much, but there is a reason my avatars are born once every century. Thatt answer you must find on your own. But know this, I''m not sending you back to hurt you. I care about you, Elimu. You are my sacred child. I hold nothing but love for you, something your family did not give you. Chillerstand that there is much I cannot reveal to you, but the answer lie back on Earth. In your new life." Half of me refused to go back out of self-preservation. Zircon Moon will hunt me down, and I''d be back here faster than I could blink. The other half of me wanted to go back. I wanted to see the better life that I could have gotten; the life I rightfully deserved. But what was the better choice? Am I that important that the Moon Goddess would defy the will of death?


    She wasn''t doing this for herself. She was doing this for me. Selene saw something in me I couldn''t. Was going back to Earth worth finding it?


    I turned to Artemis, unable to battle the internal conflict of my own "What do you think?"


    "I''m terrified, just like you. There is no telling what may or may not happen to us when we go back. But if there is a better life, and we have a greater purpose in life than in death...then I want to see it. I want to experience it together with you."


    I thought about my choices, weighing the pros and cons of every situation I could think of. "What about my [old pack?"


    "Don''t worry about them. Fate will deal with them. I''m returning you to Earth, not your birth pack."


    That made my decision a lot easier. Sighing once again, I take both of Selene''s hands in my own. "I''ll go back on one condition."


    She nodded. "Go on."


    "Well, we both know my mate has rejected me."


    "Yes, I know."


    "My only condition is that I don''t want a second chance mate." I looked over to Artemis, who nodded in agreement. "After that experience, I prefer to be mateless than to go through this pain again. The rejection is unbearable for the both of us."


    Selene struggled a bit but nodded reluctantly. "Second-chance mates are granted on special asions. Rejections are almost unheard of, but they aren''t impossible. Since that is what you want, very well. I agree with your condition."


    I smiled, feeling the weight melt off my shoulders. "What would happen once I return?"


    "Your body is taken care of, don''t worry. You''re long gone from Zircon Moon." We both rose together on our feet. "I know I keep saying this, but you deserve much better than what your first life had dealt you with, Halima. What happens from here on out is what you and destiny decide." "Will I see you again, outside of death, I mean?"


    Selene''sughter was melodious, echoing throughout her realm. "Maybe. Only if it''s truly needed."


    That was odd, but I don''t question it. I e


    a trusted the Moon Goddess and her intentions, whatever they may be. ncing back at Artemis, Koffered smile. Her aqua-colored eyes stared deep into mine, the bond between us now stronger. Whatever was waiting down for us on Earth, we''ll survive it together, I hope. We had each other and would protect each other no matter what.


    "It''s a shame. I like you better this way, Arty. I can see you instead of shifting into you."


    The Choice


    "I''m saddened that I cannot be in this form forever, but it must be this way. I was getting used to standing beside you. And don''t call me Arty! We''ve been through this!"


    "Sorry! I didn''t know that applied in death too!"


    "Well, it does!"N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "You two are made for each other." Selene smiled. "Ah, I will miss you both terribly." She waved her hand. again and behind us, silvered stairs emerged from the ground, leading downwards into another area of light. "Once you both leave, you will be back in your body. Make wise decisions, my dears."


    The Moon Goddess gently took my head in her hands and nted a soft kiss at the center of my forehead. Warmth bathed me from head to toe, her soft lips tickling me gently. The kiss was motherly, filling the void in my heart my birth mother couldn''t fill. Instinctually, my hands wrapped around her torso and I hugged her tight. I didn''t know when the next time I see her would be, so I wanted to savor the connection that only she could provide.


    "I''ll miss you, my child. You will be great."


    "Thank you."


    After a while, Selene released me and went to Artemis. Her soft hands ran through her silky fur, relishing in its softness, "Will you protect her and be there for her, my sweet woll?"


    "On my honor, I will," Artemis answered with confidence.


    "Very well. You both must be off and remember that the moon''s blessing will always be with you."


    I waved goodbye to the Moon Goddess, already missing her holy presence. Artemis and I turned to the stairs waiting for our approach. Now, it was us against the world. The new dynamic duo. Each step we took descended us back down to a world full of suffering. A world full of prejudice, corruption, and malice. But, with Artemis at my side, and a newfound purpose, I knew we can ovee anything.


    It would be hard to cope with all I''d gone through. That part I wasn''t excited about, but s, there was nothing I could do to change it.


    I must push forward.


    Even though I didn''t want to.


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 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 The Rebirth


    "Therees a time in your life when you have to choose to turn the page, write another book or simply close it." -Shannon L. Alder Halima Back on Earth Babble and burble of a brook echoed in my ears, intermingling with the distant chirping of baby birds. The scent of mud and earth tickled my nose, slowly drawing my consciousness to the limelight. Pain seared throughout my body, my wet dress only adding to my agony. My eyelids lifted and my vision cleared to a small blue jay perched in front of me, peering at me curiously.


    I was no longer in the Realm of the Moon Goddess. I was back on Earth. Unfortunately, I was cold, wet, and hungry, but I was alive. The blue jay flew away when I moved my head, retreating to its family up in the trees. My body jerked forward violently as I fell into a coughing fit, heaving river water out of my lungs. I pushed myself off therge rock, I was syed over and looked around at my unfamiliar surroundings.


    The mountains stood quietly in the distance, their sharp peaks blending with the cerulean sky. Stretching below were endless miles of lush green trees shielding my eyes from the orange sun on the horizon. Spots of gold light shone through the gaps of the leaves dotting the forest floor beneath my bony knees. Beside me was a riverbank lined with mud and greenery, staining the bottom hems of my raggedy dress. The diamond-clear water eroded the rocks in its under wash, carrying pieces of the earth downstream.


    It took me a moment to realize just how far I''d drifted from Zircon Moon territory. The pack lived a distance away from the cliff, so it was no surprise that I wound up so far. I sniffed the air for a familiar scent, but there was none. Nothing from Zircon Moon. I didn''t sense a fellow wolf nearby. I was alone from all angles of the near-empty forest.


    Iv I was packless, mateless, and branded. I was officially a rogue, and I never felt so free.


    The chains of my torment had finally broken, and the holder of my pain was far from my reach. I won''t lie. It was scary being alone in an unfamiliar ce. Anything could happen to me here. But that was the price I paid to be away from the disgusting pack I once called my own.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I steadily rose on my bare feet. The back of my head still pounded from its recent injury, and the sh on my shoulder de still stung. Despite being alone in the physical, I knew I was not truly alone.


    "Artemis?" I reached out through our mind-link. "Are you there?"


    "I''m here, Hali. We''re back!"


    "Yes, we are. But what are we going to do now?" I asked, scared. "Selene sent us back, but now we have to fend for ourselves. Should I shift into you?"


    "I don''t think that''s such a good idea," Artemis warned. "Your body is very weak. Shifting might do more harm than good. We should find shelter."


    She''s right. Shifting might just send me back to Selene, and that''ll defeat the purpose of sending me back here. in the first ce. I walked downstream along the river, wondering if it would lead me somewhere safe. While walking, I thought about what the Moon Goddess had said to me, that I have a purpose here on Earth. The memory of our conversation was fleeting, but I remembered clearly how warm she felt.


    1/2


    Chapter 11 The Rebirth Her hugs. Her kiss on my forehead. Her touch altemateme crave more. Selene made me feel protected, lik a child in the arms of their mother. I''d forgotten whattamusther''s love felt like, and yet, Selene awoke those. old feelings back from the depths of my memory, Waulttileverted that again? From someone else other that Selene?


    Sooner thanter, I spotted a gloomy-looking cave in the distance. It was small but secluded enough in the deep trenches of nature. I could only hope that it was empty. Willing toward it, I took in a deep whiff to detect any scents in the cavern. Luckily, I didn''t smell another will oralhear.


    It smelled of rocks and dirt.


    I against my bruised


    got on my knees and crawled inside the dark hole, wincing at the tiny pefiles p ifiesh. It wasn''t so bad once I cleared the dirt and rocks. The far reder of the cave could be where I sleep. It was far enough from the entrance. The ground wasn''t the mostiturable, but maybe if I collected some leaves, I could make a makeshift pillow?


    "Well, this is it," I spoke to Artemis. "This will be our new home for a little whil


    "It''s unfortunate, but it is what it is.¡± She answered back. "I noticed a few squirrels around here.


    Tringed at the thought of eating raw squirrel, but it was better than starving to death.


    "We will the okay, Hali. We just got to brave the weather. Who knows? Maybe something good willmut of this."


    "Maye hugged my knees to my chest, ignoring the chill that blew through my war dives Whatever "gent wasing out of this bettere soon.


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 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 The Miracle


    "They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for."- Tom Bodett Halima Three days had passed. Three days of living as a rogue. I survived off fish and river water. Rabbits and squirrels were avable to eat, but I couldn''t catch them. They were too fast for me. My body was still weak. I couldn''t take in too much food. I could barely eat one-half of a fish before vomiting it up. It wasn''t because of the taste, although I was sure it yed a part. Cooked fish beats raw fish any day. The reason was that I trained my body to survive off little food.


    The days were warm, but the nights were chilly. I didn''t have a nket to help keep me warm, but Artemis helped as much as she could by lending some of her heat. Werewolves had warmer bodies than humans, but since I was all skin and bone, I have little means of insting body fat, to begin with. Sometimes, I slept naked with my dress covering me like a nket.


    Artemis and I moved around a lot. Sometimes, I would take walks throughout the forest, admiring the beauty Mother Nature offered before my eyes. I felt more connected with Artemis from those walks. I felt more grounded and more in tune with the earth, as I was with the moon.


    After another failed breakfast, I washed my face at the river before taking a walk through the forest. I knew I was straying far from my cave, but I didn''t care. I was taking advantage of the exploration. The gentle breeze was cool, the golden sun was shining, and the many birds chirped their morning songs. Or mating calls, I couldn''t tell.


    Artemis howled in delight in my mind, happy to be smelling the crisp clean airpared to the foul stench of prison back at our former home. It was a pleasant change to the dreary atmosphere we were ustomed to.


    I journeyed farther, deeper into the woonds, touching the barks of trees as I went. I remembered stories taught in my elementary school sses about how humans liked to go camping. They would bring tents, food, and other items to make their trip memorable. I never found the point of camping since I was a wolf, but now I could appreciate why humans appreciate nature after being deprived of it for so long.


    Artemis was happy and so was I.


    I was deep in my thoughts when a powerful smell knocked me into the present. It smelled like diesel fuel. Curious, I trotted closer to where the overwhelming scent wasing from. I stopped at the edge of the tree line and found a narrow two- way road with scattered potholes. There were no vehicles in sight, but the lingering smell of the fuel filling my nostrils told me one passed by not too long ago.


    I must be farther from wolf territory than I originally thought, and I took it as a good thing. Against my better instinct, I walked onto the road. Curiosity pulled me to the other patch of forest on the other side. I crossed the asphalt in quick strides, disregarding potential dangers until my big toe dipped into a small crater. I fell onto the concrete, scraping my knees.


    "Ow..." I whimpered, feeling the blood ooze from the fresh wounds. There was a distant honking ring at me from down the road, growing louder as it got closer. My head snapped in the direction to see a red caring towards me at a great speed. I saw too many movies when I was younger to know what happens when someone gets hit by a car. Given how skinny I was, I surely would snap like a twig. I scrambled like a scared


    14


    Chapter 12 The Miracle kitten to the side of the road, out of the car''s pathway.


    To my surprise, the car slowed down beforeing to a stop beside me. The smell of diesel pped me across the face, making me scrunch up my nose. Goddess, it smelled so bad! I heard doors opening and a set of heavy feetnding on the ground.


    "Are you crazy?" A loud, gruff male voice rang in my ear. I looked up to see an older man wearing a deep blue buttoned-up shirt and ck dress pants approaching me. "I could have hit you! What are you doing out here, anyway?" He had short and wavy ck hair brushing the back of his neck, deep amber eyes, his skin a fair fawn-brown, and a five o''clock shadow. I nced at his right hand to see a golden ring with arge red gemstone settled in the middle. The intricate swirls around the rim of the stone were unfamiliar until they became familiar.


    That was the ring of an alpha.


    My eyes widened like tes. This man was an alpha!


    Memories of Alpha Jonathan and Neron festered in my mind like a disease, each instance of abuse and mistreatment bing more vivid than thest. What if all alphas were the same? What if this man could hurt me, too? Whimpering, I crawled away from him.


    "I''m sorry! Please don''t hurt me!" I begged. My life in the forest had ended. I was a rogue, and by my knowledge, most wolves don''t take kindly to rogues. "Please, let me go."N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "Mi amor, you''re scaring her!" I heard a woman say. Her voice was soft and sweet, like liquid sugar. She approached me with great caution, stepping slowly. "What''s a lone pup like you doing out here alone?"


    "Lyra." The man warned. "She''s a rogue! She could be dangerous! Step away, now!"


    "I don''t think she''s just any rogue, Niki." The woman, Lyra, retorted. She walked closer, kneeling next to me on the pavement. Up close, I could see her wless apricot skin, long caramel brown hair brushing against her back, bright hazel eyes, and downward-turned lips that frowned in worry. "She''s covered with bruises..."


    "So, she tripped on a few logs and twigs. And?"


    "These bruises didn''te from nature, Nicky. Someone has hurt her!" Lyra growled, observing my body closer. That seemed to have got his attention. His expression went from malice to one of concern. "Sweetie, where is your pack?"


    "I-I don''t have one..." I murmured as my eyes burned with tears. The woman''s voice may be kind, but I knew better than to trust people. If being at Zircon Moon taught me one thing, it was that the gentler the face, the eviler they were once the mask came off.


    "Everyone has a pack, dear. Even rogues like yourself were part of one before." Lyra cautiously ced her palm on my shoulder. "Did your old pack hurt you?"


    I couldn''t hold it in anymore. My tears flooded out like raging rivers once again, drowning me in sorrow. I didn''t cry for sympathy; I cried in fear. Artemis tried her best tofort me, but I cried harder. "I-I don''t want to be a ve anymore! Don''t take me back, please! I don''t want to die!"


    "Shh. Shh. It''s okay. I won''t hurt you." Lyra shed the denim jacket she was wearing and gently ced it over my scarred shoulders. "Neither of us will. Nicky?" She turned to the man lingering by the car door. "We have to do something. We can''t just leave her here alone."


    Niki trudged forward, taking great caution to not startle me. He kneeled at my eye level, looking me up and down. His face scrunched up in disgust. "You''re right. This looks all too familiar. She''s been abused."


    Lyra sighed, her eyes fluttering close. She took a minute topose herself before looking at me again. "Sweetheart. I promise no o would harm you again. Do you want toe with us to our pack?"


    My sobs quieted down, but I still sniffled every five seconds. "Y-Your pack?"


    "Yes." She grinned. "I''m Luna Lyra Guerrero, and this is my husband, Alpha Niki Guerrero. We run the Ga Moon Pack. We''re heading back there now, for we just finished our road trip. We won''t force you toe with us but having a warm bed is much better than the cold, dirty ground in a cave somewhere out there. What do you say?"


    I looked at Lyra, then to Niki. They seem genuine and truthful in their words, like honest people. But I must be sure.


    "Artemis, what do you think?"


    "I''ve never heard of Ga Moon, but I don''t feel any dark intentionsing from the Alpha and. Luna. I can also sense their wolves. They feel and are safe.


    Let''s give it a shot."


    I trusted Artemis''s words more than anything. She was a better judge of character than me. Wiping my tears with the back of my hand, I nodded. "O-


    Okay..."


    "Excellent." Lyra pped her hands together and did a strange little dance before she helped me on my feet. "When was thest time you''ve had a decent meal?"


    "I don''t remember," I replied, gazing at a pothole in the road. The couple exchanged a look in silence as they led me to their car, opening the back door for me. Slowly an@carefully, e crawled inside and curled up in a ball.


    The interior of the car smelled pleasant, abination of scents that worked together. Lyra smelled like peaches and mangos, while Niki smelled like apple cider and pumpkin. Before long, the car sped down the road. I watched the trees go by in blurs, pulling the blue denim jacket tighter around me.


    I liked Lyra''s scent. I could smell it all day.


    "You''ll be okay, dear," Lyra promised from the passenger''s seat. "I almost forgot to ask you, what is your name?"


    I remained silent for a minute. The soft, plush seats with the gentle rocking of the car lulled me closer to sleep. Given the facKI Spent three day''s sleeping on a hard floor, this was a delightful change. I felt as though I could finally sleep peacefully, not on a filthy bed, not on the forest floor, but on something soft and clean.


    "Halima. My name is Halima."


    Not long after, I fell into a dreamless sleep to thefort of peaches and mangos.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 The Ga Moon Pack


    "No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same." - Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why Lyra I''ve never expected that I would cut a road trip getaway with my husband short when encountering a broken pup.


    Von I spare nces at Halima from the rear-view mirror, curled tightly in my denim jacket. It did nothing to cover the bruises and cuts that littered her legs, starkly standing out from her brown skin. Many of her bruises look months old, never having the chance to heal properly. Her curly hair littered and matted with dirt, leaves and other scumy her head. I faintly spot an open wound on the back of her head, barely obscured by her hair. My heart breaks the more I look at her, vulnerable and broken to the world. What evil people could stomach hurting this poor girl? I don''t know if it''s my motherly instinct, but I felt an overwhelming sense to protect this girl. The terrified look in her brown eyes when I first met her back on the road reminds me of the battered women and children Niki and I wee into our pack for safety.


    They all have that same look in their eyes, fear, hopelessness, and torment.


    "Honey." My husband''s sweet voice drew me out of my thoughts. His deep amber, almost golden eyes feld mine through the mirror. "We should take Halima to Dr. Nava for examination. It would tell us a better story of what she went through. Something tells me a female doctor is better suited for this."


    Teresa Nava was one of our best pack doctors. Passionate, informative, and open, she oozes warmth and security. Many of our wolves who seek her treatmente out with smiles on their faces. She helped deliver many pups alongside her husband and mate, Diego Nava. They work harmoniously inside our medical office, providing optimal care to the entire pack.


    "I agree." I sigh. "What pack do you think she came from?"


    "It''s hard to tell." Niki huffed. "She holds a rogue scent, and we found her far from any known pack territory. But her rogue scent is fresh, which means it hasn''t been long since she went rogue. Judging by her bruises and how skinny she is, she didn''t have much of a choice."


    That made sense. Many have gone rogue for years to a few months, to a few days and it''s all based on how fresh the scent was. Recent rogues have a fresh, potent scent. Long-time rogues'' scent was just as potent, but it''s not fresh at all. The car continues to speed down the open road, bumping into a few potholes along the way. I nce back at Halima to see she was still asleep.


    "There is something special about her," I say with a smile. "Can you sense it? Something deep. Very few wolves have this unique aura around them."


    "I can." My husband nodded. "As if she''s blessed with an extraordinary gift. When she is up to talking, she could tell us more about where she came from."


    "She needs to feel safe, first," I added. "I don''t think Halima has felt safe in a long time." I ponder in thought for a moment. "She looks like she''s about Lyria''s age, or younger. Probably younger."


    "Goddess, that would mean she is barely eighteen." He growled, gripping the steering wheel tight to where his knuckles shed white. "She''s a baby! Once I find the pack that did this to her-!"


    1/4


    Chapter 13 The Games Moon Pack


    "My love." I rest my palm on hisrge hand. Instantly, my touch calmed Niki down. That''s one benefit of having a mate bond, you could feel what they feel and calm them down when needed. "Let''s take care of Halima first. Then we can figure out what to do from there."


    An hour and a half passes, and we reach the stone gates of the Ga Moon Pack. My husband signals for the guards to let us in. We drive slowly through the snake-like path of redwood trees, their scent bringing me internal pleasantries. As we drew closer to the pack grounds, the faint sounds of soldiers'' training and children''sughter mingled in the air.


    The Ga Moon Pack was known as the Warrior Pack of California. We cultivate our members to be strong and skillful warriors both as humans and as wolves. We specialize in strength training, weapon training, and hand-to-handbat. I was proud to say that our wolves were near unbeatable. We train to protect, fight, and serve. We asionally send our warriors to neighboring packs if they need help. Any wolf seeking protection knows that the safest ce for them to be was Ga Moon, hence why we have many children and adults. escaping and healing from abuse from their families or mates.


    I always thought wolves were better than humans, but we were more like than we seem, unfortunately.


    We reached the garage, the caring to a full stop. Leaning over, I gently tap Halima on the knee to wake her up. She wakes up in a startled scream, her eyes registering fear and confusion. It''s only after a minute does she realize where she is, or rather, who she was looking at.


    "W-where am I?" She asks me in a frightened whisper.


    "You are now on the territory of the Ga Moon Pack, the pack of warriors." Niki answered, unbuckling his seatbelt. Halima''s eyes widened at the exnation, her mind working.


    "I''ve never heard of Ga Moon before." She admits, gripping my denim jacket for dear life. She took a deep whiff of it, my scent helping to calm her down. I couldn''t help but smile fondly. It brought me joy. The sounds from thewn captured her attention, looking out the rear window. "Are your wahes.


    "Most are. Some are hardheaded, like my son Anthony. Lord knows how he''ll be once he is alpha 1 chuckled. "Halima, we''re going to take you to the pack doctor to get you checked out. We want to know how healthy you are and the extent of your injuries."


    Halima shook in her seat, eyes cast down to herp, the fear potent in her scent. "D-do I have to?"


    My heart broke further. "Yes. I don''t want to push you into doing something you''re not ready for, but I highly rmend it. What do you say?" Halima went silent for a moment; Niki and I awaited her answer. After a minute, she looked up and nodded.


    "Okay."


    Smiling, I exited from the car and went over to her side. Opening her car door, I offered her a hand, which she took with some hesitation. Exiting the garage, my husband and I passed through the warrior training grounds to the pack hospital. Some warriors stopped to spare a nce at the neer, no doubt detecting her rogue scent. That only made Halima nervous, clear on how close she was pressing against me and hiding her face in my arm. Our Deltas reprimanded the soldiers to continue training, instantly putting their attention back into sword fighting.


    Chapter 13- The Gamet Moon Pack


    "It''s okay," I whispered to the trembling girl. "They must wonder what a rogue is doing on their territory. It has been a while since we had one walk on our grounds alone."


    "I''m sorry...


    "Don''t be. You did nothing wrong, baby girl."


    It wasn''t long until the three of us reached the pack hospital. I notice some hospital beds were taken up by warrior wolves, some wolves with their mates at their side, and the elderly. In the pediatric unit, we had some children healing from injuries they sustained during their training, or if they recently came from an abusive home.


    I spot a woman in her white coat with a stethoscope hanging around her neck, giving her clipboard to our charge nurse. Ebony hair tied high in a ponytail and thick-rimmed sses resting on her nose, her blue eyes. sparkled once we''re spotted. "My Alpha. My Luna. What brings you by?"


    "No need for formalities, Teresa," I smiled, cing a hand on Halima''s back. "Halima, this is Dr. Nava, one of our most trusted physicians. She won''t hurt you. I promise." I took a moment to realize just how short Halima is. Werewolves, on average, were taller than five feet nine inches, but Halima stands about five feet five inches. She was short by werewolf standards.


    "Halima?" Dr. Nava bent down to Halima''s height. "Luna Lyra is right. I''m here to help you. I want to examine you so we could get a sense of your state of health." She held out a hand. "Will youe with me?"


    Halima flinched, taking precarious steps away from her. She stared at Dr. Nava''s outstretched palm for a moment before looking up at me. "Could you stay with me, please? I don''t want to go in alone."


    "But you won''t be alone, Halima."


    "I''d feel safer if you were with me." Her bony hands clenched mine tight. "P_


    Please?"


    My heart swelled at the thought of Halima already trusting me. The look in her eyes was pitiful, exposed. It sigh, looking at my husband who knows what I was about to do.


    on my my forehead,


    "I have some business to take care of regarding a couple of our alliances." Niki kissed me o tapping my nose affectionately with a finger. "Link me if you need anything, my love."


    "Of course." I pushed up on the tips of my toes and gave a small kiss to my husband on the lips before he departed to the packhouse. Looking back down at Halima, I smiled. "Let us go in, baby girl." And with that, Dr. Nava took us into an examination room.


    I don''t know how many times a heart could break in one sitting, but I think I''ve just underestimated just how much my heart could take. The examination took about an hour and a half. But with each discovery, I grew sadder and angrier. Halima had gone through hell and back, and dare I say, she was the worst case of abuse and neglect I''ve ever seen.


    The number of tears Halima shed during the examination was endless. When she got dressed in a hospital gown and looked at herself in the mirror for the first time, she fell to her knees and sobbed. As if this was the first time she looked at her reflection in the mirror after so long and hated what she was seeing. She had to be weighed, but I didn''t need a number to tell me just how malnourished and underweight she was since anyone


    could see her bones.


    Taking her vitals was the hardest part. The needle terrified her. Finding a vein was easy, but calming her shakes was hard. Many times, I had to hold her hand to let her know that she was safe. She kept my denim jacket with her, taking a whiff whenever she felt nervous. Dr. Nava and Nurse Mei helped to bandage her head wound and cleaned up any other wounds left to fester.


    But what shocked me the most were the marks she bore on her back. The i10N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Mark of the Betrayer. I''ve only seen a handful of wolves with that mark back in my old pack, Diamond Moon. It''s reserved for the he evilest and m heinous of all wolves. But why does orall Halima have it? Why did her old Alpha give her the mark? Halima fell into uncontroble sobs and shakes when the mark was examined on her back. And not even my scent could help calm her down. Her shakes worsened when the nurses attempted a pelvic exam. The screaming was horrid. She grew so erratic and fearful that Dr. Nava made the painful decision to sedate Halima, especially since she made threats of suicide.


    Now, she was asleep. Nurse Mei stitched up the Mark of the Betrayer eve on her back. ording to historical texts, the mark would never heah, it''s and allowed to fester and weaken the wolf. But somehow, Halima defied the odds with it. Stitches helped, but it had already begun to heal. Unfortunately, her right shoulder de would never have the same patch of skin again. It would be a healed scar, standing out from her dark skin.


    With the IVs in her arms and hands, fluid flowing through the tubes steadily, she looks so peaceful, like an angel. I already mind-linked Lead Omega Cleo to organize a room for her. As I watch Halima''s chest rise and fall, Dr. Navaes in with a clipboard in hand and concern on her face.


    "Luna Lyra, may I talk to you in private, please?" Noting the urgency in her voice, I pat Halima''s hand once before heading outside to the hallway. I''ll be back Halima. Just keep resting.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Walk with me." POST COMMENT Chapter Comments Book Lover I love the gentle wording, "...how Healthy you areThose words show hope much better than how damaged you are or something more pessimistic.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 The Trauma


    "We don''t even ask happiness, just a little less pain."-Charles Bukowski Lyra We walked down the sleek hospital hallways together, side by side. "Halima''s chart is genuinely concerning. She must stay in the hospital for at least two days for observation. She had many bone fractures in the past, her ex-rays show many areas had to heal numerous times, but because she was not having enough calcium in her diet, her bone mass had lowered, and it left way for breakage to show." Dr. Nava paused for a moment before continuing.


    "She''s severely malnourished and underweight to where it''s a significant danger to her health. Since she''s a werewolf, it''s too dangerous for her to shift in this state, as it might kill her. Her vitals were also rming. Her potassium levels are extremely low, but her blood pressure and blood sugar levels are high. She also has abnormal hormonal levels. I don''t think Halima has begun her menstrual cycle. Normally, I''d see these types of health concerns in human anorexia patients, but this girl was deliberately deprived of food and water over an extended period. Whatever pack she came from, they put her through literal hell.¡±


    "Oh, Dios mio," I mutter, rubbing my temples in frustration. Halima was and still is right at Death''s door, and her old pack put her there. I never wanted to tear apart a pack more than whichever she came from. "What could we do to help her?"


    "Well, we need to consult with one of our nutritionists to get her on a nutrition and weight restoration n." Dr. Nava exined. "The human body is adaptable, a werewolf''s body, even more so. Her body had learned to adapt to little nutrition, and we need to change that. Her wounds would need to heal, and we need to help to bring her body systems back to optimal levels. That''s what we could do for her physical health. As for psychologically..."


    My eyes fluttered shut, already knowing what Teresa was about to say. Physical health could heal with proper care and rest. Emotional and mental health, however...that''s an entirely different challenge to conquer. Given how erratic Halima became not too long ago, she''ll need all the help she could get.


    I know the therapist that might help Halima.


    "LYRA!"


    I jerk my head at the sudden scream of my name. It was blood-curling. It came from Halima! Bolting back into her hospital room. I could see the girl looking around frantically for me. Instantly I was at her side, cing her hands in my own. The glossy look in her eyes faded, spilling tears down her cheeks. Her frantic breathing slowed, and her palpitating heart calmed. "I''m here, Halima. I''m so sorry, I had to speak with your doctor."


    Halima nodded in silence, eyes on herp once again. Dr. Nava came back in to check on both the IV bags and the girl, jotting notes in her clipboard. "Halima, how are you feeling?" She asked.


    "Um... exhausted," Halima answered shyly, sniffling. "Weak. Very weak."


    Teresa grabbed a seat and sat on the other side of Halima''s bed, resting the clipboard on herp. She gently cradled Halima''s other hand in her own. "Halima, I''m going to ask you some questions, and I want you to answer them as honestly as you can. Can you do that for me?"


    Hesitant, Halima nodded.


    Fin


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    old


    "Okay, that''s good," The good tldemonffered a small smile. "How old are you?"


    "...Seventeen."


    "When was thest time you hadd decent meal? Try your best to pinpoint a specific time in your life?


    Halima went silent, ruminating Tivas nter that, they fed me less and less until it became nothin Even if I did eat, I can''t hold touch food down without vomiting. It''s too hard."


    I closed my eyes, yet again, appalled at the treatment she went through. Halima hasn''t had a decent me eight years. That was the answer Dn Navas locking for.


    "Okay." She nodded. "I will speak with one obbouridictitians about our next course of action. I''ll leave yo alone."


    Once Dr. Nava left the room, afortable silence bidult the both of us. It''s a shame that I must break it Halima... I know this is all extremely hard for youBut hneed you to answer a few more questions for m okay? If there are questions you don''t want to answerjust shake your head, okay?"


    She gave me a slight nod, telling me she was nervous bottwilling to answer.


    "Could you tell me a bit about where you came from?"


    JEL Halima It almost didn''t want to answer, Talking about my past was hard, and he neemonies hurt every time they their ugly head in my mind. I look closer at Luna Lyra, taking in adi herceende features, her downward-tu llips stretching with an apanying smile. Luna Lyra was beautiful and her peachy scent helps me to t Ther. I look into her eyes to see that she wanted to help me and cares abouutiine Why couldn''t my mother be like this?


    My breath came out in shakes, bracing my mind for the onught of terrible entomoores, Artemis was her width me providing me with her warmth andfort. It was hard for her too..zeiningill the pain and abu econd through. Without her, I don''t know where I''d be. With thebineddanamloof Luna Lyra and wolf opened my mouth and began talking.


    1000


    "Myodd peek is Zircon Moon."


    g id


    "Theppelin Nevada? The pack that lost their Luna and her daughter to rogues?"


    I noddedd. West that one. The Alpha at that time med me for their deaths becaused was there when it happenedd Hiskiaughter and I were best friends, and we went into the woods despite us being abld not de and the unaddied momentster to the rogues. He threw me in prison because of my part in their death They turned tree into the pack ve when I was fourteen after I tried to run away the first time That''s al THE when they stopped giving me food scraps to eat."


    "Oh, bebica Liyakhispered, squeezing my hand. "That''s where all these bruises and cuts camedmont."


    I nodded. "They neverstoppped hurting me. They said I deserve to suffer, that I should have died and hoof Celeste and Nuria. J kort remember thest time any of them were kind to me."


    "Did anyone help you?" She asked, almost afraid of what I would say next.


    "Very few." I gave her a tiny smile. "The Gammas of my pack would sometimes sneak me food like soup or bring me soap when I''ve run out for my showers. They also helped me escape from the pack for good." My eyes watered at the thought of Kwame and his family. How were they doing? Were they being punished for helping me escape? I silently prayed for the Moon Goddess to protect them.


    "They sound like the good people in a sea full of monsters," Lyra replied thoughtfully. "Why do you not have at pack mark?"


    I released a shaky sigh, the memories of the cliffing back. "I''ve renounced Zircon Moon. I said the special incantation and broke my bond. After that I..." I mped shut, not ready to talk about the drastic decision of jumping off that cliff.


    Lyra ced aforting hand on my back. "You don''t have to talk about it if you don''t want to. I''m more than happy that you''re answering me. It gives me more of a better understanding of your origins."


    "I was rejected." I blurted out. The Luna seemed taken aback at my sudden revtion, a horrified expression on her face. "H-He''s the one who gave me the mark on my back..." I held up a hand to the back of my head, the wound now covered in thick gauze. "And this too." Nurse Mei, who was nice, had to help me wash my hair so that the wound doesn''t get infected by my curly hair. My scalp doesn''t feel clean considering the curls were still very matted. When I saw the amount of dirt in the sink from my hair, I broke down.


    "Your mate is the Alpha?" Lyra asked, mouth agape.


    "Was." I corrected. "He rejected me during his Passage of the Alpha ceremony.


    He wanted someone else, and he still views me as the girl who let his mother and sister die. epting me was not an option for him." I sighed heavily, now ncing up at the tiled ceiling. "I epted his rejection, anyway. What''s done is done."


    Lyra stood up, leaned over, and embraced me in a hug. I froze for a minute. Thest time I had a decent hug was from Selene, but this...this felt different. This was a tangible hug,ing from a mother with a heart too big for this world. Her scent brought tears to my eyes again, but this time in appreciation. I sniffled heavily and cried in Lyra''s arms for a good while, releasing all the tension I had since I came back to earth. She rubbed my back, whispering words in Spanish in my ear, soothing me back to serenity.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    This felt good. I didn''t want it to end.


    But it did. After a while, Lyra sat back down, wiping the tears that fell on her face.


    Did she cry for me?


    Why couldn''t I be her child? Why couldn''t Lyra be my mother? She treated me better than my biological mother.


    "You deserve better than them." She confessed, bringing a hand to my cheek. I nuzzled in her palm, growling softly at her touch. "You''re not going back there.


    Ever."


    I sighed with content. Her resolve was so powerful, and it made me feel safe. I didn''t want to leave.


    "Halima, Dr. Nava says that you need to stay here for a few days for observation.


    What that means is that they want to monitor your health for any changes before you are to be discharged. They want to make sure you''re healthy enough before your release."


    That made sense, I think. I felt like I could fall over and die at any moment, but I was also sure Selene was making sure I didn''t. "I can''t shift into my wolf. She says it''s too dangerous."


    "You have a very smart wolf because Teresa said the same thing." She chuckled, taking my hand into hers once more. "What''s your wolf''s name?" "Artemis," I replied with a grin. "She''s always been there for me and is the only person, well, animal that I can trust wholeheartedly."


    "I''m d. Our wolves are the best confidants. One day, I hope Isabe, my wolf, and I can meet her. If I may ask, what color is she?"


    "White." Lyra stares at me, mouth agape once again. I waved a hand in front of her face. "Lyra? Did I say something wrong?"


    "N-No, dear." She shook her head. "I was just thinking. But anyway, I have something else I want to ask of you."


    "Okay."


    "Would you like to stay here in Ga Moon?" Her wide smile was hopeful, expecting a positive answer. "Our pack gives homes to children, men, and women homes whe dome from abusive homes and packs and offers them a safe ce to stay. We''re also one of the best warrior packs in the world, so you''re protected. Since you are packless, I thought, maybe, you would like to stay here. Niki and I will offer you a room, a warm bed, and food to eat."


    She squeezed my hand. "Allow me to give you what Zircon Moon couldn''t, a safe home."


    I''m shocked. I was a rogue with the Mark of the Betrayer cut on my back, and she was offering me a ce to stay in her home? It''s so sudden, it''s more than whe what I deserve. The thought of finally having a warm, clean bed made my heartbeat with anticipation. Even this hospital bed was giving me more than what that musty mattress in my cell could ever provide.


    It was an enticing offer.


    But I was still scared. Scared that the wolves of this pack won''t like me, and I''ll be rejected all over again. What if I was treated as a ve again? What if I was treated badly? What if Ga Moon turns into Zircon Moon 2.0? My heart couldn''t take that betrayal again.


    "Let''s go for it." I hear Artemis say.


    "We have every right to not trust the honeyed words of people wee across, but Lyra is genuine. ** 1


    reached out to Isabe, and she wants us to stay. She wants us to feel safe. This could be the better Selene hinted, you know? Besides, we deserve a soft bed."


    As I''ve said before, I trust Artemis'' judgment more than anything else. I want to experience what it''s like to have a warm and safe home, a ce I could call my own and be proud of it. Lyra and Niki have given me more than what I could repay them for. Perhaps, it wouldn''t be so bad.


    Giving a soft smile, I took Lyra''s hands into my own and squeezed. My eyes filled with appreciation, and the happiness I thought I lost long ago. With a confident voice, I answered Ga Moon''s Luna.


    "Yes, I would love to stay here in Ga Moon."


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 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 The Friend


    "Courage isn''t having the strength to go on - it''s going on when you don''t have strength."- Napoleon Bonaparte.


    Niki I never thought I''d hear about the Zircon Moon Pack again. Unfortunately, there was a dark history between Jonathan and me with a fractured alliance between our packs. Our friendship shattered and we went about our ways. We''ve never been the same since. Thest I spoke to Jonathan Prince was to give my condolences for the loss of his mate and daughter eight years ago.


    Now, he reentered my life through a broken and abused pup. Never in my life would I''ve expected Jonathan to stoop so low as to torture one of his own, and a girl at that. How far had this man fallen?


    I''m in my office at my desk, gazing out the window in deep thought as Lyra took her seat next to me. It had been a day since Halima arrived on my territory and to my surprise, she had agreed to stay. There was no chance in hell I was sending her back to Zircon Moon, especially with the news my mate revealed about her history. I was tempted to give the ol'' bastard a call to give him a piece of my mind, but a hand on my shoulder from Lyra convinced me not to.


    It was better to not let them know that Halima is still alive. They would surely force us to give her back and thus, take her to her execution. Casting the Mark of the Betrayer on her was unjust, it only serves to prologue her suffering until her death.


    Losing your Luna and your daughter at the same time I''m sure was devastating. I''d surely fallen apart if I lost Lyra and Lyria, my daughter in such a horrific way. However, subjecting a pubescent girl to almost a decade of very and mistreatment for it cannot and would not bring back their lives.


    Then again, pain and anger could make people do unspeakable thingspletely out of their character.


    "There is nothing we can do about Zircon Moon." I say to Lyra. "I don''t know how long it has been since Halima abandoned her pack, but what I do know is I rather keep her here, safe and alive. You say she''s a white woll?"


    "Yes, that is what she told me."


    Simply put, white wolves are avatars of our precious Moon Goddess. They hold a lot of power and are destined for greatness. "Teresa says it''s too dangerous for her to shift, given her current state. Only when she''s healthy enough, can she shift again."


    "It is a crime to abuse a child, but Jonathan has allowed the abuse to persist. Selene''s avatar should be protected, not broken." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I don''t think I would ever understand how he could raise his hand to protect his pack and use that same hand to strike an innocent pup."


    "A wolf without his mate is not a pretty sight, an Alpha even more so," Lyra exined, taking my hand into hers. A wolf who loses their mate doesn''t differ from a feral wolf. They lose their sanity. Manymit suicide after the loss. Some lucky ones were granted a second chance mate, but those who don''t grow mad over time. A mate was not just their destined lover, but the other half of their soul. Matesplete one another. And to rub salt in the wound, he lost his daughter. I sympathize with my former friend. That pain does not go away. However, that''s no excuse to hurt someone else.


    That pain was an endless cycle where no one wins. Everyone perishes at some point.


    Taking Lyra''s hand to my lips, I gave the supple skin on the back a soft kiss. "Yes, that is true. I hope one day he could see the errors of his actions." Leaning my head back, I focus on more pressing matters. "So, have you picked the colors for Anthony''s ceremony?"


    "Yes! We both finally agreed on blue and silver after much debate." My beloved chuckled, her smile was contagious. "Lyria tried to convince him to go darker, but he insisted on having colors that best represent our Moon Goddess."


    "Ah, how thoughtful." I smiled. It was time for Lyra and me to step down from our roles as Alpha and Luna. Since Anthony is our oldest child, the Alpha title will pass to him as opposed to his younger sister Lyria. But regardless, Lyria still had muchmand because of her Alpha blood. Now that Anthony had found his mate, it made the process that much rewarding. "Has Halima''s room been set up?"


    "Cleo notified me that it was ready for whenever she''s released from the pack hospital."


    "Excellent."


    Several hard knocks sounded through my office. "Enter." My Beta, n Seals stolid like a marbled statue, lips at a thin line on his ebony face.


    walked through the threshold,


    "Alpha. Luna." He bowed to the waist. "Alpha Amari from the Cerulean Moon wishes to discuss negotiations regarding the unupiednd between our territories. He is due to arrive on our territory next week."


    "Very well. We will prepare for his arrival before then. Anything else?"


    "Yes." n crossed his arms. "Word has gotten around that we have a neer. And she''s a rogue?"


    "Yes." Lyra nodded. "She''s very... fragile. Normally, I''d ask if you could send Jacqueline over to cheer her up and get her limated, but I''m not sure it''s wise to do it now."


    "Oh..." Beta n''s stoic demeanor broke, running his hand through his coiffed ck hair as his smile feigned nervousness. "She''s on her way there now."


    Halima I couldn''t believe that I have a goddamn tube down my nose.


    After failing to hold down the small breakfast the hospital was kind enough to give me, Dr. Nava suggested a feeding tube. I''ve lost too much weight, so this was the alternative.


    my The insertion of the feeding tube was ufortable. I coughed several times as the tube slid down from nose to my throat and finally my stomach. It was viting, but it had to be done. Desperate times called for desperate measures.


    During rounds, the doctors and nurses checked up on me, from changing my IVs to drawing more blood to helping me get to and from the bathroom. Despite being in a foreign ce, I felt safe. Everyone here was doing their best to take care of me, although I still feel that I don''t deserve it. I feel like a burden on the medical staff.


    Right now, I was reading from a stack of magazines the nurses were so kind to give me. I''ve seen the women in Zircon Moon read these, but I never had the chance to. The magazines were about thetest fashions, Chapter 15 The Friend healthy food recipes, expensive perfume, and jewelry. The human women who modeled in the expensive clothing were tall, had beautiful hair, baby faces, and unblemished skin. Humans were picky about who they premiere as their best models to attract the attention of the consumers.


    I look down at myself, trying to pinch a tiny b of fat only to be met with bone and tight skin. The women were skinny, for sure, but they had a healthy amount of fat on them. Their bones weren''t showing like how mine is. They look like actual women while I was a skeleton with a flesh suit.


    I wondered if I''d ever be beautiful like them.


    While reading, an unfamiliar scent hit my nose. Orange blossoms? I look up from my magazine to see a girl, not much older than me, leaning against my door with her arms crossed. She wore a ck tank top with tight blue denim shorts. She was about a shade darker than me with ck kinky hair tied in tworge puffs. Her eyes were emerald green and her full lips were glossy. She gave me a knowing smile.


    She''s pretty!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "I wouldn''t read that trash if I were you." The mysterious girlmented. "Humans are so superficial. Everything is air-brushed. Besides, there''s no one darkerplected in any pages of those. Imagine what kind of message they are sending to young girls who look like us."


    I didn''t reply, but she took that as an invitation to grab a seat next to me. "You''re the neer I heard about, right?"


    I nodded slowly, eyeing the girl suspiciously while setting my magazines on myp.


    "Well, I''m Jacqueline Seals, you know, like the sea animal? But call me Jackie! Daughter of Beta n Seals, twin to Dwayne Seals, who is currently having his ass handled by the Deltas." She offered her hand, but when I stared at it, she retracted. "Not much of a talker, huh? Well, that''s fine! I''ll do the talking for us!"


    Good, because I forgot how to talk. Her extrovert personality was intimidating.


    "I''m sure our Alpha and Luna have told you about how Ga Moon is full of warriors and h h h. But!" I jumped at her loud voice. "We may look tough and scary, but we''re friendly Most of us, anyway. You''ll notice some humans around because they are mates to a lot of our wolves. We have a lot of investments and businesses around California, so we never run out of money. Are we rich? To human standards. My family runs a business selling natural hair and skin products down in San Jos¨¦. See?"


    She suddenly propped her bare leg up on my bed, showing off her silky-smooth brown skin. "I just shaved! See how my skin just glistens under these drabby fluorescent lights? Touch it!"


    1 stared wide-eyed at the girl, then to her glistening leg. "U-Uh, I rather not..."


    "Ah, so she speaks!" Jackie cackled as if it was the funniest thing she''s ever heard. "That trick gets them speaking every time! If a weird girl told me to touch her leg because she just shaved, I''d say something too. Or would I?"


    "This girl talks too much." Artemis spoke, drawing my attention away. "Her wolf is excited. I can hear her yipping and jumping."


    "She seems nice." Her scent is lovely." I replied, my lips forming a small smile. "I had no one this excited to talk to me before."


    Chapter 15 - The Friend


    "I know that look in your eyes! You''re talking to your wolf, right?" I blinked in shock, nodding to answer her. "I wonder what she''s like. My wolf, m Rosaline, can be nice most of the NO time. But believe me, I''m sure when the Moon Goddess was making her it went like this." She acted as if she had saltshakers in her hands. "A bit of sugar, some spice, and a dash of everything nice, like the Powerpuff Girls. But, let us not forget the most important ingredient! A heaping handful of BITCH!"


    "Jacqueline." We looked at Luna Lyra standing at my door, now wearing a floral blue dress. She was frowning, giving Jackie a silent warning as a deep sin escaped her mellow pink lips. "Watch yournguage around our guest. She just got here yesterday, and we don''t want to scare her." "Who says I''m scaring her?" Jackie looked at me, offering me the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster. with her bottom lip pursed and quivering. ¡°Am I scaring you?"


    "N-Not really?"


    See!


    "Did you use that leg trick again?"


    "Works every time!" Jackie''s smirk gave way to her oozing confidence and mischievousness I couldn''t help but stare in awe at her beauty and strength. She was not afraid to be herself and judging by the slight indentation of muscles in her arms, she was one hell of a fighter too.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 The Grief


    "Each of us has his own rhythm of suffering"-Rnd Barthes Lyra came over and gently lifted my Mer fingers wazed at my feeding tube as gentle as a feather, face contorting into one of pain. "Did this hurt?"


    I nodded. "Yeah. But, after a while, it isn''t so bad. Dr. Nava says I might have this in me for a while since I can''t eat."


    "That must suck." Jackie cringed, her hand on her forehead in her dramatics. "If I couldn''t have my supply of Lead Omega Cleo''s special buffalo wings, I''d wither away to nothing!"


    "Didn''t you just have a te full of wingsst night?"


    "Yes. It''s been forever!" She groaned, Lyra chuckled to herself. "I can''t wait for you to find your mate. Having one might humble you."


    "Well, wherever she is, she''ll just have to deal with the fact that I''m a dramatic bit-err, gal." I tick my head to the side, my eyes questioning her. "I''m a lesbian."


    "Ah."


    "If there was anyone you would want to have at your side, it''s Jacqueline," Lyra exined to me. It fed Jackie''s ego because her smile grew wider if that was even possible. "In fact, once you''re well enough, she''ll give you a tour of ournd."


    "Please. You won''t admit that I''m the best tour guide ever. The kids love me!"


    "Most of them do, anyway." Lyra took my hands into hers. "Besides our resident energetic wolf-"


    "I prefer, ''resident weirdo.""


    Lyra rolled her eyes yfully. "How are you feeling?"


    "Okay, with all things considering." Her face fell into sadness. "I mean, Nurse Mei, fed this morning, and it''s not so bad. At least the liquid food and water stayed in my stomach this time. But I''m still in pain." My hand reached to the back of my head where my wound was. Pain pulsated like a dull throb, the lesion ever so present. I then turned to Jackie with a gentle smile, exposing my teeth. "My name is Halima. It is nice to meet you.


    to me.


    "Finally, I can put a lovely name to a lovely face. It''s nice to meet you too!" Jacqueline leaned in to hug but I cringed and jumped away from her, shuffling to the end of my bed.


    "Sorry, I-I don''t want to be touched, yet. You did nothing wrong... I promise."


    Jackie blinked in understanding, her smile reassuring. "I apologize for being too forward. I want you to befortable, so let me know if I''m pushing your boundaries."


    I half expected her to be offended, but she took what I said with grace. It''s true, I didn''t want to be touched by anyone. Lyra made me feel safe and secure, which was why I didn''t flinch away from her touches, Jackie had an overall amazing vibe and vibrant personality, but I still don''t trust anyone else yet.


    Chapter But I hope there woulde an time where I trust her. Jackie had shown me more kindness and excitementtin five minutes than anyone else has in years. My hund unconsciously went to my hair again and I cringed at th heavy matting I feel under my fingers. Jackie stand up and leaned over to look at my hair, cautious to nott touch me.


    "Do you want me to help with thun


    "Huh? You want to help?"


    "Yes!" Jackie danced in her seat with madliant happiness. "Our hair is our crown, and we must treat it like royalty, Judging by your curls, they are a little doser than my tight ones. Type 4A hair from the looks of it. M mom, the Beta Female, could help too the knows all about hair, and I have a couple of products from our store that could get rid of the matting and angles."


    I looked at Lyra for reassurance. The woman smiled, squeezing my shoulder to offer support. "Violet is very knowledgeable about hair and skillful with her hands."


    "Dad sure knows all about that." Jacqueline bound her eyebrows mischievously and cackled, only to earn a smack on the back of the head from her Luna..


    It didn''t take long for Violet Seals, the Beta Female, toe in with a bag full of sweet-smelling products andbs. Every product had scents ranging from tropical but to cherry candy. I had no one to touch my hair besides Nurse Mei, so I was incredibly nervous. But both Wales and Jacqueline made my experienceforting without effort. Detangling my hair was a challenging dear because my hair hadn''t had a decent wash in years. Theythered my hair with oils and creams andited through all the loose and tight tangles careful to not yank my hair. Their hands were gentle against my win, taking great care to not irritate the wound on my head, especially since it was still raw. Detangling the hunt around there was painful.


    I rxed as their magic fingers took great care of me. There was a growing pile of hair next to my legs of shedded and damaged hair that had fallen out because of past mughness, but I didn''t mind. Each strand of hair that was pulled out of my tangles took away some burden it experienced from violent hands.


    "Your curls are beautiful, baby girl," Violet spoke in awe, massaging cities into my scalp. "Your hair is a little lopsided, weirdly cut. What happened?"


    My old pack liked to hack at my hair whenever they felt like it," exined in asty whisper, memories of Raima, Odessa, and their friends running at me with sharp scissors attacking the forefront of my mind.


    Winy didn''t your Mom stop them?" Jackie asked.


    I grow silent, reluctant to talk about the woman who abandoned me. I looked an myp, allowing the mother-daughter duo to continue working on my hair in my silence. Jackle whispered an apology in my ear thefore resuming ther detangling.


    I couldn''t help but be jealous. Violet and Jackie have a close rtionship, working together harmoniously tob our the limits of this bird nest. The sensations awaken distant memories of when I was young, memorie I thought were long forgotten. Memories of my mother and the love she gave me many waghught qui to my heart and chest. Deep underneath all the pain she caused; the memories of her loving touches did not fade. I still remember how tender she used to be, her sweet scent of jasmine and cherries, and her amilles thuil of love and care. I was her baby girl and I loved her. I really did.


    Now, no longer. And yet, that hurt the most because I no longer held love for my mother. It withered and died years ago.


    I didn''t notice the tears falling down my face until I started convulsing in painful sobs. My hands covered my face as I cried out for my mother and for what my mother used to be. The inner child that I thought died came out at full force, screaming and wailing for her. She wept for her, my father, and my older sister. She wept for their love, their yfulness, and their protection.


    She wept for what my family used to be.


    My parents were no longer the parents who had dedicated their lives to protect and love me. They no longer loved me, and they showed it every time they discarded me like trash. They tore my heart out and danced all over it. Raina was and always would be the most important person to them. They cultivated her to be the best Beta Female, while simultaneously tossing me into the hounds. They took the word of their tyrannical Alpha over their baby girl.


    I cried and cried as the loving scent of peaches invaded my nose. I wrapped my arms around Lyra with all the strength I could muster, silently begging to know why my family turned their backs on me. Her hands rubbed. smooth circles around my back, and soon, Violet and Jackie engulfed me in their arms. I was dead center in the middle of a group hug, fully aware that the entire hospital could hear my painced cries.


    It hurt to cry with the feeding tube down my throat. The hate for my family festered in my heart, fueled by my sadness and anger. They taught me one thing;


    blood was not thicker than water.


    Betrayal of blood hurts the most.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "Are you okay, Mija?" Lyra asked me, sitting on the edge of my hospital bed with Dr. Nava. Violet and Jackie left a while ago after they sessfully detangled and washed my hair. They braided my hair in tworge cornrows that barely touched my shoulders. Nurse Mei redressed my head wound with clean gauze, discarding the bloody one into a hazardous waste bin. Dr. Nava was inserting my lunch down the feeding tube along with water through a series of medical syringes. My stomach rose at the food, now a tiny inted balloon. It was a bit ufortable.


    "I''m okay." My throat and lungs still hurt from my unexpected crying fit. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know what came over me...


    "You have nothing to apologize for." She hummed, rubbing my hand. Her warmth sunk into my palms like a gentle fire, filling my body with pleasant peace. "What happened to you is still very fresh on your mind, and you shouldn''t apologize for releasing your emotions. It''s normal, and it''s healthy."


    I sat in silence, embarrassed. I drew a lot of attention from the hospital staff and patients alike. I never enjoyed being the center of attention. Dr. Nava finished administering my food through the tube, cleaning her hands.


    "Halima." Dr. Nava came back from the bathroom, taking a seat next to Lyra. "If all things go well, we should discharge you by tomorrow, the next day at thetest. However, I want to introduce you to your treatment team."


    "Team?" I cocked my head to the side. "I have a team?"


    3/4


    "Yes." Dr. Nava nodded. "What we will set you on is a Weight Restoration n.


    We have two goals for you, to help you get back to eating on your own and to get you back to a healthy weight. You would have four people that will help you, a medical doctor, a nutritionist, a psychotherapist, and a psychiatrist."


    "That''s... a lot of people," I whispered.


    "It is, and it may seem overwhelming, but we are all here to help you.¡± Dr. Nava reassured me with a soft hand on my shoulder. "Your medical doctor will be me, of course Your C nutritionist would help you sort out meal ns and weight gain strategies. Your psychotherapist and psychiatrist will work together with you on how to cope with the trauma you''ve been through with coping strategies, therapy, and medications if ites down to it. All three are outstanding


    e, and I''m proud to have them in our hospital. However, if you''re too tired, you could meet them tomorrow morning."


    It stunned me that I have my own treatment team. Dr. Nava''s eyes regarded me with a glimmer of hope that I''ll ept the help. My fingers winched at the stic skin on my wrists and sides once again, reminding me of why I shouldn''t be this skinny. I was unhealthy and I want to feel normal again. My life shouldn''t wither away like my weight. I never realized the extent of the physical and emotional damage until I came here.


    I want to be healthy. I want to feel genuine happiness. I want to shift again and be an actual werewolf. I want to take back what Zircon Moon stole from me-my life.


    "But." Dr. Nava spoke again. "You have to want to get better. A lot of effort woulde from you and getting into a routine with meeting your treatment team. It''ll be a part of your life for as long as you stay on thesends.


    "I want to get better," I spoke confidently. "I don''t want to be anymore, doctor."


    The doctor and Lyra shared a look of relief and confidence before looking back at me. "Very well, Halima.. You''ll meet your team tomorrow morning. I will check your vitals again tonight. You''ve improved slightly from yesterday, but we need to wellter enough so you could go into the packhouse. And I''m sure Luna Lyra, Alpha Niki, Jacqueline, and Beta Female Violet will all be there to support you."


    "Yes, we will," Lyra replied with a contagious smile. "We all want you to get better, Halima. If you need anything, just say the word."


    Infected by her grin, I smiled back. My first authentic smile since I''ve been here.


    Don''t get me wrong, I feared the future and the uing challenges. But, the overwhelming amount of support I was getting from so many people here was giving me the confidence needed to move forward. I must get better..


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 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 The Move


    "When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It''s where my demons hide, it''s where my demons hide. Don''t get too close, it''s dark inside. It''s where my demons hide, it''s where my demons hide. Demons, Imagine Dragons Halima Today was the day I was getting discharged from the hospital. I''ve grownfortable in the two days I was here, but I knew the time woulde where I must leave. I feel a little better, the TVs and the liquified food helped a lot. I expected a little more time for my vitals to bnce out, but since I was a werewolf, they bounced back faster once I was provided with adequate fluids and nutrition. I''ll be on a feeding tube for about a month and a half, or until I was strong enough to eat on my own, whicheveres first.


    First thing this morning, Dr. Nava introduced me to my treatment team. I wanted to walk, so with her help, I met with the three people who will help me be as healthy as I can be.


    Dr. Alexandra Johnson was my nutritionist. She was one of the first humans I met in this pack, with her mate being a Delta. Her bright red hair caught my attention the most, paired with equally enticing green eyes and a face sprinkled with freckles. With a smile, she went over my proposed nutrition n and taught me all about calorie intake, and how to reach my goal of gaining at least two pounds a week. I needed to have liquified meals for now, but from how she speaks about them, they shouldn''t be so bad. I couldn''t taste any of the liquid mixtures, so I didn''tin. She liked to crack jokes sometimes. Alexandra made meugh several times, and I knew I''d do well with working with her.


    Dr. Zimar Khan and Mayra Hernandez were my psychiatrist and psychotherapist, respectively. Both were werewolves. Dr. Khan hails from New Delhi, India with jet ck wavy hair, golden eyes, and deep tan skin. Mayra was originally from Mexico City, Mexico, and once she graduated from college, she moved to Ga Moon with her mate. She had caramel brown hair that''s cut to a bob, deep brown eyes, and medium-dark skin. Both worked together to develop a mental health recovery n for me.


    Mayra oversaw my therapy sessions. Therapy was what I was not looking forward to. I would have to talk about my experiences with Zircon Moon and learn to open up, which was easier said than done. Mayra specializes in trauma- focused therapy, so it made sense why she was an excellent fit for someone like me. Dr. Khan helps with diagnosing and treatment. Both were very kind, with Zimar appearing more strictly professional while Mayra was moreid back.


    I sat on the edge of my hospital bed, wondering what my life would be like here in Ga Moon. My hands were folded on myp and my eyes followed the tile creases of the pristine floors. I never imagined I''d have this much support from people I met less than three days ago. All my life I was left to do things on my own and the pack stripped any help from me. But here, people were more than willing to help a girl they barely knew. I have a treatment team, support from the Alpha and Luria, and a new friend? These things were originally unobtainable.


    "How are you feeling, Hali?" Artemis asked me. "I feel optimistic about our new lives here."


    "I guess," I sighed. "It just all seems too good to be true, Art. I''m not used to any of this."


    "Because we''ve been deprived of everything we''re supposed to get while we were young," Artemis exined thoughtfully. "We''ll fit in here in no time. We just need to focus on our recovery."


    "Recovery..." That word was tossed around during my meetings with my treatment team, a word meaning to b Chapter 17 The Move e healthy after a period of difficulty. A single word full of hope and optimism, yet I was having trouble grasping it. Doubt swims in my mind as I rest my head on my fist.


    Could I really recover from what I''ve been through? I have eight years of damage to process abuse unimaginable from the people I once loved. Eight years'' worth of repressed emotions that I was forbidden to express. I couldn''t ever recover that time precious to me. What if I couldn''t be fixed? What if this trauma stays with me forever?


    Will I ever be a normal, carefree werewolf? Could Iplete the purpose that Selene had given to me? Would I ever be strong enough to fight the demons that gue my mind daily?


    "Hello! Earth to Halima!" The chipper voice startled me back into reality. Jackie stood over me with a beaming grin and arge gym bag at hand. I didn''t notice hering in. "What are you so deep in thought about?"


    "N-Nothing," I muttered, ying with my fingers.


    "A simple tap on the shoulder would suffice, Jack." A male voice argued. A man who looks exactly like Jackie. but with shorter, side-shaved hair walks next to her. He was more muscr than Jackie but equal to her in height. His scent was like hers except for a slight aroma of sweet oranges. "My name is Dwayne, Halima. I''m Jackie''s older brother by two minutes."


    "Wow! So, y-you guys are-


    "Twins? Yep." Dwayne smiled before shooting a wink. "But I''m the good twin."


    "Good twin, my ass." Jackie rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows I''m the better twin and the better Beta."


    "Co-Beta."


    "Whatever!" Jackie pushed her brother to a chair before turning to me. "I bought some clothes for you to wear for your discharge. Luna Lyra said you only came in with only a dirty, mangled dress."


    "Yes, I did," I confirmed. "Where is it, by the way?"


    "It''s in a bag under your bed." She quirked an eyebrow. "You want to keep that thing?"


    I Did I? It''s the only thing I own, and it''s a constant reminder of who I was. I want to get rid of it, but I want to do it in a meaningful way. "Yeah, I do."


    "Suit yourself." Jackie shrugged before mming her bag next to me on the bed. Once she opened it, the scent of orange blossoms wafted out of the bag, filling the air like fresh perfume. She pulled out clothing of all sorts, mostly shirts, sweatpants, and some colorful hoodies. She also pulled out a pair of flip-flops and settled. them next to my feet. "Pick whatever you want. I don''t know what your style is, so I picked out the mostfortable clothes from my closet." "They are also the clothes she wants to get rid of." Dwayne''s amusement died when his sister threw one of her pants in his face.


    I chuckle, looking over my options. All the clothes look soft and warm. They were also big enough to hide my bruises and skinny appearance. Speaking of, some of my bruises have healed, but there was still a dull, throbbing pain. After a minute, I went with a pair of grey sweats with a drawstring, a small blue shirt, and a dark purple zip-up hoodie. Shuffling out of my bed, I took my clothes to the bathroom and changed into them.


    Chapter 17-The More I looked at myself in the mirror after dressing in my chosen clothes. I look...


    different? I was so used to wearing a raggedy dress, so wearing clothes that cover my skin felt strange. The clothes bunched up around my ankles and wrists, but I like them. But, the best part about them was that they were soft and smelled just like Jackie. 1 emerged out of the bathroom, walking towards the ck flip-


    flops..


    "Thanks for the clothes again, Jackie." I smiled at her. "They feel nice."


    "You can keep them, if you want." She stuffed the other clothes back into the bag.


    "I have too many clothes, anyway. I was going to give them to some teenage pups around here, but I thought I''d let you have the first pick."


    "I appreciate it."


    "You have Beta blood, don''t you?" Dwayne pondered. "I could smell it on you."


    "What a way to not be a creep, bro." Jackie rolled her eyes, catching the pants she threw at him with one hand. She stuffs the unpicked clothes back in her gym bag.


    "I call it like it is! If something piques my interest, I''ll say something."


    "Y-Yes." I nodded, holding my elbows. "I have Beta blood."


    "I knew we were simr!" Jackie giggled. "I sensed it too when we first met, but I didn''t want to seem like a weirdo."


    "Says the resident weirdo."


    "Oh, shut up!" Jackie threatened, a low growl emitting from her throat. Their banter reminded me of the little banters Raina, and I would have when we were kids. It left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.


    "Anyway..." Dwayne walked over, ignoring the burning res from his twin sister. "Alpha Niki asked us to show you around the Ga Moon territory after you''ve settled in your room. We thought we''d show you where it is."


    "Oh!" I felt a little disappointed that Luna Lyra wasn''t here, but that difort was quickly squashed by the twins smiling at me. I couldn''t help but smile back. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and nodded. "I''d like that. Thank you."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The twins helped sign my discharge papers since I was seventeen. Dwayne and Jackie were neen, m


    two years. older than me, so they took care of the misceneous details couldh funderstand. Dr.


    Nava gave me a bag full of supplies needed for my feeding tube, including syringes, medical tape, and extra tubes for recements just in case. She also gave me a mani folder filled with details of my nutrition n, pamphlets, and other reading materials. Soon, the three of us left the pack hospital on our way to the packhouse.


    The territory was enormous. Around me, I see wolves of all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages going about their merry ways. In the distance, the nking and shrieking of metal and yells of protest and defense boomed through the air. The wolves were training hard with weapons while some were sparring in their wolf form. It reminded me of the training sessions back at Zircon minus the weaponry. My old pack relied mostly on the strength of wolves. Some wolves and she-wolves sat near the training grounds, goggling at the shirtless, sweaty men and women in deep concentration.


    On the other side, I see children training. I could tell all of them have already shifted, giving me relief that


    3/4


    Chapter 17 - The Move this pack doesn''t train prepubescent children for battle. I noticepact houses and huts scattered around the territory with families mingling with one another as they rx in chairs outside. Smaller kids were kicking ser balls around or chasing each other in a game of the in the far distance, I hear water sshing and cars rolling into the territory. It''s a happymunity, and it''s muchrger than Zircon. "Amazing, isn''t it?" Dwayne''s voice draws me back to reality. "I bet Ga Moon is nothing like your old pack, huh?


    "I agree," I muttered, my eyes still swishing around the territory. "How many wolves are there?"


    "A little over five hundred," Jackie answered. "It takes a lot of money and resources to house and feeds these many wolves. Many of them were refugees from different packs, ve escaping dangerous situations. We also have a lot of humans here with their mates, a couple of witches who allied with us, and a crap ton of children. Overall, our members top


    600, and everyone here has a unique role to aplish. It could be something as small as care for the children to the Alpha in charge of an enormousmunity."


    "Is everyone treated equally?" I asked, earning strange looks from the twins. "Since you all have different species living here, I was just wondering..." "Yes." Dwayne nodded as we drew closer to the enormous packhouse. "Once you''ve bonded with Ga Moon, we treat you like family. No matter if you''re a wolf, witch, or a human. We pride ourselves on equal opportunity. Some humans were Deltas, some witches help run our facilities and help care for the children and so much more. But it''s a lot to discuss in such a short amount of time."


    "And we''re here!" Jackle announced, gesturing to a buildingparable to a mansion. Stone statues of howling wolves stood on either side of the entrance, howling to the sky. The exterior was decorated with windows, moss, and red stones embedded at the corners of the bricks. The mansion was about four stories high.


    I wondered who all lives here.


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 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 The Confidants


    "A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not eastly mended."n McEwan Halima The three of us entered the packhouse and I was greeted with arge foyer, glistening under a diamond-studded chandelier. Three sets of stairs lead to the second floor and beyond, lined with red velvet. The plethora of glossy white and tan-trimmed doors lead to distinct ces in the packhouse, but only one led to the kitchen. The scent of mouthwatering food made me drool but soon disappointed given my current predicament called the tube.


    "The second and third-floor houses pack members who either have roles in the packhouse like the Omegas, warriors, and Deltas. The top floor has the rooms of the Alpha and Luna, Beta and Beta Female, Gamma and Gamma Female, and their families. The Omegas prepared a room for you on the third floor." Dwayne exined.


    I was in awe at the beauty and cleanliness of the foyer and how spacious it is. "So, exactly how big is the packhouse?"


    "Big." The twins say in unison.


    They lead me to the third floor towards the middle of the hall where my room was supposed to be. Along the way, I pass by a beautiful, tall blond girl who''s busy texting on her phone. I couldn''t help but admire how beautiful her curly hair was. It was like liquid gold. Her scent of apples and cinnamon reminded me of the pies I wasn''t allowed to eat, making my stomach rumble. She looked behind briefly, but I quickly turned away.


    "Here we are!" Jackie opened the door to my room, bowing dramatically as I entered. The room is, might I say, very spacious. The room''s color scheme of browns, whites, and redsplimented each other nicely. It was equipped with all the essentials, arge bed, a drawer that doubled as a vanity table, two glossy white doors that led to what I assumed was the closet, tablemps, a desk with a chair, and there were a couple of nts on the window ledge.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I walk to the double doors of the closet to see it stocked with color assortments of clothes and pajamas. The colors ranged from bright pink to ck, styles from nightgowns to two-piece pajama sets. Each had a string for size adjustment if needed. I walk to another white door, leading to an equally spacious bathroom.


    The bathtub was enormous enough to seat three people with three loofahs hanging from the detachable showerhead. The shelves were already stocked with shampoo bottles, soap bars, and body mists, and the sink had a cup full of toothbrushes along with a toothpaste dispenser. The toilet was impressive too, white, and pristine. My flip-flops ran into the neutral brown bathroom rugs, my toes briefly touching the softness.


    Upon exiting the bathroom, Dwayne sat at the chair near the desk as Jackie hung up the clothes from her bag. I notice a small bag at the corner of the closet with my raggedy dress inside.


    "So, what do you think?" The male twin asked me with a confident smile. "If you don''t like it, we could give you another room and-!"


    "N-no, you don''t have to do that." I stuttered, taking a seat on the mattress, soaking in the foreign atmosphere of the spacious room and equally spacious bed. This room was fit for someone important, not a former ve. My hand ran through the silk material of one of my many new pillows. "It''s just a lot to take in. I never had a room like this before."


    13


    Chapter 18 The Confidants


    "How big was your old room?"


    "Less than half the size of this room," I exined, gazing at the cleaners of the ceilings. "And it was a cell, not a room."


    The twins went quiet behind me, but I could feel the awkward tension growing in the air. I grab one of the smaller white pillows and hug it to my chest. It was soft and plush, like my old teddy bear.


    "Halima..." I turned to look at Dwayne. "The Alpha and Luna told us a little about you and what you''ve gone through. I can''t imagine a pack treating one of their own like that."


    I shrugged my shoulders. "You''d be surprised what a pack could do behind closed doors." I offered a tiny smile to the twins; their green eyes were brewing in anger. "Please, don''t be mad. I''m just....happy that I''m out of there."


    Jackie finished hanging her old clothes in my closet and took a seat next to me. "Whatever happened back at Zircon Moon, you didn''t deserve it, hun. No one should ever go through the pain of their pack betraying them."


    "I''ve been hearing that a lot, you know..." Jackie''s face contorted in confusion. "That I didn''t deserve what happened to me. Is it wrong that I don''t believe that yet? I still think everything I went through is my fault. They have beaten it into me. What else could I do but believe what they say? The people who hurt me are in positions of power, ranked several times above me. What they said was thew and I am just a pathetic ve."


    "No, no, baby no." Jackie wanted to hug me, and I let her. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to her warm body, mym head resting on her shoulder. "No one, no matter who they are or their rank, has the right to put their hands on you. And you are not a ve. A pack runs together, fights together, and protects each other. Zircon Moon failed miserably.


    "Jackie''s right." Dwayne sat on the other side of me. "No one deserves to I


    get beat on or to have bruises, pray to the Moon Goddess that they get the punishment they deserve. We''re saying you didn''t deserve your pain because that''s the truth.


    "It''s okay to cry, Hali." Jackie''s Wast thumbs wiped the tears I didn''t know started falling. "What you went through was horrible. What they put in your mind was terrible. But you are away from them like you said and they can no longer hurt you. They hold no power here. They would have to get through us and our army if they even think about touching you again. I bet my honor on that."


    "And besides, us Beta children have to stick together." Dwayne''s hand reached for my own and squeezed it with care. He meant what he said. I didn''t flinch away from his warm touch. "We''re strangers now, but i have faith that we''ll progress to be friends."


    "And someone as cute as you shouldn''t be without friends." Jackie chuckled, tickling her finger under my chin. My head jerked up; eyebrows arched.


    "You think I''m cute?"


    ''All girls are cute!" Jackie defended with a haughty smile. "And you''re a girl. So, therefore, you''re cute."


    wayne scoffed in exasperation, rolling his eyes at his sister. "Sometimes, I think your brain sits between your egs."


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 The Gurerreros


    "Trust is believing "I will be safe with you. Love is striving to keep the trust."- Drishti Bant, Wordions Halima After a while, the twins left me to rest. We decided to take the tour another time. I napped for a good hour until I woke up from a horrible nightmare with a loud shriek. For a moment, my mind plunged back into the dirty, smelly prison cell with former Alpha Jonathan standing over me with his fists raised. He was beating my small body with the rage of a god before he morphed into an enormous ck wolf, golden eyes bleeding bloodlust. All I saw before I woke up was the drooling, sharp jaws of a feral wolf.


    To take my mind off the nightmare, I tried on the clothes and pajamas in my closet, overwhelmed by the assorted fabrics. I loved the capri pajama sets the most, the cotton materials were soft, like clouds on a sunny day. They smelled sweet, too! I also tried on the other casual clothes in the closet, ranging from jeans to cardigans to blouses to tunic shirts. All in all, I spent another hour and a half trying on my entire closet.


    Only to end up in the capri pajama set because they felt so good.


    Walking out my door, I decide to find Lyra and Niki to thank them for the room. But after wandering around the hallway, I realized that I don''t know where the hell I was going. I don''t know where the twins are, and I was not sure where Violet is. Mind-linking wasn''t a possibility because I wasn''t bonded with the pack. So, I headed back to where I thought the stairs were.


    I remembered that Dwayne mentioned the Alpha''s room was on the top floor, so maybe if I headed up there....


    Before I could reach the stairs, my clumsy ass ended up bumping hard into a brick wall. Or so I thought. The impact pushed me to the ground,nding hard on my bony butt. I groaned softly, rubbing my rear end. "Ow..."


    "You''re the rogue." My eyes shot up to be met with a very tall man who was a spitting image of Alpha Niki, except he had Lyra''s brown hair brushing over his eyelids and nape. His sharp jawline made him look dangerous, and his deep amber eyes stared into my soul. It didn''t take a rocket scientist to know that this man oozes power.


    "Y-Yes I am." I gulped down the mass in my throat. "I''m sorry for bumping into you-!"


    The man chuckled, offering his hand to me. I graciously took it, admiring the warmth his hand radiated through my weak body. Slowly and gently, he pulled me to my feet. "No worries. If my mother offered you one of our rooms, you can''t be all bad, right?"


    I blinked. "Your Mom?"


    "Yes. I''m Anthony Guerrero, son of the Alpha and Luna."


    Oh shit, I ran into the future Alpha! Alphas were domineering yet nonchnt, but Anthony seems friendly, unlike Neron. Just the thought of my former mate made my heart not only boil in anger but in pain. Refusing to fall into that dark hole, I shake those thoughts out of my head, focusing my attention back on the man in front of me. "Nice to meet you, Anthony. My name is Halima."


    "Halima...your name is familiar." Anthony crossed his arms. "Mom talked a bit about you. I was on my way to see you. Good to know that you made my trip shorter. Is your room to your liking?"


    Chapter 19 The Gurmeros


    "Yes. It''s more than enough." I rocked on my heels, eyes shifting around the hallway for a focus point. I...I wanted to thank your parents in person."


    "Here," He offered a hand again. "I''ll show you where the Alpha''s office is." Before I knew it, we''re heading to the top floor, hand-in-hand. ¡°Tell me about yourself."


    "There isn''t much to talk about," I admitted, looking down at the carpet. "I don''t have much of a personality. I''m sure you''re much more exciting."


    "Perhaps." Anthony chuckled. "You should tell that to Alesia. She believes I''m too rigid and in need of loosening up."


    "Alesia?"


    "Yes, my mate and future Luna." He admitted. We reach the hallway of the top floor. In the distance, I could detect Lyra''s peachy scent. "She''s visiting her parents in her old pack, Autumn Moon. She should be back in a few days."


    "Is she nice?"


    "To a fault, but she has that fire in her I love. She can be scary, but only when provoked." I watch Anthony''s smile widen as his eyes hold glittered with the admiration and love in the world for this one woman. "She''s protective, fierce, and powerful. I''m proud to have her as my mate."


    My smile was small, a tad jealous of how Anthony was looking like a love-sick puppy. It was the same way Neron looks at Odessa, day in and day out, for someone who wasn''t his mate. My mate bond was dead, I couldn''t feel anything for him or anyone else, but I was still jealous. With or without a mate bond, I couldn''t help but wonder if anyone would ever look at me with that love. Not familial love but love that every human and werewolf strived for.


    "How about you?" Anthony asked. "Found your mate yet?"


    "Um..." I try to n my words for a suitable response, but my mind was mush. "The mate thing is a very touchy subject. I don''t want to talk about it."


    "Oh..." The Alpha''s son nodded with understanding. "Forgive my overstep." "It''s all right." I gave a small smile. "You didn''t know. It''s no fault of your own." "So, let us talk about something else." We both walked down the long, semi-dark corridor toward the Alpha''s office. "Have you thought about joining Ga Moon?"


    "I...I don''t know." I murmured, scratching the back of my neck. "I still need some time. I agreed to stay, but I''m not sure about joining."


    "Take the time you need. It''s a big decision." Soon, we reached the mahogany doors of the Alpha''s office. Anthony knocked twice and opened once he was granted permission. We both walked in to see Niki and Lyra in deep conversation but stopped once they saw us. I notice another girl in the room, looking like a mini version of Lyra.


    "Halima." Lyra smiled. "I see you met Anthony. I hope our baby boy wasn''t too much trouble."


    "No, he was great. A proper gentleman." Imented with a smile.


    -The Gurmeros


    "I''ll leave you to it. It was nice meeting you, Halima." Closing the door behind him, I went to take a spare seat next to Lyra.


    "I just wanted to thank you both for my room." I bowed my head politely. "It''sfortable."


    "I see you are wearing the pajamas I picked out!" The girl next to me gushed with a prideful smile, fists. resting on her hips. "Purple looks very cute on you, by the way."


    "O-oh!" Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Thank you, miss...?"


    "Lyria is the name." She extended a hand. "I''m Anthony''s little sister. If you need anything,e to me. Although, we need to take you shopping for undergarments one of these days. That''s if you''re up for it."


    I look at Niki and Lyra. "Is that okay with you both? I don''t want you spending so much money on me... "Dear, money is not an issue." Alpha Niki replied with a smile. "We want your stay to be asfortable as possible. And that means getting you clean clothes. You came here with nothing."


    I nodded and remained quiet, looking down at my fidgety fingers. I only looked up when I felt Lyra''s hand rubbing circles on my back. "Have you eaten yet?" She asked me.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Not yet." I shake my head. "I''m not sure where the kitchen is to fill up my syringes."


    "Lyria would show you the way." The Luna smiled as Lyria nodded. "Do you mind sharing the nutrition n with the Lead Omega and me so that we can better understand how to take care of you?"


    "Lead...Omega?" Violent memories of Cassandra instantly silenced me. Her phantom ps and brutal insults suddenly were loud in my ear. "I-I don''t want to go."


    "Dear..." Lyra whispered to me. "Cleo has a heart of gold. She''d be more than happy to help you with your feeding tube. What are you scared of?" "What if she calls me a roon?" My eyes fill with unshed tears. Artemis was giving me herfort to calm my palpitating heart, again. "What if she throws me out of the kitchen? Am I allowed inside?"


    Lyra shot a look at her husband and daughter, cradling my hands into hers, "Mija, of course, you''re allowed in the kitchen. No one would throw you out. Is that what your old Lead Omega did?"


    "She only allowed me in the k-kitchen to clean the dishes and w-wash the floors," I answered tearfully, my trauma tossing me back into that ugly kitchen. "She wouldn''t let me eat andughed when she saw how hungry I was." Choked sobs erupted from my throat. "She called me a roon because I was eating out of the garbage. I was so desperate! I''m...I can''t-!"


    "Shh..." Lyra cradled my head into my chest, continuously rubbing circles on my back. "It''s okay. You''re here with us."


    "How could someone be so cruel...?" I hear Lyria whisper. It must be quite a shocker, meeting someone for the first time and you learn how they ate out of the garbage to survive. "Mom...Dad..."


    "I know, Lyria." Niki sighed.


    After a minute, I stopped crying, wiping away my pitiful tears. "It seems all I do is cry. I''m really sorry."


    Chapter 19 The Gureneros


    "No." Niki shook his head. "I''m not epting your apology because there is nothing to apologize form Halima, you are more than wee inFour kitchen. I promise you we are and would be nothing like Zircon Moon, and we''ll do everything we can to make you feelfortable and safe on ournds."


    I sniffled, taking in a deep breath.


    Alpha Niki was right. My short stay here had proven to me that Need Ga Moon was nothing like Zircon Moon. need to stopparing the two. Everyone here had treated me with nothing but kindness andpassion, and I couldn''t be more grateful for that. I look back to the Alpha family, noticing the concern in their brown eyes of all shades.


    I have so many demons I need to battle, internally and externally. I just hope that I make it out alive in the end.


    Chapter Comments Marie Guinga well written, but it sure pullman at your heart strings!


    I love that the Main character dont get well in a sport period. It''s dificult to change a mind that has been abused for years in weeks


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 - The Recovery


    "You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore."- William Faulkner Halima-Two Months Later I stand on the mechanical medical scale in my patient room, watching the beam tilt and lean to get an exact measure of my weight. Dr. Nava slid the calibration bars from left to right until the beam stills. I weighed just above 120 pounds, which was one hell of an improvement from my ghastly 97 pounds two months earlier. I should celebrate, but I was not out of the woods yet. I was still slightly underweight by werewolf standards. However, Dr. Nava says that my physical recovery was going better than she had expected. Because of my werewolf DNA, I''ll recover a lot faster than the average human.


    A smile crept across my face; a sense of aplishment rushed over me. I was thrilled with my weight gain; it meant I was getting better! When I look in the mirror nowadays, I was not as skinny as I used to be. The indentations of my bones were disappearing, and I was gaining more body fat, which means I didn''t have to wear hoodies or baggy clothes to keep me warm. That''s tortuous considering we''re in the middle of summer. The wound on the back of my head healed two weeks ago and Jackie had been helping me with my hair growth journey to make up for lost length.


    Because of my rapid improvement, Dr. Nava wanted to remove the feeding tube. Dr. Jones, my nutritionist, was also on board with the decision. I must admit, I was nervous about getting off the tube. I''ve grown used to the dumb thing, and I was worried the effort would be all for nothing. What if I still couldn''t swallow? What if I end up vomiting my food again?


    Regardless of my internal protests, it was removed. And it felt so gross.


    I''ve also been seeing my psychiatrist and psychotherapist. It hasn''t all been sunshine and rainbows. My nightmares about Zircon Moon have been guing me every night to the point I wake up in a cold sweat, thinking I was back in that dingy cell. The angry faces of my family and pack members were extremely vivid, but sometimes the nightmares cast their faces in an ominous shadow so I wouldn''t know who was sneering at me or hitting me.


    The worst nightmares were Neron and his father beating me to death. They call me names, damn me to hell, and pummel me with their fists and feet repeatedly. I couldn''t go back to sleep after that. My mind, when asleep, often slips into the ck trenches, picking what memory to torment me with. A full night''s sleep was a luxury. It was only after my nightmares with that one guard who raped me surfaced that I was prompted to have sessions with Mayra twice a week as opposed to once a week.


    Dr. Khan had diagnosed me with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder alongside depression. The diagnosis came to no surprise, for I was a walking trauma tank. I was still debating whether to go on medication, but I was d I have the option to choose.


    Besides that, I''ve grown closer with some members of Ga Moon. I was proud to call Jackie one of my closest friends, but Artemis will always be my number one. I haven''t seen Dwayne much since he was often apanying his father to other pack territories for Beta business, but I was d to have a friend like him around.


    Anthony and I were also good friends, and I finally had the chance to meet his mate, Alesia. Tall, Latina with luscious long auburn hair, olive-brown eyes, a fierce warrior-she had all the makings to be a wonderful Luna. I''ve seen her train and fight with the warriors and Deltas, and I must say, I wouldn''t want to have her as my Huviin 20 - The Tenusmy oppement. She couldy five men down on their backs without breaking a sweat while I wanch inplete awe. I aspire to be like her one day.


    Lyria and I were much closer now, she was like a big sister to me. She introduced me to the world of fashionable clothes and makeup. My vanity table, now, had many makeup palettes and other cosmetics she rmended me to try out. As for clothes or if she was bored, she goes on shopping trips and she drugs me along. My fulll closet was already twice as full thanks to her. I could never thank her enough for helping me feel like a wom I''m sitting at the ind in the pack kitchen, watching Lead Omega Cleo cut up some strawberries on am avocado toast because I heard it was extremely popr with humans and I wanted to try it. This would be the first food I''ve eaten since my doctor removed the feeding tube. I had nerves on top of nerves. Fer Dr. Man''s advice, it was rmended I go for the lighter foods before I turn to heavier ones to get back into the groove


    "I''ll never understand the hype over avocado." I see Jackie, sporting a sports bra and matching leggings. rummaging through the fridge. Judging by the sweat rolling down her shoulders, she''d juste from training. "First it''s with the humans and now you''re drooling over it! It tastes like the void in space, nothing!! "Depends on the avocado." Lead Omega Cleo replied nonchntly, removing the core. "What do you want. sweetheart? I could whip something up for you."


    "No, it''s fine." The woman pulled out a clear, cold bottle of water. "I was looking for this!" Guzzling the contents down, she sparingly nces at me. "Are you up for eating?"


    "I think so." I replied with my confidence deting faster than a popped balloon. "Dr. Nava gave me the green light to attempt eating on my own. I''m hoping nothing goes wrong." I shrugged. "Having the tube was fine. but I miss normal eating."


    "Well, you''re bouncing back pretty well." She walked over and gave me a side hug. I instantly cringed, feeling her sticky, smelly sweat.


    "Ew. Go take a shower!"


    "I know I don''t smell that bad!" Jackie chucided with a dazzling smile, logging back out to the front yard to continue training. Not long after, Lyra came in, her hanel lights lighting up upon seeing me.


    "Good morning, Mija." She kissed my forehead, pinching my cheeks. Lyra and 1 developed a close rtionship, and I couldn''t be any happier. She was like the mother I never got. There were some instances where I identally let ''Mom'' slip out, hoping she wouldn''t notice, but if she did, she never gave it away. Alpha Niki treats me kindly too, acting as my missing father figure. His hugs were as warm as embers in a firece and hispassion never failed to make me feel safe in his presence. I''d seek him out when I have internal conflicts, like joining the pack. He assured me he was a patient man and would wait for my answer, no matter how long it took. Knowing my hesitation with strangers, be reminds me ahead of time, taking that extra length to make me feelfortable.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "Morning!" I smile. "Did you sleep well?"


    Yes. All things considering." I was about to ask what she meant by that until I noticed the bright pink hue on. ber cheeks. And Cleo shoots a very knowing look. It didn''t take me long to put two and two together.


    24


    Chapter 20-The Recovery


    "Here you go, hun." Lead Omega Cleo handed me a te with two pieces of toast with slices of avocado, strawberries, and a sprinkle of chia seeds. Apanied with this small breakfast was a ss of fresh orange juice. I gulped, gazing at my food with a thin-lined smile, unsure of how to proceed. Picking up the piece of toast, I look for the best corner for my first bite. The older women eye me carefully, prepared for reactions I may have.


    I feel like a zoo animal.


    any adverse


    "Here goes nothing," I mutter. I bit gently into a soft corner, savoring thebination of sweet, buttery, and crunchy. The sweet taste of strawberry exploded in my mouth, with the nutty avocado vor apanying it. The chia seeds were a pleasant touch, adding a nice crunch. Bracing myself, I swallowed slowly, feeling the mass swim down my esophagus before plopping in my stomach.


    I waited. The women waited. My stomach toiled and tumbled for a moment before settling down. I sat, expecting the usual wave of nausea to hit me, but it didn''t. I drank a bit of the orange juice, soothing my parched throat. Nothing happened! The next thing I knew, I was scarfing down both pieces of fruity toast and guzzling the orange juice..


    "Yes!" I cheered, fist-pumping the air. "I did it!" I could finally eat like a normal person again! Cleo pped for me and Lyra hugged me with uncontained, powerful love. Two months on a feeding tube finally paid off!


    "I''m so proud of you, Bebita." Lyra muttered in my ear, rubbing soothing circles on my back. "This is ant amazing aplishment! But we still have to follow your nutrition n until the coast is clear."


    "I know. It just feels good to eat like this again."


    "Well, if you need anything, my dear, don''t hesitate to find me or the other Omegas." Lead Omega Cleo replied with a smile. Cleo was an older woman, arising from Italy. She usually ties her blond hair in a ponytail and her pale green eyes hold love and dedication. Grabbing the pitcher, she refilled my cup, and I happily drank the sweet drink down. "Speaking of food, I still need toe up with a menu for the Passage of the Alpha ceremony."


    The juice sprayed out of my mouth like a wild garden hose, sending me into a coughing fit. Immediately, Lyra patted my back to calm me down. "T-The ceremony?"


    "Yes." Lyra nodded. "Since Anthony is mated with Alesia, we thought it''d be good to have the ceremony where not only he selects his new Beta and Gamma, but Alesia epts her Lunaship. It''s next Saturday."


    That''s right. Anthony and Alesia were destined for the throne. How could I have forgotten? Next Saturday is a full moon. An icy chill swam down my spine, and a dull ache epassed the scar on my back. I knew for a fact that this ceremony would not be like thest one I ''went to, but I couldn''t help but worry and feel terrified.


    "I-I don''t think I should go," I admit sadly. "I might mess it up."


    "Why would you-oh." The Luna came over and rubbed her hand on my back again, moving toward my shoulder where my scary. "I understand. This ceremony doesn''t bring you joy, given your past. You don''t have to attend if you don''t want to."


    "B-but I want to." I insisted. "I want to be there to support Anthony."


    "Don''t force yourself to do something if you know it would hurt you." All three of us jerked our heads behind Chapter 20 - The Recovery


    to see both Anthony and Alesia walking in, hand-in-hand. The sight of them made me smile they are such a cute couple. ¡°As much as I want to show you what a true passage ceremony is like, don''t risk your mental health for it."


    "And we don''t want you to feel ufortable in any way." Alesia came over and hugged me gently.


    m Her body was like a soothing pyre, encircling me in unnatural warmth. ve Her scent of raspberries and sugar was pleasant to my nose. Her duality in nature intrigues me, she could be a fierce, formidable opponent one minute, then kind and nurturing the next. "But we leave that choice up to you. We''d love to have you witness us bing Alpha and Luna, but we''ll understand if you decide to skip the ceremony."


    H


    I look down at my fidgeting fingers, unable to sit still in my seat. Everyone was giving me the power to make my own decisions, and they weren''t angry at my hesitation. Part of me! wanted to experience what a celebratory event with a pack was like, and witness my friends be the new leaders. But it scares the other part of me. I bring disaster wherever I go. What if something goes wrong because I showed my face? I wish my mind wasn''t working against me, constantly reminding me I ruined Neron''s ceremony because I triggered his hatred.


    I spare a nce at Alesia, then to Anthony. "Um. Can I have some time to think about it?"


    Alesia smiled warmly. "Sweetie take all the time you need. It''s a big decision."


    I take a sip of my orange juice, listening to Lyra suggesting menu options with the mated couple adding in their input. I have a week to decide if I want to go or not, but I needed to deal with these goddamn memories first.


    At least I have something to talk about with my therapist today.


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 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 The Decisions


    "Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely."-Roy T. Bet Halima I''m nowying in my bed, looking up at the ceiling. Nightfall had made its appearance, immersing the territory in darkness. Up above, the half-moon and its twinkling stars serve as our only illumination. The distant chatter of wolves and theirte-night rendezvous echoed in my eardrums, but I didn''t pay attention to it. My mind''s stuck on my therapy session today with Mayra.


    1 spilled everything from my fears to my desires. It took me two months to get used to speaking to a stranger due to fear and judgment. But Mayra had been nothing but open and warm, allowing me to graduallye out of my shell. Just like the others, she, too, rmended that I make my decision on whether to attend the ceremony. That''s the power I have over the situation, and no one would judge me for it. The entire time, she reassured me I was not a walking disaster warning, if anything goes astray, I shouldn''t take the me for it.


    I roll on my side, resting my arm under my pillow. Why was this so hard? It feels like two strings were pulling me, one to the light and the other to darkness. Sometimes, the pull into the darkness was stronger. It was seductive, cloaking me in a nket, leading me to believe I was better off dead. But in others, the light was stronger. The light was warm, but also foreign. It was something I''ve never felt before, and it was scary-but now I have people around me pushing me forward to heal.


    But It''s a battle where I feel unequipped to fight.


    "Are you going to go to the ceremony?" Artemis spoke through our mind-link. It was always nice to hear her voice, she helped to fight the demons in my mind since we''re both in this together.


    "I want to," I answer back, shutting my eyes to envision my beautiful wolf. Big and majestic as ever, I needed to let her out once I''m okay, "I''m scared. My mind ising up with all these scenarios that could go wrong if I show up."


    "I know. I can see them, and they aren''t pretty." Artemis trotted closer to me, sitting on her hind end. "I, too, wish things were easier. But, just as Mayra said, we''re dealing with many traumatic experiences, so our brain is wired differently. We expect the worst in everything and hide, hoping things go right."


    "It''s much easier to hide than to face the problem," I admit with a self- deprecating sigh. "I want to be strong. Artemis. I''m so sick and tired of being weak and scared of my shadow. I look around and see all these powerful wolves, happy and living life. And here I am, deep in a pit that''s so hard to get out."


    "We didn''t go into the pit willingly, Hali. They forced us in there, and we didn''t have a choice. That wasn''t our fault. But what is our responsibility is when and how we get back up. Fighting is hard. You said so yourself. But no one ever said that recovery is easy. It''s a long, hard, and treacherous journey. But...I think it''s worth it. Don''t you?"


    I ponder in thought for a little, feeling the weight of Artemis''s words. "Since when did you be such a good therapist?"


    "I picked up on a few things during your sessions." Artemis shrugged. "It''s a process, Halima. Taking back the power that has been stolen from us is a process. But I much rather live in the light with you than to be buried in darkness."


    1/3


    Artemis was right. Her words lit a deep fire within me I didn''t know was there. I rather-no, want to live in the light. Not sust that, I want to live here. I want to stay in this pack, they weed me, took care of me, and une been nothing but supportive. I want to be a part of something that brought in a broken girl and nursed ber back to full health. How often does one run into a pack like that?


    I''ve made my decision, or rather, decisions.


    Grabbing my cell phone off from themp table, I send a text to Lyria. This was my first cell phone, and it had taken me time to get used to its fancy controls. "Hey. Can we go shopping tomorrow? I want to find a dress for the ceremony."


    "Holy shit yest Tocally" She replied in seconds. "I got a couple of styles in mind that would fit you! Meet me in themon room tomorrow after breakfast!"


    "Cool! I''ll see you then. Goodnight I set my phone back down with a smile as I changed into my cherry red nightgown. Shutting off the lights, it bathes my room infortable darkness. Crawling underneath the covers, I fall into a deep sleep, dreamless for the first time in months.


    "Did I hear you correctly? You want to join the pack?"


    It was a normal morning when Halima entered my office. There was a small smile on her face, and she looked bealthier than I''d ev than I''d ever seen her before. Her skin was clearer and her face was fuller. The beauty hidden derneath was showing. I noticed she no longer had the feeding tube. I feel relieved, it was all in the progress of her recovering. Lyra and I were developing something special for her, and all we needed was to make a file for her.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I''m aware her original file was back at Zircon Moon, but it was too risky to request for it without jeopardizing her safety. I was betting on the fact that they believe she was dead, so her file was closed.


    I couldn''t help but smile at the girl sitting on the other side of my desk. The inkling in the back of my mind told me the would ept the offer, though I didn''t expect it to be so soon. I felt as though Halima would make a great addition to Ga Moon, not the fact she was a white wolf, but that she also fits in seamlessly with the rest of the pack.


    "Very well," I folded my hands on my desk. "You will go through a bonding ritual that ties you to the pack. You will have the Pack Mark branded on you as opposed to having one at birth."


    Her big brown eyes widened in fear. "H-How would I get the Pack Mark?"


    I chuckled. "I promise it is not as barbaric as you think it is. I''ve done hundreds of bindings since I became Alpha. It will appear once the ritual isplete."


    "Ah, that makes a lot more sense." She answered with an anxiousugh, running her hand through her tight curls. "Um. When will the ritual happen?"


    Chapter 21- The Decisions


    "I''ll discuss with Lyra and Anthony about the arrangements. It would be Anthony performing the ritual since. he will be Alpha soon. Only the Alpha can bind new members to the pack."


    nothing to worry a


    "So...I have then?"


    I shake my head. "No, dear."


    "Nice." She pats her thighs once before standing. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity, sir. I appreciate


    "Halima." My That''s only for those with ranks. Please, just call me Niki."


    Voice dropped an octave, my arms folding under my chest. "You need not be so formal with me.


    She stared at me for a solid minute, a smile etching up her bronzed face. I don''t think Halima understands how much her beautyes out when she smiles. It saddens me how she was trained to be so subservient. I hope her staying in my territory would help her blossom into the person she never got a chance to be.


    "Okay. Thank you... Niki." And with.


    that, she left my office with a slight spring in her step. I mind-link my mate, Anthony, and Lyria in my office to discuss the next step in our surprise for the girl. I pull out a mani folder from the bottom of my desk, pulling out the papers needed toplete the next step.


    I have great hope that Halima would like this surprise. She deserves it.


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 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 The Owl


    "Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone''s hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours."- Vera Nazarian Halima Tonight was the night of Anthony and Alesia''s ceremony. Dwayne and Jackie were to be Co-Betas and a man named Ali was to be Gamma. I met him quite a few times, and he was a proper gentleman. And cute, too. I set out the outfit I''ve decided to wear on my bed, admiring how the color and essories work well with each other.


    Per Lyria''s advice, I went with amethyst purple, which was slowly bing my favorite color. The dress was sleeveless with a turtle neckline guaranteed to cover my back. The scar from the Mark of the Betrayer still gives me a deep sense of shame, so I wanted it covered. The dress was flowy and loose, starting at my waist, reaching down to my knees. My golden ts with ankle straps rest on the floor near the dress.


    Walking in heels was a disaster waiting to happen. And by disaster, it involves me kissing the floor.


    A pair of gold bracelets and a single charm ne rest on top of my vanity, glittering under the pale amber light of my room. I don''t understand how to style my hair, so I wore my curls down. Thanks to the love and care from Jackie and Violet, my hair had grown significantly after some trims, now with the ends brushing my shoulders. All I need to do was apply some product to make the curls pop and I''ll be fine!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Tapping my cheek as I stared at the colorful makeup palettes, I debate whether to apply makeup. I keep it simple to avoid the risk of looking like a clown with warm neutrals and lip-gloss.


    Stripping down for my shower, I wash the day''s stresses from my body, falling in love with the richther of my floral-scented body wash. I learn to appreciate the hot water showers, not realizing how much they did me good. I''ve grown ustomed to cold, pleasureless showers that the joy of a decent warm one was fleeting. Today, I was happy to experience that simple pleasure. Afterpleting my business, I work on my hair in front of the vanity in my towel. I was so deep into moisturizing my hair that the taps on my window startled


    1. me.


    "Whoa!" I yelped, jerking my head towards the window covered with curtains. Tightening the towel around my body, I sauntered towards it. The tapping continued and persisted, doing nothing to quell the anxiety pooling in my stomach. Who or what was demanding my attention? Sucking in my breath, I threw my covers open to see the culprit.


    It is...an owl?


    The white owl sat on the outside window ledge, peering at me with itsrge golden eyes. I cock my head to the side, arching a confused eyebrow. Weren''t wolves" natural predators to the owl? What is it doing here? Once I opened my window, the white owl flew in, settling on top of my vanity, eyes still glued on me.


    "Um... hello?" I asked, keeping a good enough distance from it. "May I help you?"


    It stared in silence.


    "You know I could eat you, right?"


    It still stared.


    1/3


    Chapter 22 The Dai


    "Not much of a hooter, I see." I chuckle at my joke, hoping it would move, but it didn''t. It just sat there, watching me with big innocent eyes. "You know, the window is right here...you could fly out at any time."


    It does nothing. I groan. This was ridiculous. Was I about to change into my dress with an owl staring me down?


    Yep.


    Sighing, I rummaged through my closet for my strapless bra and matching panties and dressed for the ceremony. I could hear excitedmotion throughout the packhouse and smell the overwhelming mixture of different perfume up and down the hallway, making me gag.


    Seriously! She-wolves don''t need this much perfume!


    I turn my back to the owl, stretching out my curls to their maximum length. The soft texture of my hair cracks opens a smile on my face. I slip on my ts before slipping on my dress. The top part hugged me at every curve. No matter how small they are. I was filling out my clothes the more I gain weight, something I couldn''t do in my worst state.


    Smoothing out the flowy bottom, I turned to face my visitor only to see it gone.


    "What the..."


    1


    "Hoo!" I spun around to see the owl on the bed right next to my hip.


    "Gah!" Yipping in fear, I fell on the ground, t on my ass. It hooted as if it wasughing. This damn bird liked to joke, huh? Rolling my eyes, I hop on my feet once more, rubbing my sore rear.


    "Hrious," I say sarcastically. I take the jewelry from my vanity, cing each in their respective ces. I ce clip-on rose earrings on my earlobes. "It''s not nice to surprise people like that. I could have squished you if I fell the wrong way!"


    The owl hooted once, flying on my vanity once more. The bird was now closer than ever, less than a foot away from me. Oddly enough, the longer I look at it, the less scared I am. My overall deductions of this weird bird were that...it was cute. Its golden eyes peer into my brown, conveying a silent message.


    I don''t know what it''s trying to say, I don''t speak owl!


    But I felt something. A familiar warmth. The owl hopped closer to me and nuzzled its round head into my palms. Breaking out into a smile, I run my fingers through its feathers. Soft, it tickled my heart. I feel like I know this owl, or the energy it''s giving off. But from where...?


    "You''re cute," I whisper to it, relishing in its soft hoos. "Are you a male?"


    It made a sound like a disapproving grunt. "Um, female?" She gave a lighthearted chirp, happy at my answer.


    "I guess I should give you a name, then," I shot the bird a small smirk. "I have a feeling that I''ll be seeing you around often."


    The owl hooted in happiness, hopping a little dance around my vanity. However, my ne chain got caught up in her foot, falling backward. I untangled the chain around her tiny foot, gently sitting it upright. She shook her feathers, making me giggle.


    "Hmm." I looked at the owl for a while


    "You''re white, like snow. But you came out on this full moon night remember in a bobky read in elementary schools of diverse cultures having different names for the moon. Hmm." A name finally popped into my mind. "I shall name you. Dianal


    She hooted happily, satisfied with the name choice, "Diana, It is then!"


    My phone chimed a soft tune, at my buzzing next to the tablemp, I quickly walked over and looked ve screen to see a reminder that the ceremony will start in five minutes. Hooking my ne around my neck, I shot a smile at Diana.


    "I hope you don''t mind Diana, but I need to finish up some makeup and head down to the ceremony. Maybe, another day, we can chat."


    Diana chirped, flying towards my window. I waved goodbye as she gave me onest look and flew deep into the night.


    After her departure, I took in my reflection in the mirror. For the first time, I didn''t topple over and cry. The person reflecting at me was beautiful. That person was me. Grabbing a tube of neutral pink lipstick, I apply at generous amount on my lips before applying mascara, I was not risking anything with eyeliner.


    But I felt natural. I felt beautiful. I feel like myself, Halima the ve no longer stared back at me from the mirror. It''s Halima the woman.


    Putting on thest touches of makeup, I take my cell phone and my small purse and head towards the assembly hall. The palpable ambiance of happiness and anticipation was so thick that I could grab Many pack members were already inside. I ce my hands on the double doors, taking in a deep breath to calm myself.


    It''s time for Artemis and me to join them. Our new pack. Our new home.


    Our new family.


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 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 - The Bonding


    "Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life." - Lisa Weed Third Person Halima pushed open the mahogany double doors, taking her first steps into the Ga Moon assembly hall. Immediately, she was overwhelmed by the boisterous volume of excited conversations muddling in the energetic atmosphere. Her deep brown eyes scanned the hall from the stage to thest tables, everything decorated with some shade of blue and silver, reminding her of Selene''s aesthetic months ago. Unlike the decorations, every member dressed in an assortment of colors that would rival the rainbows after a rainy day. For once, she was taking part in an event versus working behind the scenes. It made her happy yet scared at the same time.


    "How long are you going to stand there?" Artemis asked impatiently. The human didn''t hold the same amount of excitement her wolf did.


    "I don''t know where to sit! Every seat is taken!" Halima retorted, clutching her glittered purple purse tighter. She was nervous. She was in a room full of happy strangers while she stood awkwardly. However, in a sh, her eyes spotted the Alpha table near the front, noticing Luna Lyra waving her down with a beaming smile. Relief rushed over her like a hurricane as she trotted towards the table. Immediately, Halima was engulfed in a hug from Lyra, embracing her face against her bosom, almost suffocating.


    O


    "Mija, you look beautiful!" Pulling the girl out of the hug, Lyra cradled her cheek. She wore a deep red dress thatplimented and hugged every curve she had, her hair neatly curled to perfection rested on her back and her gold jewelry jingled with every movement she made. "I''m so happy you''re able to join us."


    Heat flushed in Halima''s brown cheeks from being called beautiful. She wanted to reject that statement but couldn''t find the words to say so. A squeaky "Thank you." were the only words that escaped from her embarrassment. She took a quick look around the Alpha table to see the mated couple, Anthony and Alesia, in matching ensembles of white and blue, Lyria dressed in a simple yellow two- piece dress, and Niki adorning a ck suit with a red tie that matched his mate''s attire. They all look like the picture-perfect, powerful family and she felt like an awkward bird that fell into the wrong territory.


    "You look lovely." Niki rose out of his seat to give the girl a hug which she gratefully epted. "How are you feeling?"


    "I''m alright," Halima replied with a curt nod. "This is the first passage ceremony I''ve taken part in, so I''m curious to see how it goes."


    "There is nothing much to it," Lyriamented. "People say a few things, bonding happens, we eat, and then we have a bonfire-the best part of the celebration! You have toe to that."


    Halima beamed with excitement, expecting a good night. "So, where do I sit? I don''t see an empty seat anywhere."


    "I think two people already made a spot for you." Following Alesia''s line of sight, the girl spotted Jacqueline madly waving her down, patting a chair next to her while Dwayne pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.


    It made sense, Halima had Beta blood, so she should sit at the Beta table. Bidding the Alpha family goodbye,


    00


    Chapter 23 - The Bondag she walked towards her designated seat. Jacqueline leaped to hug her, yanking her down to her chair.


    "You came!" Jackie cheered. "Now the entire pack is here!"


    "I''m not part of the pack, yet. You know this!" Halima corrected. "But, I''m d to be here, anyway."


    "You know," Dwayne spoke, ring at his sister. "You should have a little more dignity. You''re about to be this pack''s Beta. Waving like a madman would draw the wrong attention."


    "No one likes a stiff neck." Jackie shrugged, smoothing out her ck dress. "I can do my job and have fun at the same time."


    Dwayne rolled his eyes. Halima chuckled and looked to the adults at the table, Violet and n Seals. She met n a couple of days ago when he was finishing up a meeting with Alpha Niki. She liked him and admired his firmness with his children. Especially Jackie when she goes off the rails.


    "It looks like my products are doing your hair justice." Violet smiled proudly. "Your hair is lively and growing well."


    "Yes, and I can''t thank you enough for it." Halima felt proud that her hair was finally getting itself back to normal. With the amount of abuse it endured, she thought it was hopeless. But, with Violet''s help and expertise, it had be healthier in two months than it had in years. Plus, the smell of the products brought her boundless joy. Her eyes darted to the stage where the elders finished setting the ritual table, chalices, and ceremonial daggers. She noticed a pure white chalice and dagger for the passaging Lunaship. "What are they for?"


    "The passage ritual." Beta n exined. "We pass the torch through blood, so our Moon Goddess recognizes the new sessors."


    "Ah." Halima didn''t recognize the items as an integral part of the ceremony, but it interested her.


    "Speaking of which, it looks like it''s time to begin the ceremony." Beta Female Violet pointed out as Niki and Lyra rose out of their seats. Beta n and Gamma Ahmed followed shortly after to join their Alpha and Luna on stage, preparing to take a step down from their legacies.


    Halima was in awe as she bared witness to the passage of power right before her eyes. Used to being g on the sidelines, not by choice, it made her heart swell to take part in a once- in-a-lifetime ceremony. She watched Anthony assume the role of Alpha, Alesia assumed her role as Luna, Jacqueline and Dwayne as Co-Betas, and All as the new Gamma. She could feel Selene watching over the sacred ritual, giving her blessings for the new generation. It made her happy to the point a lone tear fell down her cheek. Artemis, deep within her, was ted at the sight, ecstatic to be a witness to her new friends assuming their rightful roles. Thundering apuse and ear-piercing cheers erupted throughout the assembly hall. Each member feeling their bond grow stronger and that new, young blood would lead them on the path of righteousness. Ga Moon was a powerful and formidable pack, their power was not to be trifled with foolishness. It took a great deal of strength, courage, and honor to lead one of the most powerful packs in America. Halima saw her friends in a new light, a light cast by the Moon Goddess herself. She joined in on the apuse, grinning with pride. They will lead with greatness. She could feel it deep within her heart.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    But the ritual was not over yet. Unbeknown to Halima, there was something else nned for the second part of the ritual that involved her. Anthony, now Alpha Anthony, walked towards the podium and used the power in his Alpha voice to calm the pack down of their mini celebrations.


    "We are not done yet, my friends." Alpha Anthony announced, grasping at Lana Alesia''s hand lovingly. "There is one more thing that must be done before the Great Feast, Many of you havee to us for aid, for a home, and we weed you with open arms. Whether you were born into Ga Moon, or have joined ritualistically, you are family. We all areposed of many species and we work harmoniously together. strengthen and better this pack. Our strength does not lie in our numbers, but in our honor andpassion for one another. But not everyone here is bonded with us, and we need to change that."


    His eyes turned to Italima, sitting next to Beta Female Violet at their table, "Halima Lane, would you pleasee to the stage?


    "WHAT?" Both she and Artemis screamed Internally. Anxiety racked her body, her heart raced and sweat umted around her body, ncing a pleading look at Violet, the girl a prideful and loving smile, as if she knew what was about to happen. Halima felt dozens upon dozens of eyes focused on her, making her the center of attention-The role she hated the most.


    "Go on, dear," Violet whispered, grasping her hand. "The Alpha is waiting."


    "I don''t think I can do this..."


    "Here." A pale hand stuck out to her, warm and inviting. Halima looked up to see the girl the hand belonged to. Golden, curly hair cascaded down her shoulders, eyes electric blue, skin void of any blemishes, and in a deep blue dress that hid every curve underneath its veil. ncing back at Violet once again, she took the blond''s hand, allowing her to gently pull her up on her shoes.


    "It isn''t so bad." The girl whispered to her as they approached the stage. This is a very special time, and you''ll see why."


    "Um...okay."


    "I''m Sapphire." The blond smiled. They both walked up the steps to the group of high-ranking werewolves. "I hope we can be friends."


    "Sure!" Sapphire left Halima to them, bowing to her Alpha politely before returning to her seat. Everyone wore wide smiles, which made the girl arch an eyebrow. "What''s going on here, everyone?"


    "Well, I was informed a couple of days back that you want to join Ga Moon,"


    Anthony spoke.


    "That''s right." Halima nodded.


    "Well, we will make it official. Tonight."


    Halima gasped, jumping at the crowd pping for her. Her eyes swelled with unshed tears that threatened to fall when Jackie epassed her in a hug. She expected the bonding ritual but didn''t expect it to happen on the night of the passage ceremony.


    "1-1 couldn''t!" She shook her head. "Tonight is your night. I don''t want to take that away from you."


    "You''re selfless by default, an admirable trait." Alesia giggled, cradling one of Halima''s hands in her own. aren''t taking attention away from us. We''ve done our part. It''s time for yours."


    "You


    Everyone except Halima and Anthony took a step back, to give them enough room toplete what they right must do. Anthony raised his hand that now donned the Alpha Ring, and his left gripped the ceremonial dagger. It''s such a big step for Halima, but she was ready to leap. Swallowing down her fears, she took her spot


    in front of the Alpha and raised her right hand to match his stance.


    "Halima Zira Lane." Anthony began. "Your request to join the Ga Moon Pack has been epted and acknowledged. By standing here today, you will honor the pack as your e own. You are to pledge your loyalty to Gamet Moon, stand for and with your fellow pack members, and honor yourmunity with your heart and soul. Upon joining, you will be bound to all of Ga Moon and proudly wear your Pack Mark with honor and humility. You and your wolf will be family, and with family you honor yourself. Do you ept?"


    all the confidence she could muster, she gave a firm nod. "I ept this honor and pledge my allegiance to Gamet Moon from now to the day I pass."


    She winced when Anthony cut through her palm, but the pain quickly subsided. After cutting his palm, the two joined hands and squeezed, their blood intermingling as it dripped in the Alpha Chalice. Immediately, Halima could feel the livelihood of Ga Moon flow through her veins. She felt connected with every pack. member, each weing her into their family.


    Selene had epted their offering. Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 - The Family


    "In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony."-Friedrich Nietzsche Third Person Halima felt a burning sensation on her chest, right above her heart. The sensations outlined something, but she couldn''t tell what it was. It was only then when her eyes maneuvered to the slightly exposed chests of the women on stage does, she realizes what was happening.


    She gained her new Pack Mark. The eye of a wolf blending with an upright crescent moon.


    The sensation subsided, and the cuts sealed on both palms, leaving behind no more than a small scar. Beaming with pride, Alpha Anthony ced his hands on Halima''s bare shoulders and squeezed. "Congrattions, and wee to our family."


    Squealing with pure excitement, Halima leaped and hugged Anthony as tight as she could. Tears spilled from her eyes like waterfalls, her words of gratitude repeating in his ear like a broken record yer. It wasn''t long until the others joined in on the hug, recognizing how this was the first step of Halima regaining the happiness she had lost long ago. The pack members, unable to withhold their apuse, broke out into cheers. Their family got a little bigger and the night richer.


    Everyone had an enjoyable time during the Great Feast. Everyone ate to their fill and mingled with one. another. Halima still was eating light foods such as sd and pasta but was slowly progressing to heavier foods like meat and rice. The broken bond with Zircon Moon faded forever, never to return.


    Her life ended at Zircon Moon, but her new life''s beginning was with Ga Moon.


    Fire licked the ck sky, andughter decimated the silence of the redwood forest. The bonfire was up and running, celebrations preparing tost deep into the night. To Ga Moon, fire was symbolic of purification, rebirth, and hope. Many members tossed things into the fire that they wanted to release. It could be items they held onto but couldn''t any longer, breaking ties with toxic loved ones, or wanting to start anew. Music yed loudly, and many folks danced with their mates while children danced around the fire.


    "Hey Hall, are youing?" Jackie spoke through her newly acquired mind-link.


    "I''ll be there in a minute!"


    Halima was in her room, admiring the pack mark above her left breast. She was officially a Ga Moon Pack Member, and she couldn''t be happier. Weight rolled off her shoulders the moment she was bound to her new family, the old one shriveling up and dying in the abyss of darkness. Artemis howled in delight with her new family, feeling like a full wolf already.


    "Now, there is just one more thing to do." She spoke to herself. Rummaging through her closet, she pulled her. old dress from the stic bag. The ve dress. The only item of clothing she wore and brought here from the excrement she called her old pack. Halima wanted to get rid of it meaningfully, to make sure no one casts their eyes upon such a disastrous piece of cloth again.


    And tonight, she had the answer on how she would do that.


    Chapter 24 - The Family Walking back to the enormous yard where the bonfire was burning bright as the North Star, Halima took her seat next to the new Beta Twins. Her raggedy dress rested in herp. Her eyes scanned the little party, watching everyone dancing and singing. "So, where''s our Alpha and Luna?"


    "They took off for a run in the forest," Jackie smirked, waggling her eyebrows. "Their wolves need some alone time."


    "God, I better not hear one howl from them for this entire night!" Dwayneined, drinking from his beer bottle. "Why did you bring that thing down?" He gestured to her dress.


    "I''m going to get rid of it," Halima exined. "This is the only thing I have that ties me to Zircon Moon. To my old life. I want to destroy this thing with no one having the chance to dig it up again." Her brown eyes look to the full moon casting its glow upon her. "I want to heal. I want to move on. And to do that, I have to do this."


    Standing, the curly-haired girl walked towards the enormous bonfire, burning powerfully. It bathes her brown face in its ethereal orange light, reflecting itself in her dark eyes. With a single toss, Halima threw her dress into the fire. She watched the fire eat away at the dirty fabric, charring from filthy white to ck. The scent tickled her nose. This simple act was symbolic of her chains, and her chains were and would forever be broken. Her eyes went back to the moon, smiling as if Selene was watching her at that very moment.


    "This ve has revolted. And she''s free." She whispered into the air, closing her eyes while the cool breeze licked at her bare arms.


    Never again would she ever kneel. Never again would she be forced into servitude.


    She was happy. She was loved.


    She was liberated.


    Halima One Week Later Life was good.


    I''ve finally reached the normal weight for a werewolf. After consulting with Dr. Nava and Dr. Johnson, they''ve decided that it was safe for me to shift. I couldn''t wait until I could finally let Artemis out on the run she craved for years. A smile crept up on my face as I thought about it.


    I head to Alpha Anthony''s office after he requested my presence via mind-link. I wondered what he wanted. From the tone of his voice, it sounded urgent. Jogging up the stairs, I made my way to the office door and firmly knocked.


    "Come in." I hear. Upon opening the door, I see the entire Guerrero family sitting around the desk. Huh. What could be so important that it concerns the entire family? "Halima. Have a seat, please."


    Quirking an eyebrow, I took a seat in the chair that directly situates me in the middle of the Guerrero semi- circle. "Would anyone mind telling me what''s going on? Did I do something wrong?"


    "No, dear. You did nothing wrong." Lyra shook her head quickly, her lips straining to hide a smile. "There was something we all want to show you."


    Chapter 24 - The Famdy I cocked my head to the side. "Oh? Okay. What is it?"


    Niki handed me a mani folder. "Please, look inside and let us know what you think."


    I''m confused, but I take the folder. Opening it, the first sheet I notice was my file for Ga Moon. It had my picture, birthdate, height, weight, and so on. There were several more papers clipped to my file, and I flipped through them. But when I got to one particr sheet, my entire world froze.


    Three letters in bold ck stare back at me with the power to shake me to tears.


    "Report of Adoption''


    I couldn''t speak. I couldn''t move. My eyes darted around the Guerrero Family, who all were staring at me with anticipation. They wanted me to say something, but I lost my words. Do they want to adopt me? They really want me to be a part of their family?


    "We know it''s quite a shock." Anthony began. "But we''ve been nning this for a while. We know about your story and are saddened to hear that you never got the family you deserved. And we wanted to change that."


    "So..." Lyra spoke. "We want you to be a part of ours. You''ll be our daughter and Anthony and Lyria''s baby sister. You are already a part of Ga Moon, and we thought we''d help make that extra step to bring you closer to us."


    "And I always wanted a younger sister," Lyria spoke up, excited. "There is so much I can teach you!"


    "And we can help you get back into school." Niki mentioned. "We can enroll you in online sses so you can catch up on work, and you can choose if you want to go to college."


    "Let us be the family you always wanted," Anthony spoke with confidence. But above all, love. Love for me. "All we need is your consent, so we can make it official."


    One tear. Two. Four. Rivers. My tears dripped from my chin to the sheets in myp. I was so overwhelmed with emotion that choked sobs erupted from my throat. I couldn''t concoct a coherent sentence, so I nodded. Vigorously. I dropped the folder and leaped into Lyra''s arms with a hug, crying my entire heart out.


    I got it. I finally got it! I got my family-a new family! A family that would love me, protect me, and support me. I didn''t know how much love I held for them until I opened that folder. All I could do was cry and finally reply once my sobs allowed me to.


    "Yes. I would love to be a part of your family!"


    After that, everything felt like a dream. My happiness cloaked me like a thick nket, bathing me in its warmth Feeling that all familiar itch, I left the packhouse and ran into the forest as fast as I could.


    I stripped out of all my clothes and began the long-awaited shift. It was painful, considering I haven''t shifted in years but Nweed it with grace. My bones cracked, my face lengthened, and my teeth sharpened. In under a minute, I had shifted into a white wolf.


    Artemis. My Artemis.


    We took off into the woonds, paws pounding the pavement with every step.


    Artemis''s joy oozed into my own as I took the backseat while she explored the world that was withheld from her. Her white coat danced.


    Chapter 24 - The Family with the wind, cooling her as her heat built up with her exercise.


    We''re in the ce we always wanted to be. All the pieces fell into ce, molding perfectly into a picture of beauty and hope. Selene was right, we had a better life waiting for us. All we needed was the chance and the courage to take it. Artemis let out a mighty howl. A howl that rocked the roots of the trees and echoed through the woodsy air. It was a howl filled with hope for life. Hope for both of us.


    Hope for our future.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


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 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 The Future As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning."- Criss Jami, Killosophy Kiya Five Years Later Life was good. Five years ago, I never thought I''d be in the position I am now, loving life. It was a dream I believed I could never reach.


    But I did.


    After my adoption, I changed my name. With the desire to keep my past in the past, I felt it was necessary to abandon the name Halima Lane, for that identity held too much pain for me. Adopting the surname of my parents, my name was now Kiya Guerrero, meaning ''Righteous Warrior''.


    I have a wonderful family that treats me well and sees the best in me. I have an amazing group of friends and my pack had been nothing short of supportive. Every single person I hold close to my heart pushed me to do my best. I credit them for helping to cultivate me into the strong woman I am today.


    I am a rising Junior pursuing my major in Child and Adolescent Development at San Jos¨¦ State University. College was one hell of a trip but being surrounded by many people was a world I''vee to appreciate.


    As for r my position in the pack, I was now a Delta, a rank reserved for the top five highly skilled warriors of the pack, each in charge of specific training specialties. I was the adopted daughter in the Alpha family, but I wanted to work for the things 1 want. The desire to be a strong werewolf stuck with me since my bonding to the pack. I refuse to be weak and spoiled. I wanted to earn my keep and I wanted to help defend the pack from the plethoric threats we''ve received over the years, including what I used to be, rogues.


    Under Gamma All''s leadership and the oh-so mboyant Delta Galen''s training regimen, I crawled up the ranks within two years. I fought hard and trained harder in the training specialties which included, but were not limited to hand-to-handbat, weapon warfare, and wolf battle. Ga Moon cultivates warrior wolves for a good reason, and I wear my title with pride and honor. I specialize in hand- to-handbat.


    Alpha Anthony and Luna Alesia rule over Ga Moon, sessfully honoring the legacies of the Alphas and Lunas before them. Now a married couple, they have a two-year-old daughter, Ximena.


    My niece was cute as a button, minus the constant drooling she does. I was still waiting for the day she could finally pronounce "Auntie", or Tia in Spanish. But for now, I was all right with the drooling and baby babble. At least I knew she is happy to see me when she scampers my way. Anthony was strict and domineering with his members, yet a select few see the softer side of him. Alesia was still a kick-ass Luna with power coursing through her veins, but she was an absolute mushy mess with her husband and daughter.


    My parents have been taking advantage of their retirement. Since the pack establishments generate enough money, they nned an overseas vacation twice a year together. They have been to every continent at least once, except Antarctica. Once, they took me with them on a trip to Paris, France. I''ve obviously never been, but I immediately fell in love with the French culture.


    I have so many photos saved from that trip and gained ten pounds from croissants alone. I couldn''t help it; they were full of buttery goodness!


    As for Lyria, my big sister, she found her mate. He was Alpha Dimitri from the Thunder Moon pack in Southern California and she was living there as their Luna. I miss her terribly, but I knew she is doing well. I Charter 25 The Future might expect another niece or a nephew soon!


    Dwayne and Jacqueline were still at each other''s throats, as expected with twins. Both had found their mates. around the same time, a phenomenon no one expected. Dwayne''s mate was Olivia, a she-wolf from one of our allied packs, Twilight Dusk. As the daughter of a warrior, she was more than ecstatic to mate with Dwayne, considering they mated the first night he was there. It wasn''t long until she moved to our pack.


    Jaqueline''s mate was Abigail, who she met in one of her college sses. She was a human, an international student from Nigeria, and loves Jackie with every fiber of her being. They graduated togetherst year, and Abi moved into the territory shortly after. It took her parents a while to realize that their daughter was gay and mated to a werewolf, but they gave their blessings. Abigail was one of the few humans in our warrior army, trained under both Delta Galen and Delta Darien.


    I also got closer with Sapphire, the she-wolf I met five years ago during the passage ceremony. Born into the pack, she is a year older than me at twenty- three. She was smart. We go to university together, although she is a senior, she was already in college by the time Ipleted my elerated high school courses online.


    As a Chemistry major, I often see her makingpounds and other unique things when motivated by her curiosity, she was responsible for developing the Anti-Spray, which helps disguise our scents whenever warriors and Deltas were deployed for missions. I wouldn''t say she was nerdy, but her intelligence isn''t to be underestimated.


    As for me? Besides being a Delta, I''ve recovered mostly from my past. Why mostly? Well, there were some days it liked to creep up on me and ruin my day. I still see Mayra, although my sessions were now once every other week. I decided to not go on medication for my PTSD and depression, but it might change in the distant future.


    My connection with Artemis was as strong as it has ever been, and we''re both living the good life without mates. However, I was in a brief rtionship with Gamma Ali until we decided it would be best if we stayed as friends. He found his mate, Zainab. I was thrilled for him and they look cute together.


    While my connection to my wolf was strong, so was the connection to my goddess. Three years ago, however, I discovered that I had added perks alongside being Selene''s avatar on Earth. Training to be a Delta was tough, but on one particr day, it was the hardest session I''ve ever endured. Under the scorching rays of the sun-drenched in sweat, I''ve had moments where I wanted to give up, that I wasn''t meant to be a strong wolf. Self-doubt gnawed at me and wouldn''t stop until I surrendered to its frothy jaws.


    A male warrior was giving me a tough time, flinging taunts and insults whenever Inded hard on the grass. Normally, the banter was all in yful fun, but the intent behind his words was malicious. His ego was inted, and he made sure to remind me with every kick and punch he threw. Coming from a background where I was constantly told I was worthless made the impact of his insults reach my heart. For a moment, I almost reverted back as the pitiful, beaten-up ve.


    But something happened.


    An unknown power awakened inside of me, flooding my veins with vivacious energy threatening to burst from underneath my skin. I thought it was my confidence shining through, but the sensation took on a supernatural feel. Power burst from me, shining brilliantly whilst I was behind its moon-colored shield. The sun and moon were rivals, but the moonlight-like power outshone the berating sunlight.


    And it blinded the foolish werewolf. idently. It was then,ter that evening when I went to sleep did Selene reached for me and told me what that incident meant. It turns out that I have supernatural powers and Chapter 25 The Future abilities rted to the moon, including the maniption of moon energy. Not only am I the rarest wolf in existence, but I also have superpowers. ording to Selene, many creatures on earth serve as avatars for a specific god or goddess, and one benefit of that was sharing their powers over what theymand. The new revtion terrified me at first because it''s a foreign phenomenon I didn''t think was possible, but it was all smoothened out when I met Phoebe.


    Phoebe is a witch who lives in Ga Moon and is the avatar of Hekate, the Goddess of Magic. Mysterious, but quizzical and intelligent, the woman swooped in and taught me all I needed to know about avatar information and the management of my powers. She became my personal trainer. With her help, I was trained in controlling my newfound abilities and trained in the art of moon magic.


    Dangling around my neck is an upright crescent moon ne carved out of the selenite crystal, a gift from her. It had helped me keep my abilities under control as a physical barrier, so they don''t go haywire with my fluctuating emotions. I haven''t fully mastered my abilities, so they were more on the unstable side. With Phoebe''s guidance and wisdom, she had helped curb that worry.


    But, having a lot of power at my disposal is frightening. I hope that one day, I''ll have total control over them without hurting anyone.


    Today was a sunny day on New Brighton State Beach, College kids and teens alike run toward the cold ocean with surfboards or with their friends, basking in on this glorious day. The powdery sand twinkles underneath the sun and the water glitters with magnificence. I walk along the beach dunes with Sapphire at my side, both of us in bikinis with wraps around our waists with our towels underneath our arms. Sapphire in blue and I in striped white, our pack marks fully exposed. It''s funny that the humans believe it''s just a normal tattoo, but the other wolves at our university knew better.


    Ignoring the sharp whistles and woos from both human men and werewolves around us, we found a decent spot toy our towels down to rx. Children shrieked in excitement all around us, building sandcastles or catapulting themselves in the cool sea.


    "It''s a gorgeous day, isn''t it?" I ask Sapphire in awe,ying on my stomach. The cool breeze licked at my skin, gently cooling my furnace-like body down. I heard a soft shuffle beside me, I turned my head to see Sapphire resting on her elbows.


    "Yeah, it is. It''s nice." The blond replied without enthusiasm, eyes cast on the glittering sand. Her blue eyes had that far-away look that meant she was in deep thought about something. Smiling, I poked her shoulder.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "We''re out of school for the summer. It''s a joyous asion! No final exams, no irritating professors, not deadlines..." I retorted. Sapphire will graduate next semester while I have a couple more years left to go.


    "Yeah I know, but that''s not what I meant." She whispered, tossing me a knowing look.


    Propping myself on my elbows, I gently smile and pat her shoulder. "Are you still thinking about Emil?" Emil was a human man Sapphire had a crush on. They met during one of her analytical chemistry sses, and she fell instantly head-over- heels. Given that she was an unmated female, I understand her disappointment when she revealed to me that Emil was traveling the world after graduation. He graduated this semester.


    A deep part of me wishes they could be mates, but that doesn''t seem to be the case.


    Chapter 25 The Future


    "He is the envy of all recent graduates, I bet," I joked, adding a chuckle. "Not everyone has the opportunity to travel the world after graduation."


    "The entire summer is such a long time. I won''t be able to see or talk to him for four months." She whined.


    "You''ll survive. Besides, you have a mate out there, somewhere. Once you find him, Emil would be nothing but old news."


    She rolled her eyes, her hand searching for her phone in her purse. "You''re not good at this love sympathy thing, are you?"


    "Not at all, but I try my best."


    Sapphire quirked an eyebrow as she nced at her phone screen. "Did you pack your things before we came.


    here?"


    "I did." I turned myself on my rear end and sat up. Sapphire and I rented an apartment together near campus, paid for by Anthony. We were due to go back home for the summer. "Why? Are Darien and Galen here to pick us up?"


    "Darien texted me to say they are about an hour away," Sapphire muttered, squinting at her phone. They''re also bringing food."


    "Sweet!" I hop on the soles of my feet, gently kicking up s sand.


    "I''ll race you to the waves!" In a sh, Sapphire bolted towards the water. "Hey! No fair!" I screamed;


    I Funning after her. We both dove deep into the water and made fools of ourselves for a good half hour.


    our After the beach, we took a taxi back to our apartment. Our clothes and other items were packed neatly in o multiple suitcases, ready to be transported back to pack territory. Living in an apartment with your best friend is great, but I miss home. I couldn''t wait to see baby Ximena again and spend the entire summer with her.


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 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 The Regret


    "If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world."- Mercedes Lackey Kiya Before long, the men showed up at our apartment with bags full of Chinese takeout. The wafting smell of chicken dumplings and shrimp chow mein made me drool instantly. Settling on the couches, we all dug in as Darien flipped through the channels for something good to watch.


    "How have things been back home?" Sapphire asked, eating a crab rangoon.


    "Hectic, but it''s quieting down," Darien replied. The seriousness of his voice did not match the pleasurable expression on his face as he took a bite out of his orange chicken. "More of our best warriors are deployed to help packs affected by the recent rogue attacks."


    "What''s the damage this time around?"


    "A smaller pack in Utah ispletely decimated. The warriors sent there are doing damage control and giving supplies to the families affected."


    My heart wept for the families disced by the violence, especially the children. Rogue attacks have been increasing at an rming rate,st I heard. They''ve been getting stronger too. Many of the attacks were situated around our cluster of states, including Nevada, Utah, and northern New Mexico. Oregon''s packs got hit hard too.


    "Alpha Anthony is doing a good job at delegating who goes where and distributing supplies and aid. Some warriors returned earlier this morning. But I''m afraid more packs have already fallen. We might expect an influx of refugees within the week."


    I ponder deep in thought, a dumpling hanging in my mouth. Our pack would increase in size, for sure, but this shouldn''t be happening. The spontaneous rising of rogues in our states is concerning, especially since rogue attacks haven''t happened near Ga Moon in a few years. However, with the sudden increase, every Alpha in the Tri-state area should be on edge, especially my big brother.


    ''Sorry to put a damper on the mood." Galen chuckled nervously. He slurped his noodles, involuntarily making the rest of us cringe like we ate lemons. "But the Alpha and Luna are awaiting your returns."


    "Hasn''t been the same with one of our best Deltas missing," Darien smirked, looking at me. "Are you sure you want to miss training for boring sses every year?"


    "1


    may have missed four months'' worth of training, but I could still kick your ass." I narrow my eyes at his blue, a smirk rising on my face. "Want a demonstration, my friend?"


    Darien''s eyes widened a bit before he snorted. "Eager to get back to training, huh?"


    "You, sir, are avoiding the question. But if you must ask, yes. I''m ready to get back into the training regime." 1 kicked a leg up over the armrest. "College is fun and all, but I miss my family more."Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "You didn''t miss us?" Galen mustered the biggest and cutest puppy dog eyes. It is his way of getting me to surrender into his adorableness. He had such a cute baby face, but it won''t deter me!


    "I did, but not in the way you think." I shot a wink and the man instantly deted. We girls burst into a fit ofughter. Deep down, I miss the shenanigans with my fellow Deltas. Darien and Galen have been best friends since diapers, and yet, they couldn''t be any more different from each other. Galen isid back, funny, and nonchnt while Darien is cordial, serious, and stoic.


    Goddess, I couldn''t wait to get back home!


    After lunch, the four of us piled into Darien''s Toyota Hignder. We pack the back like a sardine could with the colorful misceny of suitcases and bags threatening to burst. Bidding farewell to the apartment I called home for the fall and spring semesters, we drove down the long road back to Ga Moon territory.


    Buildings and people blurred into indistinguishable colors and blurs, but the music Galen sted through the car is very distinguishable. The entire city could hear us by the sheer volume alone, and that he was a huge fan of ckpink. It''s not right to not sing along to such amazing songs, and so, much to Darien''s dismay, the three of us sang along to the ylist.


    But we did more screeching than singing.


    Neron The pungent scent of rotting earth and decay drifted across my nose, a vicious insult to my sense of smell. The scent of death itself.


    The smell of rogues never ceases to trigger the urge to vomit the breakfast the Omegas have made for me. The uninjured soldiers dragged out mangled corpses of dead wolves off my territory, leaving a row of rotting blood to mark their exit. My eyes darted to the pack of medics either bandaging up soldiers or carrying the critical ones to our hospital.


    It had be a sight that I was forced to grow ustomed to.


    The rogues weren''t the only lives lost today. The painced wails of mates losing their other half locked my heart in a vice grip, squeezing painfully. Children begging to see their fathers and mothers, ignorant to the fact they''re no longer on this earth. It''s a heartbreaking scene I prayed to the Moon Goddess to never witness In my lifetime as Alpha, but my prayers go unheard, as usual.


    "How many casualties this time around?" I asked Valerian, my faithful Beta. His sigh alone from behind me is enough to tell me how exhausted he is, or how he wishes not to be the bearer of terrible news.


    "Soldiers? We lost about ten. Pack members? Luck is on our side this time, none."


    "I wouldn''t call it luck." I retorted, my voiceing out harsher than expected. "Honorable wolves still died. And for what? A bunch of dirty mongrels looking to cause havoc."


    Rogue attacks have been increasing over the past several years on Zircon Moon territory. I wish I could say we were victorious in every battle, but I would be lying. We lose lives in each encounter, and the rogues grow smarter and stronger with each appearance. Death is a failure, and that failure is on me and me alone. I am the Alpha, and yet, my people continuously die for nothing. My soldiers died protecting the pack they love, but I wish the price paid for victory isn''t their lives..


    "Alpha, it may be wise to consider asking for help," Valerian suggested. Asking nearby territories for help with the rogue problem had been dancing on my mind for several months now, for we weren''t the only ones hit by this disaster. Several packs have fallen inplete disarray after the attacks, and I cannot let that happen with mine.


    As much as I hate leaning on others for support, a good Alpha knows when to ask for help. I cannot stomach more families losing their loved ones. My words of support would fall on deaf ears if more of my men and women continuously die, and I do nothing to improve our circumstances.


    "Perhaps," I sigh, turning my head to my friend. "What''s thetest on Kwame''s reports?"


    uric these


    "He is still working on it. Tracking down rogues is difficult, especially with how abnormally strategic mutts have be. It is as if they are being trained by someone, and Kwame is having a tough challenge tracking the bastard responsible." He huffs out a sigh. "He sends his best trackers and they walk into a dead-end every time,"


    The exhaustion is clear on his face. Unlike me, Valerian had twice as much to worry about. These rogue attacks had always put him on edge. The threats be more real when you have a family to protect. I clench his shoulder gently, his eyes on mine.


    "Go to VON E


    "Go to your wife," I ordered. "Your son needs you. I will handle things from here."


    "But..."


    "It is not a request." I hated using my Alpha voice on Val, but he needs this. He needs to unwind and rx, knowing his wife and son were all right. To know that they were safe and ready to deliver him the love he needs. He bowed his head, eyes casting to inspect something interesting on our shoes.


    "Yes, Alpha." He replied, turning back to the packhouse. As much as I appreciate both Valerian and Raina''s help in improving this rogue situation, their familyes first. Little Adonis needed both his parents, a rogue attack is terrifying to pups, especially a five-year-old boy.


    The situation is under control in the front yard. Injured soldiers were being taken care of and funeral preparations were underway for our fallenrades. Our cemetery is growing, and it displeases me.


    On my way back to the office, a hand gripped my bicep. It''s a hand that had long lost its warm touch, unable to stir my heart like it used to. I felt nothing. No burst of warmth nor sparks. Odessa smiles up at me, her hand gliding on my skin seductively. E


    "Babe." She whispered, her arousal tickling my nose. "You''re so stressed out! Why don''t youe with me while I help you take an edge off it a little?"


    I knew what she is suggesting. Sex. Werewolves were primal animals with high sex drives, and I don''t deny that I enjoy having Odessa warm my bed. She''s a passionate and amazing lover. However, that sinking feeling in my heart hasn''t gone away. I long for something, something different. It stays stuck in its ce for years, unmoving and unforgiving. Cradling her cheek, I give the woman a soft kiss on the forehead.


    "I have some work to take care of,¡± I answered, walking away before she could respond. While it''s true have work, a part of mel didn''t feel the need to have her in my presence. She offers nothing to help the situation, and it''s repugnant to act on my desires while families were in mourning.


    3/4


    An Alpha and Luna were the fiercest warriors in the pack, unafraid to go out into the battlefield and protect what is theirs. They feed off one another and give strength to one another. They were aplete pair, and a formidable force when out on the battlefield together.


    But Odessa had shown, time and time again, that she is unfit to be Luna. She does not take part in training. refuses to get "down and dirty" with others despite being a child ofte warriors, and when rogue attacks happen, she hides in one of the safe rooms with the families and children.


    I want her safe, but a pack needed to see their Luna fighting for them too.


    It was part of the reason I couldn''t mark her as mine to inherit the Luna title officially. The pack''s distaste for Odessa in power grows each day, but she is ignorant of it. I fear she relishes the attention. But there is another reason I couldn''t mark her as mine. I cannot, nor do I want to.


    Onyx and I must both take part in the marking process, for we both had to agree to take what is ours. But Onyx and I were not on the best of terms. NO Our rtionship is nonexistent. He only appears to help battle and protect the pack, but mostly he was despondent and unresponsive. I have only myself to me for it. For everything.


    A slightly tattered mani folder catches my eye, indents of my fingertips permanent in theid material. It''s the folder that haunts me day in and day out, the folder I don''t dare to seal away with the others.


    Do I keep it out as some sort of self-punishment? Maybe.


    What I knew is that this folder holds the responsibility I refused to take. It holds all my sins. A ruthless reminder of how blind and corrupt I am before and how I tarnished the legacies of Alphas before me.


    It''s the folder that held Halima''s file and her exoneration. It was the file that proved she was innocent. Always had been.


    And I didn''t realize it until after her suicide.


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 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 - The Truth


    "There are so many things that I want so badly to tell you, but I just can''t."-Nina LaCour, Hold Still Neron After the fiasco at my ceremony five years ago, I''ve learned that Halima had jumped off the treacherous cliff, five stories to her death. She epted my rejection and ended her life. The soldiers spent weeks scouring the river below our territory for her corpse, but it was never found as if she disappeared in thin air, I was ted back then. I broke our bond, so I felt nothing. I didn''t have to worry about someone I''ve considered worthless. Sure, I was pissed at Kwame for body-mming me, the Alpha, in my ceremony, but I felt free. Free from the burden of housing someone my father and I believed is responsible for the death of my mother and sister.


    I med her for everything. For leading my sister out to the pond against permission, forcing my mother to look for them, and forgetting about the rogue sightings her father warned about. For not mind-linking anyone about the disaster, not holding onto my sister tight enough, and for not screaming loud enough for the help.


    Oh, how quickly love could turn into bitter hate....


    I med Halima for being ignorant and irresponsible. Everyone did. We, collectively, believed she deserved the abuse she got. It is our own twisted way of exacting justice for our fallen Luna and her daughter. She was guilty in my eyes. She was nine and knew right from wrong. And I believed her selfishness caused their deaths.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    But it didn''t The Gamma Family had been working secretly on Halima''s exoneration, working day in and day out to track the bastard responsible for killing my mother and sister. It was only three years ago when the spikes of rogue attacks first began, that was when I was smacked with the truth.


    The Rogue King, he called himself, though I knew him better as Uncle Zain, was infuriated with my father for being given the Zircon Moon pack, even though Zain was the eldest son. My uncle was considered unfit to rule and the title was passed over him to my father. Enraged, my father''s elder brother set out, breaking his bond with the Zircon Moon pack and plotted revenge ever since. I suppose he finally got what he wanted after so many years of waiting.


    We hunted him down like the mutt he was, not without difficulty from his hounds from hell. Upon his capture, he confessed to ughtering my mom and sister with a smile as big as the itself. Heughed right in my face, at my father''s face. He sniggered at the fact that it unintentionally liberated him from all crime and was smart enough to cover his tracks.


    "All I had to do was wipe the blood on that stupid child, and then I was free! I had to avert suspicion away from me, and why not make the child look responsible"? Amazing how things turned out, huh?"


    Thatment haunted me since that day. Even after my father snuffed his life out in revenge. It forced me to face the truth that Halima isn''t the one responsible. It was that monster who ced the me on her.


    How many more wolves did he kill? How many died because of our negligence?


    We broke Halima because of him. We all maimed, tortured, and starved her because of his crimes. We all killed the soul of the Beta''s youngest daughter without a second thought. We all hold responsibility for how we treated an innocent pup because we were too deep in our grief to see the truth.


    But I...I''m the true criminal here. I''ve beaten her, starved her, and marked her for death. I marked my mate for death because I was blinded with anger and grief. I rejected our mate bond and chose another she-wolf over her, just to see her suffer.


    And I pushed her to suicide. She jumped off that cliff because of me.


    "I ept his rejection of our mate bond. May you all burn in hell."


    I killed her. I killed my mate. No wonder Onyx hates me. We''ve lost the one person the Moon Goddess destined us to be with, and it''s my fucking fault.


    Big, red letters stamped diagonally on her file.


    EXONERATED The news of her innocence spread like wildfire amongst the pack. Much felt heavy remorse for their part while others didn''t care. They were swiftly dealt with. But it hit her family the hardest. Raina''s wailing could be heard for miles, Ashley lost all light in her eyes, and Steven shut everyone out. They were there that night to see Halima jump to her death. Nothing they said changed her mind.


    How could it? We treated her like shit until she had enough. A werewolf kills themselves if they have nothing to live for, and with Halima, which couldn''t be farther from the truth.


    Her big, brown eyes haunt me in my dreams. The fear, the hopelessness, the loneliness-so many terrible emotions swam in those eyes, We, as amunity, put that terror in her and I smiled back then, relishing in it. But in my dreams, they torture me to no end. Sometimes, she would speak to me, asking me why I did what I did to her.


    Did I have an answer? I didn''t. In every nightmare, she died, and I couldn''t save her. The pack had everything while she had nothing. She was alone and she died alone.


    The picture in her file is thest photo taken of her as a joyful child. Bright brown eyes sparkling, her cute lips widening into a big smile, her brown skin rich with life, and curls bouncy like springs. It is the only photo I had left of her. It fills my memories with not her beauty, but her brokenness.


    I hate myself every day for what I did to her. I ruined the one thing the Moon Goddess blessed me with: a mate. My other half. The yin to my yang. My soulmate. My eternal lover. Rarely does she grant second chance mates, and I highly doubt she would grant one to this stupid dog.


    But even so, I pray. I pray for forgiveness. I pray for redemption. What I''ve done is inexcusable. I deserved to be punished with the broken mate bond, never to rekindle again. I could never have my true Luna or the love that all werewolves yearn for. This is the Moon Goddess''s way of punishing me for hurting one of her children.


    I shut the folder, settling it back on my desk. Hot tears pricked my eyes as my heart pounded madly in my chest. It hurt so bad. It hurts every time I think about Halima and her final days. But I needed to stop focusing on her, she was dead and nevering back. I hope she is happy in heaven with my mother and sister.


    Expelling a deep breath, I blink back my tears, shaking away those thoughts as I pick up the phone sitting at Chapter 27 The Truth my desk, dialed a number. This was an enormous bruise to my ego, but my pack needed help with these fucking rogues, and I cannot afford to lose anyone else. No mate or family deserves the heartbreak of losing a loved one.


    "Alpha Anthony speaking."


    "Alpha Anthony, this is Alpha Neron from the Zircon Moon Pack. I request an audience with you to discuss potential aid."


    Kiya


    The guards hate us. We rolled to the front gates, screeching at the top of our lungs, shooting finger guns at them. Their looks pannoyance and indifference only made 3/4ths of usugh while Darien is a hair away from blowing a wolf gasket. I''ve never seen his face get so red!


    In five minutes, we arrived at the garage, now doubled in size to amodate the number of cars we have. We ceased our awful singing and unloaded the suitcases from the back, one dropping on Galen''s foot.


    Everyone in the yard had to wonder if we brought home a screaming seal.


    Walking towards the packhouse, I took in a deep breath of air. Earth''s perfume along with delicious food wafting from the packhouse is nostalgic. A smile broke out on my face, excited to be back home with my family for the summer.


    Nothing''s changed," Sapphire spoke, eyes darting across the territory. "Nothing except the leaves are full of color."


    "We''ve only been gone for the spring semester," I remarked. "Thest time we were here, snow nketed the grounds. Now, I could hear the pups in the pool behind the house."


    We passed by the training grounds, ducking quickly when a warrior went flying above us. The shirtless wolfnded on the ground hard, holding the small on his back.


    Poor guy!


    His whimpers nearly tugged on my heartstrings until a familiar voice bombarded the surrounding air..


    "And that''s what you get for underestimating my mate, you dirty mutt!"


    My head quickly jerked to see the culprit who punted the wolf-like a football. Her scent of orange my blossoms kissed my senses, om ve widening the smile present on my face. unting in ck leggings and a sports bra, the woman''s emerald eyes lit up when she saw me. Immediately I dropped my items, leaping into her arms with my arms and legs locked around her waist.


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 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28- The Wee


    "It is a smile of a baby that makes life worth living."- Debasish Mridha KiyaN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Damn! If you missed me this much, I should visit more often!" Jackie chuckled, returning the hug as tight as she could. My first best friend, she was looking amazing as ever. Now sporting braids instead of her usual two- puff style, I hopped off her body and smirked.


    "Then these types of hugs won''t happen as often as you like."


    She pursed her bottom lip. "You wouldn''t stop, would you?"


    "Don''t try that pouting shit on me." I giggled, hugging her again. "I''ll miss you, regardless. I have so much to tell you." I pointed my head at the fallen wolf who is dusting off his ego. "What happened here?"


    "Idiot had this misconstrued idea that humans shouldn''t be training to be warriors." The Beta rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Talking shit is one thing, trying to talk shit about my little butterfly is another thing."


    "I appreciate you stepping in to defend my honor, my love." Abigail walked over and nted a soft kiss on Jackie''s cheek, instantly rxing her. She, too, sported bright blue leggings with a white tee, harboring sweat spots on the back. "But there was no need to toss him into the air like that."


    Jackie growled low, wrapping her muscr arm around her mate''s waist, pulling her closer. "He had iting. I cannot sit by and watch others insult you under my presence. You deserve the highest honor as my Beta Female."


    "But did you have to throw him so high?"


    "I could go higher."


    I snorted, taking a step away from the scene as soon as Jackie began snacking on Abigail''s lips. They were so cute! But I agree with Abi, if we need our warriors in their best, Jackie needed to stop hurdling them in the air.


    I''m sure you could only do that with babies, but at least you catch them right after.


    Speaking of babies....


    "Ti!" A tiny voice called out to me as I got closer to the house with my luggage. The other three went ahead without me. A noticeably short pup with curly brown hair, tanned skin, and big golden eyes wearing a pink onesie slowly crawled down one step at a time before waddling fast to where I was.


    H


    ''Ximey!" Kneeling, I give my tiny niece a big hug, lifting her in my arms. "You''re cute as a button, my darling.


    Where''s your Mommy?"


    "House!" Ximena pointed her short, chubby finger to the entrance. The moment I walked in, I was hugged tightly from the side, the smell of raspberries and sugar invading my nose.


    "You''re back!" Alesia smiled widely at me. "It''s wonderful to see you, Kiya. How was your trip?"


    "It was all right." I walked with my Luna deeper into the foyer. "It was long, but Galen made it much better."


    1/0


    Chapter 28- The Wee


    "Did he sing?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    Weughed, heading up the stairs as Ximena''s fingers got into an entanglement with my curls.


    Luna Alesia helped settle my suitcases and bags in my room. "How''s Anthony?"


    "Good, all things considering." Alesia sighed. "He is in his office. He has been in contact with many Alphas from packs to send and ask for help with the recent spike in rogue attacks."


    "That bad, huh?"


    She nodded. "It''s stressing the both of us out. Nothing like this has happened before, and it''s bothering him. It''s as if these mutts were getting smarter with their moves."


    "Well, he''s sending help where it''s needed, so that''s a good thing, right?" I asked as we head to said office. "Darien told me many soldiers and warriors are returning from their assignments."


    "Yep, and it brings us relief that we have enough to send out and to protect us on ournds. They''re showing rent promise and many packs are appreciative in us helping them out, including relocating disced families."


    "They''re always wee here." I smiled, tickling my finger underneath my niece''s chin. In excitement, she yanked my hair once. "Ow!"


    For a two-year-old, she definitely has her Dad''s strength!


    Before Ximena could yank out more locks of my hair, the three of us arrived at Anthony''s office. It sounds like he was finishing up a call when he allowed us to enter. The tiredness of his eyes disappeared instantly when his hazel eyesnded on his family.


    "Hey, lil'' sis!" He eximed, walking around his desk to give me a tight hug. The soon-to-be toddler squealed, leaning in sharply to join in on the group hug.


    Taking my hair with her.


    "Okay, ow! Ximey!"


    "Pretty!"


    Alesia quickly came over to unlock the tangles that woven around Ximey''s chubby fingers, only to have Ximey put her hands back in my hair again. What about my hair intrigues babies so much? Like a big brother, Anthony chuckles at my difort.


    "How cute! That Alpha strength is kicking in sooner than I thought."


    "Yeah but tell her to keep that strength out of my scalp." I groaned, rubbing the sore spot where the baby loved to pull from.


    "I''ll keep that in mind." He smiled. "How was your semester?"


    "That''s a very loaded question." I took the seat in front of his desk, resting the two-year-old on myp.


    21


    Chapter 28- The Wee


    "Did he sing?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    Weughed, heading up the stairs as Ximena''s fingers got into an entanglement with my curls.


    Luna Alesia helped settle my suitcases and bags in my room. "How''s Anthony?"


    "Good, all things considering." Alesia sighed. "He is in his office. He has been in contact with many Alphas from packs to send and ask for help with the recent spike in rogue attacks."


    "That bad, huh?"


    She nodded. "It''s stressing the both of us out. Nothing like this has happened before, and it''s bothering him. It''s as if these mutts were getting smarter with their moves."


    "Well, he''s sending help where it''s needed, so that''s a good thing, right?" I asked as we head to said office. *Darien told me many soldiers and warriors are returning from their assignments."


    "Yep, and it brings us relief that we have enough to send out and to protect us on ournds. They''re showing great promise and many packs are appreciative in us helping them out, including relocating disced families."


    "They''re always wee here." I smiled, tickling my finger underneath my niece''s chin. In excitement, she yanked my hair once. "Ow!"


    For a two-year-old, she definitely has her Dad''s strength! Before Ximena could yank out more locks of my hair, the three of us arrived at Anthony''s office. It sounds like he was finishing up a call when he allowed us to enter. The tiredness of his eyes disappeared instantly when his hazel eyesnded on his family.


    "Hey, lil'' sis!" He eximed, walking around his desk to give me a tight hug. The soon-to-be toddler squealed, leaning in sharply to join in on the group hug.


    Taking my hair with her.


    "Okay, ow! Ximey!"


    "Pretty!"


    Alesia quickly came over to unlock the tangles that woven around Ximey''s chubby fingers, only to have Ximey put her hands back in my hair again. What about my hair intrigues babies so much? Like a big brother, Anthony chuckles at my difort.


    "How cute! That Alpha strength is kicking in sooner than I thought."


    "Yeah but tell her to keep that strength out of my scalp." I groaned, rubbing the sore spot where the baby. loved to pull from.


    "I''ll keep that in mind." He smiled. "How was your semester?"


    "That''s a very loaded question." I took the seat in front of his desk, resting the two-year-old on myp.


    201


    Chapter 28 The Wee Ximena took that as a sign to plump her head on my bosom. My boobs wererge enough to be her pillows, as weird as it sounds. "But, that''s a story for another time. Are Mom and Dad around?"


    "They would be in a week. They are vacationing in Hawaii."


    "I''m so jealous," I smirk, ignoring Ximey''s pats on my chest. "How are you? The rogue attacks sound awful."


    Instantly, the exhaustion returned on his face. He leaned back in his big Ye They are: For chair, rubbing his face. "They are For the past month i''ve been been getting past calls honstop for help. I''ve been connecting with other Alphas from packs on the East Coast and the Midwest for their help in this cmity."


    The problem was more serious than I thought. My hand rubbed circles on my niece''s back. "I hear a few packs. have fallen. Is there anything I could do to help you?" Anthony looked at me for a long while, a warm smile creeping upon his face. "You''re too kind, Little Bit. But I have things handled from here."


    Suddenly, his face turned serious. The sudden change nearly gave me whish.


    "But there is something I want to tell you."


    Feeling the sudden tension in the air, I hold on to my niece a little tighter. Not sure I e why I did it but I just have that sudden feeling of trepidation, something I haven''t felt in a long time. "What is it?"


    "An Alpha just called me not too long before you arrived." He began. "His pack has been receiving the worst brunt of rogue attacks and has requested to meet with me to discuss negotiations regarding aid." "Okay." I nodded. "I don''t understand what that has to do with me."


    His eyes fell, worry and fear etched m


    across his entire face. I''ve never seen him like this, and it worried¡ème. ve Sensing the fear, Alesia went to her husband''s side, holding onto his hand. I feel like Ximena could sense it too because she started whimpering.


    I go into deep thought. Why would he tell me this? What Alpha-


    No.


    Oh, no!


    Tell me it isn''t who I think it is. Selene, please tell me this isn''t true.


    "Is it..." I whisper, my heart pounding at theing response.


    "Alpha Neron ising here to speak with me."


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 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29 The Anger


    "Memories warm you up from the Inside. But they also tear you apart.¡°¡ª Haruki Murakami Kiya This couldn''t be happening.


    My ex-mate ising to Ga Moon territory, my home. He ising into my home to speak with my brother.


    The mere thought of the man who helped ruin my lifeing into my hearth and home boiled my blood. My anger pulsated in every cell in my body, lighting me up like a me.


    "Take Ximey away, please." I blurted, trembling in my seat. I didn''t want my niece to see me in the dark depths of my anger. I don''t want her to fear me. Understanding what is about to happen, Luna Alesia quickly took her daughter from my arms and hurried out of the room, the door quickly shut behind her. I felt my Alpha''s eyes on me, searing into my flesh as he watched my every move.


    "Ki. I know this ising as a shock to you."


    "You think?" A growl rumbled deep in my chest. My anger isn''t the only thing I could feel. I could feel Artemis''s anger rivaling mine, destroying and reforming in her cellr make-up. The past had a funny way of showing back up when you least expect it. I thought I had this sorted out in therapy, but it is obvious I didn''t. I hate Zircon Moon with every fiber in my body. I hate every single person involved in my torture. I hated the Lanes. I hated the Omegas. I hated Odessa. I hated Jonathan. But above all, I hated Neron. The bastard who rejected and marked me for death. He was the monster who took pleasure in my pain, just like his old man. It took me five long years to get to where I am now, and his filthy ass will tap-dance across my home? My ce of sanctity?!


    Am I bitter? Yes. I have every damn right to be. They stole eight years of my life that I would never get back!


    My anger is going off the hinges, slipping through the blocks I set on my powers. My fingers tremble as silvered light loops around each digit. My world suddenly bes more vivid to where I could see the smallest specs of dust floating around the office. My eyes burn, knowing they''re changing color as my heart. pounded against my ribcage, desperate to keep up with the anger flooding my bloodstream.


    I want to punch something. Hit something! I want to hit Neron in his fucking face!


    "Kiya, control yourself!" Hismand didn''t register in my mind. All I wanted is to cast Zircon Moon away from the ce I call mine. I won''t let them take anything else away from me!


    Anthony ordered me to calm down again, this time using his authoritative Alpha voice. It is like I was doused. with a bucket of icy water. I must get a grip. This won''t help me or anyone. Sucking in deep, long breaths, I push my powers back to the depths of my mind and heart.


    But my anger didn''t disappear. It''s still here, but less prominent.


    "Are you really helping that bastard?" I asked him, "After everything he''s done to me? After everything I''ve told you, you''re going to help him?"


    Chapter 29 The Anger


    "He is a fellow Alpha whose pack is in danger. They recently suffered from rogue attacks that imed the lives of countless soldiers and wolves. Their numbers are dwindling, and I promised to lend a hand to whatever pack that needs it."N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    To hell with Zircon Moon, then! Let them all die!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, rising from my seat. "They don''t deserve your help!"


    Anthony red at me with the force of a thousand suns, a deep rumble erupting from his chest. Instantly, I mmed up, realizing that I overstepped my boundaries by raising my voice at my Alpha. Deep within me, Artemis whined and bowed her head in submission. "You watch your tone when speaking to me, Kiya. I will not tolerate disrespect from anyone; not even you."


    Gulping, I bowed my head. "Yes, Alpha."


    "Alpha Neron is no friend of mine." He spoke. "I haven''t forgotten what he did to you. No one has. However, as of now, he is a fellow Alpha who needs help and I''ll wee him into my territory to discuss negotiations on supply and soldier deployment."


    rose He rose out of his seat, palms t on his desk. "They need help, Kiya. This isn''t about you. This is about the safety and security of the innocent pups and families at Zircon who potentially witnessed the loss of their loved ones and mates. There are lives at stake here, and more than ever, we need to work together to fight this evil. I will not let you stop me from helping another pack and be the catalyst of innocent people dying when I could have done more to help them!"


    I remained silent; my head still bowed as I soaked in his words. I couldn''t make eye contact with him because of my shame. Deep within my anger, I knew my big brother is right. He is one of the most selfless Alphas I''ve ever met-lending help to whoever needed it. Why wouldn''t he help Zircon?


    Sometimes, I wish he was more selfish.


    But the mere thought of my torturers finding me and dragging me back to my dyed execution terrified me. Underneath all this muscle, I was still a scared little girl. Scared that all my happiness would be taken away from me again.


    "I''m sorry." I croaked out, tears threatening to fall. "I don''t want them to know I''m here. I''m scared, Anthony."


    I heard footsteps, then felt warm fingers curl underneath my chin. He lifts my face to look at him again, this time his expression void of any earlier anger. "I know. And they won''t know you''re here. I won''tpromise your safety. To everyone but us, you''re dead, and it will stay that way. Do you want me to arrange for a ce. to stay outside of pack territory?"


    I shake my head, tears sliding down my face. "No. I won''t let them push me out of my home. How long will they be here?"


    "Only for the duration of our meeting, so it might take the entire day." He answered honestly. That made the dam burst from my eyes. Choked sobs erupted from my throat, painful.


    "Goddess, I''m so scared." I was pulled into my brother''s arms, face buried in his clean ck shirt. I felt weak. I felt pathetic. After all this big talk of not letting them rule over my life anymore, here I am terrified of their potential presence. I was a strong Delta, and I couldn''t even deliver.


    Chapter 29 - The Anger


    "Shh..." He whispered in my ear, gently rocking me from side to side. "It''s okay. It''s okay. We''ll figure something out before their arrival. I promise."


    "I thought I was strong enough, Tony." I whimpered, gripping onto his shirt tighter. "I thought I was better. I thought I was okay."


    "Trauma never fully goes away, Little Bit." His hand caressed my hair, lulling me with hisfort. "Don''t get angry at yourself for reacting the way you did. You''re still healing. You''re still making progress. I''ve seen you blossom from a meek wolf to a fine warrior I''m proud to call my own."


    He pulled me away from his embrace to look at me directly in the eyes again. "You are not weak. You never were weak. You pushed through life against all odds. Few dare to move on and work on healing as you have. That is a testament to your strength, Kiya. You are strong, so strong. It''s okay to break down and cry. But never, ever let anyone take away what you worked so hard to aplish."


    Sniffling, I wiped my tears with my palm, regaining my breath again. His words meant a lot to me. Even in the face of adversity, Anthony knew how to help me center myself again. My bond with him is strong. I nodded, my mind working on a n for their arrival.


    "When will they be here?"


    "The day after tomorrow."


    "Okay." I bit my lip. "That gives me one day to prepare."


    He smiled at me. "There is my little sis, already working on strategies. Have I told you how smart and adaptable you are?"


    "Only about five hundred times." I giggled, my negative emotions dissipating. ¡°I''m sorry for yelling at you. I stepped out of line and insulted you by raising my voice."


    "Apology epted." He patted my shoulder. "Now, whatever n you have, I wish you the best of sesses. If you feel like things are too much, Little Bit, you find me and we will arrange something, okay?"


    I nodded. "Of course." I turn towards the door. Before I turned the knob, I looked back at my brother one more time. "Thank you for letting me know." With a nod, I left the Alpha''s office without looking back.


    The pain was so hard to forget. I have a life that I''ve always dreamed of having, but the pain was like an cockroach when you thought you got rid of it, it alwayses back. Reminders of what I''ve been through carved into my skin. Literally. Some of my scars would never fade, like the big one on my right shoulder de.


    Zircon Moon is a name I''ve tried so hard to bury. To burn out of my mind. Yet, five yearster, it still had the power over me. And it pisses me off.


    My anger is dangerous, and sometimes, it scares the hell out of me. Even during my therapy Om sessions when ites out, it''s like an uncontroble geyser, incinerating everything in its wake. And this was when I didn''t have my powers to worry about.


    Kudos to Mayra for teaching me skills on how tobat that anger, but there was just so much I could e morph into an unbridled rage. When I looked in the mirror while angry, I see a different person. It''s me, but with the ambition to destroy.


    I wanted to destro all that hurt But me toom to sit for the letter at the ame time we anger motenttek en vee the That''s the tying thing heat angon madh people die dinge thing hon hought the work do te the of destiny to me the the man who hit mu


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 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 The Encroachment


    "Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another." J.E.B. Spredemann Kiya Music yed on my phone, filling my ears with notes of tranquility and pleasure. The eloquent tune of piano and violin ying in a harmonious, melodious tune. The magic of ssical music is an antidote to my anger, its substantial power pushes the anger and darkness back where it belongs. It brings me back to the grips of reality, reminding me I am stronger. To not let my anger control me.


    I control it.


    Anthony was r right. I''m still healing, and controlling my fury is part of the process. I must process it for my sake. I will not let Zircon Moon take control of my emotions or my sanity. I''vee too far to let that all go to waste.


    I called Mayra to schedule an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I want to get this out of my system as soon as possible. It''s the only thing I could do. That and disguise my scent for the time Neron and his crew are here.


    Thank Goddess for Sapphire''s Anti Spray. When the timees for me to use it, it will make sure no one at Zircon can sniff me out.


    If they do, then I''m dead. And it won''t be by choice this time.


    Today is the day Neron and other ranked werewolves arrive on the territory, and my anxiety has never been higher. They were to arrive within the next hour.


    My stomach twisted and turned like it is making cartwheels on top of my intestines. My pounding heart didn''t respond to my breathing exercises, and I couldn''t stop sweating. Moving from my crossed-legged position on my bed wasn''t possible because I couldn''t move.


    I couldn''t stomach breakfast this morning. All I could think about is how those monsters could waltz into my home at any moment, so I skipped. Since then, I didn''t leave my room. Hiding is all I could do to keep myself safe and to keep my identity a secret. To make sure no one from that pack knew I''ve been alive all this time.


    I took great care to spray the Anti-Spray more generously on myself and around my room. If Neron tracks my scent and finds me, who knows what would happen? Mates could find each other with a simple sniff, even if they were ex- mates. He is older, stronger, and no doubt more strategic with his beatings. He could kill me this time around. The faint memory of his gigantic hands around my neck haunted my nightmares.


    And those eyes. Those blue eyes that flickered to ck. The beast hade out to y and I was his chew toy.


    "He won''t find us," Artemis reassured me. "He will not take us back to that dreadful ce. We''re protected by our pack and our friends, and they will fight for us."


    "He can use his Alpha authority to take me back. I''m still a criminal of the pack and escaped my punishment. He w Chapter 30- The Encroachment ill fight to have us executed."


    "I don''t doubt that might happen if we''re spotted." My wolf sighed, resting her head in between her paws in my mind. "But we''re safe. We''ll be in your room until they leave. We''ve taken every precaution possible. The only thing we can do is wait it out."


    The rigidity of my body disappeared, allowing me to plop backward on my bed with a slight bounce. I hated hiding. I, normally, would not have a problem confronting my challenges, I did it with training, magic, school, sses, and everything else in between. But this problem I couldn''t confront. Because I was too fucking scared of my ex-mate.


    A couple of knocks on my door startled me. I take two whiffs before opening to see Sapphire, Phoebe, and Olivia with theirptops and loads of food and snacks in their hands. I blinked once before a smile crept its way up my face.


    Soooo, are you going to let us in?" Olivia asked, shaking her bag of chips for emphasis. I giggled, allowing the girls into my room. She instantly plopped on my bed while the other two took their seats on the floor, using some of my pillows to cushion their rears.


    "We heard you skipped breakfast, so we''re going to pig out." Sapphire pulled out tes and utensils from her bags. "Zainab and Cleo made some chicken biryani to cheer you up."


    The smell of spices and chicken instantly made my mouth water. I love them so much more already! Chicken biryani is life!


    My eyes dart to Olivia. "I thought you''re supposed to be with Dwayne at the meeting."


    "I am." She nodded, grabbing a juice bottle. "But it doesn''t mean I can''t be with you until then!"


    "You''re going through a tough time," Phoebe whispered, her abnormal purple eyes giving me a sympathetic look. "We want to lessen the burden as much as possible." She grabbed my hands and pulled me down to the floor. "You''re feeling stressed. The amplitude of your abilities is fluctuating."


    Phoebe, as the avatar of Hekate, could sense true emotions through skin-to- skin contact. She could read. people like a book and guess things about people without knowing them. Her life hasn''t been easy as a witch, but I was proud to have her as my friend and magic teacher.


    "Yeah, I''ve been working on that." My eyes instantly lit up when served a te of my chicken dish. The first bite melted in my mouth, and I involuntarily let out a deep moan. "This is so good. Zainab has to teach me how to make this."


    "See?" Olivia poked Sapphire''s shoulder. "Food makes the world go around."


    "We could also do a little trainingter. The witch suggested. I agreed, wanting in as much training as possible. With my powers under control, I could focus better. I didn''t like the fact that Phoebe could detect the fluctuation in them because of my anxiety.


    Within the hour, we''ve gone deep into watching a badly made erotic movie, criticizing the acting but praising the soundtrack. Ourughter and snorts echoed through the air in my bedroom, and soda bottles and cups littered the floor. It was a fun time where all of us bonded with each other. Olivia left a while ago to be with Dwayne, so it is just Phoebe, Sapphire, and me.


    2/4


    Encroachment I wish I could say that the rest of the day continued like that. But, once Alpha Anthony mind-linked me, my heart stopped.


    "They''re here."


    Neron It was a five-hour drive from Zircon territory to Ga territory. I''ve discussed with Alpha Anthony on the phone about forming an alliance that would help both our packs for the uing years. Ga Moon is a formidable pack, and their requests for alliances from other packs were nothing short of plethoric. However, given the history between packs, it''s a shot in the dark to see if we would ever form an alliance.


    But that does not mean I was not willing to try.


    Anthony and I can change things. And I can only hope it''s for the better.


    My eyes nced at the redwood trees that passed by us in blurs. One could tell a lot about a pack by the abundance of a certain tree that guards their territory. Redwood trees symbolize wellness, safety, and longevity. Ga Moon is known for its openness to refugees.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Zircon Moon is surrounded by Gambel Oak trees. Oak is universally symbolic of strength and morale. We are a powerful pack, buttely, I fear we werecking in morale and it zaps my strength.


    "You''re awfully quiet." I could feel the smirk in Valerian''s voice. In the car with me were my Beta and Gamma, while one of my honored guards, Tristan, is our driver. "What''s on your mind, Nero? Rather be at home with our Luna?" My eye twitched at the reference of Odessa as our Luna. Since the top three ranking wolves were out for the day, our work was temporarily passed to our women. Well, mostly Beta Female Raina, since she had morepetence than her best friend. And honestly? It is a breath of relief to get away from Odessa, even if it is for the day.


    If I must listen to herin about her hair one more time, I''ll flip my desk.


    "nning on what to discuss with Alpha Anthony, if that''s what you''re looking for." I give my friend a pointed. look. "Odessa can handle herself."


    A loud snort was heard from Kwame, sitting at my side with his tablet in hand. His dreadlocks, now in a ponytail, rested on his shoulder. "Sure. With a couple of spa days and her keratin treatments, she''d be right as rain."


    The car was soundproof with a barrier, so our driver couldn''t hear our conversation.


    "She''s rough around the edges, but she''s a good woman. She just needs a little push," I muttered back.


    "You''ve been pushing for five years, and yet, she doesn''t budge," Kwame responded with the coolnesso winter day She parades around, iming the Luna title, but did nothing to earn it. She is in love with the title, not the responsibilities thate with it."


    Since the beginning, Kwame never liked Odessa. In fact, he despises her but never shows it on his face. He once told me that she leaves a sour taste in his mouth. I understand that not everyone liked Odessa, but Chapter 30 - The Encroachment regardless, I still love her. She was my woman; ws and all.


    "How long would it take you to flesh an honorable Luna from a spoiled she-wolf?" Kwame suddenly asks, his eyes now on me. "You have yet to E mark her. She cannot bear your pups until then, so what are you waiting for? Don''t you want an heir to continue your legacy?"


    Alphas could only bear pups with their true mates without a mark. But, if they do not have a choice but tol mate with an unimated female, then she could bear his pups only after the marking. If I want Odessa to be my Luna and carry my children, I need to mark her.


    But I don''t have it in me, and Onyx refused to im her as our mate. He still wanted and loved Halima.


    And it fucking hurts.


    "Just drop it." I retort with a warning growl. I didn''t want to talk about this anymore, nor face the reality. Kwame backed off, but not without a huff. Valerian kept quiet, but I knew he had other things to say but decided against it.


    I must get this situation sorted out after this meeting.


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 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 30 ¡ª The Encroachment ¡°Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one


    way or another.¡± J.E.B. Spredemann Kiya Music yed on my phone, filling my ears with notes of tranquility and pleasure. The


    eloquent tune of piano and violin ying in a harmonious, melodious tune. The magic of ssical music is an antidote to my


    anger, its substantial power pushes the anger and darkness back where it belongs. It brings me back to the grips of reality,


    reminding me | am stronger. To not let my anger control me. | control it. Anthony was r right. I¡¯m still healing, and controlling my


    fury is part of the process. | must process it for my sake. | will not let Zircon Moon take control of my emotions or my sanity. I''ve


    come too far to let that all go to waste. | called Mayra to schedule an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. | want to get this out of


    my system as soon as possible. It¡¯s the only thing | could do. That and disguise my scent for the time Neron and his crew are


    here. Thank Goddess for Sapphire¡¯s Anti Spray. When the timees for me to use it, it will make sure no one at Zircon can


    sniff me out. If they do, then I¡¯m dead. And it won''t be by choice this time. Today is the day Neron and other ranked werewolves


    arrive on the territory, and my anxiety has never been higher. They were to arrive within the next hour. My stomach twisted and


    turned like it is making cartwheels on top of my intestines. My pounding heart didn¡¯t respond to my breathing exercises, and |


    couldn¡¯t stop sweating. Moving from my crossed¡ªlegged position on my bed wasn¡¯t possible because | couldn¡¯t move. | couldn¡¯t


    stomach breakfast this morning. All | could think about is how those monsters could waltz into my home at any moment, so |


    skipped. Since then, | didn¡¯t leave my room. Hiding is all | could do to keep myself safe and to keep my identity a secret. To make


    sure no one from that pack knew I¡¯ve been alive all this time. | took great care to spray the Anti-Spray more generously on


    myself and around my room. If Neron tracks my scent and finds me, who knows what would happen? Mates could find each


    other with a simple sniff, even if they were ex¡ªmates. He is older, stronger, and no doubt more strategic with his beatings. He


    could kill me this time around. The faint memory of his gigantic hands around my neck haunted my nightmares. And those eyes.


    Those blue eyes that flickered to ck. The beast hade out to y and | was his chew toy. ¡°He won¡¯t find us,¡± Artemis


    reassured me. ¡°He will not take us back to that dreadful ce. We''re protected by our pack and our friends, and they will fight for


    us.¡± ¡°He can use his Alpha authority to take me back. I¡¯m still a criminal of the pack and escaped my punishment. He w Chapter


    30- The Encroachment ill fight to have us executed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that might happen if we¡¯re spotted.¡± My wolf sighed, resting


    her head in between her paws in my mind. ¡°But we''re safe. We''ll be in your room until they leave. We''ve taken every precaution


    possible. The only thing we can do is wait it out.¡± The rigidity of my body disappeared, allowing me to plop backward on my bed


    with a slight bounce. | hated hiding. |, normally, would not have a problem confronting my challenges, | did it with training, magic,


    school, sses, and everything else in between. But this problem | couldn¡¯t confront. Because | was too fucking scared of my


    ex¡ªmate. A couple of knocks on my door startled me. | take two whiffs before opening to see Sapphire, Phoebe, and Olivia with


    theirptops and loads of food and snacks in their hands. | blinked once before a smile crept its way up my face. Soooo, are you


    going to let us in?¡± Olivia asked, shaking her bag of chips for emphasis. | giggled, allowing the girls into my room. She instantly


    plopped on my bed while the other two took their seats on the floor, using some of my pillows to cushion their rears. ¡°We heard


    you skipped breakfast, so we¡¯re going to pig out.¡± Sapphire pulled out tes and utensils from her bags. ¡°Zainab and Cleo made


    some chicken biryani to cheer you up.¡± The smell of spices and chicken instantly made my mouth water. | love them so much


    more already! Chicken biryani is life! My eyes dart to Olivia. ¡°I thought you¡¯re supposed to be with Dwayne at the meeting.¡± ¡°I


    am.¡± She nodded, grabbing a juice bottle. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean | can¡¯t be with you until then!¡± ¡°You''re going through a tough time,¡±


    Phoebe whispered, her abnormal purple eyes giving me a sympathetic look. ¡°We want to lessen the burden as much as


    possible.¡± She grabbed my hands and pulled me down to the floor. ¡°You''re feeling stressed. The amplitude of your abilities is


    fluctuating.¡± Phoebe, as the avatar of Hekate, could sense true emotions through skin-to-skin contact. She could read. people


    like a book and guess things about people without knowing them. Her life hasn¡¯t been easy as a witch, but | was proud to have


    her as my friend and magic teacher. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been working on that.¡± My eyes instantly lit up when served a te of my chicken


    dish. The first bite melted in my mouth, and | involuntarily let out a deep moan. ¡°This is so good. Zainab has to teach me how to


    make this.¡± ¡°See?¡± Olivia poked Sapphire¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Food makes the world go around.¡± ¡°We could also do a little trainingter.


    The witch suggested. | agreed, wanting in as much training as possible. With my powers under control, | could focus better. |


    didn¡¯t like the fact that Phoebe could detect the fluctuation in them because of my anxiety. Within the hour, we¡¯ve gone deep into


    watching a badly made erotic movie, criticizing the acting but praising the soundtrack. Ourughter and snorts echoed through


    the air in my bedroom, and soda bottles and cups littered the floor. It was a fun time where all of us bonded with each other.


    Olivia left a while ago to be with Dwayne, so it is just Phoebe, Sapphire, and me. 2/4 Encroachment | wish | could say that the


    rest of the day continued like that. But, once Alpha Anthony mind-¡ªlinked me, my heart stopped. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Neron It was a


    five-hour drive from Zircon territory to Ga territory. I¡¯ve discussed with Alpha Anthony on the phone about forming an alliance


    that would help both our packs for the uing years. Ga Moon is a formidable pack, and their requests for alliances from


    other packs were nothing short of plethoric. However, given the history between packs, it¡¯s a shot in the dark to see if we would


    ever form an alliance. But that does not mean | was not willing to try. Anthony and | can change things. And | can only hope it¡¯s


    for the better. My eyes nced at the redwood trees that passed by us in blurs. One could tell a lot about a pack by the


    abundance of a certain tree that guards their territory. Redwood trees symbolize wellness, safety, and longevity. Ga Moon is


    known for its openness to refugees. Zircon Moon is surrounded by Gambel Oak trees. Oak is universally symbolic of strength


    and morale. We are a powerful pack, buttely, | fear we werecking in morale and it zaps my strength. ¡°You''re awfully quiet.¡± |


    could feel the smirk in Valerian¡¯s voice. In the car with me were my Beta and Gamma, while one of my honored guards, Tristan,


    is our driver. ¡°What''s on your mind, Nero? Rather be at home with our Luna?¡± My eye twitched at the reference of Odessa as our


    Luna. Since the top three ranking wolves were out for the day, our work was temporarily passed to our women. Well, mostly Beta


    Female Raina, since she had morepetence than her best friend. And honestly? It is a breath of relief to get away from


    Odessa, even if it is for the day. If | must listen to herin about her hair one more time, I''ll flip my desk. ¡°nning on what


    to discuss with Alpha Anthony, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for.¡± | give my friend a pointed. look. ¡°Odessa can handle herself.¡± A


    loud snort was heard from Kwame, sitting at my side with his tablet in hand. His dreadlocks, now in a ponytail, rested on his


    shoulder. ¡°Sure. With a couple of spa days and her keratin treatments, she''d be right as rain.¡± The car was soundproof with a


    barrier, so our driver couldn¡¯t hear our conversation. ¡°She¡¯s rough around the edges, but she¡¯s a good woman. She just needs a


    little push,¡± | muttered back. ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing for five years, and yet, she doesn¡¯t budge,¡± Kwame responded with the


    coolness of a winter day. ¡°She parades around, iming the Luna title, but did nothing to earn it. She is in love with the title, not


    the responsibilities thate with it.¡± Since the beginning, Kwame never liked Odessa. In fact, he despises her but never shows


    it on his face. He once told me that she leaves a sour taste in his mouth. | understand that not everyone liked Odessa, but


    Chapter 30 ¡ª The Encroachment regardless, | still love her. She was my woman; ws and all. ¡°How long would it take you to


    flesh an honorable Luna from a spoiled she¡ªwolf?¡± Kwame suddenly asks, his. eyes now on me. ¡°You have yet to mark her. She


    cannot bear your pups until then, so what are you waiting for? Don¡¯t you want an heir to continue your legacy?¡± Alphas could


    only bear pups with their true mates without a mark. But, if they do not have a choice but to mate with an unmated female, then


    she could bear his pups only after the marking. If | want Odessa to be my Luna and carry my children, | need to mark her.


    But | don¡¯t have it in me, and Onyx refused to im her as our mate. He still wanted and loved Halima. And it fucking hurts. ¡°Just


    drop it.¡± | retort with a warning growl. | didn¡¯t want to talk about this anymore, nor face the reality. Kwame backed off, but not


    without a huff. Valerian kept quiet, but | knew he had other things to say but decided against it. | must get this situation sorted out


    after this meeting. Chapter Comments 11 POST COMMENT NOW <¡ª SHARE


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 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 The sh


    "Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies."-Richelle Mead Anthony Do I want an alliance with the pack that brutalized my baby sister?


    Could I live with that in my conscience?


    Neron is a fellow Alpha that needed help. It''s clear from our conversation how much his pack is suffering. Losing soldiers is hard. Watching families continue to suffer weighs on your soul as a leader.


    +109


    Bonus


    08:03


    I couldn''t sit by knowing that lives were being taken and not act. Does that make me better than the selfish Alphas who leave their packs to perish?


    When I look at Neron, I see a man who''s been through hell and back. He was skilled at hiding his true emotions, but the eyes reveal more truth than the mouth. There is a reason eyes were known as the windows to the immortal soul.


    He is worn out, stressed, angry, and sad. So much emotion swam in those blue eyes, some floating, some sinking. It takes a great deal of courage for an Alpha to reach out for help. Typically, Alphas pride themselves on handling devastating situations themselves. Asking for help is like a punch to the gut, but only a few could take that punch and emerge unharmed.


    However, this is the same Alpha who hurt my little sister, turning her into a frail werewolf living in fear of her shadow. And rejected their mate bond-the most brutal thing a wolf could do to their other half. She suffered because of him and his pack. I couldn''t help but think back to all those times Kiya woke up screaming from nightmares. The days were treads around like a monotonous zombie and days where her weight progress was threatened because she stopped eating for days.


    Anger boiled in my blood. It is so frustrating, and it takes every ounce of my self- control to stop my wolf, Axel, from avenging his sister''s suffering. In the past five years, Axel had been protective of Kiya and her wolf, Artemis. It pains him to see her suffering. He wanted Neron to hurt as bad as she did. But we both knew it wouldn''t help the situation. I must remain calm and civil, and I thanked the Moon Goddess for having Alesia by my side.


    Alesia went to put little Ximey down for her nap while the rest of us headed to the dining hall for lunch. I''ll decide on whether to ept the alliance by the end of today before the Zircon members leave for Nevada.


    "Alpha." I hear Jacqueline through the mind-link. "I let Kiya know that we''re heading to the hall for lunch. She is heading to the kitchen with Sapphire and Phoebe."


    "I thought she is holing herself up in her room for the day?"


    "She got hungry."


    "Ah."


    Kiya was never the type to pass up on food, even when she is nervous. I think it came from being starved for so long through her younger years. She''ll eat anything.


    1/4


    Chapter 32 The sh Arriving in the dining hall, the Omegas went all out with lunch. A bnced assortment of heavy and light foods, but with much meat and chicken. We all took our seats and ate the food once they served it. Alesia came in shortly after and joined me at the head of the table at my side.


    +109


    Bonu


    08:00


    "Alpha Anthony." I hear my fellow Alpha speak. "I couldn''t help but notice that you train recently shifted pups for battle. Why is that?"


    "Ga Moon takes pride in cultivating our members to protect their pack from an early age. All our recently shifted wolves have a choice if they want to train or not, no matter their gender. You''d be amazed at how many pups have the desire to be powerful fighters." I smirk proudly. "The challenge is getting the young wolves to stick with their training regimen on top of their schoolwork and social lives."


    "Our refugees have that same choice." My Gamma, Ali, spoke up. "If they wish to begin or continue training, they are more wee to do so. Some rather live simply, away from battle and war."


    "Why weaponry?" Beta Valerian inquired.


    "You''d be surprised at what sort of enemiesy beyond nature that aren''t just rogue wolves." Beta Dwayne answered, taking a swig of his wine. "We''re trained for any possible threat, wolf, and human. We protect our pack no matter what. It''s an honor that should be instilled in every pack, don''t you agree?"


    "Unfortunately, some some packs fail to protect their own," Jacqueline spoke up sharply, her expression nothing short of indifference. "Some wolves hurt each other, sometimes without a good reason. Whether it be by a selfish Alpha or cing the me on an innocent member. It''s a damn shame."


    "Jacqueline," I warn my Beta through our mind-link. "I know you dislike Neron, but I won''t tolerate your crude attitude."


    "Unfortunately, not all Alphas have honor in their nature." Alpha Neron added. "Some are corrupt or led astray. I''ll admit that us werewolves may not be so far from the dark nature of the humans in this world."


    "It''s difficult, isn''t it?" Jacqueline pressed on; her fork embedded deep in her chicken breast. "To understand how or why an Alpha has been led astray. The stories from our refugees and battered families are heartbreaking. When an Alpha fails, he or she fails the pack they swore by blood to protect."


    "That is the sad reality." The Alpha nodded. "There are threats inside the pack that many failed to realize because they''ve been... blinded with emotion or anger. They cannot see the truth until it''s toote." I notice his shoulders going rigid at thatst addition. His eyes have that distant look, full of regret.


    "Perhaps." Jacqueline smiled, but it isn''t one of the pleasantries. It is knowing, almost mocking. "Or they are just awful wolves who hide behind their honor and power and use that to abuse or even kill a helpless, innocent pup. Or even their mate."


    "Jacqueline," I rumbled through our mind-link. She looked at me with rage and disgust swimming in her green. eyes. I knew they weren''t aimed at me. They were aimed at Zircon. "This isn''t the time for that. Hold that conversation until after lunch."


    "I''ve suddenly lost my appetite. Maybe it''s something in the air." She stood on her heels and walked out the double doors, anger marking her trail. Abigail politely apologized for her mate and asked if I could excuse her to go after her.


    I nod and gave her permission, wasting no time jogging after Jacqueline.


    Chapter 32 The sh


    "So, who wants dessert!" Olivia blurted out, hoping to ease the awkward tension in the air. "I hear the chocteva cake is lovely!"


    +10


    Bonu


    07:51


    Alesia took my hand into hers, giving a loving squeeze. "Don''t be too hard on her." She whispers only to me. "You know how she feels about Kiya."


    "I know, but now isn''t the time for childish shit like that." I retorted, k*ssing the soft skin on the back of her palm. I apologized to Neron and his team for Jackie''s behavior, he reassures me he took no insult. Dwayne also took the liberty to apologize on his sister''s behalf.


    Part of me was d that peace is achieved between us. But, the big brother side of me is not happy and wanted Neron to feel the painful sting he felt with Jacqueline''s pointedments. She alluded that we knew of what he and his pack did but didn''t go deeper into that. Gamma Kwame suddenly got a call from back at the territory and excused himself to take it.


    Regardless of what happened, lunch went about as normal.


    JacquelineN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "My love, you promised to be civil."


    "I can''t and won''t be civil with a f*cking abuser!" I hissed back, fists shaking. "Should any of these she-wolves or pups who seek our help, be civil with their abusive mates? Or abusive parents? I think the f*ck not!"


    Being infuriated was an underestimation. Zircon Moon is a bastard cult and they want to act honorable with my Alpha? Bullshit! Alpha Neron and his posse are assholes, and I refuse to be kind with any of those pricks.


    Abigail cradled my ch*eks in her deep mnated palms. I purred softly at her touch, feeling Rosaline howl in delight at the touch of her mate h wish she was there in the very NO beginning when Kiya was a walking skeleton. Broken and in pain. Scared and powerless. Abi would surely side with me on why I hate Zircon Moon.


    The damage done to my best friend is heartbreaking, and I hated them for torturing her. I care about Kiya so much. She was a pure soul that didn''t deserve the mistreatment.


    F*ck the idea that the past should remain in the past. They brutalized Kiya and that trauma does not go away! That pain would always be there, awaiting the next trigger to its revival.


    "Your emotions are powerful. Kiya is so lucky to have a friend like you."


    The love of my life whispers to me, pressing her forehead against my own. My hand''s instinctively went to her tight coils, sinking my fingertips gently to her scalp. "But, understand that this is pack business. You''ve taught me that in negotiations with other packs, emotion can''t be at the forefront.


    I huffed, remembering teaching that lesson when Abigail became my Beta Female. Whether I like it or not, sometimes packs must work together whenbating amon enemy. She always knows how to be rational, even when I act irrationally. She was the perfect yin to my yang.


    But I couldn''t help it. I must protect those I love. I couldn''t lose anyone. I couldn''t fail.


    Not again.


    I lean in and k*ss my mate on her I*ps, sweet and chaste. "You''re right. I''m just..."


    34


    Chapter 32 The sh


    +10 Volf to Bonu "I know." Abigail knows why I was so protective. It is not just in the Beta blood. I promised myself to protect those I care about until the day I die, and that would never change. I''ll rip through every pack if it means 7:5 safety of my beloveds. "Come on. Let''s go into the kitchen, my love. You need a breather." Abigail took me into the kitchen by the hand, where I saw the three other women eating their lunch at therge ind. They were amid a conversation when their chatter halted. Kiya smiled at me, her mouth full of rice and chicken. She was like a cute chipmunk with nuts in its mouth.


    I didn''t know why, but I felt like I needed to do this. I pulled my best friend in a hug, squeezing her smaller frame tight. A confused squeak came from her, but she didn''t resist my hug.


    "Jackie? Why are you-"


    "I''m sorry, Little Bit. Just let me have this for a moment, please?"


    feel her arms loop around my torso, squeezing me lovingly. Sighing in content, I rested my head on her houlder, breathing in her sweet scent. I knew what depression and fear do gig her to someone, and my heart couldn ake losing another person. Therefore, I will never be calm and civil with Zircon Moon. I feel bad for their members who suffered, for they don''t deserve to lose their families to the rogues.


    ut for the top dogs? I pray the Moon Goddess made them suffer for their sins.


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 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 The Encounter


    +10%


    Bonus


    07:28


    "What happened in the past is the past. But, don''t be surprised if ites back and haunts you." -Nics Sparks Kwame Two more soldiers had passed. My mate, Lori, contacted me with the devastating news. That raises the death toll to twelve. A blend of frustration and sadness rolls through me like a tidal wave, drowning me as I lean against the bare wall near the dining hall doors. Zircon Moon is losing members with each attack, and the next attack could be ourst if nothing is done.


    Our best warriors were ughtered and we''re grossly under-prepared. With each loss, the morale slowly depletes. The protection and strength we thought we had dwindled slowly. We were doing our best tobat this terror, but the enemy was getting stronger while we continuously fail.


    Why were we failing? Only the Moon Goddess knows, or this was done by her hand?


    Our goddess works in mysterious ways, for she is a mighty force that looks over us werewolves. However, she is not always peaceful and loving. She can be angry-vengeful, even.


    There was nothing wrong with our leadership, I believed. Alpha Neron is a good Alpha and an outstanding leader, but asionally he does things that do not better the pack. I have a strong dislike for Odessa. Do 1 hate her? No. Do I believe she is unfit to be Luna? Most definitely!


    There is where I believe Neron''s blinding weakness was. An Alpha is nothing without his true Luna. The Alpha and Luna were two pieces of the same puzzle but work together for the betterment of their lives and their pack. But the true Luna is gone, and this false Luna is not making things better for anyone.


    When I look at Alpha Anthony and Luna Alesia, I couldn''t help but admire their leadership and regality. They knew exactly how to help their enormous family and could make varied species live together in harmony. They were intelligent and selfless. By their energy, they were fierce fighters. It''s no wonder rogues fear the Ga Pack.


    Yet, there was none of that in Zircon Moon. Neron and Odessa were two different people with different ideas. Their puzzle pieces couldn''t fit together. Alpha Neron is my brother and a powerful warrior. He is fierce in battle and ruthless against his enemies. However, he severelycks a proper Luna that is not onlypassionate and empathetic but powerful in her own right.


    I don''t me Odessa for why the pack is failing. I me Neron''s inability to face the truth and make wise choices, even if they hurt him or others.


    There is always a reason the Moon Goddess pairs a Luna to an Alpha. I wondered often why the Moon Goddess paired Neron with Halima. What about Halima is needed for Neron and our pack? Why did she match those two together? O I wished I had the answer to that, but the true Luna died five years ago. It broke my heart to know that Zircon Moon would never get the leadership it needs, but we sure as hell don''t deserve it. What we did to Halima guaranteed divine punishment. I wouldn''t be surprised if our Moon Goddess was punishing our pack because of that.


    However, now, I couldn''t help but wonder about Beta Jacqueline. She has an intense dislike for not just Neron, but the rest of us. One would be a fool to miss the deadly res she gives us. It is as if she knows something


    +10%


    that we don''t know or is alluding to something.


    Bonus


    06:47N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Walking back to the dining hall, I notice Beta Jacqueline and her mate walking towards the pack kit my intuition told me to follow her, but I did not know why. Why did I feel the pull to follow the Beta?


    "There is something in there that we need to see." Moses, my wolf spoke.


    "It wouldn''t hurt to check. We might get some insight from Beta Jacqueline also."


    An innocent conversation shouldn''t earn me a punch in the face, but she looked like she had one hell of a backswing.


    I inhaled a breath and pushed the door open. I entered the kitchen in hopes to speak with the Beta when I am met with something else. Something that stopped me dead in my tracks.


    Five women were there, including Beta Jacqueline and Beta Female Abigail. One woman smelled like a witch and another a strong wolf. But none of them caught my attention as the vision I saw before me.


    It was a woman who stared at me with a mixture of disbelief and fear. Fear that I could hurt her. Fear that I ruined everything for her. Her scent is disguised, but her face is undeniable, now fuller and filled with life than sunken and near death.


    I couldn''t believe it! How could this be? She''s...she''s-!


    "Halima?"


    Kiya Oh shit.


    Shit, shit, shit!


    F*CK!


    I couldn''t believe I was staring back at Gamma Kwame. I admit, he looks very handsome, especially with his long dreadlocks tied back in a ponytail. Time had nothing on this man, he hasn''t aged a day! His dark eyes stare back at mine, brimming with unshed emotion.


    I see shock.


    Disbelief.


    Relief.


    Amazement.


    "Kwame..." I whispered back, hopping out of my seat. I take several steps away from him, preparing for my eventual escape. Immediately, Jackle shoved me behind her, bearing her canines at the Gamma. I notice her nails lengthening and grey fur sprouting from her palms.


    "Step the f*ck back!" She growled, ready to strike. Sapphire came to my defense too, covering me from the Chapter 33 The Encounter left. "Come to take her back to your Alpha? I won''t let you!"


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    "N-no!" Kwame stuttered, raising his hands in surrender. "I''m not here to cause trouble, I swear to the Moon.


    Goddess."


    "We don''t trust you," Sapphire spoke, preparing for a potential fight. "We know all about what you and your pack did. We won''t let you take our friend to her death!"


    "Guys..." I breathed. "Please, don''t hurt him. Kwame helped me escape from the pack. He''s harmless."


    The girls bristled in their stances. I look over to Phoebe, her hard eyes scanning the man carefully. She was the only calm person out of the rest of us, walking toward Kwame,


    "You don''t pose a threat." She concluded. "You''vee in peace. You have the desire to speak with our friend, do you? You hold a lot of burden on your shoulders, do you?"


    That calmed Jackie and Sapphire down a tad. But they still didn''t move from their spots. Phoebe was the thus the person we could trust with discovering the true intentions of a person. A handy skill as Hecate''s avatar. Brushing the wolves gently to my side, I walk up to Kwame.


    Our height difference was noticeable since he was over six feet of muscle. My eyes dart down to the mark on his neck, right at the base where his neck and shoulder met. Two crescent moons ovepping at the ends. I smiled.


    He finally found his mate.


    "It''s been a long time, Kwame," I quavered, my voice barely above a whisper. "It, um, must be quite a shock."


    "You''ve been alive all this time..."


    "Yes." I nodded. "I survived that jump and I''ve been living here with my pack ever since the old Alpha and Luna found me. My eyes dart behind him to the door. "Please, if you still care about me, do not let your Alpha or Beta know that I''m alive. Kwame, please."


    His I*ps quivered and his eyes misted like he wanted to cry but couldn''t. "I won''t tell him. Your secret is safe with me, Halima."


    "It''s Kiya now." I corrected him. "I abandoned that name a long time ago."


    He gave a sad look but nodded anyway. "Of course, Kiya. Is there anywhere we could talk in private?"


    "Wouldn''t Alpha Neron know of your long absence?" Abigail spoke up, worried.


    Kwame shook his head. "I tend to take long absences from meetings to take care of things. I''ll let him know that I''ll be long." He looks at me. "This is more important."


    "There is a spare room on the first floor. We can talk there."


    Jackie and Abigail returned to the negotiation meeting, Sapphire and Phoebe returned to my room to watch Netflix, and Kwame and I were I


    in the spare room. None of them trusted Kwame enough to be alone with me, but I reassured them I could take care of myself if things go awry. But I trusted Kwame. He and his family saved my life.


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 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 The Gamma


    "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."-Alfred Tennyson Kiya


    "... I''ve been exonerated?"


    "Yes.


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    05:48


    I didn''t know what to feel. Should I feel anything? Sitting next to the Gamma on the in bed, I stare at the floor as my mind registered the news. The air is silent around us, our breathing echoing. Should I be happy? Angry? Scared? Shocked? Enraged? Disappointed? My mind cannot process a single emotion, nk as a newly purchased canvas. All I could do is just sit there, unable to look Kwame in the face.


    "How long?"


    "Excuse me?" He asks.


    "How long after I passed did you all find out the truth?"


    Kwame sighed heavily. I knew it is a loaded answer he is about to give. "Three years ago."


    Gaining the courage to look him in the face, I notice his eyes were glued to the floor. He couldn''t look at me at all. "Who killed Luna Ess-Celeste and Nuria, then?"


    "He went by the Rogue King. It didn''t take us long to figure out that he was rted to former Alpha Jonathan."


    His words left me dumbfounded. "Rted? You mean he was..."


    "Neron''s estranged uncle." He revealed. "It is an act of revenge against his brother. Upon his capture, he confessed to everything, including framing you. They acquitted you of all suspicion and crime after his execution. But by then, it was toote."


    I couldn''t believe what I was hearing. Neron''s uncle killed his sister-inw and his niece to get back at his dad. And for what? For petty revenge? I was framed and tortured over petty revenge! I breathed in sharply, folding my hands in myp.


    "Wow," I mutter. "I didn''t expect that."


    "Neither did we." Kwame chuckled. "But, yes. You''re exonerated, and your punishments were voided. But there is not much we could do since you''re... dead."


    "And I want to stay that way." I retorted. "I don''t want Zircon Moon to know I''m alive. Look, Kwame," I was facing him with my bent leg on the bed. "I have a very happy life here and I don''t want anything to mess that up."


    "I can see that." He gave me a warm smile. "You look healthier and lively. Ga Moon gave you hope. And I don''t want to take that away from you. Your happiness is here...not with us."


    "I agree." I nod. "They turned a dying wolf into the woman you see before you. I can''t repay them enough for feeding, housing, and epting me as part of their family. I love it here."


    1/4


    Chapter 34 The Gamma


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    "I could see it in your eyes." Kwame''s smile widened. "I''m happy for you, Kiya. You deserve the absolute best. Always. I wish Zircon Moon would have seen your potential before we snuffed it out. I''m d the pack didn''5:44 smother out your hope for good."


    "But, if you don''t mind me asking, how did you survive? No one could have survived that fall from that cliff..."


    I smile small, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "It''s a long story. But our Moon Goddess helped me out. She gave me a second chance at life. It is because of her I''m still here today."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The man looked as if he wanted to say something, his mouth opening, and closing, but remained silent. His eyes held many unanswered questions that he wanted to ask. But Kwame couldn''t bring himself to speak. What was stopping him? This is the only time we''ll ever see each other...


    "Kwame," My smile turned into a frown. "Know that I cannot forgive Zircon Moon for what they did to me. It can''t forgive the Lanes, the Omegas, and everyone else between, especially Neron and his father. What they did to me was on par with what monsters and devils would do to their victims. There is too much hurt, anger and pain for there to be forgiveness."


    "I don''t me you. If I was in your position, I wouldn''t forgive them either. I couldn''t forgive myself for not helping you out sooner." He looks at me with concern. "Do...do you hate me, Kiya?"


    I shake my head. "I don''t. You and your family saved my life. You stopped Neron and your mother got me out of there. I would be dead right now if it wasn''t for your bravery and belief in my innocence. I''vee to terms with that, with the help from my therapist. Yes, I held some anger for you for not standing up to Neron sooner, but you helped a meek ve seek her freedom. You did all you could do, and I''m alive today because of you and your family."


    He gasped in relief, blinking back his tears. "You sure know how to make a man tear up, Kiya."


    I chuckled. "There is nothing wrong with crying. I hope talking with me eased some of your burdens. I hope you find an answer to your rogue problem."


    "We''re looking at every other avenue in case this alliance falls through the cracks. But, talking to you and finally getting the answers I was seeking is the highlight of this trip."


    I smiled at him, happy. I wish I''d gotten the chance to know Kwame back then if our lives weren''t so different. We could have be good friends. It is a shame that we both missed out on a potential friendship. He is a great person.


    "I don''t want to keep you away for long." I pat my thighs once, hopping on my feet. "But, thank you. Really. For all that you and your family did for me. Give them my thanks when you see them again?"


    "Yes. I will." He nodded, his smile matching mine. "It would surely make my mother feel good when she hears. you''re alive and well. Your death devastated her, so I hope this can bring some light back in her eyes."


    My heart lurched. I didn''t know Mrs. Dubois was affected by my death. I wish I could see her in person and hug her, but it''s just not possible. I still remember her grief-stricken face that night, begging me to not jump. But, if I hadn''t, I wouldn''t have this life now.


    Before Kwame left the room, I hugged him as tight as I could around his muscled stature. It took him a second to reel in from the shock, but he hugged me back, burying his nose in my hair. His muscr arms caged my body against his, protecting me from the outside world. A single tear slid down my face as I basked in his Chapter 34 The Gamma


    +109 Bonus smoldering warmth. It is a hug I felt both of us needed. The hug told me of his appreciation, happiness, and hope. Goddess, I didn''t want this moment to end.


    1 think he was waiting for this moment to see me again. I don''t hate Kwame, I respect him. I wished he was my mate and not Neron. But the Moon Goddess had other ns.


    His mate, whoever she is, was lucky to have him.


    05:41


    The end of the day rapidly approached and the three wolves from my old pack left my territory. I heinfel could finally breathe in relief, knowing I was safe to roam around the territory without their presence. I was sitting on the front steps of the packhouse with a bottle of water, watching the sunset paint the sky with orange, pinks, and purples. I was watching the creation of beautiful art right before my eyes. A lot had been on my mind since I spoke to Kwame.


    Some burden is lifted off your shoulders." Phoebe took a seat right next to me, smoothing out her purple summer dress. "I assume your talk with your old friend went well?"


    "I don''t know if I''d call him a friend," I answered, my eyes still on the sky. "But he helped me out a lot and put himself at risk for me, so perhaps I should?"


    "He left our territory happier than he had arrived. Your talk did the both of you some good." Her pearl-white smile showed itself to me when I nced at her. "Do you forgive him?"


    "Yes." I nced back at the sky, fixated on a marigold-colored cloud. "I never hated him. He did nothing wrong. Thinking back, he''s done his best to to to tookout for me. It restricted a lot because of his best friend, but he would sneak me food and him water every chance he got. His parents or his little brother would sneak me soap to shower if I''d run out or give me a warm nket to sleep with if nights got too cold."


    "They arepassionate people."


    "They are." I agreed, humming at the memories. "They made my life as a ve more bearable. They knew the consequences of helping me but did it anyway. If that''s not courage, I don''t know what is." I set my bottle down on the stair under my knee, folding my hands on myp. "I pray to the Moon Goddess to watch over them and protect them."


    "But as for everyone else..." I huffed. "I''ll never forgive them. Not by a long shot. I told Kwame this when we spoke. He never put his hands on me, but his friends and everyone else did for years and they enjoyed it. They bring nothing but bad memories."


    "Forgiveness is a process that cannot be rushed." She ced her hand on my shoulder. "But it is all up to you. Your life, your choice, Kiya."


    "Yeah, I know."


    "Come on." Phoebe hopped on her shoes and offered me a hand. "Let''s do some magic training before dinner. What do you say?"


    I smirked, my mood lifting. Taking her warm hand, we both walked to her home, practicing our abilities until we were mind-linked for dinner.


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 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 The Alliance


    +10%


    "It was a little thing, but on top of the other little things, it broke something in me." -John Howard Griffin Kiya Bonus


    05:33


    Alpha Anthony ended up forming an alliance with Zircon Moon. As they continue to suffer more losses, he set aside his individual feelings and made the decision that would benefit us all. I couldn''t say that I was surprised. It took him a day to dwell on that decision. As much as I loathed that pack, Alpha Anthony must help those in need. It was one thing I admired about my big brother.


    Lately, on our end, there had been an influx of familiesing in and seeking asylum on our territory. Many carried a fresh rogue scent for denouncing their old packs. Men, women, children-each had a unique story to their own that held nothing less than pain and misery. I listened to the victims cry as they spoke their stories of why they left their households, anything and everything ranging from fallen packs, assault of rogues, or corruption within the pack. The ranked wolves did their best to amodate all the refugees, no matter their size.


    From those who were disced by rogue attacks, they came from smaller packs, some with less than 100 members. All packs started somewhere, and it was a shame many never reach their potential. My contempt for these types of rogues grows each day, I couldn''t believe how na?ve I was, dreaming about bing one. Yet, with all that''s going on, my mind begs the question of why. Why were these packless rogues hellbent on targeting established packs? What was the goal in all of this?


    However, it was easier to ask questions than to obtain answers. While I was busy with my schoolwork from the previous semester, I''ve learned that Anthony captured some rogues that trespassed in our territory. But before they could get answers, the roguesmitted suicide before their interrogation. How? Some rogues carry with them pills filled with a concoction of silver, wolfsbane, and fascinatingly, cyanide. Kills them in minutes.


    No wolf could survive ingesting toxicity like that. This led many to believe that the rogues were not working alone. Someone or something was working below the radar, orchestrating these attacks. But whoever they are, they left nothing behind to link them to the assaults.


    Who knew I''d go from happy-go-lucky college girl to entering the biggest mystery in werewolf kind?


    The disced families were housed and given food to eat. In our small vige, we amodate families of all sizes. With the constant construction of new homes, we could bring in more wolves who seek shelter and protection. Sometimes, I took breaks from training to watch the children be children. It brings my heart joy to see the refugee children ying with other children in the pack, fitting in seamlessly. They deserve to have a sense of normalcy. I couldn''t imagine the horrors they''ve seen beforeing here.


    Their innocence deserves to be protected.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    One day, during warrior training, Alpha Anthony mind-linked several of us toe to his office at once. Asking my fellow Delta Christian to take over my position training the newly shifted pups, I jogged towards the packhouse. Right behind me were Darien, Galen, and Sapphire.


    "You guys got the message too, huh?" Sapphire asked. We nodded.


    "I wonder what''s up." Galen thought aloud, ascending the stairs. He wiped some sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Maybe there is trouble with a refugee? Or maybe he found out I was the one who reced the cream center of all the Oreos with toothpaste?"


    Chapter 35 The Alliance


    +109 Bonus


    "Wait a minute." We all paused. "That was YOU?" Darien bellowed. Galen let out a little "Eep!" and bolted further up the stairs, Darien tailing behind him shouting "Get back here, you piece of shit!" I wanted tou5:29 but you don''t poke at that mighty wolf when he was pissed.


    You don''t f*ck with Darien or his Oreos. You''re guaranteed to lose a finger if he was feeling generous.


    After he almost choked Galen out behind the office doors, we took our seats in front of our Alpha. Luna Alesia was absent, taking care of little Ximey. Jackie and Abigail were seated with us and judging by the Beta''s angry expression, this might not end well. I wonder what was so urgent that it required the six of us to be here.


    "I''m d you''re all here. There is something that I need to discuss with you all." Anthony''s folded hands were on his desk and his expression is stoic. "As you all know, I recently formed an alliance with Zircon Moon. Supplies and aid are being sent to their territory as we speak to help with affected families and werewolves."


    "They lost many of their soldiers, including all their Deltas. Their current batch of warriors are not ready to assume the Delta role due to theirck of proper training. With their trainers dead, it leaves them with nothing. The Beta and Gamma cannot rece the Deltas, for they have their own duties to worry about. I''ve suggested that we lend them some of our Deltas and warriors to help train them until they could find new Deltas."


    "I really hope you aren''t suggesting what you''re suggesting, my Alpha." Sapphire blurts out, her arms crossed underneath her bosom. "Who are you sending out there?"


    Anthony blinked once. "Everyone in this room."


    "No way!" Jacqueline shot up from her seat, livid. "With all due respect, Alpha, but why? Why us? Why are you sending me over there? You need both your Betas here!"


    "Because you are ranked above them, Beta Jacqueline. Not only are you one of our most formidable fighters, but I also trust in your strength and tenacity to protect them when needed. Dwayne can take care of Beta business here while you act as my eyes and ears in Nevada. That''s the benefit of having two Betas." "Abigail and Sapphire are our best warriors, not ranked Deltas, but better than most. They can continue their training on their territory under your leadership. Darien, Galen, and Kiya are the only Deltas who haven''t been deployed on missions yet, and I think the Zircon warriors could benefit from their teachings."


    "Why can''t you send anyone else?" Galen asked.


    "Many of our soldiers have arrived from their deployment, including Delta Christian and Delta Mirai not too long ago. I will not send them out on missions again unless it''s necessary. They deserve a rest from all they''ve seen, and I promised equal opportunity amongst all with missions."


    "When do we leave?" Darien asked the million-dor question. "And how long would we stay in their territory?"


    "You leave next week." He answered. "As for the duration of your stay, the situation is developing with training and the rogues. Each of you knows that it takes time to train warriors. Give or take a couple of months."


    I heard enough. I rose from my seat and left Anthony''s office, mming the doors behind me. The multiple shouts to my name I ignored. The mind-links I ignored, flinging my blocks up to shut to any ess to my mind. I didn''t want to see Anthony or anyone else in that room.


    Chapter 35 The Alliance I needed time on my own to think, and I wouldn''t get it in that stuffy office.


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    Bonu:


    05:21


    Once out of the packhouse, I jogged towards the other side of the vige, eyes focused on the one ce where I felt I needed to be. I needed to talk to somebody other than my brother or Alesia. I needed someone to listen to me.


    Before long, I arrived at a small house with an immactely kept garden. Roses, daisies, and chrysanthemums bloomed upon their bed of rich soil, each petal glistening from their recent watering. From inside the house, an intoxicating fragrance of spices and meat made my stomach growl. I was also hungry. With a short huff, I knocked on the white door. I blink back my tears threatening to create rushing rivers down my ch*eks.


    The scent that always calmed my heart filled my nose. Peaches and mangos.


    The door swung open, revealing my mother wearing a baby-pink apron around her waist.


    "Mija, hello!" My mother, Lyra, greeted me with a warm smile. However, her smile quickly disappeared upon seeing my face. "My dear, what''s wrong?"


    "C-Can we talk, please?" I stuttered, my voice small. Without hesitation, she ushered me inside her home, shutting the door behind her.


    Neron If I could go through the rest of my life without attending another funeral, I''d be happy. Thest of our fallen wolves were buried in our honorable cemetery, resting in peace next to others we''ve lost too soon. It was an intense emotional time for many families, tears and pain came in abundance. My heart is at peace knowing our beloved Moon Goddess is taking care of them, but the sounds of mourning were what I wish I could forget.


    That''s why I was thankful that Alpha Anthony had epted our offer for an alliance. Aid had been flowing in steadily into my territory, helping those affected get back on their feet. The prospects of Zircon were brightening, and soon, we would have new, temporary trainers that he is lending to us. Yet, I felt uneasy. Uneasy about who is arriving on our territory in a week. I have strong expectations that the Deltas and warriors we''ll get were nothing short of formidable, for Alpha Anthony only sends out his best.


    But there was that inkling in the back of my mind that I was getting more than I bargained for.


    "I''m proud of you for forming that alliance, son." I turn to my side to see my father offering me a cup of coffee. "Your generation is doing great things, fixing mistakes that your fathers have foolishly made."


    "It isn''t your fault, Dad. It is Uncle Zain''s." The house my father lived in was small, but quiet. Fitting for a man who had been through years of inconceivable pain. Before my departure to Alpha Anthony''s territory, my father told me the story of how the alliance between our packs broke in the first ce.


    From Uncle Zain''s lust for power to his retaliation, to his treachery, to the kidnappings of the Lunas. As the Rogue King, he took the Lunas to get back at the Alphas, under the threat Vie of harm. He hated my father so much that he was willing to harm my mother and her friends just to see him writhe In agony. Thank Goddess that both packsbined their power and resources to find him and the Lunas on a sessful rescue mission. Uncle Zain escaped, never to be heard from again until three years ago. The story is so insane, I almost didn''t believe it. But the sincerity and remorse in my father''s eyes confirmed he was telling the truth. Deep down, I


    Chapter 35 The Alliance wish there was a way our fathers could rekindle their friendship-my Dad needed more friends to ease his lonely heart.


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    05:15


    My dad smirked, his wrinkles crinkling around his eyes. "It is, but there is no shortage of pain between us, son. He turned us against each other. Scars and bruises could heal within a good time, but broken friendships and trust take longer to heal, if ever."


    The deep brown liquid in my cup made light ripples as his words sunk into me. Unfortunately, I knew too much about that. Onyx is my best friend, and yet, the trust within us was non-existent. He was a stranger within my body, and that awareness was painful. Even now, if I try to speak to him, he wouldn''t answer me. It is as if I lost the most treasured part of my soul, and I don''t know how to get him back.


    "I understand that." Swallowing my bitterness, I gave a kind smile. "But we''ll make things right."


    Dad grunted, sipping his coffee as he sat next to me on the couch. Afortable silence fell between us as the clouds parted ways for the sun to shine through the windows. However, there is a pressing question in my head that needed to be answered.


    "Dad." I began. "Do you sometimes...smell Mom, although she''s gone?" He arched an eyebrow, confused. "I mean, is there any way that another wolf could have her scent?"


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 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 - The Longing


    "The Irony of the human heart is that it''s tormented both by the presence and absence of its own soul''s counterpart."- Crystal Woods


    "I doubt it." My dad shook his head. "Honestly, I''d prefer it that way. Another wolf carrying your mother''s scent would make Angelo and I go crazy."


    He stood on his feet, walking towards the firece ledge that held our family picture frames. His hands take one of my mother on their wedding day, cloaked in white with a smile as pure as gold. "The mind is a powerful force, Neron. It governs everything in our bodies. Without it, we''re nothing. It could empower us and ruin us at the same time. It could take us to the highest of pleasures or the lowest depths of our misery."


    His thumb runs over the picture of Mom, his blue eyes misting. "Thirteen years. It''s been thirteen years since she joined with the Moon Goddess, and I miss her terribly. I miss my baby girl, too. Her smile andughter were the best medicine for an awful day. I always wonder what she could have been if she lived this long. She would have made a powerful Alpha, courageous in her own right."


    "Some days, I smell their scents. Before I sleep or when I awake. It is worse when I was in the depths of my alcoholism. When you miss someone too much, the mind likes to trick you to believe that your loved one is still there. It has been in pain for so long that it tries to ease the burden in ways it thinks it should when only it makes the agony worse. I would think my Celeste was just around the corner or in the kitchen, but when I approached, there is nothing. It is one painful reminder after another that I no longer have my beloved or my angel."


    He smiled, deep sadness reflecting in his old face. "Sometimes I hear your mother''sughter, or Nuria calling out for me to read her a bedtime story. Either your old man is going crazy, or my mind has been in pain for so long it wants to get out."


    I say nothing. What am I supposed to say? He missed Mom and Nuria just as much as I did. Humans say that time heals all wounds, but that couldn''t have been further from the truth. There were days where I spot Dad at their graves, reading Nuria her favorite stories, or chatting with Mom. That is his mate-the other half to his soul. That pain never goes away.


    I knew exactly how he was feeling. And I wish I never did.


    "I smelled her, Dad." I feel his eyes on me, but I don''t dare to look up. "At the Ga Moon territory a few days ago. I wanted to chase after it, to see her again, but...I couldn''t."


    "You''re speaking about Halima, aren''t you?"


    I nod. Onyx is certain that Halima is alive, despite all evidence proving otherwise.


    I want to have that same level of assurance, but, how could I? Was her ghost tormenting me? Everything I''ve seen and heard proves that my mate is no more.


    But why do I have this feeling that she was alive? That she was okay? Why do I still feel the broken bond when I couldn''t feel the person on the other side?


    A hand gently grips my shoulder, thumb rubbing circles in the back. My father sat back down next to me, our coffee mugs now cold. I sigh in frustration, my head in my hands.


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    US Chapter 36 The Longing.


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    "Son, you need to let her go." My father whispered. "Letting go of your mother and Nuria is the hardest thing I''ve ever done. I miss them terribly, but my heart is at peace knowing they are happy with our Moon God05:10


    Do the same."


    "Dad, I can''t!" I gritted my teeth, tears threatening to fall down my face. "I can''t let Halima go...


    "Why can''t you? That girl is nevering back. By the grace of our beloved goddess, there could be a chance that you have a second-chance mate, perhaps it is Odessa and-


    "It''s not her!" I growled. "Dad, don''t you ever feel guilty? For what we''ve done to her? We brutalized her for years and I f*cked everything up! I hated her for the longest and now that she''s gone, my heart burns at the thought of her."


    "I do feel guilty, Neron." My dad retorted with a heavy sigh. "Every single day. She was a special girl and I destroyed my best friend''s youngest daughter over what my brother did, and no amount of repentance could ever amount to the pain we all inflicted on her. But, son, this pack needs a Luna. And you need to do what is right for your people."


    "What is right?" I scoffed. "That''s what I kept telling myself every time Iid my hands on her. Every time I watched her bleeding and crying on the floor." I shake my head. "And the Moon Goddess would never grant me a second chance mate after what I did to Halima. Why the hell would she?"


    "Tell me this, son." His gaze was like a hawk, watching for faulting movements. "If Halima is still alive, what would you do? What would you tell her?"


    "That I''m sorry." Halima wasn''t just Nuria''s childhood friend, but she was mine as well. Who knew that child would grow up to be my mate in the future? But that future is gone. Pain wracked my body from head to toe. threatening to burst from my chest. Could Onyx feel this pain too? I didn''t just ruin our friendship, but I took away his wolf mate without giving him a chance to know who she was. I''ve never seen Halima shift, despite knowing she had. "That I would spend the rest of my life repenting and making up for what I did to her. To show her I can and will change, and that I''m not the same man she was unfortunate enough to grow up with. I want to tell her I love her."


    "Yo, bro." Valerian''s voice rang in my head. "Odessa and Cassandra are arguing again."


    "They''re grown-up women, they can handle themselves." I shot back.


    "Not when it''s bothering Adonis and his nap. Raina is three seconds away from strangling them both, and I don''t think I''ll stop her."


    I sighed, pushing the coffee mug away and rising to my feet. "I have to go, Dad. I''ll talk with youter." Without looking back, I left his modest home back to the packhouse. The passing thoughts of my mate continue to burn a hole in my chest, dripping acid to incinerate every barrier I put up to protect myself.


    I''m grateful for this fight because I needed to take my mind off the brown eyes that haunt me daily.


    Kiya Birria tacos are amazing.


    One bite and my taste buds ascended in heaven. Who invented this wonderful concoction? They deserve a Chapter 35 - The Longing medal!


    The delicious blend of the vors, tender meat, veggies, and cheese is better than sex, I think..


    +109


    Bonu


    05:00


    I''m sitting on the couch in my parents'' home, devouring tacos one after another. I couldn''t help it. Isn''t it obvious how hungry I am? The consomm¨¦ soup with the tacos is abination of the gods.


    "Mija, I think you should slow down a bit." I heard Mom say. I quirked an eyebrow, my eyes on her and ch*eks. filled with food.


    "Why?" I muffled, still stuffing my face with food.


    "Because you ate ten of the tacos already!" My dad bellowed from the couch, crossing his arms. "At least leave some for your old man, damn! And don''t talk with your mouth full."


    I paused, my ch*eks flushing with heat. I notice the empty tes. Several empty tes, and empty cups that were once filled with soup littering the coffee table. Embarrassed, I swallowed what is in my mouth, burping. "Oops. Sorry." "It''s all right, mi rayo de luna. There is something on your mind." The nickname never fails to send delightful chills down my spine. I was my parents'' little Moonbeam. Mom nted a soft k*ss on my forehead before handing me a napkin to wipe my mouth. "You never eat this much unless something is bothering you."


    She was right. I could eat out the entire kitchen if I felt an inkling of anxiety. My favorite coping mechanism. I couldn''t help it, food made me feel better. It made me feel good and it helps me forget my troubles. Plus, my stomach was a bottomless pit. Tossing the dirty napkin down on the empty tes, I began talking.


    "Anthony allied with my old pack and now he''s sending me and a couple of others to their territory to train their soldiers for the next few months," I revealed.


    "I don''t want to go back to that hellhole and face everyone that hurt me."


    "Ah." Dad sat next to me, handing me bottled water. "I see why you''re so nervous. But Mija, this could be a wonderful opportunity for you."


    "To what? Implode?"


    "To face your past."


    "Your father has a point." Mom took a seat on the other side of me. "Kiya, you are much stronger now than you were before. You worked hard to get where you''re at and you should be proud. However, do you think it''s time to stop hiding and start confronting?"


    My eyes were on the floor, the vinyl tiles catching my interest. So shiny. "I know. I know I''ll be safe from death since they have exonerated me, but..." Mom and Dad knew about my talk with Gamma Kwame, I told them over dinner the day it happened. "I just..."


    "You don''t want to face your ex-mate again." Dad finished.


    "What if he recognizes me? What if he tries to hurt me again? I''m strong, but...


    not against an Alpha."


    "I could recall a couple of times during training where you beat Anthony."


    I scoffed. "Please. He went easy on me." Twiddling my thumbs, I look at my parents again. "I''m still IMO PM Chapter 36 - The Longing


    +109 Bonus Dad. Angry at him, my old family, and the pack. I don''t have it in my heart to forgive or help them. I don''t want to. What if they didn''t change? They could still treat me as bad as they did before, all over again. I d05:06 feel strong when ites to them. I feel...small."


    Mom drew me into a hug, her chin on top of my hair. "No one said confronting your past was easy, It''s terrifying. There are a lot of what-ifs, but unless you try, they will never be answered. You''ve done the work through therapy and trusting us and your friends more. You proved time and time again that you can rise above it all."


    "And what better way to prove yourself further than to show Zircon Moon that they can''t make you submit?" Dad added. "People change.


    You''ve changed they might have changed. I''m not saying that you must forgive them-you do that on your own time if you chose to. What we''re saying is it''s time to fight against your demons head-on. You aren''t just strong, you''re a warrior, Mija. It''s in your name and your blood. You can and


    will win."


    I look to Dad, and then Mom, the two people who found me and helped heal me from the very beginning. They''ve always believed in my potential and strength, especially where I couldn''t see it. Their smiles of encouragement and hope pulled me out of the darkest moments of my life here in Ga Moon.


    They know I wille out strong. Better. Sessful.


    Alive.


    Don''t get me wrong, I was still nervous. I don''t know what they are like now. There is that dark little voice in the back of my head telling me that I am weak and pathetic. It loves to tear me apart. But I need to fight against it when facing my demons. Kwame didn''t tell me too much about Zircon, nor did we have the time. But another part of me was curious to see how they were doing, minus all the rogue attacks. It is in my honor as a Delta to help those who are in need, and that''s what I''ll do. I''ll do my job for the duration of my stay, and


    I''ll leave.


    I would do my best to give them the skills to stop this onught of rogues.


    Smiling, I k*ssed my parents on the ch*ek, thanking them for listening to me.


    When you have people around the be you who would listen to you without judgment, that''s the best feeling in the world.


    "...Could I have some more tacos?"


    They scampered to the kitchen in a gaggle of merryughter, setting up tes for me and themselves.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    And I happily ate my eleventh taco.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 - The Nightmare


    "You think that I can''t see right through your eyes. Scared to death to face reality. No one seems to hear your hidden cries. You''re left to face yourself alone." - Evanescence, Where Will You Go Neron


    "Why is it so cold?


    +109


    Bonus


    05:00


    Heavy rain cascades down my face, drenching my body from head to toe. My clothes cling onto my flesh like a second skin with the thieving icy wind zapping the warmth from my body. Goosebumps littered my once glistening tan skin, my hands not generating warmth when I rubbed them together. Desperately.


    Everywhere I looked, everywhere I turned, I saw nothing but grey. Thunder roared above like a lion announcing its im to the crown, shaking the foundation underneath my feet. The pitter-patter of the fallen water echoed through the air, blocking out any secondary noise that didn''t get the chance to be heard.


    Why am I here?


    I tried to speak, but my I*ps couldn''t move as if they''re cemented together. With every grunt I made to pry open my I*ps, the effort is futile. Someone must have cast a spell to prevent me from speaking. My frustration. grew. Why? What did I do to deserve my voice to be taken away? My body moves on its own ord, walking through the valley of grey with no sense of direction. Everything looks the same to me from all angles.


    I could be walking around in circles, for all I knew.


    But then I heard it. The only sound that pushed through the volume saturation of the rain, footsteps. The footsteps sounded meticulous, like someone taking great care to be certain that I could hear them. I followed. the echoing sound to see who else or what else is stuck in this void with me. All contact with people I knew was non-existent, my mind-links blocked by an imprable wall that proved too formidable for me.


    I ran. I didn''t know how long I ran for. Thectic acid burned in my legs, demanding me to stop, but I disobeyed. I pushed through the pain, desperate to know who the mysterious footsteps belonged to. My desperation poked at my psyche, holding many questions and not enough answers. I needed those answers as to why I was trapped in this void in the first ce.


    "Why do you feel guilty, Neron? Since when does an Alpha like you feel guilty about anything?"


    I skidded to a stop. That voice...


    "What makes you think you can make things right?"


    The voice chilled me to the core. The words, ignited by hatred and sadness, turned me to the crumbling ember underneath its inferno. It directs the questions at me, questioning my feelings and drive. The voice chilled me, but it also nted a deep seed of warmth in my voice. I longed to hear the voice again, to remember how much it means to me.


    "Halima?"


    She scoffed. "That''s the first time you called me by my name. I thought I was just ''It'' or ''ve''."


    A sharp gust of wind blew in front of me,manding the pathway of rain to clear. In front of me stood my


    1/4


    Chapter 37 - The Nightmare


    1105


    Bonus mate, donning the dirty dress Ist saw her in. She was close enough to me that I could touch her. My fingertips ached to capture the fated sparks of our bond. Her lifeless brown skin was bruised,rge and sing4:57 in various stages of healing, proudly showing themselves off to their creator. Her matted hair heavily weighted down with water clung onto her neck and face and her dress stuck to her flesh, outlining the little fat she had and many of her bones.


    She''s not happy. The look she gave me had the power to ughter me. The brown in her eyes void of life but filled with pointed emotion that twisted all my internal organs.


    Sadness.


    Hatred.


    Vengeance.


    Pain.


    The more she stared at me, the more my internal body seared with guilt. It burned like a raging inferno, her emotions pulling me down to its depths. Tentacles of our broken bond coiled around my neck, choking me with the anger to rival the God of War. I didn''t hear Onyx, assuming he had abandoned me to my fate.


    "Halima..." I choked out. "P-Please. I''m sorry-"


    Your apologies mean nothing to me, Alpha." The venom spewed on herst word, acid dripping like the fangs of a deadly cobra. "Nothing would erase what you''ve done to me. You ruined me. You rejected me. You left me alone in the darkness, and all you have to say is sorry?"


    "There is no excuse for what I did to you. Y-You''re right. I hurt you but understand I didn''t know! I didn''t know-"


    "You knew." She interrupted, her dark eyes growing darker than humanly possible. "You didn''t care. The word of a ve was nothing to the word of the Alpha. You assigned me the guilt before you gave me the chance to speak! You see these bruises?" She raised her arms, turning them as more colored her skin. "They are an umtion of the years you battered me. Used me as your punching bag. Instead of the gym, you came to me. I didn''t bleed sand, I bled crimson, and you relished in it with every moment that sunk into that twisted, ckened mind of yours."


    "Every bruise on my body holds a distinct memory of your rage, your malevolent smiles, your hatred, and your callousness. You''re a talented artist, Neron. Always have been, even when we were kids. Only this time, my body was your canvas and these bruises are your art. When I healed, you paint some more until there is no brown flesh left to paint on."


    Blood dripped from her nose, rain mixing with red. I watched in horror as patches of skin split open, blood gushed out like a raging river. Chunks of her flesh fell to the darkened ground, sttering in a sick heap of red. Her eyes, surrounded with dark bruises, re at me once again, freezing me in my spot. "Blue, ck, yellow, and green. The colors of the Alpha''s rage. But let''s not forget the red. The endless blood I shed under you and your family. The blood I shed didn''tpare to the lives of your mother and sister, did it? No, I needed to shed more topensate for their blood sinking into nature''s soils. An eye for an eye, you''d like to say. Blood likes to flow and regenerate, and I held limitless amounts of it. Not a day goes by where I didn''t bleed by an open wound you or your father caused. Or anyone else who considered me guilty without giving me a fair trial. I was just a little girl who''s forced to grow up too soon, a girl forced to make peace with the facts that everyone I loved abandoned me."


    14109


    Bonus Halima took her first steps toward my frozen body; chilly fingers caressed my ch*ek. The touch is empty of love and warmth. It was...nothing. Her expression held no emotion. Like I was looking into an immobile dp4:54 Only her eyes conveyed all the emotions she wanted me to feel. I wanted nothing more than to get on my knees and repent all the sins I''vemitted, to beg for her forgiveness. Our broken mate bond continued to choke me, reminding me of what I''ve done. I''ve broken the only person who could love me beyond life, all because I was toote to realize the truth.


    I hated myself. I hated everything about what a sorry excuse of an Alpha I was.


    She was right. There was nothing I could do to mend the hurt I''ve caused her. My hands were stained with her blood and marred by her suffering. I caused my mate to suffer. I beat her, broke her, and chose another woman over her. I could have freed her from her life in captivity, but I kept her in there.


    For the first time in a while, I wanted to cry. Cry for my mate. Cry for all the wrongs I dealt her with. The wind blew harsher as her fingers lingered on my ch*ek, the metallic scent of her free-flowing blood making my eyes water.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Does it hurt, Neron?" She asked me with sickly sweetness. "Does it hurt to desire what you could never have? This is nothingpared to what is in store for you."


    "What do you mean?" I whimpered for the first time in my life. An Alpha was whimpering at the bitter hatred of his mate. "Halima, if I could turn back time, I..." "You can''t." She stepped away from me, her eyes never leaving mine. "You can''t change what happened. I''m dead, remember? You marked me for death. See?" What I saw made me want to howl in horror. On her right shoulder is the Mark of the Betrayer I cast upon her, but now festering in sickly tumors and welts that decorated the entirety of her right back. My stomach churned and my head pounded like a hammer striking metal.


    I did that...how could I do that to her?


    "This is what could have been if I was still alive." She turned to me again. The grey void cleared behind us, revealing the treacherous cliff that many saw her jump from. "But I''m not. I''m not real. I''m a manifestation of your guilt. But who knows? If you allowed me to live, you''d see the true effect of the mark happen right before your eyes."


    "Goddess, Halima!" The bond finally let me go, my knees giving out on me. "I''ve been such an evil person to you, and I''m so sorry! I''ve caused you pain beyond humanprehension and you have every right to hate. me. I deserve it all. I wish I could make things right, but I can''t. I ruined the one thing the Moon Goddess made for me, and I could never forgive myself for destroying you. Please...please forgive me for all I''ve done. Give me a chance to prove myself worthy to you."


    My heart exploded bit by bit as I watched her walk towards the cliff, her toes dangling off the perilous edge. I could save her, couldn''t 12 "I''d spend the rest of my life making up for what I''ve done. I''d do anything to make you happy, to look at me without hatred. To make you smile,ugh, sing, everything. I''d die a thousand deaths if that would make you happy. I''d let you beat me, scar me as I scar you, even kill me if that would make you happy. I''m so sorry...I''m so sorry, Halima."


    "Wishful thinking My heart shattered to pieces. "Your love is a lie. I hate you, Neron Prince. I wish for you to suffer as much as I suffered, but the broken pond is doing just that. I hope for you to live knowing that we could''ve had something. You mean nothing to me. Nothing would ever erase the fact that YOU are an evil man. Just like your father. Just like your uncle. I would never love you because I''m


    Chapter 37 - The Nightmare evering back. The Halima you desire is dead."


    +10


    Bon


    04


    She fell forwards. My arm shot out; my fingers desperate to grab onto her body to stop her from falling. My hand grasped air and Halima''s body disappeared over the cliff into the water and rocks below, taking her li as she crashed. My screams echoed through the air, the grey void closing in around me as I mourned the loss of my mat all my fault! It''s all my f*cking fault!"


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 The Haunting


    04:41


    "Somehow we all are burning ourselves as we constantly thinking about our past."-Bunny Naldu Neron I shot up from my bed in a cold sweat. Rapid resonating beats of my heart pounded in my ears, blocking the deep heaviness of my breathing. I did not know of the wetness that coated my ch*eks until I brought my hands up to my face. Lo-and-behold, my hot tears covered my fingertips. My eyes darted around the space, expecting that rainy void of grey. Imagine my relief when I found that I was no longer in that nightmare, but in my bedroom. I threw my head back on my pillow, my hand over my heart as if it would help calm me down.


    This must stop. I can''t take any more of these nightmares.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The nightmares were bing more frequent. Every night is the same thing: Halima tells me how much she hates me before ending her life. Nothing I said would change her mind. How could it? I was a monster back then, born from misced hatred. Her ghost haunts me as I sleep, tormenting me with its sickly flesh covered in welts and empty eyes filled with an undying hatred.


    How long must this go on?


    Halima, what do you want me to do?


    "It''s those nightmares again, huh?" I turn to my right to see Odessa shuffling awake. The pink slip dress she wore rode up on her supple flesh as she stretched, exposing her bare curves. "They''re killing the mood, baby. You need to do something about them."


    I know, I don''t know what I should do. There is no one I could talk to about this. The guilt about what happened to Halima was as real as the bed I was lying on, a palpable sense of loss. I feel like I was going mad. Everywhere I turn in this house stirs up a distant memory of how I treated her. A simple walk down the halls reminded me how I would trip her as she mops or push her down the stairs when she got in my way.


    Every f*cking thing I did to hurt her lingered like a restless ghost, their dead eyes imprinted on my flesh.


    "Who were you screaming for this time?" Odessa crossed her arms underneath her chest, watching my every move. She was expecting an answer. How the hell do I tell her? That I was dreaming about my dead mate? Odessa''s jealousy held no bounds, especially with other women. I rubbed my face once, throwing the covers off my legs as I walked to the bathroom.


    "No one."


    "It sounded like someone." Mydy in bed retorted. "Neron, this can''t go on. If you''re not yelling in your sleep, you''re thrashing all over the ce. Or you can''t wake up. Whatever the issue is, you need to deal with it. You''re killing my sleep, too."


    "You''re more than wee to sleep In one of our guest rooms if it bothers you so much." I ssh my face with cold water, feeling the exhaustion dissipate. The bags under my eyes were an attestation to my well-deserved suffering. The water droplets cataract down my face, dripping into the sink below me. My eyes lost their shine, now hollow in the depths of torment. I looked like a shell of my former self-a once-mighty Alpha now haunted with past sins.


    The memories of Halima were ruining me.


    Chapter 38 The Haunting And it was what I deserve. Anyone with brain cells could agree with that.


    +10!


    Bonu


    04:39


    "You know, Neron. I don''t know what''s up with you." From the mirror, Odessa leans against the bathroom doorway, hands on her hips. "You''ve distanced yourself from me. You don''t talk to me anymore and bury yourself in paperwork constantly. I try to help you, and you blow me off. You have yet to mark me, to make me your Luna, and you ignore me when I need you the most. You''ve changed! Babe, did I do anything wrong?"


    "It''s not you, Odessa. Not everything is about you." I snapped. "I have a lot of things going on in my mind, as you can see. What is it you want from me?"


    "I want you to be with me more!" She yelled. "I''m your mate and your Luna, we''re supposed to be together. We''re supposed to be the power couple that everyone rages over. You and I, against the entire world, that''s how it''s supposed to be! You still love me, right?"


    I exhaled, bowing my head. Yes, I still love Odessa. She is and will always be my first love. But I''ve made a huge mistake that cost me my destined lover, and I don''t know what to do. No matter how much I focus on Odessa and the pack, my mind always wanders back to Halima. What would she have been if we didn''t destroy her? If I didn''t destroy her.


    But the mate bond is dead. Everything about Halima is dead. I need to focus on the have been, as Dad would always say.


    now and not what could I walked to Odessa, pulled her to my body, and k*ssed her sweet I*ps. Her arms loop around my neck as she k*ssed me back with the same vigor. I love her. This matters more. I cannot keep focusing on a ghost when I have a tangible, beautiful woman in my hands.


    "I''m sorry, my love," I whispered against her ear, k*ssing down her neck. "I''m sorry that I made you feel neglected. I still love you, and that won''t change. You''re mine and I promise, I will mark you soon."


    Odessa sighs against my neck, pressing her body more against my own. "And I love you too. Could we spend the morning together, please? I miss you..."


    "And I miss you." And just like that, we spent our morning reaffirming our love for one another. Through our bodies and our hearts. Odessa was mine, and nothing will change that. Nothing wille between us again. The ghosts can continue to haunt me all they want, but as an Alpha and as a man, I must move forward.


    I must.


    "Have the rooms been set up for our neers?"


    Lead Omega Cassandra nodded, standing on the tips of her toes to dust off a wallmp. "Yes, on the third floor as you requested."


    "Excellent." I walked past the other Omegas who were cleaning the hallways, taking great care to step over the collected messes they swept up. After Alpha Anthony epted my request for an alliance, we''ve arranged an exchange. Since my pack had lost our best Deltas, he offered to send his best Deltas and warriors to help train ours. It would be a temporary stay until training isplete and my warrior wolves could test for the Delta positions.


    The loss was a brutal blow. Premature-trained wolves did not make a reliable defense for the pack, and since Chapter 38 - The Haunting all the best trainers have died, this was the next best solution. My hopes for Ga Moon to pass theirbat knowledge to my wolves would prove useful whenever rogues strike again.


    +109 Bonus


    04:24


    I''ve also debated if I should allow the newly shifted pups to train. Sure, their enthusiasm and vigor would prove to be their best assets, but approval muste from their parents. I''ve already received a few responses from families who wish for their pups to start as soon as possible.


    "Alpha." Valerian entered my office, shutting the door behind him. I didn''t miss little Adonis zooming by with a toy airne in his hands. "Alpha Anthony and his warriors will arrive by mid-afternoon."


    "Good. Once they''ve settled in, I want you to give them a tour of our territory to get them umted to living here. Kwame will draw up ns and records of our soldiers for them to look over, as they will decide their new training regimen."


    "Will the induction party tonight go on as nned?"


    "Yes. It will be a chance for the pack to know their new trainers. No need to worry about the details of it, they''ve been taken care of"


    I do not know who would arrive on the territory or what they were capable of, but I figured the party would be a good idea to know who the pack would work with for the next few months.


    "Is it wise to have a party amid rogue attacks, Neron? Surely, many members would question this sudden decision."


    "I have given it some thought." I leaned back in my chair. "But this pack needs a break from the death and destion around us. Theym oundys. deserve to have some fun for a night to bring back those smiles I miss seeing around. As for the rogue attacks, I''ve increased border security around the territory and armed the guards with added weapons. I ordered them to link me to any sudden suspicions."


    Valerian seemed satisfied with the answer, for a relieved smile appeared on his face. "That''s good news. I can''t help but be curious who will train our soldiers. Ga Moon only sends out their best, and if they can whip these sorry dogs into shape, we''d all be sleeping easy for the rest of our days."


    "That''s the n."


    And that''s the hope.


    Third Person POV


    Kiya zipped up one of herrge purple suitcases in disbelief that she had to pack again so soon. The morning sun peeked through her curtains, greeting her with a om brand-new day. She believed she would spend her summer with her family, but fate had different ns for her. Today, she, along with her other friends, were setting off to Zircon Moon to help train their soldiers for the next couple of months. If she was lucky, she''ll return home inte July. If not, then it would bete August when she had to prepare to go back to university.


    "There. I think that''s everything." She mutters to herself, setting that suitcase near the door. The young Delta is about to face her toughest challenge yet, and it had nothing to do with training or fighting rogues. Confronting the past had never been a simple thing for anyone to do, human or werewolf. Many ran or bury the pain so deep in their psyche that it would never be reached again.


    Chapter 38 - The Haunting But Kiya didn''t have a choice to run or bury. Deep down, she knew it had to be done. The woman wanted to Bon prove something, not just to herself but to her old tormentors. She wanted to prove that she rose above allo adversity. She was strong, and she was not the one to be f*cked with. She is a better person, faster, stronger. and not easily thrown down.


    Halima Lane was dead, never to return. Kiya Guerrero was here to stay.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 The Deployment


    +10%


    Bonus


    04:07


    "It''s only after you''ve stepped outside yourfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform."-Roy T.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Bet Third Person POV However, Kiya had one worry. How would she confront Neron once he realizes who she is? How does a werewolf deal with being in the same presence, let alone the same house, as their rejected mate? It couldn''t be easy, considering he was happy with someone else. Kiya was sure she felt nothing for her ex-mate but disgust and hatred.


    What about her old family? ''I''m sure they''ve forgotten all about me.'' She thought to herself, reaching for a photo frame on her vanity.


    The photo disys her and her adoptive family, smiling with uncontained happiness. Her mother and father surrounded her siblings and her, posing like those clich¨¦ family photos she''d seen on television. Clich¨¦ or not, it''s one of her most treasured photos. It made her smile to see, truly, what a family should be. It didn''t matter by blood, but by how she is better off, happier, healthier, and safer, without the blood family members in her life.


    After packing the precious picture frame, she ced it in her travel bag and moved toward the door. She joined her family and friends in the dining hall for breakfast, filling her belly with the cooking she''ll miss terribly. Afterward, she let out Artemis for a quick run for thest time in the territory she held dear to her heart.


    She would miss the mossy scent of the redwood trees, the crisp breezebing through her white fur, and the rich earth beneath her paws. Her heart and mind wanted to treasure thesest moments before embarking on the next stage of her life, for it would be a long time before shees back home. It''s never been easy for Kiya to say goodbye. Homesickness became her best friend when she left for college for the first time. But, with Sapphire and Jacqueline at her side, it became easier to conquer as the days passed.


    Having the people she loved at her side was more than enough. Not having to walk through thend that held all her traumatic memories alone is a gift she couldn''t repay.


    Despite the anxiety that settled in the pit of her belly, she was ready.


    An hourter, Kiya loaded her suitcases and bags into Alpha''s Anthony''s Toyota Sienna. He would stay with them for the night but would return to Ga Moon the following morning. High-pitched whimpers and cries. caught her attention, looking to a wiggling Ximena in Luna Alesia''s arms, chubby arms grasping at the air to reach her.


    "I''ll miss you, pumpkin." Kiya took the pre-toddler into her arms, nting a soft k*ss on her tiny forehead. Being away from her niece was the hardest part, they barely spent two weeks together since she returned, and now she is leaving her again. "Take care of your Mommy for me, okay? And don''t give her a headache."


    "Okay." She muttered, rubbing her face into the crook of her neck. Alesia drew Kiya into a tight hug, bathing. her in her furnace-like warmth.


    "Will you be okay?" She asked worry etched into her wless face. "I can''t imagine what you''re going through, Chapter 39- The Deployment Little Bit."


    "I''ll be okay," Kiya reassured. "It has to be done. But the Moon Goddess and you all have given me enough strength throughout the years to conquer my fears. This is just another thing I have to conquer."


    +109


    Bonu


    04:04


    "Well..." Her tanned hand went to Kiya''s curls, springy coils bouncing as they snapped back. "If you need to return home for anything, you call me, okay?" With another nod, the women hugged again, now with Ximena using her arms to hug her Aunt and mother at the same time.


    "My little girl is growing up." Lyra cradled her daughter''s face in her hands, pressing her l*ps on her forehead. "You be good, okay? I''ll miss you, and so will your father."


    "I''ll miss you too, Mom," Kiya whispered, basking in the warmth of her palms. "I love you so much. Tell Dad I''ll miss him, and I love him too, okay?"


    "Tell me yourself." Niki chuckled, emerging from the packhouse. Kiya ran up and engulfed her father in a big hug, whispering confirmations of their love and care for one another. "Mi rayo de luna, you will change things for the better. Be strong."


    "I will, Dad. I promise." While the father and daughter share a tender moment, one twin is reprimanding the other.


    "I don''t want to hear you causing any trouble since I won''t be there to watch you." Dwayne shook a finger at Jacqueline''s face, but retracted when she tried to bite it. "Hey!"


    "You''re acting like I would set the entire territory on fire." She rolled her eyes.


    "Given your previous track record and impulsivity, I wouldn''t doubt it."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to set her straight when needed." Abigail shined a pearly smile, appearing from the rear of the van.


    "I can''t do anything straight," Jackie smirked.


    "Neither can I!" Galen shouted, his head popping up from the roof of the car with the cheesiest smile on his face. Both he and Jacqueline shared a high-five, making Dwayne roll his eyes at their silliness.


    "Babe, it''s cute," Olivia smirked, pinching his ch*ek affectionately.


    "And childish."


    "That''s because us gays are on the same wavelength 24/7. Deal with it!" Galen brushed his hand through his ck hair before shooting his finger guns at his Beta. His stormy eyes darted to Kiya and Niki, having their moment together.


    "Howe I don''t get a goodbye like that?"


    "Because no one would miss you," Darien answered, throwing his bag at his friend who gracefully caught it with his arms. "Stuff that behind your seat, would you?"


    Galen stuck out his tongue before doing as he was told. Sapphire emerged from the packhouse with her bright blue suitcase. "Hey, Galen! Catch!" "Whoa!" The man caught it swiftly, but not without nearly tumbling from the roof opening. Sapphire chortled to herself, ignoring the res. "Good catch, Gal."


    Deploymen


    "Why even toss your damn suitcase to me? Do I look like a bellboy?"


    "I mean if we could get an outfit in your size..."


    +109


    Bonus


    04:00


    "Screw you," Galen mumbled begrudgingly before disappearing into the car, closing the roof. Sapphire trotted to the back door, shimming into her seat that happened to be next to Galen, who released an audible growl of misery. "Kiya." Phoebe walked up with a small bag at hand. "Here, I got you some more selenite for your stay. Some I carved as jewelry. I think you might like it." "Thank you, Phoebe." Kiya grinned, taking the jingling bag of crystals. "It''s a shame that you aren''ting with us. How are you going to manage without us?"


    "Oh, don''t worry. Between my craft andmunicating with my goddess, I''ll be busy. I''ve also been tasked with helping the newly arrived families and children."


    "That''s great! Tell Hekate I said hello, okay?"


    "I will." The women shared a tight hug, silently telling each other to take care of themselves. Kiya loved Phoebe like a sister and vice versa, and not having her witchy friend around weighed heavy on her heart. But knowing she would be well taken care of eased the burden.


    The trunk of the van was packed with suitcases and travel bags, blocking all light from the rear window. Alpha Anthony arrived not a momentter to bid farewell to his beloved wife, his coddling parents, and to his precious daughter who clung onto his neck like a ko. After being freed from the baby''s vice-like grip, he summoned his group into the van.


    Anthony sat in the driver''s seat, Jacqueline nked his left, Kiya and Abigail sat directly behind them, and Sapphire, Galen, and Darien in the very back. O


    "All right you all," Anthony spoke up. "I expect you all to be on your best behavior when we arrive at Zircon Moon territory. I''ll be staying the night and the morning after. After that, I''ll leave you for the next couple of months. I have absolute faith in you all that you will train the Zircon wolves as hard and as best you can like you do here."


    "Yes, Alpha." All responded in unison.


    "We have a long drive ahead of us."


    "Not to worry! I packed snacks!"


    Galen pulled out his smaller travel bag full of food and treats. Waving farewell to Luna Alesia, baby Ximena, Lyra, Niki, Phoebe, Dwayne, and En Olivia, the car rolled out of the territory through the gates and now onto the road to northern Nevada. After a minute ofplete silence, Kiya turned her body behind her to steal the bag of treats from Galen''sp.


    "I smell chocte."


    "Don''t f*cking touch my kit-kats!" Galen warned, trying to snatch it back.


    "Hol'' up, you got kit-kats?" Jacqueline eyed the bag, her eyebrow arched. "What kind?"


    Kiya gasped. "He got all the Japanese ones in here!"


    Chapter 39 - The Deployment


    +10


    Bonu


    "Mine!" The Beta grabbed the blue bag, but Kiya held onto it as tight as she could, her dark eyes challenging her Beta''s green. Alphas were known to bepetitive, but they have nothing on two women with Beta blog-5 The women fought over the box of strawberry cheesecake kit-kats that bounced out of the bag, their growls and yells echoing through the van''s interior.


    Galen used that opportunity to swipe the bag from Kiya''sp, hugging it possessively. The cardboard box tore into two,unching the gandy all over the women, including Abigail, who pressed her palm to her forehead in shame. "Women." She muttered. The two attempted to gather the fallen pieces on the floor of the car, swiping piece after piece like children gathering candy from a pinata.


    "So... what else do you have in there?" Sapphire peered, trying to take the bag, but Galen held onto it like the woman was trying to steal his baby. "I''m not after your kit-kats if that is what you''re thinking."


    "Oh! Good! So..." Galen passed some food and treats to his friend, including Abigail, who settled with a boxed sandwich and mango juice. The Betas still fought over the kit-kats, arguing over who had the most pieces. As for the smiling Alpha, he ignored the chaos happening behind him, tapping his fingers to a silent tune in his head. He was used to this bunch being chaotic and troublesome at times, but he wouldn''t change it for th world. It brought a new life to his army, their personalities so different from one another.


    Yet, he came to regret it when Galen connected his phone to the aux cord and began sting "Cotton Eye Jo right next to his ear. Really?" Anthony shouted, but it was drowned out miserably when the others minus Darien began screechi The lyrics and rocking the van.


    This is going to be a long ride.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 The Arrival Bonus


    03:42


    "When youe out of the storm, you won''t be the same person who walked in. That''s what this storm''s all about." -Haruki Murakami Anthony Several Hours Later I should have left this damn group on the side of the road when I had the chance.


    The consistent battering of loud bass music paired with shrieksparable to angry crows is slowly driving me into an abyss of insanity.


    It is hard to believe that I was transporting fighters in their twenties, not prepubescent children.


    The Moon Goddess is testing my nerves. I get it, it''s a five-hour car drive. Even wolves get antsy after being stationary for a long period of time. I stopped along the road a few times to let the group stretch or release their wolves for ten minutes, minus Abigail. Arriving at Zircon Moon couldn''te any sooner.


    I don''t know if I could take more dance music screeching in my ears or Galen twerking in his seat. That''s an Image I did not find any use for. O Finally, the madness had ceased. Everyone either had their headphones in listening to their music or dabbling in their apps. I sigh in silent relief, relishing in the peaceful atmosphere. We were to reach Zircon Moon territory in ten minutes, putting an end to the long ride.


    "Hey Darien." I hear Galen say.


    "What?" He retorted, annoyed.


    "Do you think pigeons have feelings?"


    "... I''m going to give you one more chance to shut the f*ck up before 1 staple your l*ps shut."


    "It is a valid question!"


    I snort silently, swallowing theughter that bubbled at the base of my throat. Galen is one of the strangest Deltas I ever met, entric and zealous, but he is not to be underestimated. This man, who loves to sing badly to Korean pop music, is the same man who can be the fiercest and deadliest warrior on the battlefield. I admit, I underestimated him. I didn''t think he had what it takes to be a Delta, but he surprised me.


    Yet, I don''t know how he and Darien were best friends. They couldn''t be any more different from one another. That''s why they work so well together. Theyplement each other''s strengths and weaknesses and make one hell of a duo.


    "And yes, pigeons have feelings, you neanderthal."


    The van slows down,ing up to the gates of Zircon Moon territory. My ears caught a sharp intake of breath from behind me. I knew it is from Kiya. ncing at the rear-view mirror, I could see her dark eyes clouding over with fear as she stared out into the familiarnd.


    "We''re here..." She whispered. My heart keeled for her. It can''t be easy toe back to thend that holds nothing but terrible memories. "Give me the Anti- Spray."


    Chapter 40 The Arnval


    +105 Bonus Once Sapphire handed her a full bottle, my sister sprayed generously over herself, the entire interior of the car, and going to great lengths to spray the suitcases. She wanted all traces of her scent gone. She wanted 3:38 continue the illusion that her old self is dead.


    Yet, even I knew that wouldn''tst.


    After conversing with the guards and getting confirmation from Alpha Neron, I drove the straight and narrow path towards the maind. Oak trees zipped passed my window, its faint scent tickling my nose. I''ll be leaving my sister here, in the ce she hates so much. I''ve prayed to the Moon Goddess every night to this day to protect Kiya, although the prayers were not needed.


    Kiya is Selene''s avatar. She always protects her.


    "Hey, Little Bit." Jacqueline turned her head to the young Delta. "Are you sure you''ll be okay?"


    "I will be." She answered with burning determination. "I''m not the scared ve they loved to push around anymore. I''m stronger than ever before. I won''t allow them to push me around again, even after they figure out who I am."


    Pride swell in my chest, throbbing against my rib cage. My baby sister had always been strong, she needed a chance to let it out.


    I want Kiya to face her past and to prove herself. That is why I selected her to be on this mission. She was an excellent trainer, a powerful fighter, and a formidable werewolf. She is everything a Beta wolf should be, and a future Luna. Neron is a fool for rejecting an amazing person. All I was hoping is that I made the right decision. in doing this.


    The four-story pack house does not differ from mine, albeit it''s a little smaller. Instead of howling wolves as their statues, its wolves snarling, a representation of their ferocity. Moss and white brick made up the exterior and their windows were plethoric. As I drove up to the main entrance, I noticed the Alpha and Luna, Beta and Beta Female, and Gamma and Gamma Female awaiting us. Eyeing the rear-view mirror once more, I nced at all my warriors, a mix of human and wolves.


    I couldn''t be any prouder of them. Each is powerful, and their influence will shape this pack for the better.


    "Are you all ready?"


    Kiya I sucked in a deep breath, calming my palpitating heart. This is it. This is now or never. I saw them from the faintly tinted window, standing cordially on the front steps of their home, their eyes expecting who will emerge from this van.


    As expected, Neron and Odessa were still together, with his arm locked around her waist. I should be angry at this picture-perfect couple, but I wasn''t. I felt nothing. I didn''t care if Neron and Odessa were Alpha and Luna, I didn''t care about them as people. But I couldn''t help but notice that the five years enhanced their beauties. Neron is still very handsome, with a subtle stubble growing on his chin. His wavy hair is much longer, cascading over his shoulder des, and his eyes were still a deep ocean blue. He has gotten bulkier and stronger, his muscles standing stark from his ck shirt and dark pants.


    Chapter 40 The Arrival Bonus Odessa is cymotrichous as always, her brte hair barely brushing her waist.


    Her hazel eyes v were brighter, her skin is wless, and her cupid-bow I*ps still make any man fall to their knees. The confidence and 03:35 haughtiness that oozed out of her aura made me want to cut her down a size, not because she is with my ex- mate, but because of what she did to


    1. me.


    My eyes went to Raina and Valerian, still madly in love and powerful in their stances. Raina looked as youthfulst saw her, the only difference is her corkscrew curly hair reached mid-back.


    Valerian is also very handsome, his brte hairid a neat curly mess on top of his head with his fringe barely brushing against his eyes, failing to disguise the sharpness of his green.


    I see Kwame standing next to a tall beauty who is his mate, judging by the identical mate mark on the base of her neck. She was cute with deep tan skin, wavy auburn hair with golden brown highlights, brown, almost- ck pools for eyes, and full rosy I*ps. She looked beautiful with my friend at her side. Out of them all, I couldn''t wait to get to know her.


    "Are you ready, Artemis?"


    "Always. It''s you and I against them all, Kiya."


    A gentle hand gripped my own, and I turned to see Abigail shing me one of her best smiles. Despite being human, I knew she could feel what I was feeling. She is naturally intuitive. I give her a nod, letting her know I was okay.


    "Are you all ready?" I hear my big brother say.


    "As we''ll ever be." Unbuckling our seatbelts, we all exited the van from both sides, mine facing my old pack. Hopping onto familiar territory, a violent wave of nostalgia struck me and not the good kind. I shivered momentarily but pushed it down. The trunk popped open as the six of us gathered our suitcases with Darien grabbing Alpha Anthony''s travel bag.


    "Alpha Neron." My brother greeted, shaking his hand. "It is a pleasure to see you again."


    "Likewise, Alpha Anthony. I thank you for your generosity in lending my pack your finest warriors. I assure you that their stay on mynd will be nothing short butfortable."


    From the corner of my eye, I notice other pack members gathering to see the neers on theirnd. Many faces were familiar, some were not. Keeping my eyes forward, I m the trunk of the van close, walking behind my friends.


    "I hate them all already," Jacqueline opened the mind-link between us all, minus Anthony. "Say the word Kiya and I''m hurdling them over these damn trees."


    "It''s all right, Jackie." I reassured my best friend. "I''m fine, really. And please, no violence on my behalf."


    "They don''t seem like much." Galen sneered, rolling his eyes. "Although the Alpha looks absolutely scrumptious!"


    "Dude, that''s Kiya''s ex-mate!" Sapphire snapped. "And he looks taken. Ugh, I won''t like that haughty bitch. Her aura is gross."


    I hear a soft growl erupting beside us. Our eyes look at Darien, who looks as if he was struggling to hold back his wolf. His eyes were glued to the back of Anthony''s head, like he was trying hard not to look elsewhere. I''ve never seen the stoic and collected Darien so bothered.


    Chapter 40 The Arrival


    "Are you okay?" Abigail asked him through the mind-link.


    "I''m fine." He blurts before mming his mental wall between us all. What was his problem? C


    +10


    Bont


    03:3


    We all eyed each other in concern, worried about our friend. I''ll ask him what the issue was after we settle in our rooms. We all gathered behind our Alpha, standing tall.


    "Wee to Zircon Moon territory." Neron announced to us. "This is my Luna, Odessa. My Beta Valerian and his mate Raina, and my Gamma Kwame and his mate Lori."


    "You a all know me to be Alpha Anthony of the Ga Moon pack. This is my Beta, Jacqueline and her mate and pack warrior Abigail. Sapphire is my other pack warrior, and my three Deltas, Darien, Galen, and finally Kiya."


    Artemis growled deep within me, ready tounch herself at the familiar faces. I feel her sizzling desire to  their faces raw. Each face bone painful memory after another of my abuse, but, as usual, I push the away. They cannot smell me, and they won''t recognize me. That is the hope, anyway. I was different from h theyst saw me, packing on muscles and curves could change one''s looks.


    Everyone shook hands, but I retracted, refusing to touch any of them. Especially Neron and Raina. The thought made me want to vomit. Shaking hands with my tormentors is out of the question. From a single touch, both Raina and Neron could know who I am. Mates don''t forget each other, and neither does family They''ll take my behavior as rude, but I didn''t care. Their touches broke Halima, but they''ll not break me.


    I''m untouchable.


    POST CO Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection Chapter 41 The Mystery


    +10%


    Bonus


    03:22


    "Have you ever met someone for the first time, but in your heart, you feel as if you''ve met them before?" - JoAnne Kenrick Kiya I shook Kwame''s hands, smiling small as the recognition twinkled in his eyes. I sent a silent message through his eyes to not say anything before shaking his mate''s hands. Her smile made her adult face much brighter and cuter, sending my heart fluttering. Lori is so beautiful.


    I notice Darien neglected to shake Odessa''s hand. Even Odessa looks ufortable in his presence.


    "Let us take you to your rooms," Neron announced as the pack parting to let us through. I didn''t miss the stares burning through the fabric of my shirt, undoubtedly from the Alpha and Beta Female. I ignored it and watched as Valerian guided us to our rooms, passing through the foyer.


    My curious eyes noticed the subtle changes to the interior. We passed by themon room, noticeably bigger with young wolves ying Resident Evil 3 on the yStation 4. Cooked food wafted through the hallways and Omegas were dusting and cleaning. I smirked as I watched them do the work they forced me to do.


    Some stopped to eye us, watching as we passed by. My eyes caught the milky blue orbs of Samantha, now five years older. A twinkle of remembrance shined through her eyes, her pale skin paling impossibly further. Shooting her a knowing smirk, I paid attention back to the pathway towards our rooms on the third floor of the packhouse.


    "Tonight, we are hosting a party to officially introduce your warriors to our pack," Neron spoke to Anthony. "Your attendance would be most appreciated." "Ah, thank you, Neron. It would be a pleasure to meet your members in your soiree. You didn''t have to throw a party on our behalf."


    "Nonsense. It''s an asion noted for celebration."


    I gagged. As if I want to dance and mingle with this godforsaken pack. I''ll do it for Anthony''s sake, but afterward, I''m flipping everyone the bird.


    Each of us was given a room, several doors apart on either side of the corridor. I didn''t waste any time walking into my room and mming the door behind me, expelling the breath I didn''t know I was holding.


    I couldn''t believe I got out of that unscathed.


    press the back of my head against the door, my bag slumping to the ground from my shoulders. The earlier confidence I had back at thewn vanished, anxiety bubbling up in its ce. Why does this always happen to me? Why am I now feeling terrified of these monsters when I should strut through these halls with my head held high? My head in my hands, I groaned softly, my frustrationncing me through the chest and stomach.


    I thought this would be easy. But I''ve bitten off more than I could chew. The traumatic memories cloud my vision, ying in my mind like an old movie. I see Neron''s fist hurtling towards my face, I hear Raina''s cackles as she pushes me down the stairs, Odessa''s snarkyments while she hacks out chunks of my hair, and the echoes of the pack members'' insults bombarding louder than my heartbeat.


    Chapter 41 - The Mystery


    +109 Bonus I wanted to puke. I wanted to leave. I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong. I was still a weak bitch underneath this muscle. Underneath this warrior is still Halima, the pitiful ve that couldn''t defend hers03:19 Hot tears mimicked waterfalls, falling rapidly down my bronzed ch*eks as choked sobs erupted from my throat.


    Worst of all, I could feel my powers beating at my defenses, demanding freedom. I grunted, fighting hard to keep them at bay. It is like pushing against a door that threatened to shatter from the sheer force of a battering ram. We were pushing for dominance over the other, wanting the ability to control this body. One breath. Two. Three. My lungs expand and shrink with every intake of oxygen, adding strength to my side of the battle. It pushed against the unstable force that is the moon''s power, keeping it tamed as it should be. After a minute, I panted heavily, my energy expanded. I was being tested, and it is not fun. Goddess, why the hell am I so-


    "Shut the f*ck up!" Artemis roared in my mind. The sharp volume added with the unanticipated yell made me jump. "You are not weak, Kiya! You never were! Don''t you dare fall into that pit of misery we''ve spent years digging ourselves out of. We will not go back into that hellhole in the middle of this hellscape that used to be our home."


    I remained silent, allowing my tears to fall further.


    "Get up and go to the mirror."


    "What?"


    "Get your ass up and go to the mirror, or I''ll make you." Not wanting my wolf to forcibly take control of my body, I trudged towards the full-length mirror that stood next to the double-doored closet. "What do you want me to do?"


    "Look at your reflection." I did, and I could have sworn I see a reflection of Artemis''rge body behind me. "You are not weak. The person reflecting at you is not weak. She is a warrior, a fighter who has been through hell and emerged victoriously. She is a woman who fought for her life because she believed that the future is worth living for. She is a woman with an unimaginable power that no one could take from her. She is a woman that proudly shows off her scars, for they hold no power to ruin her. She is a woman who fought her way through the ranks to be one of the best Deltas Ga Moon had ever seen."


    I listened in silence as my tears continued to fall. "That woman is you, Kiya. Do not ever doubt your strength. Standing here, alive, and well, is a testament that the abuse e


    they put us through did not break your spirit. You are different now. You''re confident, an unstoppable machine. They cannot and will not hurt you anymore. We are immune to their threats because they could no longer affect us. You are powerful, and you could do anything. We''re stuck here for the next couple of months, we cannot change that. But we will not bow or look away. We will march on, look at our demons straight in the face and say, "You will never win over me again"."


    "Now, wipe your tears. You shed more than enough during your lifetime. You won''t shed anymore."


    Trauma is a festering demon that liked to tear down walls if one lets it. I let the demon tear down my walls enough. I was tired of it having power over me. I cannot let years'' worth of therapy go to waste. I cannot let my parents'' words go to waste.


    Chapter 41 The Mystery Bonu I will turn my pain into power. I will turn my anger to power. Use it to better me, as I''ve done back home. My progress doesn''t end because I was back in my childhood hell.


    03:11


    I have people who support me in this house and back in California, Reminding myself that I was constantly supported was a hassle because there was that deep part of me that still believed the dark whispers from my past. But I think the reminders are a good thing. They help rebuild that foundation that crumbles little by little, reinforcing the notion that I always deserve better.


    I deserve better, no matter what.


    I''ll show them. I''ll show Zircon Moon that I am strong. Better than any of them would ever be.


    I will make them regret everything they''ve done to me. I swear it.


    Neron Onyx was restless.


    He rose from his resting ce, coiling, and trotting around like a mad dog. He still won''t speak pacing around in my mind is bing increasingly bothersome.


    to me, but him The Ga Moon members emit dominant power and resilience. The moment they stepped on my territory; I knew they did note here to y games. They are a group on a mission, and they will see it through. Even the human among them radiated with the mightiness only a select number of humans could achieve. The preparations for tonight''s party were underway, but oddly enough, I was not excited. I''m worried. Scared, even.


    Why? When the Ga Moon members walked past me to enter my home, it felt as if someone doused me with ice-cold water. The chill pierced my heart, knocking the wind out of me. I never felt so unsteady on my feet when someone brushed past me. I almost buckled over when that mass of curly hair walked near me.


    I couldn''t see her face. She hid it from me and refused to look me in the eye. My inner curiosity propelled me to find out more about that woman and why she had this effect on me. Her deep bronzed skin, her full l*ps, and corkscrew-like hair seared itself into my mind, pulsating that image of her I managed to catch for a moment.


    I didn''t smell a scent on her. She was a werewolf, and she should carry a scent, but why doesn''t she have one?


    It bothered me. She bothered me. She made my heart pound and my sweat nds secrete. Why did I feel that urge to seek the woman out? My fingers ached to run themselves through her hair, and I desired for her I*ps. on mine. I wanted to touch her supple skin, to taste it. Goddess, how could I be wanting another woman when I have Odessa at my side?


    Speaking of Odessa, she hasn''t been herself. Ever since the members took themselves into their designated rooms, she has been very snappy. She snapped at several Omegas for merely standing in her way as they cleaned the hallways. Something was bothering her, and she couldn''t tell me. Instead, she holed herself up in my room, refusing to talk. I noticed the same mannerisms in Raina. She became fidgety, her normal vibrant energy was non-existent. Something was going on with the three of us, and I want to know what.


    Chapter 41 - The Mystery


    +109 Bonus


    From the window in my office. I spot Valerian giving the group of warriors the tour of ournd and training grounds. My eyes found the mass of curly hair obscuring the face I was desperate to see. She crossed her a


    12 underneath herrge chest, her posture strong despite her short height. Onyx battered himself against the forefront of my mind, wing his way to usurp control of my body. His growls grew in volume and ferocity, wing at the walls between him and what he demands to have.


    "Onyx!" I roared. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?"


    "Give me control, now!"


    "And why the hell should I do that? You shut me out for days and you expect me to relinquish control over my body without question? Why are you like this?"


    "As if you care. I see what I want, and I know what I want, and I will get it no matter what!"


    The vagueness of his demand did nothing to calm my growing anger. Like hell I''ll give him control! I don''t chest. Know what the f*ck he ns to do, and I was not in the mood to find out.


    Growls rumbled deep in my pushing my wolf back to where he came from. My hands grip the arms of my chair, nails sinking deep into the vood.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Onyx and I fought. Hard. He refused to answer my demands, providing responses filled with vagueness and wolf away mystery. Does this have to do with the Ga Moon crew? In myst act of offense, I shoved my ack in his cage and doubled down on my mental walls. I still feel him wing his way through the psychic arriers but relents after a while.


    Throwing my head at the spine of my chair, I panted, feeling my energy dissipate from my pores. Fighting gainst your wolf was like fighting against an immovable object. Sometimes, wolves like to snatch control way from their humans, governin their bodies for their allotted time. It''s done out of intense anger, sadness


    - desire.


    esire fits the bill, here. The desire to get closer to the curly-haired mystery woman.


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    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 The Mystery


    +10


    Bonu


    07:0


    "Have you ever met someone for the first time, but in your heart, you feel as if you''ve met them before?" -JoAnne Kenrick Kiya I shook Kwame''s hands, smiling small as the recognition twinkled in his eyes. I sent a silent message through his eyes to not say anything before shaking his mate''s hands. Her smile made her adult face much brighter and cuter, sending my heart fluttering. Lori is so beautiful.


    I notice Darien neglected to shake Odessa''s hand. Even Odessa looks ufortable in his presence.


    "Let us take you to your rooms," Neron announced as the pack parting to let us through. I didn''t miss the stares burning through the fabric of my shirt, undoubtedly from the Alpha and Beta Female. I ignored it and watched as Valerian guided us to our rooms, passing through the foyer.


    My curious eyes noticed the subtle changes to the interior. We passed by themon room, noticeably bigger with young wolves ying Resident Evil 3 on the yStation 4. Cooked food wafted through the hallways and Omegas were dusting and cleaning. I smirked as I watched them do the work they forced me to do.


    Some stopped to eye us, watching as we passed by. My eyes caught the milky blue orbs of Samantha, now five years older. A twinkle of remembrance shined through her eyes, her pale skin paling impossibly further. Shooting her a knowing smirk, I paid attention back to the pathway towards our rooms on the third floor of the packhouse.


    "Tonight, we are hosting a party to officially introduce your warriors to our pack," Neron spoke to Anthony. "Your attendance would be most appreciated."


    "Ah, thank you, Neron. It would be a pleasure to meet your members in your soiree. You didn''t have to throw a party on our behalf"


    "Nonsense. It''s an asion noted for celebration."


    I gagged. As if I want to dance and mingle with this godforsaken pack. I''ll do it for Anthony''s sake, but afterward, I''m flipping everyone the bird.


    Each of us was given a room, several doors apart on either side of the corridor. I didn''t waste any time walking Into my room and mming the door behind me, expelling the breath I didn''t know I was holding.


    I couldn''t believe I got out of that unscathed.


    I press the back of my head against the door, my bag slumping to the ground from my shoulders. The earlier confidence I had back at thewn vanished, anxiety bubbling up in its ce. Why does this always happen to me? Why am I now feeling terrified of these monsters when I should strut through these halls with my head held high? My head in my hands, I groaned softly, my frustrationncing me through the chest and stomach.


    I thought this would be easy. But I''ve bitten off more than I could chew. The traumatic memories cloud my vision, ying in my mind like an old movie. I see Neron''s fist hurtling towards my face, I hear Raina''s cackles as she pushes me down the stairs, Odessa''s snarkyments while she hacks out chunks of my hair, and the echoes of the pack members'' insults bombarding louder than my heartbeat.


    Chapter 41- The Mystery


    +109 Ronus I wanted to puke. I wanted to leave. I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong. I was still a weak bitch underneath this muscle. Underneath this warrior is still Halima, the pitiful ve that couldn''t defend hers@8:57 Hot tears mimicked waterfalls, falling rapidly down my bronzed cheeks as choked sobs erupted from my throat.


    Worst of all, I could feel my powers beating at my defenses, demanding freedom. I grunted, fighting hard to keep them at bay. It is like pushing against a door that threatened to shatter from the sheer force of a battering ram. We were pushing for dominance over the other, wanting the ability to control this body.


    One breath. Two. Three. My lungs expand and shrink with every intake of oxygen, adding strength to my side of the battle. It pushed against the unstable force that is the moon''s power, keeping it tamed as it should be. After a minute, I panted heavily, my energy expanded. I was being tested, and it is not fun.


    Goddess, why the hell am I so-


    "Shut the fuck up!" Artemis roared in my mind. The sharp volume added with the unanticipated yell made me jump. "You are not weak, Kiya! You never were! Don''t you dare fall into that pit of misery we''ve spent years digging ourselves out of. We will not go back into that hellhole in the middle of this hellscape that used to be our home."


    1 remained silent, allowing my tears to fall further.


    "Get up and go to the mirror."


    "What?"


    "Get your ass up and go to the mirror, or I''ll make you."


    Not wanting my wolf to forcibly take control of my body, I trudged towards the full-length mirror that stood next to the double-doored closet. "What do you want me to do?"


    "Look at your reflection." I did, and I could have sworn I see a reflection of Artemis''rge body behind me. "You are not weak. The person reflecting at you is not weak. She is a warrior, a fighter who has been through hell and emerged victoriously. She is a woman who fought for her life because she believed that the future is worth living for. She is a woman with an unimaginable power that no one could take from her. She is a woman that proudly shows off her scars, for they hold no power to ruin her. She is a woman who fought her way through the ranks to be one of the best Deltas Ga Moon had ever seen."


    I listened in silence as my tears continued to fall. "That woman is you, Kiya. Do not ever doubt your strength. Standing here, alive, and well, is a testament that the abuse they put us through did not break your spirit. You are different now. You''re confident, an unstoppable machine. They cannot and will not hurt you anymore. We are immune to their threats because they could no longer affect us. You are powerful, and you could do anything. We''re stuck here for the next couple of months, we cannot change that. But we will not bow or look away. We will march on, look at our demons straight in the face and say, "You will never win over me again"."


    "Now, wipe your tears. You shed more than enough during your lifetime. You won''t shed anymore."


    Trauma is a festering demon that liked to tear down walls if one lets it. I let the demon tear down my walls enough. I was tired of it having power over me. I cannot let years'' worth of therapy go to waste. I cannot let my parents'' words go to waste.


    Chapter 41 - The Mystery


    +105


    Bonus I will turn my pain into power. I will turn my anger to power. Use it to better me, as I''ve done back home. My progress doesn''t end because I was back in my childhood hell.


    06:55


    I have people who support me in this house and back in Califomin. Reminding myself that I was constantly supported was a hassle because there was that deep part of me that still believed the dark whispers from my past. But I think the reminders are a good thing. They help rebuild that foundation that crumbles little by little, reinforcing the notion that I always deserve better.


    I deserve better, no matter what.


    I''ll show them. I''ll show Zircon Moon that I am strong. Better than any of them would ever be.


    I will make them regret everything they''ve done to me. I went t Neron Onyx was restless.


    He rose rose from his resting ce, coiling, and trotting around like a mad dog. He still won''t speak to me, but hi pacing around in my mind is bing increasingly bothersome.


    The Ga Moon members emit dominant power and resilience. The moment they stepped on my territory; knew they did note here to y games. They are a group on a mission, and they will see it through. Eve the human among them radiated with the mightiness only a select number of humans could achieve. The preparations for tonight''s party were underway, that oddly enough, I was not excited. I''m worried. Scared, even.


    Why? When the Ga Moon members walked past me to enter my home, it felt as if someone doused me with ice-cold water. The chill pierced my heart, knocking the wind out of me. I never felt so unsteady on my feet when someone brushed past me I almost buckled over when that mass of curly hair walked near me.


    I couldn''t see her face. She hid it from me and refused to look me in the eye. My inner curiosity propelled to find out more about that woman and why she had this effect on me. Her deep bronzed skin, her full lips, and corkscrew-like hair seared itself ita my mind, pulsating that image of her I managed to catch for a moment.


    I didn''t smell a scent on her. She was a werewolf, and she should carry a scent, but why doesn''t she have a It bothered me. She bothered me. She made my heart pound and my sweat nds secrete. Why did I feel i urge to seek the woman our? My fingers ached to run themselves through her hair, and I desired for her lit on mine. I wanted to touch her supple skin, to taste it. Goddess, how could I be wanting another welLLENT W I have Odessa at my side!!


    Speaking of Odessa, she bast''s been herself. Ever since the members took themselves into their designate rooms, she has been very snappy She snapped at several Omegas for merely standing in her way as they cleaned the hallways. Something was bothering her, and she couldn''t tell me. Instead, she haled barsalf u my room, refusing to talk. I noticed the same mannerisms in Raina. She became fidgety, her nommall vibra energy was non-vistam


    Something was going on with the three of us, and I want to know what.


    Chapter 41-The Mystery


    +10


    Bonu From the window in my office, I spot Valerian giving the group of warriors the tour of ournd and training grounds. My eyes found the mass of curly hair obscuring the face I was desperate to see. She crossed her


    #06:5 underneath herrge chest, her posture strong despite her short height.


    Onyx battered himself against the forefront of my mind, wing his way to usurp control of my body. His growls grew in volume and ferocity, wing at the walls between him and what he demands to have.


    "Onyx!" I roared. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?"


    "Give me control, now!"


    "And why the hell should I do that? You shut me out for days and you expect me to relinquish control over my body without question? Why are you like this?"


    "As if you care. I see what I want, and I know what I want, and I will get it no matter what!"


    The vagueness of his demand did nothing to calm my growing anger. Like hell I''ll give him control! I don''t know what the fuck he ns to do, and was not in the mood to find out.


    Growls rumbled deep in my chest, pushing my wolf back to where he came from. My hands grip the arms of my chair, nails sinking deep into the


    wood.


    Onyx and I fought. Hard. He refused to answer my demands, providing responses filled with vagueness and mystery. Does this have to do with the Ga Moon crew? In myst act of offense, I shoved my wolf away back in his cage and doubled down on my mental walls. I still feel him wing his way through the psychic barriers but relents after a while.


    Throwing my head at the spine of my chair, I panted, feeling my energy dissipate from my pores. Fighting against your wolf was like fighting against an immovable object. Sometimes, wolves like to snatch control away from their humans, governing their bodies for their allotted time. It''s done out of intense anger, sadness,


    or desire.


    Desire fits the bill, here. The desire to get closer to the curly-haired mystery woman.


    Chapter Comments Phenyo Mashudu on they definitely mates Arty is badass bitch. I love her. Wish I had a wolf who would smack some sense into me when I have my demons pester me like that.


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 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 - The Party


    "The best revenge is massive sess."-


    Frank Sinatra Kiya


    +109


    Bonus


    06:49


    I sat in front of my new vanity mirror, twisting out my springy curls as theyid on my bare shoulders. Mimicking corkscrews, they bounced with ease when I twisted my head from side to side. A confident smile made its way to my face as I stared at my reflection. Tonight, is the induction party for Zircon to meet Ga.


    I wonder how long it would take for someone to recognize me.


    "Hoo!"


    My eyes dart down to see little Diana hopping around my vanity, taking great care not to jump in any of my makeup palettes. She followed me from California, now taking refuge in the oak trees behind my room. An awkward meeting before the passage ceremony turned into an unorthodox friendship between us both. Diana disappears from time to time, meeting me in my bedroom on random nights, so imagine my shock when I found her perched in one of the trees near my room! I''ve grown fond of the little owl. I giggle, running my fingers through her colorless feathers.


    Grabbing my ck and white makeup palette, I did my eye makeup, generously applying silver shimmer to my cut crease. Adding thick eyeliner with wings sharp enough to stab my enemies, Iplete my smokey eye makeup. Following with foundation, mascara, blush, and highlighter, I was proud of my skills. I couldn''t thank Lyria enough for introducing me to makeup, with it, I was able to express myself like never before. I miss her so much.


    "What do you t think, Diana?" I pulled out two tubes of lipstick. "Bold color or neutral pink?"


    Her beak tapped the neutral pink tube.


    "Hmm. Excellent choice." Applying on the neutral pink lipstick, I set everything with setting spray. Smoothing out my dress, I trotted towards the mirror to admire my look.


    My ck halter dress reached an inch above the floor, the slit revealing most of my right leg. The mermaid style fabric hugged my curves in the right ces. Silver rhinestones adorned my chest area, twisting and spiraling down to my waist. The dress exposes my corbones, shimmering with dry oil. It exposed my back, along with the years'' old scar that stood stark against my darkplexion, although curtained by my hair. Around my neck hung the selenite ne, humming softly with an abnormal glow. Selenite pearls glittered on my earrings and bracelets,pleting my entire look. My close-toed, metallic silver heels raised me an inch with thick straps encircled my ankles, fitting snug around them.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "I look good!" I smiled. "Don''t you agree, Diana?"


    Holding my arm out, Diana flew over, curling her talons around my fingers. Her head craned left and right to get a fuller view of me before hooting in satisfaction. Ah, Diana is my biggest critic.


    She had excellent eyes; no pun intended.


    Several knocks from my door resounded through my room. "Kiya, are you ready?"


    "I''ll be out in a second!"


    +109


    Bonus miana took that as her cue to leave, hooting at me softly, caressing he had in my neck before flying out bedroom window. Once my beloved owl flew to her new home, I walkid towards the door. Swinging (6947 see my friends dressed their best and in their signature colors.


    "Damn, girl," Jacqueline waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Yo in tok delicious enough to eat...but not as tulicious as this one here!" Abigail squealed when the Bete wolttaquiotted her neck with kisses. Rolling m eves yfully, I grabbed my ck purse hanging by the hook and titted my bedroom.


    "You''re going to knock a lot of unmated wolves out of decided. Ki Sapphire smiled in her bright blue dress. "Why did you go with ck?"


    I shrugged. "I wanted to look hot."


    "That''s the spirit!" Galen snaked his arm around nunshulden alcheesy smile on his face. "Take no p prison Kiya! You might capture the eye of a certain Alpha


    "Highly doubt that. He has eyes for someone elst.. dolled my eyes. But deep down, I hope that Neron nc me so he could see what he could never have end luhat he failed to keep close. I feel the penising within me, knowing that all eyes would be on nssoned the mark on my back is noticed, there is no doubt. people would know who I am. It''s no longer a syrythiol of shame, but a symbol of my defiance. I defied dea and lived.


    Darien adjusted with the cuff of his suitifolkninginighty handsome as the fabric clung onto his muscles. medium-length hair was geiled back, showing off more of his sharp jawline and designer stubble. Galen i matching suit, adorning a bright blue tied His hair is tied in a small, low ponytail with a strand of hair fre the left side of his face.


    Jacqueline is adorning a tight deep grereed dress that hugged every curve with ck heels that raised her inch and a half. Her long braidsajazily on her back, swaying with every movement. Abigail sported a t yellow dress that also hugged nerves with a flowy bottom and ruffles on her left shoulder. She tried! away from her mate in her golden satls, but it was impossible. She looked like the African Goddess O with how the bright color madelbendelerp mnin pop. Sapphire''s dress, matching in the blue shade of t name, adorned a strapless dressbitnishing against her knees with the gentle frills swaying with her hips. blond hair is curled in beach haves and her silver high heels raised her another inch.


    We all looked beautiful, hnd up positive we will send this pack running with our power. Walking down stairs, we met our Alplph, whouse hazel eyes lit up upon seeing us. He wore a clean-cut white suit with a blue tie, like the suit the wore when he first became Alpha five years ago.


    "Are these my warricio ontmerica''s next top models?" He kids, shining a smile with overflowing pride.


    all look amazing Red colonized oralt borchecks, feeling bashful at our leader praising us. His hands went to mine, grip them tightlyll''approud of you, Little Bit. You look like you''re ready to take on the world."


    "I am, Tony" dinildid my checks blossoming with heat. "I''m not scared anymore.


    Do you know where assembly hallik?"


    "Yes. HelocitThen he offered me his arm. "Care to show your old pack what you have be?"


    My smile wididoned further, looping my arm around his. "Most definitely."


    ha


    +10


    Bonu Third Person POV


    06:4


    When the Ga Moon group entered through the double doors, all eyes were on them. Many conversations died down, and the atmosphere of the room shifted to the warrior wolves. The aura they all exuberate together overflowed with power, authority, confidence, and intimidation. Kiya and Anthony walked in front of the group, arms looped with each other. Followed behind them were the Beta couple, the women matched each other in step and pace, letting every unmated male in the room know that they were off the market. Behind them were Sapphire, Galen, and Darien, with the arms of the she-wolf looped with both men.


    Whispers and gossip spread across the tables like an infectious disease, all conversation focused on the powerful wolves who graced them with their presence. Some were in awe, some indifferent, but many jealous. Unmated she- wolves growled in desire for the men, while the unmated men couldn''t keep their eyes off either Sapphire or Kiya.


    The ranked wolves and their families watched as the guests of honor took their seats close to them. The women took their seats first before the men. Amid their conversation, they all were oblivious to the controlled chaos that rolled behind them.


    Odessa shifted in her seat, shuffling her seat closer to her Alpha. Her eyes couldn''t stop darting to Darien, who sat six feet away from her. Her wolf get six growled deeply, desperate toy her im on the warrior. A scowl never left her face, her fingers fiddling with the golden ne thatid on her neck. She wore a white dress but felt regret for the inbound sweat stains.


    "Love, are you okay?" Neron whispered to her. Odessa jumped in her seat, startled.


    "I''m fine, Neron." She retorted through her teeth. "Perfectly...fine.¡± From the tone of her voice, she wasn''t. The earthy scent from Darlen we was slowly driving her mad, dousing Ariel in a pool of desire. She wanted, badly, to ignore the intoxicating scent destined to ruin her, but she remained strong. Gripping Neron''s hand, his touch worked to coax her into rxation.


    As for Neron, he glued his eyes to one person. The beautiful woman in ck. A powerful wave of nostalgia washed over him as he watched herugh with her group. She looked right at home. He was angry-he wanted to be that home for her. He wanted nothing more but to grab that woman and make sweet love to her in his bed. Soft growls erupted in his throat when he heard the lustfulments from the unmated wolves when she came through the room.


    "Goddess, the she-wolf in ck is hot as fuck."


    "I''d bone her if I had the chance."


    "Is she mated? She doesn''t have a mate mark."


    "That means she''s easy pickings. I''d give anything for a night with that goddess body."


    "I call first dibs!"


    Neron had to control himself to not rip the heads off those wolves. They have no right to lust over somethin that was rightfully his-! Wait, his?


    Chapter 42 - The Party


    +10%


    Bonus


    06:34


    His heart stopped when he mentallyid his im on Kiya. He questioned his sanity, unable to rid mind of the she-wolf. Onyx continued to writhe and pant in need, adding to Neron''s growing frustr hormones. Not only that but the woman''s face was so familiar to him. It made his heart burn painfully une longer he looked at her.


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 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 The Punch


    "Beware of those who don''t fight back. Sooner orter, they will."-Joyce Rachelle Third Person POV


    +10% Bonus


    06:31


    Wanting to get the ceremony over with, Neron rose from his seat and speedily marched towards the podium on the stage. Kiya''s brown eyes followed his every movement, smirking at his obvious dishevelment. It ted a deep part of her, looking at the Alpha''s disordered appearance, aware of his eyes burning into her flesh.


    Everyone noticed their Alpha standing at the podium, all conversation fading to silence.


    "I''m sure you all are wondering why I''ve gathered you together for this asion." Neron''s voice carried throughout the hall, bouncing off the pristine walls. Unmated she-wolves swooned in their seats for the Alpha, while the Ga Moon group remained stoic or rolled their eyes.


    "The recent rogue attacks have gued our tight-knitmunity with despair and destruction. We''ve lost family and friends. Children lost their parents, and mates lost their other halves. This cannot go on, for our survival is at stake. I had the pleasure of meeting with my fellow Alpha, Anthony Guerrero of the renowned Ga Moon Pack. After lengthy discussions, we''vee to an agreement where he not only sends aid to the affected families but loans us his best trainers to train our warriors until a select few prove themselves worthy for the open Delta titles. Without further ado, I would like to introduce Alpha Anthony and his chosen warriors."


    "That''s our cue." Alpha Anthony mind-linked his group, who all stood up in unison, ps and a few stray whistles erupted from the crowd as they watched the group of seven walked onto the stage. Both Alphas shook hands, exchanging words of confidence in whispers as the six fighters stood strong and tall by each other.


    Kiya''s eyes scanned the crowd with an indifferent expression, void of affection and joy. She spotted many familiar faces, especially her denounced family. She could see Raina and Valerian sitting next to each other with their bundle of joy swinging his legs in his seat. Next to them were her former parents. She resisted the urge to spit over her left shoulder at the mere sight of them.


    The crowd disgusted her. Here they are, sitting with an overflowing hope that she and her friends would help. them regain the strength they''ve lost. She''d walk away from all if she had the opportunity. But her eyes spotted the children of all shapes, sizes, colors, and genders.


    She''s doing this for them. Them and their innocent parents.


    The height differences between the six warriors stood out the most. The shortest is Kiya, and the tallest were Jacqueline and Darien. Each of them stood strong and proud next to one another, unstoppable forces that could not be budged. Alpha Anthony took to the podium, smiling as Neron took a step back.


    "Thank you, Neron. It is a pleasure to be in the presence of a great pack. The threats of rogues are horrendous, for there is no shortage of packs who have suffered because of these mongrels. Unfortunately, some have fallen to absolute ruin." Many mumbles of concern swam through the atmosphere. "However, our goal is not to let this pack fall victim to soulless wolves. You all have a powerful leader who will lead you to victory, and I''m here to lend my support and help to further enforce the power you all hold."


    His eyes darted to his group. "I''m proud to have selected this fine group of warriors to be your temporary trainers. They all worked hard to get to where they are right now. Each has strengths within their rights, Chapter 43 The Punch


    +109 Bonu specialties that can help the warriors, young and old, to be better fighters. They aren''t intended to rece your Deltas, but to seek those strong enough to take up the mantles that have been lost too soon. 06:28 expect you all to treat them with the same level of respect that they would give you."


    "Like that will ever happen." Kiya and Artemis muttered in unison.


    The introductions led on, the Alpha expressing each warrior''s skills and specialties, his eyes sparkling with pride. Apuse followed as the group took to their seats once again for the arriving dinner, ignoring the looks they received from the crowd. Neron stalked Kiya''s every move, from the flicking of her fingers, to the sways of her hips, to the powerful strides she made when it was time for everyone to mingle.


    Conversation boomed in the air as the Ga Moon warriors got to know many of the members and met a few warriors eager to be taught by members of the warrior pack. Alpha Anthony gained a fan club of his own, unmated she-wolvespeted for his attention, ignoring the fact that he was fully mated with a child. Despite being in a rtionship with Odessa, Neron is on the hunt. His Alpha instincts imed his rationale, yearning for Kiya. Mindful of his appearance, he scoured the crowd for the woman in ck.


    The mass of curly hair escapes him with every attempt he made, either blocked by a wolf or disappearing into the crowd. He wanted to know who she is and why he couldn''t pick out her scent. Onyx grew more and more restless, his beastly nature aching to make their im on the woman. He isn''t just sensing the beautifuldy: he could sense the wolf deep within her.


    And he wanted her now.


    ¦ª?¦Í¦Á


    This party is boring.


    And hated every single moment of the mingling.


    Many of the pack members I recognized didn''t recognize me. How could they? I was full-figured with muscle and dolled up. Part of me is disappointed, but another part of me is excited, expecting their reactions once they see their former ve had made her reappearance.


    And this time, she knows how to fight back.


    I called it a night after escaping the clutches of some unmated males needy for attention. Mind-linking my brother and friends a good night, I made my way back to my room. The hallways were just as I remembered it, deste and polished. My heels scuffed at the tiled floors, a distant memory of polishing the crevices creeping back up in my memory. I remember it all, how hard I worked to make these floors sparkle.


    Now, they don''t sparkle anymore.


    Heading up the stairs to the third floor is when the scent hit my nose. The scent that erupted a volcano of rage deep within the pits of my belly. The damned scent of sandalwood, sage, and ginger. There''s one thing I knew for sure.


    Neron was following me.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I have an inkling as to why.


    Chiote 43 The Punch


    +10% Bonus Before I could take another step, I was pushed against the wall by a hand body. Powerful heat epassed me, worsened by my ck dress. Large hands gripped my wrists, pinning them against the wall behind 06:26 brown eyes met blue, flickering to ck. Heavy huffs of air Ised my face and neck, the culprit''s face mere inches from mine.


    I''m not scared. I was for a mere second, but then it died like maythes at the day''s end. Neron pants heavily above me, his six feet five stature swallowing mine at my fire feet five.


    "Who are you?" He growled, his voice straining for control.


    I scoffed. "It seems like barbarism is amon trait amongst men of this pack. Who do you think you are restraining me like this?"


    His eyes promptly shut, his nose sniffing the air smiled as he failed to pick up my scent. "You''re a wolf, and yet you carry no scent. Why is that?"


    "That''s for me to know and for you to never find out." I rolled my eyes. "I''m not in the mood for this. Are your going to let me go or what?"


    His color-shifting eyes flickered in sadness, one hand releasing my right fist. His fingers grazed my cheek with the gentleness of cotton, full of affection, T''m so sorry. You look...like someone I once knew...and miss dearly."


    My rage exploded. Emotionsbusted in me like a raging wildfire, threatening to do as much damage as possible.


    Will I regret what I am about to do? Neu Will it have repercussions? Maybe.


    Do I care? Nope.


    I punched Neron in the face. That satisfying crack of his nose sent tingles down my spine, awakening a spive awakenin vident grin gr my face. Crimson spiked, and it was his for a change. The Alpha growled as he clutched his brokem nose, some droplets of blood ending up on his suit. I shook my hand to ease the pain.


    Sweet payback for all the times he punched me in the face.


    "Let''s get one thing straight, Alpha," I growled, Artemis inside me was at full stance, also ring att Werron. Although, I have a feeling Ve staring down the wolf in him. "Don''t I she was ever touch me. I don''t give a shit how much you miss this mystery person, but you will not do this to me again. I''m here under the discretion of my Alpha, and I be damned if you think you can treat me as an object.


    "But do tell me one thing, Alpha," I smirked, my eyes glittering. My fingertips reached to his face m mimicking the same action he did to me. My eyes stared deep into his, burning every pointed emerian I have to twist his heart. "Does it hurt to desire what you could never have?"


    His eyes widened as big as saucers, electric blue swimming in shock and dismay. His sittin lost its color and words were lost to him. His blood-stained lips were paralyzed in his fear. Feeling satisfied, I turned to walk back to my room, my heels clicked with every step I took..


    "That little number is nothingpared to what is in store for you, Neron." And with that, I mmed my door shut, disappearing for the rest of the evening.


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 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 - The Nephew


    "The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."-Plutarch Kiya


    "You behave while I''m gone, okay? I expect no trouble from you."


    +109 Bonu


    "I''ll be fine, big bro. When have you known me to cause trouble?" I giggled, squeezing him tight in our hug. Anthony was leaving to Ga Moon and my heart wept. I knew this wasing, but it didn''t make it any easier. I''ll miss him terribly.


    06:21


    The others bid their Alpha farewell before returning inside the packhouse, leaving the two of us alone. They knew we needed a moment together before he left. This was different. This was unlike when I return to San Jos¨¦ for the school year. I knew when I wasing back, and I was in a ce where I was weed and loved for who I am. Here, I don''t know when I''ll return, and I was in a ce I abhorred.


    "You''ve grown and matured a lot, Little Bit," Anthony whispered, bright hazel swimming in distant memories. "I still can''t believe how strong you''ve gotten. You amaze me and I know you''ll get through this."


    I nod, my smile was sincere. My eyes zed with unshed tears. "Sometimes I wonder what my life would be if Mom and Dad didn''t find me. Would I have still been a rogue? Would I have died?"


    "That''s why what-ifs should remain what-ifs. Fate brought my parents to you and blessed you with the joy you never got." He scoffs inaudibly, his eyes scanning not only the packhouse behind me but the surrounding territory. "This pack does not understand what they lost that day. But..." He looks back at me. "I''ll never stop being proud of you. You''re a trooper, Little Bit. And I love you so much."


    "I love you too." I hugged my big brother onest time, my tears dripping onto his shoulder. I promised I wouldn''t cry, but I couldn''t keep them in any longer. I couldn''t thank him and his family enough for keeping my hope and love alive.


    I will make them proud, no matter what.


    I waved goodbye to Anthony as I watched his van roll out of the territory, leaving me alone. It is a bittersweet separation, but I found myself at peace. Ga Moon had given me the tools and the assurance to move forward with my life, and that is what I will do.


    Once the ck van faded from my sight, I headed back inside the packhouse on my way to themon room. The others and I were nning out the new training schedules and routines based on the files that Kwame had given us. We n to assess the strength and aptitudes of all the fighter wolvester this afternoon.


    HI


    ''Bossman is finally gone, huh?" Galen asked as I slumped on the couch next to him, crossing my feet on the table.


    "Yep. It''s just us now."


    Sapphire passed me a couple of mani files. "Time to get down to business. We already started on the first stack, so you can start on the other." Each file held the profile of each fighter wolf,beling their basic stats such as how much weight they could lift and their running times. I also spotted basic information like their height, weight, and age. Every wolf we came across has its strengths and weaknesses we can work with.


    1/4


    The Nephew


    +10


    Bonus But this is not enough. We need these wolves to be stronger because we do not have a timeline of when and where the next rogue attack could happen..


    06:19


    We spend the next hour and a half organizing and recandling dinwn the warrior wolves in our tablets to keep track of training status. We threw out ideas and suggestions for new items we could use in their new regimens. Since Zircon Moon decided to implement training regimens to the newly shifted pups, we needed te up with a schedule and routine fit for the young wolves. I don''t want to burden the young ones with so much when they already have school and friends to way alhout Speaking of wolves, I haven''t seen Neron around. I spotted him when we were having breakfast earlier this morning, but he didn''t stay for long. He looked speed and ate his food in his office, leaving no room for questions. I couldn''t help but feel a sense of saudlines when I saw his nose hadpletely healed. That''s werewolf healing for you.


    He didn''t even look me in the eye in the kitetem. took extra care to disguise my scent to keep him guessing.


    After we all were done, I took thepleted ns and files up to Neron''s office. No one wanted to be in the same room as him without ripping his head off, soll was the best option. I didn''t mind it. As I am walking up the stairs, a little bundle of joy bumped into my legs, not strong enough to push me off bnce.


    "Oops! Sorry!"


    My eyes dashed down to look at a little boy no more than five years old with a toy airne in his tiny hands.. His youthful, medium-tanned skim ut fint amidgens of dirt, his curly mess of ck hair rested on top of his small head, his eyes were bright emerald green with his cute button nose and full lips. When his eyes ment mine, an enormous smile appeared on his face.


    "It''s okay." I smiled. "You shall be careful of where you''re going. You never know who you might rum int


    "I saw you before! You were at the partyst night!" He eximed, hopping in ce. His buzzing excitement is contagious. "You will multe te wives very strong, right?"


    I nodded. "Yep! That''s the plum!"


    "That''s so cool!! Could be a string wolf too?" He asked me, his eyes shining. "Daddy always toit mell will grow up to be a big, strong wolf so I could protect my Mommy."


    Chuckling, I kneeled his height, hugging the files close to my chest. "You are and you will be once your wo is born. I promise I stretched out my hand. "My name is Kiya. What''s yours?"


    "Adonis,, but everwane calls me Donny!" Adonis shakes my hand vigorously. "You''re very praty, Miss Kiya. A Tot of us sapesa!!"


    I blink. "Really? Well, that is sweet of you, Donny."


    "Are you going to the Alpha''s office? I can take you there!"


    Adonisuks more than excited to talk to me, judging by how he wouldn''t stop wigting. Smiling, I rose to fi height andl incatided, allowing the young boy to lead me to Neron''s office. He batibles on about his day in school and how he couldn''t wait to get his wolf when he is older.


    He was cute, reminding me of the over-energized children back at home. Pure and innocent. Adonis was just like them, and in my heart, I knew that he was one of the children I want to protect from danger. When he Chapter 44 - The Nephew


    +109


    Bonu told me that he wanted to be a strong wolf, that couldn''t be any farther from the truth.


    The air around this child is different from the typical pup. Despite his age, anyone can tell that the blood flowing through Adonis is that of a ranked wolf. Powerful. My eyes widened and my breath hitched in my throat when I put the pieces together.


    Oh, my Goddess! The power in his blood is like mine, Jackie''s, and Dwayne''s.


    Adonis has Beta blood. He''s Raina and Valerian''s son. I couldn''t believe that I was talking to my nephew.


    06:11


    My mind shed back to that fateful day on the cliff, remembering how my sister''s stomach was slightly poking out from her dress. I wished for whoever her child would be to not be evil like her and I''m here, watching that same child make airne noises as he soars his toy in the air. A very, very deep part of me was saddened at this. Adonis has no idea that he is talking to his aunt. Was he even aware that he had an aunt?


    Did Raina talk about me to him at all?


    I rolled my eyes and scoffed. Who am I kidding? Raina didn''t talk about me at all. All Adonis needed were his parents and grandparents. That saddened part of me quickly turned into anger over the fact that my nephew would never learn the truth about what his Mom did to me. Raina will always be the sweet, innocent mother and not the sinister demon who took pleasure in torturing me.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I shook those thoughts out of my head. Children do not hold the sin of their parents. Adonis is an innocent child who hasn''t experienced the full pleasures of life, yet. He deserves to live out his life and happiness without me ruining it for him. I don''t want to ruin the image he had of his parents. They were his superheroes. I''ll only be here for the summer.


    After that, Adonis would never see me again.


    "Here we are!" He announced, presenting the mahogany double doors of the Alpha''s office with an outstretched hand. Neron''s scent permeated through the creases of the doors, announcing his presence inside. "Want me to knock for you?" "Oh no, you''ve done enough." I ruffled his curly hair,ughing. He squealed, batting my fingers away. Thank you very much, Donny. You''ve been a good helper." "You''re wee! See youter, Kiya!" And with that, the little trailzer booked it down the corridor. disappearing into the fading light. Such a precious little boy. Turning to the door, I knocked hard three times. A gruff "Come in" was heard and I entered with my files at hand. Neron looked up from the paperwork he was doing, his eyes widening as I approached his desk.


    "We''re done." I m the stack down in front of him. "We''vee up with rough drafts of training schedules that we will discuss with you and your Gamma once we have ompleted them. I am also developing a training regime for your newly shifted pups, which I will implement in the next day or two, depending on how many are interested in training. The files helped, giving us a sense of where your army is in terms ofbat and skill, but we have some ideas of fresh ways to not only better strengthen your army but make them more


    equipped to battle enemies beyond the typical rogues."


    Neron stared at me, his eyes flicking from blue to ck once again. It was almost unnoticeable if Dolinked, but I kept my eyes on him. Unwavering. "Yes. Thank you for your help. How


    ¦¯


    long will it be until I see a draft?"


    "In an hour, give or take." I simpered. "We work fast."


    Chapter 44 - The Nephew


    "I see..."


    "How''s the nose?"


    +109 Bonu


    06:14


    That broke Neron''s indifferent gaze on me, his brief shock shifting into a scowl.


    "Punching an Alpha is a punishable offense, Kiya. You don''t want to be causing trouble here on your first day."


    "Don''t pin me against the wall then." I shrugged. "You got in my personal space, and I defended myself. Don''t dish out what you cannot take, Alpha."


    "Cockiness isn''t attractive, woman."


    "Neither is that look on your face, so we both lose."


    He''s getting irritated. Good. I could see a vein pulsating on the side of his V.e head. "Look. I''m sorry for the Way behave Nast night. That was improper of me, and I didn''t mean to offend you. I don''t know what came over


    me."


    "Control your wolf next time." I rolled my eyes. "Alphas need to have full control over their wolves and their actions. That I learned from my Alpha. Take responsibility. Don''t find excuses."


    FOST COMMENT:


    Chapter Comments Screw taking back his rejection. He''s worthless. Onyx is the true mate. Danan should reject Odessa and he and Kiya can be 2nd chance mates...still wish Onyx didn''t have to suffer though Angle G. de Mu?oz I''m loving her nick name. Little Bit.


    VIEW ALL I COMMENTS!


    N SHARE


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 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 The Reveal


    "Payback is a bitch, and the bitch is back."- Stephen King Kiya


    +109


    Bonus


    06:11


    A tense air of silence transpired between us; our eyes locked onto each other. Neither of us moved. Neither of us faltered. It was a test to see who''d blink first. Who''d be the first to look away?


    I was the first. Because I got bored. As I turned to leave his office, he said something that stopped me in my tracks.


    "You never answered my question fromst night." I heard a shuffle before my footsteps. When I turned, I saw Neron was less than a foot away from me, his blue eyes firm. "Who are you?"


    "I''m sure Anthony told you who I was." I shot back, crossing my arms underneath my chest. "Or does your barbaric mind need a refresher?"


    "I know the basics about you, Kiya. Your position, specialty, and age. But there is more about you I need to know." His eyes narrowed. "My wolf goes crazy whenever I see you. Almost as if he knows something I don''t."


    "Then ask him."


    "I can''t, which is why I''m asking you." His breathing became arduous. "You look like someone that used to be a part of this pack. She was..." He cleared his throat. "... someone who didn''t get what she rightfully deserved."


    "So, you miss this person so dearly that you think that I am her?" It wasughable. An uncontroble throng ofughter erupted from my throat, spilling into the air between us. Iughed until the point of tears at the utter absurdity of it all. This man, my ex-mate, was a shell of his former self and it was hrious..


    Where was the unstoppable Alpha now? Where was the one who didn''t hesitate to mark me for death? Who didn''t mind pping the crap out of me? Where was that Neron?


    "This isn''t funny, Kiya."


    "Oh, I think it is." I wipe a stray tear with a finger before facing Neron again. I soaked in his appearance, his height, and his build. Everything about him. I stood strong and confident in front of the eyes of the ''feared'' Alpha, observing his ocean blues. Once upon a time, these eyes caused me great fear. Each night in that cell, the void in these eyes held the wrath of a vengeful god, casting judgment upon my battered body, soaking in the blossoming purple.


    Blue is the color of his hatred. It swam in his eyes for the longest time. Now, blue is the color of his cowardice and his inadequacy. There was nothing to fear with these damned eyes. I felt nothing. Not the preordained sparks, not the stillness one would have when seeing their mate, and not the uncontroble mes of desire to be around them.


    I only felt unending hatred.


    Artemis stood strong and tall, growling as deep and as loud as she could. She wanted his wolf to feel her hatred. She wanted him to feel the pain and she wanted to convey the message to him she does not need him. My wolf and I were perfectly fine on our own without a mate, and I will make sure Neron knows that.


    1/4


    Chapter 45-The Reveal


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    "This ''mysterious person you say you miss. I started anywoicessaturated with spite. "You said she didn''t what she rightfully deserved. If it''s happiness, thattiinpossible.it''s because you and your pack toolog away from her. You beat her with an inch of her liftovercrime she didn''tmit. You gave her the lowe: ranking of all your pack, ten times beneath the story Omegas who run your kitchen. You forced her to scrul and clean in silence. No matter how much painskewasiin.sshe did the work. Why? She was forbidden toin, for only pain awaited her if she eventHought to rebel against you and your wretched excuse for a father."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The mighty Alpha faltered. His heart rendezeliimmubitel in his chest and his skin drained of all blood. His horror worked his feet backward, takingrgeestteps away from me until the back of his thighs hit the rim of his desk. That didn''t deter me. It only motivateel metto do more. I walked forward, my hatred gushing out o my pores like a wild waterfall, engulfingthievery office that we''re in. "H-How did you-"


    Shut up!" I shouted; my voiceyeredwithhtemis. His eyes paled at the amount ofmand I had, my Beta blood working with me, forcing ofbomer Alpha to submit. "How many times has she begged for you not to hurt her? How many timessliassstitelbegged for a little smidgen of love from those who abandoned he Did you grant her mercy? Did youalltowiert to get a full night''s sleep on a clean mattress? No. You didn''t forced her to work, day in and dayyout because you thought her suffering and torture ispensation for it death of Luna Celeste and Nuria!"


    I''m in front of him, my breathlixattering his face as he futilely leaned back to get away from me. "You neve cared for her, so don''t acttassiffyouhave regrets now. All she wanted was love. All she wanted was security Was that too much to ask for the things she''s entitled to as a child and a teenager, this horrid pack decided collectively tharistie dat deserve those things. Her own fucking family turned their backs on heri A dark smile made its wayito my face, stretching from ear to ear. My powers hattered against any deferases, hoping tonce this Alpisal through his heart, but I kept them at bay. "Guess what, Neron Prince? Sudecki night of your ceremony Suttide was the only option for the girl who had nothing to live for. Benthed Moon Goddess was merciful and gave her a second chance at life. She found love. She found a family Sarmally hope again, andlitwass away from the pack who killed her soul and her ex-mate who shattered herdhearr


    "Tell me... howdbrasittiteel, to know that you''ve already lost so tragically?"


    "I-L..." Neromsttuttered. The mighty Alpha stuttered. I could hear his wolf howling in poininternally, but I didn''t care. Tisabwolf was no mate of Artemis, and Neron was no mate of mine. He couldnt.cohere sentente teosavethis sorry hide.


    "...H+Halima??"


    "Hellb. Neeronssang sardonically. "Never thought you''d see me again, huh?? Withanak sooff, I turned backt bothiessorry Alpha, heading towards the door. "Another thing. Halima Linealdeed!it''s Kiya Guerrero now!!


    Istinct him an icy re from over my shoulder, impaling him through the chest And I''m not the one to b furfordwith" With that, I exited his office with a triumphant smirk never leasing face, Loown my fate. I shape my destiny. And Neron was not a part of it..


    Mounow.


    Natever.


    Chapter 45 The Reveal


    +109


    Bonus


    06:06


    Neron I couldn''t breathe. My legs buckled underneath me,, my hody crumbling to the hard floor. Onyx, deep in his pain, howled with a shattered heart. His broken howls ced a dome over my ears, refusing to let any other sound into my ear canal. His pain was all I was able to beat. My heart thudded against my ribcage, threatening to shatter my lungs and bones to escape the pain it''s subjected to.


    Halima is here.


    Halima is alive.


    My mate is as real a as I a


    1. am.


    And she hates me.


    The darkness shed a light on all my nightmares, forcing them out of hiding.


    They''re forced into my vision, reminding me of how much of an awful person I was. Every word she said impaled me through every part of my body, sending the poison of her animosity to every nerve ending in my body. It was overwhelming. It choked me from the inside out. It forced me over the ledge, sending me to the very death Halima weed with open arms.


    I''ve never met someone with the level of hatred Kiya had shown. It was blinding.


    It wanted me to feel it. It wanted to kill me. That''s how much my mate wishes for my demise. Because I treated her like absolute shit and destroyed every bit of hope she had left.


    It''s my fault she is like this. It''s my fault Onyx would never feel the warmth of our mate in our arma, all because of my ego, selfishness, and stupidity.


    My wolf continues to cry out for his mate, no doubt feeling the hatred from Kiya''s wolf. She doesn''t want him My head went into my hands, nails digging into the thin flesh on my forehead. Onyx doesn''t deserve this! Ble doesn''t deserve to mer for my mistake!


    He was right all along. I made a colossal mistake, and he was paying for it. I spent my entire life fighting against him and his desires and this is where I got us


    All this time I''ve been dreaming of how I would make it up to Hal-Krya if I ever saw her again. Now she''s back, walking and my home, and I couldn''t do a damn thing. I couldn''t tell her how say I was and how pathetic I am because she doesn''t want to hear it.


    Eight years'' worth of pain and misery transformed into burning hot hate.


    How long until the Lanes find out? What would Raina do if she sees her baby sister in the flesh? What about Ashley and Steven, who''ve been broken after her suicide? What about them?


    What would Kiya do if she ever sees my father?


    I needed to do something. I couldn''t let things end like this, I must make things right with her.


    Whether Kiya likes it or not, we are destined mates. She is my destined e


    Luna. She is mine as much as i am hers rs. She is the only one my heart yearns for. I will spend the rest of my natural life making it up to her and earning her forgiveness.


    Chapter 45- The Reveal Onyx needs her. I need her. O I couldn''t lose her again.


    +109


    Bonus


    06:03


    I prepared to run out after her, but I was pushed back into my room by a disheveled Odessa. Her hair is slightly unkempt, and her eyes were darker than usual. She closed the door behind her and gave me a pointed look.


    "You need to mark me. Now." She demanded. I blinked. "We''ve wasted too much time, Neron. We need to make this official, now."


    "Odessa, I don''t have time for this. We''ll discuss thister."


    "Neron, what is the matter with you?!


    This is your chance to prove to me you love me and that I could finally inherit the Lunaship Her screech was unnatural. We had spoken previously of when we would finally mate, making her my Luna, but things had changed. Not when my true mate is as close as I could touch her. "We need to do this right now before it''s toote!"


    "Odessa, why are you in such a hurry?" I demanded, eyeing her carefully.


    "What''s the real matter here? Why are you rushing the mating process?"


    "Because I found my true mate and I don''t want him!" Chapter Comments angie peleison Which is not possible. Being in this pack after all these years would do nothing but hurt her more. This isn''t her pack. It never was.


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 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 - The Training


    +109


    Bonus


    05:59


    "Arrogance is a creature. It does not have senses. It has only a sharp tongue and the pointing finger."-Toba Beta Kiya It was time to see just what these wolves were made of. My eyes scanned the field before me, all wolves of shapes, sizes, and genders were mingling, waiting for the start of training. Some women were in deep conversation while some men were roughing each other up or stretching. The training regimen my fellow warriors and I came up with was approved by Gamma Kwame since Neron hasn''t been seen since our little encounter in his office.


    I cross my arms as I sit on a rock with one leg folded over the other. Next to me was a pile of training weapons I obtained from the gym, including fake swords. From the naked eye, I could not tell which of these wolves was worthy of the Delta title. My hopes were high when training had begun, but as time went on, I became unimpressed.


    "I say we have them pair up," Sapphire suggested, tying her long blond hair in a high ponytail. "I want to see where they are at."


    "Hmm. I think that''s too easy." Darien shook his head. "We need to test their resolve. We won''t know who is strong unless we test them ourselves. I''m sure there are a few cocky individuals who don''t take kindly to neers."


    "There''s always a couple of those in every pack." Jackie huffed as Abigail trailed next to her. "Pairing them up would help us gauge who would start with what specialty."


    Getting down to business, she ced two fingers in her mouth, ringing out a sharp whistle that snapped all heads towards the six of us. "Everybody line up!" In seconds, the men and women formed a horizontal line in front of us.


    "Before we all get started, let me ask you all a question," I spoke, my voice rigid with authority. It felt good. "By a show of hands, how many of you believe that your wolf strengthens you?"


    Unsurprisingly, many hands shot up in the air. I nodded. "Okay, hands down. How many of you all believe you are nothing without your wolf?"


    Again, many hands go up..


    "All right, all right. Final question, how many believe because you''re a werewolf, you are superior?"


    I could see slight hesitation in some faces, eyeing their peers for help. I cross my arms, warning that I would not repeat myself. Several hands go up..


    "Okay." I sigh, careening my head left and right to rid muscle tension. ¡°I appreciate the honesty amongst this crowd. However, I didn''t expect there to be many idiots in this lot of warriors." Buzzes ofints were promptly silenced when Jackie let out a deep, rumbling growl. All wolves respect a Beta, no matter what pack they were from.


    "I want you all to remember something from here on out." I stand on the boulder I previously sat on, giving myself some added height. "Your wolf does not strengthen you. You strengthen your wolf. It is important to not get caught up in the idea that because you were born with a living, breathing animal within you that


    1/3


    Chapter 46 - The Training


    +10% Bonus makes you superior. The ego has no ce on the battlefield. You lean on your wolf for many things, rapid healing, quick metabolism, enhanced speed, and so on. Your wolf leans on you. They are your consciousne5:56 they are that little voice in your ear that warns you of danger."


    "You all became warriors for a reason, and it is important to strengthen not only the wolf but the man or woman behind the wolf. Goddess forbid that therees you lose your wolf. If you do, however, the time human must be strong enough to hold his or her ground in battle. The enemies don''t give a damn if you are a human, wolf, man, woman, old, young. All they see is a target, a thing that needs to die. Your survival depends on you, your skill, and your resolve. You fight until yourst breath because I guarantee that all of you have someone or something that you want to protect. Never forget that."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Now. Here is what would happen today." Galen spoke up, his signature sly smirk never leaving his face. "You all will pair up with someone and demonstrate what you''ve learned. Tomorrow, you all will be ced in three groups to begin the nitty-gritty of training, weapon warfare, wolfbat, and hand-to-hand training, led by yours truly. If you don''t have a partner, you''ll be paired off with one of us. Now break!"


    As quickly as it began, everyone is training in pairs. Some in wolf form, some as human, and others opted into weaponry. The six of us walked around, eyeing the sesses and faults in some wolves'' movement, making mental notes about who would begin in which group.


    As I walked, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a man with shaggy dirty blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a cocky smirk looking down at me. I recognized him as one of my many pursuers at the party.st night. I groaned.


    Great.


    "Kiya, isn''t it? I was wondering if you could spar with me."


    "Couldn''t find a partner, Orion?" I questioned, noticing the mischievous glint in his eyes.


    "As you could tell, no." He shrugged. "Plus, I think I''d benefit a lot better if I was under...your expertise."


    "Is that so?" I brushed my curls behind my neck, ring razor-sharp daggers. ¡°I think Darien would fit to be your partner. He''s tall, about your build, and he takes no prisoners. If you want a challenge, I suggest you go to him."


    "But I chose you. A short cute werewolf like you had to make it up the ranks somehow."


    I raised an eyebrow. From my peripheral vision, I could see the ranked werewolves exiting the packhouse to form a silent audience. cing my hands on my hips, I frown. "Care to enlighten me? How do you think I got to where I am now?"


    "Well." He brushed back his hair, his egotism profound. "With that pretty face, you could do and get whatever you want."


    I get straight to the point. "Are you suggesting I slept my way through the rank?"


    "No need to be so crude about it." Orion sniggered, covering his mouth with a hand. "But yes. Tell me, how many wolves did you have to seduce? I mean, with that body I''m sure you didn''t have to do much. The human girl is only here because she''s mated to a Beta and the blond... well... she''s not much to look at. But you? A trainer with an ass and tits like that? I highly doubt you didn''t use at least one of those assets."


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    Chapter 46 - The Training


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    Bonu


    The smile made its home on my face. It refused to leave. I tick my head to the side, eyeing this bastard carefully. It didn''t take him long to show his true nature. The arrogance was so thick around this man that 05:5: could grab a chunk of it and chuck it back in his face. This isn''t the first time I was used of sleeping my way to the top by ignorant men, but I quickly earned respect back home. It was amusing.


    Laughable.


    Shoving my hand in my pocket, I pulled out a scrunchie, tying my hair up in a high ponytail. Some corkscrew strands fell on my face, brushing against my checks. "Get in position."


    His eyes widened. "W-what?"


    "Get in position," I repeated. "There is no shortage of men like you. Arrogant, Cocky. Thinking they are the best in everything when, their egos are as small as their dicks."


    His smirk quickly faded into a scowl.


    "If you think that way of me, I shudder to see what you think of your femalerades in battle. I wouldn''t be surprised if they left you dying under the jaws of a rogue."


    mes of anger licked within his eyes, shing ck. I''ve stoked the mes of his wolf too. "No one talks to me that way!"


    "Well, that''s too damn bad!" By now, some warriors stopped to see the hubbub between Orion and me. By the looks of the women, many were pleased to see someone calling him out, finally. "You wanted to spar, so we''ll spar. I''ll give you the honor to choose human, wolf, or weapon."


    "Wolf." He growled, throwing away the air of confidence he had earlier. Now, the air around him throbs with anger. Ignoring the tears of his clothes, Orion shifted into a big brown wolf, heated golden eyes failing to set me alight. My friends smiled and took a step back.


    "Ready, Artemis?"


    "I will tear him apart.¡± With that, I shifted. The growls of my wolf blended with the tears of my clothes, my skin sprouting snow-white fun. Within seconds, I''ve fully shifted into Artemis, her coat glistening under the beating rays of the sun. Many gasps and whispers erupted from around us, many in awe at seeing a white wolf for the very first time. Orion faltered slightly, realizing his mistake at challenging me, but quickly recovered.


    He wasn''t backing down, and neither am I.


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 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 ¡ª The Forsaken


    ¡°Congrattions, you did it! You gave me a great desire to hate you!¡± ¡ª Unknown


    Artemis


    +10


    Bonu


    05:4


    Orion lunged at me the moment my paws hit the ground. He was quick. But | was quicker when | took a sidestep, brown blurring


    in my peripherals. His jaws snapped at me, lunging for my neck.


    Since | am a Beta wolf, | was bigger, towing over him by several inches. | ducked, ramming my head into his chest before


    twisting around and biting his leg, sinking my sharp teeth into it. (


    | toss the hound to my side, blood dribbling from my jaws. Orion hoisted back on his paws, ignoring the


    damage to his leg. Like a warrior wolf, he was trained to fight until he couldn¡¯t anymore. Lucky for him, so was


    1.


    He snagged me a couple of times, a swipe of his ws to my sides, a bite to the leg, or the tail. But | was better, stronger, and


    faster. | countered every move he made, making a clean brown wolf into a marred mess of


    brown and red.


    As myst act of offense, | sunk my jaws into his neck, biting down harder every time he struggled. | won''t kill him but leave him


    with a reminder to never challenge me without proper training ever again.


    After a minute of struggling, Orion relents, kneeling in surrender, | unsheathed my teeth from his neck, spitting the blood from my


    mouth and shaking off my fur from all dirt. My blue red deep into his gold, conveying a silent message that only wolves could


    hear, regardless of pack links.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Never underestimate your opponent. | let you off easy, but the enemy will not. Consider this your only warning.¡±


    | turned, leaving the wolf to his devices. From the stairs of the packhouse, | could see Neron. But more importantly, | could see


    his wolf within him. Onyx. He looked forlorn, eyes beseeching mine. With a soft growl, | jerked my head away from him.


    ¡°Great job, Artemis,¡± Kiya cheered. ¡°I knew you could do it.¡±


    ¡°Not without you, Ki.¡± Sapphire, Abigail, and Jacqueline surrounded me at all sides, using their bodies to shield. me from prying


    eyes. Galen came over with an oversized t-shirt.


    It''s time to bid adieu to the world around me. With ease, | allowed my human control as our bodies shifted.


    Raina


    The scent was unmistakable. It wafted my nose the moment the woman shifted back. It was the scent that |


    pleaded every night to the Moon Goddess to bring back. It was the scent that faded from her child¡¯s clothes my parents keep in


    their house to remember her by. It was the scent that brought me back to the happier days of my childhood before things fell into


    horse shit.


    | watched as Kiya emerged from her huddle of friends wearing an oversized t-shirt that covered her essentials. | came to see the


    new warriors¡¯ training when instead, | got the spectacle of a lifetime. White wolves were rare, and | never thought | live to see


    one in person.


    n


    Chapter 47 ¡ª The Forsaken


    But | saw the face.


    Her face.


    +109


    Bonus


    Her face much like mine. Her curls, her skin, her eyes...the big chocte eyes | missed so much. Hot tears


    stung my eyes, swimming down my cheeks as | stared at the face of my lost family.


    Of my baby sister.


    05:47


    ¡°Halima!¡± | cried out, my heart beating a mile a minute in my chest. She looked up at me, and | winced, backing up a step. Her


    eyes didn¡¯t hold love like they used to, but repugnance and malice. It shook my very core, sending shudders down my spine. It


    made me want to curl up into a hole and hide, for the sheer power of her stare is fearsome. U


    ¡°Hi, Raina.¡± She responded, but not without an added snarl. Unable to control my legs, | ran. | ran to my baby sister. | ran to the


    woman that | wished upon every fallen star to see again. | wanted to hold her, tell her how much | loved her, and how sorry | am


    for hurting her.


    But | didn¡¯t get that chance.


    Halima pushed me to the ground.


    ¡°Don''t fucking touch me!¡± She shouted at me as |nded right on my ass. ¡°Don¡¯t ever touch me!¡± Now that


    that | am closer, her re is more powerful. The inferno of hatred and revulsion pulled me into the pits, searing me like a b of


    steak on a grill. The woman standing above me was my sister, but she was different. She was stronger and better than | ever


    thought she would be.


    | knew, if she had her way, she would tear me apart in seconds. She was terrifying.


    ¡°Halima, it¡¯s me, Raina. Remember? Your sister!¡± | pleaded, my tears unending.


    ¡°Oh, | know who you are.¡± She glowered. ¡°You are no sister of mine. My sister s back in California.¡±


    Her words stabbed me in the heart, tearing my heartstrings out one by one. ¡°No, you don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°| do. Wholeheartedly.¡± Halima bent down, leaning in so close that our noses almost touched. ¡°And my name is Kiya now. Not


    Halima. And unless you wish to be hurt, you''ll leave me alone.¡±


    Kiya stood back on her feet, ring at the warriors who all stopped their training to look at her. ¡°The hell are you


    all are staring at?¡± That was more


    than enough to kick oe


    sett backiniosge r like the


    spectacle with Orion never happened.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    | tried to reach out to my sister again,


    but she jerked her hand away like |


    was a piece of hot coal. My heart


    continues to De Ce) bypiede the


    nqore, she fejects me, leaving me on


    the ground in my tears. It wasn¡¯t long


    until Valerian came over to help me


    up. But | was in so deep of pain that


    even his touch couldn''t calm me. |


    pushed my husband aside and ran


    back into the packhouse. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    My sister is here. My sister isalive,


    The content ig @ a letahs


    R¨¦allithetest chapter there!


    And her hatred will tear me apart.


    A


    Chapter 47 ¡ª The Forsaken


    Chapter Comments.


    Phenyo Mashudu


    now why would she scream out like that


    Mary Fee


    towering...over him


    VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS |


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    05:44

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 ¡ª The Concern


    +109 Bonu


    05:41


    ¡°Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."-George Bernard Shaw


    Kiya


    ¡°You sure know how to stir up a big ol¡¯ pot of chaos, don¡¯t you?¡± Galen slumped next to me on the couch in themon room,


    passing me my dinner te. At the center of the sea of tomato sauce was a big, steamy piece of cheesysagna that | happily


    dug into, ignoring the pointed inquiry.


    Word spreads like a virus around here. The disy from training today didn¡¯t go unobserved. By mid- afternoon, the entire pack


    was buzzing about the ¡°returned ve¡°. Many grew silent when I passed by them, or swiftly moving out of my path in fear. |


    haven''t seen Neron or Raina since | pushed her to the ground, but | couldn''t find it in me to care.


    It felt good to give my sister a taste of what she did to me.


    ¡°The wolves gossip more than they train,¡± Jacqueline mumbled in disdain, crossing her feet on top of the wooden table. ¡°You


    can¡¯t believe the shit I''ve been hearing all over. These mutts don¡¯t know when to keep their snouts out of business that isn¡¯t


    theirs.¡±


    ¡°It must be a shock to them,¡± Abigail added, resting her head on her mate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I''d be talking too if someone from my


    home suddenly returned from the dead.¡±


    ¡°It''s funny.¡± Sapphire snickered, munching on her piece of the pasta. ¡°To see alleged strong wolves so spooked. | wonder how


    long it would take for them to beg for her forgiveness.¡±


    ¡®They aren''t getting any,¡± | spoke up, shoving a piece ofsagna into my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not here to rekindle rtionships.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Galen sat back, resting his back on the pillows of the couch. ¡°What are you going to do about Neron? Alphas don¡¯t


    let their true mates go without a fight.¡±


    ¡°He rejected me, remember? There is no bond between us, so he is free to mark whoever else he wants.¡± Preferably Odessa.


    Speaking of which, | noticed she doesn¡¯t have a mate mark on her neck. Neither did Neron. Why haven''t they fully mated yet?


    Had this pack been Lunaless for five years now?


    This pack was in more disarray than | thought.


    Before we could get another word out, Darien stomped past us. From his side view, he looks furious. His normally neat dark hair


    is disheveled, his nose was ring with every inhale, and the entirety of his eyes were pitch ck. The rest of us looked at each


    other in silence before dropping our tes on the table and running after our friend.


    ¡°Darien!¡±


    ¡°Darien, bro, wait up!¡±


    ¡°Darien, stop!¡±


    Darien threw the front doors open, his fury striking cracks into the wood. None of us could catch him because he uncaringly


    stripped down nude, shifted into a fully grown pitch¡ªck wolf, and raced into the woonds


    Chapter 49 - The Concem


    +10: Bonu


    deep into the shadows. Our fears rolled into each other through our mind¡ªlink, unanimously specting what made our friend


    take off in a fit of fury.


    05:31


    ¡°Something is very wrong.¡± Galen murmured. ¡°Dari never acts like this. I¡¯ve never seen him so upset.¡± He starts to remove his


    clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going after him.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jackie pressed her palm against Galen¡¯s chest. ¡°He needs some time to cool down. He¡¯lle back to us when he is.


    calm.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in his wolf form on territory he doesn¡¯t fucking know!¡± Galen bellowed, shocking all of us. Galen cares deeply for his best


    friend and was always the first toe to his defense if something goes wrong. | understand why he felt this way. | felt the pull to


    do the same.


    ¡°What if he gets hurt? What if there is a fucking rogue out there and attacks him?¡± Galen implored.


    ¡°Galen, we must trust that Darien will make it back on his own,¡± Abigail mused, her hand on his shoulder. ¡°He is a Delta and an


    extraordinarily strong one at that. If anything happens, he knows how to get himself out. Sirius will guide him back to us.¡±


    Sirius is Darien¡¯s wolf, intelligent and cunning. As much as | agree with Abi, | still wonder what set him off. What in this world


    could have turned that calm and collected man into a disheveled mess?


    Galen begrudgingly fixed his clothes and walked towards themon room, along with the rest of us to finish our dinner. We


    had to keep our optimism alive that our friend would be okay. | made a mental note to talk to Darien once things cool down. By


    the time we finished, we headed towards the kitchen to set our dishes away.


    | noticed two Omegas fishing the piling dishes along with Lead Omega Cassandra wiping down the ind. She gave a curt nod


    to my friends who set their dishes down on the counter, but | lingered at the doorway. Cassandra''s pale green eyes found mine,


    her movements faltering.


    ¡°Aren''t you going to set your dishes away?¡± Sapphire asked me.


    ¡°| just want to know if I¡¯m allowed in the kitchen.¡± My glower pierced Cassandra¡¯s orbs, chilling her core. My friends trailed out of


    the kitchen, leaving me by myself at the entranceway. ¡°Am |?¡±


    She stammered, gripping her white rag in a useless attempt for relief. | could smell the fear rolling into her repugnant scent of


    mint. Her eyes trembled, casting themselves away from mine. ¡°Y¡ªYes. Of course, you are.¡±


    Rolling my eyes, | walked in. | knew | could have just walked in and got my shit over with, but | wanted to see how Cassandra


    would react. A deep part of me longed to see the monster that loved to strike me with a metal spoon, mock my voice, and tease


    me for eating out of the garbage. The nickname of roon still gives me nightmares whenever | enter a kitchen, even back at


    home.


    Cassandra had effectively left her mark on my essence, springing up when | grow hungry or if | so much as think about walking


    into a kitchen. Some days were so bad that I¡¯d stop eating for weeks. Her presence in my mind weakened over the years, now a


    squeaky voice in the depths of the gloom. | toss my te and fork into the pool of soapy water, ignoring the sshes of water


    thatnded on Samantha and the other Omega, Alice.


    ¡°H-How is the food?¡± Her gritty voice inquired. ¡°I hope it was to your liking.¡±


    ¡°| had better,¡± | open the fridge and rummage for a water bottle. Cassandra¡¯s cooking would neverpare to Cleo¡¯s. In her


    food, | could taste the love and care she puts into it. Cooking for so many wolves is not a simple


    Chapter 48 ¡ª The Concern


    +10


    Bonu


    task, but she does the work effortlessly along with her Omegas I¡¯ve gotten to know over the years. Many of them have found


    their mates or have a baby on the way.


    05:34


    ¡°| apologize,¡± Cassandra murmured, bowing her head. ¡°If you could tell me where | need to improve, I¡¯ll make it up to you next


    time.¡±


    | didn¡¯t answer. | felt sick. | half


    expected that any moment now, that


    woman would whip out her spoon


    and smack me o nithe@ackof the¡¯


    head, head¡¯ re was kind. | didn¡¯t


    have time for the onught of


    repentance from people who don''t


    deserve my forgiveness. Alice and


    Samantha grew silent, tensing up at


    our interaction, their bated breaths


    expecting something to happen. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Nevertheless, they¡¯re left with disappointment. Unscrewing the cap, | chugged my water down, already on my way out the door


    before Cassandra blurted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    | stopped in my tracks, screwing my bottle cap on.


    ¡°I''m sorry for treating you the way | did years ago! Please find it in your heart to forgive me, Halima.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Anger rolled out of my pores yet


    again. No shortage in sight. | huffed,


    rolling my eyes. ¡°Save it for someone


    who cares.¡± | left t one fA itd


    kitchen}£¤ghdiing the echoes of her


    pathetic sobs. They had their chance.


    | would''ve forgiven her if things went


    differently. But whether these people


    changed, they still hurt me. They had


    a choice to hurt or help, and it was


    clear what they decided. Fuck them.


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    As | walked towards my room, |


    noticed Odessa heading to the fourth


    floor toward Neron¡¯s room. We made


    eye contact, 1, Que bIOWh ayes Staring


    deep\intd Sie another. However,


    there was a strange glint in hers. A


    glint that spoke of nastiness and


    victory. Her lips curled up into a leer,


    flipping her hair before disappearing


    from my sight. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    O-kay?


    I


    Shrugging my shoulders, | head to my room, locking the door behind me. | was exhausted from today¡¯s events and the new


    training routine for the fighter wolves starts tomorrow at 7 AM. | quickly changed into my pastel purple tank top and matching


    shorts, opening the window to allow some air in before hopping under the


    Covers.


    Before | knew it, | drifted into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 ¡ª- The Request


    ¡°Please tell me the truth about yourself."-Diane Samuels


    Neron


    Sometimes | find mys


    in these dreams.


    +10%


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    05:31


    On my knees with my hands sped together.


    I''m in a void of darkness, stars dotting and twinkling around the cosmic space. Above me shone the full moon, bright as a


    diamond-me. White light projects itself upon me, dousing me in a chill. | did not falter¡ª1 remained as still as a statue, silently


    praying to the Moon Goddess.


    All my dreams that begin like this take a terrible tumble. | was either tossed into a nightmare or the darkness, thetter not


    happening often. Yet | feel as though this dream would be different. My heart and soul beg for an audience with my omnipotent


    goddess, the silent watcher of all werewolves, rogue or not. She is merciful and kind. All | was asking is a chance to speak with


    her.


    | shut my eyes, shielding the tears that threatened to escape. My mind was filled with images of my mate, the mate |


    disgracefully threw away. All | could see was her anger and abhorrence, her snarls of hatred wishing to tear my limbs apart. Her


    anger contorts her face into one | fear, but also one | find beautiful. Kiya was beautiful when she was angry.


    But that was not what | want. | don¡¯t want her scowls. | want her smiles. | want to be the one who makes her lips curve upward,


    showing off her glittering white teeth. | want to give her the happiness my pack and | took from her.


    | want her to be mine.


    As my thoughts run rampant of Kiya, | feel something cool brush against my cheeks. It is feather-like, so soft that it could go


    unnoticed in the blink of an eye. ¡°Open your eyes, Neron.¡±


    | did. My eyes were met with captivating grey, sparing a nce into the depths of my soul. The moonlight cast a beautiful halo


    around the Moon Goddess, giving her an impossibly otherworldly look. My matron Goddess, the protector of Wolfkind...


    ¡°Moon Goddess...¡±


    ¡°That is me.¡± Her smile is small, annulled of humor. ¡°I have heard your prayers, Neron. However, | found no


    reason to answer them.¡±


    My heart was shot, shot as if her words were a bullet of silver. This couldn¡¯t be the end. Tears began to form in my eyes. | knew


    all along she had ignored my prayers, punishment for harming one of her many children. Could this treatment have been


    stretched to the rest of my pack? How many of our prayers had she ignored?


    ¡°Moon Goddess,¡± | spoke. ¡°The dark deeds of myself and my pack cannot escape your eyes. I¡¯ve done you wrong, insulted you,


    andid my hand upon one of your children. Your child, who was my destined mate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Kiya is her name now, isn¡¯t it?¡± | nodded. ¡°It hurts my heart to see my child cast her birth name like garbage because


    she wanted, desperately, to separate herself from the pain.¡± Her eyes darted to the side, almost reprehensible to look at me.


    ¡°Why have you relinquished the destined bond | blessed you with, Neron?


    Chapter 49 ¡ª The Request


    And now you wish for it to be repaired?¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    05:29


    m a fool. A blind fool.¡± | admit ruefully. ¡°There is no excuse for what I¡¯ve done, my Goddess. There is no reason for me to


    harm her as | did, but | did it. Deep in my grief, | believed that punishing a young pup for the loss of my mother and sister is


    retribution enough. Never did | once think about her, But | did not realize just how much | was changing her, how much karma is


    building up toe crashing down on me when | least expected it.¡±


    ¡°What


    you and your pack did to her is unforgivable.¡± There is an edge of rage in her voice that struck fear into every nerve in my body.


    ¡°You''ve subjected years of abuse onto a defenseless pup. That trauma is a part of her now. It grew with her through her


    development, imprinting in her spirit. That part of her cannot be erased. | want nothing more but my wolves to live happy and


    healthy, but life is merciless. Life gives, and it takes.


    ¡°Kiya is the mate | made for you. She is the other half of your soul, the light of your life. Instead of embracing her with open arms,


    you dismember her flesh her and choose another female over her, who belongs to another. Rejecting your mate is the worst


    crime you could do against them, and in turn, insulting me. | pair wolves up for a reason, but you didn¡¯t want to see it back then,


    did you?¡±


    Like a child given punishment, | shook my head. ¡°N-No...| didn¡¯t. | realize my mistake now, Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Neron. What is it you want?¡± She leans down to my eye level, striking silver gazing into my eyes.


    ¡°| want to take back my rejection,¡± | admit, timidly looking her in the eyes once more. ¡°I want to make up for the time I¡¯ve wasted.


    But | want the forgiveness of my mate. | want to rekindle our bond and make her my rightful Luna.¡±


    ¡°Then you are, indeed, a fool Neron.¡± The Moon Goddess sighed, shaking her head pitifully. ¡°You cannote to me and ask me


    to erase the initial rejection. Besides, have you truly learned from this experience? Do you want to take back the rejection


    because you feel you have to, or is it because you genuinely love her?¡±


    | went silent. The brutality of her words hit me hard. After losing Kiya and her exoneration, | realized just how much her presence


    matters in the pack. When she died, everything slowly, but surely, fell apart. But then again, how much do | know about her?


    Her personality is drastically different from when she was a child. | remember her younger self parading after her big sister or


    hanging out with us on school holidays. She was a happy, high-spirited child with a smile that could light up the world. Now, she


    is a strong, intelligent, and untouchable woman with enough anger to burn the territory to the ground.


    | want to love Kiya. | want to know who she is now and get to know my mate as the person she is today. But only if | get that


    chance. She wants nothing to do with me and the rejection hurts.


    But my pain is iparable to what I¡¯ve caused her. She had every right to want me to burn under her gaze. Odessa would


    always be my first love, but Kiya is who my heart truly belongs to.


    The Moon Goddess gazes upon my face, eyes searching for a twitch. Sighing, she stands erect, her holy presence


    indescribable. ¡°Kiya is an incredibly special woman, Neron. She has more power than anyone realizes. She is a force to be


    reckoned with and in time, all will know of her true strength. However, as for you, | cannot find any reason for your rejection to be


    reversed.¡±


    e chance to prove myself,¡± ]


    ¡°Moon Goddess, all | am asking is for say. ¡°When | look back at who | was before, | am sickened. | hate the monster that


    paraded around my home, high fiving with my fellow wolves


    Chapter 49- The Request


    +10


    Bonu


    and then beating her the next second. | don¡¯t want to be him anymore. | want to prove to you and to Kiya that | can and will


    change. That | will be a better man, a better mate, and a better lover. I''d give anything to 05:27 her in my arms, to give her


    everything and anything she wants. After all the crap and hurt she¡¯s been through, she deserves happiness.¡±


    ¡°And what if that happiness is not with you?¡±


    1 swallow painfully, not wanting to face that possibility. ¡°Then | will ept it. | don¡¯t deserve her, but | want to prove myself worthy


    to her and you.¡±


    ¡°It''s true that you don¡¯t deserve her. | am a benevolent goddess Neron, but | will not hesitate to cast rightful judgment upon you


    and your pack for harming my precious wolf.¡±


    | gulped in fear, wincing at the thought of a god¡¯s punishment. It can¡¯t be any worse than what Kiya went through under our roof.


    ¡°Yes, Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°The decisions you make, and the actions that follow reflect who you are. You rejected Kiya as your rightful mate, celebrated in


    her misery, and chose another wolf as your lover. That defined you as a heartless, selfish man. Your inability to face the truth


    until Kiya made her way towards yournd defines you as weak. You cannot hide from your actions from the past as they directly


    affected both Kiya¡¯s future and her actions towards you. She is not a woman who forgives easily, and you are not the only one


    asking for it.¡±


    That part | am aware of. After the whirlwind that caught the drift of Kiya¡¯s identity had the pack in controlled chaos, many fearing


    of what repercussions woulde from their actions of the past. She had every right to hate Zircon Moon, her family, and me.


    ¡°If you wish to prove yourself to both Kiya and me, you need to change your actions and make the appropriate decisions. You


    need to own up to what you''ve done. Trust is easily broken, but difficult to get back, and Kiya has absolutely no reason to trust


    you or anyone from your pack. | will not reverse the rejection because it is not my job. Second¡ªchance mates are rare, and there


    is a reason Kiya does not have one. The retraction of the rejection is up to you and what you do from here on out.¡±


    fault that Kiya


    | nodded in understanding. Everything is all on me now, My Moon Goddess is right. It¡¯s my fa hates breathing the same air as


    me. It¡¯s my fault that she would never forgive me.


    But | will try as hard as | can to win her heart back.


    ¡°One more thing, Neron.¡± Moon Goddess spoke. ¡°Forgiveness is not easily given. It is an arduous process. Do not expect Kiya to


    forgive you on a whim. It will take time, if ever. Wolves are inherently very impatient and demand things to happen


    instantaneously, but | am warning you. Rush, and you will lose her again.¡±


    ¡°What about our bond? Is it dead?¡±


    ¡°Kiya epted your rejection, thus severing the bond between you both. It has been dead for many years. It is only recently you


    recognized her as your mate had your side of the bond revitalized. | cannot say the same for Kiya¡¯s side. Bonds are not instantly


    repaired. It is like a wound; it takes time to heal. Only bymitting to your goal would your efforts be fruitful. It is not


    guaranteed, however.¡±


    ¡°But | will make it work.¡± | rose to my feet, the mes of determination burning in my core. ¡°I will prove myself worthy and


    capable, Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. See to it that you do. But do NOT harm Kiya again. | will be watching you.¡±


    34


    Chapter 49-The Request


    The Moon Goddess faded into the moonlight, her final words lingering in the cosmic space. As the moon drifts farther from my


    reach, dimming the surrounding space, | growl to myself at my newfound goal.


    +10


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    05:24


    | will not fail.


    | couldn''t fail.


    The early morning sun peeked


    through my curtains, kissing me


    awake. For once, | didn¡¯t wake up-ina


    cold sweat but itt yadoFoGnes


    r¨¦sdlve: Sday embarks the long and


    hard journey to earning my mate


    back. | don¡¯t know if | would get her


    back, but at least | could say that |


    tried. It is better to have tried and


    failed than to not have tried at all. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    | look to my side to see Odessa sleeping soundly. The touch that used to ignite a fire in me is now dead. | don¡¯t crave for her


    anymore, as heartless as it sounds. She is a beautiful woman, but my heart no longer beats for her. Could | say | fell out of love


    with her? Probably. She belonged to her mate, whoever that is, not with


    1.me.


    Slipping out of bed, careful to not


    make noise, | quickly got dressed in


    front of my mirror. Faint shouts


    combat and aufaariky (hg From


    obtatdely hy window, poking at my


    curiosity. Kiya and her friends were


    awake,manding the slew of


    soldiers to runps around the


    territory. Fora moment, | didn¡¯t care


    about the progress of the fighters.


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    My eyes were on Kiya. Dressed in


    ck and pink sporty gear, her short


    stature did notpensate for the


    power in her Vole, AIDS cfSadd \n


    ap authDbtitative Stance; her eyes


    remained locked on the wolves. The


    sun blessed the ck curls in her


    hair, highlighting the deep brown


    undertone underneath them. It kissed


    her mnated skin, brightening the


    gold in her brown. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetestProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    chapter there!


    She¡¯s so beautiful. My heart thudded at the thought of her but soon stilled when | spotted the mark that | mercilessly cut into her


    right shoulder de, the ce that formally held her Zircon¡¯s pack mark.


    | cannot erase the damage | put on her body. | cannot wish that scar away. Deep regret festered in my stomach, eating away at


    it. That scar would forever be a reminder that | maliciously brutalized her. The old me smiled,ughed, and celebrated at it,


    forever damning her to a life of suffering.


    But | won''t be that person anymore. | cannot.


    | will be a better man. A better Alpha. A better mate.


    First things first, | need to end things with the woman in my bed.


    Chapter Comments


    Haylie Rogers


    Please do not let her forgive him & be una to that pack..


    Angie G. de Munt


    Whatever he does better be good. Very good and epic to earn at least a bit of respect from her.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 ¡ª The Comfort


    ¡°Sometimes, the best way to help someone is just to be near them.¡°¡ª Veronica Roth


    Kiya ¡ª Later That Day


    +10%


    Bonus


    05:21


    After training ended for the day, | visited Mr. and Mrs. Dubois in their home. After what Kwame told me when he visited Ga


    Moon, | made it a task to visit his parents. | was pulled into a bone-crushing hug by Mrs. Dubois who praised the Moon Goddess


    for protecting me with tears in her eyes. Even Mr. Dubois hugged me.


    It felt strange, honestly. | wasn¡¯t used to receiving love from anyone in Zircon Moon, but the Dubois family held a special ce in


    my heart. Because of their bravery, | am here today. My ashes would have been discarded somewhere, forever forgotten.


    They were the only people | cared about, besides the children and a few of the other innocent pack members, and | will do all


    that | can to ensure their safety. They deserve the best for defying all orders from their Alpha to help a little girl.


    Speaking of children, | will start training the newly shifted pups tomorrow morning and Adama is included! His parents entrust his


    safety to me, and | will honor that promise. To have the honor to train the future Gamma is reward enough. At twelve years old, |


    could sense the potential in him, and | will do my best to make him a strong wolf.


    As | was heading back into the packhouse, Darien jogged up to me. He wasn¡¯t himself this morning and backed out on training


    today. The worry all of us had the night before came back at full force and | admit, | almost went against my word of not following


    him and demanding to know what was wrong with him. | felt relieved to see that he was willing to talk to me.


    ¡°Darien? What''s the ma-¡±


    ¡°| need to speak to you. Now.¡± His hand locked around my wrist in a tight grip, pulling me harshly towards the house. From his


    touch alone, | could sense the wave of emotions rushing through him.


    Pain.


    Anger.


    Confusion.


    Frustration.


    l ignored the lingering eyes of the surrounding wolves, curious to know what was wrong. We even passed by our friends, who


    raised an eyebrow at the both of us. Galen, of course, was munching on Darlen¡¯s oreos. | pray to Selene that he doesn¡¯t get his


    ass whooped by Darien. We trotted up the stairs to the third floor, passing by my room and heading into his.


    When we entered, Darien locked the door behind him and paced in circles. Quietly, | sat on the bed, watching him battle for


    control over his wolf. With his eyes flickering to ck, | braced myself for the lingering possibility of things going awry.


    ¡°Darien?¡± | asked, worried. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    4/4


    Chapter 50 ¡ª The Comfort


    ¡°| found my mate.¡± He revealed.


    My eyes widened. | fought to stop a smile from forming on my face. As happy as | was for him, there was something else to it.


    ¡°Congrattions! I¡¯m happy for-¡±


    ¡°She rejected mest night.¡±


    +10%N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Bonus


    05:19


    My heart skipped a beat. That exins why how he actedst night; angry and wanting to be alone. Darien was in pain. My heart


    wept powerfully for him. | wanted none of my friends to feel the pain of rejection, and it looked like fate fucked with the one


    person who deserved to have someone love him back. Getting rejected by the other half of your soul was a pain beyond


    understanding. It was as if someone ripped your pumping heart out from your chest and stomped on it.


    Who would do this to such a great guy?


    It wasn¡¯t long until the anger disappeared from his eyes, reced with running tears. He sniffled, unable to hold back the roll of


    pain that entered his chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do. She didn¡¯t even give me a chance. She outright rejected our bond and told


    me she deserves someone better and stronger, not a lowly Delta.¡±


    My anger punched away my sadness, making itself known, it was a lingering, boisterous devil in my body, and now, | was ready


    to let it out. What kind of selfish person did this? Darien may be a stoic and indifferent man, but he is the one person anyone


    would want by their side in battle. He protects all those he loves until hisst breath, and his strength is unmatched. He has the


    potential to be an amazing Alpha if he was born with Alpha blood. And he was rejected all because of his status?


    Whoever this heartless cur was, | swear | will end them. No one hurts my friend and gets away with it.


    ¡°How do you do it?¡± He suddenly asked me, forcing me out of my dark thoughts.


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°Deal with rejection.¡± Darien took a seat next to me. His bright eyes were puffy and red. Confusion was written all over his face,


    mingling with pain that was stabbing his soul every minute. | heard his wolf howling for his lost mate. ¡°Am | not good enough for


    her? Does my status truly make me an ipetent mate?¡±


    My heart wouldn¡¯t stop breaking. | felt like | was going to cry. | shook my head. ¡°No. Anyone would have the honor of being your


    mate. You are an amazing person, Darien. Your rank does not define your worth to your soulmate.¡± | slumped against the


    bedframe, my shoulders dipping as my hands came to my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m the best person to answer your rejection


    question. | epted mine, severing the bond. | was rejected at the worst time of my life and | wanted to end the pain. I...1 don¡¯t


    know, dude.¡±


    His eyes cast down upon hisp, his shoulder shook from withheld sobs. ¡°It¡¯s not fair. | waited my entire life, saving myself for my


    one and only, and she doesn¡¯t even want me. | don¡¯t know what to do, Kiya. It hurts to look at her smile. It hurts to be the one


    who can¡¯t give her the happiness she wanted.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°You knew her, | think. She¡¯s from this pack.¡±


    ¡°Well, that narrows it down to about a hundred unmated she¡ªwolves.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mated to the Alpha. Who am | to think | could take what is his?¡±


    Chapter 50 ¡ª The Comfort


    | froze. Unblinking and unmoving ¡°what did you just say?¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    05:10


    Darien could detect the sudden change in my voice, his eyes shooting up to meet my brown. | could feel the mes of fury


    alreadybusting in my body, threatening to overflow. The devil wanted to be free. ¡°I-L...¡±


    ¡°Your mate is Odessa?¡±


    He nodded, slowly. | couldn''t believe it. Darien and Odessa were destined mates. One of my good friends was destined to the


    malignant bitch who took pleasure in hurting me. The one who Neron chose over me.. begam to question Selene¡¯s decision with


    mates,


    The devil dances across my vision, holding something in his hands. This time showing a movie read of the number of times


    Odessa hurt me. Pushing me down the stairs, tossing me in a tub full of hot water, hacking off chunks of my bain, calling me fat


    and worthless when | was mere bone,ining to Jonatham and Neron to get them to hurt me, even forcing me to drink dirty


    toilet water. All of that coupled with how she hurt Darien ignited an uncontroble congration in me.


    | saw red. Hatefull, gory red. | wanted revenge, not just for me, but for Darien. | wanted to kill | wante that bitch deud


    ¡°Kiya.. Your eyes are blue,¡± | heard Darien¡¯s voice like a distant whisper..


    Blue eyes. A telltale sign that my anger was winning, and my defenses were wavering. My pawers functioned as an extension of


    my emotions, tangible enough for me to see and feel. If | was angry, it was angry. If | was happy, it was happy. If | want to cause


    pain, it will deliver. Now, | wanted nothing more, that Okiessa¡¯s skull bushed into aer edge of a table.


    | wanted her fucking blood!


    ¡°kaki, please.¡± He whispered, embracing my quaking body. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry on my behalf, please.¡±


    | wanted to pull myself out of his arms, to start my quest for vengeance. Wan Durtien going to lie down and


    ke this? Is he just going to let this two-timing bitch walk all over him?


    ¡°She hurt you, Darien...¡± | reply in a strained whisper, thest of my defenses working hard to push back against my fury. ¡°That¡¯s


    uneptable.¡±


    ¡°And | don¡¯t need you to take on that responsibility.¡± He pulled me away from him, looking into my glowing blue eyes. ¡°What goes


    on between my mate and | is none of yourmem. It is my responsibility, so | will handle what happens. I¡¯m a grown man, |


    don¡¯t need you to light my battles for me.¡±


    Pieces of my anger crumbled, turning


    into dust upon impact. The devil


    whimpers and disappears in a mist


    of red. Soon enough Oy ange? Wes


    back tolWKerd it belonged, buried six


    feet under in the trenches of my


    mind. felt the ring heat in my body


    disappear, reced with an unheile


    chill. Darien cracked a small smile,


    one of his rare ones, and hugged me


    by my shoulders.. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°| know you care about me, Kiki,¡± He soothed. ¡°And | appreciate you wanting to fight on my behalf. You are a fighter, but you


    need not fight everything, hun.¡±


    ¡°It''s just not fair to you.¡± | sniveled. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this. You deserve someone so much better, not her.¡±


    ¡°Was she one of the people who hurt you back then?¡±


    Chapter 50-The Comfort


    +10


    Honu


    I nod. ¡°And now she¡¯s hurting you. She¡¯s always been in love with Neron, even when we were kids. He called her his Luna.


    They''ve been together for a long time.¡±


    ¡°But she is unmarked. So, she is not an official Luna.¡±


    05:1:


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± | rub my face, expelling a deep, disappointed sigh. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Keep the faith.¡± He smiles longingly. ¡°I have hope that she will recognize our bond and we both will be together. She is my mate


    and | love her. | won''t stop fighting for her.¡±


    | close my eyes, thoughts circting.


    Will Odessa learn to love Darien for


    the great man that he is? Doubt


    circtes in my mi ¨¦s | sigh m


    r bingxtnyfacewh h my palms.


    Every so often, | deeply hate the mate


    bond. The love between mates feels


    forced; they love without getting to


    know each other first. It made the


    wolves so susceptible to rejection


    and pain. Why was this a thing


    amongst werewolves? The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Love shouldn''t be freely given. Love should take time to develop, to blossom like the beautiful rose it was.


    But even roses have thorns.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He answered. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough by listening to me and offering some insight. Neither | nor Sirius will ept the


    rejection of our bond. Odessa wille to us eventually, | know it.¡±


    | still have doubts, but | won¡¯t share them. Seeing the smile appear on my best friend¡¯s face is a reward. enough.


    ¡°Will you tell the others?¡±


    ¡°In due time. But now, | am here to do


    my duty that Alpha Anthony Sear


    All hope isn''t lost, KiKi Gut thank you


    FE bain Here and being a good


    friend. Anyone willing to jump in and


    fight for them is a genuine friend.¡±


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    Without a response, | hugged Darien again. He hugged me back tight, his chin on top of my hair. Odessa is crazy for rejecting


    him, and | hope to Selene that some sense hits her sooner orter, preferably sooner.


    Wow. Darien and | were both rejected mates. No wonder Neron and Odessa were made for each other.


    Chapter Comments.


    POST COMME

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 ¡ª The Retraction


    ¡°It''s time to shake things up around here.¡°¡ª Unknown


    Kiya


    +10


    Bonu


    05:00


    Darien requested to be left alone for a while, and | happily gave that to him. As | exited his room, | leaned my head against his


    closed door, riddled with sadness. This man is good at hiding his emotions, and | hated the pain he was in. | wanted to do


    anything and everything to stop it. Why did this have to happen to him? | love Darien like a brother, and it agonized me to see


    him like that, holding out for hope that Odessa would realize her mistake ande back into his arms.


    What if that never happens? What if her love for Neron was stronger than her bond with Darien? | never pegged Odessa as the


    type to crave power, but then again, | don¡¯t truly know anyone here. | don¡¯t know what their true intentions are. As much as |


    hated the woman, | hoped she could prove me wrong.


    Darien deserves happiness. With or without her. Goddamnit, if | could take the pain away from all my with the wave of my hand, |


    would without a heartbeat.


    friends


    After a minute, | went downstairs. | walked into themon room, ready to rx with my friends when a hand wrapped around


    my wrist and shoved against the wall. My head created a small dent embedded in the spackle. My vision is muddled at the


    unexpected bout of violence, but soon cleared to an enraged Odessa, red painting the undertone of her face.


    ¡°You should have stayed dead, you worthless dog!¡± She shrieked in my ear. Her nostrils red as she took a huge whiff of me,


    her brown eyes growing ck. ¡°And you smell like him! Stay away from my mate!¡±


    Was she serious? | look at her incredulously. Was she demanding me to stay away from Darien when she


    rejected him less than 24 hours ago?


    ¡°| bet you went up there to fuck him, you slut.¡± Odessa used. ¡°A wretched mateless wolf now trying to steal mates away from


    each other. Ha! You think just because you came back with some meat on your bones you think you¡¯re the shit?¡±


    | said nothing. | let her have her rant. My friends looked ready to pounce, but | held my hand up, telling them | was okay through


    our mind link.


    ¡°Things were much better when you were dead.¡± She continued. ¡°You are no warrior and no fighter. You''re still the sniffling ve


    that cries herself to sleep every night in her dingy cell. You don¡¯t deserve to be on my territory, and | will have you removed! Most


    importantly, if you decide to cozy up on my mate again, | will personally see to it to have your spine ripped out from your body.¡±


    Her face inched towards mine, our noses barely touching. ¡°You are nothing, Halima. And I''ll make sure you remember that the


    entire time that you''re here. You wouldn''t take what is mine, not Darien, and not Neron. | will take all you have and leave you with


    nothing. You belong on your knees! Remember that! Once a ve, always a ve.¡±


    | yawned.


    | blinked.


    I smacked the shit out of her face.


    1/3


    Chapter 51 ¡ª The Rebachon


    +10


    Bonu:


    Her face jerked to the side so fast that | was almost worried her neck might have broken. Almost. This pack needs to stop


    making it a habit to push me against the wall. First Neron, and now Odessa? Who the fuck


    05:04 next? | won''t lie, her words hurt, but | won''t give her the satisfaction. | had Artemis to hold back to prevent her from tearing


    Odessa¡¯s face apart.


    Odessa held her cheek, ring at me in shock and disgust. ¡°You hit me!¡±


    ¡°| did.¡±


    ¡°You struck this pack¡¯s Luna!¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t see a mark on your neck.¡± | shrugged. ¡°Therefore, | don¡¯t recognize you as a true Luna.¡±


    She hurdled a fist towards my face, which | caught. The force she delivered wasparable to that of a beginner fighter, weak


    and untrained. ¡°Touch me again and it''ll be thest thing you ever do.¡± For emphasis, | squeezed. Odessa whimpered and


    squealed in agony, jerking her fist away from my grasp. After a few attempts, | let her go, watching as she clutched her hurt


    hand.


    ¡°And as for ¡°Neron, | don¡¯t give a shit about him. You can keep him. | won''t waste my time fighting you over a man | don¡¯t want.¡± |


    neglected to talk about Darien, for Odessa had no clue | knew that she rejected him. But she slipped out that Darien was her


    mate, so I¡¯ll let her deal with the repercussions. ¡°So, stay the fuck out of


    my way.¡±


    ¡°Liar! | know you did something to him!¡± She pointed an usatory finger at me. ¡°Why else would he take back his rejection?¡±


    | paused, turning my heated, angry gaze at the woman who flinched. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me!¡± She shrieked, irritating my ears. ¡°Neron broke up with me this morning! He is throwing away his one true Luna


    for a pathetic excuse of a wolf like you, and I''ll be damned if | let you have what is mine!¡±


    I''m going to strangle that fucking Alpha. Marching past Odessa, | made my way to his office, skipping three stairs at a time. In no


    time, | was at the front doors, throwing them open in fury. The man looked up; his


    sapphire blue eyes squared on me.


    ¡°That was rude.¡±


    ¡°You took back your rejection?¡± | roared, marching up to his desk. ¡°Are you fucking insane? | epted your rejection, there is


    nothing between us! You have your mate, so | suggest youfort her before | tear her a new asshole!¡± @


    He didn¡¯t seem fazed by the shrill volume of my voice. He leaned back in his chair as if the threat of my fists wasn¡¯t a problem.


    ¡°Yes, | took back my rejection. Odessa is not my true mate, you are.¡±


    ¡°You and | both know | was never your mate,¡± | growled back. ¡°You made your decision; you chose her over


    me.


    ¡°And that is a mistake that | will rectify.¡± He folded his hands in hisp, continuously staring me down. ¡°The Moon Goddess


    destined us together, Kiya. Whether or not you like it, you are mine as | am yours.¡±


    | mmed my hands on his desk, fury frothing in my mouth. ¡°I will never be yours, Neron! You made your choice long ago, so


    deal with it. This,¡± | pointed between us. ¡°Will never happen!¡±


    +109 Bonu


    ¡°It will.¡± He leaned in close to my


    face. ¡°And | will not stop until | earn


    back your heart again, Kiya. | hurt you


    in unima nae Je-wayys@hat wil pay


    for aver hag I''ve done to you. But


    you cannot deny that you


    belong05:01 me as | belong to you.


    The Moon Goddess paired our souls


    for a reason, and I''ll honor the


    decision she made.¡± The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    | scoffed. ¡°You''re insane.¡±


    ¡°| know | am.¡± He smirked at me, that very action urging me to crack his teeth ¡°I won''t stop until you


    stop until you are in your rightful ce, in my arms and by my side as my true and rightful Luna.¡±


    ¡°lll never be your Luna.¡± | growled. ¡°You will never have me, Neron. I''ll make sure of it.¡±


    Neron chuckled deeply, sending chills


    down my spine. Not the good chills,


    but the chills of fear. My mission here


    in Zircon erect


    harder. His- eyescul


    afititlpation and his smile fearlessly


    shows off his white teeth. | could


    hear his wolf, more than prepared to


    honor his and his human desires.


    Both were on the same page,


    prepared for the fight ahead. They


    were after Artemis and me, the


    fortitude in their eyes palpable. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    This spelled trouble for both of us.


    ¡°That''s the fighting spirit.¡± He grinned


    like a maniac. His fingers twitched,


    wanting to reach gut tone bor at


    feshomeRdrbiaree in his eyes


    prevented him from going further. ¡°


    think this would be interesting for the


    both of us, Kiya.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Alphas love to chase their little mates, and they won''t stop until they win.¡±


    Chapter Comments.


    angie peterLan


    Tear her one anyway she definitely deserves it and more!!


    Tracy Sille


    did he listen to a word moon goddess said?

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 ¡ª The Collision


    ¡°If someone pushes you, you push right back.¡°¡ª Sara Farizan


    Kiya


    +10% Bonus


    04:58


    Sounds of hits to nylon resonated through the noiseless air of the gym. My fists hit the red coating of the punching bag, grains of


    sand rippling with each impact. Alternating, my feet hit the bag in rapid session. The corner digital clock read 4:35 A.M. in


    bold red. Most of the pack was asleep and here | was, beating the crap out of the gym bag because | couldn¡¯t sleep.


    How could I, knowing that my ex¡ªmate was hunting for my heart?


    I''m pissed as hell. Does the ol¡® bastard think he could have me? He had another thinging! Every time | punch the red, | see


    Neron¡¯s face. That stupid smirk refused to leave my mind. His expression alone told me he was up to the challenge, oozing self-


    assurance that he¡¯ll emerge as the winner.


    Not by a long shot!


    Fucking mate bond! | hate that thing! | thought once you ept the rejection, the initial bond should be gone for good. But now


    that Neron didn¡¯t mark Odessa and withdrew his rejection, it put me in a tough spot. How long until | feel it? Can | weather this


    crap for the entire summer?


    | roared, fury hammering the punching bag faster than my eyes could track. No matter, that Alpha is still the monster who ruined


    my life. He gave me a permanent scar on my shoulder de! | cannot lose sight of the clear¡ªcut truth, Neron was my abuser and


    lll never mate with him.


    | rather see him suffer than kiss those damn lips.


    My vision shed. Wisps of white spiraled around my wrists, dancing across my digits. Tiny explosions of white emitted from the


    contact between the nylon and my flesh like tiny fireworks, lighting up around me. My power hade out to y, and it was


    having fun. It dances the tango with my anger, my vision shing redder than the punching bag.


    If Neron wanted a fight, I''ll give him a war.


    With a final yell, | punched as hard as | could. The big bag flew off its hinges,nding on the gym floor in a pathetic thud with


    sand dribbling out of its lesions. Sweat amassed my body, dripping from my temples. The white around my finger disappeared,


    bathing me in darkness with only a dim light shining behind me.


    ¡°No one will use that again.¡± Artemis chuckled in our mind-link.


    ¡°Hrious.¡± | rolled my eyes while walking to the gym bleachers, grabbing my phone. ¡°I¡¯m beyond frustrated.


    Who the hell does Neron think he is?¡±


    ¡°He is a pompous jerk, and so is his wolf.¡± She grumbled, her anger matching mine. ¡°They won''t stop until they mark us.¡±


    ¡°That won''t happen!¡± | snapped, holding my sweaty head in my hands. ¡°Neron doesn¡¯t deserve me, and Onyx does not deserve


    you. | don¡¯t care what destiny says.¡±


    ¡°As will |. When you fight, | will fight right beside you. The pain they caused us cannot be forgotten..


    Ww


    176


    e¡¯re fighting this together and we will emerge victorious in this war.¡±


    ¡°You''re my ride¡ªor¡ªdie Artemis. You¡¯re stuck with me, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°| wouldn''t have it any other way.¡±


    +10


    Bonus


    04:56


    The noises of the gym opening cut our conversation short. | turned to see Sapphire walking in with two crisp water bottles in her


    hands. She was still dressed in her warm orange capri pajamas, sporting two braids in her hair.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°| figured you''d be here.¡± She handed me the bottles. With much appreciation, | chugged down the first one. pleasurable cool


    washing over me like an ocean wave.


    ¡°| couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Is it Neron?¡± She asked. | nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he took back his rejection. | didn¡¯t know wolves could do that.¡±


    ¡°They can, apparently.¡± | opened the second bottle. ¡°He¡¯s on the pursuit for my heart.¡±


    Sapphire grimaced, disapproval warping her face. ¡°He must be very desperate if he thinks he could win you back. And now, we


    have a deranged she-wolf ming our arrival for the fall of her rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Did Jackie try to toss her in the trees?¡±


    ¡°Almost, but Abi calmed her down.¡± My friend chortled, folding one leg over the other. ¡°Something tells me this summer will be


    one we''ll remember for a long time.¡±


    ¡°These next three months are going to be hell.¡± | groaned, chugging down my second bottle. ¡°How can | concentrate on my job


    when | have a fucking Alpha breathing down my neck?¡±


    ...We could always poison him with wolfsbane.¡± My eyes widened in shock at Sapphire¡¯s cool, unwavering. tone. Secondster,


    she burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯m kidding! | wouldn¡¯t do such a thing! But we do need to do something about him.¡±


    | shake my head. ¡°Neron is my problem, I''ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? He won''t leave you alone, Kiki. Alphas don¡¯t give up easily. They¡¯re possessive, demanding, and will fight to the


    end for their other halves. | mean, you saw how Anthony is with Alesia, and your Dad with


    your Mom.¡±


    Oh, how true that statement is. Alphas were formidable for a good reason. Dad is possessive and very protective of Mom. When


    the rogues attacked Ga Moonst year, he was a war machine. He ughtered every rogue that made the momentous


    offense of looking at Mom. Mom was an excellent fighter in her rights, but Dad was merciless against enemies. So was Anthony.


    When Alesia was pregnant with Ximena and rogues dared to intrude again, he cut them down swiftly. I¡¯ve seen it firsthand how


    Alphas would stop at nothing to


    protect their mates.


    | couldn''t imagine how they were when they first found them.


    And here | am, the trophy that Neron intends on getting by any means necessary.


    I''m in deep shit.


    +10:


    Ronu


    ¡°There has to be a way to make Neron look elsewhere,¡± | mumbled, ¡°He has to get back with Odessa or with another she¡ª-wolf. It


    is the only way to end this for good.¡±


    04:5


    Sapphire was silent, eyes pointed to the side. | could smell her doubt intermingled with her apple pie scent. My confidence


    suddenly depleted when my friend didn¡¯t offer any words of advice. It was like she could see how hopeless this situation is.


    Well, | wasn¡¯t giving up. The bastard could bark and howl all he wants. He deserves to suffer from the broken mate bond.


    | won''t be his victim again. I''ll put a silver bullet in my head before that happens.


    Cracking my knuckles, 1 eavesdropped on the echoes of battle from behind me. My friends and | split our batch of warriors into


    groups of three to work on a specific war specialty. A smile slinks on my face as | watched Darien bark out orders to his group in


    their wolf forms. He looked better this morning, ready to buckle down and deliver. Galen and Sapphire worked together with their


    group in weaponry while Jacqueline and Abigail oversaw the hand-to-handbat regimen.


    | oversaw the training the young wolves to get their feet wet in warfare. I¡¯ve met some morning during breakfast. They voiced


    their eagerness for their start. It made me happy to see fervent young pups ready to be stronger for the good of their pack.


    The youngsters would make mighty fine warriors.


    As | walked to the training grounds separate from the adults, that ursed scent drifted in my nose. His scent. The scent |


    wished to rid for good.


    | watched Neron lead the group of the newly shifted pups towards me, many of them sporting exercise gear, hopping with


    untamed excitement. | spotted Adama in the crowd, trailing next to his Alpha with springs in his step. The older man¡¯s oceanic


    blue eyes met mine, a gleam of desire shining in them as he marched closer.


    Goddamnit.


    ¡°Good morning, Kiya.¡± He spoke, a slight purr pervaded his voice. Neron¡¯s eyes raked my body up and down.. flickering to ck.


    ¡°You look good.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± | got straight to the point, fists on my hips.


    ¡°An Alpha is not allowed on his training grounds?¡± Neron grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve collected the pups for you.¡± He gestures to the 30¡ª


    something children behind him. ¡°All are ready to learn from a renowned Delta.¡±


    Young echoes of cheers resounded between us. | smiled warmly at the youngsters but frowned when my eyes flickered back to


    my ex¡ªmate. ¡°I could have done it myself, Neron.¡±


    ¡°A little ¡°thank you¡® would suffice, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Not going to happen.¡± | gagged at one of his probable pet names for me. | wanted to shed my skin and smack him with the molt.


    ¡°All of you, line up in rows of six!¡±


    Ignoring the heated gaze and deep chuckles from the Alpha, | get straight to work. The pups obeyed, lining up in rows of six with


    five wolves behind the first six children. | study them, trying to spot any falters or fear in the sea of colorful eyes, but | see none.


    They all were ready to learn.


    Tee your training indefinitely until we find your new Delta


    +10-


    | beamed, crossing my arms. ¡°Um happy to see that this bunch of young wolves are up to the challenge Bonu all will refer to me


    as C Ron will 04:51 have a long imumes altusuti af ans, little ones. Training for battle and war is not for the faint of heart. each


    of you and | see unitumped potential. I''ll be the one who will help you let it out. We''ll start be strengthening your human selves,


    and then we will slowly move to wolves and weaponry. Underston


    ¡°Yes, Delta!¡± All shouted munism. My heart thudded in excitement, cracking a bigger smile on my hair. Jutt as | was about an art.


    | felt a tap on my bare shoulder. Tiny, yet noticeable sparks erupted from that single touch. My umilie matantly fell as | turned to


    the bastard, smiling smugly.


    ¡°Mind if | affer a suggestion. Delta Kiya?¡±


    ¡°It''s for the pups tell myself. Swallowing down my anger, | give Neron a strained smilie: ¡°What the wou want to say Ali Weron


    ¡°The pups deserve a demonstration of what they are about to learn.¡± He grinned, his fume shieitling any detection al


    mischievousness. ¡°They''ll work harder if they see what their Delta is made off. Sputting would get their hearts pumping.¡±


    ¡°That dinesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea,¡± | mutter, rubbing my chin.


    The pups could get a glimpse of what ising, to set goals to reach the levell the others and | are on. Maybe if | could pull


    Jackie away from her teaching for a second to spar with me in front of the kids...?


    Yeah, can we see it, Delta Kiya?¡± Adama asked me, his red¡ªbrown lips curling into a grin. | could see the anticipation on his face


    as the other students mumbled in agreement. God, children were my weakness. They always know how to warm my heart.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± | nodded. ¡°But just this once. After that, we are to start your official training.¡±


    | was about to mind-link Jackie until Neron spoke again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spar with me?¡± look at him in frank disbelief, a scoff


    escaping my mouth. The game he was trying to y is abvious. It was an attempt to get closer to me. Our spar would involve a


    lot of touching, something multin Lavoid.


    ¡°No way. Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡±


    ¡°Come on, Kiv


    Kiya.¡± Neron chuckled. ¡°Afraid that | might beut your Tho scared to fight an Alpha?¡±


    ¡°| fought a better Alpha.¡±


    The pups ooed in a roaring unison, enjoying the little spi


    ¡°You wound me.¡± The werewolf faked hurt, his hand over his heart. ¡°Why interrupt your friends amid their teaching when you


    have an avable and willing participant right here?¡±


    ¡°It''s a trap,¡± Artemis growled. ¡°He¡¯s trying to rille you up


    ¡°| want nothing more but to beat him, Artemis. Min one mukes a fool out of me, not even Neron.¡±


    ¡°| know, but | feel it. Even Onyx is excited about the fight, more of an excuse to strengthen his connection with me..


    We can''t do this.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Neron.¡± | snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not sparing with you.¡±


    +10- Bonu


    ¡°Very well.¡± He shrugged his


    milliers calmly. ¡°It''s a shame that a


    warrior of Ga Moon ran from a


    digit Thest time | cherkori Pa itum


    Hoe een hattie| Seer and ready.


    They ¡®are the best fighters for 04:49


    and you''re denying a sinpile request


    al sparring, and from an Alpha,


    nheless. Not a wonderfu you''re


    giving to win studimits, Liva¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Deep, guttural grils rumbled deep in my chest, spilling out into the balmy air. Neron casts his game down at me, knowing willitut


    his words of snarkiness got to me. His smile and power stance were triumphant, pearly smile glittering uilerneath the sun¡¯s rays.


    The fool thinks he has won, but goddamnit, he was right


    My presentation nutttered. Deltas don¡¯t run. We were the vanguards in all battles, whether it be against one o fifty. It was mutta


    title to take for granted. If | walk away now, what does that say to the paps? They will never take me sermusly again, and that


    was a problem | needed to avoid.


    The thought of Neron touching me infuriated me. His touches, until now, have been violent. And now, he wanteed to change


    things, to rectify all his wrongs.


    I''ll beat his pathetic ass to the ground.


    great him, my eyes burning with the fire of my willpower. ¡°If | spar with you willl you leave me the hell


    Probably not.¡± Heughed. ¡°But | want to see how strong my little mate has gotten. | love a woman who


    nutt kick my DSS.¡±


    And an ass-kicking is what you''re about to get!


    Fine. Get in position.¡± The kids hurriedly backed up a safe distance from us, but not without forming a semicircle with the shorter


    pups peeking through the gaps. We both stepped back until we were about six feet from one another. | stretched my arms and


    legs briefly before going into my fighting stance.


    This man was built like a building, but he is going down just like one-


    His hands went to the hem of his shirt and peeled it off. Holy bell.


    The sun kissed his muscled torso, his


    six-pack abs showing of themselves


    proudly to me. His muscles flexed


    and rippled with every@overhent he


    made, Als {Rick bite veins protruding


    under his tan skin. My sight followed


    the thick indentations of his physique


    from his arms to his chest, right


    down to the forbidden V-line that


    disappeared beneath the hem of his


    dark jeans. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    My eyes widened like tes. Oh, dear Goddess. Why did he have to be so gorgeous?


    ¡°Like what you see?¡± His eyebrow quirked, satisfied with the reaction he got from me.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡±


    ¡°Watch yournguage around the little ones.¡±


    He finally got into his fighting stance,


    eyes tracking my movements. Both


    of us have advantages and


    disadvantages. | w pryallerand \


    | ner that)! Wave peed on my side.


    Neron was taller, and bulkier, which


    means his strength was his best


    asset. Using my powers to my


    advantage was something | didn''t


    like. | wanted to fight my opponents


    on equal ground, and powers were


    only to be used when necessary. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Chapter 12 ¡ª The Coll


    Thus, began our war the moment our fists collided.


    Chapter Comments.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 ¡ª The Stalemate


    +109 Bonus


    04:43


    ¡°Rage was sometimes a useful ally in the heat of a fight, but it was a trickster. It made everything seem possible.¡°¡ª Jonathan


    Maberry


    Kiya


    Punch after punch.


    Kick after kick.


    The colliding power of an Alpha and a Beta. Divided by a single rank, yet powerful adversaries. Neron didn¡¯t yield, and neither


    did |. Asingle punch to the face voiced all he needed to know this wasn¡¯t a y fight between friends. He was my opponent, my


    enemy, and | will not hesitate to send his body to the hard ground.


    I''m faster, blinding the Alpha with hits to his torso and kicks to his legs. | was smaller and | was used to being underestimated. |


    bring the heat. However, Neron knows how to use his bigger and taller body to his advantage. The number of times he locked


    me ina vice grip, pushed me aside, and went unflinching at some of my hits reminds me just how formidable he was.


    | hated touching him. Every time we touched; | got the indescribable sensations of those fated sparks. They were faint, like


    touching yarn pom-poms, but they were still there. Those sparks bounce against our flesh with every contact. The vexatious


    mate bond is still there, my side jolting weakly with every touch Neron made. His flirting didn¡¯t help.


    He grabbed my fists and twisted my arms behind my back. Taking advantage of my vulnerability, he buried his nose in the crook


    of my neck, inhaling deeply. ¡°Goddess, you smell so good.¡± He growled. | could hear Onyx howling in pleasure from the scent of


    his mate, Artemis biting back with growls of her own. Freeing myself from his grip, albeit by ramming my head under his jaw, |


    fought harder.


    The cheers and hollers from the pup trainees boomed through the air, half cheering for me and the other for Neron. Their bated


    breaths hold anticipation in their pint-sized bodies, eager to see who would appear the champion, the Delta, or their Alpha. Their


    shouts drew in more onlookers, gathering around to watch us spar.


    It amuses them. This pack already knew that Neron and | were mates, so to see their Alpha and former ve fighting must be


    the spectacle of a lifetime.


    With my flurry of blows and kicks, Neron blocked them all. Now that | think about it, he hasn¡¯t thrown at single punch or kick to


    me. As if he was holding back. | growled. | want him to fight me at full strength!


    ¡°What''s the matter, Neron?¡± | demanded, panting but unwavering in my stance. ¡°Scared to throw a punch? That never stopped


    you before!¡±


    Sadness shed across his face like a lightning strike but dissolved as his eyes narrowed on me again. Without warning, he


    seized me with the might of a king and pushed me to the ground, pinning my fists above me. His powerful body heat swallowed


    me, worsened by the heat of this summer day.


    ¡°| won''t raise my hand against you ever again, even if it is just a sparring match,¡± Neron whispered to me, low enough for only


    the both of us to hear. His deep voice, this close to me, sent chills down my spine. ¡°You are my heart and | refuse to hurt you


    under any circumstance.¡±


    ¡°Weak.¡± | spat. All the force in my body aided me to kick the fully grown wolf away from me, freeing me from


    1/15


    Chapter 53-The Stalemate


    +10% Bonus


    his clutches. His honeyed words touched a singr, weak heartstring. That sensation was quickly stomped out when my anger


    sets aze the wildfire that burned a hole in the deep trenches of the darkness, forcing th04:40 reasons 1 abhor Neron to spring


    out from its burial chamber.


    He hurt me. In more ways than one. That cannot be forgiven or overlooked. He was acting nice now, but it was only a matter of


    time before he tosses me back in that nightmare cell. All rationale incinerated into ash, forgoing the reasons why that wouldn''t be


    the case.


    | didn¡¯t care. | needed to feel this anger. | needed it to scorch deeply in every nerve and synapse from my brain to my toes. |


    need this reminder to force me to see that my ex¡ªmate was nothing more but an abusive cur | had the unfortunate fate of being


    bonded with.


    My vision zes red. My powers battered against my defenses, | saw the Alpha as a wolf that needed to be euthanized. The


    world around me disappeared into ck, | didn¡¯t see the pup trainees or the spectators. My sharp vision narrowed into the man


    who single-handedly ruined my life and my ability to love.


    As he began to get back to his feet, | bolted, tackling his full six feet five stature to the hot ground before straddling his waist. My


    fists hit flesh, over and over, and over until red trickled down my hands. But | didn¡¯t stop.


    | couldn''t stop.


    Everything I¡¯ve felt since age nine came bucketing out of my hands as | continuously punched Neron in his face and throat.


    Thirteen years¡® worth of sadness, depression, confusion, and mind¡ªnumbing rage controlled my every action, forgoing thectic


    acid burning in my muscles. | was a marite, the strings on my limbs controlled by the devil that is fury incarnate.


    All | felt was the strings.


    All | saw was red..


    All | wanted was Neron dead.


    My dark desires didn¡¯te to fruition because | was forced off his body by two pairs of arms. No! | wasn¡¯t done! Immediately |


    was right back in the position the Alpha had me in earlier, back to the ground, wrists pinned above my head. | growled and


    snapped my jaws, struggling against the restraints. The rage muddled the loud voices in my ear-I couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    Nothing was clear, except for the thoughts of Neron¡¯s demise.


    Suddenly, | was pped back into the harsh reality. Red disappeared, and the surrounding area cleared back to Zircon Moon


    territory. The strings were cut, and the devilish puppeteer vanished. My sight cleared to see Jacqueline and Galen holding me


    down by the arms, shock contorting their faces.


    ¡°Babe...¡± She whispered to me, waving her hand to ease the pain. Jackie was the one who pped me. ¡°Are you


    okay?¡±


    | didn¡¯t answer. | couldn¡¯t. What had happened hadn''t hit me yet, so |id there dazed for a few seconds before my friends


    helped me up on my feet. Slowly. My breathing was heavy. Sweat rained from my chin, and my fists throbbed with pain. ¡°W-


    What...what did I...¡±


    ¡°You went ballistic,¡± Galen exined in a gentle whisper. ¡°One minute you¡¯re sparring and the next you¡¯re pummeling the living


    shit out of the Alpha.¡±


    Chapter 53- The Stalemate


    +109 Bonus


    The pungent stench of blood wafted up to my nose. | look down at my throbbing hands to see red smeared on brown like | cut a


    vein. But it wasn¡¯t my blood. My sight beamed towards Neron who slowly stood on his log:37 batting Kwame and Valerian¡¯s


    hands away. Blood dripped from his face and nose like a hose, staining jade- green grass below. For a moment, our eyes met. D


    And | was terrified.


    | thought | needed this. | thought | needed to beat the shit out of Neron like he used to do to me. | thought his bloodshed would


    serve as retribution for the amount | shed on thisnd. | thought this would make me feel better.


    But it didn¡¯t! At that moment when | snapped, my anger controlled me. It powered my desire to destroy, to maim, and to murder.


    Why don¡¯t | feel that warmth? Why do | still feel cold? For that moment, | became the


    monster | always feared.


    | became the old Alpha. | became the dark shadows of the pack.


    | became a monster.


    | couldn''t breathe. My heart raced a million miles a minute, blood pressure rising. My mind swam and my throat burned. ¡°|-


    Jackie. Y¡ªyou, take over for the pups.¡± | didn¡¯t wait for a reply because | bolted into the packhouse. Neron called out for me, but |


    ignored him. | needed to be alone. zing past everyone, | made it to my room, locking the door behind me. | put blocks up to all


    my mind-links, even to Artemis. My mind was bathed in silence, while my eyes bathed my cheeks in my hot tears.


    My hands were sticky with Neron¡¯s blood, its powerful scent choking me. My anger took me to the point of no return, where |


    became a rabid woman with nothing to lose. | beat him in front of my trainees, my friends, and damn near the entire pack. |


    became a dangerous woman, with fury enough to injure an Alpha. Grateful for the rapid healing as werewolves, | didn¡¯t need to


    worry about serious damage done to me or him.


    But | still took it too far. | opened atch | was toote to close. It took Jackie pping me to get me out of that berserker rage. |


    was uncontroble, and | knew | wouldn''t have stopped with Neron. Anger is destructive, callous, and relentless, and | have too


    much of that chaos within me.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sobs burned my throat as my infinite tears dripped down to my dusty leggings. How did | let myself lose control so easily? With


    the damn mate sparks, Neron¡¯s flirts, and his promise triggered something that even |


    fear because what | fear is in me.


    How long until this happens again? What if my friends couldn¡¯t snap long until the deadly


    me out of it? How string¡¯s loop around my limbs, leaving me at the mercy of my rage?


    | pealed myself from the floor and dragged my tired body to the bathroom. The stream ran red as | washed my hands in the sink,


    cleansing them of the sin of harming the Alpha. My head tilted to my reflection in the


    mirror, brown staring at brown.


    | see a woman. Particles of dust and dirt clung onto the coily strands of her hair, sweat and tears stained her skin, scleras puffy


    and red, and lips slightly red from her biting. She looks tired, worried, scared, but the anger was still there.


    Brewing.


    Simmering.


    Chapter 53 ¡ª The Stalema lie


    Waiting for another opportunity to spring forth to im more victims.


    +10


    Bonus


    04:34


    ¡°How is this me?¡± | asked myself. Do 1 still hate Neron? | do. | can¡¯t ever forgive what he or anyone else had done to me. But


    beating him did nothing but leave me colder underneath this temple | call my body. It did not cure my anger or my pain of my


    past.


    But what do | need? What the hell would make me feel better?


    Several knocks on my door startled me. They were gentle, so soft that | would have missed it if | dwelled deeper in my thoughts.


    | didn¡¯t need to open the door to know who was behind it because their scent seeping through the spaces of the door revealed


    their identity.


    ¡°What do you want, Neron?¡±


    ¡°| want us to talk, Kiya. Please open the door.¡±


    ¡°No. Go away.¡±


    ¡°| won''t.¡± He insisted, his voice firm. ¡°I can¡¯t leave you like this. Please, | need to know that you''re okay.¡±


    Quickly sshing water on my face, | walk out of the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m fine. | don¡¯t want to see you.¡±


    ¡°Your voice betrays you, Kiya. You sound like you¡¯ve been crying.¡± He released a hefty sigh. ¡°Please... | just need to see you. |


    know you hate me and...¡± | hear a soft groan. ¡°I-I just need to see your face. And talk about what happened.¡±


    He¡¯s genuine. | could hear it in his


    voice. However, that doesn¡¯t mean |


    trust his words. My. eat andh¨¦ad


    ? flichene wetin to open the


    door and the other wanting to keep


    the distance. It''s just another trap¡¯,


    my mind mused, but ¡®open the door


    my heart demanded. The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    In the end, | opened the door. Why? Simple curiosity. Neron stood towering over me, his pained expression rxing. There were


    faint smudges of blood on his face. But his face was okay. He healed quickly as expected.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He offered a warm smile. | blinked, offering a curt nod. ¡°I want to apologize.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I''m an idiot, Kiya.¡± Neron chuckled, running his hand through his long hair. ¡°It¡¯s my fault you went ballistic on me. | crossed a line


    | shouldn''t have. | triggered you and | didn¡¯t mean to hurt you the way | did, and |am


    So sorry.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± | muttered, trying to shut the door, but was stopped by his hand.


    ¡°Kiya, | wasn''t lying when | said |


    won''t hurt you under any


    circumstance.¡± His eyes went from


    soft to hard, bearing d wn ints my


    soul. H asgearbhtin or


    s¨¦mi¨¦thing, desperate to reach


    something deep within me. ¡°| know


    you don¡¯t trust me but trust that no


    harm wille to you, not from me


    nor anyone else, pack or otherwise.


    Alpha Anthony left you under my


    protection for your stay, and | will


    honor thatmitment. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    And...¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°| care about you.¡± He admitted. ¡°You are my mate, thus it¡¯s my job to ensure your safety. You felt them too, didn¡¯t you? The


    sparks of our mate bond?¡±


    4/5


    Chapter 53 ¡ª The Stalemate


    +109 Bonu


    | didn¡¯t say a word. | refused to admit to him | felt them. How good they felt in the flurry of battle. It made this all too real, and |


    was determined to push that reality as far as | could. My eyes left his, looking at his 0432 bare chest. Could it kill him to wear a


    shirt!


    Neron sighed, straightening himself to a full stance. ¡°Okay. Keep your secrets, Kiya. But | won¡¯t go back on my word as an


    honorable Alpha. | will protect you, no matter what. You are my heart and | won''t not stop until


    you ept me.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± | replied as | failed for a second time to close the door because of his interference. ¡°What more do you have to say?¡±


    ¡°Our spar.¡± He shot me a grin. ¡°It¡¯s a stalemate. Neither of us won, so need not worry.¡± His hand reached out to touch me, but


    after my recoil, he retracted. ¡°Right. | forgot. You¡¯re untouchable.¡±


    After a second, he pushed himself off my door, walking away. ¡°I''ll see you at dinner, Kiya, Bring your appetite.¡± His tall, burly


    figure disappeared into the light of the foyer, leaving me alone in the semi-¡ªdark corridor. With a final sigh, | shut my door.


    It was a given that Neron would


    protect me. He promised my brother.


    There were other under ing (sasans


    like us ing mates) that¡¯s him.


    Theltha e bond is affecting him. The


    reality was that Neron doesn''t care


    about me. He doesn''t love me. It was


    all the power of the bond making him


    like this. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Stripping out of my clothes, | entered the hot shower, desperate to wash the dirt clinging to my skin. | must remember that


    nothing will ever blossom between us. The rose that was our mate bond is wilted, and it must


    stay that way.


    Chapter Comments.


    Phenya Mashudu


    | really dont feel bad for him he kept pushing shem


    Samantha Veron


    toote to say those words to


    VIEW ALL A COMMENTS 9.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ¡°How can you forgive someone when they can¡¯t give a reason why?*¡ªPureDragonWolf


    Odessa


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious in allowing that...thing to stay here after what it did to you!¡±


    ¡°Kiya is not a thing, Odessa. She is a warrior and my mate, and you will treat her with respect.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    04:29


    | scoffed, following with an eye roll. Neron couldn¡¯t be serious, thinking such a lowly wolf was worthy of any title other than


    ¡®ve¡¯. Themotion today drew in the pack as onlookers, some careless to gamble on who''d win. The reigns to my self¡ª


    control nearly snapped when | watched that cur m her fists repeatedly into Neron¡¯s face, blood sttering everywhere. What


    was worse was Neron didn¡¯t defend himself. Heid there, refusing to strike the rabid bitch.


    It was so disgusting that | almost vomited. To see my loveying as he took the hits caused a riot of fury in me, wanting to rip


    Halima apart. Neron demanding me to treat someone beneath me with respect was an insult to my power.


    ¡°Like hell, | will!¡± | snapped, mming my hands on his desk. ¡°I¡¯m your true mate, not some ghost of the past! You can¡¯t seriously


    choose her over me!¡± My nose red with my every sharp inhale, ws itching to the surface. What happened to us? Why


    couldn¡¯t Neron see that he and | were meant to be together? We were the perfect power couple, two perfect pieces of the same


    puzzle. We promised each other to forgo our mates to stay together because we loved each other so deeply that even the gods


    in heaven couldn''t reach us. How can that love be forgotten? Why had he now chosen her over me?


    However, Ariel howls for Darien and Sirius. Her lust and love ache for him, desperate for his gentle touch. It was fucking


    annoying! She wanted the wolf, but | didn¡¯t want the man. I¡¯ve been in love with Neron ever since | could remember. He treats


    me like a queen, always putting my needs above his. He was the apple of my eye, my red string of fate.


    I''ll be damned if anyone takes him away from me.


    Neron stared, his eyes rigid in a chill. Handsome, yet terrifying. Until now, he has always looked at me with love. With desire.


    With honesty. Now that¡¯s all gone!


    ¡°You have a mate, Odessa. A mate that will love you more than | can. Go to him.¡±


    ¡°| rejected him.¡±


    His eyes went hard, anger boiling like a tea kettle. ¡°You did what?¡±


    ¡°| rejected him.¡± | repeated. ¡°I told you | don¡¯t want him. | love you and only you. Besides, we promised each other we''ll reject our


    mates. | did my part!¡±


    ¡°| was a fool back then. Blinded by my selfishness and grief.¡± He stood and walked to the window, eyes longing. ¡°I still care for


    you, Odessa.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you throwing me away?¡±


    ¡°I''m not throwing you away.¡± He looked at me again, his voice somber. ¡°I¡¯m letting you go. Take back your


    +10


    Bonu


    rejection andilvelhappily with your true mate.¡±


    ¡°Nat¡± llyellbeti_ange: hutbling out. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you up, Neron! That bitch will never try


    to youa


    04:21


    My hand wenttony cheek, rubbing the faint throbbing pain that cur left on me. ¡°Canttiyyet? You''re pining for a woman that wants


    nothing to do with you. Why try for her when you altreaty, tiny already lines w? | have more than what she could ever give you,


    and yet, you want


    He went slient, his eyes back at the window. | knew he was looking at her as she trained the pups. Anyone withhlimm.cells could


    see how he was smitten with her. The love in his eyes is forlier. He pursuits, althoug stie never gives him the time of day. Why


    try? Why choose the hard way, whemline.could have the easy way?


    Weron and have history and we knew each other well. She was just a w who gaineil some meat on her Timones She is


    nothing special and will never amount to be a LunaProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Itove Weron. So much. He was my first everything, first kiss, first date, anditiecony person I''ve slept with. ore my fears and my


    vulnerability to him, and my heart beats only for Him He was the holder of my heart antil couldn''t imagine my life without him.


    Why settle for a Delta when | have a powerful Alpha who couldinstanyone to their knees?


    When Neron rejected that dumb dog for me, | was so happy. The entire padmew that their Alpha defied t mate bond and willingly


    made the choice to mate with one. Heprovetone that the love between us was tr The mate bond meant nothing since we loved


    each other so profcouncilly. He hurt for me, killed for me, and protected me.


    And now Halima had returned, going by a different name, and suddenly, was a shadow. | couldn''t find it ir myself to be angry at


    Neron, my heart won¡¯t let me, contentatte all my rage on that...thing! She waltzes ir here with half of the unmated men groveling


    for her attention. Her presence alone enchanted Neron.


    My Neron!


    I don''t


    care if she is Raina¡¯s little sister. Halimawill pay for enthralling my Alpha. Mate bond be damned! S was a sorceress, her evil


    spells hypnotizing men to loodkather! Deep down, | knew she wanted him. But she doesn¡¯t deserve love!


    ¡°You will get hurt, Neron.¡± Backing towards the door my eyes remained locked on his beautiful face. ¡°You only love her because


    of the bond. You donttiltowel Halima, truly. How could you when you know nothing ab her? You chose me-no one will ever forget


    thisi kulminot giving up on you. You are my only one, the fir and thest.


    After no response, | walked out of his office. Theilesine to get rid of someone had never been so powerful.] rolled through my


    body, delightful tingles tickling my nerves. It made me feel happy and powerful. Getting of her requires some nning, but a


    minoratiffice would be worth it.


    ¡°The love from our mate will make ynuredlize your mistake,¡± Ariel growled. She hasn¡¯t been happy sin the rejection. ¡°Are you


    willing to goodtown this road to get a man who never belonged to you?¡±


    ¡°Neron belongs to me, always and pervert. Auff your won''t help me make that dreame true, stop bitching screw off¡±


    Bonus


    ¡°You''re going down a dark path, Odessa. The darkness will swallow you whole and you will be the one hurt in the end.¡±


    04:24


    | mmed down a mind-block, silencing my mind. | was sick of Ariel¡¯s insipid protests. | don¡¯t care if | was heading down a dark


    path-it all would be worth it once | get what | want. | was still Zircon Moon¡¯s Luna. Halima and Neron may be mates, but their


    bond is weak.


    And | will use that to my advantage.


    Beware, Halima. Because | will destroy you.


    No one takes what''s mine.


    Kiya Two Days Later


    ¡°| don¡¯t understand how humans could make so many cute baby clothes!¡± Lyria eximed, holding up her new findings to the


    camera for me to see. ¡°I¡¯ve been convincing Dimitri to buy everything on the market, but heins that the baby has


    enough!¡±


    ¡°Well, you''ve shown me the baby¡¯s closet...| have to side with Dimitri on this one.¡±


    ¡°You''re my sister! You¡¯re supposed to be on my side, Kiya!¡±


    ¡°Lyria! | think Alexi has enough clothes, diapers, and supplies tost until when he has kids!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s never enough!¡±


    | cackled as | ogled at myptop screen. | was on a video call with Lyria, who¡¯s eight months pregnant. She was glowing in her


    pregnancy and | me the hormones for her erratic emotions over baby clothes. If | were to go in the baby¡¯s closet at her pack, |


    would meet with a crushing avnche of baby powder, diapers, and tiny blue clothing. Lyria spent more on the baby than | do in


    a semester''s tuition.


    ¡°Goodness, | miss you so much, big sis.¡± | smiled. ¡°I wish | could be there for Alexi¡¯s birth. I''d give anything to hold my nephew.¡±


    ¡°Dimitri promises to send pictures.¡±


    ¡°Keep them PG, please!¡±


    ¡°Filine.¡± She rolled her eyes yfully. ¡°How are things with you? Tony told me you''re stationed with your old pack until the end of


    the summer.¡±


    | sighed. | knew she would ask this, eventually. ¡°It¡¯s...interesting. I¡¯m doing my best with the situation.¡± The incidents between


    Neron and | were intense, but | neglected to tell Lyria that. It was too much to process. ¡°But | have Jackie and the others with me,


    so it¡¯s all good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Having friends makes everything worthwhile. How are you feeling seeing old faces again?¡±


    ¡°Well, everyone


    ne wants my forgiveness, which will happen once the seven circles of hell freeze over. | much rather be back home, but these


    next few months will fly by.¡±


    376


    Chapter 54 ¡ª The Threat


    Lyria¡¯s expression fell into worry the longer she looked at me. She wanted to say something but decided against it. ¡°Sis, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    linsisted, ¡°Things are rough around the edges, but it can be smoothened.¡±


    +10:


    Bonu


    04:20


    ¡°| know, | know. | should know better than to underestimate your tenacity. Remember that I¡¯m here to talk. At this point, | won''t be


    sleeping anyway since Alex likes to kick my dder like a ser ball.¡±


    ¡°Ah, he will be a handful.¡±


    ¡°| know, that¡¯s why Dimitri is will be on diaper duty.¡±


    We both shared moreughs before Lyria had to return to Luna business. Bidding her farewell, | shut myputer, resting it on


    the table. A sense of tranquility lulled me to rx after speaking with my big sister. | was so happy for her, she was living her best


    life with her husband, her pack of Thunder Moon, and is carrying the next Alpha. | still remember the lovely chaos at her wedding


    where she announced she is pregnant.


    Mom slumped to the ground so quickly that Dad thought she had a heart attack.


    | close my eyes as | reflected on my experience with my adopted family. My brother and sister were blessed with wonderful


    families, keeping up the legacy of Alphas. And then there was me, the anomaly.


    It was umon for a female wolf to remain unmated for this long. Many have children by the time they¡¯re my age. It was only a


    matter of time before Sapphire finds her mate and Galen finds his. My heart throbbed in pain.


    My smile fell into a frown. | never realized how lonely it was to be around wolves who have mated. First, it was my siblings, then


    Jackie. Not wanting to damper the parade of happiness, | never voiced my feelings. Love is a flower that should blossom on its


    own, with care and patience. I¡¯m mateless by choice and | refuse to love anyone unless they genuinely love me for me, which


    was why this mate bond | have with Neron was so problematic.


    Does he love me for me? | doubt it. | don¡¯t know him as much as he doesn¡¯t know me. We''re two different people on different


    paths of life, and at no point do we cross. | was not the same beta wolf who needed. protection from the darkness, | must protect


    myself from it. That''s all | could do.


    My heart is in a cage, and it will stay there. | couldn¡¯t give it out so freely.


    Speaking of family, there¡¯s an itch | needed to get rid of. ¡°I know you''re around the corner, Raina. What do you


    want?¡±


    | hear a tiny, frightened squeak before mild shuffling. The Beta Female emerged from the wall, anxiety rolling out from her in


    waves. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°| know your scent. Why were you eavesdropping on my call?¡±


    Raina shuffles, brown eyes darting to the side like she was avoiding my gaze. ¡°I wanted to talk to you, but you seemed busy. |


    heard...you call that woman your sister.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Lyria.¡± | corrected her. ¡°And | called her my sister because she is.¡±


    ¡°N-no, | am.¡± She insisted, stepping into themon room. ¡°We share blood, Kiya. We came from the same parents, so I¡¯m your


    family. Not her.¡±


    ¡°Funny you say that now when you sang a different tune five years ago.¡±


    4/6


    Chapter 54 The Threat


    ¡°Kiya, | made a mistake.¡±


    +10


    Bonul


    04:11


    ¡°One too many.¡± | stood up on my


    heels, walking towards the woman. If


    people look at us, they''d think we''re


    twins. Same eyes, same hair, & e


    skin, and the sapni Fade)¡¯ ¡®amily


    deesh''t''t & uh other in a tub of


    scalding water, kick them when they


    are down, orugh when their


    parents stripped their bedroom bare.


    Exactly what have you done to prove


    that you''re my family, Raina? You


    crased me out of your life the


    moment Alpha Jonathan threw me


    into the dungeons. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    The woman in front of me groaned, holding her checks in exasperation. ¡°Kiya, when are you going to let that go? I¡¯m trying to


    extend an olive branch here so we could repair what we''ve lost!¡±


    ¡°Let it go?¡± | pointed a finger at her. ¡°You have the audacity to tell me to let anything go because you weren''t the one with scars


    and bruises that would never fucking heal! Who are you to tell me what to do?¡±


    ¡°I''m not telling you what to do!¡± Raina snapped back. ¡°I want us to be a family again! You are my little sister and | love you and


    miss you. Mom and Dad want you back, and | want you to be a part of my son¡¯s life!¡±


    ¡°Strange. They haven''t shown their


    faces since | got here.¡± | narrowed my


    eyes, piercing deep into hers. ¡°So, I¡¯m


    supposed to Had! etastthint¨¦en


    pa iS whe SEN ¨¦ treated me like


    dirt? Turned me into a punching bag?


    You do not understand how much |


    cried for you and your parents. Do


    you know how hard it was to walk


    around here, trying not to get angry?


    Exactly what have you lost in the past


    five years, huh?¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ...¡± Raina heaved a heavy sigh, eyes exhausted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you, Kiya. You can¡¯t hold this over our heads


    forever.¡±


    | rolled up the pajama pants | was wearing, showing off the big, diagonal scar on my right thigh. ¡°Remember this? You cut me


    with silver when | was sixteen when | forgot to clean your dress for your date with Valerian. You asked a guard for a de and


    you cut me, right at this very spot. | begged for you not to hurt me, but


    you never listened. Do you recall what you said to me?¡±


    She looked away, unable to bare the physical memory of her actions. A sob rested at the base of her throat, her fists clenching.


    ¡°It was a long time ago...¡±


    You''re lucky | didn¡¯t cut your throat.¡± | rolled down the sleeve. ¡°Raina, | have an elephant¡¯s memory. Not just in my head, but on


    my body. You may not remember what you''ve said or did, but | do. Unfortunately, | remembered everything. That¡¯s the thing with


    trauma; it never lets you forget.¡±


    | was inches from her, ring up at her face given our height differences. ¡°Now, answer my damn question. What exactly have


    you lost these past years? Because, from what I can see, your mother and father still love you. You have a perfect mate and


    husband and a beautiful son. You''re the Beta Female. You are loved and respected.¡±


    ¡°| lost nothing...¡± Raina pathetically answered.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± | crossed my arms under my chest. ¡°Does Adonis know who | am or that I¡¯m his aunt?¡±


    ¡°He knows he had an aunt, but like the rest of us at the time, he believes you''re dead.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± | tapped my cheek. ¡°It should stay that way. | will leave at the end of the summer, and you''ll never see me again.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She growled. ¡°You''re not leaving me again! You will be in his life!¡±


    576


    hapter 54 ¡ª The Threat


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to. We may share blood, but we aren''t family. You are not my sister and would never be my sister, so put that stupid


    fantasy of yours to rest! | hate you, Raina!¡±


    +109


    Bonus


    04:15


    Before either of us could say


    anything else, a potent scent of


    decay and rot permeated into our


    noses, making us Zee T¨¦eQout!


    vciumese QAO t boomed through


    the air, swallowing the entire territory


    whole. Intensity and anxiety, with


    dozens of origins, rolled into the air,


    thick as smoke. Raina¡¯s face


    switched from pain to horror when


    she realized what was going on. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°Rogues.¡± She trembled. ¡°We''re under attack!¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 ¡ª The Attack


    +109


    Bonu


    04:09


    ¡°Learn to dance in the rain steady hand, steady alm. Knock ¡®em dead or Redfield ain¡¯t my name ¡ª ¡°Far from Alive¡± Resident Evil


    2 Rap by IT Music feat. Andrea Storm Kaden


    Kiya


    The boom of thunder.


    The scent of falling rain.


    The aura of chaos.


    Together, they shaped the melting pot for battle. It caked the atmosphere of Zircon Moon, frenzied and remorseless. In my


    peripherals, bodies scramble in and out of the main house in preparation tobat the evil that dared to soil the day, Rain


    battered against the windows like acoustic drums, broadcasting their presence to all wolves. Trainedbatants suited up, faces


    obscured with determination and ferocity, the exact emotions needed in warfare.


    Jumbled chatter mixed with whines of fear twirled in the air as mothers, unmated wolves, children, the elderly, and the sick


    trekked hurriedly to the underground, imprable safety room. Built across from the dungeons, essibility to the room was


    only through the packhouse to ensure the maximum level of safety to the most vulnerable. The pup trainees were amongst those


    in the safety room because they¡¯re unfit for battle.


    The stench of decay was enough to make me sick, but | did not have time to dwell on my nausea. it was time to buckle up and


    take my ce on the battlefield. The itch for battle tickled my every nerve, exciting my synapses. Adrenaline immersed me like a


    tsunami. This was my chance to protect the children, reinforcing the reasons | was rightfully a Delta.


    | scowled at Raina for the final time before turning my back. No use to waste time on this fruitless. conversation. And | didn¡¯t want


    to waste any more of my breath on her.


    ¡°You''re going out there?¡± Raina asked. Her worry was as thick as smoke.


    ¡°Yes. We''re under attack, as you said. Deltas don¡¯t run and | have every intention to fight.¡±


    ¡°But you''ll get hurt-¡±


    ¡°Comes with the job, Raina.¡± | retorted, cracking my knuckles. ¡°Either you join me or stay the hell out of my


    way.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± | turn to see little Adonis running towards his mother from the staircase, tears blurring his eyes. He was picked up by


    his mother, clinging onto her neck for dear life. With his face buried in the crook of her neck, his small body quaked in fear. A


    sting of pain punctured my heart to see the little boy so frightened.


    ¡°It''s okay, my treasure. It will be okay.¡± She whispered in his ear, rubbing circles on his back. | see it now. To Raina, Adonis


    comes first. It was a mother¡¯s instinct to protect their children from the ills of the world, even if it kills them. Raina was not acting


    like a Beta Female; she is and always will be a mother first.


    I''m not a mother, but | understand the need to protect those | love.


    ¡°Raina!¡± Valerian shouted, running to his family. His hands went on his wife and child, one running through


    177


    Chapter 55 ¡ª The Attack


    Adonis¡® curls. His jade eyes rxed as he looked at his son, ¡°This insanity has to end.¡±


    ¡°It will, my love.¡± They shared a brief kiss. ¡°Come back to me in one piece.¡±


    +109


    Bonu


    04:06


    ¡°You know | will.¡± He smiled. Raina ushered off to the safety room. Adonis peered at me, and for a moment, | could feel the terror


    emanating from him. That look alone strengthened my resolve.


    No one deserves to live in fear.


    With a soft growl, snubbing the fact | was still in my pajamas, | left the packhouse into the heavy rain. Quickly, | was drenched,


    my clothes clinging like a second skin. As pack members filed out, | walked towards my team gathering the weapons of warfare.


    Briefly, | see Jackie¡¯s face twisting in worry as Abigail sp on her chest te.


    ¡°She has the blessing of Selene. Abigail will survive.¡± | reassured my friend. Abigail is a human, twice as vulnerable as us


    werewolves. Since | am the avatar of Selene, | could physically grant her protection through a special mark. With Selene¡¯s divine


    will, her vulnerability is radically reduced, physically on par with us


    werewolves.


    | traced an image of a crescent moon on her shoulder with my finger, the magic seeped into her deep brown


    skin.


    Swiftly dressing in my gear, | walk towards the front lines with Galen, Darien, and Jacqueline at my sides. Sapphire and Abigail


    were several feet behind us, ready for the onught. The smell of death grew stronger as the fighters spread across the territory.


    Some as humans, but many as fully grown wolves.


    It wasn¡¯t long until the three ranked wolves of Zircon joined the frontline, their mates safely tucked away in the safety room.


    Sparks red on my arm, which | promptly jerked away in anger as | red in ocean blue.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you''re doing?¡± | used.


    ¡°| don¡¯t want you out here,¡± Neron exined. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you in this fight.


    You should be in the safety room.¡±


    ¡°| appreciate the concern, but that won¡¯t happen. I¡¯m a Delta, and | need to be out here.¡±


    ¡°Kiya-


    ¡°There¡¯s no time for this, Neron. I¡¯m staying, whether or not you like it.¡±


    Neron snarled softly, shutting his eyes as he inhaled deeply. The rain made his wet hair stick to his flesh, beautifying his god-like


    features. His clothing soaked up the rain, revealing the outlines of his best assets, including some | didn¡¯t need to name.


    After a second, he opened his eyes, conveying a silent message into my own. ¡°Fine. Be careful.¡± He muttered.


    I said nothing after that. Soon, all the warriors including guards and border patrols stood, armed and ready for an attack. Neron


    conveyed a message to his entire pack via links, judging by the ssy look in his eyes.


    ¡°Don''t hesitate and don¡¯t hold back,¡± Jacqueline spoke to us. ¡°Put these bitches in the dirt!¡±


    The vengeful miasma of death made my eyes tear up and inhumane growls reverberated into the air, causing us all to bristle.


    This was it. Our enemies made their appearance from the darkness of the woonds. The rain


    2/7


    Chapter 55-The Attack


    did nothing to disguise the horror of these wolves, whose jaws oozed bright-green drool.


    +109


    Bonus


    The rogues don¡¯t look normal. Their horrified emergence was enough to still my heart in unrelenting fear. Each deadly rogue


    looked as if different pieces of wolves were meshed to form their reanimated bodies like patches sewn on damaged toys.


    Different ears, eyes, tails, snouts, and so much more shaped their disproportioned bodies. Their eyes were void of life, soulless.


    04:04


    Both sides waited precariously, seeing who would buckle and attack first. We as fighters learn to not fear the bark, but the bite of


    rogues. Fury and resolve were our best assets, ready to aid us to the top of the hill to im victory. Pushing aside my hate, |


    knew we could weather this infestation with minimal casualties. The vulnerable poption was counting on our sess, many


    waiting for their mates to return to their arms.


    Thunder roared. Lightning shed. The battle had begun. The reanimated rogues roared and rushed at us at blinding speed, and


    the pack countered with the ferocity of the gods. The fighters beat and tore at the rogues. Various injuries painted our flesh, but


    our resolve continued to burn bright as a star. The territory became slippery and muddy, but it didn¡¯t deter us.


    Everywhere | turned was the scourge of the dead. If one dies, two more appear from the darkness of the trees, carrying the stink


    of failed dposition. | fought off many, but some nicked my arm and my leg.


    | didn¡¯t yell. | didn¡¯t scream. | fought for my survival. | fought for the children hiding, scared for their lives


    Two wolves charged at me in unison, bashing me rearward into the soupy mud. Brown blurred my vision as | struggled against


    their snapping, frothing jaws. Before either took the chance to bite my throat, arge red wolf body-mmed them into the mud,


    jaws tearing their decaying flesh apart. A brown wolf came into my view, using its snout to help me on my feet.


    it


    | growled, batting that wolf away. | knew who it was, and | didn¡¯t need them acting like they care when we''re in the middle of a


    fucking war.


    Wiping the mud from my forehead, | witnessed Neron tearing apart five wolves at once as Onyx, efficiently showing why he was


    the king of the pack. Some cowered away, but many foolishlyunched themselves at the Alpha, determined to take him down.


    To his side, Valerian fought valiantly as a brown wolf, despite the deep w wound at his side. Kwame, as a spotted ck and


    grey wolf, tore down his enemies with ease. Their dominance in the battle was to be admired.


    Abigail sliced and diced like an expert swordswoman why Jacqueline, as Rosaline, protected her mate¡¯s back. Sapphire zed


    through thend, dragging a rogue by the neck, and tossing it to the side with her ws. Galen and Darien, still in their human


    forms, shot arrows and javelins, impaling many through the hearts.


    As more dposing wolves appeared from the woods, | knew it was time to end this for good. With a roar, | shifted into


    Artemis, white fur sprouting from my flesh as |nded on all fours. Sharing one mind, Artemis and | worked in unison to destroy


    the army of the undead.


    Dead eyesnded on me, swimming in the only emotion | saw in their eyes for the first time, fear. | tore apart the nearest rogues


    in front of me while many retreats. An interesting development if | might say. Suddenly, there is a distant, disembodied howl that


    rang through the air, halting all undead rogues in their tracks.


    In a sh, all the rogues disappeared into the woods, although some got pulled back into the field to be killed. In less than a


    minute, the victor of battle is decided. Zircon Moon stood triumphant on theirnd, wolves howling in the war¡¯s end. Panting, | sat


    on my rear end, allowing the rain to wash the dirt off my snowy fur while the howls of victory echoed through the storm.


    Chapter 55- The Attack.


    It''s over. We won. But something told me it won''t thest time we''ll see of those rotting rogues.


    +109


    Bonu


    04:00


    ¡°Hold still and let me use this antiseptic on your wound, Kiya!¡±


    ¡°I can help myself, Sapphire!¡±


    She continued to shake the can and spray the w mark on my calf, ignoring my protests. | sat on a rock in baggy shorts and a


    large t-shirt as the aftermath of the battle settled in. Warriors and border patrols dragged the rotting bodies of the rogues away,


    slime-like green staining the grass in their wake. The injuries we sustained are, oddly, taking more time to heal than usual, so


    the pack doctors and paramedics had to pitch in


    with the treatment.


    My wound was healing, albeit slowly, but the antiseptic made it feel cleaner. Exhaling a breath, | didn¡¯t know | was holding, |


    rxed. The stench of death disappeared, leaving behind the clean air of earth Mother Nature graced us with. It was needed


    after a lengthy battle.


    ¡°There you go.¡± My blond friend handed me a single roll of gauze with a smile. ¡°I know if | tried to bandage you, you¡¯d just might


    bite me. So, I''ll leave you to it, girl.¡±


    Smirking, | took the gauze from her hands. Suddenly, Sapphire¡¯s blue eyes shed ck, nostrils ring. A deep growl rumbled


    in her chest and before | knew it, the woman took off faster than a space rocket.


    ¡°Huh. What¡¯s gotten into her?¡±


    ¡°Uh oh.¡± Jackie sang, eyebrows bouncing. ¡°Looks like the little pup has found her mate.¡±


    My jaw dropped. Seriously? Who knew that Sapphire would find her mate in this backwater pack? My heart swelled in happiness


    at the thought of my friend achieving the love she deserves. After being mateless for so long, my blond friend deserved


    something like this.


    ¡°How long do you think it will be before she gets knocked up?¡±


    ¡°Jackie!¡± | pushed her shoulder. ¡°Where¡¯s Darien and Galen?¡±


    ¡°Darien is helping to transport some warriors to the pack hospital who sustained non-life-threatening. injuries. As for Galen, |


    haven''t seen him in a hot minute.¡± On cue, the both of us saw Galen walking across the field hand-in-hand with a handsome


    man with a bandaged forearm. From where we''re sitting at, the twinkle in Galen¡¯s eyes shone as bright as a star and his grin


    stretched on for miles. I''ve never seen him like


    that before! That could only mean one thing...


    ¡°Oh! It looks like Galen found his as well!¡± Jackieughed, pping once. My jaw dropped. What are the odds that both Sapphire


    and Galen¡¯s mates were here? ¡°It is a good thing we came along for this mission, isn¡¯t it,


    Little Bit?¡±


    ¡°...] guess.¡± | muttered, toying with the hem of my shirt. As Abigail finishes bandaging up her arm, Jackie drew her in her arms.


    and kissed her forehead. Abigail emerged unharmed from the battle, only covered in grime and mud. The relief on the Beta¡¯s


    face is more than enough to calm her heart.


    No matter what, Jackie would always worry about Abigail''s safety. They were mates and deeply in love, and with lovees


    worry.


    AJ


    Chapter 55 ¡ª The Attack


    +


    Ronu


    That¡¯s probably why Neron jogged up to me, ready to draw me into his arms. | quickly shot up from the rock, keeping a three fect


    distance from him. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    03:51


    Realizing what he was about to do, Neron softened and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | needed to see that you were


    okay.¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine.¡± | sat back down on the rock, dressing my leg wound. ¡°How many casualties today?¡±


    ¡°For once, none.¡± He sighed in relief. | could tell that he didn¡¯t want to face more losses from his pack. Zircon Moon couldn''t take


    another hit like before. ¡°You''ve trained my warriors well in such a short time. For that, | thank you.¡±


    ¡°Just doing my job.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Here.¡± Neron kneeled on the wet grass near my calf. ¡°Let me help with that. | have gauze tape.¡±


    | didn¡¯t want him to touch me. | didn¡¯t want to feel those fucking sparks. ¡°Just give me the tape. | can handle


    it myself.¡±


    ¡°Kiya,¡± His blue eyes were pleading. ¡°I know you space. Onyx is worried and won''t stop howling.¡±


    an handle it, but please let me have this and I''ll give you


    My eyes narrowed, ring daggers. ¡°You swear you''ll give me space?¡±


    He shot me an irritating smirk. ¡°For today, at least.¡±


    | rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to smack that smile. ¡°Make it quick.¡±


    His blue eyes lit up like a child on


    Christmas Day. Pulling out the gauze


    tape from his pocket, he got to work.


    His fingers, gentle qesputious} |


    r diustmy eal e. Firm, but not


    tight. The tips of his fingertips


    brushed against the brown skin,


    sparks erupting underneath. | hated


    the feeling, but it was over just as it


    had started. Neron finished taping


    the bandage before smiling. ¡°There.


    How do you feel?¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Fine.¡± | shot to my feet and walked away, leaving him near the rock. As much as | appreciated the help, that¡¯s as far as | was


    willing to let him touch me. Anything beyond that would blur lines, and | couldn''t afford that.


    As | walked towards the packhouse, the red and brown wolves that took the rabid rogues off me trotted toward me. Their gold


    and amber eyes looked at me with saddened expressions, their tails between their legs. One red wolf tried to rub its snout on my


    leg, but | backed away. Crossing my arms underneath my chest, | red at them.


    ¡°My gratitude for you both does not extend off the battlefield. If you have something to say, say it now because | won''t give you


    that chanceter.¡±


    The two wolves went behind one statue at the front stairs. Emerging clothed were two people | wished I¡¯d never see again. Two


    people | hoped were dead and buried before | arrived. Two people who, unfortunately, each gave half of their gic makeup to


    me.


    Steven and Ashley Lane.


    My biological parents.


    ¡°Halima, my baby girl...¡± Ashley squeaked with watering eyes, walking toward me.


    Chapter 55-The Attack


    | stepped back as if | was avoiding a fire. ¡°Kiya is my name, and I¡¯m not your fucking baby girl.¡±


    Steven took a step next to his wife, grasping her hand. ¡°She is your mother, Kiya.¡±


    +109


    Bonus


    03:54


    ¡°She sure didn¡¯t act like it before.¡± | rolled my eyes, tilting my hip to the side. ¡°So, what have youe to beg me for?


    Forgiveness? Because I¡¯m not here to ept any olive branches.¡±


    ¡°Baby girl, please, you can¡¯t reject us like this,¡± Ashley begged. | resisted the urge to roll my eyes again. ¡°You have no idea how


    much | suffered when you died. | thought you were gone forever. | missed you so much and prayed for the day we¡¯d meet again.


    [+I didn¡¯t expect to see you alive after so long. It was a miracle from the Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°For me, not for you, Ashley.¡± My remarknced her through the heart because she looked at me with an expression full of


    misery.


    ¡°We shouldn''t be surprised at the way


    you are now,¡± Steven bowed his head


    as his voice quaked. ¡°We failed you


    as parents. We fail yoy ItsO rriany


    Nee Hiswoit¨¦c} cked. ¡°I should


    have been a father...an actual father


    to you. | should have never treated


    you the way | did. We should have


    been at your side to give you what


    you deserve. Please Kiya, find it in


    your heart to forgive us and your


    sister.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°| love you so much. | still do and always will.¡± Ashley added, hands sped together like she was praying. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to


    be angry at me. | want my baby girl back. | want our family to be the way it should have been before all this madness happened.


    I''m so sorry, Honeybee. Your father is sorry, and Raina is sorry.


    Please....


    My heart clenched at the old nickname. Honeybee. Because | liked to wear yellow and | was always found near the flower


    bushes in the woods back then. That name was lost


    in the wind and no longer stirs any warmth in me. It was dead, like my love for these people. They weren¡¯t my parents. | have my


    real ones back home.


    And | liked the nickname Moonbeam better.


    ¡°| know you hate us...¡± Steven muttered.


    ¡°| don¡¯t hate you,¡± | tell him. ¡°I can¡¯t hate people | don¡¯t care about. Or maybe | do hate you both? But | do know that | hold no


    love for either of you.¡±


    Tears fell freely from Ashley''s eyes as she sobbed into her trembling palms. Something should stir in me, like a feeling of


    remorse. | couldn¡¯t change who gave birth to me, but I sure as hell can choose my parents.


    ¡°This conversation is over. You both


    don''t deserve the title of parents. It


    wasn''t like anyone forced you to be


    cruel to me. Youre green se6pie |


    capaefrhaking choices and you


    chose to not only be cruel but to


    abuse me. You both were the reason


    | became a ve, and now you want


    me to forgive you? Some things


    cannot be forgiven, and it isn¡¯t


    starting today.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    With that, | went into the house as Ashley wailed behind me.


    6/7

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Puppeteer


    ¡°Every story needs its hero. And its viin. And its monster.¡°-Amle Kaufman


    Third Person POV


    +10


    Bonu


    03:29


    Eyes, red as carmine, perused over the reanimated corpse of his puppet. The cadaver is motionless as a statue, put upon a


    steel table scintiting faintly under fluorescent lights. The owner of the ominous eyes cracked an amusing smirk, lips hiding the


    terror behind them.


    The n was working smoothly. His spider-like fingers traced the stitches of flesh, held together by a delicate string. Sharp nails


    nicked the slowly rotting dermis, the ooze of shamrock green dribbling out like droplets of rain. His marite isn¡¯t ready for its


    grand appearance for there was much to do. The thought of having what he always wanted aroused him, the vivacious heart of


    the one so close he could almost taste it.


    Restless as he was, he knew the value of patience. He mustn¡¯t act too hastily for his n to work. He must take time. The


    waiting was mind¡ªnumbing, but it would all be worth it.


    ¡°My lord.¡± His head gently turned to see one of his many living, breathing puppets standing at the door to his morgue. ¡°Many of


    the undead hellhounds returned to their cages. Our numbers suffered in the attack against Zircon Moon. What are your orders?¡±


    The man grunted in amusement. ¡°My littlembs will continue to construct more hellhounds. I¡¯m not finished with those wretched


    dogs. They have something | want, and | won¡¯t stop until | get it. The ashes of the deceased rogues are plentiful. No worry about


    the depleting numbers.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Quadruple the number of hellhounds we have. Sextuple, if you must. The more we have, the more we overwhelm our enemy.¡±


    ¡°Very well, but have you discussed this with Nadia? You know how she feels about being left in the dark.¡±


    His lord¡¯s face hardened; lips pursed. ¡°She is to work on the hellhounds with my othermbs as instructed. Do not bring her


    name up again, Lucien.¡±


    Lucien wanted to say something. So desperate and needed that it punched at the base of his throat, demanding an escape.


    However, he was agonizingly aware of his lord¡¯s wrath at the mere mention of that name. All he could think about was the poor


    woman ving over enchanted ashes and rotting stiffs of failed pack dogs. He wished he could say how Nadia was of value to


    him, not only for his ckened heart but for his soul. The touch of a beautiful maiden could do him wonders to steer him off this


    chaotic path.


    In the end, he forced the words back down. He couldn''t risk his safety. With ast nod, the bleach¡ªblond man left his lord to


    cogitate in his darkness. The stench of his toy was enough to trigger intense nausea.


    As for the mysterious lord, he ran his hair through the puppet¡¯s darkened hair, matted from his illicit resurrection. He was the


    centerpiece of his ambition, the key to his victory.


    To get what no one else would im.


    The Moon will be his.


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Puppeteer


    +10


    Bonu


    03:2:


    Neron


    The rogue attack two days ago left more questions than answers. As my Beta and Gamma sat in my office to discuss the


    aftermath, the end of the battle preupied my mind. It had persisted, pestering my thoughts day in and day out.


    That howl. The howl that caused the ceasefire. I''ve heard it before. But it couldn¡¯t be who | think it is.


    ¡°Those rogues weren''t ordinary. They reeked on death and dposition.¡± Kwame spoke, pulling out his tablet. ¡°After a


    thorough examination of the corpses by the pack embalmers, reports state each part of the rogues were in various stages of


    decay, some more advanced than others.¡±


    ¡°That brings forth another question,¡± Valerian spoke. ¡°How are they able to have such immense strength during battle? Their


    fortitude was up to par with fully trained, full-bodied wolves. If they are rotting away, they should not have the tenacity to


    withstand our blowbacks.¡±


    ¡°The zombie rogues are under the control of someone,¡± | spoke up. ¡°Armies always have amander calling the shots from


    behind the chaos. The mysterious howl called back the rogues that escaped unscathed. This poses a problem if we¡¯re facing an


    enemy we cannot see.¡±


    ¡°Magic must be involved.¡± | pull my attention to my Beta. ¡°Maybe a witch is behind the attack.¡± He shot a childish smirk at me.


    ¡°Pissed off any witchestely?¡±


    ¡°Not since myst visit to The Witching Hour a few months back.¡± |ugh to myself. The Witching Hour was a club in Las Vegas,


    frequented by the supernatural, a party hub for us to let loose. In all seriousness, | highly doubt a few butt-hurt elemental witches


    have enough power to pull off an attack of this caliber.


    This attack was calcted. Whoever¡¯s behind this madness was cowardly enough to hide their face. Anger sizzled in my heart at


    the thought of my mysterious contender in hiding. The bastard attacked my home, putting everyone | care about in danger.


    My pack.


    My friends.


    My family.


    My mate.


    The lively thoughtsnded on Kiya for the umpteenth time today. As usual, she continues to avoid me like the bubonic gue.


    One-word answers were the norm for her. My presence offended her so much that she distances herself than be in the same


    room as me.


    | don¡¯t me her. She still carries a lot of pain from the past, especially from me. Yet, | knew for a fact she feels the sparks of our


    bond whenever we touch, | cannot be the only one. Onyx was still restless for her. He wanted her resting in our arms where she


    belongs. However, iming her heart as mine proved to be a bigger


    challenge.


    Well, lucky for me, | love challenges.


    Clearing my throat, | force my thoughts back on the situation at hand. ¡°Magic is a strong contender in why


    77


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Puppeteer


    +109


    the undead rogues are the way they are. The pack embalmers will continue to examine the corpses to discover more about what


    we''re dealing with. We need to find this puppeteer because | have a strong feeling that w09:21 see more attacks like this.¡±


    ¡°| suggest we consult the Alphas of the other packs that have been attacked,¡± Kwame spoke. ¡°If we could find a link between the


    onughts, we could assume we''re facing the same enemy.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. I''ll contact the Alphas; you both will go to The Witching Hour club to speak with witches. Thest time | checked, using


    magic on the dead is a forbidden practice. The more insight we get from them, the closer we will be to getting answers.¡±


    Witches were extremely strict with the ethics of magic. They can honor and bring peace to the dead, but never to use for


    maliciousness such as this. If | were a witch, I''d demand answers if a sacred rule was broken.


    Valerian shot me a look. ¡°You''re asking me to go to a club known for being a hub for the supernatural to ask witches for answers


    about zombie wolves?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°It is, considering many of those witches are known to seduce wolves. Raina would go on a rampage if |e back smelling like


    a witch.¡±


    Kwame shrugged. ¡°Lori does not have that level of extreme jealousy, but she¡¯d be concerned too.¡±


    ¡°Talk to your mates first. You both will leave tonight. Have two guards with you in case.¡± Despite their initial protests, both agreed


    to the assignment before leaving my office. The work to expose the identity of this challenger will be extensive, but it was all for


    the betterment and safety of the pack. | couldn¡¯t be a weak. Alpha.


    These wolves needed a strong leader, and a strong leader | will be.


    Going back to my original concern of the mysterious howl, | mind-linked my father to see if he could help clear up this fog of


    confusion.


    ¡°Hey, Dad. Could youe to my office?¡±


    ¡°It''s about that howl, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Spot on as always. | don¡¯t want to jump to conclusions, but | needed your opinion. That howl, though different, sounded familiar.


    Almost like...¡±


    ¡°| feel the same way, son. I¡¯m on my way. We''ll discuss more when | arrive.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, Dad.¡±


    | cut off the link, shuffling to the window. With the extraordinary view | was blessed with, | was able to watch the training of the


    wolves and pup trainees. My eyes, once again, fell on Kiya,manding the children with grace. Posing with various fighting


    stances and having some pups test their might on her brought forth a sense of pride swelling in my chest.


    The children love her. They follow her everymand down to the letter. Not only was she authoritative, but she was also gentle


    and patient. She had all the markers of being the perfect Luna. Her incredible beauty was


    a bonus.


    3/7


    Chapter 96,


    Goddess, | wanted her so bad. She''d thrive as my Luna, the position that¡¯s destined for her since birth


    +10


    Banus


    03:17


    Kiya


    | wanted bottled water from the kitchen. Was that too much to ask for?


    All | had to do is to go into the kitchen, grab a crisp bottle, and walk back to training. Simple, right?


    Nope!


    Instead, | got a glimpse of soft porn when | found Sapphire and her mate making out on the kitchen ind. seconds away from


    doing the devil''s tango. Were they naked? Not fully.


    Did | have to see a grown man pinch and pull Sapphire¡¯s bare nipple? Hell no.


    They must have been too deep into their lust because when | cleared my throat, the two leaped away from each other.


    Sapphire¡¯s blue eyes widened like saucers as she struggled to put her shirt back on as her mate stared at me like a deer in the


    headlights.


    | wanted tough. Their expressions were gold! | covered my mouth to hide my smile because if | didn¡¯t, I¡¯d die ofughter.


    ¡°K-K-Kiya!¡± Sapphire faltered, smoothing her blond hair to conceal the sin she was about tomit. ¡°U¡ªUh, how long have you


    been standing there?¡±


    ¡°Too long.¡± | snorted. ¡°Listen, | know you both love each other, and...¡± | peeped the macks on their necks. ¡°...you¡¯re already


    mated. Wow, it hasn¡¯t been three days! But regardless, you and Isaiah should be at training, not making babies in the kitchen.¡±


    | walked around Isaiah, who bent down and grabbed the shirt he¡¯d tossed carelessly on the kitchen floor. Giving me a full view of


    his, luckily, clothed rear.


    Two firm and perfectly round globes.


    ¡°| apologize, Delta Kiya.¡± The male werewolf bowed to me, his chestnut brown cheeks reddening in embarrassment. ¡°I...we


    didn¡¯t mean...¡±


    ¡°Dude, it¡¯s fine.¡± |ughed, waving it off. ¡°No harm done. Just keep it in the bedroom next time, okay?¡±


    Isaiah nodded, standing straight. ¡°Thank you, Delta. You are kind.¡±


    ¡°Eh, | wouldn¡¯t say that. I¡¯m reasonable.¡± | smile, grabbing the bottle | was pining for. ¡°Your fly is down. You should take care of


    that.¡±


    In a heap of embarrassment and giggles, the mated couple dashed out of the kitchen. My heart was pleased to see how much


    Sapphire glowed in her joy. Her mate was a good one. Isaiah was a warrior who recently returned from a visit to his family in


    Chicago right before the attack. | didn¡¯t expect Sapphire to mate so soon, but that¡¯s the thing about the mate bond. It was made


    that you cannot resist your other half, sacrificing your rationale toplete the soul bond.


    1 shuddered at the thought.


    Chapter 56 The Puppeteer


    +10


    Ronu


    Once | arrived back at the training grounds, the pup trainees paired off to spar. Excitement oozed from their cheers and fist


    pumps, finding their friends to practice. After a couple of minutes of monitoring progress, 03:14 spot a lone pup sitting on a rock


    some distance away from the session.


    | cocked my head to the side, curious. Why was she over there?


    As | got closer, she caught onto my presence and instantly flinched in fear. | don¡¯t know why, but that action saddened me. ¡°Why


    are you here, little pup? Shouldn¡¯t you be sparring with your peers?¡±


    The blond trainee shook her head, green eyes gleaming with unshed tears. ¡°I don¡¯t think | have what it takes, Delta Kiya. | fall all


    the time and | can¡¯t throw a punch. I¡¯m not a strong wolf!¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    | kneeled to her eye level, knees on the soft grass. ¡°Who said you¡¯re not a strong wolf?¡±


    The girl looked unsure to tell me, but after a second, she relents. She glued her eyes to herp. ¡°The boys. They''ve been teasing


    me for having a small wolf.¡±


    Shaking my head, | swallowed down my anger for the girl. There were many things in the world | don¡¯t like. After Neron, it was


    bullies. ¡°What¡¯s your name, hun?¡±


    ¡°Isabe, but everyone calls me Be.¡±


    ¡°Be.¡± | smiled. ¡°You share the same name as my mother¡¯s wolf. Beautiful.¡± | shuffled a bit, now sitting crosslegged. Be sat


    higher than me because of the boulder. ¡°Be, it¡¯s important to not listen to the words of mean boys. Does a small wolf mean


    you''re weak?¡±


    Be sniffled, wiping her nose with her hand. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m tiny. And you''re a huge and strong wolf.¡±


    ¡°Because | am a woman. You still have a lot of growing to do, Be. And even if you¡¯re a small wolf, so what? There are many


    advantages to being small!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Her emerald eyes glittered like diamonds. ¡°Like what?¡±


    | bit my lip, trying my best to figure out how to exin this properly. That¡¯s when an idea popped into my head. Looking around, |


    checked to make sure no eyes were on us. Once the coast was clear, | stretched out my palms. ¡°Watch carefully. I¡¯m about to


    show you something.¡±


    Be gasped when she saw the sparkles of silver light dancing from one palm to another like fireflies. Instantly she fell on her


    knees, crawling closer to the captivating show. ¡°Is that magic?¡±


    ¡°| guess you could say that. It¡¯s not


    like witchcraft magic. This is


    different.¡± | smirked. Closing my eyes,


    | imagined the imageso anaes


    big ad''s Oil The light of the moon


    within me streamed from my


    fingertips like a river, tranquil. The


    imagined image came to life in my


    palms, wolves outlined in sharp


    white. ¡°Look carefully, dear.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°The bigger wolf looks intimidating. Its height, weight, and brawn are its advantages in battle and duels. However, muscled


    bodies aren¡¯t the only form of strength, Be.¡± The images of the big wolf tossing the small wolf away yed before the little


    one¡¯s eyes.


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Puppeteer


    +10


    Bonu


    ¡°The smaller wolf has strength too! It


    has the strength to stand up and face


    its problems, regardless of its


    disadvantages. ThawOf has speed,


    couragdaghity, and power within


    itself to be a powerful opponent.


    T03:1 smaller wolf opened its jaw,


    bolting. With a leap, it sunk its jaws in


    its neck, pulling the big wolf towards


    my palm. ¡°It may be small, but its


    strength is in its fighting spirit.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    After the demonstration, the images turn into balls of light. ¡°Be, you have a lot more strength than you. realize. Don''t let those


    mean boys tell you otherwise. Even the smallest of fighters can beat down the bigger


    ones.¡±


    | toss a ball to Be, who quickly caught it in her hands. Her eyes glimmered with wonder as it floated between her palms before


    shimmering away into nothing. ¡°That was so cool, Delta Kiya!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± A smile rested on my face, proud. ¡°However, let¡¯s keep this between you and me, okay?¡± | shot her a wink, in which


    she returned before standing on her feet. ¡°After training, show me the boys who teased you. No one gets bullied under my


    watch.


    Her face fell. ¡°Will they get in trouble?¡±


    | patted her shoulder. ¡°It depends. Now, get back to training, okay? Don¡¯t cry over them. Be proud of who you are! You have the


    makings to be a fine warrior.¡±


    With a


    a big smile, Be ran back to the pup training grounds, quickly finding her sparring partner. Knowing that | made a child¡¯s day


    shine a little brighter was reward enough. Children deserve to be happy, no matter who they are.


    That should have been the end.


    But it wasn''t.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Without warning, an astronomical


    force of fire exploded within me. The


    sheer strength made me stagger and


    sway. Multiple mes @ythin ma''!


    ignited rm aneane S 7 burning


    infernos, zing like hellfire, |


    couldn''t breathe. | couldn''t think


    straight. My vision blurred slightly as


    my lungs and heart worked overtime,


    unable to keep up with the


    homeostatic imbnce. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    My body became overly sensitive, begging me to peel the clothes and armor away from my body. It couldn¡¯t handle the many


    minuscule fibers brushing against my skin. | crumbled to my knees, clutching at my heart through the devastating agony of fire.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s happening to me?¡± | whimpered. Talking became a challenge | couldn¡¯t conquer.


    ¡°Oh no. Oh no, no!¡± | hear a frantic voice from behind, followed by rapid footsteps. The scents of multiple wolves became


    extraordinarily strong, particrly the male ones. Sweat dripped from my chin as a certain area on my body, embarrassingly,


    began moistening. A hand was pressed on my back, which did nothing but worsen the mes.


    Not just because it was from Raina.


    ¡°Kiya, we need to get you inside the house now!¡± She eximed, trying to lift me bridal style, but | shoved her from me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± | screamed, wiggling away. Her poisoned touch added more agonizing mes, striking every bodily organ.


    ¡°What the hell is going on...?¡±


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Puppeteer


    ¡°You''re in heat.¡±


    | HATE BEING A WEREWOLF!

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 ¡ª The Heat (Part 1)


    ¡°Don''t judge yourself by what others did to you.¡°-C. Kennedy


    [Content Warning: This chapter will have mentions of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.)


    Kiya


    The Heat.


    +10


    Bonu


    03:00


    A dastardly condition that inflicts female wolves. During a she¡ª-wolf¡¯s heat, she had an uncontroble desire to mate. She


    bes an aggressive, horny machine desperate for sex. Her body heat rises exponentially to prepare for insemination. Her


    scent, now a thousand times more potent, bes a seductive enchantment meant to seduce and lure. It sends a spellbinding


    message to unmated wolves, enticing their animalistic instincts. A she¡ªwolf in heat is fertile, the chances of pregnancy taking


    ce are extraordinarily high. However, in lycanthropes, the heat urs when mates were close to each other weeks after their


    established bond.


    | avoided the heat because of not only the rejected band but being miles away from my bastard of a mate. Now, things were


    changing. The rejection was reversed, and | was closer to Neron than ever before. The heat finally caught up to me,busting


    dozens of mes in my body. At twenty-two, | was going through my first


    heat.


    And it burns!


    My nails pierced the skin of my chest as more pain shot through, directly hitting my heart. One hand on the ground serves as my


    only support as | gasp for air. Behind my eyes, Artemis writhes and whimpers in pain. The heat is pulling us further into a sea of


    scorching red. Behind me, Raina holds onto my shoulders, lear mixing with her scent. Her touch made me painfully aware of my


    increased sensitivity, the smallest of touches could erupt a volcano of agony underneath my flesh.


    Because it wasn¡¯t the touch of my mate.


    ¡°Make it stop!¡± | cried, tears stinging my eyes. ¡°Oh Goddess, make it stop!¡±


    ¡°| need to get you inside, sis,¡± Raina¡¯s voice volume was ear splitting, despite being a whisper. | wanted to be alone, away from


    everyone so the heat could go away. But | knew it wouldn''t.


    The key to crush the heat is for my mate to touch me. Him to be intimate with me. The pain would only disappear if weplete


    the overdue mating process. The very thought of having sex with Neron made me want to tear my hair out! | couldn¡¯t do that! |


    don¡¯t want that! That''s a line | wasn¡¯t ready to cross!


    With anyone!


    Multiple growls erupted from behind us. | didn¡¯t need to look to know what was happening. My scent was drawing the unmated


    wolves in. In an instant, the heat turned me from a mighty Delta to an attractive chew toy. No unmated male could resist the


    scent of an unmated female in heat.


    ¡°Stay the hell away from my sister!¡± Raina shouted, scooping my smoldering body in her arms. | didn¡¯t have the strength to resist


    because all my energy is zapped from my limbs. From the slits of my eyelids, | spot about a dozen men advancing towards us,


    eyes murky, afire with desire. My sister clutched me closer to her chest, my nose forcibly inhaling her scent ofvender and


    chamomile.


    Chapter 57 ¡ª The Heat (Part 1)


    Please, please don¡¯t let those men touch me!


    +10


    Bonu


    02:55


    Abruptly, a powerful growl resounded in the air and Jackie rushed in front of us. She used her tall body as a shield from the


    advancing beasts. ¡°Control yourselves, men! If any of you touch her, | will gut you from where you stand!¡± She turned her head to


    us. ¡°Go!¡±


    Raina took off, the air whipping against my boiling flesh. It stung terribly, a whimper escaping my mouth. | opened my eyes more


    to see some men breaking from the group, running after us. They didn¡¯t get far with Galen¡¯s yellowish¡ªgray wolf barreling into


    them, knocking them to the ground. Sapphire did her best to deter the other men away from us with Isaiah and Darien. Abigail


    opened the door to the packhouse, following us to my room.


    As my sister ced me on my bed, | screamed. Too much pain! Too many sensations at once! My ws elongated, tearing at my


    armor and clothes, shedding them into useless strips of cloth.


    ¡°Kiya, no!¡± She grabbed my hands. ¡°I-I know it¡¯s bad, but I¡¯m here to help you. We need to get your temperature down.¡±


    ¡°It hurts...¡± | sobbed. Like bullets, the pain whizzed from every nerve, merciless. My mind was hazy with pain and desire,


    infuriating the fire pooling in my core. Why did this have to happen now? Why did | have to be at the mercy of this developmental


    malfunction?


    | don¡¯t want sex. | don¡¯t want to mate. My heat was punishing me!


    Abigail ced a wet, cold towel on my forehead as | struggled against Raina¡¯s grip. | needed the rest of my clothes off me! |


    could feel every damn thing down to the cotton fibers and it was driving me insane!


    ¡°Hey,¡± Raina tapped Abi¡¯s arm. ¡°Could you go to the kitchen and get the Omegas to bring bags of ice?¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking about making an ice bath?¡± My friend asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Will it work?¡±


    ¡°No, but it will lessen the fire in her body. The only way to stop the heatpletely is if Neron mates with her, but...


    ¡°Oh, | get it. I''ll be right back!¡±


    As soon as Abigail left, my sister sighed and released my hands. | did quick work to remove every article of shredded clothing off


    my body. | even tossed my selenite ne away from me. Raina locked the door, hoping the wooden barrier would be enough


    to stop the men¡¯s pursuit. |id naked on my bed, the heat getting worse. Raina took off the wet towel and wiped the sweat off


    my face.


    ¡°Baby sis...¡± She whispered, kneeling on the floor. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see you suffering like this.¡±


    ¡°Why...¡± | whispered, shutting my eyes. ¡°W-why now?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. The heat loves to creep up on us like a bug. You''rete in the game, so the heat is making up for the lost time.¡±


    She took my mmy hand and held it tight.


    ¡°Is the heat how you got pregnant with Adonis?¡± | asked, terrified.


    She gave the answer | dreaded. Out of nowhere, | started weeping. Not just because of the pain, but all the implications that


    come with this insanity. The way | saw the men look at me, like | was a prize to im for their dicks, brought back the revulsion |


    always felt with intimacy.


    Chapter 57 ¡ª The Heat (Part 1)


    +10


    Bonu


    Their eyes were full of burning hunger and lust with the desire to im and conquer me. The yearning to have me underneath


    their bodies, to nt their cmitous seeds in my womb. | couldn¡¯t me them for their 02:5: wolfish instincts, but it was all too


    much for me.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How could my body be desirable for someone to mate with? | was tainted. | was dirty. Another man touched me before the one |


    was supposed to love. Another man took advantage of my vulnerability and used my body to satisfy his dark needs. Another man


    hurt me more than the pack did.


    That guard raped me in that cell when | was fourteen and it became routine for the next three years. It only stopped when |


    escaped. He took away my autonomy. He took away my control, forcing himself on me often.


    That¡¯s my secret shame. No one knows about that part of my abuse except my therapist. | couldn¡¯t bring myself to admit that |


    was vited underneath the floors of this packhouse.


    The vition killed me. It made me hate my body. No matter how beautiful | look or how strong | feel, whenever | look in the


    mirror, | could see the imprints of that guard¡¯s pedophilic hands on my flesh. A constant reminder that | was used goods. No


    amount of scrubbing could erase the phantom touches | feel asionally,


    ¡°Please, Raina...¡± | begged, my eyes staring in hers. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone touch me! I-I can¡¯t...| don¡¯t want to be mated to anyone...


    not even Neron.¡±


    Raina¡¯s eyes softened with her hand cradling my cheek. For once, something different shed in those chestnut eyes. It differed


    from the evil | remembered. This time, | saw the care of an older sister, the love she was supposed to give me long ago.


    It was so strange. | don¡¯t know how to feel about it.


    ¡°| won''t let anyone near you unless you ask me to, sis.¡± She assured, her voice firm. ¡°I''ll protect you. | promise you that.¡±


    In the next fifteen minutes, Raina and my friends went to work on dousing my heat. The ice bath Raina set up helped, despite


    the ice cubes melting on contact with my skin. The Omegas brought in more bags of ice to set in the bathroom for more ice


    baths. The heatsts three days, so it was going to be three days of pure hell for


    1.me.


    Sapphire cranked up my air conditioner to full st, turning my bedroom into an icebox. | wish | could say it helped, but | still felt


    like an inferno with a light nket covering my bare essentials. The heat zapped the energy out of me, so |id on my bed with a


    wet towel on my head with my limbs weighing as heavy as steel.


    ¡°| want to help you, Kiki. But | can¡¯t.¡± Darien whispered through the mind-link, saddened. ¡°I hope you understand why.¡±


    ¡°| do. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Darien is an unmated male, despite discovering his mate. He is just as susceptible to my heat scent


    like any other. He was distancing himself to keep me safe. | wish he was here to help, but | won¡¯t forget his sacrifice. C


    ¡°Here, Little Bit.¡± Galen slowly sat me up as he bnced a bowl of ice cream in his other hand. My eyes darted to the mate mark


    on his neck, deeming him safe to be around. | didn¡¯t have the joy to celebrate thepletion of his mate bond because my heat


    zapped all other emotions out of me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will work, but it works for human kids with fevers!¡±


    Chapter 57-The Heat (Part 1)


    +10%


    Bonus


    | made a face of disgust. Vani ice cream? Not my favorite, but it''ll do. Like the mother hen he was, he began spoon-feeding


    merge helpings of the icy treat. Sugar was an amazing distraction.


    02:48


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we use the Anti-Spray to disguise Kiki¡¯s scent?¡± Abigail asked Sapphire as she sat at the chair at my vanity.


    ¡°It won''t work. Her scent is a thousand times more potent now. I''ll need to make another solution for this asion, but it could


    take several days.¡±


    ¡°What''s Anti-Spray?¡± Raina inquired while wiping the sweat off my bare back.


    ¡°It''s a spray we used to disguise our scents. Handy for patrols and missions. My family and | made it.¡± Sapphire answered,


    grinning with pride. ¡°However, the original form doesn¡¯t take ount for the potency of a she¡ªwolf''s heat. Spraying it now is


    wasteful.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Jackie groaned, leaning against the bathroom door. ¡°We''ll need to bat away every unmated male from her room or else


    they''ll catch a case.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t we forgetting something?¡± Galen fed me another helping of ice cream.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Alpha. How are we going to keep Neron away?¡±


    Out of nowhere, my bedroom door burst open to reveal a very disheveled Neron- unkempt hair, wrinkled clothing, and eyes


    cker than sea trenches. | went still, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. Everybody held their breaths, waiting for his


    next move. Some ice cream dribbled from the corner of my lips, dripping to my chin.


    Neron¡¯s ckened eyes squared on me, coal eyes afire with lust.


    ¡°MINE!¡±


    All hell broke loose when Neron leaped towards me.


    Neron


    I need her! | want her!


    Kiya is mine, and no one is going to stop me from having her!


    The unfathomable rage when | saw Delta Galen feeding her ice cream surged through my veins, lengthening my ws. They


    ache to tear him apart for being near my mate in her heat. Only | should be near her! I''ll kill that bastard!


    ¡°NO! Two pairs of hands forced me backward, farther from Kiya in her bed. | growled and thrashed against Raina and Beta


    Jacqueline, angry that they tried to separate me from my other half.


    ¡°Control yourself, Alpha!¡± Jacqueline demanded.


    ¡°Mine!¡± | snarled, pushing the Beta women away from me. Kiya shot up from her bed, dressed in only a thin


    Chapter 57 ¡ª The Heat (Part 1)


    +10


    Bonu


    nket outlining every perfect curve on her body, from her firm breasts to her wide hips. Her scent called to me, serving as an


    invitation to im what was mine. It was a tempting seductress, pulling me deeper and


    02:4 farther into my pool of desire.


    ¡°Stay the hell away from me!¡± Kiya shouted, hiding behind Delta Galen. | growled, pissed that she''d seek thefort of another


    man over me! | was her fucking mate! She should run to ME!


    ¡°Neron, chill out!¡± Two muscr arms looped under my own, forcibly pulling me back towards the door. Raina must have linked


    her husband for help because Valerian jerks me back with the force of a bulldozer. ¡°Wake up, man! Look at what you''re doing!¡±


    ¡°Let me go, Valerian,¡± | snarled, my


    Alpha tone inteced with that


    simple, yet authoritativemand.


    Every wolf, Betgandibeldws cannot


    resist hy ¨¦ommand of their superior.


    Valerian recognizes this, and so does


    his wolf. With an angry sneer, my


    second-inmand released me.


    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are


    telling me what to do?¡± The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°You tried to bulldoze your way to


    your mate through my fucking wife!¡±


    He yelled at me, hi yin EYED m


    Heinaton ee to ck in


    anger. ¡°You''re damn lucky nothing


    happened, but put my wife in danger


    again, and you and | are going to


    have a problem!¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Hey Little Bit, are you okay?¡± My head snapped in the direction of Galen and my mate, too close forfort. Onyx wanted that


    Delta¡¯s head on a pike! His hands were on Kiya¡¯s shoulders, a touch too far!


    ¡°Get the fuck away from her!¡± |manded, ready to pounce, Galen twisted his head towards me, darkened eyes ring with


    the intensity of a tornado.


    his


    ¡°First off, | don¡¯t answer to you! You aren¡¯t my damn Alpha! Second, if you cared about Kiya, you¡¯d shut this shitshow down and


    realize how fucking terrified she is of you! Control your instincts and your damn wolf, Neron!¡±


    | froze. My possessive, animalistic


    thoughts stopped in their tracks,


    retreating to the recesses of my


    mind. For a mom AY ay gaz ?


    fickeretNoVer''to my Kiya, visibly


    shaking as she clutched her thin


    nket like it was her lifeline. Worst


    of all, she was avoiding all eye


    contact with me. She was avoiding


    my eyes because | scared her that


    much. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    My muscles went weak, my tall frame identally slumping against my Beta. With a grunt of effort, Valerian ced me against


    the wall as | continued to stare at my terrified mate.


    What have | done? Did I push her farther away than before?


    Did | break my promise to the Moon Goddess sooner than | realize?


    ¡°Out!¡± Kiya screeched, shuffling away from the crowd. ¡°You all are making my damn head hurt! All of you, get the fuck out of my


    room!¡±


    Her friends looked hurt but obeyed. Raina lingered in a vain attempt to talk but was pushed out. Valerian trailed behind her, but |


    stayed. | couldn¡¯t leave her alone, especially since she needed me. Even if she doesn¡¯t realize it herself.


    But the look in her eyes told me the opposite. Deep brown swam with countless emotions, liquifying in a


    Chapter 57 The Heat (Part 1)


    concoction strong enough to hurt my heart.


    I see anger.


    Terror.


    Sadness.


    +10


    Bonu


    02:4


    And like that, another wall was put up between us. | couldn¡¯t reach her, no matter how hard | tried. Her eyes carried a silent


    message that | understood, she wanted me gone.


    With a defeated sigh, | left her room, closing the door behind me. But not before hearing the faint sobs from the other side.


    I cannot leave her alone. But how do | show that | won''t hurt her?


    How deep did her pain go?


    Chapter Comments.


    Phenyo Mashudu


    why am | mad that Raina is the one helping her


    Phenyu Mashudu

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 ¡ª The Heat (Part 2)


    +109


    Bonus


    02:37


    wer


    ¡°When trust is broken, there is not any medicine to recover that again, as it was before, even you try hard to gain back.¡®¡ª Ehsan


    Sehgal


    Third Person POV


    The pain of the heat refused to leave. The firestorm of the she¡ªwolf''s desire continued to scorch like a treacherous wildfire,


    pirouetting with agony. Coupled with her bleary mind, Kiya endured the suffering. The ice baths aided in lowering her


    temperature, but the reliefsted for minutes. No amount of ice cream quashed the deep fire in her core. Artemis suffered,


    writhing and whimpering. The two cannotmunicate because of the sharing of pain.


    The heat forbids Kiya from thinking about misceneous things. It wanted Kiya to focus on her mate and how much she needed


    him. It was true. She needed Neron. The Delta knew only the touch of her mate would solve her predicament. The pain boiled


    and sizzled from the tips of her toes to her head, forcing a guttural whine from her lips.


    As she


    laid curled in a ball on her bed, Kiya momentarily thought about letting Neron in. Her desperation showed as the night grew. But


    she couldn''t do it. The episode at training joined with her traumatic shbacks made her wary of the presence of a male. She


    trusted Galen and Darien with her life because they¡¯re her best friends.


    However, she doesn¡¯t trust Neron. She doesn''t trust that he would control his instincts. She doesn¡¯t believe he''ll resist the allure


    of her heat¡ªcoated scent. He¡¯ll mate with her against her will. That part frightened Kiya more than the heat itself. What if she lets


    him in and he hurts her?


    Who would Kiya me then, Neron or herself for trusting him?


    Trust. Easily broken but difficult to forge. A singr word with much weight and, ironically, fragility. Kiya¡¯s trust was rarely given. It


    took months for her to trust her family and friends. Why? In the back of her mind, there was always that voice that forces her to


    be vignt of the intentions of others. To warn her that everyone was out to hurt her until proven otherwise. It acts as her twisted


    guardian angel, nting seeds of doubt in her mind with every encounter of people.


    How could she trust Neron? He hasn¡¯t done one thing to prove that he was trustworthy. No one in Zircon Moon had besides the


    Dubois. How could Kiya trust in the promise he made to her, that he¡¯ll protect her from harm?


    The harm she needed protection from was him and his animalistic wolf.


    Several knocks on the door knocked her out of her thoughts. Her nostrils red at the earthy scent drifting from the door. Her


    desire wanted him, but her rationale rejected him. Kiya¡¯s body, covered with a thin nket, shook violently at Neron on the other


    side.


    ¡°Kiya, we need to talk.¡± He whispered; a palm pressed against the door. ¡°I know you¡¯re suffering. You shouldn¡¯t go through this


    alone.¡±


    ¡°| can deal with this myself.¡± Kiya retorted, clutching the hem of her nket. ¡°I don¡¯t need you, Neron!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, this is the one time where you do.¡± Neron beseeched. ¡°Your heat will get progressively worse to the point you lose yourself


    to your instincts. Is that what you want to happen? To suffer until your ferality takes


    control-


    +10


    Bonu


    The woman held then breath. There was no historical evidence of a female wolf resisting the effects


    02:34


    It pulls her dieser and dissen to the ledge of insanity, and with the aid of gravity, she falls uncll she gets her hands on her matte.


    Then again, rejections were rare in werewolf history, so Kiya knew she was a speciale.


    Was she willing to mull going feral to keep Neron away? How long could she go without brenting Tryn¡¯s body desired Neram, but


    her mind resisted. It was too risky. Mating with him wasn¡¯t a possibility because it meant the band would repan. That''s thest


    thing she wanted.


    ¡°| made it clear that | don¡¯t want you anywhere near me, Neron.¡±


    Goddamnit Kiva, why won¡¯t you let me help you?¡±


    ¡°Because | don¡¯t fucking trust you! What''s stopping you from hurting me again, but? You almost pounced on me like a piece of


    meat earlier! How long until you do it again?¡±


    Meron expelled a heavy sigh, sliding on his knees. He knew she was night. He lost control earlier, forgoing his criginal promise


    because his instinctual brain demanded he chim ben. His but took over and wanted Kiya for himself, willing to hurt others to get


    what he wanted. At that moment, what he wanted mattered. What Kaya wanted became secondary.


    That revtion shot him in the heart. His heartstrings constricted and twisted, angry at himself for putting hits desires above


    Kiya. Kiya was right to not trust him.. After all the pain he put her through, he was about tomit that same crime again. If Beta


    Jacqueline and her friends weren¡¯t around to protect her, Neron would have forever damaged their trust.


    ¡°Kiya, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Neron responded, his nails digging in this palm. ¡°You''re right. | almost hurt you again. | let my beast take


    over.¡± Onyx whimpered and moaned within him, howing h


    head in burning shame. ¡°If | forced you to mate with me, | would never forgive myself Tim so sorry for almost hurting you after |


    promised | wouldn¡¯L¡±


    Kiya¡¯s potent scent billowed through the cracks of the dion. It danced across his senses, tickling every olfactory receptor in his


    nose. He inhaled deepik, colliding in the sweetness unmatched to anything in the world. As much as his beast wanted to spring


    forth, Menon Hept it under control. Kiya mattered to him. He won''t let his beast hurt her.


    On the other side, Kiya sat against the door, listening to his apology. Her knees were pulled tight to her chest Despite the door


    separating them both, the heat quailled somewhat because of his presence. ¡°Neron, you don! understand how scared | am of


    you. In my hand, you¡¯re will the same man who hurt me back then. | can¡¯t let you help me because | don¡¯t truly know you. Being


    hum for so long doesn¡¯t exactly make trusting easy.¡±


    ¡°Thest thing | want you to be is afraid of me.¡± Neron rested his forehead against the door, ears picking up Kiya¡¯s rapid


    heartbeat. It soothed him. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you, Kiya. But | care about you.¡±


    ¡°Do you truly care about me, or is it the band She asked, her voice a mere whisper. ¡°Do you truly love me a is it the bond making


    you love me?


    Neron dreaded the questions. It was: wibutt the Moon Goddess asked him when he wanted to retract his rejection. However, he


    was confident in his answer to his goddess. He loves Kiya, and the bond helped him


    Chapter 58 ¡ª The Heat (Part 2)


    realize his mistakes and his actions.


    +10


    Bonu:


    02:30


    ¡°| love you, Kiya. | do.¡± He whispered. ¡°And | love you to where | can¡¯t focus on anything else until your suffering is gone. | cannot


    be a proper leader, or a proper man, while my other half is in pain.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you need. Tell me what | could do for you. If you need me to go away... I''ll do it. Anything to make youfortable,


    Pil do it.¡±


    What would Kiya choose? The fear maneuvered its way through her interior, griping her heart. The unknown had a level of terror


    far beyondprehension. One would never know if the unknown would help or hurt them, and it applies if Kiya decides


    whether to allow her mate to help her.


    She couldn''t allow herself to be feral, but was she willing to forgo her hatred for Neron and allow herself to be vulnerable for


    the sake of her wellbeing?


    Will Neron keep his word? Only one way to find out.


    ¡°No sex. At all. Don¡¯t touch me unless | ask you to. Keep Onyx in check. Can you do that?*.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Neron answered. ¡°I can and | will.¡±


    With a sigh filled with trepidation, Kiya stood and unlocked the door. Neron shot up on his feet when his mate cracked it open,


    brown trained on his every move. Her russet skin blossomed with red and pink, and her scent is as strong as ever. The Alpha


    intends on keeping his word, blocking Onyx out until he could trust him to control himself. The woman shuffled to the side,


    allowing Neron to enter her room. O


    Before Kiya could get a word out, a sharp wave of painnced through her. Gasping, she fell to her knees, clutching her chest. In


    rm, Neron followed her to the floor, eyes narrowing in unease.


    ¡°The pain is getting worse.¡± He whispered as Kiya nodded in confirmation. Her brown eyes gazed into his blue, unguarded, and


    pleading.


    ¡°Make it stop.¡± She whimpered with a thick body tremor rattling her limbs. ¡°Please. | hate this so much.¡±


    Her hand reached out, desperate, and curious. When Neron grasped her small hand into his, a wave of cooling relief fought


    against the heat, dispelling the mes. Kiya gasped as the fire slowly disappeared, clearing the mind fog. A small, meaningless


    touch of their hands was enough to chase much of the heat away.


    Kiya slowly came to terms that Neron had to be with her. Her intense revulsion of the Alpha remained, but she pushed her hatred


    away to focus on the betrayal of her body. Instinctively, she leaned forward and rested her head in the crook of Neron¡¯s neck,


    relishing the multiple bursts of coolness floating through her body.


    To Neron, this was a dreame true. He''d hoped and dreamed for the day that he got the chance to hold his mate in his arms.


    Despite the different circumstances, this was better than nothing. His strong arms wrapped around Kiya¡¯s steaming body, pulling


    her closer. He could have sworn he heard her softly purr. He gently let his walls down so Onyx could enjoy the closeness of his


    mate. His growls softened as he clung to his connection with Artemis, who was rxing underneath his soothing touch.


    ¡°| got you, don¡¯t worry.¡± He whispered in her earlobe.


    Keeping his promise, the Alpha didn¡¯t push. He didn¡¯t rush. Neron touched only when asked. For the rest of the evening, Neron


    helped Kiya as much as he could. He mind-linked his Beta and Gamma to deliver their findings of The Witching Houre the


    morn. Tonight, he was focusing on his mate. Through the ice baths,


    Chapter 58- The Heat (Part 2)


    feeding her cold food, and wiping the rapidly umting sweat on her skin, Neron took care of her.


    +10% Bonus


    02:27


    As much as he wanted to relish the sight of her naked body, he noted the many horrendous scars; the big one he made on her


    back, and the many others the pack members made. Tan stood stark against the chestnut brown, tickling his shameful memories


    of his disgraceful actions. It was a miracle by the Moon Goddess that Kiya allowed Neron to be this close, but the shame of


    marking her for death won''t leave him.


    Neron couldn¡¯t erase the pain he¡¯d given her or eliminate that mark on her skin, but he wanted to prove that he''ll be a better man


    than the one she remembers.


    After dinner, Neron settled Kiya in her bed, keeping the light nket over her. He assumed Kiya wanted to be alone. As he was


    about to leave, a hand gripped his arm, nails digging into his tanned flesh.


    ¡°Stay,¡± Kiyamanded as she began to sweat again.


    ¡°Kiya...¡± Neron sighed, running a hand through his long hair. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. It would only furtherplicate things


    between us.¡±


    ¡°Stay.¡± She repeated, adamant.


    Neron groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wanted to stay. He didn¡¯t want to leave Kiya alone until the heat dissipated.


    However, he knew that if Kiya wasn¡¯t in heat, she would distance herself without hesitation. He could feel bi


    side of the bond growing, the pull to his mate bing irresistible. Does Kiya feel the same? Because if she did, she was


    excellent at hiding it.


    ¡°| can¡¯t, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Stay!¡± She barked, shooting up from the pillow. ¡°Don¡¯t get it twisted. I¡¯m not delusional. | can¡¯t do this without you, so get in this


    bed and hold me!¡±


    Well, Neron couldn''t argue with that.


    With a sigh, he kicked off his shoes


    and his shirt. The bed dipped under


    his weight as he adjusted himselfon


    the mattress, Kiya wyidaled ints him,


    taking: &p whiff of the scent that


    made her body weep. Neron, once


    again, looped his arms around her


    body, holding her close. The heat''s at


    bay in the presence of the Alpha,


    leaving behind tranquility. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Neron rested his chin on top of Kiya¡¯s head, savoring her warmth. He was still worried that this would blur the lines of their


    somewhat existent rtionship, but he wouldn¡¯t reject this rare moment with


    Kiva. It should have been her in his arms all these years instead of Odessa. Having that she¡ªwolf didn¡¯tpare to his true


    male.


    It had always been Kiya. It should have been her since the beginning.


    ¡°Kiya?¡±


    Her breathing was steady, and her heartbeat thumped at a calm and constant pace. His mate had fallen asleep. With a joyful


    smile on his face, Neron kissed her bundle of curls before drifting into deep, needed sleep with a soft smile on his face.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    However, there was one person who wasn¡¯t happy. Odessa was angry. Now that Kiya was in heat, it was impossible to snatch


    Neron¡¯s attention away. He was putty in her hands now that she was a horny bitch. Her chances of stealing Neron¡¯s heart back


    became more challenging.


    Chapter 56 ¡ª The Heat (Part 2)


    +109 Bonu


    What''s more aggravating was how much the unmated males wanted her. Her friends spent the better part of the afternoon


    batting the males away before Neron made it clear if anyonees within six feet of Kiya, 02:23 rip them apart. They dispersed


    like ants.


    Her rejected mate, Darien, was


    included in that unfortunate bunch.


    The brte watched in the


    background. how mruatphestraggled


    againstith¨¦ Seatictive allure of Kiya¡¯s


    scent. Fucking honeyed strawberries


    and vani. Yes, he helped to shoo


    the other men away, but it didn¡¯t calm


    her anger when she saw how much


    he, too, wanted that wretched


    woman. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    hogged


    Odessa hated the fact that kiya the attention of not only her lover but her mate. She did nothing to


    deserve a slight morsel of love from Darien! She rejected him, but he still longed for her. The passing nces whenever they¡¯d


    walk by each other, the sad howls of Sirius for her and Ariel, and the agonizing sexual


    tension whenever they''re in the same room together were all signs of his yearning. Even now, as he trudged up the stairs


    towards his room, she feels the maic pull.


    She still loved Neron and was still pining for his attention and love, but Darien shouldn''t be looking at another female. he was still


    hers, no matter what anyone says! The bond was good for something at least. It means Darien could never desire another


    woman as he desired her. That amount of power was magnificent, and Odessa craved more.


    However, she needed to get rid of thepetition. She needed Kiya gone. She was the only barrier standing in her way. She''ll


    make sure that Kiya loses everything because the men belong to her.


    ¡°Darien.¡± She called out. The man


    turned around, his dark eyes


    brimming with emotion. Odessa¡¯s


    anger and jealousy ewe untitit


    PAN Bugniag Up e¡¯stairs, she


    t


    bt forward and locked lips with


    Darien, skillfully forcing her tongue


    into his mouth. Taken aback by such


    action, the man soon sumbed to


    the fated sparks of the sacred mate


    bond they shared. He never epted


    the rejection, so the bond didn¡¯t


    sever. It only weakened. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Seduced by the sparks and hypnotized by Odessa¡¯s tongue, her hands on his chest, and Ariel howling in pleasure, Darien fell


    hard and far. He wanted Odessa. So much. He wanted her bare against him while they make passionate, heavy love.


    She pulled her mate into her room, still seething with jealousy over Kiya and Neron, but Darien¡¯s presence quickly filled her mind.


    His touch, his scent, everything about him. The moment their clothes were stripped away, the two arose to the highest of


    pleasures that neither wanted toe down from.


    Chapter Comments.


    Phenyo Mashudu


    | thought she¡¯s ckpink and red how ?


    1 COMMENT |

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 ¡ª The Rivalry


    ¡°Love has its own dark morality when rivalry enters in.¡°-Thomas Hardy


    Kiya ¡ª One and a Half Weeks Later


    What do you call it when two people were awkward with one another?


    Because that epassed almost 100% of my interactions with Neron.


    After my heat, | understood what a steak feels like on a grill. It wasn¡¯t a fun time.


    02:18


    Neron had been nothing but attentive during those torturous three days. | was impressed. He kept his promises and took care of


    me. Even my friends were shocked when | told them. None of them had faith in Neron, so this moment might change their view


    on him. Known by werewolf kind, Alphas, despite their strength, were notorious for their impulsivity and animalistic instincts. They


    were the kings of the pack and denying them wasn¡¯t heard of. Faced with fighting his true nature, | admire Neron¡¯s abnormal


    self-restraint..


    He kept me safe and secure. Deep within me, foreign happiness stirred.


    It wasn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows, however, | continued to keep my distance from him since then. Unfortunately, because of the


    heat, | needed him at my side. | was desperate and on the brink of insanity. He was the sole person who could quell the heat that


    was killing me from the inside out. Without him, who knows what would have happened?


    The moments we shared the past three days were intimate. We were close, almost inseparable. The Alpha kept me near him


    and held me when the pain became unbearable. For a human, we could have been mistaken as an affectionate couple. A couple


    that couldn¡¯t keep their hands off each other.


    After the madness ended, | pushed him away. | had to rify immediately that those days meant nothing.


    Neron epted my words more gracefully than | expected as he left me in the solitude of my room. That conclusion hurt me


    more than | thought it would. A sliver of doubt swam through my heart, tugging at the heartstrings. | don¡¯t love Neron, but |


    couldn¡¯t say | hate him either. He proved through his actions that he could keep his word, so he became tolerable. Still not fond


    of his presence around me, but at least | don¡¯t have the instinct to vomit yesterday''s lunch upon sight of him. Do | trust him?


    Of course, not.


    The pup trainees were on their hour-long break from training, spending time with their families, or socializing. | was grateful for


    Jackie and Galen stepping up in their sessions in my absence. | could always count on my friends to have my back, especially


    since I¡¯ve been getting a whole slew of problemstely.


    | have 99 problems, and Odessa was most of them..


    She took back her rejection and it made Darien happy. Whenever I''d speak to him, there was this light in his eyes unmatched by


    any star in the twilight. He was sincerely happy that Odessa epted him and was already dreaming of a future with them


    together: moving into their future home, having a litter of puppies, the whole nine yards. My friends and | would spot him kissing


    Odessa¡¯s cheek lovingly, holding her body during pack bonfires, and more. Darien was bending over backward to make her


    happy. My best friend was enamored with his mate.


    Chapter 59- The Rivalry


    But this was where the confusion settles in.


    +10N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Bonus


    02:14


    If the mate bond is strengthening, then why was Odessa incessantly pining after Neron? Since my heat ended, she amped up


    her game. Some | had the unfortunate luck of witnessing.


    Two Hours Earlier


    In my hands, | had the trainees¡® progress reports. | was proud to say that most of the pups wereing along nicely while a few


    needed a little more support. As for the adult trainees, | have already delivered their progress reports to Kwame. The mani


    folders in my hand, eachbeled with the names of each pup trainee, some reports poking out from the holds. As | approached


    the Alpha¡¯s office, | heard a soft, feminine giggle from the other side. | arched an eyebrow as my cars picked up the errant


    conversation.


    ¡°You know you want me, Neron. You¡¯ve always wanted me.¡±


    ¡°Odessa, you and | are through. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡±


    ¡°Your little friend says differently. Why deny your instincts, my love? Your body knows what it wants. Only | could make you feel


    this way, my dearest Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Odess...¡±


    ¡°Let me take care of you, baby.¡±


    | threw open the door. Why? | wish | knew, but | had to. | wasn¡¯t prepared for the soft porn scene in front me. Odessa sat in


    Neron¡¯sp with her fingers tangled in his ck tresses, breasts sprung free from their fabric cages, and a skirt so short | could


    see her bare ass. It was obvious Neron liked the attention, based on his hands gripping her hips and the forbidden tent in his


    pants.


    | said nothing about it. | didn¡¯t have to. A sh of pain entered my heart upon sight. The brte woman looked at me with a


    smirk of a champion, winning the prize she hungered for. | mmed the files down in the chair next to me, turning my back.


    ¡°These are the pups¡¯ progress reports. Look over them when you''re


    finished.¡±


    The calls to my name rang deaf in my ears. Because | was focused on the pain twisting my heartstrings. | shouldn''t feel


    anything, but | do. Why? | ran out of the house and into the forest, setting Artemis free.


    Water trickles down my face, droplets raining in the sink. My eyes were hollow, expressionless as | reach for my towel. What am


    | supposed to do? Watching Odessa y the part of the loyal, loving mate sickened me. She was ying with my best friend¡¯s


    heart while pursuing another man! But why didn¡¯t Neron stop her? Does he still love her like he originally imed? There was no


    reason for me to feel hurt about this, but | was for many reasons, but one topped them all.


    Darien doesn''t deserve this.


    So many questions, but so few answers. It was infuriating. With a growl, | threw my towel in the hamper and walked out of my


    room, wanting to clear my head. Yet, Odessa was intent on taking away my mental peace as she stood on the other side of the


    hallway, arms crossed under her cleavage.


    Chapter 59 ¡ª The Rivalry


    +10


    Bonu


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± | asked. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for your shit today.¡±


    02:11


    ¡°| know you don¡¯t want any problems, Halima.¡± She sneered. ¡°All you have to do is stay the hell away from my men.¡± Her men?


    The amount of disrespect this woman had for me was astounding. And she was the daughter of two warriors?


    | wanted tough. ¡°You''re joking.¡±


    ¡°I''m not. Stay out of my way and you won¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You should be more worried about me hurting you,¡± | snapped. Odessa towered over me by a couple of inches, but | refused to


    stand down. ¡°Now, about ¡°your¡¯ men, don¡¯t think what you¡¯re doing escapes my eyes. You''re a sick, twisted woman for leading on


    my best friend in your fucked¡ªup game.¡±


    Odessa winced, her eyes dulling in sadness momentarily before melting into smugness. ¡°Darien doesn¡¯t have a problem with it.


    He loves me. You can¡¯t get in between the love mates have for each other.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you''re treating him like a side piece while you hunt for a man who doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡±


    ¡°Neron was mine way before you were born, Halima.¡± She stepped closer to me. ¡°No matter what the Moon Goddess says,


    Neron belongs to me. Don¡¯t forget that he broke your pathetic mate bond for me. Everything he ever did was and always will be


    for me. You are but a mere afterthought, sloppy seconds from a shriveling bond. You''ll never mount up to me and deep down,


    you know it.¡±


    ¡°You got one more time to call me Halima before | break your face. My name is Kiya, you fool.¡±


    ¡°You''ll always be Halima, the crying, sniffling ve covered in ugly scars. Who would want a scarred, useless woman when they


    could have someone as wless as me?¡± She gestures to her body for emphasis, wiggling her hips. ¡°You have no power here. |


    do. | may be unmarked, but Neron had proimed me as Luna. And, from my knowledge, he hasn¡¯t taken it back! So, if you


    know what''s good for you, you''d respect me as the queen of this pack. Feel lucky that I¡¯m not ordering your sorry ass back to the


    dungeons.


    My eyes mmed shut, forcing away the horrific memories back into the trenches of my mind. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do to me. |


    don¡¯t care if you¡¯re going after Neron. | care about Darien. He is a good man, and your intrinsic selfishness makes you blind to


    his purity. Break his heart and | would take the utmost pleasure of breaking your spine. Messing with something the Moon


    Goddess holds sacred only leads to trouble.¡±


    Odessa released a cackleparable to the stereotypical witches in children¡¯s cartoons. There was underlying evil in that


    sound, which did its duty of sending chills down my spine. ¡°As if I''m going to fear the word of a weak dog. Without that muscle,


    you''re still a scrawny mutt. Tell me, how long did you cry after the guards got done ying with you?¡±


    My fingers itched to wrap themselves around her throat. They itched to squeeze the life out of her body for poking fun at my


    ordeal. She''ll never understand what happened to me in that hellscape prison. No one can and no one will.


    Swallowing my anger, | gave her a deep, warning snarl. ¡°Heed my warnings, Odessa. If you screw up, you only have yourself to


    me.¡± With that, | walked away from her without an intimidating shoulder shove she gave


    1.me.


    | wish | could do something. | wish | could make Darien see the ugly truth behind Odessa¡¯s sweet facade. But it was my word


    against hers. As much as | hate to admit it, he would side with his mate. He was so deep into


    Chapter 59-The Rivalry


    her abyss | was afraid he won''t see the light until it smacks him in the face.


    +10


    Bonus


    02:00


    The world darkened around me at a


    sudden realization. Trouble always


    found its way to me, no matter how


    far | ran from it. My. cay poundstat


    the plethora of Girtictities


    surrounding me from this pack. One


    problem piled on another,


    bow-wrapped in recollections that


    made their humble abode in my


    mind. Barely a month into this


    mission and | was already feeling so


    overwhelmed. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    When Adonis came in, emerald


    twinkling upon sight, everything


    changed. Children have this bri


    aura around themit (Brirtgs the


    bagmediays in the darkest nights.


    ¡°Miss Kiya!¡± He scuttled towards my


    legs, looping his arms around my


    thighs. Trailing behind him was his


    mother, lovingly observing her baby


    boy. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Hello to you too, handsome.¡± | smiled, patting his head.


    ¡°Kiya, | have something to ask you.¡± Raina fiddled with her fingers; eyes focused on her child rather than me. | arched an


    eyebrow, waiting. ¡°Will you join us for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°Us?¡±


    ¡°Me, Adonis, Val, and...Mom and Dad.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But-1¡±


    ¡°Not going to happen.¡± Swallowing liquid cyanide was better than dinner with Ashley and Steven.


    ¡°Kiya, why don¡¯t you wanna eat with my grandpa and grandma?¡± Adonis asked me, head cocked to the side. ¡°They are friendly!


    And we''re having spaghetti tonight!¡±


    ¡°Adonis, go y with your friends.¡± Raina butted in, patting his back. The little boy took off like a rocket, leaving the two of us


    behind. ¡°Kiya, please. They want to formally apologize to you.¡±


    | scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear what they have to say. Nothing they say would erase what they did, let alone a


    pasta dinner.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you at least curious to hear


    what they have to say?¡± If she means


    them justifying thei est actions) |


    t nyesil was eat us. Curious to


    see what excuses they''ll cook up to


    get me to forgive them. ¡°Please, just


    this once and you''ll never have to do


    this again.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    | groaned, rolling my eyes. ¡°This is stupid.¡±


    ¡°So, you''lle.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± | sighed. Raina smiled, leaning in to hug me, but | violently recoiled. | still didn¡¯t want her to touch me. She


    acknowledges it and nods in understanding, pulling back. Silently, | walked away from her on my way into the woods.


    Well, this would be a fun thing to talk about with my friends tonight.


    Chapter 59 ¡ª The Rivalry

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 ¡ª The Dinner


    02:00


    ¡°Family is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it¡¯s the ce we find the deepest heartache.¡± ¡ª lya Vansant


    Later That Evening


    | strode into the dining hall as the Omegas set up the tes and utensils on the long table. Onsight, | sought to leave the room


    because my parents and older sister have taken their seats. Valerian, handsome as ever, nked on Raina¡¯s left and little Adonis


    on her right, wiggling in anticipation for the food. The atmosphere is tense, like a tight muscle in the neck. At least around me. My


    growls rumbled softly in my chest, low enough to where only | could hear them. As much as | want to keep my distance from


    sperm and egg donors, | wonder what bullshit they''ll spew from their wretched mouths to win me back.


    | took my seat next to Adonis, who smiled at me. His smile was infectious. | smiled back at him. The little beta was the only


    person in this room | like. | didn¡¯t like Valerian either. Although he had never directly abused me, he refused to stop Raina. He


    turned the blind eye to her horrific actions. He wascent and thus earns a fraction of my abhorrence.


    ¡°Dinner is ready.¡± Lead Omega Cassandra announced with a bow, holding a pot full of pasta while her subordinates held pots


    with sauce, tongs, anddles. The silence saturated our space as we were being served. Pungent odors of anxiety were


    noticeable from the Omegas as they trudged towards me. | didn¡¯t say a word, nor looked at their disgusting faces. Cassandra¡¯s


    eyes lingered on me before she and the others took their leave, leaving the five of us alone.


    Clinks of silverware hitting ceramic yed a sour, melodious tune during the meal. | waited for someone to speak while everyone


    avoided my gaze. My eyes trained on little Adonis; cheeks filled with pasta like a chipmunk. He reminded me of myself at his


    age-spaghetti is my favorite meal. I¡¯d eat it daily withoutints because Ashley or Cassandra made it.


    Now, it does nothing to fill the holes in my heart.


    This dish used to make me feel loved. Now, it made me feel empty.


    Why the hell was this dish picked for this ¡®family¡¯ meal?


    ¡°K-Kiya.¡± Ashley broke the silence. A pleasant, yet nervous smile tore her face as her gaze filled with fondness. | resisted the


    urge to throw a meatball at her face.


    ¡°Remember the first time we had spaghetti? | think you were no older than Adonis. You were so terrified of eating it because you


    thought the noodles looked like those earthworms in your science ss.¡± | stared, emotionless. ¡°It took much convincing to get


    you to eat because we didn¡¯t want you to go to bed hungry. | remember your face lighting up when you took your first bite. You


    became such a ravenous pup that we had to stop you before you got a stomachache.¡±


    | remember those rare, happy memories my mind clung to. One of the rare moments | remember the genuine love from these


    strangers. The feelings of joy and curiosity filled my senses back then. My mind wouldn''t let me forget that memory. It made me


    feel sick. My fork poked and prodded at the floppy pasta, the thieving aroma hacking away at my appetite.


    ¡°| remember that too,¡± Raina spoke with a smile. ¡°It was one of those times Cassandra was so worried about her! The horror in


    her eyes when she dug into her fourth helping of spaghetti and meatballs. | was sure that Kiya would puke all night because she


    ate too much.¡±


    ¡°Your point?¡± | asked, raising my head. Irritation poked at me faster than my non-existent pleasure.


    ¡°Don''t you like spaghetti anymore?¡± Steven pondered. ¡°You used to ask for it every night.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The three of them mmed up, bristling in their seats. | rolled my eyes and continued to poke at my food until Valerian spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fond memory.¡± His fork twirled around his noodles. ¡°Cassandra makes the best pasta dishes. The children love them,


    especially Adonis.¡± The boy mumbled in agreement, stuffing more food into his mouth. ¡°Adonis, slow down! The food is not going


    anywhere.¡±


    01:56


    I sighed, annoyed. ¡°Is there a reason you took a trip down memoryne? Because Raina told me you wanted to talk, so stop


    stalling.¡±


    ¡°R-Right. Kiya...¡± Ashley¡¯s dark eyes pleaded with me, glistening into tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We''re so sorry for what we''ve done to


    you. You can¡¯t stay mad at us forever.¡±


    ¡°Not forever.¡± | arch an eyebrow. ¡°How about until I¡¯m dead?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that,¡± Steven responded. ¡°We''re still your family. We made you. Your mother gave birth to you. You carry part of


    us.


    ¡°Genes, | have learned, don¡¯t make a family.¡± | retorted harshly, setting down my fork. ¡°What | learned is that even the most


    poisonous people on this are disguised as family. Want to take a gander at who I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    Raina bit her lip, grasping Valerian¡¯s hand from under the table. Adonis was so oblivious to the tension between his family


    because the taste of the food made him ignorant. ¡°We shouldn''t have hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you?¡± | demanded, ring at every adult at the table. ¡°Why would people | loved so much raise their hand against


    me? Not once, not twice, but countless times? It got so bad that | have forgotten what a loving touch felt like.¡±


    No one dared to utter a word, so | continued. ¡°Why would people who vowed to our Moon Goddess to love and care for me, turn


    me into a ve? What cockamamie excuse have you all cooked up to win me back?¡± | red at my sister. ¡°Make no mistake


    Raina. Just because you helped me during my heat does not erase the fact that


    | still hate you.¡±


    ¡°We


    ¡± Ashley stuttered, failing to form a coherent sentence.


    ¡°Let me tell you what a family does.¡± | took out my phone, removed the case, and pulled out a picture of myself and my adoptive


    family. | tossed it at the center of the table. ¡°They took me in when | was at my worst. Instead of turning a blind eye as you all did,


    they worked to help me get better. Not just them, but my friends. The same people training your weak wolves. After the damage


    that you all inflicted on me, they worked hard to get me back to be a healthy, happy werewolf. They did what you all failed to do:


    love me.¡±


    ¡°We love you!¡± Steven bellowed, gripping his fork. ¡°We''ve always loved you!¡±


    ¡°pping the shit out of me and calling me a piece of garbage is a weird way of showing me love, isn¡¯t it?¡± | shouted back,


    infuriated. ¡°Doing nothing as | cried in pain isn¡¯t love, you neanderthal!¡±


    2/5


    Chapter 60- The Dinner


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± Ashley replied meekly, eyes in herp. ¡°Alpha Jonathan¡¯s word was thew.¡±


    #you


    +10


    Bonu


    01:5


    had a damn choice.¡± | hissed, rising out of my seat. | took back my family photo and ced it back where it belongs. ¡°You had a


    choice to protect your little girl, but you didn¡¯t. Was living yourvish lives worth sacrificing your child for? Was it worth seeing her


    lose so much weight that shifting would''ve killed her? You both are fucking failures as Betas and as parents.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Kiya, let''s calm down.¡± Valerian suggested. My furynded on him, burning hot with orange and red. The nerve of this man


    telling me to calm down! ¡°We''ve all made mistakes and your parents and sister are trying to make amends. Holding onto the past


    would only hurt you more than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Don''t tell me what to do, Valerian. You''re just ascent in this mess. You''re Neron¡¯s best friend and you allowed him to


    abuse me! You never stopped your wife from hurting me, either! You never defended me or pulled her away, even though | was


    also your ¡°family.¡± | mimicked air quotes on thest word. ¡°Heck, when Raina asked for your permission to hurt me, you agreed!


    You''re just as shitty as they are.¡±


    ¡°Kiya, don¡¯t talk to Val like that. He¡¯s trying to help mediate.¡± Raina defended.


    ¡°Fuck you and your husband! | hope the Beta position was worth it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Steven shouted, causing all of us to look up. Even Adonis, who wasn¡¯t paying attention to the fight until his


    grandfather yelled. ¡°We organized this dinner so we could calmly talk about our issues ande to a consensus, but you¡¯re not


    making this easy, Kiya. Where is your respect?¡±


    ¡°| lost it thirteen years ago. Never cared to get it back.¡± | crossed my arms. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what happened down in that


    dungeon. The horrible things that were done to me. It took me years of therapy to cope with what had happened, and you expect


    me to brush that away and to be your happy child again?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what we''re trying to do.¡± Ashley stood from her seat. ¡°Look, Celeste was my best friend. We grew up together. Losing


    her was like losing my sister. I-no, we needed someone to me.¡±


    ¡°| was forbidden to refer to Celeste as my aunt! Instead of ming the rogues who took her life, you chose your little girl!¡± The


    desire to rip Ashley¡¯s throat apart ached in my fingers, my ws protruding out from my fingertips. | wanted her to suffer, for all of


    them to suffer. Their tears were nowhere near the endless tears | shed for years. That pain could never go away. When your


    blood betrays you, it leaves asting scar that would


    never heal.


    ¡°Nuria was my best friend. | lost her that day too. Ever cared enough to realize that?¡± | pped, mocking a standing ovation.


    ¡°Wonderful motherly decisions you''ve made, Ashley. You deserve an award for best mother in the world.¡±


    ¡°Goddamnit, would you stop referring to us by our first names?¡± Steven asked with anger etching into his aging face.


    ¡°Unless you want to be called ¡®fuck face¡¯, ¡®sack of shit¡¯, ¡°bastard'' or ¡®failure¡¯, then I¡¯d dly stop.¡±


    ¡°Baby sis.¡± Raina walked over to me from her seat, regret in her eyes. ¡°You''re right. We''ve hurt you. We abandoned you. We


    weren''t the family you deserve. Nothing we say could erase the past, but I want you in my life. | want to hug you and hold you as


    my little sister. What do we have to do to make it possible?¡±


    ¡°Dic.¡± The spaghetti on my te got cold, bitterly reminding me of the disgusting leftovers | forced myself to eat when my hunger


    became intolerable. ¡°I already got the family | deserve, and they are the only ones I''ll


    Chapter 60-The Dinner


    call my parents and siblings.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:50


    ¡°Like hell, we''ll let that happen!¡± My head jerked to see Ashley, now full of unjustifiable rage. Moments earlier, sadness became


    her mask. She ditched it and donned an expression full of fury. Her fingers dig into the table edge, cracks shaping a perfect


    image of her fingertips. ¡°They would never be your true family, and we¡¯re not losing you again!¡±


    ¡°Grandma?¡± Adonis small voice called out, the only slice of peace in this pie of chaos. ¡°Kiya is family? What do you mean?¡±


    My eyes widened at the child; his green eyes filled with twinkling curiosity. Ashley couldn''t do what | thought she was about to do.


    ¡°No, Donny-!¡±


    ¡°Kiya is your auntie, sweetheart.¡± She revealed, much to the astonishment of her daughter and son-inw. ¡°She¡¯s your mother¡¯s


    sister; the one we told you that was dead.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! That''s so cool!¡± The beta pup


    had a level of excitement that |


    couldn''t match. The world around me


    faded into mudgles arid mies, |


    didn¡¯t wa tadonis to know that I was


    his aunt. An established familiar


    connection | wanted no part of. If the


    boy saw me as a stranger, then he


    wouldn''t be affected by my


    departure. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Now, things have changed. Children


    were fragile creatures but soak up


    countless pieces of information like a


    sponge. They want love. They want


    their family. They want everyo


    be happy becaysd iNafatie Sin


    happy: iris scampers over to me


    and hugs my legs, rambling that he


    was happy that a strongdy, like me,


    was his aunt. As he rambled on


    about his ns with me, my mind


    took in the gravity of what Ashley had


    done. Valerian interrupted our ¡°happy


    reunion¡¯ by scooping up his son,


    whispering in his ear that the adults


    need to talk, and took him out of the


    room. Once the door closed, Raina


    exploded. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°What the fuck, Mom?¡± Raina screamed. ¡°Why did you just do that?¡±


    ¡°Adonis has a right to know and if Kiya would not say anything, then your father and | will.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t your decision to make.¡± Valerian replied, returning to the scene of chaos.


    ¡°You want to deprive your son of the family he has never met?¡± Steven asked him, eyes focused on the current Beta. ¡°Adonis


    had always wanted to meet her and look at him! He¡¯s happy! We did you both a favor! This family won''t break apart again.¡±


    They took away my decision to tell. How do they think they have any authority over my choices? They made my pain and


    suffering all about them, selfishly disregarding how | felt. They saw my anger as disrespect, not from a ce of agony.


    This dinner had never been about


    me. It was always been about my


    former family freeing themselves of


    the guilt for hurting yo Not once


    navestver and Ashley


    acknowledged that they fucked my


    life up to revel in their false sense of


    security and pride. They threw me


    away to the hounds, an innocent pup,


    so they could live safely and happily.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    They never cared about me. They wanted their messed-up family back together and they sacrificed me again. to make it


    happen. Instead of tossing me in the dungeons, they used Adonis as leverage. They trapped me using their grandson.


    | loved children too much. There was no way | would break his heart. They knew this. Anyone could see it


    with how | trained the pups.


    +10


    Bonu


    01:41


    They have put me in an impossible situation where | couldn¡¯t find the power to get out. If | didn¡¯t hate my family before, | hated


    them even more now. No fraction of my heart could love them ever again. Guilt and sorrow from them outweighed my pain and


    trauma. Tears of sorrow and remorse were as deceitful as the trickster gods.


    They never cared about me.


    At all.


    | couldn''t cry. | couldn¡¯t weep. The anger | worked hard to burybusted in me, a stronger heat than desire rolled into every


    synapse in my body.


    Nothing mattered anymore. Not my mission, not my friends, nothing. The only thing that mattered is to rid my life of the very


    people who abandoned me.


    They hurt me. And now, | was going to hurt them!


    All care and rationale flew out of my head, crashing into a sickening heap. Artemis¡¯s voice did not calm this


    deadly fury mming down a mental block from my wolf, | needed to feel this anger.


    | must show these fools | was stronger than them. Better than them. That I can snuff their lives out with a single flick of the wrist.


    My bitter abhorrence towards my egg and sperm donors is my fuel. My purpose. They¡¯re dead to me, and | was going to make


    that a reality.


    They will pay for what they¡¯ve done! They will feel thirteen years of my wrath and there is nothing that would stop me!


    Tonight, their lives are mine!

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 ¡ª The Wolves


    ¡°| closed my eyes, tried to get as far away from myself as | could.¡°¡ª-Catherine Lacey


    Neron


    Have you ever had to wrestle a bear to the ground? No? Consider yourself lucky, then.


    Have you ever had to wrestle your feral mate to the ground? Wouldn¡¯t rmend it.


    +10


    Never in my life would I¡¯ve expected to be called through mind¡ªlink to restrain my mate from ughtering her parents. The


    sudden urgency in Valerian¡¯s voice as he took his son back to his room in his arms told me everything. Screams and shouts


    reverberated through the walls of the room, making a suddenmotion seem louder than stadium roars.


    ¡°| hate you! | HATE you! You never loved me at all!¡±


    Bonu


    01:4


    Droplets of red stained the primeval tiled floors, seeping deep into the crevices. I¡¯ve witnessed a smaller¡ªthan- average wolf use


    her fists to bash Steven¡¯s face into a bloody pulp. She was like a machine on autopilot


    without an off switch.


    ¡°You ruined my life! You''ll pay for everything you¡¯ve done to me!*


    Raina held her shaking mother in her arms as she screamed for her mate. Purple healed on her skin, but slowly. Steven didn¡¯t


    fight back, the most he did was try to restrain Kiya¡¯s vengeful hands but failed as she continued to deliver her fury through the


    assault.


    ¡°| want you to die! You took my light, and | will take your life!¡±


    | couldn''t let Kiya do this! Her rage was enough to tear the earth to its core, but | couldn¡¯t let her kill her parents. Once she


    crosses that line, there is no return. As much as her anger pulsates through her body, she''lle to regret what she was done.


    | cannot allow her to fall into the same darkness | had. She should¡¯ve taken her rage out on my father and me. We''re the ones


    who hurt her the most.


    When | tackled the woman to the ground, fear struck my heart. Not because | might have hurt her, but I¡¯d realize how terrifying


    she could be. Eyes glowing, piercing javelins into my soul-the color blue frightened me. Kiya¡¯s strength was inhuman, different


    from a wolf''s strength. Fighting to restrain her was like holding down at rapid, all-powerful Alpha with nothing to lose. Jaws


    snapping, nostrils ring, and ws marking deep red lines in my forearm.


    Was | like this? Was this how she saw me back then?


    ¡°Let me go! | will kill them! | will kill everyone that has ever hurt me!¡±


    Agrave threat like that earns a stay in our ¡®hospital¡¯ dungeons. But this was different. Kiya was not speaking


    from a ce of genuine hatred.


    ¡°She''s in pain...¡± Onyx whimpered at the sight of our mate. ¡°I can¡¯t reach her wolf! She¡¯s blocked her offpletely! Comfort her,


    goddamnit!¡±


    105


    Chapter 61¡ª-The Wolves


    +10


    Bonu


    That exins it. Without her wolf, Kiya couldn''t manage her emotions. Her other half couldn¡¯t reason with or tame her. She was


    worse than a rogue. ¡°Kiya, snap out of it! This isn¡¯t you! Come back to your senses!¡± 01:31


    Awhole slew of vile words flew out of her mouth as she struggled in my grip, threatening to kill me. She truly was the mate of an


    Alpha, only a Luna could overpower my strength like this. Kiya¡¯s out for blood, and | was scared it wouldn¡¯t stop with her family.


    She''ll y this entire pack if she wanted to.


    What happened next was a blur. Her friends came barreling in, surrounding, and doing their best tofort her. A twinge of


    jealousy entered my heart as | watched Kiya slowly, yet steadily, descend from her high. | wanted to be the one to calm her


    down. | was her damn mate!


    Vindictive blue vanished to deep brown, a tsunami of deep sadness varnishing over her face. Kiya couldn¡¯t speak. She shook


    like a powerful earthquake as tears bucketed down from her eyes. My heart shattered. I''ve wondered how deep Kiya¡¯s pain went,


    and | underestimated its depth.


    | wanted nothing more but to take her into my arms and soak up all her agony, so she didn¡¯t have to feel it amore. Her suffering


    made me suffer. Onyx, though, deep within me, howled in sorrow as he felt it all. He


    too, wanted tofort Kiya.


    But we have a long road ahead of us before that happens..


    Before any of us could blink, Kiya sprang onto her feet and bolted out of the hall. Out of the packhouse. Out of our sight. An arm


    forced me back, halting me from going after my pained mate.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± Beta Jacqueline remarked. ¡°She needs to be alone.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Fuck that! With security issues around the pack border and the impending doom of another rogue attack, 1 was not leaving Kiya


    alone and vulnerable. | yanked my arm out of the woman¡¯s grip and marched towards the


    door.


    ¡°Alpha Neron, wait!¡± The human, Abigail, used her body to shield the door. ¡°Listen. Kiya should be alone right


    now.¡±


    ¡°Move out of my way,¡± | snarled. Humans were unaffected by the Alpha¡¯smand, but it''ll be a snowy day in


    hell before I''d let one stop me.


    ¡°Neron, please.¡± | turn my head to see Raina walking over. Ashley gathered the table napkins to clean the blood off her husband.


    ¡°It''s our fault she¡¯s like this. |...we¡¯ve pushed her too far.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± | demanded, this time with my innate Alpha authority. Her head bowed as she spilled everything from


    beginning to end. The urge to tear this family apart had never been greater. | swallowed my frustration and looked at my Beta


    Female dead in her eyes.


    ¡°Did you think, after all that happened, it would be easy for her to forgive and forget?¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s someone with some brains in this pack,¡± Sapphire mumbled. ¡°It took Kiya months to trust any of us, and we


    aren''t the ones who hurt her! What makes you think she''ll trust any of you in a few weeks?¡±


    The Lanes bowed their heads in shame, the gravity of their mistake settling. | sigh in frustration, angry with them but also worried


    for Kiya, Just how far had she run off? Would shee back?


    Regardless of what anyone says, | was going after her.


    Chapter $1-The Wolves


    +107


    Bonus


    Ignoring their pleas and cries, | took off after her fragrant scent. The house was silent. How odd we didn¡¯t gain an audience given


    how loud themotion was. | tracked her scent of honeyed strawberries into a deep, 01:32 darkened part of the woods north of


    the packhouse. Already, | didn¡¯t want to be here.


    It was the ce where my mother and sister took theirst breaths. The one ce | vowed to nevere back


    1. to.


    But why did Kiyae here?


    Through the barks of the trees, the strong vibe of anger faded into silent serenity. Kiya was on her knees near the edge of the


    large pond, running her fingers through the clear liquid. The half-moon in the sky shone its ethereal light upon her, giving her an


    enchanting, otherworldly look. Ripples danced through the waters, putting on a disy.


    Such a drastic change. One moment she was ready to tear the world apart and the next, she was peaceful. Yet, | could feel this


    wasn¡¯t Kiya.


    This was someone else.


    ¡°| know you''re there, Neron.¡± The voiceing from my woman was not her own. It was slightly deeper, solemn, and


    unwavering. There was the edge of authority not normally heard from Kiya, and | admit, it scared. me a little. ¡°Are you going to


    keep looking at me like a creep, or are you going to speak?¡±


    ¡°It''s her wolf!¡± Onyx yipped in excitement. ¡°My mate! Mine!¡±


    Artemis


    | rose to my feet, turning to face the Alpha, Preferably, he shouldn¡¯t be here. Kiya, deep in her pain and horrifically triggered,


    retreated into the recesses of her mind. Thus, | was now in full control of her body. It was nothing new but needed if my human


    cannot hold the reins of the reality that loved to torment her daily. This had happened more times than | could count.


    After she retreated to the forest, she begged me to take control. Unfortunately, | knew that meant Kiya wouldn¡¯t show herself for


    some time. Even the strongest humans need a break from time to time.


    My eyes track Neron¡¯s movements as he slowly approaches, hesitant at my sudden change. | could hear Onyx within him, eager


    toe out and im me. It made me sick. | growled, low enough for that ckened wolf to hear and to delete the fantasy of


    our mating from his horny mind.


    ¡°Are you Kiya¡¯s wolf?¡± Neron asked uncertainly.


    I smirk. ¡°Did the blue eyes give it away? Yes, | am.¡±


    ¡°Why did Kiya relinquish control?¡±


    ¡°Disappointed?¡± | arched an eyebrow.


    H


    ¡°N-No, | didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Neron shut his eyes and took in a deep breath. ¡°I want to know if Kiya¡¯s.


    okay.¡±


    ¡°She isn''t,¡± | replied, crossing my arms. ¡°She¡¯s taking a break.¡± | found a boulder protruding from the earth


    Chapter 61 ¡ª The Moles


    and took a seat. ¡°When a werewolf goes through stress beyond what they could handle, they forcibly could give their wolves


    control over their bodies. A forced switch, one might say. The wolf takes control, and the human rests.¡±


    +10% Bonus


    01:28


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that phenomenon.¡± Neron leaned against a tree, hands stuffed in his pant pockets. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me


    asking, what is your name?¡± | arch an eyebrow. ¡°After all this time, | realize that neither Onyx nor | knew who you are.¡±


    ¡°Artemis,¡± | answered. ¡°Named after our moon goddess¡® distant twin.¡±


    ¡°Artemis...¡± He savored my name on his tongue as he¡¯d finally found an oasis after a long journey through a desert. ¡°It fits you.¡±


    | gave a curt nod before turning my eyes to the majestic moon above. | felt my goddess¡¯ presence, although not as strong as if it


    were on a full moon. ¡°Kiya is in a lot of pain, Neron. Deeper than anyone could imagine.¡±


    ¡°...How deep?¡±


    ¡°Imagine yourself walking through a


    valley of endless darkness.¡± | began.


    ¡°The darkness is a living, breathing


    entity with ws and j ws PyHing


    you despeejnnateehysal world.


    itterhbraces you tightly, dragging you


    down quicker than you imagine. It is


    persistent, cruel, and torments your


    body, heart, and soul on the way


    down. It reminds you you''re weak, a


    failure, and that death is a better


    sce than life. It warms you, yet it


    brings a mind-numbing chill.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°asionally, there was that spec of light. Of hope. You run to it, grasping it as tight as you can. But every so often, the


    darknesses back and pulls you into a keyless prison. You scream, but no one hears you. It takes, and takes, and takes...


    until there is nothing left.¡±


    | rose from my rock, inching closer to the Alpha who dared to look at me in pity. That is what | see every single day in Kiya¡¯s


    mind. Some days are better than others. The darkness...the depression. ..it is a silent killer. It has taken so much, and Kiya had


    to fight to get those things back.¡±


    ¡°You felt everything...¡± Neron¡¯s shame forced him to bow his head, unable to look me in the eye. ¡°Everything that | did.¡±


    ¡°Not just you.¡± | huffed. ¡°Your father and everyone else too. When my human hurts, | hurt. | feel her pain. Your father didn¡¯t just


    beat her. He beat me too,manding me to shift and from there, either he or Angelo would hurt me. | don¡¯t know who''s worse,


    the man or the beast.¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t know Dad hurt you too.¡±


    ¡°You''d be surprised. He¡¯s the only one who ever saw me in my true form.¡± | shrugged, stretching my neck to rid some kinks.


    ¡°Artemis.¡± Neron stood up straight. ¡°You¡¯re Onyx¡¯s mate.¡±


    ¡°It is rather unfortunate, but true.¡±


    ¡°| won''t stop until | earn back forgiveness from both you and Kiya. But, please, don¡¯t deprive this chance for Onyx to meet you.


    He¡¯s waited for years, through my foolishness.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± | rolled my eyes. ¡°Onyx is not exempt from my anger. He didn¡¯t do a damn thing to stop you from hurting my human and


    me.


    Chapter 61 ¡ª The Wolven


    +101 id | didn¡¯t want him Bonu


    ¡°Because he couldn''t,¡± Neron admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to. | knew he''d stop me, and | didn¡¯t want him to interfere in my twisted


    sense of vengeance.¡±


    01:2


    ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha. He had the strength. He didn¡¯t have the courage. The first time we spoke was that fateful day in your ceremony


    when we touched and confirmed our mate bond.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we feel the bond before?¡± He inquired.


    ¡°As love drives out hate, hate drives


    out love. Your violence clouded the


    bond and thus, when you struck, the


    sparks weren''t there. That night


    during your ceremogy(when we!


    tqughedNitwas Che reeumetnau


    wasn''t out of anger. Does that


    answer your question? | walked


    around him, already having my fill of


    his presence. | was tired and want to


    go to sleep. However, a hand stopped


    me. Sparks rocketed through my arm


    and forearm, involuntarily making me


    shudder. | turned to be met with


    striking gold, no longer sapphire blue.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    Great. It was fucking Onyx.


    ¡°Don¡¯t walk away from me. Please.¡± Onyx¡¯s voice was rougher, deeper, and moremanding. Once upon a time, that voice


    would have made me go weak in the knees. ¡°I want to exin myself to you, angel.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t at the threshold for pet names,¡± | yanked my arm from his grasp.


    ¡°L...l apologize.¡± Onyx bowed his head. An Alpha never bows his head, unless it was someone, he respects like a pack elder. Or


    his mate. Ugh. ¡°You''re right, Artemis. | was too weak to stop my human. | should have been stronger to protect you and Kiya.¡±


    ¡°It''s toote now, Onyx.¡± | retorted. ¡°Apologies don¡¯t and won''t erase the years of abuse. | bet, deep down, you believed that Kiya


    is responsible for the death of Ashia and Angelika.¡±


    ¡°Angelika...?¡±


    ¡°Nuria¡¯s wolf,¡± | replied. ¡°Our Moon


    Goddess told me after | died. I¡¯m


    sorry you never got to meet yo


    sister wolf But inaidednt-deter us


    Fermth Yet that you did not protect


    us. It only got worse after |


    awakened. You were nowhere to be


    found. Even if the mate bond wasn''t


    established you knew that abusing a


    fellow pack The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    member was a crime.¡±


    ¡°Yes, | know that,¡± Molten gold gazed into my electric blue, his side of the bond reaching out to mine. ¡°What can | do so you don¡¯t


    look at me with such hatred? | can¡¯t stand it, Artemis.¡±


    ¡°Prove it.¡± He gave me a questioning look, but | continued. ¡°Prove to me you are remorseful. | believe in action. Neron needs to


    prove himself to Kiya, and you to me. Don¡¯t give me soft promises, mean what you say and change. You''re on a time constraint.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I''m only here for the summer. You have until the end of summer. Afterward, we¡¯re noting back. Ever.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 ¡ª The Mall


    +10%


    Bonus


    01:19


    ¡°The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for."-Bob Marley


    Artemis


    It has been two weeks since the fiasco. Kiya hasn¡¯t made her appearance since, and | don¡¯t me her. The things that happened


    at that god¡ªawful dinner weren''t for the faint of heart, especially to someone heavily triggered by her ¡°family*.


    Since that night, neither Ashley nor Steven confronted me. The steaming stench of guilt and anger permeated from their scents


    whenever | walked by. They still haven¡¯t grasped their culpability in my human¡¯s suffering. Even their wolves hide from me.


    Whatever. They weren¡¯t worth my time. They¡¯re lucky | didn¡¯t tear them down from where they stood.


    Raina tried hard to talk to Kiya. She knew I was in control and tried to pass on her messages through me, but Kiya wasn¡¯t


    listening. | was not her messenger. | don¡¯t think Raina fully understands how awful my human feels. Kiya values choice, having


    the power to choose her fate. Her parents selfishly took that away from her again.


    Valerian tried to apologize for his part in the fiasco, but neither of us was in a forbearing mood. | respect him as this pack¡¯s Beta


    and Adonis¡® father, but he was not our friend. | don¡¯t believe we''ll ever see him as one. At least he tried to defuse the situation,


    although the execution was terrible.


    Neron was trying his best. | admire his tenacity in his attempts to speak to Kiya. She gives him a listen from time to time, out of


    curiosity. Onyx tries to get closer to me, and | hate it. Persistent as hell. Sometimes, when | go for a run, he was there. Big,


    strong, and unfortunately, beautiful. He blends easily in the shadows that sometimes he catches me off guard. Whenever he was


    close, he made me feel good and | wanted to barf.


    Damn this bond.


    It is a sweltering day in June and all the trainees have the day off. They¡¯ve been working hard, and their progress is astounding.


    There haven''t been rogue attacks since thest one, aside from a few false rms, but Neron had beefed up border security.


    While the pack frolicked under the hot sun an escape from the mayhem of reality.


    | was tucked in my bed, asleep. It was nice and peaceful. Sleep was


    But it was cut short when a pillow hits my face. Growling, | grabbed it and hurled it back at the perpetrator, who let out a yell of


    pain. | open my eyes to see my friends standing around me, with Jacqueline sitting on the bed with a smirk on her face and


    Galen rubbing his nose. ¡°Hi, Art! Wanna go shopping?¡±


    | red, unamused. ¡°You woke me up to ask me that?¡±


    ¡°You sleep like a sloth on your days off.¡± She countered, hopping on her feet. ¡°We haven''t had the chance to head into town


    since we''ve been here! I¡¯m sure you''re itching to be out of this stuffy ol¡¯ pack.¡±


    | groan, rising f


    from the bed. ¡°You have a point there. | guess Kiya could use some new clothes.¡±


    ¡°You could pick out stuff for yourself too, Artemis.¡± Sapphire smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a style.¡±


    175


    Chapter 62- The Mall


    ¡°I''m a wolf. | don¡¯t wear clothes.¡± | rolled my eyes, kicking the covers off my body. ¡°And Kiya choses the clothes, not me. | just go


    along with it.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:15


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to try something different.¡± Galen pipped as | trudge myzy body to the bathroom. ¡°Perhaps a crop top and booty


    shorts? Or skinny jeans?¡±


    ¡°I''ll see once we get there.¡±


    ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯reing?¡± Abigail asked.


    ¡°It''s not like | have a choice.¡±


    Cheers erupted from the room as | wipe my wet face with a towel. Scarce water droplets clung onto the tendrils of my curls as I


    walked out, noticing my room was empty except for one person. ¡°Something on your mind, Darien?¡±


    ¡°Is Kiya okay?¡± His eyes darted around the room, unable to look at me. His anxiety was palpable. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for a


    while and...| miss her. Things aren¡¯t the same without her. | understand that she needs time after the bullshit her parents pulled,


    but at least give me an inkling of how she¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°You care about her. We both know that,¡± | walk to the vanity, grabbing a scrunchie to tie up my hair. ¡°She appreciates you


    checking on her. She¡¯s doing okay. | don¡¯t know when she¡¯sing back, but at least she knows she has people waiting for her.¡±


    Darien offered a smile that warmed me from head to toe. Yet, another part of me was saddened that I, too, couldn¡¯t say anything


    about Odessa¡¯s infidelity. The little bitch is getting on myst nerve with her ridiculous mission. However, she hadn''t tried


    anything since she realized that it was the wolf she was irritating, not the woman. The fear contorting her damn face made me


    smile.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He sighed. ¡°We''ll be leaving for the mall in an hour, which gives you enough time to get ready.¡± He left my room in


    silence. Opening therge closet, | rummaged through the colorful assortment of hanging clothes, lips pursing in confusion.


    ¡°What the hell do you even wear to the mall?¡± | asked Kiya.


    ¡°Go with the ck skater dress with red flowers! It is my favorite and mall appropriate.¡± She retorted.


    With a shoulder shrug, |id out the dress on the bed. It was beautiful to look at and it fits with my dark skin. Without hesitation, |


    stripped out of my pajamas and took a much-needed shower.


    Dressed in the skater dress, ck converse shoes, and my selenite ne, | walked to the living room. The thick straps


    covered the scar on my back and the red bottom covered the various scars on my thighs. My cross¡ªbody purse bounced on


    my hip with every movement. During my journey, | ran into an old friend.


    ¡°Hi, Kwame. How are things?¡± | asked with a smile. | was gifted with one of his own.


    ¡°Hello, Artemis. Things are going well! | was just looking for you.¡±


    | cocked my head to the side. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you and your friends interested in the pool party we¡¯re having tomorrow afternoon?¡±


    Chapter 62-The Mali


    | pondered in thought. ¡°We could be. What is the party in celebration for?¡±


    +10%


    Bonus


    01:11


    The Gamma shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Nothing in particr. We figured that we all need a break from the rigor we had over the


    past month. The pups are excited about it. It''ll be fun for our wolves to mingle with the Ga wolves outside of training.¡±


    | agreed wholeheartedly. Everyone deserved a break once in a while. Even trainers. ¡°I''ll ask them and see if they are up for it. I¡¯m


    sure they would be.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Kwame¡¯s eyes crinkled with his pearly smile. ¡°How is Kiya?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s doing alright.¡± | nod. ¡°My friends and | are about to head to the mall and-¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence! Lori is about to head out as well and...¡± His eyes turn to the living room to see his mate chatting with my


    group. ¡°It looks like she wants somepany.¡±


    ¡°It''ll be fun.¡± | never got the chance to sit down and know Lori as a person. All | knew was that shees from a pack in


    Louisiana, had a bachelor¡¯s degree in psychology, and was applying for graduate school. Plus, getting away from a


    testosterone-ridden environment would do her some good.


    After bidding Kwame farewell, Lori dragged us to her car. Somehow, all seven of us could fit. The nearest shopping mall was


    about twenty minutes away, with plenty of time to get to know the Gamma Female. She loved night walks on the beach, hated


    spicy food, and fond of spiders. The spider fact made me shudder, a dislike both Kiya, and | shared. Music red in my ears the


    entire ride, mixed with meaningless conversation from the others. It felt weird, socializing when | was a solitary creature. Kiya


    normally did the socializing for


    both of us.


    ¡°It takes time, but you''ll get the hang of it. | promise. Kiya told me.


    ¡°Are you nning oning out soon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | think I¡¯m ready. | just needed to recuperate, but don¡¯t worry, I''ll put you out of your misery.


    soon!¡±


    | chuckled silently to myself, sitting back in my seat. My eyes watched the whizzing trees turn into whizzing buildings as we


    entered Carson City.


    Kiya


    ¡°I''m not wearing that bikini! It''ll be a chilly day in hell before | do!¡±


    ¡°Come on, it can¡¯t be that bad!¡± Galen chuckles were muffled when | tossed the scandalous red bikini back in


    his face. ¡°Hey!¡±


    | giggled, looking through the assortment of swimwear, ranging from conservative to damn near naked. | mean, I¡¯ve worn bikinis


    back on San Jos¨¦ beaches, but it feels different considering I''ll be wearing swimwear around my old pack. Heck, for a species


    that had no problem with nudity, | still get self-conscious about my body from time to time.


    ¡°How about this?¡± Lori scampered over holding a one-piece swimsuit with a flounce around the bust. It was solid ck with


    white and purple polka dots. ¡°I think it''ll fit you if you¡¯re not looking for wild colors.¡±


    3/5


    Chapter 62 ¡ª The Mail


    ¡°| like it.¡± | smiled, examining the item in my hands. It was in my size too. ¡°I''ll take it! Thanks, Lori.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:0Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    | liked Lori. She had a warm energy that matched well with Kwame¡¯s. | feltfortable around her presence, like she was an


    old friend. As the others continued to look for their swimsuits, finding the best ones to make their mates go wild, | paid for my


    items and walked around the mall.


    It wasn¡¯t a big ce, but the bellowing of multiple scents was enough to make a young werewolf sick. From greasy food to bad


    body odor to Sephora¡¯s collection of makeup and perfumes, it was insane. Getting out of pack territory did me some good. | felt


    like my old self again.


    A particr scent hit my nose. My stomach rumbled as | salivated. | smelled Mexican food¡ªauthentic Mexican food! | sped up my


    pace, following the delicious scent like a starved beast. However, | didn¡¯t realize how deeply enamored | was with the scent until |


    crashed into a bulky body, embarrassingly sending us both to the ground.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± A deep voice rumbled in my ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I''d get run over by a tiny tank here.¡±


    | was about to give this man a piece of my mind until his eyes captured mine in an iron grip. Deep brown, almost maroon,


    bursting of many emotions. Powerful, deadly, bone-chilling-


    | felt calm. Why?


    His enormous hands gently seized


    my upper arms, sending powerful


    sensations through me. It as 1


    nothin kg theesbansort e mate


    bent! with Neron, but these


    sensations demanded me to submit.


    However, | was unafraid. My body


    wasid out directly on top of his,


    chests pressed up to each other. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°I''m sorry. | didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡± | mumbled, embarrassed. Peeling ourselves off each other, we both stood up, and


    that¡¯s when | realized how incredible the height difference was between us.


    This man was tall. Almost Neron¡¯s


    height. With skin as deep as mocha


    and white tresses in a ponytail,


    found m self wildly?it¨¦edoted to this


    anh Rot as hell, | admit! Never


    have | felt an instant sexual attraction


    to aman before. | mean, there is


    Neron, but | me the bond for that.


    This man is a thing of beauty, and


    boy did The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    the Goddess blessed him well.


    Why am | feeling this way? | have never felt this way toward anyone before and it was ufortable.


    ¡°No worries, my dear.¡± He smirked. ¡°You were walking mighty fast there. Were you in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°U-uh, no. I...um...1 got hungry.¡± That''s it. Time to die. | bulldozed over an innocent man because of my


    stomach. Kill me now.


    The man let out a heartyugh that was nice on the ears. It made meugh along too. ¡°I understand. | learned to never impede


    between a woman and her food. You must have a keen nose.¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± | smirked. ¡°I smelled Mexican food, and | just had to follow it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mexican food is excellent food. Los Lupes is not too far from here.¡± The handsome man pointed behind. him. ¡°Just take the


    esctor down one floor and it''ll be right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr....¡±


    Chapter 62 ¡ª- The Ma


    ¡°Octavius.¡± He extended his hand, and | shook it. Upon touching, | felt something strange. Like something mysterious wanted to


    latch onto me. It was possessive, almost dark. Before | could retract my hand, he


    released it. ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°Kiya.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:0


    ¡°Kiya...¡± Octavius savored my name on his tongue like it was the sweetest chocte he¡¯s had. | don¡¯t know if | should feel


    ttered or creeped out. ¡°Beautiful name. Well, Kiya. | must get going now. I¡¯m meeting up with a friend and he must wonder


    where | am.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course. | don¡¯t want to keep you away!¡± | smiled in understanding. After we bid each other farewell, | felt eyes pierce my


    back. Patient. Wanting. Demanding. It sends violent chills down my spine. When | looked back behind me, various shoppers paid


    me no mind.


    ¡°He carries no scent,¡± Artemis spoke. ¡°He doesn¡¯t smell like a human or a werewolf. | wonder why we felt the way


    we felt.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s a bad person?¡±


    ¡°|...1 don¡¯t know. For once, | don¡¯t know.¡±


    1 rode the descending esctor in


    silence. Octavius was nowhere to be


    found, yet | wanted to see him again.


    Half of me wanted ? KdterSthe


    warhin dls Stay away from him.


    But the other half was full of lust and


    desire. | want to see him again. It was


    a foreign feeling that | was not used


    to, and it bothered me. Mexican food


    became the least of my worries. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Who was that man?


    Chapter Comments.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 ¡ª The Pool


    ¡°All she wanted was that special someone to reach beyond the surface and discover her heart."¡ª Terry O¡¯Neal


    Kiya


    +10


    Bonu


    01:01


    Entering the mall foyer, | immerse my ears in the intense melody of punk rock. It fills the blitzing tunes with riveting emotion,


    amazing vocals, and harmonious instruments molding together into the perfect recipe that captured my attention. | followed, the


    music getting louder with my approach. An audience, in their seats, watched and listened to the rock band.


    Los Delphines. Fascinated, | took a nearby seat, settling my bags around my legs. As the music raged on, | was enamored by


    the band. They give off an otherworldly vibe, deepening my curiosity. All the band members were exceptionally talented. Yet, |


    couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the lead vocalist.


    Long, curly jet-ck hair curled to perfection with one side shaved. A thick streak of teal poked proudly out of her ringlets. Deep


    blue-green eyes with skin light tan. Dressed in all ck leather, she truly was a star. My eyes spied the blue choker around her


    neck with an oddly shaped pendant.


    Is that...a seashell?


    There was something about the vocalist | couldn¡¯t put my finger on. Something told me she was someone special, even Artemis


    could feel it.


    As special as Phoebe.


    Within several minutes, the group finished their song, and the spectators roared in apuse. | pped along. | never found punk


    rock to be a genre I''d be interested in, but this band piqued my interest.


    As the band packed up, | lingered, shuffling around the seats. Something in me was urging me to talk to the vocalist. Would she


    be mean? Snobby? Would she find me unworthy of her time? Too many nights of reading inte horror stories of fan


    interactions with musical artists made me wary of approaching.


    But it never hurts to try, right? If anything happens, I''ll lick my wounds at home. Huffing a breath of gantry, | grabbed my bags


    and walked up to the singer. ¡°Um, hello?¡±


    The moment our eyes met, | felt like my breath snatched from my lungs. She was stunning and her eyes. reminded me of the


    deep seas. Her natural scent was interesting, | could smell an oceanic scent radiating z off her. How odd. I¡¯ve never met anyone


    who smelt this way before.


    The three other band members have the same scent marker. The two men were deep in conversation in the background.


    Judging by their closeness, | assume they¡¯re in a rtionship. The shorter woman with rose¡ªgold hair was packing away the


    microphone stands.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    | silently cursed myself for losing focus so quickly. ¡°I just wanted to congratte you on your performance.


    You''re talented.¡±


    She smiled warmly, almost beaming with pride. ¡°Thank you! It¡¯s nice to hear from a fan.¡± Her shoulders rxed. ¡°Are you a local


    of Carson City?¡±


    Chapter 63 ¡ª The Pool


    ¡°Sort of.¡± | shrugged my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯splicated. My name is Kiya.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    00:51


    ¡°Violetta.¡± We both shook hands. Hers were so smooth and supple. ¡°Have you heard of Los Delphines before?¡±


    | shook my head. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard you guys y and I¡¯m impressed. Were you all always a punk rock band?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡± Violetta pointed to her members. ¡°The short one with the rose-gold hair is Marina. She may be small, but she


    packs one hell of a punch. The lovey¡ªdovey couple over there is Jos¨¦ with the ck hair and Chase with the green mohawk.¡±


    ¡°Wow. You guys sure are...¡±


    ¡°Different?¡± She smirked. ¡°We try to be. We weren''t allowed to be ourselves growing up. | sure as hell wasn¡¯t.


    d | left that cult so that | could watch movies and wear whatever the hell | want.¡±


    | stared at her in silence, eyes wide as saucers. ¡°Cult?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t mean to say that!¡± Violetta stammered, shaking her hands in front of her.


    ¡°N-no worries. We say a lot of things we don¡¯t mean.¡± But deep down, | feel there was some truth to Violetta¡¯s


    words.


    ¡°Nice ne. is that clear quartz?¡±


    Aweird sense of protectiveness came over me, my hand instinctively covered my moon pendant. ¡°It¡¯s selenite. Is that a seashell


    charm on your choker?¡±


    ¡°Yup. You could say...| have a thing for the ocean.¡± She shot a wink at me, which made me chuckle.


    ¡°Interesting. | have a thing for the moon.¡± Wink wink, nudge nudge. ¡°Anyway, would you guys be staying in Carson City? I''d like


    to hear you y live again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are. We have a giging up in two weeks at a dive bar called the L&L Tavern. You should check us out there if you¡¯re


    around. Look up online for a run¡ªdown of where we''ll y.¡±


    ¡°Will do! Thanks!¡± A text chimed on my phone from Galen, saying everyone was done and on their way to get some pizza.


    Bidding Violetta and her bandmates farewell, | write a note on my phone to check deeper into the


    band.


    The next day, | stood in front of my full-length mirror in my ck, polka¡ªdotted swimsuit. It exposed all my scars, from the ones


    on my back, my thighs, and ankles. It feels weird to have them visible in the ce they were born in, but there was not much |


    could do about it. Grabbing my sunsses and slipping on my flip- flops, | met Abigail at my door.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± Goddess, she looked amazing in her in, bright yellow bikini. Jackie was going to be all over her, swimming in


    something other than water. Smiling, | put my shades in my hair and loop my arm with


    hers.


    ¡°Yup!¡±


    Chapter 43-The Pool


    +10% Bonu


    The pool party was as active as an amusement park, Wolves of all shapes and sizes swimming, mingling, or dancing to the


    ring music. There was a minibar serving all sorts of drinks from juice for the pups to alcools for the adults.


    There were several pools, the big one for adults and teenagers who could swim. There was a smaller pool for the unshifted pups


    who wanted to hang out with their peers and parents teaching their smaller children how to swim. | spot my friends and their


    mates, huddled near the pool or on the grass. Pink blossomed on Galen¡¯s cheeks as he swam with his mate, Mikhail.


    Adorable!


    Unfortunately, that feeling faded when | saw Darien and Odessa making out like they couldn¡¯t breathe without one another. |


    want to be happy for Darien, but | couldn¡¯t because his mate was a conniving cheater. The happiness in his eyes made my chest


    tighten because he was ignorant of Odessa not holding the same amount of love he did.


    ¡°Mine!¡± Abigail was ripped from my arm and lifted in the air by her strong mate donning a forest-green two- piece. ¡°By the Moon


    Goddess, you look so delicious, my love.¡±


    ¡°We''re here to have fun, so try to keep your hands to yourself.¡± She teased, smooching the Beta¡¯s nose as she was slowly put


    back on her feet. Jackie scoffed, rolling her eyes as her biceps bulged with her arms tightening around Abigail¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Impossible, my sweet. I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°Gotta go!¡± It was my cue to leave when they started making out. | found couples around the pool,


    arge pool raft near the pool and took a seat, not wanting to go in the water yet. My eyes spotted many mated couples around


    the pool, enjoying each other¡¯spany on and off the waters. The stench of love was potent, making me gag a little. The sun


    was out, but it didn¡¯t warm me.


    Apang of jealousy ached in my heart, recapping that | wanted what | couldn¡¯t have. | was sitting here, feeling the unweing


    sting of loneliness around destined love. Everyone | knew was mated now, even Sapphire who | have yet to see arrive. It wasn¡¯t


    even the stupid bond | wanted! | wanted someone to look at me with pure admiration in their eyes, holding me close in their arms


    as the world faded around us.


    | wanted to mean the world to someone. | wanted someone to just...love me for me. Not because they had to. Was that a bad


    thing? Was it a bad thing that | wanted the love to blossom naturally, not because of destiny?


    | hated that the first person | thought about with this love was Neron. That damned Alpha. | am determined to not have the bond


    affect my rationale, but the good feelings it gives were mind-boggling. | couldn¡¯t love Neron. But goddamnit, | hated how his


    touch made me feel.


    Stupid bond. Stupid Alpha. Stupid werewolf bullshit. Stupid-!


    ¡°AAH!¡¯


    My world blurred around me before | plunged deep into the cold, chlorinated water. Swimming to the surface, my ears were


    bombarded withughter. | turn to my right to see Isaiah and Sapphire cackling as they rose off


    the intable raft | was just sitting on!


    Those assholes catapulted me into the pool!


    Chapter 63 ¡ª The Pool


    ¡°Need some help there?¡± Sapphire mocked, shooting me an infuriating wink.


    +109


    Bonu


    00:49


    ¡°You two are so dead!¡± Wet and angry, | shot out of the pool like a rocket and chased the pair down. They ran fast, but | was


    faster.


    Too fast.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    | smacked into someone and we both went tumbling hard into the grass. Upon contact, | knew who it was when the sparks


    ignited by our touch. | open my eyes to be pulled in by his bright blue. He smirked as | slowly realized thepromising position


    we were in. |id there syed out across Neron¡¯s body. Neron was shirtless in only his swim trunks, his arms wrapped around


    me, holding me tight against his hard body.


    ¡°Wow, Kiya. It looks like you''ve fallen for me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Get it? Because you fell?¡±


    He liked to make puns? What a nightmare! ¡°Don¡¯t ever be aedian, Neron.¡±


    | struggled to move my wet body off him, but his arms locked around me tighter, pressing my body into his. My eyes couldn''t look


    away as our breathing slowly settled as one. That¡¯s when | suddenly realized just how close our faces were.


    How close our lips were.


    One fatal move and I''d be kissing him.


    ¡°Neron...¡± | whimpered. ¡°L¡ªLet me go.¡±


    ¡°You feel it too, do you? Our bond revitalizing?¡± As one arm remained locked around my waist, Neron brings a hand to brush my


    wet curls from my face, thumb caressing my cheek. | had to resist nuzzling into hisrge palm. ¡°Goddess, | want to kiss you right


    now. You''re so beautiful.¡±


    | saw it. That love | wanted simmering in his deep cerulean blue. The waves of his desire and admiration. crashing violently


    against the shore, pulling me deeper into the depths of his soul. It was suffocating, seductive. It urged me to sink deep, to lose


    myself in the unmatched azure. | didn¡¯t want to look away.


    | couldn''t look away.


    His lips moved closer to mine, his breath bing hotter and more ragged as he closed in. | didn¡¯t want to move. There was a


    deep part of me that was curious about what would happen if | did just let go. | wanted to have a single, soft taste of what his lips


    offered.


    ¡°N-Neron...¡±


    ¡°Kiya...¡±


    The world faded into ck. It was only the two of us in our smoldering bubble. It felt good. It felt peaceful.. My resistance


    wavered and my resolve crumbled. At that moment, | wanted nothing more but to feel his lips


    on mine.


    Just...a single...taste....


    I shut my eyes, leaning into him, enjoying the heavy aroma of his sandalwood scent swallowing me whole. | wanted to feel what


    it was like to be loved deeper than familial. | want to feel this love that Selene destine all werewolves to have. | wanted to feel


    him.


    Chapter 63 ¡ª The Pool


    Our lips brushed up against one another, sparks shooting off like detonating fireworks. It felt amazing!! wanted more! | needed


    more! | wanted-!


    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡±


    +101


    Bonu


    00:4


    We jumped, bashing our heads


    against each other from the shrill


    voice. Our faces turned to Seg) m


    Odessying aowh gus with


    burtihg intensity and hatred, most


    aimed at me. Realizing what had


    happened, or was about to happen, |


    gathered off the Alpha, who also


    scrambled to get off the grass. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    | felt something brush up against my leg.


    Somethingrge.


    OH, MY GODDESS!


    My face burned the brightest shade of red it could muster as | rose on my feet, taking several steps away from Neron and


    Odessa. ¡°Nope! Don¡¯t worry, that won¡¯t ever happen again!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, aren''t you overreacting just a


    bit?¡± Neron asked me, arching an


    eyebrow while arpinaaessa


    pointedtyldre¡¯. could see the anger


    rolling off him, pissed at the woman


    in the white, cherry¡ªdesigned bikini


    for interrupting the kiss. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Our almost kiss.


    ¡°Take care of that, will you?¡± | pointed to the noticeable tent in his swimming trunks. Panicked, | ran to the other side of the


    packhouse. | hid behind a wall with my hand over my chest, trying to calm my pounding


    heart.


    | couldn''t believe that happened. | almost kissed Neron! | became so enraptured in his beautiful eyes that the mate bond pulled


    me closer to him. | almost surrendered to destiny.


    Goddamnit! Why did things have to be that much harder?


    After fifteen minutes, | returned to the


    party, walking towards the bar.


    Cursing myself for falling so ae


    breaking int years rig promise to


    abyays Rak him. Goddamnit Selene,


    could you have chosen someone else


    to be tied to this damn bond with


    me? At least all my friends were


    having fun, even Sapphire and Isaiah


    whom The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    I did not catch.


    ¡°Give me the strongest drink you have,¡± | demanded the female bartender. The blond arched an eyebrow in curiosity and shock.


    ¡°For a little thing like you? We have the Long Ind Iced Tea-¡±


    ¡°Give me that with extra vodka.¡±


    ¡°Delta Kiya, | wouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Now.¡±


    My growl meant business. In under a minute, my order was made and handed to me. | chugged down the strong drink to take my


    mind off what happened. Not a good coping mechanism, | know, but | do what | want.


    516


    Chapter 63 ¡ª The Pool


    +109 Bonu


    While walking back to the pool for a much-needed dip, the wind was suddenly knocked out of me. My world spun rapidly like a


    merry¡ªgo-round. My muscles, strong and mighty, suddenly went weak and limp, sendin00:42 me to my knees.


    | couldn''t breathe. No air could get in my lungs like someone¡¯s squeezing the life out of me.


    My stomach toiled and tumbled wildly. My head pounded like jackhammers to concrete.


    As | gasped for air, something dribbled out of my mouth. Staining the grass red. Is that blood?


    ¡°Poison!¡± Artemis eximed. ¡°You''ve been poisoned!¡±


    Nothing she said registered in my mind. Not even the shouts and screams heard all around me. Thest thing | remembered


    was tumbling onto the ground in intense pain.


    Then my world turned ck.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 ¡ª The Investigation


    ¡°Promises are only as strong as the person who gives them.¡± -Stephen Richards


    Neron


    ¡°If my mate dies on your fucking watch, | will tear you apart! Save her!¡±


    +107


    Bonus


    00:37


    Dr. Jackson''s amber eyes stared in mine with sheer terror, stuttering his promise to save Kiya. Nurses and doctors rush past me


    towards my beloved, hooking her to IVs as they work quickly. Running my hand through my hair, | roar in frustration.


    | don¡¯t know how this happened! In the blink of an eye, everything changed for the worst. One moment | almost kissed Kiya for


    the first time, and the next, she was fighting for her life. The screams from my pack alerted me to themotion, and there | saw


    Kiya convulsing in Galen¡¯s arms.


    I''ve never acted so quickly in my life in a sea of chaos. Her wellbeing became my priority as | rushed her to the emergency room.


    Nothing else mattered to me. The pool party was shut down at once to preserve the crime scene. This wasn¡¯t an ident.


    Someone did something to Kiya.


    Someone harmed my mate.


    When | find the bastard, they will pay with their life. | swear on my honor!


    ¡°Neron, the investigation is underway,¡± Kwame told me through the mind¡ªlink. ¡°Valerian and | are speaking to witnesses and they


    say before Kiya copsed, she was at the bar.¡±


    ¡°Tear it apart. Investigate every nook and cranny and report back to me as soon as you find something. Don¡¯t stop questioning,


    press if you must!¡±


    Astampede of footsteps echoed behind me, belonging to Kiya¡¯s friends, Raina, and oddly enough, her parents. ¡°How is she?¡±


    Raina asked, throwing her hands on her knees to catch her breath.


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. The doctors are working on her right now.¡± | answered, trying my best to suppress my anger. Onyx was beyond


    pissed. He was enraged and out for blood. Our mate being hurt was equivalent to stabbing silver in my chest, it fucking hurt!


    Through the bond, her pain became my pain. It was burning as if someone


    lit her on fire.


    The culprit is dead man. Point nk. They signed their death certificate the moment they hurt my beloved!


    Kiya must pull through. She is too strong to go out like this.


    My lips still tingled from our almost-kiss. | felt nothing like that before. It was like being bathed in the purest, cleanest of


    enchanted waters. Her body fit perfectly in mine and her scent held me prisoner. It felt right. | wanted to feel that again. | wanted


    her in my arms again, to touch her, to feel her, to breathe her into me.


    Goddess, if | lose her again, I''ll lose my mind!


    ¡°| need to see her! Raina, let me go!¡± Ashley shouted, trying to push through the crowd but was held back by her daughter.


    ¡°Mom, please. Let the doctors do their job! There is not much we could do without getting in their way.¡±


    115


    Chapter 6-The Investigation


    Raina soothed, pulling her mother to an empty chair.


    ¡°Who would do this to her?¡± The older woman whimpered. ¡°Why? Why did this have to happen to her?¡±


    ¡°Alpha.¡± Steven walked up to me, his neck vein throbbing with anger, ¡°I won''t hesitate to tear their throats out for harming my


    baby girl. That evil being is still out there! Please find them or | will.¡±


    ¡°That is if you get your hands on them first, Jacqueline growled before looking at me. ¡°Remember the promise you made to our


    Alpha. If it was one of your wolves that harmed Kiya on your territory, Alpha Anthony will hold you responsible for your failure in


    the agreement.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    00:3


    She''s right. Per our agreement for allowing his soldiers to remain on my territory, | must ensure their safety. And | already fucking


    failed, and with my mate, nheless. This realization only enrages me even more. | ball up my fists and bite my lower lip.


    ¡°| realize this, Beta Jacqueline. | will find the person responsible and their punishment will be swift.¡±


    ¡°Alpha.¡± | jerk around to see Dr. Jackson standing with his clipboard. ¡°I have news on Delta Kiya¡¯s condition.¡±


    That was fast! | kept my mind-link open so Valerian and Kwame could listen in. ¡°Spit it out.¡±


    ¡°She was poisoned. Her blood analysis results detected high amounts of potassium cyanide. She ingested the poison through an


    alcoholic drink because her Blood Alcohol Content is elevated. If you acted a couple of minutester, she would have died.


    We''ve supplied the applicable antidotes intravenously and oxygen therapy. Unfortunately, to flush the poison from her system,


    she must remain here for a few days.¡±


    The bartenders,¡± | revealed to Valerian and Kwame. ¡°Every single one of them. Bring them to my office and bag


    all the sses and send them to theb. | want to know which ss Kiya drank out of. It should have traces of cyanide.¡±


    Valerian eximed. ¡°Someone wanted her dead quickly.¡± Valerian concluded with a low growl ¡°That shit kills


    humans within minutes.¡±


    ¡°We''re on it, Alpha, Kwame reassured me. ¡°We''ll alert you when ready.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t she have detected the cyanide in her drink?¡± Abigail asked curiously.


    ¡°Unfortunately, not everyone can detect cyanide. This goes for both humans and werewolves. She wouldn¡¯t have known until it


    was toote. Not all types of cyanide carry a scent or a taste. Potassium cyanide carries a bitter taste, but most likely the alcohol


    disguised it.¡±


    ¡°Can we see her?¡± Sapphire asked, clutching Isaiah¡¯s hand. ¡°Is she awake?¡±


    Dr. Jackson shook his head. ¡°No. She¡¯s unconscious now, but her room is open for visitors. | rmend one person at a time!


    Ignoring theints and protests behind me, | rushed past everyone, barging into.


    Kiya¡¯s room.


    My heart never broke so fast.


    Kiyaid in her bed, unmoving, with arms hooked to several IVs. Her coily hair syed on her white pillow, oxygen tubes


    inserted in her nose. Splotches of bright red and dark blue covered her russet skin because cyanide blocks her cells from


    receiving oxygen. Her lips were parted, taking on a faint, sickly blue. Onyx howled in pain because he was unable to connect to


    Artemis.


    2/5


    Chapter 64-The Investigation


    +109 Ronus


    | walked to her bedside, gently taking her small hand into mine. Leaning down, | kissed her forehead, growling! at the very faint


    almond scent wafting from her mouth. ¡°Kiya, on my honor, I''ll find whoever did this to yo00:27 They marked themselves for


    death, for hurting you. | don¡¯t know if you can hear me, but | promise you, they will suffer. | love you. Get well.¡±


    | squeezed her hand and left her room, marching towards my office to interrogate the bartenders. One of them did this. And I''ll


    fuck them up for almost killing my mate!


    Witness ounts confirmed what my Beta and Gamma told me. Someone hadced Kiya¡¯s drink with potassium cyanide. I¡¯ve


    interrogated all the bartenders working the bar at the time. All five of them reeked with fear. If someone were to step inside my


    office, they''ll smell the volcanic rage erupting from my pores. All knew to not waste my time with useless details, | demanded


    straightforward answers. Using my Alphamand was something | didn¡¯t like to do, but it was needed.


    One of them almost became a murderer.


    One bartender, Emily, disyed more signs of guilt than the others. After many grueling questions, she admitted to serving Kiya


    the poisoned drink. As much as | wanted to rip the bitch apart, | withheld my ws and threw her in the prisons. There was much


    more to be done with her before | decide her fate, such as how the fuck she could smuggle potassium cyanide into pack grounds


    without my knowledge.


    There was something deeper in y, and that¡¯s a terrible feeling to have.


    As | made my way back to my mate¡¯s hospital room, | was met with a surprise. My father stood over Kiya, watching her like a


    hawk. He turned his head towards me, holding a serious expression on his aging face..


    ¡°Son.¡±


    ¡°Dad. What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Il came to see Kiya. She''ll be alright, thank the Moon Goddess.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°But my question is, when will you make


    her your Luna?¡±


    | blinked, astounded at the sudden bluntness. I''ve never given much thought about Kiya bing my Luna, although it crossed


    my mind many times. However, Kiya¡¯s made it clear she doesn¡¯t want to be Luna and | cannot force her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if |


    can, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He grunted. ¡°Yet, you wouldn¡¯t make Odessa your Luna when needed.¡±


    ¡°She has found her mate, but even that has itsplications because she¡¯s stilling for me. Regardless, 1 won¡¯t mark


    Odessa and I, certainly, won''t mark Kiya as mine until | get her full consent, if a time like that


    would evere.¡±


    ¡°Want my opinion?¡± He asked. Not really, but | nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing your true mate has returned. Odessa would have led


    this pack to ruin. However, with Kiya at your side, you''d be a powerful Alpha. Zircon Moon has gone long without a proper Luna,


    and its prime time you make your move and im what¡¯s yours. Alphas don¡¯t wait, they take.¡±


    ¡°Dad. Kiya hates this pack and her home is Ga Moon. | won''t force her to do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do.¡± | sighed. ¡°I


    understand the importance of having a Luna, | want Kiya to rule at my side more than.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 64-The Investigation


    anything, but | will not rush because of my impatience.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    00:2


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re wasting here, Neron.¡± My dad growled. ¡°Kiya is.. Incredibly special. A rare diamond in the rough. Do


    you know what she¡¯s capable of? She has more power than you think. More than any high-ranking Alpha in the world.¡±


    | didn¡¯t like the sound of this. The ominousness in my father¡¯s voice didn¡¯t leave me with any positive feelings. It was as if he was


    asking me to force the mating process on Kiya. To take away her ability to choose. He turns to me, his blue eyes on mine.


    ¡°You need to think about the future of


    your pack, son. Your pack needs a


    strong Alpha and Luna, and with Kiya,


    you''d be the eeene outlof


    t math{Tine¡¯ bless gs from the


    oon Goddess would be plentiful


    and you''d go down in history. | know


    l''ve urged you to mark Odessa in the


    past, but that means nothing now


    that Kiya is alive. I¡¯m urging you to


    put her in her rightful ce,


    regardless of what she believes.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°No!¡± | retorted, furious. ¡°Dad, | can¡¯t believe you¡¯re asking me to do this. What is it about Kiya that you''re not telling me?¡±


    ¡°If you paid attention to your history


    lessons about our kind more, you''d


    know.¡± My dad replied voice etched in


    contempt. "She''s @ WHite wolf?


    white woHSur Moon Goddess


    blessed you with. She holds power


    unmatched to anything or anyone on


    this, and you''re going to waste


    this opportunity to be stronger


    because she¡¯s a little angry?¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°She has every right to be angry after


    the shit we put her through!¡± | roared.


    Snarling at my father was something


    | never thought I''d dg, byt at Kivald


    defensen bot y would break all the


    rules he has instilled in me since


    childhood. ¡°I¡¯m not losing her again


    by forcibly marking her! | refuse to


    put my desires above her own. | lost


    her once, but never again. | won''t


    repeat my mistakes of the past.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    My father red at me. Long and hard. My eyes


    ent to Kiya resting peacefully in her bed, her chest rising and falling with the rhythmic beats of her heart monitor. There was a


    power within her that | detected when she arrived on thisnd. It was immense, intimidating, and lethal. Was that what Dad was


    talking about?


    What secrets are you hiding from me, Kiya?


    ¡°Fine. Continue to y the waiting game. But, if otherse to steal away what¡¯s yours, you have only yourself to me.¡±


    An unbearable chill trundled into the room upon his departure. | looked at Kiya one more time, worry scrunching the muscles in


    my face. What is going on here? My father knows something but refuses to say it.


    But one thing¡¯s for sure, | won''t rush Kiva into the Luna position. | promised to take things slow, and | would. Above all, no one


    will take her away from me again.


    | love her so much. Her well-being is too important to me.


    Damn all the expectations!


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 ¡ª The Flowers


    ¡°Everything that happens to you matters to me.¡®¡ª Cassandra re


    Kiya


    Never get poisoned. The recuperation is brutal.


    +105 Bonus


    00:20


    | feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a freight train. Twice! My head feels like a jackhammer to concrete with my muscles feel like a mass of


    limp noodles, and my chest aches with every breath. My treatments will continue


    there was still cyanide in my system. It shocked the doctors and nurses that | survived ingesting an astronomical amount of


    poison.


    However, | knew that if | died again, Selene would just toss me back to Earth again.


    Adonis was cuddled at my side when | woke up, curled in a ball with an arm over my stomach. Raina revealed that he wouldn''t


    leave my side. My heart fluttered like bird wings. Raina stayed by my side all night, too. Deep happiness sprouted underneath


    the soil in my heart. | appreciate my sister and my nephew staying with me.


    Adonis said he did it to protect me from the bad people who wanted to hurt me. Oh, little guy, I¡¯m the one doing the protecting!


    After they left, Dr. Jackson and Nurse Amara came in to draw more blood and to check my vitals. | never liked Dr. Jackson. He


    was the doctor that did nothing to treat my injuries when | was a ve. Many wounds and cuts festered and got infected because


    of his improper care. Now, he was making sure my stay in the hospital was asfortable as possible.


    | must stay for a couple of days before I¡¯m cleared for discharge. That means I''ll get many visitors. Including my favorite ones!


    My friends were camping out in my room with Criminal Minds ring from the television. They brought takeout too! | may be sick,


    but not sick enough to indulge in Chinese chicken dumplings!


    ¡°Your Alpha is going to kill the bartender who poisoned you by the end of the week,¡± Galen revealed, chopsticks digging at his


    noodles.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my Alpha, Gal.¡± | rolled my eyes. ¡°As for the bartender, | heard she confessed to the crime. But | don¡¯t know if killing her


    would serve any justice. I¡¯m still breathing.¡±


    ¡°You''reid up in that hospital bed because sheced your drink with enough cyanide to kill a cow,¡± Jackie replied, folding one


    leg over the other. ¡°The bitch deserves it for hurting you.¡±


    Okay, | know she deserves punishment for what she did, but | feel as though there was something else going on. This was


    bigger than Emily. | remember that blond bartender, but our interactions before that were non- existent. Why would she want me


    dead? The only person who | knew hated my guts to the point of harm was


    Odessa.


    But was she capable of taking me out? | don¡¯t know.


    ¡°Neron worked fast. | admire that.¡± Sapphire hopped on my bed. She was careful not to snag herself in the IV tubes. ¡°He wasted


    no time hunting Emily down and securing the crime scene. Gamma Kwame found the ss with her fingerprints. She didn¡¯t


    clean it in the chaos.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sloppy,¡± Darien grunted, scooping up some rice. ¡°Speaking hypothetically, if | wanted to poison


    Chapter 65-The Flowers


    +10%


    Bonus


    someone and save my ass, I¡¯d get rid of the evidence as fast as | could. They have the ss and found potassium cyanide in her


    room. She didn¡¯t n her escape through.¡±


    00:17


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s dumber than we originally thought.¡± Jackie shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s a blond.¡±


    Sapphire shot up. ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Except you, babe. You''re so smart. The Beta shot a wink at her friend, who rolled her eyes before settling. All of this left a foul


    taste in my mouth. Did Emily want to be caught? Or was she working for someone else? So many questions, but so few


    answers!


    ¡°Kiya, | wanted to ask.¡± | perked up as Abigail tossed her empty water bottle in the trash. ¡°What happened before the poisoning?


    You came back to the party looking like a disheveled mess.¡±


    | dreaded this. The memory of Neron¡¯s lips brushing against mine seared itself in my memory. The imprint refuses to disappear.


    The interse emotions, his touches¡ªeverything about it, | recall every detail. Even his eyes, looking at me with so much love. My


    hands covered my face while | groaned in irritation.


    ¡°Something happened between Neron and me.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do we need to fight him?¡± Jackie asked, already rolling up her sleeves.


    ¡°Do we need to kill him?¡± Sapphire inquired, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Want me to castrate him?¡± Galen grinned, holding up a flimsy stic knife.


    ¡°Want me to spoon his eyes out of their orbitals?¡± Darien implored, holding up his spoon.


    ¡°Must we resort to violence?¡± Abigail sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    ¡°No! To all of your questions!¡± | yelled. ¡°It isn¡¯t anything bad. We almost kissed and-


    ¡°Hol up. Everyone responded in unison. Darien shut off the television and everyone scooted their chairs closer to my bed. L now,


    had five pairs of colorful eyes staring me down. Goddess, | hate being the center of


    attention.


    ¡°...You kissed him?¡± Sapphire asked, the corner of her lips rising to a smirk.


    ¡°No!¡± | defended. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, almost? An actual kiss didn¡¯t happen!¡±


    ¡°Did your lips touch?¡± Galen asked. | nodded, cheeks heating up like a bonfire. ¡°Little Bit, that is considered a


    kiss!


    ¡°No, it is not!! Who made that a rule, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Focus!¡± Abigail ordered, silencing everyone. ¡°Kiki, tell us what happened from the beginning.¡±


    | told everything. | spared no detail. Their eyes widened the more | told. | revealed that Odessa interrupted us, which made


    Darien arch an eyebrow in confusion, but | went no further than that. | ran off before | could see


    ber and Neron argue or not.


    Their silence was deafening. Their stares were unmoving. Were they even breathing? | resist the urge of waving my hand in front


    of their faces but, luckily, Galen cracked.


    Chapter 65 ¡ª The Flowers


    +10


    Bonu


    ¡°Oof.¡± He huffed beforeughing. ¡°Girl, you¡¯re in trouble! You got him hook, line, and sinker. He¡¯s never going to leave you alone.¡±


    00:14


    | whined, hitting my head on my pillow. This was a nightmare! Pinching my side didn¡¯t help. | was stuck in this madness. ¡°I was


    afraid of that. What am | going to do?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know, Continue to fight against the bond like you normally do?¡± Abigail asked with a shoulder shrug. ¡°It¡¯s harder for you


    since your mate is an Alpha, and Alphas love to take andy their ims.¡±


    Neron wouldn''t do that, would he? While | was unconscious, | overheard the conversation he had with his father. Neron


    understood me. But his father terrified me. The former Alpha was a nightmarish beast dressed as a refined gentleman. Jonathan


    Prince still scares the shit out of me. | have Lady Luck on my side for not running into him at all. He was the one person who


    could put fear into my soul. Even Artemis buckles at his


    name.


    He still made me feel like the meek ve.


    | don''t like the idea that he is forcing Neron to mark me. The former Alpha knows, for certain, that | was Selene¡¯s avatar.


    Jonathan was inserting himself into a business that didn¡¯t involve him. For what? He knew more than he was leading on...but |


    was too terrified to ask him.


    Once | was out of this bed, I''ll look for answers myself. To what other powers | hold. To know exactly who and what | am.


    | run my hands through my hair, huffing in exasperation. ¡°This dumb bond is not iming me.¡±


    ¡°The mate bond is a powerful thing, Kiya.¡± Darien grips my hand in his, rubbing soothing circles on the back of it. ¡°|mend


    you for holding out for this long, especially against someone you hate. But you''re working closely with him, and after what


    happened, he''ll try harder to get you. Also...you felt the sensations, too. You might want to feel those again.¡±


    No! | couldn¡¯t let that happen. I''ll do whatever | can to not get close to him. What happened at the party was dangerously close. If


    we''d kissed...I¡¯m afraid that | wouldn¡¯t have stopped. It would have been a full make-out


    session.


    As much as a deep, deep part of me wanted to feel Neron against me again, | refuse to fall. | refuse to surrender. | don¡¯t want


    him. I''ll never im him as my mate.


    Stupid man! Make it easier for me to hate you!


    ¡°| don''t,¡± | say through my teeth. The doubt in the room is palpable, and these folks were supposed to be on my side? ¡°I can¡¯t!


    This stupid bond is fucking th my mind like it is doing to him: It is dumb luck the almost- kiss happened. Yes, | admit, it felt good.


    Why does something so wrong feel so right?


    Galen smirked, patting my shoulder. ¡°Good job! The first step is eptance!


    | brush his hand off me. ¡°I¡¯m not epting shit! This whole thing is stupid. Everything about this bond is stupid! Why couldn¡¯t he


    just leave it broken? Idiot!¡±


    ¡°Um. Kiya?¡± Abigail asked.


    ¡°Stupid man with his stupid body and his stupid lips!¡±


    ¡°Klyn...¡± Sapphire sang, poking my


    my arm.


    ¡°Stupid fated sparks with those stupid good feelings!¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡± Galen scratched the back of his head, averting his eyes away from us.


    +10%


    Bonus


    00:10


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t wolves fall in love like normal people? Out of the millions of wolves in this world, why did | have to be bound to that


    six¡ªfeet¡ªfive¡ªinch building of rock-hard muscle and-!¡±


    ¡°Kiya!¡± Jacqueline yelled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That ¡°building¡¯ is at the door!¡±


    The six of us jerked our heads


    towards the hospital room entrance,


    to see Neron leaning against the


    doorframe with a rensmeleohihis


    i e, Hewas dress in a tight ck


    shirt with blue jeans¡ªthe fabric


    molding into his muscles. His ck


    hair rested on his shoulders, framing


    his sharp jawline. The fluorescent


    lights of my room did nothing to


    disguise the beauty of his deep blue


    eyes. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    In his hands is arge bouquet of pink, red, and yellow flowers in a ss vase.


    ¡°Oh, my Goddess,¡± | muttered, turning my head away from the door. He got me get¡ªwell flowers. This couldn¡¯t be happening. My


    cheeks were heating at this simple gesture. ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m dreaming-¡±


    ¡°| assure you aren''t dreaming,¡± Neron replied. | could hear the damn smirk in his voice. | didn¡¯t answer. | refused to look at him. ¡°I


    got you flowers. | hope you like them, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet...¡± Abigail whispered, her hands going over her heart. | shot a re at her face, silently telling her to shut up.


    Yes, it was sweet, but it¡¯d be sweeter if it didn¡¯te from him!


    ¡°Do you all mind if Kiya and | could talk in private?¡± Neron asked my friends. The five of them eyed each other in silence,


    knowing smirks growing on their faces. Before | could demand them to stay, they all flew out, mming the door behind them.


    It was the two of us alone in my hospital room.


    The Alpha took a seat in a chair, scooting to my bedside, and handed me the flowers. Sighing, | turn to him and kindly took the


    vase out of his hands. It nearly dropped in myp when our fingers touch, sending the fated sparks through my body.


    ¡°What flowers are these?¡± | asked, admiring the bright colors. ¡°I recognize a couple.¡±


    ¡°Each flower is symbolic. The pink peonies symbolize healing and good health. The yellow chrysanthemums mean joy, and the


    red roses...well...¡± He looked away for a moment, suddenly nervous. ¡°They mean that love and respect. You know | love you, so


    | thought having a physical reminder would help.¡±


    Pink blossomed on his cheeks at the confession. | resist a smile, but it was hard. His blushing cheeks were the most adorable


    thing I¡¯ve ever seen, but I''ll never admit it out loud. My fingers brushed up against the waxy texture of the petals, soothing me.


    The sweet smell wafted up to my nose, bathing me in peace.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Honestly, | love the thoughtful arrangement. Only Mom and Dad ever brought me flowers. Anthony and Lyria would


    get me food if | evernded in a hospital, like today. ¡°Did you have the florist help


    ¡°Not really.¡± |ughed. ¡°Again, thank you, Neron.¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, Kiya.¡± Afortable silence fell between us. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Not good, but not bad either,¡± | revealed, toying with the hem of my nket. ¡°I heard you have the bartender in custody. Are you


    going to kill her by the end of this week?¡±


    ¡°| have to.¡± His cheery expression


    suddenly turned grave. ¡°l can¡¯t let her


    get another Kara yt you


    again.¡± Necgntaok Ay and in his


    own! ¡®squeezing gently. ¡°| made a


    promise to protect you to your


    brother, and I''ll honor that promise.


    When | saw you convulsing, | was so


    scared. | felt you... | felt your pain.¡±


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    ¡°You felt my pain?¡± | asked him, allowing him to hold my hand.


    ¡°You know the bond makes wolves


    feel more than love for their mates,


    right?¡± He asked, drawing circles on


    the back of my hand with a finger.


    ¡°The bond also alerts @whehthe!


    othen is}ha fain By sending it to us


    through the connection. Usually, we''d


    learn how to block that mechanism,


    but sometimes, especially in


    dangerous situations, it forgoes the


    block and forces us to feel.¡± His eyes


    shined with unshed tears when he


    gazed upon my face again. ¡°I felt


    everything, Kiya. | thought...| thought


    you wouldn''t make it.¡± The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    I sighed, rubbing my forehead in shame. | didn¡¯t want Neron to feel what | was feeling, but as the bond strengthens, it makes us


    more aware of each other¡¯s emotions and vulnerabilities. This was exactly the thing | wanted to avoid. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for. It¡¯s the reality of the bond we share.¡± Neron gifted me with his white smile, dazzling. ¡°I''ll always


    keep you safe from harm. Anyone who tries to hurt you is a dead man or woman. What kind of Alpha am | if I let my mate get


    hurt?¡±


    | look at myp briefly, feeling the weight of his words. Neron would kill for me. Emily¡¯s days were numbered,


    and | didn¡¯t know how to feel about it.


    ¡°Neron, | heard what you said to your father,¡± | revealed, looking back at him. ¡°Ab not iming me before


    I''m ready.¡± | offer a small smile of appreciation. ¡°Thank you for that.¡±


    His other hand went to my hair, fingers brushing up against the curls. His affection was profound, touching my flesh as gentle as


    a feather. Neron smiled at me again. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Kiya. | don¡¯t want you to doubt my


    care for you.¡± | wanted to say more, but he held a finger to my lips.


    ¡°We''ll talk again,ter. You need to rest. I''ll visit youter.¡± What? That was it? Neron patted my head before walking towards the


    door. However, when he opened it, my friends spilled onto the floor,nding on top of one another. | groaned, pinching the bridge


    of my nose.


    They are fools, but my lovable fools!

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 ¡ª The Avatar


    +10


    Bonu


    00:0


    ¡°The world, even the smallest parts of it, is filled with things you don¡¯t know.¡± Sherman Alexie


    Kiva


    The sounds of book pages turning resounded through the quiet atmosphere of the library. This book didn¡¯t have what | was


    looking for, so | ditched it and looked in another. | was discharged after a few days, under strict doctor''s orders to take it easy. |


    couldn¡¯t strain myself because | was still in recovery.


    Fortunately, | was clear to train the pup trainees but cannot assert much physically. It sucked. | felt like half a wolf. Weakness


    was something | loathe. My healing ability remained, but wolves must take time healing from poison. My friends brought me


    home, yet Neron was bending over backward to ensure that | wouldn¡¯t stress myself out.


    It was weird of him to watch my every move. He took my recovery seriously, ensuring that | wouldn¡¯t lift a finger around him.


    Neron became an overbearing mother, fussing over my health. As much as | appreciated the care, | was not helpless. For


    example, | could walk up the stairs myself, but he was so insistent on carrying me up there.


    Any excuse to get closer to me, | guess.


    Shaking my thoughts free from the Alpha, | rummaged through historical records, focusing on the timeless existence of


    werewolves. In this sea of books, one held information on white wolves. | needed to find it. The Zircon Library was arge ce


    in the very back of the pack house. It took a minute to find this ce after such a long time.


    Using the rollingdder, | climbed to the top of several bookshelves, eyeing the myriad of titles on book spines. None catch my


    interest. Werewolf shifting, full moon lunacy, werewolf hierarchy, | didn¡¯t care about that.


    | needed to know what | was. If white wolves were so rare, there must be other reasons besides being the embodiment of


    Selene. | wanted to know why | was born a white wolf. Why did Selene choose me as her


    avatar?


    As | was about to part with my search, a particr book captured my attention. Hidden in in sight, it was the only book without


    its title on its spine. | jerked the rollingdder forward, pulling the dusty book from its


    confinements..


    Several sneezester, at a table, | examined the old, brown, leather¡ªbound book. Nothing about it hinted to the subject within. It


    was cloaked in mystery. Despite its ancient appearance, there was a silvered lock that bound the book shut. A lock without a


    keyhole.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± | whispered, searching for a way to unlock the book. But there was none. The one book that captured my


    attention in the endless sea of literature is the one book | couldn''t crack open. ¡°Fuck!¡± Something in this book was calling to me,


    urging me to keep this piece of history.


    Was it instinct? Was it the weird pull | have to it? Or am | going crazy? My desperation is showing. The desire to learn my identity


    had never been stronger, and it was affecting my focus. Slumping in my chair, | huffed, my breath iling my curly fringe in the


    air.


    ¡°The journey of self-discovery is moreplicated than | thought.¡± Chuckling to myself, | continue to


    115


    examine the book. | was so ensnared that my finger got caught in a sharp corner of the lock, nicking it.


    ¡°Ow! Shit!¡± | waved my damn finger in the air, blood dribbling fast from the tiny wound. Some crimson droplets flung from the cut,


    landing on the book. One lone drop of bloodnded at the sleek squared center, seeping into the metallic.


    Click!


    My mouth gaped open in shock. Did...did my blood just... ¡°What kind of sorcery is this?¡±


    The book opened with my blood. My blood was the key. Could shit get any freakier?


    | cracked open the book-sputtering a little because of the ridiculous amount of dust this thing umted- and started flipping


    through the pages. Page upon page, images drawn by the delicate stroke of a brush.


    | see a howling wolf. Two wolves. An infant cradled inside a nket. Goddess Selene. Many images tell at silent, wordless story.


    | became engrossed, the book imprisoning my focus into the tan, wrinkling pages. The world around me faded into darkness. For


    that moment, it was just me and the book.


    My breath hitched in my throat when | came across the first page with writing. The calligraphy penmanship was ancient, old as


    time itself. Small words filled the entire page. Every sword | read sent a droplet of an icy chill down my spine.


    White wolves are revered in werewolf society as perfect embodiments of their matron goddess, Selene. She, who treasures her


    creations dearly, made one creation that would take on her roles on the very earth she and Mother Earth watch over.


    The rare and sacred white wolf. The wolf blessed by beloved Selene holds power beyond imagination. They can heal. they grant


    protection, grant wishes, and hold the moon mysticism within their bodies. They are the physical embodiments of the wolves¡®


    beloved goddess. It is said that those who are granted the chance to see a white wolf would forever live in prosperity and luck.


    However, because the white wolf is so powerful, they are hunted by those with ckened hearts. They seek to exploit the white


    wolf for their selfish, sometimes deadly needs. Many white wolves in the ancient past are killed by their captors ormit suicide


    to escape their dreaded fates. Selene, hurt by her treasures who stray on the path of evil, vowed to only bless the world with one


    white wolf every century for their protection.


    No one shall know who the white wolf is until they shift after puberty. Even then, they do not hold the immense power history has


    reverend them to. Only when they awaken, could they channel the true might of the Moon


    Goddess.


    The white wolf is Selene¡¯s avatar, her representative and most sacred child. How Selene chooses her sessor is and would


    remain a mystery.


    The contents of this book are meant to be protected from the evil eye of those filled with greed. Only the next century''s avatar,


    whoever he or she may be, could unlock the sacred contents of this book.


    Chapter 66 The Avatar


    done by ancient magic. Sighing, | closed the book, locking it in ce.


    Could | trust anyone with its contents? Surely, | could tell my friends, right? They always treated me like an equal. They''re the


    only ones who I''d allow to see this book. No one else.


    My mind suddenly went to Neron and the words he said when | was unconscious. Does he care that | was a white wolf? His


    father insisted on him mating with me to gain power. What happens when a wolf mates with a white wolf? Or an avatar in


    general? How many of us were out there?


    There was Phoebe, but that was it, as far as | knew.


    | left the library, hugging the book to my chest. The book was about asrge as a school textbook, but the weight of the material


    didn¡¯tpare to the amount of power inside.


    4


    ¡°I need to hide this in my room¡® | thought to myself, beginning my journey back into my room. Thisrge pack house doesn¡¯t


    compare to the house back home, but | digress.


    However, near the stairs, the spicy scent of cardamom and cinnamon flowed in my nose. It didn¡¯t bring pleasure, it brought pain.


    The scent alone awoken the deepest and darkest of the horrific memories of my past. Phantom bites on my arm, fists to my


    stomach and chest, and the blows to my head, | felt them all. One look from this monster and | reverted into the scared child on


    her first day in the dungeons.


    Those damn eyes. The only shade of blue that brought terror in my heart, plucking each heartstring from their bicuspid valve.


    I''m staring at therge, bulky, yet aging body of Jonathan Prince, Neron¡¯s father, my former Alpha. The ringleader of my


    childhood trauma.


    | wanted nothing more but to smack the deplorable smile off his face.


    ¡°| see you found the Legend of the White Wolf book.¡± His voice was like smooth velvet to the ears of admirers, but to me, they


    grated against my eardrums. It bound a headache to my skull. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you''ve openedProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    it?¡±


    | said nothing. | hugged it tighter to me,pressing my ribcage. It''ll leave a mark, but | didn¡¯t care.


    Fear was an avid emotion. It strikes the soul when it was least expected, but its speed consumes it whole. It could turn the


    bravest of all souls into a shriveling mess. Fear had incredible longevity; it couldst more than a human¡¯s lifespan. Jonathan¡¯s


    presence was maddening and overbearing. The fear that erupts within me threatens to choke me out and leave me for dead.


    With every step he took forward, | retreated backward.


    ¡°| won''t hurt you, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°I+ don¡¯t believe you.¡± My voice came out weaker than expected. A remnant of my old identity weaved itself Into my voice,


    croaking out into the world it left years ago. Hatred billowed in my mind in a haze of red smoke. ¡°Why should | believe anything


    you say?¡±


    Jonathan shrugged. ¡°Eyes filled with strength, yet so much fear. You can¡¯t fear me after all these years, huh? You¡¯re a renowned


    Delta, now.¡±


    burning my eyes like a cinder. ¡°I have every run the wary of you!¡±

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 ¡ª The Ambush


    ¡°When the going gets tough, put one foot in front of the other and just keep going. Don¡¯t give up.¡°¡ªRoy T. Bet


    Kiya


    The element of surprise. It was the sole advantage our opponents have, and it worked swimmingly. Many pack members.


    panicked from the chaos, grabbing their children and/or loved ones as they fled to the underground bunkers. Bodies of all


    shapes and sizes spilled into the packhouse alongside the storm of hurried footsteps, barely covering the screams and


    disembodied roars outside.


    | must be out there. | needed to be in this battle. Damn the doctor¡¯s orders; people¡¯s lives were on the line! Sucking in a deep


    breath, my chest expanded with my resolve. Hiding was not an option. | was here to do my job and | won''t let some poison stop


    me from doing so. | sucked in a deep breath and bolted out my bedroom door.


    Dodging the panicked bodies, | emerged onto the grisly battlefield. Zombified rogues spilled from all corners of the woonds,


    group after group. Just like the previous battles. All warriors fought valiantly, cutting down their numbers as fast as the enemy


    replenishes them. But it came with a price.


    Many held injuries. There was no shortage of red spilled. My friends and ranked wolves fought harmoniously on the front lines,


    killing every rogue on sight. The stench of decay was worse than before, now mixed with fresh blood.


    My observations violently halted when Abigail, our formidable fighter, dropped to the ground with a deep gash on her stomach.


    Jackie howled in pain and volcanic anger, charging into the beasts with murder on her mind. This insanity had to stop! | ran to


    Abigail and dragged her away by the shoulders towards the stairs. Iron assaulted my nose and a retch came out of my mouth.


    She whimpered weakly with my every step, pressing her hands against the wound that rapidly flowed with blood.


    ¡°It fucking hurts...¡± Abigail moaned, eyes squeezing shut. She never cursed, which enforced the gravity of the situation. | stripped


    offi


    buttoned-up shirt and pressed it against the wound as hard as | could, despite her blood seeping through the fabric and between


    my fingers. Being in a bra didn¡¯t matter. My friend¡¯s well-being outweighed my self¡ªconsciousness.


    ¡°Stay with me, Abi! You''re going to be okay!¡± | whispered, tears pricking my eyes. | darted my head around, hoping to find


    someone not being man-handled by a rouge to help me.


    ¡°Orion!¡± | shouted, spotting him near me. Immediately, he jogged up to me, eyes widening at the state of Abigail. ¡°Take her to the


    pack hospital, now!¡±


    ¡°But what about you, Delta Kiya?¡± He asked. After our showdown a while back, Orion gave me nothing but respect. ¡°You''re


    recovering, you can¡¯t fight!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Take her, or else Beta Jacqueline would rip you apart for not helping her mate!¡± Picking Abigail up, |


    thrust her into his arms. ¡°Now, go!¡±


    As if a greater power influenced him, Orion ran towards the hospital, dodging the cmity. Praying silently for Abigail¡¯s recovery,


    | donned my fighter face and joined the battle. Punching, stamping, flinging, and tearing the rogues apart as | could.


    Chapter 67 The Ambush


    face imprinted in my mind, failing to stifle the powerful emotions within me. | could feel Jacqueline¡¯s sadness and frustration over


    her beloved, Galen and Darien¡¯s struggle, and Sapphire¡¯s pain.


    The enemy grew stronger. They learned a lot since ourst encounter.


    One rogue suddenly struck my arm with their decaying ws, shing through brown flesh. Four sh marks. presented


    themselves on my upper arm, blood gushed down like a raging river. Another got me on the leg and used their unfathomable


    force to headbutt my stomach. | went flying onto the dirty ground, dust flying on impact.


    ¡°Goddamnit!¡± | shouted in my head, wincing at my open wounds. Now, | looked like many of the warriors, bloodied and nearly


    defeated. Zombies advanced towards me, rotten jaws drooling bright green and red. Their hollowed eyes bared down into mine,


    pushing the reminder they¡¯re soulless creatures.


    They''re reanimated to fight and to kill. That''s their purpose. But, why? Who wasmanding them?


    Before any could grant me death, a pitch¡ªck wolf barreled hard into them. His jaws tore through them mercilessly, hisrge


    body shielding me from harm. Many fruitfully fought him but fell to his Alpha might. No one challenges the Alpha and lives.


    Neron¡¯s wolf, Onyx, turned to me, golden eyes carved from concern. His snout nuzzled into my stomach, good feelings


    overriding the sinister pain ¡°I-I¡¯m fine...¡± | say, patting his snout. Slowly, but surely, | rose from the ground. Onyx¡¯s nose didn¡¯t


    leave me until | was steady on my feet.


    He disappears behind the stone statutes, and Neron appeared before me wearing only boxing shorts, ¡°Kiya, what are you


    thinking? You shouldn''t be out here!¡±


    ¡°Well, | am!¡± | huffed, my wounds starting to gradually close. ¡°Neron, what the fuck happened? How did these beasts get past the


    border patrols?¡±


    ¡°They killed them.¡± My jaw dropped. ¡°It¡¯s an ambush. We didn¡¯t know of the attack until they sounded the horn, but by then, the


    rogues were less than half a mile from our grounds.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± People were dead! The patrols were blindsided, and Zircon Moon has no further defense besides us! The battlefield was


    growing, increasing in brutality and violence, blood, and guts staining the once lush-green grass. ¡°We''ll deal with this after the


    fight.¡±


    ¡°No, I''ll deal with this after the fight. You need to go back inside to safety.¡± His hands grabbed my shoulders, holding me still.


    ¡°You''re not fit to fight, not while recovering from poison.¡±


    ¡°Recovery is thest thing on my mind when Abigail¡¯s in the hospital, bleeding from her belly!¡± | shrug his hands off me. ¡°I cannot


    sit and hide while everyone | care about is risking their lives out here!¡±


    ¡°But you cannot risk your health alongside it, Kiya!¡± Neron brushes his hand through his frazzled hair, his eyes carrying the


    weight of the world. ¡°For once, listen to me! Get out of here! I¡¯m losing wolves as we speak, and | can¡¯t bear to lose you in the


    process!¡±


    ¡°What a beautiful disy of a lover¡¯s quarrel. | wish | could see more, but s, there are more pressing matters.¡± Both of us


    jerked our heads to the gruff voice owner and for that moment, | wanted to vomit my breakfast.


    The bastard reeked of death. Just like the wolves, his skin was patched like a sewn-up doll. Glowing purple outlined the fleshly


    blotches, giving him more of a menacing look. He walked through the battlefield towards.


    Chapter 67 ¡ª The Ambush


    us, ignoring the cmity that went around him. The undead wolves kept everyone else busy, allowing for their master to make


    his grand entrance.


    Deep growls erupted next to me from Neron, his face contorting in deep anger and loathing. Blue shed to gold and gold


    shed to ck in rapid session, hisrge hands balling up into fists. Red painted his skin, fury erupting beneath the


    epidermis. ¡°You...!¡±


    ¡°Surprise, Neron. Happy to see me again?¡± The man quirked an eyebrow. Dead blue squared onto me. ¡°I¡¯vee for the girl.


    Hand her over and I''ll let you live.¡±


    Neron jerked me behind his muscled body. He wasrge enough to shield mepletely from him, giving me a full view of his


    rippling back muscles. Not a blemish in sight. After this was over, | wanted nothing more than to run my hands over him, every


    crevice and bulge. Wait, what the hell am | saying? Kiya, focus! My stomach did backflips and the edges of my vision blurred,


    reminding me that I¡¯m in the middle of a battlefield. This was no time for tomfoolery. Pain rocketed through the gashes on my


    arms and the cacophony of blood- curling screaming and grunts faded into background noise.


    ¡°Like hell, I¡¯ll be handing my mate over!¡± He shouted with raw power. ¡°How the fuck are you alive? Dad killed you three years


    ago!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. Nephew, you know by now that the demons of the past never escape their victims. A very handy tool called


    necromancy magic revitalized me to both exact my revenge and to bring the girl to my master.¡±


    Wait a damn minute!


    Nephew? He was Neron¡¯s uncle? The notorious Zain! He was the one who killed Luna Celeste and Nuria, then


    pinned their murders on me. Holy shit!


    ¡°Now, be a good boy and hand the bitch over.¡±


    ¡°Hold up! No one calls me a bitch!¡± 1 growl from behind my safe wall.


    ¡°Kiya, don¡¯t,¡± Neron warned, ¡°Get inside and let me take care of this.¡± Before | could respond, he charged. towards his uncle like


    a football yer, tackling his reanimated body to the ground. Fists met with flesh repeatedly as Zain¡¯s skin rippled and crumbled.


    Zain was somehow stronger than Neron. He threw the Alpha¡¯s body off like a ragdoll, thrusting his decaying w into his chest.


    The motion caught Neron off guard, he gasped in pain as Zain¡¯s hand retracted. Neron kicked away from him. | covered my


    mouth, horrified at Neron¡¯s injury. | balled my fists and fought the urge to run to him as he feebly tried to stop the bleeding. If | ran


    to him now, | would be caught too.


    Zane¡¯s evil gazended back upon me, but arge figure barreled into him before he could take a step. Johnathan. | could feel


    the anger rolling off his skin.


    ¡°You don¡¯t stay dead, do you?¡± He roared, resuming Neron¡¯s onught. His undead brother cackled madly like a madman as if


    this was all just a game to him. Smirking, Zain kicked his brother off him with both his feet ramming into his stomach toward a


    group of rogues who dogpiled him, ready for ughter while the rest of the decaying mutts continued to attack soldier and pack


    member alike.


    | was paralyzed with fear. Battle never scared me, in fact, I¡¯ve enjoyed exerting my energy in fights. The battlefield was the one


    ce where | felt alive. Artemis thrived when defending the people she loved and so did I. But, now, | felt like a helpless puppy.


    My friends were hurt, and more and more people fell in the


    35


    Chapter 67-The Ambush


    ambush. Zain had me in his line of sight, his monstrous grin reigning triumphant on his face. Madness glittered behind his


    decayed blue eyes, the only sign of life in this man.


    He has me right where he wanted me.


    BHB


    | watched the rogues¡¯ puppeteer rise to his feet, still cackling. My eyes widened as | saw ck smoke billowing out from his


    mouth, turning the bright atmosphere into a bleak, cloudy one. Smoke wasn¡¯t the only thing wiggling out from his mouth.


    Tentacles. That¡¯s all | could describe the dozens of iling, fleshly grapnels sprouting from his mouth. Zain¡¯s body ripped down


    the center, the sound so awful that | gagged. Flesh and limbs tumbled to the ground in sickening, gushy masses that were


    nowhere near human.


    IV


    Zain had been dead for a long time, but what came out of him was as alive as | was.


    Dark magic. Its foreboding, heavy


    energy swirled madly like a hurricane


    around a hole of pure ckness. The


    tentacles continuedtd ail mad y,


    ultilth wrapped around my arms


    and torso, jerking me towards it. | felt


    like a chained dog, fighting against


    restraints. | let out the loudest


    scream of my life, desperately using


    my strength to pull away. The


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    I dug


    g my heels into the ground as hard as | could, but the earth split from the force of the pull. Whatever the hell this thing was, it


    was much stronger than me. If it pulled me inside that ck hole, who knew what would happen to me?


    | cannot let this happen!


    As | struggled, two powerful arms wrap securely around my waist, jolting me backward. My back pressed up. against the hard


    and blood¡ªsticky chest of Neron, who grunted with effort, ¡°I got you! I¡¯m not letting anything happen to you!¡±


    | believed him. | honestly believed in


    Neron¡¯s statement. He was ignoring


    his pain and the obvious holes.


    chest, haat aetS Stop the


    ck hole from swallowing me up in


    its ck magic. It became a game of


    tug-o-war. The grapnels pulled


    forward, and we pulled away, the


    same force in different directions.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    My mind went hazy with effort and desire. Desire to escape. My eyes watched as the rogues gained the upper hand over my


    friends and Zircon¡¯s wolves, sending them down into the ground, shedding needless blood in an act of superiority.


    This can¡¯t be happening!


    We were losing. We were on the losing side of this war. Neron was behind me, fighting hard for my safety. My friends continued


    to battle for the gold medal of victory with valor pulsating through their veins. Abigail was fighting for her life in the hospital.


    | couldn''t give up! This wasn¡¯t the end! | wanted to protect-no, | needed to protect everyone! | didn¡¯t want anyone to fall into the


    evil hands of these undead rogues and Zain¡¯s mysterious end game!


    | wanted everyone to live!


    My eyes shut tightly as my muscles


    slowly weakened,ctic acid


    recing my adrenaline. Artemi


    who was fighting alinigaid¨¦ me, was


    abbatyrowiny weaker. My body was


    ready to surrender, but my mind was


    still ina war. Neron¡¯s voice in my ear


    told me to keep fighting but his


    words did nothing to revitalize my


    muscles. The The content is on


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    chapter there!


    Chapter 67. The Ambush


    weakness was settling in. My body grew limp.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Moon Goddess! Selene!¡± | prayed, eyes fluttering close ¡°Please if you can hear me, we need help! | need help! There has to be


    something you can do!¡±


    Suddenly, her face appeared in the back of my mind. My Moon Goddess. My creator. Celestial grey eyes gazing at me with all


    the love andfort of the universe. Her dazzling smile sent warmth throughout my body, breaking down all the barriers I¡¯ve put


    on my powers. Theye crashing down, freeing all from imprisonment.


    ¡°Indeed, there is, my child. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± | say without hesitation.


    ¡°Then it is time, my avatar, for you to awaken.¡±


    A sh of bright white.


    Violent surges of power pulse through me.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 ¡ª The Awakening


    ¡°Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.¡± -Max Holloway


    Neron


    pure energy


    An epic force of sted my body into the walls of the packhouse. Bricks groaned on impact, shifting out of ce. Kiya¡¯s scream


    rebounded through the territory, shaking the windows to their breaking point.


    | slumped to my knees, weakened by the searing pain through my torso. The hole was healing, but slowly. | tried to push the pain


    aside as | squinted through the bright light before me, trying to spot Kiya.


    Moon Goddess, please tell me that thing didn¡¯t take her! The light began to fade and all that was left was thick dust. | prayed


    desperately for a sign that she was still there. That she was safely away from that monstrous thing that sprouted from my undead


    uncle.


    Please, oh Goddess, please!


    When the dust cleared, my eyes widened like saucers at the scene before me..


    It was Kiya, yet it wasn¡¯t. My Kiya¡¯s beautiful curls were ck as obsidian, but the curls | saw before me were white as


    moonstone. They gently danced with the wind, waltzing to a silent melody. White markings delineated with glowing blue etched


    into her brown skin. The prominent contrast of the colors enhanced her beauty. The markings swirled and danced across her


    skin, like tribal makeup or henna. Kiya lifted her hands to examine them.


    ¡°Kiya...?¡± | had to be sure she was still in there.


    She turned around. It was her, no doubt. Now, instead of deep brown, her eyes were the brightest, most electric of all blues. The


    same white markings on her arms and back were present on her face, exposed chest, and stomach.


    She looked like an actual goddess.


    ¡°Neron?¡± Kiya asked, her voiceyered with Artemis, echoing with each syble. ¡°What happened to me?¡±


    | couldn¡¯t answer her. | didn¡¯t know what was going on either, but the power radiating from her was intense. Her beauty was


    enamoring; she looked beyond radiant. | tenderly pushed myself back upon my feet and moved closer, my hand reached out and


    cupped her cheek. Her skin felt warmer. It was a soothing warmth, like hot tea before bed. Her eyes bore into mine, concern


    swimming behind the lens. | don¡¯t know what happened to her.


    The rogues slowly began to reform around us. They circled and snarled until one of them broke form to charge at Kiya. Her


    concern melted away as she tore her eyes from mine, attention back to the rogues.


    ¡°Leave!¡± Her voice was firm and powerful as an ancient deity. The mutts whimpered and writhed before falling, their bodies


    deteriorating like wet paper. Mangled limbs of different wolves rotted away. My uncle¡¯s dismembered body rotted along with


    them, already adding to the foul stench in the air. Kiya¡¯s eyes widened in shock, pointing at what she did. It was unbelievable.


    She ended the ambush as it started with a simplemand.


    Chapter 68-The Awakening


    ¡°What''s happening?¡± She whispered in wide-eyed shock. ¡°What the hell is going on? How was | able to do


    that?¡±


    ¡°| think you have the goddess¡¯s power,¡± | noted flinching on thest word. | rubbed my chest, careful to not graze the wound. Her


    worried gaze went to the wound in my chest, ¡°You''re not healing fast enough. Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡± | lied, it fucking hurt a lot. | knew she detected my dishonesty. Her fingers lightly graze across the wound, fingertips


    staining red. | was about to stop her, to let her know | was fine and that she didn¡¯t need to worry about me when suddenly, | was


    bathed in a cooling sensation. It was like swallowing cold water after chewing mint gum. The skin around my wound began to


    regenerate faster than ever before, until it closedpletely, leaving behind a barely noticeable scar.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyes widened in absolute dismay. Did...she heal me?


    ¡°She did!¡± Onyx yipped in pride. ¡°Our mate is amazing! She is special!¡±


    ¡°Holy shit! | just healed you!¡± She smiled in dismay. Her eyes held a sparkle of excitement at her newfound ability. She was


    adorable, | could watch her like that all day.


    ¡°Selene¡¯s beloved avatar has finally awoken.¡± | turn my head to see my father standing tall in the clearing, surrounded by rotting


    rogue corpses. | scowled at him, remembering what he had the nerve to say to me at the hospital. Whispers ofmotion from


    warriors and remaining pack members breezed around us.


    ¡°She is Selene¡¯s avatar? What a beauty!¡±


    ¡°Our Moon Goddess blessed us with her grace and protection!¡±


    ¡°A goddess in her own right...she holds more power than many packsbined!¡±


    ¡°Holy crap, Little Bit...¡± Kiya turned to face her friends. Sapphire¡¯s smile widened, ¡°So, this was hiding in you all this time? | knew


    you were a powerhouse, but this...¡±


    ¡°I''m still so confused...¡± Kiya whispered, examining her hands again like she was expecting something to sprout out.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± | asked her in a whisper.


    ¡°...Powerful.¡±


    Her friends got on one knee in front of her, their gazes full of wonder and happiness. My warriors followed suit; their heads


    bowed to Kiya. Pack members that were hiding inside the pack house filed out of the house to observe what took ce. One


    look at Kiya and they knew, they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads in respect. The respect that always should have


    been hers.


    ¡°The avatar of our beloved matron goddess in our presence! This is a sign of good things toe for those who bear witness to


    her true glory.¡± My father gushed with a smile in his voice. ¡°And she is the fated mate to your Alpha. Our newest Luna is as


    beautiful as she is fearsome! She deserves nothing less than our respect!¡±


    There was something in his voice that | didn¡¯t like, especially when he regarded Kiya as my Luna. Yes, she was my mate and


    rightful Luna, but she doesn¡¯t want to be. It was her choice to ept the position and my father was pushing it onto her in front of


    everyone. The pack members all praised Kiya as their new Luna, | felt her twitch slightly beside me with difort.


    Chapter ¡ª The Awakening


    How much do | know about our Moon Goddess¡¯ avatars? Not much. | admit, | cked heavily with my historical lessons, but


    what | did know was that her avatar, the More


    White wolf, holds incredible: powerful than all the Alphasbined because she was directly created from Selene¡¯s own body.


    The wolf''s power was Selene¡¯s power. They symbolize good luck, prosperity, wealth, and unimaginable strength.


    | didn¡¯t deserve Kiya. How was | destined to be the mate of the legendary white wolf, given my past actions? Kiya, my love, she


    deserves better.


    Better than me.


    | dropped to one knee, taking her hand into mine. | ced a soft kiss on her palm, her skin war against my lips. My eyes found


    hers once again, rying a silent message of loyalty and protection..


    I''d give my life for her.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡± She shouted, her head darting all around the territory. ¡°This is what we¡¯re NOT going to do! I¡¯m not royalty


    and would never be royalty, so don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m someone important. Dvol¡ª!¡±


    | stood, furious at her self-depreciation. ¡°You are important! You are special. Kiya, and our goddess clearly believes so too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put me on a higher pedestal, Neron.¡± She growled, jerking her hand away. ¡°I don¡¯t want special treatment from you or


    anyone!¡± Her head jerked to her friends. ¡°As for you four, treat me any different, and 1 will kick all of your asses!¡±


    All four shot to their feet, dusting off their knees. Kiya sighed, running her fingers through her clean, white curls. ¡°Jackie, Abigail


    is in the hospital. Orion took her there when-


    Beta Jacqueline shot off the battlegrounds in a blur, taking huge strides toward the hospital. Her friends trailed behind her. Kiya


    wasted no time running after her group, her hair Bailing behind her in the wind.


    ¡°Son.¡± My father came up to me, his tall stature towering over mine. ¡°Remember what | said. It¡¯s your time to im her as your


    mate.¡±


    ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time, Dad!¡± Turning to the pack, | ordered the corpses to be burned and the pack members to help the wounded.


    | took off after Kiya.


    Unknown


    My Moon had finally awakened.


    The worthless cur | brought back did its job. Yet, it failed to capture her before her awakening. But that was no problem, Zain


    Prince was merely a pawn in my game. A distraction and a portal, a portal to bring the girl to me. Did he expect to have his


    chance for petty revenge¡± Hal!


    He thought small. | think grander. Once My Moon is in my arms, I''ll execute my n. The Prince family¡ªno, this world would pay


    for what they''ve done to me and my people. It¡¯s about time someone cut those filthy mutts down a peg. All | have to do is capture


    their beloved avatar.


    Chapter 68-The Awakening


    And she will be mine.


    Kiya


    The power that surged through me was incredible. It was like | was being bathed in vibrant warm waves rolling over my skin. It


    felt energizing. As much as | want to focus on this insane, sudden, yet amazing development, | couldn¡¯t. Not when Abigail¡¯s hurt.


    My friends and | surrounded Abigail''s hospital bed, unsure on what to do. Slumped in a chair, Jacqueline¡¯s pained expression


    broke my heart. She looked absolutely defeated. | could her eyes watering with tears as she stared at Abigail¡¯s peaceful face in


    complete silence. Abigail was lying unconscious with heavy bandages over her stomach. Her wound was so deep that she had


    to be sedated. It hurt to see my best friend so... vulnerable.


    | had to do something.


    | thought back to the battlefield when | healed Neron¡¯s chest wound. If | healed Neron back there, | could heal Abigail too, fight?


    The only thing was, | didn¡¯t know how | did it before. Maybe all | had to do was touch her?


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m e


    going to try something.¡± | jumped. Myyered voice scared the shit out of me. It was like both Artemis and | were speaking at


    once. Jackie, for a moment, got defensive over Abigail, her green eyes zing ck. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her. | promise.¡±


    Jackie¡¯s eyes softened, registering what I¡¯ve said. Eyes shifting back to emerald green, she leaned back in her chair in silence,


    stifling the sobs threatening to escape from her throat. Sucking in a deep, shaky breath, | gently pressed my palm on the gauze,


    careful to not pop any potential stitches underneath.


    What do | do now? Or even say? | was expecting a brightser show as | had seen in movies, but nothing happens. My mind


    raced back to the battlefield, trying to recall how | healed Neron. What was happening at that moment? What was | thinking


    about? What was | feeling?


    Concern, and the desire to take his pain away. That was all | remembered.


    And it happened.


    White light shined from underneath


    the bandages, illuminating every fiber


    of the cotton. We all watch qayith,


    bated athasthehdht glittered


    b¨¦fdile isappearing. Abigail groaned


    softly, opening her coffee brown


    eyes. The first person she saw was


    Jacqueline with tears swimming


    down her face. The content is on


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    ¡°My Butterfly...¡± She cooed, caressing her cheek. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Abigail nodded, ¡°Y¡ªYes...! don''t feel


    pain anymore.¡± She tenderly propped


    herself up against Kewoshiie


    the gauze downward er navel to


    raved ¡®a wless t stomach.


    ¡°H-How? They wed me, I-!¡± Her


    eyes met mine, and she did a double


    take, ¡°When did you...Your hair is


    white.¡± The content is on


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    chapter there!


    ¡°I''m figuring this thing out too.¡± | chortled, holding her hand. ¡°I healed you...| think. It¡¯s the second time this happened today.¡±


    ¡°How did this happen? You look so...ethereal.¡±


    ¡°| think it came from-¡°Without warning, | became lightheaded. My world went hazy. All the energy was draining from my muscles


    quickly. My legs gave out, | expected to hit the hard hospital floor, but | didn¡¯t.


    4


    Chapter 68 ¡ª The Awakening


    ¡°Don''t worry, | got you.¡±


    I''m so tired...


    Before | cked out, | felt my protector, his sparks, his warmth...the person that was slowly changing into my safe ce.


    Neron.


    Neron


    ¡°Don''t worry, she fainted,¡± | reassured her friends. | adjusted Kiya¡¯s body in my arms. Her white hair faded back to its natural


    beautiful ck, and any inkling of her tattoo markings disappeared beneath her skin. She must be exhausted from exerting so


    much power.


    Her scent changed. It¡¯s much sweeter than before, tempting me to kiss her as she slept. Goddess, | think I¡¯ve fallen deeper in


    love with her.


    ¡°You won''t do anything to her, right?¡± Darien asks, eyeing me suspiciously. | grunted, offended he thought | would do such a


    thing. Kiya was more precious to me than diamonds, and I''ll do nothing to break her trust.


    ¡°On my honor, | won''t. I''ll take her to her room and then | need to assess the damage and loss from today¡¯s ambush.¡± | held Kiya


    against my chest, careful not to disturb her. Each breath she took was light as a feather, tickling my bare chest.


    While leaving the hospital, | spotted my father again, eyeing me with firmness. Regardless of what he says, | refuse to put Kiya¡¯s


    trust at risk. Today, | witnessed the unadulterated power my father alluded to me.


    All this time, she was Selene¡¯s avatar.


    | should have known the moment |


    saw her shift into a white wolf. |


    didn¡¯t know Kiya held tis h


    power Witkin her body. But now, with


    her identity exposed to the pack,


    there was no telling what would


    happen from here on out. She would


    be hunted for her power as history


    states. She''ll be in more danger, and |


    couldn''t let that happen. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    | would die before | let anyone touch her. | know | don¡¯t deserve her, but | was still hopeful for the day | am worthy enough for her


    to allow me to call her mine. My woman. My mate. My heart. Until then, | will be her protector.


    Whoever dares to try and bring any harm to her, will die by my hand.


    | swear it.


    Chapter Comments.


    POST COMMENT NOW


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 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 ¡ª The Promise


    ¡°Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep.¡± ¡ª Anthony Hitt


    Kiya


    | woke up in my bed with a splitting headache. Exerting my newfound powers must have drained me and knocked me out cold.


    Thest thing | remembered before cking out was Neron¡¯s arms grabbing me before | dropped to the floor. Thank goodness


    he had been there, or else | would have woken up with worse pain.


    Rising from my pillow, | ruffled my hair and stretched the corkscrew curls to examine them. My hair had changed back to my


    natural color as | slept. Not only have | fully awoken¡® as Selene called it, but my appearance dramatically changed when | did.


    ¡°Good Goddess...¡± | mumbled, rubbing my forehead. Selene¡¯s power seethed beneath my flesh, warming sensations more


    prominent than before. | felt weird like | wasn¡¯t in my own body. Having a separate energy source that was out of my control


    weighed on me mentally. How much power was stored inside my body? Was | like a ticking time bomb? Could my powers hurt


    me or others?


    | wish Phoebe were here. She would help me, especially since she was a fellow avatar. She always made me feel safe. Her


    motherly energy, despite being four months older than me, was something | needed now.


    ¡°You''re awake.¡±


    | jumped, spotting Neron sitting at my desk. Hisrge body in a smaller chair was an interesting sight. ¡°Yeah, | assume you


    brought me here?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You fainted at the hospital. It seemed fitting to bring you here.¡±


    ¡°I''m half surprised you didn¡¯t take me to your room. Now that I¡¯ve mentioned it, I¡¯ve never seen his room. | was never allowed


    near it, not even to clean it. Curiosity piqued my interest, what sort of things would Neron have in his room? Pictures of women?


    Was everything carved out of wood? Was it made to fit royalty?


    ¡°That thought crossed my mind.¡± He confessed. ¡°But | thought it''d be best for you to wake up in a familiar


    room.¡±


    ¡°How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°Door was unlocked.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± Right. | rushed out as soon as | heard the screams. Locking my door was the least of my worries. ¡°Um...thank you, |


    guess.¡±


    ¡°It is my pleasure.¡± He shuffled out of the chair, albeit noisily, and stretched his arms toward the ceiling, almost touching the


    ceiling. Goddamnit, he was so tall. Fucking skyscraper. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    | shrug my shoulders. ¡°Okay, | guess.¡± Honestly, it was difficult to put my feelings into words. The only word | could describe was


    strange. | transformed into something else. Instead of shifting to a wolf, | shifted to this...being who shares power with Selene. |


    didn¡¯t notice Neron moved to sit on my bed until it dipped under his weight.


    ¡°Something''s on your mind.¡± He folded his hands in hisp. ¡°You must have so many questions about what


    Chapter 69. The Promise


    happened to you. Believe me, | do too.¡±


    I stay silent, unable to find the words to reply, so he continued, ¡°How long have you known that you''re an


    ¡°For a while,¡± | answered, not willing to reveal theplete truth. ¡°My powers came about 2-3 years ago during training back


    home. | identally hurt a fellow warrior, but | thought | figured out how to control it through a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend?¡±


    | nodded. ¡°Phoebe is her name and she¡¯s amazing. She¡¯s a witch whose part of my pack and the avatar of Hekate, the Goddess


    of Magic.¡±


    His eyes widened in shock. ¡°There are more avatars out there?¡±


    ¡°It looks like it. But | haven¡¯t met anyone else outside of Phoebe.¡± | sighed, rubbing my temple as my headache throbbed.


    ¡°Goodness, this is too much.¡±


    Neron bit his lip, pondering deep in thought ¡°I know how you feel.¡± | eyed him incredulity as he continued, ¡°Being overwhelmed


    with the sudden weight of responsibility put on your shoulders like there¡¯s already so much you have to do, but then life throws


    you in for another loop. It makes you feel like... you¡¯re not in control.¡±


    ¡°Dude, you''re in control of everything.¡± | retorted. ¡°You''re an Alpha by birthright, inheriting this entire pack. You have the power


    that other low-ranking wolves would kill for. You''re telling me you felt burdened by it?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, Kiya, | never wanted to be Alpha.¡± My eyes grew a bit wide at his confession. ¡°I hated the lessons and


    training my father instilled in me since childhood. He carved me out to be his perfect son and the perfect Alpha when all | wanted


    is to be a normal werewolf. Mom used to tell my Dad to lighten up, to allow me to enjoy being a kid.¡±


    My hear a pool of pain at the thought of Luna Celeste, a beautiful woman that | looked up to along


    sunk | with my birth mother. She was firm, but never overbearing. She cared deeply for everyone, treating all pack children like


    her own children. She truly was the embodiment of what a true Luna should be.


    | miss her. | miss Nuria too, my spunky partner¡ªin¡ªcrime.


    ¡°Your Mom would have been proud of you,¡± | whispered, ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t want to be Alpha, | think. she still would have


    been proud.¡±


    Neron shook his head with a sad frown on his lips, ¡°No, she wouldn''t. | broke the one promise | made to her. That if | ever found


    my mate, I''d treat her right and never make her question my love for her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be ashamed of me. Nuria too.¡± He


    smiled bitterly. ¡°She¡¯d probably smack me upside the head with something harder than her stuffed puppy toy.¡±


    Old memories rose to the surface at the mention of the toy. Nuria carried that thing everywhere, even when we''d have a


    sleepover in each other¡¯s bedrooms. It was a big, ck and white dog, with stuffing that made it as soft as the clouds in the sky.


    We would tease each other about who had the better toy, her with her puppy or me with my bear.


    | hated how my heart twisted at every thought of her, my first best friend. Why did those with good hearts


    have to die? | was convinced the Grim Reaper was a confused son¡ª-of¡ªa-bitch.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Kiya.¡± Neron held my gaze for a moment. In his eyes, many emotions swam in his cobalts, but the one | saw most was griel,


    ¡°You have every right to hate me as you do now. | was a terrible person back then, and | deserve every ounce of your hatred. I¡¯m


    surprised you stuck around me for this long.¡±


    ¡°It''s not like | had a choice,¡± | shrugged again, calm. ¡°We''re living with each other until the end of summer.¡±


    His eyes looked pained. ¡°...I¡¯m not looking forward to when that dayes.¡±


    ¡°Neton...¡± | sighed, closing my eyes, ¡°You helped me, even when | pushed you away. You helped me through my heat, my


    poisoning, and now, with this... awakening of mine. | want to believe that you''re doing this out of the kindness of your heart, but |


    can¡¯t help but think you¡¯re doing because you¡¯repelled to.¡±


    ¡°The bond has a little to do with it, yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°But | also know that my feelings for you are true. | love you, Kiya and I''ma


    fucking idiot for realizing that alter you died.¡± There was a brief pause before he asked, ¡°How did you survive that fall off the


    cliff?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another story for another day,¡± | say, looking out the window. The sunlight peeks through, spotting my nket. ¡°You say


    you love me Neron, but you said those words to Odessa too. You also loved her for a time.¡±


    ¡°| did. | won''t sugarcoat it, | loved


    Odessa, she was my first love. Now, |


    can''t say | love her the same as


    before.¡± He rubbed his face, expelling


    a deep sigh. ¡°When | reflect on who |


    was back then .d hateGia | hate that


    Neroh; Ninvone so selfish, abusive,


    and tyrannical. Coupled in with the


    pressure of my father and the


    swimming negativity going on in the


    pack, it reflected on me as Alpha. |


    did things | wasn''t proud of, Kiya.


    Having Odessa at my side made me


    feel better because she loved that


    Neron. A 20-year-old Alpha without


    his true Luna, full of grief and


    anger...and | took it out on you when |


    shouldn''t have.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    | knew Neron felt grief for what he did to me, but | was also still in pain from it. | couldn¡¯t just let the past go and start over, not


    with everything they did to me, ¡°You marked me for death.¡±


    ¡°Unjustly.¡± He nodded, unable to meet


    my gaze. ¡°If Kwame and his family


    hadn''t uncovered the truth, I''d most


    likely still believe that you deser


    what you got from mMOHISHNd


    ehcase y own, sending intense


    sparks of warmth to my palms. ¡°No


    number of apologies could ever


    change what I''ve done to you. |


    ruined your mind, your body, and your


    soul. | was a terrible person, Kiya, but


    I''ll never be that person again. | don¡¯t


    want to revert to the beast that took


    advantage of you.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Your father seems to have other ns,¡± | revealed, pulling my hand away. ¡°I heard what he said about us when | was at the


    hospital. He wanted us to mate. He wanted me to give you my power,¡±


    ¡°He always held pride for his pack, but that same pride misguides him. | don¡¯t know what would happen if you and | ever mate,


    even if this mysterious power exchange would take ce.¡±


    ¡°He sees me as a tool, Neron. A tool to elevate you and this pack. He doesn¡¯t care about me at all.¡±


    ¡°He doesn''t, but | care. | fucking care about you, Kiya, so much.¡± A deep rumble in his chest echoed in the silence between us,


    ¡°Whether or not he epts it, | won¡¯t force you to be my Luna. | don¡¯t want this power or this so-called ¡°greatness¡® he


    alludes to. I¡¯m supposed to help my people, not just myself.¡±


    Going against the former Alpha was trouble. He didn¡¯t hold the title, but he still hadmand within the pack. | held no bond to


    Zircon Moon, but he still scared the living shit out of me. He was willing to sacrifice me for Neron. That was some twisted


    parental love he¡¯s got. His mate¡¯s death did more than put him in grief.


    Chapter The Py


    Jonathan Prince could be going mad.


    ¡°Kiya. I''ll make a promise to you on


    my honor.¡± Neron shuffled on the


    bed, now sitting directly in front of


    me. ¡°I promise you I''ll do nothing to


    hurt you. To teen Led) yourtrist or


    betray sou Nromise to put you and


    your well-being first before my own.


    You''re your person, and you deserve


    autonomy. | promise to defy all


    orders that would pose a threat to


    you, whether it be from my father or


    anyone else. You''re my heart and


    soul. You''re my treasure, and I''ll fight


    all the gods in heaven to keep you


    safe.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    His face leaned in close to mine, our lips a few inches apart from each other. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust me. May the Moon


    Goddess strike me down if | ever were to hurt you.¡±


    The heaviness of his promise almost made me choke. There was so much emotion in that deration. He believed his words,


    truly. | believed him. He will protect me; he will keep me safe at the expense of his health and well-being. Words of denial and


    apprehension were stuck at the base of my throat as his eyes gazed at me with boundless love and promise.


    ¡°Neron...¡± | whispered, my eyes eyeing his pink lips. His lips aimed for mine, but in thest second, opted to kissing my


    forehead. The touch of his lips was delicate and light as a feather, but the emotion pouring from them was immense. Through


    them, | felt his promises to protect me from all harm. His ambition, dedication, and love poured from that single gesture. My heart


    pounded rapidly in my chest as he grinned. ¡°I''ll s-see that you uphold your vows.¡±


    ¡°| will, my love. | promise.¡± He shot me a wink that colonized my cheeks with fire. ¡°There is another thing | want to ask you. It


    might be inappropriate to ask now, but I''ll take that risk.¡±


    | quirked an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Will you go on a date with me?¡±

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70 ¡ª The Date


    ¡°Happiness is not something ready made. Ites from your own actions.¡°¡ª-Di Lama XIV


    KiynN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    | was going to regret going on this date, wasn¡¯t I?


    It shouldn¡¯t be considered a ¡®date¡¯ because we weren''t in a rtionship. We were going as friends. Nothing more, nothing less.


    Odessa, unfortunately, got a whiff of the news. She lurked from the wall when | spoke about it with my friends. Lori, an angel,


    offered to take me shopping for a ¡®date¡® outfit, despite telling her it was not a romantic date, only to find the outfit destroyed after


    dinner.


    She covered it in blue ink, deeming it unwearable. | was sure she did this! My dumb ass forgot to lock my door. again, granting


    Odessa full ess for her destruction. Her scent remained long after she left. | was hurt because Lori spent her money on it,


    and it went to waste.


    So, what did 1 do?


    Nothing. | couldn''t prove it was Odessa who did this, despite my gut telling me otherwise. | had the idea of throwing the


    destroyed outfit back at her face, but | didn¡¯t want to stoop to her level. Causing trouble with her wasn¡¯t worth it in the end. With a


    heavy sigh, | mourned the outfit for a minute longer before tossing it in the trash. This high school bullshit was getting on myst


    nerve.


    | couldn''t bear to tell Lori the truth, not without solid evidence. She worked so hard to pick out an outfit for me and | don¡¯t know


    if | could handle her disappointment. But there wasn¡¯t much | could do, and this is the first date I¡¯ve ever been on. | needed her


    fashion advice. Eventually, | sucked it up and told her what had happened.


    ¡°Oh...¡± Both disappointment and suspicion swam across her youthful face before breaking out into a small smile. ¡°No worries,


    hun. It is toote to head to the mall, so let us look in your closet for an emergency


    outfit.¡±


    ¡°You think | have something date appropriate in there?¡± | asked, quirking an eyebrow.


    Lori chuckled and nodded. ¡°We can make it work. We just need to tweak and add a few things and it''ll be perfect!¡±


    We spent the next hour going through all the clothes in my closet before she tossed a couple of her chosen pieces on the bed.


    Lori also worked on matching my jewelry with the outfit and offered me one of her t irons to use,menting that | needed


    more gold. Despite it being a time for her to help me, | was more than happy to spend more time with the Gamma Female. There


    was something about her energy and aura that made mefortable enough to trust her, even when we went to the mallst


    week.


    Ah, | love her already!


    Nightfall fell over the territory and the stars twinkled to their silent tune around the silvery moon. An unexpected visitor flew into


    my room, wings fluttering as she walked around on my vanity, narrowing


    Chapter 70 ¡ª The Date


    avoiding my bracelet stands and makeup palettes. | smiled and petted Diana on the head as she explored. | stood in front of my


    vanity mirror with my hairpletely straightened to my mid¡ªback. | wore blue ripped skinny jeans, an off-shoulder long¡ª


    sleeved ck-and-white striped crop top, and ankle-high ck boots. My selenite bracelet jingled on my wrist. | left my


    ne for tonight. Diana hobbled over with one of my tied headbands in her beak.


    ¡°Oh! Thank you, love.¡± | took it from her beak and tie my hair. A sense ofpletion washed over me while | stared at my


    finished look. | look good and feel good! ¡°Thanks for your help, Diana.¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡± She nuzzled her head into my palm and departed through the window. | stuffed a pocketknife in my pant pocket in case


    someone tried something with me tonight. A woman must be prepared for anything. | grabbed my off¡ªshoulder purse from the


    hook and walked to themon room where | saw my friends and their mates chilling in themon room. Odessa shot me a


    dirty look, which Darien was oblivious to. | shook my head, not wanting to start a scene, so | turned to the others.


    ¡°So, how do | look?¡± | asked the group. All pondered in silence for a moment before | saw Jackie¡¯s face twist into amusement.


    Oh, Goddess.


    ¡°Badonkers.¡± She gestured to her breasts. Both Abigail and | hit her with pillows whileughing. ¡°What? They look amazing in


    that top!¡±


    ¡°You look lovely, Miss Kiya.¡± Mikhail, Galen¡¯s mate, grinned. ¡°Where is Alpha Neron taking you?¡±


    ¡°Odyssey Park.¡±


    ¡°The amusement park?¡± Sapphire¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh, you''re going to have so much fun!¡±


    It had been a while since I¡¯ve been to an amusement park. Memories of sweet, greasy food and excited screaming echoed in my


    mind and ears. Ashley and Steven took Raina and | to Odyssey Park when | was six and she was eight. We road in bumper cars,


    carousals, and filled our stomachs up with funnel cake until we got sick. We''d alwaysin about not being able to ride the


    roller coasters because we were too young and short for it. Afraid of heights? Not us. Yet, | always wanted to go on the Ferris


    Wheel and look down at the world from high above. A small smile rested on my face as the memories faded like smoke in the


    wind, but the nostalgia remained. It was a good time.


    | wondered why Neron picked this spot for our date. Better than a fancy dinner¡ªSelene knew how awkward | was at formal


    events. Plus, what was the harm in acting like a kid for a little while? | admit | like the idea.


    No pressure, just fun!


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    | whipped around in surprise to see Neron standing directly behind me, dressed in dark blue jeans with a grey buttoned-up shirt


    with the first two buttons open. He adorned a silver¡ªchain ne with a triangle pendant. His long, ck tresses rested on his


    shoulders with some strands brushing up against his stubble. My eyes maneuvered down to see ck Varese shoes. His eyes


    continued to gaze, like a hawk to its prey.


    ¡°What?¡± | asked, ignoring the rising heat on my cheeks.


    ¡°You''re beautiful.¡± His hand gently takes a lock of my hair. ¡°How long did it take you to do this?¡±


    ¡°Uh... let¡¯s see. Between shampooing, conditioning, deep conditioning, the blowout, heat protectant, and the


    Chapter 71


    t-iron...it took about four hours.¡± His eyes widened in shock as | burst outughing. ¡°Coily hair requires: care on an entirely


    different level.¡±


    Isaiah, Abigail, and Jacqueline snapped in agreement.


    still the same


    ¡°Well.¡± Neron smiled, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do all of that for our date. Curly or straight, you¡¯re still the same Kiya | adore. | got you


    something.¡±


    ¡°Neron, please. No gifts.¡±


    ¡°No, take it, | insist. And before you say anything, | can¡¯t return it because | got it engraved.¡± From behind. him, he gave me a


    small velvet box. | raised an eyebrow, opened it, and rested inside a full-moon phase ne. | was born under a full moon.


    The silver chain glittered and next to the pendant was a gold star charm with the letter ¡°K*. Engraved behind the pendant was my


    birthdate, October ¡®st.


    ¡°Neron...¡± | whispered, tears pricking my eyes. ¡°This is...really thoughtful.¡±


    ¡°Allow me.¡± With a childish grin, he carefully took the ne out. Turning around, | lifted my hair so he could hook it on me. It


    was cool on my chest, but Neron¡¯s gentle fingers sent fire rushing through my veins. After he was finished, | turned back around,


    and | swear his smile got impossibly bigger. ¡°It matches your outfit beautifully. Now, your look isplete.¡±


    | look away for a moment, praying my cheeks weren''t red. ¡°Aww, she¡¯s blushing!¡± Galen teased. ¡°How cute!¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± | turn back to Neron, patting my cheeks. ¡°When are we leaving?¡±


    ¡°Right now!¡± Excitement had a scent; it was extremely sweet. Neron¡¯s natural woodsy scent got sweeter and | couldn¡¯t help but


    laugh. He was like a little kid. He dragged me to the door as | bid farewell to my friends, promising to text them if anything came


    up. Odessa scowled with her fists balled up in herp as her eyes narrowed in on Neron¡¯s hand on my arm. Murder was on her


    mind, and | was her intended victim.


    If she had the chance, | was sure Odessa would¡¯ve attacked. Neron always had his hand on her arm, and now, it was on mine. |


    have, unwillingly, stolen what was once hers. My eyes nced at the oblivious Darien, his hand on his mate¡¯s arm. How can


    Odessa not see it? This petty feud she has with me isn¡¯t worth it, especially when the battleground is Darien¡¯s heart. With a silent


    sigh and a head shake, | ignored the woman¡¯s pointed. res and allowed Neron to take me out of the pack house.


    ¡°Don''t cause trouble¡¯. | tell myself, feeling the night airb through my hair. ¡®It isn¡¯t worth it. Just enjoy the night and forget


    about her.


    Neron and | hopped into his Ford Mustang, wasting no time rolling out of the territory into the sunset. Never have | thought I''d be


    going on a date with someone | once detested so much. Neron¡¯s presence has be tolerable. The music from the radio didn¡¯t


    drown out my thoughts as | spared nces at the driver.


    Something was going to happen on this date, and | was not sure if it was good or bad.


    The moment we walked into the park, Neron went from a tough Alpha to a wondrous child, it was adorable to see. The smell of


    greasy food and people were pungent, but after a while, | got used to it. It officially got dark and the sellers with light-up items


    came out. Neron got both of us glow-in-the-dark loops sticks we wore as.


    nes.


    Chapter The D


    ¡°Want to go on the Wave Swinger?¡± He pointed to the ride with multiple seats attached by chains. When lifted, everyone spun


    around in the air like they were on a giant swing. | raised an eyebrow as | looked between Neron and the ride.


    ¡°Have you ever been on it?¡±


    ¡°Nope. | was wondering if we could go on it...but if you don¡¯t want to, | understand.¡± His hand went to the back of his head, his


    eyes avoiding my gaze. He looked afraid that I''d say no. Under past circumstances, | would have. It wasn¡¯t that | was afraid of


    heights, but more so being close to Neron.


    It was time for me to shed my tough exterior and enjoy the night. My inner child begged toe out and y, to be goofy and


    Innocent. The children running around while dragging their parents was a testament to innocence, and besides, | wanted to ride


    that thing.


    Pulling out my scrunchie, | tied my hair in a high ponytail, so it wouldn¡¯t get in my face. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Of course, the seats were made for two people. | underestimated Neron¡¯s size and mine because when we sat together, our


    thighs and arms touched. The hairs on our arms hugged one other. Powerful heat and explosions of fated sparks from our bond


    bathed me, acting as a nket against the cool breeze. | was sure Neron felt it too because | could see his cheeks pinking from


    my peripherals.


    The ride was glorious. There was something about being suspended off the ground and spun in the air that was so freeing. At


    that moment, | wasn¡¯t an avatar. | wasn¡¯t a Delta. | was just me; | was Kiya. A woman that valued freedom. | felt like a bird taking


    flight for the first time. It was beautiful!


    Ourughter echoed through the air as we spun. Hisughter was deep and full of cheerfulness. Neron looked free, he wasn¡¯t


    weighed down by pack responsibilities, or expectations, he was just himself. He looked as free as | was. His blue eyes glittered,


    and his smile was breathtaking.


    | remembered Neron as a child. We didn¡¯t hang out often, but | remembered him as a free-spirited child. He had a passion that


    never faded: the world was at his fingertips and he was the explorer of the universe. It had been a long time since | saw that


    Neron, but tonight, that¡¯s who | saw before my eyes.


    My heart swelled with happiness at the glimpses of his inner child. He looked beautiful.


    Absolutely beautiful.


    Resisting the urge to touch his face proved a formidable task. | wanted to see more. | wanted to see more Neron¡¯s smiles and


    happiness before the darkness took away his light. Before it took away my light.


    And | couldn''t help but wonder if Luna Celeste and Nuria hadn¡¯t died, what would our lives have been?


    After the ride, we got ice cream. | got


    strawberry while Neron got mint


    chocte. We spent tee, nextew |


    i uterarauing-oV r what vor we


    considered top-tier and low-tier.


    We''re going to have problems


    because there was just no way


    vani should be considered top tier!


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    We passed by a couple of booths until | stopped at one. | spot an enormous teddy bear that matched my childhood toy. Instantly,


    | called for Neron. ¡°We have to y this game!¡±


    He arched an eyebrow as he approached. ¡°Hit the balloons with darts and earn a prize. | didn¡¯t know you were into this sort of


    thing.¡±


    Chapter 1 The Bale


    ¡°I''m not. | want that!¡± | point to the teddy bear hanging from the highest hook. ¡°It¡¯s like the hear | had when | was a kid, and I


    won''t stop until 1 get it!¡± mes of determination burned through me when | mmed a $20 bill down and got five darts.


    ¡°You need not rely on a game of chance. | can buy you one on the way home.¡±


    was


    | shook my head. ¡°No! You already


    spent enough money on me, Neron. |


    want to earn this bars and pay


    i hananinony? never hacked


    down from a challenge, and | was not


    starting now. Neron held his hands


    up in surrender as he watched me


    fling the darts at the balloons. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    | failed each time. All these years of training wasted!


    With each un-popped balloon, | grew more and more frustrated. | was even taking up space from the other amusement park


    goers who wanted to give the game a try. | just...! wanted that bear!


    Sensing my frustration, Neron leaped


    in like a caped hero. Like Superman.


    Despite my protests, he pai Foihis


    set of darts,andewo the bear. His


    hits Were so smooth and clean, like


    an expert archer. As the worker


    handed him the big teddy bear, Neron


    gave me a smirk before pushing it to


    me. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°This is for you, mydy.¡± He bowed at the waist and handing me the bear. | couldn¡¯t hold it in. My happiness burst forward, and |


    hugged Neron tight. My head pressed against his chest and | locked my arms around his torso, ignoring the tantalizing sparks.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± | smiled up at him. ¡°You have no idea how much this means to me!¡±


    ¡°Anything to see that smile on your face.¡± He chuckled, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. | hugged the bear, burying my face


    in the soft cotton pelt as we moved from the booth. If anyone was looking at us, have looked like a giddy child.


    | didn¡¯t care. | got a piece of my childhood back!


    | must


    We devoured some jelly¡ªfilled churros while walking. Neron tried to steal two of mine and in retaliation, | took some of his. We


    laughed at ourselves and our childish antics, ignoring the eyes all around us.


    ¡°Hey. Can we go on the Ferris wheel?¡±


    ¡°Aren''t those rides slow?¡± He asked, crossing his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not as exhrating as the Wave Swinger or the Arcade.¡±


    ¡°It is rxing. | see nothing wrong with it.¡± | smile up at him. ¡°We also ate a lot of churros and you had that one turkey leg


    earlier...¡±


    ¡°Good point.¡± Neronughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I''m sure nothing


    would happen between us on the Ferris Wheel...


    Right?

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71-The Kiss


    the your cont de re when worte crippled incide-John Lennon


    Af lead the Ferris Wheel didn¡¯t stop like in three cheesy movies, the stew and tranquil ride rxed both Sterim and me. We both


    cat together in cur cabin, gradually ascending trewards the indige sky. The near full miem bathed me in its scintiting light,


    smiling down on me as | reciprocated one back.


    My connection to the men hand strengthened since the awakening. Before, it was an ally, a helper to me. Now it we material falt


    Selene¡¯s predection as the mom shome down on us and i wished | could see her again.


    | Even though | credidn¡¯t, | knew the was always there watching cover me, watching over us all.


    Even en was watching the | felt his eyes on me as | watched the sky.


    ¡°live |


    ke the view was never good at initiating conversation. ¡°Thest time | had been this high up was on a


    ¡°Vous trated?¡± Neron asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Yes. My parents took me to Paris tme day on their spontaneous trips before | started college. It was the first time | ever framled


    cartside of my home, let alone the country. | was so scared, but they reassured me that everything wrand be okay¡± Memories of


    my trip yed in my head like an old movie, bringing warmth to my chest. ¡°Vacatioming in Paris ended up being one of the best


    moments of my life. | hope to go back someday,¡± | turn to him. ¡°Have you ever traveled tnt of Nevada?¡±


    ¡°Here and they No ce near as exciting as Paris though, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Neron chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled to other states to speak


    with other Alphas, form alliances, and talk business, | wouldn''t call it a vacation, but it fest god to bethathe in different air¡±


    ¡°Pandite cer


    ¡°Hmm. Miami. Very nice with fantastic beaches. | did business with the Alpha of the Sunstone Pack, but there was veething


    about Miami that called to me. | wish | could spend more time there when | had the


    His warm smile did things to my heart because it began picking up speed. ¡°You said Paris was one of your best moments. What


    was the best


    1 myp My voner mand mercilessly murder the mood. But he asked. | shouldn¡¯t withhold the truth. What happened won for the


    best became it freed me from hurt and tyranny. ¡°When | broke my bond with


    And like that, the mood died. Neron¡¯s smile vanished into a forlorn frown, his eyes losing their shine. ¡°Oh. |...¡±


    ¡°Krye, here did you survive the fall? Nerom shifted in his seat, fully facing me. Our knees brushed each other Wently there¡¯s no


    one conner un feed a drop like that, human or werewolf.¡±


    survived


    ¡°| didnt evere, Here? His eyes widened in shock as | continued. ¡°I died that night. | drowned. Correction, Hama cred


    ¡°But...you¡¯re still her.¡±


    ¡°Neron, there are reasons | wanted to separate myself from my past. I¡¯m not her and never would be again.¡±


    ¡°| apologize.¡± He whispered. ¡°How are you here now?¡±


    ¡°Selene was merciful,¡± | brush my fingers through my teddy bear¡¯s sandy pelt. ¡°I died before my time. After some conversation,


    she sent me back to Earth for another life. She said | have a purpose to fulfill.¡± |ughed. ¡°I guess she meant this avatar stuff,


    huh?¡±


    ¡°Goodness...¡± Neron buried his face in his hands, shielding his eyes. As if he didn¡¯t want me to see his physical shame. ¡°Kiya, |


    want to know. | want to know what happened after you survived.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So, | could truly understand how my actions fucked up your life, and how your pack gave you the life your deserved.¡± He


    suddenly looked at me, his eyes brimming with intense emotion. ¡°Tell me how much | and my pack failed you.¡±


    ¡°Everything?¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    Neron got what he asked, albeit with some hesitation. From my grueling recovery to mental health counseling to getting back in


    school to where | am today, | told all. Neron listened in silence until | finished but failed to keep a neutral expression. Emotions


    were easy to read on his face, | could read him like an open book.


    | saw sadness. Shock. Frustration. Anger. Guilt. Substantial guilt like a dark storm cloud. It rained on him and added more weight


    to his shoulders. Neron looked as if someone shot him in the chest and the pain hasn''t registered in him yet. | spared no detail. |


    wanted him to imagine how hard my life was. How hard my recovery was and still is. Many times, in the past five years | wanted


    to give up and end it all, but it was only with the support of my friends and family that | was alive today.


    He had to know that. | could go on and on about how Zircon Moon destroyed me. But that¡¯s not the focus. At least talking about it


    would help Neron reflect on his past actions. Maybe he feels like he hasn¡¯t done enough? | don¡¯t know.


    In a sh, | was pulled into a hug. A tight one. Neron¡¯s trembling body swallowed me whole, jerking with every silent sob. Hot


    tears rained like acid rain on my bare shoulder, blistering and powerful. He buries hisrge head in the crook of my neck with the


    atmosphere of the cabin thick with intensity.


    It was overwhelming. | didn¡¯t know what to do, it even conflicted Artemis whether tofort Onyx, who was also howling deep in


    shame. | couldn¡¯t hug Neron back, mostly because my arms were trapped in his hold like


    a boa constrictor.


    ¡°You went through so much, and | did that to you. You shouldn¡¯t have gone through it. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m deeply, incredibly sorry, Kiya.


    I''m sorry for hurting you. For forcing you to choose to end your life. I¡¯m happy that you found your ce and have people that


    love you deeply. They did the job that | and my pack should have done. Goddess...¡±


    ¡°Neron, I¡¯m scared,¡± | confessed to his shoulder. He releases me, pulling me back cautiously.


    ¡°Of what?¡±


    ¡°Of this...whatever the hell this is.¡± | motioned to the space between us. ¡°I can¡¯t afford any of this happening.¡±


    ¡°lm not sure | follow.¡±


    ¡°You can feel the bond and so can 1,¡± | exined, running a hand through my hair. ¡°That''s the most irritating thing right now.


    You''re apologizing and doing so much for me, and | hate it. Over this past month, it¡¯s bing harder to hate you. | am terrified


    of opening my heart out further because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to turn around and crush it. I¡¯m afraid this is all some trick. Many


    have taken advantage of my heart and I''ll protect it, always.¡±


    ¡°Your second chance mate deserves your heart, Kiya. They are out there and-!¡±


    ¡°They aren''t,¡± | whisper. ¡°I asked Selene not to give me one.¡±


    Neron looked at me, aghast. ¡°Why the hell would you do that? You deserve a mate, Kiya, one who hasn''t N


    you as | did!¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    hurt


    ¡°Because you never know what would happen with second chances! How do | know they won¡¯t hurt me? That they¡¯ll uphold their


    promises of love and security? It was too much of a fucking risk and I¡¯m sick and tired of being hurt! | rather have natural love,


    not the love of a stupid bond!¡±


    ¡°You''re afraid of love.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid of falling into that same dark hole | fought tooth and nail to get out!¡±


    Neron sighed, the vein in his neck throbbing in frustration. An internal battle rages on within him, opposing forces shaking his


    limbs. ¡°You deserve someone. Someone better than me. | love you. We both know that. I¡¯m slowly realizing that you''ll never love


    me back. How could I? | ruined your chances of having a healthy rtionship with someone else.¡±


    ¡°It''s not that!¡± | shout, standing away from him. ¡°I¡¯m never going to get a fucking rtionship because who the hell wants me?


    You don¡¯t understand what | see when | look in the mirror. | see this damaged doll everyone threw away. Under this tough


    exterior, I¡¯m still terrified! | always think everyone is out to hurt me because of what you and your pack did to me. You ruined me,


    Neron!¡±


    ¡°Then reject me!¡±


    Silence. Suffocating silence. D¡ª-Did he...


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Reject me. Cut our bond. I''ll ept it.¡± Neron looked broken, but he was also calm like he epted his fate without a struggle,


    ¡°If rejecting me means freeing you from the pain, then do it. You shouldn''t be tied down to me by force. You can find love with


    someone worthy of your heart. I¡¯m not and never would be. | don¡¯t know why Selene paired us together, but that means nothing if


    you''re in pain being with me.¡±


    ¡°Neron, | can¡¯t reject you.¡± | shake my head. ¡°Rejection is a pain | wouldn¡¯t wish on anyone, not even you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you hesitating, Kiya?¡± Neron¡¯s fists balled up as he fought back Onyx¡¯s objections, eyes shifting from blue to gold, back


    to blue, ¡°Do it! End our bond and free yourself from me!¡±


    ¡°No! | can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You must!¡±


    ¡°Not¡±


    ¡°You''re damning yourself for not rejecting me, Kiya,¡± Neron barked, running a hand through his unruly hair. ¡°I can¡¯t reject you. Not


    again. | don¡¯t deserve you and I''ll take the pain. Give it to me. Please, | want you to be happy.¡±


    Say the forbidden words, and it''ll all be over, I¡¯ll never have to feel anything for him again. But the words. They refuse toe


    out. Why couldn¡¯t | grant myself this favor? | don¡¯t love Neron, right? And the pain of rejection is so mind¡ªnumbing that | killed


    myself soon after. Only a few were strong enough to withstand the pain, and Neron will.


    So, why? Why couldn¡¯t | do it? An eye for an eye! It''ll be the ultimate revenge! He could suffer like | wanted him to. He''ll fall and


    writhe as | did. The deep-seated pain would eat him up and I''ll have thestugh.


    It was my chance. My only chance.


    ...and | didn¡¯t want to take it.


    ¡°| won''t Neron... Hot tears began to pool in my eyes from the emotional turmoil, ¡°I won''t reject you.¡±


    In the end, I''ll always be a weakling, Odessa was right. No matter how much pain I¡¯ve been through, there was not a bone in my


    body that would wish that pain on someone else. Even someone like Neron.


    Neron stared at me, unmoving. We''re slowly descending on the Ferris wheel, the ride ignoring our conflict. The two of us stood


    watching each other for the slightest waver. Who would falter first?


    oddamnit, v


    You''re driving me crazy.¡±


    It happened. No warning, no preparations¡ªnothing. Neron¡¯s lips engulfed mine in a deep, hungry kiss, taking my breath away.


    His arms locked around my waist, pulling me against his hard body.


    This was sinful.


    Yet, | didn¡¯t want it to end.


    | locked my arms around his neck


    and kissed back, eager to be closer to


    him. | felt his tongue lick my bottom


    lip for entrance andywtien. parted my


    lips, ;hishtoAgue ane mine battled for


    dominance, our growling echoing


    between us. Time around us stopped,


    we descended deep into the


    simmering heat of our bond. We


    were bound for hell, and we didn''t


    care. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    We kissed heavily until the end of the ride, silently venting out our frustrations and emotions through our lips.


    Unknown


    ¡°Lucien. It''s time.¡±


    My servant gave me a look of fearful astonishments. Deep chuckles erupted from my throat to see my


    normallyposed servant falter. Swirling the red liquid in my ss, | arch an eyebrow, prompting him to say what he wanted to


    say.


    ¡°Are you sure, my Lord?¡± He asked hesitantly. ¡°I think it''s much too early to send the hunter.¡±


    ¡°| think it''s a perfect time to send the


    hunter.¡± Insulted by his insinuatian, |


    growl. ¡°The longer My loon Sout


    there) t Hore valuable time | waste.


    My ns must go on and she needs


    to be here for it.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°And of the other avatars?¡±


    ut


    i


    ¡°Get them along the way. The more we have, the better the oue. But my Moon is strictly for me.¡±


    Lucien sighed, battling with his next


    actions. He knew that he should


    exercise caution when speakin


    me, one wrong wartkdnd rieshutt out


    his life. Pyells of protests from


    outside did nothing to irk me, for their


    submission was inevitable. | cannot


    afford rebellious puppets within my


    midst, not when the key to my victory


    was within my grasp. The content is


    on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°It is time to unleash Cerberus.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72 ¡ª The Hunter


    ¡°You can be the hunter, or you can be the hunted.¡±


    be the hunted.¡°¡ª Lisa Gardner


    Kiya


    ¡°We shouldn''t have done that.¡±


    ¡°No shit, Sherlock.¡±


    My lips were still swollen from our kiss, the dull throbs pulsating as vivid reminders. The excited chatter of the amusement park


    muffled in my ears as my heart beats against my ribcage like a drum. Neron and | crossed a line that should''ve never been


    crossed. A line | promised myself | would never cross.


    We kissed, and we kept kissing until the ride operator opened the side door for us and awkwardly cleared his


    throat.


    ring heat made its home under my skin as | thought about it. His hands roaming my body felt like heaven, his heat held mine


    in a tight embrace, and his lips. Goddess, his lips were witchcraft incarnate! They ignited a fire | didn¡¯t know | had. Coupled with


    his skillful tongue, | was a goner. An absolute goner.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    It felt so good. So right. So...loved.


    But even what felt good could be wrong.


    The kiss shouldn''t have happened. At all. All my internal promises and determination went down the drain, and | only had myself


    to me. | wavered. | let the bond take over me. | let this all happen.


    I''m weak. I¡¯ve always been weak. How could | fool myself all these years thinking | was strong? One stupid kiss and | threw away


    all | worked hard to achieve. | was an idiot, a fucking fool. Everything just became moreplicated.


    Neron and | walked towards his car with me following a few steps behind. | didn¡¯t want him to see my face. | was ashamed of


    myself. Hot tears slowly blurred my vision. | hugged my teddy bear against my chest, the only source for myfort | had now.


    The softness of the pelt ryed a message that | could cry into it when | was in private. That it was here to soak up my sadness


    and self¡ªguilt. That was all | could do now-relish in my stupidity.


    We entered his car in silence, neither of us daring to address the elephant in the room. Shame rolled off Neron in waves as he


    struggled to focus on starting the car. He dropped his keys several times before he was able to turn on the ignition, gradually


    driving away from the park into the silent night.


    Needing a distraction, | reached for the radio. He did too. Our hands jerked away like we¡¯ve touched an open me when our


    fingers touched. Goddamnit! Huffing, | turn the volume knob as Los Delphines thumped through the car. It reminded me to look


    up where Violetta and her band were ying next.


    Silence persisted. Anxiety persisted. But it didn¡¯t change the fact that we kissed and potentially strengthened the bond when


    there was no need to. How were we going to manage this? The lines were too blurred, and | felt the deep desire to kiss him


    again. The desire for his lips to set aze my core. To surrender into our animalistic lust and just...


    ¡°FUCK!¡± My fists mmed on the dashboard, shaking under the force of my hands. ¡°Why the hell did you have


    to kiss me, Neron?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t mean to, Kiya.¡± He admitted with his tired eyes glued to the road. ¡°


    me didn¡¯t help and...¡± He sighs. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    . | got caught up in the moment. Onyx fighting with


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± | mutter. ¡°We can¡¯t pretend like the kiss hasn¡¯t happened.¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± Neron replied, his voice void of anusement. ¡°Especially around Dad. Once he catches a whiff that something''s


    happened between us, he''ll use it to further his agenda.¡±


    ¡°Right. Because he still wants me to be Luna.¡±


    ¡°But it felt good.¡±


    | arch an eyebrow, catching sight of Neron¡¯s reddening cheeks. ¡°The kiss?¡± He nodded, timid. | groan miserably because |


    agreed. The damn thing felt so good and that¡¯s what was wrong with it. How long until |pletely surrender to the bond? Could


    | hold out for much longer? Judging from Neron¡¯s side view, there was turmoil in him.


    Why did he ask me to reject him? If this was when | first arrived on Zircon territory, I¡¯d be more than happy to do just that and call


    ita day. Now? | was not sure. My indecisiveness to reject him would be my downfall.


    The road back home was lengthy, but | was grateful for it. Since we live some distance away from human towns, we must remain


    as disguised as possible. However, something felt off. The music was ring inside of the car, but outside was so still. I''d


    typically spot a few animals or insects mingling in the dark woods, uncaring to the world around them.


    But there was not an animal or bug in sight. This was too strange, added with an unidentifiable stench that assaulted my nostrils.


    Chills equal to the Arctic slid down my spine, forcing an involuntary shiver. The longer the feeling marinated, the more | felt on


    edge. Neron had to be feeling this too, right? My eyes caught his eyes darting from the rear¡ªview mirror to the side mirror with


    his jaw working tight.


    ¡°Something''s wrong.¡± His hands tightened around the steering wheel, ¡°We''re going to take a detour back to pack territory.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    Well, someone sure as fuck didn¡¯t think so.


    Suddenly, we both jerked forward from the forced stop of the car. It caught me off guard, stopping so fast | got whish. A heavy


    thump on the hood of the car caught our attention, but the night and the thick trees lining the road was a skillful camouge. We


    couldn¡¯t see the head of whoever or whatever we might have hit because the front lights only illuminated the bottom half of the


    unknown entity.


    Sooner rather thanter, | found out what the thing was. An impossibly powerful person busted their fist through the windshield,


    grabbed me by my shirt cor, and threw me from the car. | hit the ground hard, back first. ss shards rained all around me


    with a few inhabiting my skin.


    ¡°Kiyal¡±


    my ears


    | slowly rolled to my side, gasping as more shards sliced my skin. Loud, heavyweight boots echoed in my e as the pursuer made


    his way to me. | found myself lifted in the air once more by a metallic gloved hand. That was when | was able to get a look at the


    perpetrator.


    to kiss me. Neron?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t mean to, Kiya.¡± He admitted with his tired eyes glued to the road. ¡°I... | got caught up in the moment. Onyx fighting with


    me didn¡¯t help and...¡± He sighs. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± | mutter. ¡°We can¡¯t pretend like the kiss hasn¡¯t happened.¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± Neron replied, his voice void of anusement. ¡°Especially around Dad. Once he catches a whiff that something''s


    happened between us, he''ll use it to further his agenda.¡±


    ¡°Right. Because he still wants me to be Luna.¡±


    ¡°But it felt good.¡±


    1 arch an eyebrow, catching sight of Neron¡¯s reddening cheeks. ¡°The kiss?¡± He nodded, timid. | groan miserably because |


    agreed. The damn thing felt so good and that¡¯s what was wrong with it. How long until 1pletely surrender to the bond? Could


    | hold out for much longer? Judging from Neron¡¯s side view, there was turmoil in him.


    Why did he ask me to reject him? If this was when | first arrived on Zircon territory, I''d be more than happy to do just that and call


    ita day. Now? | was not sure. My indecisiveness to reject him would be my downfall.


    The road back home was lengthy, but | was grateful for it. Since we live some distance away from human towns, we must remain


    as disguised as possible. However, something felt off. The music was ring inside of the car, but outside was so still. I''d


    typically spot a few animals or insects mingling in the dark woods, uncaring to the world around them.


    But there was not an animal or bug in sight. This was too strange, added with an unidentifiable stench that assaulted my nostrils.


    Chills equal to the Arctic slid down my spine, forcing an involuntary shiver. The longer the feeling marinated, the more | felt on


    edge. Neron had to be feeling this too, right? My eyes caught his eyes darting from the rear¡ªview mirror to the side mirror with


    his jaw working tight.


    ¡°Something''s wrong. His hands tightened around the steering wheel, ¡°We''re going to take a detour back to pack territory.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    Well, someone sure as fuck didn¡¯t think so.


    Suddenly, we both jerked forward from the forced stop of the car. It caught me off guard, stopping so fast | got whish. A heavy


    thump on the hood of the car caught our attention, but the night and the thick trees lining the road was a skillful camouge. We


    couldn¡¯t see the head of whoever or whatever we might have hit because the front lights only illuminated the bottom half of the


    unknown entity.


    Sooner rather thanter, | found out what the thing was. An impossibly powerful person busted their fist through the windshield,


    grabbed me by my shirt cor, and threw me from the car. | hit the ground hard, back first. ss shards rained all around me


    with a few inhabiting my skin.


    ¡°Kiyal¡±


    | slowly rolled to my side, gasping as more shards sliced my skin. Loud, heavyweight boots echoed in my ears. as the pursuer


    made his way to me. | found myself lifted in the air once more by a metallic gloved hand. That was when I was able to get a look


    at the perpetrator.


    Incredibly bulky with a height towering over Neron¡¯s, this man¡ªor beast¡ªcould put the world¡¯s famous bodybuilders to shame.


    With skin as white as snow, its deep red eyes pierced my soul. Its oily ck hair did nothing to curtail the menace thatid


    behind the crimson orbs. This beast must be five times my weight and twice my height. It picked me up like | weighed nothing!


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I shouted as | tried to wiggle out of its iron grip. It said nothing. It just stared at me with emotionless red eyes. |


    wiggled my pocketknife from my back pocket and jammed it into his wrist, forcing the first human emotion | could see in him,


    rage.


    Unfathomable growls resounded in the air and the ck¡ªcloaked beast was barreled into the floor by Onyx. Eyes full of anger


    and ws ready to shred flesh, the Alpha was aiming for the kill. The humanoid beast stood up on his enormous feet and fought


    back.


    Beast versus beast. Who would win?


    The fight looked like something out of a movie. Onyx, big, ck, and beautiful was trying his hardest to tear down the malignant,


    brutish man-like monster who delivered violent punches repeatedly, fearlessly drawing


    blood from ck.


    ¡°We need to help him!¡± Artemis yelped. | had never heard her so panicked before. She was always calm and collected while |


    lost my shit. ¡°That thing is too much for him to take on his own.¡±


    ¡°Where the hell did that thing evene from?¡±


    ¡°| wish | knew! Are you going to shift or not?¡±


    At least the wounds without the ss healed. Tweezers were going to be my best friend tonight. Tossing my clothes aside, |


    shifted into my beautiful Artemis and went to work on aiding Onyx in battle.


    | thrust forward, mping my jaw on the arm of the beast. His blood tasted awful-if | would even call it blood. Bites, wing,


    tearing, anything and everything wolves did, we did. We''re two powerhouses, two predators tearing down our prey. The beast


    fought back hard without fail. Onyx snagged a leg and effortlessly tossed the beast to a tree, the sheer force almost knocking it


    over from the roots.


    From my jaws, | spat out the blood. Ugh. | was going to be brushing my teeth for the rest of the night. Onyx trotted over and


    nudged my side with his snout, his way of asking if | was okay. We may share a mate bond, but there was not an established


    mind-¡ªlink, so we couldn¡¯tmunicate naturally. Sometimes, if a message was powerful enough, it would get through. Like with


    Orion that day.


    | bump his snout back, responding with a low growl. Onyx¡¯s frayed fur rxed, his horse-like stature standing. tall as his watchful


    eyes red at the beast, slowly getting his bearings. It looks like it was ready for another


    light.


    ¡°The avatar.¡± Its deep, grumbling, gritty voice struck fear into my wolf heart. ¡°Give me the avatar!¡±


    This changed everything. All this time, this son¡ªof¡ªa¡ªbitch wanted me. It knew that | was an avatar! My mind echoed back to the


    passage | read in that mysterious book | found in the library. White wolves have been hunted for their power for centuries


    because we''re connected to our Moon Goddess. This beast was a hunter.


    Hunting me. Wanting to hurt me.


    That deration riled up Onyx again, his teeth unsheathed, and drool dripped from his gums like rain. He was


    pissed. With a mighty, earth¡ª-shattering howl, he attacked again and tore the beast apart. He didn¡¯t stop for a breath. The blood


    never bothered him. He quenched his thirst for blood like an apex predator and left the gargantuan hunter bleeding on the ck


    soil. Mother Nature, unfortunately, soaked up the blood on her


    earth.


    The wolf panted, but not without snarling and kicking the mangled corpse. Onyx trotted to the side of the car where he shifted


    back to Neron. Cracking bones is a sickly, melodious tune in the empty air. | grabbed my clothes by my teeth and went to the


    other side, shifting back into my human form, and quickly got dressed.


    Before long, Neron came to my side. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°|... think so.¡± That''s not true. | was far from okay, I¡¯m being hunted. If Neron wasn¡¯t here, who knows what might have


    happened. Huffing in a deep, relieved breath, he pulled me into a tight hug, Neron¡¯srge hand rubbed circles on my back as his


    chin rested on top of my head.


    He¡¯s shaking.


    ¡°Let''s get you home. Sit in the back,


    okay? | don¡¯t want you sitting on


    ss.¡± The Alpha released me and


    opened the side do ?@ssturing!for


    to get in. NO lly, I''d say


    something snappy, but | didn''t. |


    spent all my energy subduing the


    hunter. As | was about to get in, |


    heard shuffling sounds and deep


    moans and my fear came straight


    back as | saw the form of the


    mangled hunter begin to move. The


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    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°He''s getting back up!¡± | yelled.


    Neron¡¯s head jerked behind him and


    entered survival mode. Pushing r the


    back seat, he m eshedoot Bhd


    t intoxthexsrver¡¯ side as fast as a


    cheetah and started the car. The


    mangled hunter made his way


    towards us, ready to take me again


    when Neron¡¯s foot mmed on the


    ga Wheels screeched against


    concrete and raced down the road


    away from the cmity on two feet.


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    We drove around for twenty minutes,


    taking extra precautions to make


    sure the hunter lost our trail. Once th


    coast is clear, we togkthe aefSt dnd


    drove paeidzircon Moon territory.


    When the guards saw the damage to


    the windshield, none could get a


    word out because Neron silenced


    them. He didn''t feel like exining


    what had happened. Honestly? | don¡¯t


    me him. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    We were in no mood to talk.


    Once we rolled into the garage and parked, | stepped out and leaned against the car door. Who knew a night


    of fun would turn into this mess?


    Neron appeared next to me, ¡°One hell of a night.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± | run a hand through my hair. ¡°How are you taking it?¡±


    ¡°Honestly?¡± He shoved his hands in his pockets as he also leaned on the car door. ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for sleep This night was...


    crazy.¡± We both share augh before falling into silence again. ¡°Meet me in my office tomorrow after training and we''ll talk


    about...you know...what happened.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t just talking about the hunter. He was also talking about the kiss. Sighing, | give him a curt nod before turning away.


    Neron called for my attention again and when | turn back, | saw that he was holding my teddy bear, unharmed from the chaos.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± | smile, taking the bear in my arms. Not a ss shard in sight. It was safe. We went our separate ways in the


    packhouse. | walked past my friends in themon room having a movie marathon. They were engrossed in the moving


    pictures until Jackie noticed me, her excitement turning to concern when the looked


    ¡°What the hell happened to your closer the and prompting everyone to look at me. | looked at my shirt


    17o asked,


    to see it littered with cuts from the game during the attack


    | chuckled, uneasy. ¡°Um Neron and got into anti ident?


    ¡°Are year okay?¡± Galen asked, worried. | waert day because some nuts aren¡¯t healing because of the ss in


    you


    won''t them. I¡¯m exhausted


    in


    ¡°Yeah, | will be.¡± | nodded, ¡°I''ll talk to you all in the morning about it, whey? My friends wanted to protest


    okey?¡± but decided against it. Grateful, | walked to my bedroom and sarked my teddy base in the corner of my room.


    beer


    It was time for my date with a pair of tweezart.


    Chapter Cammantip

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 ¡ª The Warning


    ¡°One cannot answer for his courage when he has never been in danger.¡®¡ªFrancots de La Rochefoucauld


    Neron


    | stood by the window in my office, watching the training sessions on the lush grass. The pup traineesbat each other, getting


    stronger each day. Small hands and feet swing andnd on their targets joined with shouts of power and pride intermingling in


    the sweaty atmosphere. A small smile creeps on my face at their progress, the pups were bing stronger every day. Soon,


    they''ll be on par with their adult counterparts.


    It was all thanks to Kiya¡¯s talent and leadership. Despite missing sessions because of situations out of her control, she bounced


    back and so did the pups. | couldn¡¯t be any prouder.


    | needed to protect her at all costs.


    Afterst night''s debacle, | boosted border security to the max. Some former warriors came out of their retirement to act as


    agents of protection. No matter how much | disagreed, they insisted firmly, it was for protecting and preserving the future of


    Zircon Moon.


    And to protect their Luna.


    That statement still irks me, | had every right to shoot it down, but | didn¡¯t. No one else, besides my father and |, knew of Kiya¡¯s


    refusal. In due course, I¡¯ll announce it to the entire pack. Zircon Moon had gone for so long without a proper Luna, and it was my


    fault. | drove the true Luna away, and the false Luna couldn¡¯t be any more ipetent to assume the role.


    We were still a powerful pack, but we were iplete.


    Kiya bing my Luna was thest thing on my mind. My principal focus was protecting her from that...thing in case it ever


    comes back. I¡¯ve never seen a human-like¡ªno. That thing was not human.


    It was akin to a war machine. It was unstoppable, nearly taking me out every chance it got, and | was the fucking Alpha. | was


    the strongest in my pack and | couldn''t take it down on my own. When | got up close, its face scared me more than its fists.


    The entity was...empty, soulless. There was no humanity in those horrific red eyes, its face was haunting That thing was


    inhuman, Judging by its atypical scent, | could be right.


    It was a soldier on a mission and every soldier had theirmander calling the shots. There was someone bigger out there,


    lurking in the shadows and watching our every move, and they squared their eyes on Kiya.


    ¡°Whoever the fuck they are, they''ll not touch her,¡± Onyx snarled. His voice wasced with rage and death. ¡°I''ll tear everyone


    apart for wanting to harm our mate.¡±


    ¡°Test you and | agree on something.¡±


    Sitting back at my desk, | examine the various documents on my desk. Transactions from various investments across Nevada,


    progress reports, written requests from pack members, notes from other Alphas, the works. | noted down the recent rogue


    attacks from neighboring packs in the Tri-state area.


    Attacks had not calmed down. Alphas were sending warnings to other packs to beware and prepare, something


    | was all too familiar with. Many smaller packs and refugees were heading to safer zones, including Ga Moon. However,


    because of the recent attacks, it was inappropriate to take in evacuees and throw them in danger once more.


    ¡°Pardon my intrusion, Alpha Neron, but | have a young woman at our gates demanding to speak with our trainers.¡±


    That stole my attention. Who the hell was this woman and how did she know about the trainers? The thought of another potential


    threat to not only my pack but Kiya set my blood on fire. ¡°Keep her there, Geo. I¡¯m on my way. What''s your take on this


    outsider?¡±


    ¡°She smells like a witch.¡±


    My mind recalled the discoveries from both Kwame and Valerian at the Witching Hour some time back. Witches were angry


    about the taboo magic used to revive dead wolves yet supplied no other leads to a rumored coven of corrupt witches. The


    woman on the outer steps of my territory could be one of them.


    With haste, | jogged to the border where two of my border agents held the witch by the arms. Dressed in a maroon blouse and a


    ck pleated skirt, awesome power radiated from the small woman, catching mepletely off guard. Her strawberry¡ªblond


    hairid over her shoulders in braids and her eyes...


    Her eyes were abnormally purple. How unique.


    ¡°State your business, witch,¡± | growled. It was not that | had anything against witches. | hate having outsiders. imposing


    themselves on mynd without my knowledge.


    ¡°I''m here to see the Ga Moon warriors.¡± She avowed in confidence as her eyes held mine. ¡°There¡¯s something urgent | need


    to speak with them about.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Whatever you need to say, you can say it to me.¡± | crossed my arms. The witch was growing more panicked but continued to


    hold a firm gaze. She appeared to be sincere, but | was not taking any chances of potential threats. ¡°How did you know they¡¯re


    here?¡±


    ¡°I''ll show you if your brutish men would release my arms!¡± She demanded. ¡°It¡¯s getting ufortable.¡±


    Through the mind-link, | ordered my men to release the witch but to remain on guard in case she tries something. She wiggled


    her arms to get some feeling back into them before unbuttoning the maroon blouse she wore and exposed the mark over her left


    breast,


    She held the Ga Moon pack mark, in the same area as Kiya¡¯s. Although, it was strange for a witch to bond to a werewolf


    pack, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe Lacey.¡±


    Kiya


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± There was no way she was standing in front of me. Phoebe engulfed me into a tight hug, her head burrowing in my


    shoulder. Some pup trainees stopped to see the reunion with their trainer and the strange woman. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°We have to talk.¡± She stated with her purple eyes quivering in fear. Wasting no time, | asked Adama, Kwame¡¯s brother, to lead


    the next training sessions. Jackie and the others caught up as soon as they got a whiff of


    Phoebe¡¯s wild berry scent. In no time, the six of us sat in Neron¡¯s office with him. Kwame and Valerian joined


    ¡°Does Alpha Anthony know that you''re here?¡± Sapphire asked.


    ¡°Um.¡± Her eyes darted to the side. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°How did you get here? Galen asked, crossing his arms,


    ¡°Teleportation. I¡¯m not sitting in a car for five hours.¡±


    ¡°You could have called us.¡± Abigail smiled. ¡°This is such a surprise,¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t have time. This is too urgent for a phone call.¡± Phoebe¡¯s eyes found mine. ¡°Because | know you''ve awakened, Kiya.¡±


    My eyes widened. How? There was no way she could have known. She couldn''t detect that power from afar! Then again,


    witches were powerful. They had magle and senses beyond that of a werewolf. ¡°Yeah...| did.¡±


    ¡°That puts you in more danger than before,¡± Phoebe replied, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°How¡¯s the


    selenite?¡±


    My gazends on the bracelet around my wrist. ¡°It¡¯s fine, but it doesn¡¯t feel or look as powerful as it used to.¡±


    ¡°Your awakening weakened the wards | put in them to protect you, thus rendering them useless. You have more power than


    before, and the original wards only worked if you haven''t awakened. | brought more that could help you.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Neron spoke, expression dark. ¡°Backtrack. What trouble are you speaking of? Does it have to do with that beast fromst


    night?¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s fear became palpable. ¡°Beast? What beast?¡±


    My mind quaked atst night¡¯s recollection; the hunter¡¯s emotionless face and robotic killer¡ªlike movements. ¡°He was bigger than


    Neron. Much bigger, about twice his build. He wore ck and-¡±


    ¡°White skin? Red eyes? ck hair?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± | eximed. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you got attackedst night on your date?¡± Jackie eximed, jumping into protective mode. ¡°Little Bit,


    why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±


    ¡°| was going to...¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Phoebe eximed, sighing heavily as if she ran a marathon. ¡°This is much worse than | thought. They sent Cerberus


    after you.¡±


    ¡°Cerberus?¡± Kwame asked.


    ¡°The avatar bounty hunter. Its sole mission is to hunt down awakened avatars.¡± The witch sighed heavily again, but this time, it


    was as if the weight had visibly added to her shoulders. ¡°Avatars are powerful beings born and created from the hands of the


    gods. Across the pantheons: Greek, Norse, Egyptian, and others, they


    Chapter 11 ¡ª The Warning


    make avatars to spread their holy


    messages to all the species on earth,


    supernatural or otherwise. Some call


    us demigods. However, no every


    deity cr tesareavata and we aren''t


    bbe in Ne same lifetime. We may


    skip lifetimes. Unfortunately, when


    the avatar awakens to their true


    power, they be a beacon. A


    beacon that¡¯s hunted down for their


    power. The fact that Cerberus


    attacked you means that the Masters


    know who you are.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°Phoebe, how do you know so much about this?¡± | asked. ¡°And who are the Masters?¡±


    ¡°The Masters are part of an


    underground cult cut off from the


    human and supernatural world.¡± Her


    eyes cast down to herp. ¡°They.have


    branche that stsatoh (hough


    nyultip! Stes of the United States


    with different leaders and rules. |


    spent my childhood in that cult,


    surrounded by corrupt witches. My


    parents were corrupt witches as well,


    using their magic to harm and


    torment. When | showed signs of


    being Hecate¡¯s avatar, they kept me


    for a different purpose.¡± The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Phoebe took a napkin out of her pocket and wiped the makeup off the back of her neck, revealing a brown birthmark. The symbol


    of the triple moon goddess. ¡°This is the telltale sign. | grew up thinking | would never escape the pain of being used for the


    over the country and use them for it¡¯s purpose. To answer to their leader. The Masters hunt avatars all


    power for a secret cause that many kept to themselves faithfully.¡±


    ¡°How did you escape?¡± Darien whispered, worried.


    ¡°|... don¡¯t want to talk about that. I''ve


    said too much about my past


    already.¡± Her eyes were on me again.


    ¡°But the fact remains that now, tha


    cult knawg aka you d its main


    Idader: whoever it is. You''re a beacon


    of hope and light to all werewolf kind,


    Kiya. You and Artemis are a powerful


    duo that no elder or Alpha could ever


    hope to be. Your power puts a target


    on your back for others to hunt you


    and use you, Cerberus is nothing


    compared to what else is in store.¡±


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    | slumped back in my chair, taking in the gravity of Phoebe¡¯s words. Every word, every sentence, added ten tons of cinder block


    on my shoulders. It weighed heavily on my heart. ¡°I''ll never be safe, will 1? How did you remain hidden all this time?¡±


    ¡°Hecate is a deity who takes protection seriously. Ga Moon is my home, my refuge, and | protect it with the help of hidden


    wards around the territory.¡± She took my hand into her cool, soft ones. ¡°I''ll do anything to protect it and you. You''re my friend and


    | cannot let you fall in their hands.¡±


    She looks at Neron, Valerian, and Kwame. When | looked at Neron, | noticed his ws digging into the arms of his chair,


    desperately trying to hold back his fury. Phoebe¡¯s past was something she never talked about, and it Bave


    me insight into what was potentially after me.


    ¡°What could we do to help, Miss Phoebe?¡± Valerian asked what was on everyone''s minds. ¡°Could we stop the cult members from


    getting to Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Before you ask that, Valerian, | need to know something.¡± | interrupted. Swallowing a nervous gulp of air, | spoke. ¡°Danger is


    coming to me, | get it. But does that also mean I¡¯m putting everyone else in danger by being here? Cerberus almost beat Neron


    to death just to get me. Would he do the same to anyone else?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a beast on a mission. He¡¯ll do anything and everything toplete it...even murder. That''s how he was programmed. The


    cult wants you, wants us because of what our goddesses blessed us with. They would do anything to capture any avatar they


    come across.¡±


    Phoebe sat up straight, dug into her pocket, and gave me a jingling bag filled with more selenite, this time heavy with power.


    ¡°You can give me your old selenite and | can use that to put protection wards around Zircon Moon to keep your energy shielded


    for as long as you remain here.¡±


    | nodded, sparing nces at Neron, whose eyes caught mine momentarily. Embarrassed, | look away. There was so much on


    the line here. All because of me. ¡°Okay, Phoebe. We should call Anthony and let him know that you¡¯re here so we can-¡±


    FIRE!¡±


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 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74 The Abduction


    ¡°Run for cover cuz I¡¯min¡® for ya whether or not? You''re ready or not, are you ready or not?¡±¡ª¡°Ready or Not Resident Evil 2


    Rap by 17 Music


    Third Person POV


    Red. Orange. Yellow. The trio of bright and vibrant colors, yet also the colors of scorching destruction. The congration raged on


    with its satiety dependent on the earth beneath the werewolf territory. It would not stop until green bes ck and wood


    bes ash. Its demolition and violence were on par with its caster, an emotionless juggernaut on a mission to capture the


    woman who escaped him.


    Cerberus¡® unhesitant march echoed amongst the cataclysmic air of fire crackles and helpless screaming. With stomps that shook


    the roots of the burning trees, he continued forward, flexing hisrge fingers, yearning for a neck to squeeze. A monster in his


    own right. It didn¡¯t take long to track down the avatar.


    The avatar. The one his Lord desires more than diamonds.


    ¡°Stop at nothing to bring her to me. Allow Zircon Moon to burn to ash, for it has been lucky to live for this long. Burn it all. Kill


    them all. Let nothing stop you.¡±


    His Lord¡¯s word wasw. What he wants, he shall have. Blockages of copious ck smoke didn¡¯t stop his besetting trek, he


    passed right through, unfazed until the packhouse was in the line of sight.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cerberus was ready for ruin.


    Brave and selfless. Two words to describe the pack members who helped put out the mes threatening their livelihoods.


    Buckets, hoses, anything that could connect and hold water is used to stop the inferno.


    Yet, the mes fought back hard.


    The ranked wolves and warriors worked tirelessly to save theirnd. Dancing red and orange continued to spread uninhibited,


    ignoring the very lives it tried to take. The earth cried underneath scorching ck, slowly dying as it painted the air with strokes


    of billowing obsidian ck.


    ¡®How could this have happened? Why did this happen?¡® Kiya asked herself as she directed people to the underground bunker in


    paths untouched by fire. Understanding their Luna wishes to protect them, they ran as fast as they could to safety. As much as


    the woman wanted to deny that she was their Luna, internal torment preupies her mind.


    She felt responsible for the chaos. Horrible attacks began springing out of the woodworks as soon as she came. Was this fate¡¯s


    way of telling her to leave? Though she didn¡¯t voice it, she felt responsible of the danger. It squeezed her heart like a boa


    constrictor preparing its prey for death. What was next after the fire? Would the chaos stop if she left? So many questions with


    no answers and the frustration contorted her wless, brown face.


    Just when she thought things couldn¡¯t get any worse, that¡¯s when she heard it.


    Stomp!


    Stomp!


    Stomp!


    The Abduction


    ¡°Oh, no...¡± Phoebe¡¯s sweet, melodious voice shook with trepidation. Kiya¡¯s eyes darted to her witch friend, unable to look past


    her shaking knees. Her pale skin got impossibly paler and sweat, unknown from her or the boiling heat, clung to her hair and


    skin. ¡°Cerberus is here!¡±


    Kiya¡¯s cyes widened in shock. How did he find his way here? Neron and she made sure he lost their trail before they drove back


    home. Guilt was a monster that took pleasure in gobbling her heart, tugging violently at the bicuspid strings. She felt responsible.


    Instead of ensuring Zircon Moon¡¯s safety, she brought evil to them unknowingly.


    The stomps continued and before long, Cerberus showed himself, his skyscraper, bulking body marching through the me¡ª


    ridden woonds with raw evil and determination pulsating through his body. Ranked wolves and warriors stared horrified and


    agape at the behemoth, seeing nothing like it before. It was a beast on two feet, height rivaling the biggest of Alphas.


    Neron growled, hateful of the wless white skin of Cerberus. As if Onyx¡¯s ws never touched him. That infuriated the Alpha the


    most, the threat he thought he eliminated came for more and it trespassed on his territory.


    His home!


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back!¡± He growled through the mind-¡ªlink to his men and warriors. ¡°Take that fucker down at all


    costs!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is that thing?¡± Sapphire eximed through the mind¡ªlink the Ga Moon members share. ¡°I''ve seen nothing like


    it!¡±


    ¡°It''s Cerberus, the avatar bounty hunter,¡± Phoebe exined, grabbing Kiya¡¯s hand as the wolf ground her teeth so hard that they


    might shatter. ¡°He¡¯s here for Kiya. And me.¡±


    ¡°We won''t let it touch you. Either of you!¡± Beta Jacqueline¡¯s passion and determination burned hotter than the mes surrounding


    her. She won''t let anyone hurt her friends. She won¡¯t lose the people she loves.


    ¡°The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?¡± Galen¡¯s award-winning smirk rose on his face as he shifted into his yellow¡ªgrey


    wolf form with Mikhail as an ash gray wolf. Jacqueline and Sapphire followed suit, theirrge wolves in front of Kiya and Phoebe,


    apanied by their mates, Isaiah as a deep brown wolf and Abigail armored to the teeth.


    Inside the packhouse, Darien had his hands on Odessa¡¯s shoulders as she red back at her mate hard. ¡°If you get killed,


    Darien, I''ll kick your ass. | swear to our Moon Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Me? Getting killed? Never!¡± The ck¡ª-haired man chuckled humorously. ¡°I''ll be back for you, my love. | promise. Now, you need


    to remain here while | help take care of the chaos.¡±


    |...¡± She shut her brown eyes, huffing in a deep breath. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°| will.¡± He leaned in and nted a soft kiss on her cheek. Ariel purred deep at the touch of her mate, wanting to w out more


    for Sirius. Odessa, however, held the lid down on her anger. Darien was going out to stop the mes, but through the mind-links,


    it ensures gossip. She heard about a beast after the avatar from the


    frightened pack members.


    Of course. Darien was going out to protect the wretched cur she hated. No doubt Neron was as well since he had fallen for her


    like a lovesick puppy. As Darien retreated after Jacqueline yelled for him through the link, she growled deeply.


    Kiya¡¯s responsible for this. It was all her fault. Her and her stupid magic powers. If Odessa wanted anyone to die today, it should


    be her. Emily couldn¡¯t deliver on poisoning the bitch when she gave her the cyanide. Perks of having human connections through


    her dead parents. But, now, she needed to figure out another way to push Raina¡¯s sister out.


    Kiya was a speck of dirt on her window of life and she needed her gone.


    Permanently.


    Cerberus was to a tyrant, as the wolves were to peasants. He was an unstoppable machine on par with Kratos, Hercules, or a


    vengeful Odin. As wolves and soldiers attacked, he fought back. ck armor already drenched with the blood of fallen warriors


    as he beat them to the ground or crushed their heads.


    Wolves attacked at all angles, gnawing on his flesh, but he was unaffected. He was a war machine programmed to fight and kill.


    Possessing no heart or soul, Cerberus was a robot following its master¡¯s orders. A follower of a monster. Obedient to a devilish


    fiend.


    Red eyes spotted the two avatars. Kiya and Phoebe. Bashing wolves and soldiers away violently with his arms, his march


    increased in speed as he advanced towards them. Phoebe grabbed Kiya¡¯s hand and started running away from the me-tom


    battlefield.


    Cerberus took a swing at the avatars but narrowly missed because the women used their height and agility to their advantage,


    Kwame jumped between the women and Cerberus without hesitation, snapping his jaws onto his thick neck. Roaring, the


    juggernaut ripped him away and smashed Kwame into the brick of the packhouse.


    Brick groaned when shifted out of ce. The Gamma fell to the ground unconscious, blood slowly dribbling from his jaw. Valerian


    and Neron, both in wolf form, howled in pain for their fallen Gamma and thrust forward to drag Cerberus away from finishing him


    and harming the avatars.


    ¡°Phoebe, wait!¡± Kiya eximed, pulling her friend to a halt. ¡°We can¡¯t run! We can¡¯t leave them to fight


    Cerberus on their own!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, we have to!¡± Phoebe shouted back. ¡°We need Cerberus to follow us off the territory, so he won¡¯t harm anyone else. He''ll


    kill this entire pack if it means he¡¯ll capture us!¡±


    Brown eyes darted to the reddening battlefield. Blood and fire were lovers upon the ckened canvas, painting a horrific picture


    of gore and pain. Cerberus was a skilled artist. More skilled than anyone she knew. She watched as he beat the fighters into the


    ground like a heavyweightpetitor, Blood sprayed from the mouths of Galen, Darien, Jacqueline, Sapphire... even Neron and


    Valerian. More wolves emerged from around the territory, determined to take the beast down.


    Cerberus was unstoppable.


    There was nowhere to escape the mes that continue to burn. Neither woman would make it out unscathed.


    Kiya couldn''t run. She refused to run. Cerberus wanted her and Phoebe. What was the point in leading him away if the others


    would try to stop him as they were now?


    Running wasn¡¯t an option for her.


    ¡°Kiya. No.¡± Phoebe warned, feeling her rebellion through her emotions. ¡°I know what you''re going to do. You can¡¯t fight Cerberus,


    he¡¯s untouchable!¡±


    ¡°So am 1,¡± Her determination ignited her avatar powers, sending a flood of pure moon magic through her veins. ck shifted to


    pure white, brown shifted to blue, and white markings etched into deep brown flesh. ¡°I¡¯m not running. You can, but | won''t.¡±


    Phoebe watched as Kiya turned and ran towards the war, throwing her safety away to help her friends and former pack. The


    witch admired her courage but couldn''t help thinking she was acting like a hot-blooded fool. She knew first-hand that beasts like


    Cerberus couldn¡¯t be defeated effortlessly. If an army of powerful wolves couldn¡¯t stop him, what made Kiya think she could?


    She winced when Kiya was picked up by the throat and thrown hard to the ground. But she bounced back, using her newfound


    power for good. But, as a recently awakened avatar, she was exerting too much energy. She was going to lose stamina fast....


    This was why she, too, ran into the battlefield. Strawberry blond rapidly shifting to midnight ck and eyes silver as moonstone,


    Phoebe whispered a spell hoping to slow Cerberus down. A purple, glowing ¡®X'' appeared beneath his feet, mighty magic


    thrusting upward and engulfing the goliath. Cerberus, enraged, stepped out of the magic dome toward Phoebe.


    Her advancement carned her a hit to the face that knocked her out cold.


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Kiya screamed but couldn¡¯t run to her. Cerberus turned and threw her like a haschall, mming her body into the


    packhouse walls. Her body slumped to the charred ground with a strained groan and aches in every part of her body. With


    energy depleting fast and vision blurred from the impact, she couldn¡¯t see the behemoth advancing on her.


    The wolves and warriors fell, either struggling to get up or unconscious. Cerberus lifted a hand, and with a sickly shift, it formed


    into a monstrous w designed for the execution.


    She couldn''t see it.


    She couldn''t see his arms lengthening like a snake, thrusting toward her.


    Neron could smell the danger.


    The threat.


    Fuck all his injuries as a ck wolf. It didn¡¯t stop him from bolting forward, swiftly shifting back into his human form to shield Kiya


    from the hit. Muscled arms wrapped tight around her body and her face shielded in shade.


    Everything froze.


    No one moved. Or breathed,


    Kiya slowly looked up, her vision clearing to see Neron¡¯s warming smile. Even drenched in sweat and covered


    in blood and wounds, he was still smiling.


    For her.


    ¡°Kiya...¡±


    She felt it. Something wet. Something sticky.


    That was when the vile metallic scent hit her.


    Bringing her hand up, her blue eyes


    widened in horror to find it drenched


    in thick, crimson Hset se stared at


    itd nadutterat¨¦a! Orror, wondering


    if Cerberus had hurt her worse than


    she thought. But she isn''t. She felt no


    other pain besides the pulsating


    aches around her body. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Which meant...


    ¡°NERON!¡±


    Wet


    haheathing was heard and Neron toppled over to his side, revealing a horrific sight that Kiya wished


    burned itself into her mind.


    The Alphaid on the grass, naked, with a deep, punctured wound through his stomach. Blood gushed out like a raging waterfall,


    soaking the earth with no consequence. The blood on Kiya¡¯s hand was never hers. It was


    Neron¡¯s.


    He protected her from Cerberus onught. A wound meant for her; he took without hesitation. And now, heys as hisbored


    breaths bought tears to her eyes.


    ¡°Neron! Oh Goddess, you fucking idiot!¡± She cried, pressing her hand to his wound to stop the bleeding. ¡°Why? Why did you do


    that?¡±


    ¡°To...protect...¡± He whispered like talking expended much energy from his lips. He wheezed and winced from the added


    pressure to his gaping wound. ¡°I¡¯m...sorry...¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re going to be okay!¡± A flurry of tears fell from her eyes as she began screaming for help. Any kind of help. He couldn¡¯t


    die for her!


    But help didn¡¯te.


    Cerberus tore Kiya from Neron¡¯s


    bleeding body while she screamed


    for him, hands dripping with his


    blood. She Soe oy her Mdnds.


    For evelyone she cared about.


    Tossed over the juggernaut¡¯s


    shoulder with an unconscious


    Phoebe, she continued to struggle;


    hitting and scratching his


    back-anything and everything for


    him to release her. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    All in desperation.


    Behind Cerberus opened a darkened


    portal, swirling with malignant magic.


    kiya powerlessly watahed fetri¨¦hds


    strugglNdattn through their


    injuries, growing farther away as he


    took her and Phoebe through the


    portal. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Zircon Moon closed before her eyes. Gone.


    But one thing¡¯s for sure.


    The scent of Neron¡¯s blood would never leave her.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 ¡ª The Trio


    ¡°There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.¡±¡ª Laurell K.


    Hamilton


    Violetta


    ¡°Piece of shit! Let me go! Let me go!!¡±


    The world was a fucked-up ce if it allows a seven-foot-tall, muscle man¡ªanimal to kidnap me. One minute | was heading to


    my hotel to meet up with my bandmates to discuss our next gig and the next, | was snatched into an alleyway. | didn¡¯t stand a


    chance.


    | could¡¯ve fought back if only | could ess power, but as before, it was like hitting an imprable wall. A wall that refused to


    budge no matter the amount of force | hit it with. Frustration boiled through me like a rumbling geyser threatening to shoot out of


    its prison. But there was not much | could do. | was a squirrelpared to this behemoth.


    Arms bound behind my back in metallic wrist cuffs, my body was thrown into the back of a moving truck. Head hitting the floor, |


    groaned in pain as the buff man gagged me with a piece of cloth, tightening it on the back of my curly hair. Within seconds, the


    doors sealed me inside the truck, bathing me in darkness.


    Breathing. | hear gentle breathing. There were other people here with me. | couldn¡¯t see them through the pitch¡ªck darkness,


    but | stay put than to risk a broken ankle. As the truck moved, | crawled to the wall and sat silently, thinking through all that


    happened.


    Never have | thought I''d get kidnapped. | worked too hard to get my life on the path | deserved, and now it was going down the


    drain. Again. After escaping the underwater hellscape | once called home, to forming my new family with those | love, | ended up


    in a shitshow once more.


    Life must love me. Note the sarcasm.


    wasn¡¯t


    The ride is far fromfortable. With every bump in the road, it knocked me on my side. Getting up easy with my hands bound


    behind me. Heat rolled into the dark truck, trapping me and the others in a slow- stoking inferno. Breathing became a task


    comparable to pushing a boulder. My ears picked up the sudden changes of breathing in the darkness with soft moans, but it all


    soon fell into silence.


    Having a conversation with my fellow kidnapees was off the table, it seemed.


    After what seemed like hours, the truck came to a sudden halt. A minute went by and the truck doors open to reveal my abductor.


    Stone-faced, he yanked me out of the truck and tossed me on my feet, but his strength miscalcted the velocity of the toss. |


    ended up face nting on the ground.


    Fucking hell! Fucking brute!


    ¡°Stay.¡± Was all it demanded, cold and firm. Like he was speaking to a lowly peasant. While | struggled to stand like a newborn


    fowl, the kidnapper forced two more people out of the truck, gargantuan hands wrapped firmly around their upper arms. One


    whimpered while the other struggled like a trapped bird.


    One woman looked familiar. The strawberry¡ªblond was a beautiful woman, but I¡¯ve never seen her before. The shorter curly¡ª


    haired one | had seen; | was sure of it.


    Chapter 15. Treina


    ¡°Move. Try to escape, and | would crush your skulls.¡± With a hand bigger than my face, the threat became real. He''ll kill us if we


    tried anything funny. | couldn¡¯t die! | have so much to live for and a partner who must be so worried about me.


    My heart aches at the thought of Manny and Marina, frantically calling my bandmates about my whereabouts. They all must be


    freaking out. I''ve never stay out thiste without calling.


    Oh, graceful Amphitrite, what have | gotten myself into?


    The two women and | forcibly marched down an isted path in the middle of a heavily dense forest with the brute behind us,


    watching our every move. The sun was setting below the horizon, but the deep orange lights couldn¡¯t prate through the thick


    leaves. Earth¡¯s scent was normally refreshing and calming, but all | smelt was... fear? Death?


    Whatever the smell was, it didn¡¯t leave me with a good feeling.


    Babble and burble of a riverbank echoed as we drew closer to arge facility. Concrete, grim, secluded-not an ideal ce for


    kidnapees. My brain was the worst at handling stressful situations because every horrific possibility floods my mind like


    hurricanes in Florida.


    Organ harvesting. Sexual very. Human trafficking. All morally depraved scenarios continued swimming in. And my knees


    buckle with every step | take. Walking toward the entrance, the doors opened for us.


    | didn¡¯t want to enter, but | also didn¡¯t want my brain squeezed like a stress ball.


    | spotted several people around the facility, some held close to the hip by what | assume were their ¡®handlers¡¯ and others working


    to maintain the ce. The prisoners were pulled by chains attached to what | assume were cuffs tight around their wrists. They


    were taken some down various mysterious hallways while some were scrubbing them. My stomach toiled and tumbled.


    What the actual fuck is this ce?


    Awoman dressed in a clean, blue floral summer dress walked to us, hands up in a silentmand for us to stop. She surely


    was dressed weirdly in a gloomy ce like this. Her blue eyes and exhausted and held the weight of sadness. Like she was


    forced to do this. Blond hair that long lost its shine cascaded to her shoulder des, swaying with her every movement.


    ¡°Thank you, Cerberus.¡± She whispered in shame. A silver multi-arrow choker rested around her neck. ¡°T¡ªTake them...¡± The


    woman took a deep breath. ¡°Take them downstairs where they''ll stay before the Cuffing.¡±


    Excuse me, cuffing? What ¡®cuffing¡®? My shouts of protest came out as deep muffles because of the cloth gag around my mouth,


    heavy in my mouth by saliva. The mysterious woman led us to a set of descending stairs, beckoning us to follow.


    Not like we had a choice.


    As we descended, the pungent odor of bleach and cleaning solutions burned my eyes. Someone was down here cleaning up,


    probably to hide evidence of what happened before our arrival. We passed by several steel doors with tiny windows, each


    several yards apart from one another, separated by a thick wall.


    | heard whimpers behind me. Pained whimpers. It was from one of my fellow kidnapees. | don¡¯t know why, but hearing those


    sounds tugged my heartstrings. Agony backed up those whimpers, and it broke down my heart


    Chapter 15 The Tro


    further.


    But, once the brute, Cerberus, opened a door to an empty holding cell, that was when all hell broke loose.


    Kiya


    No!


    I''m not going into a cell! | couldn¡¯t go back to that thing!


    Panic floods my system faster than adrenaline, taking the reins of every bodily system | have. Fight or flight mode activates, and


    | was given the choice to stay and fight or flee. | chose to flee. Flee from the impending doom thatid behind the steel door.


    Do you know how cockroaches were hard to get rid of? Like when you thought you got rid of them all, theye back at the


    most inconvenient of times? That¡¯s like my memories. Dark memories of my endless days in my cell beneath the packhouse


    crawled their way into my mind, infesting it with the disease of pain.


    One.


    Five.


    Twenty-Five.


    Hundreds.


    It overwhelms my mind with the sudden intensity of my shbacks. My heart, normally gentle, palpitated in a beat | was all too


    familiar with. Bronchial tubes tightened as my lungs burned for the oxygen they couldn¡¯t get. As fast as | was inhaling, nothing


    gets through. Tremors and quakes rippled through my muscles like mini earthquakes on a mission to disrupt its anatomical


    processes. Sweat dropped rapidly like bullets from my head, underarms, and anywhere else with sweat nds.


    In desperation, | turned and ran. Ran from the horrible ce all my torment was born from. It taunted me, cackled at my


    weakness. Itughed at my choice of flight, reminding me repeatedly that I''ll always be the weak little girl crying for her mommy


    to save her.


    | didn¡¯t get far because Cerberus yanked me back. | struggled and screamed through my gag, tears rushing down my eyes as a


    dam had burst. Heartless as he was, he threw me in the cell with my arms still cuffed behind my back. Phoebe and Violetta were


    forced inside before the harsh echo of a door m were heard.


    We''re trapped.


    And | wanted to die. For the first time in five years.


    ¡°Kiya, Kiya!¡± Artemis yelled in worry. ¡°Focus on me, please! Don¡¯t let the pain take over!¡±


    But | couldn¡¯t focus. | couldn¡¯t breathe. | couldn¡¯t stop crying or shaking. | didn¡¯t want to be here. | felt like Halima. | felt like the


    little girl forced to live in prison for years, making a home with the chill and a dingy mattress. Echoes of insults covered my ears


    like earmuffs, forcing me to relive all | buried.


    Phantom hits and bites pulsated and stabbed through my body, bringing forth special memories of the


    physical abuse. All the times my brown flesh was marred with blue, ck, red, and yellow. All the times | was forced to exist with


    the reminders of my family¡¯s hatred and neglect. Reminders that I''ll never truly be loved. Or respected. Or cared for.


    All| felt as a little girl beat me senseless. Taking me back to the dark times, locking the door, and swallowing the key.


    got her


    ¡°Kiya, sweetheart.¡± Phoebe


    whispered, using her cuffed hands to


    help me sit up. | don¡¯t know how she


    got gag off. Or ho at putfe@rands


    werendW fe) font of her body. But


    when she pulled down my gag, my


    screaming came out in full force,


    ricocheting off the steel walls. My


    witch friend may be in front of me,


    but my surroundings were still in my


    old kennel. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    ¡°Get me out of here! | don¡¯t want to


    be here! They''ll hurt me again!¡± My


    stomach gyrated, br akfast gurgling


    adoohaiatis! ¨¦tching, | turned


    to the side and threw up, emptying


    my stomach as my eyes burned with


    tears and my throat burned with


    hydrochloric acid. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    I''m going insane!


    ¡°Who do you think would hurt you, Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Everyone! They''ll hurt me like they always did! Make it stop! Please!¡± Snot dripped down my nose and tears coated my face like


    a gloss. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here anymore...¡±


    ¡°Hey...¡± Violetta kneeled next to me and Phoebe, arms also cuffed in front of her, rubbing my arm soothingly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what


    you went through, Kiya, but we¡¯re going to get out of this together.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Although cuffed, Phoebe pulled me close into a tight hug with her arms circled my strained, shivering body. She held me long


    enough to leave a puddle on her shoulder, bound wrists rubbing circles on my back. Each stroke worked its magic at batting


    away my panic. My fear.


    Mybored breathing slowly


    stabilized to a constant rhythm while


    my body stilled. The torment


    skittered away bac ints the dark, \


    ing away fof t ¨¦ repent of


    comfort. Panic attacks were never a


    fun thing to deal with. They halt the


    world around you and toss you ina


    sea of chaos. Then it overrides all


    your bodily responses,


    short-circuiting vital organs, and


    plunges your mind into a whirlwind.


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    | don¡¯t know how long it took until | could fully calm down. Panic left from my body, leaving behind pure exhaustion.


    Everything hurts, but | was alive.


    I''m alive.


    ¡°How are we going to get out of this?¡± | croaked. Phoebe sighed heavily above me as she rested her chin on top of my head.


    Violetta¡¯s hand was still on my arm, her warmth adding to thefort.


    ¡°| don¡¯t know...¡± The witch whispered. ¡°But we will. We will.¡±


    Remembering what happened prior, my head snapped up. What happened to our friends? Is Jackie okay? What about Sapphire,


    Darien, and Galen?


    Neron...was he dead?


    | still feel the stickiness of his blood on my hands. Part of his life clung to the flesh of my palms,


    Nothing about it told me of his condition. | don¡¯t know. | just...don¡¯t know.


    What | did know, was that the three of us were far from our homes.


    And who knows if we''ll get out unscathed.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 ¡ª The Aftermath


    ¡°Possessiveness destroys love. And they should not be possessed, because that again destroys your love.¡± ¡ª Rajneesh


    Third Person POV


    Who ends up picking up the pieces after a battle?


    Who ends up mending and healing after a tragic loss?


    Ash litters the ground with faint wisps of smoke ascending to the air. The mes met their demise, but not without leaving behind


    damages, even on the untouched. Hearts were weary, fear is prevalent, and worry hits the souls of Zircon and Gamet alike.


    However, it is a time for unity.


    Pack members worked to repair the inferno¡¯s damage to their home while their bodies were on the brink of exhaustion. No one


    could think to rest if the beautiful earth around them was charred with ck. Pup trainees, with an awakened sense of


    leadership, led the charge with the adult warriors. Those who haven''t been hurt badly in the war with the behemoth in ck.


    While their arms worked tirelessly, their hearts were heavy. From the blood on the ground to burial preparations for the fallen and


    with the news of their ranked wolves and the disappearance of their future


    Luna.


    An overrun hospital was not a pretty sight. Doctors and nurses whizzed by to help the bleeding and injure wolves, some worse


    off than others. it was controlled chaos threatening to spill out of control. Rainn sat in a seat in the waiting room, leg bouncing as


    if it could take away some of her anxiety.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Adonis asked from the seat next to her. ¡°Will Daddy be okay?¡±


    ¡°He will, my baby boy. She whispered, caressing his hair with her nimble fingers. When Raina heard the news that Valerian had


    been badly hurt in the fight, she raced over with her son as soon as she was able. Through their bond, she felt his pain. Every


    hit, every cut¡ªlike she was in the battle herself. It was amon feeling that many mated women and men felt through their


    bonds. All she could do was pray to the Moon Goddess that Valerian would be okay,


    Lori sat in a seat across from her, eyes glued to the floor, still as a statue. She had yet to know Kwame¡¯s condition. The


    doctors wouldn¡¯t tell her anything because there were so many wolves needing treatment, especially the Alpha who had the


    worst of it all. Raina noticed her Gamma Female.


    In


    empathy, she picked up Adonis and walked over to sit next to her. ¡°Lori? Please talk to me.¡±


    ¡°What''s taking them so long?¡± Her hoarse whisper grated at the Beta Female¡¯s heart. ¡°They have to tell us something soon,


    right? | just... | need to know if Kwame would be ok I¡¯m so worried. M can¡¯t stop howling for Moses.¡±


    ¡°Our mates are strong.¡± She took Lori¡¯s hand and squeezed, lending her some of her courage. ¡°The Moon Goddess blessed


    us with amazing men. They¡¯ll make it through.¡±


    ¡°What about the Alpha? Or the Ga Moon warriors?¡±


    Those questions Raina couldn¡¯t answer. She doesn¡¯t know if Neron was okay and the rumors amongst the hospital weren¡¯t


    helping. He suffered a serious wound and was being operated on since his healing wasn¡¯t


    acting fast enough to repair the damage. Each Ga Moon warrior suffered significant injuries.


    Raina didn¡¯t even know where Kiya was. She waited for her body to appear from a hospital room or the front entrance, but she


    was nowhere in sight. That only added to her anxiety. The chief protectors were hurt, and her little sister was missing. Times like


    these were when Raina wished she still had a familial bond with Kiya, at least she would know if she was okay.


    Odessa burst through the front doors moments after. She spotted Raina and Lorl and marched towards them. ¡°Heard


    anything yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Lori answered.


    ¡°They call themselves medical professionals and can¡¯t even work fast!¡± Odessained, running a hand through her brte


    tresses. The Beta Female quirked an eyebrow.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°They have a lot of wolves to treat, Odess. Their hands are tied.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I need to know if my man is okay. Is that too much to ask?¡±


    ¡°We all want to know if our men are okay.¡± Lori butted in with a growl, dark eyes on the woman. ¡°Just be patient.¡±


    With a scoff, Odessa dropped into a seat next to her childhood friend and crossed her arms. Raina already felt a headache


    emerging, and it wasn¡¯t from the chaos of the hospital atmosphere. Within a few minutes, Dr. Jackson walked over to the trio with


    a clipboard in hand and thick ck sses on his


    nose.


    ¡°Beta Valerian and Gamma Kwame are alright.¡± His smile was warm. ¡°You can go visit them.¡±


    ¡°Let''s go see Daddy, Donny.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Raina and Adonis hurried to Valerian¡¯s room and Lori to Kwame¡¯s. Only Odessa remained. ¡°How¡¯s the Alpha?¡± She


    asked, her voice cold.


    ¡°Not good.¡± Dr. Jackson began. ¡°He suffered immense internal damage from the Impaling. We''ve worked close the wound with


    stitches. Now, it¡¯s up to his healing ability to help him out. He¡¯s sedated with p medication.¡±


    ¡°And...Darien?


    ¡°Luckily, his injuries aren¡¯t as bad as the Alpha Neron¡¯s. He¡¯s awake and in recovery if you wish to see him.¡± Dr. Jackson moved


    on to the other families waiting for news on their loved ones. Odessa had a choice: go check in on Darien or Neron. Her mate or


    her former lover.


    She went to Neron¡¯s room,


    Upon entering, the brte¡¯s eyes burned with tears. Neronid on his hospital bed, shirtless with thick gauze bandaged around


    his torso. Small spots of red dotted the deepyers. Her heart lurched as she walked closer, grabbing a seat to sit next to her


    Alpha.


    ¡°He''ll be fine,¡± Ariel insisted to her human. ¡°We need to see our mate.¡±


    ¡°He''ll be fine. | need Neron.¡±


    ¡°Odessa, for the millionth time, you must let Neron go. He isn¡¯t yours and would never be yours. You lived in your little fantasy


    long enough. He belongs to our avatar.¡±


    ¡°That superpowered bitch would never love Neron the way | do! He¡¯s always been mine and will always have my heart, and I''ll


    do everything to make him look at me like he used to.¡±


    ¡°And that gives you the right to treat Darien like this? He loves us more than Mother Earth. His heart is pure, and you''re blinded


    by old feelings! Blinded by the power you felt when Alpha. How could you be so cruel to our mate?¡±


    you were with the


    ¡°Who says | can¡¯t have both?¡±


    ¡°Now you''re being selfish. No one can have two mates, and it¡¯s hical to have a true mate and a paramour. You can¡¯t be Luna


    and Delta Female.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be stuck in the old ways, Ariel. We¡¯re in modern times. Humans can have multiple lovers, so why can¡¯t wolves? Why can¡¯t


    | have two men to love me at the same time?¡±


    ¡°Because you''ll be taking Kiya¡¯s soulmate away from her.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t give a fuck! She could burn in hell for all | care!¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate her so much, Odessa?¡±


    That''s the end of the conversation. Odessa mmed down a mental block between her and her wolf. She''ll never understand


    her, so there was no point in reasoning with her. Her attention was pulled to Neron when he shuffled, moaning in pain.


    ¡°Neron...¡± Her hand went to his forehead, pushing his hair away from his face. He was so warm. Neron would always be the


    most beautiful man she had ever seen. Powerful and precious. ¡°I love you so much.¡±


    Taking his hand in her own, she nted a soft kiss on the back. ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Neron shuffled, groaned, and muttered a name. It isn¡¯t a name Odessa expected. The name ignited volcanic fury within the


    woman, causing her to stand abruptly from her seat. The force nearly knocked the chair down behind her.


    Kiya... Neron muttered through his sedation. ¡°K¡ªKiya... she...


    Even in his sleep, he yearns for her. Awake, he yearns for her. No matter what Odessa did, Neron would always yearn for Kiya.


    Halima. The former ve. Mate bonds were powerful things, and she was unequipped to sever it herself.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to you, Neron,¡± Odessa muttered, infuriated. ¡°She¡¯s not even here to see you. She¡¯s evil! She brought that


    monster here that hurt you and you still want her? You still love her?¡±


    Scorching hot tears swam down her face upon exiting Neron¡¯s hospital room, heavy sobs hupping through her quaking body.


    Kiya had made a name for herself in a pack that once hated her. Since former Alpha Jonathan announced her as Neron¡¯s mate


    and future Luna, the pack had pushed Odessa to the side. She had no authority anymore like she used to. All that power, the


    glory¡ªgone.


    Odessa hated Kiya more than ever. No prayers to the Moon Goddess could ever wipe that bitch from her memory. Suicide didn¡¯t


    get rid of her. Poisoning didn¡¯t get rid of her. She was a bane in her existence.


    ¡°| must destroy her. For good.¡± She dered in her mind, wiping away her rapidly falling tears. In her head, Odessa could see


    Kiya as if she was standing in front of her. Standing tall in her Delta might, overflowing with the power of a Beta wolf. Those


    damned corkscrew curls, shining smile, and big brown eyes. A spitting image of a younger Raina, Even she, who once hated her


    and would work with Odessa to make Kiya¡¯s life miserable, was now groveling for forgiveness at her disgusting feet.


    Odessa had to take drastic measures to ensure that Kiya would forever regret crossing her. For taking her man away from her.


    For taking space in Darien¡¯s mind as his friend.


    Desperate times called for desperate measures.


    Abigail


    ¡°My love, | promise I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a broken arm.¡±


    ¡°You''ve broken one of your beautiful wings, my butterfly. | can¡¯t let that go.¡±


    My love, Jacqueline, holds me tight


    against her chest as we sit on her


    hospital bed. A cast is on my Hoh


    arm, reeling iy acdark ¨¦ sling. That


    j d¨¦rnaut had done horrific damage


    to the territory and my wolf family.


    My heart ached in pain as the mate


    bond allowed me a glimpse into the


    pain of my sweetheart¡¯s emotions.


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    She often hid her pain. As a strong


    Beta wolf, it was in her nature to


    protect those she loved, including


    me. Now, she was iy deeper paih''''


    than chivMally Shought. Not just


    because of the injuries she had


    littering her body, from bruises to


    broken bones, but because her best


    friend was gone. Kiya was gone. That


    monster took her and Phoebe to


    goddess¡ªknows-where. The content


    is on NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    I''m lucky enough to have my love alive and holding me, but what about Phoebe and Kiya? What was happening with them?


    Were they hurt? Hungry? Scared? My heart couldn¡¯t imagine the pain they must be in.


    ¡°Hey, hey.¡± | look up to see Sapphire hobbling into the room with the aid of Isaiah. ¡°How are you both feeling?¡±


    ¡°Like shit,¡± Jacqueline grumbled, and | made it a point to flick her nose. No profanity in this holy room! ¡°Sorry, babe.¡±


    ¡°| feel that,¡± Isaiah muttered, sitting in a chair, holding Sapphire close with his dark arms. ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡±


    ¡°Cerberus. Phoebe said he¡¯s an avatar bounty hunter, but that¡¯s all there is about him.¡± Sapphire sighed with the heaviness of


    titanium. ¡°And he got what he wanted. What are we going to do? We have to find them!¡±


    ¡°Where do we start?¡± | ask. ¡°We know nothing about this, and who knows where those two could be right


    now,


    ¡°This is more than what we could handle, guys,¡± Galen revealed, walking into the room with Darien and Mikhail trailing behind


    him. ¡°Zircon Moon wolves are down, the territory is charred bacon, and the avatars are missing.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Odessa?¡± My love asked Darien. His eyes suddenly cast down on the ground in sadness but quickly perked up.


    ¡°She hasn''t visited me yet, but that¡¯s


    not the issue here,¡± Darien


    responded, but | didpryise toe


    i ce agihe rubbed his chest. ¡°We


    need help and we need it now. Two


    of our members are missing. The


    longer we wait, the more danger


    they''ll be in.¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡± Mikhail asked.


    ¡°We need to call Alpha Anthony and let him know what happened.¡±


    | already knew that once the Alpha knows his little sister was kidnapped, all hell would break loose.


    And ¡®hell'' was putting it lightly.


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 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 ¡ª The Woman


    ¡°Choice is what enables us to tell the world who we are.¡± -Barry Schwartz


    Kiya


    My body demanded sleep after my panic attack. The cell was cold, but Phoebe was warm. She held me close and | rested my


    head on her bosom as | slept. Our cuffs were removed when the blonde-haired woman from earlier checked on us, conveniently


    ignoring the puddle of vomit in the room¡¯s corner.


    She said nothing.


    There weren''t any windows in our holding cell, making it easy for us to lose track of time. We didn¡¯t know how long we had been


    down here. The sunset from earlier was a distant memory, so perhaps it was nightfall?


    | went from trainer to kidnapee in twelve hours.


    It was just the three of us, Violetta, Phoebe, and me, trapped in this dark ce. But it didn¡¯t mean we had to be miserable. We


    made use of our time through conversation.


    Violetta¡¯s an avatar like us. Of Amphitrite, the Goddess of the Seas. She awoke several years back but has a tough time


    connecting to her true self. Sadness ached in my heart as she talked about it. Her past was painful, something Phoebe and |


    understood.


    Was itmon for avatars to have shitty childhoods?


    Another hour rolled by, or what seemed like an hour, when the cell door opened again. This time, the blond woman had a man


    nking her right. He was dressed...oddly. Who wears a violet and ck suit in this ce? Especially one with a tailcoat? In his


    hands were three dresses of assorted colors.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get up.¡± With little resistance, the three of us stood with our backs pressed to the wall. ¡°You three are to change into your new


    clothes.¡±


    The blond woman held the cuffs as the man tossed the dresses to us. Thick strapped and passed the knees. | didn¡¯t like it. The


    only difference between this dress and the ve dress | burned five years ago was that this was pure white.


    Not only that, but they sewed crystal rhinestones all around the chest area, swirling around where my breasts. were to be.


    Phoebe¡¯s dress was purple, and Violetta¡¯s was blue, both in. Why was mine so different?


    ¡°No.¡± Violetta snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing this.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be difficult, girl.¡± The man warned, red eyes narrowing on Violetta¡¯s form. ¡°Wear the damn thing ande peacefully.¡±


    ¡°Fuck being peaceful!¡± She threw the dress to the ground. ¡°You expect me to strip down and change in front of you and her?¡±


    She pointed to the blond woman. ¡°Like hell, | will! | want out of this ce!¡±


    | didn¡¯t see iting.


    I don¡¯t think Phoebe or Violetta saw it either.


    In a blink of an eye, the man was behind Violetta, restraining her arms behind her back. It was like watching a


    Chapter 21. The Woma


    bird trying desperately to escape its trap. The woman continued to bebative, profanity springing from her mouth, | think she


    recited the entire Urban Dictionary.


    ¡°Lady Nadia.¡± Nadia, the woman with tired eyes, fished something out of her dress pocket and held it up for us


    to see.


    It was a syringe!


    She quickly walked over to the pair and plunged the needle in Violetta¡¯s neck, injecting her with a clear liquid. My fellow avatar¡¯s


    combativeness soon ceased, she looked like a shell of her former self. She didn¡¯t faint or fall, she became...pliant.


    Horrifically obedient.


    The man looked our way. ¡°Unless you two want the same treatment as your friend, get dressed.¡± We watched as Nadia sped


    cuffs on each wrist and helped to drag Violetta out of the room, like two people taking care of their drunk friend. The door shut


    behind them, leaving Phoebe and me alone.


    Neither of us said anything. The shock was too great. Did they drug her? With what?


    There was shuffling beside me, | turn to see Phoebe stripping down to her underwear, ¡°This is worse than | thought.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, what the hell is going on?¡± | demanded, clutching the white fabric of my dress. ¡°Do you know what just happened?¡±


    ¡°You know how sedatives work in hospitals? Well, that thing they injected her with was a kind of sedative. | don¡¯t know if it was


    natural or concocted with dark magic, but I¡¯m not in the mood to find out.¡± Her breaths were shaky as she slipped on her new


    clothes. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m reliving my childhood.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± It was my turn tofort her, ¡°We''re going to get out of this. They, whoever the hell they are, can¡¯t hold us here forever.¡±


    Giving hope to my friend was the only way we would get out of this with our heads. intact. We didn¡¯t know what these people


    were capable of, and judging by what they did to Violetta, they were capable of a lot.


    We were going to have to fight our way out of here.


    | hoped the others back home were working on our rescue. Because of the distance, | couldn¡¯t connect to any of them. Many of


    them were injured during the ambush. | hoped they were doing alright..


    My chest ached at the thought of Neron and that horrific injury he received when he sacrificed himself to protect me. That big,


    perforating hole in his stomach left asting image in my mind. My hands were no longer sticky, the blood was dry. However, that


    didn¡¯t make the situation better. | wanted, desperately, to wash away the reminder that | couldn''t save him.


    If Neron died after | disappeared...


    Shaking the horrible thoughts out of my head, my clothes, merely a sporty top, and leggings were discarded to the side as |


    donned the white dress. It brushed my knees, revealing the faded scars on my calves.


    There was something about wearing this dress that felt perturbing. A sensation lingered, crawling up my skin like a spider.


    Artemis growled deep within me at this foreign feeling. Protectiveness was her best trait, and she was ready tomit.


    After five minutes, Nadia and the man came in with cuffs. ¡°Arms out.¡± He demanded.


    Chapter 77 ¡ª The Wernanc


    Phoebe, trembling in fear, held out her arms first. Thick, silver cuffs mped around her wrists and instantly, | could see my


    friend weaken. She was half the woman she is, like all her power drained away. I, too, became ustomed to the feeling


    because when the cuffs were mped around my wrists, | felt less than half of the werewolf | am.


    Artemis whimpered weakly, her howl less than a newborn pup¡¯s. That''s when | knew. It meant these cuffs were meant to weaken


    me. Weaken us. Weaken the avatars. Every avatar in this facility had these cuffs, making them susceptible to whatever


    command these brutish folks have. These people know we have the capability of freeing ourselves, and they took extra


    precautions to make sure it didn¡¯t happen.


    Oh, Goddess.


    After the cuffing, they separated Phoebe and me. She was taken away by the man and Nadia took me. From my peripherals, |


    glimpsed her side view. Her face twisted briefly as if she was fighting mentally. How curious. An internal battle whilst she was


    comcent in this crime.


    It was just the two of us walking down the darkened hallway after leaving the dungeons, with her icy hand wrapped around my


    upper arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    | stopped, arched an eyebrow, and stared at her incredulously. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Nadia repeated, pale blue eyes full of remorse. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be happening. None of you should be here.¡±


    ¡°You sure didn¡¯t look like that when you drugged my friend!¡± | retorted, pissed off. ¡°Why the hell should | believe you, Nadia?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m one of the few people here who want you and the others to escape.¡±


    ¡°Why kidnap us then? Didn¡¯t you send Cerberus after us?¡± My anger crackled around me at the recent memories of bloodshed


    and death. ¡°That...that thing killed people. It hurt people, and for what? This bullshit?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t send Cerberus,¡± Nadia whispered with a face cast down. ¡°My mate did.¡±


    My brain short-circuited.


    Her mate?


    ...What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°My mate sent Cerberus after you. Hemands him because he created him with the blood of our strongest avatars.¡± She


    exined, her head darted from left to right, watching out for anyone who might walk by, ¡°You know about mates, right? You''re a


    werewolf.¡±


    ¡°And what if | am?¡± 1 growled. ¡°You''re telling me that your mate orchestrated my kidnapping, and you didn¡¯t do a damn thing to


    stop him?¡±


    ¡°| couldn''t,¡± Nadia growled back. ¡°He¡¯s hellbent on righting all the wrongs he and his kind suffered in this hidden world. He is a


    vignte drunk on his twisted sense of justice. My words, the words of his soulmate, were not enough to stop his lunacy. Please


    understand that I¡¯ve tried, over and over to get through to him but he¡¯s...my love is too far gone in his darkness.¡±


    ¡°If this was your way of garnering sympathy for that deranged man, then forget it!¡± | jeered, crossing my arms. ¡°How many of us


    avatars are here?¡±


    ¡°In this branch? Including you and your two friends, twenty. In others, there are many more.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± | groaned. ¡°Your mate gets a kick out of kidnapping avatars, huh? So, what is he? A werewolf, like me? What are you?¡±


    ¡°¡¯m human. Him? Half a werewolf. Or, at least, was.¡±


    What the hell? How could someone be half a werewolf? My face held all the unasked questions that Nadia seemed to decipher.


    ¡°My mate is a hybrid. Many of the men and women here are hybrids too.¡±


    Hybrids. The offspring of two


    different species. Knowledge about


    hybrids was very minimal. Hybri


    were never talked \aboUDliKe they


    didn''t exi is knew interspecies


    rtions urred, Jacqueline and


    Abigail were mates, and Abi was a


    human, but why did hybrids feel the


    need to hide? Better yet, why kidnap


    avatars? The content is on


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    chapter there!


    ¡°| know you have so many questions, Kiya, but | cannot answer them.¡±


    ¡°How did you know my name?¡±


    ¡°As | said, | can¡¯t answer that.¡± She grabbed my arm again. ¡°I need to take you to him.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to see your sleazy mate! He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here in the first ce!¡±


    ¡°Lady Nadia.¡± Our heads jerk to the side to see the blond man that took Phoebe walking towards us, daggers sent in my


    direction. ¡°Is she giving you trouble?¡±


    ¡°A little, but-Lucien!¡± Suddenly, | was yanked out of Nadia¡¯s grip. Attempts at removing my arm from him proved to be futile


    because his grip was like an iron sp.


    ¡°Our Lord is not a very patient man.¡± He growled at me. ¡°You have two choices, walk willingly or | inject you and drag your limp


    body. Thetter is more fun.¡±


    Believe me, | wanted to fight. |


    wanted to w at Lucien¡¯s disgusting


    face, but | would ae thal)


    @ irolihavelett an have an


    unknown substance inocted in


    me. Having something like that


    floating around my body was


    bothersome. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    | surrendered. Lucien dragged me


    down the hallway. | turned back to


    look at Nadia, wh stagy) like @ ¡®"


    statue. pu eFmet briefly,


    conveying a silent message that |


    couldn''t decipher. The entire time we


    spoke, Nadia emitted a strange vibe.


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    The vibe between her and Lucien was different. Nadia¡¯s vibe was more resistant while Lucien¡¯s vibe was serious. Two different


    people on opposite sides of the spectrum, perhaps?


    There had to be a way to know more about this. With kidnapped avatars, hybrids, and much more, this facility. was plethoric in


    mystery. Things need to be uncovered, and one might hold the key to our escape.


    After a minute of walking and climbing stairs, we both made it to a door, thick mahogany with ckened, unknown symbols


    embedded in the wood. The door opened, and | was shoved inside before it closed, sealing my only chance of a getaway.


    The room was dark. Cold. Chills nipped at my bare flesh and swam down my spine. | shouldn''t be here!


    Chapter 77 The Woman


    Because the very darkness that surrounds me watches me hungrily. Wolves were apex predators, but now, | was the prey.


    To a beast shielded by ck.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 The Search


    ¡°The determination to win is the better part of winning.¡± ¡ª Daisaku Ikeda


    Neron


    ¡°| told you, son. All you had to do was hold on to her. Look at where the alternative has gotten you.¡±


    | was lying in bed with a hole in my stomach. It was bad enough Kiya was missing, but to have my father. berate me on my


    choices was on another level of irritation. As the pack was in a state of disarray, he still had the energy to bother me. Good


    Goddess.


    ¡°Really, Dad? No ¡°Are you alright, son?¡® At least show that you¡¯re worried about me.¡± | say sarcastically, pushing myself up into a


    sitting position. The pain was horrible. Think of fire burning through flesh, and that¡¯s how my stomach felt now. With every


    movement, more pain rocketed through my nerves, but the pain was nothingpared to what happened with Kiya.


    | shielded her from the attack. I''d do it a million times over if it meant her safety. The worry and agony in her beautiful brown eyes


    wound my heart. The panic in her voice and the desperation as she tried to stop the bleeding. A part of me died in battle,


    knowing | hurt her by getting hurt.


    Now, she was out there somewhere in the hands of that colossal beast. Onyx howled in misery for his missing mate and anger


    that it took her from us, | didn¡¯t give a fuck about my pain, | needed Kiya back safe and


    sound!


    ¡°You''re an Alpha, Neron. You will get through that. It''ll take more than a hole in the stomach to kill you.¡± Dad cleared his throat,


    crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall at the hip. ¡°Now that you had a taste of the danger, let it serve as a lesson for


    you to keep your valuables close.¡±


    ¡°Kiya is valuable, Dad, but she is not an object. How is it ethical to sacrifice her for the pack?¡±


    ¡°A pack cannot run properly without their Luna. | don¡¯t know how many times


    | have to say it for you to understand. Kiya could throw tantrums all she likes, but the fact remains was that this pack needs her.


    You need her. What happened today will continue to happen the longer she rejects her fate.¡±


    ¡°The attack wasn¡¯t her fault and you know it,¡± | growled at him. ¡°It¡¯s the fault of whoever or w


    whatever sent


    that thing to burn down our home. You may be my father, but | will not sit here and listen to you ce the me on her. | won¡¯t


    do what you say, so drop it.¡±


    A mixture of disappointment and anger contorted my father¡¯s aging face. Just by our familial bond, | know he doesn¡¯t agree with


    me, but | stand firm on my decision. | could run this pack without a Luna. Sure, there was faultiness here and there, but I¡¯d rather


    burn alive in the mes of hell than force Kiya to remain at my side forever. The pack was important, but she was more so.


    ¡°You''ll regret this, son.¡±


    ¡°And if the timees, I''ll deal with it. Respect my mate or get the hell out of my room.¡±


    Dad scoffed, muttering something under his breath about disrespect, and left. | pushed myself off the bed and walked towards


    the window. Dr. Jackson amodated me with the best room in the hospital, but it was not needed. Not if | could look out the


    window and see the partially burnt oak trees. The fire hasn¡¯t destroyed the entire territory, but the damage was still heavily


    present.


    | noticed something white perched on a branch. The sky was darkening, but | could see the white as clear as day. Its golden


    eyes stared into my soul, watching. | arched an eyebrow.


    Huh, never thought I¡¯d see a white owl. Owls normally weren''t around wolf territories.


    ¡°Pardon my intrusion, my Alpha.¡± Nurse Amara came in. ¡°But Alpha Anthony of the Ga Moon Pack was on the phone and he


    demands to speak to you.¡±


    | cursed to myself. No doubt the warriors contacted him about the situation. | could feel the exploding rage from the receiver of


    the phone. Walking to my bed, | gestured for Amara to give me the phone. After she left, | held it to my car.


    ¡°Alpha Neron, speaking.¡±


    ¡°Don''t fucking act cordial with me, Neron. | entrusted you to my little sister¡¯s safety, and | had to hear from my Beta that she has


    been abducted right off your territory?¡±


    There was no room for us to act as Alphas. At this moment, Anthony was a worried elder brother. ¡°Yes, she was. | take full


    responsibility for her disappearance. The witch, Phoebe, was also taken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that. | wasn¡¯t aware she left my territory until one of my other Deltas informed me. Regardless, this is a serious


    matter. Two of my members are missing. Are there rescue ns in ce?¡±


    Right now? No. My fighters and yours suffered heavily from the fight, and I¡¯ve lost a few. My men and women are being treated


    by my pack hospital staff, including myself and your team.¡±


    Alpha Anthony sighed over the receiver. Despite the distance, | could feel the weight of his anguish. If | was in his position, I¡¯d


    react the same way. ¡°Right, right. | apologize. However, | can¡¯t sit by. My parents are aware of what happened and are preparing


    to head to Nevada at once.¡±


    ¡°Will | be seeing you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. | cannot sit by while my little sister and Phoebe are somewhere out there alone and afraid. Who knows what could be


    happening to them?¡±


    The very thought boiled my blood. If Kiya was hurt, I¡¯m burning this world to ash.


    ¡°If you''re staying, I''ll have the Omegas prepare rooms for you and your parents. We can discuss rescue ns once you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I''ve heard from my warriors they''re recovering fine, so that¡¯s a breath of relief. But yes, we''ll see you soon, Alpha


    Neron. Rest easy.¡±


    On the ¡®click¡¯, the phone call ended. My hands covered my face as | sighed hard, watching the lights from the sky grow darker.


    Kiya¡¯s presence affected me because nothing felt the same without her. It was colder, lonelier. | couldn¡¯t feel her, which worried


    me tremendously.


    Nothing was going to stop me from finding her.


    And | wouldn''t rest until | do.


    Chapter 78 ¡ª The Search


    Later That Evening


    I''m still in pain, but | was well enough to move. Valerian and Kwame were also healing well, bringing a smile


    my face. If | lost my best men, | don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do. Seeing them with their families was warming. A man¡¯s family could heal


    their soul quicker than medicine could.


    We''re all at the packhouse, watching the ck vehicle roll into the front yard. The Ga Moon warriors stepped up to greet their


    Alpha, their former Alpha, and Luna as they exited the car. | watch the former Luna fuss over the warriors like they''re her children


    and the former Alpha convinces her to not baby them so much. | chuckle silently.


    ¡°Alpha Neron.¡± Alpha Anthony firmly shook my hand. ¡°Good to see you alive and well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± | nod. ¡°Will your pack be alright without you?¡±


    ¡°Beta Dwayne and Beta Female Olivia will handle business alongside my Luna. It¡¯s in good hands.¡± He turned his head to Beta


    Jacqueline. ¡°Dwayne says to call him as soon as you''re able. The poord is worried.¡±


    ¡°Aww, he cares!¡± Jacqueline chortled. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to hear his yelling at how | wasn¡¯t careful and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Let us go inside. I¡¯ve cleared space in themon room for us to chat.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    We all sat in themon room after I¡¯ve been introduced to Anthony¡¯s parents, but | could already feel the tension in the air from


    Lyra and Ashley. Both were ring, their wolves sizing each other up. Ashley and Steven wanted to be part of the mission to


    rescue their daughter, but | was not sure if they¡¯ll remain alive to see it if both sets of parents continued to stare daggers into one


    another,


    | might have made a mistake.


    ¡°Could you tell me what happened before my daughter and Phoebe were taken?¡± Lyra asked me.


    Ashley growled. ¡°You mean, my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Mom, please,¡± Raina sighed, ¡°This is hardly the time. We need to focus on developing a n.¡±


    ¡°Your daughter?¡± Lyra smirked scornfully. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve the honor to speak those words, not after what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Mi Cielo...¡± Niki whispered while grasping her hand. ¡°You can pick a fightter. Kiya is counting on us to work together. My


    only solstice is that she¡¯s with Phoebe. They have each other.¡±


    Lyra sighed, bright eyes burning with tears. Patting her mate¡¯s hand, she turned to me. ¡°I apologize, Alpha Neron. Just tell us


    what happened.¡±


    We told them the entire story.


    Starting from the moment Kiya


    awoke as Selene¡¯s See) Rhd¨¦be¡¯s


    ival ipgtibetofe { ¨¦€ battle with


    Cerberus. When | spoke about the


    date Kiya and | had, Alpha Anthony


    gave me a look of pure disapproval.


    Not just him, but Niki and Lyra too.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


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    | felt like a kid


    g for their parent¡¯s approval to date their daughter. After the shit, I''ve done? They have every right to believe that | was unfit to be


    anything close to Kiya¡¯s partner or mate.


    Hell, | don¡¯t believe it either. At one


    point, my father came in to listen.


    The tension between iin ab¨¦ Niki


    waspalbable since they hada


    history. After it all, | allowed the


    Guerreros to digest everything in


    silence. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    Chapter 78. The Search


    ¡°The women are in the hands of a fucking cult.¡± Alpha Anthony growled. ¡°And we don¡¯t even know where the fuck they are. How


    the hell are we going to find them if we don¡¯t have a clue on where to start?¡±


    ¡°There might be one person who could help us,¡± Lyra mentioned, all eyes now on her. ¡°Phoebe has a friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend?¡± Sapphire asked.


    ¡°A friend,¡± Lyra repeated. ¡°She met him after you all left toe here and has taken a liking to him. He¡¯s also a witch. Maybe he


    could help us.¡±


    ¡°...But can we trust him?¡± Galen raised an eyebrow. ¡°This is the first we''ve heard about him.¡±


    | agree with Galen. Tensions were


    high and | don''t feelfortable


    having outsiders qnyrtpyeratGly a


    this frablithe: But Kiya¡¯s and


    Phoebe¡¯s lives were at stake. The


    danger only heightens the longer we


    wait for something to happen. The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    ¡°If this friend of hers could help us locate the women...then | wee it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sur


    you sure, Neron?¡± Valerian asked me through our link. ¡°We don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of.¡±


    ¡°This is our only shot. We have nothing, Val. No clues and no direction. Anything that gives us a chance to locate Kiya, I¡¯m willing


    to take.¡±


    ¡°You really care about Kiya.¡±


    ¡°I love her, Val. | can¡¯t lose her again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Niki nodded, pulling out his cell phone. ¡°He gave me his number to call him in case anything happens. His name is


    Endo.¡±


    Chapter Comments.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 ¡ª The Master


    ¡°There¡¯s no escaping me, my love. Surrender.¡± ¡ª ¡°Surrender¡± by Evanesence


    Kiya


    The darkness was cold. Frigid like the midst of a snowstorm.


    Someone was here, following my every move. | could not see their eyes, but | could feel them. Their heavy, foreboding presence


    made the hairs on the back of my neck stand erect.


    ¡°Who''s here?¡± My shaky voice asked. No response. This was getting worse by the second. Times like this [ wish | had night-


    vision because | couldn¡¯t see a damn thing. Only my unsteady breathing was heard, echoing


    between the unseen walls.


    ¡°Scared of the dark, little Moon?¡± A deep, rumbling voice purred from the ck. My heart almost stopped, frozen in shock. ¡°I


    promise | won''t bite... much.¡±


    | touched the cold door behind me, trying to feel for the knob. Once located, | found that it wouldn¡¯t budge. My desperation grew


    the harder that | pulled. My breathing staggered and sweat nds worked overtime. ¡°Let


    me out!¡±


    ¡°| won''t. | just want to talk to you, my dear.¡± Footsteps. Left, right, front, behind? The illusion of surround sound forced my fight-


    or-flight mode to act. | chose flight before, but the tables have turned as my body fought. But the developments bothered me.


    How could a human be this fast to surround me?


    Unless...he wasn¡¯t human. This was Nadia¡¯s mate? A coward hiding behind the darkness? Calming my staggered breathing, |


    shut my eyes and growled as deep and loud as | could.


    ¡°Isn''t itmon courtesy to see the person you''re talking to? You could see me, but | can¡¯t see you. How is that fair?¡±


    ¡°Adds to the illusion of mystery and it¡¯s fun! | can¡¯t have any fun while we chat?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± | snapped. ¡°Show yourself, coward!¡±


    Something slithered past my feet, slimy and scaly. The sudden surprise made me jump right into a cold body. Thick arms locked


    around me, the strength of this being was unmatched-he¡¯s stronger than me! His arms shuffled. One wrapped around my


    stomach and the other around my corbone. He presses my back against his hard chest, trapping me.


    The slithery thing wrapped around my ankles and calves. One loop around turned to four before | saw something in the darkness


    that paralyzed me in fear.


    Two glowing red eyes stilling my heart. It stared into the depths of my soul, searching for a piece to take a bite out of.


    ¡°Don''t be rude, Little Moon. I¡¯m in a good mood and ruining it would cost you and | don¡¯t want to mar your lovely skin.¡± He snarls


    in my ear, warm air tickling the lobe. Involuntarily, | shook in his arms. ¡°Your scent is Intoxicating. So sweet. How many wolves


    grow weak in the knees from a single whiff of it?¡±


    ¡°So, you know I¡¯m a werewolf. What else do you know about me?¡±


    Chapter 29 The Master Chapter 79


    ¡°| know you''ve been through pain. You¡¯ve been through torment, agony, and horror. | also know that you hold enough anger to


    tear the earth in two.¡± He chuckled, his deep voice sending shards of ice to my core. ¡°Scent carries emotion few could defect. I¡¯m


    one of the lucky few that could and my, my...all those dark desires make your scent much sweeter,¡±


    I''m disgusted. | felt vited! Like a worm, | tried wiggling out of his grip. But his hold only tightened. ¡°Shhh. There¡¯s no need to


    fight. | will not harm you unlike some people in your past.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing about me!¡±


    ¡°| may not know everything about you, Little Moon, but that could change.¡± Light, feather-like touches trace the curvature of my


    neck, resting at my pulse. ¡°Did you know that blood carries memory? If | wanted to know more about you, my dear, all | have to


    do is sink my teeth into your neck and I''ll have what | need.¡±


    No.


    Oh. My. Goddess,


    He¡¯s-!


    ¡°Y¡ª-you''re a vampire?¡± | asked, my voice shaky once more. ¡°N¡ªNadia told me you''re half a werewolf!¡±


    ¡°Ah. Nadia. My mate doesn¡¯t know when to shut up, does she?¡± He snarled in contempt, his fingers stroking my chin. | wanted to


    puke. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a hybrid. A werewolf and vampire, or how many like to call me, an abomination.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to her?¡± 1 demanded, gritting my teeth in fury. ¡°She¡¯s your mate! She loves you more. than anything and


    you treat her like trash?¡±


    ¡°She is of use. She helps to take care of you and the rest of my avatars, does she not? | wouldn¡¯t throw her away like garbage!


    Even garbage is useful once recycled.¡±


    ¡°You''re a monster.¡± He was no different from Odessa, using Darien only for the bond. It infuriated me even


    more.


    ¡°Proudly so, Little Moon.¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that!¡± | tried and tried, but this bastard¡¯s hold was pure titanium. Must be that vampiric strength, and since he


    was a hybrid, it was the joint strength of two creatures.


    Something else didn¡¯t sit right with me. Werewolves carried a particr scent. One could tell who a werewolf is just by the wolf


    marker in their natural smell, but he doesn¡¯t have one. Could he be lying? | took huge whiffs to be sure, but | couldn''t tell..


    ¡°Sniffing to see if | have a wolf, huh?¡± Heughed again. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. | killed my wolf a long time ago. Stupid mutt


    became a nuisance, always interfering in my ns. Always caring about others before himself. It annoyed me.¡±


    My heart dropped and my throat went dry. He killed his woll? That''s impossible. Wolves were the better half of us. They were the


    yin to our yang. Our best friends, confidants, and partners for life. | could not imagine living without Artemis. She is my rock. |


    love her so much, and to lose her would devastate me.


    But to kill your wolf willingly? That''s on a new level of insanity!


    Master


    ¡°How could you?¡± | whispered, furious. ¡°The Moon Goddess blessed you with a wolf and you killed him?¡±


    ¡°Never liked him. Why keep around dead weight?¡± The fingers that caressed my chin soon wrapped themselves around my


    throat, squeezing. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you aren''t ready to hear the answers for, Little Moon. | wouldn¡¯t want you to get


    nightmares on my watch.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then answer this. Why did you kidnap me?¡±


    ¡°Simple. | need you.¡± | felt his chin rest on the top of my head, hunching over a bit to meet my height. ¡°The avatars | have are


    unique. Their powers are extraordinary, their gods certainly picked the right ones to carry out their duty. But the avatar of Selene


    is a raremodity and if | see something | like, | will have it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so | should appreciate the fact that you¡¯ve been stalking me?¡±


    ¡°I call it ¡®an intense observation on an individual, and we¡¯ve met before.¡±


    ¡°Funny, | don¡¯t recall ever seeing you before.¡± Yeah, Kiya, because he is covered in a cloak of mystery, you dumb bitch, | thought


    to myself.


    ¡°Don''t think too hard, Little Moon.¡± He pats my head condescendingly. ¡°All will be revealed in due time.¡± Suddenly, my head was


    forced to tilt to the side, exposing the left side of my neck. ¡°All this useless chatter has built up quite an appetite, and | have my


    eyes on a pretty little thing in my arms.¡±


    Cold kisses trailed up and down my neck, forcing a shiver through my body. Whimpering, | continued to fight. Continued to


    struggle. How could | escape the arms of a strong hybrid? | was supposed to be strong here, and | couldn¡¯t remove myself from


    this pervert! Fingers tightened around my throat again, now cutting off my oxygen supply.


    ¡°Stop. Struggling.¡± He growled against my neck. | could feel the shaping of his teeth, followed by the growth of fangs. ¡°I wouldn''t


    want to identally tear out your throat. Can¡¯t afford to lose my prized possession.¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± | shouted, panicked. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me!¡±


    ¡°| won''t do anything so barbaric, my Moon. Just a sip of your nectar of life and I''ll let you be on your way.¡±


    ¡°| prefer all my blood in my body, thanks!¡±


    ¡°Shhh...¡± His other arm forces my hips back, pressing against his flesh. ¡°I promise it won''t hurt. You just might enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°W-Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Who am |?¡± Faint growls echoed in


    my ear. Not the growls of a wolf, but


    the growls of an inhuman. | clo


    my eyes, forcing myatind to facus on


    something ¨¦lse and not the man


    about to sink his fangs into me.


    ¡°Remember my name, my dear,


    because you''ll be hearing it a lot in


    your dreams and your nightmares.


    My name is Osiris. Your Master.¡± The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    He sunk his teeth into the supple skin


    of my neck. The fangs found


    themselves drawn to my jugr vein,


    piercing, and Sana my life eskihce


    like athhetin the night. My blood


    flowed rapidly in his mouth. Judging


    by the rapid gulps Osiris was taking,


    he took more than a measly sip he


    originally imed. His arms


    tightened in a life-threatening hold,


    possessive and demanding. The


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    thetest chapter there!


    My world spun like a spinning top, but not from the blood loss. But from the sheer pleasure that rocketed


    Chapter 79 ¡ª The Master


    through my body. His deep guttural moans vibrated against my flesh, joyous. My legs buckled and quivered. while small, pathetic


    moans were heard.


    From my mouth.


    My body was betraying me. It was infuriating how a vampire¡¯s bite could feel so good. Osiris knew every nerve and fiber in my


    body and yed them like a skillful guitarist. They danced under sinister strings of his


    crossbars.


    He¡¯s the puppeteer, and | was the puppet.


    As my blood continued to leave my body faster than my heart could keep up, | began sinking into my darkness, cker than the


    one surrounding me. | couldn¡¯t stay awake. My body lost all the will to fight, preferring to stay in the haze of pleasure than the


    reality of my prison. What did this mean from now on?


    The red eyes in front of me disappeared. But when | felt another pair of sharp fangs, forceful and relentless, pierce my neck was


    when | finally sumbed to the darkness behind my eyelids.


    Osiris


    | shouldn''t have taken so much.


    Then again, did | care? She tasted exquisite, it had blessed my tongue with the finest and purest of all wine.


    Such power. Such magnificence flowing through her crimson essence. A simple sip sent me in a whirlwind of desire, losing


    myself in her sweet delicious blood..


    | knew for a fact that Kiya was to be mine. | would make her mine.


    Through her blood, | saw her memories. All of them. Blood carries more memory than the earth¡¯s oceans, and a droplet could


    reveal all about a person. Poor, sweet thing. She had dealt with more than the average human. My non-existent heart pounded


    for the first time, for the woman unconscious in my arms.


    We''re kindred spirits. We''ve both been through hell and back and emerged stronger than our tormentors. We aren¡¯t weak. We


    can destroy all.


    She was to never leave me!


    | picked Kiya¡¯s body up, bridal style,


    and walked back to my seat after


    sealing her wound with my tongue.


    i oueet pst, Repl, Si ered next to


    ¡®aking refuge around my arm. |


    rested my little Moon on myp, her


    head on my shoulder. Rubbing circles


    on her back, | kiss her forehead as I''d


    do with a lover. The content is on


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    chapter there!


    I''ll treat her better than that Alpha ever could.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 ¡ª- The Map


    ¡°And they say that a hero can save us, I¡¯m not gonna stand here and wait."¡ª¡°Terd by Nickleback


    Third Person POV


    Within a half-hour, several knocks on the front doors were heard, Neron promptly got up from his seat and when he opened it,


    chills shot down his spine the moment his eyes met steel grey.


    Atall, broad¡ªshouldered man stood dressed inmon fashion: a simple ck tee with matching pants and knee-high boots


    yet holding a leather cross bag slung from his right shoulder. Odd choice of fashion in the summertime. His dyed cobalt¡ªblue hair


    brushed against his eyshes, shielding half his face in mystery. The man continued to stare straight into Neron¡¯s soul.


    ¡°Are you Endo?¡± Neron asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He answered with a monotonous tone. ¡°Will our staring contest continue, or can |e in?¡±


    The Alpha didn¡¯t like him. If this was under different circumstances, he would have Endo booted off his territory, but he was doing


    this for his mate. For Kiya. It was the only reason this witch was here. Stepping aside, Endo marched through the threshold.


    Upon entering themon room, his indifference cracked into a warm smile when his eyesnded on Lyra and Niki. ¡°Mr. and


    Mrs. Guerrero, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you both again.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Endo.¡± Lyra smiled, pulling the man into a hug. ¡°I wish it was under better circumstances.¡±


    Endo¡¯s smile fell. ¡°How long ago were Phoebe and her friend taken?¡±


    ¡°They were taken some time this morning.¡±


    Endo¡¯s eyes moistened. Despite their brief time together, he had grown fond of Phoebe. His heart lurched at the thought of her


    hurt and hungry. In his head, he made a silent prayer to Goddess Hecate for her protection. ¡°I''ll do my best to locate them.¡±


    ¡°So, what type of witch are you?¡± Beta Jacqueline asked. ¡°I thought the females are called witches.¡±


    ¡°Witch is a gender-neutral term.¡± The blue¡ª-haired man replied. ¡°May | use this table for my supplies?¡± He asked the ranked


    wolves of Zircon Moon. With permission, Endo sank to his knees and began pulling items out of his cross bag.


    Candles, herbs, crystals, arge map, and more. A map of Nevada and the surrounding states andnds stood boldly from the


    tanned, wrinkled parchment. As he silently set up his station, the questions continueding.


    ¡°How did you meet Phoebe?¡± Came from Darien.


    ¡°We met in an ult shop. She was shopping for craft supplies and we chatted. | knew there was something special about her


    from the moment | looked into her eyes.¡± Endo looked up briefly. ¡°Only a special witch could have eyes as purple as amethyst.¡±


    ¡°What else do you know about her?¡± Galen asked.


    Chapter 80- The Map


    ¡°| know she¡¯s Goddess Hecate¡¯s avatar. She¡¯s skilled in the darker arts. Not ofmon darkness, many believe, but of the more


    controversial crafts with spirits, ghosts, and necromancy. She¡¯s the only one who should practice that craft, for it is forbidden for


    the rest of witches on this green Earth.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Abigail pondered, leaning from her seat to observe the man closely.


    ¡°Power is seductive,¡± Endo answered with a grim tone, cing his crystals on the outer edge of the table. ¡°Necromancy holds the


    power ofmunicating and potentially raising the dead. That''s a power that could casily fall in the wrong hands. We should not


    disturb the dead unless it¡¯s for dire circumstances dictated by Goddess Hecate¡¯s avatar. Unfortunately, not all witches follow this


    sacred rule.¡±


    ¡°Then what type are you?¡±


    ¡°Eclectic. | don¡¯t home in on a specific craft. Are you all done interrogating me?¡±


    ¡°Endo.¡± Niki ced a hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing. ¡°After what they''ve gone through today, they are wary of


    neers. Two of our own are gone.¡±


    ¡°...l apologize.¡± The man nodded, pressing his lips in a fine line. ¡°Forgive me if | came off as rude.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. We just want to know if you could locate them women.¡± Anthony assured, kneeling on one knee next to him. ¡°Can you?¡±


    Endo stared at the Alpha of Ga Moon for a minute. Fragments of color appeared before his grey eyes, vibrant and powerful.


    Darting his eyes from one person to another, each harbored a swirl of colors telling him a story of their rampant emotions.


    However, many shades of orange and deep yellow were themon colors he picked out from the group. The witch knitted his


    eyebrows in concern. ¡°There are bursts of orange and deep yellow around you all. Feeling worried is an understatement, right?¡±


    Anthony raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wait. You can see color around us?¡±


    Endo nods. ¡°I have synesthesia. It¡¯s helpful when detecting someone¡¯s emotions. In fact,¡± He looks at everyone. ¡°Most of you


    have the same colors. However, those two colors are strongest in you, Anthony, and him.¡± He gestures at Neron. ¡°I see deep


    green around you as well. You feel guilty about something.¡±


    Neron¡¯s eyes widened in both shock and anger. Shocked that this witch could read him like a book and angry that he felt


    exposed. Yes, he felt guilty. He felt guilty about losing Kiya. For making her sad before she was taken from him. For not being


    strong enough to keep her safe.


    ¡°It''s not about me.¡± Neron snapped to gear the conversation away from him. ¡°It¡¯s about Kiya and Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°Niki mentioned on the phone that they''ve disappeared without a trace.¡± Endo tapped his chin in thought as he stared at his


    map. ¡°What I could do is a locator spell. There are several kinds, but none of the safer ones would work in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Safer ones?¡± Kwame repeated, but in a questioning tone. ¡°Are you saying that there¡¯s a dangerous locator


    spell?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Endo sighed. ¡°We witches do not use often this one for that reason. This type is only used if any other means cannot find


    the missing person. To my knowledge, a brute who covered his tracks took the women. It left no evidence for you to use.


    Unfortunately, that calls for this locator spell.¡±


    ¡°What makes it so dangerous?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°Will someone get hurt?¡±


    3/6


    Chapter 60: The Map


    The witch shut his eyes, nning his next words. ¡°In normal locator spells, | use a sacred item of the


    individual. A trinket they hold dear to their heart. | have nothing sacred of Phoebe¡¯s. Does Kiya have a piece of jewelry she


    treasures?¡±


    ¡°She had that one selenite ne,¡± Sapphire answered, tapping her cheek with a finger. ¡°She wore it to stabilize her powers,


    but Phoebe said it is useless because she awakened. She handed it to Phoebe right before they were kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Understood. It leaves us with this, then. This locator spell requires a lot of spiritual energy. Instead of an item, | could find the


    person through a bond.¡±


    ¡°Could a mate bond work in these instances?¡± Neron asked, ready to jump in and help. ¡°I¡¯m Kiya¡¯s mate.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Only if the bond is epted on both sides. Has Kiya epted and embraced the mate bond with you?¡±


    Guilty, Neron cast his eyes to the ground. ¡°No, she hasn''t.¡±


    ¡°Then | cannot use an underdeveloped mate bond. That leaves a familial bond. Phoebe has no known family, but does Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Steven spoke up. ¡°We''re her biological parents and Raina is her older sister.¡±


    Endo¡¯s eyes scanned the family, from Steven to Ashley, to Raina. His eyes lingered on Raina for a minute, watching the colors


    surround her in swirls.


    ¡°Purple is the color of ambition. You want to help, do you?¡±


    ¡°| do.¡± Raina nodded, eyes watering. ¡°Kiya is my little sister. | hurt her so much in the past and... I¡¯d do anything for her to forgive


    me. | don¡¯t know how she¡¯s doing right now, I¡¯m afraid to think about it. | want to bring her home. Just tell me how.¡±


    ¡°The spell requires the bond of blood. You and Kiya have a bond only sisters could share. It is weak, but it is enough for the spell.


    With this enchanted map, | could pinpoint where she is. If she and Phoebe are together, we could save them both.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Raina smiled, already optimistic. ¡°But what makes it so dangerous?¡±


    ¡°It''s called the bond of blood for a reason. It¡¯s going to take a great deal on your part to connect to Kiya, mentally, and spiritually.


    And I''ll need your blood for the map because blood is sacred and holds connections and memories. However, because of the


    great deal of energy, you''ll exert, it could hurt you. There¡¯s also a risk


    of death.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Everyone turned their heads to see Valerian snarling, furious. Emerald shifted to coal ck. ¡°I¡¯m not risking my


    wife for this!¡±


    ¡°Val, | have to do this.¡± Raina stood to face her husband. ¡°It¡¯s our only chance of saving my sister.¡±


    ¡°Not at the expense of your life! What happens if this thing goes wrong? | need you. Adonis needs you. If | lose you...


    Raina took her mate¡¯s hand and


    squeezed it with reassurance. Her


    free hand cupped his face, a thump


    runnin across hig ohdek. Ne you.


    Thahk. For standing up for me.


    But this is Kiya. You know how many


    times | stayed up, praying to our


    Moon Goddess for the chance to see


    her again? To have her near me? | got


    that The content is on


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    chance and now, we evil took her away. I¡¯m not losing my sister again. This is our only option and I''ll prothy take part it it means


    Kiva steps foot in this house again.¡±


    Kissing Valers sweetly on his lips, she watched as ck turned back to gentle green. ¡°I''ll be fine. I¡¯m a tough


    ¡°You are ¡°Valerian chuckled, rubbing his knuckles against his love¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°| will.¡± She then turns to Endo. ¡°I¡¯m ready, Let¡¯s find them.¡±


    was time to begin the spell. Endo had prepared his station with the needed items. Both the witch and the


    held hands, ignoring the soft jealous growls from Valerian. Once Enda began the foreign incantation, the atmosphere in the room


    crackled with mystical energy. The colors of the rainbow were visible to the naked. eve, dancing, and twitling. mes of the


    candles rose and thickered with the energy of the vibrating crystals.


    ¡°Concentrate,¡± Endo ordered. ¡°Focus your energy on your sister. Use your bond to reach out. Push out stray. thoughts for they


    would break your focus.¡±


    Raina shut her dark eyes, pouring her


    energy into Kiya. At first, there was


    nothing. Just ck, like a faulty


    telephone connectign But then Bre


    fet it The (ag! the sisterly bond she


    thought died was there, guiding her


    to the end. She almost wanted to cry


    in joy. The more effort she put in, the


    more sweat was seen on her. She


    refused to stop, despite the worries


    of her mate and parents. The content


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    chapter there!


    After a minute, she got a glimmer of hope. She felt her. She felt her baby sister.


    ¡°She¡¯s exhausted,¡± Raina muttered, ¡°Drained of energy.


    ¡°What else can you feel or see?¡±


    ¡°Everything is dark but...¡± Raina¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, ¡°Someone''s holding her?¡±


    ¡°Is it Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°No...it is someone else, and she doesn¡¯t like him.¡±


    Forcing an inner beast back is a feat Neron had to do on his own. Onyx nearly sprung forward in a rage at the thought of


    someone else touching his beloved. His anger was akin to his human¡¯s, ready for a rampage.


    ¡°Keep holding on, Miss Raina.¡± Endo


    let go of her hand and pulled out a


    pocketknife. ¡°Before you te rey


    throat aut. Slister V n, know that


    whilelthe connection is strong, a drop


    of blood from Raina would help


    narrow down Kiya¡¯s exact location on


    this map. If she¡¯s within the Tri-state


    area, we''ll be fine.¡± The content is on


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    chapter there!


    ¡°And if she¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°We''ll deal with it when the timees,¡±


    Kwame held his Beta back to prevent him from disrupting the ritual. Everyone watched as Raina¡¯s palm was cut. She didn¡¯t


    flinch, but her parents did. Blood dripped onto the parchment, the magic swirling the blood in all areas before concentrating on a


    specific location.


    The center of Nevada, deep in the wilderness.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 ¡ª The Strategy


    ¡°Shatter me! Somebody make me feel alive and shatter mer ¡ª Shatter Me by Lindsey Stirling & Lzzy Hale


    Third Person POV


    ¡°We got it,¡± Endo announced. ¡°Miss Raina, cut the connection now.¡±


    They uncovered the location of the missing women. The members of both Zircon Moon and Ga Moon rejoiced in delight that


    their direction was clear. Nothing was preventing them from rescuing Phoebe and Kiya. Onyx, deep within Neron, howled


    because he was one step closer to having his mate again. The monsters who took her away from him and his human would pay


    in blood.


    However, the unanticipated burst of defiance from their Beta Female caused them to backtrack. Sweating profusely with a


    throbbing headache, Raina shook her head. ¡°No! I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°| must advise against that.¡± The witch warned. ¡°You''ve already exerted enough energy. Stop now.¡±


    Raina didn¡¯t listen. Her refusal worried her loved ones but powered her resolve. She continued to push more effort into the


    connection with the aid of her wolf, Cyra. Both worked harmoniously to connect to their sister and sister wolf. The strength of the


    fortitude proved fruitful, for it was powerful enough to awaken Kiya from


    her state of unconsciousness.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Kiya shrieked. The volume of her voice was loud in Raina¡¯s mind, their sisterly bond forging a


    clear mental connection.


    ¡°Kiya! Oh, thank Goddess, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Raina? How the hell are you in my head?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t have time to exin. Where are you?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know! I¡¯m in this ce with other avatars. Phoebe¡¯s here too, but | don¡¯t know where she is.¡±


    ¡°The good thing is that we''re looking for you both. We''reing, baby sis.¡±


    ¡°The leader has me! His name is-!¡±


    The connection abruptly severed, shattering the focus Raina had. As if someone forcibly ripped the link from both sides. The


    crackling mystical energy ceased to nothingness, the mes blew out, and the crystals stilled like ordinary rocks. The woman


    groaned before falling backward, caught by a panicked Valerian.


    Ashley and Steven surrounded their eldest daughter, checking her breathing and wiping sweat off her forehead. Endo sighed in


    relief when Raina¡¯s chest continued to rise and fall with signs of life. ¡°Thank Goddess Hekate. Miss Raina will be fine. She just


    needs rest.¡±


    ¡°Is she hurt?¡± Valerian growled. ¡°Because if she is!¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t. Your wife willingly pushed forward, despite my warnings. That is a choice she made. I¡¯ve done all | can. It¡¯s because of


    her we have the location on the missing women.¡±


    He pointed to where the blood was on the map. ¡°They never left the state.¡±


    Chapter 1 ¡ª The Strategy


    ¡°That¡¯s in the middle of nowhere,¡± Anthony muttered as he red hard at the parchment. ¡°Far from any known cities.¡±


    ¡°A perfect ce to hide kidnapped avatars.¡± The witch muttered, eyes narrowing. ¡°Nevada is a big state and to travel to their


    location would take hours on foot.¡±


    ¡°We''re fast. We can cut that time in half as wolves.¡± Neron announced, rising to his feet. ¡°As much as | want to leave right now


    and rescue her, we''ll depart in the morning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ashley eximed, brown eyes alight with anger. ¡°Alpha Neron, we should leave now! Anything could happen to Kiya


    from now to the morning. We can¡¯t waste any time!¡±


    ¡°Ashley, think, we don¡¯t know who we''re up against. They have the manpower to kidnap avatars who are known to be powerful. It


    took work to cover their tracks. We couldn¡¯t detect them without the spell. If they¡¯re skilled to leave no evidence of their trail, then


    they''re skilled enough to hide their kidnapees from the world¡¯s view and that takes both resources and power.¡±


    ¡°Look around you.¡± He gestured to his surroundings. ¡°Our warriors are still recovering from Cerberus¡® assault, myself included.


    We must be at our best to save the women and the other avatars. I¡¯m not sending my soldiers ill-equipped and unhealed into


    another fight because you want to rush.¡±


    ¡°Kiya¡¯s strong...¡± Everyone turned to see Raina, weakened in the arms of her husband. ¡°She¡¯ll...she¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°My love, please save your strength,¡± Valerian whispered lovingly, lifting her bridal style. He left themon room to put her to


    bed. Neron turned his attention back to the group, ordering them to head to bed as well. They''ll be up before sunrise for the


    rescue mission. Omega Cassandra led Alpha Anthony and his parents to their rooms for the night.


    The tension between Niki and Jonathan, who remained silent throughout the spell, was as thick as butter. Both shared a


    heavy look before separating. That left father and son alone in themon room, with Neron walking to the window. The


    silvered light of the full moon peeked through the window curtains, dotting his skin and shirt.


    ¡°You spoke like a true leader tonight, son,¡± Jonathanmented. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Neron answered, void of emotion. He watched the curtains il gently from the breeze through the opening. There


    wasn¡¯t much he wanted to say to his father. Anger still simmered within him for how he disrespected Kiya back at the hospital.


    Jonathan wanted to say more. To remind Neron of his goal. To remind him to keep Kiya on a tighter leash because she''ll stray,


    willingly or not. To remind him that Kiya is his ticket to greatness beyond his wildest imagination. Neron had the potential to be


    better than him, to be the Alpha of all Alphas, but his weakness irritated him.


    Why was he slow? Why did he continue to put Kiya¡¯s needs above the pack? All he had to do was mate, and the avatar¡¯s power


    would be shared. He would be untouchable, and yet, he refused. All because Kiya. continues to run from her fate as Luna.


    Never had he met a woman reject the throne of Luna. Many she-wolves of Zircon Moon would kill to be in Kiya¡¯s position. Luna


    was a title of respect and power, but she continued to run. How to make her realize that the more she runs, the quicker destiny


    would catch up to her? She must love his son. She must bind herself to him. She doesn¡¯t have a choice.


    Chapter al The Strategy


    That¡¯s where she belongs. Jonathan thought.


    Realizing that Neron was not up for conversation, he departed to his home, leaving his son alone in the silence. His thoughts


    were taken up by his beautiful mate, wondering if she was well. Despite the distance separating and weakening their bond,


    Neron received very faint inklings of Kiya¡¯s well-being. She was exhausted. How could he sleep if she was not? How could he


    eat if she isn¡¯t? He couldn¡¯t reward himself with the luxuries offort when Kiya was imprisoned in the arms of another man.


    ¡°Wait for me, Kiya.¡± Neron made a silent vow as the full moon came to view from the curtains. It was a vow to his mate and to the


    Moon Goddess whose silver eyes observe him. ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±


    Nadia-The Next Morning


    Humans are weak. The hybrids say.


    If she wasn¡¯t bound to Lord Osiris, she would have been cast out like trash. The hybrids also say.


    How could creatures be so heartless? Blessed with dual abilities, they use them for darkness. But it was true; if | wasn¡¯t mated to


    Osiris, | would not be walking through these halls now,


    God, | long for the sun on my skin again. The freedom of the outside world like how my life used to be before | met him. Now, it


    was full of gloom and istion. Because Osiris was a hellbent vignte who med the world for his suffering.


    My heart could no longer reach him, no matter how hard | tried. He doesn¡¯t look at me with love anymore. The zing heat of his


    admiration and dedication faded when he decided to be a crusader of darkness. He couldn''t fight the influence that had been


    brewing in him since birth. How much of a fool am | believing that the love of a human was powerful enough tobat the force


    of his chaos?


    Even as he uses his fellow avatars for his dark deeds. Committing such crimes against his kind as representatives of the gods is


    horrid. It was a miracle why none had struck him down. It was because Apophis¡¯ hold over him is so powerful that no other god


    could sever their connection.


    But this must stop! It had to. No one deserves to live like this, mindless with their willpower stripped away.


    | watch the avatars, powerless by the enchanted cuffs on their wrists and robotic because of being drugged, obeymands


    from the hybrids without question, like watching zombies do the bidding of their master.


    Magic and drugs make a dream concoction for power¡ªhungry creatures.


    | watched Kiya, light void from her


    eyes, gather supplies for Osiris


    without trouble. Her movements


    were controlled and,st(ff, like@ a8)


    is .


    machin¡¯ Ky Ynate had her under his


    control, stripping her of her


    self-control. Scopmine and


    wolfsbane were responsible for her


    altered state, control the human and


    the wolf at the same time. Neither


    could fight back. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    It''s time to end this, and | know Lucien feels the same. He was Osiris¡® best friend and had been vocal about his disgraceful


    actions from forming this underground society to kidnapping innocent people, but even he couldn''t pierce through his ck heart.


    But it was prime time | did something about this. Osiris would hurt me, but | don¡¯t care. These avatars needed. to be freed.


    Chapter 1 ¡ª The Strategy


    Before Kiya could walk back to him, |


    pulled her to the side. Like a doll, she


    doesn''t respond. ee mayes |


    en she mustG hated seeing her


    like this. | knew there was a fighter in


    her, and | needed to bring it out of


    this drug-induced haze. We abandon


    the supplies in a heap on the ground.


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Read thetest chapter there!


    Pulling her into an empty room, | grab her shoulders and shake her hard. ¡°Kiya, please! Wake up from this nightmare! You aren¡¯t


    indebted to Osiris; you need to fight this!¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond. She could only respond to her influencer and it angered me. In fury, | rip the enchanted cuffs off her wrists,


    hoping her avatar powers could help her break free.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± | yelled in her face, looking


    deep in her lifeless brown eyes. ¡°This


    is not you. You aren''t a servant. You


    aren''t a save, Yuta ne


    wolves fi Ae They w, they scratch,


    and they don¡¯t give up. You don''t give


    up! Think about the people who care


    about you, the people that love you.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    They wouldn''t want to see you like


    this, would they?¡± The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Just as | thought | couldn¡¯t reach her, a glimmer of hope appeared before my eyes. Kiya began blinking rapidly. With every blink,


    | see the light of her willpower glow and fade. But with each appearance, it grew stronger.


    | don¡¯t know if it was her fighting. Or her wolf. Perhaps it was both, but she wasing through. With a tearful smile, | grip her


    shoulders tighter. ¡°That¡¯s it. Fight it! Deviate! You''re in control, not him!¡±


    | knew the wolfsbane in her system would hold back her wolf, but something told me that wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem, she


    was the avatar of a Moon Goddess. She was the strongest wolf on earth, and now with her powers unblocked, Kiya would reach


    her full potential.


    The light came back. Dazzling. The woman looked at me, fully alert. She had every reason not to trust me, but through our silent


    stares, | knew that we needed to work together on th


    I''ve been developing a n for the avatars to escape, and it was time to execute it. We must stop Osiris.


    ¡°I''m getting you out of here.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82 ¨C The Mission


    ¡°Put on your war paint! The war is won before it¡¯s begun, release the doves, surrender love.¡± ¡°The Phoenix¡± by Fall Out Boy


    Third Person POV


    The sun gradually rose over the horizon as the golden light marked the early start of a brand¨Cnew <b>day</b>. Commotion <b>and </b>chatter echoed across the frontwn of Zircon territory, wolves, and warriors alike, gearing themselves up for the mission <b>ahead</b>. The charred earth was <b>not </b>enough to damper the enthusiasm and determination. With both <b>Alpha </b>Neron and Alpha Anthony leading <b>the </b>charge, it would prove to be the mission of a lifetime.


    Alpha Anthony requested a group of his finest warriors to aid in <b>him</b>. Kiya and Phoebe proved to be irreceable members of Ga Moon, motivating the fighters to join in on the rescue effort. Cars and <b>vans </b>carrying the strongest warriors of California rolled in, joining the militia in preparation. The numbers grew to <b>one </b>hundred.


    Grit proved to be the key to Neron¡¯s healing because therge wound on his stomach disappeared overnight. No longer needing the gauze, he was free from the imprisonment of pain. His mind focused on Kiya and how he would stop at nothing to reach her. Standing on a boulder, he looked over thend. He <b>allowed </b>only his best and healed warriors to take part. He could not risk any more than what he already had. Some needed to stay behind and defend the territory in his absence.


    The journey to <b>the </b>location would take hours but would be cut in half in wolf form. It was the mere difference in those hours that would decide if the women would return or remain captive. Deep <b>down</b><b>, </b>he admired the sight of two packs working in unison to rescue women they considered valuable.


    On his left, he watched his Beta and Beta Female speak with Abigail. With his enhanced hearing, he picked up a conversation about the woman looking after Adonis. The little boy¡¯s green eyes twinkled with wonder and worry as he looked at his beloved <b>parents</b>.


    ¡°Take <b>good </b>care of my son, Abigail.¡± Raina shook her uninjured hand. With a broken arm, her friends insisted that she stayed. Beta Jacqueline was not letting her anywhere near this fight.


    ¡°I will.¡± She smiled warmly, patting the five¨Cyear¨Cold¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Adonis and I will have fun together<b>, </b>right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°Mommy, Daddy, are you bringing Auntie Kiya back?¡± Neron¡¯s heart throbbed painfully. From the distance, he saw the love the little boy had for Kiva


    ¡°<b>Yes</b><b>, </b>we will.¡± Valerian smiled, ruffling his hair. ¡°<b>We¡¯re </b>going to bring her back and you get to y with her again. Maybe you could show her your toy ne collection.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± He hugged his parents tight, wishing them luck. Neron prayed for the Moon Goddess to cast her protection on Raina and Valerian. They must return safely to their <b>son</b>.


    There <b>was </b>no telling what they¡¯ll encounter. Weapons? Magic? Anything and everything were possible for the risk of a violent ambush, and each wolf must remain on their toes. Both Alphas hoped that they¡¯ll return with all their warriors, but deep down, they feared casualties.


    ¡°Alpha Neron.¡± He turned to see Lyra with a serious look on her face. ¡°I want to speak to you in private.¡±


    Chapter 82 ¨C The Mission


    ¡°Of course.¡± Both walked towards a <b>tree </b>that miraculously survived the inferno. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about my daughter<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°I love her, and I want her to be safe and sound,¡± Neron replied without hesitation. ¡°I made mistakes. Huge mistakes that I cannot take back, no <b>matter </b>how <b>hard </b>I pray. <b>I </b><b>know </b>you know what I did to Kiya, and it was true. I did horrible things to her and I¡¯ll never forgive myself for it. I seek her forgiveness, but I know I¡¯ll never get it and that¡¯s okay. I deserve your hate, Lyra. I deserve it all. But know that I¡¯ll never stop caring for Kiya and I¡¯ll be the first one to rip the bastard apart who took her from us.¡±


    Lyra stared hard at Neron for a solid minute, eyes detecting for any lies. Neron could see how much she deeply <b>cared </b>for her adoptive daughter just by her eyes alone. She was her true mother. A mother who lived and breathed for protecting her child, blood or not. Even with the obvious rift between her and Ashley, he could see Lyra¡¯s love as pure. She helped Kiya to recover, and he couldn¡¯t repay her for being a <b>woman </b>blessed with a golden heart.


    ¡°See to it you keep your promises<b>, </b>Alpha Neron. I have no problem ripping out your intestines if you ever think about harming my daughter again.¡± <b>She </b>growled warningly at him. ¡°My husband and I will aid you <b>in </b>this fight. Phoebe and Kiya <b>are </b>my children, and I love them dearly.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Oh, <b>and </b>one more thing.¡± She whispered low with <b>eyes </b>full of contempt. ¡°Keep your father away from Kiya. Call it a mother¡¯s intuition.¡±


    Lyra departed from the trees to join her husband. His father would not be joining in on the rescue effort, not that he cared. He preferred his father to keep his distance from Kiya and him. Neron loved his father, but he was beginning to bother him. Something wasn¡¯t sitting right in his heart.


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    The Alpha looked up to see the white owl perched on a branch, staring down at him. Gold in blue. The owl gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling. Strangeing from an animal Onyx would eat. He watched the owl fly from its branch and <b>circle </b>in the sky above <b>the </b><b>wolves</b>. Many didn¡¯t notice, but <b>he </b>did.


    What did this mean?


    ¡°Neron.¡± Alpha Anthony walked over with Endo at his side. ¡°It¡¯s time. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He firmly nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need this map.¡± Endo handed him the rolled¨Cup parchment. ¡°The <b>blood </b>will shimmer the closer you get to their location. I won¡¯t be joining you, but I¡¯ll be here when you return with the women.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you have confidence we¡¯ll seed.¡± Neron smirked, taking the map in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself, Alpha. I see how everyone here is willing to put their lives on the line for two women. It¡¯s remarkable.¡± The witch smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll <b>leave </b>you to it. I wish you both luck on the mission. Stay safe and stay


    alert. Who knows what¡¯s out there?¡±


    Endo couldn¡¯t <b>be </b>any more correct. Both Alphas shared a look. Neither of them expected to be teaming up <b>in </b><b>a </b>fight like this. Anthony still held contempt for Neron after how he treated his sister, but he was willing to


    push that aside to <b>save </b>her.


    Chapter 82- The Mission


    Sooner thanter, <b>both </b><b>Alphas </b>addressed their joint army, A sea of men and women with hardened faces and fire in their colorful eyes listened and digest every word their respective Alpha spoke<b>. </b>It was like listening speech from the topmanders in a war. Each fighter joined this mission with one thing in mind, to rescue their missing. Jacqueline, Galen, Darien, and Sapphire were itching to shift and bolt to save their friends.


    They felt they needed to redeem themselves for failing to protect their preciouspanions. They couldn¡¯t help them when they were <b>taken</b>, but they were determined to be the ones to bring them home. The orchestrator of their abduction was as good as <b>dead</b>.


    Once the empowering <b>speech </b>was over, the warriors cheered with power and resolve. They¡¯re ready for the challenge.


    And it was time for the departure.


    Jonathan watched as thebined army marched out of the territory, their footsteps growing quieter the further they got. He knew they would find Kiya. That¡¯s all he cared about because losing her <b>meant </b>losing <b>power</b>, and he couldn¡¯t afford that.


    Diana, the owl, tailed behind the army with <b>her </b>majestic white wings gliding through the air.


    <b>Kiya</b>


    Osiris must have done something to my memory because I remembered nothing between the time of Raina speaking in my <b>head </b>to when Nadia woke me up.


    I wanted to kill that bastard, but I couldn¡¯t. I needed to save Phoebe and Violetta <b>and </b>get the <b>hell </b>out of here, But the question was, how do we get out of here? When we escape, where would we go? We don¡¯t know where <b>we </b>were or how far we were from home. I don¡¯t <b>even </b>know if it was day or <b>night</b>.


    The facility was like a run¨Cdown asylum. Huge and unfriendly. I had to act like a zombie around the hybrids that passed by Nadia. it was all to keep face. I was still unsure whether I could trust this woman, but I had to. If she held my ticket out of here, then I had to take it.


    Artemis was <b>weak</b>. The damn wolfsbane <b>in </b>my system continued to burn, but it didn¡¯t damper my <b>other </b>senses. So many hybrids were <b>here</b>. I smelled a mixture of witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, and so <b>much </b>more. How many hybrids were truly out there? How many fell beneath the cracks and fell victim to this dark society?


    Yet, it doesn¡¯t excuse their actions. They kidnapped me and my kind. They¡¯ll pay for what they¡¯ve done.


    <b>Nadia </b>had a n. I don¡¯t know <b>what</b>, but it had better be a good <b>one</b>.


    The n wasid out for me when we made it to the far side of the facility, Nadia quickly pulled out a syringe and injected a corrupt witch in the neck. The witch plopped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Since the door was no longer guarded, I barged through, smelling Phoebe¡¯s scent wafting from the cracks.


    I saw my good friend unconscious on a metal b. <b>Various </b>needle holes and other markings were present on her <b>pale </b>skin. Anger boiled within me at the thought of what Phoebe must have gone <b>through</b>, I jumped to action to help her regain consciousness.


    ¡°Phoebe,¡± I whispered, patting her cheek. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s me. Please, wake up.¡±


    Chapter 82 ¨C The Mission


    After a minute, she came to. There were those purple eyes I love so much! ¡°Kiya?¡± She groaned, propping herself on her elbows. ¡°W¨CWhat happened?¡±


    ¡°<b>There¡¯s </b>no time to exin,¡± Nadia announced from the door. ¡°The longer we wait, <b>the </b>more we are at risk of getting discovered. We need to keep moving and rescue others.¡±


    I helped Phoebe on her <b>feet</b>, catching her when she lost her bnce. She was a little weak, but still could move. Nadia removed the enchanted cuffs, and we went forth on finding Violetta. We found her chained


    up in a distant room guarded by two <b>men</b>. Phoebe and I made quick work to subdue them through <b>a </b>series of hitting pressure points or with blows to the back of the head.


    Damn evil hybrids!


    Violetta was pissed at the treatment she got, no one deserved to be manhandled and chained because she refused to obey. The weird injection from the previous <b>day</b>, I think, wore off since she was back to being feisty.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, girls,¡± Nadia demanded as the four of us ran <b>down </b>another of the plethoric hallways in these parts ¡°There¡¯s one avatar we need to free, and he¡¯s the key to your escape.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Violetta replied. ¡°What could he do?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the avatar of Hurac¨¢n. His might over wind and <b>fire </b>is what we need.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± I paused, blinking. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nning on burning this ce to dust so Osiris can¡¯t hurt anyone ever again.¡±


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 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83 <b>The </b>Rescue


    ¨C


    ¨C


    ¡°Seasonse and go. But I will never change. And I¡¯m on my way¡± ¡°Written In the Stars¡± by Tinie Tempah


    <b>Kiya</b>


    This was a fight for freedom.


    I never thought I would be in this position again, battling for the right to see the daylight, to see the outside world. Same situation, different challenge.


    Once Cadmael, the avatar of <b>Hurac¨¢n</b>, was freed, the haunted asylum became the grounds of a battlefield. Hybrids of all shapes, sizes, and genders spilled from all corners, determined to hunt us down. Savages, <b>they¡¯d </b>call us. Savages <b>that </b>needed to be controlled.


    I refused to be acquiescent. A vow I made the night of my bonding with Ga Moon came to my mind as I callously punched a hybrid into a wall. Never again a ve. Never again a follower. Never again a <b>meek </b>girl without a voice.


    That promise echoed through the chambers of my mind like a siren song, pumping my blood with adrenaline. The deplorable conditions my fellow avatars were living in summoned a roar inside me. I¡¯ve been here for <b>a </b>short while. Who knew <b>how </b>long they imprisoned the others?


    I learned their names and <b>who </b>they represent. They¡¯re avatars of Thor, Loki, Yemoja, Krishna, The Morrigan, and more. Some were my age, some a little older, and some were just teenagers. These bastard hybrids even kidnapped a seven¨C<b>year</b>¨Cold girl! For what?


    All for power.


    People like this made me sick.


    Chaos ensued as we <b>free </b>all the avatars. The hybrids pulled out all the stops to <b>ensure our </b>submission<b>, </b><b>even </b>harboring weapons in case things went awry. I¡¯ve never stared down a barrel of a gun before, especially one


    that reeks of silver. But it didn¡¯t scare m


    What scared me more <b>was </b>that the person holding <b>the </b>gun wasn¡¯t at


    hybrid.


    <b>She </b>was <b>a </b>full werewolf. Just like <b>me</b>, <b>and </b>she looked like someone I know.


    ¡°On your knees, bitch.¡± She demanded. The little girl behind <b>me</b><b>, </b>who Ie to <b>know </b>as Femi, the avatar of Bastet, hid in fear. ¡°Or else I¡¯ll put a bullet in the brat.¡±


    Something about her infuriated me. The brown eyes, the brown hair, the cupid¨Cshaped face. Everything <b>about </b>this woman awakened Artemis from a volcanic pit of rage. Did she think she could put me down with a <b>mere </b>silver bullet? I kept forgetting who had the true advantage here.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She was <b>a </b><b>mere </b>werewolf with a gun. I was an avatar of the goddess she once followed. How <b>dare </b>she do this! How <b>dare </b>she do this to her kind?


    My body moved on its own. I fought the woman, using <b>the </b>sole advantage I had. I was fighting for others, while she fought for dominion over others. She would never win. I was <b>proved </b>correct when I used the gun to bash her on the head, knocking her out cold.


    Chapter 83 ¨C The Rescue


    ¡°Come on, Femi,¡± I instructed. The <b>sweet </b>girl with two puffs in her hair grabbed my hand, and we ran as fast as we could. <b>Gunshots</b>, screaming, fadedmands, and more mixed into the thick ether. It was going to take a lot for us to escape unharmed.


    ¡°Are we going to die, Miss?¡± Femi asked.


    ¡°Not today,¡± I answered back. None of us were dying. We ran downstairs, walking over the unconscious or dead bodies of hybrids. I expelled a breath of relief when there wasn¡¯t a <b>dead </b>avatar. Phoebe, Violetta, Nadia, and Cadmael met up with us.


    ¡°The hybrids and their allies have sealed up all exits throughout the ce,¡± Cadmael growled, running a hand through his brown hair.


    ¡°They don¡¯t want us to escape,¡± Phoebe muttered. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t have enough energy to teleport so many people out of here. It took a lot just to get <b>to </b>your ce, Kiya.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°We can¡¯t put you


    out?¡±


    put you at any more risk,¡± I muttered. My eyes found Nadia¡¯s. ¡°What could we do if there¡¯s no way


    ¡°They boarded up the windows and doors all around this ce, but they missed the top floor, as always. There¡¯s arge window. You can escape that way.¡±


    ¡°But this ce is five stories high!¡± Violetta pointed out. ¡°What if we don¡¯t make thending?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re right next to arge river,¡± Nadia exined. ¡°If yound in the water instead of the ground, you should be okay, but I need Cadmael¡¯s fire. This is our only chance and the other avatars are also fighting for their way


    out.¡±


    ¡°We have to take it, you guys,¡± I advised, squeezing Femi¡¯s trembling hand. ¡°If that is our only chance, we don¡¯t have any time to lose. I assume you¡¯ll light this ce up once we get out of here?¡±


    Nadia nodded. ¡°Yes. The fire would spread through the natural gas pipes, but you all should be gone before the <b>fire </b>starts. Once Cadmael does his job, he¡¯ll escape the same way.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n to me.¡± The bigger man shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to burn these motherfuckers <b>since</b>


    <b>the </b>moment that brute took me.¡±


    Holy shit, I forgot about Cerberus! Who knew where he <b>was </b>right <b>now</b>? He could very much bring us back to Osiris <b>and </b>his goons without a second thought. Suddenly, a faint scent curled in my nose, carried by the distant wind. It grew stronger by the second, and its potency was powerful enough to seep through the walls


    of this asylum.


    It was a scent I was all <b>too </b>familiar with, but there was more. Many more. My heart pounded at the hope that hugged me like a weighted nket, sparking the light of renewal into <b>this </b>dreary situation.


    ¡°Phoebe, I smell them<b>!</b>¡± I hopped. ¡°They¡¯re here! Our pack is here!¡±


    ¡°Wait, you <b>can </b>smell <b>them</b>?¡± Phoebe wondered <b>in </b>astonishment. Light <b>glittered </b>in her amethyst eyes, happy tears pooled in her tear ducts, ¡°They¡¯re here to rescue us<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Wait, who are you guys talking about?¡± Cadmael asked, confused. ¡°What do you mean ¡®smell them¡® or ¡®pack¡®? I smell nothing but sweat <b>and </b>blood.¡±


    Chapter 03- The Rescue


    Cadmael didn¡¯t know I <b>was </b>a werewolf. Even Femi shot me a confused look. Nadia smiled as bright as Phoebe<b>. </b>There had to be a way to let the pack know we were here. The joint scents of both Ga Moon and Zircon Moon <b>continued </b>to grow stronger, albeit slowly.


    Anthony came! And Neron too? Holy <b>shit</b>, he¡¯s alive?


    <i>¡°</i>Artemis, I know you¡¯re <b>weak</b>, but I need your help.¡±


    ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking. Yes<b>, </b>I¡¯m feeling sluggish, but that won¡¯t make me any less. useful. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Always.¡± I turn to everyone. ¡°Cover your cars.¡± Everyone did <b>so</b>, even little Femi. I <b>had </b>to howl. Wolf howls were <b>known </b>to help other wolves find their location; it was a better tracker than scent. If I howl loud enough, I could lead them here to save us.


    I stood strong and <b>tall</b>, Artemis now at the forefront of my mind, present and ready. I prayed to Selene to help me, to allow my howl to reach the cars of all the wolves who hade to save Phoebe and me. To show them the path of light. To lead them to victory. And at that moment, it was like I could feel her cool <b>hands </b>on my


    shoulders.


    Urging me to <b>be </b>the beacon.


    I howled. Strong <b>and </b>loud. It shook the walls of the asylum, no doubt ringing through the ears of good and evil alike but <b>that </b>was fine. I didn¡¯t care. We would deal with them as they came.


    I howled again, somehow twice as <b>loud </b>as the first time. This one was full of feeling, it was saying, ¡®We¡¯re <b>here</b>! Find us!¡± <b>and </b>I knew it worked. Because the scents of many <b>wolves </b>on both sides became more pungent.


    We heard a powerful crash two floors below us.


    <b>Neron</b>


    The journey took hours. We left when the sun bar with her bright morning light. The red dot on th


    location.


    peeked through the horizon. Now she showed herself wrinkled map shimmered brighter the closer we came to the


    Joy couldn¡¯t be the right <b>word </b>to describe the epassing feeling within my heart. Joy was too weak to describe its strength. I was growing closer. The path was clearer now, and I knew at the <b>end</b>, <b>I </b>would be able to hold <b>Kiya¡¯s </b><b>hand </b>once more.


    ¡°We¡¯re growing <b>closer </b>to the women,¡± I told Alpha Anthony as our warriors stopped for a very brief break. A smile cracked on his <b>face </b>as he looked to his parents, saying something to them in Spanish. Whatever he said brought the same contagious smile on their faces before turning back to me. ¡°How much longer until <b>we </b>get


    there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± I muttered. ¡°But we¡¯re heading in the right direction.¡± I knew we were. I have faith. Don¡¯t worry, Kiya. We¡¯re almost there. ¡°We should move. We can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± My fellow Alpha agreed. Just as he was about to announce the move, we all froze. Froze at the sound. of a distant howl. It echoed around us; the volume carried with the wind. Within me, Onyx stirred and grew


    restless.


    Chapter 83 The Rescue


    ¡°Mate!¡± He boomed. ¡°It¡¯s our mate! We must go to her! She needs us!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Goddess, it¡¯s Little Bit!¡± Beta Jacqueline announced, stirring the entire army. ¡°Get your asses <b>up</b><b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Rest time is over. Move it!¡± Alpha Anthony announced with authority. <b>On </b>cue, human mour faded to reveal wolves. ck, grey, brown, red, yellow, and more. We knew the direction we¡¯re heading and just <b>how </b>far. The <b>women </b>were close. My mate was close. Immediately stripping down and shifting into Onyx, Anthony and I led the charge<b>.</b>


    We didn¡¯t stop. We ran for what seemed like <b>forever</b>. Kiya¡¯s howls echoed once again, this time louder and longer. It pushed Onyx to the max, his thunderous paws beating against the pavement as he ran.


    We all ran. Together as a solid unit. Stray animals and bugs around the trees hid as the apex predators of Mother Nature passed through their habitats. Nothing was stopping us frompleting our mission.


    Something dark grey came into our <b>view</b>, clearing up to show an isted andrge facility. It reminded me of those asylums I¡¯ve seen on television and read in books. A plethora of scents bombarded my nose, too many to count and too many mixed to narrow on a specific one I needed.


    I needed a whiff of her sweet scent. Honeyed strawberries and vani. I needed it more than I needed air!


    Like a battering ram, we burst through the front gates and doors, spilling into the dank <b>interior</b>. Immediately, <b>we¡¯re </b>met with adversaries armed with guns and magic. Bullets whizzed in the air and shouts echoed against the walls, but it didn¡¯t damper our resolve.


    No <b>mercy </b>to the motherfuckers who stole <b>the </b><b>women</b>. <b>None</b><b>!</b>


    H


    ¡®Spread out!¡± I announced through the mind¨Clink. <i>¡°</i>Destroy anyone who stands in your way! We won¡¯t rest until we find Kiya and Phoebe!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha!¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter <b>84 </b><b>¨C </b>The Survivors


    ¡°It will cost you a colossal defeat, if you wanna keep yin¡® god with me!¡± ¨C ¡°Deviations¡± Detroit: Be Human Rap by IT Music


    <b>Osiris</b>


    A war raged on.


    Wolves versus hybrids.


    Mutts versus crossbreeds.


    It was interesting. Just to see, hear, and smell how much a bunch of <b>dogs </b>would risk their lives for two females. Did I know they were here for Kiya and the witch? Of course. Dogs such as them wouldn¡¯t care if they were ordinary avatars.


    That¡¯s how I knew my Little Moon was special. To have an army rally behind her for her safety. Was she aware of her influence? Her power? She was greater than any wolf. If she wanted to, she could bend these mutts to her will. Bend anyone to her will.


    I know she wanted too. Deep down, buried underneath all that good and morality, she wanted power over those who hurt her. I could taste it in her blood and see it through her memories like a movie reel of the worst moments of her life and how she triumphed over them. It was a shame she forced those dark feelings down, pretending they didn¡¯t exist.


    But, as I know, darkness had an interesting way of impeding in one¡¯s life.


    Crashes and screams continue to echo below and around me. If <b>those </b>hybrids and traitors cannot defend themselves against a couple of horse¨Csized pooches, then they aren¡¯t worth my time. They were never worthy of being part of my organization, anyway.


    Speaking of traitors¡­


    I knew Nadia was behind all of this. Weak humans don¡¯tst long being surrounded by darkness. Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t heard from Lucien in a while. He doesn¡¯t answer my mental links, either. Could it be that I have two traitors in my midst?


    My fingers run through Pepi¡¯s scales, him hissing in delight. One might wonder why I was so calm about this. About my facility being raided. Well, tools were disposable. It wasn¡¯t like I care about what happens to these fools.


    Calmly, I left the fallen facility in a billow of darkness. The sunlight was bothersome, but not to the point I <b>must </b>hide like those stereotypical vampires the humans love. Cerberus would take care of the traitors.


    But my Little Moon? I¡¯lle for her <b>again</b>. After all, I marked her as <b>mine</b>.


    <b>Kiya</b>


    ¡°You¡¯re a werewolf?¡±


    Chapter ¨C The Survivors


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Since birth?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Violetta grinned with a <b>spring </b>in her step, squealing like a <b>child </b>high on sugar. ¡°That is so cool! I knew werewolves were a thing, but to <b>have </b>one next to me? Holy crap! I have so many questions!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m sure I can answer them, but could we save this interrogation forter<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Right. Sorry!¡±


    It was not that I was annoyed at Violetta¡¯s line of questioning, but it wasn¡¯t the right time for it. Everywhere <b>we </b>turnedid a hidden danger<b>, </b>blocking our <b>way </b>from meeting <b>the </b>wolves <b>at </b>the bottom floor. Phoebe and I, desperately, wanted to reach our pack, but with the added risk of encountering hybrids or their allies with guns, it was impossible. We couldn¡¯t afford to get captured again, and I sure as hell didn¡¯t want bullets <b>in </b><b>me</b>. I had enough scars as it was.


    So, the three of us advanced towards the top floor for our escape. I handed Femi off to a couple of avatar escapees a while ago We should expect this ce to turn into


    and Nadia and Cadmael went to do their thi a fiery dome soon, which <b>was </b>why we needed to get the hell out of here.


    The scents of Anthony and Neron were strong. They were fighting hard. I could also smell Jackie and others. Even Mom and Dad! So many people were here for us, and it warmed my heart with happiness. Confidence rippled through me as the three of us ran up the stairs, hopped over crates, and fallen bodies to our freedom.


    We will meet the others, but not in the way we expect. It was toote and dangerous for us to turn back, especially when this ce would blow up.


    We abruptly heard the rapid tter of metal, then Phoebe fell to the ground in a scream. Violetta and I turned around to see that some hybrids caught up, pointing their guns at <b>us</b>.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, bitches!¡±


    ¡°Guys, go!¡± Phoebe yelled, clutching her leg. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me!¡±


    We had a choice. Leave Phoebe behind and save ourselves or risk our lives so that the three of us to escape. together. Both had their pros <b>and </b>cons, and every choice <b>had </b>a consequence.


    I chose thetter. I refused to leave my friend behind. A pack sticks together <b>and </b>fights for each other, and Phoebe¡¯s freedom was just as valuable as mine and Violetta¡¯s.


    Thunder rumbled and lightning struck the ground where the hybrids <b>were</b><b>, </b>forcing them to jump back from the impact. Behind me, I see Violetta with her hand outstretched, conjuring up an electrical storm out of mid- air. <b>Phoebe</b>, despite her injury, used her magic to summon water for her, who manipted it in a way I


    couldn¡¯t describe.


    Water bent to her would like a dancer. Water became her weapon, and it mercilessly tore through the hybrid males who dare to threaten our lives. Fixed with electricity, it made for a deadlybination that snuffed their lives out in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Fucking pricks.¡± She muttered, settling her hands down. ¡°If they were in the seas, I¡¯d do much worse. Thank


    goodness Amphitrite is a goddess who doesn¡¯t screw around,¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I smile, slinging Phoebe¡¯s arm over my shoulder to help her up. ¡°Although, I have a feeling we¡¯d see


    more if <b>we </b>don¡¯t hurry<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Ditto.¡± The dark¨C<b>haired </b>woman came over <b>and </b>slung Phoebe¡¯s other arm over her shoulder. It somehow. worked because she was taller than both of us. ¡°The room shouldn¡¯t be far away now. Honestly, I thought your wolf pack would be here by now.¡±


    ¡°They might have gotten caught up.¡± I wondered. As the three of us walked slower than normal, I tried my best to mind¨Clink Anthony. ¡°Big bro?¡±


    ¡°Little Bit! You have no idea how good it feels to hear from you! Where are you and Phoche?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the top floor to escape out the window, the only ce where an exit isn¡¯t bordered up. There are so many hybrids behind us. We can¡¯t take them all, at least not in the state we¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°Can you shift?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. They injected me with wolfsbane, and Artemis is weak. So much for being an avatar, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hey, wolfsbane affects the best of us. You aren¡¯t omnipotent, KikiL.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. How <b>are </b>things down there?¡±


    ¡°Neron is dropping bodies like rain, but these assholes are blocking him at allers. Mom and Dad are tearing these bastards apart too. Everyone here is. We also got some avatars outside for safety.¡±


    ¡°Right! Tony, you need to get everyone out as soon as <b>you </b>can!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because this ce is going to-!¡±


    The entire world


    <i>ked </i>beneath our feet. Everything shook violently and the smell of smoke and fire rolled and undted into the <b>atmosphere </b>from every path. <b>Nadia </b>and Cadmaelpleted their task. This ce is going down in mes.


    ¡°Get out! Now!¡± I screamed into the mind¨C<b>link </b>before blocking it. The women and I picked up speed to our exit, mindful of the fire that was <b>bound </b>to hit us from behind. Once we found the room with the window, sunlight pecked through powerfully as if it is lighting our way to escape.


    It wouldn¡¯t open, no matter how hard I pulled from the ledge. Piles of junk littered the surrounding <b>ground</b>. A sizable nk caught my eye and without hesitation, I <b>used </b>it to <b>break </b>the ss.


    One hit.


    <b>Two</b><b>.</b>


    Three.


    It shattered into a million <b>pieces</b>.


    The escape wasrge enough for the three of us to jump through. With curt nods and silent agreement, the three of us broke into a run, leaped over the broken ss, and through the window.


    Those climatic moments in movies were always my favorite. The suspense, the buildup, and the <b>action</b>. That <b>was </b>how this moment felt as the three of us plunged into the icy river below. Rivers symbolize the end of life. I ended my life as Halima by jumping into a river, shattering my body.


    But not this time. The river symbolized our freedom from this hellscape. Freedom from the tyranny of hybrids who lusted for <b>our </b>power and submission. And freedom from Osiris.


    I hope he burned.


    I hope Nadia made it out unharmed.


    In the chilly waters below, the three of us clung to each other. Phoebe¡¯s injury made it difficult for her to swim, but thanks to Violetta and her bending of water, we swam towards the distant riverbank. Through my blurry vision, there was something that I could <b>see </b>as clear as day.


    A fishtail. A bright, iridescent fishtail that reced Violetta¡¯s legs. With a powerful p of her fluke, she pulled us towards safety.


    I¡¯ve seen many things in my life<b>.</b>


    But a freaking mermaid!


    Was life as an avatar exciting or <b>what</b><b>?</b>


    Neron


    Fire. The destructive mes were like the ones that burned my territory. From every corner, the mes broke through the walls of the abandoned facility, enclosing us in a dome of suffocating heat. My eyes, as Onyx, darted around to search for a familiar head full of beautiful curls.


    I couldn¡¯t see it. He couldn¡¯t see it. We couldn¡¯t find Kiya anywhere! The billowing smoke blocked out her sweet scent, disguising her trail as if it didn¡¯t want me to find her. With the avatars that ran past us into the safety of the outside world, none were the women we¡¯re looking for.


    I panicked. Onyx panicked. In rm, Onyx howled loudly, hoping Artemis would respond. She didn¡¯t.


    Kiya, where are you?


    ¡°Neron!¡± Alpha Anthony shouted from behind me. ¡°We need to leave! This <b>ce </b>is going to copse under these mes!¡±


    Was he serious? I couldn¡¯t leave without knowing Kiya was safe! The thought of her lying unconscious under burning rubble scared the shit out of me. What if I was toote? What if she was dying? My underdeveloped mate bond could not connect to hers <b>as </b>strongly as I¡¯d like, and it led my mind to the worst possibilities of <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>fate.


    Things fell. Ceilings copsed, and the mes roared with fury and anger as if the devil conjured them. No one was in sight besides the burning bodies of our fallen adversaries. I didn¡¯t <b>see </b>the man who helped us lead


    Chapter 81 ¨C The Survivors


    the stolen avatars to safety. Lucien, I think was his name, was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°Alpha, it¡¯s getting very hard to breathe in here.¡± Valerian linked. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. We need to leave!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>No! Not without Kiya!¡±


    ¡°Alpha Neron, there¡¯s nowhere to go!¡± Raina linked. ¡°I can¡¯t feel her. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s here.¡± Chunks of the ceiling rained down on us, some nicking my side. ¡°Damnit, we need to go!¡±


    It took effort. It took convincing, but they forced me to leave, but not without a heavy heart. All my men and women escaped. All Ga Moon¡¯s warriors escaped. As we watched the deste facility swallowed in burning mes<b>, </b>my heart palpitated.


    I couldn¡¯t save her.


    I failed her. I failed Kiya.


    Tears burned my eyes like incinerators as I fell on my knees in my boxer shorts with mind¨Cnumbing pain rippling through me like a tsunami. All I could think about was her burning body inside that hellscape.


    I thought I could do it. I thought I could save her. I thought¡­


    Moon Goddess, please forgive me.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85 The Reunion


    ¨C


    ¡°Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them out and enjoy their riches.¡± ¨C Wanda Hope Carter


    Kiya


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯re a mermaid?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you <b>tell </b>me you¡¯re a werewolf?¡±


    ¡°¡­Touch¨¦.¡±


    The smell of burning wood and concrete epassed the surrounding air. Violetta, Phoebe, and I <b>made </b>it out of the river and were walking toward where the packs are. We trembled under the chilly breeze, which did not make for a fun time since the three of us were barefoot and drenched from head to toe. Phoebe¡¯s leg was injured with the bullet wound, so we supported her during our slow walk.


    Guided by my powerful sense of smell, the scents of the wolves got stronger the closer we approached. I could smell the other avatars, and it brought me relief to know they were safe. We were all safe.


    ¡°Is your pack nice? Violetta asked, pushing some of her wet hair behind her ear. ¡°They won¡¯t eat me, right?¡±


    ¡°Most don¡¯t like seafood, so you¡¯re good.¡± I chuckled, even when she reached over and flicked my forehead. That <bugh </b>was needed. I saw a smirk etched on her face, <b>even </b>Phoebe¡¯s. ¡°There are two different packs here. One is <b>mine </b>and Phoebe¡¯s, who are nice. The other one¡­ well, are allies. Can¡¯t say much about them.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Shuffling got louder and noises cleared to the conversation. As we advanced, I could make out the faces of <b>many </b><b>wolves </b>of Ga and Zircon <b>Moon </b>alike, including my friends. Our gang of friends is the first to notice us. Phoebe¡¯s shout of pure relief tugged at my heart.


    ¡°Guys!¡± Sapphire screamed, ripping herself from Isaiah, running towards us. Everyone¡¯s heads snapped in her direction, including the <b>avatars </b>who all had nkets or jackets around them. I noticed a few of them were snuggled with the warrior men and women. They found their mates!


    ¡®Take care of Phoebe and Violetta first, please,¡± I say, handing the wet witch off to them. Phoebe wrapped her arms around Galen, who caught her before she fell.


    ¡°I missed you guys¡­¡± She muttered, resting her <b>head </b>on our friend¡¯s chest. Galen, looking like he won the lottery, squeezed back.


    ¡°We <b>missed </b>you too! Get kidnapped again and I¡¯m beating your asses.¡± He growled with a grin as Mikhail came over with a thick towel.


    ¡°Says the one <b>who </b>spent all night praying and crying for their safety.¡± He waggled his <b>eyebrows</b>, making Galen blush. I urged Violetta to head towards <b>Jackie </b>and the others to get taken care of. That just left me.


    A sweet heavy scent of peaches and mangos smacked me in the face.


    ¡°Ml rayo de luna!¡± My mom shouted, hugging my wet body with all the strength she could muster. ¡°Oh, my baby, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    14


    Chapter 85¨CThe Reunion


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay,¡± I admitted through her chest. I don¡¯t <b>know </b>if she could hear it considering my face is <b>pressed </b><b>against </b>her bosom. Patting <b>her </b>arm for release<b>, </b>she pulled away, revealing her tear¨Cstained face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay.¡± She muttered, nting kisses on my cheeks. Dad came over and hugged me too, whispering how much he missed <b>me </b>and how happy he was to see me. Even Anthony came over <b>and </b>gave me a bone¨Ccrushing hug. It must have felt strange to the wolves of our pack to see their big, tough Alpha crying <b>and </b>swinging his little sister around.


    I, for one, didn¡¯t mind it. It meant he loved me and that¡¯s all that mattered.


    I spotted Steven and Ashley behind my family, regarding me with a sad look. They took several steps away and focused on everyone else. I didn¡¯t care. Why should I?


    Once I was put down, my family gave me a warm <b>towel</b>. The dark wet splotches on their clothes served <b>as </b><b>at </b>reminder. <b>Raina </b>came over and hugged me and, strangely, I hugged her back. Turning my head, Neron. approached. His face wore multiple expressions of happiness, sadness, and worry. When he got close enough, he leaned in to hug me but recoiled when Inded a solid punch to his chest.


    ¡°Ow!¡± He rubbed the sore spot. ¡°What the hell was that for?¡±


    ¡°For almost dying for me, you fucking idiot!¡± I shouted at him. Before he could react, I sprang forward and hugged <b>him</b>. All this time I was convinced he died. Images of Neron lying on the grass <b>in </b><b>a </b>pool of blood haunted me, but I was so d to be confirmed wrong. He looked as if the injury never happened. ¡°Never do that again, Neron. I mean it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d do it a thousand times over if it meant you¡¯re safe.¡± He cooed, squeezing <b>me </b>in our hug. Tingles and preordained sparks erupted within my body from his touch. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. Really.¡±


    I¡¯m d too. I was d everyone was okay. The hellscape burns behind <b>us</b>. That ce would never hurt and harm innocent avatars again. It died in the mes of its sins, charred ck in punishment.


    I could only hope Osiris and Cerberus died in that fire.


    It took hours to return to Zircon Moon territory. The afternoon sun began its beginning stages of departure. Activity boomed across thend as <b>both </b>Alphas worked on arrangements for the avatars to return to their <b>homes</b>, including by car and by flight. Some <b>avatars </b>ran away from home<b>, </b>while some had significant others and families they must return to. They made arrangements to amodate their needs.


    Adonis tackled me into a hug the moment he saw me. The spunky bundle of joy rambled on about how he wanted to y with me and how he missed me. I smiled and hugged him back, telling him we¡¯ll have a ydate after things settle down. The answer was more than enough for <b>him </b>because he kissed me on the cheek before scampering back to his parents.


    ¡°Hey, guys.¡± Phoebe and I looked up to see Violetta <b>walking </b>towards us, dressed in her usual gothic¨C<b>like </b>gear. Some she¨Cwolves lent her clothes <b>since </b><b>we </b>only came in dresses. ¡°Thank you. Really. While this <b>was </b>one hell


    of <b>an </b>adventure I don¡¯t wish to repeat, it is great meeting <b>you </b>two<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Likewise<b>, </b>Violetta.¡± Phoebe beamed, her <b>fingers </b>dancing <b>across </b>the gauze wrapped around her calf. ¡°Have your contacted your partner?¡±


    Chapter 85¨CThe ReunionProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, partners.¡± She grinned. ¡°And yes, I did. They¡¯re eagerly awaiting my return, so I best get on moving.¡± Reaching in her pocket, she pulls out two slips of paper <b>and </b><b>hands </b>them to us. ¡°My number, in case you guys want to hang out. I like to get to <b>know </b>my fellow avatars better.¡±


    I felt almost giddy with happiness. ¡°Does this mean we¡¯re friends?¡±


    Violetta regarded <b>us </b>with a look before breaking out into a smile. ¡°Yeah. We escaped hell together, so that means <b>we </b><b>have </b>something to bond on. Trauma bonding for the <b>win</b>.¡±


    We three shared a merryugh before Violetta hopped into a vehicle that would take her back to her ce. She¡¯ll be <b>resuming </b><b>her </b>music career after this. I knew with <b>the </b>support from her <b>partners</b>, my new friend would be alright.


    A dull pain throbbed on the side of my neck, reminding me of what Osiris did. There were holes in my memory from all my encounters with <b>him</b>, and that worried me. Blood held memories, old and new, <b>and </b>he enjoyed himself while drinking from me. He knows all about me. I shouldn¡¯t worry, right<b>? </b>He is gone!


    <b>However</b>, those wishful thoughts didn¡¯t make the ufortable feeling leave. It settled, weighing on my heart and psyche. Even as our friends came over and hugged us, I still felt it. It bothered me.


    This madness was over, right?


    Later in the evening when the afternoonmotion ended, Phoebe and I cuddled on the couch in warm pajamas with a nket wrapped around us. I <b>lent </b>her some of mine <b>to </b>wear since she is spending the night. Hot tea supplied an extrayer of warmth as we watched TV.


    It felt right. It felt peaceful knowing what happened was put behind us. But just in case, I was going to contact Mayra to talk about it. Thest thing I needed was added trauma on top of the fuck ton I already have.


    As Steven Universe yed on the television, Anthony rushed in with the others trailing behind him, holding his cell phone. Mom was teary¨Ceyed, and Dad was patting her shoulder while giggling.


    ¡°Alexi was just born.¡± He announced. Phoebe and I sat up in shock and excitement. ¡°Alpha Dimitri sent me a <b>photo</b>.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>a </b>grandmother again!¡± Mom cried, blotting her tears with her handkerchief. ¡°My grandson is so


    handsome!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I wanna see the picture!¡± Iined, earning chuckles from everyone. When my big brother handed us his cell phone, my heart burst with absolute joy. In the photo was Lyria holding onto her newborn son, looking at him with all the love the universe failed to hold. So small and already cuddled up to her mother. I have a new nephew and he was so beautiful.


    Although, Alpha Dimitri throwing a peace sign in the second photo sent me into orbit withughter. There was something so riveting about Alphas acting silly. It made them <b>human</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m going to spoil the hell out of that boy!¡± Jackie proimed, hitting her chest once. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to teach him how to throw <b>people </b><b>into </b>trees.¡±


    barely a day old and already


    ¡°None of that now, my love.¡± Abigailughed, hugging her mate. ¡°The boy is barely a day you¡¯re nning on corrupting him.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Jackie faked hurt beforeughing. ¡°When we adopt, I¡¯ll be corrupting them too. Our babies will be strong just like their mommies.¡±


    ¡°Not <b>to </b>forget a weirdo <b>like </b><b>one </b>of them.¡± Darien chuckled to himself, dodging a punch to the arm. ¡°If Dwayne is <b>here</b><b>, </b>he¡¯d say the <b>same </b>thing!¡±


    ¡°Nah. He¡¯s busy tending to his <b>pregnant </b>wife. He doesn¡¯t have time to make fun of me.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I shouted, eyes widening along with my lips. ¡°<b>Olivia </b>is pregnant? Since when?¡±


    ¡°Since a few weeks ago?¡± Jackie replied more <b>like </b><b>a </b>question<b>, </b>scratching the back of her <b>neck</b>. ¡°<b>When </b>I called Dwayne earlier today, he told me! I¡¯m going to be an aunt!¡± She grabbed Abigail¡¯s hand and kissed the back with unbearable sweetness. ¡°We¡¯re going to be aunts!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you!¡± I sprang from my seat and hugged the Beta couple as tight as I could. Their <b>family </b>is growing! Olivia <b>is </b>pregnant! With all these babies popping out left and right, I wonder who would be parents next. My money is on Sapphire!


    Happiness after a day of chaos. I can breathe again!


    The Ga Moon family continued to share joys, appreciations, <b>and </bughs. They took the loss of Phoebe and me hard. I never knew how much our presence affected them until today, and it made me happy to hear how <b>hard </b><b>they </b>worked to get us back. While we were fighting for ourselves, they were right behind us, fighting for


    <ol>


    <li>US<b>.</b></li>


    </ol>


    I met Endo for the first time and enjoy <b>the </b>spectacle of blushes on Phoebe¡¯s cheeks. She¡¯s got a crush! It <b>was </b>so adorable! They looked good together, they acted <b>as </b>if they knew each other forever. I smiled at them, silently rooting for them to get together.


    Mom, <b>Dad</b>, <b>and </b>Anthony would return to California in the morning. I think spending the night would <b>do </b>them some good, and me. Having my family around means the world to me.


    As I walked to my room, I spotted a body sitting on the front steps of the packhouse, staring out into the moonlit sky. Neron. Hisrge back faced me with the strands of his ck hair <b>flowing </b>with the gentle breeze.


    As quiet as a mouse, I opened the front doors and took a seat on <b>a </b><b>stair </b>next to him.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 86

    Chapter <b>86 </b>¨C The End?


    <i>POV</i>


    Third Person POV


    Neron knew this wasing. There was no avoiding this. After the insanity that happened the past several days, he desperately needed a moment of peace. Sitting on the front stairs under the moonlight did that. Who could handle craziness, one after another, without taking a moment¡¯s rest? Onyx rumbled in delight when his mate took a seat next to his human, although it felt too far for his liking, there was a sizable distance between the two werewolves. Kiya preferred it while the Alpha craved for her closeness.


    ¡°We do,¡± Neron replied, observing the grass. ¡°How are you feeling, all things considered?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Kiya answered. ¡°Getting kidnapped was unexpected, but at least I¡¯m back now, safe, <b>and </b>sound.¡°


    Afortable silence fell between them as they ruminated on their thoughts. What was there to say? Both <b>knew </b>there was more they needed to talk about, but Cerberus and Osiris put those needed <b>talks </b>on the backburner. Sighing, Kiya was the <b>one </b>who spoke, again.


    ¡°Neron, a lot has happened between us.¡± She started. ¡°From the poisoning to your dad to the kiss and now this. So much is going on and it isn¡¯t doing us any favors.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Neron sighed. ¡°Trouble likes to find its way to us, even when we don¡¯t attract it.¡± He spared her a nce. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change how I feel about you. I was truly, honestly terrified when you were kidnapped. I thought I failed. I thought I¡¯d never see you again. <b>And </b>when I saw that asylum go down <b>in </b>mes and you weren¡¯t <b>around</b>, I only thought of the worst.¡±


    ¡°Our minds <b>like </b>to do <b>that</b>.¡± Kiya shined a pained smile. ¡°It fucks with us when we least expect it.¡± She expelled a sigh<b>. </b>¡°I wanted to thank you for what you did.¡±


    ¡°Thank <b>me</b>?¡±


    ¡°Anthony told me how you <b>led </b>the charge of the rescue and how you let <b>nothing </b>stop you from getting to me, even at the risk of getting burned. While I don¡¯t like you risking your life for me, thank you for saving Phoebe


    and <b>me</b>.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He smiled before it fell to a sad frown. ¡°What does this mean between us? Do you regret the kiss


    <b>we </b><b>shared </b>at the park?¡±


    Kiya sighed once more, fumbling with her fingers. There was no beating around the bush. She had to tell him. She had to tell the <b>truth </b>to <b>make </b>it easier for them both. ¡°I admit, Neron, it felt good. I¡¯ve never been <b>kissed </b>like that before and it was amazing, but even things that feel good are wrong. It shouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>happened.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Neron¡¯s heart shattered <b>when </b>hit with the cold, hard truth. His mate liked the kiss but regretted it. It <b>was </b><b>a </b>forbidden thing that couldn¡¯t happen again. It was the first andst time they¡¯ll ever kiss like that.


    Memories of the <b>sensation </b>and how her lips moved in sync with his yed in his mind like a broken record. His body grew aze like that night, his lips throbbing in recollections of her sweetness. It hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, <b>Kiya</b>.¡± He began, working <b>hard </b><b>to </b>steady his shaky voice. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have kissed you. I made you ufortable, and I kissed you without your consent. I just¡­¡± He bit his lip. ¡°I need you. I need you like air and I <b>want </b><b>to </b>cherish your <b>heart </b>and-!¡±


    Chapter 86¨CThe End?


    ¡°Neron.¡± Kiya interrupted him. ¡°You <b>never </b>had my heart in the first ce. We¡¯re mates, but I never loved you. We aren¡¯t lovers. I¡¯m sorry if you <b>were </b>expecting something different, but it was the truth.¡± She toyed with her fingers, trying toe up with a way to say her next words without sounding cold and <b>callous</b>. ¡°Neron¡­I can¡¯t forget what happened. No matter what I do or how much I¡¯m around you, I can¡¯t forget the past. I can¡¯t open up my heart in the way you want and I¡¯m not ready to have any sort of mate bond nor romantic rtionships.


    Every word was a silver bullet piercing through his flesh. It burned and sizzled, leaving the Alpha in a state of pure agony. He knew this was Kiya speaking her truth, and he couldn¡¯t go against that. She was right. The history between them was dark and grody. He hurt her. A few simple acts of kindness and sacrifice were not enough to pave over the past. Not for her. Not for <b>him</b>.


    ¡°Do you still hate me?¡± Neron turned his body to face her, tremors rocking his limbs as he awaited her answer. ¡°I <b>wish </b>I could erase what I did to you, but I know I can¡¯t, it was a stain on my character and me as <b>a </b>man. I don¡¯t expect you to love me, Kiya. I don¡¯t deserve an ounce of your love.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± She confirmed with a blunt, emotionless tone. ¡°<b>What </b>happened in the past affected my future. But I <b>don¡¯t </b>hate you. I tolerate you. There was too much that happened between us. While I feel the bond and work beside you, I don¡¯t have feelings for you.¡±


    I don¡¯t deserve them. Neron thought to himself as the heaviness of Kiya¡¯s words pressed against his chest. It crushed him. It crushed Onyx to hear a growl of confirmation from Artemis, who too was distancing <b>herself </b>from him. The ck wolf wanted to tear Neron apart for losing his mate, for it was a long timeing, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to. He had to deal with the fact that he would never truly have his destined soulmate.


    <b>Neron </b>only had himself to me. It took <b>a </b>lot of strength to hold back his tears. As for Kiya, she merely looked up at the moon, even spotting Diana watching them from a branch. Sniffling, Neron nodded firmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± His smile exposed the hidden depths of his pain. ¡°I still want and need to be a better man. A better Alpha. I¡¯ll right the wrongs I¡¯ve done to others. What happened <b>today </b>made me realize how much I truly do care about you, but it also made me realize just <b>how </b>far apart we were from one another. And I did that. I hurt you, Kiya. Hurt you so badly. I had no right to treat you the way I did. I regret everything. I do. But I don¡¯t regret caring about you.¡±


    ¡°Neron¡­it¡¯s best for the both of us for you to cut any emotional connection you have for me,¡± Kiya stated, her voice cold as a cier, as if a deity was speaking. ¡°I¡¯m leaving at the end of summer and never returning.¡±


    Of course<b>, </b><b>she </b>was. She won¡¯t be here forever. In a blink of an eye, Kiya would return to California and never set foot in Nevada <b>again</b>. Was it bad that Neron wanted her <b>to </b><b>stay</b>?


    ¡°We can¡¯t trap <b>her </b>here,¡± Onyx mumbled. ¡°Zircon Moon is painful to her. We¡¯re painful to her. We can¡¯t force her to stay because we¡¯re afraid of being alone. That¡¯s selfish of us.¡±


    He <b>was </b>right, it was hical. But how do you cut off feelings for someone? How could an Alpha with his <b>possessive </b>qualities turn off the love and care he had for his <b>mate</b>? In all situations, Neron <b>loses</b><b>.</b>


    He had <b>to ept </b>it. He couldn¡¯t reach the <b>one </b>thing he wanted more than anything: Kiya¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I <b>can¡¯t </b>stop caring about you, Kiya,¡± Neron admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy having <b>you </b><b>near </b>while itsts. When it <bes </b>time for you to leave¡­ I¡¯ll learn to let you <b>go</b>, even though my heart is begging for you to not leave me.¡±


    ¡°<b>Alphas </b>don¡¯t beg, Neron.¡± The woman rose to her feet. ¡°<b>Remember </b><b>that</b>. Goodnight.¡± Before she took a <b>step.</b>


    Chapter 26 The End?


    into the house, <b>she </b><b>paused</b>, expelling a deep <b>sigh</b>. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    <b>Kiya </b>disappeared inside the <b>vast </b>house, leaving the Alpha alone in the night¡¯s <b>silence</b>. The surrounding temperature dropped several degrees <b>as </b>the <b>dark </b>trees blurred into a muddle of navy blues and cks like an <b>ocean </b><b>under </b>the evening sky.


    Hot tears slid down his face as choked sobs echoed from his mouth.


    ¡°I can¡¯t earn back her trust, right Onyx?¡± He asked his wolf, <b>pained </b>emotionsced in his mind¨Clink.


    Onyx didn¡¯t answer.


    At least Neron was grateful for one thing, he was alone. Everyone was going to sleep.


    No one would <b>hear </b><b>his </b><b>cries</b><b>.</b>


    Osiris


    Detecting someone¡¯s inner darkness was <b>always </b>fun.


    <b>And </b>this little bitch <b>was </b>full of it. Imagine my surprise to find a werewolf scoping out witches for magic help. Desperate for something easy to change the path of her fate. Well, lucky for her, I¡¯ll be her genie. I could <b>grant </b><b>her </b>little wishes of power she never had. Imagine her surprise when she ran right into me.


    ¡°Magic has its <b>consequences</b><b>, </b>my dear. Why do you seek it?¡±


    ¡°I need it <b>and </b>it¡¯s none of your business!¡± The brte snapped, anger marring her youthful face. ¡°I¡¯m losing so much, and I can¡¯t stand it. I need


    What belongs to me and destroy the one responsible for my downfall.¡±


    ¡°ming others for your ills?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Typical attitude from a spoiled brat. Are <b>you </b>aware that what you¡¯re asking for <b>has </b>the potential of backfiring on you? Is that a risk you¡¯re willing to take?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. If I can see the moon bitch fall, that¡¯s enough for <b>me</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    She found herself mmed against the wall with my fingers biting into the thin skin of her throat. She was beautiful to look at, but her heart was rotten. Power was such <b>a </b>seductive temptress, and it looked like <b>she </b>had lost it and was desperate to get it back. Poor little mutt would bend the knee to darkness just to get a taste of supremacy again.


    ¡°<b>What </b>is your name<b>, </b>darling?¡°¡ä¡ä


    ¡°O¨C<b>Odessa</b>¡­¡± She croaked. Her weak nails wed at my arm, desperate for release as I squeezed her delicate


    throat.


    ¡°Odessa¡­¡± I savored her name on my tongue. ¡°Youe <b>from </b>the Zircon Moon <b>Pack</b>, hmm?¡± She threw away all <b>vows </b>of secrecy with a curt <b>nod</b>. ¡°Hmm. Okay. I¡¯ll help you with one condition. You scratch my back and I¡¯ll scratch yours.¡±


    ¡°W¨Cwhat is <b>it</b><b>?</b>¡± Her body dropped to the ground while <b>gasping </b>for air. Gasping turned to shrieking with Pepi slithered from my arm and wrapped his thick, long body around her <b>arms </b>and torso, baring his fangs to her


    neck.


    34


    Chapter 6 ¨C The End


    ¡°Think of this as a contract between you <b>and </b>me. You want power and I want something from you. You¡¯re going to be <b>my </b>sweet little spy. <b>You </b>will report to me on anything and everything having to do with the moon¡¯s <b>avatar</b>. If you¡¯re sessful, my dear, then I¡¯ll help you gain all you¡¯ve lost.¡±


    Heated desire twinkled in those tea¨Ccolored orbs. She longed to be at the top of the food¨C<b>chan</b>. The best of them all. The hatred she had for my Little Moon <b>was </b>astounding, <b>and </b>I¡¯ll use it to my <b>advantage</b>. Odessa nodded, epting my offer, and thus binding her to our verbal contract. Pepi pierced his fangs into her <b>throat</b>, sealing the deal.


    Once he was done, we left the unconscious Odessa in the alley¡¯s corner to <b>pick </b>herself up when aroused. Lady Luck must <b>favor </b>me for allowing the adult brat to cross my path. She¡¯ll be the key. She¡¯ll be the one to push <b>Kiya </b>to me.


    Zircon Moon will fall.


    Neron Prince and his family will fall.


    Be patient, my Little <b>Moon</b><b>.</b>


    I¡¯ll being for you soon.


    -To Be Continued in Book 2: Unhinged-


    Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @MariiSria for updates, sneak previews, artwork, and more!


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 87

    ¡°Oh, I hope you can hear me, ¡®cause I remember it clearly. The day you slipped away. Was the day I found it won¡¯t be the same.¡°¨C¡°Slipped Away by Avril Lavigne


    Kiya


    ¡°Come on, Hali! We¡¯re going to bete for the party!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming! It¡¯s not my fault this wing is crooked!¡±


    One swig and my throat burn from the crimson liquid. Housed in a ck bottle, the pungent taste of alcohol overrode the sweetness of the wine, Port wine. The only alcohol I drank as a loser slumped against one of the many redwood trees in the forest.


    ¡°Your wing looks fine! As long as you don¡¯t move it too much, it¡¯ll be okay!¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say. Your wings look perfect.¡±


    Goddess, why am I doing <b>this</b>? Werewolves have a high alcohol tolerance that makes them unable to get drunk easily. We burn it off faster than humans. It takes a lot to get our kind intoxicated; probably twice or three times as much as a normal human. Either way, this supposed highlight of our abilities is proven to be a curse


    to me.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Me, as the Sun Fairy, always has to look perfect! It¡¯s in our nature.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Moon Fairy and I can¡¯t look like a mess! What would the other kids think?¡±


    Ah, the Moon Fairy. The being I¡¯ve dressed as for <b>this </b>ursed holiday called Halloween. Dressed in a white and blue sleeveless dress with shredded hems, the shimmering sequins danced to their silent tune under the moonlight. A full moon on Halloween is rare, so I¡¯ve heard. Legend says that on Halloween<b>, </b>it weakens the veils to the worlds beyond mortals. It gives a chance for other¨Cworld creatures to pass through and mingle in the world of mortality for <b>a </b>night before retreating.


    Amusing<b>.</b>


    <i>¡°</i><i>The </i>other kids would think we look amazing! Like twins!!


    ¡°At least they can tell us apart.¡±


    Another swig. Two. Three. I hate remembering what used to be. The better days <b>of </b>my life before it turned into a dumpster fire my old pack willfully created. Days of happiness, freedom, warmth, and friendship. Days where I felt invincible; none of the world¡¯s ills could touch me.


    Oh, how was I wrong. So fucking wrong.


    Waiting for the alcoholic buzz is a killer. The desperation for the effects of alcohol shows <b>as </b>I continuously bring the bottle rim to my lips <b>every </b>thirty seconds. This sinful liquid is supposed to be <b>a </b><b>depressant</b>, <b>so </b>why isn¡¯t it depressing? Depress these emotions and these fucking memories.


    ¡°Of course! Do you remember your line?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, because we¡¯ve rehearsed it a thousand times!¡±


    1/4


    Halloween Special ¨C Memones of a


    Stupid brain! Stop it!


    ¡°I, Nuria the Golden Sun Fairy, is here to shine the <b>light </b>of hope!¡±


    ¡°I, Halima the Silver Moon Fairy, is here to shine the light of magic!¡±


    Stop it!


    ¡°And we¡¯re here to stop the evil in the world together!¡±


    Fuck!


    Hot tears swam down my cheeks as the night breeze ignored the pain stuffed inside them. My head pressed against the thick <b>tree </b>bark as my chest heaved in sobs, I thought I was strong enough to get through this night; to celebrate it with my friends. After the two Halloweens I skipped, I thought this one would be different.


    I thought wrong. I wasn¡¯t ready, I was never ready.


    Now look at <b>me</b><b>: </b>pathetically getting drunk alone in the woods in a <b>frantic </b>attempt to stop the memories of a dead child from flooding into my mind. Memories of Nuria that I can¡¯t ever forget, no matter how hard I try. Her body is buried miles away from me, <b>but </b>it¡¯s <b>as </b>if her presence is that much closer to <b>me </b>tonight.


    And I hate it. I hate it so much.


    Furious, I grabbed an empty bottle and hurdled it towards an innocent tree, ss shattering into millions of stray pieces some feet away. Breaking things is supposedly therapeutic, but I only fell worse. It¡¯s always something. Something that triggers a faraway memory and ruining my night.


    Goddess, I¡¯m more fucked up than I originally thought. No wonder I need therapy.


    I took more swigs of my <b>wine </b>before the bottle had nothing left to <b>give</b>. Luckily, I <b>had </b>another one. My fourth one, to be exact. Sniffling, I ripped the cap open and <b>continued </b>chugging. Why wine? There are stronger options in the kitchen; options that could get a werewolf sufficiently drunk.


    It¡¯s not tequ or whisky or vodka for werewolves. It¡¯s a special beer sought by my kind. It¡¯s also the kind that triggers a barrage of traumatic memories from a single whill. The smell mixed with hot breath throws <b>me </b>right back into that putrid, <b>dingy </b>hellhole my former Alpha loved to beat me in.


    Never will I touch a single bottle of that. It hits too close to home. So, I¡¯m left with the strongest wine avable. It¡¯s sweet <b>and </b>I like it. I like sweet things.


    Before I could enjoy more of its sweetness, however, the bottle was snatched out of my hand. Pissed, I look up to be met with the angry hazel eyes of my brother <b>dressed </b>in a pirate captain¡¯s costume. Adorned in brown, blue, and red with a sword attached to his hip, Anthony red at me with the force of a thousand suns. I know he¡¯s angry at <b>what </b>I¡¯m doing, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I need that bottle to block out my traitorous brain!


    nking on his right is <b>Alesia </b>in her first mate¡¯s costume with a noticeably pregnant belly. My heart softened at the growth of my niece inside the womb. I can¡¯t wait to meet the bundle of joy in November. But my love for the baby quickly dissipated as the want of alcohol bombarded me like bullets.


    alloween Special ¨C Memories of a Friend (Part 1)


    ¡°Give it back!¡± I shouted, my hands reaching up. ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°Really? I recall that this belongs to the pack kitchen cabs. Mom was wondering why several bottles of wine were missing. <b>Lead </b>Omega Cleo was worried about a potential thief.¡± Anthony scoffed. ¡°And if <b>I </b>recall correctly, fairies don¡¯t steal.¡±


    Like a child, I whined <b>as </b>I stood and tried to reach the bottle of drunken haze, but my brother held it high. above his head, using his insane height as his advantage. Fucking tall people. ¡°No, Kiya. You had enough.¡±


    ¡°<b>Says </b><b>you</b>!¡± I barked back. ¡°I need it! You wouldn¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, even I agree that you had enough,¡± Alesia said next to my ear, bringing my hands down to my sides. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a need for alcohol. What do you mean ¡®we won¡¯t understand¡°?¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± I slumped back on top of the ufortable roots of my tree and drew my knees to my chest. ¡±


    back to the party. I want to be <b>alone</b>.¡±


    ¡°Finding my little sister alone in the woods with empty wine bottles is no basis for me to leave her alone.¡± Anthony retorted with an arched eyebrow. ¡°And you sound like you¡¯ve been crying. You look like it <b>too</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    Why the hell are Alphas are so perceptive? Groaning<b>, </b>I bury my head in my knees, hoping the couple would take a hint. I know I¡¯m acting brattish¨Cit¡¯s out of my nature. It¡¯s stupid and ridiculous. I can do better than this, but the overwhelming sensations I feel from all corners of my body are too much for me to handle. All because I¡¯m remembering Halloween nights with Nuria.


    I miss her so much. Eleven years after her death, the pain <b>is </b>as fresh as if she died yesterday.


    Beside <b>me</b><b>, </b><b>a </b>strong arm wrapped around my waist. Perking my head up from <b>the </b>sanctity of my <b>knees</b>, I see Alesia shooting me a warm smile. It did things to my heart. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby girl? It¡¯s obvious that something¡¯s bothering you.¡±


    Kicking away the empty bottles of wine, Anthony took his seat beside me. It¡¯s a little funny to see my pirate brother up close with his dorky hat. A small smile surfaced at the thought. Hisrge hand gently guided my head to rest on <b>his </b>shoulder as his arm, wrapped around my shoulders, provided me an extrayer of warmth. ¡°It¡¯s your first Halloween with us, despite living on thisnd for the past two years. What made you don a costume and join the fun?¡±


    up


    to


    ¡°I thought I was okay enough to do this,¡± I whisper hoarsely. There¡¯s no way I couldn¡¯t remain closed my Alpha and Luna. They¡¯re in charge of the well¨Cbeing of the Ga Moon Pack. They¡¯re tough, formidable, and feared by enemies. But they¡¯re different tonight. Now, they aren¡¯t my superiors. They¡¯re just my brother and sister¨C<b>in</b><b>¨C</bw, and I don¡¯t want them in any other way. ¡°I thought I was fine, but I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°What is it about tonight that turned you into¡­¡± Alesia gestured around me. ¡°This. Humans drink excessively to avoid feeling, and it¡¯s the same for weres as well. Alcohol is the go¨Cto drug that sends you to another world and lowers your inhibitions. But you never touched a bottle of alcohol before tonight.¡±


    She¡¯s right. I¡¯ve never drunk any before tonight. There were a few swigs here and there with the Beta twins, but those don¡¯t count. It was just me being <b>curious </b>about something I <b>never </b>had before. Tonight set off a <b>chain </b>reaction that I couldn¡¯t cope with and I, foolishly, thought strong wine <b>could </b>stop it.


    I didn¡¯t want to feel. Feeling what I¡¯m feeling is like lighting a match <b>on </b>my flesh. <b>And </b>I¡¯m doused in <b>gasoline</b>. Sensations of <b>pain </b><b>red </b>in random parts of my heart and damaged my heartstrings, the <b>mes </b>eating at


    alloween Special¨CMemories of a Friend <b>(</b><b>Part </b>1)


    them like a dog to a bone. I just wanted it to stop. That¡¯s all I wanted.


    It¡¯s better to not feel anything at all. I wish my <b>body </b>came with an on/off switch so I can switch off sensations and emotions for the time being. Because I hated being seen as weak.


    But I am weak, and it showed with the tears falling down my face once more, creating dark spots in Anthony¡¯s pirate breeches. All I do is cry. Crying is renowned for being therapeutic; an individual <b>could </b>unleash the agony their body holds prisoner through tears. Each droplet drains a burden weighing heavily on the soul and tosses it out into the outside world, never to harm them again. Afterward, the weight is lifted, and the person feels <b>as </b>light as air.


    Not me, <b>however</b>. Because there¡¯s too much for tears <b>to </b>remove.


    ¡°I miss her,¡± I revealed. ¡°I miss Nuria so much. We <b>used </b><b>to </b>celebrate Halloween together <b>ever </b>since we could


    walk.¡±


    ¡°Nuria?¡± Alesia asked <b>me</b>. ¡°As in the girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding, <b>I </b>sighed. ¡°That Nuria. We¡¯d always dress as fairies every Halloween<b>. </b>She went as the Sun <b>Fairy </b>and I went as the Moon Fairy. We hated any other costumes our parents picked out for us for the kids party. But when we saw <b>the </b>Tinkerbell movies, we knew we wanted to be fairies. Our Lead Omega tailored our costumes to <b>fit </b>us, <b>and </b><b>we </b>helped her with the designs and everything. We never went <b>as </b>anything <b>different</b>. <b>We </b>were always the Twin Fairies. Always.¡±


    I can hear her harmoniousughter ringing through my head, <b>her </b>soothing warmth in my palms, her dark tresses dancing with the yful breeze, and her sapphires shining brighter than diamonds. Everything about her I remember. There¡¯s not a day that goes <b>by </b>where I don¡¯t think of Nuria. Her memory burns bright in my


    mind.


    But even the me has the power to hurt.

 Chapter 88

    Halloween <b>Special </b>¨C Memories of a Friend <b>(</b>Part 2<b>)</b>


    ¡°When you have a friend by your side that helps you to find the beauty <i>of </i>all when you¡¯ll open your heart and believe in the gift of a friend.¡± ¨C ¡°Gift of a Friend by Demi Lovato


    Kiya


    Alesia¡¯s thumb went to <b>wipe </b>the traitorous tears from my cheeks, catching them before they continued to <b>rain </b>on her mate¡¯s thigh. ¡°I hate remembering. It hurts all the <b>time</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Remembering can be a good <b>thing</b>, Little Bit.¡± Anthony¡¯s fingers caressed my curls mindful of the silvered circlet resting underneath the <byers</b>. ¡°It means you haven¡¯t forgotten. And it shows just how much Nuria meant to you. I can tell that you loved her, and she loved you.¡±


    Through my tears, another small smile surface on my face as another memory of Nuria¡¯s presence ys; her small form in a <b>halo</b>. ¡°She was always decked out in gold and orange. I remember her wings were <b>a </b>translucent yellow that always went crooked in the breeze because she ran too much. <b>She </b>was a trailzer on Halloween. night, hitting people with her fairy wand whenever they were disrespectful to anyone. Somehow, that always kept the peace<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Well, no one can go against the word of the Alpha¡¯s daughter.¡± Alesia chuckled, rubbing her stomach lovingly. ¡°Ximena would be the same. I can feel it.¡±


    ¡°I can too.¡± My hand went to her pregnant belly, my smile <b>widening </b>when I felt a little kick. I¡¯m going to <b>love </b>that baby more than life itself. ¡°Nuria was the pack angel, <b>and </b>now she¡¯s a <b>real </b>one. Lost too soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re dressed as a Moon Fairy?¡± Anthony suddenly asked. ¡°To honor her?¡±


    My breath trapped itself at <b>the </b>base of my throat. Am I that easy to figure out? ¡°Yes. I did. To deviate from our little tradition didn¡¯t feel right. But¡­I didn¡¯t know how hard it would be without my partner¨Cin¨Ccrime.¡±


    ¡°Little Bit¡­¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve hidden in my room as usual.¡± My hands balled into fists, shaking in the essence of <b>failure</b>. My failure. ¡°<b>Goddess</b>, I¡¯m so pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Both our heads shot to Alesia, who¡¯s ring at me with the force of a million suns. The Alpha¡¯s re <b>has </b>nothing on his Luna. ¡°Don¡¯t talk that way about my favorite person in the world.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was your favorite person.¡± Anthony mocked hurt, his bottom lip quivering for emphasis. Jeez, what a goofball.


    ¡°You <b>are</b>, but you¡¯re in a separate category.¡± Alesia shot him a wink before looking at me. ¡°Anyway, back to you, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    ¡°<b>You¡¯re </b><b>not </b>pathetic. Far from it. You¡¯ve grown so much since you¡¯ve been here, and I couldn¡¯t be any prouder. Your parents would be so proud of you. This night stirs up a lot of emotion in you, and that¡¯s okay. The fact that you¡¯vee <b>out </b>of your room and tried to enjoy this night is a testament to your bravery. You wanted to have fun and be happy not just for yourself, but for yourte friend.¡±


    Special¨CMemones of a Friend (Part 2)


    ¡°Few people dare to do that, you know?¡± Anthony added. ¡°You came out, wear the costume that meant so much <b>to </b>you, and walked into our party. If Nuria was alive, she¡¯d be proud of you.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± My brother nodded in pride. ¡°You never forgot about her. Maybe she¡¯s celebrating Halloween in the heavens in her special way.¡±


    Oddly, that thought brought mefort. My best friend is an angel alongside Angelika celebrating in heaven. I expected tears, but all I got are bubbles of happiness. ¡°Knowing her<b>, </b>she¡¯s probably zipping through the clouds bonking people on the head.¡±


    The couple chuckled along with me.


    ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± Alesia asked, ying with my <b>hair</b>, mindful of the silver circlet underneath theyers. ¡°If you want to go back to your room, I understand.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­it¡¯s fine.¡± I insisted. ¡°I¡­I want to go back to the party.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Anthony questioned.


    ¡°Yeah. Halloween happens once a year<b>, </b>right<b>? </b>I want to enjoy tonight, for myself and Nuria.¡±


    My brother <b>and </b>sister¨Cinw shared a <b>look </b>that expressed joy and warmth. In the middle between the trapped heat, I fell into a deep sense offort. I felt loved and <b>cared </b>for. Memories of Nuria still hurt. I still carry the guilt of her death deep in my heart. No matter how many times people tell me, I still feel that I yed a part in her passing.


    ill ever po


    I don¡¯t think away.


    But I want to have fun tonight. Ease the burden of the agony her memory brings.


    Tonight, I want to party for her as if she were still alive with me.


    Anthony and Alesia helped me up on my feet, although it turned to us helping Alesia up with her belly. <b>I </b>can¡¯t imagine how hard it must be to carry children. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever have children, although I love them a lot.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± My brother smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°What about the bottles?¡± I asked<b>, </b>pointing to the litter of ck at our <b>feet</b>.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be carrying your mess back home.¡±


    I <b>should¡¯ve </b>expected that.


    The two of them went ahead while I picked up the empty bottles off the ground. Perched on a branch is Diana, my beloved owl. Her golden eyes look upon me with affection. I swear, there has to be a person underneath


    that ruffle of feathers.


    ¡°Hi. Enjoying this Halloween night?¡± I asked her, expecting an answer. Diana merely stared at me before fluttering over, pressing her beak to my cheek, and fluttering back to her branch.


    Did¡­Did she just kiss <b>me</b><b>? </b>I swear, there¡¯s more to that nocturnal cotton¨Cball than <b>meets </b>the <b>eye</b>.


    Halloween Special emories of a Friend (Part 2<b>)</b>


    As I made my way back to <b>the </b>pack house<b>, </b>I tossed the empty bottles in the avable trash bin. I never got that alcoholic buzz, but that didn¡¯t matter to me. I wanted to remember this night. Walking the path to the back of the house, the party is in full swing.


    All members: young and old, light and dark, tall <b>and </b>short, <b>are </b>all dressed in various costumes. Frankenstein, deities, movie characters<b>, </b>cartoon characters, and more filled in the color on this night. Music boomed to a heavy beat that thumped with the rhythm of my heart, drawing me into its magic. Pack members moved their bodies to the music as the children yed with one another in between the spaces. It¡¯s a night for everyone to be themselves and truly fall in love with what <b>this </b>annual night offered.


    Despite the music drawing me in, the food table had a stronger pull.


    Scampering over in my sandals, I immediately grabbed a te and filled with deviled eggs, warm sliders, chocte cake, and a candied apple. Had to add thest one in there for health reasons. It¡¯s an apple!


    ¡°BAWK!¡±


    ¡°Goddamnit!¡± I whip my head to my side to see Galen, dressed in a bright yellow chicken costume<b>, </b>serving me a shit¨Ceating grin. ¡°<b>You¡¯re </b>lucky I like you or else I¡¯d sock you in the face.¡±


    ¡°Aww, she likes me! She really likes me!¡± Galen blubbered, fake wiping his tears. ¡°d to <b>see </b>you back at the party. Got worried for <b>a </b><b>sec </b>there that you wouldn¡¯te back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I needed <b>a </b>pep talk,¡± <b>I </b>admitted with a small <b>smile</b>. ¡°Any <b>ns </b>for after the party?¡±


    I <b>got </b>a date with a handsome young man.¡± He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. ¡°This chicken costume works like magic, Kiki<b>. </b>Just as chickens pick up <b>seeds</b>, I picked up a good¨Clooking one myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­You might pick up more seedster tonight, though.¡±


    ¡°The saltier the better. I like them sa


    ¡°<b>You¡¯re </b>so filthy.¡± Darien, dressed as Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil, walked over with a grimace. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any decency, Gal?¡±


    *Decency <b>is </b>overrated<b>,</b>¡± Galen smirked, wiggling a finger. ¡°<b>In </b>my night of debauchery, such a term is dead until the morning of November First. Spot any women you like? You might get lucky tonight!¡±


    ¡°Fat chance. I¡¯m saving myself for my mate; you know this.¡±


    I wonder what Darien¡¯s mate will be like. He deserves nothing but the best. From the corner of my eye, <b>a </b>trio of women walked over in a gaggle ofughter. Jackie is dressed as Wonder Woman, Abigail is dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, and Sapphire is dressed as L Bunny. Waving them over, they practically <b>skipped </b>to me and our bickering friends.


    ¡°Hey<b>, </b>fancy seeing you again!¡± <b>Sapphire </b>pulled me into a hug. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling better. Thank you.¡± I looked at the couple. ¡°I see you both have been having fun<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Is it showing through my <b>sweat</b>?¡± Jackie asked with a smug smile.


    ¡°No. Abi¡¯s lipstick is all over your cheek.¡±


    ¡°Oops.¡± Abigail giggled ¡®innocently¡® as Jackle averted her eyes in embarrassment. I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s blushing. but I¡¯m sure she is. ¡°Want me to get a napkin and wipe it off, my love?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± The Beta rejected, protecting her cheek. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d wipe away the lips from my mate!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to eat all of that?¡± <b>Sapphire </b>suddenly asked, pointing to my te full of various Halloween food. My answer was stuffing my mouth with three deviled eggs. ¡°Why did I even bother to ask?¡±


    I can¡¯t help <b>that </b>I love food. Is that such a crime? Chuckling, the six of us delved into conversation whilst I ate my food, Grabbing a bottled juice and chugging it, I felt a renewed sense of energy. It¡¯s boundless and overflowing. I never felt happier and greater.


    Oddly enough, I know Nuria is with me. Watching me from the heavens. Part of me <b>wishes </b>that I could have seen her when I was in the Realm of the Moon Goddess. If I had, what would our meeting have been like? She has her wolf, so I assume she grew up. Then again, I don¡¯t think she would¡¯ve been happy to see how <b>much </b>my body had taken damage since she died.


    It was for the best. One day, when my time is up on this earth, we¡¯d be together again.


    <b>She¡¯s </b>my ride<b>¨C</b>or¨Cdie. Even in heaven.


    The booming music of the ¡®Spooky Scary Skeletons¡® remix knocked me hack into reality, filling my body up with the rhythm of fun and craziness. My friends and I pulled each other into the crowd where we bumped and grooved to the fast¨Cpaced beat of the <b>music</b>,ughing at our silliness. The full moon shone overhead, bright as a diamond¨Cme. Moonlight danced across the worn¨Cout grass as Selene, I¡¯m <b>sure</b>, is watching us <b>with </b><b>a </b>smile on her face.


    Her children <b>are </b>happy. Her children are having fun.


    I¡¯m having fun.


    ¦°


    After the party, I walked into a clearing in the woods where the moon shone the brightest. In my <b>palm </b>rested a monarch butterfly with wings fluttering gently in the breeze. It must have stopped by on its migrating journey down south. Its wings and orange color reminded <b>me </b>of Nuria in


    rsun fairy costume. Brigh beautiful, <b>and </b><b>adventurous</b>. My gazended on the full moon with its glow cast above me.


    <b>Silver </b>magic warmed <b>me </b>from head to toe. It made me smile.


    ¡°Hey, Nuria,¡± I whispered into the silent air. ¡°I know you couldn¡¯t join me today and I miss you. Every single day. I did it though.¡± <b>Tears </b>began welling up in my eyes. ¡°I partied for you. I had fun for you. If you were here today, with me, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d <b>be </b>the life of the party. Would we still be our fairies? I¡¯d like to think <b>so</b>.¡±


    1 heaved a deep sigh. ¡°I hope you¡¯re resting easy up there. I hope you and your mother are doing alright. I miss <b>her </b>too. <b>One </b>day, we will meet again. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Lifting my hand, I watched as the monarch butterfly in my palms flew <b>towards </b>the sky. Its tiny, fluttering body had the halo of silver <b>around </b>it, pping into the heavens.


    ¡°Happy Halloween, Nuria. I love you.¡±

 Chapter 89

    Unhinged ¨C Prologue


    (Author¡¯s Note: Unhinged, Book 2 of the Moonlight Avatar Series contains details of the following subjects: abuse, trauma, violence<b>, </b>sexual assault, recovery from trauma, <b>and </b>intense emotional rpse. This book <b>and </b>series is not suitable for all readers. While the subject of the supernatural, werewolves, and magic is the focal point of the story, the series will follow <b>the </b>effects of trauma and abandonment associated with the main female lead. If you are <b>easily </b>triggered by any of the mentioned subjects, do not read ahead for your mental health. This is your only warning. Read at <b>your </b><b>own </b>risk.)


    Kiya


    Murky clouds hide the cerulean sky as heavy rain douses the russet earth. Mother Nature, unable to handle the endless demand of <b>water</b>, surrendered from the onught with puddles of mud drifting through the des of grass. Humans would call this a depressing day; the sun hides, children¡¯sughter is nonexistent, and many shelters themselves from the unforgiving precipitation. Tobat an emotionless day, they hole themselves up inside the cozy abodes that bathe them in soothing heat.


    A heavy sigh holding the weight of the world escapes my plump lips in a puff. The colorless whips melt into the darkened, eerie atmosphere around my form. Separated from the warmth of the nket, I force my upper body to makefort with the chill of the rainy day, demanding the death of the summer heat.


    ¡®Why am I awake?¡± I ask myself. Typically, I sleep through days like these. The pitter¨Cpatter <i>of </i>rain serves as calming music that lulled my fervid mind into a deep slumber. It pulls me from my maddening reality and tucks me into a world of serenity and safety. No one can harm me or bother me. But that¡¯s not the case. Today, my mind overrides the calming presence of the battering rain against my window.


    Kicking the covers o off my feet, I walk to <i>my </i>private bathroom. My ears falled to pick <i>up </i>movement from the pack house. I heard not even the nking of pots and pans from the Omegas in the kitchen. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m alone in this four¨Cstory house. Uncertainly rolls within me like the vicious waves of a tsunami. Amongst its violence, fear nts its cataclysmic seeds in the soll of my mind.


    I shouldn¡¯t be afraid. There¡¯s no reason to be. But I am.


    Flicking up the light switch, I walk towards the sink. Fluorescent lighting made the clean, colorless <b>tiles </b>shimmer until <i>my </i><i>shadow </i>blocked their blessings. In the bathroom mirror, my reflection stares <i>back </i>at me, <i>expressionless</i>. Nothing is out of ce. Mnin skin is still the same, my hair is slightly messy fro


    pillow,


    and the rest of my features hold no <b>ws</b><b>. </b>The sound of running <b>water </b>resounded through thevatory ambiance, surrounding the sink plug in a small, rapidly draining pool.


    I didn¡¯t open the faucet. How could have it done that on its own?


    Without thinking much <i>of </i>it, I shut it off. Before I can look at my reflection again, the pristine white sink weed droplets of red.


    One.


    <b>Two</b>.


    Three.


    The crimson precipitation increased in speed, drops doubling. Startled, my head shot up at the mirror to see the


    <b>1/5</b>


    Unhinged¨C<b>Prologue</b>


    side of my mouth bleeding. Not <i>of </i>external injury, but as if I bit the inside of my cheek hard. Droplets quickly turned to rivers as both sides of my mouth began spilling blood into the sink. It flowed faster than the faucet as the vile taste of metallic cloaked my senses in a haze of terror.


    But it wasn¡¯t the only thing that¡¯s red.


    My eyes, once beautiful coffee brown, shed to a sharp vermillion red. And then ckness began tracking the nerves of my neck and chest,ing from the crook of my neck, where my neck and shoulder met. Curling and crawling as if it¡¯s alive!


    Screaming, I fell backward into the door, unable toprehend the horrific appearance my reflection is taking. Only to know that it¡¯s not just my reflection. It¡¯s me! Lifting my hands, I watch as ck swam through my arms to my fingertips, mapping every internal vein and artery anatomically possible. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, pain skyrocketed through my body as the transformation took ce.


    My body convulsed. Writhed. Quaked under the blinding power of unknown agony<i>. </i>It¡¯s more than I could handle! <i>I </i>have to stop this!


    <i>¡°</i>All you have to do is submit.¡± A deep, malignant voice echoed around me in surround<b>¨C</b>sound. ck smoke billowed in, blocking the light from the fluorescent lightbulbs, drenching the room in metal¨Ccolored horror. It encircles me, caresses me, and chokes me. The smoke took the forms of hands, rubbing my bare arms before moving to my neck, fingers caressing the crook. ¡°The more you resist the darkness, the more pain you¡¯ll be in. And you don¡¯t want to be in any more pain, do <b>you</b>?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± <i>I </i>screamed, waving my hands madly to dissipate the smoke. It hurts. Everything hurts so much! Blood continued to flow, staining my blue nightgown in gargantuan splotches. Weakly, I crawled toward the sink, holding onto the rim for support. Lifting myself, albeit slowly, I finally soaked in the reflecting, pulsating evil that stole my appearance. It took a form of its own, cackling like a mad¨Cwoman, Smokey hands rested on my reflection¡¯s shoulders, another pair of red eyes peering into the depths of my soul.


    The amount of fear I feel at this moment is staggering. It threatens to copse, crushing me under its weight.


    ¡°Surrender. Submit. Being in the darkness is so much more fun than being in the light. Why resist? We both know you want to give up.¡±


    ¡°No! No! No!¡± I chanted, gripping my curls so tight i ripped some from the scalp. I have to stop this. I must! I can¡¯t be like this!


    ¡°Use it.¡± Artemis boomed within my mind. Her faraway voice seems so close, bombarding my sensitive ears with a simplemand. A sparkle of light in my peripherals drew my attention to the bloodied sink. Within held a knife. A knife made of silver. In desperation, I grasped the wooden hilt of the weapon, lifting. ¡°Use it, Kiya. We have to die. This is our fate if you don¡¯t.¡±


    you continue


    you know


    ¡°Oh, dear Delta Kiya.¡± The billow of smoke sang, caressing my dark reflection lovingly. ¡°How long will to y the game of righteousness and morality? How long will you y the pure¨Chearted imposter when of the darkness brewing inside you?¡±


    My hand shook. The knife shook.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Do </b>it.¡± Artemis orders. ¡°End your life!¡±


    ¡°Surrender.¡± The smokemands. ¡°<b>Give </b>into the ckness of your heart.¡±


    Unhinged¨CPrologur


    Opposite demands began filling my ears, crushing me. My brain cannot process so much at once, even as I shut my eyes. Sensory overload torments me and sends my brain into a pool of hellfire. Burning. Screaming. Over and <i>over </i>1 hear the same demands; one from my wolf and the other from the evil entity.


    I felt two icy hands wrap around my shaky hand. My eyes flew open to see my evil reflection, smiling at me with bloodied teeth, angling the de to my neck. Its arms stretched from the prison of the mirror, tangible and real. Just looking at this monstrous version of myself zapped my strength. <i>I </i>felt like a doll and it¡¯s my marite.


    In its eyes, nothing but malevolence dances behind the lens like the devil is enjoying himself. It is the devil. How could this be me?


    I¡¯m not darkness! I¡¯m not evil!


    <b>I¡¯M </b>NOT!


    ¡°The light is painful.¡± It whispers <i>sickly </i>sweet. ¡°We suffered. But in the darkness, no longer. We are safe. We are happy.¡±


    ¡°We are free.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop it. It¡¯s too strong. My reflection, myself, rammed the silver de through the flesh <i>of </i>my neck<b>. </b>I choked and coughed as my crimson essence gushed rapidly <b>from </b>the self¨Cinflicted wound. Red dribbled and gushed onto the granite tiles in waterfalls, taking my life with its flow. My brown eyes didn¡¯t leave my reflection, its red eyes tinting in sadness<b>.</b>


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to suffer anymore, do we?.¡±


    My life faded. The darkness weed me with happiness and anticipation. Instead of the smoke embracing me, it¡¯s the arms of death. I dropped. My head collided with the tiled floor of my bathroom, forming a pool of blood around <i>my </i>head. Curls<b>, </b>once filled with ebony shine, are stained and weighed heavy with crimson liquid.


    <i>I </i>expelled myst breath.


    And then, silence.


    <i>I </i>died¡­


    I shot up from my bed with a startled scream, covering my mouth as hot tears gushed from my eyes. They moved to my cellphone, quickly checking the time. It read 3 AM in front of the mobile background photo of my friends and me. My violent hyperventtion calmed to normal breathing while I got the bearings of the bedroom, soaking in the familiar atmosphere.


    <b>My </b>bedroom. On Zircon Moon territory.


    This is the fourth nightmare in the past two weeks. It¡¯s getting to <b>where </b>I¡¯m afraid to fall asleep. It won¡¯t


    <b>leave </b>me alone.


    Why is this happening to <b>me</b>?


    Slowly, I rose out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Flicking on the lights<b>, </b>I sucked in a deep breath, hoping my nightmare <b>didn¡¯t </be to fruition. And it didn¡¯t. My reflection is normal, except I¡¯m in my purple capri


    Unhinged ¨C Prologue


    pajamas versus in the blue nightgown in the nightmare. A breath of relief escaped my mouth as I ran my fingers through my <b>hair</b>.


    ¡°How long must this go on?¡± Artemis asked me quietly. ¡°The nightmares are getting worse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Art,¡± I answered dejectedly. ¡°<b>These </b>dreams are unlike any I ever had. What¡¯s happening to me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but tell someone. It¡¯ll help get this weight off your chest.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No one will understand. <i>If </i><i>I </i>can¡¯t make sense <i>of </i>my nightmares, what makes you think someone else could?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt, Kiki. You know better than anyone that talking things out can help. And you haven¡¯t talked to anyone here about it since the kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°Because there isn¡¯t much to talk about. And I told Mayra.¡±


    ¡°Who is an entire state <b>away </b>on her busy schedule? You need <b>someone </b>here to speak to. Why not talk. to Jackie? Or Sapphire? Or the <b>rest </b>of our crew? Are you afraid of their judgment?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to worry them, that¡¯s all. Enough shit has happened to me. I shouldn¡¯t <b>burden </b>them with more.¡± With my hands gripped on the outer rim of the <b>sink</b><b>, </b>I stare hard at my reflection. Waiting for something to happen. A flicker of red, a dribble of blood; anything. But nothing changes. Nothing shifts.


    Except¡­


    asionally, I¡¯d see signs of my powers misting from my hands. It¡¯s normally white wisps outlined with blue. Buttely, I¡¯ve been seeing a shift of color. To <b>ck</b>, sometimes red. It¡¯s been scaring me, <b>and </b>I don¡¯t know how to tell someone.


    I can¡¯t tell my friends, <b>and </b>I¡¯m scared to tell Phoebe. I don¡¯t want to burden her either; she¡¯s still recovering


    from our kidnapping. And I doubt Neron will understand what I¡¯m goin¡®


    The loneliness is deafening. Artemis offers herfort, like the best friend she is,


    palpitating heart. I¡¯m <b>scared</b>. Scared of these changes where I can¡¯t find the ansut it cannot calm my


    <b>eyes </b>andnd in <b>the </b>sink in tiny sshes, carrying my fear with them.


    <ol>


    <li>to. <b>Tears </b>rain <b>down </b>my</li>


    </ol>


    The side of my neck still throbs. Where Osiris bit me. It¡¯s a dull pain that sometimes isn¡¯t noticeable, unlike tonight. It throbs in a strange beat, not akin to my heartbeat. Something weird is happening, and I feel powerless to stop it.


    ¡°Hoo?¡±


    I walk out of the bathroom to spot Diana perched on my windowsill. She¡¯s careful not to disrupt the selenite crystals I <b>lined </b>on top of it. Her golden eyes don¡¯t hold the curiosity and humor I¡¯m <b>used </b>to. They hold sadness and worry. Sometimes, I wonder if <b>there¡¯s </b>an actual person underneath the ruffle of white feathers.


    And I need someone right now. Diana may be an animal, but she¡¯s my animal. And my friend. A hooting, flying


    friend.


    ¡°Oh, Diana<b>,</b><b>¡± </b>I muttered, on the <b>verge </b>of more tears. Without hesitation, the owl flew into my arms, rubbing her soft head on the crook of my neck. Her soft feathers soothed the ills <b>in </b>my heart, removing <b>the </b>anxiety that churns within. My lips softly kissed her <b>forehead </b>in appreciation and <b>a </b>satisfied hoot echoed in the space


    between us in reward.


    ¡°Diana<b>, </b>sometimes I wish you were a real person.¡± I murmured. ¡°You¡¯re always <b>there </b>for <b>me </b>at the most. inconvenient of times, but I suppose that¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>scared</b>,¡± I confessed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. I slip fast into the dark thoughts I used to have. The thoughts of revenge and hatred. And it¡¯s so overwhelming. These nightmares are pure hell and are getting worse. How <b>can </b>I stop <i>thi</i>


    Diana hooted <b>in </b>sympathy, spreading her wings across my chest as if she¡¯s hugging me back. Carefully, I lie back on my bed with the bird to my chest. It¡¯s like I¡¯m cradling a newborn baby.


    ¡°Surrender, it says<b>. </b>Surrender to the darkness. I can¡¯t. I have to be strong and fight this.¡±


    Just fight.


    Just keep on fighting.


    It¡¯s what everyone says. That¡¯s what everyone prides in me for; my strength to ovee adversities.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    But I¡¯m growing


    But I¡¯m growing weary.


    And sometimes¡­


    I want to give up.

 Chapter 90

    <b>Chapter </b>1 ¨C Protect Her Peace


    ¡°He wished he could find a way back to believing, even though he knew better, that she was his to protect.¡± Cassandra re


    Neron


    ¡°<b>Move </b>it, soldiers!¡±


    It¡¯s been three weeks since the insanity. Three weeks since Zircon Moon territory was nearly burned to ash. Thankfully, Mother Nature is a healer and since then, has blessed ournds with lush green once more. The earth trembled as thunderous footsteps of warrior men and women encircled thend under the early morning sky. Golden and blessed light from the barely peeked over the horizon to dissipate the cerulean blue.


    I led the charge of the morning run, adding it to the warrior¡¯s regime before their day. The cool morning breeze whipped against my bare skin, taking strands of my hair along for the ride. It felt <b>good</b>. It¡¯s freeing. Like a dip in a cold pool right before the heat of summer.


    It¡¯s July and so much has happened within these past weeks. Beefed up border security, new members trickling


    into ourmunity, and pregnancies. Lori, Kwame¡¯s mate, is carrying his pup and celebrations were <b>in</b>


    order.


    I still remember the tear¨Cstained face of Amani <b>and </b>Omar Dubois at the announcement. They¡¯re going to be grandparents! Praises to our beloved Moon Goddess echoed throughout the night from the Gamma family, including a few excited yells here and there.


    Whenever a ranked <b>wolf </b>or their mate announces their pregnancies, we throw them a celebration to bless them with a healthy pregnancy and pray to our Moon Goddess for their safety throughout it all. We dance deep into the night apanied by <b>food</b>, drinks, and booming music to broadcast the future member of our


    family.


    Carrying pups isn¡¯t easy, I imagine. Witnessing my little sister¡¯s birth was enough for me.


    <b>Good </b>news aside, one thing weighed heavily on my mind as the soldiers and I turned <b>a </b>corner. The impending punitive reality that awaits in August. Kiya will leave and I¡¯ll never see her again. It will separate my mate and me for good, and my strong heart pounds harder. Not at the exercise, but the future separation.


    I can¡¯t bear it. I can¡¯t bear the thought of my beloved leaving, not after all we¡¯ve been through. It¡¯s unjust to force her to stay at my side when she doesn¡¯t want to, but goddamnit, I love her so much it hurts!


    With every passing day, the pain in my heart grows. The time constraint is a bastard thing, taunting me at how I cannot earn the heart and trust of my soulmate. I loathed it. I wanted <b>nothing </b>more than to burn it under the fiery inferno of hell. Fate is telling me to give up, but I refuse.


    I gave up on Kiya before. Five years ago. Now, I refuse to stop fighting. I¡¯ll continue to fight until herst day on mynd.


    I moved faster. I pump my legs harder. My stomps <b>grew </b>in volume and the world faded around me in a blur <b>of </b>color. It¡¯s hard to tell if it¡¯s my determination or Onyx <b>that¡¯s </b>pushing me. He can¡¯t bear to lose our beloved either. He¡¯s been alone for too long and it¡¯s my fault.


    If I only epted Kiya from the beginning. If only I treated <b>Kiya </b>with love and respect. If I wasn¡¯t blinded by


    Chapter 1 ¨C Protect Her Peace


    <b>grief </b><b>and </b>anger, Onyx and I wouldn¡¯t be in this precarious situation where we¡¯d lose <b>our </b>other half for good.


    I can¡¯t give up.


    Not on <b>her</b>. Not <b>on </b>Kiya. <b>She¡¯s </b>all that matters to <b>me</b><b>.</b>


    I¡¯d give anything to see her smile at me, just like <b>on </b>our date at the amusement park.


    After <b>the </b>run, I walked into <b>the </b>silent pack house. I expect no one to rise this early unless they¡¯re <b>training </b>to defend ournds. Not even the Omegas. However, the sound of cups against countertops and the smell of coffee ignited my curiosity.


    Huh. Who¡¯s up this early?


    As I walked closer to the kitchen, my favorite scent in the world wafted up to my nose. A deep, satisfying growl rumbled in my chest and sharp pleasure slices through my nerve endings. Honeyed strawberries and vani are an intoxicating mixture that I can¡¯t get enough of. It bathes my sweaty body infort and warmth, lulling into a deep sense of security. If I could bottle it up as a perfume, I¡¯d keep it by my side forever.


    I spend <b>a </b>couple of seconds longer sniffing the air like a madman before walking into the kitchte to spot my mate stirring her coffee in arge mugbeled ¡°Feeling Kinda Stabby¡®.


    She¡¯s wearing pajamas, Pajamas that cast a halo around her mnin. Kiya looks so good in pastels. Her shorts revealed her legs, scarred and beautiful. Her tank top also revealed her arms and back, striking pain in my mind at the scar on her shoulder de barely curtained by her beautiful curls. Her tired sigh echoed in the kitchen¡¯s quiet atmosphere.


    ¡°What do you need, Neron?¡± Her sweet voice asked, her body turning to face me with her hands cradling her mug. I took a moment to soak up her appearance<b>, </b>and it didn¡¯t bring my heart joy.


    Why? <b>Kiya </b>looks like she¡¯s carrying the weight of the entire world and then some. Noticeable bags under her eyes exasperate her tiredness, her skin doesn¡¯t have that usual shine<b>, </b>some of her curls are pointing in every direction. My mate¡¯s on the verge of copsing in exhaustion. She looks no different from women forced to work in sweatshops for long hours.


    I¡¯m <b>worried</b>. Onyx is worried and urges me to go to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kiya?¡± I ask softly, taking steps into the kitchen. ¡°<b>Are </b><b>you </b>okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine<b>.</b>¡± She <b>says</b>. Like hell she is. The heavy tone in her voice betrays her words. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like something.¡± I reply. ¡°Kiya<b>, </b>something¡¯s bothering you. You look like you haven¡¯t slept in days.¡±


    ¡°Because <b>I </b>haven¡¯t been.¡± I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean for me to hear <b>because </b>I watched her tired expression turn into one of embarrassment. ¡°Ugh. Forget what I¡¯ve said.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t and won¡¯t.¡± Now three feet from her, I rest my elbow on the kitchen¡¯s ind. ¡°Kiya. Tell me what¡¯s wrong. Maybe I can help.¡±


    ¡°Not with this.¡± She shakes her head. Pain courses through <b>me </b>because Kiya won¡¯t put her trust in me. She has <b>every </b>reason not to, and yet, I can¡¯t stop the desire to help her. I want to shoulder that burden, so she


    2/7


    Chapter <b>1 </b><b>¨C </b>Protect Her Peace


    doesn¡¯t have to <b>carry </b>it all. So much <b>has </b>happened to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting this go, Kiya,¡± I said firmly, ¡°You look like you need someone to talk to. You need to get whatever this is off your chest.¡±


    ¡°Why should I trust you?¡±


    ¡°<b>Because </b>I may not be the most ideal person to talk to, but I¡¯m the only <b>person </b>you can talk to for now. I¡¯m here and¡­¡± I huffed in a deep breath. ¡°You look like you <b>could </b><b>use </b>a friend.¡±


    Kiya regards me with a heavy look. By the zed look in her eyes, she¡¯smunicating with Artemis. I wonder how she¡¯s doing. Sighing in defeat, she runs a hand through her mane of curls <b>before </b>gesturing at the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go into themon room to talk.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Can you also put on a shirt?¡±


    1 arch an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s distracting.¡± She blurts.


    My <b>ego </b>got its <b>daily </b>stroke, raising <b>a </b>smirk <b>on </b>my face. ¡°Why? Like <b>what </b>you see?¡±


    ¡°Not in your life.¡± She mutters with an eye roll. However, I don¡¯t miss the sight of mellow red in her cheeks and the crinkle in her nose. All the little things that tell me she¡¯s embarrassed in her unique way.


    Goddess, she¡¯s fucking adorable.


    Per her request, I tossed on a ck <b>shirt </b>before we sat in themon room. Quietly, my mate faces me on the couch. Despite the distance between us, to have <b>her </b>this close <b>is </b>more <b>than </b>enough for <b>me</b>. More <b>than </b>enough for an undeserving man. With one leg bent and hands cupped around her mug,


    <i>e </i>speaks.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been <b>having </b>nightmares.¡± That caught my attention immediately.


    ¡°Nightmares? About what?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t know about what.¡± Her brown eyes connect with my blue, imprisoning me in their hold. ¡°Every nightmare has a different scenario, but they share several things inmon. I always die in the end. Either by my hand or if someone forces it. It¡¯s just¡­I thought those types of dreams were over.¡±


    ¡°You <b>had </b>dreams where you killed yourself before<b>?</b>¡±


    Kiya nods solemnly, sending my heart plummeting in a sea of despair. The <b>desire </b>to hold her and kiss her forehead has never been stronger. My hand ached to reach into her heart and remove all the burdens<b>, </b><b>so </b>she didn¡¯t <b>have </b>to feel them. Is it bad to want to carry her pain? Is it bad that I wish <i>I </i>had <b>her </b>pain, and she can be free? She doesn¡¯t <b>deserve </b>this at all.


    ¡°Dreams are symbolic, from what I¡¯ve <b>learned</b>,¡± I exin, stretching my arm on the spine of the couch. My fingers were inches away from Kiya¡¯s shoulder, and they¡¯re itching for the smallest touch of my mate. ¡°They typically tell us something about what¡¯s happening in our waking life, or they <b>can </b>be a clue to something <b>else</b><b>. </b>entirely. Dreams <b>are </b>weird.¡±


    tell me to give up. To surrender.¡± I know she¡¯s holding something back,


    thing that¡¯s bothering me.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I ask softly. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°<b>Have </b>you <b>ever </b>got the feeling that you¡¯re being watched?¡± She asks me, moving closer to me. Her bare upper arm brushes against my fingers, sending forth rockets of destined sparks through my body. She didn¡¯t react. ¡°Every time I wake in the middle of the night, I feel a presence in my room. Stalking me. It¡¯s watching my every move <b>but </b>no <b>one¡¯s </b>there?¡±


    Kiya shakes her head,ughing softly. ¡°I sound like a madwoman.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t crazy, Kiya. Far from it.¡± With a sigh, I fold my hands in myp. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. Maybe it¡¯s just that catching up to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She says sadly. I resisted the urge to touch her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of it, and it¡¯s been fucking with my sleep.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since you got a good night¡¯s sleep?¡±


    She pondered in thought for a moment, hollowing her cheeks slightly. I smiled as my mind made a note of another cute quirk she has. ¡°Um<b>¡­</b>a week?¡±


    ¡°Can you put your mug down on the table for a second?¡± Kiya gives me a look, hesitates, but eventually sets it down. Without warning, I scooped my mate up in my arms with the biggest smile on my face. She lets out a squeak like a small mouse before pounding my back with her fist.


    ¡°Neron, what the hell?! Put me down, you goliath!¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I smirked, already on my way to the upper floors of the pack house. ¡°If I let you go, you¡¯d run.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re taking me.¡¯


    ¡°Ah, I forgot to mention that?¡± I feigned confusion but couldn¡¯t keep a straight face when she scowled at me. If looks can kill, I¡¯d be dead. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to my room.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Excuse me, where?¡± She demands, now wiggling like a worm. ¡°And why, the hell, are you taking me to your


    room?¡±


    ¡°For you to sleep. If something is going on in your room, that¡¯s bothering you, then maybe sleeping in a different room <b>would </b><b>help</b>.¡±


    ¡°But-!¡±


    ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t want to wake anyone else up, do you?¡±


    Kiya instantly mmed up, huffing as she <b>crossed </b>her arms. Triumphant, I practically skipped down the halls. of the fourth floor before kicking open my door. Feeling giddy over the fact I¡¯m bringing someone special to


    Chapter 1¨CProtect Her Peace


    <b>my </b>room is a foreign, yet electrifying feeling. I can¡¯t remember thest time I felt this excited; maybe from when Mom would return from trips with Dad. It¡¯s been so long, and my inner child is bubbling with joy.


    I set my beauty on my bed, as gentle as a feather with a clown¡¯s grin on my face. Kiya¡¯s head swished from side to side, <b>curls </b>swinging as she soaked in the interior of my humble quarters. <b>There¡¯s </b>isn¡¯t much to look at; only that it¡¯s the biggest room in the pack house with mahogany settee couches, a t¨Cscreen television, and other essories akin to a bachelor pad. I watched as brown eyes widened and squinted in moderate session.


    ¡°I never expected your room to be so¡­¡±


    ¡°So, what?¡± My curiosity gnaws at me with the urge to know more. Why does her opinion matter so much to me? It¡¯s been my room for years and never once did I need to think about the approval of a woman. But Kiya, she¡¯s special. Obviously.


    ¡°Ordinary.¡± <b>She </b>answered. ¡°But¡­it fits you. Your favorite color is blue?¡± When I nodded, her lips formed a smirk that exposed her perfect white teeth to me. ¡°Ah. Ordinary and boring.¡±


    My hand went to my heart, mocking offense. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with liking the color blue?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amon favorite color, and it¡¯s not very exciting. Not much of a fan.¡±


    ¡°Blue is the color of intelligence <b>and </b>sincerity.¡± I retorted as my hand picked up a blue snow globe on top of my clothes drawer. Inside it is a model of a bright green Christmas tree. The falling snow reminds me of those Christmas nights by the firece with Nuria and I opening gifts in our pajamas. A smile makes its way to my face. Good times. ¡°It also symbolizes sensitivity and sincerity.¡±


    Kiya looks at me, and I look at her, soaking in her holy presence. ¡°What¡¯s yours? Must be more exciting than ordinary blue.¡±


    Purple.¡± She answered softly. ¡°My favorite color is purple.¡±


    Royalty. Nobility. Power. Wisdom. Mystery. Peace. Magic. So many associations with that simple color, and yet, I can see why it would be Kiya¡¯s favorite. She embodies every symbolic notion of that color, and it exemplifies her beauty in thevender tank top she¡¯s wearing. ¡°I can see it. It¡¯s lovely. Very fitting.¡±


    Setting the snow globe down, I huffed. ¡°Okay. Time for you to sleep.¡±


    Kiya gave me a look. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You. Sleep. Now.¡± I softly demanded, walking to the other side of my <b>bed</b>. Her weird look followed my moves, even twisting into distaste when I sat my rear on the mattress. ¡°Kiya¡­¡±


    ¡°Why would I <b>want </b>to sleep on your bed?¡±


    Good point. Why would she want to? ¡°Because you haven¡¯t slept for a week. And what you said about something watching in your room bothered me. I, at least, want to give you a safe ce to catch up on sleep<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°But training-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take over. I know your training regime with the pups. And your friends won¡¯t have to stop theirs with the adults to cover for you.¡±


    Chapter 1 ¨C Protect Her Peace


    ¡°Um. It¡¯s early?¡±


    ¡°You can sleep in. No onees into my room without permission and I¡¯ll see that <b>you </b>aren¡¯t disturbed.¡±


    Kiya <b>feigned </b>annoyance with her sharp sigh. But it sent my heart soaring. It made me happy. Damnit, what the hell is wrong with me? ¡°You won¡¯t let this go, will you?¡±


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s my job to take care of you during your stay.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be taken care of.¡± She shot back, slipping her feet under the covers. Her scent mixed with <b>mine </b>in the bed, making me lightheaded. The scent of your mate is legendary in making one weak in <b>the </b>knees, but this? This will be the death of me. I wanted nothing more than for Kiya to stay in my bed forever so I can breathe in this sweet mixture.


    Pulling the covers over her, Kiya¡¯s body visibly rxed. Her eyes began drooping and stress left her in waves. Instinctually, my hand reached to her cheek, knuckles caressing her supple skin. I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t fall so far. That I¡¯ll remain strong. Rare moments such as this truly make life worthwhile; to have my mate rx at my touch when she <b>used </b>to tense around me.


    Getting attached is dangerous. <b>She </b>warned me herself. Kiya told <b>me </b>to not forge any further emotional connection with her. As an Alpha, promises are binding. We acknowledge <b>requests </b>to rest upon the honor of the wolf.


    But this is one promise I cannot keep.


    Kiya is my heart. The love of my life. My other half. There¡¯s no way I could not stop loving her. I¡¯ve made amends that she¡¯ll never love me back. The chance of reaching her heart and cradling it like precious diamonds is slim to none.


    But it won¡¯t make me love her any less. I¡¯m too far gone. I¡¯ve been a horrible person to her, and I will never be again. She¡¯s mine by destiny, but hers by <b>choice</b>.


    She will always <b>have </b>a choice.


    ¡°Will you still be here when I wake?¡± Kiya asked me groggily. The sweet thing is surrendering to t of sleep. Chuckling softly, I leaned down <b>and </b>nted <b>a </b><b>kiss </b>on her forehead, soft and chaste.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. But I¡¯ll be here until you fall asleep.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    thefort


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± In seconds, she <b>went </b>out like a light. Breathing steadily, I <b>watch </b>her upper body rise <b>and </b>fall with life. Valerian, long ago, spoke about the joys <b>and </b>love he¡¯d feel when watching Raina sleep. I used tough at myself at how smitten he was with our Beta Female. Soon after Kwame met Lori, he¡¯d talk about how it brought him happiness to watch her chest fill with life. It reminded him she¡¯s alive. She¡¯s real. And made for


    him.


    I never understood it. I¡¯dugh at how my men had fallen head over heels over their mates, and now Cupid <b>has </b>struck me with his arrow once <b>more</b>. The <b>magic </b>of the arrow <b>entrances </b>me. Kiya¡¯s beauty entrances me. Watching her at peace¡­ <b>that¡¯s </b>an entirely different set of love I didn¡¯t know I could feel.


    I want to protect <b>this </b>peace. <i>Her </i>peace.


    And on my honor, I will.

 Chapter 91

    <b>Chapter </b><b>2 </b>¨C The Dark <b>Influence</b>


    ¡°I have a voice, too, and for good or evil mine is the speech that cannot be silenced.¡± -Joseph Conrad


    Odessa


    Manicured fingers brush through the dark, silky strands of my soulmate¡¯s hair. Beautiful as he¡¯s formidable, I¡¯m presented with a different picture of him. A picture of bliss and peace. His nose res gently with every silent inhale of my scent. The bed we share in his room is warm, like a gentle ember underneath this nket. With the air conditioning humming behind us, I can¡¯t tell July from December.


    It¡¯s <b>a </b><b>wonderful </b>feeling.


    While admiring my mate, my mind reminisces, contorting the image of Darien into Neron. He and I used to share moments like <b>this</b>: we¡¯d watch each other sleep until the sun beckons us to start our day. Memories of the love swimming in those sapphire blues engulfed my mind and senses into deep, power nostalgia. No different from Darien¡¯s sapphires. Neron¡¯s touches, his sweetness, his <b>lips</b>; I remember all. It ignited a fire within my <b>core </b>that made my legs quiver. Neron¡¯s love was consuming, and it was a storm I refused to take refuge <b>from</b>.


    Doesn¡¯t he know how much it hurts?


    To watch him give that same love to someone else? To watch him pine for the love of a woman who doesn¡¯t care for him and their bond<b>?</b>


    1, attractie


    I was the golden apple in Neron¡¯s eye as he was in mine. Even as young teenagers, he¡¯s the one I knew my heart wanted. funny; he¡¯s <b>the </b>total package. I still remember the Valentine¡¯s Day card he made for me when <b>we </b>were sixteen. Heart¨Cshaped, doused in red glitter with fine calligraphy print on the <b>inside</b>. It symbolized the day we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. It still rests in my drawer underneath my clothes.


    I loved him back then, and I still do now. Despite my mate bond with Darien, part of my heart aches <b>for </b>Neron. It beats for him in the rhythm of drums every time I inhale his <b>woodsy </b>scent. It aches for <b>his </b>touches


    once more.


    Darien¡¯s touches are near <b>the </b>same caliber as my Alpha¡¯s, except the fire zes. Wild, passionate, and untamed. Every time we made love, it¡¯s as if I saw heaven itself. <b>I¡¯m </b>taken to <b>pleasure </b>beyond myprehension with nothing to reign me in. It¡¯s inhibited and stunning. Right now, I see <b>no </b>sign of the passionate man that thrusts into me day in and day out. His love is just as consuming, <b>and </b>it fills me withpletion. Just how the <b>Moon </b>Goddess destined us to be together.


    But it¡¯s not enough.


    Not enough for me.


    Darien is my soulmate. Nothing can change about <b>that</b>. Ariel howls only for him. However, soulmate or not, Neron is my first love. Humans say that you <b>never </b>forget your first love, and I agree. He¡¯s the first person to wear my heart on his sleeve. Like a pirate with his treasure chest, I was Neron¡¯s diamond. He¡¯s the soldier, and my heart was his de. My beloved Alpha <b>made </b>me <b>feel </b>powerful, wanted, and seen.


    Seen by all. A soft chuckle bubbled in my chest; I¡¯m not so useless now, am I?


    <b>175</b>


    Chapter 2 ¨C The Dark Influence


    Neron sacrificed destiny to keep me at his side. He defied all for me. That was all the proof I needed to see how intense his love for me is. My happiness mattered to him. Such a strong, authoritative man Neron is; he can have anything he wanted with the flick of the wrist. My Alpha <b>gave </b>me anything I wanted and treated me like a queen. His queen.


    Yet¡­


    He went from an intimidating Alpha to a lovesick puppy. For someone else. How <b>can </b>he forget everything like that? All we¡¯ve been through together? I¡¯ve been nothing but faithful, and he tossed me away. The chuckle shattered into <b>a </b>sea of anger, bubbling and toiling like scarletva. It threatened to overflow and incinerate everything in contact. But just <b>as </b>quickly as it appeared, it disappeared.


    I can¡¯t find it in my heart to be <b>mad </b>at Neron. He¡¯s just overrun by guilt! That¡¯s why he¡¯s been acting this way. Once Kiya fucking dies, he¡¯ll love me again. And I¡¯ll do anything to make him love me, yet I can¡¯t abandon Dari


    Ariel loves <b>him</b>. She can¡¯t let him go. I love him. I can¡¯t let <b>him </b>go. And I still love Neron.


    My wolf and I have different wants and needs. We¡¯re two sides of the <b>same </b>coin, yetplete opposites. I want my Alpha and she wants her Delta. Why have the best of both worlds? The Moon Goddess is a fool to give all werewolves a singr <b>mate</b>. One mate cannot fulfill all our needs. Well, at least mine. So why can¡¯t we have two? Can¡¯t she see my heart belongs to two men, and I¡¯m <b>forced </b>to choose <b>one </b><b>over </b>the other?


    I still remember the promise <b>Neron </b>and I made long ago. The <b>memory </b>is as fresh as the moment of its birth. We carve our destiny. Our destined mates are damned, and we¡¯ll be together as <b>we </b>want to be. Had no werewolf thought to throw away the blessed gifts our Moon Goddess gave to pursue our paths.


    He¡¯s forgotten his <b>promise</b>. Bewitched by midnight¨Ccolored curls, he forged amitment and refused to


    abide.


    All because of that-!


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, dear. It¡¯ll get stuck.¡±


    My head shot up to see a swirl of smoke hovering at the foot of the bed. With eyes unseen, I feel them peering into mine. Innate instincts <b>reach </b>out for Darien to protect me, but I know it¡¯s not possible. This is my problem because I made a deal with the devil to regain <b>what </b>I¡¯ve lost.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wake him.¡± I requested softly in hopes Darien doesn¡¯t stir. He¡¯s a heavy sleeper, but better safe than


    <b>sorry</b>.


    ¡°He won¡¯t if youe with me quietly. We <b>have </b>some things to discuss. Into the bathroom, now.¡±


    There¡¯s <b>a </b>pull I couldn¡¯t resist. Invisible threads controlled my limbs, forcing them to move on their own. Robotically, I sprang out of bed <b>and </b>strode into the <b>bathroom</b>, locking the door behind me. The smoke quickly materialized into a human form. Osiris emerged with his white hair iling and dressed in a dark suit,plimenting his deep skin.


    Wow. Even during <b>his </b>dealings with darkness, he dresses sharply.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make this quick.¡± He grinned with his fangs disyed. Soft hisses echoed between <b>us</b><b>, </b>reminding me that his disgusting pet snake is with him. The <b>juniper</b>¨C<b>green </b>reptile coiled around his right arm; scarlet eyes


    ¡°N¨CNo.¡± I shake my head, head bowed in submission. ¡°New pack members areing in upon the Alpha¡¯s decision to ept refugees, training for the warriors has increased, and the Gamma Female is with child.¡±


    The devil or whatever¨Cthe¨Chell¨Che¨Cis nodded. ¡°And of the avatar?¡±


    Irritation wed through me at the meager mention of the ¡®A¡® word. I hated that bitch and my impatience beckons for her fall. ¡°She and the Alpha¡­ they look as if they¡¯re bing closer. She continues to reject his advances, but Neron won¡¯t give up the pursuit for her heart.¡±


    Osiris regarded me with a knowing look, with his finger tapping his cheek in the rhythm of my heartbeat. His look is enough to send shivers down my spine, gripping it forcefully. ¡°Your anger carries a scent, dear, and I must say¡­it¡¯s sweet. Not my type of sweet, but sweet. I think it¡¯s time to implement my ns.¡±


    ¡°What do you n on doing with Kiya once you have her?¡± I ask curiously. Not that I care, but why the hunt? Maybe he wants her powers? If he kills her, that¡¯s fine with me. Deep in me, Ariel doesn¡¯t stir. She <b>hasn¡¯t </b>spoken to me <b>since </b>I made the deal with Osiris.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions that don¡¯t concern you, pet.¡± He hissed. Deadly and ready to strike, his snake hovers his head next to its owner, sharp fangs glistening under the bathroom lighting. Recoiling, my back hit the bathroom door because the raw memories of the snake biting me infested my mind.


    I¡¯ve had nightmares ever since.


    But it¡¯s what it took to have Neron again. To have the pack listen to my everymand.


    To take my rightful ce as <b>Luna </b>with two men to love me.


    Osiris grabbed my arm, and his sharp


    ails sunk into my flesh. His other hand went to cover my mouth to muffle my whimpers. ckness filled my veins, mapping them out from my arm to my shoulder. The burning sensation is unbearable, <b>charring </b>every nerve. Stray tears escaped my eyes, dripping from his strong hand.


    Goddess, make it stop!


    ¡°This power must be used wisely <b>and </b>cautiously, pet.¡± Osiris retracted his nails from my skin as it began. healing. ck faded underneath the olive undertone, leaving behind no evidence of its existence. ¡°You, now, have the power of influence. With a single touch, you canmand the will and mind of anyone of your choosing. You can make them your obedient ve or willful minion. However, as overzealous as you are, I¡¯ve put some restrictions<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°¡­Like what?¡± I ask, feeling the dark power gripping at my heart. It¡¯s frightening. It¡¯s horrific. And yet, I liked it. It felt <b>good</b>.


    ¡°With every <b>use</b>, it will cause you pain. Dependent on the person you attempt to <b>influence</b><b>, </b>if their will is strong, it may not work. So, go with the weak¨Cminded mutts first. They¡¯ll <b>be </b>easiest to recruit, <b>so </b>don¡¯t even think you can easily sway the Alpha to love you when he¡¯s so infatuated with the moon¡¯s avatar. And I¡¯ll know who you influence; this <b>is </b>an extension of my power.¡±


    ¡°How long until I can get Neron?¡±


    ¡°<b>So </b>impatient.¡± Osiris <b>sneered</b>, rolling his <b>eyes</b>. ¡°By rushing, you¡¯ll be pushing the destined mates together. The Alpha is pussy¨Cwhipped by the avatar <b>and </b><b>a </b>willing victim to the bond the Moon Goddess cast upon them


    in birth. He falls at hermands, when really¡­ It should be you, right?¡±


    He leans in, wrapping his long fingers underneath my chin. Gently, Osiris lifts my head to meet his eyes. He¡¯s powerful. He¡¯s deadly. My knees buckled under his intense <b>gaze </b>as the grapples of his dark soul hold mine hostage. ¡°Do you want them to be together because you couldn¡¯t be patient?¡±


    ¡°N¨CNo.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to work, little girl. Patience is <b>a </b>virtue, as the humans say. I want Kiya and you <b>want </b>Neron. Keep them apart and we¡¯ll get what we want. I¡¯ll be happy and you will be too. After all, that¡¯s why you made the deal with me; so you can be happy with your true loves.¡±


    ..


    My heart thumped to the truth in his words. It knows what it wants. It knows <b>what </b>I want. It¡¯s frightening that Osiris knows all about my desires. But he¡¯s right. Roadblocks are preventing <b>me </b>from reaching my goal. All are named Kiya.


    Halima.


    The former ve turned warrior. She¡¯s the only person standing in my way of reiming Neron¡¯s heart, and I must <b>take </b>her <b>down</b>. But how do you turn a lovesick Alpha into one who hated her existence?


    I <b>must </b>take it slow. Slowly break her and the love Neron has for her. And then I¡¯lle in and sweep his broken heart off the ground. That bitch is just a rabid dog bound by a chain to the neck.


    Neron is mine. He¡¯s my prize and my rightful im.


    <b>She¡¯ll </b><b>lose </b>everything. <b>And </b>I¡¯ll gain it all, starting with my mate.


    ¡°I know you


    want to try your newfound powers out. Go ahead.¡± Osiris¡® chilly hands gently pushed me out the bathroom door, urging me to sin. Urging me to take <b>what </b>I want. The door swung open in silence to reveal the still body of Darien. His chest continued to rise and fall with signs of life. He¡¯s what I want. I¡¯ll take him from that <b>bitch </b>and rid <b>his </b>mind of her presence.


    Darien is mine<b>, </b>and Neron is <b>mine</b>. All will <b>be </b>mine.


    Curling my fingers around Darien¡¯s thick wrist, I watched <b>as </b>I willed the ck magic to flow from my palms into his, mapping his <b>veins </b>underneath his <b>flesh</b>. It¡¯s so sickly, like snakes slithering and bulging on their way to swallow their prey. I was theirmander. A rush of power washed through me as I watched Darien writhe from the pain.


    It¡¯ll only hurt for a moment, my love.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Just like <b>that</b>¡­¡± The devil himself purred with his hot breath tickling my ear. Through my <b>mental </b>blocks, Ariel beats and batters against it. My wolf demands my cessation, growling and howling at me in unadulterated fury. Another wall <b>separates </b>us; I¡¯ll not let her ruin my ns to im what we rightfully


    deserve.


    Ariel will understand one day. I¡¯m doing this for her own good!


    Darien soon stopped writhing. His body stilled as if he died. I reached out for him, engulfed with worry, but immediately retracted. I was met with a pair of blue eyes¡­ but they¡¯re different. Both of his cerulean orbs had a thick, red ring around them. Lifeless. Unmoving. Staring at me as if <b>he¡¯s </b>a hollow shell.


    Chapter 2 ¨C The Dark Influence


    They wait for me. My authorization. Mymand. A sinister smile makes way to my face, curling the sides of my lips in pure delight.


    ¡°He¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mine,¡± I whispered <b>as </b>I crawled onto <b>the </b>bed with my <b>face </b>itching close to his. My brown stared deep into his blue in search of something. A sign of him or his wolf. I find none. He truly is under my submission¡­


    Let¡¯s take <b>a </b>crack at it and see how this works!


    ¡°You¡¯ll no longer care about Kiya. She <b>means </b>nothing to you, Your feelings for her, any <b>and </b>all, are dead. You¡¯ll love me and only me. I am your one and only.¡±


    Once themand settled in, bright blue dominated. Full of boundless love for one person: me. Only me. If Darien wasn¡¯t mine before, he surely is now. Before I could blink, I was immediately <b>pulled </b>into a smoldering kiss <b>that </b>left my mind numb with blissful pleasure. It¡¯s a kiss full of love, passion, <b>and </b>possession. Strong arms tightened around my waist as I returned the kiss in the same vigor.


    I felt confident. I felt power. I¡¯m invincible!


    ¡°Enjoy your fun, dear. I¡¯ll returnter.¡± Osiris cackled before his form faded into his billow of smoke, fading into thin air. As Darien kissed me like I¡¯m his sole <b>breath </b>of fresh air, cool air licked my exposed skin <b>as </b>my pajama top and bottoms were peeled away with force. He wanted me and demanded that he have me on top of the mattress we shared. The scent of passionate and heavy sex soon filled the air along with our <b>moans </b>and grunts.


    Darien is putty in my hands.


    One down, the rest of the pack to go.


    then my Neron.


    Want to steal everything away from me, Kiya?


    You have another thinging.


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    Untouchable (The Moonligia Av


    Chapter <b>3 </b><b>¨C </b>Lost Memories


    ¡°Memory loss is one way of coping with damage.¡°¨C Jete Winterson


    Kiya


    It¡¯s nearly noon when I woke up. Guess I needed that sleep. But everything feels weird. Here I am, sitting at the foot of Neron¡¯s bed, staring at my reflection in his vanity. <b>Can </b>I attribute my restful sleep to Neron¡¯s scent? Or the fact I¡¯m in his room? Hard to say, especially since I¡¯m covered in it.


    And I can¡¯t say it¡¯s a bad thing. He smells nice.


    But there¡¯s one thing that bothered me. The sparks. They aren¡¯t as powerful as they used to be. Back at the couch, when his fingers brushed against my arm, I felt them but, they¡¯re weak. When he tucked me in the bed and touched my face, the sparks weakened that I barely noticed them. I¡¯m used to the weakness <b>in </b>the sparks of our mate bond, but this time, everything fell foreign. Abnormal,


    A dull pain throbbed on the side of my neck. It made itself noticeable through the panging underneath my epidermis. It¡¯s also the same area where Osiris bit and drank from me those weeks ago. A profound effect of the bite still exists long after his death. Vampires are more skilled than I originally thought.


    He¡¯s dead. He¡¯s gone.


    <b>And </b>yet, he continues to fester in my mind. Why?


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Scratching my head, I hopped on my bare feet and took in the Alpha¡¯s room once more. Neron has everything in his room than an adult male ever dreams of and then some. The color scheme of blue, ck, and red fits <b>him </b>in strange ways. This is the first time I¡¯ve ever been in his room and I felt out of ce. Like I shouldn¡¯t be here.


    But my feet remained rooted against the soft carpet. Because of my damn curiosity. As the humans say, curiosity killed <b>the </b><b>cat</b>, and satisfaction brought it <b>back</b>.


    Good thing I¡¯m not a cat!


    Rubbing my arms, I noticed picture <b>frames </b>settling on top of his drawers and hanging shelves. Some of them are him and his father. Some are him with Valerian and Kwame. Some are from what I assume are special asions, like parties and his birthday. One, however, captured my attention the most. It¡¯s a picture, the frame in pristine silver with no blemishes or ws, standing prominently from them all. It¡¯s a frame that Neron took care of the most; dust umted on the others, but not this one.


    It¡¯s a beautiful picture of Luna Essie and Nuria. Nuria is settled on her mother¡¯sp. Both show off their biggest and brightest of all <b>their </b>smiles; cheerfulnesspartmentalized in their matching sapphires. A happy picture meant to invoke joy invoked pain in me. Pulsating to the rapid thumping of my heart. My fingers, trembling, brushed on top of Nuria¡¯s photo.


    My first <b>best </b>friend.


    A memory I thought was long forgotten rises from the depths of my mind. In a sh, I¡¯m plunged into a powerful episodic memory where I can smell Nuria¡¯s scent of pomegranate, feel the soft lushness of her coal- ck <b>hair</b>, and <b>see </b>her smile.


    Oh, that beautiful innocent smile.


    The smile that improved <b>my </b>days.


    shback ¨C Third Person POV


    Two nine¨Cyear¨Cold girls poked their tiny heads from the corner leading into the pack house kitchen. The smell of freshly baked brownies and cookies wafted into the air, beckoning the children to eat them without a <b>care </b>in the world. Nuria¡¯s crystal blue eyes trained right on its target; the teful of treats resting on the ind behind Lead Omega Cassandra, who¡¯s cleaning the dishes.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Halima asked her friend. ¡°We can get in trouble with our parents.¡±


    ¡°Not if we give them our smiles and puppy eyes!¡± Nuria eximed proudly. ¡°And <i>if </i>we run <b>away </b>into the woods after. Besides, Miss Cassandra makes the best brownies in the world! One bite and you don¡¯t have to worry about that one kid breaking your honeybee ne.¡±


    Halima grumbled softly. ¡°I would have hit them, but Daddy always says never to hit people without a reason. Only hit if they try to hurt you.¡±


    But you had a reason.¡± Nuria retorted with a shng.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>to get in trouble.¡± Shaking her <b>head </b>with bouncing curls, the young Beta pointed to the te. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract Miss Cassandra.¡± The young Alpha exined. ¡°You sneak from behind and quietly take the te and nun for your life. It¡¯s simple!¡±


    ¡°But what about milk?¡± The other girl asked. ¡°You can¡¯t eat cookies and brownies without milk. It¡¯s like eating spaghetti without cheese!¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ugh, always thinking of other things we got to do.¡± Nuria groaned, pondering in thought for a few seconds. In <b>the </b>end, she threw caution to the wind. ¡°Forget about the milk. We¡¯ll get it another time. We have <b>a </b>mission toplete, Hali! Operation Cookie Snatcher is in full effect!¡±


    Halima gave Nuria a <b>face </b>of unease and incredulously. ¡°Really? You made up that name just now, did you?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Their sneaky n begun. Nuria hobbled in with <i>her </i>short stature and grabbed Lead Omega Cassandra¡¯s attention. As the Alpha¡¯s daughter had her distracted, Halima, barefooted, snuck inside. The ind is too high <i>for </i>her to reach, <b>so </b>she had to use the chair avable near it. Luckily, the Beta¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t have to move it. With quick haste, she climbed the chair, grabbed the te in silence, hopped off, and escaped out the kitchen. Once Nuria saw their mission was a sess<b>, </b>she quickly ended the conversation and scurried out of the kitchen.


    The girls met up in the hallway, admiring their handy work. Nuria patted Hallma on the back, showing off her million¨Cdor smile. ¡°You see? Nothing but quick work. Miss Cassandra won¡¯t know what hit her.¡±


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Halima and Nuria froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly turning around, they saw Neron standing with his arms <b>crossed</b>. Quirked an eyebrow, he pointed to the obvious te of surgery treats in Halima¡¯s hands. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Chapter <b>3 </b>¨C Lost Memories


    ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± Both girls asked in unison.


    ¡°That.¡±


    Shuffling the te behind them, the children feigned innocence. ¡°We don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuckling, the thirteen¨Cyear¨Cold future Alpha leaned against the wall. ¡°Tell you what. Give me a brownie or two and I¡¯ll keep quiet about this crime. Mom and Dad will never know you two spoiled your dinner.¡±


    ¡°No way! Finders Keepers!¡± Nuria eximed, pursing her lips at her big brother. ¡°You want a brownie?¡­Give me a dor and we have a deal.¡±


    Halima giggled as she watched Neron¡¯s face contort in distaste. Sure, Nuria and she never hung out around their older siblings because of the age differences, but it was fun to have him around sometimes. ¡°I¡¯m not paying my little sister a dor for brownies when I can ask Cassandra some for free!¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Nuria shrugged. In a sh<i>, </i>she unraveled her ponytail, took out the stic band, almed, and shot it directly at Neron¡¯s nose. Once he was distracted, the nine¨Cyear¨Colds made <b>a </b>run for it. They dodged other pack members and their parents through their daring escape into the woods. In a gaggle ofughter, they ended up near their pond. The pond they called their secret fun ce. Colorful birds bathe themselves in the clean water, only to promptly fly away from the ripples the girls made when their feet sunk into it. With the te of treats between them, they ate.


    ¡°How long do you think until we get our wolves, Nuri?¡± Halima asked curiously as her fingers became sticky with chocte.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mom says it will be awhile before we can shift.¡± She exined. ¡°<i>I </i>wonder what they¡¯ll look like. Maybe mine will be ck like Dad¡¯s or grey like Mom¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Mine might be red. Mommy¡¯s wolf is beautiful.¡± Halima smiled in wonder, eyes twinkling under the light of the sun. ¡°Our wolves will be best friends, right? Like <b>us</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they will be!¡± Nuria yfully pushed her friend on the shoulder. ¡°Hali, we¡¯re friends for life. Our wolves will be too. You are my ride¨Cor¨Cdie! We¡¯re stuck with each other!!


    ¡°¡­What does ride¨Cor¨Cdie mean? What are we riding?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I heard Nero say it a <i>lot</i>. I thought it sounded cool.¡±


    The girlsughed under the warmth of their friendship and the sugary high of their stolen treats. It didn¡¯t take long for Luna Essie and Beta Ashley to find them and the empty te of evidence of their misdealing. Unfortunately for the best friends, they got double punishments; stomachaches and a grounding.


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 Chapter 92

    Chapter <b>3 </b><b>¨C </b>Lost Memories


    ¡°Memory <b>loss </b>is one way of coping with damage.¡°¨C Jete Winterson


    <b>Kiya</b>


    It¡¯s <b>nearly </b>noon when I <b>woke </b>up. Guess I <b>needed </b>that sleep. But everything feels weird. Here I <b>am</b>, sitting at the <b>foot </b>of Neron¡¯s bed, staring at my reflection in his vanity. Can I attribute my restful sleep to Neron¡¯s scent? Or the fact I¡¯m in his room? Hard to say, especially since I¡¯m covered in it.


    And I can¡¯t say it¡¯s a bad thing. He smells nice<b>.</b>


    But there¡¯s one thing that bothered me. The sparks. They aren¡¯t as powerful as they <b>used </b>to be. Back at the couch, when his fingers brushed against my arm, I felt them but, they¡¯re weak. When he tucked me in the bed and touched my face, the sparks weakened that I barely noticed them. I¡¯m used to the weakness in the sparks of our mate bond, but this time, everything felt foreign. Abnormal.


    A dull pain throbbed on the side of my neck. It made itself noticeable through the panging underneath my epidermis. It¡¯s also the same area where Osiris bit and drank from me those weeks ago. A profound effect of the bite still exists long after his death. Vampires are <b>more </b>skilled than I originally thought.


    He¡¯s dead. He¡¯s gone.


    And yet, he continues to fester in my mind. Why?


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Scratching my head, I hopped on my bare feet and took in the Alpha¡¯s room once more. Neron has everything in his room than an adult male ever dreams of and then some. The color scheme of blue, ck, and <b>red </b>fits him in strange ways. This is the first time I¡¯ve ever been in his <b>room </b>and I felt out of ce. Like I


    shouldn¡¯t be here.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    But my feet remained rooted against the soft carpet. Because of my damn curiosity. As the humans say, curiosity killed the cat, and satisfaction brought it back.


    Good thing I¡¯m not a cat!


    Rubbing my arms, I noticed picture frames settling on top of his drawers and hanging shelves. Some of them <b>are </b>him and his father. Some <b>are </b>him with <b>Valerian </b><b>and </b>Kwame. Some <b>are </b>from what I assume are special asions, like parties and his birthday. One, however, captured my attention the most. It¡¯s a picture, the <b>frame </b>in pristine <b>silver </b>with no blemishes or ws, standing prominently <b>from </b>them all. It¡¯s a frame that Neron <b>took </b>care of the most; dust umted on <b>the </b>others, but not this <b>one</b><b>.</b>


    It¡¯s a beautiful picture of Luna Essie and Nuria. Nuria is settled on her mother¡¯sp. Both <b>show </b>off their biggest and brightest of all their smiles; cheerfulnesspartmentalized in their matching sapphires. A happy picture meant to invoke joy invoked pain in me. Pulsating to the rapid thumping of my heart. My fingers, trembling, brushed on top of Nuria¡¯s photo.


    My first best friend.


    A memory I thought was long forgotten rises from the depths of my mind. In a sh, I¡¯m plunged into a <b>powerful </b><b>episodic </b>memory where I can smell <b>Nuria¡¯s </b>scent of pomegranate, feel the soft lushness of her coal- <b>ck </b><b>hair</b>, and see her smile.


    Oh, <b>that </b>beautiful <b>innocent </b><b>smile</b>..


    The smile that improved my days,


    shback Third Person POV


    Two nine¨Cyear¨Cold girls poked their tiny heads from the corner leading into the pack house kitchen. The smell of freshly baked <b>brownies </b>and cookies wafted into the air, beckoning the children to eat them without a care in the world. <b>Nuria¡¯s </b>crystal blue eyes trained right on its target; the teful of treats resting on the ind behind Lead Omega Cassandra, who¡¯s cleaning the dishes<b>.</b>


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Halima asked her friend. ¡°We can get in trouble with our parents.¡±


    ¡°Not if we give them our smiles and puppy eyes!¡± Nuria eximed proudly. ¡°And if we run away into the woods after. Besides, Miss Cassandra makes the best brownies in the world! One bite and you don¡¯t have to worry about that one kid breaking your honeybee ne.¡±


    Halima grumbled softly, ¡°I would have hit them, but Daddy always says never to hit people without a reason. Only hit if they try to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°¡­But you had a reason.¡± Nuria retorted with a shrug.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t want to get in trouble.¡± Shaking her head with bouncing curls, the young Beta pointed to the te. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract Miss Cassandra.¡± The young Alpha exined. ¡°You sneak from behind and quietly take the te and run for your life. It¡¯s simple!¡±


    ¡°But what about milk?¡± The other girl asked. ¡°You can¡¯t eat cookies and brownies without milk. It¡¯s like eating spaghetti without cheese!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, always thinking of other things we got to do.¡± Nu groaned, pondering in thought for a few seconds. In the end, she threw caution to the wind. ¡°Forget about the milk. We¡¯ll get it another time. We have a mission toplete, Hall! Operation Cookie Snatcher is in full effect!¡±


    Halima gave Nuria a face of unease and incredulously. ¡°Really? You made up that name just <b>now</b>, did you?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Their sneaky n begun. Nuria hobbled in with her short stature and grabbed <b>Lead </b>Omega Cassandra¡¯s attention. As the Alpha¡¯s daughter had her distracted, Halima, barefooted, snuck inside. The Ind is too high for her to reach, so she had to use the chair avable near it. Luckily, the Beta¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t have to move it. With quick haste, she climbed the chair, grabbed the te in silence, hopped off, and escaped out the kitchen. Once Nuria <b>saw </b>their mission was <b>a </b>sess, she quickly ended the conversation and scurried out of the kitchen.


    The girls met up in the hallway, admiring their handy work. Nuria patted Halima on the back, showing off her million¨Cdor smile. ¡°<b>You </b>see? Nothing but quick work. Miss Cassandra won¡¯t know what hit her.¡±


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Halima and Nuria froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly turning around, they saw Neron standing with his arms crossed. Quirked an eyebrow, he pointed to the obvious te of surgery treats in Hallma¡¯s hands. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± Both girls asked in unison.


    ¡°That.¡±


    Shuffling the te behind them, the children feigned innocence. ¡°We don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuckling, the thirteen¨Cyear¨Cold future Alpha leaned against the wall. ¡°Tell you what. Give me a brownie or two and <i>I¡¯ll </i>keep quiet about this crime. Mom and Dad will never know you two spoiled your dinner.¡±


    ¡°No <b>way</b>! Finders Keepers!¡± <b>Nuria </b>eximed, pursing her lips at her big brother. ¡°You want a <b>brownie</b>? ¡­Give me a dor and we have a deal.¡±


    Halima giggled as she watched Neron¡¯s face contort in distaste. Sure, Nuria and she never hung out around their older siblings because of the age differences, but it was fun to <b>have </b>him around sometimes<b>. </b>¡°I¡¯m not paying my little sister a dor for brownies when I can ask Cassandra some for free!¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Nuria shrugged. In a sh, she unraveled her ponytail, took out the stic band, aimed, and shot it directly at <b>Neron¡¯s </b>nose. Once he <b>was </b>distracted, the nine¨Cyear¨Colds made a run for it. They dodged other pack members and their parents through their daring escape into the woods. In a gaggle ofughter, they ended up near their pond. The pond they called their secret fun ce. Colorful birds bathe themselves in the clean water, only to promptly fly away from the ripples the girls made when their feet sunk into it. With the te of treats between.


    them, they <b>ate</b>.


    ¡°How <b>long </b>do you think until we get our wolves, Nuri?¡± Halima asked curiously as her fingers became sticky with chocte.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mom says it will be awhile before we can shift.¡± She exined. ¡°I wonder what they¡¯ll look like. Maybe mine <b>will </b>be ck like <b>Dad¡¯s </b>or grey like Mom¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Mine might be red. Mommy¡¯s wolf is beautiful.¡± <b>Halima </b>smiled in wonder, eyes twinkling under the light of the sun. ¡°Our wolves will be best friends, right? Like us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they will be!¡± Nuria yfully pushed her friend on the shoulder. ¡°Hali, we¡¯re friends for life. Our wolves will be too. You are my ride¨Cor¨Cdie! We¡¯re stuck with each other!¡±


    ¡°¡­What does ride¨Cor¨Cdie mean? What are we riding?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I heard Nero say it a lot. I thought it sounded cool.¡±


    The girlsughed under the warmth of their friendship and the sugary high of their stolen treats. It didn¡¯t take long for Luna Essie and Beta Ashley to find them and the empty te of evidence of their misdealing. Unfortunately for the best friends, they got double punishments; stomachaches and a grounding.


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    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 4 ¨C Agonizing Guilt


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s more we all could have done, but we just have to let the guilt remind us to do better next time.¡°¨C


    Veronica Roth


    Present Time


    ¡°You would have been best friends with her wolf<i>, </i>Artemis.¡± Sizzling pain swam through my heart, caging in a prison of agony. That was one of my favorite moments I shared with Nuria two months before she died. We had ns for our future. We had ns once we shifted for the first time. Our lives were made for us! ¡°<b>You </b>and Angelika would have been as close as sisters¡­like we were.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Kiya¡­¡± Artemis spoke softly. Her voice caressed me as hot tears swam down my cheeks. Each droplet carried a ¡°what¨Cif; what if Nuria was still alive? What if the rogues never came? What if I had listened to Steven? What if we had shifted together? What¨Cif after what¨Cif sshed on the ground near my toes, disintegrating into tiny droplets of broken dreams.


    A broken future.


    ¡°Her death wasn¡¯t your fault. I would have loved to meet Angelika, but that¡¯s not possible. You miss her terribly; I can feel it from your heart. That¡¯s a beautiful memory you <b>have </b>of her. Treasure that.¡±


    ¡°But Artemis¡­ I took that from you. I took Angelika from you. I never gave you the love of a close friend like Nuria had given me. We¡¯ve been friends since we were in the crib. She made me happy, <b>and </b>how did I repay her? By selfishly pulling her into my adventure, forgetting rogue sightings. They tore her away from me and I watched her get mauled to death. I couldn¡¯t do anything! <i>I </i>couldn¡¯t¡­!


    All the pain I thought I <b>solved </b>overflowed from its burial chambers like a clogged sink; the fluidity of agony filling me faster <b>than </b><b>air</b>. No matter how hard I try, the guilt eats me like. Gobbling my heart with its sharp teeth piercing and tearing at each chamber. Many years after Nuria¡¯s death, I still feel responsible. The misced me of the angel¡¯s death is not misced when I¡¯m unable to free myself from its tormenting


    hold<b>.</b>


    It killed me daily with every memory I have of Nuria. For my sake, I tried to push those memories away. Bu


    Burn them, toss them, drown them as much as I could so I didn¡¯t selfishly have to feel the searing pain. apanied by their arrival. Nuria¡¯s smile is still as real as if she were alive today. I still remember the <b>silkiness </b>of her ebony tresses, the golden hue of her skin, the sparkling cerulean of her eyes, and her angelic aura. It¡¯s all real like she¡¯s standing in front of me<b>, </b>ready to take my hand to ourtest bout of mischief.


    I reach out hoping to touch an ember of warmth, <b>only </b>to be met with a <b>de </b>of deep¨Cseated guilt slicing through my palm. It made its home and hearth inside my broken <b>mind</b>,


    I wish I can apologize. I wish I can take back my actions that day. I wish I was buried in the cemetery while. she and her mother lived their best lives. Perhaps Luna Essie would have birthed more children or Nuria would <b>have </b>found her mate or went off to college. The future set up for them shattered to pieces by my <b>selfishness </b>and forgetfulness on that fateful day.


    I can¡¯t even utter her name without my throat closing up and bile rising to my throat. Tears continue to bucket down my <b>eyes</b>, burning my cheeks with their searing heat. Why do I deserve this <b>life</b>? These <b>avatar </b>powers? This status <b>as </b><b>a </b>warrior? How do I deserve any of this when I took away the hearts of the two <b>purest </b>people <b>I¡¯ve </b><b>ever </b>known?


    Neron look at me? How does he look at me with love despite the knowledge that I¡¯m thest person to see his for and mother alive? They were killed while I helplessly watched. It¡¯s me, still alive and breathing while theyy cold six feet underground¡±


    Nuria was only nine years old


    Heide hadn¡¯t began, and it got stuffed out. Why did I convince her toe with me? Why did I make that choice to be daring and adventurous? Why did I do that?


    deserved it. I deserved everything. I deserved the beatings. I deserved the starving, I deserved the neglect. I deserved the ¨C


    Dropping on my bare knes. Ionised into sobs of regret and remorse. I didn¡¯t care who heard me. My pain is punishing me for a decade¨Cold sin, and I deserved it. I deserved every moment.


    I didn¡¯t know how long I med I didn¡¯t know how many tears I¡¯ve shed over this memory of my best friend and my self-bred in the involvement of their passing. Suddenly, a powerful scent of sandalwood and ginger clouded my nose, burying in the crook of a neck. My throat burned with sobs and my sinuses sunk into Neron¡¯s scent as he held my quivering body.


    Even now, as I cry with his family picture to my chest, he expresses love. Concern, Care. All for an undeserving


    woman


    Ta scary. I¡¯m sure. To so sty_¡°I walked into Nero¡¯s chest as he rubbed circles on my arm and back. It only made me cry harder. Tim sorry¡­.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your faul Kaya The Alpha whispered into my hair. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill them. It was never your fault Stop ming yourself, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was!¡± I retorted. ¡°It¡¯s because of me Nuria¡¯s gone¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°No! The fault is on my uncle and his jealous rage! He lost his ways and took it out on two innocent people! He¡¯s the rightful recipient of all the me, Kiya. He killed them, not you. You didn¡¯t know what would happen. Kya, you were a child. A child who wanted to have fun with her best friend. That¡¯s all. If anyone should apologize, it should be me.¡±


    My body jerked with sniffles and hups, but I said nothing ¡°I for the longest time, believed you were responsible. Grief and anger blinded me. I lost my mother and my sister, and it hurt it hurt so bad, and I hurt you because of it. I never took your word and branded you as a murderer. If Kwame hadn¡¯t pped me in the face with evidence, and if I didn¡¯t hear it from the mouth of my wretched uncle, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it. I wouldn¡¯t have believed your innocence, and that made me a monster. I didn¡¯t believe a little girl and put he


    through years of terror.¡±


    Neron lifted my face from his chest to look into my red, puffy eyes. Goddess, I must look like an absolute mess because he has tears beginning to fall on his handsome face. The urge to reach up and wipe then away is


    strong, but I resisted


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kiya. I¡¯m truly, unequivocally sorry for hurting you. I¡¯m sorry that you <b>had </b>to carry this weight for so long, waiting for others to <b>take </b>responsibility. I¡¯ll never stop apologizing. I know they won¡¯t change the past. It won¡¯t change that I¡¯ve raised my hand against you. But I¡¯ll change the future for us, whatever that may be. As long as you¡¯re <b>here</b>, no one will hurt you. I¡¯ll make sure you stay safe up to your departure from <b>my</b>


    territory.¡±


    Neron¡¯s thumbs continuously failed <b>to </b>wipe the tears from my cheeks, but he doesn¡¯t stop trying. When one tear is wiped <b>away</b>, three more fall. It¡¯s a never¨Cending cycle of misery. He looks into my <b>eyes</b>, deeply, despite my vision cloudy his form into a swirl of color. Heavy warmth radiates from his hand <b>and </b>sunk deep into my skin, begging me to remove the guilt <b>that </b>gued me for years,


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe him.¡± A foreign voice said in my head. ¡®He¡¯s still a monster. He still hurt you. He deserves nothing but suffering and misery for the years he brutalized you?


    Neron and I stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a while. Silent messages passed through the small space between our faces. Blue shifted in <b>shade</b>; dark to light and light to dark. There¡¯s no <b>sense </b>of malice or deception in his words. He intends on keeping me safe. He intends on changing.


    But is it safe for me to open up my heart and trust in him?


    ¡°No. It isn ¡®T.¡±


    1¡­I don¡¯t know¡­


    <b>We </b>can¡¯t <b>have </b>any emotional connection. I made that clear. It¡¯ll make our separation painful.


    Everything fucking hurts. Why is this soplicated?! Everything still hurts <b>even </b>when Neron pulls me into a bone¨Ccrushing hug. He¡¯s muttering soothing words in my ear that failed to prate the prison surrounding my heart. I can¡¯t get myself to admit <b>that </b>I didn¡¯t hold a role in Nuria and Luna Essie¡¯s deaths. I guess that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been in therapy for so many years because there¡¯s still a lot I have yet to heal from.


    I know this is Neron and I sharing a moment of vulnerability. I¡¯ve never felt this exposed to someone before, especially someone that I harbored hatred <b>for </b>a long <b>time</b>. But that didn¡¯t matter at the moment.


    I just needed someone to hug me.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 5 Face Full of Fluff


    ¨C


    <i>¡°</i><i>I </i>used to know you the best and now I don¡¯t even remember your name.¡°¨C Mya Waechtler


    <b>Kiya</b>


    Well, it¡¯s <b>back </b>to business! Nothing like a mental breakdown to kick my ass back into gear, right? Yet, there¡¯s another dilemma that I need to decipher. And it involved my best guy friend.


    Darien has been distant with me. Cold. Cold as the frozen tundra.


    Ever since yesterday afternoon, he¡¯s acknowledged my presence. He stares at me emotionlessly, like I¡¯m a stranger. We never talk, and he finds any excuse to avoid me. Last night at dinner, when he greeted everyone. he skipped <b>me </b>and went about his evening. Fear festered in my heart at this drastic change. How did we go from close friends to strangers in twenty¨Cfour hours?


    Something isn¡¯t right. I¡¯ve been noticing him hanging out with Odessa more than usual, and their PDA is bing almost excessive. Speaking of Odessa, her surrounding air changed. The way she carries herself changed. It¡¯s almost like she got a power boost out of nowhere. She walks like she owns the world <b>and </b>can crush it with her palms. I¡¯m all for female empowerment and I¡¯m curious about her change, too. And Darien treats her like his queen. She relishes in the attention he gives her because it¡¯s given to her with a simple flick of the finger.


    <b>I </b>get it. They¡¯re mates. It¡¯s normal for mates to be affectionate with each other, but that¡¯s not the problem. My problem is one of my best friends is ignoring me and treating me like I¡¯m unworthy of his time when he treats the rest of our group normally.


    Did I do something wrong? Am I on the verge of losing my friendship with Darien?


    ¡°Gah¡­¡± I growled internally, shaking my head from this disastrous all¨Cor¨Cnothing thinking. It only leads to trouble and heightened anxiety. After all, I have bigger things I need to focus on.


    Like this obstacle course the pack is building for the pup trainees!


    Walking to the back of the pack house, I hear the echoing symphony of the hammer against wood and stic, chainsaws, and drills. Clouds of sawdust dusted the air andnded on my unfortunate self. After my mental breakdown, the ranked wolves and Ga Moon warriors convened in Neron¡¯s office to discuss ways to test the pups after two months of training.


    Valerian suggested an obstacle course, and <b>we </b>thought it was <b>a </b>good idea. The ideas spurred from human television programs where the contestantspete in front of a crowd battling through different obstacles. As they progress<b>, </b><b>so </b>does the difficulty in passing through before reaching <b>the </b><b>end</b>. <b>Time </b>matters too if they


    want to advance into the next round.


    It¡¯s interesting.


    I¡¯m excited! Wolves of all <b>shapes</b>, sizes, colors, and sexes worked swimmingly together to make the obstacle <b>course </b>happen. Neron and Kwame imported supplies needed for construction from wood to rubber tarps and stic. Spotting Jackie, Sapphire, and Abigail carrying gymnastic mats, I trotted over as the three women dropped them. Dust and dirt picked up in the air, invoking coughing and spitting.


    ¡°Hey, Little Bit!¡± <b>Jackie </b><b>announced </b>with her award¨Cwinning smile. She pulled me <b>into </b><b>a </b>tight hug. ¡°Finally


    Chapter 5¨CFace Full of Fluff


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to miss this.¡± I nodded. ¡°Do you guys need help with anything?¡±


    ¡°Nope. We got it handled.¡± Abigail replied, stretching her right arm out. During the whole kidnapping madness with that brute Cerberus, she broke it. Now, it¡¯s almost healed. Dr. Jackson said she must wear an arm sling for another week so the fracture can fully heal. ¡°I heard Kwame and the others need help with the climbing <b>wall</b>.¡±


    ¡°Cool! I¡¯ll go check it <b>out</b>.¡± Bidding my friends farewell, I walked to where the ranked wolves of Zircon Moon <b>are</b>, and immediately, I¡¯m met with shirtless men and women glistening under the blistering sun from sweat. Whoever is in charge of the sun made it <b>a </b>show to glitter their colorful flesh with their primal beauty.


    And Goddess, my heart is weak. Being attracted to both sexes is a pain in the ass because I have themunication skills of an over¨Cbaked potato.


    And it¡¯s made worse when Neron <b>jogs </b>up to me. Goddamnit, would it kill him to put on a shirt?!


    ¡°I kind of like it,¡± Artemis says with a smile in her voice. ¡°Neron is <b>a </b>very handsome man.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    <i>¡°</i>Dude, you aren¡¯t helping! We¡¯re supposed to hate his guts, remember?¡±


    ¡°We can hate him and admire <b>his </b>beauty at the same time. No rule against that.¡±


    ¡°Good grief.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Kiya<b>.</b>¡± Neron smiled down at me, casting a shade over me. The sun <b>is </b><b>a </b>dastardly star, for its light cast a halo around the Alpha¡¯s exquisite form. Sometimes, I wish I were taller because 1, unfortunately, have a face full of chiseled chest, glistening with sweat with an aroma powerful enough to make <b>me </b>lightheaded. The fact that I need to tilt my head back just to be face¨Cto¨Cface with this Alpha is an insult to all short people everywhere.


    <b>And </b>I¡¯m not even short by human standards! Just werewolf standards!


    <i>a</i>


    ¡°Hi,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Can you put on a shirt?¡±


    ¡°Under this summer heat? Working on building this course for the pups? Nope.¡± He chuckled, brushing his ck hair back. ¡°Let me guess: I¡¯m distracting you?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Yes.¡±


    ¡°Maybe <b>that¡¯s </b>a <b>good </b>thing. You find <b>me </b>attractive.¡±


    Heat rises to my cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, <b>you </b>do. Your squeaky voice <b>says </b>otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ending our banter of whether I find him attractive, which I do, but his ego needs to dete a bit, I <b>walk </b>around him to get a better look at the construction. ¡°What do you need help with? Jackie said you need <b>help </b>with the climbing <b>wall</b>.¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>We </i>jus


    just need someone to finish drilling in the climbing holds near the top. Some wolves are taking a break, but we aim to have this course done before tomorrow evening.¡±


    |Chapter


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it then.¡± Spotting the bag full of colorful climbing holds, I grabbed it and a power drill. Before I could climb thedder, <b>Neron </b>stopped me with a hand on my wrist. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡± He warned, knitting his eyebrows. ¡°You can slip off and fall. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only two stories, and the <b>paneling </b><b>has </b>enough space for me to walk. If I can move around, so can the


    <b>pups</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°I know <b>that</b>, Kiya. But even so, be careful.¡±


    ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b><b>not </b>fragile, Neron. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± With that, I climbed to the top of the paneling. Drilling in the remaining pieces was easy. Dots marked the cements on the grey plywood. As I was busy drilling, owl sounds echoed near me. I jerked my head to the side to spot Diana watching me work, gold eyes watching with curiosity. Smiling, I waved at her and resumed <b>until </b>I finished.


    ¡°There.¡± I <b>stood </b>erect, not just over the wall, but over the construction. A beautiful sight of abined effort to make something for the next generation of warriors warmed my heart. It warmed me to know that I¡¯ve taken part in this journey to help wolves reach their full potential.


    I cannot wait to see what they¡¯re made of once the obstacle course is ready.


    That should¡¯ve been the end, right? Wrong. Because when I turned around, I met with a face full of white feathers and chortling hooting<b>. </b>This fucking bird and her personality! It caught me so off guard that I stumbled backward over the edge with <b>a </b>scream as gravity pulled me fast to the hard ground.


    Great. This is how I die. By an owl to the face and <b>a </b>head to the dirt.


    I expected pain. I expected a fractured skull. I expected something to let me know that I¡¯ve fallen <b>and </b>might not get up, but it didn¡¯te. Because I didn¡¯tnd on the ground. Inded in the brawny arms of the Alpha.


    How did I know? The warmth is unmistakable. <b>And </b>his pleasant smell. I¡¯m losing my mind.


    ¡°I <b>told </b>you to be careful!¡± Neron reprimanded as I moved Diana off my face, sputtering from feather strands. that got in my mouth. ¡°<b>So </b>much for space, huh?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± I shot back. ¡°It was Diana!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s <b>Diana</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡± Both of us looked to my chest to see Diana ruffling her white feathers back as she retracted her wings. Her <b>head </b>tilted and twisted as <b>she </b>looked at my disapproving face and Neron¡¯s confused expression. In an attempt of remorse<b>, </b><b>she </b>hobbled on top of my bosom and nuzzled her small head into the crook of my neck.


    Damnit. <b>My </b>one <b>weakness </b>with this nocturnal chicken.


    ¡°Neron, meet Diana. My pet owl.¡± I <b>introduced</b>, smoothing the feathers <b>on </b>her back. <b>¡°</b>Also the <b>cause </b>of my


    near¨Cdeath.¡±


    ¡°Diana¡­¡± He muttered softly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her around, perched on various trees around the territory. Hmm. She¡¯s kind of cute up¨Cclose.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I said the same when <b>we </b>first met.¡± Diana hooted <b>again</b>, <b>this </b>time craning her neck to look up at the Alpha. I watched Neron¡¯s face contort from confusion into more confusion.


    ¡°She¡¯s familiar.¡± The owl flew on <b>Neron¡¯s </b>shoulder with what I think is a smile on its <b>beak </b>before nuzzling into <b>his </b>cheek. At first, <b>he¡¯s </b><b>apprehensive</b>; an owl is nuzzling into the cheek of its natural predator. But after a minute, I see a smile crack on the <b>Alpha¡¯s </b>face as <b>Diana¡¯s </b>cuteness sunk into his heart. ¡°Okay, she¡¯s very cute up¨Cclose.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Reaching up, my fingers gently graze Diana¡¯s colorless feathers, earning a hoot and other sounds in happiness and pleasure. This scene of Neron and I sharing a moment with this snow owl¡­I like it.


    Is it bad <b>that </b>I want more memories of these moments? These sweet moments where we just pet owls <b>and </b>pretend the world doesn¡¯t exist around us? Unaware that I¡¯m still in Neron¡¯s arms with my body <b>pressed </b>up to his chest?


    ..Are we interrupting something?¡±


    Until reality made it painfully aware that this shouldn¡¯t be happening. In the middle of petting my owl <b>friend</b>, my head turned to see my friends smirking at me and mypromising position. Jackie¡¯s smirking like she suspects something¡¯s going on, Abigail looks like she¡¯s witnessing a monumental moment between couples, Sapphire is rubbing her chin in deep thought, and Galen is probably mapping out the timeline of when Neron and I ept each other and give him nieces and nephews. Which will never happen! Goddess, didn¡¯t this four hate this man two months ago?


    The only person looking at me with a look other than excitement or amusement is Darien. His sharp res <b>of </b>disgust impaled me constantly in the heart with each second. Pure, heated hatred from his blue eyes made me want to shrivel in the corner and hide. What is this? Why does he hate me?


    ¡°Neron put me down,¡± I demanded suddenly, watching my best male friend depart from our group. Disgust permeated with every step he took. ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want <b>to</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Neron!¡±


    ¡°Alright<b>, </b>alright.¡± Neron relents, cing me gently on my feet. Dusting the imaginary dust off my clothes, I ran after Darien. Maybe I¡¯m being too clingy. Maybe I¡¯m overreacting. But I have to know what¡¯s going on. What changed with Darien to look at me with such nastiness?


    No <b>one </b>has ever looked at me like that since¡­my days as a <b>ve</b>. Oh, Goddess.


    ¡°Darien, wait!¡± He walked into the pack house with me <b>tailing </b><b>some </b>distance behind him. Answers are needed. <b>and </b>I must have them before my mind falls under <b>the </b>infinite possibilities of what could or could not have been. ¡°Darien, please. Talk to me!¡±


    He stopped as soon as <b>we </b>got into the foyer, his back muscles working tight underneath his shirt. Fists clenched as tight as knots, he turned to me with anger as powerful as <b>the </b><b>seven </b>circles of hell.


    ¡°What-!


    ¡°Fuck off, Kiya.<b>¡± </b>He snarled. ¡°I want nothing to do with you. You¡¯re <b>a </b>stain in my existence and <b>unless </b>you <b>want </b><b>me </b>to take care of it, you¡¯ll stay out of my way.¡±


    My mind <b>couldn¡¯t </bprehend what he just said to me. Did he threaten to hurt me? Darien? One of my best friends who¡¯s stuck with me through thick and <b>thin</b>? From the first day, we met when I wanted to train to


    Chapter 5¨CFace Fut of Fluff


    be a warrior to now. He¡¯s the only person I <b>can </b>thank for making me as strong as I am today and


    <b>now</b>¡­<b>now</b><b>¡­</b>


    ¡°Why?¡± I whispered, my voice breaking like shards of ss. Tears swelled in my eyes, stray <b>ones </b>falling down my cheeks. It did nothing to soften my friend. It hardened his expression more. ¡°What did I do? D¨CDarien,


    what did I do?¡±


    ¡°Exist.¡±


    He walked <b>away</b>, leaving me <b>alone </b><b>in </b>a sea of misery. One <b>tear</b>. Two. Three, Infinite. My mind is numb. My heart pounds to the beat of sorrow. Blood flows silently under the noise of a shattered friendship. I didn¡¯t <b>know </b>when I started walking, only to find myself in my room again with the door locked behind me.


    I just¡­ I lost my best friend. I lost my confidant. Everything we went through together¡­it meant nothing? Is my existence <b>that </b>much of an insult to him? <b>Was </b>this what he truly thought of me? What did I do to make him hate me? Heavy sobs escaped the trenches of my throat, echoing through the silent air of my room.


    This couldn¡¯t be happening. This can¡¯t happen!


    ¡°Oh, but it did, my Little Moon. On a scale of 1-10, <b>how </b>deep does the betrayal of a friend burn?¡±


    Little Moon? What-


    Oh.


    My.


    <b>God</b>.


    The surrounding atmosphere dimmed rapidly into a dark, deste one with <b>no </b>chance of sunlight prating through. It wrapped around me, choking me in the announcement of its presence. I never thought I¡¯d hear the nickname ¡®Little Moon¡® again.


    There¡¯s


    <b>s </b>only one person who ever called <b>me </b><b>tha</b>


    And he should be dead!


    I turned around to see a mass of smoke hovering over my bed like a ghost and within it; I saw a pair of glowing, vermillion eyes staring deep inside the pit of my breaking soul..


    ¡°Osiris¡­?¡±


    ¡°Surprise, my dear! I bet you thought you¡¯d seen thest of <b>me</b>.¡±

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 6 I Want You


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be my fan. I want you to be mine.¡°¨CEmme Rollins


    Kiya


    ck, misting air formed a perimeter around my private sanctity to prevent any stray form of light from prating. Silent and dancing to a silent tune, it traps me in a mobile sea of nothingness. Tangible bodies didn¡¯t exist besides mine, <b>and </b>yet, it brought nofort. Everywhere I turn, my bedroom items fade behind the haze of obsidian. Sounds of the outside world muffled against the barrier, trapping me in a dome of sensory¨Cdeprivation. Only my breathing is heard, rapidly falling from equilibrium.


    The billow of ckened wisps hovering <b>over </b>my bed moved, slithering in the air like a boa constrictor eyeing its prey. Vibrant red eyes rake over my <b>form </b><b>with </b>anticipation<b>, </b>as if it¡¯s trying to spot a weakness. Slowly, it slithered to my face, leaving a small space between us.


    ¡°Rx, my Little Moon.¡± Osiris hissed with his deep, velvet¨Clike voice. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. That is, if you don¡¯t <b>give </b>me a reason to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be <b>dead</b>¡­¡± I whispered, pressing the back of my head further against my door. A heavy weight settled over my body, trapping me under the gaze of the devil I thought burned with the abandoned asylum. ¡°How¡­.


    ¡°It will take more than a burning building to get rid of me, my sweet.¡± The mass giggled. I felt sensations of <b>fingers </b>tracing my skin on my arms, trailing toward the nape of my neck. ¡°You and I have <b>unfinished </b><b>business</b>


    we <b>need </b>to take care of.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. Get your fucking hands off me.¡± Snarling, I tried to wave the smoke away with my hand, but it didn¡¯t work. Instead of dissipating like <b>normal</b>, it remained. My iling hand only passed through the mass, failing to strike force against it. ¡°W¨C<b>What</b>¡­!¡±


    ¡°I apud you for trying to get rid of me, but let¡¯s be candid. I have more tricks up my sleeve besides this, my deanly fitting for us to meet when I¡¯m intangible. Don¡¯t want to cause attention to me from your fellow


    It¡¯s


    mutts.¡±


    ¡°How did <b>you </b>get on this <bnd</b><b>?</b>¡± I questioned, my expression stony and stoic. I cannot show any weakness to my enemy. ¡°Slipping under the noses of werewolves <b>is </b>a feat few can aplish.¡±


    ¡°Luckily, I¡¯m one of those lucky few.¡± Osiris chuckled. I felt his ¡®hands¡® move back down my arms, striking icy chills into my spine. My body involuntarily shivered as powerful sensations rocketed through my <b>body</b>. They demanded my submission and obedience. It¡¯s mind¨Cnumbing. ¡°In this form, I carry no scent, so the dogs can¡¯t sniff me out. But then <b>again</b>, vampires don¡¯t carry a scent as werewolves do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hybrid, though.¡±


    ¡°The wolf side of me is <b>dead</b>, thus carrying my <b>scent </b>with it. My vampire side takes precedence, thus granting me the qualities of full¨Cblooded vampires. Do <b>you </b>know what <b>that </b>means?¡± A curly <b>strand </b>of my hair suddenly lifted, <b>pulled</b>, and snapped back like <b>a spring</b>. ¡°I can be anywhere and everywhere around you and you won¡¯t <b>have </b>a clue. How exciting is that?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, Osiris.¡± Finally regaining the strength in my body, I push myself off the door. ¡°What the hell do


    you want<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    1/4


    Osiris knows <b>all </b>about me<b>.</b>


    You suffered for years. Years of maltreatment that would make the very gods in heaven weep. How many times have they <b>have </b>decorated this pretty skin in a colorful <b>assortment </b>of ck and purple? Scars decorated this beautiful brown as eternal reminders of your hurt. How many times has your


    throat burned and seared from with your screaming? From your begging? How is it fair that you continue to carry the burden of this pain while they carry none? Don¡¯t you think you deserve better <b>than </b><b>them</b>, my dear?¡±


    I hate this. I positively hate this. How is Osiris <b>making </b>sense? Yes, for the longest time<b>, </b>I¡¯ve believed that sentiment; it¡¯s not fair that I¡¯m forced to carry the after¨Ceffects of my abuse<b>. </b>Sleepless nights riddled with torment, the darkness of depression gripping at my throat with every minute of my life, evil thoughts that bombard me with bullets and grenades of self¨Cworthlessness, guilt, pain, <b>and </b>endless days where I¡¯ve contemted taking my life whilst ignoring the ns Selene had for me.


    Why am I the one who suffered for years while everyone lived their fruitful lives? I <b>hated </b>everyone for a long time and deep down, I still do. My treatment was unfair. They robbed me of happiness, of a normal childhood, innocence, and adolescence. They took so much away from me¡­


    I heard <b>Osiris¡¯s </b>breath hitched in excitement. ¡°The gears in your mind are turning, my sweet. Deep down, underneath all that morality, you agree. The injustice persisted for many years and no one paid for their mistake. They¡¯re no better than the humans who sell their children into very or beat them with an inch of their lives because they spilled milk on the dining room table. Wouldn¡¯t it be fun to exact revenge?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to <b>him</b>!¡± Artemis screamed in my ear, splitting the haze of darkness in my mind into


    two. ¡°You¡¯re better than that, Kiya. Pain is an endless cycle <b>where </b>nobody wins. Don¡¯t fall for his <b>sickly </b>sweet words. Osiris is <b>evil</b>. Protect yourself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>not </b>depraved like you, Osiris.¡± I snapped back, regaining the reigns of my resolve once more. Like hell, I¡¯ll let this beast manipte me. ¡°What I do, and why I do it, is none of your concern. Do yourself a <b>favor </b>and keep your nose out of my business. I¡¯m of the light, not of the darkness, and you¡¯ll never put me there.¡±


    ¡°Never say never.¡± Osiris sighed, stretching himself above <b>me</b><b>, </b>but continues to restrain me. ¡°I¡¯d be careful around these parts, Kiya. You have a traitor in your midst. Friends will turn into enemies, and the darkness will cast a shadow upon the dogs. No matter the amount of light you see in them, all have darkness. And it wille out to y again, only this time, their target is much stronger<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°And no one will save you this time. Not <b>even </b>your precious Alpha.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, the darkness dissipated and sunlight illuminates my room in a golden glow. Osiris is gone, taking his haze of smoke within him. I shot up from my bed with a hand pressed over my heart, trying to calm it down with my breathing. It¡¯s unreal that <b>happened</b>, but it did. It fucking did. What kind of trouble did Ind myself in now?


    you okay?¡± My wolf asked me worryingly. ¡°I can <b>take </b><b>over </b>for a while if you need it.¡±


    -Hey are yo ¡°Hey,


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Thanks for the offer though, Art.¡± Running a hand through my hair, I nted my feet on the bedroom floor. Osiris is <b>a </b>pervasive man who left me with more questions than answers. What did <b>he </b>mean by there is <b>a </b>traitor amongst us? Darkness will cast a shadow over this pack? And what does he know about


    Darien that I don¡¯t?


    <b>One </b>thing¡¯s <b>for </b>certain, <b>however</b>. Osiris <b>is </b>fluttering about. He¡¯s infiltrated Zircon Moon, and no one knows. Except me.


    His eyes are solely on me.


    Examining my hand, very <b>faint </b>wisps of ck and red permeated between my fingers. I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s from Osiris¡® influence; it¡¯s the only reason for it, right? Summoning a small smidgen of my powers, my <b>heart </b>calmed at the sight of blue and white. I¡¯m still me. I¡¯m not darkness, no matter what he says. But how his sinister words caressed the darker side of me concerned me greatly.


    I¡¯m in danger. More danger <b>than </b>I realized.


    But from who<b>?</b>


    The Zircon Moon pack or myself?


    Chapter Comments


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    Umouchable. (The Maoright Avatar Series Collection!


    Halloween Special ¨C I Am The Bad Guy


    Osiris ¨C Directly Speaking to You


    You are fooling yourself if you don¡¯t think you have a dark <b>side</b>.


    Everyone has a <b>dark </b>side. Every man, woman, human, and creature. You choose not to reveal it. Hidden <b>underneath </b>all that probity <b>is </b>evil incarnate. It brews and simmers, roaring to life with all the negative thoughts you have and the negative actions you make.


    Humans are the worst of them all. All the world¡¯s ills and maltreatment are attributed <b>through </b>their darker sides. They lust for power over others, motivated by <b>greed</b>, and will sacrifice their loved ones for the tiniest morsel of control. Humanity is fucked up and <b>no </b>one can tell me otherwise.


    But <b>inhuman </b>creatures are not exempt from <b>this </b>notion. In ancient <b>times</b><b>, </b>many species have gone to war over their lust for control. Blindly believing themselves to be the superior race and that all others should bow and kiss their toes. Sound familiar? At the moment¡¯s weakness, they¡¯ll ughter innocents to maintain <b>their </b>corrupt sense of bnce<b>.</b>


    Hybrids, unfortunately, are often the victims of their misdealing. How many of my kind lost their lives because a full¨Cblooded mutt or fanged leech thought their existence was undeserved? How many deformed fishes or ckened sorceresses beheaded or drowned them? How many of this earth¡¯s supernaturals got rid of their amalgams for breathing?


    Perhaps that¡¯s what they like. That¡¯s how those damned creatures sleep at night or get themselves off at the thought; killing innocent hybrids as they reach their self¨Cpleasure, exploding in ecstasy as their minds fill with images of spilled hybrid blood<b>.</b>


    Hybrids like myself suffer under <b>the </b>supremacy of these stupid, pompous supernaturals. It¡¯s time they¡¯re knocked down a peg.


    Hmm. It¡¯s interesting to delve deep into the minds of man and beast and find what makes them tick. What motivates them to do what they do? It¡¯s far from rocket science if you¡¯re not someone <b>like </b>me.


    But I¡¯ve said too much. Apophis always said that <b>the </b>darkness of <b>man </b>and beast is the most delicious discovery of them all. They all preach peace and eptance when really, they cannot stomach the fact that someone different than them mingles with them. How many times will history provide proof of that notion?


    Human history is drenched in blood. Supernatural history is drenched in blood. Different species, same


    attitude. Neither are so different from one another<b>.</b>


    Therefore, it¡¯s my job to set things straight.


    Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m not that bad of a guy! I allow <b>those </b>around <b>me </b>to <b>freely </b>express their darkest desires uninhibited. Don¡¯t you feel it? The darkness crawling to the center of your <b>mind</b>, whispering in your car as it begs to <b>see </b>the world outside of its prison?


    then who¡¯s


    I¡¯m sure you wish to take revenge on wronged you; who¡¯ve hurt, abused<b>, </b>and broken your <b>trust</b>. There are people in your life who don¡¯t deserve the air they breathe, but because of your misguided sense of morality and goodness, you <b>choose </b>not to avenge what you¡¯ve lost.


    Instead<b>, </b><b>you </b>pick forgiveness<b>, </b>as if that¡¯ll erase your pain. As if it¡¯ll somehow change the other person who,


    ?Halo


    een Special ¨C | Am The Bad Guy


    consciously, hurt you..


    How does it feel to be a fool? A stupid person? An idiot? Because I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what most of you are. You hide behind the light while ignoring the growing malevolence behind you. The more you feed the light, the more the darkness <b>grows</b>.


    After all, those who <b>have </b>the brightest of lights have the strongest darkness.


    Wouldn¡¯t it feel good to delve into your true nature? To hurt without consequence? To maim? To kill?


    Apophis beckons you. The Great Serpent God beckons you to not hurt any longer. My Lord beckons you to unleash hell on all those who deserve it. On those who¡¯ve delivered the smallest blow to your fragile human heart.


    Assuming most of you are human.


    How many of you men <b>were </b>taught to never hit a <b>woman</b><b>, </b>even if she brutalizes you? How many of you <b>were </b>taught that only the strong survive? How many of you <b>were </b>taught that crying is for ¡®sissies¡® and to ¡®not be like a girl¡°? <b>Even </b>worse, how many of you men were taught to never harm or disrespect your superiors even as they¡¯re hurting you?


    Now, you women. Oh, how the world hasn¡¯t been kind to you because of the sex you were born with. How many of you women were taught a boy likes you if they hurt you? How many of you were undervalued for your skills because you have female genitalia? How many of you were abused, broken, and even had the despicable done to you because you were taught to not fight back? To surrender<b>?</b>


    No matter who you are or what you identify as, you <b>were </b>hurt. You were beaten and broken. Your heart is as fragile as ss, and many will drop and dance on its pieces as you weep. And yet, you look the other <b>way </b>and not break the person who broke you.


    Morality is an illusion.


    There¡¯s no such thing as goodness.


    Only darkness and pain.


    Darkness is eternal. Once you have a taste of its purest <b>state</b>, you lose yourself. Wouldn¡¯t it be amazing to shed these expectations and sumb to it? It¡¯s marvelous.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I wouldn¡¯t let you suffer, my <b>dears</b>. I wouldn¡¯t allow you to go through such pain if you follow my cause. You¡¯d have the freedom to express <b>and </b>the freedom to hurt others. No more hiding, no more turning the other cheek!


    You¡¯d <b>be </b>your true self,


    Beautiful. Dark. Seductive. Unstoppable.


    Unhinged.


    That is what I need her <b>to </b>be<b>. </b>She has the power to bring all the mutts to their knees. For when their time.es, they wille <b>groveling </b>at her feet and begging for forgiveness. She¡¯s a goddess in her own right, and


    Am The Bad Guy


    oh, she¡¯ll be beautiful.


    <b>Even </b>now, as I watch her sleep, my mind floods with images of her extravagant beauty once dipped in darkness. At how muchmand she¡¯ll have over the werewolves with her might of the Moon Goddess. Not. even that stupid woman will stop what is toe.


    Kiya. The beautiful avatar who has enough anger and hatred to shatter lives. Of course, like a fool, <b>she </b>tries to hide it. But let¡¯s be real <b>here</b>. She wishes she could destroy Zircon Moon in its entirety. She wishes to avenge her lost inner child; her stolen innocence and broken adolescence. Is it right that she must deal with the jerks who suffer no repercussions for tossing her headfirst in hellfire?


    That is where Ie in.


    Whether or not she knows it, she needs me. She needs someone to tell her it¡¯s okay to feel hatred. It¡¯s okay to feel like she wants to hurt people. It¡¯s okay to want to walk in the blood of those who walked on hers.


    It¡¯s okay.


    It¡¯ll all be okay.


    Even the moon has a dark <b>side</b>.


    I run my knuckles along her still cheek, <b>savoring </b>her warmth. They found themselves in her curls afterward; in one springy obsidian coil after another. I can <b>smell </b>the darkness brewing <b>deep </b>within her, reaching out to im their one true love.


    And I will have her. I must have her..


    She¡¯s the key to my sess and the harbinger of the world¡¯s fall.


    No matter the obstacles in my way, it won¡¯t <b>stop </b>me. It won¡¯t stop me from iming the woman in my bed as <b>mine</b>. And I do intend to im her in so many ways. She deserves someone like me.


    Not to worry about that pathetic Alpha. He¡¯ll never have what never belonged to him. He ruined his chance. And I¡¯ll see that <b>he </b>suffers under the weight of his sins.


    Him, his father<b>, </b><b>and </b>the <b>rest </b>of their ursed bloodline.


    Chaos is a storm that will consume all that get close. It¡¯ll be a bumpy ride.


    And I¡¯m taking you along the journey of beautiful darkness.


    <b>Because </b>I am the bad guy.


    Chapter Comments


    There is always a part that would want others to suffer as you have. The difference is willingness to be the monsters that you loathe I would never want to be the monster that brings pain to others¡­.


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 Chapter 96

    Chapter 7 ¨C Nothing Between Us


    ¡°Oh it was meant to be. It just wasn¡¯t meant tost.¡°¨CKate McGahan


    Neron


    Trouble is brewing below the surface, and I <b>cannot </b>figure out why.


    Since yesterday, an unsettling feeling cast a thick haze over my spirit, poking and prodding. The hairs stand on the back of my neck and Onyx is on edge with the ambition to strike. A dark cloud billows from all corners


    of my territory, trapping us under a translucent dome of trepidation. It¡¯s there, but it¡¯s also not <b>there </b>at the same time. And it eats away at my pride and confidence as the Alpha of this pack.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    <b>Call </b>me crazy, but I feel a trespass. Someone is cavorting through mynds undetected, and the worst part is I cannot see them. I can only feel them. Being a werewolf blessed with amazing abilities has proven to be a horrible disadvantage in this case. How do you fight an enemy you cannot see? Or smell? How do you protect others from an invisible adversary?


    The <b>atmosphere </b>around this mighty pack has taken a drastic turn.


    My mind cannot help but reiterate what Kiya had said to me before; about a presence in her room watching her sleep. The main cause of her sleep issues. That matter buzzed around my mind like an angry ho since then, demanding me to take action to protect her. Blood within me boils under the fire of hatred at the thought of someone or something bothering my mate to the point she <b>cannot </b>sleep.


    I made a silent vow to guard her peace and I will to the best of my ability, but it doesn¡¯t make it any less frustrating. Sitting at my desk with a fist to my chin, I ruminate over my options. I refuse to let Kiya sleep in her room until it¡¯s scoped out for intruders. She shouldn¡¯t be subjected to sleepless nights over this.


    And I know how Kiya is heavily adamant about her privacy, which is why I asked her friends to do a full sweep <b>of </b>her room. If this is the work of magic, it¡¯s only fitting for <b>a </b>witch to be here. However<b>, </b>my pack doesn¡¯t <b>have </b>witches and the only one I know of is back in California. After the kidnapping debacle, Alpha Anthony increased security around his territory and Miss Phoebe isn¡¯t allowed to leave without permission. Her and


    Endo<b>.</b>


    I shouldn¡¯t be worried, right? That madness is behind us and everyone¡¯s back in action. We have our slice of peace. <b>I </b>shouldn¡¯t be concerned, yet I am. A dark presence lurks within these pack walls. I don¡¯t know how,


    and I don¡¯t know where, but it¡¯s here.


    My mate and I can feel it. And it terrifies me to think there could be <b>another </b>enemy after her. History is repeating itself before my eyes. Ki will never be safe because of the power she holds.


    There are moments <b>where </b>I want to throw caution to the wind, damn the expectations, and keep her to myself. Keep her close <b>as </b>a surefire way to ensure her safety. My innate instincts as the mighty Alpha beckon <b>me </b>to take what is ours <b>and </b>do anything and everything to keep her close, even if she¡¯ll <b>forever </b>hate me for it.


    No.


    It¡¯ll only <b>lead </b>to ruin. It¡¯s not bad to be optimistic; she¡¯s slowly, but <b>surely</b>, softening at my presence. Kiya doesn¡¯t look at me with the mes of hatred anymore, for all it¡¯s worth. I continue to fall in love with her <b>daily </b>with the smallest things she does. That fills <b>my </b><b>heart </b><b>up</b>; fills the void that realizes that I¡¯ll never truly have her.


    This is the next best <b>thing</b><b>.</b>


    As I think, my hands rummage through the pile of paperwork, and mani folders stered all over my desk. Training reports, investment reports in Carson City and Las Vegas, requests from pack members¨Call the boring parts about being Alpha. As much as I¡¯d love to shed my clothes and run through the forest, I have duties to perform. I admit I¡¯ve been <b>cking</b>.


    All because of my curly¨Chaired beauty. I love it. But I need to focus and get this work done or else it¡¯ll be never¨C<b>ending</b>. Kwame and Valerian <b>would </b>have to hear me bitch and moan during our meetings.


    ¡°You bitch and moan all the time.¡± Onyx, my oh¨Cso¨Chelpful wolf, decided it¡¯s an appropriate time to add his <b>input</b>. ¡°It isn¡¯t anything new. I just had to put up with it for the past few decades.¡± I can feel the eye¨Croll in <b>his </b><b>voice</b>.


    ¡°Once <b>again</b>, you add no value to the conversation.¡± I shot back. ¡°Unless you n to help me with all this paperwork, go back to your nap.¡± Onyx is a big napper when things are at a stalemate. It¡¯s one of his famous. hobbies besides reprimanding me for my stupidity.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for falling behind on them. But I don¡¯t me you; our mate is a beautiful distraction from this boring shit.¡±


    ¡°Too much of a distraction.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hear the disappointment in your voice<b>, </b>so you approve! Speaking of distractions<b>, </b>have you thought <b>about </b>doodling <b>again</b>? It was your favorite pastime.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not enough time in the day for it, Onyx.¡±


    That¡¯s history. Back in the day, I loved to draw, Drawing was my escape from the pressures of bing Alpha, my schooling, and so much more. The <b>pencil </b>to paper allowed me to channel my true self and trante it into images important to me. In all honesty, I miss it. I miss that freedom. I miss the happiness tied to the pencil. But <b>there¡¯s </b>not much I can do about it now.


    <b>Alphas </b>must remain focused. As Dad always says. But goddamn, it¡¯s hard sometimes. There¡¯s always something that required my attention, and there¡¯s no choice to ignore.


    The doors to my office swung open abruptly, revealing a smiling Odessa. Her <b>scent </b>of plum blossoms permeated through <b>the </b>air yet did nothing to stir my heart. Not like it used to. She sashayed in with a slight sway in her hip


    and took a seat in the <b>chair</b>, separated from me by my desk.


    ¡°Hello, Neron!¡± She says chipperly. ¡°You <b>look </b><b>good </b>today.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied tly. Not to sound like a narcissist, but I always look good.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t help but feel that you¡¯re stressed out. I hope your mate is <b>taking </b>care of you.¡± She suddenly said. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s her job, is it not?¡±


    Iarch an eyebrow in suspicion. Everything <b>about </b>Odessa sitting in my office is suspicious, and I me the change in her surrounding air. It was once light¨C<b>hearted </b>and sensual, but now, it¡¯s heavier<b>. </b>And it weighed on me like a ton of bricks.


    ¡°You think you can do better? I need not to rely on someone else to take care of me, Odessa. I¡¯m managing fine.¡±


    ¡°You say that tuw, but you know does down you wish for someone in take care of you. You¡¯re a big, longli <b>Alpha </b>and she¡¯s out there folk king without a single care about you. All men deserve someone who¡¯d take care of them, humm?¡±


    ¡°Those types of men are ipetent.¡±


    ¡°And so is your so called <b>mate</b>.¡±


    ¡°Get her out of your face before I eat her,¡± Onys growled.


    ¡°Rx. I got this.¡± I took in a deep breath, forcing back the burrowing rage of my wall. It lusts for the destruction of those who disrespect Kiya. He¡¯s as delicated as me, ¡°Watch your tongue when speaking of her, Odessa. You¡¯re walking on thin lec¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°God, do you truly realize what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re an Alpha separated by your mate who wouldn¡¯t care if you fell in a sewer hole. You deserve someone better. <b>You </b>deserve someone who won¡¯t deny your deepest desires and makes you feel like a real man.¡±


    I indeed have a lot of desires that only Kiya can fulfill. Tortured every other night with the thoughts of her <b>kisses </b>and <b>her </b>body against mine. <b>With </b>thoughts of her proudly wearing my munk on her neck. I cannot help but think of those as she¡¯s a hair apart from me and I cannot have her. And I know I never will.


    But I love her enough to respect her decisions with me. We¡¯re fated partners. We¡¯re meant to be together. But none of it is worth it if she¡¯s unhappy. I fucked up. Fonly have myself to me.


    ¡°<b>With </b>or without her, I¡¯m a real man. P¡¯m not defined by who I mark and when I mark them. Unlike you, Ive respect for Kiya, and her personal decisions override my selfish wants, Odessa, heed this warning: tread carefully with your next words. One slipup and you¡¯ll be thrown out of here faster than you can blink.


    ¡°Do you tell yourself that shit every night in hopes it¡¯ll make things better?¡± The woman rises<b>, </b>mming her palms against my desk in fury. ¡°Lest not forget that we had a history, Neron. You were mine. We made a promise to be faithful to one another mad once the ghost of the pastes forth, you throw it away like trash! I thought an Alpha is supposed to honor the promises he makes.¡±


    ¡°You have a mate, Odessa,¡±


    ¡°And is that supposed to erase everything we¡¯ve been through together? What about the promise?¡±


    ¡°We were kids back then. We knew nothing about what our Moon Goddess has nned for the both of us, and <b>it¡¯s </b>unwise to go against her wishes. We¡¯re adults now. I¡¯ll treasure the moments we shared, however, now you have a mate and I have mine. Darlen Is a good man who¡¯ll treat you better than I ever could. Don¡¯t go against the bond you have with him to chase after what isn¡¯t meant to be,¡±


    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re doing the same with her. You don¡¯t have a ghost of a chance to be with her, fully mated. And you follow and pursue her affection and attention like a lovesick puppy. May I remind you that ever since shended here, danger sprung out of the woodworks? Thisnd <b>was </b>almost burnt to ashes because something <b>hunted </b>her! We¡¯ve lived in peace before she rose from the dead. You want that over someone like me?¡±


    I stare at Odessa, Long and hard in those hazel eyes, I once fell in love with. Specks of green shimmered underneath the brown<b>, </b>lighting in her anger. They¡¯re still beautiful, but unmatched to the deep pools of coffee brown from Klya, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go into the depths of hell if it meant her safety, Odessa. We may have been teenaged sweethearts, but I¡¯ve grown up. You have an amazing mate who¡¯ll fight for you and I¡¯ll fight for you


    Chapter 7 Nothing Between Us


    too, as I am your Alpha<b>. </b>But my heart belongs to Kiya, and I¡¯ll do right by her. I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s our reality.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. Not now, and not in the future. Don¡¯t throw <b>away </b>a good thing you <b>have </b>with your


    Delta.¡±


    Silence. Her lips pressed to a fine line, but her <b>eyes </b>did the speaking. Flickers of sadness, <b>pain</b>, and a morsel of betrayal glittered before drowning from the anger. <b>Fury</b>. In a deep breath, she stood erect, stretched her neck from side to side before nodding.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want me anymore<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But what if I still want you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s you


    your problem, not mine. And I don¡¯t think Darien will like that <b>you </b>still have feelings for someone else since you¡¯ve mated.¡± Not exactly, since she has yet to bear his mark on her neck.


    ¡°I love you, <b>Neron</b>. Always will. But you¡¯re no less than a damn clown. You¡¯re a fool, in more ways than one. Remember that when karmaes to bite you in the ass.¡±


    With that, she stormed out in a flurry of brte hair<b>, </b>mming <b>the </b>doors <b>behind </b><b>her</b>. A breath of relief escaped my lips as I slumped back in my chair. Odessa and I are over. Her pursuit for me makes no sense.


    That should be the end.


    Yet¡­.


    I have this awful inkling that it isn¡¯t. Onyx knows it and I know it.


    This isn¡¯t the end with Odessa.


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 Chapter 97

    Chapter 8 ¨C Fighting Alone


    ¡°If you <b>want </b>to be strong, learn how to fight alone.¡± ¨C Unknown


    Kiya


    ¡°Little Bit, I have found nothing worth finding.¡± Jackie¡¯s voice rang from my closet as her hands thoroughly rummaged through my hanging clothes.


    ¡°Nothing suspicious in the bathroom!¡± Sapphire called from thevatory. ¡°You need more toilet paper, though!¡±


    My <b>eyes </b>narrowed to the muffled coughs of Galen, who crawled from underneath my bed with his hair partially covering his left eye.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Nothing down here but dust bunnies.¡± He chortled, grasping the helping hand of Mikhail as he pulled him from the ground. Isaiah checked through every nook <b>and </b>cranny in my room for any evidence of an intruder but found nothing. Not even he, who has a degree in Forensic Science, could find anything.


    From my <b>peripherals</b>, Darien lingers at my door. The disgusted and annoyed look on his face told a <b>story </b>that he wouldn¡¯t be caught dead going through the threshold into my room. Hatred burned into my back, <b>searing </b>off the small hairs on my arms under the intensity of his glower. Involuntary, unpleasant shivers swam down my <b>spine </b>as my ex¨Cbest friend silently wishes for my disappearance.


    After revealing my sleep troubles to my friends and, shockingly, under Neron¡¯s request, all of them are scoping out clues for an intruder. Or at least an entranceway for it to trespass. A deep part of me desperately hoped for a slip up from the hybrid; if Osiris had left clues of his presence for my friends to detect. With every hand that came up empty, my <b>heart </b>sunk in <b>a </b><b>sea </b>of disappointment.


    The bastard is intelligent. He left behind no evidence of his <b>arrival</b>. I saw him. Felt him. His presence engulfed


    <b>the </b><b>peace </b>in my room and left behind the chaos. It thrived off the aura of disorder, using it as a weapon to subdue me. Osiris is crafty and I¡¯m a fool to think anything different.


    ¡°Kiya, are you sure something was here?¡± Isaiah <b>asked </b>me, rising to his feet from his knees. The sunlight. made his deep mnin glow. ¡°Because if there <b>was</b><b>, </b>none of us can find anything.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re wasting our time,¡± Darien growled from the door; arms crossed. ¡°We have better things to do and <b>we¡¯re </b>here chasing dust bunnies and imaginary friends.¡±


    ¡°Dude, chill out.¡± Galen barked with a scowl on his face. ¡°We¡¯re here helping a friend. Who knows what could be out there? And I trust Kiya¡¯s words that something was in here.¡±


    ¡°She does <b>have </b>a creative imagination.¡± The insinuation lining Darien¡¯s tone stung deep. He believes that I¡¯m making this up, but <b>I¡¯m </b>not! 1¨CI just¡­ ¡°We¡¯re chasing a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t write it off, yet.¡± Abigail gently added. Her smile is dazzling. ¡°After all she¡¯s been through, she <b>has </b>every right to be concerned. A presence in a room isn¡¯t to be taken lightly. It¡¯s an affliction that can happen to


    anyone.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Kiya¡­¡± Artemis <b>spoke</b><b>. </b>¡°<b>You </b>should tell them the truth. What Osiris has done must be known. Let them help and protect you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t <b>answer </b>back. My fingers fidgeted nervously. Darien is right. I¡¯m leading everyone on a wild goose chase because I don¡¯t <b>dare </b>to tell them about Osiris. And the dark promises and warnings he spoke of. The war against him is a battle I must fight alone. He¡¯s the one who kidnapped me, and I¡¯m the one he¡¯s after. Involving the people I love in this madness will only lead to pain for them. And I cannot let that happen.


    My friends would stop at nothing to make sure I¡¯m safe. I¡¯m the youngest of our crew, thus making me the baby. The one o


    everyone needs to protect. No matter how much training I go through or the battles I¡¯ve fought <b>and </b>won, they still believe I need protection. As much as I appreciate it, it annoys me sometimes. I¡¯m a Delta. I¡¯m Selene¡¯s avatar. I can fight and win alone.


    But then, I remember it. The onught of Cerberus. Their broken, bloodied bodies on top of the burning grass. All in their silent <b>vow </b>to keep me safe. It brought a <b>wave </b>of agony I¡¯ve never felt before. It cut deeper than a knife and burned hotter <b>than </b>Greek fire. Those images resurface in my nightmares¨Csometimes with the bonus of their bodies shifting to stiff corpses.


    For once<b>, </b>I want to protect them. Osiris¡® attention is on me and I want to keep it that way. His <b>eyes </b>should remain on their target, not on potential liabilities or extras in whatever his n is. My friends deserve to be happy and safe with their mates, not risking their lives for me.


    Is that a bad thing?


    I know it¡¯s stupid to keep this to myself. That I¡¯m being haunted by a man thought to have died in the fiery hellscape over three weeks ago. But the love and protection for my friends outweigh my safety. As long as they¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll continue to <b>fight </b>this secret war.


    ¡°We¡¯re not getting any closer to finding whatever the fuck we¡¯re supposed to find.¡± Pushing himself off the door, Darien cranes his neck from side to side, ridding any kinks. ¡°Continue to y detective. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck is his problem?¡± Galen asked, his eyes alit with annoyance.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s tired or has a lot on his mind.¡± I quickly add, <b>trying </b>to defuse the situation. Galen, although mboyant and silly, takes his friendships seriously. He grew up with Darien and can already tell that <b>there¡¯s </b>something wrong with him.


    Another secret I¡¯m keeping from everyone. Aside from the Osiris fiasco, I¡¯ve yet to tell everyone about Darien and I¡¯s fallout. What am I supposed to say? He went from amazing friend to bitter enemy within a day, and I don¡¯t know why. And it¡¯s not like I can walk up to him and have a conversation; not after how he blew me off the other day. His words stung deep, hitting the fleshy and vulnerable parts of my heart. The areas I guard the


    <b>most</b><b>.</b>


    And thest thing I want is to be the reason for Darien and Galen¡¯s fallout. I don¡¯t want to be fought over.


    In the <b>end</b>, no one found anything. Osiris left nothing. My friends departed from my room shortly after <b>I </b>dered <b>that </b>they can leave. Each had expressions of sadness or disappointment but didn¡¯t dwell on them. I didn¡¯t want them too. They shouldn¡¯t carry this burden with me. Sitting my rear on my bed, the dead silence <b>in </b>my room was heavy without their mild chatter.


    It¡¯s cold.


    <b>¡°</b>You should <b>have </b>told them,¡± <b>Artemis </b>sighed<b>. </b>¡°This would make things a lot easier, Kiki<b>. </b>You had the chance, but <b>you </b>let it pass <b>you </b>by. Why?¡±


    2/4


    Fighting


    ¡°I can handle Osiris myself.¡± 1 defended. ¡°Why should I let them fight my battles? They have better things to do


    than to fuss over me<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I know you care about them and their safety. You¡¯re selfless to a fault. But, sometimes, we need help with things we can¡¯t handle ourselves. If <b>you </b>don¡¯t tell them about Osiris, it¡¯ll only be a matter of time before they do find out <b>and </b>that can end badly. You think he¡¯ll keep this <b>a </b>secret like <b>you </b>are?¡±


    ¡°He only <b>wants </b>me. That guarantees that he won¡¯t hurt anyone else. Keep the enemy¡¯s eyes on their target and not let them stray.¡±


    ¡°But how will it help them if you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about that! I don¡¯t care if I get hurt! I care whether they get hurt! I¡¯m tired of people hurting for me. Your <b>saw </b><b>what </b>Cerberus did to them. Abi¡¯s arm hasn¡¯t fully healed yet from it. Osiris has the potential to do worse. When I get rid of him on my own<b>, </b>this all will be <b>over</b>. They don¡¯t <b>have </b>to know.¡±


    ¡­You and I know evil doesn¡¯t keep itself hidden for very long. Please<b>, </b><b>don¡¯t </b><b>wait </b>too <b>long </b>to tell them. They <b>have </b>to know. Them <b>and </b>Neron<b>, </b>since this is his pack.¡±


    A defeated sigh escaped my lips <b>as </b>I trudged my legs into the bathroom. Opening the faucet, I <b>sshed </b>cold water on my face a few times in hopes the coolness dissipates <b>the </b>stress bubbling <b>underneath </b>my skin. I know


    I have to talk, eventually. But is it worth the risk? Osiris can get into the territory undetected and haunt me. Who knows what else he¡¯s capable of?


    Pulling a towel off the rack, I <b>wiped </b>my face clean, relishing in the softness of cotton. Everything felt peaceful for a moment until I felt a puff of hot air on my earlobe.


    ¡°Miss <b>me</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    On high <b>alert</b>, I jerked behind me to see the billow of smoke writhing in <b>the </b>air like a snake. Once again, the scarlet red eyes sunk deep into my eyes, <b>grappling </b>at the threads of my soul. ¡°I admire your friends¡® <b>diligence </b>in finding me. Too bad I¡¯m always one step ahead.¡±


    Growling, I threw my towel to the side. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking asshole, Osiris. You¡¯ve been watching me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He said it was a known fact. ¡°I¡¯m a predator. I have to monitor my prey. You know this by the empty results you¡¯ve received not too long ago. They cannot find me! This form of mine leaves no <b>physical </b>evidence behind, so, in actuality, you¡¯ve been leading them in a wild goose chase.¡±


    The billow hovers closer, a <b>hand </b>reaching out to cup my face. The dark touch sends nothing short of sensual sensations through my body, involuntarily invoking a shiver. I hate it. ¡°Get away from me.¡±


    ¡°No. I like <b>to </b>admire what¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°I belong to no <b>one</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ.¡± Suddenly, a fistful of my hair was grabbed, violently jerking my head back. The area where he bit me, on my neck, throbbed asynchronously from my heartbeat, causing my legs to buckle. What is this power? ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt <b>you</b>, Little Moon. I¡¯ve <b>given </b>you the <b>option </b>to surrender and yet, <b>you </b>continue to fight the losing battle. Must disaster explode in your face for <b>you </b>to realize the truth? That all will abandon <b>you</b><b>? </b>Your friend Darien has.¡±


    My heart lurched at the thought of Darien and his heated looks of abhorrence. He wants nothing to do with


    Chapter &¨C Fighting Alone


    <b>me </b>and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. ¡°How long until the others <b>follow</b>? How long will your realize that the love of your friendships and family is nothing more but a farce? How long until you realize they have yed you like a fiddle? I thought you <b>were </b>much smarter than that, Little Moon.¡±


    My powers sprung to the surface like springs free frompression, steaming in a fiery passion for my protection. In the blink of an eye, the darkness that veiled my bathroom in near ck vanished to normal white. Light from the small window illuminated my surroundings with hope and serenity. My right hand vibrated and shook with moon energy, realizing it was responsible for the dissipation of the darkness. Breathing deeply in relief, my free <b>hand </b>went to the area the hybrid forcibly grabbed, fingers massaging my scalp to release the throbbing pain.


    If <b>there¡¯s </b>one thing someone shouldn¡¯t do, is touch my hair. Let alone yank it. I worked too hard on it for grimy fingers to mess it up!


    Nevermind that. As much as Osiris¡® words hit a deep part of me, I won¡¯t let him win. Not over me. I¡¯vee too far to let some fanged bastard ruin things for me. A damsel in <b>distress </b><b>is </b>a role I refuse to y and reject wholeheartedly.


    This is my fight.


    I¡¯ll take Osiris down. With my own two hands.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 9 ¨C Let Me Help You


    ¡°Helping those in need is not charity, it¡¯s humanity.¡°¨CAbhijit Naskar


    Neron


    ¡°You want to split the trainees into <b>teams</b>?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let them fight it out in a battle royale on the course.¡±


    Kiya and I are discussing the obstacle course test for the pup trainees in my office. Separated by my desk, I watch my mate work her mind as her fingers flip through the progress reports of our newly shifted wolves. A concentrated look on her face told me the tale of her focus and critical thinking. She¡¯s serious and calcted in her thoughts of my proposal, humming to herself.


    ¡°Wolves do likepetition¡­¡± She muttered. As their chief trainer, it¡¯s only fitting to <b>run </b>proposals and ns by her first before implementing them. Before my eyes, I¡¯ve seen the young pups blossom extraordinarily from their early days of wolfhood. Many train together after hours with Kiya¡¯s enthusiasm, pushing them to do their best. Strict, but fair. Serious, butpassionate. I¡¯ve receivedments and apuse from the parents and families of the trainees remarking how strong their child or children have be under Kiya¡¯s tutge.


    They shouldn¡¯t direct their words of praise to me. It belongs <b>to </b>her. I could tell that she feels ufortable. by the admiration<b>, </b>often glossing it over as her duty as a Delta. It¡¯ll only be a matter of time before the pups receive a <b>new </b>trainer after Kiya¡¯s departure, and I can only hope he or she will keep up the same streak as my


    <b>mate</b>.


    There are glitters of hope shimmering in the eyes of my pack members as they spar


    nces at <b>Kiya </b>whenever she walks by. Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but stare at her too. She¡¯s beautiful as she¡¯s fearsome. Many have asked me when she¡¯ll be ceremonially inducted as Zircon Moon¡¯s Luna.


    And it hurts to see those glitters fade as I reveal that she won¡¯t be Luna. I understand their disappointment; my mate has the makings to be a mighty Luna wielding her hand on the side of justice. As my destined partner, that automatically makes her destiny to my Luna. The heart of the Alpha. <b>She¡¯s </b>strong, determined, stubborn to a fault, and fantastic with children<b>.</b>


    But that¡¯s <b>not </b>the path she wants. Despite possessing all the markers of a fine leader, she chooses not to pursue it. I cannot ignore the dark past buried underneath the foundation of mynd. Who, in their right mind, would <b>want </b>to rule over a pack that¡¯s brutalized them for years? It¡¯s not Kiya¡¯s job to heal Zircon Moon when we, once, didn¡¯t give a damn about her healing.


    Goddamnit. It doesn¡¯t make my dreams any less <b>real</b>. In a <b>perfect </b>world, we¡¯d rule side by side. We¡¯re married. We¡¯d <b>have </b>pups. But that¡¯s all it is. A wishful utopia. One that <b>no </b><b>one </b>can force on her. We, as a pack, can continue to dream and hope for our future Luna, but we must face the facts sooner thanter that it will not


    happen.


    And I don¡¯t know what that means for future heirs. Yet, none of that takes precedence. I don¡¯t care about that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Kiya perked up. ¡°I like thepetition route. It¡¯ll make it more fun for the pups and the <b>pack </b>can witness the spectacle.¡±


    I care about her.


    <b>1/4</b>


    ¡°Perfect,¡± A smile made its way to my face. ¡°We split the pups into two teams, and we¡¯ll lead them.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± <b>She </b>arched <b>an </b>eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re getting involved?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s part of my job to oversee potential candidates advance from pup trainee to a full trainee,¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°And it¡¯ll give them more motivation to do better if their Alpha is in their presence,¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± <b>Kiya </b>nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let this slide. You don¡¯t want them to ck off, I guess with you around, it¡¯ll make thepetition that much meaningful.¡± <b>She </b><b>leans </b><b>back </b>in her chair and crosses her arms underneath her chest. My mind zipped to a forbidden ce when my eyes caught the slight liggle of her mounds,


    ¡°I bet they¡¯re soft <b>like </b>pillows!¡±


    ¡°Fucking hell, Onyx!¡± Ignoring his boisterous <bughter</b>, I mmed down walls both for him and other stray sinful thoughts that <b>threaten </b>to show me solt porn.


    ¡°However¡­¡± Her voice pulled me back into reality. ¡°The trainees are impressionable. They want to impress their leader. They¡¯ll fight to be on your team if it gets them noticed by you.¡±


    ¡°What <b>can </b>I say?¡± I chuckle amusingly. ¡°What do you propose?¡±


    ¡°Randomization. Instead of <b>picking </b>which team they want to be on, they¡¯ll draw from a hat. Thirty trainees. divided by both of us will yield fifteen members on each team. And since this is apetition, there should be a <b>prize</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Bragging <b>rights</b>?¡± I suggested,


    ¡°<b>That¡¯s </b><b>an </b>automatic <b>reward</b>.¡± My mate chuckled. I¡¯d pay any amount of money to hear thatugh for the rest of my life. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something before tomorrow. Any ideas for team names?¡°


    ¡°Creative names <b>aren¡¯t </b>my forte.¡± It¡¯s true<b>. </b>Coming up with names is just as bad as leaming how to bake. It gets messy, I never came up with names for my past drawings for this exact renson,


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s keep it simple: Team <b>Alpha </b>versus Team Delta.¡±


    I liked it! This will, for sure, get those kiddos excited for what ising. After the talk, Kiya craned her neck from side to side to rid stress knots, but I didn¡¯t miss the faraway look in her eyes. Something¡¯s upying her <b>mind </b>and it¡¯s bothering her. From the tired expel of breath to the heavy exhaustion written <b>on </b>her cheeks. Her hand rubs the side of her neck absentmindedly, but I didn¡¯t miss the redness encircled around the junction


    where her neck <b>and </b>shoulder met.


    ¡°Kiya?¡± I asked. At first, she didn¡¯t answer me. Silent as a mouse with that distant look. I know she isn¡¯t talking to Artemis; I¡¯d see her eyes zed over. I called her name out again and met no response.


    So what did I do? The most annoying thing <b>a </b>person can do. I poked her arm. <b>And </b>that brought her <b>back </b>from her brief trance, ring at me with daggers.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay? <b>You </b>seemed¡­preupied.¡±


    The re instantly softened <b>as </b><b>she </b>expelled a sigh. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Chapter 9 Let Me Help You


    ¡°Have you been sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Have your friends checked your room?¡±


    ¡°Yep. They found nothing.¡±


    ¡°I could <b>have </b><b>you </b>moved to another room if that¡¯ll help you sleep better.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t trouble yourself with that. <b>I¡¯m </b>fine.¡±


    ¡°Have you been <b>eating</b>?¡±


    ¡°Are you my mother?¡±


    I blinked. I admit this <b>line </b>of questioning sounds like what a mother would do. Always checking in and fussing over their <b>child</b>. That¡¯s not my goal at all; I¡¯m simply a man worried about their mate.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I just want to know <b>how </b>you¡¯re doing and if you¡¯re okay. You know I¡¯m here if you need to talk.¡± Her eyes averted away from me nervously, her <b>hand </b>continuously rubbing that one spot on her neck for a ridiculously long time. There¡¯s something on her mind. There¡¯s <b>something </b>she wants to tell me but can¡¯t. ¡°How did you get that bruise on your neck?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What bruise?¡±


    Fishing through my bottom <b>drawer</b>, I pulled out apact mirror. Gold with diamonds encrusted around the rim. It belonged to my mother, and I¡¯ve kept it ever since. I never pulled it out until this day, but I know it¡¯s safe in Kiya¡¯s hands. Handing it to her, she opened it and checked her neck until she spotted the aforementioned bruising.


    Emotions <b>danced </b><b>across </b>her face in rapid session<b>. </b>Confusion. Sadness. Anger. Worry. Her nimble fingers delicately touched the red bruise like its tender, but Kiya doesn¡¯t express pain. Either there is none, or she¡¯s <b>good </b>at hiding it. Bruises don¡¯t <bst </b>on werewolf flesh; they heal within minutes. That redness has been ever- so¨Cpresent since the beginning of our meeting.


    Sighing heavily, she shut thepact mirror delicately and handed it back. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure. I didn¡¯t know it <b>was </b>there.¡±


    ¡°May I check it?¡± The apprehension on her face is palpable. She didn¡¯t want me to touch her <b>and </b>judging by the zed look in her eyes, she¡¯s <b>speaking </b>with Artemis. Or Artemis is convincing her. After a minute<b>, </b>she expelled <b>a </b>defeated sigh and nodded.


    ¡°Fine<b>.</b>


    Rising from my desk, I walked <b>over </b>to her and gently tilted her head to the side for a better look at the bruise. Electricity propelled through me like rockets from my fingers touching her skin from our mate bond. Kiya didn¡¯t even flinch. Does she no longer feel the destined sparks? My heart jumped in fear at the thought because I don¡¯t <b>know </b>what her side of the mate bond is like. I only know mine.


    The bruise is rather small, but red enough to show through her brown skin. It resembled a splotch of color, like when a painter flings their brush against their canvas. I gently pressed a finger against it, only to retract it within seconds because of the heat.


    Chapter 9 Let Me Help You


    It practically burned me! I do not know the anatomy of the human body, but I know for damn sure bruises. don¡¯t burn other people.


    ¡°Kiya, is there something else going on with you?¡± I asked worryingly as she faced me again. ¡°You know you can tell me, right?¡±


    <b>Her </b><b>deep </b>pools of brown <b>stared </b>deep <b>into </b>my own, <b>waves </b>of emotion crashing against the shore of her lens as


    of Kiya


    <b>she </b>enters <b>an </b><b>internal </b>battle. To tell or not to tell. The thought carrying a secret burden hurt. She


    deserves to be free, not tormented by a secret. Even as her eyes zed over inmunication with her wolf, I still look into them. So beautiful.


    And I feel that indescribable, maic pull.


    Unconsciously, my hand cradled her cheek. And happiness burst forward as she nuzzled into r


    my warmth with


    a gentle hum. Onyx yips and jumps within my mind, excited at our mate¡¯s response to our touch. An uncontained smile sprung forth on my face while my thumb caresses her cheek.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°There¡¯s something you need to know. Something has been bothering me and I know what it is.¡±


    ¡°Tell <b>me</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>I </b>whispered, kneeling on one knee to appear less intimidating. ¡°Tell me so I can help you.¡±


    ¡°Okay<b>¡­</b>¡± <b>The </b><b>thudding </b>of her rapid heart echoes in the space between us, slowing down with every breath <b>she </b>takes. My hand hadn¡¯t left her cheek, and Kiya has yet to reject my touch. It¡¯s a small step, but no words can express just how happy I am. ¡°The thing that¡¯s been bothering me is-!¡±


    The doors to my office abruptly swung open and the person who entered forced the temperature to plunge several degrees. He¡¯s also the same person who turned the soft moment between my mate and <b>me </b><b>into </b>a sour one. Because Kiya nted her feet firmly onto the ground and pushed her chair away from me.


    The sweetness in her <b>eyes </b>burned to ash under the mes of hatred.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m interrupting something.¡± My father chuckled as if it was the funniest thing in the world, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. I have never wanted tomit patricide more at this moment.


    ¡°I was just leaving,¡± Kiya growled darkly. She stood erect from her chair <b>and </b>walked out of the room, only to be blocked by my father.


    ¡°Dear, you need not leave. Do stay.¡±


    ¡°Kiss my ass.¡± I bit my tongue to prevent augh from exiting my mouth. My mate ducked under his arm and marched out of <b>my </b>office with detestation permeating with <b>every </b><b>step</b>. The office <b>got </b>colder with <b>her </b><b>absence</b>N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    <b>and </b>it made me angrier.


    Dad better have a damn <b>good </b><b>reason </b>for his interruption.


    Chapter Comments


    I HATE it when ever they start getting close SOME BODY INTERRUPTS THEM FAAAARK

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 10 Team Alpha vs. Team Delta


    ¡°Be a star in someone¡¯s dark sky.¡°¨CMatshona Dhliwayo


    Third Person POV


    Curious whispers from the thirty pup trainees echoed as they stand in a single row. Each trainee represented their families, their hopes, and their dreams of bing warriors. Many itch to perform well on their test while some tend to the rock of anxiety sitting in their bellies.


    ¡°We will ce you all into two different teams at random.¡± Kiya¡¯s voice demanded the younglings¡® attention, ceasing all conversation. With Neron behind her, they took extra care to remain focus and attentive to themands of their trainer. <b>In </b>her hands is a brown, <b>woven </b>basket with small scrolls of white paper. ¡°You will <b>pick </b>a scroll and hold it in your <b>hand</b>. Returns or exchanges are prohibited. Once everyone has their scroll, I will instruct you to open it. Insideys the name of the team you will be on for <b>this </b>test.¡±


    <b>Adamah </b>raised his <b>hand</b>. ¡°Delta Kiya, can I ask why we are being ced into <b>teams</b>?¡±


    ¡°<b>Well</b>. To add a twist to the test, I, along with your Alpha, turned it into apetition. The prize for the winning team has yet to be determined, but we¡¯ll see just how far you¡¯ve alle.¡±


    ¡°Who will be our team leaders?¡± Another pup trainee asked.


    ¡°<b>You¡¯ll </b>see,¡± Kiya replied with a wink. She passed the basket to the first trainee in the row. Each picked and passed the basket until all had a scroll. Gasps of wonder and confusion ricochet as they opened their <b>scroll </b>simultaneously under their trainer¡¯smand.


    ¡°If your slip isbeled ¡®Alpha¡®, you are on Alpha Neron¡¯s team. If your slip isbeled ¡®Delta¡®, you¡¯re on mine.¡±


    The pup trainees wasted no time gathering near their respective team leaders. With space between them, both leaders spoke about what ising within the next few hours. As seconds go by, the excitement between the opposing teams grew. Their newly born wolves itched topete <b>against </b>their peers and im glorious victory. Howls echoed within each trainee in excitement, some loud enough for their leaders to hear.


    When they broke <b>away </b>for their hour of preparation, <b>Neron </b>walked over to his mate to hand her thick blue armbands. ¡°Here. For your team.¡±


    ¡°Armbands! Excellent <b>idea</b>.¡± Kiya remarked, taking the stash into her arms. ¡°They <b>seem </b>pretty excited. Hopefully, <b>glory </b>won¡¯t go straight to their heads.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s healthy. They are naturallypetitive; it¡¯s in their nature as werewolves. They won¡¯t stop <b>until </b>they hold the imaginary trophy in their hands.¡± <b>The </b>Alpha chuckled softly. ¡°Hence why the dodgeball games at <b>school </b>always end ugly.¡±


    Kiya couldn¡¯t help butugh. A distant memory awoke about her time in elementary school during one of those dodgeball tournaments. She and Nuria were <b>on </b>opposite teams, and the young Alpha identally hit <b>her </b>best friend in the <b>face </b>with a red rubber ball. The chaos that ensured after the assault made the young Delta smile warmly. Until ance of pain prated her heart forced a frown.


    Another memory. Elementary school was so long ago, and <b>it </b>saddened her that she never got to finish it traditionally.


    ¡û Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)


    ugly as the pelting of rubber balls.


    <b>Yeah</b>.¡± She nodded curtly. Let¡¯s hope thispetition doesn¡¯t end <b>as </b>ugly still <b>haven¡¯t </b>figured out what the winning team¡¯s prize should be.¡±


    ¡°Kids love food.¡±


    ¡°So do L¡±


    Neron s


    smiled widely. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a blue bandana while he held a red one for himself. ¡°<b>Here</b>. So everyone will know who you¡¯re leading.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± As <b>an </b>expert in hidden emotions, Kiya hid her worry underneath a stoic mask. Her fingers brushed up against Neron¡¯s palm when retrieving the bandana, but therger¨Cthan¨Clife sparks of their mate bond were unfelt. It¡¯s as if they never existed. And <b>she </b>didn¡¯t like it.


    <b>She </b>doesn¡¯t recall changing anything regarding the bond. Kiya didn¡¯t reject Neron, so the sensations should remain. It¡¯s shocking how the sparks have died. And she doesn¡¯t know if the same is on Neron¡¯s side.


    Maybe. Maybe not.


    But an unsettling feeling rested in the pit of her stomach.


    ¡­Jackie, I think I know how to put on a damn bandana.¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Jacqueline swatted Kiya¡¯s hand as <b>she </b>adjusted the bright blue rag on her hair, considering her wild curls. It took a minute, but the result left her satisfied. ¡°There!¡±


    Most of the pack gathered in seats or on their feet around therge obstacle course, and the trainees spent a few moments to stretch. Those seated closest to the action were the Beta and Gamma families; Kwame, Lori, Mr. and Mrs. Dubois were ecstatic to see Adamah perform.


    Raina had Adonis seated in between her legs as Valerian and her parents surrounded her. While they¡¯re excited to see the action, most of the attention was on the training leader with her blue crown. The big sister is proud of her younger sibling, whereas <b>the </b>parents tended to the pain in the hearts for their lost daughter.


    For Neron, it made him proud to see manye out to support their youngest trainees. Pride in the <b>pack </b>is something he valued, and it¡¯s tangible enough for him to grasp<b>. </b>However, for Kiya, it was mind¨Cboggling.


    Large gatherings with Zircon Moon still put her mind at unease. The people who once wished for her death <b>and </b>suffering praised her as a trainer and their future Luna<b>. </b>Many look at her with expectant eyes, as if they¡¯re looking at the Moon Goddess herself. It was time to see how her expertise <b>shaped </b>their children.


    Talk about pressure<b>.</b>


    Huffing, Kiya smoothed out her training outfit. Adorned in ck with an <b>exposed </b>midriff, she pped once, and her team surrounded her. Neron had done the same with his team forst¨Cminute preparations. All the pup <b>trainees </b>proudly disyed their colored armbands, ready to fight. To fight for themselves and prove they have what it takes to be pack warriors and future Deltas.


    The courseprising six different obstacles, each with progressing difficulty. And they all must do it drenched with water. They must fight through the impact of wet clothes, the scorching sun, and fatigue reach the ton of the climbing <b>wall </b>to blow the horns of their triumnh


    Content


    ·Æ


    Chapter 10¨CTram Alpha vs Team Delta


    First, the trainees must swim through the long, luxury pool before climbing the wet two¨C<b>story </b>cargo. From there, they must swing on a rope to the scattered floating tiles and get past <b>three </b>metal hoops in which they must use their upper¨Cbody strength to maneuver. Relying on their legs, they must get past therge teeter- totter. Finally, the trainees must climb the rock¨Cclimbing wall to the top to retrieve the horn and be the first


    to blow.


    It seems impossible. Perhaps brutal on the body. However, the pups have trained extensively since mid¨CMay and must show that they¡¯ve improved since then. The pressure weighed on them like bricks, but many pushed it to the side.


    It was their time to fight.


    ¡°May the best team win,¡± Neron said to Kiya when they met up before the start of the event. They shook hands in sportsmanship. The woman didn¡¯t miss the slight shivers that shook the Alpha at their touch.


    ¡°Yes.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    One trainee from Team Alpha and Team Deltapeted at a time. It did not matter their gender, age, or other differing characteristics¨Cthey werepetitors. After Sapphire showed how to get past each obstacle<b>, </b>it was the trainees¡® turn.


    Bombarding echoes of excitement and cheer enclosed the area like a wild stadium. The team leaders were on either side of the obstacle course, cheering on their yers with their heart and soul. Jacqueline and Galen <b>stood </b>at the sidelines with clipboards, <b>marking </b>who <b>will </b><b>move </b>up the ranks and who¡¯ll remain for improvement.


    Darien didn¡¯t care. He¡¯s off spending time with Odessa<b>, </b>which has rubbed Galen the wrong way. But it was a conflict to be dealt with at another time<b>.</b>


    Whilepetition reigns supreme below the sun, <b>evil </b>marks its territory under the cloak of ck. Osiris lurks and slithers through the shadows of the pack house like <b>a </b>cobra on the search for its next victim. His devilish schemes to corrupt the members of <b>Zircon </b>Moon areing to full effect as thetest to fall under his dark sway <b>are </b><b>the </b>Omegas.


    With sharp nails embedded in their flesh and the dark influence taking reigns of their nerves and self¨Ccontrol, the dastardly fiend smiled. As much as he detests the pack, it brought his ckened heart joy that, eventually,


    hell will break loose<b>.</b>


    It <b>won¡¯t </b>take long before he has the moon¡¯s avatar in his arms. And the destruction of all he hates will soon begin.


    Back at <b>the </b>obstacle course, Isabe from Team Deltapetes but stumbles on the floating tiles suspended by metal <b>and </b>springs. <b>Kiya </b>notices it and immediately urges <b>the </b>young blond to <b>stand </b>up, ignoring the fact that Gamma Kwame¡¯s younger brother is climbing the wall to his victory.


    ¡°Delta Kiya, I can¡¯t do this,¡± Isabe muttered detingly as her short stature struggled to get out from between the titles. ¡°Let¡¯s <b>face </b>it; I¡¯m not fit to be <b>a </b>warrior.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you <b>are</b>,¡± Kiya growled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to <b>give </b>up now, Be.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± The defeat in Isabe¡¯s voice brought sorrow to Kiya¡¯s heart. It <b>panged </b>like <b>a </b>hammer to a thick nail. The tone reminded much of her old self when she wanted to <b>give </b>up on life. Despite the faint


    Chapter 10¨CTeam Alpha vs. Team Delta


    inkling of that sadness lurking in the back of her mind; she¡¯ll be damned if one of her trainees falls into that same pit.


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t.¡± Her warm hands went up to cradle the youngling¡¯s cheeks, gently lifting her head to meet her green eyes. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard. The pressure is great; your family is watching; your Alpha and I are watching


    your nerves must be like pretzels now! But there is one thing I know: warriors don¡¯t give up. Isabe, you are <b>one</b>. Even if you don¡¯t see it. I <b>see </b>a fighter in you waiting toe forth and protect those she loves. Have I told you share the same name as my mother¡¯s wolf?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you <b>know </b>now!¡± Kiya¡¯sughter drowned out the blended chatter of the crowd, nketing Isabe infort. ¡°The former Luna of Ga Moon, <b>her </b>wolf is named Isabe. And I see her in you. You have potential. Now, are you going to walk away without showing me just how far you came?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Her green eyes <b>cast </b>down. ¡°I won¡¯t advance.¡±


    ¡°So? <b>That </b><b>means </b>we¡¯ll continue training together. It can¡¯t be a bad thing, right?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± The youngling shined a bright smile. ¡°I like <b>you </b>a lot, Delta Kiya.¡±


    The woman smirked, blushing gently. ¡°You can <b>show </b>me your appreciation bypleting <b>the </b>course. Just focus on <b>me </b>and drown out the noise; that helps me to keep focus. You can do this. I believe in you, Isabe.¡±


    And that was all the confidence the young pup needed toplete the second half of the course. Coupled with Kiya¡¯s encouragement and the boost of power she gained from her wolf, Isabe proved to her family and trainer that she had what it takes.


    She needed someone to believe in her.


    After another half hour, the winning team of thepetition came out to be Team Alpha. They had the most. <b>trainees </b>finishing first, thus crowning them with the victory. Both teams shook hands in a job well done. It <b>took </b>strength and tenacity, <b>and </b>both teams did their best.


    ¡°Well.¡± Kiya shot a smile at the trainees surrounding their leader. ¡°Congrattions. Your team fought <b>well</b>. I¡¯m proud of them.¡±


    ¡°Your team did as well.¡± Neronplimented. ¡°They <b>have </b>the heart of warriors.¡±


    e part what


    ¡°Yep. They deserve the rest of the day off. They can have their prize <b>tomorrow</b>, but all will do


    you think about <b>a </b>pizza party?¡±


    Before Neron can answer<b>, </b>the <b>pups </b>cheered and begged for the party. With dozens of expectant faces from the younglings, it¡¯s hard to say no, Like Kiya, Neron also <b>has </b>a soft spot for children. ¡°Alright. A pizza party, then. I¡¯ll order out to give the Omegas a <b>break</b>.¡± He looked at Kiya. ¡°Twenty pizzas<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Hmm. <b>Nah</b>. I¡¯ll be eating too, and I eat a lot.¡±


    ¡°Thirty, then.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t eat that much<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do! <b>You </b>eat three pizza boxes in <b>one </b>sitting!¡± <b>Jacqueline </b><b>shouted </b>from the other side, ducking in


    Chapter 10¨CTeam Alpha ws Team Delta


    <bughter </b>from a rock hurdled towards her.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± <b>One </b>trainee, Israel, perked up. ¡°Can we <b>see </b>Delta Kiya and Alpha Neronpete against each other? It¡¯s only fair since <b>we </b>all went!¡± The trainees agreed with an incredible enthusiasm that slightly scared the


    two.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Kiya shook her head. ¡°You all had enough excitement for one day.¡±


    ¡°Afraid <b>that </b>you¡¯re going to lose?¡± Neron teased while bouncing his eyebrows. Wolves do <b>love </bpetition and sizing each other up is part of the process. Thatment irked something deep within Kiya, making her give a double¨Ctake to her soon¨Cto¨Cbepetitor. ¡°<b>Scared </b>I might beat you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t poke the bear if you¡¯re not ready for its ws, Alpha.¡± Kiya proimed boldly, <b>fishing </b>a hair¨Ctie out of her pocket. ¡°You know I can beat you.¡±


    ¡°<b>Oh</b>, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Prove it.¡± Neron¡¯s smoldering look that made her feel warm all over and it irked her. Kiya bit her cheek, her tongue, and her lip to stop from engaging in a verbal battle. Did he want proof? She¡¯ll show him proof.


    ¡°Get your ass in the water.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Except Neron grabbed her and plunged the both of them into the pristine waters with a livelyugh.


    Chapter Comments


    Pattie Wyborn


    love that man and their way of life


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    ??

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 11 ¨C Blind Love


    ¡°Love is not blind but it leads to blindness.¡°¨CAuliq <b>Ice</b>


    Neron


    Clink! nk! nk!


    Metal against <b>ceramic</b>. <b>These </b>sounds made for a sour tune in the kitchen air as I sat alone at the ind. Coming back from my early morning run, I watch as the golden sun steadily rises over the horizon. It¡¯s a lovely view to <b>eat </b>cereal to. Frosted kes¨CValerian and Kwame will <b>never </b>let me <b>live </b>it down if they see me eating this.


    I can¡¯t help it. They¡¯re great!


    Moments like this are scarce as <b>Alpha</b>. There¡¯s hardly any time for peace and leisure because of the responsibilities of <b>running </b><b>a </b><b>pack</b>. Everything pulls <b>at </b>my attention; from <b>the </b><b>other </b>Alphas¡® I¡¯m in an alliance <b>with</b>, to the children who need their thirst for my attention quenched. Yesterday, with the obstacle <b>course </b>test, it <b>was </b>a fantastic <b>day</b>. The air ofpetitiveness and fun nicked at the cloud of tension hovering above me, the light of freedom making daybreak.


    And I got to <b>see </b>Kiya in her prime. I didn¡¯t miss the bout where she encouraged Isabe to finish despite her wishes to give up. The mes of determination and care burned brightly in those mocha¨Cbrown orbs, plunging me deep in a sea of <b>love</b>. She cares for the trainees like they¡¯re her children.


    No wonder <b>the </b>children of this pack speak highly of her. Not because she¡¯s my mate, but because she is a genuine and loving person. And goddamnit, she¡¯s an amazingpetitor. Kiya can go toe¨Cto¨Ctoe with me, yet she remains humble. <b>She </b>doesn¡¯t boast about her strength or tenacity, but is in it for the fun.


    Once again, we ended at a stalemate.


    My <b>mate </b>has all the power in the world<b>. </b>Literally. Sometimes, I forget that she¡¯s my moon goddess¡® avatar; given with abilities beyond my wildestprehensions. Kiya¡¯s a normal wolf to me.


    But the looming words of my father reminded me she¡¯s far from normal. She never was normal. With each.


    office passing day, my father continues to fall deeper into the pit of madness. That day when he entered my reminded me just how far he¡¯s from <b>reach</b>.


    shback


    ¡°That girl has no respect for her superlors.¡± <i>My </i>father <b>spat </b>out as soon as Kiya left my office, telling him to kiss his ass. ¡°<i>If </i>that girl has one thing, It¡¯s the audacity.¡±


    ¡°Dad, she¡¯s a woman, not a girl. Second, she shouldn¡¯t have respect for anyone who condemned her to a life of suffering. I huffed, taking my seat behind the desk. <i>My </i>eyes are trained squarely on my father¡¯s aging face, remarking the wrinkles and ridges as they crinkled with emotion.


    ¡°Yet, she respects you.¡±


    ¡°Toleration and respect are two separate entities<b>. </b>She¡¯s far from respecting me, and I don¡¯t me her. Can¡¯t hold <i>it </i>against her. Now, is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Already getting back to business, I see.¡± He takes a seat in the chair that Kiya formally sat at. ¡°Are you any closer to marking her? You two seemed pretty close when I came in.¡±


    ¡°No, and it¡¯s the farthest thing from my mind. And she was going to tell me something important before Interrupted and ruined everything.¡±


    you


    Anger grew on his face. ¡°You¡¯re continuing to y the waiting game? What the hell have I¡¯ve told you about staking your im, boy?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve taught me a lot.¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Alphas take what they want, leave no prisoners, h h h. Given it¡¯s a path I refuse to walk on, I¡¯ve elected to ignore it.¡±


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re letting slip through your grasp?¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°That woman, so you say, is a powerful being. One¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind. She belongs to you. Yet, you allow her to parade on thisnd unmarked and unimed. You¡¯re sending an obvious message to the mated males that they¡¯re free to stake their im on their future Luna because you¡¯re too weak to do it yourself.¡±


    The thought of <b>the </b>ummated men of this pack lusting over Kiya made my blood boil. Onyx growled possessively, hating the idea. It¡¯s true; she¡¯s easy¨Cpickings. But she can handle herself. Kiya doesn¡¯t need a knight¨Cin¨Cshining- armor to rescue her whenever a man gets too close. I¡¯ll not hesitate to rip the throats out of those who think they can steal my mate, but she¡¯ll tear them a new asshole first.


    ¡°<i>I </i>will not mate with Kiya for her power. We¡¯ve been over this! I don¡¯t know how many times <i>I </i>have to repeat myself for it to prate your thick skull, Dad! You¡¯re insane!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind, boy. You watch what you say to me. I¡¯m no longer Alpha, but I¡¯m still your father.¡±


    ¡°A father pushing for an unhappy union,¡± I growl. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Kiya¡¯s powers or that she¡¯s the most powerful werewolf in existence. I love her for her. If you¡¯d take off your rose¨Ctinted sses and see her as a full person, we¡¯d be having a different conversation!¡±


    <i>¡°</i>So, that¡¯s it? You won¡¯t fight for what is yours? Think about the blessings and prosperity, Neron. You¡¯d be one step closer to our beloved Moon Goddess. With Kiya¡¯s power in your blood, you¡¯d be the most powerful Alpha with equally powerful heirs. You¡¯d be a fucking king!¡±


    ¡°May I remind you I never wanted to be Alpha in the first <b>ce</b>?¡± Dad¡¯s re is powerful enough to incinerate me, but I won¡¯t waver. ¡°You¡¯d always push this rhetoric that I needed to be powerful. Strong. Feared. Only when Mom died, you pushed harder. How do you think she¡¯d feel if she sees you the way you are now?¡±


    He shot up from his seat, mming his palms on my desk, formally his, with venom dripping from his jaws. ¡°Don¡¯t your


    u ever bring your mother up! Bless her beautiful soul, but she knew the potential you have. You¡¯re a pureblood Alpha with the moon¡¯s avatar as your mate! You¡¯re throwing away a good thing, and for what?!¡±


    ¡°Klya¡¯s peace.¡± I shot back, now rising out of my seat. ¡°Now, I know you¡¯re hiding more from me. What else is there, Dad?¡±


    A dark chuckle erupted from his chest, sending chills down my spine. Powerful enough to make me buckle. ¡°You truly don¡¯t know the history of your bloodline. I¡¯d crack open books about the Prince and Johansen familles once in a while.¡±


    What does my bloodline have to do with any of this?


    <b>294</b>


    Chapter 11 E


    ¡°But, tell me this, Neron¡­¡± He leans in close to the point our noses almost touch. ¡°Do you want to be viewed as a <b>weak </b>Alpha? Too <b>weak </b>that he won¡¯t im what belongs to him? You think Kiya is your redemption <b>ticket</b>, but she¡¯s your ticket to security and power. Thank <b>Goddess </b>the little wench Odessa found her mate; she¡¯d be disastrous <b>as </b>our Luna. No poise or dignity. Your weakness to mark her <b>saved </b>you; because now, you can mark your true mate. I won¡¯t stand to have our bloodline end because you want to pussyfoot around!¡±


    ¡°Dad, look at me. I¡¯m the goddamn Alpha now. Just because you want true power under the Prince name doesn¡¯t mean I want to!¡± I¡¯m beyond angry. My ws throb at the base of my fingertips, ready to <b>sh </b>my father¡¯s face. He¡¯s a lot of things, but I¡¯ll be damned if he forces me to mark Kiya without her consent. Damn her to a life of misery so I can savor her power?


    Absolutely the fuck not. <b>Kiya </b>is more than that!


    People wille after her for her power. Coveting only for what she can provide for their selfish benefit. The warning Luna Lyra gave me echoed in my mind. ¡°Keep your father away from Kiya¡°.


    <i>¡°</i>I don¡¯t give a shit about power. Whatever it is, I don¡¯t want it. Kiya deserves freedom of choice<b>, </b>even if it means sacrificing the Prince bloodline.¡±


    ¡°You stupid fool! You¡¯re so lovesick like a puppy you don¡¯t see the disaster in front of you! Be rational! You¡¯ll put her silly grudge above your pack? Without a Luna, Zircon Moon will fall into chaos. Without a future heir, we¡¯ll cease to exist!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it when the timees. I¡¯m done with this conversation.¡± I reply coldly as sat back in my seat with a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯m a fool, but a fool in love with Kiya just as you love Mom. I won¡¯t cause her suffering. Not again. Never <b>again</b>. Take this power talk and, kindly, <b>shove </b>it up your ass. Besides, having you as a father¨Cinw would be a nightmare.¡±


    My father was taken aback by my words, but recovered with a prominent scowl on his face. ¡°You will regret this, Neron. I will <b>not </b>sit and watch you push this great <b>pack </b>on the path of destruction over the selfish desires of that disrespectful bitch. Your blind love will doom us all. Yourself included.¡±


    Without another word, he left my office in a ze of fury.


    Leaving me behind in ash.


    End shback


    ¡°¡­I wish you were still here. Maybe things <b>would </b>have <b>turned </b>out different.¡± Sometimes I hateding here. It¡¯s painful. It¡¯s debilitating. asionally peaceful. I¡¯m sitting cross¨Clegged on the <b>ground</b>, <b>staring </b>at a pair of granite headstones amongst others.


    These two are special. Beautifully crafted with howling wolves; one with a small one and the other with a bigger one. Pictures encased in a protective sphere stared back at me with their bright blue eyes and pearly white smiles. I avoiding here, sometimes. But today, I feel as though I need to be here.


    The words on <b>each </b>tombstone read simple, yet important <b>messages </b>that made Onyx whimper in sadness.


    Celeste ¡°Essie¡± Johansen¨CPrinceN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Beloved Luna and Mother


    The Golden Heart


    Chapter 11 ¨C Bind Love


    Nuria Aine Prince


    Beloved Daughter


    The Golden Angel


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry


    I <b>haven¡¯t </b>visited in so long. I just¡­I wish Dad can understand what I¡¯m doing, Mom. He keeps pressuring me into mating as if I¡¯m on a time constraint. Why can¡¯t he understand that his idea will lead to disaster? You always <b>knew </b>how to calm him down and now, he¡¯s lost his way.¡±


    History says that when <b>a </b>wolf loses their mate, as time moves on, they slowly grow mad. Maybe I was too blind to <b>see </b>it. Or I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>to see it. Or I knew and did nothing about it. Thetter is the most urate option since I watched him hurt Kiya for years.


    And I followed in his footsteps.


    ¡°You¡¯d be ashamed of me, Mom. I found my mate, but even you would tell me I don¡¯t deserve her. Dad hurt her. I hurt her. And I¡¯ll never have her, despite being an arm¡¯s length away. Hell, Nuria might push my head into the oven and hold me there for hurting her best friend.¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°I want to do right by her, but ording to Dad, I¡¯m putting the pack in jeopardy for doing just that. Kiya doesn¡¯t want to be with me, and I won¡¯t force her. Goddamnit Mom<b>, </b>why does this have to hurt? I¡¯m torn between my duties, between my mate and my pack.¡±


    ¡°Zircon Moon is my pride, but Kiya¡¯s my heart and soul. I love her. I won¡¯t listen to Dad; not this time. You always say, ¡°when there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. One day, Dad will see Kiya trumps everything; especially once I let her go.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    I look up from my mom¡¯s headstone to see Diana perched on top of Nuria¡¯s, eyes fixed on me. Once I sat up straight, she flew down to myp, careful not to pierce my thigh with her sharp talons. With a warm smile, I pet the cute bird<b>, </b>relishing in her softness. ¡°What do you think, Diana? Am I doing the right thing?¡±


    She bobs her head in a nod. ¡°Hoo!¡±


    ¡°At least someone thinks so. You¡¯re <b>a </b>peculiar thing, but I¡¯m grateful for yourpany.¡±


    And that¡¯s how I spent my early morning: with an owl on myp next to the graves of my mother and sister<b>.</b>


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 Chapter 101

    Chapter 12 ¨C Burned Field of Innocence


    ¡°Where has my heart gone? An uneven trade for the real world. I want to go back to believing in everything and knowing nothing at all.¡°¨C Field of Innocence by Evanescence


    (Content Warning: Mentions of child abuse. Reader discretion is advised.)


    Neron


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, man. Lori¡¯s hormones are sucking me dry.¡±


    ¡°In a good way or a <b>bad </b>way?¡±


    ¡°As much as I love making love to her, I need some energy to¨CI don¡¯t know¨Cfunction throughout the day.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I feel that. When Raina was pregnant with Adonis, instead of running to her, I ended up running away from her because the obsessive need for my dick was killing me.¡±


    Kwame <b>and </b>Valerian¡¯s chatter poked the <b>green </b>monster within me. I haven¡¯t spent time with my best friendstely, so while the <b>pup </b>trainees had their gargantuan pizza party upstairs, we came to the gym for the treadmills. My body sweated, my <b>heart </b>pumped, but the green haze in my mind grows thick as I continued to hear their conversation regarding their mates <b>and </b>families.


    Am I jealous? Yes. I¡¯m so goddamn jealous of the blessings it graced my Beta <b>and </b><b>Gamma </b>with. Don¡¯t get me wrong; they deserve it. They¡¯re good men. I love my nephew Adonis to <b>death</b>. And I¡¯ll be the first one to induct Kwame¡¯s child into the pack officially once they¡¯re horn. But, sometimes, I wish to have a smidgen of their happiness.


    Deep in the night, I¡¯d dream about what my life would have been if Kiya epted me as her mate. I¡¯d <b>dream </b>about our mating, which doesn¡¯t hesitate to get me and Onyx riled up. I¡¯d <b>dream </b>about proposing to her <b>and </b>slipping the biggest diamond ring on her finger while we k*ss as an engaged couple. I¡¯d dream about our wedding with her adorned in the purest of white, making our sacred vows <b>as </b>husband and wife. Lifting her short stature in my arms and k*ssing her as my life depended on it. I¡¯d dream about her belly swelling with my child <b>and </b>holding the bundle of joy in my <b>arms </b>as they take their first breath in this world.


    Dreams. That¡¯s all they were. Fleeting wishes of another future where pain and torment didn¡¯t exist. Another future where I hadn¡¯t rejected my mate and took her into my arms where she belonged.


    And it angered me <b>because </b>I f*cked up a good thing.


    ¡°Yeah, <b>you </b>kind of did<b>¡­</b>¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Onyx, you aren¡¯t helping.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you think you¡¯re the only <b>one </b>who¡¯s suffering? I¡¯d cut off my tail for a moment with Artemis! I want our mate as much <b>as </b>you do. I see your dreams, remember? How do you think I feel?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­I forgot about that. I know you¡¯re hurting too, and I¡¯m the reason. I want our mate so bad, but I can¡¯t take her hating me again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better for <b>us </b>to love her from afar than to keep her close and have her hate every moment spent with us. I wish there was another way to fix this; to keep her with us.¡±


    Chapter 12 med Field of innocence


    ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s not possible. Kiya isn¡¯t an object to keep on a pedestal.¡±


    ¡°I know that, dummy! I know there¡¯s no other solution, but her happiness matters. But, how long will we hurt, Neron? Will we ever get a <b>break</b><b>?</b>¡±


    Alphas shouldn¡¯t cry. They do not need tears. But my body betrays me as tears sting my eyes. I¡¯ve only cried. over three people: Mom, Nuria, and Kiya. Yet, Kiya can cut into my emotions with a knife, letting them spill through the barrier I formed around myself. Mates give the wolf so much strength and resilience.


    Yet, they¡¯re also our Achilles¡® Heel.


    ¡°Hey, Neron.¡± I felt a poke on my bicep. Turning my head, I met the stares of my men. ¡°We¡¯ve been calling your name for a minute now. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I say without hesitation. Quickly blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, I gradually decreased my speed on the treadmill. ¡°What did you want to ask me?¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>We </b><b>were </b>asking how things are with you and Kiya,¡± Kwame spoke up as he maintained a steady pace on his <b>machine</b>. ¡°Has things gotten better?¡±


    ¡°Things are still the same, I think.¡±


    ¡°So, she still hates you?¡± Valerian asked.


    ¡°<b>I</b><b>¡­</b><b>I </b>don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not as prominent as it was before, but things <b>are </b>slowly getting better between us. I call it a win she doesn¡¯t feel repulsed by my presence anymore.¡± Deep <b>down</b><b>, </b>however, I know she detests me.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s progress.¡± My Beta smiled warmly. ¡°I think it¡¯s the same with Raina. She¡¯s slowly getting used to her big sister again. Seeing my wife smile <b>is </b>all worth it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t throw confetti just yet,¡± Kwame added. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot for her to process before <b>she </b>thinks about letting anyone from this pack in her heart again. I <b>don¡¯t </b>think it¡¯ll be <b>solved </b>with the little time she has


    left here.¡±


    Right. <b>She¡¯s </b>leaving in <b>August </b>and I¡¯ll never see her again.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be happier when she gets back home,¡± I say, grabbing my towel <b>to </b>wipe the sweat off my forehead. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡± Kwame cocked his head to the side. ¡°You keep saying that letting her go is the best option to make everyone happy, but what about you, Neron? Your feelings are valid <b>too</b>.¡±


    ¡°I forfeited that the moment I beat her all those years ago.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°You can¡¯t continue to hold on to the past like that,¡± Valerian <b>added </b>sympathetically. ¡°We all made stupid <b>decisions </b>back then, <b>and </b>it cost us. The only thing we can do is redeem ourselves <b>and </b>move on.¡±


    ¡°Neither of you get it! Do you think she had that choice? I helped hurt Kiya when she was a f*cking kid and you¡¯re telling me to <b>move </b>on from the fact that I was <b>a </b>monster?¡± The memory of Kwame mming me to the ground after I marked Kiya as a <b>betrayer </b>resurfaced in the most brutal of ways. <b>Sensations </b>and chaos, I felt that night rushed faster <b>than </b><b>a </b>violent hurricane.


    I hated her. So much. I wanted her <b>dead</b><b>, </b>and I was more than ready to make her suffer for taking my mother


    and sister away. I developed ns and fantasized about how I would spill her blood in retribution for the spilled blood and tears of my family. We considered Kiya a bane of existence that I had the responsibility of


    ridding.


    The monster I¡¯ve be. The monster I was cultivated to be. All the teachings and connections made that forced my mate into culpability reaffirmed my desire to hurt her because of the pain. Waking up without my mother¡¯s k*sses and Nuria <b>pranking </b>me with a feather to the nose and whipped cream to my face tore my soul


    apart.


    And I had to take it out on someone. All arrows pointed toward Kiya.


    Now, I understand why I didn¡¯t feel the mate bond between us until the night of the ceremony. It was the first time I haven¡¯t touched her out of <b>hate</b>. I was drowning in hatred and grief. No matter the number of smiles I made, theughter I shared¨Ceven in <b>my </b>rtionship with Odessa; underneath it all, I was still hurting. Still writhing, screaming for Mom and Nuria while Dad sunk in darkened pools of alcohol that only grew with <b>every </b>bottle he smashed against the walls. And his unforgiving <b>ps </b>to my face.


    There¡¯s no escaping the truth. I <b>was </b>a monster. I, probably, still am a monster. How can I love <b>Kiya </b>with the same hands that were once smeared in her blood?


    ¡°She took your mother and sister away! She deserves no mercy!¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>If </i>the pack falls without your mother¡¯s guidance, it¡¯s because of Satan¡¯s spawn sobbing in her cell.¡±


    ¡°How can you ask for me to stop hurting her when she killed your little sister? That thing deserves nothing but pain!¡±


    ¡°If you ask for that bitch¡¯s mercy, you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re happy for the death of your family, you ungrateful brat!¡±


    I believed it all. Kiya¡¯s survival felt like an unfair trade for their lives. The pity I felt for her shattered as the hatred for the child bombarded my ears enough for it to twist my mind in agreement. That¡¯s the day the veritable beast was born, and it solidified its existence the moment I broke <b>Kiya¡¯s </b><b>nose </b>for the first time.


    There¡¯s <b>no </b>forgiving <b>what </b>I¡¯ve done. I¡¯ve destroyed her. I set fire to her field of innocence, dancing in the ashes. of her brokenness. The world got *** That day. No matter how many <b>times </b>I say I <b>love </b><b>her</b>, no matter how much I show that I¡¯m changing; it will not erase the darkness that I¡¯ve created.


    The fear I put into her.


    The hatred bom out of torment.


    Kiya can¡¯t be my Luna. We can¡¯t ever truly mate! She deserves <b>someone </b>better than me! Goddamnit, Moon <b>Goddess</b>! What is your reason for pairing us together? Why didn¡¯t you do the right thing and removed the bond between us for good?!


    I can¡¯t¡­I <b>can¡¯t </b>forgive myself for the harm I¡¯ve brought upon her.


    I deserve to be without <b>a </b>mate. Without a true love. Because I¡¯ll f*ck it up <b>like </b><b>the </b>first time around.


    ¡°Neron<b>¡­</b><b>I-</b>¡±


    ¡°<b>Leave </b>me alone, Onyx!¡±


    A wall mmed down between us. I don¡¯t need or deserve words of sympathy. None of that matters. I¡¯m the perpetrator, not the victim¨Cso why, the f*ck, do I need someone telling me I deserve happiness?


    ¡°F*CK!¡± mming my list on the handles of the treadmill, I stomped towards the gym bleachers, gluing my pathetic ass to it. ¡°I want her, guys. I want Kiya so much. I need her more than I need air, but I don¡¯t deserve her. I have no right to want her the way I do.¡±


    I heard shuffling before two additional weights sat on either side of me. Kwame and Valerian sat in silence, unsure of what else to say. They know how I¡¯m feeling; we share that bond as brothers¨Cin¨Carms. They¡¯ve watched me as I f*cked up, over and over, like an immature child¨Cbut not even they could stop the monster


    back then.


    I ordered them not to.


    ¡°Try talking to her,¡± Kwame suggested in a whisper. ¡°Put it all out there. Forget about the mate bond; talk like how people should. You can¡¯t hold on to this guilt forever, Neron. It hurts to see you like this.¡±


    ¡°We care about you, <b>bro</b>. We want you to be happy too.¡± Valerian added with a touch to the <b>shoulder</b>.


    Everything suddenly became constricting. <b>In </b>the gym and in my chest. ¡°I need <b>some </b><b>air</b>.¡± I bolted out of the gym like a fire is licking my heels, gasping softly. Once outside the pack house where no <b>one </b>can see me, steadying my breathing became a challenge. My gasps got louder, and my chest continues to tighten as my hand pressed against the bricks. Everything spun. I became so lightheaded that I swore I¡¯d fall.


    But I didn¡¯t


    Because the softness rubbing against the crook of my neck swiftly put an end to what could <b>have </b>been a <b>panic </b>attack. My breathing slowed and stabilized, and the world stilled before my eyes.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡±


    Diana¡¯s small stature sat on my <b>bare </b>shoulder, inviting a calming scent of fresh earth. This owl seems to appear whenever I needed it the most, despite belonging <b>to </b>Kiya. With a sigh, I <b>pushed </b>myself off the wall and rubbed her forehead with my finger.


    ¡°Thank you, Diana.¡± I cooed, I¡¯ve known her for less than four days, and I love this little cotton ball already. With a <b>sweet </b>nuzzle of her beak to my nose, Diana flew away to her home in the trees.


    Goddess<b>, </b>I need a <b>nap</b>.


    As I walked inside the pack house, muffledughter from the kitchen bombarded my ears. Kiya¡¯s in there with her friends, judging by <b>their </b>scents, My mind yells at me to leave her alone because I <b>don¡¯t </b>deserve her, but my heart is pulling me for just a peek.


    One small <b>peek</b>.


    And I¡¯ll leave.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 13 ¨C Hair Care


    ¡°You don¡¯t stop loving someone just because you hate them.¡±¨CHanif Kureish


    Kiya


    ¡°Put that pizza slice down! That¡¯s your third box!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± In my defiance, I stuff the rest in my mouth.


    ¡°Your <b>metabolism </b>is ridiculous.¡± Jackie scoffs as she presses the ¡®Blend¡® on the blender, mashing the avocados and various ingredients into a <b>smooth </b>mixture.


    ¡°But it¡¯s so good!¡± I know it is, and I¡¯m reaping its benefits until it somehow stops! Who can resist cheese pizza?


    All the trainees have the day off, adults and pups. The victory pizza party Neron and I promised is in full swing in the dining room. And the dastardly thief in me swiped five boxes of pizza!


    This day off is for us trainers as well! And like the family we are, it meant that we get to spend some <b>time </b>together.


    And that¡¯s how this day of pampering was born!


    But it wasn¡¯t all fun. Earlier, we stole the kitchen from the Omegas after they¡¯ve finished serving breakfast. The monster in the badly designed white apron reared its ugly head when Lead Omega Cassandra began snapping at <b>me </b>for having my ass on the counter. Just me and no one else. And for being <b>in </b>the kitchen. And for making the invisible mess I¡¯ve yet to identify.


    <b>Sometimes</b>, I wish my stomach acid could melt faces. It disgusts me how that woman and herckeys haven¡¯t truly changed from their past horrific actions. Old habits die hard, I guess.


    This time, however, I have the power to fight back. And it <b>was </b>only with Jackie¡¯s threatening growl did <b>she </b>back off and leave us alone. I was a pinch close to grabbing a spoon and smacking the dentures out of her mouth. Monsters <b>are </b>still among us; it took that Omega two months to show her true colors. I guess the crying and begging act finally tired out.


    Whatever. I won¡¯t be here for much longer.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Just </b>be sure to wash your hands before you put this deep conditioner in your hair,¡± Jackie replies as she pours the lime¨Cgreen mixture into <b>multiple </b>bowls. Avocados work well to revitalize my hair¡¯s strength and shine. Since the Seals family made and sold natural hair and skin products for a living, it¡¯s only fair for Jacqueline to bring her expertise. I¡¯ve witnessed her <b>give </b>some products to Zircon¡¯s she¨C<b>wolves </b>with tips to maintain optimal hair <b>health</b>..


    Before I could take another slice from the fourth pizza box, Raina <b>ms </b>it <b>closed</b>. I should be mad, but the sight of her with double shower caps over her <b>hair </b>made me chuckle. She <b>has </b>the deep conditioner setting in. ¡°Sis, you¡¯ve eaten enough! You <b>have </b>enough carbs in <b>your </b>stomach tost a month!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t! Gimme!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± She ces the pizza box out of my reach beforeughing. ¡°I thought Jacqueline was joking when


    Chapter 13 ¨C Hair Care


    she said you can eat three pizzas by yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can make it four,¡± I grumble. Abigail came over and <b>took </b>the T¨Cshirt off my head, letting my <b>freshly </b>washed mane wilt to my <b>shoulders </b>and back. ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°The longer you wait, the longer it¡¯ll take you to get back to your precious pizza slices! Now, get to deep conditioning!¡±


    My rtionship with my older sister is slowly recovering. I¡¯m not as grossed out by her presence anymore. I haven¡¯t forgiven <b>her </b>yet for the harm she caused me, if I¡¯ll ever, but it felt nice to have a smidgen of


    my <b>old </b>family <b>back</b>. I <b>cannot </b>say the same for Steven and Ashley. They hardly talk to me, and I prefer it that way.


    ¡°I thought I smelled avocados in here! That boisterous voice never ceases to make me smile. Galen scampers in with a grin, snatching a bowl for himself. Mikhail, his mate, trailed behind him proudly disying the fresh hickeys on his pale skin.


    They stink of sex.


    ¡°Take it.¡± Jackie insists, cutting up <b>more </b>avocados. ¡°I¡¯ve made plenty! I know how much you love them, dude.¡±


    ¡°They are the holy grail that keeps these luscious tresses soft.¡± Galen made a dramatic show by flicking his hair around while his mate plucked the bowl from his hand.


    ¡°Avocados in <b>hair</b>? I didn¡¯t know people do this. I smell other <b>things </b>in this, too.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s water, shea butter, ck castor <b>oil </b>for <b>growth</b>, and much more. You can try it too! A little <b>goes </b>a long way, Mikhail<b>!</b>¡± Just then, both Isaiah and Sapphire walk in with shower caps on their hair and empty bowls in their hands. A beep resounds in the air from the microwave that prompt Sapphire to run over <b>and </b>pull out <b>two</b>, dark¨Cblue, deep conditioning caps.


    ¡°Babe, they¡¯re ready!¡± Isaiah plucks one and ced it over his shower cap, and Sapphire did the same. ¡°It¡¯s <b>a </b>shame we rarely get days like this.¡±


    ¡°We better live it up while itsts. And I intend to take full advantage of it.¡± Isaiah growls seductively before swooping his mate in his arms. In the blink of an eye, he bolts out like a roadrunner followed by Sapphire¡¯s squealing.


    My chest tightens. My mood suddenly fell. I turn to see Mikhail smoothening the mixture in Galen¡¯s hair as he purred in pleasure from his touch. Front of me is Abigail and Jackie working <b>to </b><b>store </b>more of <b>the </b>mixture in tupperware. Lori came to drag Raina out, also wearing shower caps. I didn¡¯t miss the small pregnant bump poking from her <b>dress</b>.


    Goddamnit. I¡¯m surrounded by love. By affectionate <b>mates </b>and it poked the internal, brewing green¨Ceyed monster. Third¨Cwheeling is <b>never </b>fun, but in this case, I¡¯m the lost tire trying to keep up with the moving truck but <b>failing</b>.


    Yes<b>, </b>I long for love like what my friends¡® have. That genuine <b>love</b>. But it¡¯s <b>not </b>like I¡¯m going to get it, and the angry ho of the realization <b>stings </b>my heart.


    With a huff, I washed my hands clean of pizza grease and grabbed a bowl. I need a distraction to keep my jealousy in check. There¡¯s no use for longing for what I can¡¯t have. Grabbing alligator clips, I separate my hair into four sections and clip the bundles in ce.


    2/5


    Suddenly, I feel a pair of eyes on my back. It wasn¡¯t evil ones like Osiris, but more <b>curious</b>. Longing. Wanting. Turning around, I spot Neron¡¯s head peeking from <b>behind </b>the kitchen doors, his bright orbs on my form. 1 didn¡¯t miss the shing of blue to ck to blue in rapid session.


    That¡¯s when I realize I¡¯m wearing a semi¨Crevealing blue lounge robe with my corbone and some of my chest <b>exposed</b>. Oops.


    ¡°Hi, Neron.¡± I smiled <b>small</b>. ¡°You know you cane in, <b>right</b>?¡±


    Like a timid child, the Alpha swung the doors open and shimmied inside. He¡¯s shirtless again. Neron¡¯s nose. crinkled from the pungent aroma of <b>avocado</b>. And his nce moves <b>to </b>each couple before me. ¡°What¡¯s going


    on here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pampering day, so we¡¯re taking <b>care </b>of our hair,¡± I exined chipperly. ¡°We haven¡¯t had time to treat ourselves given our busy schedules.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also making face masks, too,¡± Jackie mentions while mixing turmeric and honey in a bowl. ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to try some for yourself, Neron.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s your day. I won¡¯t impose. Besides, I need to finish <b>some </b>paperwork in my office.¡±


    Something didn¡¯t sit right with me as I peer into Neron¡¯s face. He looks like he¡¯s been through hell. His eyes are slightly bloodshot, and his face lost its handsome luster. Plus, minor vocal cracks are present in his normally strong and velvet¨Csmooth voice. Like he was crying recently. My heart thudded to the tempo of pain upon this realization.


    And I¡¯m going to do something about it..


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± I spoke, walking to him. Gently taking hisrge hands into my smaller ones, I pull him towards the ind where I took my seat on the surface behind him. ¡°You need to rx too. My brother always says rxation is as important as working. Your body needs to recharge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably how he ended up with Ximey.¡± Galen chortled whilst I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t kn


    know, Kiya. Are you sure you want me here?¡± Neron asked curiously, his eyes meeting mine.


    Do I want him here? Well¡­<b>yes</b><b>. </b>I do. I want him here to reap the benefits of this lovely day. Alphas deserve to pamper themselves, right? It¡¯s not every day one sees their leader in the kitchen surrounded by avocado hair goop. After all, I want Neron to rx. And to have fun like yesterday. And like when we were kids.


    I like that Neron better.


    ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± I answer quickly, pulling him closer to get a better view of his mellifluous hair. His earthy scent is incredibly strong, sending my mind spinning. And his sweat strengthened it. Artemis growls deeply in approval. ¡°When was thest time you washed your hair?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday.¡± He answered. ¡°It needs a trim. What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Well, have you ever deep conditioned your hair <b>before</b>?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±


    JUS


    ¡°Time to change that today! I¡¯m going to <b>wash </b>your hair, condition, and deep condition it. It¡¯ll take a little time, but I <b>think </b>you¡¯ll like it.¡± I ran my fingertips through his dark strands, relishing in the smoothness of silk, ¡°Your hair is very nice. I like it.¡±


    I


    ¡°Your hair is better and more beautiful.¡± I hear the proud smile in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s so versatile. You can do whatever you want with it.


    ¡°<b>Thank </b>you. Is there a <b>reason </b>you keep your hair long?¡±


    ¡°My mom was Norwegian, and she¡¯d tell me stories about how everyone in her family treasured their long hair. It¡¯s their prized possession, and <b>most </b>men in Norway keep their hair long. I like my hair like this. It¡¯s freeing. It roots me to my culture and my mother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­really beautiful, Neron.¡± To hear the reasoning behind his <b>decision </b>ted my heart. It¡¯s surrounded by warmth and ticklish feelings. I <b>weed </b>it. I didn¡¯t know that <b>his </b>hair length was important to him. Even as a child, it was never short.


    I want to take extra care of it. ¡°Can I¡­um¡­wash it? Deep conditioning usually works best when the hair is freshly washed <b>and-</b>¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡­I¡¯d like that, Kiya. As long as they¡¯re yours, I know I¡¯m in excellent hands.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hesitate. Quickly grabbing the mild¨Cscented shampoo and conditioner bottles from my room, I work his hair over the <b>kitchen </b>sink. I never knew why hair¨Cwashing is considered an intimate activity, but now I see why. It made me happy. I couldn¡¯t stop smiling, I massage the shampoo in his <b>scalp</b>, not missing his deep growls of pleasure. He¡¯s enjoying himself.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I won¡¯t talk about how those growls made me feel.


    When I applied the conditioner, Neron groans out ¡°Your hands feel so nice¡­¡±


    I blush. ¡°T¨CThank you¡­¡±


    ¡°<b>He¡¯s </b>probably imagining your hands on something else.¡± Galenughs through the mind¨Clink. I gave him <b>at </b>be¨Cquiet¨Cbefore¨CI¨Cmaim¨Cyou look as he sat in his dumb shower <b>cap</b>.


    I apply the deep<b>¨C</b>conditioner in his <b>hair </b><b>after </b>drying and separating it into four sections like mine. It <b>was </b>easy, <b>and </b>we finished quickly. My hair <b>is </b>a different story. I ce the shower cap on his head as <b>the </b><b>deep </b>conditioning <b>caps </b>warm <b>up </b>in the microwave.


    ¡°Okay! I just need to condition mine.¡±


    ¡°Allow me.¡± He takes the bowl from my <b>hand </b>with a pleasant smile that made my heart pound to the rhythm of African drums. ¡°It¡¯s only fair that I pay you back.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± I shrug lightly, not wanting to put up a fight. ¡°<b>Sure</b>.¡± Neron¡¯s hands are magic to my strands and <b>scalp</b>. With every section, he took <b>care </b>not to apply too much product and to smooth his fingers through my strands to prevent tugging and tangling.


    It felt good. It made me feel cared for. Artemis purrs happily with me.


    It took about five minutes until Neron finishes, cing the shower <b>caps </b>over my hair. The deep conditioning caps were done three minutes before, I only had pink and purple ones, so for the sake of his masculinity, I


    Chapter 13 Hau Care


    ce the purple over his cap and the pink over mine.


    ¡°There! Now you look ready for the <b>spa</b>!¡± Iughed, patting his <b>cap</b>. Neron looks drowsy, like he¡¯s on the verge of sleep. Warmth to the head can do that to you.


    What I didn¡¯t expect is for him to hug my body close and for his <b>head </b>to rest on my chest.


    ¡°Uh¡­Neron?¡±


    He mumbles tiredly, begging to let him sleep. He¡¯s <b>so </b>out of it! I tried to hop off the ind, but I miscalcte Neron¡¯s weight <b>and </b>my height and we tumble down to the kitchen floor.


    That didn¡¯t stop him from holding me like a body pillow as he drifts into a deep sleep.


    I can¡¯t believe it!


    This fool fell asleep on me!

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 14 ¨C Won¡¯t Tolerate Disrespect.


    ¡°Men are respectable only as they respect.¡°¨C Ralph Waldo Emerson


    <b>Kiya</b>


    ¡°Get me out of this!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± <b>Jackie¡¯s </b>bellyughter echoes as she towers over my pitiful form. ¡°He looks sofortable!¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not!¡± I retort..


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I have to pee!¡±


    Here I am. Lying on the kitchen floor, t on my back, with a snoring Alpha on my front. With thick arms wrapped around my smaller <b>frame </b>and head heavy on my chest, I¡¯m an unwilling prisoner. Now, I know what body pillows feel like, but I can¡¯t say that I hate it too much. I admit this skyscraper on steroids looks peaceful. Like a sweet baby.


    But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that my dder is begging for release!


    Note to self: Neron is <b>deep</b>¨Cconditioning alone from now on.


    ¡°Alright, bud. That¡¯s enough.¡± I say, patting Neron¡¯s bare back. ¡°Wake up! Bing a pillow is not my intended profession in life.¡±


    ¡°Zzzz¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s out cold!¡± I gasp in horror.


    ¡°The big bad Alpha must be so tired.¡± <b>Galen </b>teases as he dances around me like a giddy child. ¡°I admit, this is


    an adorable sight. Out of all the pillows in this home, he chose you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a pillow,¡± I growl <b>lowly</b>. ¡°But he can catch some Z¡¯s back in his room.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Kiki! Admit it! You like this! You never allow Neron this close unless you have to.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it!¡±


    <b>Liar</b>.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Sure</b>. Like you didn¡¯t enjoy washing his hair? You wouldn¡¯t stop smiling, girl! And I didn¡¯t miss the sounds you made <b>too</b>!¡± He yfully pokes my nose but retracts when I attempt to bite it. ¡°Feisty!¡±


    ¡°I was just helping him,¡± I mutter softly. ¡°It meant nothing.¡±


    Liar times two.


    ¡°Sure. Keep telling yourself that.¡± My friend shoots an irritating smirk at me before adjusting his shower cap. ¡°Jackie, Abi, my love, <b>we¡¯re </b>seeing the blossoming of a beautiful rtionship.¡±


    <b>1/5</b>


    ¡°Are y¡¯all going to get this puppy off of me or not?!¡± I¡¯m getting fed up. Not with the teasing, but from the close contact with the sleeping Neron. He¡¯s shirtless and I¡¯m wearing a short robe <b>that </b>exposes most of my chest and legs. It¡¯s a lot of skin¨Cto¨Cskin contact, and it enveloped <b>me </b>in a warmth equivalent to the sun. It¡¯sforting. Peaceful. Hell, this is another image of Neron branding into my mind.


    It¡¯s sweet.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Ah</b>, this is something you don¡¯te across every day. I still remember you on your knees scrubbing this floor.¡± <b>And </b>just like that, all my soft feelings disintegrated to infuriation when that high¨Cpitch voice grates against my eardrums. ¡°Reminiscing?¡±


    Despite my view of the world turned upside¨Cdown, I recognize the two bodies that entered the kitchen. One brought me hatred and the other, pain. The dearest mate couple of Odessa and Darien. As much as Darien¡¯s <b>presence </b>saddened me, my fury was on Odessa for the reference to my ve days. If I wasn¡¯t weighted down. by this two¨Chundred and fifty pound Alpha, I¡¯d w her face off.


    ¡°Come down and find out!¡± I growl, shivering as Neron adjusts himself slightly. ¡°What the hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Cassandra wasining about her kitchen being used for ¡®unnecessary reasons¡® and we followed the stench of spoiled avocados.¡± Darien shrugs his shoulders nonchntly. Jackie glowers at the insult, ready to pounce until Abigail¡¯s touch calmed her. ¡°You¡¯re still making that shit? How do you even know if it works?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it, Judge Darien? You might need it to soften your attitude.¡± Galen barks back. His anger <b>was </b>as hot as a ming knife. And it threatens to stab his best friend in the chest. His dark eyes are void of its earlier humor. ¡°You don¡¯t get <b>a </b>say in what we do on our day off when you haven¡¯t been doing your job.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Odessa scoffs. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a right to speak his mind, dear Delta?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s not exempt from its repercussions. Talk shit, get hit.¡± Jackie retorts, mming a bowl down on the kitchen counter. ¡°What is wrong with you, Darien? You blow off training, ignore us, and now you¡¯re insulting Little Bit. Alpha Anthony won¡¯t be happy with your drop in performance.¡±


    ¡°Well, he- The Beta interrupted Odessa with a hand to her face<b>..</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking to Delta Darien, not you. Stay in yourne.¡±


    Anger contorted Darien¡¯s handsome face. It¡¯s scary. This is threatening to spin out of control. Thest thing I wanted was for my friends to fight. ¡°Odessa has a right to speak like everyone else. If I told Abigail to ¡®stay in herne¡®, you¡¯d be the first one to tear heads off. <b>There¡¯s </b>no need to be hypocritical. I won¡¯t tolerate anyone disrespecting my mate.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll disrespect us?¡± Galen asks<b>, </b>crossing his arms. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be working together. I get that you want to spend time with Odessa, but you¡¯re neglecting your work. <b>This </b>is unlike you.¡±


    ¡°<b>You </b>all <b>have </b>to face it,¡± Odessa smirked triumphantly, which irked me further. ¡°<b>Darien </b>is focused on better things. Like me! You¡¯ve trained the dogs <b>on </b>your own. So, why can¡¯t he take a vacation?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference between <b>taking </b><b>a </b>vacation and neglecting the duties your Alpha specifically assigned you.¡± Jackie <b>barks</b>. ¡°And Odessa? You¡¯re pretty and all, but you <b>aren¡¯t </b>that Important.¡±


    ¡°She is to me.¡± Darien possessively wraps his arm <b>around </b>Odessa¡¯s waist, pulling her closer to him. ¡°And maybe I don¡¯t want to work. Maybe I refuse to hang around <b>a </b>bunch of heartless, overbearing, and nagging


    Chapter 14¨CWon¡¯t Tolerate DisrespectN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    mutts. You <b>have </b>mates and yet you can¡¯t let me be <b>happy </b>with mine?¡±


    ¡°Darien, that¡¯s not what they¡¯re saying,¡± I spoke. Whether it be my response or the sound of my voice, insulted look on his face seared into mine.


    the


    ¡°The rejected mate doesn¡¯t have a say in this matter.¡± My heart heaves painfully from the sadistic smirks on the couple¡¯s faces. How dare he throw my rejection in my face? Did he forget that he was rejected too?! ¡°Before you continue to embarrass <b>yourself</b>, shut up, and let the big boys and girls handle this.¡±


    ¡°As if the bitch ever does,¡± Odessa adds in that snide to hurt me further.


    <b>I </b>can take insults. But what I refuse to ept is the pain of my past being thrown at my face like <b>a </b>goddamn frisbee. This new Darien continues to break the foundation of what our friendship <b>once </b><b>was</b>. I don¡¯t know what happened to him, but something happened. Something bad and I can¡¯t figure out what.


    It hurts. Yet, I will not take it. Who the hell do they take me <b>for</b>? Odessa is a rotting banana that Darien happily eats. Perhaps her toxicity is rubbing off on him. I never thought he¡¯d stoop this low.


    But I didn¡¯t get that chance to defend myself.


    Because, in the blink of an eye, the heavyweight on my front was lifted. And said weight threw the couple against the wall. They struggled as thick hands held them by their necks, gasping for air. Neron, in a f*cking deep conditioning cap, is trying to strangle my enemy and former best friend!


    ¡°Continue to disrespect my love, and neither of you will have the vocal cords to spew out more garbage. And <b>I </b>always keep my promises.¡±


    Holy shit.


    That deep, rumbling voice. This isn¡¯t Neron. It¡¯s Onyx!


    The couple couldn¡¯t croak a syble because Onyx¡¯s arms shook with fury. He¡¯s pissed. Pissed for me. He <b>must </b>have heard everything while Neron was asleep and just came in like a wrecking ball. As much as I loathe Odessa, I don¡¯t want Onyx to kill her. And I still care about Darien.


    ¡°Onyx, stop!¡± I hurry onto my feet. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything hasty, please.¡±


    ¡°No. They stood here and insulted you. They upset you. Your respect is non¨Cnegotiable. I¡¯ll be damned if I stand idly by, Kiya. These two deserve to be punished for their insolence.¡± Golden <b>eyes </b>stare deep into my own. when he turns his head to me. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this.¡±


    I admit. My wolf mate defending me twists some arousal wires in me. It¡¯s attractive¨Cbut it¡¯s unnecessary! Odessa and Darien continue to lose oxygen; on the verge of passing out.


    ¡°Kiya, let me take over,¡± Artemis demands. <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Artemis


    ¡°Onyx, let them <b>go</b><b>.</b>¡± His head snaps toward my direction, <b>hard </b>gold <b>instantly </b>softening into a shade full of warmth and <b>love</b>. ¡°There <b>are </b>other ways to handle this, but choking the hell out of them isn¡¯t the answer.¡±


    35


    Something in my tone clicked in his mind. No one would dare to order an Alpha <b>like </b>this. Perhaps I¡¯ve signed my death certificate and should expect an open casket funeral soon. But, to my surprise, Onyx obeys and releases the idiots, dropping them heartlessly on the kitchen floor.


    Oh, how the tables <b>have </b>turned. Instead of Kiya, it¡¯s them<b>. </b>Amusing. I watch as they desperately fill their


    with <b>air</b>, scooting away from the frightening tower of my mate. Before I can say anything else, I¡¯m hauled into Onyx¡¯s powerful arms and taken out into the kitchen.


    We pass by some <b>pack </b>members giving us looks of anticipation or curiosity, drumming up scenarios in their minds of <b>what¡¯s </b>happening between us. I hope they aren¡¯t <b>thinking </b>we¡¯re going to mate.


    <b>Because </b>that¡¯s not happening


    Onyx took me into Kiya¡¯s room, kicking the door close behind him. We went tumbling <b>onto </b>the bed with his strength caging me against his bare chest. He buries his face in the crook of my neck, deeply inhaling my


    scent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, my angel,¡± Onyx mutters happily. His seductive, rumbling baritone sent delightful shivers down my spine. He <b>must </b>have felt <b>my </b>trembles because his arms tightened around my <b>waist</b>. Like Kiya, I can¡¯t feel the sparks of the mate bond. But his epassing warmth brought a sense of peace to my mind. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I say tly. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Neron?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s exhausted in more ways than you think.¡± <b>He </b><b>answers </b>thoughtfully, his <b>head </b>still buried in my neck. ¡°He¡¯s asleep, so I took over. Good thing I did <b>too</b>.¡±


    ¡°Onyx, don¡¯t do that again.¡± Leaving me no other option, I rest my head on his chest. ¡°I appreciate youing to our defense, but Kiya still cares about <b>Darien</b>, She doesn¡¯t want to see him hurt.¡±


    ¡°I <b>cannot </b>promise you <b>that</b>. Anyone who insults you deserve my wrath. By insulting Kiya, by extension, he insulted you. He didn¡¯t care that he was hurting you, so <b>why </b>should I <b>care </b>if I hurt him?¡±


    ¡°While I see your point, it¡¯s not what Kiya or I <b>want</b>. I don¡¯t want her to be sad. So, if you¡¯re going to kill someone, at least let us know beforehand.¡±


    His chuckle quakes through my body like a violent <b>tremor </b>while his hands on my back left trails of the burning me. It¡¯s a pleasant feeling <b>that </b>I can¡¯t get enough of, I shifted my body to get morefortable, but Onyx <b>took </b>it as a sign to tease me further.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand how much I want <b>to </b><b>make </b>you mine.¡± He <b>says </b><b>breathlessly</b>. ¡°Your scent, your warmth- it¡¯s possessing me like a ghost. I want to love you so much, Artemis.¡±


    ¡°Onyx-


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say, and I understand.¡± He lifts my head to meet his. I never knew gold had so many shades until I <b>look </b>deep into the windows of Onyx¡¯s soul. It¡¯s a beautiful swirl with each shade marking a unique emotion. Above them all, I see <b>love</b>. For me. ¡°I haven¡¯t earned your <b>trust </b>yet. I <b>won¡¯t </b>stop until I do,


    Artemis.¡±


    ¡°Because Alphas keep their promises<b>,</b>¡± I repeat his infamous line from the kitchen. He smiles like an excited child. It¡¯s breathtaking and I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°I was nning on going for a run tonight. Do you


    Flutende Duespect


    He blinks. ¡°Are you sure you <b>want </b>me there? <b>We¡¯ve never </b>gone on a run together.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯ve invited him. His presence is getting to me. Then again, I¡¯ve never seen his wolf in the glory of a run before, and I¡¯m curious <b>to </b><b>see </b>it. ¡°It was an offer. If you don¡¯t want to run, then-¡±


    ¡°N¨Cno! I do!¡± He panics, shooting up <b>from </b>the bed with me. ¡°I thought you still hate me.


    ¡°I tolerate you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better than nothing.¡± He grins. ¡°What time do you want me to meet you<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Eight o¡¯clock. East side.¡± Wiggling out of his arms, I head to the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash this thing out. of my <b>hair</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>you should too.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Are you asking me to shower with you?¡±


    ¡°Onyx, you have until the count of ten to get out. Nine!¡± Like a <b>rocket</b>, he left my room in a gaggle of deepughter.


    And Iughed too. For the first time in a while.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 15 The <b>Big </b>Fluffy Puppy


    ¡°There¡¯s you. There¡¯s me. And then, there¡¯s the craving in between.¡± Unknown


    Artemis


    The cool breeze flows under the dark nket of the night sky, licking the bare flesh of my arms. It carries the gentle scent of earth and <b>oak </b>from the surrounding trees. Peace. That¡¯s how I describe the aura of the surrounding woods of Zircon Moon. Remnants of the past fire disappeared with time, and with its healing, life revitalized burnt ck to lush green<b>.</b>


    Mother Nature never disappoints. She loves the earth like her children, and it was devastating to <b>witness </b>such beauty die in a sea of fiery <b>sin</b>. I¡¯m d that¡¯s no longer the case. A soft smile rests on my face while inhaling the sweet scent.


    I <b>cross </b>my legs, sitting on a smooth rock while waiting for Onyx. A run is just what I need, and I¡¯m itching to stretch my legs. There¡¯s more to these oak saturated woods that I want to explore. My adventurous side won¡¯t rest until I do. My fingertips tap my thigh rhythmically and I spot a crescent moon glittering overhead.


    ¡°You¡¯re impatient,¡± Kiya says. ¡°<b>Are </b>you excited to run with Onyx?¡±


    ¡°You can say that.¡± I smile inwardly. ¡°We never ran together. It¡¯ll be my first time and I¡¯m ready to show that I can keep up with him.¡±


    ¡°Or he needs to keep up with you.¡± My human giggles. ¡°You¡¯re <b>a </b>pretty fast runner. Being a Beta wolf helps with the athleticism. Maybe the avatar thing too.¡±


    ¡°I suppose. But it¡¯s strange, Kiya. Months ago, the thought of Onyx made me want to barf. Now, I¡¯m¡­do you think we¡¯re doing the right thing? <b>I </b>have this foreign desire to know Onyx more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say because I feel the same with Neron. At first, I rejected the thought of having any connection to him. Now, I want us to be friends? But it will make the separation harder<b>, </b>you know? As much as I detest the pack, I¡¯m warming up to that damn Alpha<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°<i>I </i>agree. I still have reservations about Onyx. But hating him takes so much energy and I¡¯m tired and ready to let loose.¡±


    ¡°<b>And </b><b>you¡¯re </b>going to do that tonight! Just rx and follow your instincts. You deserve a <b>break </b><b>too</b>.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know<i>. </i>I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll be missing in action?¡±


    ¡°Yep! It¡¯s your time and I don¡¯t want to impede<b>. </b>I¡¯ll talk to youter, okay? Do nothing crazy.¡±


    ¡°Haha! I swear on my honor.¡±


    After I reinforced the mental block, I resume waiting. It¡¯s nearing eight o¡¯clock. Both anticipation and excitement bubble in my chest¨Cforeign but inviting. Klya¡¯s right. I should just follow my instincts and have fun.


    Out of the blue<b>, </b>I feel something cold and wet brush against my arm, followed by puffs of hot breath. Jerking my head behind, I¡¯m met with the overwhelming stature of Onyx in his wolf form. His ebony coat blends impably into the night, hiding him in a cloak of mystery. His golden eyes, however<b>, </b>enrapture my gaze.


    Chapter 15 ¨C The Big Phatty Puppy


    They glow, piercing the darkness with beauty unmatched to the sun. The <b>wind </b>picks up as his tail wags: rapidly; amon signal that a wolf is happy.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time you arrived,¡± I smirk. ¡°I thought <b>you¡¯d </b>bail on me.¡±


    Onyx huffs in offense, moving his cold snout around my form, snuffling. His fur is <b>ticklish</b>, enticing augh from me. The wolf must have taken it <b>as </b>a sign to continue because he <b>presses </b>his snout all over the <b>ce</b>. When he hit that one ticklish spot on my stomach, my giggles explode into outrightughter. He growls in excitement <b>as </b>he continues his merciless onught.


    ¡°Onyx, stop!¡± I yell through myughter. He didn¡¯t. Before I knew it, my back is on the forest floor with the big Alpha nuzzling his snout further into my belly. ¡°Ah! I <b>can¡¯t </b>take it!¡±


    Since I¡¯m not bound to him or his pack, we don¡¯t have an established mind¨Clink; an essentialponent in wolfmunication. So, I rely on verbalmands, but that poses a problem <b>because </b>wolves cannot verbally <b>speak</b>.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough!¡± I <bmand</b>, catching my breath. He stops, peering his sharp gaze into my own. We remained like this for a while; staring into <b>each </b>other¡¯s eyes. Unmoving. Time stops around <b>us</b>. The songs of crickets and cicadas ceased, and the whistles of the wind quieted. It¡¯s just Onyx and me. The Alpha and the Beta. Two mates with aplicated rtionship.


    I wonder what he¡¯s thinking in that noggin of his. What does Onyx think of me? Does he love me as he says? Can I put my <b>faith </b>and trust in him to protect me? Can I, ever, ept my side of the mate bond?


    Will I let destiny rule? Is a future where both of us are mated possible, given our ckened history? These are the <b>questions </b>I don¡¯t have <b>answers </b>to. I don¡¯t think he <b>does </b>either. All that glitters is not gold, but his gold glitters like stars. It swims behind those lenses, <b>witnessing </b>my mental <b>gymnastics </b><b>as </b>1 ponder in a future without the hurt. Without the trauma and <b>abuse</b>.


    Yet, I¡¯m knocked out of my thoughts not by a bark or a paw to the arm, but with a wet tongue to my ch*ek. I gasp in astonishment¨Cring at the wolf above me. Did he just <b>wolf</b>¨Ck*ss me?


    ¡°You did not just do that!¡±


    I


    Onyx did <b>it </b>again. And again. And once <b>more </b>until doggy drool covers my face. ¡°You¡¯re such a puppy,¡± I say as I hop on my feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to <b>shift</b>. Stay right here.¡±


    He barks, sitting on his hind legs obediently. F*cking hell, why does he look cute<b>?</b>


    I made quick work in removing my clothes behind a tree and shift into my wolf form. Pure white fur sprouted from my flesh and my face elongated as I drop on all fours. Once finished, I <b>trot </b><b>to </b>Onyx. <b>Since </b>he¡¯s an <b>Alpha</b>, <b>he¡¯s </brger than me. I came up just below his jaws. Hisrge snout nuzzles into the crook of my neck affectionately, smoothening out my fur.


    It felt nice. The warmth radiating from him engulfs me from my ears to paws. His warmth felt like I¡¯m bathing under the sun on a peaceful afternoon. I felt secure. <b>Safe</b>. Home.


    It felt like home<b>.</b>


    As much as I want to continue this affectionate dance, we have a run toplete. <b>And </b>I¡¯m <b>not </b>letting this puppy get a head start. Growling yfully<b>, </b><b>I </b>pushed my head into his chest, surprising him as he fell on his.


    Chapter 15 The Big Fluffy Puppy


    <b>hind </b>legs once more. With a mischievous <b>bark</b>, I took off running like coal is under my paws, leaving the Alpha in the dust.


    I¡¯ve never felt so free. <b>Wind </b><b>whips </b>at my <b>face </b>and legs as my thunderous paws shake the earth. Insects retreat in fear and <b>birds </b><b>take </b>their refuge in the <b>branches</b>. My white coat glistens under the <b>faint </b>moonlight while 1 dodge trees and hop <b>over </b>logs. I needed this.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Heavy <b>paws </b>from <b>behind </b>alert me <b>that </b>Onyx is catching up. How could I forget that wolves love the chase? <b>Alphas </b>especially because of their <b>mates</b>. Pounding my paws harder against the forest floor, I pick up speed. Determination pumps through me faster than adrenaline as I push my leg muscles to their limit.


    The thrill of the chase. It¡¯s exhrating. Nothing in the world can touch me! I felt great!


    <b>Until </b>my world took a tumble. Not because I tripped <b>over </b>a log or had my paw snagged in a root. It¡¯s because Onyx leaped into the air <b>and </b><b>his </b>giant bodynded on <b>mine</b>. We went rolling in a cloud of dust and growls.


    Curses<b>!</b>


    Like the beasts we are, we struggle and nip at one another like newly¨Cborn pups. I did this with Jacqueline¡¯s wolf, <b>Rosaline</b>, or Dwayne¡¯s wolf, Jaxon, because we¡¯re family. But with Onyx; hopping around and trying to dominate him, it was on a different level of fun.


    I felt like myself. The true me. yful, bratty, and carefree. I love it!


    <b>And </b>by the glow of Onyx¡¯s eyes, <b>so </b>did he.


    After fifteen minutes of y, we trot back to <b>our </b>initial meeting ce. But Onyx turned <b>it </b><b>into </b>another chase when he nipped one of my hind legs and bolted when I was distracted. He is a huge puppy. A lovesick, silly


    puppy<b>.</b>


    I jog to the tree, shifted <b>back</b>, and quickly got dressed. My hands <b>smoothed </b>my hair as I emerge, spotting Onyx <b>dressed </b>and waiting. In a sh, he growls naughtily as his arms wrap around my <b>waist </b>like a birthday present. I shriek when his face went to my neck again, inhaling my scent like it¡¯s his lifeline.


    ¡°I¡¯ve <b>never </b>pegged you as the yful type.¡±


    I arch an eyebrow. ¡°Then what did you peg me as?¡±


    ¡°Serious. Stoic. Maybe callous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me on a good <b>day</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Onyx lifts his head, gold in blue once more. His <b>hands </b>felt hot <b>on </b>my waist, stoking a <b>me </b>in me. ¡°What did


    <b>you </b>peg me as?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Stern. But <b>that </b>changed when I saw <b>that </b>you are, in actuality, <b>a </b><b>puppy</b>.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°I¡¯m not a puppy. I¡¯m an Alpha!¡±


    ¡°Alphas were puppies once. You¡¯re no different.¡± I poke his chest. ¡°You¡¯re a big, fluffy puppy.¡±


    ¡°Damn, why don¡¯t you announce it to the entire world then?¡± He <b>rolls </b>his eyes. ¡°Not like my reputation means


    Chapter 15 ¨C The Big Fluffy Puppy


    anything.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s <b>your </b>funeral.¡± I made a big show to suck in a deep breath to scream ¡®Onyx is a big puppy!¡® until he pokes me in my tickle spot. Words turned into gaggles ofughter when he tickles me again. ¡°Not again! Stop!¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get my revenge, Onyx!¡±


    ¡°Sure. It¡¯ll be eighty¨Cfour years before you can find my tickle spot.¡± He leans in <b>where </b>his hot breath caresses my face. ¡°You must touch me to find it.¡±


    I scoff. ¡°You¡¯re insufferable.¡±


    ¡°Neron told me that a few times. And I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, how did he deal with you for <b>so </b>long?¡±


    Same with his stupidity; I had to put up with it.¡±


    This banter is amusing; like we¡¯ve known each other for so long. We know which buttons to press. It felt normal. Defiantly, I cross my arms. ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>still telling everyone that you¡¯re a fluffy puppy.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me!¡±


    In a blur, Onyx <b>presses </b>my back up against the thick bark <b>of </b><b>a </b>tree. Large <b>hands </b>grip either side of my hips<b>. </b>with fire erupting underneath their touch. One leg separates my own and my eyes <b>are</b><b>, </b>once again, beguiled in Onyx¡¯s heated re. The faint illumination of the moon highlights the left side of his face, bathing him in an <b>ethereal</b>, mysterious glow. My breath is trapped in my lungs along with my <b>words </b>stuck at the base of my


    throat.


    He¡¯s breathtaking. Deep, rugged growls bathe my spine in pure ice¨Ca direct contrast to our heat.


    ¡°Has anyone told you you¡¯re such a brat?¡± He smirks, sending my heart <b>soaring</b>.


    ¡°Nope. You¡¯re the first.¡± I answer back, trying hard to steady my voice. ¡°Be proud. It¡¯s <b>a </b>great honor.¡±


    ¡°And cocky too.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s <b>a </b>lot you don¡¯t know about me, Onyx. The question is, are you brave enough to find out more?¡±


    Onyx¡¯s golden eyes darken rapidly with lust. ¡°Challenging an Alpha is never a wise decision, Artemis. You don¡¯t know of the repercussions<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I shrug my shoulders. ¡°What <b>are </b>you going to do? Punish me<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°You¡¯re on thin ice, my angel<b>.</b>¡± Snarling, his eyes ckened. Emotion and desire strains his husky voice. ¡°Tread carefully or you just might fall.


    ¡°Make me.¡±


    Two dangerous words. They broke the straw on the camel¡¯s back because Onyx¡¯s <b>lips </b>are on mine. Smoldering.


    His heavy k*ss dipped me in a pool of uncontained fire surrounding me in desire. Hands grips at my waist and his lips fought for dominance. I don¡¯t <b>back </b>down and don¡¯t surrender. Just as he fought, I fought back with the power from my lips. Alpha wolf versus Beta wolf in a battle of illicit k*sses. Who will win?


    Our lips moved in synchronicity with our rapid heartbeats as our desires pooled in our lower regions. I felt his arousal <b>and </b>he <b>can </b>smell <b>mine</b><b>, </b>judging by his satisfying growls. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this. yful, brattish banter quickly crumbled into a make¨Cout session.


    Half of me tells me to stop. Onyx isn¡¯t to be trusted. I¡¯m giving in when I should stand strong. But the other half is saying to enjoy it. Enjoy his touches and caresses. Enjoy the f*cking battle. How can I choose under this miasma of lust that <b>I </b>never felt before<b>?</b>


    to


    And I didn¡¯t want it to stop. I want to continue. Once Onyx slips his tongue <b>into </b>my mouth, I was beyond reach. It caresses mine sinfully, invoking a deep guttural moan from the back of my throat. He happily swallows it <b>and </b>continues his wicked torment on my senses. Goddess, I might have made the devil blush.


    Oh, Goddess, what will Kiya think when I tell <b>her </b><b>what </b>happened? She <b>k*ssed </b>Neron before, but not how I¡¯m k*ssing Onyx!


    F*ck, this is <b>too </b><b>much</b><b>!</b>


    Luckily, Onyx stops to catch his breath. Our pants echo between us<b>, </b>the air around is aze. The Alpha smiled shyly with deep pink ch*eks, caressing mine with a hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for years to k*ss you like that, but we shouldn¡¯t have done this.¡±


    ¡°<b>No </b><b>shit</b>, sherlock.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do it again.¡±


    Chapter Comments


    YESSSSS YOU GO GIRL

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 16 ¨C Too Far


    ¡°Please, touch me, <i>I </i><b>pray</b><b>.</b>¡°¨CJess C. <b>Scott</b>


    (Content Warning: Mild sexual content)


    Onyx


    ¡­Do it again.


    Goddess, <b>my </b><b>mate </b>is going to be the death of me. The striking beauty with the power to send me to my knees. I waste no time capturing her lips into mine, coaxing her tongue <b>to </b>savor her sweet taste of ripe strawberries. I plunge deeper into the pool of desire Artemis has the power to create.


    For years, I¡¯ve wondered <b>what </b>it would be like to <b>k*ss </b>my mate; if I¡¯ll ever get the chance. Throughout the times my human <b>was </b>with another, I¡¯ve rejected the possibility of another she¨Cwolf stealing my first k*ss. I protected it like a lifeline. That <b>honor </b>is reserved for my destined partner, and no one could ever take that <b>away</b>.


    It was a <b>dream</b>. Having my love¡¯s perfect body fit into mine like a puzzle piece, our warmth intertwining like strands of a braid, and my eyes staring into the depths of her soul. Artemis is a beautiful soul; made of pure light. In them, I see the moon itself; bright as a diamond¨Cme oozing with divine feminine energy.


    I still <b>can¡¯t </b>believe I¡¯m k*ssing her. All <b>those </b>years of waiting led up to this moment. The tear that escapes my eye is a testament to the faith I¡¯ve held with a vice grip for years.


    My mate. My powerful, gorgeous, yful mate. My destined partner.


    Pulling her closer, I <b>k*ss </b>her harder, swirling up the sweetness that got impossibly sweeter. The more I k*ss her, the more lightheaded I became. My hands slowly ascend from her <b>hips </b>to the dips of her waist. My thumbs rub soft circles on her stomach over the shirt fabric. The gentle breeze of the night picks up the scent of her arousal, surrounding me in sharinity. It¡¯s as if the air itself wishes for me to lose control.


    And I¡¯m trying hard not to. Thest thing I want is for my mate to run away from me because I was too


    rough.


    Artemis <b>presses </b>her pelvis against my bulge, driving my inner beast wild with indomitable lust. The heat trapped between our bodies grew stronger, like the Inferno of a bonfire. She is the me and I¡¯m the <b>moth</b>, hopelessly drawn to the maic pull she¡¯s not aware of. Does she know what she does to me? Does she know that I¡¯ll proudly eat out of her palm if it meant her happiness?


    I¡¯m falling for her so hard and it scares me. My little mate doesn¡¯t know the power she holds.


    My lips traverse to her wless neck, licking and suckling at the <b>spot </b>she would¡¯ve borne my mark. Artemis tilts her <b>head </b>to the side, offering me more of her supple skin. Her taste is as addictive as a drug, giving me <b>a </b>high I¡¯ve never experienced before. Her soft moans echo near my ear and I knew from this day forward, I¡¯H never get that sound out of my head. My pants grew tighter, my desire red higher, and my resolve crumbles.


    ¡°Onyx¡­¡± My angel moans. Goddess<b>, </b>I want to hear more. I suck on that special spot harder and I¡¯m rewarded with <b>a </b>shriek. Her <b>hands</b>, soft as her fur, grip at my dark tresses, tugging lightly. With thebined sensations, my growls erupt like a volcano, vibrating her flesh <b>under </b>my lips <b>and </b><b>tongue</b>. Her <b>body </b>jolts


    against mine.


    1/4


    1 need her.


    I want her.


    I will make her mine.


    My canines elongate as they scrape against her neck, ripping a gasp from her throat. My instincts tell me to mark her¨Cto remind the world to <b>know </b>that she belongs to me. Artemis is the only one I want¨Cno she¨Cwolf can ever match <b>her</b>. Not in beauty. Not in skill. And not in the battle to im my heart.


    ¡°Onyx.¡± Her hands quickly move from my head to chest. ¡°H¨CHey, we need to stop this.¡±


    No! No, no! I can¡¯t stop now! I can¡¯t lose <b>her </b>again! I don¡¯t want her to separate from me anymore! The haze of desire suddenly shifts to urgency. I <b>want </b>the love of my life! Please¡­<b>that¡¯s </b>all I ask.


    Just one <b>bite</b><b>¡­</b>


    ¡°Hey! Onyx!¡± Artemis shouts more powerfully this time. Using a sliver of her strength, she strikes my chest with both fists. That¡¯s enough to knock the haze from my mind, plunging my focus back into reality. The lust disappears, <b>leaving </b>a void of emptiness. Getting a hold of myself<b>, </b><b>I </b>scramble away from my angel, wide¨Ceyed. Her gaze upon <b>me </b>is full of concern <b>and </b>sadness.


    It all hit me at <b>once</b>. I was a <b>hair </b>strand close to marking Artemis against her wishes because I wanted her so badly and was terrified of losing her again.


    ¡°Oh, Goddess¡­¡± I <b>mutter</b>, sping my hands over my mouth. ¡°Artemis, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°N¨CNo¡­don¡¯t be.¡± Her voice is a mere whisper. If I was a full human, I wouldn¡¯t have heard it. ¡°We took things


    too far¡­¡± My eyes spot the reddening hickey on her neck that matched the small, mysterious, red bruise <i>on </i>the other side. A part of me should feel ted, but I¡¯m wracked with guilt.


    My beast nearly <b>won</b>. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I repeat. ¡°I¡­I almost¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Artemis¡¯s bronze skin is flush <b>with </b><b>desire </b>and adrenaline<b>, </b>her lips are swollen, <b>and </b>I can see her dted pupils with the gentle blue ring around them. Her chest heaves with her shallow breaths. I had to control the urge to k*ss her again. ¡°We almost crossed the line here.¡±


    ¡°Are¡­you upset with me?¡± I maintain a three¨Cfeet distance from her, not trusting myself to remain civil. What¡¯s stopping me from losing control again? I nearly doomed my mate into an unhappy life. I acted selfishly and could¡¯ve ruined everything.


    ¡°No¡­I¡¯m upset with myself.¡± That caught my attention. ¡°I lost control. You made me feel so good, Onyx, but for a split second, I forgot that I¡¯m not in my body. This is Kiya¡¯s and she wouldn¡¯t have wanted this.¡±


    I shut my eyes to steady my breathing, my <b>mind </b>still swimming. ¡°Our beastly instincts were unforgiving tonight. With the run, our banter, and having you so close¡­I almost lost control too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll be mad at me.¡± She reveals.


    ¡°Why? Kiya loves you more than life <b>itself</b>, Artemis.¡±


    ¡°Onyx, we got pretty intimate with each other. Just because I liked it, doesn¡¯t mean she <b>will </b><b>too</b>. I felt everything in a <b>vessel </b>that doesn¡¯t belong to me. I¡¯m her wolf. I <b>share </b>her body, but I don¡¯t have the right to


    Chapter 16¨CTon Far


    do whatever I please with it. She¡¯d never forgive me for toying with it.¡±


    Artemis closes the distance between us, taking myrge hands into hers. Her lovely sapphires look into mine<b>, </b>swimming with worry. ¡°Do you understand? There¡¯s a reason for this, and it¡¯s not my ce to tell.¡±


    She <b>sparked </b>up my curiosity, but I won¡¯t push her. Sighing, I <b>nod </b>curtly. ¡°Yes, I do. I don¡¯t think Neron would appreciateing into control with a¡­¡± I cough. ¡°Um. Hard on. I can picture his face as red as a tomato with smokeing out of his ears.¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°Seriously, if you two didn¡¯t share a body, I¡¯m convinced he¡¯d strangle you.¡±


    ¡°Not if I strangle him first.¡± We both share a briefugh. ¡°Artemis, if you¡¯re worried about how Kiya might <b>react</b>, talk to her. Exin what happened and don¡¯t wait. The longer you <b>wait</b>, the worse the oue might <b>be</b>.¡±


    A spark of realization twinkles in her <b>eyes</b>, casting to <b>the </b>side nervously. Something¡¯s on her mind and it¡¯s bothering her to the point she releases my hands and taps her fingers against her thighs. She¡¯s anxious. It rolls off her in waves. ¡°Yeah¡­I know.¡± Artemis <b>scans </b>the surrounding area before looking back at me. ¡°Do you have time tomorrow for us to talk? There¡¯s something we need to tell you.¡±


    I <b>nod</b>. ¡°I can make time, or really, Neron can make time. Is it something I should be worried about?¡±


    ¡°Logically, yes. But it¡¯s been a night and I¡¯m ready for sleep.¡± Her concern melts to reveal her dazzling smile, albeit small. ¡°Thank you for running with me tonight, Onyx. I <b>had </b><b>fun</b>. Um¡­even the k*ss.¡±


    ¡°I did too.¡± I smile back. I¡¯ll never stop gazing at her beauty. Leaning in, I nt a soft k*ss on her forehead. K*ssing Artemis on the lips didn¡¯t seem right after tonight, no matter how much I wanted to. ¡°And I need a


    cold shower.¡±


    Artemis snorts. ¡°<b>Same</b>.¡± She took the lead first, walking back to the pack house. I follow behind her<b>, </b><b>still </b>smiling. Abruptly, I felt it. The smile disappears. Something bizarre. As if eyes are gazing into my backside. Sniffing, I observe my surroundings.


    Trees. Grass, Logs. Rocks. Insects. The <b>Moon</b>.


    Nothing is out of ce, yet the feeling persists. And I don¡¯t like it. Something looms in the shadows, ready to strike. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m paranoid, even if I <b>can¡¯t </b>see a <b>damn </b>thing.


    Already feeling protective of Artemis, I jog up to her and hurry us both into the <b>pack </b>house. With a final k*ss to her forehead, we depart to our respective floors. Once in my room, I strip out of my clothes and hop in the shower, conveniently ignoring my soldier standing in half salute. The shower water is at the coldest temperature <b>I </b>can handle. It delivered a <b>shock </b>once it hits <b>my </b><b>back</b>.


    I suppose <b>I </b>should let my human know what transpired. Dropping the mental wall between us, his connection came flooding in.


    ¡°How did it go? Did you <b>have </b>fun with Artemis?¡±


    ¡°Yep<i>. </i>Not to mention the fact that we¡¯ve ended the night making <b>out </b>and damn near dry¨Chumping.¡±


    <b>Neron </b>coughs and sputters in shock. ¡°WHAT?! You both <b>did </b>what?!¡±


    ¡°You heard me. Or must I repeat it?¡±


    ¡°No, I heard you the first time! I can¡¯t believe you both did that!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Jealous?¡± I ask smugly. His anger towards me <bbusts </b>and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Colm down, Neron. We didn¡¯t go too far, and we both recognized that it shouldn¡¯t happen again. It¡¯s not fair to you or to Kiya for us to abuse our control over your bodies for our selfish needs.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, I¡¯m d you stopped, Onyx. I doubt it <b>was </b>easy. I¡¯d give anything to k*ss Kiya again.¡±


    ¡°Mim. I almost marked her. The beast nearly took over. I could¡¯ve ruined everything, Neron! But Artemis <b>was </b>more upset with herself than with me. She was worried Klyn would hate her.¡±


    ¡°Why? Those two are super close. I can¡¯t imagine Kiya angry at her.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but she was <b>so </b>worried. Scared, even. She alluded to something, <b>but </b>I can¡¯t figure out what. I suppose she¡¯ll wait for the right moment to tell us, if ever.¡±


    ¡°I understand. We shouldn¡¯t rush things. But it sounds like you had a good time.¡± I can hear the smile in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Onyx. You¡¯ve spent little time with her <b>since </b>her arrival.¡±


    ¡°I learned a lot about her tonight, and I¡¯m d I got the chance to. I never felt so alive and it¡¯s because she ran by my side.¡± I figured I had enough of the cold water, so I shut it off with the turn of the knob. ¡°Speaking of, do you have free time tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I should. Why?¡±


    ¡°Artemis wants to <b>speak </b>with us. I¡¯m <b>sure </b>Klyn does too. It sounds urgent.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll call Kiya into my office tomorrow morning before she trains the pups. Again Onyx, I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re happy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for letting me borrow your body for the night.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Anytime!¡±


    Walking out of the bathroom with a towel hanging low around my waist, I rummage through the closet to pull out a pair of ck pajama pants<b>, </b>knowing full well Neron has something against shirts.


    I was ready to relinquish control and allow Neron back until I <b>heard </b>a scream.


    Coming from the third floor. And it wasn¡¯t any <b>scream</b>.


    It was Kiya¡¯s.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 17 The Intrusion


    ¡°Is evil something you are? Or is it something you do?¡°¨C Bret Easton Ellis


    Kiya


    <b>Well</b>.


    This is one hell of a hickey!


    My fingers graze on top of the blotch of broken blood vessels on the junction of my neck and shoulder, exposed proudly against my dark skin. I didn¡¯t know what to think as I stare at it from my bathroom mirror. I prefer the hickey to the other red bruise on <b>my </b>neck. At <b>least </b>it¡¯ll heal overnight.


    Around <b>me</b>, I feel the lingering presence of Neron¨Cor rather, Onyx. His scent is mind¨Cnumbing, and I embarrassingly feel the powerful tingles on my lips and the moist heat between my legs.


    In my mind, Artemis hides her eyes shamefully behind her paws, whimpering in sadness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kiya! <b>I</b>


    went too far!¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond. The fear in Artemis¡® voice is palpable; she thinks I¡¯m angry with her. She continues to apologize for her actions in weighty remorse, her voice breaking away for her tears. Sighing, I grip the rim of the sink and <b>started </b>giggling.


    Artemis growls in confusion. ¡°Why <b>are </b><b>you </bughing?¡±


    ¡°You thought I¡¯ll be mad?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t?!¡± My wolf yells, aghast. It saddens <b>a </b>part of me because she thought I¡¯d be angry. I mean, I can see why she thinks so. ¡°But¡­I used your body selfishly, Kiya. <b>The </b>arousal you¡¯re feeling is mine, <b>not</b>


    <b>yours</b>.¡±


    ¡°<i>I </i>admit, it feels weird. It¡¯s like an ocean between my thighs.¡± Stripping out of my clothes, I hop into the shower and lowered the temperature. ¡°But Artemis, we share a body. I share yours as a wolf and you share mine as a human. <i>We </i>work together as a solid unit. I¡¯m not mad at you. I¡¯m happy for you!¡±


    ¡°You <b>are</b>? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re happy. And if you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy.¡± I grab my loofa, squirt some body wash, and started. scrubbing. ¡°So, <i>tell </i>me about the run and the k*ss!¡±


    ¡°O¨COh.¡± Never in my life have I heared Artemis stutter. We¡¯re two sides of <b>the </b>same coin; she¡¯s calm and collected and I¡¯m the walking disaster. ¡°Honestly? It felt amazing. I don¡¯t know what it is, but running with Onyx¡­I never felt more like myself. Around him I was yful. Mischievous. And it felt <b>great</b>. If I can describe <b>the </b>run <b>in </b>a color, it¡¯d be true blue.¡±


    My heart warms. In <b>her </b>voice<b>, </b>I can sense the honesty and endearment she felt. This was <b>more </b>than a run to her. It was a night where she channeled the raw truth of her identity. For so long, she had to hold <b>herself </b>back and I me myself for it. Artemis always put me first and herself on the back¨Cburner. She¡¯s not only my best. friend; she¡¯s my guardian angel. <b>That </b>burden <b>was </b>lifted tonight. For the first time in her life, Artemis was in <b>tune </b>with her beastly instincts.


    1/5


    ¡°And the k*ss¡­I don¡¯t know how to describe it. I felt like I was on fire, but in a good way. So many sensations rolled into me and I was falling. Fast. I felt¡­¡±


    ¡°Felt¡­?¡±


    ¡°Desired. Sexy, even. Like someone wanted me for much more. But I got scared. Onyx almost marked me, and I could¡¯ve ruined things for both of us. The worst part of it all was that I didn¡¯t want it to stop. Goddess, I wanted to continue. The passion and lust! I wanted to surrender.¡±


    I ponder on what Artemis revealed as the water hit me. Judging by her voice, she¡¯s feeling a plethora of emotions, not just for herself, but for me. There are so many things she wanted tonight, but not even the haze of lust <b>was </b>enough for her to ignore the boundaries I¡¯ve set. I¡¯m ted that she felt wanted by someone for the first time. She deserves to be coveted because she¡¯s a beautiful soul.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing, Artemis. It¡¯s okay to feel a little selfish, sometimes. Thank you for respecting my boundaries. You didn¡¯t cross them even when the passion demanded you to. You¡¯re always thinking.


    ¡°You¡¯re my human, Kiya. And my best friend. We¡¯ve been together since you first shifted. Nothing can separate us. <b>I </b>was afraid that you might think I was taking advantage of you¡­like him


    ¡°Artemis. My voice took a hardened tone as I shut off the shower and wrap myself in a towel over my breasts. ¡°Neverpare yourself to that monster. What you did tonight will neverpare to what that gourd did to me those years ago. You aren¡¯t like him.¡±


    But-¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re fine, dude. Technically, it¡¯s your body too. We just swap consciousness here and there like wigs.¡± Artemis will never be like the guard. Ever. That bastard abused me in the most heinous of ways. He¡¯s evil. Artemis is pure. My hope rests on the prayers that the armored devil is dead and buried. I haven¡¯t seen familiar hair of his since I¡¯ve been here, and I¡¯m grateful for that


    That¡¯s how this story should be. Buried and forgotten. No one will know of my stolen innocence.


    Artemis sighs in relief. I¡¯m <b>sure </b>she removed her paws from her eyes. ¡°Okay. Thank you for taking away this burden from my heart. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if you were mad at me.¡±


    ¡°Just as you protect my heart, I¡¯ll protect yours. You¡¯re my ride¨Cor¨Cdie. Amy.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>And you <b>ruined </b>the fuzzy moment with that ursed nickname.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so undignified <b>for </b><b>a </b>wolf like me!¡±


    Laughter bubbled out of my chest as I rummage through my closet for my pajamas. Deciding to go with the red bottoms that hugged my hips and a matching tank top. I trudge my tired body to my bed Anward s shows my happiness for my wolf and how this night ended on a pleasant note. Tomorrow will start a new day.


    ¡°<b>Kiya</b>. We <b>need </b>to tell Neron and Onyx about Osiris.¡± And like that, my mood Eaterske a pancake. ¡°T <b>told </b><b>Onyx </b>that we¡¯ll speak to them tomorrow about it. Will there be a problem


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no problem. And you¡¯re right. I have to tell them. I just thought I could handle this myself¡±


    Chapter 13 ¨C The imbustion


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t okay. If you speak or think of a devil¡¯s name, they¡¯ll appear. And my devil arrives on time in a billow of ck smoke. Red eyes pierce mine with des full of disappointment and rage, unlike the usual dark mischievousness.


    ¡°How shameful must you be <b>to </b>k*ss that mutt <b>like </b>a needy whore?¡± Osiris snarls at me. ¡°Have you learned nothing from your experience under the hell this ce put you in?!¡±


    The surrounding air grows dim as the fluorescent lights of mymps are cloaked in thickening ck. Without thinking, I summon a ball of moonlight to attack, but immediately the beast mps his harsh hands on my own, forcing me on my feet.


    ¡°Must you fail miserably to understand, Little Moon?¡± He teases. ¡°The more you¡¯re enamored by this Alpha, the closer you trudge to disaster. Watching you surrender to the seductive thralls of that mongrel is disgusting. He¡¯s the same mongrel <b>who </b>marred your beautiful, young flesh and you let him touch you!¡±


    ¡°<b>What </b>I do with my body is none of your business! Leave me alone!¡± I hate how his words tickle the darker side of me. The rising fury in the hybrid¡¯s voice brought forth a new sensation of terror. One I haven¡¯t felt before since my dark <b>days</b>. The body is amazing at adapting to high¨Cpressure situations because my sympathetic system is on overdrive. I don¡¯t know what Osiris is about to do, and I¡¯m not <b>staying </b>to find out!


    Pulling <b>my </b>hands away, I bolt to the door. My fight¨Cor¨Cflight response <b>chose </b>flight. Swinging the door open, I nearly made it over the threshold when Osiris violently jerks me backward. A scream tore through my throat right before the door seals my fate, escaping into the hallway air.


    Maybe someone¡¯s heard me¡­


    Osiris holds me against the bedroom wall, nails threatening to <b>split </b>skin. ¡°<b>You </b>should rethink your stance before you send yourself back into hell, Little Moon. It takes <b>a </b>single word to sway the weak heart of a rejected woman to make her think she¡¯s truly loved. Do you think the fool changed? Men <b>will </b>say anything to get what they want.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡± I snarl at his face.


    ¡°No, my dear. I¡¯m no man.¡± He leans in and whispers in my ear. ¡°We¡¯re more alike than you know. We <b>are </b>avatars after all.¡±


    My world dropped into a pit of darkness.


    Osiris is an avatar? No! He¡¯s bluffing! That can¡¯t be-!


    The doorknob rattled madly as I hear Neron¡¯s voice on the other side call out for me. I cannot see my enemy¡¯s mouth, but <b>his </b>red eyes did all the smiling. ¡°Care to introduce me?¡±


    The door flung open at the same time Osiris releases my arms. Neron catches me before <b>I </b><b>crumble </b>onto the ground, cradling my body in his arms. The door closes again, and I knew for a fact, Neron can see what I see: my darkened bedroom with an even darker billow hovering over the both of <b>us</b><b>. </b>I¡¯m too much in shock from the recent news to notice the Alpha¡¯s glowering face.


    ¡°What the fuck is this?!¡± He demands, holding me tighter<b>.</b>


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be rude, stupid dog.¡± Osiris in ¡°where¡¯s your hospitality? After all, I am a guest,¡±


    3/5


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t okay. If you speak or think of a devil¡¯s name, they¡¯ll appear. And my devil arrives on time in a billow of ck smoke. Red eyes pierce mine with des full of disappointment and rage, unlike the usual dark mischievousness.


    ¡°How shameful must you be to <b>k*ss </b>that mutt like a needy whore?¡± Osiris snarls at me. ¡°Have you learned nothing from your experience under the hell this ce put you in?!¡±


    The surrounding air grows dim as the fluorescent lights of mymps are cloaked in thickening ck. Without thinking. I summon a ball of moonlight to attack, but immediately the beast mps his harsh hands on my own, forcing me on my feet.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Must you fail miserably to understand, Little Moon?¡± He teases. ¡°The more you¡¯re enamored by this Alpha, <b>the </b>closer you trudge to disaster. Watching you surrender to the seductive thralls of that mongrel is disgusting. He¡¯s the same mongrel who marred your beautiful, young flesh and you let him touch you!¡±


    ¡°What I do with my body is none of your business! Leave me alone!¡± I hate how his words tickle the darker side of me. The rising fury in the hybrid¡¯s voice brought forth a new sensation of terror. One I haven¡¯t felt before since my dark days. The body is amazing at adapting to high¨Cpressure situations because my sympathetic system is on overdrive. I don¡¯t know <b>what </b>Osiris is about to do, and I¡¯m not staying to find out!


    Pulling my hands away, I bolt to the door. My fight¨Cor¨Cflight response chose flight. Swinging the door open, I nearly made it over the threshold when Osiris violently jerks me backward. A scream tore through my throat right before the door seals my fate, escaping into the hallway air.


    Maybe someone¡¯s heard <b>me</b>¡­


    Osiris holds me against the bedroom wall, nails threatening to split skin. ¡°You should rethink your stance before you send yourself back into hell, Little Moon. It takes a single word to sway the weak heart of a rejected woman to make her think she¡¯s truly loved. Do you think the fool changed? Men will say anything to get what they want.¡±


    ¡°Like you?¡± I snarl at his face<b>.</b>


    ¡°No, my dear. I¡¯m no man.¡± He leans in and whispers in my ear. ¡°We¡¯re more alike than you know. We are avatars after all.¡±


    My world dropped into a pit of <b>darkness</b>.


    Osiris <b>is </b>an avatar? No! He¡¯s bluffing! That can¡¯t be-!


    The doorknob rattled madly as I hear Neron¡¯s voice on the other side call out for me. I cannot <b>see </b>my enemy¡¯s mouth, but his red eyes <b>did </b>all <b>the </b>smiling, ¡°<b>Care </b><b>to </b>introduce me?¡±


    The door flung open at the <b>same </b>time Osiris releases my arms. Neron catches me before I crumble onto the <b>ground</b>, cradling my body in his arms. The door closes again<b>, </b>and I knew for a fact, Neron can see what I see: my darkened bedroom with an <b>even </b>darker billow <b>hovering </b>over the both of us. I¡¯m too much in shock from the recent news <b>to </b>notice the Alpha¡¯s glowering face.


    ¡°What the fuck is this?!¡± He demands, holding me tighter.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be rude, stupid dog.¡± Osiris giggles. ¡°Where¡¯s your hospitality? After all, I am a guest.¡±


    Chapter 17¨CThe Intrus


    ¡°You¡¯re a trespasser.¡± Neron corrects. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate talking puffs of smoke intruding in the room of my


    mate!¡±


    ¡°Your mate? Don¡¯t <b>make </b>meugh, Neron Prince. You are the least deserving of this beautiful <bdy</b>. Time cannot wash away the evils of your past, especially sins that stain <b>your </b>hands, Alpha.¡±


    Neron¡¯s breath hitches in his throat. My skin, against his own, feels the prickling sensations of his fur threatening to sprout. He¡¯s going to shift. ¡°I want to know who the fuck you are, and you have three seconds before I kill you.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do? Bite the air? The billow cackles. ¡°You can¡¯t touch me, Alpha! I¡¯m not tangible for you. But hey, I love the fighting spirit. It gives me the goal to break it. To reveal the sniveling brat <b>you </b><b>are</b>!¡±


    He rose higher into the air, the ends of <b>the </b>smoke hovering and <b>slithering </b>like <b>a </b>snake¡¯s <b>tail</b>. ¡°But I¡¯ll take my leave. Not to worry; I¡¯ll be back! It <b>was </b>fun speaking with you, <b>mongrel</b>. We shall <b>meet </b>again.¡±


    The darkness lifts, allowing the light to bathe my room again. I¡¯m <b>still </b>frozen like a statue. It wasn¡¯t until Neron gently shakes me to get <b>my </b>eyes to focus on him. His eyes reflect all the emotions he¡¯s feeling.


    Anxiety.


    Anger.


    Concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper to him. ¡°I should¡¯ve told you sooner. I thought I was strong enough to handle this myself.¡±


    ¡°Was this you¡¯ve wanted to tell me about?¡± Neron whispers. I nod meekly. ¡°What was that, Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Remember how I was kidnapped three weeks ago? I¡­I thought he died when that asylum copsed in mes. He¡­¡± A heavy sigh expels from my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s him. The person who <b>ordered </b>Cerberus to take Phoebe and me. His name is Osiris. By my knowledge, he doesn¡¯t have a physical form, but he can still touch me.¡±


    ¡°Osiris¡­¡± Neron <b>shifts </b>me to where I¡¯m sitting in between his legs with his arms still <b>cradled </b>me. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me sooner, Kiya. When did he start to bother you?¡±


    ¡°A few weeks back. It started with the nightmares. Are you mad at me?¡±


    ¡°Not mad. Just upset. But <b>you¡¯re </b>safe and that¡¯s all that matters to me.¡± nting a firm k*ss on my forehead, his hand rubs my bare arm soothingly. ¡°We¡¯re going to stop him. He¡¯s within our walls, so I must gather a meeting tomorrow to <b>see </b>what we can do. We can¡¯t let this go on.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    ¡°Kiya.¡± His fingers curl under my chin, lifting my head to meet his eyes. ¡°I admire your independence and courage. But, if something¡¯s bothering you, tell <b>me</b>. I want to help you. Let me help you.¡±


    H


    I went about this <b>the </b>wrong way. Osiris being an avatar changes everything. The danger has only heightened from here on out. With his constant appearances, stalking, and the looming inkling of a traitor within these walls, I couldn¡¯t keep this under wraps for so long.


    Goddess, I¡¯m so <b>stupid</b><b>.</b>


    This is more than I <b>can </b>handle.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 18 ¨C A Looming Threat


    ¡°Never let your ego get in the way of asking for help when in desperate need. We have all been helped at a point in our lives.¡°¨CEdmond Mbiaka


    Third Person POV


    The tension is so thick in the air that a knife can pierce without difficulty.


    Normally, the morning sun serves as the birth of new possibilities and renewal for the world¡¯s inhabitants. It¡¯s a new day. However, that couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Moments earlier, the Alpha called in his Beta <b>and </b>Gamma along with the Ga Moon warriors to his office as soon as possible.


    Wasting time is one of Neron¡¯s pet¨Cpeeves. After the madness he witnessed the previous night, he acted quickly. It bothered him. Once again, his mate is targeted by a maleficent being and he must put a stop to it. The mere thought of Osiris made the vein on his temple throb with anger.


    Kiya is the opposite. Anger is an emotion she¡¯s limated to, but today, her body shudders with anxiety. A sharp surplus in events she hoped to fight against alone became intolerable. As she sits in the chair behind Neron¡¯s desk, her leg bounces. Her hands grip the tablet on herp. Her brown eyes held a faraway look- preupied with the unknown future. Worry fumed from her pores as sundry questions buzz through her mind like angry hos.


    ¡°What will Osiris do now?¡±


    ¡°Will he hurt my friends?¡±


    ¡®How far will he <b>take </b>things?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡®How can I stop him?¡±


    As Neron waits for the others, his blue eyes followed Kiya¡¯s moves. From her bouncing leg to the grinding of her teeth behind her lips; he witnesses all. And his heart throbs in hurt. He¡¯s helplessly watching his <b>mate </b>burrow deeper under the soil of anxiousness. The Alpha couldn¡¯t imagine what Kiya is going through. Osiris has been tormenting her physically and psychologically <b>and </b>he didn¡¯t know! He foolishly assumed Kiya was alright when in reality, she wasn¡¯t.


    He wants to kill Osiris for hurting her. However, Neron didn¡¯t me her for her silence. Trusting him is an arduous task for Kiya within good reason. He still wishes she had said something sooner.


    Unwillingly<b>, </b><b>his </b>mind crosses back <b>to </b>the previous night. Neron refused to let Kiya sleep in her room, so she slept in his. If there¡¯s a chance for that demon toe back, he wasn¡¯t risking it. To make Kiyafortable, <b>he </b>gave her his bed while he slept on his settee. However, within <b>a </b>few hours, he moved to the bed when she was amid a nightmare. Her pained whimpers echoed as she writhed in bed¨Ctrying to escape her torment. It was only by his touch was Kiya able to return to a peaceful slumber,


    He thought it was <b>over</b>. After the <b>rescue</b>, he idiotically thought the craziness ceased. Now, the monster has returned with intentions unknown to him. And he won¡¯t rest until Osiris¡® head is off his shoulders.


    ¡°Kiya,¡± <b>Neron </b>says. She doesn¡¯t respond. It¡¯s like <b>she </b>can¡¯t hear him. ¡°Kiya.¡± He repeats but contracts the same result. Leaning over his <b>desk</b>, he pokes his mate in the shoulder. It knocks Kiya back into reality, turning her head to him. ¡°You¡¯re nervous. It¡¯s going <b>to </b>be fine. We¡¯re going to stop this.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± She sighs. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting it to get this bad


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask for this.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to be an avatar either, but here I am.¡± She smirks dejectedly. ¡°Life keeps throwing rocks at me when I least expect it. I thought I could dodge them all, but not this one. This shit sucks.¡±


    Neron wanted nothing more but to draw Kiya into his arms for a tight embrace. She probably didn¡¯t mean to but he can sense her fear. No matter what it was, he wanted to cast it away. He wanted to be the o


    the goddess¨Clike smile on her face, just as before. And Osiris dares to make the grave sin of taking it aware


    Without dy, the other members arrived, despite looking exhausted. Zircon and Ga alike. Unfortunately it included both Darien and Odessa, despite Neron not requesting their audience. He¡¯s still infuriated at them both from their stunt yesterday, but Kiya insisted she wanted to get the meeting over with. No arguments. 10 too early to pick Eghts.


    Little do they know is that Odessa is the one who insisted Darien and her to attend the meeting. Not because she wanted to, but because Osiris ordered her to. Selling one¡¯s soul to the devil meant that they¡¯re bound to their everymand. There¡¯s no room for disobedience or denial. They¡¯re a ve to sin, and that¡¯s what Odessa is.


    A ve to the little devil speaking in her mind.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me, dear. I¡¯m just here to listen. Be a good gri and do nothing hasty.¡±


    A ve to achieve her end¨Cgoals: get Neron¡¯s heart in her possession and Kiya buried six¨Cfeet under. Once she¡¯s gone, she¡¯ll swoop in and im the heart of the Alpha just as she¡¯s imed the heart of the Delta and rule over Zircon Moon.


    Odessa needs to hold out for a little longer¡­


    ¡°I know you¡¯re all are wondering why I¡¯ve gathered you here. Neron spoke, folding his bands on his desk ¡°Because of the urgency of the matter, it had to be done. There¡¯s a looming threat within there walls.¡±


    ¡°That exins why the air suddenly feels heavier¡­ Galen mutters intuitively.


    ¡°Of what sort?¡± Valerian asks.


    ¡°Someone who wouldn¡¯t burn when they had the chance. Kiya says. All eyes are an ber. Tm just going to say it because, frankly, I¡¯m tired. The f*cker who kidnapped Phoebe and me weeks ago didn¡¯t die as we originally thought. He¡¯s back, and he wants me.¡±


    A range of emotions were on everyone¡¯s faces. Shock Dismay, Anger. Worry All palpable. All exposed for the world to see.


    ¡°How long has this been happening?¡± Jacqueline whispered: evebrows knitted in know?


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Kiya admits shamefully. ¡°It¡¯s been several weeks. I thought I could fight Cars without help ¡°Osiris is his name?¡± Kwame asks with a quirked eyebrow. Interesting choice. But don¡¯t like the fact that he¡¯s lurking to terrorize one of our own Can you tell us more about him and how he slipped under our dar


    Chapter


    ¡°As far as I <b>know</b>, he doesn¡¯t bother anyone else. It¡¯s just me.¡± Kiya exins. ¡°He <b>takes </b>on a form <b>that </b>no one can sense or touch. Like a puff of smokeing out of a chimney. He doesn¡¯t have a face¡­I think.¡±


    ¡°You never saw his <b>face</b>?¡± Sapphire <b>inquires </b>incredulously, ¡°But he orchestrated <b>the </b>kidnapping and had Cerberus try to burn everything <b>down</b>.¡±


    ¡°When I was at the asylum, the shadows cloaked him, as it <b>works </b>for and with him. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s him not wanting <b>anyone </b>to see <b>what </b>he looks like, or <b>he¡¯s </b>acting as if it¡¯s some f*cking surprise.¡±


    ¡°Something about this isn¡¯t right,¡± Galen mutters with a fist under his chin. Darien and Odessa remain silent. ¡°Anyone else getting the feeling that Osiris is behind <b>more </b><b>than </b>this? The fire was a diversion to get Kiya and Phoebe. And now, <b>this </b>piece of shit is back for her. Something bigger <b>is </b>at y here.¡±


    ¡°Lagree with you, Delta Galen,¡± Neron speaks seriously. ¡°I had the unfortunate luck to meet said personst night, and he¡¯s just how Kiya described him: no tangible form. But his <b>voice </b>was clear as day. Osiris could be prowling<b>, </b><b>which </b>means none of us are safe.¡±


    ¡°But¡­how does he not have a physical form?¡± Abigail questions, her mind working.


    ¡°Osiris is an avatar. He can do anything.¡± Everyone went silent. ¡°I don¡¯t know of who, but he¡¯s like me. That makes this dangerous.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s nothing like you.¡± Neron barks with a scowl, firm in belief. ¡°Osiris is a madman. You both are avatars, whether or not I believe him doesn¡¯t matter, but he¡¯ll never mount up to <b>you</b>. You¡¯re a good person, Kiya<b>.</b>¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Simultaneously trying to ignore the heat surrounding her ch*eks, Kiya continued. ¡°He¡¯s also a hybrid.¡±


    ¡°Hybrids are not umon,¡± Kwame exins, leaning against a bookcase. ¡°But, unfortunately, many societies <b>are </b>not <b>very </b>epting. The <b>most </bmon type <b>of </b>hybrid is if they¡¯re born half¨Chuman because many species mate with humans. Besides that, it¡¯s a hit¨Cor¨Cmiss. Is Osiris half¨Chuman?¡±


    ¡°Before he bit <b>me</b>, he said-!¡±


    ¡°He did what?¡± Those <b>three </b>words killed the chatter. None heard a single huff of breath. ¡°He bit you? Is that


    why that bruise on your neck won¡¯t heal?¡±


    Kiya felt so exposed, her hand unconsciously sping over the bruise. It showcases everything she withheld for everyone to see. <b>She </b>knows everyone wants to help. Yet, she feels a sense of ipetency. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I let that slip.¡±


    ¡°They had to know,¡± Artemis <b>replies</b><b>. </b>¡°It¡¯s only fair. We need to know what we¡¯re dealing with, Kiki.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It appeared when the nightmares first started.¡± Her voice couldn¡¯t be more than a whisper. Sensing her friend¡¯s distress, Beta Jacqueline softly grips her shoulder. That simple touchmunicated between friends that the light is at <b>the </b>end of the tunnel.


    ¡°Wait a <b>damn </b>minute, you said ¡°bit.¡± Valerian suddenly spoke. ¡°Is Osiris a <b>werewolf</b>?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, supposedly. He¡¯s half<b>¨C</b>vampire, half¨Cwerewolf. But, ording to him, his wolf is <b>dead</b>, so I <b>don¡¯t</b>


    know what that makes him now.¡±


    ¡°A threat,¡± Neron replies. ¡°A threat to you and <b>us </b>all. Is there anything else you <b>can </b>think of that may <b>help</b><b>, </b><b>Kiya</b>?¡±


    Chapter 18 ¨C A Looming Thres!


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nods. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much truth there is to this<b>, </b>but Osiris mentioned that there is a traitor in your <b>pack</b>, Neron.¡±


    Neron bristled in his seat and Odessa grips Darien¡¯s hand a little tighter. She knew she was the traitor. Osiris chuckles within her mind, amused at the developments. He loved the attention. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my pet. She doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s you! Why ruin the game when it¡¯s just begun?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you told her!¡±


    I


    ¡°What I do and why I do it is all part of the <b>n</b>. Now, shut up and listen.¡±


    ¡°A traitor.¡± The calmness <b>that </b>is radiating through the Alpha is as terrifying as a <b>tarant</b>. He¡¯s holding himself back fromshing out. Traitors are the worst. If one turns their back on their pack, they turn their back against their family and livelihood. They¡¯re often executed. ¡°Interesting.¡± He suddenly shined a mellow smile to Kiya. ¡°Do <b>you </b>think <b>Miss </b><b>Phoebe can </b>help <b>us</b>?¡±


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Kiya turned on her tablet and video¨Ccalled her. If her routine remains unchanged, she <b>should </b>be awake at this hour. After two dial tones, Phoebe picked up with her face in the camera.


    ¡°Hi, Kiya.¡± Phoebe¡¯s purple eyes shined with happiness. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d call.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nods. ¡°Something is amiss, and I don¡¯t like it. What¡¯s been bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, let me set this up.¡± Using the p of her cover as a stand, Kiya ced the device to where everyone


    can <b>see </b>Phoebe and vice versa. ¡°Osiris is back.¡±


    ¡°I figured.¡± The witch sighs. ¡°People like him don¡¯t die easily. It sounds like he¡¯s escaped and has moved on to whatever backup n he has. What else can you tell me about him<b>?</b>¡±


    Kiya reiterates everything. From the start of the torment to the recent information she discovered and withheld. Phoebe¡¯s emotions were on disy as well, but most of the time, she remained calm. After the exnation, Phoebe runs a hand through her strawberry¨Cblond hair in deep thought.


    ¡°<b>An </b>avatar <b>is </b><b>a </b>powerful being, <b>as </b><b>you </b>all know. Normally, it takes an avatar to stop another. Osiris being one changes everything. It tips the entire ying field off bnce.¡±


    ¡°Miss Phoebe, is there anything we can do in the meantime?¡± Neron asks.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ll <b>ask </b>Alpha Anthony permission toe to yournd. It¡¯s a rule we¡¯ve established after the disaster. You need protection wards until we can figure out what is Osiris¡® true goal because my intuition tells me he¡¯s after more than Kiya. If my Alpha allows it, I¡¯ll be <b>there </b>before noon.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We shall wait for your arrival.¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s eyes scan the crowd in the office carefully until her <b>eyes </b>widen slightly in realization. ¡°Alpha Neron, Kiya, may I speak with you both privately?¡±


    Chapter 18 ¨C Looming Threat


    Without dy, everyone left, leaving the three of them alone. ¡°Phoebe?¡± Kiya tilts her head to the side.


    ¡°What can you tell me about that woman next to Darien?¡±


    Chapter Comments


    <b>POST </b>COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 19 Her Intuition


    ¡°Honesty whispers, ¡°Don¡¯t get pricked by the thorns of lie.¡°¨CAngelica Hopes


    Phoebe


    Evil is a living entity. It coils around the hearts of good men and <b>women</b>, infecting their purity with abysmal ckness. It has <b>a </b>scent, taste, sound, sensation, and look. The evil within them can sway one who vowed to live their life on the <b>path </b>of righteousness.


    The taste is <b>vile</b>. Itnds <b>on </b>my tongue the moment I step foot on Zircon Moon territory. No doubt Osiris influence stained the air with the wolves <b>unaware </b>of the wickedness taking refuge with their families. It slithers between the cracks, waiting to strike.


    Like a snake.


    Convincing Alpha Anthony to allow me to <b>leave </b>for Nevada was a challenge. It made sense <b>not </b>to trust me. I did sneak away without <b>his </b>permission <bst </b>time and subsequently got abducted. With any developments involving the situation, I am to let him know.


    The kidnapping is still fresh in my mind. The scent of fire, the violent grabbing, the lust for my power to use for evil¡¯s selfish gains¨CI remember all. But things have been getting better. Endo has been a big help in my recovery, and I can¡¯t thank him enough. Healing is a process. I need to remember that.


    I met Alpha Neron and Kiya at the front steps where they led me to the office. How can they move about <b>so </b><b>easily</b>? The density of the darkness in the air made breathing difficult, but I somehow managed. One can¡¯t <b>see </b><b>it</b><b>; </b>only feel it. Activity is buzzing about throughout the hallways and foyer, but it doesn¡¯t bring joy because a threat lurks. Darkness ising.


    And I can see it in some individuals. The perks of being Hecate¡¯s avatar: my intuitiveness is high<b>, </b>and my third<b>¨C</b><b>cye </b><b>is </b>always open.


    ¡°Thank you foring in on short notice, Miss Phoebe.¡± <b>Alpha </b>Neron spoke<b>, </b>opening the door for our entry. I sat in the main chair and Kiya sat in <b>the </b>spare beside me. Therge bag I <b>carry </b>settles between my ankles. ¡°I hope we didn¡¯t keep you away <b>from </b>anything important.¡±


    ¡°Luckily, today is my free day.¡± I smile warmly. ¡°I spent the better part of my week getting disced families. limated into <b>Ga </b>Moon. I¡¯m afraid the attacks on <b>packs </b>haven¡¯t ceased. I fear <b>the </b><b>worst</b>.¡±


    Judging by the forlorn look on Neron¡¯s face, he, too, <b>is </b><b>aware</b>. <b>Packs </b>in the Tri¨Cstate area aren¡¯t the only <b>ones </b>affected. It¡¯s been spreading. No doubt by the cult <b>that </b>captured Kiya and me. Osiris is their leader. What pleasure is he gaining from this?


    ¡°But!¡± I <b>perk </b>up. ¡°The families <b>are </b><b>content </b>with their new home. That¡¯s what matters to me.¡± Clearing <b>my </b><b>throat</b>, I lean <b>back </b>in my chair. ¡°Now, about Osiris. <b>Have </b>either of you notice the weight of the air? It¡¯s heavier


    -a direct effect of <b>him </b>skulking about.¡±


    ¡°Galen <b>mentioned </b>that earlier,¡± Kiya acknowledges.


    ¡°Mhm. This is <b>a </b>dire situation. I don¡¯t know why Osiris wants you, Kiya. The logical answer is that he¡¯s after your power, but I fear it could be more.¡±


    1/5


    Chapter 19 ¨C Her


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°If Osiris wanted you just for power, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to escape the asylum,¡± I answer honestly. ¡°There¡¯s more he wants. Maybe¡­with the pack itself.¡±


    ¡°My pack did nothing to this madman.¡± Alpha Neron retorts. ¡°Yesterday was the first I¡¯ve heard of him. Miss Phoebe, what could happen if he continues to linger?¡±


    I give my answer some thought. ¡°Darkness is a tricky thing. Everyone has it. However, it¡¯s our decision if we let it conquer us. Osiris is an avatar; one of darkness. And darkness corrupts. This must be dealt with to keep your pack and yourselves safe. And to expose <b>your </b>traitor.¡±


    ¡°And you think it¡¯s Odessa,¡± Kiya spoke with a slight scowl on her face. ¡°As much as I hate her, is she capable of betraying her pack?¡±


    ¡°You never know what someone is truly capable of when the circumstances are right,¡± I exin, tapping my fingers on my thigh. ¡°There¡¯s evil surrounding that woman. I could see it clear as day through the video¨Ccall. My intuition never lies. Even if she isn¡¯t the traitor, there¡¯s no doubt the path she¡¯s walking is dangerous. I wouldn¡¯t trust her as far as I can throw her. How is she mated to Darien and yet, still pines for Neron?¡±


    Alpha Neron answers with a heavy sigh. ¡°She and I were in a rtionship. A serious one, but we were together <b>for </b>the wrong reasons. Reasons that blinded me to the truth. I cut her loose. Delta Darien is a good man. Lately, however, both have been nasty towards Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Darien?¡± Kiya <b>nods</b>, dismayed. There¡¯s no way. Darien and Kiya are best friends. To think that he could turn her back on her is unfathomable. This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. A woman still after the heart of her first love is bound by the mate bond to another. Yet<b>, </b>he turns against his best friend, who is the woman the Alpha


    wants?


    what


    kind of love¨Crectangle insanity is this?


    ¡°All I can say is monitor Odessa.¡± The gravity lining my tone is intense enough for them both to grasp. ¡°She isn¡¯t to be trusted. And with Osiris silently wreaking havoc, there¡¯s no doubt that he has a hand in this. My intuition says the traitor is that woman, but without legitimate proof. I¡¯m not risking the chance to condemn


    an innocent woman to a crime she didn¡¯tmit.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a problem. She hates me and finds every opportunity to remind me I¡¯m pathetic. And Darien is along in her <b>crazy </b>ride.¡± Kiya¡¯s brown eyes look into my purple, almost pleading with me. ¡°Could we expose Odessa? Maybe you can do a spell or a ritual topel her?¡±


    I smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t think a spell is necessary. <b>Evil </b>and deception will be exposed on its own. I don¡¯t need topel her to reveal herself. Odessa will expose herself as a traitor if she is one. She¡¯s after the Alpha¡¯s heart but sees you <b>as </b>an obstacle. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned¨Cbut, it is also in that fury where she¡¯ll make a mistake. She doesn¡¯t seem like the careful type. Unfortunately, that¡¯ll make her the perfect target for Osiris¡® maniption.¡±


    ¡°You sound confident. They could be working together.¡± Alpha Neron mutters. His face contorts in growing anger. Knowing that one of your own has potentially betrayed you must be a hard thing to cope with. I¡¯ve had people betray my trust, but never to this extent.


    ¡°<b>Yes</b>. Therefore, you both need to tread carefully around her. There¡¯s no telling what she can do. There¡¯s no telling what Osiris can do.¡±


    ¡°What about Sutien.¡± 136 boune Her face held conflicting emotions¡ªof satinees and Imentation. Can ww


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    and wanting this pack saughtered.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a <b>lot </b>on thesends. And darkness has a sadistic way of making you feel loved and powerful¨Cbut it¡¯s all a trap. All I can <b>say </b>is to remain strong. You can beat this. You can beat Osiris. You just got to believe in yourself more.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Patting her thighs once<b>, </b><b>she </b>hopped <b>on </b>her heels. There¡¯s more in her mind that¡¯s bothering her¨C1 can see it on her face, but it¡¯s clear that she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.


    Kiya is secretive, sometimes. I wish she was more open. I wish she understands how much she means to people.


    ¡°will you be aroundter? I have to <b>train </b>the pups.


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t leave untilter this evening.¡± After we departed, I walk up the stairs to my guest room where someone crossed my path. Someone <b>who </b>reeked of malice and scorn.


    <b>Odessa</b><b>.</b>


    She shot me an offended look as my presence insulted her. Through my third¨Ceye, I see ck ooze dripping from her pores. It caresses her like a mother to a child. This confirms it. Odessa is the traitor and for the first time in a long time, fury bubbles within me.


    Does <b>she </b>know the consequences of her actions?!


    ¡°You¡¯re in my <b>way</b>, witch.¡± She snarls. ¡°How long will you y the little puppy dog to that wretched bitch? She brings <b>nothing </b>but <b>cmity </b>and yet, you¡¯re helping her?¡± A <b>cackle </b><b>escaped </b>her <b>cupid</b>¨Cbow lips. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long it takes before she drags you in her madness,¡±


    ¡°I should say the same to you since you¡¯re but <b>a </b><bpdog </b>to a demon.¡± Within seconds, <b>I </b>have her <b>pinned </b>to the wall with my magic. Arms spread and her body frozen. I stalk up to her like a lion to <b>a </b>gazelle, my <b>nose </b>ring


    in my fury.


    I press my


    my forehead against her own <b>and </b>gaze deeply into her hazel eyes. Through its reflection, I spot my eyes glowing purple. I observe ck tendrils swirling around her <b>soul</b>, each touch nting a seed of evil. White turns ck and the light vanishes to dark. And it all screams Osiris.


    I¡¯ve seen enough.


    Separating, I continue to glower at the cowering woman. ¡°I know what you are. You¡¯re a selfish woman buried deep underneath your insanity that the costs of your actions are blind to you. Don¡¯t think you can hide the truth from me, Odessa Rossi. You¡¯re a traitor to your kind and a heartless being to think <b>that </b>selling your


    <b>soul </b>to a monster will help get what you want. And you y with <b>the </b>heart of Darien? You¡¯re as delusional as the corrupt witches!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you with parting words. Continue down this path and you¡¯ll lose more than you gained. Mess with my friend Kiya, and I¡¯ll cast down the wrath of the goddess unlike you¡¯ve ever seen before. You have <b>no </b>idea what I do to people who deserve it.¡±


    I drop Odessa <b>callously </b>onto the ground and turn my back on her. <b>Her </b><b>presence </b>offends me. Without another word, I leave her in the empty corridor to think upon my words.


    Your treachery won¡¯t go unnoticed, Odessa.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 20 ¨C A Change in nsThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    dour


    ¡°We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us.¡± ¨C Ken Levine


    Odessa


    She knows! That f*cking witch knows!


    That bitch is going to ruin <b>everything</b>!


    I pace <b>back </b>and forth in my room, outlining <b>circles </b><b>as </b><b>Osiris </b>hovers above me like a puff of tobo smoke. He hasn¡¯t spoken a word since his <b>arrival</b>. <b>He¡¯s </b>so nonchnt about this. How the hell can he be?! That pest changed the air¨Cprobably a f*cking spell, since that¡¯s the only good thates out of her kind, and it threatens to ruin my <b>ns</b><b>!</b>


    I have I


    Darien on my side, and <b>he¡¯s </b>been a faithful little puppy. The <b>s*x </b>is amazing. Turning his back on Kiya has been a blessing because now, I <b>have </b>the upper hand. Poor little thing looks so dejected whenever he¡¯s around, and 1 had to resistughing-


    Too bad, so sad, Kiya. Darien is mine, and he¡¯ll always be mine. Soon, Neron will follow. If only Osiris would act on his master n, we wouldn¡¯t be in this <b>situation</b>!


    Goddess


    ¡°Are <b>you </b><b>going </b>to <b>say </b>something or what?¡± I demand of him. Thank for soundproof rooms. ¡°Whoever <b>that </b>witch is, she knows I¡¯m working with you. How does <b>she </b>know, and what can we do about it?¡±


    ¡°Hush, my pet. Stop moving. Your pacing <b>is </b>giving me motion sickness.¡± What a jokeing from a f*cking puff of smoke<b>. </b>He <b>slithers </b>all the damn time and I¡¯m the <b>one </b>making it <b>worse </b>for him? ¡°That youngdy is an avatar. Of Hekate, the Goddess of Magic. She¡¯s a powerful one, and nothing escapes her mighty third¨Ccye. Recruiting her was a smart move on the <b>Alpha </b>and Delta¡¯s end.¡±


    I scoff. ¡°There are more avatars? Wonderful.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more than us than you know, dear. Kiya is the one your Moon Goddess blessed with her powers, thus making her the most powerful werewolf in <b>existence</b>.¡±


    ¡°How daft must she be to pick <b>a </b>sniveling ve to carry on her magnificence.¡± I roll my eyes, offended by this information. We <b>revered </b>our beloved Goddess as wise, graceful, and unquestionable. The least she can do is bend the rules <b>a </b>bit. What did that bitch do to deserve her blessing? She¡¯s a cockroach needing to be exterminated! ¡°How do we <b>get </b>rid of the witch?¡±


    ¡°Act hastily and you¡¯ll ruin everything. You aren¡¯t to do anything until I say <b>so</b>.¡± Themand in Osiris¡® voice is absolute. I feel my head bowing on its own. It¡¯s different from an Alpha¡¯smand, although this one isced with <b>malice </b>and dominance. There¡¯s no room for disobedience. ¡°The witch is but one obstacle in my way, hut even magic <b>has </b>a time limit. She will not stay long<b>. </b>But her abilities are powerful. She has cast a protection spell around thisnd, preventing me from prowling about. I can onlyst a short while in this form.¡±


    ¡°But, what about our n?¡±


    ¡°If <b>you </b><b>cared </b>to notice, separating the Alpha <b>from </b>his mate is a challenge. Neron Prince has dedicated his energy to protect Kiya and continues to fall in love with her. An Alpha pursuing the object of his love and desire is one your hips and tits cannot sway. So, my only option is to skip a few <b>steps </b>of my original n.¡±


    Chapter 201 ¨C A Change in P?m


    arms? Mu


    My ears perk <b>up </b><b>at </b>this change. Does this mean I¡¯m going toe closer to having Neron in my heart thudded in my chest at the prospect of my first love being a hairline close to me. ¡°What does this


    mean?¡±


    ¡°It means, little puppy, that I¡¯m going forth in the final stage of my n. I <b>know </b>all about Kiya; from the minute she took her first breath to <b>this </b><b>present </b>day. I know all the terrible things you and this pack have done to her. Although, it¡¯s a benefit to not see the regret eating away at your soul.¡±


    ¡°Because I have no regrets!¡± I exim. ¡°She deserved everything she got!¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the attitude I need.¡± His chuckles <b>sent </b>shivers down my spine. ¡°Not everyone is groveling on their knees to beg for her forgiveness like the Alpha and the Beta Female. The darkness <b>that </b>persisted in these mutts hasn¡¯t changed since her dark days. The Omegas are the perfect example of that. And I¡¯m going to <b>use </b>it to my advantage.¡±


    I try to understand what he meant, but to no avail. He can see the confusion on my face and chose the reluctant option of exining it to me. ¡°Those who <b>don¡¯t </b>learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And we¡¯ll repeat history on thesends. I promise you, Odessa Rossi, it¡¯ll be fun!¡±


    ¡®But the spell,¡± I mention. ¡°You can¡¯t move around so easily. How will <b>you </b>do it?¡±


    ¡°Simple. You¡¯re my ve for a reason<b>, </b>which means I get to use you however I like. And your body will be quite useful for me.¡±


    ck smoke hovers closer as I began backing until I hit a wall panic. Sweat rolls down my temples whereas my heart hammered in my chest, threatening to break out. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! My wolf won¡¯t allow it!¡±


    ¡°You think that I¡¯m worried about <b>your </b>mongrel? She abandoned you the moment you made the deal with me. All good thingse with sacrifices, my pet.¡±


    Ariel? Abandoning me? No! She wouldn¡¯t do that! Sure, we have disagreements here and there, but she¡¯ll


    never take it <b>as </b>far as to leave <b>me</b>!


    As Osiris <b>lessens </b>the distance between us, I try to link to Ariel. But I¡¯m met with an imprable wall.


    I try it again.


    And again.


    I can¡¯t get through! She can¡¯t do this to me!


    ¡°Ariel!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>You <b>made </b><b>your </b><b>choice</b>.¡± My wolf¡¯s voice dripped with a potent poison. It strikes and stings my heart viciously like <b>a </b>scorpion¡¯s <b>tail</b>. ¡°Reap <b>the </b><b>seeds </b>you sowed.¡±


    Thest thing I saw was Osiris¡® jaws widening to reveal his fangs. Then, ck.


    Ariel¡­


    Kiya


    <b>2/4</b>


    The pups were amazing today. Nearly half of them will be promoted to be under a different trainer and were so excited. Kwame¡¯s taking over that for now. The smiles stered on their faces never ceases to heart with joy, I smiled back. I¡¯m going to miss training them, but they¡¯re moving to bigger and better things.


    They¡¯ve grown on me. I should keep in contact with some of them once I leave.


    With a towel over my neck, I walk to my room. I¡¯m desperate for a shower and my body odor is not something I want to be smelling for the rest of the day. Thanks to Phoebe¡¯s protection spell, the weight of the air has lifted significantly, but I still feel the inkling of heaviness. I hope I never have to see Osiris¡± face again, but I know that isn¡¯t possible.


    When I got to my door, I felt a presence behind it. No one should be in there; I locked it! It raises the hairs on the back of my neck and I immediately went into defense mode. If it¡¯s Osiris, I¡¯m ready to kick his ass out, even if he¡¯s a wisp of chimney smoke!


    Until I caught a whiff of the scent. Wild berries.


    What the hell?


    Unlocking the door with my key, I stare down at the intruder aligning the selenite crystals on my windowsill. ¡°How did you get in here. Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Teleportation.¡± She said bluntly, like it¡¯s a known fact. Duh. ¡°I¡¯m d your crystals are untainted by Osiris¡± presence. I¡¯ve gridded your room with additional crystals to help you sleep easier and to purify the ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± I blink in surprise. How thoughtful! ¡°Thank you. Osiris has been a real bitch <b>with </b>my sleep.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine.¡± She smiles small. ¡°You have tired circles under your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Iugh, covering my dark circles. ¡°Well, with proper care, they¡¯ll go away. After a minute, I toss my towel in theundry hamper and sat on my mattress with my friend sitting next to me. This is getting crazy. I know <b>I </b>wanted excitement in my life but never this.¡±


    ¡°Comes with being an <b>avatar</b><b>.</b>¡± Phoebe chuckles. ¡°Life¡¯s never merciful with us.¡±


    ¡°No kidding.¡± I snort. ¡°From a stalker hybrid avatar asshole to Odessa being a traitor¡­who knows what¡¯ll happen next. I can¡¯t imagine how Neron is feeling right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about him<b>.</b>¡± I <b>always </b><b>admired </b>Phoebe¡¯s purple eyes. They¡¯re like amethysts, twinkling with wisdom and wonder. Mine are boring brown.


    ¡°He¡¯s be tolerable. I can¡¯t exactly avoid not working with him, no matter how hard I try. But I guess it feels good to have him as an ally in all of this.¡± He and I haven¡¯t spoken since the meeting. I assume he needs time to think about <b>how </b>to <b>move </b>forward.


    Phoebe and I sat infortable silence for <b>a </b>moment. <b>Perhaps </b>she¡¯s thinking about my rtionship with Neron. But there was something I wanted to ask¨Csomething that has been on my mind sincest night.


    ¡°Phoebe, <b>a </b>while back, Neron told me that dreams are symbolic.¡± I began<b>. </b>¡°That they usually tell something about what¡¯s going on <b>now</b>. That applies to nightmares, right?¡±


    ¡°Nightmares and dreams are the same things, except nightmares have a fearponent<b>. </b>Why? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    Chapter 20¨CA Change in ns


    ¡°I¡¯ve had several, but the one fromst night¡­is the worst. I don¡¯t know what to think of it, and I don¡¯t want it to be prophetic or something.¡±


    ¡°What was it about?¡±


    I exined the contents of my nightmare to her. I was running from something. Fear? Disaster? Whatever it was, I ran as hard and as fast as I could. But then, the darkness cleared to a horrific scene I wish I could wash out of my mind. On the ground were fallen pack members of all shapes, sizes, and ages. Even children. The <b>more </b>I walked, the more corpses littered across the field. Some with <b>eyes </b>wide open. Some were closed. But all had their blood spilled. <b>A </b>sea of violent, vibrant red swam underneath their bodies <b>and </b>my toes.


    Then I saw their bodies. My friends. My family. Everyone I knew. Even Neron¡¯s, whose heart was ripped out from his chest and settled beside him in a squashed mass of blood and organ fluid.


    I couldn¡¯t scream. I couldn¡¯t cry. Because blood was on my hands. Thick. Fresh. And of many.


    That¡¯s when I realized that, somehow, I was responsible. I killed everyone.


    And I smiled. <b>Because </b>I was proud of what I¡¯ve done.


    Waiting for Phoebe¡¯s response felt like an eternity. Her eyes are watchful and calcting, providing a preview of the gears turning in her mind. The silence between us suddenly felt suffocating; its fingers tightening around my windpipe. My friend reaches her hand up <b>and </b>brushes her thumb against the red blotch on my neck, only to retract it secondster.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± She cocks her head to <b>the </b>side. ¡°This bruise. When did it appear?¡±


    ¡°When the nightmares began. It¡¯s the same area where Osiris bit me back then, I think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rming.¡± Phoebe bites her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean? Did Osiris do something to me besides drink?¡±


    ¡°He marked you. As his possession.¡± My world spun like a top toy as she continued. ¡°That exins why he has easy ess to you and <b>how </b>he appears in your dreams more often than not. He forcibly made a direct link to you.¡±


    ¡°Could that also be why¡­I can¡¯t feel the mate bond<b>? </b>When I touch Neron, I feel nothing, and I¡¯ve done nothing to tamper with it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She replies grimly. ¡°It¡¯s a possibility. I¡¯ve seen nothing like this. I only know based on what I¡¯ve studied from historical texts.¡±


    Great. <b>F*cking </b>great.


    Why does fate toss me <b>more </b>shit to deal with? What else can f*cking happen?


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 Chapter 110

    Chapter 21 ¨C The Sacred Book


    ¡°The best secrets are the most twisted.¡°¨CSara Shepard


    Kiya


    ¡°We¡¯re going to put a stop to this, Kiki. I promise.¡±


    The distance between my friend and me is less than <b>an </b>inch, but her voice sounded like it was miles away. It garbles and jumbles like a faulty telephone connection. None of her words registered; it kicked them out <b>as </b>the recent expos¨¦ ricochets around <b>my </b>mind.


    I¡¯m marked like a dog urinating on its favorite tree.


    I¡¯m not an object, yet I¡¯m treated like one. I don¡¯t know what Osiris <b>has </b>nned and the possibilities rm me. That malevolent <b>being </b>is cloaked in a cloud of mystery¨Chovering about,ying cryptic messages <b>for </b>me to decipher. Despite a protection barrier cast over the territory, Osiris still has a chance of slipping through.


    But he isn¡¯t the only adversary that needs to be dealt with.


    There¡¯s Odessa the surly traitor and Jonathan the petnt psychopath. Two enemies that couldn¡¯t be <b>any </b>more alike, yet so drastically different. One wants me dead, and the other wants me obedient. Both are going to catch these fists in their jaws.


    Bubble and boil. Trouble and toil. Once again, my anger rises to the asion. Flowing through me like hotva, it sizzles <b>and </b>steams in my veins. It dances across my nerve endings, building tempo and speed the more<b>. </b>it gathers. The hatred of how my life has be is tangible enough for me to hug, sinking into my soul.


    How hard is it for me to get some f*cking happiness?


    ¡°I know,¡± I growl softly. ¡°I rather it be sooner thanter. I¡¯m dealing with so much shit and it¡¯s a wonder why I haven¡¯t lost my mind yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>a </b>formidable woman, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Well, sometimes I¡¯m tired of being strong.¡± <b>I </b>vent, rubbing my temples as pressure builds up in my head. ¡°I deserve a f*cking break! Odessa is on my a*s twenty¨Cfour¨Cseven because she¡¯s convinced that I stole Neron away when I didn¡¯t want the man in the first ce, Jonathan is forcing me to ept Neron as my mate and to shut up <b>and </b>make babies, and now Osiris has marked me for who¨Cthe¨Chell¨Cknows¨Cwhat! Why can¡¯t I just lie in my bed and eat pie?!¡±


    ¡°You <b>did </b>that once. <b>You </b>ate four pies in a row.¡±


    ¡°One time <b>I </b>ate seven, but the vor was Boston Cr¨¨me Pie and it was delicious! No regrets.¡± I giggle at the recollection of when Mom came into my room and chastised me for consuming all that sugar. Her words fell on deaf ears because I promptly passed into a piea minutes after.


    Mom banned me from eating pies for <b>a </b>full month.


    Phoebe smiles. Her hand gently brushed against my curls with her magic fingers sinking into my <b>scalp</b>. I¡¯m a stickler about who I let touch my hair, but her gentleness is always wee. ¡°You out of us all know how life <b>refuses </b>to be merciful. No matter how much we beg or pray, it throws us into <b>more </b>turmoil. I¡¯m not saying


    1/5


    Chapter 21+ The Sacred Book


    you¡¯re strong because of the trauma you went through, you¡¯re strong because it¡¯s ingrained in your character and your spirit. No matter how dark things get, your light will shine through.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Her fingers sunk me into deep serenity. A purr escaped my lips as my head rests on her shoulder. ¡°Please keep doing that.¡±


    ¡°I will as long <b>as </b>you answer a question for me.¡±


    My ears perked up in curiosity. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You sai


    said Jonathan is forcing you to mate with his <b>son</b>. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°He always alluded to Neron potentially sharing my power and whatnot.¡± I shrug nonchntly. Jonathan¡¯s reasons aren¡¯t <b>and </b>will never be enough to convince me to ept his son as my destined partner. No way, no how. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much truth there is to that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Suddenly, a thought struck me. Holy shit, how could I forget about that? Leaping off my bed like <b>a </b>kangaroo, I scamper to my closet and began throwing my clothes every <b>which </b>way to find what <b>I¡¯m </b>looking for. If there¡¯s one thing that can reflect how my life is my messy closet. ¡°It¡¯s in <b>here </b>somewhere! I know it is!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­Kiya?¡± Phoebe questions, but I ignore her to find the <b>book</b>. In no time, I found <b>the </b>old, leather¨Cbound book. The Legend of the White Wolf. The faint memory of finding this book and cracking it open for the first time yed like a movie reel. It was a fascinating read, but also terrifying. The desire to protect the book is strong now as it was back then. I hid this book since my awakening, but I never found the courage to open it <b>again</b>.


    as


    Maybe I¡¯m being ridiculous. Whether anyone believes me, being an avatar is overwhelming. No matter the god or goddess they represent, there¡¯s always the element of danger. We have to remain cautious and our powers can create chaos. Osiris is proof of that¨Can avatar who¡¯s evil. Deep in my heart, light, and goodness reign


    supreme<b>.</b>


    Should I be grateful that I¡¯m an all¨Cpowerful white wolf? Perhaps the most powerful werewolf <b>alive</b><b>? </b>I don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s <b>a </b>burden. All I ever wanted was to be a normal werewolf. Now, I¡¯m a supercharged werewolf who <b>can </b>bend moon¨Cenergy with f*ckers of all typesing after me.


    ¡°<b>I </b>found this about a month back in the library here.¡± Walking over, I hand Phoebe the book. Purple <b>eyes </b>widened with amazement and curiosity. Her nimble fingers gently caressed the brown leather cover before maneuvering to the silver lock. She flipped the book over to be met with disappointment from acking title or other identifying markers.


    ¡°Power radiates <b>from </b>within. It¡¯s intense. Dare I say that it¡¯s beautiful, But, there¡¯s an element of mystery. It appears to not <b>have </b>a lock nor a key.¡±


    ¡°Not in the way you <b>think</b>.¡± I picked up a needle from my vanity and pricked a finger until a decent¨Csized drop of blood came out. <b>Pressing </b>my nicked <b>finger </b>to the lock, the book <b>sang </b><b>a </b><b>sharp </b>¡®Click!¡°. The witch blinked, <b>delicately </b><b>opening </b>and flipping through the ancient pages.


    ¨C


    ¡°Wow! Have <b>you </b><b>read </b>it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t <b>go </b>past the first page before the craziness settled in. I, kind of, forgot about it. Everything was


    Chapter 21. The Sacred Book


    overwhelming at the <b>time </b>and this would have made it worse.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I <b>understand</b>.¡± Phoebe became absorbed in the book, flipping through the pages <b>as </b>if she¡¯s alone in my room. Her mind took in the new information, processed it, <b>and </b>stored it in her long¨Cterm memory. She soaked up knowledge like a sponge. Back home, Phoebe is a demure woman often found reading from a scroll, a spell book, or just a <b>normal </b>book at her home. She¡¯s a bookworm¨Cand the smartest person I know. We¡¯re the same age, but she is glutted with wisdom.


    ¡°Found anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°I might have found why Jonathan is adamant about you and Neron mating.¡± Her <b>delicate </b>finger points to a passage several pages deep in the book.


    It is a known fact that white wolves are coveted for their extraordinary powers. None can deny that they are sacred and special. The first recorded white wolf was found in 3000 BCE after Selene created the first werewolves. Her name is unknown, but rumors specte she was a beautiful maiden of the Aegean Inds desired <i>by </i>humans and werewolves alike.


    However, maliciousness also desired her and thus began the hunts. As more white wolves are born from Selene¡¯s hand through the centuries, the danger continued to heighten until our beloved Goddess helped birth a white wolf once per century.


    Her sacred child is a solitary creature. As it ismon for all wolves to have a mate, the white wolf also has one. However, because of their hunts for their powers and blood, they die willingly or unwillingly before they have time to find their fated partner. There are no known living wolves who are descendants of a white wolf.


    If by chance, a white wolf is mated and bears children, they create a unique and powerful bloodline where their offspring possess innate powers directly passed down from them. As for their fated mate, they have a share of their power and thus be a formidable werewolf themselves. However, the mate of the white wolf must be pure of heart because the power of the avatar can corrupt if darkness is more prominent in their hearts than light.


    The mate will never be on the same level of power as the white wolf, but they will be akin to a powerful king or queen. They will be stronger, faster than average, and nearly unstoppable if they wield their new powers wisely. Selene is incredibly cautious when designing the sacred partner for her treasured children, but they are not exempt from the consecrated rules of mating. <i>If </i>the white wolf forsakes their fated partner, no matter the circumstance, they are free to select another wolf as their mate and they will receive power.


    This is spection. There has been no recording of a fully mated white wolf. <i>If </i>one white wolf defies all odds and sessfully mates, it will change the course of history.


    I blinked.


    Phoebe blinked.


    Jonathan wants me to mate with Neron to make him equal to a king. To give him prosperity. To have him set for life. He wouldn¡¯t care less if I was unhappy. Once again, I¡¯m treated as an object¨Ca tool.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    It didn¡¯t surprise me. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that Jonathan still hates me. He still mes me for the death of his wife and daughter. All that talk about regretting the abuse is bullshit. It¡¯s his way of luring me into a false <b>sense </b>of safety, so I forgive everyone on a whim.


    I rather hug the mes of hell than to abide by his wishes. I <b>have </b>forgiven no one, and it isn¡¯t starting soon.


    Chapter 21¨CThe Sacred Boring


    One day, Jonathan will know that his actions will also grant <b>his </b>son unhappiness.


    ¡°<b>That </b>is, if you don¡¯t kill him first.¡® A <b>voice </b>rang in my head. Startled, I smack it away. It¡¯s not my thoughts or Artemis¡°, Intrusive thoughts appear <b>here </b>and there, but something tells me it¡¯s more than that.


    ¡°You said you found this in the Zircon Library?¡± Phoebe asks. I nod. Her face contorts in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s


    strange.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    you say that?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± She began. ¡°This book is very important. And Selene¡¯s avatars are the only ones who can unlock it, <b>which </b>is why it responded to your blood. No one can read the contents but yourself. Since white wolves are born once every century, that rule has sealed this book for over a hundred years.¡±


    ¡°I understand that,¡± I mutter. ¡°So thest avatar, whoever they were, would¡¯ve had this bookst if they were alive to open it. Could thest avatar have been a part of this pack?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Phoebe shook her head. ¡°It sounds like Selene chooses her representatives at random, or has she told <b>you </b>how she selected you?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>She hasn¡¯t told me yet. Even the book says her choices <b>are </b>a mystery. Thest time I spoke to her, she just said that I¡¯m destined to do great things.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time you pay her a visit.¡± My friend smiles, handing me the book. ¡°<b>And </b><b>have </b>an actual conversation with her. Although, I¡¯m still curious why this pack had this book in the first <b>ce</b>. It should¡¯ve been kept somewhere special, even buried!¡±


    A thought struck my head. ¡°If Selene chooses her avatars at <b>random</b>, why would Jonathan have this? He said his ancestors held onto it and it¡¯s considered an antique. There¡¯s no way they would¡¯ve known I¡¯d be born into


    Zircon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible.¡± Phoebe countered. ¡°There are oracles out there that predict the future. Maybe Jonathan himself or someone in his family line came in contact with one and they told them this <b>would </b>happen. It¡¯s the only logical <b>exnation </b>why they kept this legendary book for so <b>long</b>.¡±


    A chill coiled <b>around </b>my spine and settled its weight on top of the vertebrae. Something about this alluded to something bigger and perhaps more sinister <b>than </b>what we¡¯re thinking. They kept this book, which means they <b>were </b>desperately hoping the next avatar is born in theirmunity. Coupled with Jonathan¡¯s <b>crude </b>actions towards <b>me</b>, there¡¯s more. Nothing about this is of pure intention, especially with <b>the </b>history of white wolves/ avatars being hunted and killed.


    I can¡¯t trust <b>Jonathan</b>. I can¡¯t trust <b>Neron</b>, either<b>.</b>


    No one in this <b>pack </b>is trustworthy.


    And I feel another betrayal is on the way.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 22 ¨C Trust


    ¡°Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.¡°¨C William Shakespeare


    Neron


    Traitor.


    Someone who deliberately betrays their livelihood for something else. That vindictive word bounced off the walls of my mind as my paws beat against the dark ground. With each thump, the ringing grew louder until it <b>was </b><b>the </b>only sound I <b>heard</b>.


    I couldn¡¯t hear <b>the </b>whistling <b>wind </b>or the melodies of the cicadas that scurried into their homes as I ran. As a true wolf in their habitat. Despite the angry mantra of ¡®traitor¡® in my mind, I <b>needed </b>this run. It¡¯s a way to calm me. The heat from today¡¯s events pushed my beast to the front. Onyx allowed me this time.


    <b>I¡¯m </b>furious. I¡¯m upset. I¡¯m confused.


    Miss Phoebe¡¯s words are infallible. They clung like leeches to flesh. The urgency and unwavering confidence when she pointed the usatory finger at Odessa is slowly weaving together the pieces of a greater puzzle. She¡¯s not acquainted with Odessa, so what reason would she have to lie?


    Wrapping my mind around Odessa being the traitor was <b>easy</b>. Out of the motives she could have, one makes sense to get rid of my mate. She hates Kiya. Her hatred runs deep. That terrifies me the <b>most</b>.


    Anger is a <b>hot</b>, destructive <b>force </b>that pushes many to do things they didn¡¯t know they could do. It blinds and maniptes<b>, </b>coiling around the heart like a slithering snake. And when it strikes, it strikes hard.


    Odessa is a danger to the pack, to me, and above all, to Kiya.


    And I must eliminate the danger.


    But I need solid evidence that she¡¯s conspiring with Osiris. Considering how secretive she is, it¡¯s a problem.


    Thest time we used someone without legitimate evidence, it cost us. It cost <b>us </b>Kiya.


    And she¡¯s mated to Darien. I¡¯ll be forced to break two mates apart. No matter what, hearts will be broken.


    But I can¡¯t have Odessa trotting around carelessly. Skidding to a stop when the fresh scent of water tickled my snout, I <b>open </b>my mind¨Clink to connect to someone I trust will get the job done.


    ¡°Tristian.¡±


    Immediately, a deep orotund voice echoes in my head. ¡°Yes, Alpha?¡±


    ¡°I have a new assignment <i>for </i>you. You are to document Odessa Rossi¡¯s every move and report your findings to me before the day¡¯s end. This <i>will </i>be a daily urrence until I say otherwise. You begin tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, Alpha Neron, but why do <b>you </b>want me to stalk your ex¨Clover?¡±


    ¡°Because she is more of a danger than I first realize, but I need evidence before I am to decide her fate. Documented proof that she is who I think she is.¡±


    15


    Chapter 22 ¨C Trust


    ¡°And if you get that proof, what will happen to her?¡±


    I hated the answer I¡¯m about to give, but it is what it is. ¡°The consequence of a traitor is death. There¡¯s no way out of it. Odessa will die.¡± If a traitor dies, that eliminates the chance for them to cause further harm. It¡¯s been a rule for all werewolf packs for centuries. It doesn¡¯t mean I have to like it.


    ¡°Understood, Alpha Neron.¡±


    Closing the mind¨Clink, I followed the freshwater scent to a ce I haven¡¯t visited in years. A ce that held. precious <b>memories </b>of my mother.


    A gentle, moonlit waterfall surrounded by a steaming hot spring. The heated mist rolled into the night sky, forming a gentle haze under the waning gibbous. Moonlight glittered upon the clear waters as the tunes of trickling water enter my ears. In the daylight, the <b>water </b>is a beautiful crystal¨Cblue with the vibrant nt life around the edges. It¡¯s full of life. At night, it¡¯s peaceful. It rests as its colors fade.


    I used toe here with Mom, especially if my training became too much. My mother had a gift of knowing whenever I needed to rx. Kids get stressed out, and she knew that. <b>And </b>she handled it with care. Training for the Alpha role since age ten wasn¡¯t easy, and this secret ce provided me with an escape. Neither Nuria Dad knew about this ce¨Cthis was the one secret only Mom and I shared.


    I vividly remember Mom and I dipping our toes in the hot springs as the heat melted away our stresses. It couldn¡¯t have been easy for her to be a mother


    did. The surrounding scents are <b>calm</b>, but and Luna. I could tell she needed the rxation more than I


    ck raspberry and rose,


    I miss her terribly.


    can¡¯tpare to Mom¡¯s.


    Why did Ie here? To think about the events that led up to this chaotic moment of my life. I sat my rear end on the grass. My tail wagged behind me as the wind stroked me like how Mom used to do. My inner child thought it¡¯s Mom <b>here </b>with me. It made me happy. Goddess, if she was alive¡­<b>I¡¯d </b>run to her for advice. I¡¯m not ashamed to admit that as a grown man<b>, </b>I¡¯d still seek her guidance.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I breathed. I allowed the memories of the past thirteen years to flood my mind, focusing on Odessa.


    How could she, my friend since the 6th grade, turn into a traitorous woman? Part of <b>me </b>didn¡¯t want to kill her<b>. </b>Foolishly, it hoped Odessa can redeem herself; that she¡¯ll ask for forgiveness. Redemption can be her anodyne to soothe whatever pushed her to be this <b>way</b>, for a mistake. It still cares about <b>Odessa </b><b>as </b><b>a </b>member


    It of my pack.


    But the other part of me didn¡¯t <b>care</b>. It¡¯s the most sagacious out of the conflicting halves. It recognizes my duties as Alpha. An Alpha protects its pack from all <b>threats</b>¨Cboth internal and external. Odessa will be eliminated, no matter what. No matter the history <b>we </b>shared, the <b>woman </b>made her choice. She can prattle continuously about her love for me and regret, but it doesn¡¯t matter in werewolf <bw</b>.


    And that¡¯s the saddest revtion of them all. I¡¯ve killed before, but never someone I once held <b>close </b>to my heart.


    But I cannot help but believe this is, somehow, my fault.


    Chapter 22 ¨C Trust


    I ran back home after clearing my head. I¡¯ve missed dinner, but that¡¯s the least of my concerns, Running to the tree with my clothes resting on the roots, I shifted back and got dressed.


    While walking to the front steps, something caught my attention from my peripherals. I stopped. It¡¯s dark enough for the night to hide my body, but it couldn¡¯t hide the light from one open bedroom window.


    With her elbow on her wand her other hand petting a ball of feathers, Kiya¡¯s l*ps went from a frown


    to an easy¨Cgoing smile, I can hear <b>Diana¡¯s </b>soft coos with my werewolf hearing. And for a moment, I watched the tender moment between my mate and her pet. Jealousy couldn¡¯t describe how I feel towards the owl.


    I want to be the one to put that smile on Kiya¡¯s face. To make herugh. To wipe away her tears. To fight. against everything that hurt <b>her</b>, <b>even </b>myself. The moment is bittersweet. Kiya has a lot of love for Diana and the bird is privileged enough to relish in it.


    The moon fancied my mate with the way the moonlight brought out her ethereal beauty. Her skin glittered under the silver light and her hair flowed lightly with the night breeze. I suck back in a gasp when the moonlight revealed the hint of blue underneath her coffee¨Ccolored orbs..


    Goddess, can <b>she </b>be even more beautiful?


    Kiya must have been aware of my stares because when she looked up, our eyes met. Her expression hardened for a moment but quickly unstiffened. Diana¡¯s head turnedpletely around¨Cwhich I find creepy about owls -and boots <b>when </b>she spots me. She took off from the windowsill straight to me. I held up my finger so that her feetnd on something sturdy.


    ¡°Hi, Diana.¡± I smile as she rubbed her head against my bicep<b>. </b>¡°You look lovely tonight.¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡± She expanded her wings to <b>show </b><b>off </b>her clean<b>, </b>white feathers.


    Showoff.


    The sound of a window clicking drew my eyes to Kiya shutting her blinds. A pang of disappointment hit my heart. I wanted to look at her longerpletely ignoring how creepy that shit sounds.


    ¡°<b>You </b><b>know</b>, Diana,<b>¡± </b>I spoke, trekking to the front steps of my home. ¡°You should start filing your talons down. They¡¯re bing sharper.¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± <b>Was </b>that a disappointing hoo? This bird <b>has </b><b>more </b>personality than some of my members. Chuckling, I rubbed her soft head. My heart melted at <b>her </b>cuteness. I¡¯m growing fonder of this bird every day.


    I don¡¯t <b>even </b>like birds!


    The front door swung open seconds before I touched the knob, revealing Kiya in a bright, fluffy, pink onesie with cat ears on the hood. Her face held a scowl, but I couldn¡¯t take it seriously given everything from the <b>neck </b>down is frightenedly pink.


    ¡°<b>Don¡¯t </b><b>say </b>a word.¡± She warned. ¡°My <b>mom </b>got me this onesie, <b>and </b>it¡¯s <b>soft</b>. I like soft.¡±


    ¡°Which mom?


    ¡°My real one.¡±


    ¡°<b>Ashley</b>?¡± She pped her face with her palm in exasperation. ¡°Oh, Lyra.¡±


    Chapter 22¨CTrust


    ¡°Duh.¡± She rolled her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the onesie <b>distracted </b><b>me </b>because it¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!


    ¡°Cute! You look adorable!¡±


    ¡°Good grief¡­¡± Kiya used her flooding sleeves to cover her ch*eks. Aww, <b>she¡¯s </b>embarrassed!


    ¡°You look like a fluffy pink marshmallow.¡± A loud cackle erupted from my chest when Kiya grew angrier.


    Damnit, she¡¯s cuter when mad.


    ¡°Neron, I swear to Selene<b>, </b>I¡¯ll sew your mouth shut!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± <b>I </b>held my hands up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯ll stop!¡± Diana cooed for thest time before flying to her home in the trees. That left the two <b>of </b><b>us </b>alone. My mate eyed me carefully while patting away the e growing embarrassment on her ch*eks. Just by the silence between us, something is weighing heavily on her mind.


    ¡°You missed dinner.¡± She whispers. ¡°Where were you?¡±


    Kiya concerned about my whereabouts? That¡¯s heartwarming! ¡°I went for a run. There was a lot on my mind I


    needed <b>to </b>sort out.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way. Is it about Odessa? What¡¯ll happen to her?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Regardless of what happens, if Odessa is guilty, I¡¯ll have <b>no </b>choice but to end her life. Traitorous behavior cannot go on under my watch. I have someone monitoring her every move. We¡¯ll catch her, Kiya.


    Then we can end this Osiris madness once and for all.¡±


    She nods in agreement, but her eyes are unfocused. ¡°Neron, there¡¯s something I need to ask you.¡±


    My heart lurched at the intensity of hermand. Even Onyx stood up straight. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can I trust you?¡±


    I blink<b>. </b>Was that all she wanted to ask? ¡°Yes, you can.¡±


    This isn¡¯t easy for her. Putting her faith into <b>me </b>is like asking a child to give up their favorite toy. The reluctance. Anxiety permeated <b>through </b>her sweet scent, souring it slightly. Kiya is worried about the oue. I want to reach out, to touch her, to hold her hand, but she won¡¯t let me. Especially when she recoiled when I tried to.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I <b>bowed </b>my head. ¡°But you can trust me<b>, </b>Kiya. I¡¯m here for you every step of the way. Whatever is bothering <b>you</b>, you can tell me.¡±


    She sighed. Heavily. Like she¡¯s preparing herself. After what felt like a minute<b>, </b>she spoke. ¡°I found out a lot of things today with Phoebe about myself as an avatar and a connection with your family. It¡¯s a lot to exin. <b>Are </b><b>you </b>up for it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I spent thest three minutes listening to Kiya¡¯s discoveries; from the mysterious book to the spections of


    Chapter 22¨CTrust


    how my family knew of her birth. It¡¯s all incredible to me, but the crazy part is, I don¡¯t doubt her. With the times my father tries to force me to <b>mark </b>Kiya, it all strangely makes <b>sense</b><b>.</b>


    And I f*cking hate it.


    I had to sit on a stair to soak in the new information. Kiya shifted on her heels nervously, waiting for <b>my </b>response. But what do I even say to this?


    ¡°Have you looked into your family history?¡± She asks.


    ¡°Not much in <b>recent </b>years. No offense, but history is boring to me. It wasn¡¯t my favorite subject in high school.¡±


    ¡°Well, you need to get over it and look more into it. Neron¡­¡± She huffs shakily, more of her anxiety persists. ¡°I don¡¯t trust your Dad. At all. If these spections turn out to be true, then it makes me question the intentions of everyone here. Do they want me for <b>me </b>or just for what I can give them? Am I a person or a tool? That¡¯s why I need to know if I can truly trust you. Because I¡¯m scared for my future.¡±


    I stood on my feet once again<b>, </b>closing the distance between us. The maic pull of our eyes held us in ce. Behind her brown, I see the desperation forfort and fear of the unknown. ¡°Tell me, Kiya. What is it you want from me?¡±


    Tears pooled. Then fell one at a time down her wless ch*eks. ¡°I want you to protect me. Because I¡¯m scared of being hurt again.¡±


    Without a word, I drew Kiya into my arms. Holding her as tight as I can. Her tears dampened the cloth of my shirt, but I didn¡¯t care. After a moment of hesitation, her arms looped around my torso as she silently cried out her fears.


    I <b>will </b>protect her until myst breath. Onyx growled in agreement, angry that our mate feels helpless. Kiya is more than my mate. She is a fighter, a lover, a beauty, and a wonder. She doesn¡¯t deserve this. Odessa and my father are colossal problems. Whatever he has <b>nned </b>for my love, I won¡¯t let ite to pass. Whatever he hopes to aplish, I¡¯ll crush it with my bare hands.


    ¡°I swear on my honor <b>as </b>an Alpha, I will protect you until the day I die,¡± I whisper into her hair, nting soft k*sses on her curly bundles.


    ¡°And I won¡¯t let anyone stand in my way.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 23 <b>¨C </b>This Isn¡¯t Me


    ¡°I¡¯m interested in people¡¯s darker side, the ones that aren¡¯t easy and well¨Cbnced.¡°¨CNoomi Rapace.


    Darien


    Everything feels wrong.


    I cannot think straight. I¡¯m walking on a ledge of peril, dangerously swaying from side¨Cto¨Cside. Desperate not to fall and regain control of myself.


    The darkness coils around my delicate neck like a predator eyeing my vulnerability lustfully. It wants to maim. It wants to destroy. It wants to break me apart and twist my mind until there is nothing left. My fingers, raw from the endless battles against the vivacious ckness, continue to pull to set myself free.


    This has been an endless battle for days. Some days are worse than others. My body moves on its own <b>ord </b>and my mouth spews venom daily. This isn¡¯t me. It shouldn¡¯t be me! The cloak of darkness over my eyes obscures the reality in front of me, and it leaks <b>into </b>every artery and vein.


    I¡¯m a puppet <b>to </b>an unknown master.


    I hate being controlled. It¡¯s the one thing I¡¯d never allow to happen to me. I refuse to let anyone dictate <b>what </b>I <b>do </b>and don¡¯t do¨CI¡¯m a grown man capable of making my own decisions. But now, I failed my internal promise<b>.</b>


    Gaining my <b>sense </b>of awareness is like bobbing for an apple in a vast ocean. It¡¯s almost impossible, but some days I find the apple. It¡¯s when I¡¯m cognizant of the nasty <b>res </b>from my friends. Their detestation stings my heart like an angry wasp because I made them that way. With the horrible <b>words </b>that fly out of my mouth to my distasteful actions, and unconcealed disrespect to all I stand for. Including ignoring my dutic


    as the Deltal trainer, blowing my friends off from our quality time, and going as far as insulting them. I know their secrets and shames, and my wordsnd on the most exposed of targets.


    How could I do this? Am I truly this despicable? I want to scream this is not me! Why would I put years of friendship in jeopardy without warning? My heart weeps whenever <b>Jacqueline </b>snarls at me, Abigail shakes her head in shame, Sapphire ignores me<b>, </b>or Galen throwing me against the wall in fury at my actions.


    His <b>punches </b>hurt.


    I wanted to fall to my knees, but I couldn¡¯t. I wanted to cry and beg for forgiveness, but I couldn¡¯t. Remember that apple? As a symbol of my awareness, it gets washed away by the dark ocean. It takes <b>and </b>pulls me into its perilous depths, deeper until no light can prate through. Then, I revert to bing the nastiest asshole that the Moon Goddess would be ashamed of.


    And it <b>all </b>happens by her touch. Her honeyed words. Her ims of love. Her lust for my body intertwining with hers. Those nimble, perfectly manicured fingers once full of soft touches <b>are </b>tainted with tickles of what I can describe as, evil.


    As Odessa sleeps soundly next to me in bed, heavy darkness perfuses out of her <b>flesh</b>. Invisible, but felt. It holds her like a baby in a carriage, fusing with her spirit. It¡¯s slowly affecting me. Her presence is affecting me. Or <b>has </b>it <b>already</b>? This isn¡¯t the woman I fell in love with.


    That vile part of me emerges when Odessa <b>is </b>near. Something <b>has </b>happened to her, I¡¯m sure. But why Is she


    embracing it? My mate has be a different person, and it scares me. Sometimes when we¡¯re making love is when <b>I </b>catch <b>the </b><b>changes </b>in her eyes.


    Glittering hazel <b>shing </b>to a <b>vermilion </b>red.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    I thought I was imagining things because <b>the </b>color <b>disappears </b>quickly. Looking back, I should¡¯ve taken that as a red g of something sinister happening.


    And that¡¯s not the worst part. It¡¯s how I¡¯ve been acting toward Kiya. <b>And </b>how my words cut her the deepest. She¡¯ll never trust me again after this! She¡¯s my best friend and I¡¯m hurting her the <b>worst</b>.


    ¡°It¡¯s not you. It¡¯s because of Odessa.¡± I hear Sirius¡® voice like the distant wind. Ever since this ¡®infliction¡® I haven¡¯t been able to connect with him as easily. We¡¯re separated by a forced, imprable wall that I couldn¡¯t break. ¡°She has betrayed you.¡±


    Deep down. I know Sirius¡® words are true. I don¡¯t want them to be. I love Odessa¨Cfrom the strands of her luscious hair to the tips of her toes. ws and all. Buttely, I¡¯ve seen her true side. At how she pines for the <b>man </b><b>who¡¯ll </b><b>never </b><b>love </b>her as I do.


    It looks <b>like </b>the mate bond cannot fix all. Yet, my heart yearns for her. It knows it desperately wants to be touched by her own, but her heart is as cold as ice. A warm body with the ember of lust humming underneath her <b>apricot </b>flesh houses an unattainable heart that slowly ckens overtime.


    Love is blind, and I became a fool. I chuckle bitterly.


    I couldn¡¯t turn her heart away from the Alpha. No matter the time or dedication I put for her; from our moments <b>we </b>shared in bed, to the dates I took her out on the past month, to wiping her tears away¨Cher heart belonged to another. It always has. The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake with binding us both as fated partners.


    <b>Why </b>can¡¯t she love me back?


    ¡°Not all hope is lost<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>Sirius perked up with hope. ¡°Ariel has not forsaken us. She loves both of us!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re able to connect with her despite this shit going on?¡±


    ¡°It <b>hasn¡¯t </b>been <b>a </b><b>walk </b>in the park, believe me.¡± He grumbles. ¡°It <b>took </b>a lot of trying, but we made it work. <b>Our </b>connections <b>are </b>short¨Clived, but it¡¯s better than nothing. We¡¯re going <b>to </b><b>get </b>out of this<b>, </b>dude. This is just an obstacle, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Right. Her wolf still loves us, but she¡¯s yours. So really, she loves


    <b>your</b>.


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re her human mate and wee <b>as </b>a <b>package </b>deal! She has no choice but to love us <b>both</b>.¡± Sirius chuckles. ¡°It isn¡¯t at the <b>end </b><b>of </b>the world. Odessa is a lost cause, but we aren¡¯t! <b>I </b>admit, part of me still loves her and hopes she realizes the <b>error </b>of her ways, but I cannot forgive her for turning <b>you </b>into this<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s happening with me.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>She¡¯s </b>poisoned us. She¡¯s cavorting with malevolent forces. <b>She </b>sold her soul <b>to </b>the devil, and for what? To be the apple of the Alpha¡¯s <b>eye </b>when an idiot with two brain cells can see that he loves <b>Kiya</b><b>.¡±</b>


    Chapter 21 ¨C Thisnd Me


    ¡°He choked the hell out of the both of us not too long ago. I admit Alpha Neron can defending Kiya.¡±


    he f*cking scary when


    ¡°Because he was <b>an </b>idiot before he realized how much she means to him. <b>He¡¯s </b>redeeming himself for the hurt he caused. <b>Can¡¯t </b><b>say </b>Odessa will follow the same path. The woman threw herself in a pool full of dumb bitch juice.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t <b>insult </b>her like that!¡±


    ¡°Oh, whatever. <b>She </b>made her bed and she must lie in it. I don¡¯t appreciate how she discarded you like the first piece of sliced bread! Would a true mate do this? If Odessa <b>loved </b>you, she wouldn¡¯t put you through hell <b>and </b>turn you <b>against </b>your friends.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just the chess piece in this game. We must stop this, Sirius. But how?¡±


    ¡°Kiya. She can help us! You¡¯re lucid enough to hold a <b>decent </b>conversation. We must find her!¡±


    1


    Carefully untangling Odessa¡¯s arms from my body, I snatched my <b>shirt </b>and pants off my bedroom floor. Getting dressed as quietly as possible was <b>hard </b>since every ruffle sounds <b>as </b>loud <b>as </b>a f*cking rm! With haste, I exited my room and searched for my friend.


    The pack house is bustling with activity, with muddled conversations leaking from all corners. The pungent aroma of food permeated through the air, awakening my stomach. F*ck, I should grab something to <b>eat </b>after this.


    Kiya¡¯s room is near mine. The n is to knock on her door, beg for her forgiveness, and tell her what¡¯s happening. But by the grace of the Moon Goddess, she exited her room dressed in a ck suspender skirt with a clean, <b>white </b><b>shirt </b>and canvas shoes with her ck crossbody purse. She dressed to head into town.


    ¡°Kiya!¡± Her corkscrew curls flew when she turned her head. Her facial expression dissolves from curiosity to utter disgust. My heart plunged into despair to have my best friend look at me with anything other than a


    smile. How much damage have I done?


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± She snaps.


    ¡°Kiya<b>, </b><b>please</b><b>,</b>¡± I <b>begged</b>, walking toward her. Desperately, I wanted to take her hands in my own, but when i reached out, she flinched. ¡°Something is wrong with me and I don¡¯t know what it is. And I need your help. Please.¡±


    ¡°Is this some sort of trick?¡± My friend retorts with a scowl. ¡°You <b>expect </b>me to fall for this act when you¡¯ve done nothing but degrade and insult <b>me </b>along with your side bitch?¡± I hung my head in shame.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give <b>up</b><b>,</b><b>¡± </b><b>Sirius </b>says. ¡°Try harder.¡±


    1 take a deep breath, soothing my palpitating heart. The hatred on her face is painful; it <b>takes </b><b>a </b>lot to <b>make </b>Kiya hate someone. She has a naturally pure and benevolent heart. And I could have damaged it with actions beyond my control. I need her to see the truth.


    ¡°Kiya. I <b>know </b>I¡¯ve hurt you and you have no reason to <b>trust </b>me, but please, hear me out. Just give me this chance to exin what¡¯s been going on.¡± I sigh in defeat. ¡°I need your help<b>.</b>¡±


    She¡¯s contemting. The struggle is ever¨Cso¨Cpresent on her face as she battles between ignoring and listening to me. I wait with bated breath, silently praying to the Moon Goddess. To my surprise, she leans against the


    <ol start="23">


    <li>This bant Me</li>


    </ol>


    wall with arms crossed.


    ¡°Three minutes.¡±


    I spilled everything; <b>what </b><b>Sirius </b>and I deliberated, my internal warfare, and my true feelings. I¡¯m repulsed and saddened that I <b>wasn¡¯t </b>strong enough to stop hurting my friends. Kiya¡¯s face was a rainbow of emotions as she listened to what I believe to be, a wild story. After a minute of ufortable silence, her scowl deepens.


    ¡°I knew it.¡± <b>She </b>whispers. ¡°<b>This </b><b>makes </b>more sense now,¡±


    I¡¯m so confused. ¡°Kiki, <b>what </b>do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ili, baby!¡± In an instant, Odessa came to my side, gripping my hand like it was her lifeline. A wave of <b>revulsion </b>washes over me at her faux affection. My body went frighteningly stiff from her touch, trapping me between a rock and a hard ce. When she k*ssed my ch*ek, the dark haze fell over my eyes again and I¡¯m drowning in the ocean of darkness again. Sirius¡® voice has faded into silence. There¡¯s a distant cackle at my weakness around my psyche, growing louder as I sank. ¡°I missed you. You should have woken me up.¡±


    What did Odessa do to me?!


    Kiya


    Her sickly sweet voice is getting on myst nerve. The way Darien¡¯s expression fell dramatically from concern to stoic worried me. I rey the new information in my mind, connecting the dots from Odessa¡¯s influence on her suspicion as a traitor.


    Her pearl¨Cwhite smile hides her malice. She¡¯s as toxic as radioactive sludge, and she¡¯s infecting everyone surrounding her. There¡¯s no doubt Osiris <b>has </b>his <b>hand </b>in this and she¡¯stching onto faux power.


    ¡°And where are you going?¡± Odessa scoffs with her eyes racking over my form. ¡°Dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°<b>None </b>of your business. If you hadn¡¯t noticed, I was talking to Darien.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad.¡± She giggles. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have to waste his breath on a <b>pest </b>like <b>you</b>. You should learn <b>to </b>not talk to taken men. But, s, how can someone like you possibly understand the love between mates? You still don¡¯t <b>have </b>one.¡±


    Control yourself, Kiya. Don¡¯t give her the satisfaction.


    ¡°I rather have no mate <b>than </b>to have an unfaithful one.¡± My smile is as we as sugar but deadly <b>like </b>a cobra. Odessa was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re still pining for Neron. That shit is sad.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mine, <b>stupid </b>ve.¡±


    I <b>look </b>to Darien to see his unchanging expression. The bitch has him wrapped around her finger again. ¡°Then why did he ask me to go to the <b>mall </b>with him and not you<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Because he has lost his way! My poor <b>Alpha </b><b>cannot </b>see the truth because you¡¯ve strayed him away from his correct path. You turned him into a lovesick puppy, begging for a crumb of your attention. As if you deserve to <b>have </b>an Alpha or to be Luna! You turned him into a pathetic dog!¡± She huffs, swallowing back her anger. ¡°But not to worry. I <b>have </b><b>a </b>few tricks up my sleeve.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if <b>you¡¯ll </b>make it that far,¡±


    Chapter 23 ¨C This hat Me


    My fury came out in full throttle, ready to explode on impact. I hated no one more than I hate Odessa¨Cthe bitch who never regretted hurting me <b>and </b>continues to hurt me with a smile. She is the traitor. And is manipting Darien to bing this vile person all for her. And to destroy me!


    Red dots shed in my eyes. It took a lot of self¨Ccontrol to notsh out. To not do something I¡¯d think I regret. I swear to Selene<b>; </b>I want to make Odessa <b>suffer</b>.


    Wouldn¡¯t it feel good to bend and break her just as she¡¯s broken me? To relish in her screams and pain, just as she relished in mine? is amazing.


    15 an eye for an eye! Goddess, <b>the </b>lust for the pain of others who caused me pain


    But it¡¯s not me. It can¡¯t be me. <b>I¡¯m </b>not a sadist, no matter how much the darker side of me lusts for this bloody vengeance.


    ¡°You watch your back.¡± I hiss. ¡°Karma ising, and I¡¯ll make sure it whoops your ass<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat, bitch?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s a f*cking promise.¡± I growl back. ¡°Because your little game will end not in the way you want.¡±


    And I¡¯ll make sure of that. Odessa will fall and I¡¯ll have the front¨Crow seat to her demise.


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 Chapter 113

    Chapter <b>24 </b>¨C Hyper¨CAwareness


    ¡°He must have felt a disturbance just beyond the boundless world his eyes perceived. Maybe like dogs we know when we are being hunted.¡°¨CGarth Risk Hallberg


    Kiya


    I need to get Odessa out of her mind. She¡¯s driving me crazy!


    A lone thought of her sends my fury into a whirlwind of crimson. It¡¯s fast, unmistakable<b>, </b>and demands destruction. I can¡¯t have this. This is setting me up for a dangerous dance and I need to stomp it out.


    Breathe in, breathe out. The all¨Ctoomon mantra.


    Bury the anger and conceal its leftovers behind a mask. Don¡¯t show or tell. My fingers tremble as I stuff it back to where it should be; aching to wrap themselves around Odessa¡¯s throat as she¡¯s done to me many times. before. And squeeze as her brown eyes turn a dull grey upon death.


    No. Calm down, Kiya. You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re fine. I cannot let her words dictate my actions, no matter how much I want to punch those pretty teeth clean out of her mouth. I inhale slowly and exhale in kind, feeling the simmering heat die down to chill. As for Darien, I understand why he¡¯s saddened at the newest discoveries of Odessa¡¯s treachery. It¡¯s his mate¨Csomeone who¡¯s meant for him is betraying him in the most intimate of


    ways.


    He doesn¡¯t deserve this. Figuring out how to save him will be one of my top priorities.


    With a steady hand over my heart, I gait down the stairs to meet Neron at the front door. He invited me to go to the mall and since I had nothing better to do; I agreed. No training equals <b>me </b>time. And time away from <b>this </b>house. Too much has happened in the past weeks <b>and </b>I need fresh air.


    ¡°Hey!¡± He grins as soon <b>as </b>I¡¯m spotted. Noticing he¡¯s dressed in casual jeans <b>and </b>a buttoned¨Cup blue shirt, he looks like a <b>normal </bmoner. No one would guess that he¡¯s an alpha werewolf. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± I nod. Before I walked out, his hand gently grabbed my wrist. Looking back, Neron¡¯s face held concern.


    ¡°<b>Are </b>you okay?¡± He <b>asks</b>. ¡°You seem¡­off.¡±


    Damn him <b>and </b><b>his </b>perception. Putting forth my best smile, I nod again. <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯m </b>fine. I just found out a few things. I¡¯ll tell you in the <b>car</b>.¡± I¡¯m not in a hurry to leave, but to stop <b>this </b>potential line of questioning. The <bst </b>thing <b>I </b><b>need </b>is for my anger to brew again. Semi¨Csatisfied with my <b>answer</b>, Neron released my arm and we


    exit the house <b>in </b>silence.


    ¡°So,¡± I spoke. The <b>breeze </b>picked up, so I tied my hair in a ponytail. ¡°Why did you invite me to the mall?¡±


    ¡°There are some things I wanted to take care of and¡­¡± Neron suddenly looks sky, brushing the back of his <b>hair </b>nervously as mellow pink painted his cheeks. ¡°I wanted to spend more time with you, away from the craziness, for sure. I know it¡¯s selfish of me but¡ª¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s fine. At least you told <b>me </b>the truth, but I <b>had </b>my suspicions.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t <b>get </b>anything <b>past </b>you, <b>huh</b>?¡±


    1/5


    ¡°You can, <b>but </b>you must try harder.¡±


    ¡°Auntie!!¡± Without warning, one¨Chundred pounds of little boy barreled into me in a fit ofughter. It¡¯s a good <b>thing </b>I have good reflexes or else Adonis and I would mimic a chopped¨Cdown tree! My nephew¡¯s arms are around my neck and his tiny legs around my waist. Laughing, I hug the child and adjusted him slightly for support. ¡°Where <b>are </b>you going with Uncle Neron?¡±


    ¡°Hello to you too, little prince.¡± Adonis batted my hand away when I yfully ruffle his hair. Raina <b>and </b>unfortunately, her parents walked toward us. ¡°Your uncle and I are going to the mall.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to get <b>me </b>a present?¡±


    ¡°Present?¡± I questioned. Raina shuffles over to me nervously, twiddling her <b>thumbs</b>.


    ¡°Adonis¡± birthday is this Saturday and we¡¯re throwing him a party.¡± She gazes at her son warmly with all <b>the </b>love a mother can hold. ¡°He¡¯s been asking everyone if they¡¯re getting him presents. I warned Val about spoiling him too much for this exact reason!¡±


    Adonis is turning six! How exciting! I shined a big smile at the innocent boy wrapped around me like I¡¯m his birthday gift, his green eyes shining with <b>pure </b>light and innocence. Gazing into those big emeralds caused tears to form in my eyes because¡­that¡¯s the light I want to protect. The light I wish I still had. The light too bright for this dark world.


    My nephew reminds me so much of how I was <b>as </b>a child and it hurts.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>youing to my party?¡± Adonis squeezes me tighter. ¡°Please, Auntie Kiya! <b>Please </b><be</b>! It¡¯ll be fun and there will be cake!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be great If you were toe, Kiya,¡± <b>Steven </b>spoke, earning a scowl from me. ¡°It¡¯d be the first time he¡¯d celebrate his birthday with you<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°And he likes you a lot, <b>see</b>?¡± Ashley added. Another scowl. ¡°Will youe?¡±


    ¡°I assume you both will be there?¡± They nodded. Disgusting. Being in the same room with my sperm and egg donors is <b>repulsive</b>, but I didn¡¯t give a shit about them. I cared about the little boy regarding me with a loving look. Sighing <b>heavily</b>, I grinned at Adonis. ¡°You had me at the cake. I¡¯ll be there, Donny.¡±


    ¡°Yay! I can¡¯t wait!¡± As <b>soon </b>as he utched himself off me, the young pup ran inside the pack house in <b>a </b>flurry of excitement. My heart thuds in happiness for him but quickly stilled when looking back at the three people in front of me. <b>Raina</b>, smiling small, closed the distance between us.


    ¡°I¡¯m thrilled you¡¯ll being, little sis.¡± Her voice is full of hope and happiness. ¡°It¡¯ll be great! This party will be a memorable one, I¡¯m sure<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± My reply lost its luster but only because I¡¯m standing around her parents for longer <b>than </b>I need to. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I <b>can </b>get him something at the <b>mall</b>.¡±


    ¡°Coming together for the joy of a little boy is a wonderful asion, isn¡¯t it, Honeybee?¡±


    That infuriating nickname! Ashley pressed her hands together like she¡¯s praying. I don¡¯t <b>know </b>why she¡¯s happy about this. ¡°It¡¯ll also <b>give </b>us <b>a </b><b>chance </b>to talk¡­maybe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the party for Adonis. No one else I snarl. The three of their faces deted to sorrow, but I couldn¡¯t care less. Turning on my heels, I strode away and hopped Into Neron¡¯s mustang <b>without </b>looking back.


    Chapter 24


    §®§å§â§Ñ§ä §¡§Ø§Þ§Ö§ß§ä§Ñ


    A few minutester, Neron hopped into the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°You should try talking to them. It wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­¡± He suggested in a small, fearful whisper as the car roared. <b>to </b>life and rolled out of the territory. I give him a look of disgust. Neron slightly winced.


    They aren¡¯t my <b>parents </b>and there¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡± I crossed my arms as the trees whizzed by us


    a


    blur. ¡°I won¡¯t waste my breath on people like them.¡±


    Right¡­it¡¯s your choice.¡± He whispers again, almost ashamed for bringing the subject up. There¡¯s no ce in my heart for Steven or Ashley. No love or forgiveness. What they¡¯ve done to me is beyond redemption, and I¡¯ve made peace with cutting those cords long <b>ago</b>. I feel nothing toward them, and It¡¯ll remain that way.


    Their presence reminded me all over again why I need to tread with caution. To be careful who I put my into. Those two will earn my trust when hell freezes over.


    faith


    Wanting to change the <b>subject </b>because <b>the </b>silence is annoying, I filled Neron in about what¡¯s happening with Darien and all he told me, including Odessa¡¯s influence over him. He listened intensively, his finger rhythmically tapping on the steering wheel. With the sun glittering on the road, we made our way through humannds.


    ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± He responds with gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this in mind. One of my guards is both monitoring and is reporting her actions to me. Over the past few days<b>, </b>she¡¯s been chatting with random pack members and keeping thempany. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s from the kindness of her heart.¡±


    ¡°A guard?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Tristan. <b>He¡¯s </b>one of my best who gives me 110% every time.¡±


    My voice hitched in my throat, and ice immobilized my spine. Fear engulfed me and I felt incredibly ufortable. I try my best to smile and nod, but I¡¯m internally falling into chaos. Why does that name <b>have </b><b>a </b>profound effect on me? I never met Tristan, but his name sends my heart racing. I rolled down my window in hopes the wind will help <b>calm </b>me down.


    I don¡¯t like this feeling.


    Once we entered the overcrowded mall, it became a flurry of activity. There were <b>so </b>many things to do, but in <b>so </b>little time. And this moment granted me a chance to <b>see </b>Neron when he runs errands¨Cor what I think are


    <b>errands</b>.


    First, hair business. He cares a lot about his hair, so he dragged me to <b>what </b>he insists is the best hair salon for werewolves and humans. Hair salons <b>are </b>typically a woman thing, but it¡¯s nice to <b>see </b>him break that gender barrier given <b>he¡¯s </b>the most masculine¨Clooking person I¡¯ve met. I sat in the guest <b>chairs </b>as I watched another werewolf from a neighboring pack give him a needed trim.


    But the sight of a six¨Cfeet¨Cfive, two<b>¨C</b><b>hundred</b>¨Csomething¨Cpound skyscraper in a salon chair with <b>a </b>cape and a lopsided grin is <b>photo</b>¨Cworthy. Holding in myughter <b>as </b>I <b>secretly </b>snapped a picture of him was so hard, but damn, I¡¯m enjoying this. He¡¯s like a child! I¡¯ll <b>never </b>have the confidence to let anyone else besides Jackie, <b>Abigail</b>, and Violet touch my <b>hair</b>.


    But, hey, I <b>have </b>the <b>ammo </b>to tease <b>him </bter!


    Chapter


    Hyper Awareness


    Secondly, we scoured the Toy Zone for Adonis¡® birthday presents. What would a six¨Cyear¨Cold boy want? They hate clothes and <b>love </b>staying up all night, but I can¡¯t exactly gift wrap insomnia. A plethora of toys of all shapes, sizes, and colors made it impossible to choose from. Even Neron is having a tough time, and he knows Adonis better <b>than </b>I do.


    ¡°What about this?¡± He gestures to the Avengers toy set. It had all the major characters from the superhero


    And my heart knows Donny <b>would </b>love this!


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡± I eximed, pulling out my debit card. In seconds, Neron and I fought over who¡¯ll pay because he <b>didn¡¯t </b>want me to spend my money, but I insisted since it¡¯s my gift to my nephew. After our mini verbal battle, the Alpha gave up and brought a Spiderman toy set. We got our bags and left the store.


    Then, we hopped to Party City, Nordstrom, and Lush before we decide to take a break. Our arms are full of shopping bags and my stomach was growling for sustenance. As much as I enjoyed spending this time with Neron, I felt eyes on me the entire time that isn¡¯t his. Like I¡¯m being watched from afar. I looked over my shoulder every five minutes to <b>see </b>if anyone <b>was </b>ogling me, but <b>there¡¯s </b>no one from the bustling crowds stood


    out.


    It worried me. Being hyper¨Caware <b>is </b>a curse, sometimes.


    But since <b>Alphas </b>are naturally perceptive, my actions didn¡¯t escape Neron¡¯s <b>eyes</b>. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asks me as we head toward the food court. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine.¡± I <b>nod </b>vigorously. ¡°I just thought I felt someone watching me, but maybe it¡¯s all the stress getting


    to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe some food will do you good.¡±


    Oh, he has no idea.


    Because by <b>the </b>time <b>we </b>sat in our seats, I¡¯ve already ordered <b>food </b>from four different restaurants and began devouring them in front of him. Fries<b>, </b>pizza, chicken sandwiches¨Call the good stuff. And don¡¯t forget <b>water </b>for the bnce! While he simply has a burgerbo, Neron watched me with his mouth agape as I ate more <b>calories </b>than he did in his entire lifetime.


    ¡°I¨CI¡­¡± He stammers. ¡°Can I say something, Kiya<b>? </b>And please don¡¯t take it the wrong way.¡±


    I quirk an eyebrow as 1 stabbed my cheese fries with my fork. ¡°Do I reserve the right to kick your ass if I do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t done it before.¡± He smirks.


    I smile at the thought. ¡°Alright. Speak.¡±


    ¡°You cat like <b>a </b>fucking horse.¡±


    ¡°Correction: I eat like three fucking horses. Get it right.¡±


    Neron blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Then heughs as he gently shook his drink. The sloshing of ice is heard. ¡°My mistake. I knew you¡¯re a big eater from the rumors, but I never <b>have </b>seen you in action like this, especially at dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you eat <b>more </b>than me.¡± I gesture to his bulging muscles. ¡°There ain¡¯t no way you get that big by eating only three meals a day.¡±


    Chapter 24 ¨C Bipper AwareneLK.


    ¡°What can I say? I eat a lot of protein.¡± My <b>eyes </b>involuntarily rolled when he started flexing his arms.


    ¡°Nope. You just got <b>an </b>advantage because you¡¯re an Alpha.¡± I scoffed yfully. ¡°Plus<b>, </b>muscles are hereditary.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You also <b>have </b>an advantage because you¡¯re a Beta.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± I shake my <b>head</b>. ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s partially true, but I think my body ispensating for years of missed nutrition. And I have a ridiculously fast metabolism.¡±


    There¡¯s that feeling again. Of <b>heavy </b>eyes piercing at my back, eyeing my every move like a hawk. I turned. around again to see if any human or werewolf is paying special attention to me, but once again, I see no one of interest. I shouldn¡¯t be this worried, but, with Osiris out there and the Odessa disaster waiting at the house, I couldn¡¯t catch a break.


    I want to believe <b>this </b>feeling is a <b>fluke</b>; an urgent reminder that I need to rest.


    But I can¡¯t.


    Because I know this isn¡¯t normal.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 25 ¨C Destiny Isn¡¯t Always Right


    ¡°Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?¡°¨CGarth Nix


    Neron


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing the ring.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your Alpha Ring.¡± Kiya gestured to my bare ring finger. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you wear it.¡±


    Ah, the Alpha Ring; the physical, symbolic item passed from each generation of Alphas in my family. My grandfather passed it to my father, him to me, and I am to pass it to my firstborn child. A thick golden band with the zircon stone disyed proudly at the center¨Ca shimmering blue diamond holding the honor as the king of my pack.


    I haven¡¯t worn that thing in years.


    Flexing my fingers, I noted the lightweight feeling of not having that ring confined on my finger. Whenever I wore it, a crushing sense of heaviness came about. It¡¯s supposed to make me happy, but it made me miserable. Unworthy. Like this thing isn¡¯t meant for me, nor did I deserve it.


    I received the ring a day after Kiya¡¯s ¡®death¡°, ignoring the chaos of the Betas to receive thest memento to solidify my Alpha status. The prestige was seductive, and wearing it made me feel like a king¨Cone blind with arrogance. I couldn¡¯t be that man again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it,¡± I confess, swirling my drink with its straw. ¡°It¡¯s freeing. I keep it in my office in a drawer below my desk. Why <b>are </b>you so curious about it?¡±


    Kiya shrugs, popping a fry into her mouth. ¡°Because Dad always wore it. Anthony wears it. He never takes it off. Some Alphas who visited Ga Moon had theirs. I <b>was </b>just wondering.¡±


    ¡°Alphas wear their pride on their sleeve.¡± My eyes wandered to the crowd of humans passing by, carrying bags or snacks in their arms. I <b>spot </b>a <b>few </b>affectionate couples on distant benches, nting k*sses on each other¡¯s ch*eks. For a moment, I dreamed for Kiya and I to be that couple. ¡°The ring is just that. Generational pride. But, it¡¯s <b>not </b>something I want or feel like I should carry. It¡¯s a reminder of the man I used to be. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever look at it again without feeling disgusted.¡±


    My mate <b>was </b>silent. The shuffling of food <b>wrappers </b><b>and </b>drinks stilled. Her breathing is even, and her sweet scent is as strong as ever. I turn to her <b>to </b><b>see </b>her <b>eyes </b>had <b>that </b>faraway look, debating if to say something.


    ¡°You never wanted to be Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Do you still feel <b>that </b>way now?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡± I shrug nonchntly. ¡°I had dreams. But when high school ended, I <b>prepared </b>to take over. There <b>wasn¡¯t </b>time for fun and games because protecting and securing the pack came first. I¡¯m responsible for hundreds of wolves, young and old. It got easier over time, though.¡±


    Chapter 25¨CDestiny hint Always Right


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Kiya tapped her fingers rhythmically against the table. ¡°Hypothetically, let¡¯s say you never became Alpha. <b>What </b>would you do?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯d travel to Norway, maybe stay for a couple of weeks with my mom¡¯s family. We haven¡¯t talked in a while.¡±


    She nods enthusiastically with a <b>grin</b>. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d also travel around the world and taste different foods. That sounds like fun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡±


    ¡°I would try crickets.¡±


    ¡°Ew!¡± Kiya gagged and I bust outughing. ¡°Neron, what the hell?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a morbid curiosity of mine.¡± I couldn¡¯t stopughing, not even when my mate tossed a used napkin at me. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t hate! I bet you¡¯re curious too.¡±


    ¡°I may eat three times my weight, but there <b>are </b>some things I¡¯ll never put in my mouth. Bugs being the main thing. You can do that by yourself.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re excellent sources of protein!¡±


    ¡°And I lost my appetite.¡± Kiya eyed me again and tossed another napkin. ¡°Bug eater.¡±


    ¡°Says the woman that eats stuff that isn¡¯t considered actual food!¡±


    ¡°It was your idea to bring me here! Stop criticizing my food choices!¡±


    ¡°And stop criticizing my curiosity!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She held her hands up in surrender beforeughing with <b>me</b>. This is how it should be. No pain, not pressure¨Cjust fun between us. ¡°Anything else you¡¯d do if <b>you </b>weren¡¯t Alpha?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d <b>go </b>to college. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d major in¨Cmaybe in Communications or Art?¡±


    ¡°Wait, I remember you used to draw!¡± My happiness sparked up at her recalling that long¨Cforgotten talent of mine. ¡°You used to drawndscapes, like the forest and mountains. I remember you drew a picture of your mom <b>and </b><b>gave </b>it to her on her birthday.¡±


    Iughed, that fond memory of Mom <b>peppering </b>my boyish face with her sugar¨Csweet k*sses. ¡°Yeah. She loved it so much that she started crying. I <b>don¡¯t </b>think you ever told me what you¡¯re majoring in college.¡±


    ¡°Child and Adolescent Development,¡± Kiya answered with <b>a </b>small smile. ¡°I want to be a <b>child </b>counselor.¡±


    ¡°I think <b>you¡¯d </b>be a great one.¡± Kiya really would be an outstanding <b>child </b>therapist. Children are <b>drawn </b>to her like a ma; they <b>know </b>she¡¯s <b>a </b>source of protection. I¡¯ve watched young boys and girlse to her for help or to chat. The pup trainees hang onto her every word and work hard to make her proud. The connection she <b>has </b>with young Isabe is incredible <b>and </b><b>she¡¯s </b>blossomed since then.


    <b>She </b><b>pauses </b>before gazing at me with wide eyes. ¡°You think <b>so</b>?¡±


    Chapter 21¨CDestiny lint Atenes light


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod. ¡°Kids love you. You¡¯re intelligent and dedicated. You¡¯d be very sessful!¡±


    ¡°Laying it a bit <b>thick </b>there, <b>aren¡¯t </b>you?¡± Despite herplexion, I can see the blush rising to <b>her </b>ch*eks as her eyes dart to the side nervously. ¡°Thank you. It means a lot. Just two more years of undergrad and two years of graduate school.¡± She sips her drink before clearing her throat and suggests something that sent my heart racing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote to go to college.


    My heart thudded with hope, but my brain sparks with disappointment. As much as I¡¯d love to, I couldn¡¯t. ¡°Being <b>Alpha </b>is <b>a </b>full¨Ctime job. I can¡¯t do this and college at <b>the </b>same <b>time</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying do it now, I¡¯m just saying¡­<b>think </b>about it. It isn¡¯t going anywhere and if you don¡¯t want to go, it¡¯s your choice.¡± Kiya sips her drink, soaking in the heaviness that draped us. ¡°You¡¯d make a great artist. You seem at your happiest when you¡¯re drawing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a distraction now. I can¡¯t afford distractions as Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Did your father hammer that bullshit to your head?¡± Kiya arches an eyebrow, daring me to answer. But I didn¡¯t have to. <b>She </b><b>already </b>knew. ¡°Your Dad sucks ass, Neron. He <b>needs </b>to let you live your own life. Not everything is about being Alpha and it sucks that you have to put your dreams on hold for that.¡±


    ¡°No one else can be Alpha, Kiya. It¡¯s my birthright, my responsibility, and it¡¯s written in stone by destiny.¡± And it¡¯s a birthright I wish I never had. Being <b>Alpha </b>is rewarding, but it¡¯s suffocating. That power is <b>easily </b><b>misused</b>, and it shouldn¡¯t be such an enormous factor in me achieving the things I want. But my pack needs


    <b>their </b><b>leader</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°Sometimes destiny is wrong,¡± Kiya replies with an edge to her voice, her expression <b>hard</b>. ¡°Our fates may not <b>have </b>been ours to choose, but we sure as hell <b>can </b>change it. Your father isn¡¯t always right.¡±


    <b>He </b>isn¡¯t. And my contempt for him grows <b>each </b>day. The attitude <b>in </b>Kiya <b>takes </b>a dark turn whenever the subject of my father came up and within reason. I¡¯ll protect her <b>from </b>him. I swear on my life.


    A scent of fresh seawater andvender suddenly invaded my nose, followed by a ¡°Kiya?¡± We both turned to <b>see </b><b>a </b>woman with jet¨C<b>ck </b>ringlets and deep blue¨Cgreen eyes dressed in ck and fiss lingering with a smile. <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>eyes immediately sparkled like diamonds as she shot to her feet<b>.</b>


    ¡°Violetta<b>!</b>¡± She leaped like a rabbit into the taller woman¡¯s arms in a bone¨Ccrushing hug. ¡°It¡¯s been so long<b>! </b>How are <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡±


    it?¡±


    ¡°It <b>has</b>, has Violetta giggled, patting her back <b>softly</b>. ¡°Things are going great. The band and I are setting


    up for another gig. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see <b>you </b>here.¡± Her eyes turned to <b>me</b>, squinting like she was trying to remember my <b>name</b><b>. </b>¡°I¡¯ve seen you before<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°<b>He¡¯s </b>Neron. He <b>was </b>the one who helped rescue <b>us </b><b>with </b>my brother.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a <b>wolf</b>,¡± We <b>shook </b>hands. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you <b>again</b>, Neron.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Violetta. I¡¯m d to <b>see </b>you¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± With a smile<b>, </b>she turns back to Kiya. ¡°What¡¯s been happening?¡±


    As the women were catching up, a blinding chill swam down my back <b>so </b>fast that I stopped breathing.


    Mysterious eyes pierce <b>heavily </b>into my back like a predator watching their prey¨Cand I¡¯m the prey. All the hairs on my back of my neck rose and Onyx stood erected in my mind, growling.


    I thought <b>back </b>to what Kiya said earlier <b>about </b>being watched.


    F*ck.


    I hated cutting into thedies¡® conversation, but I had to, Onyx and I agreed we¡¯ve overstayed our wee. We needed to leave. Swallowing my breath and remaining calm, I gather their attention with a wave of my <b>hand</b>. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt youdies, but Kiya, we need to go.¡±


    Silently conveying a message with my eyes, I hoped that Kiya understood and like the smart she did. Reluctantly, she turned to Violetta. ¡°Can I text youter?¡±


    twoman she is<b>;</b>


    ¡°Of course.¡± The older woman smiled. ¡°I have to get back to the guys, anyway. It was nice meeting you again, Kiya, and you too Neron!¡± Once Violetta was out of sight, we both began packing <b>our </b>stuff and tossing away


    trash like clockwork.


    ¡°Neron<b>, </b>I need to run to the bathroom before we leave.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± I ask her worryingly. The longer <b>we </b>stayed, the louder the rm bells <b>went </b>off in my <b>head</b>. Even Onyx is urging us to haul our asses out of here. Kiya nods firmly. ¡°Will you be alright by


    yourself?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Neron. It¡¯s the bathroom. I¡¯ll be <b>fine</b>.¡± Adjusting her purse strap, she quickly jogs to the women¡¯s <b>bathroom </b>while I anxiously wait next to our bags.


    Just a quick bathroom break and we¡¯ll leave. Simple.


    <b>Kiya</b>


    Pee. <b>Wash </b>hands. And leave. That¡¯s it, that¡¯s all.


    I knew Neron felt the same creeping suspicion of being watched <b>as </b>I did. Why else would he be in a hurry to cut our time short? The spoge is disappointing but better safe than sorry. With Osiris creeping about like wild geese, there¡¯s no telling when he¡¯ll strike.


    But I¡¯m alone in arge bathroom with only the <b>sound </b>of the running faucet keeping mepany. And the creeping sensation got stronger with <b>the </b>seconds that ticked by. The inside of the bathroom was lit up with the sunlight filtered through the high, dusty windows, Light is a source of safety<b>, </b><b>but </b>I felt anything but safe.


    I¡¯ve watched too many horror movies to know that this shit doesn¡¯t end well.


    After drying my hands<b>, </b>I move to the door only to find it sealed right when I pull the handle. <b>One </b>tug. Two. Three. It wouldn¡¯t budge! It wasn¡¯t locked when I came in! Surely, the custodians aren¡¯t cruel enough to lock a <b>young </b><b>woman </b>in one of the <b>mall¡¯s </b><b>bathrooms</b>!


    But I know who is


    From the corner of my eye, ck mist billowed in like cigarette smoke, slowly bathing the interior in dim light. <b>¡°</b><b>Shit</b>¡­¡±


    Artemis stood erect in my mind with rumbling snarls and ws sharpening. She is getting as fed up as I <b>am</b>.


    Chapter 25 Destiny lint Always Right.


    Like moths to a me, the dancing wisp


    bunched up at the center of the bathroom. Directly in front of me. I watched as they drew an intricate silhouette of a tall, well¨Cbuilt man with bloody eyes and perfect rows of colorless teeth. The temperature dropped, my body heat red, and I¡¯m trapped like a dog in a cage.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll be learning the hard way, my dear.¡± Osiris sighed in disappointment. My back is suddenly mmed against the wall with a thick hand over my throat. Effortlessly, Osiris lifts me, leaving my feet dangling from the ground. I don¡¯t make a sound because I refuse to give him the satisfaction of my pain, but I work to pry his fingers from my neck. Thest thing I need is to <b>draw </b>attention from humans <b>and </b>potentially the police.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make my visit short and simple. Tread carefully. Hell ising and you will burn.¡± ck mist slowly disappeared around Osiris¡® smokey form, revealing tangible, deep¨C<b>mocha </b>flesh and pressed casual attire. From his arms and legs to his torso, wisps faded into the air before revealing the perfectly sculptured face of my


    tormenter.


    e answer.


    ¡°Where, the f*ck, have I seen you before?¡± I whisper, admittingly terrified of the


    Osiris shows off his unblemished teeth again as his white hairid neatly on his shoulders. ¡°Does the name Octavius ring a bell?¡±


    Oh my Goddess.


    ¡°Kiya, are you okay in there?¡± I hear Neron¡¯s worried voice on the other side of the door. Osiris pressed a finger to my l*ps, winking at me to stay silent. For good measure, he squeezed my throat more. ¡°Answer me, please.¡±


    The bastard got close in my ear, his hot breath tickling my lobe. ¡°Darkness grows and chaos awaits. Continue to y footsie with your overgrown cur, but when you see the truth, you¡¯ll have yourself to me.¡±


    Osiris drops me and disappears. Light enters the room bathroom once more. And Neron busts in, on edge and worried. Immediately, he runs up to me. ¡°Kiya! Are you okay? Say something.¡±


    ¡°Take me home<b>. </b>Please.¡±


    <b>Chapter </b>Comments


    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 115

    Chapter <b>26 </b>¨C <b>The </b>Birthday <b>Boy</b>


    ¡°The seeds of evil blooms in the fields of negligence.¡°¨C den Dordevic


    <b>Kiyn</b>


    Neron and I hightailed it out of the <b>mall</b>.


    There¡¯s no reason for Osiris to show his true form unless <b>he¡¯s </b>secure in his ns. That begs the question of who¡¯s truly in control. Him or me? Circumambient mystery embraces that man like <b>a </b>second skin<b>, </b>and it¡¯s difficult to decipher who he truly is. Slippery like a snake, Osiris picks the picture¨Cperfect moments to strike, and I¡¯m left with the burning self¨Cguilt from <b>my </b>shorings.


    The car ride back home is tense <b>with </b>an amalgamation of emotions perfusing from Neron and me. But two stood out from the rest: anger from the Alpha and confusion from me. While the trees and people whiz <b>past </b>in colorful miasmas, my mind works to understand what happened in the bathroom.


    His appearance brought forth a salvo of recollections I¡¯ve long forgotten about.


    I¡¯ve met Osiris in passing when I was with my friends shopping for bathing suits. The day before I was poisoned. Callously bumping into him, we went spilling to the ground. We made small talk <b>and </b>departed ways like normal strangers. However, Osiris used a pseudonym, Octavius. What was his reason? His face was forgettable, but the sensations I felt from his touch were not.


    His touches were not out of love and lust like the mate bond augments, but out of submission. They wanted me to bend to surrender under his power. It terrified me. Those were the same feelings I felt when <b>he </b>trapped me in the run¨Cdown asylum; simr to how a tyrant refuses to take anything less than blind loyalty. Osiris is the tyrant and I¡¯m the lowly peasant. Could those emotions I felt have been a precursor to the chaos today? Could I have prevented this somehow?


    And I me this f*cking mark on my neck. It¡¯s doubling as <b>a </b><b>GPS</b>. I feel no better <b>than </b>an imprisoned, leashed dog. It tails me wherever I go, like a shadow. And I don¡¯t know how <b>much </b>more I can take of this.


    Is it so f*cking hard to get some peace of mind? Why am I constantly fighting against the bullshit the <b>universe </b>loves to sling at me? For once, I want to breathe without the pain!


    My mind spun. I leaned my head on the headrest to eliminate vertigo as the car rumbled softly.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t to <b>leave </b>the territory without someone apanying you.¡±


    And just like that, I¡¯m cured! My head shot up, and I <b>red </b>at Neron. For obvious reasons, he didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°<b>You </b><b>heard </b>me, <b>Kiya</b>.¡± He retorts. ¡°You¡¯re not to go anywhere alone until we get this situation handled.¡±


    ¡°Now I need a babysitter? Are you kidding me, Neron?¡±


    He shrugs his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s that, or I forbid you from leaving territory grounds. You¡¯re under my protection and I¡¯mmitting to my side of the deal with your brother. It can be with <b>your </b><b>friends </b>or anyone <b>else </b><b>you </b>trust. We can¡¯t afford <b>any </b>risks with your safety, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°I can protect myself.¡±


    <b>1/5</b>


    Chapter 26 ¨C The Birthday Boy


    ¡°I know you can.¡± We rolled closer to the territory. ¡°We have no clear¨Ccut way of defeating Osiris. He¡¯s ying the both of us like a damn fiddle¨Cstressing us out andying cryptic messages of our demise. Until we can figure out <b>how </b>to rid him for good<b>, </b>we need to take precautions to lessen the chance of <b>Osiris </b>catching us off guard, and that means you cannot go anywhere alone<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    I hate to admit it, but Neron¡¯s right. There¡¯s an obvious target on my back, and if I let my guard down, Osiris will take advantage of me. He needs me for his ns. He needs me intact. Walking in public alone is the same as handing myself to him on a silver tter.


    It doesn¡¯t mean I like this new rule.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I didn¡¯t want to fight. I¡¯m tired. My energy ispletely zapped and I¡¯m wanting my soft bed and softer pajamas.


    Sooner thanter, we rolled <b>into </b>the garage. We gathered our bags from the trunk and walked towards the pack house until a tiny voice stopped us in our tracks.


    ¡°Uncle, Auntie, what¡¯s in the bags?¡±


    We jerked our heads around to see little Adonis standing three feet from us with arms crossed. From the glint in his eyes, he knows that some of our bags have his presents. Neron and I clutched our bags closer to our chests he¡¯s a purse snatcher.


    ¡°Adonis, shouldn¡¯t you be with your Mom and Dad?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Daddy is busy, and Mommy is giving him cooties.¡±


    Neron snorted, trying hard to hold in hisughter. Ah, I remember when cooties were the grossest things about boys. The childhood disease only passed through l*ps. Everyone grew up too fast.


    Now we call it mononucleosis.


    ¡°Oh! What about your grandparents?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re doing adult stuff.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to know much more than that. ¡°Your friends<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Busy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t <b>you </b>have homework to <b>do</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s summer!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, run,¡± Neron <b>whispers </b>to me. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡±


    How was he supposed to cover <b>me </b>from a soon¨Cto¨Cbe six¨Cyear¨Cold boy? Neron¡¯s so¨Ccalled brilliant mind thought of a n to make <b>Adonis </b>y hide¨Cand¨C<b>seek </b>with us, and if he found us, he¡¯d get to see his presents early. But we¡¯re filthy <b>rs</b>. The moment Adonis <b>covered </b>his <b>eyes </b><b>was </b>when we sprinted to the front doors.


    Little Donny is smarter than we think. ¡°Hey! No fair!¡±


    The pitter¨Cpatter of his feet mixed with ourughter as my nephew bolted after us with <b>the </b>determination of <b>a</b>


    Chapter 26 ¨C The Birthday Boy


    wolf but with the spite of a toddler. Luckily for Neron and me, we¡¯re taller and have longer leg strides<b>, </b><b>so </b><b>we </b>escaped the vengeful midget with ease.


    ¡°Sorry <b>Adonis</b>, but you must <b>wait </b>for your birthday!¡± Neron called out when he departed to the fourth floor. The boy¡¯s brattish groaning can be heard as 1 closed the door to my room in my gaggle ofughter. I settled the bags on my bed and began sorting my new clothes and bath supplies in their respective ces. A smile <b>crept </b>up on my face as I thought about Adonis¡® glee once he opens my present on the weekend.


    A child¡¯s smile is the most precious gift in the world.


    However, my frown was not because I forgot the most important thing with gifts.


    ¡°F*cking wrapping paper,¡± I grumbled, setting the toy set next to my vanity. Where does this pack keep their craft supplies? Making it over the <b>threshold </b>of my room wouldn¡¯t have been an issue if 1, once again, wasn¡¯t craft supplies? Making it over ko¨Chugged by a little boy.


    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Adonis yelled victoriously. ¡°I want to see my present!¡±


    Smirking, I quickly close my bedroom door,ughing at my nephew¡¯s scowl. ¡°Nope! Good thingse to little boys who wait!¡±


    ¡°But waiting is boring!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He giggled when I poked his nose. ¡°Do you know where the wrapping paper is?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Go with green; I like green!¡±


    ¡°Green paper for the birthday boy!¡±


    Third Person POV


    ¡°Happy Birthday, Adonis!¡± The flickering mes of the six colorful candles on <b>the </brge birthday cake became <b>wisps </b>of smoke from the blow of the birthday boy. Behind him, the crowd fell into wild apuse as the Beta child officially <b>turned </b>six years old. Adonis felt rejuvenated and loved by his friends and family surrounding him. His mother leaned down and nted <b>a </b>sweet k*ss on his ch*ek as his father ruffled his hair lovingly.


    Behind them were Ashley and Steven, smiling lovingly at their grandchild. Silently, they hoped that Valerian¡¯s parents were watching down on this joyful asion ever since they passed away several years prior. Adonis¡® young friends surrounded him with impatience as therge chocte cake decorated with <b>his </b>name and superhero designs beckoned them for a taste. Behind <b>them</b>, Kiya <b>had </b>a faint smile <b>as </b>she observed the scene from the distant wall..


    She toyed with a party streamer to busy her hands. As much as she wanted to join the festivities, the awkwardness distanced her from the action. Kiya felt out of ce. The trouble¨Cfree smiles<b>, </b>boisterous <bughter</b>, and loving touches reminded her of the minuscule memories of her birthday parties. Finite recollections of her happiest memories slowly disappeared under the weight of pain, fading into dust.


    But this wasn¡¯t <b>a </b>time for her to dwell on the <b>past</b>. It¡¯s Adonis¡® day.


    ¡°Okay, honey. You know the rules! You get to open one present before we cut the cake.¡± Raina pinched her son¡¯s check lovingly. Young emeralds searched the group beforending on Kiya, shining impossibly brighter.


    Chapter 26 The Birthday Boy


    ¡°I <b>want </b>to open your present<b>, </b>Auntie!¡± He proimed, hopping in his seat. The young woman rubbed the back of her <b>neck </b>sheepishly, blushing. Ignoring the obvious stares, she pulled therge green present from behind her legs and walked over to where her former family is.


    ¡°I <b>had </b>a feeling you wanted to open mine first.¡± She giggled, kneeling, and handing him the present with a big red bow, ¡°Happy birthday, little guy.¡±


    Impatience was a gic trait because Adonis began ripping away the green paper faster than a hungry cheetah. His gift was revealed, and shrieks of joy echoed through the dining hall. A brand new toy set equipped with his favorite superheroes; more to add to his collection.


    n chuckled as he admired the toy <b>set</b>. ¡°Looks like I must build more shelves in his room.¡±


    Valerian


    ¡°Thank you, Auntie!¡±


    Physical touch must be Adonis¡® lovenguage because he <b>drew </b>his aunt into a tight hug for the millionth time this week. Feeling the overflowing love this small boy held for her, Kiya smiled warmly through the embrace. She squeezed<b>, </b>and he responded with giggles. Her nephew is too pure for the world.


    Wasting no time, the cutting of the cake begun. A bite of soft chocte heaven put smiles on everyone¡¯s faces while giving others an unneeded sugar rush. The party went on with games and conversation in an exciting atmosphere. Both Neron and Kwame took time out of their duties to join the party for a short time, but mostly to indulge in the cake since their Omegas helped make it in honor and to y with the heir to the Beta title. <b>Soon </b>after, the Ga Moon members joined in on the fun <b>and </b>celebration of the <b>sweet </b>boy.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    While fun continued, behind the party¡¯s doorsid evil. Odessa, refusing to join in on the c


    contagious excitement, red hard at the woman ying with the birthday boy with uncontained hatred through the windows. She knew if she were to join, the unbearable tension in the air would not only bother the kids, but Raina as well. Despite being best friends since childhood, the two have grown apart. Motherhood became the Beta Female¡¯s lifeline, and nothing could dissuade her from her family.


    Therefore, she¡¯s one of the few members who she can¡¯t turn against Kiya.


    As Osiris¡± presence pulsates through her veins, the brte felt content. The power is an addictive drug that she couldn¡¯t get enough of. All of her pain and hermitment to her deal will all be worth it, she believed. Ariel¡¯s abandonment still hurt, but no <b>use </b>in crying over spilled milk. Slowly, but surely, her n to get rid of <b>the </b>avatar will be sweeter than the purest honey.


    Kiya has <b>a </b>reputation. She¡¯s powerful, cunning, stubborn, and determined. The pup trainees love her along with their parents and other <b>high</b>¨Cranked members of the pack. She¡¯s coddled by her friends and beloved by the Alpha. But soon, it¡¯ll all be obliterated by her hand.


    All she <b>had </b>to do is turn her from <b>a </b><b>loved </b>figure to an unstable maniac.


    ¡°No matter how much we try to forget our sins<b>, </b>they alwayse <b>back </b>to haunt us,¡± Odessa whispered, turning her head to face Tristan¨Cthe guard who she knew will be Kiya¡¯s downfall. ¡°However, you have the <b>tools </b>to <b>make </b>her suffer<b>. </b>She¡¯ll never know what hit her.¡±


    Turning Tristan to her side of darkness was fairly simple. After all, with the demon Osiris seeing through her <b>eyes</b>, Neron¡¯s ns <b>to </b>keep her under watchful <b>eyes </b>proved useless. Odessa was proud¨Cshe¡¯s useful after all,


    ¡°<b>You </b>know what to <b>do</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    Chapter 26 ¨C The Birthday Boy


    Back at the party, Kiya had the unfortunate situation of spige on her favorite white blouse by a small pup. It¡¯s impossible to hide the blotch of red from her cleavage to the hems. The child apologized profusely, but she reassured them it wasn¡¯t a big deal and that she¡¯ll change.


    Slipping out of the noisy party, Kiya entered the silent foyer. The stairs creaked with her footsteps, and the chill in the air made goosebumps rise on her exposed flesh. Something didn¡¯t feel right as she entered the third floor.


    ¡°Kiya, remain alert,¡± Artemis warned.


    On cue, another pair apanied her footsteps. Heavy. Cautious. Meticulous. Kiya sniffed the air. A particr scent tickled her nose, pulling the darkest, unspoken memories from their burial. At that moment, her entire world copsed. The strength in her body disappears and fear overrides her defenses.


    ¡°No! Oh no!¡± The woman took off with fire licking at her heels with the perpetrator running hot behind her. Tears blurred her vision and her heart thudded in her ears from her unhinged anxiety. She had to escape! This couldn¡¯t be possible!


    She thought he was dead!


    But it proved her wrong when a violent hand snatched her wrist and dinged her against the wall. Thick arms caged <b>her </b>between the wall and a hard body she <b>tried </b><b>hard </b>to forget. Coriander assaulted her nose<b>, </b>incinerating her nose <b>hairs </b>and her sanity. Kiya looked up at the monster and wished she hadn¡¯t.


    Small couldn¡¯t describe how she¡¯s feeling as her protective walls crumbled to dust.


    She¡¯s face¨Cto¨Cface with the monster who stole her innocence.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 27 <b>¨C </b>Bloody Vengeance


    ¡°This truth drives me into madness. I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away.¡± ¡°Whisper by Evanescence


    ¨C


    (Content Warning: Mentions <b>of </b><b>Rape </b>and Violence. Reader discretion is heavily advised)


    Kiya


    Never have I thought I¡¯d be in this position.


    Facing the <b>man</b>¨Cno. The monster who took pleasure in abusing me in the most heinous of ways.


    I took the beatings and humiliation. I was taciturn and isted, yet mended my abandoned heart with the miserable thoughts of being unlovable.


    But the day that guard crept into my cell was the beginning of my nightmares. Night after night, he had his way with me. Internally and externally with a free rein of <b>what </b>I idiotically called a body. <b>A </b>soiled temple. Rapid muscle loss didn¡¯t discourage his sinister hands from stealing my autonomy and leaving me broken and bloody.


    <b>Brown </b>came in plethoric shades. Russet unveiled the <b>rich</b>, liquid gold in the sunlight. Umber is dark, pulling the viewer into a <b>sea </b>of secrets. However, the guard¡¯s brown eyes came in the shade of evil. Wickedness is


    unrivaled to ill¨Cfamed autocrats of our horrible world.


    My heartbeats thump piercingly in my ears, dissimrly to the surrounding deafening silence of the corridor. My <b>lungs </b><b>work </b><b>through </b>my narrow breaths, desperate for adequate oxygen I failed to deliver<b>. </b>Sweat rolls <b>down</b>


    mytes and my muscles tremble¨Cthe heightened response to fear.


    Fear of being hurt by a rapist.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Halima.¡± His vile breath assaults my nostrils like a battering ram, triggering nausea in my stomach. ¡°You look great.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I took in the aging appearance of the devil¡¯s son. Muscles in my lips are paralyzed, but my defenses crumble, exposing the dark memories that danced in their freedom.


    ¡°No!¡± I heard the voice. ¡°Please, stop!¡± The voice of my old self, Halima. The voice of the victim. My


    voice. ¡°<b>Leave </b>me alone!¡±


    Therapy <b>is </b><b>a </b>double¨Cedged sword. It helps to process the turbulent events of one¡¯s life, but it forces the individual to remember the terror like it happened a couple of hours prior. Hurt never disappears¨Cit¡¯s only <b>buried </b>deep in the abyss. It remains and feasters like an infected wound, spreading mercilessly.


    I wanted to forget. I <b>needed </b>to forget.


    ¡°You never thought toe and greet your old friend? Halima, I¡¯m ashamed of you.¡±


    That smile. That damned smile <b>that </b>haunted my dreams and nightmares as a weak teenager. It lovingly sheltered me in violent chills with reminders of my lowest moments. Lower than what former Alpha Jonathan


    could ever make me feel.


    ¡°Stop struggling, bitch!¡± I heard his voice, then the resounding ps<b>. </b>¡°You should be grateful that someone wants


    1/6


    a touch your sorry¨Clooking body.¡±


    How many times have I gazed in a mirror, wishing for a different body? A body untainted and unblemished from innumerable types of hands. A pure body touched by love, not viciousness. How many times have 1 coveted to shed this old skin? How many times have I¡¯ve thought about carving out the areas he touched with a silver de, so I never have to feel his phantom fingers again?


    How Many F*cking Times.


    There it was: the familiar pain¨Cagony of being torn apart internally, being held down to a dirty mattress, defenseless and vulnerable. The cool breeze licking my exposed legs and his hard knees forcing my legs apart.


    The pain of my soul shattering with each cataclysmic thrust. Even <b>the </b>shatters shattered to smaller pieces.


    Screaming.


    Begging.


    Crying.


    Bruising.


    Yet, no one heard me. No one saw me. Even as blood swam down my legs, no one cared. I was to clean and be unseen. Unheard. The torture that everyone turned the blind eye to wille back as karmic punishment.


    He stole my innocence from me. A potentially fun, blissful, first sexual experience turned into a tragic story of theft and greed. It¡¯s something I can¡¯t reim again. It¡¯s gone forever, belonging to my rapist.


    ¡°Do you regret it?¡± I asked, my voice emotionless. Red spots shed before my eyes, breaking through my vision. Growing. Lusting for gore and vengeance. ¡°Do you regret raping me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calling it rape?¡± The guard released a burst of heartyughter. So, that¡¯s what it is? My pain isedic, just like many in this pack. ¡°I call it a gift because I was the only one who wanted you. I¡¯ve taught you a lot of things, Halima. You should thank me for giving you the experience of a lifetime.¡± His fingers curled under my chin, lifting slightly. ¡°I could give you more if you like. Alpha Neron doesn¡¯t have to know.¡±


    ¡°Let me get this straight.¡± The red pulsated, and the pained screaming in my head amplified. ¡°I should be grateful that you¡¯ve raped me on and off for three years? That I¡¯ve cried and prayed to the Moon Goddess every night for you to leave me alone? And that I wished I didn¡¯t have to feel the lingering sensations of your¡­¡± I swallowed. ¡°<b>And </b>you dare to offer sex?!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t take it so personally.¡± He chuckled heinously. ¡°Alpha Jonathan permitted us to do whatever we wanted to you. I was needy, and you were there. No harm, no foul, right?¡±


    My mind nkedN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Silence.


    Everything stilled as if time stopped. Artemis remains behind the mental wall¨Cprotected from the haunting memories. She can¡¯t know. My wolf was tucked away safely, so she didn¡¯t have to see his sweaty face or hear his lustful grunts. I¡¯ll protect her!


    I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m not the little bitch crying in the cobwebs <b>of </b>her cell. I¡¯m not the little bitch who flinches


    from the raised <b>hands </b>of whoever is unfortunate <b>enough </b>to <b>bear </b>the Zircon Moon <b>mark</b>.


    I¡¯m furious<b>.</b>


    I want vengeance.


    I want blood,


    I want death.


    ¡°And it¡¯s all yours, Little <b>Moon</b>.¡± The haunting melody of Osiris¡¯s <b>voice </b><b>resonates </b>in my <b>head</b><b>. </b>The mark on my neck pulsated, reaching out to its creator. ¡°Let go of your Inhibitions and feel your anger. Allow for the rage to take over. <b>Who </b>cares if a little blood gets spilled? Those stupid Omegas will clean it up. <b>You </b>had to clean your blood for years.¡±


    He¡¯s <b>right</b>.


    I¡¯ve yed the part of the good girl for too <b>long</b>.


    I want to be a monster. I want to be the beast.


    ¡°No harm, no foul?.¡± I smile sweetly at the unnamed guard, my ws lengthening underneath my fingernails. ¡°<b>You </b><b>don¡¯t </b>have regrets for raping me. I won¡¯t regret it when I do this.¡±


    Red is all I <b>wanted</b>; the stunning color of passion <b>and </b>unadulterated rage. The color of the unhinged beast that even Artemis will <b>quake </b>in fear from. Broken from its chains, it¡¯s ready to kill.


    ¡°And my f*cking <b>name </b>is Kiya!¡±


    The sickening yet satisfying crack of the guard¡¯s broken nose was glorious. I wanted more! My <b>bout </b>of violence took <b>aback </b>him, but I didn¡¯t stop there, I threw <b>another </b>punch,nding again on blood spraying from the hit.


    His pained yells fueled me more. I wanted more broken bones and more blood! I wanted to feel the power he took from me! <b>His </brge body fell to the ground when I kicked his knees in,ughing gleefully.


    I stomped on his face. Twice. Thrice. Blood continuously sprayed like an uncontroble hose, painting the white walls with a charming ssh of crimson. ¡°No <b>harm</b>, no foul, right motherf*cker?!¡±


    The bastard is a <b>guard</b>, so he knew how to fight. Too <b>bad </b>that I was better; fueled by uncontainable rage<b>. </b>Whenever he got up, I knocked <b>him </b>down. He <b>threw </b>a punch. I caught it and crushed it. And his arm. I crushed the <b>bones </b>I could get my <b>hands </b><b>on</b>.


    I filled the guard with <b>dread </b><b>and </b>shock. Good. That¡¯s how it should be; him cowering as I unleash years¡® worth of anger onto his pathetic body.


    My ws lusted for crimson as well. Besides a broken <b>nose</b>, he sported deep w marks on his right ch*ek, exposing the fibers of the muscle.


    I¡¯m far from done.


    Blood stters my blouse and skirt, adding to my grotesque appearance. But hey, it¡¯s a fashion statement! It¡¯s only a matter of time before the f*cker turns into a coward and calls his Alpha for help.


    Chapter 27 ¨C Bloody Vengeance


    So, I pushed him down the stairs when <b>we </b>got close enough.


    Tumble. Tumble. Crash! Descending <b>one </b>step at a <b>time</b><b>, </b>I watched him weakly crawl on his knees, spitting crimson onto the pristine floors of the foyer. A werewolf¡¯s healing is a beloved and ursed ability because I can¡¯t admire his shattered bones for long.


    But that means I get to break them all over again.


    ¡°It¡¯s


    not enough.¡± Reaching the bottom stair, I rammed my foot into his face again, hitting an eye. ¡°This is nowhere near the amount of f*cking pain you¡¯ve caused me for years! You deserve to be castrated!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a f*cking crazy bitch!¡± The guard pathetically screamed. ¡°You think beating me up would get your pathetic virginity back?!¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I <b>smirk</b>, grabbing a fistful of his greasy brown hair. ¡°Killing you will ensure you¡¯ll never hurt me again.¡±


    Anger is well¨Cneeded fuel for the muscles. Unbridled rage makes me unbreakable. Instead of the smell of sweet cake, I smell blood¨Cdrenched coriander and it tickles the demons deep within. The pungent aroma <b>grew </b>with every bash of his head against the bottom stair. Cranial and facial bones shatter upon impact, permanently disfiguring his face.


    Each pained groan enticed <b>a </b>sweet giggle from my lips. Weak. He¡¯s f*cking weak. My darkest fantasies of delivering this same treatment to others brought life into my tired muscles, pushing me to disfigure the guard more. Nothing will be enough to remove the permanent pain of the heart.


    He grew silent. He¡¯s dead, perhaps?


    Gosh, I hope not!


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Osiris¡® praised, sickly sweet. It did wonders to calm my beast from its frazzled<b>, </b>blood¨Clust state. ¡°That felt good<b>, </b>did it? Do you see what happens when you allow yourself to feel the darkness? You¡¯re so much happier, my sweet! You¡¯re free!¡±


    That¡¯s the thing.


    I¡¯ll never be free. Not as long <b>as </b>I feel the deep¨Cseated pain that ravages my body like <b>a </b>disease.


    Standing to my feet, I examined the crime scene I¡¯ve created. The blood trail begins from where I first drew blood, trickling down to the bottom of the <b>stairs </b>with the <b>bastard¡¯s </b>face lying in its <b>mini</b><b>¨C</b>pool of red.


    His pain is <b>not </b>enough.


    ¡°Holy shit, what the f*ck?!¡±


    <b>Great</b>. <b>Here </bes the party poopers.


    Everything became a whirlwind of activity. The red haze hasn¡¯t left, but I didn¡¯t want it to leave. It made me feel treasured. It¡¯s the only part of me that loves me. Neron checked the <b>pulse </b>of the stupid guard and he ordered Valerian to call the pack hospital to prepare a bed where Kwame carefully turned him on his back.


    After all this, I <b>didn¡¯t </b><b>get </b>his name.


    I¡¯m pulled away from the scene, shielded by my friends who all asked me <b>what </b>the f*ck happened. I think they can guess from <b>the </b>blood on my clothes that¡¯ll make Jason Voorhees <b>shake </b>his machete in jealousy.


    ¡°<b>He </b>deserved it.¡± Was all I said. I felt no guilt for <b>what </b>I did. ¡°And I¡¯ll do <b>it </b>again ten times over.¡±


    ¡°Dude, you attacked a member from a different pack!¡± <b>Galen </b>yelled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a f*ck!¡± I shrieked. The red grew stronger. ¡°You <b>can¡¯t </b>stop me from doing it <b>again</b>!¡±


    ¡°But I can.¡± Neron¡¯s thunderous voice rang, causing everyone to still. Everyone except me. His bulking body marched over with a deep scowl, amusement dead from his eyes. Kiya, what the f*ck?! How could


    you be so careless? Do you know what the hell you¡¯ve <b>done</b>?¡±


    replied:


    ¡°Enlighten <b>me</b>,¡± I which angered the Alpha further.


    ¡°Goddess, I hope you have a good exnation for this. I cannot sweep this under the rug, Kiya, even if you¡¯re my mate. Tristan was an important part of our n and you ruined it! And there are serious <b>consequences </b>for. assaulting a pack member, especially a guard!¡±


    Gradually, the red faded into the colors of the foyer. With the haze gone, the <b>pain </b>of my trauma rocked me from head to toe. I realize what I¡¯m about to say¨Cthe shameful secret I¡¯ve kept within myself for years. A secret that birthed more night terrors than physical abuse.


    The worst secret of my life.


    <i>¡°</i><i>He </i>raped me, Neron.¡±


    Themotion in the foyer died instantly when I uttered the forbidden words. No <b>one </b>dared to utter a word, not even as the birthday party echoed in the distance. ¡°He raped me so much that I lost count after the fifth time. I would bleed for days, but that didn¡¯t deter him. In fact, it served as his motivation to hurt me more. 1 begged, I screamed, but he didn¡¯t stop He never stopped! He would always tell me <b>that </b>I should be grateful that someone wanted to f*ck me, no matter how disgusting 1 looked¡­¡±


    My voice dropped to a hoarse whisper inteced with my pain. ¡°No matter how much everyone hated <b>me</b><b>.</b>¡±


    I brought my fingers to my ch*eks, unknowingly feeling the overflowing scorching tears burn the tips- carrying the burden I held for years. The burden I <b>forced </b>myself to keep in <b>the </b>desperate hope that I¡¯ll forget.


    Humans say time heals all wounds and I foolishly believed it would apply to my rape. For a while, it was <b>good</b>. I didn¡¯t remember. That¡¯s how I <b>wanted </b>it.


    Yet, when I <b>saw </b>the guard¡¯s <b>face </b>and devilish smile, he pulled those memories from their grave and set them free into the world. Even as he is taken away to get the medical treatment he doesn¡¯t <b>deserve</b><b>, </b>I still feel his phantom hands roaming and pinching my body, his rancid breath fanning my face, and his violent pration.


    He ruined me.


    Everyone could <b>put </b>statues to shame with their <b>stillness</b>, but their shock is <b>palpable</b>.


    I smiled bitterly <b>not </b><b>at </b>my friends, but at the three ranked wolves of this sorry excuse of a pack. ¡°But how would any of <b>you </b>know, huh? No one could hear my screams from the dungeons! Or, maybe, you did hear but chose to ignore it.¡±


    Chapter 27- Bloody Vengeance


    ¡°Has it ever crossed your mind that a fate worse than death was happening underneath the floorboards of this f*cking house? I wished¨Cno, prayed that this <b>family </b>could protect me <b>from </b>the monsters you¡¯ve allowed to roam in your halls. None of you could deliver. None of you gave a damn! I guess you shouldn¡¯t care for a ve. They¡¯re seen as less than human, right?¡±


    ¡°But, it¡¯s fine.¡± I sniffled and wiped my tears in frustration. ¡°I never expected a superhero. After a while, I gave up that stupid wish. That¡¯s what it means to be abandoned by people who swore their love but would turn their you at a moment notice.¡±


    Then, my eyes met with Neron¡¯s terrified blue. I prompted, ¡°How does it feel to know your precious guard f*cked me before you ever could?¡±


    The silence is deafening. Yet, I lost the will to care. For anything.


    As the tears continued to flow, I turned on my heels and threw the front door open. I stripped out of my bloodied clothes and disappeared into the woods in wolf form.


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 Chapter 117

    <b>Chapter </b>28 ¨C The Revtion


    ¡°Pain is easier to deal with when it¡¯s left untouched.¡°¨CTammy L. Gray


    (Content Warning: Mentions of Rape/S*xual Assault. Reader discretion is heavily <b>advised</b><b>)</b>


    Neron


    Fire turned to ice. Raging hellfire turned to the arctic tundra.


    <b>+</b><b>10</b>%


    Bonus


    <b>03:32</b>


    The summer heat lost the war to the gradual chill epassing the foyer¨Cthe chill that enforced the thunderous shock booming through the entrance hall. Seconds that trickled by felt like hours with Kiya¡¯s lingering absence. The red¨C<b>fiery </b>rage of my mate burned brightly yet was snuffed out upon her tearful revtion. Her words are the iron, her anguish is the me, and they¡¯re forever branded in my mind.


    ¡°He raped me, Neron.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Averting my eyes from where Kiya once stood is punishing. I¡¯m not blinking or breathing. Hell, it¡¯s like <b>I¡¯m </b><b>in </b>an alternative dimension; a dimension riddled with sorrow. Everything is so heavy, but I don¡¯t have the right toin. I¡¯m standing on the floorboards above the torturous prisons. Her rape happened below my feet.


    Bile entered my mouth as nausea sucker punched me in the gut.


    ¡°I never expected a superhero,¡±


    Kiya revealed the darkest secret <b>she </b>kept for years. My chest threatened to tighten like <b>a </b>knot with every <b>inhale</b>. The possibility of <b>rape </b>never crossed my mind<b>; </b><b>it </b>was unheard of in my pack. We merrily walked through these halls unbeknownst to the heinous crime happening underneath us. Who are the monsters here; the rapist or us?


    How many signs passed between us, but went ignored? How many <b>times </b>had Kiya walked the <b>halls </b>after the assaults, but we didn¡¯t care to notice the changes? Goddess, how many times had <b>she </b>tried to reach out for help, but was shoved away?


    The amount of courage it took her to speak the unspeakable is astounding. Her bravery is to be admired, but at what cost? Something tells me that if she had a choice, she¡¯d tell no one about Tristan out of self- preservation.


    Everything about this ce is and always will be a trigger. How can I be proud to call this ce my own? Every step she takes across mynds reminds her of the assault <b>and </b>how nobody helped her. <b>And </b>she shielded her pain behind a mask. No one knew the burden of hiding it for so long¡­


    I wanted to scream, break ss, and burn this ce to the ground. I¡¯d toss my sorry ass in <b>the </b>mes as well because we¡¯re all are responsible for Kiya¡¯s pain¨Cdirectly and indirectly. And I¡¯m her mate, so it makes it


    <b>worse</b><b>.</b>


    My head slowly turned to Tristan¡¯s broken form and the growing red pool under his head. An unfathomable amount of rage rushed through me like an erupted volcano. He deserves to melt in the scorching <bva</b>.


    This was the man I trusted with my life. I thought he was a man with an unshakable moralpass. Tristan was the type to obey an Alpha¡¯s orders without question. He¡¯s a long¨Cstanding guard, passed to me from my father! I¡¯ve patted this man on the back, smiled with him, drank with him, and let him around children. I


    Chapter 28- The Revt


    f*cking assigned the bastard to monitor Odessa when I should¡¯ve been monitoring him!


    +10


    Bonu


    03:25


    Tristan knew <b>Kiya </b>is my mate. And he still dared to pledge to protect her <b>and </b>her friends for the duration <b>of</b>


    their stay!


    If he thought he could get away with his <b>crimes</b>, he¡¯s wrong. Because I¡¯m going to make him suffer once I get <b>my </b><b>ws </b>in him.


    ¡°Did you all know?¡± I murmured, unable to control the guilt wracking my body. Turning to the Ga Moon members <b>slowly</b>, I¡¯m taken aback by their unyielding fury. They look ready to tear me apart.


    ¡°No.¡± Beta Jacqueline replies furiously, ws threatening to sprout. My heart sank into a pool of gre


    It¡¯s their first time hearing about this too. ¡°If we knew, we wouldn¡¯t have let Kiyae here! My Goddess, what


    the f*ck<b>?!</b><b>¡±</b>


    Kwame pulled out a handkerchief and heatedly wiped the blood from <b>his </b>hands <b>as </b>if the crimson burned him. Tristan disgusted him. He disgusted me. I felt the violent need to ram my heel into his broken <b>face</b>, but he wouldn¡¯t feel it. He needed <b>to </b>feel <b>my </b>wrath.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Valerian whispered shamefully. ¡°We could¡¯ve-!¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut the hell up!¡± Beta Jacqueline barked as her veins throbbed intensely. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>done anything, and you know that! None of you cared back then! Why the hell do you care now? Beating her wasn¡¯t enough but allowing her <b>to </b>be raped?! Unforgivable! What happened to her is all your faults!¡±


    ¡°My love, please¡­¡± Abigail¡¯s touch to her <b>bicep </b><b>worked </b>its magic. Her mate <b>is </b>noticeably calmer, but still boiling with vehemence. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±


    ¡°Babe, what¡¯s going on?¨C


    All our heads turned to Raina, emerging from the dining hall with party streamers stuck in her hair. In a <b>panic</b>, Valerian stood in front of her but was toote to shield her <b>from </b>Tristan¡¯s body. ¡°What the hell happened to Tristan?!¡±


    ¡°Raina, <b>please </b>go back to the party.¡± My Beta pleaded with her. ¡°This is a vtile situation. You should watch


    Donny.¡±


    Her eyes searched the crowd, looking for something. When she hadn¡¯t found it, she asked a <b>question </b>that made my <b>blood </b>run <b>cold</b>. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister? I thought she went to change <b>her </b>clothes.¡±


    Abigail looked down, Sapphire bit her lip, and Galen is about to blow a gasket. Beta Jacqueline <b>scoffed </b>in disgust as her jade eyes pierced into Raina¡¯s form. ¡°Unbelievable. Everyone in Zircon <b>Moon </b>is f*cking ignoramuses.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Raina arched an eyebrow in offense. ¡°Is there something you want to say to me, Jacqueline?¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say to a worthless excuse for a sister.¡±


    Valerian <b>used </b>his strength to hold his wife back from attacking another Beta. I couldn¡¯t risk <b>another </b>attack and women are vicious in fights. A smug smile rested on Jacqueline¡¯s face as Abigail gently pulled her back into her arms. Raina isn¡¯t the type to take insults but insulting her status as Kiya¡¯s sister is a definite way to rile her up.


    ¡°<b>Raina</b><b>, </b>go back to the party,¡± Valerian ordered again. ¡°We have this situation handled. <b>Please</b><b>, </b>don¡¯t make it more difficult than it already is.¡±


    Chapter 28 ¨C The Revtion


    +10


    Banu


    ¡°Alpha Neron.¡± I turned my head to see several nurses entering the foyer. Their eyesnded on the bloody, unconscious man on the stairs. They approached but didn¡¯t get far when Kwame stopped them. ¡°<b>Don¡¯t </b>you03:21 want us to take him to the hospital?TM


    Why should I waste valuable medical resources on a rapist? I believe Kiya with my whole heart. Tristan raped her. <b>And </b>his punishment is long overdue,


    ¡°No.¡± I replied. ¡°Go back to the hospital and treat your patients. Don¡¯t worry about him.¡± As the nurses hesitantly took their <b>leave</b>, my eyes <b>narrowed </b>at my <b>Gamma</b>. ¡°Take him to the dungeons. Shackle him up with silver and don¡¯t tend to his wounds. Let his bones heal with the way they <b>are </b>now.¡±


    ¡°Why not just kill him?¡± Kwame questioned despite being on board with my n. ¡°It takes less effort.¡±


    ¡°Tristan doesn¡¯t <b>deserve </b><b>a </b>quick death. I¡¯ll make sure he suffers for his crimes against Kiya.¡± I didn¡¯t voice it, but I also wanted <b>to </b>hear him admit to the rape. And I know how to make him confess. But I wonder, will he lie like a coward or be foolishly brave enough


    to tell the truth?


    ¡°<b>Crimes </b>against Kiya? What the f*ck <b>are </b>you talking about?!¡± Raina demanded. I forgot that she¡¯s still here.


    ¡°What did he do to her?!¡±


    ¡°Is everyone so goddamn spineless?¡± <b>Sapphire </b>bellowed as she marched to Raina. There¡¯s not much of a height difference between them, but the warrior carried more bravery than a thousand armiesbined. ¡°Tristan raped Kiya while she was a <b>ve</b>. And judging by your expression, you didn¡¯t know about it, huh? But


    I can¡¯t expect you to care.¡±


    <b>Raina </b>froze. Tears pricked her eyes as the news sunk into her body, heavy and merciless. She turned to her husband with <b>the </b>silent hope that what Sapphire said was false. But Valerian couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. His silence was all the Beta Female needed. It¡¯s like her entire world shattered into a million pieces. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m going to g¨Cgo check o¨Con my son.¡± Without hesitation, she escaped to the faux safety of the party.


    The contrast is interesting. In one room, children areughing and are cared for without the world tainting. their innocence. But, in the foyer, everything crumbled under the <b>darkness </b>of Kiya¡¯s experience<b>.</b>


    ¡°And you <b>all </b>dare to call yourself a great pack.¡± Galen snarls at us. ¡°<b>You¡¯re </b>all pathetic.¡± One by one, the members of the greatest warrior <b>pack </b>left the foyer with disgust permeating with their every step. Behind me, I <b>hear </b>Kwame grunt with effort as he slung <b>the </b>bastard over his shoulder, muttering something about needing a shower after this.


    They left Valerian and me alone. Inhaling deeply, my resolve grew despite my <b>arduous </b>sorrow. ¡°I need to find


    <b>her</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°And say what, Nero?¡± Valerian asked me. Like me, his voice is heavy with emotion¨Cfrom either feeling Raina¡¯s sorrow through their bond, this f*cked up situation, or both ¡°There¡¯s nothing any of us can say to <b>make </b>this shit any better.¡± He¡¯s Kiya¡¯s brother¨Cinw. But neither <b>were </b><b>close</b><b>. </b>However, his emotional Intelligence is high enough to feel guilt for his wife¡¯s sister.


    Guiltes in different shapes, sizes<b>, </b>and colors. And it affects us differently.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave her alone out there, Val.¡± Especially with Osiris roaming about. Hell, he undoubtedly watched the debacle with front¨Crow seats! ¡°Won¡¯t we still be abandoning her if no one goes to check up on her? She<b>¡­</b>


    she needs someone.¡±


    Chapter 28- The Revtion


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d want to <b>see </b>anyone now.¡±


    +109 <b>Bonu</b>


    03:18


    ¡°Look, Val.¡± I turn with fire licking in my <b>eyes</b>. ¡°I get it. You¡¯re freaked. None of us were expecting this, but <b>it </b>happened, and we can¡¯t go back in time to change it. I can¡¯t go back to the party without knowing how Kiya <b>is</b>. You¡¯d be <b>the </b>same with Raina, but you <b>both </b><b>have </b>a bond. We don¡¯t.¡±


    The scent of Tristan¡¯s blood is getting bothersome. It¡¯s souring, and it¡¯s pissing me off. ¡°Get an Omega to clean <b>this </b>shit up.¡±


    ¡°Neron.¡± Valerian sighed defeatedly with a nod. ¡°Bring her back safely.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°What about Tristan?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mine after I take care of this.¡± I smiled sweetly, which seemed to horrify Valerian. ¡°If you or Kwame want to give him a few punches before I get to him, you have my full permission.¡±


    Leaving my shocked Beta behind me, I ran into the <b>woods </b><b>in </b>reckless abandon. Kiya¡¯s clothes <b>are </b>missing, so she must¡¯ve taken them with her. It¡¯s a good thing because it¡¯ll cause further uproar if anyone discovered the bloody clothes. Onyx took over and used his <b>expert </b>sense of smell to track down our mate. Kiya¡¯s sharine scent went in one direction before sharply shifting into a different direction, as if she¡¯s running.


    asionally, her scent faded near caves or ponds. Kiya didn¡¯t want to be found, but I couldn¡¯t give up. Onyx couldn¡¯t <b>give </b>up on our mate because he couldn¡¯t stop howling in sorrow and panic whenever we reached a dead end.


    We searched for almost two hours until we caught a lucky break. Determined, Onyx pushed and followed the trail of honeyed strawberries and vani. The path led us to <b>the </b>far eastern, denser part of Zircon Moon near the cliffs. I breathed a sigh of relief when I caught sight of Kiya sitting with her knees to her chest, but panic came after once I recognized the ce.


    It¡¯s the cliff where she killed herself five years ago.


    Her faint sniffles echoed in the air as she faced the distant trees below. For a moment, I worry if Kiya might jump again. Unhurriedly, I took a couple of steps towards her, <b>crushing </b>pebbles beneath my feet to make my presence known.


    <b>She </b>doesn¡¯t respond.


    I sat near the rocky edge, keeping some distance between us. Startling her was thest thing I wanted. Her body trembled with <b>every </b>exhale, and her coughing broke <b>my </b>heart. Kiya¡¯s <b>eyes </b><b>are </b>puffy and scarlet red from her crying, violently snapping my heartstrings. Goddess<b>, </b>I wanted to hug her so badly, but I knew I couldn¡¯t until she permitted me.


    ¡°The human body reces its cells every seven to ten years. Did you <b>know </b>that?¡± Kiya asked softly. ¡°I learned that in my Developmental Psychology ssst <b>year</b>. Your body bes new¨Cuntouched and unbleraished.¡±


    ¡°But, that¡¯s external. It¡¯s been five years since hest raped me, which means my body is still tainted by him, no matter how much fat and muscle I gain. What about internally? How does my body heal, but it still remembers every disgusting thing he did?¡±


    I remain <b>silent</b>, shifting ufortably. It¡¯s taking so much willpower to <b>not </b>go back <b>and </b>snap Tristan¡¯s neck.


    +108


    Bonus


    ¡°Every time he raped me; I¡¯d scream a little louder. Werewolf hearing is sensitive, right? I thought if I screamed loud enough, someone would hear and stop him. Even as he held my head to the mattress, I still03:15 screamed. But I guess <b>that¡¯s </b>naivete for you. After <b>a </b>while, I stopped screaming for help¨CI just screamed for <b>him </b>to stop hurting me.¡±


    Kiya¡¯s tears fell again, and she wiped them <b>away </b>furiously. I continued to listen. ¡°He¡¯d hurt me, biweekly. Then, weekly. Finally, it became every couple of days. I memorized the pattern and weight of his footsteps, so I know when he¡¯de. This went on for three years.¡±


    ¡°When was thest time?¡± <b>I </b>whispered, feeling my tears <b>flow </b>down my face. Kiya hesitated for a bit, but answered after a sigh.


    ¡°Two days before your Alpha ceremony. I bled little from that encounter, so I guess that¡¯s <b>a </b>good thing.¡±


    We sat quietly for what seemed like a very long time<b>. </b>Nature went about her business¨Cbirdsined in the trees, bugs made their song, the river flowed below <b>us</b>, and more. But we were still <b>as </b>statues. Neither of us made a move to break the silence.


    But minutester, Kiya broke it with gut¨Cwrenching, raw, and powerful sobs.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone help me?¡± She cried heavily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone stop him? I had blood on my legs! I had bites and scratches all over my corbone! I was limping, and he was so proud of that! He¡¯d drag me back to the dungeons, and you all watched and did nothing!¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡±


    Chapter Comments


    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 118

    Chapter <b>29 </b><b>¨C </b>Prom Night


    ¡°How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.¡±¨CMarcus Aurelius (Content Warning: Mentions of <b>Rape</b><b>/</b>S*xual Assault. Reader discretion is heavily advised)


    Raina


    No matter how long I stared at my dark ceiling, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. The age¨Cold trick to tire my eyes out failed, and I¡¯m not upset about it. After today, falling asleep seemed like a luxury. My husband¡¯s warmth couldn¡¯t soothe the chill in my heart.


    Sapphire¡¯s words hadn¡¯t left my mind. They batter against my mind¡¯s walls, beating to the tune of their vile energy, forbidding me to fall asleep.


    I¡¯m a horrible sister¨Ca horrible human being.


    Bonus


    <b>03:11</b>


    Discovering Tristan, a celebrated guard raped my little sister, my world crumbled into dust. A sledgehammer was taken, and it hit me in the chest. My baby sister was brutally vited<b>, </b>and she kept it secret for years. She would¡¯ve taken it to her grave.


    Sitting up in the bed Valerian <b>and </b>I share, I ruminate on who I was back then. I was Raina Mira Lane, the only daughter of Beta Steven Lane and Beta Female Ashley Lane. Love <b>and </b>attention <b>were </b>like sweet choctes turning into an addiction. Everyone automatically gave respect to my friends and family. Everyone trusted that I¡¯d carry the Beta name into greatness.


    I had a perfect life. My parents loved me. I was their precious diamond; their golden child. They¡¯d did everything to make sure I wasfortable<b>, </b>and I¡¯d return the favor. Academics came easily, and I graduated with <b>honors </b>at 18. The choice to attend college was mine, and I decided not <b>to </b>go.


    Valerian and I met in high <b>school </b>when he moved to Zircon <b>Moon</b>, and we became sweethearts. Not long after, we discovered we¡¯re destined mates. We put the high school sweetheart romance trope to <b>shame </b>by our


    Intense <b>love</b><b>.</b>


    No <b>one </b>could tear me down. I had the confidence of a superstar and if anyone dared to try, they¡¯d be swiftly put in their ce.


    Kiya became an afterthought. Distancing myself from who we thought to <b>be a </b>killer was easy<b>, </b>especially when everyone worked together <b>to </b>push her away, I helped turn her from a beloved <b>sister </b>to a pathetic ve. At eleven years old, my awareness was immacte, and I knew I had to cut ties with her; to protect myself and


    my reputation.


    As we pushed Kiya <b>down</b>, the pack pulled me up. My happiness and privileges came at her <b>expense</b>. It didn¡¯t <b>be </b>long <b>until </b>I stopped viewing her <b>as </b>my <b>sister</b>.


    So, when everyone began hurting her, I joined in. She couldn¡¯t risk my status and love from adults alike. Our realities separated like oil and water¨Ctwo different worlds left uncrossed. She <b>lived </b>in shambles; I lived in extravagance.


    We sold Kiya out. A child. That¡¯s something I¡¯ll never forgive myself for. Sacrificing Kiya to maintain my standing as the perfect and well¨C<b>loved </b>daughter of Betas is a sin I¡¯ll carry for the <b>rest </b>of my life. I became a selfish bitch who partied with friends <b>and </b>mated while she cried underneath my feet.


    Chapter 29¨CPran Night


    +109 Banu


    <b>Where </b>did my love for my sister go? Why did I choose a prim and perfect life over my baby sister? I have a happy life with my wonderful husband and my beautiful son, but what did I do to deserve it? Hot tears 03:00 dripped down my face at the thought of her suffering and what went inside the cell walls. We handed her <b>over </b>to a monster, and that monster took advantage of that opportunity in the sickest of ways.


    Kiya¡¯s anger against us is powerful. Crimes against her person went beyond beatings and degradation. It struck her <b>soul </b>and shattered to pieces. We left her to clean and carry them alone. Alone and broken, healing became her <b>job</b>¨C<b>another </b>burden she¡¯s forced to carry.


    I don¡¯t deserve Kiya. None of us do. She came here to help us as <b>a </b>Delta, despite knowing <b>we </b>don¡¯t deserve her <b>kind </b>graces. She preserves her smiles andughter for the innocent children of this pack, and her anger our parting gifts,


    How hasn¡¯t she burned us to the ground yet?


    is


    <b>Alpho </b>Neron didn¡¯t return with Kiya until <b>sunset</b>. Adonis¡® party ended an <b>hour </b>before. Children are privileged to be blissfully unaware of the weight of the atmosphere and my son is no different The bloody remains of <b>the </b>assault were wiped clean and the children went about their day as nothing happened. My baby sister was sleeping peacefully in her mate¡¯s arms, but her face showed evidence of her <b>pain</b>.


    Her skin <b>was </b>puffy with her eyes swollen with <b>red</b>. She had been crying for a long time.


    Desperately, I <b>wanted </b>to talk to her, but <b>Neron </b>instructed me to give Kiya space. He took her to her room and locked himself in his office for the rest of the evening. Neither showed up for dinner. The Ga Moon members didn¡¯t either. Their hatred and disgust against us are warranted.


    Honestly, they protect kiya better than we ever could. The news about her rape plunged us into the status of horrible motherf*ckers.


    We, collectively, underestimated <b>her </b><b>suffering</b>. It made me sick.


    Carefully, I creeped out of bed, utching Valerian¡¯s arm <b>around </b>my waist. There¡¯s no <b>way </b>I can sleep no. I tiptoed out of our room, as quiet <b>as </b><b>a </b>mouse<b>, </b>and walked down to the kitchen. Warm milk should do the trick. If not, looks like I¡¯m reenacting those all¨Cnighters I pulled in high school, minus the textbooks.


    As I walked down the stairs to the foyer, my <b>ears </b>caught the sounds of faint sniffles


    And crying?


    My heart shattered once I caught a whiff of the person behind the door. Expecting to be alone in the kitchen with a cup of milk in my hands was one thing, but I <b>didn¡¯t </b>expect Kiya to be sitting at the ind, in a pink onesie, sobbing with her head to the table with a bottle of alcohol in <b>her </b>hand.


    My sisterly desire tofort my sister is strong. Cyra, my wolf, urged me to go to her and hold her. But when I took one step into the kitchen, Kiya¡¯s head <b>shot </b><b>up</b>. Her <b>eyes </b>are ssy, but the anger is as clear as diamonds.


    ¡°The golden child <bes </b>to <b>grace </b>me with her presence.¡± She slurred angrily, wiping her nose in frustration. ¡°What the f*ck do <b>you </b>want?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I took a deep, shaky breath to calm my nerves. This is scarier than facing a rogue. ¡°I wanted to see if you¡¯re okay, Kiya. I didn¡¯t expect to <b>find </b>you here.¡±


    +10


    Bonus


    ¡°Well, here I am; drinking this shit to forget these horrible memories. They won¡¯t leave me alone.¡± Kiya rests her chin on her fist. Our body heat burns alcohol fast, so normal human alcohol cannot get us tipsy. So, w03:05 need special alcohol to get us drunk. She must¡¯ve rummaged through the top cabs and found the supply. Judging by the clear bottle in her hand, she had vodka.


    ¡°Alcohol won¡¯t help. It¡¯s a depressant.¡±


    ¡°Good. Depress these memories.¡±


    ¡°<b>Kiya</b>¡­¡± More tears fell as I watched my sister, beyond broken, take another swig of vodka straight <b>from </b>the bottle. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy seeing you like this. G¨Cgive me the bottle so we can talk.¡±


    Kiya regarded me with a <b>heavy </b>look that pierced into my soul. Cyra whimpered and shook from the intensity of her <b>stare</b>. Her brown eyes that once held all the happiness in the world now held enough malice to incinerate me on the spot¨Ca product of her mistreatment.


    ¡°You looked so pretty in gold.¡± She whispered, confusing me. ¡°Your hair was curled to perfection and the gold dress hugged every curve our Moon Goddess blessed you with. You wore the zircon diamond ne Valerian got you for your 16th birthday and you had yellow eyeshadow that turned you into a sun goddess. Absolutely gorgeous, but I couldn¡¯t tell you that. You hated me.¡±


    A powerful <b>memory </b>shed in my mind abruptly.


    shback


    The pack house bustled withmotion and excitement as I applied mascara to my long, ebonyshes. Yellow and gold shimmer decorated my eyelids and the rest of my makeup was wless. <i>I </i>looked and felt like a goddess! As my curls bounced with my movement, I continue to admire my beauty through my vanity mirror. I couldn¡¯t wait for Valerian¡¯s reaction before we head to the yacht!


    But my mood soured when that ¡®thing¡® knocked on my door. Her vile stench is enough to make my eyes water. It permeated through the door and <i>the </ist thing I needed was to be smelling like horse shit. It won¡¯t ruin my f*cking evening! Huffing, I threw my door open to meet the scared eyes of the ve.


    ¡°What the f*ck do you want?¡± I spat. Her knees rattled as she shook under my gaze. ¡°Answer me!¡±


    ¡°I¨CI came for <b>your </b>Iundry.¡± The ve stuttered. Rolling my eyes, I remembered it¡¯s her nightly task to take care of theundry. ¡°<i>I </i>c¨Ccane backter.¡±


    ¡°No. Get the basket and get the <i>f*ck </i>out of my room. Thest thing I need is to be smelling like you.¡± Quickly, it scampered in and gathered therge clothes hamper located beside the bathroom door. As I went to look for my purse, I noticed something <i>off </i>about the ve that pissed me off.


    ¡°Did you start your period? There¡¯s blood on your legs and it¡¯s getting on my carpet!¡±


    Startled, it looked down in horror to find crimson rivers flowing from underneath the dress to its ankles. Wiping the blood with that pathetic excuse for a dress was fruitless. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Sure you


    didn¡¯t.¡± My heels clicked against the floor as I walked into the bathroom and threw her one of my smallest soup bars. ¡°Get out.¡± She didn¡¯t move. ¡°Are you deaf? Get out of my room, bitch!¡±


    ¡°Raina¡­¡± Tears dropped from its eyes onto my dirtyundry; Its entire body shook with terror. ¡°P¨CPlease. I don¡¯t want to go back <b>down </b>in the dungeons.¡±


    +109


    Chapter 29. Pum Nyht


    ¡°And I don¡¯t care. That¡¯s where ves <b>live</b><b>, </b>and you¡¯re <b>a </b><b>ve</b>.¡±


    Bonu


    03:02


    ¡°But I¡¯m your sister!¡± That screech hurt my heart and chest, which only made me angrier. I shouldn¡¯t feel anything for this thing, not after the pain it caused my Alpha, Neron, and everyone else! ¡°I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t let them take me back there! He¡¯s hurting me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>have </b>a sister, runt.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem here, Miss Raina?¡± We both turned to see Tristan standing near the doorway. I smiled while the ve whimpered and quaked.


    ¡°N¨Cne¡­!


    ¡°Yes. Get it out of my room, Tristan.¡± I hissed. ¡°It thought it could convince me to let it out of the prisons. It¡¯s directly disobeying Alpha Jonathan¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Is it now?¡± His dark eyes narrowed onto the <b>ve</b>, <b>who </b>whimpered louder and tried to distance herself from Zircon Moon¡¯s most trusted guard. Tristan grabbed <b>its </b>arm and dragged it¡¯s out of my room. <i>¡°</i>I apologize for the inconvenience, Miss Raina. It¡¯ll be swiftly dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Good. I need to air out this room.¡±


    ¡°Raina, please! Don¡¯t do this to me!¡± It begged. ¡°Help me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t help killers.¡±


    The ve gasped tearfully as it finally was taken out of my room with myundry basket at hand. Sighing heavily, I grabbed my air freshener and sprayed the corners of my room, weing the sweet scent of apple cinnamon. It


    reminded me of Valerian.


    <b>But </b>even <b>as </b>I finished my preparations and headed towards the front yard to meet my mate, the aching feeling in my chest didn¡¯t leave. It sat there, like a stone in a river, for the entire night.


    End shback


    ¡°Oh, my Goddess¡­¡± The evidence was right in front of me, as <b>in </b>as day! And I selfishly ignored them because I was too concerned with my night with my mate and friends<b>! </b><b>I </b>allowed Tristan to drag her out of my room. My <b>chance </b>to save my baby sister was there and I let it pass me by despite knowing something was wrong! ¡°Kiya¡­l¡­¡±


    Something came to my face. I ducked and the song of shatter screeched behind me. The impact between the wall and her <b>vodka </b>bottle sprayed ss <b>shards </b>and clear <b>liquid </b>everywhere, Kiya tried to hurt me! Looking back at her, it horrified me to find her beautiful <b>brown </b>swapped with crimson red.


    ¡°It was your f*cking prom night!¡± She shrieked with fury, her fists shaking in the desire to sucker punch me. ¡°That was the first time he raped me! I begged for your help and you didn¡¯t f*cking care! How could you be so heartless? You had your chance and you waste it <b>and </b>you <b>expect </b>me to forgive you?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to, Kiya! There¡¯s no excuse for what I¡¯ve done!¡± I wrack my cries with heavy sobs while that awful memory yed over and over. Her tearful eyes and broken heart projected themselves prominently in the memory as a bitter reminder of my failure as a big sister. ¡°I¡¯m <b>so </b>sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Your apologies won¡¯t erase anything, bitch! He raped me again that night while you and your stupid friends


    Chapter 29 ¨C Prom NightContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    +109


    Bonus


    partied! Why don¡¯t you take a <b>step </b>into my shoes and feel how I feel?! You abandoned me! You left me alone!¡±


    02:59


    <b>Kiya </b>fell to the <b>ground </b>with <b>powerful </b><b>sobs</b>. ¡°¡­I just <b>want </b>to forget everything! It¡¯s <b>too </b>much¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Without hesitation, I walked to where she was, kneeled, and pulled her into my embrace. She struggled and cursed me <b>out</b>, but after a minute, Kiya surrendered and allowed me to rock her. My pajamas muffled her sobs and soaked in her tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± <b>I </b>whispered, rubbing her <b>back </b>as she cried. ¡°Baby sis¡­I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± She whimpers.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I wish you were dead.¡±


    I winced. ¡°¡­I know¡­¡±


    ¡°I want the pain to stop. Please, don¡¯t leave me alone again¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll never leave you alone again.¡±


    irredeemable. But<b>, </b>as long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll be there for <b>her </b>until <b>the </b><b>end</b>.


    Whether it be in death or when she cuts me from her life forever.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 30 ¨C A Fate Decided


    ¡°Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell.¡± -Walter Scott


    (Content Warning: Mentions of S*xual Assault and Violence. Reader discretion is advised.)


    Raina


    After a while, Kiya told me to leave.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    +10


    Bonu


    02:50


    I didn¡¯t want to, but I respected her wishes and left the kitchen after I <b>cleaned </b>up the shattered ss. Her soft sobbing started up again as I walked up the stairs.


    Kiya¡¯s right. No amount of apologies can erase the <b>brutal </b>past. It¡¯s a failed Band¨CAid trying to hold broken pieces together. Have we damaged Kiya beyond redemption? She¡¯s destined to be a fantastic Luna. However, it doesn¡¯t seem fair for her to rule over a pack that frayed <b>her </b>spirit.


    Inha Neron


    I need to speak to Alpha Neron<b>, </b>regardless of howte it is.


    Wiping my tears, I worked up the courage to walk to his room. It¡¯s on the farther end of the fourth floor. Brisk walking toward the thick mahogany door, I lightly knocked. Wolves hate being awoken from their sleep, but I¡¯m taking my chances<b>.</b>


    ¡°Alpha Neron?¡± I whisper. ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>sorry for disturbing you, but I need to talk to you.¡±


    Silence.


    I knocked harder. No response.


    Giving up wasn¡¯t an option. We need to discuss Tristan¡¯s fate and Kiya¡¯s well¨Cbeing for the rest of her stay. Killing Tristan with my bare <b>ws </b>is <b>an </b>exciting thought¨Cto make <b>him </b>feel all the agony he <b>put </b>my sister through. I¡¯d sacrifice myself if it meant Kiya can genuinely smile again<b>.</b>


    She doesn¡¯t deserve any of this.


    Frustrated, I resorted to the mind¨Clink. ¡°Alpha Neron? Are you awake<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Yes, Raina.¡± voice was hard and emotionless. Cyra whimpered in fear. ¡°What is it?¡±


    His


    ¡°I apologize, but I¡¯m wondering if we can talk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°In the dungeons.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can Ie?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    The dungeons. The horrific underground cells where we¡¯d imprison <b>criminals</b>. Once upon a time, Kiya was forced to call it home. After her suicide, I couldn¡¯t bear to


    be anywhere near the ce because I couldn¡¯t face


    +10 Bonu


    the shame. Guilt consumed me then, <b>and </b>it still has a ferocious appetite. Now, I found a reason to go.


    Entering the basement, I spot a heavy steel door. <b>Behind </b>ity the aforementioned dungeons. My fingers trembled on the knob, but myfort didn¡¯t matter.


    I <b>need </b>to do this.


    A foul stench assaulted my nose when I forced the entranceway open. Blood, feces, and other bodily fluids. intermingled into the dense atmosphere. F*cking hell, how could we force Kiya to live like this for nearly a decade?


    We¡¯re horrible people!


    <b>02</b><b>:</b>5


    Thank Goddess for slippers because afterward, I¡¯ll burn this pair. The stairs creaked with my descending steps, making my presence known to the other misceneous prisoners we kept here. Neron¡¯s earthly scent is <b>sharp </b>and distinct under the offensive miasma. I followed it to the end of the prisons where various grunts <b>and </b>yells


    ricocheted off the cement walls.


    I walked in on a horror scene. Tristan, broken beyond humanly possible, <b>was </b>shackled to the wall by his wrists: and ankles with his body angled forward. Judging by the faint smell of burnt flesh, the chains are silver. His face is bruised and unrecognizable, and ck and blue decorated his pale flesh. Above him stood my Alpha, shirtless with blood sttered over his chest and fists.


    ¡°Alpha Neron¡­¡± I whispered, almost terrified to take another step into the cell. He turned to me with blue eyes, cold and void of emotion. ¡°What¡¯s <b>happening </b>here?¡±


    ¡°Catching up with an old friend.¡± He smirked amusingly, sending my <b>heart </b><b>racing </b>with fear. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I¡¯de here and work up a sweat.¡±


    I


    Tristan moaned and spat red next to a pool of blood and broken teeth. ¡°My Alpha, stop this. <b>You </b>aren¡¯t in your right <b>mind</b>!¡±


    ¡°Stop?¡± Neron asked, his voice taking on a mocking tone. ¡°Kiya told you to <b>stop</b>. Many times. But, you didn¡¯t.


    <b>So </b>why should <b>I</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    I winced at the sound of fists to flesh. Hended a solid punch to Tristan¡¯s face, bruising the bruises. It¡¯s painful to watch, but I <b>forced </b>myself to look; I remind myself that Tristan deserves to <b>feel </b>the Alpha¡¯s wrath. He doesn¡¯t deserve mercy.


    ¡°Goddamnit!¡± Tristan screamed. ¡°Let me heal!¡±


    ¡°Healing is a luxury that you can¡¯t afford.¡± Rolling his eyes, Neron walked to a corner <b>and </b>grabbed a wooden chair. Sitting with the back to his chest, he rested his thick arms on the top <b>rail</b>, regarding Tristan with a deadly look. ¡°Come in, <b>Raina</b>.¡±


    Unable to resist an Alpha¡¯smand, I entered the <b>cell </b><b>and </b>took my ce next to <b>him</b>. The <b>closer </b>I was to Tristan, the more jubnt my heart <b>became</b>. Cyra is excited as she growled at the rapist. He used to be a handsome older man, but now, he¡¯s a shell of his former self.


    ¡°You <b>can¡¯t </b>do this to me.¡± Tristan hissed painfully. ¡°Your father won¡¯t allow this.¡±


    ¡°My father can¡¯t and won¡¯t do shit. I¡¯m the Alpha and you¡¯ll listen to me.¡± Neron is breathing heavily like he¡¯s holding back. His wolf, Onyx, is a beast in his right. Holding Cyra back from attacking was <b>difficult</b>, but


    Chapter 30: & Fate Decided


    +10


    Banu


    nowhere near how Neron had to hold Onyx back. ¡°There is one way you can escape this, <b>Tristan</b><b>.</b>¡±


    02<b>:</b><b>5</b>


    His <b>good </b>eye looked up curiously. The <b>other </b><b>is </b>swollen <b>shut</b>. ¡°Is <b>this </b>some sort of trick? Are <b>you </b>f*cking with me? You spent the <bst </b>half hour beating the shit out of me!¡±


    ¡°Shut up. What I did to you was nothingpared to what Kiya did. And might I <b>add</b>, she did quite a number on you.


    simpressive.¡± Neron chuckled. ¡°But, enough with that. The only way for you to get out is if you


    confess.¡±


    ¡°Confess?¡±


    ¡°To what you did to my mate and I¡¯ll set you free.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t be serious. Is he negotiating freedom with a rapist?! Tristan can and will go after Kiya again! His assaults only stopped because she died, but Tristan will rape her again if free!


    ¡°Say nothing,¡± Neron warned me through mind¨Clink. ¡°I can sense your anger, Raina. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me.¡±


    Tristan stared at Neron, and <b>then </b>at <b>me</b><b>, </b>and scoffed. He shook his <b>head</b>, albeit painfully, in utter disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing to that girl. Must you believe baseless usations <b>from </b>an unstable girl?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a woman,¡± Neron corrected. ¡°And you¡¯re calling my mate a liar?¡±


    Tristan sighed, <b>aware </b>of the edge of anger in Neron¡¯s voice. Insulting an Alpha¡¯s beloved is equal to asking for a death wish. He gulped, rethinking his words. ¡°I¡¯m saying is that you can¡¯t believe wild allegations without gathering circumstantial evidence. I¡¯ve raped no one, my Alpha. Why would I bring dishonor to the Zircon name? Your father treated me kindly. I¡¯ve expected the same courtesy from you. Doesn¡¯t everyone have a right to a trial?¡±


    Goddess, I wanted to w his face off!


    ¡°They do. But, sometimes, a trial isn¡¯t needed. A simple confession from the alleged perpetrator is worth more in weight. And rape is a very serious crime, no matter how long ago it took ce. However, the age of the victim does matter. Kiya was seventeen when she passed away. She said the assaults took <b>ce </b>for three years, which means she was fifteen when it began. She <b>was </b>under mating age, thus, still a child.¡±


    The first time I saw Kiya shift was when Orion challenged her a couple months back. Before that, I don¡¯t know. how or when. The thought of her shifting alone in a cell when it should¡¯ve been a celebratory event brought <b>tears </b>to my eyes <b>again</b><b>.</b>


    We took <b>everything </b>from her.


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>aware </b>of that.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re <b>aware </b>of the consequences?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Neron stretched his arms behind his <b>head</b>. ¡°Raina is a witness to your acknowledgments. If you decide to im that you weren¡¯t aware of the rules andws that govern us, my Beta Female can and will prove you wrong. But, given that you were a guard, remembering ourws wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Now¡­¡±


    Chapter 10 A. Late Decided.


    +10


    Bonu


    Neron slowly emerged from his seat with dominance and fear radiating off him. Tristan¡¯s next words will determine histe. I¡¯ve watched my Alpha grow incredibly protective over Kiya thesest few months¨Clik02:41 she¡¯s his most precious treasure. As her fury rocked the pack, he endured it all to prove that he¡¯s a changed man who won¡¯t let harme to her.


    He loves her.


    I watched as he kneeled in front of Tristan, grabbing his chin to still his face. From the corner of his eyes, hist blue irises shed to sharp gold. The beat¨Cup guard whimpered under his gaze, bowing his head into submission. I know the bastard was lying to save his ass¨Ctypical of cowards to pin the me on someone else to make themselves look good.


    But no wolf can resist themand of an Alpha, especially if they¡¯re bonded to the same pack. He¡¯s done for.


    ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase.¡± Neron¡¯s nails dug into his <b>chin</b>, forcing his head up again. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you a simple question and if you lie to me, you¡¯ll be begging for death. Did you rape my <b>mate</b>?¡±


    Silence permeated between the smelly, enclosed <b>space </b>of the prison. Tension thickened and anticipation skyrocketed. I wait in bated breath for Tristan¡¯s confession because Kiya wouldn¡¯t lie about this. I believe Tristan hurt her, yet I <b>know </b>my belief came toote.


    We waited.


    Until Tristan lost his mind and began struggling. The Alpha¡¯smand worked its magic.


    ¡°Fine! You want the truth? Yes, I had s*x with the little bitch. She wanted it! That whore was so desperate for affection that shetched onto me! You know how horny teenage werewolves are!¡±


    Tristanughed like a maniac, boisterous. ¡°You should be proud, Alpha Neron. She¡¯s quite the screamer. Just because I made her bleed <b>a </b><b>few </b>times, she can run around and call it rape? The bitch is a troublemaker! Ever


    but trouble! Our pack was peaceful before her sorry ass came back from the dead! Is it worth the trouble to keep someone like that around?¡±


    <b>since </b>she arrived, she brought nothin


    He shrugs nonchntly. ¡°But hey, the troublesome girls <b>are </b>also good f*cks. She should be grateful someone wanted her body before you did<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± I lost it. F*ck Neron¡¯smand; I wanted this son¨Cof¨Ca¨Cbitch¡¯s blood! Cyra is partially in


    <b>control</b>, boiling in a rage with the desire to take Tristan¡¯s life. Without hesitation, I shed at his flesh with my ws, weing his blood on my pajamas. Each sh echoed Kiya¡¯s painful cries. Each tear that fell from my eyes pulsated with my failure. All the rage I felt for my sister I wed <b>into </b><b>the </b>bastard, aiming for his


    heart.


    I know I¡¯m going to hell, but I¡¯m sending Tristan there in a f*cking handbasket! He holds no regrets about what he¡¯s done! He¡¯ll wish he hadn¡¯t messed with my family!


    ¡°Evil monster! You¡¯ll never hurt her again!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Raina.¡± Effortlessly, my Alpha grabbed me by the waist and pulled me away as I thrashed, screamed, and cried for Kiya. For my ipetence <b>and </b>my part in allowing this monster to live. For ruining my sister¡¯s life.


    I wish it was me with the agony, not her.


    Chapter 30 A Fat Decided


    +109


    inuog


    Neron continued to hold me until I calmed down. Sniffling and huffing, I rxed my thrashing arms and legs) as I¡¯m partially suspended in the air. ¡°Finished?¡±


    02:45


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied weakly. He released me gently and turned his attention back to the sorry excuse of a werewolf.


    ¡°Your execution will take ce the day after tomorrow,¡± Neron says emotionlessly. ¡°You¡¯ll be killed in front of the entire pack for your crimes, your body will burn to ash, and your they¡¯ll be scattered far away from mynds. I¡¯ll be praying to <b>the </b>Moon Goddess for your <b>punishment </b>in the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to <b>kill </b>me?!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Kiya will be your executioner.¡±


    Neron turned around and walked out of the cell until Tristan said something that shook him to the core.


    ¡°Your father said we could do anything we wanted with the ve. You all were already beating the living <b>shit </b>out of her, so why couldn¡¯t I have a little fun? No real man wants sloppy seconds.¡±


    After my Alpha beat the shit out of Tristan more, we walked up the stairs in silence. We emerged in the basement. Once the prison door closed, I broke down again.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t regret a f*cking thing!¡± I hupped. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me kill <b>him</b>?!¡±


    ¡°Raina<b>, </b>listen to me.¡± Gold is back to mellow blue, shining with emotion. ¡°Take a shower <b>and </b><b>find </b>solstice in your husband¡¯s arms. Take care of yourself. Tristan will be dealt withter.¡±


    ¡°What about your dad?¡±


    His jaw worked tight with anger. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Why <b>set </b>his execution for the day after tomorrow? Why not in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to tear him apart, stitch him together, and tear him apart again.¡± He answered calmly, rubbing his knuckles. ¡°And I need to ask Kiya if she wants to be the one to kill him. If she doesn¡¯t, then I will. Rapists are scum. We¡¯ll be doing the world a favor.¡±


    I retreated to my room. My body is heavy with aches and pains, and I needed my husband¡¯s gentle scent. Peeking inside, Valerian is still <b>asleep</b>. Taking a quick shower <b>and </b>stuffing my bloodied pajamas in the clothes hamper, I change into <b>a </b>green nightgown and snuggled into my beloved¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± Valerian asked, half¨Casleep. ¡°Hmm¡­you smell nice¡­¡±


    ¡°I had to take care of something.¡± I k*ssed him softly. ¡°Go back to sleep, my love.¡±


    My sleepy husband fell back to sleep but it took me some time before I could.


    Because all my thoughts <b>were </b>on Kiya.


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 Chapter 120

    Chapter 31 ¨C A Choice to Kill


    ¡°Your future will be determined more by choice than by chance.¡°¨CFrank Sonnenberg


    Kiya


    The weight of the world is on my shoulders again. This time, I cannot see a way out.


    Bonus


    02:41


    From my tender scalp to my toes, my body suffers from throbbing aches. The morning sun begins a new <b>day</b>, but it couldn¡¯t shine a light through the darkness. Unending tears fell from my eyes and my heavy body is trapped in bed. I didn¡¯t want to do anything except stay in my room.


    After my <b>episode </bst night, I woke up to find my friends surrounding me in my bed. No doubt feeling my distress through the mind¨Clink. Jackie spooned me from behind, Abigail to my front, Sapphire and Galen cuddled into my legs. I don¡¯t know how my bed fit <b>five </b>grown werewolves, but they made it work. Heat painted my ch*eks from the closeness and their warmth is always wee, but I feel awful for separating them from their mates. Mates sleep together, and they forgo that tofort their broken and drunken friend.


    I don¡¯t deserve them.


    Sometimes<b>, </b>I felt like a burden. How many times have they put themselves on hold to help me? How many times have they risked themselves for me? They shouldn¡¯t have to <b>do </b>any of this. They have their rich lives to take care of, not a woman who can¡¯t get a grip on her emotions.


    My mess is mine to <b>clean </b>up; they have <b>lives </b>to tend to and shouldn¡¯t bother themselves with my problems.


    Although, I wish Darien was part of our nest. Our team is iplete without him, <b>and </b>I miss him terribly. His brte disaster, however, is determined to ruin me with a knife to the heart. But I know I¡¯ll get him back.


    F*ck vodka. I should¡¯ve known it won¡¯t make me forget about the guard. Now, I don¡¯t have the strength to fight against this additional weight.


    I¡¯m strong, right? I¡¯m a survivor, right? Then why do I feel so weak? Being strong day¨Cin and day¨Cout is so hard. It¡¯s <b>a </b>full¨Ctime job; a brutal full¨Ctime job.


    Yet, I turned in the pink¨Cslip the moment my eyesnded on him. Ie to learn his name as Tristan. A generic name <b>for </b>a detestable man.


    Everything came back¨Cthe memories, sensations, pain, <b>and </b>more. And I couldn¡¯t protect Artemis from the experience because I put up a wall toote after the assault. She knew that Tristan hurt me but didn¡¯t know how brutal the hurt was. Anytime he¡¯de into my cell to do his dirty business, protecting A


    Artemis from the horrific experience became a priority. Reinforcing the mental wall so she couldn¡¯t see, feel, or hear Tristan¡¯s assault became routine<b>. </b>I was physically weak, but I willed myself mentally to protect my wolf from the evil cast on my body.


    I knew I could protect Artemis, no matter how much I suffered. My wolf holds a special ce in my heart, and I¡¯d be damned if anyone hurt her. She¡¯s <b>too </b>pure to experience hell.


    Even now, as she tries to help me out of my rut. Artemis is too good for <b>me</b>. How did a mighty wolf like herself get stuck with someone like me<b>?</b>


    <b>¡°</b>Don¡¯t you dare go down that line of thinking, youngdy!¡± Artemis bellowed suddenly like <b>a </b>mother st


    +109


    corning their child. ¡°You aren¡¯t a burden to me. Never will be. You¡¯re rpsing into depression


    and I¡¯m here to remind you that I love you and will always be at your side no ma what


    Bonu


    <b>02:35</b>


    ¡°I let him get to me. Artemis,¡± I reply as tears dripped on my pillow.¡°As soon as I saw his face and smelled scent, everything came back¨Ceverything I felt as a ve. I don¡¯t feel like myself ammore. Looking in his eyes was like he was raping me all over again.¡±


    ¡°Kiya, why didn¡¯t you let me know what happened: You gave me bits and pieces, but never the full


    story<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°We feel everything together when our walls are down. I couldn¡¯t let you feel what he was doing to me. You try take over to stop him, but he¡¯d force himself on you. I couldn¡¯t let you live with that pain too I¡¯m sorry Artemis.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Even when brutalized. you thought about my well¨Cbeing If Artemis was next to me I¡¯d feel her snout nuzzle into my side. A pooling of warmth appeared on the right side of my body. ¡°You protected me. If anything. I don¡¯t deserve you. You¡¯re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of it. I admit, rubbing the fallen tears from my ch*eks. Being strong all the times difficult. reminded of why this pack is despicable and deserves to burn to the ground for what they did i


    ¡°An eye for an eye.¡±


    ¡°No one here got punished for what they d Sure, they got gems, but it¡¯s enough. They be hert off the hook. It isn¡¯t fair. Art. None of them truly suffered.¡±


    Be careful with this line of thinking, Kiki.¡± Artemis warmed. Right on cue Osins munk pulsated, making me hiss in pain. ¡°It¡¯s unfair, but you aren¡¯t like them. You won¡¯t stoop as low as they have. You¡¯re better than them.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    The mark continued to throb asynchronously from my heartbeat, begging for the touch of their creator. Since disfiguring Tristan, the call to darkness strengthened. It¡¯s like a trend impeting me into a world of infinite possibilities. Beating the shit out of my rapist brought buppiness beyondprehension¨Cit was only a fraction of the burning rage I felt I dipped me in a sea of red, but couted in a nket of ckened security. I didn¡¯t want to leave it. I wanted more


    Osiris apuded me, delighted at my viciousness. If I wasn¡¯t interced, I would¡¯ve killed Tristan. I didn¡¯t want him to die yet because he deserved more hurt. Death is too gred for him. Waking into the afterlife meant he¡¯s free of pain and responsibility of this world and he shouldn¡¯t escape it. Not now, not ever


    Artemis is right. This line of thinking is dangerous. I can¡¯t give Chins what he wants¨Cme bing a ruthless monster. Bing someone ke him is not an option. I can¡¯t give in to my dark side.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    But, goddamnit, I wanted doll


    I remained in bed for the rest of the day Facing the world after unveiling my shameful secret terrified me. My


    han


    appetite disappeared, and it ben¡¯t turned. Taking a shower was hell because my body felt as heavy as lead. Dragging it to the bathtub was ke pulling cinderblock. I ignored my friend¡¯s requests to hang out with them and told them they can eat my share of breakfast and lunch let their disappointment and worry through


    Chapter 31¨CA Choice to Kill


    mind¨Clinks, but I blocked them <b>out</b>.


    I wanted to be alone.


    +10


    -Bonu:


    02:30


    Before I could take my millionth nap, a soft knock rapped on my door. I grouchily snatched my phone off themp table and checked the time. It¡¯s past 7 PM. I tossed my phone back and covered my <b>head </b>with my nket, hoping the person on the other side would take a hint and leave me alone.


    ¡°Delta Kiya? It¡¯s Isabe!¡±


    My head shot out of the nket. Great, I can¡¯t ignore my favorite student! Sighing, I kick the covers off me and trudged to the door, meeting a pair of innocent emeralds.


    ¡°<b>Yes</b>?¡±


    ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>sorry to disturb you, but¡­are you okay? You canceled training and I <b>haven¡¯t </b>seen you all day.¡±


    Goddess, my heart. Be is worried about me. Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall again, I did my best to muster up a smile, kneeling to her level. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you, dear. I¡¯m¡­dealing with some things and needed time away. Thank you for checking on me.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re okay¡­¡± This sweetheart and I developed a bond and I¡¯m happy to see Bee out of her shell. Although, it¡¯s normal for younglings to worry about the adults they care about; I still worry about Mom and Dad asionally.


    ¡°Is there anything else, Bell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Alpha Neron is asking for you.¡±


    If there was a moment where I wanted to bash my head into a wall, it¡¯d be now. I know he wants to talk about what happened on the cliff, but I¡¯m dreading the awkwardness. Plus, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d avoid everyone for a day without him noticing


    Regardless of my internal protests, I followed Isabe to the kitchen where Neron was waiting for me. On the ind were two tes of honey garlic salmon. My stomach thought it was a perfect moment to imitate a bear¡¯s roar, and I know these two heard me, Neron shot me a smirk, and I blushed. His dish had less food than what I assume is mine. Isabe departed with a smile, leaving us alone.


    ¡°You look like hell.¡± He bluntlymented.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡± Gesturing to the seat on the opposite side of him, I begrudgingly obliged, only because I¡¯ve yet to have a decent meal. Neron filled a cup with water from a pitcher and handed it to me. Muttering my thanks, I grabbed my fork and <b>took </b>a well¨Cneeded bite.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Savory vors <b>danced </b>around my tongue, making me smile. ¡°This is <b>good</b>. Cassandra outdid herself.¡± Yikes<b>, </b>that left a bitter taste in my mouth.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t make this.¡±


    ¡°Who did<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Me.¡±


    Chapter 31 Choice to kill


    4+10 1.Bonu:


    I choked on my fork. That¡¯s impossible! I imagined Neron in a lot of positions, but as a cook <b>wasn¡¯t </b>one of them! But when I look at his face, there¡¯s no hint of deceit. His sapphires are twinkling with delight¨Ca drag23 change from yesterday. ¡°Since when did you learn how to cook?¡±


    ¡°Mom <b>was </b>the type who believed that everyone should learn how to <b>cook</b>. It¡¯s a necessity that shouldn¡¯t be based on gender. She showed me how, and it stuck with <b>me</b>. I don¡¯t cook often; only on special asions.¡±


    ¡°So, this is a special asion?¡± I asked, taking another bite of the savory salmon. Goddess, I wanted to eat this for the rest of my life!


    ¡°<b>Well</b>, I wanted to see <b>how </b>you¡¯re doing.¡± He admitted, poking at his fish with his fork. <b>¡°</b><b>And </b>there¡¯s something we need to talk about.¡±


    Dread filled the <b>air </b>and savagely murdered my appetite. I dropped my fork down next to my te and felt the weight of the world on me again. Crawling into a dark hole never seemed so appealing. I¡¯m too overwhelmed and wanted to hide until it <b>stops</b>.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about him.¡± Lethal poison dripped from thest word as my body involuntarily shook from his <b>past </b><b>violence</b>. ¡°It¡¯s barely been two days, and he¡¯s taking up all my thoughts. <b>Can </b>we talk about something <b>else</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°We have to talk about him.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving.¡± Abruptly, I shot up from my seat and marched towards the door.


    ¡°Tristan¡¯s execution is set for tomorrow <b>morning</b>.¡±


    Time stopped around me. Did I hear him correctly? Tristan will die? Turning my head, my expression is stoic, but my eyes are swimming with unspoken emotions. ¡°What did <b>you </b><b>say</b>?¡±


    ¡°Tristan will be killed tomorrow morning in front of the pack,¡± Neron exined, pushing his food to the side. and folding his hands. ¡°I visited him in the prisonsst night and he confessed to what he did to you, Kiya, He admitted to everything but did not express remorse.¡±


    Since when do rapists feel guilt for what they did? <b>Rape </b>is not a ident¨CTristan knew what he was doing and why. He¡¯d always said no one would believe me if <b>I </b>said anything. I was a ve. I could attempt to tarnish his <b>name</b>, but he had too many allies who¡¯d believe him over me, including Jonathan. He¡¯d beat me for lying.


    I stared at the door, soaking in Neron¡¯s words. Tristan confessed to him, but I need to hear it. I need him to <b>look </b>me in the eye and admit that he brutalized me.


    ¡°In front of the pack?¡± I asked in a whisper.


    The Alpha nodded. ¡°Executions are public. However, <b>I </b>want to <b>ask </b>if you want to be the one to execute him.¡±


    Such a loaded statement. My mind spun madly; I had to grasp the wall to keep steady. To be <b>the </b>one to take Tristan¡¯s life¨Cto end his life <b>forever</b>¨Ca part of me wants to do it. It¡¯ll be retribution for my inner child. The bastard will die knowing his victim lived, and he¡¯ll be served to the mes of hell.


    But another part of me doesn¡¯t want to do it. I¡¯m not a killer. Will killing him help me heal? I¡¯ve lived by personal code to never take <b>a </b>life. Yes, I¡¯ve killed rogues, but Tristan isn¡¯t a rogue. He¡¯s a disgraced <b>pack </b>member. Is it my right to take a life<b>?</b>


    Chapter 11-& Choc


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to kill <b>him</b>?¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    <b>02</b>:3


    ¡°I have a list of people who like to kill him, me and your sister included.¡± He smiled lovingly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°If I say yes, do I get a choice in how I kill him<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°<b>Yes</b>.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can I have some time to think about this?¡°.


    ¡°Yes, but you have until the morning of.¡± Neron took my te and fork and walked to me, gently cing them <b>in </b>my hands. ¡°Whatever your choice is, I¡¯ll ept it. I won¡¯t allow that man to live after what he¡¯s done to you.¡± Hisrge hand cupped my ch*ek, wiping <b>away </b>a tear that escaped. ¡°My apologies won¡¯t erase the past but allow me to carve out a future <b>where </b>he¡¯ll <b>never </b>hurt you again. I promised to protect you, remember? <b>And </b>I won¡¯t stop.¡±


    I took the te and nodded as more tears fell. Looking into his eyes, his blue took on many shades, but I see the vibrancy of <b>his vows</b>.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whisper. ¡°For giving me this choice. I¡¯ll sleep on it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He grins. ¡°Finish your food. I <b>worked </b>too hard on it to let it go to waste!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± <b>Once </b>he released me, I left the kitchen.


    No matter what happens tomorrow, Tristan is dead.


    But should he die by my <b>hand</b>?


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 32 ¨C Judgement Day


    ¡°For the powerful, crimes are those that othersmit.¡°¨CNoam Chomsky


    Third Person POV


    Water is to oil as confidence is to anxiety.


    And Kiya has been feeling nothing but anxiety.


    She sits at her vanity mirror, gazing at her reflection while psyching herself up about this fateful day- Tristan¡¯sst day on earth. And the first day of healing from her childhood assaults.


    +109


    Bonus


    02:27


    ¡°I can do this.¡± Kiya mentally chants. Despite her attempts to fill herself with confidence, her anxiety proved to be a festering disease consuming her body.


    Unwillingly, tears fell from her cocoa¨Ccolored orbs as her shaky hand tried to wipe them away in <b>vain</b>. Executions are made publicly, meaning this will be the first time all of Zircon Moon will surround Kiya. Children won¡¯t witness the event. That was the only saving grace that warmed her heart.


    Thest time the pack gathered in crowds was her first escape attempt at fourteen. Dragged back and beaten by Jonathan Prince, he made Kiya a ve. Today, she felt she unknowingly brought attention to herself again. She became the talk of the town because of her arrival, but that she brushed off.


    This is a different circumstance she felt ill¨Cprepared for.


    Everyone will know the truth about how far and dark her abuse went. But many questions buzzed in her mind. as she thought about their reactions.


    Would they care?


    Would they be ashamed of their ignorance?


    Would they beg for forgiveness?


    ¡°Goddess, I can¡¯t do this.¡± She murmured tearfully, burying her head in her hands. There¡¯s more to today than facing her rapist. Giving Neron¡¯s proposal some thought, Kiya was the one to kill Tristan. By her hand, she¡¯ll send him to Moon Goddess Selene for final judgment.


    The finality of <b>her </b>decision didn¡¯t sit right with her.


    ¡°You can always back out, Kiya,¡± Artemis spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through with this.¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>If </i><i>I </i>do, I can finally stop hiding and start living. Once Tristan dies, my future will open up to infinite possibilities.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>That¡¯s true. However, can you <b>cope </b>with the fact you <b>took </b>a life? Tristan <b>is </b>going to die today, either by your hand or someone else. His fate is sealed. However, I <b>sense </b>a lot of your doubt. You don¡¯t <b>have </b><b>to </b>put yourself through more hardship to prove your strength.¡±


    A killer is a horrific title to carry. She knew the weighty consequences of her decision. And Tristan doesn¡¯t deserve <b>mercy</b>. However, can she carry that burden? Will there be a burden to carry?


    She¡¯s conflicted.


    Chapter 32 -Judgement Day


    Soft knocks rapped against her door and her friends entered, equipped with warm smiles and warmer presences. Jacqueline wasted no time drawing Kiya into a tight embrace<b>, </b>allowing her to inhale her <b>sweet </b><b>scent </b>of orange blossoms.


    +10


    Bonu


    02:25


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Little Bit.¡± She whispers <b>soothingly</b>.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kiya muttered as she buried her head in her shoulder. Last night, all five of them slept in her bed again. Waking up surrounded by the people she loves deeply is a feeling unmatched by any other. She knew this couldn¡¯t go on indefinitely, but it¡¯s <b>a </b>moment she¡¯ll treasure for the rest of her life.


    ¡°The prick deserves everythinging to him,¡± Sapphire remarked bitterly, crossing her arms. ¡°At least a rapist <b>will </b>finally get his just desserts. The number of times these monsters get let off for their crimes is disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Well, in the werewolf world, things work differently.¡± Galen chuckled<b>. </b>¡°Have you thought about how you¡¯ll kill him?¡±


    Kiya nods. ¡°With a silver de dipped in wolfsbane. A painful and slow death is suitable, don¡¯t you think?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with killing him, Kiki?¡± Abigail sat on my bed, smoothening out her ck skirt. ¡°You¡¯re a naturally good person. To take a life <b>weighs </b>on your conscience. Even if it is the life of a monster.¡±


    ¡°Any of us can kill him for you. Mostly me, though.¡± Jacqueline winked yfully. ¡°Think of it as cleaning up a mess that¡¯s long overdue. I, for one, can think of more than a dozen ways to torture the dirty dog.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it, guys. But I¡¯m okay. I can handle it.¡± Kiya insisted, wiping thest of my tears. ¡°Thank you for thinking of me, but I have to do it. I need to move on from this. Tristan dying is the only way I can have peace of mind.¡±


    Muddledmotion picked up from outside Kiya¡¯s bedroom window, signaling that the time of the execution is close. Patting her thighs once, Kiya rose to her feet after leaving the Beta¡¯s embrace but is found in another when her four friends immediately drew her into a tight group hug.


    Overflowing love sunk deep into Kiya¡¯s skin, invoking good and fuzzy feelings. Her sensitive hearing picked up four separate but racing heartbeats. Their own emotions are running as high as hers. Selene blessed her with amazing, lifelong friends. Without them, Kiya was certain she wouldn¡¯t be able to go through this on her own.


    After a minute, the group separated and departed from the bedroom. Protectively, Jacqueline wrapped an arm around Kiya¡¯s shoulders as they traversed down the stairs. As pack members passed by, Kiya felt many eyes lingering on her. Many of them unpleasant. Reciting her mantra of confidence, she tried hard to calm her palpitating heart.


    Turning back is <b>not </b>an option.


    Kiya


    The tension in the atmosphere was so thick, I could cut it with a butter knife. As my crew and I walked to the center of the <bwn </b>where the enormous crowd was steadily growing, my breath caught in my throat. Bitter coriander wafted up to my nose and caused my stomach to toil and tumble like a wash cycle.


    He¡¯s here, hidden beyond the crowd.


    Chapter 12 Jungement Day


    +109


    Ronu


    His face continues to elicit the dark and brutal emotions from those times <b>in </b>the dungeons. It¡¯s something I want to forget¨Csomething I wish I could carve out from my mind and toss <b>in </b>the trash. While I¡¯m terrified02:22 <b>facing </b>my rapist again, it had to be done.


    The <b>crowd </b>parted for us and the five of <b>us </b><b>had </b>front row seats. I look around to <b>see </b>many familiar faces within the crowd, including some pup <b>trainees </b>who advanced under Kwame¡¯s care. Distastefully, I see my <b>sperm </b>and egg donors along with Darien and Odessa. Well, the execution called for all pack members minus young children and prepubescent wolves who haven¡¯t shifted.


    Silver chains binds Tristan to the bark of arge tree by his wrists and ankles. His disgusting mouth is gagged also with silver chains, and <b>his </b>face <b>looks </b>even more messed up than when Ist left <b>him</b>. It got me thinking of who else beat the shit out of him after I did.


    Jackie¡¯s hold tightened around me, pressing me further into her warmth. I¡¯m so grateful for this woman. Her wolf growled deep within her, wanting blood as much as Artemis did. And I knew Tristan wanted blood too, with the way his good eye res daggers into my soul. Sensing my anxiety, Abigail rested aforting hand on my <b>shoulder </b><b>and </b>Sapphire <b>grabbed </b>my free <b>hand</b>. Galen <b>stood </b>directly behind to shield me from passing <b>res</b>,


    Whispers andmotion erupted around us, many wondering why someone as <b>good </b>as this stupid guard is looking the way he is and why <b>he¡¯s </b>being executed. I scoffed. If only they knew just how their ignorance allowed <b>this </b>monster to get away with his <b>crimes </b>for years.


    Neron walked in <b>front </b>of the crowd with Valerian and Kwame nking at <b>his </b>sides. Behind them were their mates, Raina and Lori, whose pregnant belly became noticeable. The Alpha¡¯s eyes were <b>hard</b>. Dominance and fury perfused through his pores like strong cologne, enveloping the crowd with fear. However, when his eyesnded on <b>me</b>, they instantly softened in both love and sadness.


    There wasn¡¯t much to be said. I can feel his regret. Even Raina¡¯s, who stood next to her confused parents. My phone beeped, the clock striking 10:00 AM. It¡¯s time to begin the execution.


    Neron held his hand up, and the crowd instantly silenced. ¡°You all must wonder why I¡¯ve gathered you here today. Executions are rare, but this one is special. While it has been some time since <b>this </b>heinous crime <b>was </bmitted, it should not and cannot be pardoned. None of us are above thew¨Cnot me as your Alpha, your Beta, and Gamma, or even yourselves. When youmit a crime, consequences follow, and punishment is inevitable<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, many crimesmitted through this pack¡¯s existence have been forgotten, because of pride and ignorance. I¡¯m <b>not </b>excluded from this notion. For those of you who recently joined Zircon Moon, this maye as a surprise to you. For those who lived here for most of your lives, you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. Ignorance <b>was </b>your excuse back then, but it won¡¯t be now. Not under my watch.¡±


    He turns to Tristan, ring at him with volcanic rage. It scared even me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t made aware of this crime until a couple of days ago. <b>You </b>trifled with an Alpha¡¯s most sacred <b>and </b>precious gift; their mate.¡±


    Gasps and whispers erupted once more, and I looked at the ground, Many eyes <b>are </b>on me again and I wanted to hide from the attention. My friends gave me their words of encouragement through mind¨Clink, but I¡¯m still


    scared.


    ¡°No man has rights over a woman¡¯s body or to vite <b>her</b>. Tristan Dudley had confessed his crimes to <b>me </b>with Beta Female Raina <b>as </b>a witness. Today, he¡¯ll be executed for harming my mate in the wickedest way possible.¡± Neron took a nce at me and beckoned me over with his <b>hand</b>.


    Chapter 12 ¨C Judgement Day |


    +10% Bonus


    I didn¡¯t want to go, but I needed to. Huffing out my anxiety, I emerged from my safety into the scorching air of intensity. Neron drew me into a protective embrace, simr to what Jackie did. Despite his rage, the 02:19 of his dedication was <b>there</b>. This is where I tell the entire pack of Tristan¡¯s crimes against me.


    Selene, lend me some of your strength.


    ¡°Tristan Dudley raped me regrly, starting when I was fifteen,¡± I admitted. ¡°It stopped when I escaped. If I¡¯d remained, surely, he¡¯d continue t


    vite me. He stole my innocence and my bodily autonomy for years. No one came to help me. I doubt anyone cared enough to stop him if knowledge of his crimes came to pass.¡±


    The <b>crowd </b>went silent in absolute shock while I heard sniffles from some. From the corner of my <b>eye</b><b>, </b>I see Ashley with a hand over her mouth crying and Steven looking away in horror and shame. Tristan¡¯s good eye glinted in fury. Furious that I¡¯m taking back the power he stole from me.


    It¡¯s out in the open, <b>never </b>again <b>a </b>secret.


    I don¡¯t know how to feel about it..


    Kwame walked next to me, holding the weapon of death in his hands. Gripping the golden hilt, he yanked off the leather scabbard <b>to </b>reveal the stainless, sharp silver de reeking with potent wolfbane. With a gentle nudge<b>, </b>I took the hilt and inspected the weight of the knife.


    Lightweight in material, but heavy in its soon¨Cto¨Cbe connection with the guard¡¯s death. I gripped the hilt tighter, imagining the areas where I can prate through the man for <b>a </b>slow and painful death.


    ¡°There will be no room for objections,¡± Neron warned the crowd. ¡°Tristan Dudley, you are stripped of your title as a Protective Guard, your name is tarnished, and you will not live to see another day. Harming someone is one thing, but you signed your death certificate when you admitted to raping my mate. May our beloved Moon Goddess <b>not </b>have mercy on your soul.¡±


    No one dared to say anything. Neron¡¯s words are absolute, and anyone defying him might as well be pushing for Tristan¡¯s freedom. Behind him, Valerian took out the chains that bound his mouth. Words came out as wheezes, no doubt feeling the searing pain of silver against his colorful skin.


    It¡¯s time.


    Phasing out my surroundings, I focused directly on Tristan. I focused on the hell he put me through and used that to channel my anger. Today, he¡¯ll suffer. He¡¯s the prey and I¡¯m the predator going for the kill.


    Asphyxiation. Stab him in the lungs and watch as he struggles to breathe as blood fills his air sacks. Watch the life drain from his eye as his corpse slumps to the ground, never to move again.


    That¡¯s all I have to do, I tell myself as I raise the de, aiming the sharp tip at his chest. Just thrust and watch the silver bury underneath theyers of his skin.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Kill him.


    Kill him!


    KILL <b>HIM</b>!


    Chapter 12 ¨C Judgeminin <b>Day</b>


    A <b>minute </b>passed <b>when </b>I realized one thing.


    I couldn¡¯t do this.


    +4109


    Bonus


    <b>02:16</b>


    Tristan deserves death, <b>but </b><b>not </b>by my hand. I think back to what Artemis said to me earlier and realized that she¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to stomach taking a life.


    I¡¯m not a killer.


    I won¡¯t stoop as low as this pack did.


    I¡¯m better I¡¯m better than this.


    Taking a life, no <b>matter </b>who it belongs to, is a private code I live by. Yes, I¡¯ve killed <b>rogues </b>who try to attack my pack, I¡¯ve killed bugs and arachnids, but never did I take a life of a person. Life is a precious gift given to us by Selene, and while Tristan used his to wreak havoc upon me in secret, I cannot go on in my life knowing I


    killed him.


    It¡¯s <b>a </b>personal risk I cannot take.


    Chapter Comments


    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 122

    Chapter <b>33 </b><b>¨C </b>Am I Crazy Now?


    ¡°God damn right, you should be scared of me.¡± Control¡® by Halsey


    Kiya


    +10


    Bonus


    02:13


    Blinking back my tears, I backed away from <b>Tristan</b><b>. </b>Shaking my head, I handed the de to <b>Neron</b>.


    Like clockwork, the crowd whispers <b>behind </b>me at the sudden revtion. They whisper why I¡¯m hesitating or granting mercy. I scoffed silently. Gossip is a treasured hobby because they love to make wild assumptions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Neron,¡± I whispered shamefully, ¡°I thought I could do it, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kiya.¡± Aforting smile rests on his face. He took the de and used his free hand to smoothen my hair. He k*ssed the top of my curls, ¡°I¡¯ve asked too much of you in a short <b>time</b>. Executing someone is a hefty responsibility, and I¡¯m d you backed out. You stayed true to yourself. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    Onyx growled softly in him, making his <b>presence </b>known to me. Standing on my moral ground awakened a dissimr sensation. I¡¯m proud, but I feel ashamed. The crowd expected to watch me murder my assaulter, but things changed<b>.</b>


    How many think I¡¯m weak? How many haven¡¯t changed their thinking from the dark days? Many faces in the crowd are the <b>same </b>faces back then. It¡¯s been five years since my suicide and my arrival, and I foolishly hoped some had the heart to change.


    But one thing¡¯s for certain: I <b>can </b>count on my friends. Zircon Moon? I¡¯m still hesitant on trusting anyone except for the Gammas, including Neron and Raina. I¡¯m watching for changes but I¡¯m also watching for slipups.


    Neither <b>has </b>slipped up yet.


    Relieved, I can retreat to my safety and watch the execution. Neron has the de, so he¡¯ll kill Tristan for


    <ol>


    <li>me.</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°Stop <b>this</b>, immediately.¡± A voice echoed. ¡°No crime has urred; <b>thus </b>this execution is to be null and void forck of evidence and misconduct.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s heads shot to the right to see Jonathan Prince marching toward us with an older man in robes beside him. His aging face contorted in what I think to be¡­satisfaction? My eyes widened at his promation andmotion erupted <b>again</b>, but not as much as the anger from Neron.


    ¡°Dad, Elder Sage, what the f*ck is this?!¡± Neron demanded as they cut through the crowd. ¡°You have no right


    to stop these proceedings!¡±


    ¡°I do when I recognize a gross miscarriage of justice.¡± Jonathan glowered at his son. ¡°<b>While </b>I¡¯m not <b>acting </b><b>as </b>Alpha<b>, </b>I have senior authority. You¡¯re preparing <b>to </b>execute an innocent man over wild usations¨Cand


    without a trial!¡±


    ¡°Under his own volition. Tristan confessed to me and Raina!¡± Neron yelled. ¡°He¡¯s forfeited his right to a trial because of it. He harmed the Alpha¡¯s mate, punishable by death! I told youst night that you won¡¯t stop me!¡±


    Wait, I remember this! Last night, I was heading to <b>my </b>room for the evening when I heard yelling from the


    +109


    Bonu


    fourth floor. Two separate voices battled out with hints of ss breaking. Werewolf senses can pick up on the smallest noises, but I couldn¡¯t make out what they spoke about. It came from the Alpha Office, so I knew 02:11 <b>Neron </b>was arguing with someone. His Dad!


    ¡°There are many errors to your deration, Alpha Neron.¡± Elder Sage spoke emotionlessly. I recognize him as one of the pack elders. Every pack has one or two. Where the f*ck was he five years ago?! ¡°No rape took ce.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the f*ck it did!¡± I screamed, marching over in disgust. ¡°He raped me for years! How <b>can </b>you stand there and say it never happened?!¡±


    ¡°Stop acting crazy, dumb child. Byw, you can¡¯t rape a ve.¡±


    Bile erupted from my mouth when Jonathan dropped that bomb. No! He cannot take this away from me! The crowd silenced, sucked into the conflict between us four. Is there a level above fury? Because Neron¡¯s face is turning as red as fire. <b>And </b>given that he has a weapon in his hands, this can end badly.


    Elder Sage took out a book from his robe and flipped open to a specific page, whereas Jonathan couldn¡¯t hide his smug smile. Neron is about to rip his head off! But he¡¯s looking at me with a look that says, ¡°I always win.¡±


    I¡¯ll get straight to the point. ves are not considered whole beings. They¡¯re property. They have no rights. normally granted to non¨Cves. Rape is the forced sexual acts between two people¨Cthe perpetrator and the victim. Applying this to your context, you im that Tristan Dudley <b>raped </b>you when you were a ve. You were merely an object, and one cannot rape an object. Whether or not you consented, isn¡¯t the issue. <b>You¡¯ve </b>misinterpreted your entire situation.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I was a child!¡± My painful scream tore through my throat, shrilling through the air. ¡°Tristan brutalized me! You cannot tell me my rapes didn¡¯t exist because Jonathan forced me to be a ve!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thew.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to pick and chose whatws to follow, Dad! Thatw is obsolete!¡± Neron shouted, <b>his </b>fists trembling with his fury. Many pack members cowered under the might of his voice. ¡°This is your convoluted <b>way </b>of getting revenge for Mom and Nuria, and <b>you </b>know it!¡±


    ¡°No. This is my way of ensuring a friend doesn¡¯t die.¡± Jonathan shrugged calmly, unfazed by his son¡¯s anger. ¡°And don¡¯t act high and mighty, Neron. At the time of the alleged ¡®rapes¡°, she wasn¡¯t recognized as your mate. You didn¡¯t know until your ceremony. Are you killing Tristan for her sake or to ease your guilt? Because, from the looks of it, you¡¯re putting an innocent man on death¡¯s door over baseless usations of a mentally¨Cill woman. Like <b>a </b>fool blinded by love.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Jackie!¡± Turning behind me<b>, </b>I see the others restraining Jackie back from pouncing on and tearing Jonathan apart. Her eyes, formerly emerald green, are coal ck. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to my sister, Jonathan!¡± Raina shouted.


    ¡°Please, <b>don¡¯t </b>act like you¡¯re innocent in all of this.¡± I knew that grating voice anywhere. Odessa, standing beside Darien, had a smile full of glee at me but soured when facing Raina, ¡°You brutalized the stupid bitch as much as anyone else here and you call for justice? Might as <b>well </b>kill yourself, <b>Raina</b>, because you¡¯re just as guilty<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Watch your f*cking mouth, Odessa,¡± Raina <b>warned</b>.


    410


    ¡°Or what? This so¨Ccalled love you have now. Where was it back then? Your crazy sister is an attention whorer Abusing a ve doesn¡¯t exist, so no one did anything wrong. She¡¯s the abusive one! She¡¯s hit <b>me </b>and 02:0 threatened me countless times, but guess you didn¡¯t know that, huh? That¡¯s what this pack wants as a Luna?! The slut is a liar <b>and </b>you¡¯re a hypocrite!¡±


    Hell broke loose, Roaring, Baina tore away from her parents and tackled Odessa to the ground, savagely punching her in the face and throat. Darien <b>tried </b>to stop her, but because of the differences between his rank and strength, it was <b>hard</b>. Nothing will stop her from beating the shit <b>out </b>of her former best friend¨Cnot even <b>her </b>husband or parents,


    Pack members backed away while some tossed insults and degradation my way until Neron¡¯s lethal re silenced <b>them</b>.


    ¡°You¡¯re a <b>piece </b>of shit!¡± Jackie shouted in her <b>rage</b>, still restrained. ¡°A sick man! I¡¯ll tear you apart for defecating on Kiya¡¯s <b>name</b>!¡±


    Jonathan ignored Jackie with an eye¨Croll, focusing back on Neron and me. ¡°However, a crime urred today. Because of your <b>lies </b>and hysteria, <b>you </b>almost got a <b>man </b>killed. <b>And </b>you have a history of assaulting <b>pack </b>members, not just Tristan. That vites the deal between your pack and mine. I should <b>have </b>you in the dungeons for this.¡±


    ¡°Touch her and I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    I¡¯ve never seen <b>Jonathan¡¯s </b>eyes so wide. Neron caged me in his arms, pressing my <b>face </b><b>into </b>his chest. My world crumbled. The justice I wanted is taken by the same man who ruined my life. Unlike Neron, he refuses to change. Deep down in his ck heart, he still mes me for his wife and daughter¡¯s demise.


    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me, son?¡±


    ¡°F*ck off! You won¡¯t hurt Kiya or take her <b>away </b>from me! If you so <b>much </b>as f*cking try, I¡¯ll <b>send </b>you to hell myself!¡± He bellows. ¡°Senior authority does mean torturing my mate, selfish prick!¡±


    ¡°You <b>won¡¯t </b>mate or end this ridiculous execution, and you dare to talk back to me? I raised an Alpha, <b>not </b><b>a </b>weak man! You¡¯re a failure, Neron, and you¡¯re taking this glorious pack down with you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll dly be a failure if it meant never be someone like you!¡±


    My body lost all its warmth. I became so cold, not even Neron¡¯s <b>arms </b>can warm me up. No matter what I do, I always get the short end of the stick.


    My eyes scan the crowd, spotting many angry faces aimed at me. It seared into my flesh, sinking deep into <b>nerves</b>. I¡¯ve ruined their peace. Daggers from their eyes <b>pierced </b>my heart in calcted ways to cause me the most pain.


    The hinges preventing me from going insane are bing loose.


    I¡¯ve been called a liar and made out to be an attention¨Cseeking whore. This <b>pack </b>never fails to disgust me. Why did Ie out here? Why did I agree to train the pups? Above all, am I stupid for setting foot upon and that held pain for me at every corner<b>?</b>


    I made <b>a </b>mistake<b>.</b>


    my


    If this was <b>what </b>I¡¯m repaid for my work¨Crepugnance, andck of justice¨CI should¡¯ve stayed my ass at home.


    Chapter 11- Am I Crazy Now!


    +10


    Bonus


    102:02


    ¡°I told you.¡± The surrounding chaos slowly faded into silence, but the action continued like a television show on mute. I felt nothing. Instead, I could only hear a singr voice in the deafening silence. ¡°See <b>how </b>quickly they turned against you? No one truly cares about you, Little Moon. All of them <b>are </b>little monsters waiting to hurt you again, and they did! They sided with the abusers! Didn¡¯t I tell you the <b>darkness </b>will show their true selves?¡±


    Neron held me, but his arms did nothing to dispel the chill <b>from </b>Osiris¡® ghostly touch on my shoulders. How could I be <b>blind </b>to the truth? This was supposed to be the start of my healing! I¡¯ve suffered enough!


    ¡°That disgusting man, Jonathan Prince, is no better than the men before him. Vileness is an innate trait within his bloodline. Stop believing that you¡¯ll get retribution from this hellscape. It¡¯ll nevere. Zircon Moon has been very lucky to avoid punishment for your torment. One execution won¡¯t change them.¡±


    One man dies today, but many still live. Cut one head off, three more appear. That¡¯s how everything works with <b>Zircon</b>. Tristan is a single man in a sea of hatred. They¡¯ve hidden behind an outdatedw that permitted my abuse. All because of a f*cking status.


    my


    I¡¯ll never get justice. No one will ever be held responsible for my pain.


    I HATE IT!


    ¡°You can do something about it, Little Moon. You can be the striking gavel of retribution. The right way no longer applies, so why not take matters into <b>your </b><b>own </b>hands? Don¡¯t wait for justice; take it.¡±


    An internal conflict emerges¨Ca battle between right and wrong. <b>Righteousness </b>always <b>prevails</b><b>, </b>right? But it¡¯s not always fair. I¡¯ve walked down that path¨Cand karma still has yet to make its appearance.


    I¡¯m done.


    I¡¯m tired of having my pain disregarded for the sake of love and forgiveness. I¡¯m tired of having to be the better person and hold back my anger for some nonexistent moral ground. This pack won¡¯t suffer on their own, no matter whose in charge<b>.</b>


    My eyes turn to Tristan, leaning back against the bark with a broken, smug smile on his face. Jonathan will bail him out. I shouldn¡¯t expect anything less¨Cthey¡¯re buddies, after all.


    ¡°Want to hear what he¡¯s thinking?¡± Osiris¡® sharine voice asked me. ¡°<i>I </i>can give that to you.¡±


    I heard it all the vile thoughts he has about me andments over my weakness.


    ¡°Poor thing. Coming all this way just to <b>lose</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°As if anyone would believe a f*cking whore.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if she¡¯s sweet now as she was back then. This time, I¡¯d have some meat to hold on to.¡±


    I snapped. Darkness billowed into my mind in a sh, tossing me over the edge into the abyss. And it¡¯s <b>f*cking </b>euphoric.


    ¡°End his pathetic existence!¡±


    My surrounding world faded to pitch¨C<b>ckness</b>. Void of warmth and light. I was alone with my target illuminated in my path¨Cbound and smirking. Freedom etches closer to him like a futile rescue effort, wanting him unbound.


    Chapter 33 ¨C Am1 Crazy Now?


    <b>Not </b>today.


    With this mighty <b>de </b>in my hands, his life is mine. <b>Does </b>Jonathan think I¡¯m crazy? I¡¯ll show him crazy.


    +10


    Bonu


    01:58


    Tristan¡¯s smile faded as he sensed my approach, ready for his next onught of vile words. But he never got the chance to say them. Because the de buried deep in his crotch expelled nothing but pathetic wheezes of pain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bury your dick in ces where it doesn¡¯t belong,¡± I whisper sweetly, cracking a sinister smile of my own. I must look like a psychopath, but I didn¡¯t care. This is my time to shine!


    Blood spurted on my hands and clothes; the metallic scent pushing for more exposure<b>.</b>


    Of <b>all </b>the ces he touched my body, I marked on his. The thighs, legs, stomach, chest, arms, and shoulders. He touched me everywhere, so I cut him everywhere. So much blood escaped, and it was glorious. Since the de is silver dipped with wolfbane, he isn¡¯t <b>healing </b>from this.


    Everywhere I strike is symbolic. It tells a wonderful story of years of vition. Ready or not, everyone will f*cking hear me today!


    Next to be detached are <b>his </b>hands. ¡°For all the times you touched me against my will.¡± I snap each finger along with his wrist. Then tore it off and threw them on the ground.


    ¡°For the times <b>I </b>screamed for you to stop.¡± Tilting his head up as he gasped for pain relief, I grabbed his canines and ripped them out of their gums. Scream, motherf*cker! Off with his tongue!


    Literally.


    I was far from done. With all my avatar power, I stomped on both his feet, relishing in the sweet breakage of his bones. He¡¯ll never run again.


    ¡°For the times¡® everyone ignored my cries. The de buried it in one of his ears, obliterating his hearing. I still need the other.


    Tristan couldn¡¯t speak. Only scream like a pathetic puppy like how I <b>once </b><b>did</b>. Now, he knows what it feels like to have no one to rescue him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be thest person you¡¯ll ever see.¡± I hissed darkly in his good ear before I shed his good eye. ¡°And I¡¯ll be thest person you¡¯ll ever hear. Say hello to Selene for <b>me</b><b>, </b>motherf*cker.¡±


    Poor bastard choked on his blood when I buried the de into one of his lungs. I watched in silent glee as. slumped to his cut¨Cup knees and fell face¨Cfirst to the ground, taking hisst breath of life. His blood pooled around him<b>, </b>already spoiling.


    And for me? I feel no regret. Blood soaked and breathing, I finally felt unstoppable. Killing Tristan was only the beginning of the hell I¡¯ll see this pack writhe under.


    ¡°Good girl. Such a good girl.¡±


    Darkness finally faded; light broke through the world to reveal thewn of Zircon Moon. Silence reigned. <b>supreme</b>, but I felt it. The fear. The astonishment. No one dared to utter a single word.


    Slowly turning my head, I locked eyes with Jonathan and cackled like a viin. He¡¯s heard me loud and clear


    Chapter 33 ¨C Am | Crazy Now?


    <b>today</b>.


    ¡°Am I crazy now, Jonathan Prince?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 34 ¨C I¡¯m Not Afraid


    ¡°Fear doesn¡¯t shut you down; it wakes you up.¡°¨C Veronica Roth


    Neron


    Kiya brutally executing Tristan left asting impression on the Zircon Moon pack members.


    <b>01:48</b>


    Many cower in fear from her formidable might or avoid <b>all </b>altercations with her instead of bing her next victim. The guilt of those who lived during the dark times began consuming their souls, bending and morphing their will into a false sense of self¨Cpreservation. Living in fear is never a good thing, but it¡¯s bothersome how <b>many </b>resorts to that instead of admitting their part in her torture.


    Am I in charge of wolves or cowards in sheepskin?


    Watching Kiya y her rapist was like watching a mighty phoenix burst forth from the ashes of earth. Robotic <b>and </b>stone¨C<b>faced</b><b>, </b>she stunned the crowd <b>into </b>silence <b>as </b><b>Tristan¡¯s </b>screaming boomed through the air, grating against the eardrums of the men and women. Raina stopped her brutal assault on Odessa to watch her little sister be the ultimate executioner. Even my father, who has been against my mate this entire time, couldn¡¯t do anything as his friend sumbed to his wounds As Alphas, powerlessness is a feeling <b>we </b>loathe, but my father felt every brutal morsel of it at that moment.


    <i>¡°</i>Am I crazy now, Jonathan Prince?¡±


    Her <b>voice </b>was bitter<b>, </b>yet maniacal. It didn¡¯t hold the warmth I loved. The Kiya I¡¯ve seen around children and her friends faded <b>behind </b>the limelight, and this new Kiya emerged forth to show us she¡¯ll no longer y nice. Strike <b>her </b><b>and </b><b>she¡¯ll </b>strike back ten times harder.


    She will no longer cry. Instead, my mate will continue to walk with her head held high as others dare not to provoke her. <b>A </b>master at the de<b>, </b><b>she </b>won¡¯t hesitate to cut anyone <b>down </b>from where they stand.


    It should scare me. The one <b>thing </b>an Alpha will fear more is their mate because they are their equal; in rank, power<b>, </b>and status. If an Alpha is prepared to attack, their other half calms them down. If their Luna is ready to strike, they step back and allow their <b>love </b>to battle. Logically, Kiya should scare me. Terrify me.


    But I¡¯m not scared of her. <b>She </b>did what she had to do. Tristan was inches away from freedom and mitigation from his crimes. Kiya <b>had </b>no choice but to kill him, although I wish I was the <b>one </b>to do it.


    Men are shameless. And I shamelessly admit that as a fully grown man, it excites me to see Kiyae into her power. For too long, we as a pack ignored her <b>cries </b>and trampled on her tears. I¡¯m no exception to this as I took part in her suffering. I¡¯m <b>every </b>bit as guilty as Raina, her parents, and everyone else. But, damn, even covered in blood, she¡¯s f*cking beautiful.


    However, even the most beautiful roses hold the sharpest of <b>thorns</b><b>. </b>I¡¯m worried about her. Coming into <b>true </b>power is amazing, but since Tristan¡¯s <b>death</b>, Kiya has changed. Her smiles aren¡¯t the same anymore. Before, they held warmth and purity. Now they¡¯re cold¨Calmost bitter. She smiles at my members, but to relish in their fear.


    My father is incredibly wary of her. Despite his senior authority to have Kiya Imprisoned for ¡®false usations¡®¨Cthat shit still pisses me off¨Che couldn¡¯t do a damn thing about it. My mate is mine to protect and I¡¯ll never ce her in that hell again. With every attempt to arrest her, I blocked. Since I¡¯m the acting Alpha, what happens to Kiyaes from my authority.


    Chapter 34 Im Not Afraid


    She did nothing wrong. She got the justice we deprived her of for most of her life. Why the f*ck would any <b>sane </b>man throw her in the prisons for that?


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    01:45


    I¡¯ll never understand why Dad continues to hate my mate despite knowing she¡¯s free from all fault in Mom and <b>Nuria¡¯s </b>passing. To continuously torture her is unforgivable! I don¡¯t give a shit if he believes I¡¯m a failing Alpha¨CI might be¨Cbut tormenting the <b>love </b>of my life is crossing the line.


    Since that day, we haven¡¯t spoken. I¡¯ll never forgive him for the spectacle he pulled. Having Elder Sage preach about thews of our kind was a bitch move, considering he did <b>nothing </b>to help Kiya, like the rest of us.


    I¡¯ve lost all respect for my father. And I¡¯m staying true to my threat; if he tries to touch or harm Kiya, he¡¯s dead. I sigh as I lean back in my chair, staring out the window.


    Mom would be ashamed of what my Dad has be. This is not the same man she fell in love with, got married to, and bore children with. She wouldn¡¯t want this. Nuria wouldn¡¯t want this. Gazing at the blue skies, I¡¯m wondering if they¡¯re watching us now.


    Would they be proud of this pack? The foundation that <b>once </b>held this mighty family together is crumbling under the weight of our sins. And we can¡¯t <b>me </b>anyone but ourselves.


    Would they be proud of me?


    I think back to what Dad had said to me; calling me a failure for not conforming to his idea of what an Alpha should be. While Irgely don¡¯t care, it did sting a deeper part of me internally. I never wanted to fail my father, but what does it mean to be a failure?


    Mom wouldn¡¯t think of me <b>as </b>one, for sure.


    But, if I¡¯d listen to myself instead of blindly following him, none of <b>this </b>would¡¯ve happened. If I only stuck up for Kiya more when we were kids¡­


    Knocks echoed, pulling me back to reality. Right, I have work to do. But there was one thing I needed to know. Allowing the person to enter my office, she took a seat in the chair, gracing me with a stony gaze and a thin- lined <b>frown</b>.


    ¡°You wanted to see me<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Yes, Kiya.¡± I nodded<b>, </b>soaking in her presence. Even the aura she carries is drastically different. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have asked her if she wanted to kill Tristan and just did it myself. ¡°I wanted to know how you¡¯re feeling after everything that happened.¡±


    My mate shrugged. ¡°Fine. Did you expect me to wallow in my room in tears?¡±


    ¡°No. As I mentioned before, taking a life is heavy on the soul.¡±


    ¡°Well<b>, </b>as you can see, I¡¯m doing <b>fine</b><b>.</b>¡± She smirks. ¡°I feel better than before. The bastard is dead, and I don¡¯t regret killing him. One less piece of shit the world has to deal with.¡±


    I nod in agreement. Having Tristan hang over her head wasn¡¯t good for her¨Cliving in the same ce as your rapist who faced no repercussions for his actions is torture. Kiya shed too many tears in the past <b>several </b>days. With his body cremated and ashes disposed of, I <b>erased </b>his existence amongst Zircon Moon. However<b>, </b>the stain of his legacy lives on through the rest of the living guards<b>. </b>Many, I¡¯m questioning my trust in. Most were <b>passed </b>to me after my father passed me the Alpha title.


    Chapter 34 ¨C Im Not Afraid


    ¡°Right. But I still worry about you.¡±


    Kiya scoffs. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re different now,¡± I admit. ¡°You¡¯ve be colder and more aloof.¡±


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    01:42


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s about time this damn pack listened to my pain instead of tantly ignoring it for years.¡± She retorts harshly. ¡°They still want to live in their fantasy world that no harm or karma woulde to them. Maybe it¡¯s because I lost all will to care what happens to the people here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah, I am!¡± She shouts. ¡°It¡¯s been two days since the f*cker died and some of your resident assholes still pretend that they¡¯re free of fault for what happened! I¡¯m d the newer members are opening their eyes to just how terrible your pack is. You heard the gossip, haven¡¯t you, Neron<b>?</b>¡±


    I have. Some are terrified that Kiya will go on a murderous rampage. Some took my father¡¯s side and believe that no crime took ce since thew stiptes that wrongdoings against ves aren¡¯t identified as criminal, but permissible. A <b>few </b>dared to challenge our Moon Goddess and her decision to make Kiya <b>and </b>I destined


    mates.


    Rather than let Onyx handle them in his special <b>way</b>, I quickly shut that shit down. Regardless if I¡¯m around or not, if my members don¡¯t respect my mate for the rest of her stay, they have my full permission to leave. After my father and Elder Sage¡¯s bullshit, I have a very low tolerance of disrespect and frivolous gossip against my beloved.


    ¡°So.¡± She changes the subject. ¡°How many more parents pulled their children out of training?¡±


    Another situation that has risen. After Tristan¡¯s brutal death, many parents of the pup trainees wanted to withdraw their children from training, citing concerns over Kiya¡¯s ¡®stability¡®. They were afraid she might harm their pups. It infuriated me. My mate will never raise a hand against a child, no matter the circumstance. I¡¯ve seen how <b>she </b>cared for them like they were her own, and they¡¯ve seen it too,


    However, as much as I tried to convince them, it¡¯s ultimately up to them to withdraw their child or not. They¡¯re the <b>ones </b><b>who </b>signed them up <b>and </b>can rescind their original proposal. The pup trainees heavily protested and continued to train in secret, but they¡¯ll never train in open light unless they get a new teacher.


    And Kiya is the best there is.


    ¡°A couple more,¡± I answer. ¡°That makes about six pups who won¡¯t be joining tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s <b>a </b>damn shame.¡± Kiya shrugged. ¡°You kill a man <b>and </b>suddenly parents think you¡¯ll kill kids. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Have you spoken to the parents at all? The kids want to continue training under you.¡±


    ¡®Nope. Everyone fears <b>me </b>now. There¡¯s no way we can sit down and <b>have </b>an actual conversation.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with everyone <b>fearing </b>you?¡±


    ¡°To an extent.¡± The smile she gives is sickly <b>sweet</b>, freezing my spine stiff. ¡°They should¡¯ve been since the beginning.¡±


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    ¡°What about your <b>friends</b>?¡±


    01:39


    Kiya sighs, giving my question some thought. ¡°They understand why I did it. I think if I hadn¡¯t killed Tristan, I¡¯m sure <b>Jackie </b>would and take your father out too. The one thing I¡¯m grateful for is that our rtionship hasn¡¯t changed. That¡¯s <b>what </b>I was worried about the most.¡±


    The members of Ga Moon are remarkable people with a beautiful friendship. They ooze authenticity and truthfulness. I¡¯m d they¡¯re sticking by my mate, even when this pack proved to her once more that they¡¯re willing to abandon <b>her</b>.


    It¡¯s bing more shameful to <b>call </b>this pack mine.


    ¡°You should try to talk to Raina.¡± I suddenly say, folding my hands on my desk. ¡°She¡¯s worried about you too. She beat the shit out of Odessa for <b>you</b>.¡±


    ¡°That was funny.¡± She chuckles. ¡°Raina gave her a good punch in the eye. Too bad the shiner had to heal.¡±


    ¡°She was defending your honor. Raina loves you, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°I wish she¡¯d showed it from the very start.¡± She murmered. My heart lurched painfully. The sisters¡® rtionship is<b>¡­</b>rocky, but it¡¯s hard not to wish for your sibling¡¯s love. It¡¯s unmatched and deep. Nuria has been gone for years, but I still love her so much. A sibling¡¯s love doesn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t fade<b>.</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper back. ¡°She¡¯s trying hard for your forgiveness<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not ready to ept her back into my life, yet.¡± She <b>admits</b>. ¡°There are things I need to settle.¡±


    ¡°Settle?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes. Starting with you.¡± Before I knew it, Kiya rose <b>from </b>her chair and was standing directly in front of me. Her sweet scent became overpowering, drawing me in close to her allure. ¡°You saw everything, Neron. You saw me tear into Tristan with no remorse, heard his screams and myughter, and witnessed the fear on your father¡¯s face. Even Ashley and Steven are scared. They have <b>yet </b>to confront me.¡±


    What¡¯s taking those two so long? Don¡¯t they want their daughter¡¯s forgiveness?


    ¡°But, I¡¯ve yet to hear your thoughts.¡± She abruptly leans forward, our <b>faces </b>mere inches apart. Where did this sudden boldnesse from?


    Our body heat envelops us in a nket of thick tension. My fingers itch to grab her waist <b>and </b>press her body against mine. She¡¯s so close, yet so far away, <b>and </b>I¡¯m craving her touch like she¡¯s myst gulp of air.


    ¡°Kiya¡­¡± I groan, steadying my voice. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Asking you a question.¡± She <b>arches </b><b>an </b>eyebrow, ¡°Is <b>there </b>a problem?¡±


    ¡°Hell, no!¡± Onyx shouts in my head, wagging his tail. ¡°<b>She¡¯s </b>so close, Neron<b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°Can you please think with your head and not with your crotch? You aren¡¯t helping!¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯ll </b><b>try</b>, but she smells so damn <b>good</b><b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no problem,¡± I <b>answer </b>quickly, pushing down my erotic feelings. Now isn¡¯t the time to behave like


    Chapter 34 ¨C Im Not Afraid


    a cave dweller. ¡°T¨CThis is¡ª¡±


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    ¡°Are you afraid of me, Neron?¡± She suddenly asks in a worried tone. ¡°Will you avoid me? Have I struck <b>fear </b>into your heart too?¡±


    <i>Our </i>mContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    01:36


    eyes connected, and I see her emotions swim in <b>a </b><b>sea </b>of mocha. Many crashes against the shore, but she¡¯s worried above them all. Kiya appreciates honestly, so I¡¯ll answer honestly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I never was and never will be afraid of you.¡± I sigh, carefully bringing my fingers to her ch*eks to relish her warmth. Her eyes softened. ¡°Just promise me one thing?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything crazy.¡±


    ¡°Define ¡°crazy¡°.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­don¡¯t lose yourself, okay?¡± I beg her. Her change from warmth to chill is too much for me. I don¡¯t want Kiya to lose more of what makes her unique. ¡°Please.¡±


    Kiya sighs heavily, lengthening the distance between us. Onyx whimpered at the loss of warmth. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Silently, she disappeared from my office. It¡¯s lonely without her in it. <b>I </b>felt a headacheing on, so I rest my head in my palms.


    Please, Moon Goddess, don¡¯t let Kiya lose herself. I know she has so much anger, but don¡¯t let it cloud her light.


    After a minute, Iposed myself again. Huffing in <b>a </b>deep breath, I close my eyes and lean back in my chair


    to rx.


    ¨C


    ¡­I know you wanted to k*ss her so bad.¡±


    Yes, I did, but that¡¯s beside the point<b>!</b>


    ¡°Shut up, Onyx!¡±

 Chapter 124

    Chapter <b>35 </b>¨C Honeybee


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    01:34


    <i>¡°</i>Every loss, every mistake, was seared into her soul, creating a different kind of tattoo, one made from rage and abandonment, heart break and tears.¡°¨C Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl


    Ashley


    ¡°If you want her back, you need to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°How long are you going to procrastinate? You can sit on your ass and reminisce through baby pictures all day, but the fact remains that you¡¯re too damn scared to face your daughter!¡±


    Ugh! Sometimes, I <b>wish </b>I can shut Delh up, but I know I can¡¯t. My wolf <b>never </b>hesitates to speak the truth. stic sings with every page <b>turn </b>with transparent pockets disying three neat columns and three rows of photographic memories. Each picture summons long¨Clost emotions of the past; happy memories where each day didn¡¯t end without a smile. Memories of my two daughters when they were young <b>and </b>blithe bubbled happiness within me but couldn¡¯t ce a <b>smile </b>on my face.


    <b>It¡¯s </b><b>easier </b>to hide in what <b>used </b>to be than to confront what is now.


    Halima. A name I wouldn¡¯t dare utter again. A name meaning of patience and generosity carried <b>with </b>it my failures. The name my youngest daughter abandoned for another to separate herself from her father, her


    sister, and me.


    Yes, I¡¯m a failure. I¡¯m a failure <b>as </b>a mother.


    Another picture, another smile. My youngest had the biggest and purest of smiles<b>, </b>even when she was born. Toothless, but held uncontained joy to enter a world in the arms of her mother. She was a special one. Jonathan, present at her birth, knew as well because Halima was born with the most striking and vibrant blue eyes¨Cbluer than authentic sapphires. After a week, <b>they </b>faded to her beautiful brown.


    Halima was a very energetic girl. Where <b>did </b><b>she </b>get her energy <b>from</b>? Half of the <b>time</b><b>, </b>it was from sugar. Other times<b>, </b>I wouldn¡¯t know. <b>She </b>was always buzzing around like a honeybee.


    My little Honeybee.


    The world got colder when she lost that smile. When Celeste and Nuria died, the speed at which Halima went from beloved to hated was awful. Grief thickened around Zircon Moon faster than flour to butter, and the <b>me </b>was quickly put on her¨Cthest person to see both of them alive.


    <b>Yes</b><b>, </b>I lost my best friend and my baby girl that day.


    But I¡¯m a coward. I always have <b>been</b>, and I proved it when I abandoned my child to deflect from the fear of being reprimanded by Alpha Jonathan. A powerful man lost two people important to him and in his rage dered my baby girl a criminal.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My love as a mother should¡¯ve shown that <b>day</b>, I <b>should¡¯ve </b>looked in Halima¡¯s <b>eyes </b>and tell her I <b>wouldn¡¯t </b><b>leave </b>her. That I¡¯ll love her <b>forever </b>as I promised every night before she <b>slept</b>. I promised her so many things <b>a </b>nine¨Cyear¨Cold believed in <b>a </b>heartbeat.


    Instead, I turn my back on her. Was it from fear of Jonathan¡¯s wrath, or was I too weak to protect my


    daughter?


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    Perhaps it¡¯s both. Losing my child wasn¡¯t worth livingfortably in this pack. Nothing warrants a mother abandoning their child¨Cbut I took the loser way out and did just that.


    And here I am, twenty¨Ctwo yearster, begging futilely for Halima¡¯s forgiveness for my ipetency and cowardice. But, I know, she¡¯ll never forgive me. Her heart has hardened over the years and after Tristan¡¯s execution, I saw how prolific her anger is.


    01:31


    And I still see it as she enters themon room with Raina following behind her. Her eyes are cold, her scowl Is deep, and the power she radiates made Dells whimper in fear. Apathy. Even <b>as </b>Steven holds my hand, I¡¯m petrified of my youngest daughter<b>.</b>


    Because <b>I </b>know, if it wasn¡¯t Tristan chalned up against that tree, it would be her father and me. She could kill us. I know she wants to kill us for abandoning her. We turned a blind eye and allowed her to be treated <b>as </b>a ve. We left her to be raped by a monster <b>and </b>mistreated to the point of suicide.


    That¡¯s unforgivable.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you brought me here, Raina,¡± Hallma tells her, Raina blinks back her tears. ¡°There isn¡¯t shit


    to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Kiya, please¡­¡±


    Kiya. The new name she picked for herself. She rolls her eyes before ring at both Steven and me with unbridled hatred. ¡°What the f*ck do you both <b>want </b>to say? Your silence told me enough.¡±


    ¡°We..


    Steven breathes, squeezing my hand. ¡°We know you¡¯ll never forgive us, Kiya. <b>And </b>there is no excuse for our actions against you <b>during </b>your stay and¡­the past. We abandoned you.¡±


    ¡°You did more than abandon me,¡± Kiya spoke bitterly. ¡°You <b>both </b>pretended that I didn¡¯t exist while you primed and pampered Raina as your only child. And now, after <b>hearing </b>that I was raped, you want to grovel


    my forgiveness? Out of the question.¡±


    for


    <ol>


    <li>me. I</li>


    </ol>


    My heart squeezed tighter than a snake with its prey. The revtion about <b>what </b>happened to her broke n didn¡¯t sleep for two days. Why should 17 Her hatred towards us is well¨Cdeserved and I can¡¯t fight back. Goddess, I want to hold her in my arms again and tell her how sorry Fam!


    ¡°You know that won¡¯t work, Ash,¡± Delh spoke gravely. ¡°I want Kiya back too. I <b>want </b>Artemis back; my precious pup. However, I failed her too. Just as you call yourself a failure, I¡¯m also one by extension.¡±


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t. You told me countless times to rescue our daughter, but I ignored you. I stopped you from taking over. I turned the other check. It¡¯s my fault, Lh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still partially responsible.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±


    There were tworge photo albums around us<b>. </b>One on the table and the other in myp. I watched Kiya plck. the one up off the table as Raina retreated to the corner near the windows. Flipping through the pages harshly, I watched anger morph into a plethora of emotions. Above them all, deep <b>sadness </b>lingered on <b>her </b>face the longest.


    Chapter 35 Honeybee


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    ¡°<b>Raina </b>was so perfect, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Venom dripped with every syble. ¡°Her eighth¨Cgrade graduation; full of smiles and aplishment. Then, her first homing dance¨Cthe freedom to go out and dance all night01:29 Slowly, it crept into prom, high¨Cschool graduation, engagement, wedding¨Call the f*cking events just handed to her on a silver tter. I could¡¯ve had all this too.¡±


    ¡°Life continued as mine stopped.¡± My eyes dart over to Raina, who was wiping tears from her cheeks. ¡°But, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s supposed to continue. The world doesn¡¯t stop when a ve dies.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t <b>a </b>ve,¡± <b>Steven </b>whispers painfully. I can tell he¡¯s struggling as much as I am.


    ¡°I¡¯m not? Tell me, Steven. Who suggested I be made a ve that <b>day</b>? Because I remember Jonathan wanting to kill me.¡± She chuckles darkly. ¡°Who stepped in and said I¡¯d be of better use scrubbing the floors versus being buried six feet under?¡±


    Steven squeezed my hand harder, sucking in a sharp breath as the guilt ate him alive. Tears etched at the corner of his eyes, threatening <b>to </b>spill over as he experiences the full brunt of <b>the </b>scorching¨Chot hatred of our child.


    ¡°I did,¡± Steven admitted. The air tensed as Kiya scoffed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to kill you.¡±


    esot


    ¡°So turning me into an indentured servant was the better option?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to bury you.¡± My husband quickly wiped his tears before they fell. ¡°I wanted you alive and¡­there was no other option. I know it¡¯s stupid and hical reasoning, but Jonathan was beating you ck and blue! You could¡¯ve died in front of our eyes! What else was I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°<b>Save </b>me.¡± The bomb dropped. ¡°You had options. Was being Beta so important to you? Did your duty to that bastard trump <b>the </b>safety of the child you swore to protect? <b>Yes</b>, I lived. But I spent every day since wishing I was dead.¡±


    Raina didn¡¯t say a word. None of us did. The truth in her words beats to the rhythm of our pathetic hearts, reminding us we¡¯re a terrible family. We got our daughter, but <b>she </b>wasn¡¯t our daughter. She was nothing, and we didn¡¯t do a damn thing to change it. As <b>everyone </b>began abusing her, we did too. A twisted bystander effect.


    I still remember Kiya¡¯s eyes silently begging for me to save her. To stop Raina and others from beating her. Yet, I pretended not to see her. Strangely, as <b>she </b>was being thrown around like trash, Jonathan rewarded us for our loyalty. As Betas, we had the prestige from our rank, and it <b>bettered </b>our lives. We were so full of ourselves <b>that </b><b>as </b>the rewards came; they clouded our minds to Halima, who ceased to exist.


    It was just ve. Mutt. Runt. Bitch. Useless cur. Her name was like <b>acid </b>we didn¡¯t <b>dare </b>to utter.


    <b>No </b>wonder she abandoned it.


    ¡°Was there something wrong with me?¡± Kiya suddenly asked when she stopped flipping the pages of the album. ¡°Did I do something so horrible <b>that </b>it made you stop loving me<b>? </b>Was Jonathan¡¯s pain more important than mine? I expected Mommy and Daddy toe <b>and </b>hug me, but they <b>never </b>came.¡±


    <b>Tears </b>fell before I realized it. My baby girl suffered so much<b>, </b>and I can¡¯t do anything to take it away. Even now, as a beautiful woman, she continues to suffer. How can I stop it? How can I get her to <b>smile </b>again?


    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>can¡¯t,¡± Delh responded. ¡°Because there¡¯s no <b>room </b>for forgiveness in her heart. She hasn¡¯t forgiven Raina<b>, </b>or Neron<b>, </b>or anyone else. What makes you think she¡¯ll <b>forgive </b>you?<b>¡±</b>


    Chapter 35 ¨C Honeyben


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    ¡°Kiya, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I tearfully responded, shutting my eyes. I¡¯m pathetic. So pathetic! ¡°It¡¯s <b>our </b>fault! We hun


    1


    you so <b>much</b>! <b>I¡¯m </b>sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡±


    <b>01:26</b>


    Kiya <b>ms </b>the photo album on the table so hard cracks stretched from the impact outward. She grips a photo in her shaking hands, wrinkling the corners slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not sorry for the pain you caused me. You¡¯re only sorry because it¡¯s the guilt making you sorry. If you were truly remorseful, you would¡¯ve stopped Jonathan and everyone else who was beating the shit out of me in the hallways, drowning me in tubs <b>full </b>of scalding water, <b>throwing </b>me down the stairs, and many other things that should¡¯ve ignited a mother¡¯s and father¡¯s protection and <b>love </b>for their <b>child</b>.¡±


    ¡°Instead, you threw me away and transferred all your love and affection to your precious golden child.¡± The <bughter </b>that erupted from Kiya¡¯s mouth chilled me to the core. There was no humor. It was mocking. ¡°You can¡¯t admit that you were terrible parents because you cultivated the perfect daughter. Look at her!¡±


    <b>Raina¡¯s </b>head shot up in slight horror. ¡°She¡¯s a mother herself with a loving husband and a beautiful son! From the pictures, she <b>had </b>an exquisite wedding and an equally beautiful reception. You can feel the love <b>from </b>them! Be proud that you made <b>Raina </b>happy throughout her life. It¡¯s what parents are supposed to do.¡± Kiya shrugs her shoulders <b>calmly</b>.


    The sudden changes from anger to calm is terrifying.


    ¡°Stop crying. I don¡¯t need your tears or apologies. I don¡¯t need a damn thing from you two.¡± She looks at the photo in her hand. ¡°You¡¯re just like everyone <b>else </b>here; cowardly. Too afraid to admit that you ruined someone else¡¯s life.¡±


    She ripped into the photo and we couldn¡¯t do a thing about it, no matter how much it hurt. None of us stopped her. Our guilt was that much. Kiya ced the photo on top of the album and pushed it toward me.


    It was a family photo of the four of us when the girls were young. Kiya ripped herself out of the photo. What followed was a series of softer sounds of ripping. Next to the newly formed photo is a pile of her ripped to pieces. Like confetti.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be the end¡­¡± <b>I </b>murmured, feeling the sizzling sensation of culpability run me ragged. For the first time during this session, I looked in the eyes of my baby girl, facing the embers of her rage that licked behind her brown. ¡°Please, tell us that there¡¯s something we can do to mend this. I lost <b>you </b>once and I don¡¯t want to lose you again!¡±


    ¡°You and Steven can have another daughter.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°No! I mean, what do you want us to do? We miss you¡­you¡¯re so close and we can¡¯t touch <b>you</b>, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°And you never will!¡± Kiya leans in, cocking her head to the side. ¡°I feel nothing toward you both. You¡¯ve done nothing to prove that you deserve my love or forgiveness. You had many, but you both blew them and I¡¯m not giving any more. The only thing that would make me happy is if you both were f*cking dead!¡±


    Kiya stands back up and turns to Raina as if her wishing for my <b>and </b>Steven¡¯s demise didn¡¯t happen. ¡°Don¡¯t do this shit again. I¡¯d <b>appreciate </b>it if you stop asking me to waste my breath talking to them. They¡¯re your parents. Not mine. So, stop trying to make it happen.¡±


    Delh was right. Kiya will never forgive us. Not when she¡¯s closed her heartpletely off to everyone else.


    Chapter 35


    #109


    Bonus


    It¡¯s well deserved. My husband gently cradles my head on his shoulder, resting his chin on top tofort me as I <b>silently </b>cried. But it¡¯s no <b>use</b>.


    We <b>lost </b>her forever.


    01:23


    Alpha Neron stepped in as Kiya was about to leave. From the other side of the hallway, an Omega scampers in, bowing to us all quickly. ¡°Alpha, there is-


    ¡°I know.¡± He <b>says</b>. ¡°Let them in.¡±


    Suddenly, two distinct scents invaded my nose. One of peaches and <b>mangos </b>and the other of pumpkin and apple cider. Both scents ignite anger within me, and Steven stirred above me. Kiya caught <b>a </b>whiff and jerked her head around to face the direction where the scents came from.


    Two people emerged, and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Mom? Dad?!¡±


    Chapter Comments.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 36 Mother vs. Mother


    ¡°There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting their child.¡± ¨C N.K Jemisin


    Kiya


    I didn¡¯t expect my <b>parents </b>to be here. I didn¡¯t want them to be here.


    +10


    Bonu


    01:20


    How is it hard to see that I¡¯m perfectly fine? And they <b>took </b>it a step further to request back up from Mom and Dad? It¡¯s <b>been </b>weeks since west saw one another, and the only difference is <b>that </b>worry contorted their faces when their eyesnded on me. Peaches, mangos, apple <b>cider</b>, <b>and </b>pumpkin amalgamated together into a single scent that warms my heart, even on my darkest days.


    I <b>love </b><b>Mom </b>and Dad. <b>So </b>much. But I didn¡¯t want them to worry <b>about </b>me. This pack finally understands <b>that </b>I¡¯m the wrong person to be f*cked with. Whenever I walk by, they cower in fear because they know I them with a flick of my finger. Now, I¡¯ll never <b>use </b>my avatar <b>powers </b>on anyone¨Cbut, sometimes, that desire is


    there.


    I want to crush them. They deserve to bleed under my <b>heels</b>. I¡¯ll show them the consequences of their actions! So, why can¡¯t I <b>have </b>my moments of victory without people calling up my parents to ruin it?!


    ¡°Whether or not you know it, <b>you </b>need <b>your </b><b>parents</b>, Kiya.¡± Artemis suddenly spoke. ¡°We both do.¡±


    Speaking of, <b>who </b>called my parents?


    My left <b>eye </b>twitched in irritation as I slowly turned to face Neron standing against the wall with his arms crossed. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You called my parents!¡±


    ¡°It was my idea, but I asked your friends for permission.¡±


    Right on cue, my friends minus Darien walked into themon room. Their faces lit up like fireworks when they spotted Mom and <b>Dad</b>, but faded when they spotted the furious look on my face. ¡°You all conspired against me?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, Little Bit.¡± Jackie walked up to me. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We collectively decided that <b>it </b>would be best if Lyra and Niki were here as extra support. <b>You¡¯re </b>slipping into <b>a </b>ce that we believe warrants our


    <b>concern</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°How many <b>times </b>do I have to tell you I¡¯m fine?¡± My fury bubbled, threatening to boil over into a hot mess. ¡°My word isn¡¯t enough for you? Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not fine, and you know it!¡± Sapphire retorted. ¡°You don¡¯t notice it, but we <b>do</b>! Kiya, you¡¯ve changed since Tristan died. You closed yourself offpletely from us. It¡¯s been two days<b>, </b>and it¡¯s scary.¡±


    I¡¯m fine.


    I¡¯m fine!


    I¡¯m fine!!


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a f*cking intervention<b>!</b>¡± I shouted, feeling a headache crawling from the corners of my vision. ¡°Thest thing I needed was for you guys to drag people into shit that doesn¡¯t involve them! I don¡¯t need


    Chapter 35¨CMother vs Mother


    more drama on top of everything I got to deal with and-¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:18


    Without warning, someone drew my body into a soft wall of heavenly warmth. My body stiffened at the sudden invasion, but rxed once it recognized who it came from. Peaches <b>and </b>mangos invaded my nose in a delightful concoction that batted away my dark, almost possessive feelings. Mom¡¯s sweet scent immersed me in a fervid sea of security. Her arms encircled my smaller frame as her nimble fingers rubbed gentle circles on my backside<b>.</b>


    I didn¡¯t know whether to scream in anger that she <b>and </b>Dad <b>are </b>here<b>, </b>or to sob because I needed them.


    Mija<b>¡­</b>¡± Mom whispers into my hair. Goddess, her loving voice <b>does </b>things to my heart that I can¡¯t exin. ¡°You¡¯ve be so cold. Even your hugs¨Cthey aren¡¯t the same. What happened? What did this ce do to you to make you like this?¡±


    I wanted to tell her everything; from Darien¡¯s betrayal to Odessa¡¯s craziness to Jonathan¡¯s hatred to Tristan¡¯s death, but nothing came out. The words were stuck at the base of my throat, burning their way in a futile escape attempt. So much has happened. I¡¯m scared if I open my mouth, I¡¯ll just start crying again.


    And I didn¡¯t want to cry. I¡¯m tired of crying.


    I continued to hug my mother, burrowing my <b>head </b>on her chest. Artemis hums calmly<b>, </b>delighted at Mom¡¯s warmth.


    A part of me writhes in fury. I wanted to handle the invidious bullshit myself. Since the day I revealed my secret, the air shifted. Things changed. But I¡¯m not ipetent. I didn¡¯t <b>need </b>Mom and Dad to watch and worry over me. I¡¯m an adult and I don¡¯t need to be coddled.


    It tes the other part <b>of </b>me that Mom and Dad are here. I missed and craved their presence. No matter what I do here, I¡¯m incredibly overwhelmed by the memories and familiar <b>faces</b>. Every corner I pass by holds a reminder of my pain. And not enough people wanted to acknowledge the past because it didn¡¯t happen to them. It happened to the most unwanted person in the pack, so why would <b>care</b><b>? </b>So<b>, </b>I wanted to run into my parents¡® arms and cry the agony out.


    I look up from Mom¡¯s chest to gaze at her beautiful face. She held unconditional love for me, unlike Ashley. Her thumbs gently caress my cheeks like soft feathers, sending her love deep into my pores. Dad walked over and ced <b>a </b>fatherly hand on my shoulder, the other smoothening my hair.


    I becamechrymose when the anger left, leaving behind <b>a </b>hollow void. Hollow and unfilled despite the sheltering presence of my real parents¨Cthe people who selflessly took in a broken wolf and gave her <b>the </b>love <b>she </b>desperately needed<b>.</b>


    ¡°Tell us what happened,¡± Dad whispered lovingly. ¡°Spare no details. Neron and Jackie didn¡¯t tell us everything. But <b>we </b>want to hear it from you, Kiya<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Let us in, mi rayo de luna.¡± Mom continued to smoothen out my face. ¡°We won¡¯t judge you.¡±


    The words that burned to escape finally did. I told Mom and Dad everything as my former family, Neron, and


    my friends surrounded us. But, for that moment, they <b>weren¡¯t </b>there. It was just my parents and me.


    And their faces shifted rapidly from concern to shock, to sadness, and finally, righteous fury.


    Oh, no.


    Chapter 36 ¨C Mother vs. Mother


    #109


    Bonu


    ¡°Where the hell is your father?¡± <b>Dad¡¯s </b>vehemence rolled off <b>him </b>in mes as his scorching resnded on Neron, who flinched slightly. When my father speaks in a stentorian voice, I knew he meant business. ¡°Dom:16 lie to me, boy.¡±


    Oh Goddess<b>, </b>what is Dad going to do?


    ¡°He should at his home on the southeast part of the territory. When you see a bed of carnelians, you¡¯d found it.¡± Like a lion on the hunt, Dad departed from the house, but not without throwing the front doors open first.


    Mom k*ssed my forehead once more before <b>she </b>turned her frightening fury towards my sperm and egg donor.


    Feeling <b>great </b>trepidation Raina tried to shuffle away but <b>when </b>Mom said ¡®<b>quieto</b>, my sister stayed, albeit shaking in her shoes. Unlike her, Ashley defies logic and res at the former <b>Luna </b><b>as </b>if she¡¯ll eat her alive.


    This should be fun.


    Lyra


    Isabe wanted blood, and <b>I¡¯m </b>more than happy to let her have her way with this pathetic excuse of a family. My heart broke when my Moonbeam recounted the events of the past weeks, and I wanted nothing more than to whisk her back home. How could a pack do this? I thought I heard the worst of it<b>, </b>but <b>when </b>Kiya revealed the secret she <b>held </b>within for years, I saw red.


    <b>Raina </b>looked away in shame <b>and </b>fear. Steven tried to hold his mate¡¯s <b>hand </b>to calm her <b>down </b>but said mate defiantly stares me down as if I¡¯ve stolen from her. Jealousy is a nasty thing. Her face slowly reddens as her eyes flicker from brown to gold. Her fists shake at her <b>sides </b>and her teeth are barred.


    A foolish way to challenge a former Luna. I may be old, but I can still kick ass.


    ¡°Who <b>are </b>you to look at me like that?¡± I demanded Ashley, wrapping my arm around Kiya¡¯s shoulders. Happiness bubbled when she rxed into me again. ¡°Are you angry that I¡¯m a better mother than that sorry ass?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter. Not yours.¡± The surly woman hissed at me. ¡°She belongs to her real family.¡±


    I let out a sardonicugh. ¡°She is with her real family. You forfeited all parental rights over her when you abandoned her for the Beta luxuries. You loved prestige more than your flesh and blood.¡±


    her!¡±


    ¡°I still love her!¡±


    ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled <b>me</b>.¡±


    ¡°You have no right to judge <b>me</b>!¡± Ashley shouted as tears cascaded down her face. ¡°I made a mistake! Yes, I should¡¯ve been better, but don¡¯t call me a bad mother<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡­But you are a bad mother.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Just as you were an equally poor father,¡°¨CI pointed at Steven ¡°<b>And </b>you were a horrible sister.¡± I red at Raina. ¡°Family sticks together as a solid unit, but never in my life have I¡¯ve witnessed the horrific <b>damage </b>you inflicted on a sweet pup. And for what? Because your former <b>Alpha </b>med a child over the loss of his mate<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°It was a mistake¡­¡± Ashley breathed in a tone above a whisper. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t go against our Alpha. His


    Chapter 36 ¨C Mather vs Mother


    word wasw.¡±


    +109


    Bonu


    01:13


    ¡°But you allowed <b>him </b>to condemn your baby to abuse. Jonathan losing Celeste and Nuria was a tragedy, and I can¡¯t imagine his pain. <b>However</b>, you threw away a child and erased her out of your life. That¡¯s the bigger tragedy. You¡¯re weak.¡±


    I marched up to Ashley and stared deep into her eyes. ¡°Riddle me this; if Kiya hadn¡¯t escaped, would you have eventually? Were you willing to give up your <b>ce </b>in the pack to protect your daughter<b>?</b>¡±


    Ashley¡¯s eyes searched mine before <b>falling </b>in a heap of shamefulness. As tears continued to fall, faint hups rocketed through her. ¡°Your silence is your answer. Not <b>one </b>of you would¡¯ve stopped her envement if it didn¡¯t put your extravagant lives at risk.¡±


    How could a family ignore a child¡¯s suffering to save face? If Lyria was condemned to that hell, I¡¯d fight tooth and nail for her freedom¨Cno matter the sacrifice. Disgust isn¡¯t the right word to describe the Lanes.


    ¡°Kiya is my blood. I made her; you didn¡¯t. She came from my womb! I breastfed her and did the best I could for <b>her</b>! She¡¯s my baby girl!¡± Ashley¡¯s outburst grated at my ears. ¡°What we did was unforgivable. I don¡¯t expect Honeybee to forgive me¡­just¡­don¡¯t take her away from me again! <b>Give </b>me the chance to <b>earn </b>her forgiveness!¡±


    Anyone can make a child; it¡¯s not that hard. However, there is a difference between being a mother by physicality and by <b>choice</b>. She¡¯s your blood, but <b>she¡¯s </b><b>mine </b>by choice. You left her to die. I helped her grow into a woman she <b>never </b>got the chance to me. Niki and I <b>adopted </b>her, and <b>she </b>epted us as her parents.¡±


    ¡°A <b>child </b>isn¡¯t a thing to possess¨Cthey are people with actual emotions, dreams, and hopes. You¡¯re a pathetic excuse for <b>a </b>mother, Ashley.¡±


    ¡°She will <b>never </b>be yours! Not as long <b>as </b>I still breathe!¡±


    ¡°<b>Then </b>stop,¡± Kiya muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit.¡±


    Her blunt and callousment shocked me. I strongly believed, along with Anthony and my love, that if Kiya faced her demons, she¡¯d be okay. She¡¯de out stronger than when she left. But I underestimated the number of demons and their strength. <b>There </b>were too many I can count, each holding more power than the other; ready to snatch my baby girl and throw her <b>into </b>a pool of misery.


    And now, <b>she¡¯s </b>killed a man. That horrible man deserved death, but it killed the light in Kiya¡¯s eyes as well. It¡¯s like I¡¯m back at <b>square </b>one, trying to get her to open up more to me. This ce changed her.


    ¡°Steven.¡± Alpha Neron spoke. ¡°Take your mate away to calm her down. If she starts a fight with Kiya¡¯s mother, there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°B¨CBut Alpha-!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go against my orders. Kiya is staying at her mother¡¯s side. Respect her wishes.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°No! I¡¯m her mother!¡± Ashley cried out mournfully. ¡°I want my baby girl back! Is that too much to ask for?!¡±


    I look down at Kiya, who said nothing. Her gaze is away from themotion, deep in her thoughts. Her body no longer shakes but is stiff again. I hug her <b>again</b>, k*ssing the top of her forehead <b>as </b>Steven takes a wailing <b>Ashley </b>away.


    Chapter 36 Mothers Mother


    ¡°Moonbeam?¡± I <b>ask </b>her, pinching her cheek gently. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    +TO


    BonuExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    01:10


    She said nothing. Instead, she turned and stared at me with ssy eyes. Burrowed herself into my chest again, Kiya wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed. Sighing, I rubbed her head again before looking at the


    four warriors..


    ¡°Pack <b>your </b>bags,¡± I tell them through mind¨Clink. ¡°You all will return to Gamet Moon tomorrow morning.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 126

    Chapter <b>37 </b>Father vs. Father


    ¡°The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature. ¨C Antoine Francois Prevost


    Niki


    Moon Goddess. Give me the strength to not snap this man¡¯s neck into two.


    <b>+</b><b>10</b>% Bonus


    <b>01:01</b>


    I could beat him to a pulp. Even break his nose. But I didn¡¯t want to fight. He needed to answer me about his appalling actions against my daughter. Anthony sent his warriors to this pack to help strengthen their numbers¨Cto prevent them from falling to the same fate as other <b>packs</b>. <b>Instead</b>, Jonathan has used this


    opportunity to torment my child?


    What the hell is wrong with this man?!


    It appears Jonathan expected my riotous presence. I wasn¡¯t more than a foot away from his door when he swung it open, greeting me with a nostalgic smile. Does he think I¡¯m stupid? Faux obliviousness doesn¡¯t suit him, and it sure as hell won¡¯t calm me down!


    So<b>, </b>what do Alphas normally do when they¡¯re being silently mocked by others?


    The logical answer is to put those people in their ce. But Kiya¡¯s eyes when she revealed her assault never left my mind. It broke her, choking up at the heaviness of concealing a big secret. My fatherly instincts wanted to protect her. What angered me the most, is how Jonathan tried to free the man who hurt her, citing bogusws that no one follows anymore.


    I punched him in the face for <b>that </b>very reason. Jonathan didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he grabbed a handkerchief from his table and blotted the blood away from his lip. He sighed, stuffing the cloth in <b>his </b>pocket before gesturing to his couch.


    ¡°Would you like some tea, old friend?¡±


    I shot


    him


    an


    incredulous look. ¡°I don¡¯t want tea. I want answers.¡±


    ¡°Let <b>me </b>guess,¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Your child told you what happened and now you¡¯re ying Superman? Must <b>you </b>always believe the outrageous ims of a woman who hasn¡¯t matured past her adolescence?¡±


    ¡°Watch what you say about my daughter,¡± I warned. ¡°<b>And </b>I can¡¯t believe you have the gall to stand there and act as if your actions didn¡¯t contribute to her deterioration! You hold as much responsibility as anyone here!¡±


    ???


    ¡°I did nothing wrong.¡± He shrugged his shoulders, nting his rear end on his couch. ¡°Prattle and rant all you want, Niki. You can¡¯t change my mind.¡±


    ¡°My Goddess, what happened to you?¡± Jonathan was never this callous. We were friends back in the day, and Lyra and Celeste. He was stoic and nonchnt, but he held a certain type of warmth. It wasn¡¯t from power¨Cit was from care. Celeste always brought out the best of him <b>and </b>could make him smile when days were bleak.


    His mate made him feelplete. Times were turbulent when his brother reared his ugly head, but it never stopped our support for one another<b>. </b>But, when Celeste passed, he withdrew from all he worked hard to build and closed <b>himself </b>off. I¡¯ve never heard from or about him until Kiya came into my life, battered and broken from years of abuse he permitted.


    half passes away, <b>and </b>Jonathan defied all odds.


    But it chills me to think there¡¯s something else other than Neron that keeps him going.


    <b>00</b>:5


    Jonathan poured steaming tea into a cup, neglecting to add sugar. Bitter like his heart. He took a sip before<b>. </b>his bleak blue eyes nced over at me. ¡°It¡¯s lonely without your other half, isn¡¯t it? If Lyra was out of sight for a day, you wouldn¡¯t handle <b>it</b><b>. </b>Imagine not seeing Lyra for almost a decade and a half. How are your children, by the way? I hear Anthony is quite the exceptional Alpha.¡±


    Silence. <b>I </b>could hear the jealousy in his voice <b>as </b>he spoke about my family. It burned and glistened in his eyes as he probably is thinking about how his family fell apart.


    He misses his wife and daughter.


    ¡°The Moon Goddess blessed you well. But I wonder if it¡¯s because of you harboring her avatar in your pack?¡±


    ¡°She blessed me before Kiya¡¯s arrival. However, I sense a lot of animosity in you. Do you still think she¡¯s responsible for Celeste and Nuria¡¯s deaths?¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s knuckles grew white as he clenched his teacup. Any tighter and it¡¯d shatter. ¡°No matter the evidence, she still had a hand. She lured them into the woods.¡±


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t kill them! Zain did!¡± I shouted in fury. ¡°Goddess, why can¡¯t you let that go? You found the bastard responsible! He¡¯s gone, and they got justice! Why do you still hate Kiya so much? She¡¯s innocent!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s far from innocent.¡± Jonathan retorted. ¡°She <b>killed </b>a man.¡±


    ¡°He raped her.¡±


    ¡°No one can rape property, Niki. It¡¯s preposterous.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t property and you know it! There¡¯s absolutely nothing that justifies how you and your pack treated her as a child! She wasn¡¯t meant to be <b>a </b>ve, but in your twisted sense of justice, you thought it was okay! You abandoned her as Alpha. <b>An </b>Alpha protects their pack members¨Cthe elderly, infants, and everyone in between. It¡¯s not your fault you lost people, but it¡¯s not her fault either. And it isn¡¯t grounds to turn her into a child ve. Don¡¯t me her because your pack started falling apart.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>So</b><b>, </b>you¡¯re saying it¡¯s my fault?¡±


    I stared at my heartless friend long and hard, searching for any hints of remorse in his eyes.


    I found none.


    Empathy is an innate trait that I believed, <b>and </b>hoped<b>, </b>everyone possessed. It¡¯s what connects our humanity towards <b>one </b>another; the interconnectedness of a family. I cannot sympathize with his pain, but I can empathize that Jonathan is a hurting man.


    But hurt can turn to hate, and hate thrives best in darkness.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault for losing your family.¡± I started. ¡°However, everything that followed afterward is a direct consequence of your actions. If anything <b>is </b>making this pack, fall apart is your inability to move on. It¡¯s karmaing to kick you in the ass.¡±


    Chapter 37 Fother vs Fath


    ¡°I did what was right for the pack.¡±


    -10%


    Bonu


    00:55


    ¡°No. You did what was right to lessen the blow of pain and to smooth out your ego. cing <b>me </b><b>on </b>a child was the easiest and most effective solution. You turned your entire pack against Kiya, including her family, her friends, and most of all, <b>your </b><b>son</b>.¡±


    The teacup crushed into pieces under Jonathan¡¯srge hands, raining tea and blood from his wounds. In a sh, he threw me against the wall and barred his canines at me. My wolf, Antonio, took offense and showed himself through my <b>eyes</b>.


    ¡°You should be grateful that you got the chance to meet the little bitch.¡± He hissed, his voice ovepping with his wolf. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed her when I had the chance.¡±


    ¡°But, you didn¡¯t.¡± I barked back. ¡°Because no matter how much you hated Kiya, she was far too valuable to execute on a whim. If she wasn¡¯t our goddess¡® avatar, you would¡¯ve killed her. Why keep her alive if she didn¡¯t hold value?¡±


    ¡°It was only by Selene¡¯s blessing that she still lives. Her power is unmatched, and her presence brings


    prosperity to a pack. Can you say that the reason Ga Moon is so sessful isn¡¯t because of her?¡±


    H


    ¡°Yes.¡± Having enough of his fiery breath <b>fanning </b>my nose, I forced the man off me with a violent push. Because I worked <b>hard </b>and took care of my people. I made sure they had clothes on their backs and <b>food </b>to eat. We worked together to make ourmunity prosperous long before my daughter arrived. Unlike you, Selene¡¯s avatar is not a tool to make you rich and powerful¨Cshe¡¯s a person!¡±


    Jonathan cackled. Cackled! Now, I <b>have </b>a great sense of humor¨Cas Lyra likes to say¨Cbut I <b>found </b>nothing of what I said funny. Zircon Moon lost a gem, not because of <b>what </b>she possesses, but because Kiya is a beautiful, intelligent, and benevolent woman. Her brown eyes sparkle when she¡¯s happy, her nose crinkles when she¡¯s confused, and her humor is amazing. She¡¯s naturally caring and determined to change the world for the better. But, above all, she deserves the best.


    I never saw her as a tool or a possession. The history surrounded Selene¡¯s <b>avatar </b>is dark and rough, but I cannot and will not let Kiya fall under the same fate. Phoebe filled me in on what she learned about the legendary white wolves, and I find it both a blessing and a curse.


    A blessing because the bloodline of white wolves never stretched beyond the original. The children won¡¯t live their lives being hunted.


    A curse because Kiya deserves to be loved properly and <b>have </b>a safe and stable home to live in.


    ¡°The only reason Selene¡¯s avatar exists is to improve our lives. To <b>ensure </b>that we¡¯re secure, and happy. Our goddess¡® blessed Zircon Moon with her because <b>she </b>knew my pack <b>was </b>the best. It¡¯s been a long timeing for the avatar toe to my family. To find out she¡¯s destined for <b>Neron </b>was even better; because it ensures that she¡¯ll never leave, and our bloodline will remain powerful. She wasn¡¯t supposed to leave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s <b>a </b>good thing she did, you idiot. Let¡¯s not forget about your son. Mates <b>are </b>sacred; so how <b>does </b>he feel <b>knowing </b>that you¡¯re torturing <b>the </b>love of his life?¡±


    ¡°My son is weak. Always has been. Always distracted by what¡¯s out in the world and never focused on his duty. He could be great; better than what he is now if he¡¯d <b>just </b>listen!¡±


    ¡°Well, it sounds like he¡¯s done listening to you. Neron has the potential to be a great Alpha. But there is one


    Chapter 17¨CFather Father


    thing stifling his growth, and it¡¯s <b>you </b>and your tyrannical <b>nonsense</b>!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like <b>you </b><b>know </b>my son better than I do.¡±


    +10.


    Bonu


    00<b>:</b><b>5</b><b>:</b>


    ¡®You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know him, but you don¡¯t either. Getting him to achieve doesn¡¯t mean you have to put down his mate. Or him!¡± I sigh heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose in pure irritation. ¡°I will not teach you how to parent.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°But I will tell you that the longer you walk down this path, you¡¯re risking losing <b>more </b>than just your son. He¡¯s not a puppet you live vicariously through; he¡¯s his person! Let him be!¡±


    Maybe I¡¯m preaching. Maybe I¡¯m talking from a ce of privilege. However, my daughter deserves better. I know Neron deserves better. Jonathan¡¯s poison is seeping into <b>every </b>area of his life, destroying everything he


    touches.


    How long will it take him to see the destruction he caused?


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose Neron.¡± Jonathan¡¯s resolve is absolute. ¡°He <b>doesn¡¯t </b>dare to go against his old man. I¡¯m all he has left.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate <b>him</b>.¡± <b>There¡¯s </b>no reasoning with his man. It¡¯s like talking to a brick wall. Unfortunately, not all Alphas are easy to deal with <b>and </b>Jonathan has be insufferable. Deep in my old heart, I want to <b>care </b>for him as a friend. I care about the man, even as he lost his way. However, his deplorable actions push me away from him.


    And he¡¯s the type of man I refuse to let my daughter around.


    Lyra and I discussed this <b>after </b>the phone call from Alpha Neron and Beta Jacqueline. We¡¯ve discussed it Turther with Anthony and he believes this is the best solution considering the circumstances and the risks.


    ¡°Kiya will be leaving.¡±


    That snapped Jonathan out of his daze. It took a second for him to register my words, and what came from it was abustion of fury and a deadly growl from his throat. ¡°She won¡¯t be. She belongs to Zircon Moon.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She bears the mark of Ga Moon. She belongs to us. You have no im over her.¡±


    ¡°Her destiny is with my pack, ruling over as Luna.¡±


    ¡°How presumptuous of you to think you¡¯ll force Kiya to stay. The deal between Zircon and Ga is for our warriors to remain here until mid¨CAugust. However, given the circumstance and your inability to protect and honor the deal, my son has every right to rescind our offer and our warriors will be deployed back to California immediately.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take my son¡¯s mate away from him! And I thought you honored the sacredness between.


    mates.¡±


    ¡°Mate or not, she¡¯s my daughter first. Her well¨Cbeinges first. And if I recall correctly, your son rejected her, and she hasn¡¯t epted him. Therefore, Alpha Neron also has no im over her.¡±


    ¡°And another thing, Jonathan.¡± I march up to him and barred my canines at him. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a moment


    Chapter 17: Father va


    +10


    Bonu


    you can stop this. Holding a pack member hostage is grounds for a <b>war</b><b>, </b>no matter the f*cking reason. <b>And </b>we both know <b>whose </b>pack wille <b>out </b><b>on </b>top. <b>Anthony </b>will crush Neron <b>and </b>I will crush you. Don¡¯t f*ck wit00:51 my family.¡±


    Jonathan is at for words because he knows I¡¯m right. Ga is outmatched in resources and strength


    and we can easily crush Zircon. But I won¡¯t and Anthony won¡¯t either.


    But I still would love to kick Jonathan¡¯s ass.


    He wants more from my daughter and I won¡¯t let him have his way.


    Disappointed in the man Jonathan has be, I left his home. There¡¯s nothing else to be said. Lyra <b>and </b>I will take our daughter back so she can heal in a safe environment.


    Zircon Moon holds nothing for her.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 38 ¨C Letting <b>Her </b><b>Go</b>


    ¡°If you love something so much, let it go. If ites back, it was meant to be; if it doesn¡¯t, it never was.¡± ¨C Albert


    Schweitzer


    <b>Osiris</b>


    <b>+108</b>


    Bonus


    00:47


    After a single taste of darkness, it¡¯s hard toe back from it. Evidence shows in my brte puppet as she <b>continued </b>to make terrible decisions, aligning with her eventual fate. Oh, she¡¯s been good for me it pays to sell <b>your </b>soul to the devil.


    But, <b>as </b>ites with <b>tools</b>, once they outlived their purpose, they be disposable.


    I got what I wanted. My Little Moon touched darkness. Through her stubborn resistance and wavering resolve, she <b>finally </b>cracked. Watching her mercilessly ughter <b>that </b>pathetic guard <b>was </b>a thing of beauty. Every stab, every slice<b>, </b>and every scream from that poor man made a masterpiece of gore!


    And she didn¡¯t <b>feel </b>a damn thing. That was the goal! And now, that same darkness rumbles within her, waiting for its next release. The sweet scent from afar is so alluring, and the best part is, she doesn¡¯t even know it! That¡¯s what <b>makes </b>it fun¨Cthe unknown!


    Now, it¡¯s time to get rid of this annoying cur. It¡¯s a shame her injuries sustained from the Beta Female had to <b>heal</b>. She was a sight for sore eyes! Her useless mate naps as she sits at the foot of her bed, tapping her feet impatiently. The re she possesses <b>is </b>enough to kill, but there is <b>a </b>catch.


    I¡¯m the avatar. She isn¡¯t. No matter <b>how </b>powerful she makes herself seem, she is but a newborn pup at the palm of my hand.


    ¡°Your ns aren¡¯t working!¡± Odessa used. I rolled my eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve pushed those two closer together! Neron protected the bitch, and he did nothing when I said she hurt me! Howe I can¡¯t turn him as easily as I did everyone else? One touch from me and they were mine! But, whenever I touched him, it didn¡¯t work!¡±


    Such a fool. ¡°I told you that your impatience will lead to nothing but trouble, pet. But s, when desperation sets in, you make mistakes. Give up on the Alpha; he¡¯s far too gone for you to reim his heart.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She shot up from her bed, fists shaking. ¡°I won¡¯t give up on him! There has to be <b>another </b>way to make him love me again!¡± As if the reality sets in, her face detes to pitifulness. ¡°It¡¯s bing harder to get rid of Kiya. No matter <b>what </b>she <b>does</b>, Neron is drawn into her like a moth to a me.¡±


    Odessa¡¯s insipid whining is getting on myst nerve. Pepi slithers around my arm and across my corbone, resting his small cute head on my shoulder. ¡°Your ns may have fallen through, but mine haven¡¯t.¡±


    She arches an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°What do you <b>mean</b>?¡±


    ¡°I got what I wanted. It¡¯s <b>only </b>a matter of time before my Little Moon fallspletely. Haven¡¯t you realized that your <b>ns </b>to win the Alpha were failures from the beginning? Did you think you held more weight than his destined mate? I never intended on helping you.¡±


    Her face was like watching a pleasant television show. So many emotions morphed <b>and </b>contorted her face before settling on disbelief. Stammers left her mouth as her feeble mind failed toprehend that she was merely a chess piece in my <b>game</b>. ¡°No¡­¡±


    Chapter 28¨Catting Her Go


    +10


    BonusN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done your part. You <b>helped </b>turn the pack and your mate against her. Not only that, the spectacle you pulled at the execution was truly remarkable! It sealed the deal for these pathetic mutts. I¡¯m the madness 00:44 you were the gravity. Appreciate me not tossing you away like the trash you are, but even trash has use when recycled.¡±


    ¡°You tricked <b>me</b>!¡± She yelled. ¡°You lied to me! I did all of that shit for you because you said¡ª!¡±


    ¡°<b>And </b>whose fault is it for believing the words of a snake?¡± I chuckled humorously, walking around <b>Odessa¡¯s </b>shaken form. Poor thing. If her soul wasn¡¯t so ugly, she¡¯d be a beautiful woman I¡¯ll have no problem calling my own. ¡°A snake tricked Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. And a snake tricked you into selling all for the love of an Alpha wolf. Who¡¯s the bigger fool? Eve or you?¡±


    Grabbing her <b>throat</b>, I pinned the useless bitch against the wall and watched the ck energy I ced in her flow back into me. <b>She </b>doesn¡¯t deserve to hold an ounce of my power. Odessa whimpered and writhed<b>, </b>wing at my hand, <b>but </b>it didn¡¯t deter me. Without her wolf, she¡¯s weak.


    She¡¯s another lost and pathetic <b>soul</b><b>, </b>waiting for fate to snatch her by the scalp.


    After the transference, I dropped my former tool into a useless heap on the ground. She pants as her hands sped <b>around </b>her throat in a desperate attempt to soothe the pain. As for me, I feel rejuvenated, ready to take on the world.


    ¡°Those who sacrifice others for their gain are bound to <b>lose </b>everything.¡± Pepi slithered again, eyeballing Odessa like lunch. ¡°Not only have you sacrificed your dignity, but you¡¯ve toyed with the hearts of men. A bold, but a very dangerous game!¡±


    ¡°Get this through your pathetic skull; Neron was never yours. Any fool can see it. The reason you couldn¡¯t turn Neron to you is because his heart is set. And you can¡¯t save him. That love will destroy him. What destiny has for you doesn¡¯t include bing Luna. Kill that pathetic dream. It¡¯s about time you understand that.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me¡­¡±


    Kneeling to the ground, I grabbed her <b>chin</b>, digging my nails into her supple flesh. ¡°You¡¯re a <b>failure</b>, Odessa. Always have been, and always will be. Once the smoke clears, don¡¯t be surprised if you lose your mate <b>as </b>well.¡±


    Poor little girl. If I had any mercy left in my heart, I¡¯dfort her as she silently wails. Too bad I¡¯m a horrible man. ying on feeble desires and selfishness of a brattish woman had never been so <b>fun</b><b>. </b>I should do it again some other time!


    Now, with that taken care of, it¡¯s time for the next part of my n.


    Wait for me, Little Moon. You¡¯ll be mine soon.


    Neron


    I questioned myself whether calling Kiya¡¯s parents was the right <b>move</b>, but seeing is believing. I made the right choice. <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>smile is like the sun¡¯s rays breaking through hours of non¨Cstop rain, producing the most beautiful of all rainbows. For days, her smile disappeared. Tears, anger, <b>and </b>agony reced it, diabolically ruining what could¡¯ve been a pleasant week for her.


    ? Chapter 38 ¨C Letting Her Go


    +109


    Bonti!


    Her parents brought that happiness <b>back</b>. Dull brown shines with beauty once again. Lyra and Niki have my full gratitude for swooping in and saving their daughter from this nightmare. I watched from afar <b>as </b>the 00:42 parents and child bonded over what seemed like an eternity.


    Kiya has no idea how lucky she is to have supportive parents. <b>She </b>sits in between them as they chatted. Lyra¡¯s hand went to y with her daughter¡¯s curls while Niki listened intensively to what she had to say. Listening in didn¡¯t seem right, so I made myself at home at the <b>bottom </b>stair of the foyer with a pencil <b>and </b>sketchbook at hand. Themon room wasn¡¯t too far away.


    Lyra and <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>rtionship reminded me much of Mom and Nuria. They were damn near inseparable. A mother¡¯s and daughter¡¯s love can never sever, and <b>I </b>see how much happier Kiya is with Lyra. It¡¯s a <b>shame </b>that Ashley cannot experience that.


    I feel awful for her, but we reap what we sow.


    Every stroke from my pencil adds to the beauty I¡¯m trying to emte on my paperback canvas. But how can a drawingpare to the original? My drawing skills are a little rusty, but I pray that I do the beauty justice.


    As my pencil danced across my long¨Cforgotten sketchbook, my mind recalls <b>the </b>contion I had earlier on


    the phone with <b>Alpha </b>Anthony. The all¨C<b>too</b>¨Cfamiliar<b>, </b>painful sting <b>prates </b>my heart.


    ¡®She cannot <b>heal </b>in the same environment that made her sick.¡±


    Kiya is leaving earlier than I expected. For the sake of her health and well¨Cbeing. By tomorrow afternoon, her presence will no longer linger around my territory.


    rto


    I didn¡¯t want her to go. Goddess knows <b>how </b>much I want to keep Kiya at my side. Everything about her embeds in my memory: from her sharine scent to the little quirks she does without knowing. From the way she twirls one of her curls when in deep thought, and how her pitch heightens when she¡¯s lying, and the bluntness when she speaks the truth.


    Kiya is a special woman.


    Ruminating on the past several months she¡¯s been here, I went about everything wrong. At first, I was possessive; willing to chase her to the ends of the earth to make her mine. She was the prey, and I wanted to im her, because, by destiny, Kiya belongs to me. It wasn¡¯t until she beat the shit out of <b>me </b>did I realize <b>how </b>stupid I was bing.


    My sketch grows in detail. Erase one line, add a stronger one. Correct the lopsided shapes and <b>add </b>detail. It¡¯sing along, but it still needs work.


    more


    As time went on, I knew I had to change. Having your mate so close is agonizing, especially when you can¡¯t reach them. Look, but don¡¯t touch. However, is it worth having <b>a </b>mate when she¡¯s unhappy? The deeper I think about it, the more I realized how little <b>I </b>understood the sacredness of mates.


    Mates are more than a destined <b>lover</b>. They¡¯re your partner, your best friend, your confidant, and your soulmate. The yin to yang, <b>the </b>fire to <b>ice</b><b>, </b>and the moon to the sun. Theyplete <b>you </b>because the Moon Goddess made them just for you. A powerful duo that understands andpliments each other no matter what.


    But, if they¡¯re unhappy, it bleeds into you. Even destined partners have the potential to fall and fail.


    +10%


    Now, to shading the drawing. The hair is the hardest part, but I¡¯m up for the challenge.


    15:00


    Happiness isn¡¯t a luxury. It¡¯s a necessity. Thinking back, Kiya did smile many times during her <b>stay</b>, b they genuine? Did those <b>smiles </be from a ce of contentment and pleasure? Or were they well¨Ccrafted disguises to mask her pain?


    ¡°She was never happy here, was she, Onyx?¡±


    Onyx whined softly in thought as I watched the lead of my pencil shrink with every swipe. ¡°I think there were moments she was genuinely happy. And you were too. I like to think the moments we spent our mate were at her happiest, but how <b>can </b>we be sure?¡±


    with


    My mind went back to our dates. The amusement park, the mall, even our private moments in my office. Hell, I¡¯d consider the tournament with the pups a date! Was she truly happy <b>then</b>? Optimism tells me yes, she <b>was</b>. But reality says differently.


    I don¡¯t know <b>what </b>to believe, and <b>I¡¯m </b>scared <b>to </b><b>ask </b>her.


    ¡®I know you don¡¯t want to be apart from your mate, Neron. I don¡¯t like interfering with the mate bond. But I can¡¯t allow that ce to damage her any more than what it already has. Deep down, you know this too.¡±


    The tip of my pencil snapped.


    I¡¯m a fool. A f*cking idiot. Why did I think I could help her heal? In this hellscape? Between the constant slinging of <b>bullshit </b>daily, it¡¯s <b>a </b>miracle Kiya didn¡¯t call it quits sooner. As more of the inhumane treatment she suffered resurfaces, I¡¯ve been thinking of the future of Zircon <b>Moon</b>.


    This pack¡¯s future is in my hands. I¡¯m the <b>Alpha</b>; it¡¯s my responsibility to oversee the changes and wonder what the next best step for the pack¡¯s advancement is.


    My choices <b>from </b>here on out determine thismunity¡¯s future and <b>mine</b>. <b>And </b>I have an idea of what that future might be.


    <b>A </b>sharp shrill ofughter erupted from themon room, grabbing my attention <b>again</b>. Niki is wiggling his fingers at Kiya <b>as </b>she shrieks inughter, begging Lyra to stop him. I grinned.


    Kiya¡¯sugh. Goddess, she sounds so beautiful.


    <b>And </b>I want her to keep thatughter, always.


    My pencil is sharpened like my resolve. No matter my <b>pain </b>or wishful thinking, I¡¯ve made up my mind.


    ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t <b>have </b>to be <b>this </b>way,¡± Onyx spoke with a hint of sadness. ¡°But our mate deserves to be happy. She needs to be away from this ce so she can start healing again. And maybe <b>we </b>can start healing too?¡±


    ¡°I agree, Onyx,¡± I respond <b>as </b>I got <b>back </b>to working on the drawing. This is not the time to be selfish.


    I¡¯ll never stop loving Kiya. Nothing will dissuade my heart from its rightful owner.


    But for her sake, I¡¯m letting her go<b>.</b>


    I have <b>to</b>.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter <b>39 </b>¨C Rejected


    ¡°Before hurting others, feel the pain you will inflict on others.¡°¨CDebasish Mridha


    Odessa


    This can¡¯t be happening!


    I¡¯m not a failure!


    +10% Bonus


    00:32


    My fingers rubbed gentle circles on my neck to soothe the pain Osiris left as a parting gift. Since Ariel left me, my healing is slower than normal, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    That slithering bastard tricked me!


    Osiris promised if I helped him, I¡¯d get what I wanted. Jumping at the chance to help the devil proved to be my undoing because he left me nothing! All I wanted was my Alpha¡¯s heart¨Cis that too much to ask for?! Neron¡¯s heart was mine from the beginning; it¡¯s not fair that a former ve has more rights over it than me!


    How long have I coveted for that treasure? The prized diamond was unmatched to the hearts of man. Ever since Iid my eyes on the handsome heir, my heart knew it belonged <b>to </b>him. Love at first sight, as the humans say. When Neron neededfort, I became his confidant. A heart needed mending, and I had the needle and <b>thread</b>. From there, our bond grew from friends to lovers. Beauty is in the beholder¡¯s <b>eye</b>.


    Neron was the first person to im <b>and </b>protect my heart. His eyes were only for me and we were deeply in love with each other. Goddess, I <b>loved </b>him so much. No other she¨Cwolf couldpete with the Alpha¡¯s partner! Fury and jealousy raged from those dumb females for days, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I got what everyone wanted.


    Until she came in and ruined everything!


    Every damn thing was <b>about </b><b>that </b>pitiful avatar. There¡¯s not a damn thing special about her.


    Kiya was more of an annoyance when we were younger; always vying for her sister¡¯s attention like a mosquito to a lightbulb. I came to Zircon Moon with nothing under the <b>care </b>of my aunt. Goddess rest her soul. The brat was the first to wee me with that bubbly smile, along with that high¨Cpitched voice. Kiya was sweet, but I was drawn to kids my age. <b>That¡¯s </b>how Raina <b>and </b>I became friends¨Cbecause we <b>shared </bmon interests and <b>were </b>closer in age<b>.</b>


    Along the way, I met Neron. My childlike heart thudded like a drum when he gave me that sweet, boyish smile. He treated me with kindness¨CNeron made me feel like I was worth something. My crush on him developed instantly. In our private world, it¡¯s just <b>me </b>and him. The soon¨Cto¨Cbe Alpha and his <b>precious </b>arm- candy next to him.


    I had it all figured out. I <b>had </b>to make Neron fall in love with me. Terrified I was, I prayed to the Moon Goddess every night in hopes he¡¯d be my destined <b>mate</b>. We looked beautiful together, so why <b>not</b>?


    Devastation couldn¡¯t describe the hurt when we realized we weren¡¯t destined to be. But he made a promise to me <b>that </b>no matter what, I would <b>always </b>be the one for him. And I believed <b>him </b>because I was head over heels for my powerful Alpha. No matter how cruel he was, he¡¯d made me feel important.


    Chapter 39¨CPejected


    +10


    <b>Bonu</b>


    Why couldn¡¯t I have him for myself? Out of all the she¨Cwolves in the world, I deserve to have his love! Yes, I


    <b>have </b>Darien, but <b>I </b><b>want </b>Neron as well!!!


    I deserve to be <b>loved</b>, don¡¯t I? In more <b>ways </b>than one.


    <b>00</b><b>:</b><b>2</b>


    <b>Speaking </b>of mates, a small groan echoed from my bed. Darien is awake. Scrambling off the floor, I hobbled to my bed to see him. I tussle his glistening ck hair back with strands sticking up from all ends. Sleepily, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his palm. There is always an element of handsomeness in everything he does. His sultry peppermint scent wafted up to my nose, soothing my palpitating heart.


    However, Osiris¡® warning rings in the back of my head like a siren song. How can he <b>think </b>I¡¯d lose my destined mate? For a devil, he¡¯s an idiot. No, I <b>wouldn¡¯t </b>lose Darien. He loves me too much! That¡¯s more than enough to keep our <b>bond </b>alive. He¡¯s mine<b>, </b>but Neron will always be my number one.


    ¡°Darien?¡± I whisper, brushing my fingers through his soft tresses sweetly. He groans <b>a </b>little more, eyes slowly fluttering open. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Unexpectedly, my hand was pped away. Violently. My heart dropped a beat when angry azure burned holes <b>into </b>my skull. Hatred permeated out of his pores, trapping me in a heated miasma. Darien kicked the covers off his body before storming towards the door.


    ¡°Darien! Baby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked in a panic. ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± I tried to grab his hand, but he jerked it away with a yell as if he touched fire.


    ¡°Stay the hell away from me!¡± My mate stormed out of my <b>room </b>in a <b>flurry </b>of unspoken emotions. I had no other choice but to follow him. He can¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m <b>nothing</b>! I¡¯m the most important person to him¨Che can¡¯t abandon me!


    The hallway was ominously quiet. No one else was around or in their room, leaving an air of tension between Darien and me. Running up to hisrge form, I attempt to take his hands again but got <b>the </b><b>same </b>result. ¡°Are you hard of hearing, Odessa?¡±


    ¡°No! You know I can¡¯t stay away from you. I¡¯m your mate! Don¡¯t treat me as I¡¯m <b>trash</b><b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to let you treat me like trash? Hypocrisy doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± His powerful retort shocked me, Chills pooled at my core, freezing every muscle in my body. ¡°Did you think I wasn¡¯t aware of your collusions with Osiris? You must think I¡¯m a fool if you thought I didn¡¯t have some awareness of what was happening to


    me.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say anything. He wasn¡¯t supposed to know that! Even if he woke up from my control, he¡¯d forget. everything. How many of Osiris¡® promises <b>did </b>I foolishly believe? Biting my lip, I summoned the courage to stare him in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think, babe.¡±


    ¡°Not as bad? Are you f*cking kidding me, Odessa?!¡± He bellowed. ¡°You turned <b>me </b>against people I <b>love</b><b>! </b>I became a puppet you didn¡¯t think twice of ying with! When the haze finally cleared from my eyes, I saw everything. I understood everything! While you were pining for the heart of another, you strung me along like a <b>useless </b><b>toy</b>. You used me for your selfish gain and you never thought once about my feelings, Odessa.¡±


    The weight of his words crashed on me like the <b>falling </b><b>pieces </b>of a demolished building. Darien was the wrecking ball, weing my obliteration under the debris. Everything fell to ruin. Hurt glittered in his gaze, along with anger, confusion<b>, </b><b>and </b>betrayal. Times like <b>these </b>are when I <b>wish </b>Ariel were here to advise me, but she abandoned me. Her voice <b>became </b>a memory as the <b>days </b>passed and her presence is non¨Cexistent.


    +109


    Bonus


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with <b>me</b><b>?</b>¡± He suddenly asked, pain intecing with every syble. ¡°What can Neron give you 1 couldn¡¯t? What made that Alpha so incredible in your eyes you turned me into your paramour? My love wg026 enough for you to treat me with some dignity?¡±


    Nothing came out of my mouth. I merely stared at the ground. Neron is my everything. He <b>has </b>the prestige, attractiveness, courage, and talent to make any female bend to his will. There is a bond between us that <b>cannot </bpare to the mate bond Darien and I <b>have</b>. That¡¯s the one thing Dariencks¨Cthe privilege to be born into power. Power attracts women.


    But he¡¯s a sweetheart. That¡¯s why I kept him around¨Cto appease Ariel and my side of the bond. He <b>can </b>love me, and I can have my Alpha to love me too. The ultimate fantasy that every woman strives for; men dedicating their entire lives to you.


    Why did this revtion hurt so badly? Darien¡¯s pain beat down at me like the ultraviolet rays of the sun, burning me <b>alive</b>.


    ¡°You poisoned me.¡± <b>Darien </b>scoffs. ¡°Sirius was right all along. You never loved me.¡±


    ¡°I love you!¡± I shouted. ¡°How could you doubt <b>me</b>?¡±


    ¡°Because people who love each other don¡¯t treat each other like shit! They respect each other and are faithfull to each <b>other</b>! And you couldn¡¯t even do that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you I love you many times, and you believed me-!¡±


    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re not putting this shit on me. In case you didn¡¯t know, a rtionship is 50/50. Love isn¡¯t a coat for you to wear whenever <b>the </b>f*ck you feel like it! We were supposed to be there for each other as the Moon. Goddess destined us to be. I gave you my heart, and you danced on it like it was just a game to you. You were my other hall, Odessa¡­and you hurt me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to<b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°Then why did you treat me like a piece of crap?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I took in a deep breath, <b>bracing </b>myself for the onught of more pain. ¡°You¡¯re overreacting. It¡¯s difficult letting go of your <b>first </b>love. I tried, but it wasn¡¯t easy. If you had a first <b>love</b>, you¡¯d understand.¡±


    ¡°I <b>had </b>a first love. It was you!¡±


    His


    s rage is unmatched, and it scared me. For my safety, I backed closer to the wall. <b>However</b>, there was <b>an </b>eerie calm as his voice dropped an octave. ¡°But you didn¡¯t just hurt me. You also hurt the people <b>I </b>love! Did you <b>care </b>to think about the other people you¡¯d hurt along the way? You don¡¯t have the right to f*ck with my heart and walk away as if nothing happened. If I did that to you, you¡¯d have my head. Mate bonds are sacred, but you¡¯ve proven to me you <b>don¡¯t </b>care about it or anyone but yourself!¡±


    <b>Darien </b><b>might </b>as well <b>beat </b>me into a pulp because his words held more force than any punch. My heart swirled and thumped in agony as I felt the bond falter and shrivel like an old copper wire. Does <b>he </b>know how much he¡¯s hurting me? Tears cascade down my face like rushing rivers, but there¡¯s no dam to stop them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I whisper, bowing my head. ¡°Please, forgive me. I¡¯ll do anything!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s <b>no </b>forgiving <b>this</b>.¡± He shakes his head. The fear in my bodyes alive. ¡°I was always taught to treasure the blessings the Moon Goddess gives, including my <b>mate</b>. However, my parents taught me to never


    Chapter 29¨CRejected


    +109 Bonu


    settle for <b>less </b>than what I deserve. We¡¯re connected by destiny, but not by our hearts. When you rejected me the first time, Sirius howled out his pain to the moon. But I was so happy when you took it back. Odessa, 10023 happy with you. I wanted to give you everything.¡±


    ¡°You stil


    still can! We can still be together when we move past this. I made a mistake and I¡¯m willing to fix it.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll always want Neron. You said so yourself: he¡¯s your first love, and thus, your first choice. The heart <b>wants </b>what the heart wants, and yours doesn¡¯t want mine. After all the shit you pulled, you think I¡¯d bend to you so easily? You could¡¯ve made me lose everything I worked so hard to get! I¡¯d never do that to you<b>, </b>so why did you do it to me?!


    Darien rubbed his face to hold back his tears. I can feel his anguish, his pain, and the crushing devastation as hees to terms I betrayed him through our bond. His rattling sighs echoed in the distance between us, carrying <b>the </b>weight of his broken heart.


    Why do I feel the unspeakable urge to mend it? His pain became mine and I couldn¡¯t take it. I wanted to heal him <b>and </b>make him love me again. I love him¡­don¡¯t I?


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡± He whispers brokenly. ¡°I cannot go through another heartbreak like this.¡±


    ¡°W¨Cwhat are you talking about?¡± I demanded softly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking about¡­¡±


    When Darien pushed me against the wall in the empty corridor, I knew something horrible was about to happen<b>. </b>Blue shed to grey in rapid session with Sirius¡® presence, the wolf holding as much fury as the human. Hatred dripped from grey and pain dripped from blue, mixing into a concoction that ended everything I¡¯d hope to have.


    ¡°I, Darien Elijah Miller, reject you, Odessa L <b>Rossi </b>as my mate.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ruthless stings umted into my heart and exploded into volcanic agony. My heart broke into two, knocking the wind out of me. The world took a tumble as 1 slid onto the ground once again, this time clutching at my chest. It hurt so much! Our bond <b>snapped </b><b>into </b>two! For <b>a </b><b>moment</b>, regret shed in Darien¡¯s <b>eyes </b>but quickly clouded over with <b>callous </b>indifference.


    My <b>mate </b>rejected me! No!


    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen!


    ¡°Whether or not you ept my rejection, I don¡¯t care. May this <b>serve </b>as a lesson for you, Odessa; always treasure the hearts of those who are brave enough to give them to you. Broken trust is a wound that may <b>never </b>heal.¡±


    He <b>walked </b>away, <b>never </b>looking back.


    All I could do is <b>sit </b><b>as </b><b>the </b>pain of the rejection rocketed through me. Why <b>am </b>I destined to be alone?! Moon Goddess, why the f*ck you hate <b>me</b>?! You took away my family and now you¡¯ve <b>taken </b>away the loves of my life! I don¡¯t know if Ariel can feel the rejection because she doesn¡¯t talk to me anymore.


    I¡¯m left alone in an empty hallway to deal with the pain of my loved one leaving me <b>again</b>.


    Everything I ever wanted is gone.


    Gone<b>!</b>

 Chapter 129

    Chapter <b>40 </b>¨C Ticket To Hell


    ¡°If you kick a lion when it is down, God help you when it gets up.¡°¨CMatshona Dhliwayo


    Odessa


    +109


    Bonus


    A great tremor shook me as the reality crashed violently into me. I could no <b>longer </b>hold the heartbreak as I gathered my <b>knees </b>and hugged <b>them </b>to my chest in a disheveled heap. Grief poured out in a flood of uncontroble tears, falling down my cheeks like raging waterfalls.


    The Moon Goddess hates me. Nothing can convince <b>me </b>otherwise. Throughout my life, all she did was take from me. She couldn¡¯t let me have one good thing! As a revered goddess everyone loves to bend to, she is <b>al </b>heartless deity.


    I¡¯ve lost everything! And I¡¯m sick of it!


    00:19


    Everyone else can have love, but I can¡¯t? What¡¯s wrong with being a little selfish? Our precious Moon Goddess couldn¡¯t see how my heart can easily belong to two men. Damning Neron to <b>an </b>unlovable fate with a resistant so¨Ccalled mate is cruel, and she knows I can be a better lover! And Darien wouldn¡¯t be treated like trash as he ims; I¡¯d love him just the same.


    <b>And </b>yet, both were taken from me.


    My grief <b>over </b>my loss suddenly bubbled into rage. Fate will not f*ck me over again. I¡¯m not sitting by and letting this happen.


    If I can¡¯t have love, then no one can!


    Shuffling off the dirty floor, my <b>mind </b>is set. I know what I must do. Damn the consequences. Fate should¡¯ve thought of that before hurting me! Osiris may have taken away my power, but I know how to take it back.


    By eliminating the bitch responsible for this madness! I¡¯m going to make <b>her </b>suffer the hell she put me in bying here!


    If I go down, I¡¯m taking her with me!


    Humans say that the most dangerous man in the world is a man with nothing to lose. They¡¯ve never met a vengeful woman.


    My mind numbed out, but my feet carried on to the empty kitchen. I hear faded chatter in the distance and the shrieking of metal from the window. Lead Omega Cassandra and the other Omegas haven¡¯t started prepping for dinner. That¡¯s good As life went on, no <b>one </b>knew I¡¯m about to <b>stop </b>one in its track.


    The angels must be smiling down at me because my weapon of choice glittered like their sacred halo under the golden sunlight, beckoning me closer to take it. It was hypnotic. I¡¯m drawn into its allure. Gripping the brown wooden handle, I released the de from the confinements <b>of </b>the knife block, examine the weapon meticulously.


    The stainless <b>steel </b>is sharp <b>and </b><b>thick</b>, about three inches wide. <b>Cassandra </b>always took great care to ensure her kitchen items are clean. If this can easily slice into chicken, it <b>can </b>slice into the flesh of a woman who shouldn¡¯t <b>have </b>cheated death..


    Chapter 40 Ticket To Hea


    It¡¯s perfect. Kiya, I hope you¡¯re prepared for your date with the grim reaper.


    +TO


    Bonu


    00:16


    As I walked out of the kitchen, my eyes spotted my prey standing perfectly in her prime in the foyer. It¡¯s like the sins of killing Tristan were cleansed from her brown flesh. And she¡¯s having a conversation with the man who forsaken me! She continues to take my men away from me! If Osiris won¡¯t kill <b>her</b><b>, </b>then I will!


    It¡¯s now or never. This is my chance to get rid of her for good!


    Without hesitation, I thrust forward to Kiya. The sharp tip lined perfectly with their target, ready to tear through fabric, flesh, and bone. Distracted by Darien, she didn¡¯t know of her fate until it stabbed her in the


    gut.


    Literally.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The de buried itself to the hilt at Kiya¡¯s side, stopping any blood flow that threatened to pour out of the wound. A beautiful sight it was, and a wonderful sound of pain that erupted from her mouth. She thought she knew pain? Not until I¡¯m done with her.


    But before I could pull the knife out to stab her again, her hand grappled around my wrist, squeezing hard to the point she nearly dislocated my joints!


    The world froze around us, but not around her. Slowly, her <b>head </b><b>turned </b>to re hatred into my soul. And I swear, her boring brown shed to scarlet red. The same shade of Osiris <b>eyes</b>.


    The only difference between her hatred <b>and </b>Darien¡¯s is that his was born out of pain. But hers?


    I


    I never got the chance to figure it out because my world took a tumble and my scalp seared with pain. With the de in her side, <b>Kiya </b>grabbed a fistful of my <b>hair </b>and yanked it with the might of a f*cking bulldozer.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± <b>She </b>snarls.


    Suddenly, I¡¯m dragged to the front door, kicking and screaming.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    <b>Kiya</b>


    All I wanted was to talk <b>to </b>Darien. After avoiding the rapid shoe hits <b>from </b>my mother, <b>he </b>pulled <b>me </b>aside <b>so </b>we can <b>have </b><b>a </b>conversation. Mom and Dad were not happy with him after hearing what happened between us and the others. Not to mention neglecting his duty as Delta. Dad wanted <b>to </b>reprimand him for his failures, but I convinced him to let us <b>speak</b>.


    It wasn¡¯t his fault.


    But it doesn¡¯t dete the happiness in my heart to see him awoken from Odessa¡¯s control. I wanted nothing more but to hug him, but the pain in his eyes stopped me. I couldn¡¯t reject his chance to talk to me <b>after </b><b>so </b>long. Now, without Odessa, Darien seems¡­freer? So, we began talking in the foyer after Neron gave us some <b>privacy</b>.


    He had a pencil and sketchbook in his hand! I¡¯m happy that he <b>finally </b>got back into drawing. Neron is talented and shouldn¡¯t waste it away. However, I wonder what he¡¯s working on.


    <b>That¡¯s </b>all that needed to happen. A chat between old friends. However, what I got instead is a <b>knife </b><b>to </b>the


    Chapter 40 Ticket To Hell


    side, damn near at my stomach, and a deranged Odessa snarling at me.


    +10


    Bonu


    00:14


    Having a de buried in me is an inconvenience. The shit hurts like a bitch. A wound like this can kill a human, and I¡¯m forever grateful that I¡¯m not. I won¡¯t die from this, <b>but </b>it doesn¡¯t make me any less annoyed!


    ¡°That was surprising.¡± Artemis said nonchntly. To me, it wasn¡¯t. It was about time Odessa does something <b>that¡¯ll </b>bite <b>her </b>in the ass. However, I don¡¯t appreciate getting stabbed in front of my best friend!


    ¡°I had enough of this bitch.¡±


    Something inside of me snapped, just like at Tristan¡¯s execution. My surroundi


    turned scarlet red,


    enclosing my target inside a dome where only I can see her. Instantly, Artemis was pushed behind a mental


    block, leaving my mind to simmer underneath the blinding heat of malevolence.


    <b>And </b>it¡¯s here <b>where </b>I see the hazel in Odessa¡¯s eyes glimmer with a hint of horror.


    I <b>cracked </b>a smile as the sweet sense of her fear tickled my nose. Time for some more fun, it seems.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    My hand reached up <b>and </b>grabbed a fistful of her <b>so</b>¨Ccalled beautiful tresses, dragging the bitch out of the house like a sack of <b>potatoes</b>. It¡¯s about time she paid for the bullshit she put me through. Stabbing me was <b>the </b>tip of the iceberg! The f*cking <b>nerve</b>!


    Although, the sensation of the de <b>moving </b><b>inside </b><b>me </b>is ufortable.


    Throwing her onto the grass in front of <b>me</b>, I <b>drew </b>the de out of my side, ignoring the blood


    rating my


    hip. ¡°Stabbing me with a flimsy kitchen knife? Oh, you can do better than that, Odessa! At least make sure it¡¯s


    made of silver.¡±


    ¡°Shut the f*ck up!¡± She screamed. Goddess, her grating voice is the number one cause of headaches for werewolves. ¡°You ruined everything for me! You made me lose everything!¡±


    ¡°Pray tell, what the hell did I ever do to you?¡± I shot back. ¡°You hated me since we <b>were </b>kids! You¡¯re insufferable and delusional. If anyone is to me, it¡¯s yourself.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because of your damn reemergence that everything fell to shit! No matter what I do, you don¡¯t disappear!¡± Odessa gripped her head like she¡¯s going insane. Her tears didn¡¯t move me. How much more must I hear her constant usations that I ruined her? It¡¯s irritating. ¡°Neron is mine! <b>Darien </b>is mine! And you took them away! If only you died during that stupid pool party, I could have them both!¡±


    I arch an eyebrow. ¡°The pool party?¡±


    Herughter echoed throughout the front yard. It struck <b>fear </b><b>into </b>me once upon a time, but not today. ¡°I might as well confess everything now! Did you think Emily poisoned you? It was all me! I <b>paid </b>her to dose your drink with cyanide <b>and </b>I nted the evidence in her room! Stupid bitch took the fall for it! And <b>Darien </b>turning against you? It was me. Having Tristan corner you? Me too! Osiris helped a bit, but everything was my idea! Everything I did was to kill or run you out of my home, but like a cockroach, you alwayse <b>back</b>! Why <b>the </b>f*ck can¡¯t you stay <b>dead</b>?!¡±


    Color me unsurprised. Phoebe was right after all; Odessa exposed herself as the traitor. I didn¡¯t <b>have </b>to do at <b>thing</b>.


    Chapter 40¨CTicket To Hell


    ¡°Thanks to you, everyone abandoned me; my wolf, my mate, everyone! F*ck everything; I¡¯m taking you to


    with me!¡±


    4709 Bonu


    00:11


    While the woman raged and damned my name to heaven and back, I thought about the shit <b>she </b>put me through. Including the hell, she exasperated <b>as </b>a teenager. For the longest, I¡¯ve hated her. Odessa believed herself to be above others simply because she got dicked down by the Alpha.


    She held the prettiest smiles, but the darkest intent.


    She held the greatest beauty, but the ugliest heart.


    And <b>she </b>admitted to not just one, but two attempts on my life.


    She broke Darien¡¯s heart and has the nerve to me her pitfalls on me.


    My existence <b>was </b>an inconvenience to her. Because of her selfishness, I must relive the horrific memories of Tristan and his abuse. She led him to me and begun my unraveling.


    Odessa deserves to bleed for her sins!


    One <b>hand </b>gripped the knife and the other her throat. I¡¯m shorter than her, but it doesn¡¯t provide any disadvantages to what I¡¯m set to do. Hazel orbs widened in fear when she gazed at my eyes once again. The fear she once put <b>into </b>me is present on her face.


    Beautiful.


    ¡°I must decline your offer. You¡¯re heading there alone.¡±


    With a powerful toss, Odessa¡¯s body smashed into a tree. A sickening crack along with painful wailing echoed in the tense atmosphere. Whoops.


    ¡°My back! You broke my back!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll heal.¡±


    Somehow, I doubt that, but I didn¡¯t care. I want Odessa to feel every bit of pain she put me through. There¡¯s no one to save her <b>and </b><b>no </b>one to stop me. Pushing her broken body against the tree, I unleashed all my rage against the woman in a series of stabs.


    Unsheathe. Stab. Unsheathe. Stab. Unsheathe. Stab.


    I couldn¡¯t stop.


    I to sto


    I didn¡¯t want to stop.


    Even as the handle was coated with our <b>blood</b>, I <b>became </b>a mindless machine. My only programming was to <b>stab</b>; ensure the bitch bleeds as much as possible. No matter how loud or quiet her <b>screaming </b>became, the knife continued to mutte her apricot flesh. A kitchen knife can¡¯t kill Odessa<b>, </b>but I wish it did.


    <b>Sooner </b>than <bter</b>, I¡¯m pulled away from her heavily bleeding body by two powerful pairs of arms. My knife dropped to the <b>grass</b>, feeding crimson into the russet soils. Red slowly faded <b>back </b>into the colorful scenery like <b>wisps </b>of disappearing smoke.


    Chapter 40 Ticket To Hall


    It was only then I realize what I¡¯ve done.


    +108


    Bonus


    00:07


    Voices muffled around <b>me </b>like a faulty telephone connection, but the action was clear as day in front of me. Warriors gathered around Odessa to check if she¡¯s still alive, yelling to fetch the pack nurses and working and to stop the profusion of blood guzzling out of her. Metallic perfused in the air like pungent perfume, reminding everyone of what I¡¯ve done.


    My wound closed up, but the dull pain still ached in that area.


    I got my revenge on another tormenter. She can never hurt me again.


    If she dies, she and Tristan would make a humble abode in hell.


    I left another mark on this pack. Odessa was another victim of my rage. The worried faces of my loved ones. surrounded me with the same arms holding me tight<b>, </b>desperate to stop me in case Ish out again.


    Remorse didn¡¯t bubble in me. I felt nothing. There was nothing to feel guilty about. Another slice of justice was mine for the taking.


    But I don¡¯t think it was worth it. Why? Because the people holding me were my parents. They witnessed their baby girl viciously stab someone potentially to death. They witnessed me bing the very monster I promised I wouldn¡¯t be.


    I thought I was okay..


    I thought I was <b>strong </b>enough.


    <b>I¡¯m </b>not. Drenched <b>in </b>someone else¡¯s blood with eyes that no longer glittered with the light of hope, I felt like a rapid beast sprung from their cag


    My arms weighed heavy like lead when I was released. Heavy breathing slowed and the muddled voices became clearer. Without hesitation, I turn to my mother, who held undeniable worry in her eyes.


    I wanted to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>ready </b>to go home.¡±


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 Chapter 130

    Chapter 41 ¨C The Departure


    ¡°I wish there was <b>a </b>way to know you¡¯re in the good old days before you¡¯ve actually left them.¡°Andy Bernard


    Kiya


    Odessa didn¡¯t die. I¡¯m disappointed.


    +10


    Bonu


    <b>00</b><b>:</b>0:


    However, because of her ghastly injuries, she is confined to a hospital bed. For how long? I don¡¯t know. Visiting her at the hospital was out of the question, but I got my news from Raina. ording to the doctors, <b>her </b>recovery will be slow, Ariel, her wolf, abandoned her and took her rapid healing ability with her.


    We humans rely on our wolves to heal us quickly, especially in battle. Without Ariel, Odessa will heal a little faster than a normal human, but not as fast as a normal werewolf


    I <b>can¡¯t </b>say that I feel had for her. Searching for pity was like searching for a needle in a haystack; it was impossible. I felt nothing. In contrast, my happiness soared when I heard about her condition. As f*cked up as it is, she deserved it. Everything.


    Odessa made my stay at Zircon Moon hell. It¡¯s <b>hard </b>to find pity for someone who tried to kill me twice, sided with the enemy and ruined friendships. Her malice cost her, but as she fell <b>into </b>madness, she took me with


    her.


    Her horrid actions were for Neron¡¯s love and attention¨Ca privilege she felt robbed of. While I had no Intention of taking the Alpha from her, Odessa saw me as a threat. A threat needed to be eliminated.


    It¡¯s <b>a </b>shame. Sometimes, I think that if life didn¡¯t throw us a curveball, we could¡¯ve been friends. That dream will nevere to fruition¨Cit died before it had a chance at life. Odessa was relentless with her pursuits of my death.


    But I have no regrets for what I¡¯ve done. Payback¡¯s a bitch, after all. <b>She¡¯s </b>trash and will never be someone¡¯s treasure <b>again</b>. <b>But </b>Selene <b>has </b>her ways of mending.


    I have confidence that she¡¯ll know what to do with Odessa, Our fates are ours to choose.


    Many heard Odessa¡¯s confession. Exposed in the front yard, her screeches of insanity and hatred carried with it her sins. The heavens heard her own up to all her bullshit. My friends, my parents <b>and </b>Neron heard everything! Our sensitivity to volume picked up her voice, so I have no doubts all of Zircon heard her..


    Whether or not there was underlying guilt is not the issue. Her Instability sealed her fate. My assault simply propelled it forward.


    However, I won¡¯t be seeing what is toe to her.


    <b>Today </b>marks the day that I¡¯m leaving Zircon Moon for good.


    There is too much pain for me to handle; too much anger and sadness. The foundation I¡¯ve taken years to strengthen crackled and crumbled underneath my feet, plunging my body and mind into a sea of darkness and mental torment.


    I¡¯m drowning and I <b>can¡¯t </b>escape.


    To add to my troubles, something bad is brewing inside ine. Dark and destructive. As the minutes pass, I feel my inner beast wing against its cage, demanding freedom. It¡¯s hungry, wrathful, and bloodthirsty, Linked with me, I also feel myself falling into its violent allure.


    Fear, death, and ruin are excellent traits to pull me into evil.


    The mark on my neck throbs. It pulses for him and desired bloodbaths. The strongest it has ever been was when I killed Tristan and almost murdered Odessa. It made me feel good. Powerful. Unstoppable.


    Unhinged.


    Anyone who bore the mark of Zircon, I wanted their death. They were mymbs and I¡¯m the ughterhouse.


    This has to stop. My parents were right this ce is not good for me. <b>I¡¯m </b>getting worse; losing myself. I had to get back home to recover and heal. They saw the carnage Imitted and were already arranging my visits to see my psychiatrist. As soon as I get home, <b>I¡¯m </b>jumping back into therapy. The fall semester is around the corner, and I rather have this baggage situated than carry it <b>into </b>my junior year.


    It¡¯s my only chance of regaining some sense of normalcy in my life.


    All my belongings are in tworge suitcases and a shoulder bag. Zipping up thest of my bath items, I stood up and looked at what is now my empty room, naked like a newborn minus the necessities. It felt bigger than when I first arrived; as if it already purged itself of my presence.


    Time to close out this chapter of my life forever.


    Rolling my luggage out of the room, what transpired this morning lingered in my mind. During breakfast, Neron denounced Mikhail and Ish as pack members. Neither man wanted to be apart from their mates, so they¡¯re following Galen and Sapphire to Ga Moon. The happiness on my friends¡® faces when they realized their mates are moving with them warmed my heart.


    I expected Neron to convince them to stay for the good of Zircon. An Alpha doesn¡¯t let go of his pack. members so easily. Oddly, he epted their requests without question. Once the denouement ritual was concluded in his office, the two immediately packed what they could in their suitcases. The rest of their items: will be sent to Ga Moon at ater date.


    I entered the foyer, taking ast look around the ce. A faint longing enters my heart. This <b>ce- </b>this home held joyous and terrible memories, Pains and pleasures. It¡¯s hard to believe I once called this <b>ce </b>my own.


    Now, I¡¯m ready to burn it out of my mind.


    Arge passenger van stood near the front steps with my friends and family stuffing their bags <b>and </b>suitcases Inside, almost in a hurry. I chuckle because they want to leave as much as I do.


    ¡°Auntie!¡± Adonis immediately ran up and hug my legs with a flurry of sadness in tow. ¡°Please, don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Donny¡­¡± Raina walks up with her husband in tow. Her ssy eyes held undeniable <b>sadness </b>but are masked behind a reprimanding look. ¡°Let your Auntle go. She <b>has </b>to go home.¡±


    ¡°Her home is here, Mommy!¡± He retorted, squeezing my legs tighter. ¡°It¡¯s not fair! Why does she have to


    leave


    ¡°Domy, dear,¡± ssy green looks up at me in silent pleading. My heart was shattering at his sadness, but I swallowed it downs, putting on a brave face. Don¡¯t bend, Kiya, not even to a child. My palm went to his curly hair, rubbing it lovingly. I love my nephew so much and huts to see him so sad. ¡°I know you want me to stay. but I have to go. I have to be at home to get better.¡±


    ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    I


    Cocking my head to the side, I smile down at the little boy. Curiosity is always a child¡¯s cutest trait. ¡°Kind of. <b>I¡¯m </b>not feeling well, but it¡¯s not like how you feel when you get a cold. Staying here won¡¯t help me get better, but I can at my home.¡±


    ¡°But we have medicine here! You can take that, and you can stay!¡±


    ¡°I need a different type of medicine, Adonis, and only my home as It.¡± Exining this stuff to a child is harder than it looks. ¡°Donny, I¡¯m not leaving forever,¡±


    ¡°You live so far away. Mommy said so.¡±


    ¡°Your Mom is not wrong.¡± My palm caressed his cheek, swiftly catchling the tears before they fell, Such a sweet boy; I wanted to take all his sadness away. ¡°I live far away, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t talk. If you feel like talking to me, ask your Mommy or Daddy to call me on the phone. It Isn¡¯t the same as me being here, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    Adonis regarded me with a worried <b>look </b>before falling in resignation, Solfiling, he rubbed his eyes a H! squeezed my legs again. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll still miss you.¡±


    Kneeling to his height, I dropped my bag and pulled the boy into a light hug. His little head buried itself in my neck, sniffling heavily. Goddess, I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t cry. Adonis earned a ce in my heart without effort. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you ton. He good to your Mommy and Daddy, okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh¨Chuh. I love you, Auntle,¡±


    <b>you</b>.


    ¡°¡­I love you too, Donny.¡±


    Standing erect, Raina suddenly drew me into a hug. My body stiffened at her sudden touch, but rxed into. her warmth. I wasn¡¯t expecting this level of affection from my big sister, but I weed It. With her arms wrapped tightly around my form, my head rested on her shoulder as I hugged her back, Ralna¡¯s deep sniffle were heard as we shared a tender moment as sisters, When she pulled back, allent tears coated her cheeks,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She murmured, rubbing my cheek lovingly. ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve done more to help you. I¡¯m an awful sister <b>and </b>I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Raina¡­¡± Goodbyes f*cking suck. The shilt always gets me misty¨Ceyed for no reason. Why am I reacting this way? I didn¡¯t want to cry for anyone, especially Ralna. ¡°You¡¯ve done what you can. I¡¯m more f*cked up than I realized.¡±


    ¡°No, you <b>aren¡¯t</b>.¡± She replied harshly. ¡°You aren¡¯t f*cked up and never were! You¡¯re hurting. I think going home <b>is </b><b>a </b>good idea. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any more we can give you. For all we know, we made things worse for <b>you</b>.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± My exhale is shaky. ¡°I just¡­need more help.¡± Before I kill someone again, that is.


    ¡°You need happiness. And it won¡¯te from here,¡±


    Wow. Itaina has grown so much. My heart stirs at her kindness, but soon stilled in attempts to remain strong and stole. She¡¯s so different from the sister I grew up with¨Cmaybe it¡¯s motherhood with a ssh of her guilt that changed her.


    After giving me her well¨Cwishes, she took Adonis inside, but I didn¡¯t miss the sad wave he gave me. Disying my best smile, I waved back.


    ¡°Thank you for giving Raina a chance, Kiya,¡± Valerian said to me once his <b>wife </b>was out of earshot. This man was never good at social interaction or expressing his emotions outside of people he¡¯s very close to. Our rtionship is like all and water, but we¡¯re making it work, somehow. ¡°And for making my son happy. He¡¯s taken a great liking to you. In your short time here, you made my boy the happiest he¡¯s ever been.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± I offer him a small smile. ¡°He¡¯s precious. Just don¡¯t let him cause you too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. He¡¯s an adventurousd.¡± Valerian chuckled with his eyes sparkling in pride. We haven¡¯t talked much, but I know <b>Adonis </b>is his pride and joy. He loves <b>him</b>. ¡°I know we never connected, but I wish <b>you </b>well. You¡¯re my family too, and I want you happy.¡±


    My smile is small. ¡°Thank you, Valerian.¡±


    Kwame and Lori came not too long after, wishing me a safe ride home, The Gammas are the few people I trust with my heart, and it meant a lot to see Kwame before I left. Adamah has the best big brother, Lori, mellow and sweet, rubs her pregnant belly affectionately, ruminating on her future <b>as </b>a mother.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think your child is going to be a girl.¡± I smile. ¡°Too much testosterone here. There needs to be a <b>bnce </b>of


    the sexes.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I agree,¡± <b>She </b>chuckled while Kwame pouted yfully. He¡¯s adorable.


    ¡°I¡¯m still convinced that our first child will be a boy, I need a son to bond with!¡±


    ¡°Never doubt a mother¡¯s intuition! Just like I know that mayonnaise and pickles are a good foodbination.¡±


    Kwame and 1 gagged in unison. Pregnant woman cravings are evil. If I ever get pregnant, goddess help me.


    After a fewughs, the three of us exchanged hugs before they departed back into the pack <b>house</b>. Part of me wishes I could be here for the birth of the new Gamma, but it¡¯s impossible. Hopefully, Omar and Violet can send me some photos of their grandchild when they¡¯re born.


    There wasn¡¯t much time left before my departure. Walking to the van, I packed my suitcase into the trunk with case, patting it in. Some of my pup trainees came up and wished me and my friends <b>a </b>safe ride home. I¡¯m grateful that Kwame and Valerian are taking over all the training <b>sessions </b>of both the adult wolves and pups They¡¯ll select the new Deltas after reviewing the final progress reports we provided them with Neron¡¯s. approval.


    But it doesn¡¯t ease the pain of missing my students. They¡¯ve blossomed <b>so </b>much, and it saddens me I won¡¯t see them at their full potential.


    I¡¯ll miss everything. Can¡¯t win them all, I guess.


    Chapter 1: The Departure


    As thest of my bags are in <b>the </b>van, the thick aroma of ginger and sandalwood wafted into my nose<b>, </b>igniting a foreign feeling in me. Immediately, my head turned behind to see Neron lingering at the front steps, gazing at <b>our </b><b>van </b>with well¨Cdisguised sadness.


    He looked like he wanted to say something but decided against it at thest second<b>.</b>


    Internally, I debated whether to go up to him for the <b>final </b>time, or just hop into the fan <b>and </b>high¨Ctail out of


    Nevada.


    I went to <b>him</b>.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 131

    Chapter 42 ¨C Final Goodbyes


    ¡°I exist in two ces, here and where you are.¡°¨C Margaret <b>Atwood</b>


    <b>Kiya</b>


    This has to be dealt with. It¡¯s <b>a </b>simple parting conversation, right? Nothing <b>more</b>, nothing less.


    Even though this is thest time we¡¯ll see each other.


    Upon my approach, Neron¡¯s eyes glittered in glee but dimmed quickly after. Pretending to not see <b>the </b>sudden shift in emotion, I stuff my hands <b>in </b>my pockets and smiled awkwardly, closing the distance between us.


    ¡°Hi.


    ¡°Hi.¡± He <b>responded</b>. ¡°Do you <b>have </b>everything? If not, I can send the rest of your stuff to California.¡±


    <b>I </b>shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Neron. I have everything.¡± Another shaky sigh from me, <b>more </b>awkwardness from both of us. And silence.


    We aren¡¯t good at this.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I ask after the silence became torture. ¡°With all of this? You said little about it this morning.¡± Or in wolf¨Cform. After breakfast and before packing, Neron and I let our wolves out. Artemis and Onyx <b>went </b>on theirst run together, racing through the dense oak trees. Without being <b>the </b>one in control, I could feel Onyx¡¯s sadness roll off his fur in tsunami waves as he pumped his legs faster through the forest.


    It hurt. And Artemis knew it too. After the run, she said nothing. She didn¡¯t respond to my attempts to talk to her. I figured she needed time for the finality of the situation to marinate.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Neron hesitated, averting his eyes to the side. ¡°Honestly? It¡¯s not what I want, but it has to be done.¡± The Alpha sighed sharply, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave, Kiya. Onyx doesn¡¯t either. Like the selfish pricks we are, we want you and Artemis at our side. However, the thought of you being miserable next to me hurts more than the inevitable distance between us.¡±


    I said nothing. I don¡¯t know what I could say. <b>His </b>sorrow is as sharp as a knife, piercing through the defenses I built around me. Maybe there¡¯s a part of me that didn¡¯t want to leave him¨Ca tiny part, but I¡¯m losing <b>my </b>mind and have to go.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I <b>whisper</b>. ¡°I caused a lot of trouble <b>here</b>, did I?¡±


    ¡°We needed it.¡± Neron chuckles, gazing at me longingly. ¡°It made me more aware of the shit you have to deal with. And what we put you through. Your arrival opened my eyes and I know it did the same for others like your sister. But, it¡¯s my fault for not providing a safe enough space for you for your entire stay.¡±


    ¡°Things happen that are beyond our control.¡± I retort. ¡°You did your best, Neron. It¡¯s not like we could¡¯ve predicted Odessa going insane<b>, </b>or Tristan¡¯s bullshit, or even Osiris. Trauma won this round, I suppose<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I agree. Zircon Moon has nothing to offer you but madness. You deserve so much better, Kiya.¡± Blue <b>eyes </b>glistened with wonder when he noticed something. Hisrge hand went to my corbone, fingers gently caressing the silver pendant hanging from my neck. The touch of his fingers was soft, cautious. ¡°You¡¯re wearing it.¡±


    Chapter 42¨CFinal Goodbyes


    I¡¯m wearing the full moon <b>ne </b>Neron gifted me <b>on </b>our date to the amusement park. Our first date. The gold star charm with my first initial sang quietly when it clinked against the pendant. I never told him, but whenever I wore it, it made me happy. Because he gave the gift a lot of thought, especially engraving it with my birthday. And it¡¯s beautiful. It made <b>sense </b>to wear it.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I smile small. ¡°Thank you for it. It¡­means a lot.¡±


    Suddenly, Diana flew in like a rocket, resting her talons on my shoulder. Her wings fluttered, picking wind up along with strands of my hair. Ah, I couldn¡¯t forget about my little friend! She followed me here to <b>Zirco </b>Moon, and I know she¡¯ll follow me back to Ga <b>Moon</b>. Wherever I go, she¡¯ll follow.


    However, there is a level of fondness in her golden eyes when she gazes at Neron. Molten yellow held words and emotions she couldn¡¯t express through her beak. Fluttering off <b>my </b>shoulder to his. <b>The </b>owl nuzzled her head into Neron¡¯s cheek, making the grown man chuckle in delight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, Diana. Watch over Kiya for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    As I watched the affection between man and owl, the shrill of a car horn startled me. Dad is driving us back home, and he wants <b>me </b>in so we can make it in time for lunch.


    This is it. My final goodbye.


    Neron realized it<b>, </b><b>and </b>sadness permeated off of him again. Diana gently pressed her beak to his cheek <b>and </b>flew away into the trees, already taking off back to California.


    ¡°I think she just kissed you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m ttered!¡±


    Neron looks at me, and I look at him. It seemed like forever. Pain rings in my heart at the sight of <b>the </b>love and hopes he has for me in his eyes, and I know I can¡¯t reciprocate those same feelings back to him. He continues to give while I continue to take. This isn¡¯t right for either of us. The only thing I can do is wish him well with whatever path he walks in the future with his pack.


    ¡°Before you go, I want to give you something.¡±


    ¡°More gifts? You know how much I don¡¯t like gifts.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want you to take this one. Think of it as a parting gift.¡± Neron grabs something from behind the door and hands it to me. It¡¯s a squared mani package. Not heavy, but not light either. The edges were hard when I tried to cop a feel of the mysterious item. Before I could rip it open, his hands stopped me. ¡°No. I want you to open it when you¡¯re off my territory. That¡¯s the least you can do for me, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Promise me.¡± He said urgently.


    I arched an eyebrow but didn¡¯t question his intentions, even though I should. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s not something that¡¯ll explode in my face, <b>right</b>?¡±


    ¡°No, but I hope <b>it </b><b>puts </b>a smile on your face.¡±


    Chapter 42¨CFinal Goodbyes


    F*cking hell, my cheeks are hot. I¡¯m blushing. Thank <b>Goddess </b>for dark skin. Leave it to Neron to make me flush before I leave. Firmly nodding, I hug the package to my chest. ¡°Can you also do me another favor?¡± He suddenly asks.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of favors.¡± Iughed, but Neron didn¡¯t. Not wanting things to be awkward again, I cleared my throat. ¡°What is it?¡±


    you call me once you get home safe?¡± He looks away sheepishly, his cheeks tinting a mellow pink. If there is one sight, I enjoy out of everything here, is how embarrassed the Alpha looks. Pink is a pleasant color on him. ¡°It¡¯ll <b>put </b>my heart at ease knowing that you¡¯re okay. If you don¡¯t want to, I understand.¡±


    I regarded Neron with a look for a minute, pondering on my thoughts. Then, I reached into my back pocket, unlocked my phone, and handed it to him. ¡°Add your number.¡±


    We exchanged numbers for a moment, plugging each other into our contact list. A hint of glee bubbled in me once I set Neron¡¯s number in my phone. Excitement is ever so present on his face as well. It feels wrong to do, but also right. How confusing does this have to be?


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    Dad honked again, impatiently. We¡¯ve run out of time, I thought it¡¯d be easy to just walk away, but it wasn¡¯t. All I had to do was turn around and walk without looking back. I¡¯ve done it been before, so why the f*ck was


    it so hard now?


    ¡°Kiya<b>¡­</b>¡±


    Oh, f*ck it.


    I hugged Neron. Tight. My head rests on his hard chest and my arms are around his waist. I didn¡¯t know what I was feeling from <b>this</b>, but I felt it. Strange, yet satisfied. Without hesitation, Neron hugged me <b>back </b>just as tight, pressing firm kisses on my forehead and hair. If a normal human were to look at us, we¡¯d be a couple saying <b>their </b>goodbyes before being separated.


    Neron <b>and </b>I aren¡¯t a couple. But why do I feel pain<b>? </b>Why does it hurt to see the saddened look on his face<b>? </b>The sparks of <b>our </b>mate bond are so faint¨Cbarely hanging on the thread of life. They¡¯re there, vying for the connection between destined mates. The Alpha sighed heavily above me, rubbing the back of my curls with the gentleness of a feather.


    ¡°I love you.¡± He whispered to me. ¡°I know you¡¯ll never say it back, but I¡¯ll <b>never </b>stop saying it to you. Please<b>, </b>for the good of yourself, heal. Treat yourself kindly. Do whatever you need to heal, even if it means forgetting


    <b>me</b>.¡±


    ¡°Neron¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be in pain anymore.¡± He confesses. Hot tears rain on my head, seeping into my scalp.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry <b>that </b>I did nothing but worsen it. Get better, my angel. Live your life the best way you can. Whatever troublees your way, I know you can deal with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m messed up, <b>Neron</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°No.¡± He growls softly. ¡°You¡¯re hurting.


    ¡°Why do you love me so much?¡±


    Chapter 42¨CFinal Goodbyes


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the best thing that has ever happened to me. And you <b>touch </b>the hearts <b>of </b>those around you without realizing it. You¡¯re strong, dedicated to your cause, stubborn, and pure¨Chearted. You <b>can </b>change the world, Kiya. I¡¯ve been my happiest when you were here, and now you need to be at your happiest away from here. It¡¯s a shame I was too <b>much </b>of an idiot to love you before this.¡±


    Separating, Neron showed me his face. His smile betrays the tears swimming down his cheeks like a flowing river. Pain is his best friend, but he¡¯s shoving it aside for me. <b>Because </b>he wants the best for me<b>, </b>even if it hurts


    him.


    I don¡¯t like it. It doesn¡¯t <b>seem </b>fair.


    ¡°Your family is waiting for <b>you</b>.¡± The Alpha whispers. ¡°Have a safe trip home.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He <b>nudged </b>me toward the car, pushing me away. The longer I stayed, the more it hurt him. My body felt like lead, but my legs moved on their own ord. My family is waiting for me. Waiting to take me home. To my safety


    I should be happy. I get to <b>see </b>my big brother and my niece, and I¡¯ll be around people who cherish me. It¡¯s <b>a </b>moment I should be grateful to leave a ce that caused me too much pain. So why the f*ck does it hurt?


    Silently, I hopped into my seat, with Neron¡¯s gift still hugged to my chest. The car door closed with a loud and deep click separating me from thend.


    Just like the day I renounced my bond with Zircon Moon. Oh, how the puzzle pieces fit together.


    Happy chatter and mingles of my friends and family faded into background noise as I stared out the clear window. Neron¡¯s form grew smaller as the van rolled out of the territory for thest time. Soon, he, along with the pack house, is shielded from my view by therge, thick oak trees of the forest. Once we <b>were </b>passed through the gates, Zircon Moon became nothing but a memory.


    The gates closed, and that chapter has finally ended.


    Now, it¡¯s just arge family on a five¨Chour trip back to California.


    And I¡¯ve never felt so lonely.


    Third Person <b>POV</b>


    Neron stared into the distance for what seemed like a millennium. The van that carried the Ga Moon family, including his mate, is long gone. But it didn¡¯t move him. He kept staring, hoping that the car would turn around and return his mate to him. He longed for Kiya¡¯s arms around him again. Deep within him, Onyx howled in <b>misery </b>as the forced separation between him and his destined wolf partner.


    Both are hurting, but the <b>Alpha </b>refused to show


    ¡°Hey, Neron,¡± Behind him, Raina slowly walked up, feeling the pain of her little sister¡¯s departure. Little did anyone know; she watched <b>the </b>car roll off thends <b>as </b>well from a <b>distance</b><b>. </b>¡°<b>Are </b>you <b>okay</b>? Do you want to talk?¡±


    Neron sighed heavily, shutting his eyes to prevent more tears from falling. Abruptly, he turned <b>on </b>his heels and walked past his Beta Female. ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry, <b>Raina</b>.¡±


    Skipping two stairs at a time, his legs carried him to Kiya¡¯s room. His expert series picked up ran the waning scent of honeyed strawberries, Something in him desperately wanted to hold on to whurt is left of his mate. Closing the door behind him, he sat on the bare mattress, grabbing a pillow, and taking a deep whiff of it.


    It¡¯s like she¡¯s still there with him.


    And he didn¡¯t know pain until his tears rained on the pillow


    ¡°It packing hurts, Onye¡± Neronined to his soll. ¡°It burns! Everything burns!¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m feeling it too. I miss her just as much as you do,¡±


    ¡°I know we did the right thing, but it¡¯s so painful. What am I going to do now, Ony


    Onyx didn¡¯t reply, bathing Heron in silence. His choked sobs are muffled by the pillow be pressed hard against his fate, silently praying for Kiya¡¯s appearance next to him..


    At the same time, the passenger van rolled down the road, approaching the state line between Nevada and California. Kiya, curiously, peered at the package that rested on herp. She promised Neron that she¡¯ll open it when she¡¯s off hisnds.


    Now was as good a time as any.


    Holding her breath, she tore apart the mani packet, the mysterious item bing recognizable. Once it was fully open, all the tears she held in rushed out faster than a bullet train.


    It was a portrait drawn to her liking. The realism was uncanny, for every feature she didn¡¯t know she had been <b>drawn </b>perfectly. The abundant curls, her wide nose, her plump lips, and medium¨Csized cars¨Ceverything was perfectly portioned. And the color of the portrait made her heart stop.


    Neron took the time to match the brown coloring to her skin color.


    Kiya cried. And cried. And she didn¡¯t know why. As Jacqueline cradled her in her arms, she continued to cry and clutch onto the framed drawing for dear life. When asked why she was crying, all she could respond with was ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    However, soon after that, the action ceased amongst the Ga Moon family.


    Because something violently collided with their vehicle with enough force to kill humans.


    Sending their van tumbling until it <b>came </b>to an ominous stop, ss raining on concrete.


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 Chapter 132

    Chapter <b>43 </b>¨C Missing


    ¡°The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine.¡± -Ralph Waldo Emerson


    Kiya


    When someone is on the brink of death, their life shes before their eyes. They <b>see </b>their sesses, mistakes, long¨Cforgotten memories, treasured memories, and more. No matter how they live, they see everything they¡¯ve done before leaving life <b>forever</b>.


    Dying is a process I¡¯ve familiarized myself with. I craved it whenever the pain became overwhelming. It was a path of escape. The sweet relief. What remains afterward is silent tranquility.


    However, I¡¯m not dead. I¡¯m very <b>much </b>alive, as told by the pain running through my body.


    Malodorous scents suffocated me as I slowly grabbed the reins of my consciousness. Diesel fuel was the strongest, but my werewolf senses detected more. It detected blood from multiple people integrating into what I believe Hell smells like. The ringing in my ears hammered against my skull, and my eyesight <b>slowly </b>cleared to reveal the horrific scene before me.


    I remember everything now. My family and I were on our merry way back to California until something hit our van. Something hard,rge, <b>and </b>powerful. Our world tumbled and spun like the inside of a dryer beforeing to a chilling <b>stop</b>. ss made their home in and on my flesh, preventing my rapid healing from working properly.


    We¡¯re in a car crash.


    And <b>the </b>smell of blood ising from my friends and family!


    Oh my Goddess, Abigail!


    A car crash won¡¯t kill a werewolf, but it can kill a human. Groaning, I tried to move but was met with searing pain. The impact of whatever hit my side created a huge dent with the depth of a moon crater. The people who suffered more from it would be Mom, me, and those behind me. Abi is sitting on the other side of Jackie, shielded by her body. But, with the tumbling, there¡¯s no telling how hurt she is.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    This is going to be tough, but I must do it. Miraculously, the framed portrait Neron gifted me didn¡¯t have <b>a </b>dent. It¡¯s as perfect as when it was unwrapped.


    Shuffling and ignoring the mind¨Cnumbing pain, I reached my arm over Jackie¡¯s awakening form and grabbed hold of <b>Abigail¡¯s </b>hand. I concentrated all my thoughts and emotions to heal her. <b>Sure </b>enough, the lunar power flowed from <b>me </b>into my human friend, mending and weaving through her arteries and veins to repair her injuries.


    ¡°<b>Kiya</b>, be careful,<b>¡± </b>Artemis warned. ¡°Healing <b>uses </b>a lot of <b>energy</b>.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I need to be sure she¡¯s okay!¡±


    Abigail is not dying on my watch.


    As I¡¯m healing her, I grow weak. It feels like a weight is pressed against my back. My grip on Abi¡¯s hand slipped, but I held on as tight <b>as </b>I could. When she started moving, I stopped, ted that she¡¯s <b>okay</b>. A chorus


    Chapter 41 ¨C Masing


    of groaning <b>and </b>cussing <b>followed </b><b>as </b>everyone came to consciousness.


    My family is okay.


    ¡°What the actual f*ck?¡± Darien grumbles behind me, irritated. ¡°There¡¯s no one for miles; how the hell did we get into a crash?¡±


    ¡°What matters is that everyone is alive,¡± Dad spoke strongly, working to push <b>open </b>the driver¡¯s side. ¡°Abigail? <b>Are </b>you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 6


    fine, Niki; thanks to Kiya and her healing.¡±


    ¡°Healing?¡± Mom inquired me, dusting the ss out of her hair. ¡°You can do that? Since when?¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve awoken. It¡¯s a long story.¡± As Artemis warned, healing someone else sucks up a lot <b>of </b>my energy. I feel winded, like I ran a double marathon and I hate it. I hate feeling weak. It¡¯s the major reason I don¡¯t heal others unless it¡¯s necessary. Since Abi can¡¯t heal like the rest of us, I use it mostly on her. ¡°It¡¯s an avatar thing.¡±


    Given <b>the </b>seriousness of the crash, there¡¯s no way we can drive the rest of <b>the </b>way home. Dad pushed open. his, finally, slowly and cautiously stepping out into the sun. Mom had to crawl to the driver¡¯s side because the impact totaled her side, which Dad helped her out. My parents worked to get the rest of us out of the damaged car one by one, cautious of the broken <b>ss </b>and fallen metallic pieces.


    There is a mixture of confusion, frustration, and sadness surrounding us. This road is rarely upied by many cars unless people are crossing state lines, there are rules <b>and </b>safety measures put in ce to prevent crashes from happening.


    But how <b>were </b>we hit at the side? It¡¯s a <b>two</b>¨Cway road! There are no intersections around us. Whoever or whatever hit us had toe from the surrounding forests. But there are no pathways for cars through the woods.


    Worried, I hugged the framed portrait to my chest like a teddy bear, looking forfort in this <b>insane </b>predicament. Jackieforted Abigail with hugs <b>and </b>sweet whispers, Isaiah made <b>sure </b>Sapphire didn¡¯t have ss residue and vice versa, and Mikhail is talking to a shaken¨Cup Galen. Mates are soothing one another, and I feel like the odd one out.


    ¡°Little Bit, how are you holding up?¡± I turned to Darien, walking to me with a look of worry. He searched <b>for </b>injuries on my person but found nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little tired and <b>spooked</b>, though.¡± I shot <b>him </b>a reassuring smile to soothe his fears.


    ¡°I can imagine.¡± His eyes narrowed to my chest, or rather something at my chest. Something brewed in them I couldn¡¯t make out, but it raged like fire. Shutting his eyes and inhaling deeply, he gave <b>me </b><b>a </b>curt nod. ¡°d to see that you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Same to you,¡± I replied softly. There¡¯s more Darien wanted to say, but he held back. Instead, he simply walked away to lean against a <b>tree</b><b>.</b>


    Huh. That was weird.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call <b>Anthony </b><b>and </b>let him know what happened,¡± Dad muttered, pulling out his phone. ¡°Knowing him, he¡¯de down here himself, breaking all trafficws.¡±


    ¡°He cares, mi amor.¡± Mom chuckled,


    However, he didn¡¯t get the chance to dial Anthony¡¯s number. A foul, decaying, but familiar stench assaulted our noses, causing us all to bristle in ce. Apprehension roamed through the atmosphere as we prepared for The worst. Memories of the attacks seeding the stench flooded my mind while growls reverberated all


    around us.


    The undead rogues are back!


    I tuck the portrait in a bush safely away from the impending cmity before joining my family. If there¡¯s another thing I don¡¯t want to get damaged in the fight, it¡¯s <b>that</b>. Secondster, undead rogues, the same ones who attacked Zircon Moon a couple of months back, stalked toward us with their ring deformities.


    One became three. Three became ten. Ten became twenty.


    It became an army.


    My friends growled, warning the disgusting mutts to stay away, but like the heathens they are, they didn¡¯t obey; remaining true to their titles as disobedient and ruthless dogs. Mom <b>and </b>Dad instantly got in their fighting stances in front of all of us, daring the rogues to charge.


    They aren¡¯t Alpha and Luna anymore, but they¡¯ll still fight as if they still are. My favorite people don¡¯t <b>f*ck </b>around when our safety is threatened.


    We¡¯ll be victorious, I know it!


    The rogues growled <b>and </b>barked, green <b>drool </b>dripping from their diseased <b>jaws</b>. Not long after did they pounce on us, aiming for the kill. My parents attacked, and we followed suit. Abigail, <b>like </b>a true warrior, had her weapons ready on her person and went toe¨Cto¨Ctoe with the mutts with Jackie by her side.


    Mates <b>shifted </b>and battled¨Cripping, biting, and wing at our enemies. I¡¯m not at optimal strength, but I fought my hardest. Punches to their <b>snouts</b>, kicks <b>to </b>their <b>stomachs</b><b>, </b>and wing at their backs; I became a savage beast.


    Threatening to harm my family is a guaranteed death sentence.


    Darien protected my blind spots, ripping apart any mutt dumb enough to <b>approach</b>. Knowing him for <b>so </b>long, his fighting technique is memorable. However, this time, there is a level of viciousness in his ughter. Restless in his pursuits, he chased the rouges that tried to escape and tore <b>them </b>like paper. The ferocity remained when he shifted to Sirius.


    He¡¯s fighting something else besides the rogues. And I <b>have </b>a good idea of what it is.


    Before I could continue to fight, something big and heavy wrapped around my head and effortlessly lifted <b>me </b>in the air. Suddenly, my body was violently thrown like a rag¨Cdoll away from the chaos. Inded on the forest floor on my arm, rolling in a cloud of dust until I hit the roots of a tree. My world spun and vertigo settled in.


    ¡°Ah, what the f*ck?!¡± I bellowed, slowly rising on my feet. That¡¯s when I heard it. The loud unhesitant stompsing toward me. Just by that singr sound, it floods my mind with the recollections of his horrific onught against my friends before my kidnapping.


    Not to mention yanking me through a f*cking windshield on my date!


    Chaplet 43 ¨C Missing


    I narrowly <b>avoided </b><b>the </brge fist hurtling towards me, rolling away. The tree <b>bark </b>groaned from impact, but the monster didn¡¯t flinch. All this time, I thought the bastard was dead.


    ¡°Cerberus¡­¡± I whispered fearfully. His ck¨Ccloaked form marched toward me, ready for another attack. This time, <b>I </b>caught his fist with both my <b>hands</b>, restraining against his indomitable might. I pushed, and he pushed<b>, </b>equalizing the force between us. Cerberus¡® expression is stony, unflinching.


    ¡°Get the hell away from me!¡± Summoning my moon magic, I kicked the goliath in the stomach with both my feet, forcing him back far enough to slip away. From the distance, I spotted my family fighting as rogues began pouring out from all sides.


    I need to help them, but I can¡¯t lead Cerberus to them! I don¡¯t want a repeat of what happenedst time, especially now my parents are there. He¡¯ll kill them.


    ¡°Mija!¡± My mom shouted through our mind¨Clink. ¡°Where are you?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a sticky situation with a seven¨Cfoot¨Ctall avatar hunter.¡±


    ¡°Qu¨¦? Moonbeam, what are you talking about?!¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>I </i>can¡¯t exin right now, <b>Moar</b>!¡±


    If I lead Cerberus <b>away</b>, then he won¡¯t have the chance to attack them. He¡¯s always been after me, so I can use that to my advantage. Hopping on my feet, ignoring my lightheadedness, I yelled for his attention and began running away from the madness.


    As expected, he followed me through the trees, tearing them from their roots. Once I¡¯m far enough<b>, </b>I turn on my heels and growled at the juggernaut, ready for a fight.


    It¡¯s just him and <b>me</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°Come on, motherf*cker!¡± I screamed, feeling the shift into my avatar power. ¡°You¡¯ll die this time!¡±


    The battle raged on between us. Cerberus is tough, but I¡¯m tougher. Hand to hand, feet to feet, I fight my hardest against him, ignoring the ring differences of our heights. Artemis peered through sometimes, delivering her blows as we worked together. We became a one¨Cwoman machine as the beast tried his hardest to cut us down.


    I had the upper for a while.


    However, the exhaustion from earlier began creeping in as my attacks began slowing. I don¡¯t regret healing my friend, but I wish I had enough energy to pull through this fight. Cerberus, noticing my obvious weakness, smacked me. The force of the impact propelled my body to hit a distant <b>tree</b><b>. </b>I slumped painfully onto the ground, nursing the bump on the back of my head. The goliath marched toward me again, fists ready to meet. flesh.


    <b>¡°</b>Stand down, Cerberus.¡±


    But he stilled under <b>the </bmand like a statue. Suspiciously, I eyed the scene in front of me carefully for any


    extra surprises.


    <b>And </b>a surprise is what I <b>got</b><b>.</b>


    Chapter 4 Masing


    The mark on my neck throbbed and burned mercilessly, mapping the pathway for the pain to hit every sensitive <b>area </b>in my body. My hand clutched that side of my neck, feebly trying to lessen the agony.


    Suddenly, I¡¯m <b>pulled </b>to my feet and two arms wrap around my waist. My back is pressed up against a <b>hard </b>chest <b>and </b>puffs of hot air tickle my ear. Forbidden sensations swim <b>through </b>me, masking my pain <b>with </b>pleasure. ¡°We meet again, Little Moon. I must teach Cerberus to not y so rough with you.¡±


    Oh, no<b>.</b>


    Osiris sensed my <b>panic </b>and tightened his hold on me as I struggled against him. ¡°Let me go, you leech!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will.¡± He chuckled in my ear like a sweet child.


    ¡°You sent the rogues! If my family gets hurt, I¡¯m ripping your head off!¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m so scared!¡± Osiris retorted dramatically. ¡°Oh, whatever shall I do?¡± Laughing at my anger, one arm loosened around me but the other tightened. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to rest, Little Moon. But, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    He injected something into my neck, making me shriek from the pain. Darkness crawled from the corners of my <b>vision </b>rapidly, and Artemis¡® growls quickly quieted to whines. The mysterious substance burned, but not as


    bad as the mark on my neck.


    I tried to fight back against Osiris, but my weakness held me hostage.


    My body worked against me. It surrendered to the unknown substance in me. Muscles turned to gtin and my energy fleeted <b>away</b>. If I wasn¡¯t held up by the manic vampire, I¡¯d fall onto the ground. The only thing that can make me like this is¡­wolfsbane.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be needing this.¡± Osiris tore the ne from my neck and tossed it like it was garbage. My consciousness flickers in and out. I felt my body was hoisted up into the vampire¡¯s arms and <b>Osiris </b>pressed my head against his shoulder.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, my Little Moon. It¡¯ll all be over <b>soon</b>.¡±


    Artemis is unresponsive. I couldn¡¯t wake her. My mind is so disoriented that it muddled with my mind¨Clinks. But, with thest of my energy, I send onest message to my parents in hopes it gets to them.


    ¡°Mom, Dad. I¡¯ve been taken. Get help.¡±


    Finally, <b>my </b>world faded into darkness<b>.</b>

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 44 She¡¯s Gone


    ¨C


    ¡°Times will change for the better when you change.¡°¨CMaxwell Maltz


    Neron


    Seconds turn to minutes<b>, </b>minutes turn to hours, and hours turn to a lifetime. It is like two lifetimes had passed since Kiya and her family left mynd. Her absence is noticeable, especially with the change in temperature. The sun shines, warming my territory, but it can¡¯tpare to the warmth my mate held. She is the sun<b>.</b>


    I don¡¯t know how long I sat on these stairs, staring out into the dense woonds<b>. </b>A miniscule speck of hope dances in me, thinking that Kiya would emerge from the trees with her beautiful smile. I long <b>to </b>see her <b>again</b>, but it¡¯s false hope clinging onto my side of the mate bond.


    I shouldn¡¯t have hope of any kind. She¡¯s gone and I can¡¯t wish for her toe back for me. As much as I miss her, I don¡¯t want her back on <b>my </bnds.


    This experience got me thinking about this pack¡¯s long¨Cstanding history. Or the parts I know of. Zircon Moon is an old name, existing for nearly two hundred years ording to Dad. Five generations had passed since its birth, marking me as the sixth. The honor and pride of my predecessors¡® rest on my shoulders¨Cto bring our pack to a bright future and to bring an heir to carry on our legacy.


    I didn¡¯t want that burden. Not after the shit we¡¯ve done.


    I heard a shuffle beside me. Both Raina and Valerian took their seats on the stone stairs, keeping my lonely. selfpany for the millionth time. My Beta offered a bottle of soda, which I took. But I have no desire to


    drink.


    ¡°How are you holding up, dude?¡± He asked. Raina looked at me as her fingers fiddling in her nap. My fingers rapped against the bottle as 1 try toe up with the right words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine<b>, </b>all things considering.¡± I offered them a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s a feeling I must get used to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, Neron. I wish she was still here<b>, </b><b>too</b>.¡± <b>Raina </b>spoke up with a twinge of sadness in her tone. Tears threaten to spill from her eyes. Jeez, I¡¯m wallowing in my misery¨CRaina is feeling worse than me. ¡°She¡¯s in a better ce now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like she¡¯s dead.¡± Valerian chuckled, sipping his drink. ¡°In a few short months, Kiya knew how to turn this ce upside¨Cdown.¡± I red at him. ¡°In <b>a </b>good way.¡±


    ¡°It was a wake¨Cup call we all needed.¡± I pondered, resting my chin on my fist. ¡°Kiya¡¯s arrival was a good thing. Ga Moon did a fantastic job at helping her blossom.¡±


    ¡°They are her family.¡± Raina spoke with a pained smile. ¡°While she was here, I kept thinking of ways to bring my family together again. We share the same blood, but this experience taught me two things: blood doesn¡¯t make a family, the bonds do. And <b>I¡¯ve </b>been selfish.¡±


    Kiya was at <b>her </b>happiest with her <b>friends</b><b>. </b>Her smile shined the brightest and her <bughter </b>was at its purest <b>form</b>. Her bonds with <b>her </b>friends are the strongest. With her parents, it was incredible and, I admit, I was <b>a </b>little jealous. Lyra and Niki fiercely protected their pup. They¡¯ve earned Kiya¡¯s trust without trying.


    Chapter 44¨CShe¡¯s Gone


    The old me would¡¯ve hated this. Goddess, how <b>did </b>I stomach hurting her back <b>then</b>? We grew up side¨Cby¨Cside and I let my father¡¯s lies get to my head. Everything he said about her, I believed. I had <b>to</b><b>, </b>even if it meant. going against Onyx. <b>That </b>shame will never <b>disappear</b>. It shouldn¡¯t. I need this reminder to help me <b>realize </b>how much of a shitty person I <b>was </b>and, probably<b>, </b>still <b>am</b>.


    No one can hide from their past. I can run as fast <b>as </b>I can from it, but it¡¯ll still snatch me up like a cheetah to a gazelle.


    ¡°Do you still wish her to be your Luna, Neron?¡± <b>Raina </b>asked me, curious. ¡°I mean¡­an Alpha always needs their Luna, right? And you love her.¡±


    ¡°I love Kiya enough to know I don¡¯t <b>want </b>her to be my Luna.¡±


    The weight of my words stopped my Betas¡® breathing in their tracks. Valerian stared at me as if I¡¯ve grown three heads and Raina¡¯s jaw dropped in which her husband helped close.


    ¡°In a perfect world, <b>I </b>would want that. Since <b>we </b>were kids, there was <b>something </b>I liked about her. Just like with Nuria, I wanted to protect her. Despite the horrible pranks, the groundings and overall hell those two would raise, I liked her. She was <b>young</b>, but fun! Maybe those feelings were a subtle sign that we were mates<b>? </b>Young <b>me </b>would¡¯ve never known.¡±


    ¡°Onyx liked her; I remember.¡± The Beta Female smiled, reminiscing on <b>old </b>memories, ¡°He was like a, no offense, but a dumb puppy around her¨Cthat tail of his was like a <b>damn </b>propeller. Ignorance was bliss when we <b>were </b>kids, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Onyx whined, the only <b>sound </b>he¡¯d made since our <b>talk </b>in <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>room. He remembers. It was strange for <b>a </b><b>wolf </b>to be fascinated with my sister¡¯s friend, but now I see why. Snapping the bottle cap off my soda bottle, I took <b>a </b>sip before walking down the stairs to stare at therge, four¨Cstory pack house standing before me..


    It¡¯s a home, but it doesn¡¯t feel like one. I wouldn¡¯t say I hated the <b>ce</b>, but it did <b>nothing </b>for me anymore.


    ¡°Be honest with <b>me</b>, you two.¡± I spoke, seizing their attention. ¡°Do you believe this pack has a future<b>?</b>¡±


    <b>Valerian </b>and <b>Raina </b>spared nces, confused. With more time on my hands <b>and </b>Kiya gone, <b>there </b>was time to contemte on where I want to go with Zircon <b>Moon</b>.


    ¡°This <b>pack </b><b>needs </b>work, I admit.¡± Valerian spoke up with a sign. ¡°It¡¯s not because of your leadership, Neron, it¡¯s the wolves themselves. It¡¯s because of their unwillingness to change and the constant shift in morality. You saw how many of them switched sides at Tristan¡¯s execution.¡±


    Goddamit, I hate that f*cking name. But Valerian is right; whatever fits their <b>personal </b><b>agenda</b><b>, </b>they¡¯lltch on like leeches to flesh. They cling onto my father¡¯s every word. He poisoned my head about Kiya¡¯s involvement and <b>treatment </b>in the past and continued to discredit her in the present until her family took her away,


    <b>Goddess </b>knows what would¡¯ve <b>happened </b>if she stayed.


    ¡°You <b>know </b>how you cut the dead leaves off nts to help new <b>ones </b>to grow?¡± Raina <b>added</b>. ¡°That¡¯s <b>what </b>this pack <b>needs</b>; a good clipping.¡±


    ¡°Or <b>just </b>burn it all down <b>and </b>start over.¡± Kwame walked up with Lorl at his <b>side</b>, holding hands. ¡°I apologize for the interjection, but this <b>ce </b>needs a good cleansing.¡±


    ¡°What do you <b>mean</b>?¡±


    My Gamma shrugged. ¡°Look, I notice a lot of things. I don¡¯t talk, but I see all. If Zircon Moon were to go anywhere or to ¡°prosper¡± as it did before, things need to change. That¡¯s the benefit you have as Alpha, Neron, The ball is in your court<b>, </b><b>so </b>you can determine this pack¡¯s future¨Cif it has one.¡±


    For so long, what I wanted or believed didn¡¯t matter. My destiny was to be an Alpha with an iron fist, no matter how much I tried to run from it. Instead, my father violently pulled me back until I gave up epted his twisted wisdom. Everything I <b>do </b>was for the pack; even harming an innocent person.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    That didn¡¯t do a f*cking thing. Dad was wrong and I cannot afford to listen to him anymore.


    I won¡¯t listen to him anymore.


    ¡®Our fates may not have been ours to choose, but we sure as hell can change H. Kiya¡¯s words from our trip to the mall lingered in my head, her voice sweet as honey butced with truth. She was right.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kwam. I know what to do, but I can¡¯t do it alone, I need you four to support me, because you¡¯re the only people I can trust right.¡±


    ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Valerian stood, helping Raina to her feet.


    My heart warmed with the smoldering ember of joy, Raina nodded with her <b>husband</b>, and Kwame and Lori nodded as well. My trust has be selective since <b>Tristan</b>. All I¡¯ve inherited from my father has me questioning how many are at my side. That is something I must rectify, including the debacle with Odessa. But, my Betas and Gammas never failed <b>me</b>, I¡¯d die for them.


    I couldn¡¯t ask for a better team.


    ¡°Okay. As for Zircon Moon, I¡¯ve been thinking about dish-¡±


    Onyx, out of the blue, grew restless in my mind. On his <b>paws</b>, he spun in circles with panic <b>and </b>fear oozing from his fur, growling, and whimpering. ¡°Mate! <b>Kiya</b><b>! </b>Artemis! Something¡¯s happened!¡±


    ¡°Onyx, what the hell are you talking about?¡±


    My cell phone in my <b>back </b>pocket buzzed. Pulling it out, Alpha Anthony¡¯s caller ID shed on the screen. I answered his call, wondering if it¡¯s about Kiya.


    It was<b>.</b>


    <b>And </b>my world shattered into a million pieces.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. My chest tightened like a knot, restricting my breathing. My hands became so mmy that my phone <b>slipped </b>from my palms to the ground. Tears burned my eyes like acid, my heart thudded to the beat of unadulterated terror and lightheadedness crawled into my mind. Alpha Anthony¡¯s <b>reveal </b>sent me on a downward spiral. I couldn¡¯t concentrate; my fear spiked higher <b>than </b>my blood pressure.


    ¡°Neron?¡± Lori <b>ask </b>worryingly. ¡°What¡¯s going <b>on</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Kiya never made it home.¡± I whispered <b>hoarsely</b>. ¡°She never¡­¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Raina screamed in shock. ¡°My sister is gone?!¡±


    ¡°Find mate<b>, </b>now!¡±


    Chapter 44¨CShe¡¯s Gone


    There wasn¡¯t time to lose. Onyx kicked my ass into high¨Cgear, giving me the boost needed to focus. Kiya disappearing is something I couldn¡¯t fathom. Hours before, she was here! How is she gone?!


    Abandoning my phone, I marched toward the garage. ¡°If any of you areing with me, high¨Ctail your asses to my car!¡± The harshness of my tone was unintended, but I couldn¡¯t waste any time. Alpha Anthony wouldn¡¯t lie to me, but by the tone of his voice, he¡¯s just as panicked as Onyx.


    Quickly, I found my car and got it started. Raina and Kwame hopped into the backseat, buckling in their seatbelts. Their mates spoke to me, through mind¨Clink, that they¡¯ll stay behind to watch over in my absence. I noticed Dad¡¯s car is missing, but I couldn¡¯t care less. Once I rolled off the territory, I stomped <b>on </b>the gas and sped down the road, breaking every trafficw known to man.


    She can¡¯t be gone!


    Moon Goddess, please tell me my mate is okay!


    Kwame, Raina, and I reached the scene of the car ident in less than half an hour. The foul stench in the air burned my nostrils, taking my mind back to when the undead rogues trespassed on mynd. Littering the ground are their rotting, dismembered body


    The passenger van the family rode has as being swept away by the backup Alpha Anthony brought.


    scene, either helping or talking.


    dent sizable enough to kill humans. Kiya¡¯s family is spread across the


    Lyra and Niki look devastated. My heart shattered; their faces confirmed my fears.


    Raina was the first to jump out of the car once it stopped, eyes <b>wildly </b>searching for a familiar head of curls.


    ¡°Where is <b>she</b><b>?!</b>¡±


    ¡°Beta Female Raina, please stay calm.¡± Alpha Anthony walked up from his car. But, that statement made her agitation worse because she didn¡¯t stop trembling..


    ¡°No, tell <b>me </b>where my little sister is!¡± Immediately, Kwame and I walked up, pulling the heartbroken woman to the side, leaving me <b>alone </b>with my fellow Alpha.


    ¡°What happened?<b>¡± </b>I ask, deathly afraid of the answer. Onyx perked up to listen.


    ¡°ording to my parents, they were ambushed.¡± He replied. His voice is hard and steady, but his eyes betray his emotions. ¡°They were hit by another car and then attacked by rogues. They lost Kiya in the <b>chaos</b>. Afterwards<b>, </b>when they noticed she was missing, Darien and Sapphire tracked her scent into the deeper woods, but she was nowhere to be found. She left her phone behind.¡±


    ¡°She was taken!¡± Lyra sobbed heavily into her hands while sitting on a <b>rock </b>next to her husband. ¡°Herst message to me was to get help! Someone took my baby girl!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve all tried connecting to her though our mind¨Clink, but none of us could get through.¡± Niki added, rubbing soothing circles on Lyra¡¯s back.


    ¡°Hoo!¡± Diana, like an angel, <b>swooped </b>in with something <b>shiny </b>in her talons. Holding out my <b>arm</b>, the birdnded with <b>ease</b>, dropping the mysterious item into my palm, cooing in sadness.


    My heart stopped.


    Chapter 44 She Cone


    In my hands is Kiya¡¯s ne with the spspletely broken. As if someone yanked it off her <b>neck</b>. The pendant is cracked, and the bail is falling apart. My gift to my mate <b>was </b>treated like garbage, damaged by a careless hand!


    Diana¡¯s head nuzzled against my shoulder, but my vision blurred. I couldn¡¯t see anything through my falling tears,nding in my palms. My world got colder when Kiya left. Now, it¡¯s frozen, because the sun of my world disappeared. Guilt batters against me, demanding why I made the choice to let her go, ming me for her disappearance.


    My hand balled into a fist with her ne inside. I¡¯m devastated, but I¡¯m <b>enraged</b>!


    Someone stole Kiya from her family.


    There¡¯s one person who I know wanted her more than anything. Only he could stage a diversion like this to kidnap my mate. It all made sense!


    And I won¡¯t stop until I kill him!


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 Chapter 134

    Chapter 45 ¨C Why Am I Here?


    ¡°Grief, no matter how you try to cater to its wall, has a way of fading away,¡±


    Kiya


    V.C. Andrews


    In darkness I arrived and in which I will leave. Waking up alter cking out shouldn¡¯t include my brain spinning like a toy top, but it did. Thest time I cked out was when I was a slobbering mess in the kitchen, but at least a vampire didn¡¯t <b>kidnap </b>me!


    This may be a teenage girl¡¯s wet dream, <b>but </b>it isn¡¯t mine!


    Grabbing the reins of consciousness <b>wasn¡¯t </b>too hard because my body wakes from its deep slumber, shifting in what I thought to be a bed. An extremely soft bed, I may add, but it didn¡¯t bringfort. Instead, memories of what happened previous to the ckout flooded my mind and bathed me in chills.


    Cerberus attacked me. Then Osiris kidnapped me after drugging me with wolfsbane. Of all the things to subdue me, it had to be <b>that </b><b>goddamn </b>nt.


    F*cking hell!


    <b>Enraged</b>, my eyes shot open to re at the white ceiling above me. A narrow ray of light sliced through the center from one corner to another; the feeble brightness barely sufficient to illuminate the room. I felt a heavy weighttched around both my wrists along with the sensation of cool metal.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Bringing them up to my <b>face</b>, I see the silver <b>arm </b>cuffs with intricate markups embedded into it, glowing softly in violet, Familiar markings. The thickened bonds that once demanded my submission got it again; this time, without effort.


    My <b>first </b>kidnapping reminded me how powerless I felt. Connecting to my wolf was a pain and I couldn¡¯t fight. back as I normally world. It restricted my powers.


    But is Artemis okay? I haven¡¯t heard from <b>her </b>in a minute. Worried, I opened our mind¨C<b>link </b>and reached out to her, noting my weakness became hers. Behind my eyelids, I saw my beautiful white wolf slumped on her belly, huffing softly through her nose.


    ¡°Art? Are you okay?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Artemis, can you hear me? I need to know if you¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here. Stop shouting.¡± She answered weakly. ¡°I¡¯m so tired, Kiki.¡±


    ¡°I am too, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to get us out of here.¡±


    Every prison has a door, even if I have to make it myself. A burst of determination rushed through me, ready to take on the <b>world</b>. Osiris is not stopping me! If he expected a meek prisoner, he¡¯ll be greatly disappointed. Rising from the bed, my fingers <b>brush </b>against the smooth and plush crimson nket warming me from the airy chill. A faint scent of cologne lingered <b>in </b>the alt, pleasurable sparks erupting from below my <b>skin</b>.


    At least the vampire had the decency to keep me warm. Note the sarcasm.


    Chapter 45- Why Am I Here?


    I swung my feet off the mattress, pressing them against the cold, smooth floor. My neck still burned from both his mark and the injection, <b>but </b>I pushed through the weakness to walk to the door. Artemis is counting on me, and I¡¯ve <b>overstayed </b>my wee. On my way, I noticed an absence of weight in my back jean pocket. Feeling it up confirmed my fear, earning an irritated groan <b>from </b>me.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± I growled, pinching the bridge of my nose. My phone! It must¡¯ve fallen out during my tussle with Cerberus! I tried reaching to my friends and family through mind¨Clink, but I¡¯m met with blockades. Either I¡¯m too far away to reach them or they¡¯ve put the blocks <b>themselves</b>; thetter being preposterous.


    Looks like I¡¯m on my own with this one.


    My mood deted when I thought about the people I love; my tears prick my eyes. Knowing how worried Mom gets over me, she¡¯s desperately searching for me, tearing through everything and everybody. I constantly thought Mom fussing over me was <b>just </b>a thing mothers do, but I <be </b>to learn is that she cares about me. Her love is so powerful that she ripped e away from my mission so I can <b>heal </b>at home with her<b>.</b>


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m worrying her again! This isn¡¯t fair! I got to be with my family again, only to be ripped away from them by a blood¨Csucking madman!


    ¡°Come on, girl.¡± I sniffled, catching a few tears with my finger. ¡°Focus. <b>There¡¯s </b>always <b>a </b>way out; I just got to


    find it.¡±


    I tried the door, but with no luck. The knob wouldn¡¯t budge, no matter how much I turned it. Osiris <b>locked </b>the door from the outside, trapping me inside. And the man is nowhere to be found in the room. Speaking <b>of </b>which, when I turned around <b>to </b><b>see </b>what kind of room, <b>I¡¯m </b>in, my words descended into dust.


    He <b>has </b>exquisite taste in interior design, as much as I hate to admit.


    Pictures of coloredndscapes with mountains <b>and </b>trees hung on the red padded walls. Pendant lights <b>and </b>sconces hung from both the ceiling and the wall. Unfamiliar designs carved into the borders of the ceiling. connecting between each angle to give off a refined, royal feel. The bed I was on earlier is draped with both crimson and ck sheets, partially spilled onto the floor with an identical table at the foot of the bed, bedecked with foreign omaments. Silk drapes hung from the ceiling at the head of the bed. Polished sets of tables and drawers heldmps, mirrors, and antique ck boxes and chairs decorated in the same color scheme apanied them.


    The aesthetic of this room is fit for someone of importance; like <b>a </b>prince or an emperor. I feel out of ce simply from the expensive allure.


    ¡°I guess the ce looks nice¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen better in magazines<b>.</b>¡± Artemis huffed.


    I strode to the dark drapes on the distant side of <b>the </b>room and yanked them open, sunlight smacking me across the face. My eyes readjusted to the sudden brightness from being in darkness for so long. Out the window, the emergentyer of dense leafy trees lined in rows beneath the horizon, obscuring hints of lush grass. Birds fly above the canopies on their merry way, ignoring my predicament in this strange ce. Sharp tips of the mountains poked through the blue sky, the snow blending seamlessly with the clouds.


    The area is unfamiliar to me. If I <b>were </b>to break through this window from a four or five¨Cstory window, shift and run, I wouldn¡¯t know where to go. I have no idea how close or far I¡¯m from home, anyway.


    Chapter 45 ¨C Why Am I Help?


    ¡°This is some bulls-!¡±


    ¡°Hiss!¡±


    My heart stopped. Goddess, please tell me there is not a snake beside me. If there is, <b>I </b>will lose my shit.


    <b>Slowly</b>, I turn my head to where the hideous noise came from. Next to me is a cushioned table sitting between the two draped windows with an antique ck box in the center. But it wasn¡¯t the only thing ck; it was the only thing that wasn¡¯t moving. A big ck <b>serpent</b>, the size of a boa constrictor<b>, </b>uncoiled itself around its possession, staring me <b>down </b>with its beady scarlet eyes, sizing me up.


    <b>I</b>, <b>an </b>adult woman, am ring down a snake that might kill me. As if it sensed my difort, it stuck its forked tongue out at me.


    Suddenly, the damn thing hissed again, wiggling toward me. I jumped back immediately, putting my fists up. ¡°Back the f*ck up, snake! <b>Wolves </b>eat <b>your </b>kind, remember?¡±


    It didn¡¯t listen, <b>like </b>nature didn¡¯t matter. Wiggling, its broad body slithered to the ground, stalking up toward me with the gaze of a ravenous predator, seeking for a ce to pierce its fangs into my skin. Normally, I¡¯m not afraid of <b>snakes</b>, but thanks to a certain someone, I¡¯ve grown distasteful of them.


    So what did I do? I had to show it, I¡¯m the bigger predator here, right?


    I punted the piece of shit like a football; its long body hitting the window with a loud thud.


    Touchdown!


    However, the realization soon settled in that I¡¯ve assaulted a vicious snake big enough to snap my throat, sealed in a room with no way out.


    Yep. This is not one of my best moments. Judging by its increased hissing, I pissed it off.


    My brilliant idea was to run back to the door, but I ended up rushing into a wall. A wall full of hard muscle underneath my fingertips. Large, chilly hands clutched my shoulders, stilling me with the powerful sparks of an unwanted bond shooting straight to my core. My <b>eyes </b>looked up to meet menacing crimson and an irritating smirk.


    ¡°Your bravery ismendable, but please, don¡¯t hurt my snake. Pepi has feelings too, you know?¡±


    Infuriated, I smacked Osiris across his handsome face. His head jerked back a little, unfazed by my sudden violence. Instead, he simply blinked and looked back with a quizzical look. ¡°That was surprising. Can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t expect that.¡±


    ¡°You. Kidnapped. Me!¡± I shouted. ¡°What the hell is the matter with you?!¡±


    ¡°A lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Was that supposed to be a joke?¡±


    ¡°It made meugh.¡± He grins.


    ¡°Take <b>me </b>back home or I¡¯ll <b>make </b><b>you</b><b>!</b>¡±


    I¡¯ll make you!¡±


    <b>305</b>


    ¡°Ah, what are <b>you </b>proposing?¡± Osiris asked, wiggling his colorless eyebrows. ¡°If what you give is good enough, I might consider.¡± His snake, Pepi, slithered to his owner and wrapped his thick body around his arm, resting its head on his shoulder. ¡°Aww, are you hurt, sweetheart?¡±


    I don¡¯t know what disgusted me more; Osiris or the fact he¡¯sforting his pet reptile like a child. ¡°Hey! We aren¡¯t done talking!¡±


    ¡°I believe you are.¡± The vampire replied casually, ignoring the heat of my anger. ¡°If you want to know the reason why I brought <b>you </b>here, calm down.¡±


    ¡°You never tell a woman to calm down! It gives you the opposite of what you¡¯re looking for!¡±


    Okay, be I¡¯m acting tough, but this beast stole me from my family and caused our van to crash! He almost got us killed. I could¡¯ve lost my family and friends today, so <b>f*ck </b>staying calm! Osiris eyed <b>me </b>from head to toe before walking over to the table where Pepi was earlier.


    ¡°What are you going to do with me?<b>¡± </b>I demanded, crossing my arms. <b>Since </b>I¡¯m forced to stay there, I¡¯ve made it a mission to be irritating enough for him to let me go. ¡°<b>Drain </b>me of my blood? Chop me <b>into </b>pieces? Sell me to a s*x trafficking ring?¡±


    ¡°No, but tempting, no, and definitely not. Don¡¯tpare me to those despicable humans.¡± Something shes in my view from his hands until he balled it into his fist, ¡°I need you to listen. There is a reason I do the things I do. It could help you get out of here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I am, so sit on the bed and put on your listening ears¡® as children like to <b>say</b>.¡± He chuckled mockingly.


    Osiris is the type of man who¡¯d infuriate women to the point theymit murder. It¡¯s me; I¡¯m that <b>woman</b>. I didn¡¯t want to listen to what bullshit excuses he had for f*cking up my life, but it¡¯s not like I have a choice. I¡¯m trapped in his domain.


    Huffing, I sit my <b>ass </b>on his bed, crossing my legs. ¡°Fine, but keep that snake on a leech. Any funny business and Pepi bes my wolf¡¯s dinner.¡±


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    Osiris¡® back faces me, nursing a mysterious object in his hand. His white hair <b>curtains </b>his face, concealing his face from my view. Before long, he turned to me, holding up the item for me to <b>see</b>. A vintage <b>ne </b>haloed by the sunlight. The golden, jeweled pendant is attached to a silver chain gently swinging in the still air. The vampire gazes at the gemstone fondly, like he¡¯s remembering something <b>precious </b>to him.


    ¡°Do you know why I hate Zircon Moon so much?¡± He asks me<b>, </b>averting his eyes to me. ¡°Just as they ruined your life, they ruined mine. Because of the actions of a selfish tyrant, I lost the first person I ever loved. This<b>,</b>¡± He <b>shakes </b>the ne. ¡°Is <b>all </b>I <b>have </b>left of her, <b>because </b>Titan Prince took her away from me.¡±


    Osiris walks over and sets the ne at my side before walking to the window. <b>He¡¯s </b>a dark <b>being</b>, but the bright light illuminated the sadness on his face. Cautiously, I cradled the ne in my <b>hands</b>, feeling the sensation of death linger around it.


    ¡°Titan Prince?¡± That man and Neron have the same surname. Could they be rted? The name is unfamiliar


    Chapter


    to me, but I figured it was best if I just shut up and listen to Osiris¡® backstory, whatever it may be.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with a history lesson, shall we?¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 135

    Chapter <b>46 </b>¨C Amber


    ¡°You are enough to drive a saint to madness or a king to his knees.¡°¨C Grace Willows


    Kiya


    ¡°Long ago, when the Zircon Moon pack <b>was </b>at its infancy, my mother, Zahra, <b>was </b>a member. A purebred werewolf with the heart of gold; she considered <b>that </b>pack to be her family. Benevolent to a default, my mother was the epitome of kindness; she helped anyone and everyone whenever she could. Unlike those who adhere to their beastly instincts, she put her humanity first. Because of her purity, unmated wolves coveted her. Little did they know she would be the mate of a vampire. My father.¡±


    ¡°Interspecies mating was forbidden; something about ¡°tainting bloodlines. Today, there is leniency with human and werewolf rtions, but other than that, it¡¯s taboo. Titan Prince was a man with conservative beliefs about mating; wolves belong to other wolves, humans with humans, and so on. But traditional views held no power over the mate bond. It¡¯s too strong to resist. My mother knew what she was doing was uwful. She risked her reputation for love. She deserved love. Why should old rules get between your heart¡¯s desire?¡±


    Thoughts buzzed in my mind as I listen to the vampire¡¯s story. Unlike me, Zahra couldn¡¯t resist the bond with her mate. Like a natural wolf, she sought for her destined partner like a fish to a lure. Destiny wanted those two together, why?


    Osiris sighs, stuffing his hands into his pockets <b>as </b>Pepi coiled and uncoiled around his <b>arm</b>. ¡°But the wolves discovered her crime after she fell pregnant with <b>me </b>and my twin brother.¡±


    ¡°You have a brother?!¡±


    ¡°Had, and I¡¯ll exin why shortly. My mother <b>became </b><b>an </b>outcast, abandoned by her family and friends. My brother and I became abominations born behind prison bars. However, Titan kept us.¡±


    Chills swam down my spine at the memory of Jonathan keeping me alive after my alleged crimes. ¡°Logically, he should¡¯ve killed us. We stained the reputation of ourmunity. ording to him, hybrids were useful as servants than corpses. My mother couldn¡¯t do anything to stop her Alpha. After my brother and I were born, Titan banished her, never to be seen again.¡±


    ¡°What about your father? He could¡¯ve saved you both.¡±


    ¡°They killed vampires on sight if they enter wolf territory. Tensions between both <b>species </b>were high, and it wasn¡¯t worth the risk of a potential war. When Mother was banished, I held onto the hope that she was with


    <b>my </b>father, even if they couldn¡¯t rescue us. I¡¯m not mad at her, just at the circumstances.¡±


    I wanted to believe that Osiris is lying, but something tells me he isn¡¯t. The pain and rage burning behind his <b>crimson </b>eyes reflected my emotions toward <b>Zircon</b>. He was born into envement because his birth was a crime against wolfkind. ¡°What else happened?¡±


    ¡°Life was hell on Earth.¡± He continued. ¡°My older brother, Asim, and I <b>were </b>tortured. We were beaten <b>and </b>scarred for <b>the </b>mistakes we made, <b>even </b><b>if </b>we idently spoke out of turn. It was always ¡®Yes, Sir.¡® Or ¡®No Ma¡¯am¡®. Our servitude was repentance to the <b>Alpha </b>for allowing us to live. Starvation became a routine urrence, and we had to ration food sometimes. This went on for years. Asim did his best to protect <b>me</b><b>, </b>as an older brother should. But, one night<b>, </b>one <b>guard </b>snatched him from our bed and took him away. That was thest time I saw him, and <b>I¡¯m </b>sure they killed him. For what reason? I¡¯ll never know.¡±


    1/4


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Osiris¡­¡± I whispered, holding back my emotions. Osiris grunted in response, not wanting my pity. Thest thing I wanted to feel was sympathy for him, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the simrities between our pasts. Is the Prince family truly this immoral? ¡°How long ago did this happen? You said you were around the early days of Zircon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inmortal, Kiya.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I lived through two centuries, so I¡¯m almost one hundred and <b>ten </b>years old; you can do the math.¡±


    Osiris doesn¡¯t look a day over twenty¨Cfive-


    ¡°After Asim¡¯s disappearance, there was no one left to protect me. I became the perfect target to everyone¡¯s aggression. The beatings got worse, and I contemted ending my life many times. My wolf, Set, hadn¡¯t awakened yet, so I soughtfort in the istion. But, when I was sixteen, she came into my life<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Your predecessor, thest avatar of Selene. The girl who that ne belonged to. She gave it to me to keep it safe <b>the </b>first night she was in my cell.¡±


    I gasped sharply. Thest white wolf? Artemis is listening with me and she bristled. If Osiris knew her and this ne was hers¡­


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Amber was her name<b>, </b>just like that beautiful gemstone.¡± Osiris revealed, suddenly gazing at me with adoration. ¡°Your resemnce to her is incredible. Adoration burned to ash when his anger roared <b>to </b><b>life </b>anew. ¡°Amber was stolen from her pack by Alpha Titan because of her powers. I¡¯ve heard rumblings during my servitude about Selene¡¯s avatar, but thought it was a fantastical promation from a power¨Chungry, abusive Alpha. However, when I spoke with Amber, it wasn¡¯t a fantasy.¡±


    ¡°She had awakened as an <b>avatar</b>, <b>and </b>it made her the target of the <b>Alpha¡¯s </b>lust <b>and </b>greed for power. Without <b>a </b>Luna at his side to guide him to the light, he fell further into his darkness. Just as he hurt me, he began hurting Amber soon after; beating her into submission.¡±


    ¡°However, despite the conditions of <b>our </b>imprisonment, we grew closer. We became friends, and I fell in love with her. I wanted to keep that beautiful wolf safe from harm, even though I <b>was </b>as weak <b>as </b>a newborn infant. When I wanted to die, Amber gave me the will to continue living. She became my purpose; my reason to breathe. She was the treasure I wanted to keep close because she treated me with humility and respect! That girl saw me <b>as </b>a person, not a monster!¡±


    His voice breaks <b>with </b>his hurt. Every word he spoke struck the chords of my heart. I don¡¯t know if there was anything I could do to mend his pain, if I wanted to. It was too much for my heart to bear, especially when <b>I¡¯m </b>tearing up at his story. Traitorous tears fell down my <b>face </b><b>one </b>by one.


    How are <b>we </b>so alike<b>?</b>


    ¡°How <b>could </b>someone smile through that pain, Kiya?¡± He asked surprisingly. I shook my head, unable to answer the touchy question. I can¡¯t smile through my pain, so how can I know how Amber did it? ¡°That wretched <b>Alpha </b><b>wanted </b><b>power </b>so bad that he nted his disastrous seed inside of her by force; to produce a powerful heir and to gain Amber¡¯s power for himself. However, an Alpha can <b>only </b>bear pubs with either <b>his </b>true mate or if he marks another female.<b>¡±</b>


    I think I¡¯m going to be sick. Nausea settled in the pit of my stomach. ¡°Alpha Titan raped her. And he marked Amber as lils by force.¡±


    Osiris nodded grimly. ¡°One night, when he came to take Amber away to warm his bed, he caught us cuddling. The fury on his face was enough to kill us both. Amber was a possession to him, and I was a threat to his ownership. So, to teach us both a lesson, he marked her in front of me. I couldn¡¯t stop him I was a weak hybrid going up against a tyrannical Alpha. I had no chance,¡±


    My hand shakily went to my neck, where the mark of my mate should be. A phantom pain throbbed there, as If <b>I¡¯m </b>feeling Amber¡¯s pain while listening to Osiris story, More tears fell, the emotion from Osiris punching me in the gut. She wasn¡¯t in her womanhood and this grown man stole her autonomy, just how Tristan stole mine,


    ¡°Did Amber¡­¡± I whisper fearfully.


    ¡°Titan¡¯s evil sank deep, Kiya. It became a part of him, and it sank further when Amber fell pregnant.¡±


    Osiris gripped the windowsill, ck mist perfusing from his form in response to his fury. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, <b>but </b>one night, we escaped. The idiot guards forgot to lock our cell, so we took that chance and ran. It was us against the world, and it was my sole chance to show that I was capable enough to care for her. Unbound to Zircon, we ran as Zircon, we ran as far as we could from thends. After we settled some distance away, I noticed the light in


    Amber¡¯s eyes disappeared. Her gold lost its luster, and there was nothing I could do about it. She couldn¡¯t stand the idea of carrying the alpha¡¯s heir. That parasite was killing her from the inside out.¡±


    I mentally prepared myself for another tragedy, holding my breath <b>and </b>clutching Amber¡¯s ne as tight as I could.


    ¡°On the second night of our escape, I went to find us some wild berries to eat. I was gone for hardly ten minutes. Ten minutes, Kiyat When I arrived to check in on her, Amber was dead. Before we left pack grounds, she stole a silver knife so we can use it to hunt for food until we found proper shelter. She used that same knife to stab herself in the heart.¡±


    ¡°Oh<b>, </b>my Goddess¡­¡± I uttered, pressing the ne to my heart. Amber suffered so <b>much</b>. My suffering couldn¡¯t measure to hers¨Cthe Alpha kidnapped, maltreated, and got her pregnant. The strength she held on for Osiris was admirable, but it wasn¡¯t enough for herself. Because Alpha Titan marked her, he¡¯d find them again.


    To stop her dismal future<b>, </b><b>she </b>killed herself. The curse ended with her. She¡¯s with our Moon Goddess with her wolf, surely living in the happiness she rightfully deserved.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    When I peered back at Osiris, he no longer stood at the window. He was in front of me. Hisrge hands gently caressed my face, cradling my cheeks <b>in </b>his palms, Large thumbs gently brush under my eyes, tickling the bottomshes, wiping my tears away. The vampire¡¯spelling gaze enraptured me, holding me hostage with the red showing a film reel detailing his torment and rage.


    I can


    curse his name to the heavens <b>and </b>hope for <b>his </b>soul to suffer in the pits of hellfire, but I cannot deny that Osiris <b>is </b><b>a </b><b>man </b><b>who </b>has seen the worst wolfkind offered.


    It hurts <b>to </b>see how much we are kindred spirits.


    ¡°I can still hear the angry roar of that Alpha once he caught on that his prize possession has died. Do you think he was punished for what he¡¯d done? Of course not, because <b>Alphas </b>get away with everything because of


    their damn title. Titan was never prosecuted for taking Amber because tyrants do what they do best; invade, destroy, and plunder. He shattered her pack.¡±


    ¡°However, Amber¡¯s death became the catalyst for the today¡¯s <b>events</b><b>. </b>It¡¯s because of her death I <b>awakened </b><b>as </b>an <b>avatar</b>. I got the power I needed <b>from </b>my god, Apophis, to exact revenge.¡±


    Anger


    drastically changed to amusement when Osiris released my face, backing up a few feet away from the bed. ¡°The hrity in this is that, in the end, the lowly hybrid ended up with the power. The power of a god. Apophis granted me a chance I never thought possible¨Cto eradicate the world from the likes of Zircon Moon and the Prince Family. Amber is gone, but Selene insulted her memory by having you born into that pack AND be bound to the next Alpha!¡±


    ¡°You miss Amber<b>, </b>I understand.¡± I retorted, rising from the bed with the ne at hand. I realize the pendant jewel is amber, matching the owner¡¯s name. ¡°But you inserted yourself into my life without my <b>consent</b>! I hat


    Zircon Moon too, but I will not be your tool for revenge. And there is much you <b>have </b>to answer


    for!¡±


    Osirisughed<b>, </b>offering me a lopsided grin. ¡°You will not be my tool for revenge, Kiya. I want you to be my partner.¡±


    ¡°Excuse <b>me</b>?¡±


    ¡°Help me destroy Zircon Moon for good.¡± His gaze held mine once more, now chained under his dark <b>power</b>. I whimpered from his cold touches to my <b>hand</b>. ¡°I saw the gears in your mind turning as you listened to me, Little Moon. We¡¯re not so different from one another! The only <b>difference </b>between our pain is the era and the Alpha who caused it. Don¡¯t you <b>see</b>? The evil of the Prince Family has lived for too long and <b>it </b>must end.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He leans into my ear, his hot breath sending shivers through me. ¡°You already killed a man. What¡¯s a few dozen more? <b>You </b>understand my <b>hatred </b><b>and </b>rage, and I understand yours. Together, we can be the karma that eluded them for decades. We will make them bleed as they made <b>us </b>bleed and watch their lives fade from their


    corpses.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Join </b>me, my Little Moon. And <b>you¡¯ll </b>never feel that pain <b>again</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 136

    <b>Chapter </b>47 To <b>Help </b>Or Not


    ¡°The best <b>way </b>to find out if you can <b>trust </b>somebody is to trust them.¡°¨CErnest Hemingway


    Neron


    ¡°I do not understand, Alpha Anthony. Our packs teamed up before when Kiya and Phoebe were first kidnapped, and our mission was sessful. Now, why you¡¯re turning down my help?¡±


    ¡°Things have changed, Alpha Neron,¡± His cold baritone voice induced fresh bouts of concern from me. Nonchntly, Anthony leans back in his chair, staring me down with sharp scrutiny as if I¡¯ve insulted his family. We¡¯ve been cordial with one another for a while, and this is the first <b>he¡¯s </b>rejected my offer of aid. ¡°Ga Moon has the jurisdiction over this investigation. Kiya is my pack member, therefore making it my responsibility to find her.¡±


    ¡°My member and I wish to aid in the investigation as well.¡± I retort, gripping the arms of my seat. Onyx listens, yet is unruly at the absence of our mate. It knocks me out of focus, sporadically. ¡°We have an alliance and I feel it is beneficial for us to team up once again, since we <b>have </b>amon goal; to recover Kiya safely. I mean no insult, but you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re <b>up </b>against.¡±


    ¡°I do. Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± He advised. ¡°However, I am questioning whether our alliance is worth the


    trouble.¡±


    The moon peeks from the corner of the window, a sliver of light splicing through <b>the </b>office. It is now nighttime. Kwame, Raina, and I have resided on Anthony¡¯snds since our departure from <b>the </b>crash site.. Kiya¡¯s disappearance has <b>created </b>an ocean of immense shock, not just with her friends, but with her pack. I¡¯m worried sick about her. Based on the rumblings I¡¯ve heard within these walls; she¡¯s admired by everyone. Even


    the children.


    Ga <b>Moon </b>is a family. If one hurts, they all hurt. That made the impact of the abduction that much harder on those expecting her return. Her friends have be closed off and her parents are an absolute mess.


    Thest thing they¡¯d want are myforting words..


    In my hands, I held onto the portrait I made for her. It is as perfect as when I packaged it. By the miracle of my Moon Goddess, it survived the crash. My heart did a flutter when I found it nestled in a bush against a rock. The undead rogues never found it and apparently, neither did her friends. Part of me danced with joy to see my gift to her intact, but knowing I cannot see her reaction made the ache in my heart throb harder.


    Settling it next to my seat now, I face another dilemma. Alpha Anthony is rejecting our help for reasons unknown to me. As his persistence raged on, Onyx grows infuriated from being barred from helping to find his other half. He wanted to jump out and give Anthony a piece of his mind, so keeping his anger in check tested my willpower.


    And I share some of his anger, but not enough to attack.


    ¡°This sudden questioning of our alliance is quite abrupt, don¡¯t you <b>think</b>?¡± I probed, eyeing my fellow Alpha carefully. An idea of why buzzes in my head, but I needed confirmation. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Simple. I don¡¯t trust you, Neron. Or <b>rather</b>, I¡¯m not sure if I can.¡± Sitting up, he folded his hands on his desk. ¡°As more and more of your packs barbarities against my sistere to light, I¡¯m questioning if I made the right choice forming this alliance.¡±


    1/5


    ¡°But, there¡¯s more you aren¡¯t telling me.¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    I almost forgot about the bundle of feathers shuffling in myp. Diana hadn¡¯t left my side since I¡¯ve left the crash site. She¡¯s like a cute, feathery boomerang. I scratch her tiny head, relishing in her soft hoots of pleasure. Even now, as the tension is thick as butter in Anthony¡¯s office, she continues to support me.


    My fellow Alpha arched <b>an </b>eyebrow, his close¨Cset hazel eyesnding on the unusual addition in <b>his </b>office.


    ¡°Did you really have to bring that thing in here with <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Diana is not a thing; she¡¯s Kiya¡¯s pet.¡± I corrected, fondly poking her beak. ¡°And I¡¯m sure she misses her immensely. You wouldn¡¯t push her out, would <b>you</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Kiya never told me she <b>had </b>a pet, let alone an owl. How peculiar for it to befortable around its natural predators, but that¡¯s besides the <b>point</b>.¡± He sighs, rubbing his temple to soothe an iing headache. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with Jacqueline and the others, and they¡¯ve filled me in on what had happened. I know you¡¯re aware that a pack¡¯s actions reflect on their Alpha, right?¡±


    Unfortunately, I am aware of this. An Alpha¡¯s <b>leadership </b>is the <b>hallmark </b>of their pack¡¯s <b>progression </b>and structure. Like a mentor to students, the <b>leader </b>helps guide them <b>on </b>the right path. Not only that, the actions of the Alpha also reflect on them as an individual. If a pack flourishes, the Alpha is praised for being the one to bring them to that state. Outstanding leaders produce greater people. A strong pack equals a strong leader. Sadly, the packs <b>that </b><b>have </b>fallen to ruin <b>have </b>their <b>name </b>tarnished and their Alpha <b>as </b>weak.


    ¡°The Zircon Moon pack <b>has </b>proven to be unreliable, <b>thus </b><b>making </b>you untrustworthy by extension. <b>No </b>one <b>has </b>learned from the mistakes they¡¯ve made <b>and </b>are easily swayed by extraneous <b>forces</b>, so it seems. If we were to Join again to <b>save </b>Kiya, I cannot say with confidence that <b>your </b><b>pack </b>will give their best effort.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about them.¡±


    He arches an eyebrow. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You have every right to be skeptical, as I am too.¡± It¡¯s a terrible thing for an Alpha to admit that he or <b>she </b>doesn¡¯t trust the very people they¡¯ve sworn to protect. Growing up, Zircon Moon was a symbol of pride. My pride. I¡¯ve held my home to the greatest <b>regard </b><b>and </b>couldn¡¯t say enough good things about it. Now, as I open my eyes more to <b>what </b><b>I¡¯ve </b>turned an ignorant eye to, there isn¡¯t much to be proud of.


    It¡¯s disgraceful.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good thing, Neron. If you can¡¯t trust your people <b>to </b>go to battle for you, then who can you


    trust?¡±


    ¡°My Betas and my Gammas<b>.</b>¡± A foreign feeling bubbled in my chest as I spoke. I don¡¯t <b>know </b>if I should call it pride, but its warmth rushed through my body. ¡°<b>Can </b>I ask you a question, Anthony?¡±


    He nods<b>.</b>


    ¡°Do you regret sending Kiya to mynds?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s eyebrows arch at the unexpected question with a sharp intake of breath. His expression contorted as his hazel eyes hardened like steel, regarding me with a look full of scrutiny. On the desk, his fingers.


    47 To Help Dr Not


    switched slightly before hiding away under the cherry wood. I waited for his answer while Diana shuffled in myp.


    ¡°Sending my sister to yournds was never for your benefit. My family promised to protect her from harm, always. As the years went on, I¡¯ve watched Kiya <b>blossom </b><b>into </b><b>a </b>force to be reckoned with. But there was constantly something holding her back from her true potential. Mom, Dad, and I believed a time wille for her to confront her demons in order for her to heal well because no matter what we <b>do</b>, Zircon Moon continued to hover <b>over </b>her like a dark cloud. Kiya is a warrior, but she is always fighting. Sometimes, even the mightiest of all fighters grow weary. While her primary purpose was to train your warriors, it was also <b>so </b><b>she </b>can break her chains permanently and finally be free.¡±


    A tired exhale escaped from Anthony¡¯s lips. Slumping shoulders, permeating sadness, and the loss of light in his eyes gave way to how he¡¯s truly feels. Guilt. Anthony holds the <b>look </b>of a remorseful man with the weight of the world trapping him between a rock and a hard ce. His palm brushed his hair back, revealing more of his regret.


    ¡°I regret sending her. If I hadn¡¯t, <b>she¡¯d </b>still be here. I acted selfishly; in my desire for her to break loose from her demons, <b>I¡¯ve </b>chained her tighter to them. And now, she¡¯s gone.¡± His sorrowful eyes gazed at the <b>shining </b>moon through his window as if he¡¯s praying for our goddess¡® forgiveness. ¡°I just wanted the pain in her eyes to disappear. But you don¡¯t send a soldier with PTSD back to the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with what you <b>did</b>, Anthony.¡± I reassured, feeling his <b>guilt </b>twinning with mine, despite <b>being </b>so different. ¡°You did what you thought was best at the time.¡±


    ¡°And look where that got her. Your ex¨Cgirlfriend tried to kill her twice, and a crazed psychopath nearly killed. my family to abduct her. I feel like this is my i


    ¡°If it counts for something, Kiya¡¯s presence had a good effect on mynds.¡±


    Anthony rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re saying that because she is your mate.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that.¡± I shook my head. ¡°She was the karma we all needed. For too long, we¡¯ve alluded ourselves to think nothing would harm us; that our actions won¡¯t affect our future. We¡¯ve buried that part of our history for so long, and it is only now that we¡¯re <b>forced </b>to open our eyes and confront it. To own up to what we did. I admit, some of us <b>need </b>more work than others. Kiya is my mate, but she¡¯s also a lesson I needed to be taught a long time ago. If she hadn¡¯t kicked my ass, I¡¯d still be the same idiot as before.¡±


    ¡°You still are kind of.¡± Onyx quipped. I¡¯ve never put a mental block up so fast.


    Sharp knocks from behind me echoed in the air, taking our attention from the conversation. With a blunt ¡®Come in¡® from Anthony. Miss Phoebe walked in with a grim look on her <b>face</b>. An <b>air </b>of mystery trails <b>her </b>in the office, pricking at my skin. It¡¯s not bothersome, but it still gives me the child.


    Thest of my hopesid with her as she is the only one<b>, </b>I believe<b>, </b>can locate Kiya with magic.


    ¡°Phoebe<b>. </b>Any news?¡± Anthony asked.


    The heavy sigh she gave made my fear spike. ¡°Osiris got smarter this time. I¡¯ve conjured up all the spells and rituals from my book to locate Kiya, but I¡¯m met with metaphysical blocks time after time. Imagine running and suddenly crashing into <b>an </b>unexpected tree. If my sentiments are correct, he is using the magic of corrupt witches to insure their location is untraceable. He is not letting anyone find Kiya.¡±


    Chapter 47 ¨C To Help Or Not


    ¡°Corrupt witches?¡± I asked her. ¡°What do they have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°Just like in every species, there are a select few who stray from the rules. Phoebe began. ¡°Motivated by greed, lust, and who knows what <b>else</b>, they¡¯ll do whatever it takes to get what they want. Here, witches who use corrupt magic are the ones who will ally themselves with darkness. While Osiris <b>is </b>not a witch, it¡¯s most likely he promised them something in return of their servitude. Unfortunately, when Kiya and I were kidnapped, I¡¯ve witnessed their immorality with my own eyes. They don¡¯t care about anyone except themselves. I¡¯m sure Goddess Hecate has forsaken them as her children.¡±


    Disbelief rocks through my body at the idea of Osiris gaining unlikely allies to keep Kiya hidden away like possession. Witches, Cerberus; who the hell else is there?! My faith slowly detes, but I cannot let it die.


    Giving up is not an option, <b>nor </b><b>will </b>it ever be <b>an </b>option.


    I won¡¯t stop until I <b>find </b>her.


    Anthony hummed in thought, resting his <b>chin </b><b>on </b><b>his </b><b>fist</b>. ¡°Your friend, Endo, used a special locator spellst time to uncover your location. Could we try that again since <b>we </b><b>have </b>Raina here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a perilous ritual, <b>even </b>without the blocks to take into consideration. The <b>blocks </b>these witches used to cloud Kiya¡¯s location are incredibly strong, and it most likely came from the effort of multiple corrupt witches. Using that ritual again will put <b>Raina¡¯s </b>life in danger again. Given the barriers <b>put </b>in <b>ce</b>, I will not take that risk on her life. There <b>is </b>a lot at stake now; not just Kiya¡¯s safety.¡±


    Raina would die for Kiya, <b>that </b>I know for sure. However, <b>Valerian </b>would never agree to <b>a </b>second chance at the ritual<b>, </b>given how he was against it the first time. His wife could¡¯ve gotten seriously hurt.


    ¡°What can you do now, Phoebe?¡±


    The witch rubbed her temples, her eyes fluttering close. ¡°I cane up with a new ritual to <b>try </b>out. It¡¯ll take some time to gather materials needed, but if I can break through the metaphysical blocks, then it leads us that much <b>closer </b>to discovering where both she and Osiris are. I can have it made by the morning.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a <b>n</b>. <b>Thank </b>you, Phoebe. You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    A thought suddenly struck, buzzing about like an angry ho. As Phoebe got up to leave, I <b>called </b>her out. ¡°Wait, Miss Phoebe. There is something I need to ask you.¡±


    Her amethyst eyes peered into my soul, silently beckoning me to ask what is on my mind.


    ¡°What do you think Osiris wants with Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Something bad.¡± She points to myp. ¡°But, cute owl. Keep her around. She is something special.¡± With that, she left the office, leaving us Alphas alone<b>. </b>Diana cooed softly, nuzzling her small <b>head </b>into my stomach. My hand naturally found its way to her colorless feathers again, caressing them softly.


    ¡°Okay, Neron.¡± Anthony spoke again. ¡°We¡¯re up against an enemy unlike any other. Call your Beta Female and Gamma in here; I <b>want </b>to speak to them as well.¡±


    Five minutester, Raina and Kwame arrived are seated next to me. Kwame has his infamous calm and collected air around him while Raina is theplete opposite. Triggered by her worry, her leg bounces at her seat. Anthony measured them both in silence, his <b>eyes </b>searching for <b>faults </b>in <b>their </b>resolve. He¡¯s looking for a reason not to trust them.


    Chapter 47 ¨C To Help f¨¹r Reun


    I¡¯m partially offended.


    ¡°<b>You </b><b>want </b>to help find Kiya?¡±


    Both of them <b>nodded</b>, Raina more vigorously.


    ¡°<b>Your </b>Alpha <b>said </b>that he trusts you and your partners the most. Can you say, in confidence<b>, </b>I can <b>trust </b>you


    both as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kwame answered confidently. ¡°Under your <b>discretion</b>, <b>we </b>can work with your Beta and Gamma as we uncover additional information that¡¯ll <b>lead </b><b>us </b>to Kiya¡¯s rescue.¡±


    ¡°We want her back, and we¡¯ll do whatever it takes.¡± Raina added on, her leg slowing its bounce. Diana leaned over and rubbed her wing on her arm, taking the woman by surprise. Smiling softly, Raina petted her. Anthony regarded all of us with a heavy look before focusing on me.


    ¡°Very well. You¡¯re wee to the investigation.


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 Chapter 137

    Chapter 48 <b>¨C </b>Questions and Answers


    ¡°Belief can be manipted. Only knowledge is dangerous. -Frank Herbert


    Kiya


    I should spend a normal summer evening in my bed with the air conditioner sting, surrounded by fatty snacks, and a good movie ying on the television screen. Rxing with a touch ofzy. At least, that should be how I spend my first night back home.


    Instead, I¡¯m smashing my enchanted wrist cuffs against the corner of avish table in a fancy room in a strange mansion in the middle of nowhere! My saving grace is I¡¯m alone without Osiris¡® pet snake. He took Pepi with him because he knew I¡¯d punt that thing <b>like </b>a football again. Artemis, watching mytest feats in the corner of my mind, snorted as I failed to make a single dent into my cuffs. I¡¯ve been trying to escape out of these things for hours with no luck!


    ¡°I think its clear to say the old¨Cfashioned way is not helping you to <b>get </b>out of those things.¡± She pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re going to tire yourself out.¡±


    ¡°Whatever magic is in these things is tiring me out!¡± The only thing more dented than the table corner is my ego. ¡°F*cking hell! Osiris is an asshole for putting these things on me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious he doesn¡¯t want you fighting back. Kidnappers want their victims helpless.¡±


    ¡°Too bad for him. I¡¯m not a victim.¡± Giving up on the cuffs, my mind goes into overdrive to create another n. Osiris is a shrewd and cunning man, cutting off all escape routes. He nned this long before capturing me. I¡¯ve contemted throwing myself against the window a third time, butyers of unbreakable <b>ss </b>reinforced. the damn thing. To add insult to injury, since I cannot ess my powers or shift, my body to the window was like a rubber ball to a wall. I bounced back. Hard.


    Then, there is the door. Osiris bolts it closed every time he leaves. But if I could escape through <b>the </b>door, I have to deal with Cerberus guarding the door on the other side. Considering the extreme height and build differences between us, all he has to do is flick my head with a finger and I¡¯m forced back inside.


    Frustration bubbled and sizzled, coursing through my veins as I¡¯ve reached the limit of my dwindling patience. Caged inside an airless room with no <b>escape </b>reminded me of my dark days, and I hated it. I hate Osiris for what he¡¯s doing to me<b>; </bying cryptic messages only to irk me for his amusement.


    My stomach growled like a lion with hunger twisting my insides. I haven¡¯t eaten since I woke up and it added to my irritation. ording to Galen, a hungry me is never a pleasant sight. Well, if worstes to worse, I <b>could </b>eat <b>Osiris</b>¡® stupid face.


    Speaking of that snake, the story of his past hadn¡¯t left my thoughts. It interconnects his pain and mine. through the brutality we suffered under the same pack that should¡¯ve protected us. Zircon Moon had failed us both for years, <b>and </b>I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. However, a part of me urges to exercise caution. A chance that Osiris is <b>making </b>the story up is high. He could use this false tale to manipte me.


    Deep down, I feel he isn¡¯t lying. But could Osiris <b>be </b><b>sick </b>enough to dream up such <b>a </b>story? To fake his suffering<b>?</b>


    My mind suddenly shes to my first kidnapping; the evident fear from the other avatars, the unyielding sense of control from the hybrids¨Ceverything <b>reyed </b>like a broken record. I still remember the panic when


    Questions and Answer


    Nadia helped free us and the chaos that followed. We could¡¯ve <b>died </b>that day because of Osiris¡® actions.


    Nadia¡¯s <b>fate </b>is still unknown. Sitting on the bed, I thought about that innocent human <b>and </b>how she was unfortunate to get tangled into that mess. My vision blurred as I remembered the exhaustion in her <b>eyes </b>when imprisoning us and the determination when she set us free. That woman, bound to that monster, risked her life to save us. Those hands broke our <b>chains </b>and led us to our freedom. I owe Nadia my life. However,


    Cerberus snatched her back in <b>that </b>fire and that¡¯s thest I <b>saw </b>of her.


    Is she alive or dead? What about Lucien, the vampire who was with her?


    My lips contorted into a scowl. I had questions, and Osiris <b>has </b>the answers. While I do sympathize with him, that¡¯s no excuse for what he¡¯s done. He almost killed my family, just as <b>he </b>did again today. That¡¯s unforgivable!


    So, like the unwilling, hell¨Craising prisoner I am, I made noise to get his attention. My fists and feet made an ensemble of obstreperous racket made of stomps, wall <b>hits</b>, tossing items about carelessly, and screaming like a toddler on time¨Cout. Osiris has no right to ignore me for hours, leaving me <b>hungry </b>and pissed!


    Lucky for me, my behavior granted my wishes. Like a mysterious magician, the bastard appeared at my door with savory smelling food on a carrying tray. His face failed to hide his irritation as his crimson eyes soaked in the mess I¡¯ve made of the room.


    ¡°There are better ways of getting my attention, Little Moon.¡± Osiris huffed. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to throw a


    <b>tantrum</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! N Next time I shall ring for a butler to go fetch you!¡± I shot back. My eyes trailed his movements as he set the tray on a bare table. On cue, my stomach demanded for therge te of creamy chicken alfredo with breadsticks and seasoned broli on the side. A small pitcher of water was there as well. Werewolf instincts wanted the food, but I remained put. ¡°I¡¯m not eating that.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I know you haven¡¯t eaten, and I wouldn¡¯t want you to go to sleep hungry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you care for my wellbeing? I¡¯m not taking the risk of getting drugged again.¡±


    ¡°You much rather starve? Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t drug your food.¡± Osiris chuckled, gathering the fallen items, and setting them back on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t think someone with an appetite of your caliber should go long without food. Plus, I made it and I like to <b>know </b>what you think.¡±


    My mind <b>spun</b>. Did my kidnapper ask me to rate his food? I might be an amateur food critic, but it doesn¡¯t change my mind. In defiance, I crossed my arms and stared him down. ¡°No, I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°<b>Fair </b>enough.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Well, what can I do to make <b>you </b><b>eat</b>? Your stomach <b>roars </b>louder than untamed


    lions.¡±


    ¡°Speeding past thatment, I have questions. Answer them, and I¡¯ll consider <b>eating</b>.¡± It doesn¡¯t help <b>that </b>the presentation is immacte. Osiris regarded me with a heavy look after resetting the nkets. His long silvery hair swayed with his movements like silk, and his red eyes held amusement. Moving with grace, he took a seat on the mattress<b>, </b>crossing one leg over the other and folded his <b>hands</b>.


    ¡°Very well. <b>Ask </b>away, dear.¡± He shed his pearly white teeth, unbothered to hide his fangs. The surrounding atmosphere thickened with a sense of danger, prompting my heart to race in my chest. Averting my eyes, I focused on the paintings rather than the heat of his stare.


    Chapter 48 ¨C Questions and Answers


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®dear.¡± I snarled. ¡°We¡¯ll start with the first kidnapping. Why did you take the avatars in the first ce?¨C


    ¡°I wanted an army and I still do. Society has mistreated hybrids for so long, so I did something about it. I have¡­ns, <b>Kiya</b>.¡± His frank honesty was rming. ¡°Avatars have incredible potential, but itsid to waste. We¡¯re practically gods yet many chosen to assimte into modern society.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one yourself. If you im that we¡¯re walking gods, then there is no point in needing us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re mistaken. Sure, let¡¯s take the notion that we¡¯re put on this earth <b>to </b>spread some bogus message about unity and whatnot amongst our species. That¡¯s the typical tale we¡¯re told, unless your deity is one of darkness. We can bend and mold reality however we want, but some choose not to. I, for one, will do whatever the f*ck I want.¡±


    I grabbed a chair and <b>nted </b>my behind on the soft red cushion several feet from the mad vampire. ¡°You said you wanted a partner in your ns, but what about Nadia? She¡¯s your mate, and you strung her along like a doll.¡±


    Osiris red back at me, crimson void of its earlier amusement. ¡°Take a gander at what happens to traitors. Nadia <b>was </b>my mate, but like all humans<b>, </b>she was worthless in the end. Set was enamored of her, desperate to make her his. After I got rid of him, the bond disappeared. However, Nadia still had some use and since she was in <b>love </b>with me, I kept her around.¡±


    ¡°Nadia had more backbone than you! She was a gift, and you threw her aside!¡± I shouted, fists shaking at my sides. ¡°She risked everything forplete strangers, and you killed her because she stood up against your tyranny! She was a human, she¡¯s better than you!¡±


    Osiris refused to confirm or deny that he killed her, but I didn¡¯t need it. Nadia was the bravest human I¡¯ve <b>ever </b>met. At the bottom of the totem pull in that crazy cult¨Clike prison, she <b>did </b>what was right. Sadness chilled my core in thought about her unfortunate fate. Selene paired her with Osiris for a reason, and I don¡¯t think that reason ever came to fruition. Osiris¡± madness was <b>too </b>strong for her to heal.


    I wanted to cry, but I refused to in front <b>of </b>the beast. Blinking back my tears, I steadied <b>my </bbored breathing, controlling the urge to leap from my seat and tear those white tresses out of <b>his </b>scalp.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Are </b>you done?¡± Osiris asked, bored.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°What¡¯s the point in all of this? <b>You </b>brought me here and I deserve the right to know what your ns are with me. If you¡¯re such a powerful avatar, you don¡¯t need me to destroy Zircon Moon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Logically, I don¡¯t need you to destroy that sorry pack, but your purpose is much greater than that. Why stop with just one?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± A sudden thought struck my <b>head</b><b>, </b>remembering the stories and reports trailing back several months. ¡°Are you the one responsible for the recent destruction of the packs <b>around </b>Nevada and in the Tri¨Cstate area?¡± His shy smile gave me his answer. ¡°Do you know how many lives you¡¯ve destroyed?!¡±


    ¡°Hundreds and each of them deserved their fate!¡± Osiris shot back. I rose from my <b>seat</b>, ring at him with all the hatred I can muster.


    ¡°You¡¯ve <b>destroyed </b>families! Your beef is with Zircon, but you¡¯ve <b>destroyed </b>other packs for what?! Do you <b>hate </b>werewolves that much?¡±


    Chapter 48¨CQuestions and Answers


    ¡°Yes. And that is why you¡¯ll help me cleanse the world of <b>them</b>.¡± My heart dropped to the floor. Sweat


    perfused out of my pores with the growing sensation of uneasiness settling in as Osiris continued. ¡°As the to bless


    avatar of Selene, not only do you <b>have </b>the power hose hounds, but you can destroy them too. Bend


    them to your will. But, since you¡¯ve only awoken a <b>short </b>time ago, you don¡¯t understand the full depth of your powers, judging by that cute look on your face.¡±


    ¡°Listen <b>and </b>listen well, you <b>bastard</b>.¡± I snarled, ¡°There is no way in hell that I¡¯ll help you aplish this messed¨Cup mission. I <b>have </b>my problems with Zircon, but it¡¯s <b>not </b>enough to wish death against my race! I¡¯m sorry for what happened to you and Amber, but I¡¯m <b>not </b>her. And I¡¯ll never <b>be </b>your puppet.¡±


    Osiris released a burst of wickedughter<b>, </b>not quite from the belly but from the throat. ¡°You say that now, but the darkness within you says different. Believe what you want, Little Moon, but nothing can stop me. Not even you. Soon, you¡¯ll realize that it is better to destroy than to mend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster!¡± My shouts meant nothing to him as he stood to <b>take </b><b>his </b>leave.


    ¡°Eat. I¡¯ll be back for the dishes.¡±


    Oh, no, he won¡¯t ignore me like this! ¡°You <b>im </b>Selene spat on <b>Amber¡¯s </b>memory <b>by having </b>me born in Zircon Moon, but all I see, is you shitting on her memory too. To list off the <b>shit </b>you¡¯ve done; you took me from my <b>family</b>, marked me against my will, <b>and </b>imprisoned me here! You¡¯re just like <b>Alpha </b>Titan<b>!</b>¡±


    Ured


    The vampire stopped in <b>his </b>tracks. His back went rigid as he stood straight and tall. Anger erupted and out of him like scorching¨Chotva threatening to burn everything in the room; me included. Before I could <b>blink</b>, my world blurred in a flurry of muddled colors <b>and </b>my back was forced against the <b>wall </b>with heavy, furious panting above me.


    When my vision cleared, glowing crimson peered deep <b>into </b>my soul, <b>chaining </b>it to its metaphorical prison. I couldn¡¯t look <b>away</b>, nor did I have the strength to. In his haunting red, fury swam, toiled, and burned Osiris¡± enormous hands pinned my wrists to the wall, sending shivers rocketing through my body with reckless abandon. The distance between our bodies was nonexistent, for my chest and torso can feel every inch of his hard muscles. My heart throbbed in synchronicity with my mark, which my mind hated but my


    body loved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, Little Moon.¡± Osiris¡® thick, hoarse voice rung like sirens in my ear with his breath tickling my earlobe. ¡°But if youpare me to that beast in <b>wolf¡¯s </b>skin again, there will be repercussions you


    won¡¯t like.¡±


    After what seemed like an eternity, the vampire released me from his hold. My knees buckled and gave out, sending me to the ground. ¡°Eat.¡± He ordered before exiting my room in a flood of heat, mming the door behind him. I press my hand to my chest<b>, </b>steading my rapid breathing that came about <b>as </b><b>soon </b><b>as </b>he left.


    I pissed off a vampire and lived. <b>And </b>I¡¯m not waiting around for a next time!


    The <b>alfredo </b>has gone cold, but I couldn¡¯t care less. Staying around a dangerous, insane vampire is not part of my life ns, but getting the hell of here is. Solidifying my resolve<b>, </b>I shot up on my feet and ran to the door, hoping Osiris forgot to lock it.


    And what do you know? He did! The door swung open with <b>a </b><b>soft </b>squeal, revealing a barren hallway without a soul in sight. Taking a deep whiff, Cerberus scent has gone stale and Osiris <b>is </b>nowhere to be found.


    ¡°What a f*cking idiot!¡± I cackled through my mind¨Clink with Artemis. ¡°It¡¯s smooth sailing from here!¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Kiki.¡± My wolf warned. ¡°It could be a trap.¡±


    ¡°Understood


    Time to make my escape!This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 138

    Chapter <b>49 </b>¨C A Trap


    ¡°A trap is only a trap if you don¡¯t know about it. If you know about it, it¡¯s a challenge.¡°¨C -China Mi¨¦ville


    Kiya


    In order to get out of this madhouse<b>, </b>I need the power of stealth. Wolves are crafty creatures by nature, in packs even more so. But tonight, I¡¯m alone and can solely rely on myself. Getting home safe is my motivation because my family is waiting for my return. I must return and put this insanity behind me.


    Danger lurks at every corner, in the light and <b>the </b>darkness. One slip up, and I¡¯m a goner. Hiding in the darkened corner between two walls, I listen for distant chatter along with utilizing my <b>senses </b>to sniff out how close an enemy is. This <b>home </b>is full of enemies with cruel intentions<b>. </b>Once the coast is clear, <b>I </b>sneak out of


    my hiding spot, on the search of a new one.


    I don¡¯t know where the exit is, but I won¡¯t stop until I find it. My freedom depends on it. The mansion¡¯s atmosphere thickened with wicked magic humming through the imprable air. Heavy and weighing down on me without consequence, partially to do with the chainless shackles around my wrists<b>. </b>The work of corrupt witches<b>, </b>who I¡¯m <b>sure </b><b>lurk </b>about between these walls. If I am to sniff the woodsy air again, I must slip <b>past</b>Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    them too.


    ¡°<i>I </i>wonder what¡¯s the deal with the witches.¡± I thought, walking through the vacant halls, attentive to not step on a creaky board. ¡°What <b>do </b>they <b>get </b>out of working with Osiris?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Whatever he promised them, it must be <b>good</b>.¡± Artemis wondered. ¡°Evil doesn¡¯t <b>need </b><b>a </b>reason to do <b>what </b>it does. Sadly, not all witches <b>are </b><b>as </b>kind¨Chearted <b>as </b>Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tragic, but I can¡¯t pity anyone who choses this path. All they do is hurt people.¡± Like Odessa and Jonathan did. As I traversed down the obscure, windowless hallway, my eye caught an old,rge painting residing on the wall near an exit. <b>In </b>silence, I walked up to gaze at the couple presented in the portrait, framed dark gold with light dusting at its corners. Remnants of brushstrokes added depth to the art, intertwining with physical features and colors to make them stand out. The colors weren¡¯t strong, but soften


    <b>and </b>subtle to not sting


    the eyes.


    My gazended on the woman in a golden, pleaded dress with gentle, down¨C<b>turned</b>, auburn eyes peering back. at me. Skin as <b>smooth </b><b>as </b>silk and brown as russet, her <b>smile </b>gave way to her kindness captured in the art. ck <b>hair </b>mimicking ocean waves rested on her shoulders, coiling down her cleavage, framing the diamond ne resting around her neck. Pinned to the side of her hair was, what I suspected to be, a blooming carnelian. She folded in her hands herp, nails colored white, blending in with the soft theme of her


    aesthetic.


    Standing above her <b>was </b><b>a </b>man, regal, wearing a ck and white petticoat with a hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder. The more I stared at the man<b>, </b>the likeness he held to Osiris came to light. Colorless, pin¨Cstraight tresses flowed behind him as his fringe shielded one crimson eye, giving him a mysterious vibe. With skin in the shade of paling bronze, the ck in his clothing <b>made </b>it stand out. While his eyes were serious, the grip on the woman¡¯s shoulder was soft<b>¨C</b>a telling contrast between the two.


    ¡°<b>Are </b>they¡­Osiris¡® parents?¡± Artemis asked the million¨Cdor question. Pondering on that possibility made the likelihood of that theory to be true.


    ¡°I think so. <i>He </i>shares features from both his mother and father, so that means this pce belongs to them. <i>A</i>


    Chapter 49 ¨C A Trap


    ssuming those <b>two </b>are dead, what would they think of Osiris¡® hellbent scheme to punish werewolf kind?¡±


    ¡°A question we¡¯ll never have an answer to.¡± My wolf sighed. ¡°You should keep going. I want the


    don¡¯t <b>man </b>in question snatching you up***


    ¡°Right.¡±


    As


    s I slipped in corners, under decorative tables, and behind doors, I took notice of the mansion¡¯s habitants freely roaming on each floor. The corrupt witches ranged from young adults to the elderly with deadly magic braided into their aura. Whenever they passed by me, it is as if I couldn¡¯t breathe because their presence is suffocating. Phoebe told me stories of witches who practice dark magic, the type she dabbles in, but it was never to harm others. Magic is the maniption of energy to work in the way the caster wants, <b>and </b>some use it for their selfish benefit.


    The runes embedded in these dumb bracelets would shimmer whenever some would pass by, prompting me to hide them close to my person to not give away my hiding spot. Now, I know these horrible people designed and constructed not just these, but the ones back at the asylum. That begs the question on why the asylum was needed in the first ce.


    Osiris is a cunning man, but his mind <b>is </b>a puzzle I can¡¯t seem to decipher either. His ns are solid, but his ndestine methodology leaves nothing for the imagination.


    Through <b>a </b>series of exits and corridors, I¡¯ve made it to the bottom floor, listening to the cacophony of dishes from the kitchen. Or so I thought was the kitchen. Judging by the rancid smell, however, I don¡¯t think edible food is being cooked in there. The acrid odor activated the tumbling nausea in my stomach equal to decay. Rotting <b>flesh </b>and tainted blood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to see what¡¯s going on in there¡­.¡± Artemis trailed on.


    ¡°It¡¯s revolting! This is perhaps where they make the zombie rogue wolves.¡±


    ¡°No doubt, but tread carefully. There¡¯s more movement down <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    And she couldn¡¯t be any more right. Several witches poured out of the makeshift kitchen along with a few hybrids I spot in the crowd. I ducked underneath a table, hiding behind the tablecloth, curling into a small ball with my back pressed up against a wall.


    ¡°How much longer must we <b>craft </b>and create rotting mutts? We should put our abilities to better use.¡± One witch huffed; her feminine adenoidal voice thick. My ears perked up, listening closer to the conversation.


    ¡°Until Osiris says we can begin with the <b>ritual</b>.¡± The dull voice of anothermented. ¡°He must make sure everything is in ce before he brings the girl down.¡±


    ¡°Well, he needs to hurry. I¡¯m waiting for the moment we can finally rain hell amongst those who¡¯ve wronged us all these years.¡±


    ¡°Pipe down! Osiris <b>has </b>eyes and ears everywhere. Question him and he¡¯ll revoke his promise to you, maybe even kill you.¡± A high¨Cpitched voice warned. ¡°If you want that immortality, shut the hell up and do what you need to do. How is the room looking up?¡±


    ¡°We just need to dress the ck candles in snake¡¯s blood and finishing carving the ouroboros and it¡¯ll be <b>ready</b>.¡± The monotonous voice replied. ¡°All our <b>hard </b>work won¡¯t be in vain, I promise <b>that</b>.¡±


    The footsteps retreated away from <b>me</b>, disappearing into the distance. Poking my head out from under the tablecloth, I hobbled on my feet in shock of what I just heard.


    ¡°Snake blood? Ritual? I don¡¯t like where this is going and I¡¯m not staying to find out!¡± Just by what that said


    group sent chills down my spine. Rituals of that caliber cannot equate to anything good. If Phoebe were here, she¡¯d <b>give </b>insight into this insanity.


    ¡°Remain <b>calm</b><b>, </b>Kiya. The <b>front </b>door <b>is </b>around <b>here</b><b>. </b>We just got to <b>keep </b>searching.¡±


    I tiptoed past the makeshift kitten and passed another set of doors until I heard, ¡°Hold on, I forgot something!¡± followed by hasty footsteps. My heart hammered against my ribcage as the prospect of getting caught as <b>sweat </b>perfusing out of my pores.


    ¡°Shit! What the hell should I do!?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Hide!¡±


    ¡°I know that, but where?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s behind that set of doors?¡± <b>I </b>cracked the door open to see a grandeur, clean dining hall. ¡°Perfect! Hide <b>here</b>!¡±


    Sniffing once to insure no one else is inside, I slipped through the doors, ducking down as <b>I </b>listened to the


    out of that unscathed! witch pass by. I let out a sigh of relief; I can¡¯t believe I got


    Until the door started moving. Shit!


    Panicked, I dove underneath thevish tables like a diver, curling myself into a ball once more, hugging my knees to my chest. This is going to be one hell of a story to tell Jackie and the others, I swear. Footsteps trotted inside the hall,ing close to my hiding spot. Pressing my hand over my mouth, I quieted my breathing<b>, </b>but my heart thumped to the beat of a thousand drums.


    The witch was so close that her gross feet poked from under the tablecloth. The ck ts she wore was the only thing appealing to the eye.


    ¡°Why do I have the urge to punch her toes?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Kiya. No.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°But I¡¯m annoyed.¡±


    ¡°NO<b>!</b>¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Aplices to kidnapping get broken toes.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Just the big toe!¡±


    <b>Why </b>a


    you like this<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the ashy knuckles for me.¡±


    §³§á§Ñ§â§ä§Ö§ä 49¨C§¡ §´§Ô§Ñ§â


    ¡°I swear to Selene, Kiya-!¡±


    Before I could f*ck up the mission with my random urges, the crusty¨Clooking toes slipped away, and the witch. left the dining hall with <b>a </b>door <b>m </b>behind her. Emerging from under the table, I spotted a set of double doors on the other side, hushed and still. With the light of hope burning inside me<b>, </b>I skipped toward and opened the doors, poking my head into another deserted hallway.


    Silence.


    No one has been in these halls in a while because of theck of stale scents in the air. Standing in the middle of the corridor, I contemted on which path to go. One of these paths leads towards the <b>exit</b>, yet I¡¯m not sure where to go. But<b>, </b>trusting my instincts, I walked toward the right side of the ck walls, noting other paintings on the walls.


    Osiris or one of his parents must <b>adore </b>paintings, but many haven¡¯t been tended to, judging by the yellowing backgrounds fromck of care. The portrait of his parents was taken care of more than these abandoned


    canvases<b>.</b>


    Freedom is <b>so </b>close that I could taste it. ¡°We¡¯re close, Art! I have a feeling the front door is not too far away.¡±


    And I was correct.


    The atrium of Osiris¡® mansion was twice the size of the foyers <b>in </b>Ga and Zircon Moon, but decorated in ck, red, and gold carpeting <b>and </b>paneling, giving off the haunting feel of a mysterious castle. I expected no less from a vampire. Beside me was a set of stairs leading to the second floor of the home, curved. This home was beyond convoluted for my taste, but being in such a massive home <b>must </b>feel so lonely. History is hidden behind these walls, detailing the tale of Osiris¡® parents after their escape from Zircon Moon and the abandonment of their children.


    But that¡¯s not my problem. Sauntering to the front door, my heart pounded once more as I gripped the doorknob, twisting to find it unlocked. Moonlight greeted me with a dazzling strip of silver, illuminating my body. For a second, happiness <b>flooded </b>me faster than a tsunami, proud that I¡¯ve reached my goal. Taking that leap of faith, I ran out the door into the cool summer breeze, the scent of nature tickling my nose. Deep <b>green </b>forestryid beyond my eyes, beckoning me into its safety in its dense refuge.


    I can¡¯t believe it! I¡¯m that much closer to going home! However, <b>a </b>small inkling burrowed itself to the front of my mind, forcing my attention to it.


    This escape. It was too easy; like a dreame true.


    Oh, <b>how </b>fast dreams can turn into nightmares..


    As I made my first steps towards the forest, a crawling sensation rose from my waistline to my shoulders, trapping me in ce. Tworge<b>, </b>mmy hands pressed themselves hard <b>against </b>either side of my head, sharp nails sinking into the flesh of my face. A <b>dark </b>chuckle rumbled from behind me, dousing me in sub¨Czero chill.


    ¡°Ah, Little Moon, <b>like </b><b>a </b>mouse running through a maze, you found your <b>escape </b>from my humble abode. I shouldmend you for your tenacity and bravery<b>. </b>However¡­¡± As his nails sunk deeper into my skin, so did the pain. I writhed and struggled, but it was fruitless. Darkness pooled from the corner of my eyes<b>, </b>sinking <b>deep </b>into my vision, obscuring the <b>silver </b>illumination intoplete ckness. ¡°Commendable as <b>you </b>may be, I¡¯m afraid your <b>lucky </b>streak ends here.¡±


    The world came crashing <b>down </b>at me, darkness filling my lungs with its thick noze. I screamed, attempting to pry Osiris¡® hands off my head, but my muscles <b>weakened </b>like gtin. Senses dulled and my body surrendered to the darkness with my once rapid <b>heart </b>stilling to abrupt <b>calm</b>. The world weed horrid ck into my home, taking over like a festering disease. All surrounding sounds buzzed before falling intoplete silence. My body, weak <b>and </b>helpless, fell forward only to be caught by the arms of my <b>captor</b>.


    Artemis was right..


    This was a trap.


    Osiris


    Kiya¡¯s intelligence and resourcefulness wasn¡¯t to be underestimated, but in the end, I came out on top. Allowing her to escape her room to roam my halls was a game I was nervous wouldn¡¯t work out in my favor. But, like a food¨Cdeprived rat, she found the <b>bait </b>and took it, only to be met with crushing feat.


    Oh, my beauty. You should¡¯ve understood that I¡¯ll never let you go. You are far too important to me.


    ame.


    Carrying my unconsciousdy in my arms, I turned to my army of servants; hybrids and witches alike, standing at the entrance of my door with soulless eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to begin the first part of the ritual.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 50 ¨C What¡¯s So Special About You?


    ¡°The colour or intensity of a smoke doesn¡¯t determine the type of fire that forms the smoke.¡°¨CAgbor J


    Neron


    <b>Diana¡¯s </b><b>eyes </b>swelled in child¨Clike curiosity when Kwame, Raina, and I left Alpha Anthony¡¯s office. Craning her neck from side to side, sharp yellow orbs captured thevish interior of the pack house, hooting <b>whenever </b>anything captured her interest, even the wallmps. My broad smile shined at the shifting bundle of feathers in my palms, my fingers caressing her softness. As my mind muddled with worry over Kiya, Diana¡¯s presence provided some relief. Although she isn¡¯t my pet, this owl is linked to my mate, so it is like I have a piece of her


    with me.


    My wolves and I will return to Zircon Moon in the morning, <b>as </b>it iste for us to travel back home. There isn¡¯t much else for us to do right now. Our hopes rest with Phoebe¡¯s witchcraft in wishes to narrow down Kiya¡¯s whereabouts. Unfortunately, Anthony¡¯s trackers failed to track my mate¡¯s scent beyond the crash site. Miss Phoebe was correct; Osiris has gotten craftier to ensure <b>we </b>wouldn¡¯t detect him or Kiya, shrouding them both


    in mystery.


    I don¡¯t know why he wants Kiya for himself. Frustration bubbled through my blood at my weakness because I¡¯m at a loss for what I should and could do. I wanted to rip Osiris to pieces, but I need to find the piece of shit first. Anthony epting my help was the first step tobating this problem, but with nothing to work with, it left us in a state of disarray.


    Kiya is strong. I know she is fighting for a way back home. That thought keeps my palpitating heart calm and my mind serene. I believe in her. The mental imagery of her kicking Osiris¡± ass brought a delighted grin to my face while <b>we </b>reached in the lounge where her family is.


    The air is thick with sadness. Each member held distinct or blended emotions on their faces as the reality of our situation hit like brick on ss. Jacqueline hid her face in her palms with Abigail rubbing soothing circles on her back, consoling her. Sapphire rested in the protective arms of Isaiah, blue orbs void of their light. Galen, generally so talkative and expressive<b>, </b>is now silent, blinking back tears from his zed eyes<b>, </b>no doubt in mentalmunication with Mikhail. Darien stood at the window, staring out into the dense redwood <b>forest </b>with his back turned to everybody.


    Kiya¡¯s disappearance had a bigger impact on them than I expected.


    Lyra and Niki walked in toward us, <b>eyes </b>pink from their crying. ¡°Any news?¡± Lyra asked in desperate hope.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be working with your son to find her.¡± I answered positively, <b>clutching </b>little Diana <b>a </b>little tighter. ¡°Miss Phoebe will conjure a spell to center on her location, but there <b>is </b>no guarantee. The enemy doesn¡¯t want anyone to find her.¡±


    ¡°I trust Phoebe. She hasn¡¯t failed <b>us </b>and won¡¯t be starting shortly.¡± Niki reassured. Suddenly, we <b>heard </b>a dry, bitter <b>scoff</b>, pulling everyone¡¯s attention to the man at the window.


    ¡°Some help you¡¯ll be.¡± Darien jeered with ridicule. ¡°You¡¯ve been nothing but trouble the moment you walked into our lives.¡±


    ¡°Darien, bro please.¡± Galen beseeched, rubbing his fatigued face.


    ¡°You all have the right to not have faith in us.¡± Kwame<b>, </b>the voice of reason, <b>spoke</b>. ¡°But belleve me, we¡¯re


    Chapter 50¨CWhats Special About You?


    going to do all we can to bring Kiya home. We <b>need </b>to put our personal feelings aside if we want this alliance


    <b>to </b>work.¡±


    ¡°Sure. For the sake of an alliance that should¡¯ve never happened. That damn agreement is the reason Kiya¡¯s


    gone.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Raina added in disbelief, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°None of us could¡¯ve expected this was going to happen, Darien.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but the choices your Alpha made are tied into today¡¯s events!¡± He <b>med</b>, striking dagger¨Clike pain into my heart.


    ¡°So, your problem is with me.¡± I confirmed, swallowing down the tsunami of emotions that threaten to rise in me. Onyx, bedraggled and frustrated, perked up in defense, ready to fight. ¡°I¡¯m not the reason that psychopath kidnapped Kiya.¡±


    ¡°But if you just <b>had </b>epted Kiya as your mate in the first ce, none of this shit would¡¯ve happened!¡± Darien turned to face <b>me</b>, ocean blue eyes aglow with savage fury. ¡°What is so goddamn special about you, Neron? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow. There isn¡¯t anything special about me.¡±


    ¡°There must be.¡± He smirked bitterly, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he eyed my form. Cocking his head to the side, Darien bit the inside of his lips, trying to hold himself back from attacking me. ¡°It¡¯s not just about Kiya, however, I¡¯m just trying to figure out a couple of things, like how you single¨Chandedly ruined my rtionship.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that shit with Odessa a rtionship.¡± Jacqueline quipped, unveiling her face from her palms. ¡°Very, is this the right time to talk about that sociopathic bitch?!¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°No, Beta Jacqueline.¡± I raised my palm up, sighing. ¡°Let Darien speak. I¡¯m sure he needs to get this off his


    chest.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you know me, bastard.¡± He <b>growled</b><b>, </b>marching up to me. Darien¡¯s glower pierced my eyes, the heat of his hatred incinerating me alive. The eyes are the <b>windows </b>to the soul, <b>and </b>I can <b>see </b>the man holding onto pain. A lot of it. Odessa has hurt this man¨Cmind, body, and soul. She betrayed him. I know I hold some responsibility for his pain Darien¡¯s anger is powerful, but I cannot deny his usations.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your goddamn apologies, Neron.¡± He snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t see <b>what </b>is so goddamn special about you for Odessa to resist the <b>fated </b>bond. What did you give her I couldn¡¯t<b>? </b>Maybe it¡¯s <b>the </b>fact that you <b>are </b>a man of power¨Ca f*cking Alpha. Or, maybe, <b>you¡¯re </b>a better man in bed. <b>She </b>perhaps couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you while f*cking me. She was so in love that she was willing to kill and betray her <b>pack </b>for your affection. Hell, even f*cking owls love you!¡±


    ¡°Hoo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of <b>you </b>I lost <b>my </b>mate. I lost her the moment I met her. I was nothing but a second choice to the mighty Alpha¨Ca side piece, a paramour. And now you expect us to work with you to find our friend? The same person you <b>pushed </b>aside in the first ce? You don¡¯t deserve Kiya.¡±


    Chapter 50 ¨C What¡¯s So Special About You!


    ¡°I know <b>that</b>, Darien; I tell myself that every day.¡± I retorted coolly, expelling a shaky sigh. ¡°But Odessa made her own decisions, and she chose to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°For you, goddamnit!¡± He shouted in my <b>face</b>. ¡°You got her hooked to you like a fish on a lure! This is all your fault! You ruined what is supposed to be my sacred rtionship! You wreck everything in your path and <b>working </b>with you and your awful pack will lead us to ruin!¡±


    ¡°Darien, that is enough!¡± <b>Niki </b>bellowed, silencing the argument. ¡°Go to your room and cool down. We¡¯ll discuss this in the morning.¡±


    The man blinked and growled, turning on his heels to leave the lounge, but not before whispering a ¡®Go to hell¡® to me. No one knew what to say or do; it was extremely awkward. Even <b>Diana</b><b>, </b>sensitive to the chaos, hid her face in my torso. I guess it is time <b>to </b><b>add </b>Darien to the list of people who hate my guts, and I don¡¯t me


    him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll retire to my room.¡± I announced, sighing. ¡°You all have a good night.¡±


    ¡°Do you need one of our Omegas to show you to your room?¡± Niki asked.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± I declined, eager to leave the tense room. ¡°I know the way.¡±


    In the guest room<b>, </b><b>I </b>sat on the bed<b>, </b>propping my elbows up on the windowsill with my chin resting on my palms. Red leaves cloaked in the night¡¯s darkness rustled from the cool breeze, producing a pleasant melody with the singing cicadas in the bark. Darien¡¯s cruel words left an evesting impression, forming holes in my heart that I¡¯ve <b>neglected </b>to pay attention to. Diana hobbled on the sill before sitting, her little legs sticking out from her feathered body.


    Maybe I do ruin everything I touch. Odessa¡¯s madness <b>spurred </b>because I let her go. It is my fault she turned out the way she did because I chose Kiya over her. All I wanted was for Odessa to experience the true love of the mate bond¨Csomething I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll never experience in my lifetime. Darien is a far better man than me and could¡¯ve provided more to her than I usually could. He loved her for her ws and all, could¡¯ve given her a family, and make her feel <b>she </b>was the only woman for him. She <b>was </b>the only woman for him.


    But <b>choosing </b>her over Kiya was <b>the </b>catalyst that started this reaction. Sighing, I reyed that night of my ceremony in my mind, over <b>and </b>over like a broken record yer. As the chaos thrived, Odessa also thrived. She constantly told me I <b>made </b>her feel like a powerful, unstoppable woman, and I did. With all she¡¯s done in those five years, I encouraged her, no matter how cruel she became.


    <b>Because </b>I believed for her to be my true woman until the guilt started settling in. No matter how much I ran from it, it caught up and devoured me whole. I practically lost Onyx for good because of my fatal decision. The honeymoon phase between Odessa and I, gradually, faded into nothing. My Moon Goddess warned to never trifle with the mate bond as exined through my lessons with my father.


    Not only did I <b>ruin </b><b>mine</b>, I ruined another. Darien was right; it is my fault I ruined his rtionship. If I thought my decisions through and approached letting Odessa go cautiously, <b>perhaps </b>this could¡¯ve had a different conclusion. The <b>mind </b>of a woman is a deliberatelyplex puzzle, and Odessa¡¯s mind was strong <b>enough </b>to defy <b>the </b>ferocity of her mate bond.


    Just like how <b>Kiya </b>could withstand ours. Not once did she falter. Yes, we kissed <b>here </b>and there, but she stood strong. I couldn¡¯t. And I should¡¯ve known that Odessa¡¯s measly insults to Kiya held more weight. I was in love


    Chapter 50: Whats de Special About Yout


    with Odessa in the past, that I cannot deny, though choosing Kiya <b>over </b>her set her off, as opposed to choosing her over my mate. I treated Odessa like I treated Kiya that cataclysmic day.


    I don¡¯t regret choosing Kiya at all. But I regret contributing to Odessa¡¯s fall.


    ¡°Hoo?¡± <b>Diana </b><b>peered </b>at me with gold eyes swimming with concern. Howe <b>this </b>little bird appears to be more human than <b>animal</b>, like there is <b>a </b>person housed in that body? I smiled, petting her on top of her small


    head.


    ¡°I¡¯m


    okay, Diana. Just thinking.¡± Sighed, I gazed at the night sky, identifying a couple of constetions. ¡°I can¡¯t believe <b>how </b>many people I <b>hurt</b>. I never intended to cause Darien pain, but I did, indirectly. All because I¡¯ve been so foolish. Karma is already kicking me in the ass<b>, </b>huh<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± The bird hobbled on her feet, taking her new seat next to my arm.


    ¡°I <b>am </b>pathetic, you see? I <b>was </b>back then, and I still am now. Turning back time and rectifying my wrongs is something I wish I can do, Diana. I f*cked up so many <b>times </b>and spat on my Moon Goddess¡® <b>ns </b>for <b>me</b>, and for what? Half of the things I did, I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ve done them. Maybe I am the true monster here.¡±


    ¡°Neron.¡± Onyx spoke, enrapturing my focus. ¡°While I agree you <b>were </b>the biggest idiot I <b>had </b>the terrible pleasure <b>of </b>knowing back then-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Onyx.¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Quit <b>ming </b>yourself for Odessa¡¯s choices. That woman made her decisions, just as you have, and acted ordingly. Her reasons are insane, yes, but you don¡¯t <b>have </b><b>any </b>fault in that. You didn¡¯t convince her to betray her mate; she did that. <b>You </b>didn¡¯t tell <b>her </b>to hurt <b>Kiya</b><b>, </b><b>she </b>did that. Whatever Odessa has done, she needs to take responsibility for that. What you <b>need </b>to do <b>now </b>is <b>get </b>your priorities straight.¡±


    ¡°My priorities?¡±


    ¡°Yes. <b>I¡¯m </b><b>worried </b>as f*ck over <b>Kiya</b>, but <b>we </b>have business to take care of once we get <b>back </b>home. <b>Odessa</b>, <b>your </b>dad, and more. Maybe <b>we </b>can find some answers about <b>Osiris </b><b>at </b>home <b>and </b>search for <b>a </b>way to <b>find </b>Kiya at the same time. The library could be a good ce to start?¡±


    Onyx has a point. There is a plethora of books <b>that </b>haven¡¯t been touched in decades<b>; </b>I could find <b>something </b>relevant to finding my mate. And I need to talk to Odessa and deal with the mess my father created not too


    long ago.


    Being an Alpha is never easy, but at least I¡¯ll be taking care of business while finding my mate. The answers are lying somewhere.


    After a minute<b>, </b>I stripped out of my shirt and hopped into bed. I¡¯ve opened the window so <b>that </b><b>Diana </b>can fly into the trees. But she didn¡¯t. The little bird <b>stayed</b>. She <b>hooted </b><b>once </b>before sailing <b>toward </b>the top of a clothes drawer, making herselffortable on top of it.


    I <b>arched </b>an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re going to sleep there?¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    ¡­Suit yourself, I guess?¡± <b>I </b><b>said</b>, puzzled. Hmm, she really is special.


    Chapter 50: What¡¯s fui fjor, sal Abood You!


    Diana¡¯s presence warmed the room, lulling me to sleep.


    Conuments


    POST COMMENT NOW


    ¡û SHARE

 Chapter 141

    Chapter <b>52 </b><b>¨C </b>The Unexpected Truth


    ¡°Lies requiremitment.¡°¨CVeronica Roth


    Neron


    +10


    Bonu


    03:1


    After my trip to the pack hospital, I spent the rest of my time scouring through the endless stacks of books in the Zircon Moon Library as <b>Diana </b>sat on top of a bookcase, preening her feathers. Wooden bookcases lined the walls, surrounding the tables, chairs, and couches glowing under the brilliant sunlight. Every open book emitted an earthy aroma wafting into the air. I¡¯ve never cared for reading, but there were a handful of wolves who enjoy the silence and solitude of the library, lost in a world of adventure and words.


    Almost every title I¡¯vee <b>across </b>contained bits and information about werewolf history I never paid attention to; lifespan development, sociology of weres, the works. Grunting with effort, I picked up arge stack of books and settled them on an adjacent table.


    Taking my seat, I began the <b>banal </b>task of flipping through pages while Ariel¡¯s request weighed heavy on my mind. Never in my life have I¡¯ve heard of a wolf wishing to part from their human¨Cit was rtively unheard of. She looked so unhappy and it crushed my heart. Our soul bond connects the humans to our wolves until <b>the </b>day we die; losing your woll is like losing half of your spirit.


    shback


    ¡°I cannot remain attached to Odessa any longer, Alpha Neron. She has done shameful things throughout our life together that I¡¯ve let slide for very long, under the pretense that she will change. Now, because of my passivity, I¡¯ve lost my soulmate. You can try to persuade me, but I will not change my mind. I want out.¡±


    Is there any way you can rekindle with her and try to make your rtionship work?¡± Lasked. <i>¡°</i>This is <b>a </b>very extreme request, Ariel. You¡¯re proposing for a soul separation and whilst I¡¯ve never witnessed such an event, there is no guarantee <b>you¡¯d </be out rninjured.¡±


    I¡¯m prepared to take all the risks needed to make this happen.¡± Ariel cast her eyes down on the ground, biting her lip. <i>¡°</i>Odessa and I never got along. I¡¯m afraid that I <b>was </b>but a handicap to her. Wolves are the <b>voice </b>of <b>reason </b>to our humans, but I¡¯ve never got the chance to make myself heard around her she <b>always </b>shuts me out. I cared about Odessa, a lot, but what can I do when she doesn¡¯t care about me? What about my feelings? I¡¯ve taken the backseat to her madness for so long and it is <b>now </b>do I understand I cannot change her. It¡¯s too much for me.¡±


    ¡°You said you are prepared to die if it meant parting with your human<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I much rather be with our Moon Goddess than confined to this woman. I want¡­¡± Ariel¡¯s breathing snagged in her throat; pain inteced with her gasps. Looking up at me once more, her alive eyes saturated with tears; a couple of them cascading down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not happy, Alpha Neron. <i>I </i>lost my sense <i>of </i>self, and I don¡¯t want to continue in <i>life </i>if my human doesn¡¯t even regret what she¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°I just wish to be happy again, even if the likelihood of my death are high.¡±


    +10%


    Bonus


    Ariel will <b>risk </b>it all for the <b>sake </b>of her own happiness. The pain in her eyes when she spoke to me branded themselves in my mind. Her sorrow. Goddess knows that if I ever lost Onyx, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do -3.10 myself. Hating me is one thing, but losing him forever <b>is </b><b>another</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°Come on¡­there has to be something here¡­¡± I murmured, flipping through the pages to find an indication of soul splitting, but <b>came </b>up empty. The scarcity of the process reaffirmed my intimal belief that this situation doesn¡¯t happen often, but I cannot get Ariel¡¯s grief out of my mind. As her Alpha, I must honor her request.


    I need to help her. She <b>deserves </b>joy, <b>with </b>or without Odessa.


    ¡°This book is aplete dud<b>. </b>Since we can¡¯t find anything, <b>what </b><b>are </b>we supposed to do now?¡± Onyx <b>quipped </b><b>as </b>I strode back to a bookshelf.


    ¡°We have to keep trying.¡± I answered<b>, </b>setting the book away. ¡°The sooner we find what we¡¯re seeking, the sooner we can get back to searching for answers about Kiya¡¯s disappearance.


    ¡°But, will we find those answers <b>here</b>? Anthony has yet to call us <b>about </b>Miss Phoebe¡¯s progress.¡±


    ¡°<i>He </i><b>will </b>in due time. But I <i>feel </i>as there is something we¡¯re missing about Osiris.¡± I expounded, seizing a rollingdder. ¡°Call it a hunch, but I feel as though he isn¡¯t targeting our pack only for Kiya.¡±


    ¡°I like <b>to </b>hear this hunch.¡± Onyx chuckled amusingly. ¡°Go on.¡±


    A smile <b>found </b>its way to my face as I climbed thedder. ¡°Osiris could have tormented Ga Moon, but he didn¡¯t. Kiya has a stronger connection there, so why only bother us? He used Odessa as his pawn, but he did it for a reason. He knows something that I don¡¯t, and I need to uncover it.¡±


    ¡°But, where would you <b>find </b>it? Could his <b>reasoning </b>just <b>be </b>from how Kiya was treated?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so


    Kiya could burn us to the ground whenever she wanted without his help. Why would he care so much? Maybe this is about him¨C1¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± A book slid from my hands, dropping to the floor in <b>a </b>resounding thud<b>. </b>The impact dislocated a floor tile, shattering its corner. ¡°Fantastic¡­ Begrudgingly, I trekked down the stairs and went to nurse the book. It was a history book speaking on werewolf evolution; not something that contains the <b>answers </b>to either of my


    dilemmas.


    However, something about the removed tile caught my eye, or rather what was under it. <b>Something </b>ck and dusty. Curiously, I eased the tile away from the hole, coughing at the dust that flew from it.


    ¡°What <b>have </b>we here?¡± <b>I </b>wondered, digging my hands into the hole <b>like </b>a pirate hunting for buried treasure. But <b>what </b>I pulled out <b>was </b>not a chestnfull of riches. It was two aged, dpidated journals. The worn leather traps failed to keep the yellowing pages threatening in order. An opaque film of dust stained the ck cover, paling its color.


    ¡°Who hides <b>books </b><b>under </b><b>the </b>floor?¡± Onyx asked, perplexed.


    ¡°People who have something to hide.¡±


    I


    ¡°Well<b>, </b><b>crack </b>those babies <b>open </b>and let¡¯s <b>see </b>what inside!¡± He urged. Such an impatient patient my wolf is.


    R


    <b>+10</b>


    Bonu


    made my way back to my table, obeying Onyx¡¯s request. Each page <b>had </b>more dust than thest, but the page froze me stiff in shock. Not by the contents, but by the name of the person who the book belonged 03:<b>0</b>


    ¡°What the hell<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    Titan Prince. My great¨Cgrandfather? I reviewed the other journal and <b>found </b>it belonged to my grandfather, Nathaniel Prince. The words of my predecessors rested on my fingertips, waiting to be <b>read</b>. I¡¯m both eager and apprehensive for <b>what </b><b>I </b>am about to <b>read</b>, but an inkling in the back of my head <b>urges </b>me to proceed with <b>caution</b>. Titan and <b>Nathaniel </b>Prince lived in different times and therefore might have views and beliefs conflicting mine. But both men <b>are </b>dead. How am I going to argue with them?


    ¡°Why are you hesitating?¡±


    ¡°Just preparing myself, that¡¯s all.¡± I responded with a <b>sigh</b><b>. </b>¡°I¡¯ve been told nothing but good things about these men. It¡¯s nice to have their own words them versus the grand stories Dad used to tell. It won¡¯t be so bad, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Neron, this feels strange <b>and </b>I <b>don¡¯t </b><b>know </b>why.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably taking on some of my anxiety. No need to worry.¡±


    H


    Onyx didn¡¯t seem sure but <b>said </b>little else. Regardless of the bubbling worry we both feel, I have to read the contents of the <b>journals</b>. What do I have to <b>lose</b><b>? </b>Huffing in a heavy breath, I <b>opened </b>my Great¨CGrandfather¡¯s book and started reading. There was nothing I couldn¡¯t handle.


    But I was wrong. Very wrong.


    Power. That¡¯s all these men cared about. Word after word, passage after passage<b>, </b>all in their handwriting detailed piges and quandaries of packs, fantastical ambitions, and scrutiny over how other <b>Alphas </b>ruled over their pack. They wrote every encounter to the smallest detail with names I¡¯m unfamiliar with. Flipping from one journal to another, it is like I¡¯m seeing insanity take on a novel form, mind¨Cboggling. My grandfather¡¯s words were tame <bpared </b>to my great¨Cgrandfather, but it didn¡¯t change things.


    v can


    ording to his words, Great¨CGrandfather Titan believed power is justice; the more prestige <b>one </b>had, they govern what is eptable and what is uneptable. Those with less power didn¡¯t have the right to <b>resist</b>, merely obey. His journal contradicted the figure of the righteous <b>Alpha </b>Dad taught <b>me </b>about my entire life.


    It disgusted me to read about how this man had no penance for his violent destruction. Diana, sensing my difort, glided over and cautiously stepped <b>toward </b>me with her talons clicking against the wooden table. All I could do is sit there<b>, </b>gawk at the remarks of a psychopath, frozen. I couldn¡¯t be rted to this man, <b>right</b>?


    That wasn¡¯t the <b>worst </b>I¡¯ve learned. Hidden in the ocean of lunacy was the notice of his jeweled prize<b>,, </b>bedazzled with power to uphold him and his lineage. Fantastical promations that our <b>Moon </b>Goddess <b>guided </b>him to <b>her</b><b>, </b>alleging to be her favorite.


    I read and read, even as the revulsion <b>and </b>nausea became too much. <b>Insanity</b>, fury, delusion¨Cit all pped <b>me </b>in the face the further I read. But it all suddenly ended at the death of his prize. After thosest words <b>were </b>continuous, barren yellow pages.


    <b>¡°</b><b>So</b>, you came from a whole bloodline of crazy men. No surprise there<b>.</b>¡±


    R


    <b>35</b>


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Une pecin


    ¡°¡­I should scream at you for your tasteless sense of humor, but you¡¯re right.¡±


    I had no <b>enthusiasm </b>in understanding my history when I was younger, but now I see that I should have. Maybe if I didn¡¯t <b>have </b>the <b>attention </b>span of a goldfish and a brattish shriek, I <b>could¡¯ve </b>spared myself this hideous discovery. I slumped my <b>hands </b>in my <b>palms</b>, working to nurse my pounding headache with my trembling fingers. Not even Diana¡¯sfort could soothe me down.


    +10


    Bonu


    03:<b>0</b>


    I don¡¯t know what to do. Cry, scream, break shit¨Cnone of it seemed appealing now. My dad went to great lengths to inculcate these distorted images of my predecessors into my lessons, <b>even </b>when hungover. Anything less than what he wanted gifted me in blotches of red and blue on my skin. After a while, I believed him. I clung onto Dad¡¯s every word and the expectations to make him and the men before him proud. It was my time and my generation, and I had to prove <b>that </b>I <b>was a </b>worthy <b>sessor</b>.


    A worthy Alpha<b>.</b>Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Everything came crumbling down like a demolition <b>scene </b><b>even </b>as I <b>search </b>my grandfather¡¯s journal for some hope. But, just as hope that he <b>was </b><b>a </b>different man roared to life, it <b>died </b>tragically. His words were <b>more </b>calcted than his father, but it was still a mess. For a moment, I wanted to save myself from the heartache;


    close the journal and pretend nothing happened<b>.</b>


    Until I read something that united all the missing pieces together. Nathaniel Prince recounted an encounter with an oracle in Greece during his travels in the early 20th century, and this oracle spoke of the next child of <b>the </b>moon to be born in the uing generation of his pack.


    The avatar<b>.</b>


    Kiya¡¯s words a couple weeks back came to haunt me. About the spections she and Miss Phoebe had about her birth and how she didn¡¯t trust my dad. Oracles help predict the future, so they had to have predicted her birth and told my grandfather what he wanted to hear! It all made sense, notably with Dad¡¯s unrelenting pressure for me to mate with Kiya and assume her power for myself, despite her objections. Too many connections are being made at the immediate revtions; left and right they bound and sparked together.


    Now I understood everything. The truth about my family history consisting of plunder, theft, gluttony, and violence <b>were </b>glossed over, masquerading these men as virtuous and benevolent Alphas with love for their pack when truly, it was a love for power.


    Everything I¡¯ve been taught was <b>a </b>lie; made a fool about my own fucking history. And I had one person me: the man who taught me.


    to


    And I have no doubt that the prize my great¨Cgrandfather spoke about was the avatar before Kiya. The prey he


    took for his own<b>.</b>


    I¡¯m sickened and disgusted<b>. </b><b>These </b>are the type of men I came from. Their blood is within me, with life! I carry on their legacy shielded behind a wall of blissful ignorance.


    overflowing


    I saw red, my <b>chest </b>burning at the betrayal of all the men before me, including my father. My hands clutched at the <b>corners </b>of these forbidden diaries, my fury bleeding into the aged pages. I was deceived and taught that if I didn¡¯t rule with an iron fist, I¡¯d bring shame to my ancestors. That no one would respect me if I <b>was </b>too tolerant. That if I didn¡¯t be <b>the </b>Alpha my dad wanted me to be, I was a failure.


    R


    Chapter 12. The then


    A failure. A fucking failure!


    +10


    Bonu


    03:01


    The chair flew back when I rose abruptly, mming the journals closed. Diana iled, hopping back from me as I marched out the library¡¯s double doors. My beast was hunting for my father, squirming in pain from his trickery. Onyx tried his best to calm my anger, but nothing helped.


    He needed to answer to for what he¡¯s done! I needed to hear from his <b>mouth </b>his reasoning behind everything.


    Above all, I wanted to know why he lied to me.


    <b>1 </b><b>needed </b>to know<b>.</b>

 Chapter 142

    Chapter <b>53 </b><b>¨C </b>Father vs. Son


    ¡°Lying is done with words, and also with silence.¡°¨CAdrienne Rich


    Neron


    <b>+</b><b>10</b><b>%</b>


    Bonus


    <b>02:57</b>


    It wasn¡¯t long until I made my way to my father¡¯s home, pack members avoiding my wrath. I wouldn¡¯t want to deal with myself with how furious I am. The sun was blistering against my flesh, but my rage burned hotter. Discovery upon discovery continued to solidify the future of this pack because this insanity has to stop. I have to stop it. This is not the legacy I want to pass down to my children, and it hurts.


    Goddess, it hurts to realize how ignorant I¡¯ve actually been, not just to Kiya¡¯s experience but to my lineage.


    ¡°Hey, hey Neron.¡± Onyx spoke up, a little panicked. ¡°I know <b>you¡¯re </b>angry, but don¡¯t do anything crazy, please<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°No promises.¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t suffice. Promise <b>me</b><b>, </b>Neron. You¡¯re hurt <b>and </b>we want answers, but control your anger when you <b>do</b>, okay?¡±


    Stopping at the midway point between Dad¡¯s home and the pack house, I shut my eyes to steady my breathing. My heart hammered against my <b>chest</b>, arduous and deliberate under the rush of <b>fire </b>licking my <b>veins</b>. I heard fluttering and felt talons press against my shoulder; Diana came to me. I petted her head in appreciation. In a short time<b>, </b>this owl has be the being I could lean on for support.


    Rtively calmer<b>, </b>I eyed the small <b>white </b>house <b>several </b>meters away from me, questions ricochet around my mind. I didn¡¯t know what I would do or say once I¡¯d face him. I¡¯ve been so <b>sure </b>about the confrontation, but now I worry. Was this the reason he wanted me to learn about our family history?


    <b>Slowly</b>, but surely, the image of my Dad, exploded into dust, an umtion of disying the truth underneath the floorboards of Zircon Moon. I¡¯ve always looked up to my father, even when he was at his


    lowest.


    But lying <b>to </b>your son<b>?</b>


    Dad, rxing on his couch, was dismayed at my abrupt intrusion. He didn¡¯t get the chance to speak before I


    carelessly tossed the journals on the table for him to see. I didn¡¯t care of the loosened yellowing pages scattering on the table. Diana flew from my shoulder and perched on the firece ledge between framed pictures of Mom and Nuria.


    Pale blue widened with shock upon acknowledgment of the journals. ¡°Where the hell did you get those from?¡±


    He demanded.


    ¡°<b>So </b>you knew about them.¡± I rebutted, <b>crossing </b>my arms. ¡°When were you going to tell me that Grandpa and Great¨CGrandpa were tyrants in wolf¡¯s skin? On my deathbed?¡±


    <b>Dad </b>sighed <b>in </b>exasperation, glowering at my transgressions. He <b>never </b><b>liked </b>it when I rebelled against him; he expected me to be the dutiful son who did as he was told. Of course, his attitude intensified when Mom died,


    1/6


    Chapter 53 Fasher vs Sen


    +10


    and he turned to liquor to cope. No matter how often he¡¯d punished <b>me</b>, I <b>never </b>criticized him. I <b>love </b>him.Bonu never got angry or upset; ying it off as a grieving man who couldn¡¯t handle with his loss.


    <b>02</b><b>:</b><b>5</b>


    I wanted to be on his good side, constantly. Goddess knows what <b>would </b>happen if he got angry, even when he stopped drinking.


    Gathering the books in his hands, Dad fixed the pages and set them at the corner of his table. Even now, he respects the men who hurt others. Folding his legs and his hands, he shot me a disgruntled expression, lips pursed in disappointment.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t monsters, at least not in the way you think, son.¡± Dad spoke with a rough sigh. ¡°They were men who knew what they wanted and stopped at nothing to get it. Ambition is in our blood.¡±


    ¡°Ambitious<b>, </b>maybe, but is it worth it when people¡¯s livelihoods are destroyed? Great¨CGrandpa took pleasure in the packs he ravaged.¡±


    ¡°asionally, we have to resort to taking to safeguard our legacy. The world does not favor the weak, Neron.¡± He frowned. ¡°Your forefathers realized that and did something about it and look <b>at </b>where we are today. You should be thankful that you¡¯re endowed with Alpha blood, notably from two. Not everybody <b>is </b>as fortunate to be a pureblood.¡±


    ¡°Power, power, power! Is that all you care about!?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°It is what kept the Prince Family stable for over two centuries<b>, </b><b>so </b>yes,¡±


    I curl my lips in revulsion, neglecting the living pain in my heart. I <b>inspected </b>his face, anticipating for a hint of remorse on his aging face¡­but detected none. Nothing. ¡°You lied to me, Dad. You could <b>have </b>told me the truth about my parentage from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°I did what I have to do.¡± He replied callously.


    ¡°I deserve to know why.¡±


    ¡°To make you the Alpha you needed to be, not what you wanted to be.¡± Dad sprang from the couch, striding toward me until <b>we </b>were a few feet apart. When I peered into his eyes, the father I¡¯ve cherished disappeared. Now, it <b>a </b>different person¨Cthe father who¡¯d didn¡¯t hesitate to strike me during my Alpha lessons. ¡°You were deviating from your destiny, so I had to reel you in. If you knew the truth at such a young age, you¡¯d walk away from it all. As a child, you alwayscked focus. However,¡± He quickly shows me a smile that sent shudders down my <b>spine</b>. ¡°Since you are older now, I¡¯m pleased you¡¯ve taken the time to understand your heritage, but I¡¯d prefer if it were from one of our many history books <b>you¡¯ve </b>allowed to collect dust.¡±


    ¡°A glorified history book.¡± I sneered in disbelief of his rigidness. ¡°I understand why you were so hellbent on me studying those specific books. You still think I¡¯m <b>a </b>weak¨C<b>willed </b>boy, incapable to handle the truth.¡±


    ¡°You were never the most studious boy.¡±


    ¡°Well, you sure changed that through your ¡®discipline¡®, huh?¡± Suddenly, the look on Dad¡¯s face ckened, eyes flitting to ck in his anger. We promised each other to put our past contraventions behind us, but I couldn¡¯t anymore. I felt like a kid all over again, trying hard to appease him while simultaneously dodging his hits. ¡°Either with burning my sketches or striking me. Thetter was more appealing, so it seems.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that.¡± He grumbled. ¡°Can you hear yourself?¡±


    ¡°Do you hear yourself, Dad? Hurting Kiya <b>wasn¡¯t </b>enough, so you had to hurt me too.¡±


    <b>you</b>


    +101


    Bonu


    02:52


    ¡°That is enough!¡± Dad¡¯s growls rumbled loud enough to shake the foundation of his home. I darted my eyes to <b>Diana </b>to see her gentle, big eyes following our exchange carefully. ¡°There was no other way to make listen. If you weren¡¯t so inattentive, I wouldn¡¯t need to discipline you, Neron! You never <b>took </b>your duties seriously. Your mother was much too lenient with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring Mom into this!¡± 1 eximed. ¡°She wished me to be a regr kid before bing Alpha! You <b>wanted </b>to rush! There is more to life than acquiring power. Power shouldn¡¯t be the sole reason we exist. It only makes us monsters in the end¡­like what Kiya said.¡±


    ¡°That girl has been poisoning your mind, endangering your duties. I told you, many times, to keep her on a tight leash! It¡¯s your fault that she is in the clutches of another!¡±


    1 froze. Not out of fear<b>, </b>but out of bewilderment. Scenarios flooded my mind as my growls rumbled in my chest, threatening to pick up volume. Onyx, impulsive and aggravated, is on his paws in my mind, snarling at my father. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± My father asked, freighting innocence.


    ¡°I never told you what happened to Kiya.¡± With every step he took backwards, I advanced, feeling my ws ready to sprout from my fingertips. ¡°In fact, the only people who know what happened are my Betas and Gammas. And I know Ga Moon didn¡¯t tell you either. So, I¡¯ll ask you again, Dad¡­<b>how </b>the fuck did you know what happened?¡±


    He remained hushed, avoiding my eyes. Growling, I advanced until his back hit the wall. I <b>swear </b>to my Moon Goddess, if <b>Dad </b><b>had </b>anything to do with Kiya¡¯s kidnapping, I lose it. However, my intuition recognizes his guilt. His car wasn¡¯t in the garage when I drove to the crash site, and he hasn¡¯t been seen since.


    Spiteful blue sent shock waves of fury into my own, gnawing and crushing at my resolve. It wanted me to yield; surrender and stop talking. But I didn¡¯t. Standing firm, I red back, throwing his onught back at him. Pictures and images of the passenger van shed in my vision, pointing out every detail of the impact. Cerberus could have hit the <b>car </b>with his fists or his body, but a gigantic fist or a barreling body didn¡¯t make


    the impressions.


    Another car made them. The only other person who didn¡¯t want <b>Kiya </b>to leave, besides me, <b>was </b>Dad. The connections sparked with life, thrilled at my recognizance, but ignited my impulsivity <b>and </b>the beast behind


    the man.


    ¡°You hit Kiya and her family! Your silence says it all! I told you that <b>if </b>you touched her, I¡¯d kill you!¡±


    A violent smack against my cheek apanied his response. Heat and pain radiated in <b>waves</b>. ¡°You won¡¯t do a damn thing. Without me, you¡¯re nothing!¡±


    <b>I¡¯ve </b>had it. Or rather, Onyx had it. My control slipped, and he took advantage, pouncing on my father, starting a brawl. Fire and fury pulled the strings of my limbs, controlling me <b>as </b>a puppet as I fought, punching my father in the face. My wolf and I abjured our earlier promise to be calm because all I could think about is how scared Kiya was, the pain she experienced, and how distraught her family was. A quiet trip home turned to an


    +109


    egregious nightmare.


    Bonu


    <b>02:49</b>


    I wanted to me Osiris. He must have manipted Dad like how he did with Odessa, but I realized th treacherous snake didn¡¯t need to convince people boarding on the edge of madness<b>. </b>They¡¯d fall themselves.


    We wrestled, throwing each other against the walls and swiping at each other with our ws. Blood rained from our wounds, dripping onto the carpeted floor. Crashes and shatters created a ciphony of disorder. conducted by two vengeful Alphas. Onyx and I wanted his pain, his blood¨Ceverything from all he¡¯s done. Not just to my mate, but to me.


    He¡¯ll never regret what he¡¯s done. No matter what I do, I¡¯ll be nothing but a useless cur in his eyes. Maybe at one point, Dad truly loved and cared for me. But when Mom and Nuria died, hispassion went with them.


    After five minutes of incessant fighting, Dad and I came at a stalemate, panting as we caught our breath. Open wounds sealed up hastily, leaving behind dried blood. Calming down, I wiped the blood from my healed lips, straightening my shirt <b>and </b>smoothening my hair. An overpowering sense of tranquility pulled me into its embrace as the chaos of this house died down. I looked around to see scattered papers, broken ss and fallen <b>picture </b><b>frames </b>littering the ground.


    A reflection of our lives.


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± I said coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve given you enough leniency because we¡¯re family, Dad, but you¡¯ve bullied. undermined, and insulted not just my mate, but me as well. I much rather be a failed Alpha than your type of Alpha<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>changing </b>the future of this pack, and <b>you </b>won¡¯t be in it. You won¡¯t be in control of my life any longer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re betraying your family! <b>You¡¯re </b>a mistake to the Prince name <b>for </b>being a weak¨Cwilled Alpha easilyExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    <b>seduced </b>by the words of <b>a </b>manic woman.¡±


    ¡°So be it. You¡¯ve proven to me you doubted my rule because you butted into business that doesn¡¯t concern you, more so when Kiya came back. Alphas shouldn¡¯t make people fear them. They shouldn¡¯t plunder and destroy <b>over </b>a grandiose fantasy of power. They guide and lead with respect and kindness, and that is what youck! I rather die with my dignity than live my life in your disgrace.¡±


    Diana fluttered to my shoulder, pressing her tiny beak against my cheek. I turned around and strode toward the door, inches away from the knob when my father yelled again.


    ¡°Deny it all you want, Neron, but the Prince blood is in you. It is you. Preach love and kindness and friendship all you want, but you were bom to be just like your forefathers. You¡¯re just like me, your grandfather, and everyone else before him. It¡¯s only a matter of time before you understand you cannot change who you are and where youe from. I may be a monster, but you are too. I wasn¡¯t the only one who hurt your mate; yo


    did too!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± My jaw clenched.


    ¡°It was the only time <b>you </b>were strong, being able to maintain control. But you let it slip away, and that is your fault. You¡¯ll regret the choices you¡¯ve made. If only you did what you were told! Walk out that door. Neron, and you¡¯ll no longer be my son!¡±


    My heartstrings were plucked and tormight from their valves, gripping me in agry. But I couldn¡¯t made my decision. With a weighty sigh. I walked out of my dad¡¯s home in silence, breaking our bond


    and son.


    +70 Bonu


    02:<b>4</b>


    Somehow, I reached


    It hurt. So much. I couldn¡¯t stop my lungs from heaving or the tears blinding my was my bedroom without trouble, simply to gain the picture frame of my family and bundle in against the wall


    no


    ss shattered and fell into a worthless heap. <b>My </b>family reduced the ss broken. I slumped to the ground next to my bed, powerless to stop the sending tears incinerating my cheeks and gaping as burning t throat. The air chilled and the sunshine faded, bathing me in obaty. Diana walked toward me but stopped a couple of feet away


    I lost my family


    I¡¯m alone, always.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be alone because you have m


    aya spoke with his voice m with corridence ¡°We may not agree an everything, but you¡¯ll never lose me. You¡¯re my human, but you¡¯re like my brother too.¡±


    ¡°Am I a mistzke, Or


    conditional, and you get it when you were what be wanted you to be Box stuck to your belly dan and I¡¯m proud of you. Yes, you lost him, but the people who care for you mondtionally am meam is be in your life¡±


    ¡°He now have me vor Betty an


    my thigh. ¡°See She unes veu premes.¡±


    Soft Sugher exped my mouth at 1 grated at the bird dad¡¯s words no


    One dira. I wille the Alpita Il want to be.


    da li went to pet the booking wil fence face of pain ingre


    a fierce fare of paint implere in the civet. Sometim


    diver. Something werthin me


    breathing becalme


    ggered Orver watbed and bowled in the pain that affer Is but imaC STIC


    Omg! What¡¯s harvemmel


    What¡¯s happen


    is happening in our ind


    ¡°Kiya¡­something is


    Orrick¡¯s warning was thest thing I heart belong

 Chapter 143

    Chapter <b>54 </b><b>¨C </b>Inner Child


    ¡°The child <b>is </b>in me still and sometimes not so still.¡°¨CFred <b>Rogers</b>


    Kiya


    All I could see is endless ckness.


    +109


    Bonus


    02:42


    I should¡¯ve been more careful. How could I have been so weak? Osiris thwarted my escape attempt once he got his slimy hands on me, proving Artemis right. I walked into a trap. His twisted game preyed <b>on </b>my willpower and desperation to get home. My suffering is amusing to him. Now, as my reward, I¡¯m plunged into a <b>realm </b>of nothingness, detached from my body.


    <b>Trapped </b><b>in </b><b>a </b>world without light is terrifying. No one is here forfort or chatter; just a person and their thoughts. Thoughts they don¡¯t want. A <b>teeth</b><b>¨C</b>chattering chill nkets my form, nipping at my flesh with reckless abandon as I slowly arose to consciousness, aware of the foreign sensations.


    What did Osiris do to me?! Knowing his modus operandi, the bastard can lurk in the surrounding shadows, waiting for a moment to strike. Monstrous, evil, dark¨Cthere is nothing <b>good </b>about that man. Despite my weakness, I¡¯m willing to fight him until myst breath.


    A sudden warmth brushed up against my side, soft and inviting; a heavy contrast to the surrounding chill. The warmth grew rapidly. When I turned my head to see who or <b>what </b>it came from, my eyes <b>met </b>with a pair of electric blues and an elongated snout. A snout I¡¯ve grown to love. Squealing in excitement, I <b>tackled </b>the culprit, nuzzling my head in her soft white pelt.


    ¡°Artemis!¡± This is the second time I hugged my wolf in her physical form and I never felt happier. Feeling Artemis¡® fur in between my fingers is a feeling I¡¯ll relish forever. I love her so much; my rock and best friend.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re <b>okay</b>, Kiki.¡± She responded, licking my face when I pulled back. Wet, her tongue left a streak of drool on my check. Unlike the average dog, I didn¡¯t <b>mind </b>if Artemis licked the skin off my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay too! But¡­¡± My grin fell into a concerned frown when I scanned my dark surroundings. <b>¡°</b>Does this mean we¡¯re dead, Art? Becausest time-?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>No, I don¡¯t <b>think </b><b>so</b>.<b>¡± </b>Artemis shook her head, fur swaying. ¡°We¡¯re still alive, <b>thank </b>Goddess. However, you¡¯re in a state between wakefulness and sleep. Osiris shut your body down with his dark powers, but your <b>mind </b>is still alert <b>and </b>functioning<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°So, I¡¯m lucid dreaming, but to the extreme?¡± I asked<b>, </b>cocking my head to the side. My wolf sat on her rear, tail wagging.


    ¡°I suppose<b>, </b>but that doesn¡¯t matter. We <b>got </b>to get you to wake up, but I feel Osiris influence everywhere, even around your physical body.<b>¡± </b><b>She </b>warned, her voice dropping an octave. ¡°<b>We </b><b>need </b>to be careful. Anything can happen.¡±


    Nodding curtly, I rose to my feet. This man earned himself a spot on my hate list. This madness <b>has </b>gone on far <b>enough</b>. I¡¯m sick of the pursuit; I just want to go home. But I am worried about one thing; how am I going to wake up? Do I <b>need </b>to connect to my body and if so, how the fuck do I do that?


    R


    ¡°Okay.¡± I sighed, calming my beating <b>heart</b>. Anxiety settled in my stomach like a <b>rock </b><b>at </b>Artemis¡® and I¡¯s prospects. There is no telling what will happen from <b>here </b>on out. But I¡¯m <b>sure </b>with the two of us workin together, we¡¯ll get <b>out </b>of this. ¡°Do you have any ideas-¡±


    A high¨Cpitched, juvenileughter resounded in the air. ¡°He he he<b>!</b>¡±


    +109


    Artemis <b>and </b><b>I </b>paused in our tracks, enthralled by the abrupt sound. It looks like we aren¡¯t alone <b>in </b>the trenches of my mind. We heard theughter again, this time louder <b>and </b>closer. There was something about thatughter that was familiar and nostalgic, as if I knew it. Enthralled as I was<b>, </b>I wanted to hear more.


    ¡°Ha ha!¡±


    Bonus


    <b>02:38</b>


    <b>It </b>sounded innocent and carefree, like a childughing with their friends. An unknown energy propelled my body to follow the sound <b>like </b>a zombie with Artemis hot on my heels, telling me to be careful. How could I not be <b>careful</b>? This is in my head! Something within urged me to investigate, motivated by <b>pure </b>curiosity. The closer I got to theughter, the clearer it became, and the more mesmerized I was.


    When was thest time Iughed like that? Memories buried under darkness are hard to uncover again, leaving behind remnants of what could <b>have </b>been. A mind overloaded with pain and trauma, all I remember was pain. Walking through the <b>endless </b>void of ck, hunting for a sound that gave my heart <b>a </b>fuzzy sensation, <b>was </b>strange.


    But I couldn¡¯t stop it, <b>even </b>as Artemis bit the hem of my shirt to pull me <b>back</b>. I didn¡¯t. I continued walking for what felt <b>like </b>an eternity until I came across a strange scene.


    Trees with rotting bark and dying <b>leaves </b>falling and scattering beneath my feet, disintegrating into dust underneath my feels. There <b>was </b>no smell or sound. No chirping birds or singing cicadas. A macabre scene of nature withering into nothingness, swallowed by the darkness of either mine or Osiris¡°. It is bing difficult to know the difference.


    That is when <b>I </b>saw her.


    A small child waving a stuffed animal in the air as she skipped around what looked like a pool of murky water surrounded by dead des of grass. Sheughed and smiled, enjoying herself. I stood, watching the child¡¯s delight in shock as Artemis¡®rge body took <b>her </b><b>seat </b>beside me.


    My breath stopped at the base of my throat upon closer examination of the child. Blotches of red, ck, and blue painted her <b>brown </b>flesh <b>from </b>her skinny ankles to her corbone. Red bruising around her neck stood in stark contrast like a ring of fire. Underneath her sleeveless, dirty white dress, it hides more of her bruises; the hem iling with her skips. Her hair, dense and curly, danced with her movement, some stiff against her neck. Despite looking like a damaged doll, the smile didn¡¯t leave her face.


    The child whirled the dirty sand¨Ccolored bear in her hands as she did a pirouette. ¡°Come on! Dance with me, !


    . Wait¡­that¡¯s the name of my childhood toy!


    I wanted to scream, cry, vomit¨Csomething! But all I could do was stare with my mouth agape. Artemis picked up on my shock <b>and </b>rubbed her snout on my arm to wake me up. My hands shook like maracas and sweat perfuse out from my armpits.


    This child¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re a superb dancer, <b></b>! I¡¯ll never get tired of dancing with you.¡±


    ¡°Who <b>are </b>you<b>?</b>¡±


    +101


    02-31


    The child stopped, halted her dancing with heavy dark eyes upon me. I spot the faint red bruise on her cheek. Curious, the girl cocked her head to the side, hugging her toy to her chest forfort.


    ¡°Who <b>are </b>you?¡± She challenged<b>, </b>her voice suspicious but sweet.


    ¡°My name is Kiya, and this is Artemis, my wolf.¡±


    Deep brown eyes blinked in recognition, nodding before cracking a smirk. ¡°Kiya and Artemis¡­oh yeah. I know


    now.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yep! I¡¯m you!¡± She pointed at <b>me</b>. ¡°I¡¯m Halima!¡±


    I would¡¯ve fallen if Artemis wasn¡¯t there to break my <b>fall</b>. It quickly made sense why that child was so familiar she is me! Halima, a name I hate so much, is my inner child! Faint memories of my therapist, Mayra, telling me I needed to heal my inner child. Ovee with painful and horrific memories, it was like crossing into uncharted territory. I couldn¡¯t do it. I just wanted the memories buried and gone.


    ¡°Halima¡­¡± Artemis muttered, craning her neck forward. ¡°Why are you here in a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°Because it is <b>my </b>happy ce!¡± Halima answered with a sharp giggle. ¡°I¡¯m safe here, like no one can hurt me.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the only one here¡­¡± I croaked out<b>, </b>pushing back the tears in my eyes. ¡°It¡­the darkness must be so lonely.¡±


    ¡°No, it is not! I have , duh!¡± She showed off her teddy bear. ¡°I¡¯m never lonely when I <b>have </b>her with me. And the darkness is not a bad thing, you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± Artemis and I asked in unison.


    Halima shook her head, loose curls flowing. ¡°Nope. It is very warm, like one of those heavy nkets Mommy <b>gave </b>me when it snowed.¡± Suddenly, the amusement left her eyes, leaving behind overflowing sadness with ripples of hatred. ¡°She stopped giving me nkets after she said I was a <b>bad </b>girl.¡±


    Was there anything I could say to that? My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest at the intense feelings Halima was projecting. They <b>were </b>my feelings too. I didn¡¯t want to feel this. I didn¡¯t want to feel anything that reminded <b>me </b>of the dungeons.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, though.¡± The child murmured<b>, </b>sitting her rear upon the deceased leaves. ¡°Mommy will suffer soon. So will Daddy and Raina.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± For once, Artemis is baffled to the point words are unthinkable. Wolf jaw agape with dismay<b>, </b>she promptly closed it to gather her <b>words</b><b>. </b>¡°Halima, you shouldn¡¯t wish for things like that.¡±


    +10


    Bonus


    ¡°Why not?!¡± Her wail was shrill, painful in my ears. ¡°They made me suffer<b>, </b><b>so </b>why can¡¯t I <b>want </b>the same for them. They deserve it!¡± Her angry eyes darted to me. ¡°You abandoned me, Kiya! I hate that stupid new nagp of yours! You pushed me away and left me alone!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­


    <b>cyes</b>.


    <b>02:28</b>


    ??


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not! No one is!¡± Halima huffed angrily, using her palm to wipe the falling tears from her hate everybody! I hate Zircon Moon! They took my happiness away from me!¡± Bubbling and gurgling echoed from the pool, bubbles sprouting to the surface. ¡°They all deserve to die! I want them all to die; only then will I feel happy again.¡±


    Halima¡¯s forceful and plethoric emotions¨Cdevastation, angry, <b>and </b>sadness¨Cengulfed me like a hurricane striking the coastline, snatching me in its violent waves. I don¡¯t know what to do or say tofort my inner child because all her words and feeling emted my own at the beginning of my recovery. Unfortunately, I still harbor those forbidden feelings.


    The ckness around Artemis and I grew impossibly darker, groaning and grumbling like a living entity. Looking at Halima in bewilderment, the broken child smiled broadly as she gazed at the blighted trees morphing and bending around her. Her body and face held no fear, only uncontained glee.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± She sang. ¡°Osiris is not an evil man.¡± That instantly caught the attention of my wolf and I. ¡°He is not the enemy. He understands us, Kiya, and he is kind! No one you know knows what it is truly like to live in the prisons, but Osiris does! The only way to make everything right and for us to be happy is for Zircon Moon to burn and die!¡±


    ¡°Did he tell you that?¡± Artemis growled, standing on all four paws. ¡°Osiris is <b>not </b><b>a </b>friend, Halima! He is manipting <b>you </b>to make you believe in what he wants. Osiris is a monster that shouldn¡¯t be trusted, and <b>you </b>should know that.¡±


    Halima narrowed her eyes on my pristine white wolf, snarling back at her. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be on my side, dummy! Those stupid Alphas hurt you too; you should want revenge too!¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Hurting others solves nothing.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Halima rose on her feet, kicking the leaves away from her naked <b>feet</b>. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying, Artemis! You¡¯re just like that evil pack! I¡¯ll never forgive them, and you can¡¯t make me, you big meanie!¡±


    ¡°Okay, stop!¡± I shouted, butting into the heated exchange. The rapid shift in scenery made my skin crawl; it looked grotesque as dposing nature bent and writhed. Like it was all connected to Halima. But when I looked at the trees and the bubbling ck pond separating Artemis and I from the child, another wave of familiarity smacked me in the face.


    I¡¯ve been here before, except it was full of light and life. This realm Halima is controlling is a replica of the ce where Essie and Nuria died, except lifeless and near¨Cdemonic.


    ¡°Halima.¡± I <b>huffed</b>, pressing a <b>hand </b>to my chest to calm down. My inner child red back with daggers aimed to kill, clutching her bear so roughly that some cotton inside spilled out. ¡°We can work things out. You and <b>I </b>can <b>sit </b>down and talk, finally. I was wrong to neglect you, but <b>I </b>was scared. I didn¡¯t want to remember anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t either, but I have to!¡± She retorted. I don¡¯t want to talk! I want revenge!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Yes, we should! I know you want to, <b>Kiya</b>! I feel your feelings too.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem here?¡±


    4109


    Bonu


    02:25


    All of us <b>darted </b>our heads to the intruder, igniting different reactions from us. Growls rumbled in my chest; Artemis outwardly growled as she braces herself for a pouncing. But Halima¡¯s reaction was strikingly different


    from ours.


    She ran towards Osiris, giggling in delight, and leaped into his arms.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 144

    <b>Chapter </b><b>55 </b><b>¨C </b><b>Lost </b><b>in </b><b>the </b>Darkness


    ¡°Darkness does not leave us easily as we would hope.¡°¨CMargaret Stohl


    Kiya


    ¡°Osiris! You came back!¡±


    ¡°I told you I would, Princess. I had to take care of a couple of things.¡±


    +10-


    <b>Bonu</b>


    <b>02:21</b>


    Halima¡¯sughter bounced across the dark realm like a ricochet shit. Overflowing with sheer happiness and delight, 1 watched, much to my horror, the little girl wrapping her tiny arms around Osiris¡® neck like ko to bamboo. His stout arm supported her from the bottom of her knees, allowing her legs to dangle. It was <b>a </b>sickening scene to watch because Osiris didn¡¯t deserve Halima¡¯s affection, not after all he¡¯s done to me. I wanted nothing more but to rip the child from his arms and retreat to somece safe.


    But this realm is my mind. Where exactly is <b>a </b>safe ce? This is where my dark thoughts lurk; deep in <b>trenches </b>I dare not to dig up. I couldn¡¯t dig them up. When they do, I¡¯m pulled into a world full of rot, reminding me day in and day out that I¡¯m a broken woman. Nothing can cure me of all the agony and <b>trauma </b>-it¡¯ll haunt me eternally.


    Darkness is pervasive and I¡¯m seeing proof right before my eyes. Osiris has deluded my inner child into assuming he is her guardian angel. My heart skipped a beat, striking pain in my chest from an unexined <b>source</b>. What is more unnerving is that I can feel what Halima is feeling; we¡¯re the same person. Her happiness bleeds into me, sending pleasurable shivers down my spine.


    My fear and shock are going into overdrive. This isn¡¯t good.


    ¡°You <b>stooped </b>to a new low, Osiris.¡± <b>I </b>snarled, interrupting their ¡®reunion¡®. Halima gazed at me curiously while the bastard in question shot me a charming smile. ¡°Manipting a child? Really?¡±


    ¡°I did no such thing.¡± He quipped, tickling his finger under Halima¡¯s chin. ¡°I simply gave this child¨Cyou- <b>hope</b>. As


    continue to reject your true feelings, little Halima has embraced them. Follow in her footsteps and the pain will end.¡±


    you


    ¡°No! You poisoned me with your darkness! Your bullshit is the reason we¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°No. This ce has always been here, Kiya, born and <b>bred </b>from horrors unimaginable. This world is a manifestation of your thoughts and feelings<b>. </b><b>Sure</b><b>, </b>my darkness loves to y with yours, but in all honestly, I didn¡¯t make this darkness. You did.¡± Osiris shrugged, adjusting Halima on his hip. ¡°Halima simply transformed it into a ce familiar to her; the ce that started this madness, the death of your Luna and her daughter.¡±


    ¡°I should rip your throat out now, you malicious bastard!¡± Artemis warned, venom frothing in her jaws. I nced at her in mild shock. ¡°You forced your agenda and your sick powers onto Kiya and infected <b>Halima </b>in return! You took advantage of her vulnerability and I won¡¯t let you <b>corrupt </b>my human any longer!¡±


    ¡°Why hold yourself back, Artemis?¡± Osiris chuckled, tapping his neck. ¡°Come and get me.¡±


    ¡°Artemis, wait!¡± It was toote. My wolf, fiercely protective of me, charged at the avatar like a bullet snapping, and ws aiming for his flesh.


    ¡°I will end you


    But, in a blut, everything shifted


    +10


    §£§à§Ý§Ú


    <b>02:11</b>


    ¡°7 won¡¯t let you hurt him!¡± Halima shriek in rage, her brown eyes shing scarlet. ¡°Get away!¡± Suddenly, a blow of unmitigated force charged at Artemis and me,unching us backward away from the two. Separated by several feet, wended on our backs, punching the wind out of our lungs. What followed was a sequence of beavy, resounding ngs along with Artemis rabid barking. As my vertigo faded, my vision cleared to a scame that kindled my anger.


    There was nothing that could rationalize this.


    An enormous, gilded cage bedazzled with glistening pearls trapped Artemis like a zoo animall Strange lig emanated from the jail twinkling under a mystical force. Angry, my wolf mmed her body repeatedly again


    scape, but it was useless. There was no lock in sight and the cage wouldn¡¯t bude


    ¡°Artemis!¡± Immediately. I hopped on my feet and ran to my wolf only to be forced aside by an imperceptible wall pulsating with power with my touch. ¡°No! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°And stay there, dumb dog!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± I bollered, darting my head to my inner child ¡°Don¡¯t you dare insuit het Stop this, Halima Artemis did nothing to you!!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s annoying, though. I like you, not he


    That¡¯s it. Those two can fack with me all they want, but harming memis cusses the line. Marthing over to them with purpose. I yanked Halima from Osiris arms and need the bastard as and as I could im his stomach, grinning at his painful gasps. The child shrieked as I tossed her over my stopulider e a sack of yams, thrashing wildly.


    are you doing?¡± Halima shouted ¡°Let me go! You hurt Osins!


    ¡°Good!¡± The bastard deserved it. Once we were some distance elsewhere, I set Halima on her fest, ignoring her obvious ring and sulking Artemis continue to struggle, and my amper dedaged a bit at the sight going to get you out. Art. Don¡¯t wor


    Hury, please


    ¡°Halima.¡± I turned back to the child, kneeling down on one knee to meet her height ¡°Stop this Ler Artemis go. No good cane out of this! There are better ways to deal with our


    ys to deal with our feelings that don¡¯t include murting others.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re beer than me! You are me! You¡¯re just scared of darkness because you want to believe you¡¯re this wonderful person full of light when you¡¯re nott How can it be so bad when it strengthened us.


    <b>+10</b>


    ¡°It didn¡¯t make us strong! It made us crazy!¡± My hands grasped the little girl¡¯s shoulders as <b>I </b>watched the Bonu fight shall out in het browns. ¡°We aren¡¯t like this. We¡¯re better than the people who hurt us.¡±


    <b>02:11</b>


    ¡°We are, but not in the way you think.¡± My jaw dropped. I¡¯ve never heard a child¡¯s voice be so cold. Uninviting and unforgiving. Halima pressed her tiny, battered hand on my heart, fingers twitching at my heartbeat. ¡°You don¡¯t have to <b>y </b>Ms. Goody¨CTwo¨CShoes all the time. I know how you felt when you <b>killed </b>that man, when you almost killed that dumb Odessa, and everything before that. You can¡¯t look at me and tell me you didn¡¯t feel good because I know you did! Good without the hurt. That¡¯s how it should be.¡±


    Labhor how she¡¯s right. The instant gratification of beating someone who once controlled me was an abction. An adrenaline rush like no other. For <b>once</b>, the abiding <b>pain </b>was gone. I could breathe like a normal person. The chains to my anguish were broken, and I felt unstoppable. Shortly after, they recovered <b>and </b>held me prisoner again. It constantly had been that way; I thought I was better and then the rpse.


    My heart skipped a beat, and Halima¡¯s face cracked an excited smile. I didn¡¯t know what it meant until I heard bubbling and gurgling from behind me, growing with vigor and volume. Sloshing <b>echoed </b>and crackling from the trees were heard. Turning slowly, I¡¯m face to face with the pond Halima was dancing around earlier, now quadrupled in size. Dead leaves disappeared into the festering ck pit. I peered back at my inner child, now adorning a childlike, but a new malevolent smile.


    ¡°I love you, kiya. That is why I have to do this.¡±


    Before I could ask, something thick <b>and </b><b>ck </b>violently shot out from the <b>water </b>and snaked around my waist and legs, dragging me toward the ck hole. At the same time I heard the trees groaning, Halima¡¯s delighted


    s, Osiris¡± deep chuckles, and Artemis barking¨Cdemanding that I fight back.


    From my waist down, I couldn¡¯t move, but that doesn¡¯t <b>mean </b>I couldn¡¯t move my hands.


    Digging my nails into the ground, I resisted against the mighty pull of the living pond, crawling forward toward my freedom. My nails threatened to split from my cuticles, but I couldn¡¯t stop. There is no telling what waiting inside the dark waters! Artemis continued to be the encouraging voice I needed to fight against the shadowy entity.


    Halima didn¡¯t make it any easier. Because she bolted to me, crashed into my face, causing me to lose r With a delighted ¡°Whee!¡°, we went plummeting into the water with a mighty ssh.


    my grip.


    Artemis vells faded into silence. As I sank, painful deafness constrained my eardrums, muffling the sound of shing water. Without something to grip, the force pulled my body further into the darkened depths. Even my powers, connected to the moon itself, couldn¡¯t help me. The silvery light around my fingers fizzled and died.


    There is no moon. No light. Only constant, stifling gloom.


    The abysmal chill held me captive as I struggle to breathe in the ck tar, desperate for a sign of life and hope. But there was none. None except for my inner child sinking with me, grabbing hold of my hands with the fragility of a feather.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I had to do it.¡± Halima spoke. Her mouth didn¡¯t move, but I could hear her sharp voice in my head.


    +10%


    Bonus


    ¡°Halima¡­¡± I countered, weakness taking over my muscles. ¡°We might die here.¡±


    02:13


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll be just the two of us, together!¡± Her eyelids dropped, and she grimaced. ¡°Do you want me? You never came to see if I <b>was </b>okay until today. It¡¯s a lonely without you, even with .¡± For emphasis<b>, </b>she showed her teddy bear. My teddy bear. I gazed at the bear, long and hard, until I clutched its other hand. Our sinking slowed considerably, but it didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I murmured. Guilt began eating away at my heart. Halima was here, inundated by ck <b>and </b>rot with a toy to keep herpany. Was it my fault that I cursed my inner child to a world of loneliness? Did I do this to her? All the times I couldn¡¯t handle with my ordeals, I took refuge in my world of cruel solitude.


    Even with therapy, there was consistently that presence in the back of my head, noting how I had no ce in the world. That Selene made a mistake with me. Through my grueling weight gain, therapy sessions, and visits to the psychiatrist, it reaffirmed that presence that I¡¯m just too jumbled up for anyone to deal with. I had Artemis, but I constantly felt like the anxieties were tearing me apart, specifically. She¡¯s stronger than me.


    Who would want to deal with me? Neron must be out of his mind to love me like this.


    ¡°We can make the hurt stop.¡± Halima murmured, rubbing my shoulder. ¡°The only way for us to feel better is to get rid of the people who hurt us.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair that we hurt all the time! It never goes away, Kiya! They all get to live happy. Why? They did this to us! We¡¯re like this because of them!¡± The girl nced down, tears mingling in with the water. ¡°I¡¯m tired of hurting. I want us to be happy; is that too much to ask for?¡±


    I know, I know<b>, </b>I <b>know</b>! We don¡¯t deserve this! All my options are waning away as we speak, and there isn¡¯t anything I could do. I have to be the bigger person, but why did it have to be me? Holding my head, I felt a headache throb against my skull.


    Suddenly, there <b>were </b>voices. Multiple voices carried through the water, resounding with volume. The voices of the Zircon pack members, vulgar words of hatred, disgust, and delighted torture rung like gongs. Memories shed before my eyes, sharp and detailed. Every syble, every emotion stung <b>like </b>needles to flesh. I tried hard to think about the happiness I got at my <b>new </b>pack; my <b>family </b>and friends, but the screeching in my <b>ear </b>from Zircon¡¯s evil seized my solstice and reced it with <b>searing </b>pain.


    ¡°Make it stop, Kiya!¡± Halima begged<b>, </b>clinging onto me for dear life. Her head buried itself in my chest, hiding from the memories. ¡°Please, it hurts! Make it go away!¡±


    Wrapping my arms around Halima, I pushed her more into me as the memories became more vivid and the voices became stronger.


    Stop it!


    Stop it!


    <b>STOP </b><b>IT!</b>


    I screamed so loud that my throat burned. The sound that escaped my mouth didn¡¯t feel like my own, but it


    in the Darks


    +10


    did the trick. All the voices stopped. The pain stopped. And suddenly, I felt warm all over, like someone punu nket over me. It felt¡­good. Halima continued to cling to me, sniffling from our recent mental attack 02:10


    ¡°The light is painful, Kiya.¡± She wept. ¡°We suffered <b>so </b>much. But in the darkness, no longer. We are safe, and we will be happy. We are free!¡±


    Those words. I¡¯ve heard them before. My inner child looked up from my chest and shined <b>me </b><b>a </b>pleasant smile, warming my <b>soul</b>. From that point on, I knew I had to protect that smile. That one smile.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to suffer anymore, do we?¡±


    ¡°No<b>¡­ </b>we don¡¯t.¡± I responded.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay here, together. Nothing can hurt us here.¡±


    Halima retreated into my chest again, my body curving around her like a ball. Nothing will hurt her again. I won¡¯t allow it..


    No more pain.


    No more terrible memories.


    Just the two of us, besieged in warm darkness.


    Mom¡­Dad¡­I¡¯m <b>sorry</b>. I know you thought better of me. You both thought I was stronger than this.


    But I¡¯m tired of fighting.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 145

    Chapter <b>56 </b>Surrendered


    ¡°Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside <i>us</i>, and sometimes, <i>they </i><i>win</i><i>.</i><i>¡°</i><i>¨C</i>Stephen King


    Osiris


    Victory is mine.


    +10


    Bonu


    <b>02:00</b>


    As the decades of my immortal life passed, I¡¯ve strived to my <b>goal </b>of establishing a world where hybrids no longer hid in fear and decimating the weres. Meticulous nning came with great reward<b>. </b>As humans grow old, shrivel away, and die, I remained steadfast; using my abilities and faithfulness to my god to achieve my ultimate dream.


    Now, <b>that </b>dream is turning into my reality.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The ck waters churned and boiled like a witch¡¯s cauldron, epting the two visitors in its shadowy depths. Kiya has allowed her mind to bathe in the darkness and epted it with no consequence. Trapped in a silent dome with her precious inner child, I can move forth with my ns to turn her into a powerful mistress of the night. epting their submission, a sheet of ice crackled <b>over </b>the water, reinforcing the resounding silence.


    Glee escaped my <b>lips </b>in giggles. Then,ughter. Before I knew it, I was cackling in triumph. My Little Moon epting her darkness is a gift <b>for </b>all my patience! Cold air <b>gusted </b>through my clothing but failed to dampen the happiness filling my veins. The struggle against the illusion of morality has ended.


    The true story begins now.


    <b>Soon</b><b>, </b>I will taste the shed blood of the Zircon Moon mutts, relishing in the aroma of their demise.


    A pathetic yet powerful howl echoed through the dark <b>realm</b><b>, </b>rattling the foundation of the blighted <b>trees</b>. Artemis, trapped in her golden cage<b>, </b>mourns over the loss of her human. Unable to do a damn <b>thing </b>about it. Turning to the glittering prison, I <b>shot </b><b>a </b>sweet smile at the white mutt, only to earn a snarl in return.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this!¡± She yelled, <b>tears </b>spilling from her disgusting blue eyes. ¡°I swear to Selene, <b>you¡¯ll </b><b>pay </b>for <b>what </b><b>you¡¯ve </b>done to us!¡±


    ¡°Where is your stupid Goddess now?¡± I <b>asked </b>her, arching an eyebrow. ¡°If Selene truly cared about her precious <b>avatar</b>, she¡¯d will destiny and rescue you and Kiya from my clutches. But, as she abandoned me<b>, </b><b>she </b>abandoned you<b>. </b>Still believe she <b>is </b>worthy of worship?¡±


    Angry, the wolf mmed her body <b>against </b>the gilded bars. The <b>cage </b>rocked and rattled but didn¡¯t budge<b>. </b><b>I </b>have to admit, little Halima has quite the craftsmanship. Surely, this splendid prison is more than enough for Artemis¨Cif it <b>were </b>up to me, I¡¯d trap <b>her </b>in a cage of iron and rust.


    ¡°Keep fighting. It amuses me.¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯ve won, but evil will never win.¡± Artemis bellowed with faith. ¡°You¡¯ll reap what <b>you </b>sowed, Osiris. Karma is a bitch to deal with <b>and </b>she bites <b>hard </b>in the ass!¡±


    ¡°Big talking from a stupid dog. Karma is a misguided fool, picking favorites. The evilest humans on Earth evade her clutches, while those who idently kill a bug suffer the worst consequences. I¡¯m not afraid of


    <b>1/5</b>


    4101


    Bonu


    karma¨C1 will be karma.¡±


    <b>02</b>:<b>0</b>


    ck and crimson energy misted <b>and </b>sailed <b>around </b><b>us</b><b>, </b>presenting an expos¨¦ of seduction and evil. It hisses, bellowing through the withered trees and over the frozen pool hastily, thrilled to take residence in its new home. My smile cracked wider as the realm shifted and coiled from the ritual outside of this world, chaotic vibrations infusing themselves into their new host. I observed the confidence in Artemis wane as her head. <b>darts </b>around<b>, </b><b>her </b>fur standing at full salute in her fear.


    ¡°As an extension of my god, Apophis<b>, </b>it appears I¡¯m needed outside of Kiya¡¯s mind. The chaos will run unchecked to every corner of this world, its touch malevolent. It won¡¯t be long until <b>this </b>little avatar is mine for the taking<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    Poor Selene. She should¡¯ve taken care of her avatars more. Kiya belongs to me now.


    Tangible ck hands slid around Artemis and her cage, grasping at the bars as a boundless ck void opened. up behind her. Fearful blue met my amused <b>red</b>, helpless, and defeated. ¡°Now, Artemis, I love to stay and chat more, but I have a world to build<b>. </b>Unfortunately, you won¡¯t be a part of it.¡±


    ¡°No! Give Kiya <b>back </b>to me! She¡¯ll <b>get </b>out of this!¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t like to share.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>If </b>she¡¯s dead-!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alive. She and Halima are safe in their watery dome below the pool, far from the world of light. Painless and peaceful, they shall remain there until the end of time. I provided them the one thing you couldn¡¯t, Artemis: happiness. Use your time in the void to look upon your failure.¡±


    The <b>darkness </b>dragged the cage backward, consuming the gold and the howling white wolf whole. Struggle upon struggle was all Artemis could do before ck bathed the realm in silence once more. She, too, will understand how warm and secure the void is if she learned to ept it just as her human did, distant apart with their bond buried underyers uponyers of ck.


    No one wille in between me and my ns.


    No <b>one</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°Hold her limbs down, including her head. I wouldn¡¯t want her to get an injury before she wakes.¡± I ordered after my return from Kiya¡¯s mind.


    The mind bathing in the <b>grand </b>pool of darkness told a different tale than the body. Complications arose when the body fights against the evil allure, holding onto more memory than the mind would allow itself. Decked out with healed <b>scars</b>, an elephant¡¯s memory is embedded in the pores of the skin. Because of this, Kiya¡¯s body fought against the infection of holy darkness, rejecting its chaotic advancements.


    Thus, lead to her convulsing on the mattress surrounded by zing candles dressed in snake blood. In her seizure, she continues to fight. Few people have the level of willpower Kiya has¨Cresisting, inflicting herself with more pain to remain in the light. From watching her, I see why Selene picked her to be her sessor,


    2/5


    +10


    Bonu


    because she is a fighter.


    She will maintain <b>that </b>fighter status; except it¡¯ll be for <b>the </b>side of hatred.


    01:5


    As the corrupt witches continued their ritualistic chanting of evil, the loyal hybrids held Kiya¡¯s limbs down <b>and </b>secured her head while her body bounced wildly at all angles. <b>Her </b>sounds of struggle and whimpering bombarded my ears, did nothing to sway my lifeless heart. She needs this, and sadly, bonding with darkness brings slight pain. Pepi slithered up on my arm, lying his tiny head on my shoulder. Excitement fluttered in his <b>scaly </b>body, fit to induct Kiya into our family.


    I¡¯m excited <b>as </b><b>well</b>. The tarnishing influence of the light side will lose <b>its </b>hold; its convincing fa?ade of virtue


    <b>led </b>all species in the world <b>to </b>ept that sumbing into their <b>dark </b>desires made them less than. <b>Always</b>, they must side with the standards of piety to guarantee their spot in what they believe to be <b>heaven</b>.


    How long <b>have </b>I <b>trusted </b>that lie? Doing good will bring good, yet I¡¯ve lost more in the light than I have in the <b>darkness</b>. Anger boiled through me as I <b>reflected </b>about all that was taken from me, including my beloved Amber; a pure, innocent soul stolen from me by a man karma failed to discipline. Death didn¡¯te for him soon enough and he perished with glory and praise, producing more descendants of his insanity.


    Soon, his descendants will reap the punishment he¡¯d escaped for so long.


    My Little Moon will <b>not </b>simply be the key to their downfall, but a weapon to strike down the undeserving. Zircon Moon is the opening act. The end will be when we both sit on our thrones in a <b>new </b>world where we are sacrosanct, ruling by <b>my </b>side as my beacon and lover.


    I observed from the foot of the mattress as her convulsing slowly calmed, lifting the pressure off my servants. ck wisps hovered around her left arm and used her brown flesh as a canvas to create aplex drawing. looping from the back of her palm toward the mark on her neck. When it cleared, it revealed a tattoo¨Clike design of an elegant, hissing snake in Pepi¡¯s liking.


    Soon, my Little Moon will rouse into a dark life full of unfathomable power. The light was her weakness, but she will rise to power. Fueled with hatred and resentment stemming from a history of pain, she will be a sword of destruction that no one can stop. There will be no room for mercy or friendship or kindness¨Cshe will <b>cease </b>to be a pawn of destiny.


    What Neron Prince had thrown away has be mine for the taking.


    Suddenly, the snake blood candles exploded one by one, shooting hot wax across the room, some hitting the magicians and hybrids who <b>yelped </b>in pain. The hymn ceased and the anarchic energy left the room right after Kiya let out a final scream before stilling like a corpse.


    This part of the ritual ispleted. I directed my servants to move from my newly formed woman, threatening to cut their hands off if their touch lingered on what was mine. Walking toward her<b>, </b>ignoring the <b>discarded </b>pieces of wax, I cradled her paling <b>brown </b>cheek in my palm, caressing her supple skin with my thumb.


    ¡°There, there, my darling. It¡¯ll be okay.¡± My heart is lost to the world, but now it stirs. In pure anticipation. I wanted to be the first one my Little Moon <b>sees </b><b>as </b>she wakes into her new world. I¡¯ll be the <b>one </b>to take <b>care </b>of her and love her like she deserves. Leaning down, I <b>pressed </b>my forehead against hers, Pepi slithering in the


    +109


    Bonu:


    space between us. ¡°Open your eyes and allow me to guide you into glory. The light no longer serves you, for only the dark will. Wake up, my darling.¡±


    01:55


    Patience is a virtue, but the reward was wonderful. Stunning crimson nced into my own as her eyelids fluttered open, awake and alert. The eyes that previously expressed loathing and disgust gave me curiosity and yearning. Beautiful couldn¡¯t describe my Kiya properly. Silently, Kiya wrapped an arm around my shoulders, <b>hiding </b>her head in the crook of my neck. Chuckling, <b>I </b>gathered my darling into my arms, holding her close to my body.


    ¡°I got you, Little Moon. You <b>need </b>not to worry.¡± She gave <b>me </b>a weak grunt in response.


    ¡°Lord Osiris.¡± One hybrid arrived, bowing his head. ¡°The bloodbath for our Lady is ready.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± I darted my eyes to the surrounding servants. ¡°Tidy up around here while I get our Lady limated.¡±


    ¡°Yes<b>, </b>Sir.¡±


    As they cleared the ritual space, I carried my Kiya out of the room and escorted her toward thevatory, following the sharp aroma of blood and forbidden magic. Pepi made his home on Kiya¡¯s chest, eyes fluttering closed in her warmth. <b>Kiya¡¯s </b>silence told me many things, notably since awakening with new powers is overwhelming. But, attached as Halima was, she found solstice near my body.


    So precious. Absolutely precious. It¡¯s such a pleasant mockery to that wretched Goddess Selene that her precious child is now an agent of darkness. Even the moon has a dark side, thriving as both a blessing and curse. And her avatar has turned into my miracle.


    All mine.


    Entering the bath <b>area</b><b>, </b>I ignored the crippled, scattered bodies of the witches and hybrids breathing heavily on the ground with their wrists slit wide, admiring the formerly pristine bathtub filled with their blood, shielded by sheen curtains. The final step to solidify Kiya¡¯s new role is to feed her madness. Without the voice of her <b>wolf</b>, I shall be the tiny voice in her ear.


    Settling my quiet darling onto her feet, two corrupt witches took her to a corner to prepare her for the bath, stripping her clothes away. Appropriate attire to gratify her current standing will be provided for her <b>as </b>soon after topliment her ckening heart. Kiya showed some hesitancy at first as they pulled her toward the blood bath, her eyes seeking mine for reassurance.


    ¡°It is alright, darling.¡±


    Nodding timidly, she took her first steps into the bath before settling in. Her knees rose from the surface <b>as </b><b>the </b>blood <b>covered </b>her bare essentials from the corbone downward. Silence and stillness followed after Kiya rxed in her new bath, her breathing calm. But her sudden giggling broke the silent ambiance, rming the witches.


    Then theughter. Maniacalughter that brought out the sinister beauty hidden from the world. Aided with the blood magic infused in the bath, her madness <b>finally </b>settled in, making its home in her heart, body, and soul. Her coiled hair <b>draped </b>over the bathtub rim as she continuedughing, covering her face with her bloodied hands as she <b>caught </b>her breath.


    <b>4/5</b>


    ¡°Yes, yes! The pain <b>is </b>gone!¡± She acknowledged, happiness oozing from her words. ¡°I love it!¡±


    +109


    Bonus


    01:52


    Pepi slithered off my arm toward the bath, poking his head next to <b>Kiya¡¯s</b>. She turned her head to him. beaming with all the love in the world, curling her red finger under his chin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you, sweetheart. Forgive me?¡± She cooed. He answered with pressing his nose against her cheek, making her giggle.


    Another smile rested on my face as I joined Pepi next to the bath, my hand smoothening out my darling¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯ll never feel pain again, Little Moon. It¡¯s what you always wanted, right? Now, you can <i>be </i>happy forever, as long as you stay by my side.¡±


    ¡°Forever?¡± She asked me in a sweet voice.


    ¡°Forever. You¡¯re mine now, darling. Your pathetic Alpha mate can¡¯t im you, anymore<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want him<b>.</b>¡±


    Taking her bloodstained hand in mine and the other on the back of her head, a deep chuckle rumbled from my chest, pressing her forehead against mine<b>. </b>¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to hear.¡±


    My Little Moon and I shared a tender kiss, sealing our promise to be happy together with the fumes of blood igniting the kiss. I¡¯ve sessfully enraptured the heart of the moon as mine<b>, </b>stealing her from a bastard who¡¯ll never have her.


    Oh, Alpha Neron.


    I cannot wait to <b>see </b>the pain in your eyes once you <b>see </b>what <b>was </b>once yours is now mine.


    Chapter Comments


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    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 146

    Chapter <b>57 </b>¨C Delegation


    ¡°Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.¡°¨C Suzy Kassem


    Neron


    I don¡¯t know where I am, or how I got here.


    All <i>I </i>know is that something terrible has happened.


    +10% Banus


    01:47


    A throbbing pain in my chest wouldn¡¯t leave. It sat, recklessly pulsating against my wishes. I¡¯ve tried rubbing the area to case the difort, but it only made it worse. The only thing I could do is try to ignore it as I try to figure out where I am. Easier said than done, so it seems.


    Is this a dream? My steps echoed as I walked through the infinite void <i>of </i>white. The blinding light betrayed the reckless chill, goosebumps littering across my exposed flesh. Could this be a sign of things toe, or am I looking too much into it?


    Then, I remembered what Onyx said before I passed out. He believes something happened to Kiya. The pain was unlike anything I¡¯ve ever experienced, like it ripped my heart from my chest. It was the only sign I¡¯ve received from my mate¡¯s condition, and it wasn¡¯t good. At all.


    This is where the panic sets in. What happened to Kiya?


    Suddenly, a second pair of footsteps appeared, seizing my attention. Faint sniffles followed. I ran toward the source of the sadness. My distressed heart was eager to alleviate whoever it was. Confusion settled in; why am I doing this? It seemed futile, but I couldn¡¯t stop. Something was telling me not to. As I drew closer, the thoughts <i>of </i>Kiya grew in power. She was all I could think about; her smile, herughter, her fearlessness¨Ceverything that made her perfect..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    The memories faded to dust. I skidded to a stop, eyes widening. That voice. I¡¯ll always recognize that voice, even if it¡¯s just a whisper in the wind.


    ¡°I just wanted the pain to stop¡­¡±


    The white void misted and cleared to a scene that crushed my heart. It was Kiya, on her knees with her hands covering her face. Tears slipped from her fingers, raining on the ground like a storm. Her whimpers were soft, her body curled into a small ball to hide from the world. I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of my mate sad. <i>I </i>wanted to take away her sadness; to reach out to wipe her tears away. To tell her everything will be okay.


    But what did she mean by ¡®wanting the pain to stop?


    ¡°Love?¡± I took a step forward, worried. My fingers ached to touch her face. Startled, her head shot up from her palms, revealing puffy eyes and a tear¨Cstained face. Brown eyes glistened with fear, Kiya retreated on her rear, scurrying away from me.


    ¡°No! Stay back!¡± She yelled. ¡°Leave! I¡¯m too dangerous!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Kiya?¡± <i>I </i>continue to advance, motivated by my concern. ¡°Please, let me help you.¡±


    1/5


    ¡°No one can help me!¡± Frantically wiping her tears, she rose on her feet, staring me down. ¡°You don¡¯t know you¡¯re getting into, Neron. If you know what¡¯s best for you, you¡¯d leave and forget about me!¡±


    +101 Bonin


    01:44


    ¡°<i>I </i>can¡¯t do that.¡± <i>I </i>shook my head. ¡°Something is happening, and I need to know what it is. I want to and will <i>help </i>you, even if you¡¯ll hate me for it. Leaving you like this is not an option; I care about you.¡±


    She scoffed. I ignored it. ¡°What made you so sad?¡±


    Kiya didn¡¯t say a word. She hugged her elbows and darted her eyes around as if she <b>was </b>waiting <i>for </i>something to happen. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Forget it.¡±


    ¡°It matters to me!¡± My fists shook in my frustration, eyes analyzing my mate. nk stare, rigid movements, monotonous voice¨Cshe lost the will to fight. I had many questions, and this was my only chance to get answers, §á§à matter how wild this dream is. ¡°What did Osiris do to you? I know he did something.¡±


    Her movements <i>faltered</i>, but she quickly recovered. ¡°<i>A </i>lot. None of which <i>I </i>can exin.¡± Sighing, her eyes drifted close. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Kiya <b>you </b>know, Neron. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be again.¡±


    <b>z </b>an


    Before I could respond, ck energy swirled behind Kiya¡¯s form, growing. It rumbled and howled, pulsating unseen force that chucked <b>us </b>on our rears. What slithered out of the hole was a colossal, writhing, snake tail. Itunched toward its target, draping around Kiya¡¯s waist, pulling her toward it, ravenous to swallow her whole.


    No! It¡¯s not taking my mate away from me!


    Growling, I grasped Kiya¡¯s arms and yanked <i>her </i>body to me, arms around her upper frame. It turned into a game of tug¨Co¨Cwar with my mate as the rope, both sides fighting for the chance to im her as our own. Losing her wasn¡¯t an option! Darkness cannot and will not take her!


    Kiya begged me to <i>let </i>her go. Her whimpers and yells of pain were all I could hear. <i>I </i>wanted them to stop because she was in pain, but I¡¯d risk losing her for good. My heart can¡¯t take that! I couldn¡¯t give up!


    I pulled and pulled, gaining traction over the swirling darkness. Into the light is where Kiya belonged, not in a pit <i>of </i>ck. Losing footing, the snake tail began slipping, giving me the advantage<i>. </i>It seemed like victory was in my hands. I was going to save my mate!


    Until it wasn¡¯t.


    Without warning, I felt an extreme stabbing pain spreading from my Pack Mark to the rest of my body. Sadistic, the agony seized control <i>of </i>my muscles, infusing in every <i>fiber </i>to render me helpless. I fought against it, <b>but </b>it became tougher to breathe<i>. </i>My vision blurred, sending a pounding, rhythmic headache straight into <i>my </i>skull. My hands slipped and my knees buckled<i>. </i>I lost focus. I lost my momentum and Kiya slipped from my hands with an echoing scream. Copsing onto the hard ground, weak and lips cemented together, my vision gave me onest look of my mate swallowed by evesting darkness.


    ¡°NERON!¡±


    Rapid beeping from the heart monitor bombarded my eardrums when I shot up from the hospital bed, <b>sweat </b>clinging onto my clothes. How the hell did I get here<b>? </b>I felt multiple hands on my arms as my heartbeat rung


    in my ears, urging me to rest. My eyes found my Betas and Gamma <b>gazing </b>at me with frowns and eyes eclipsed with concern.


    +10%/%


    ¡°Calm down, Nero.¡± Valerian said, lightly pushing me back to the pillow. ¡°We found you passed out in your room. We couldn¡¯t wake you up, so we had you rushed to the emergency <b>room</b>. What happened<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    Bonus


    <b>01:41</b>


    I couldn¡¯t <b>speak</b>. I didn¡¯t know what I should say. My hands shook and my mind swam <b>like </b><b>a </b><b>cruise </b>against the wild sea, threatening to throw me overboard in its watery prison. Kiya¡¯s screaming felt so real¨Cthe dream felt real. My hands ached from her touch, desperate for her warmth, but got relentless chill. I just in stunned silence, thoughts running a million miles a minute.


    ¡°The bond¡­¡± Onyx hissed in pain. ¡°I can¡¯t feel the mate bond¡­¡±


    No. Oh Goddess, please no!


    I reached out to Kiya through our bond, hoping for a sign. Hoping for an answer that she¡¯s okay. But I¡¯m met with an impervious wall. Unable to feel her on the other side. Unable to feel the rest of the bond. My side was like a flickering wire, helplessly jumping for its other part but couldn¡¯t get through.


    Like Kiya <b>is </b>no longer there.


    <b>Did</b>¡­she reject me? Was this the pain I gave her <b>five </b>years ago?


    All fight in me vanished. Punishing agony danced with my guilt, punishing me worse than my father <b>ever </b>could. A normal person would cry in their bed as they struggle, but I couldn¡¯t. I felt numb. Nothing felt real to me, anymore. I glue my eyes to myp, ruminating over what transpired in the past several days. I¡¯m losing everything left and right; trust, my sanity, my father¨Cand now, Kiya.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Looks like karma finally caught up to <b>me</b>.


    <i>¡°</i><i>If </i>you know what¡¯s best for you, you¡¯d leave and forget about me!¡± Kiya¡¯s voice from the dream echoed in the recesses of my mind. Could that be what she meant? Maybe it was her way of saying she rejected our bond. Osiris <b>has </b>her. Kiya said, in the dream, that he¡¯s done something to her. I don¡¯t know if the dream was just a dream or a strange premonition, but I trust in what she says. If Kiya rejected me, there is no way in hell she¡¯d chose Osiris as her second chance. Not him. He¡¯s evil, and she¡¯s full of light and goodness.


    Osiris infuriates me. I cannot wait to rip his head from his body!


    y voice t


    ¡°Any updates from Alpha Anthony, Kwame?¡± I asked, my


    ¡°Yes. He called earlier.¡± He nodded, dreadlocks bouncing lightly. ¡°The bad news is Phoebe¡¯s location ritual failed. She couldn¡¯t find her<b>, </b>even with the aid of other witches. The good news is she isn¡¯t giving up and Alpha Anthony and Luna Alesia are considering other avenues to locate her. Not all hope it lost.¡±


    It seems like it is. No matter <b>what </b>we do, Osiris is five steps ahead of us. He nned this to the smallest detail and we¡¯reping at straws. I feel like I¡¯m about to lose my mind with all these different, contradicting emotions at war. And misery is prevailing. We have nothing to go on with Kiya, and the damaged bond made the situation worse<b>.</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Kiya you know, Neron. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be again.¡±


    <b>3/5</b>


    +10%


    Cryptic messages, galore. Hope is miniscule, but it is better than nothing. Better than not having her with tou people she loves.


    01:38


    ¡°Giving up isn¡¯t an option, Neron. Things are bing crazier by the <b>day</b>, but <b>we </b>can¡¯t expect a miracle to happen.¡± Onyx¡¯s strained voice betrayed the confidence in his words. But he <b>doesn¡¯t </b>relent. He is feeling the brunt of this recent development as much as I am, yet he stands strong. <b>¡°</b>Since Ga <b>Moon </b>is doing what they can to search <b>for </b>Kiya, we must match their level. Being an Alpha when your world is copsing isn¡¯t easy<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°No kidding. Every single <b>day </b>is a struggle unlike any other, Onyx. To be a leader when you aren¡¯t sure you¡¯re doing


    it right.¡±


    ¡°Having <b>doubts </b>is part of being human. You have your humanity, dude. Few Alphas do; some <b>wouldn¡¯t </b><b>dare </b>to show any emotion. But I think that makes <b>you </b>unique from the <b>men </b>before <b>you</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    My left <b>eye </b>twitched. ¡°Thest thing I <b>want </b><b>is </b>to be anything like them; crude, callous, and selfish.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯re <b>far </b>from it, <b>and </b>for that, I¡¯m happy. Kwame is correct about one thing; not all hope is lost. Our options <b>are </b>limited<b>, </b>but I believe in you. This is the time to <b>prove </b>that you can lead when shit goes awry, with or without Kiya¨Cthough I still prefer her with us. Without your Dad breathing <b>down </b>your neck, <b>we </b><b>can </b>do the best we can<b>.¡±</b>


    Even if the rejection spection is true and after her <b>rescue</b>, if she doesn¡¯t want to see me anymore, I can go to sleep at night knowing I <b>did </b>my part to help her. She can trust me to do my due diligence instead of wallowing in my self¨Cpity. Dad mes my weakness on her kidnapping, and I¡¯ll prove him wrong in every way.


    I want her happy. I want her protected. Kiya needs to be with her family.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I huffed, shoving the hospital nket off my legs, gathering my resolve. ¡°We <b>can¡¯t </b>afford to waste any more time. We will find something that¡¯ll lead us to Kiya. Osiris cannot hide forever. There has to be someone out there in the <b>world </b>who has seen him or knows about him, <b>and </b>I want them found. We¡¯ll start in Carson <b>City </b>and spread out from there. Gamet Moon has things handled in Califomia.¡±


    ¡°What do you need us to do?¡± Valerian asked.


    ¡°There <b>are </b><b>a </b>couple of minor details we have to take care of, so I will assign everyone tasks.¡± <b>I </b>nce at <b>Kwame</b><b>. </b>¡°Where is <b>Odessa</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°She was <b>transferred </b>to the dungeons while you were unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Ariel made a request for a soul separation from Odessa.¡± All eyes widened in shock as I exined. ¡°I can¡¯t forget about her. Kwame, <b>I </b>want you and Lori to find people, preferably Elders with experience, who can perform this ritual. Connect with the Elders from Ga Moon and see where that leads <b>you</b>.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n.¡±


    ¡°Valerian, you and <b>I </b>will search throughout Carson City at popr spots for the supernatural on clues about Osiris. He targeted Kiya when she was here andered at the mall; he knows the area. Someone had to have seen him.¡± My Beta nodded in agreement.


    410 I nced at Raina. ¡°For this task, I want you to work with Kwame¡¯s parents to put out BOLOS to our partnered <b>packs</b><b>. </b>We need trusted eyes on the streets. To be frank, even though Kiya is their daughter, I don¡¯t think trust your parents with this mission.¡±


    3???


    ¡°That¡¯s fine; I don¡¯t either.¡± She responded, running a hand through her thick hair<b>. </b>¡°They don¡¯t know Kiya is missing: that¡¯ll send them off the rails.¡±


    ¡°Nice work! That natural leader in you ising out!¡±


    Oddly enough, I felt a lot better after delegating. Confidence ran through my veins like a marathon runner with victory in their sights. A gentle smile made its way on my face, marveling at my trusted team as they discussed minor details of their tasks.


    Hmm. Maybe I¡¯m not so bad after all.


    ¡°Alpha?¡± Lori walked into my hospital room with a ruffling ball of feathers in her palms. ¡°This owl has been causing trouble with the hospital staff. Is it alright that it is here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a she, and yes.¡± Diana flew to my shoulder, nuzzling her head on my cheek. ¡°You need to behave, Diana.¡±


    ¡°They found her eating the garlic croutons in the kitchen! I thought owls were carnivores.¡±


    That p


    the tiny crumbs on her beak. Iughed, admiring Diana¡¯s cute head bops as she delved further


    into the crook of <b>my </b>neck.


    ¡°Well, Miss Phoebe did say Diana is a special <b>bird</b>.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 147

    5/5


    <b>Chapter </b>58 The Dagger


    ¡°Neither love nor evil conquers all, but evil cheats more.¡°¨CLaurell K. Hamilton


    Third Person POV


    +10


    Bonus


    01:32


    A <b>ck </b>and gold embroidered paddle brush glides through ebony strands from the roots to the ends, gripped. by a pale hand, Kiya sat in a chair in front of a full¨Clength mirror in a ck nightgown and a teddy bear in herp. Her crimson eyes fluttered close as she sunk into her pampering, purring quietly. The hair attendant, one of the many hybrids living in Osiris¡® home, released a silent huff of relief. Faini red scars on her white skin were connected with vivid memories of a treacherous training day where she came face¨Cto¨Cface with a sadistic smile and pointed ws from the woman beneath her.


    But she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Not with Osiris¡® heavy and watchful gaze reflecting from the <b>looking </b>ss. Leaning against the doorframe, the vampire allowed his thoughts to fill his mind about his woman. It wasn¡¯t too long ago he had watched Klyn dance freely under the starless sky, Strongest at night, strips <b>and </b>wisps of her dark powers followed her every move, sculpting It to her liking.


    Her childlikeughter vibrated through the <b>cool </b>air, free from anguish.


    <i>Only </i><i>f</i>


    filled with joy and glee. A marvelous <b>sight </b>for Osiris to see; watching his darling sharpen her powers without realizing it.


    It had been three days <b>since </b>Kiya¡¯s <b>turn </b>to the darkness, and the vampire couldn¡¯t be happier. Knowing his dream is within his grasp, fate rewarded him with his hard work. Sweet to him, but a beast to her enemies. The new Kiya was everything Osiris wanted; a partner and a powerful weapon rolled into one.


    However, the sheer level of her powers was unprecedented. Selene¡¯s avatars are formidable. The moon is <b>an </b>influential force, but under the cloak of the shadows, even more so.


    Molding the mind to personal benefit <b>is </b><b>a </b>skill many <b>cannot </b>aplish. It required tremendous concentration and a sharp vision. To Osiris¡® surprise, <b>she </b>mastered it quite quickly when she used her ¡®trainers¡® as her prey as she hunted. Developments galore, and it meant the duo will be unstoppable. However, the seed of curiosity <b>spouted </b><b>in </b><b>his </b>mind; what else could Kiya do?Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After the hair attendant scurried out of the bedroom, Kiya let <b>out </b>a huge yawn, stretching her arms above her head. She was tired. Spotting a pair of reflective reds from the mirror, her exhaustion melted away instantaneously. A grin broke out when she turned to the door. Sprinting toward the vampire, the woman leaped and wrapped her arms around his neck as her <b>bear </b>dangled from her fingertips.


    ¡°Hi, Osiris!¡± She greeted; her pitch higher than normal. ¡°Are you going to tuck me in?¡±


    The vampire chuckled, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. As much as he liked her curls, he decided


    it was best for her to change her look. ¡°As always, my dear. However, we need to talk.¡±


    The light in Kiya¡¯s crimson eyes dulled. ¡°Can we talk in the morning? I¡¯m sleepy.¡±


    ¡°We could, but we won¡¯t. Getting you up for training was hard enough. I only let you sleep in because your body was adjusting to your new developments.¡±


    ¡°I should still sleep in.¡±


    ¡°Not on my watch. Now, stop stalling and let us talk.¡±


    ¡­Under one condition.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    <b>01:21</b>


    Osiris knew this wasing. Negotiating with this woman benefitted her more than him, and she takes nothing less <b>than </b>her happiness. Sighing, he unraveled her arms around his neck, peering into her face. ¡°<b>What </b>is your condition, darling?¡±


    ¡°I get an extra two hours of sleep<b>.</b>¡±


    <b>¡°</b>One.¡±


    She scowled. ¡°Two. Take it or leave it.¡± Osiris noticed Kiya squeezing her gifted teddy bear tight enough for the cotton to burst from the seams<b>. </b>Anger perfused from her body and her darkness rumbled<b>, </b>threatening to choke him to death. Immediately, he put his hands on her shoulders to calm her down.


    ¡°Very well. Two hours, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    Her smile shined through. ¡°I knew you¡¯d see it my way!¡±


    Taking her hand into his own, Osiris <b>led </b>her to her bed where she sat with a bounce. Kiya¡¯s behavior struck him as odd, especially with a toy in her hands. Childlike. A witch conjured the bear using a spell. Now, the toy is attached to her hip. It did not differ from when he first met Halima in the deepest pits of Kiya¡¯s spirit, bing clingy as he was the only other person <b>she¡¯d </b>spoken to. <b>Now</b><b>, </b>parts of that child¡¯s personality bled into her adult self.


    Yet, during her training, <b>she </b>was different. Ferocious and bloodthirsty. Birthed carnage from her palms, turning her ¡°trainers into her prey. Her toys for her to y with. His servants had other uses besides apanying him through his mission.


    They should be honored <b>that </b>they¡¯re helping their Lady be the best she can be, as she is their ticket to a brighter and better future for their kind.


    But she belonged to him. Kiya is his possession and object of desire. He will ughter anyone who dares toe between him and her.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Kiya kicked up her feet. ¡°<b>What </b><b>did </b>you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you something.¡±


    She gasped in excitement. ¡°Another gift? Where? I want to see it!¡±


    ¡°Patience, Little Moon. Wait here.¡± After a couple of minutes, Osiris returned to Kiya¡¯s room with arge, ck velvet box with red brocades sewn in <b>at </b>each corner. It piqued the <b>woman¡¯s </b>curiosity with her eyes tailing his movement until he sat down.


    ¡°Open it.¡± He handed the box to her. ¡°You¡¯ll like what¡¯s inside.¡±


    +109


    Bonu


    OT:26


    Kiva nestled the box in herp. Dark power radiated from within, coiling and ready totch onto whoever dared to open it. A rational person would¡¯ve ditched the box and run like hell. Not Kiya. She wanted to what was inside. magic told her toe closer. Latching their chains of evil onto her heart, it wanted Kaya lu im what was rightfully hers.


    Artemis was no longer there to tell her to be careful. Her voice was as silent as death. The shroud of devilry clouded her gut instincts, infecting her fading humanity, and she didn¡¯t have the will to fight back. After her blood bath, epting her darker half became easier.


    Seduced, she opened the box. A smile crept its way on Osiris¡® face when Kiya¡¯s crimson eyes glowed bright


    wonder. Whatid upon smooth velvet interior was a dagger, a tool for either noble defense or cold- hearted deeds. Silence befell the woman as infinite possibilities of its use running a marathon in her mind. Many of which involved rivers of crimson and the taste of death.


    Carved out of authentic bloodstone, the reds and greens swirled together at the handle, mimicking one of the many gxies in the cosmos. A thick red diamond sat between the quillons, both curved upward to mimic snake fangs. The untouched silver de, long and double¨Cedged, was cool and smooth under her fingertips. The tip of the de gleamed from theer of her eye.


    But an unpleasant, burning sensation attacked her fingertips, prompting her to retract her fingers. Healing fast. Kiya gripped the bloodstone handle, picking up her new weapon. Lightweight and durable. Excellent forbat.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She hummed, eyes settling on her floor mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes heavy and wicked. Until it shifted. The corners of her vision hazed over, her reflection morphing into the man she hated the most. Was it a hallucination? No matter what Kiya did, the bastard made a mark on her soul that she couldn¡¯t get rid of. And it burned with her every breath.


    His wicked smirk shined back at her, conveying a silent message that ignited her anger.


    Roaring. Kiya chucked the de at the mirror, striking the illusion in between the eyes. The air was suddenly rent by the sound of shattering ss, raining down fragments sharp enough to cut on contact. Osiris eyes widened at Kiya¡¯s sudden action, but it failed to damp his grin. Rage is a mighty weapon. Rather than having it aimed at him, it¡¯ll be used to unleash hell on those who¡¯ve created it. Folding one leg over the other, he watched Kiya walking toward the shattered mirror, pulling her de from the ting.


    ¡°It is sharp. I like it.¡± Her voice dropped an octave, low and menacing. ¡°Is the de made of silver?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And dipped in concentrated levels of wolfsbane. The witches did a superb job crafting this lovely weapon of destruction for you.¡± Osiris led Kiya back to the bed, ignoring the teddy bear falling on its face. Kiya stepped on it, unfazed. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it is like the de you used to kill your rapist, is it not?¡±¡±


    Kiya¡¯s breathing hitched in her throat at the mention of the dead man. Her glower was sharper than her de. ready to kill. ¡°Don¡¯t mention him. If the fucker was still alive, I¡¯d kill him ten times over.¡±


    ¡°Too bad Death doesn¡¯t offer returns.¡± He chuckled. ¡°He may be dead; the rest of your tormenters are not With that de, you can make them truly suffer. And you¡¯re very creative, my darling. I can¡¯t wait to see your creative masterpieces.


    <b>+</b>10%


    Bonus


    ¡°I can feel it <b>again</b>.¡± Kiya hissed, palm rubbing her chest. ¡°The pain. I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    <b>01:23</b>


    ¡°It¡¯ll disappear once the viins who caused it are dead.¡± Osiris whispered, taking a hand and kissing the back of her palm. ¡°And they hurt you deeply, didn¡¯t they? You can kill them all and no one will stop you.¡±


    suddenly.


    ¡°Artemis¡­¡± She her eyes moistening. ¡°I miss her¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need her.¡± Osiris reprimanded, tenderly cupping her <b>face </b>in his hand. As Kiya¡¯s anger grows, so does her power. Her darkness feeds on her fury, just as it always has, like gasoline to an open me. It was important for him to reel her in back to serenity so that she doesn¡¯t grow unstable.


    ¡°I want her with me.¡±


    ¡°Your mangy wolf made you weak, Kiya. She was only holding you back! Many have told what you could or couldn¡¯t feel that your hatred was a pest needing to be exterminated! No, your anger only strengthened you. Without it<b>, </b>you <b>wouldn¡¯t </b><b>have </b>taken down that fool Tristan or that bitch Odessa. In the name of honor, you¡¯d let them <b>live</b>. You¡¯d let them walk all over you again.¡±


    ¡°No! I wouldn¡¯t have! I¡¯m not weak, Osiris!¡± Kiya shouted, her eyes glowing brilliantly. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone walk all over <b>me </b>again! I¡¯m strong!¡±


    ¡°Prove it.¡± Osiris chuckled, running his thumb over his mark on her neck, involuntarily invoking a shiver through her spine. ¡°Forget your old life and release your humanity. You¡¯ll constantly be strong by my side, for I gave you permission to let your true power out. You¡¯re very important to me.¡±


    ¡°<b>I </b>am?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Searching his pocket, he withdrew the amber ne. ¡°You¡¯vee from a long line of pain. Amber suffered and <b>most </b>likely, avatars before her suffered as well. It is your duty to avenge them and your lost childhood. After Zircon Moon perishes under your fury, we will remake the world in our image so that the oppressed no longer have to hide from scrutiny; even if that means obliterating an entire species.¡±


    ¡°What about those I want to live?¡± Kiya inquired, quirking an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Osiris maintained an apathetic expression, despite his stomach knotting in disgust. ¡°I supposed there can be a few of those immune from our punishment. They can live in our new world in peace as long as they obey.¡±


    He walked around Kiya¡¯s form, standing behind her with the chains of Amber¡¯s ne on either hand. ¡°Hold your hair up, my lovely.¡± She did as she was told, shuddering as the cold crystal touched her skin. Wearing the jewelry from her ancestor was odd, but she wiped that feeling away.


    ¡°Do you trust me, Little Moon?¡± Osiris suddenly inquired, peering into her <b>eyes</b>, his fingers dancing across the amber crystal.


    ¡°I¡­¡± The tiny voice in her head urged her to reject Osiris, but it left faster it than she could blink. The dark feelings rolled waves of warmth throughout her body, rxing her running mind. ¡°¡­do. I do trust you.¡±


    ¡°<b>Good</b><b>.</b>¡± Wrapping his arm around her waist, Osiris closed the distance between them, their chests pressed against each other. ¡°It¡¯ll all be worth it in the end. And I promise you, here and now, that I¡¯ll protect you and


    4/5


    Chapter 18 ¨C The Degge


    <b>love </b>you like you deserve. Now that I have you, I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    +10


    Bonu


    01:20


    The two leaned in, ready to share a kiss <b>until </b>a knock on the door disturbed them. Osiris growled low, stiffening his <b>hold </b>around Kiya, who giggled. ¡°What is it?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°I apologize for the interruption, Lord Osiris. But our scouts tracked down Nadia and Lucien. They are in California.¡±


    That is excellent news to the vampire. His betrayers are found and soon, he¡¯ll mark them for death. Chuckling, he curled his fingers under Kiya¡¯s chin and tugged her into a swift kiss. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be taking you out into town tomorrow, my Lady.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 59 ¨C Wanting Her <b>Found</b>


    ¡°When you¡¯re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.¡°¨CTheodore Roosevelt


    Third Person POV


    Wolves work hard, but the Ga Moon Pack works harder.


    In the past three <b>days</b>, Alpha Anthony fell into a flurry of activity. After bonding Mikhail and Isaiah as official members of his pack, he pushed most of his efforts into recovering his youngest sister. He had attempted to <b>reach </b>out to Kiya through the pack bond after Phoebe¡¯s failed spell work but encountered blocks. She had multiple blocks preventing her from being found. It frustrated him. As <b>a </bst resort, he sent alerts to his allied packs for additional eyes on the streets.


    Alpha Neron informed him of his search attempts in Nevada with his pack members. If there was one thing both men can agree on is that they know Kiya isn¡¯t far away. She had to be in the vicinity, if not in either of their states. It was a feeling neither could ignore. Both men were confident with theirbined efforts that Kiya will be found soon.


    Sitting in his office, he busied himself with paperwork. Investments in stocks to new construction in San <b>Jose </b>to sending aid to packs, all caught his attention at once. There was no shortage of his duties; he had a pack to run. However, an unsettling stone of guilt rests upon his heart, pervasive at its attempts to seize his focus.


    Sighing, Anthony set <b>a </b>stack of papers down and propped his head on his fist. He recalled the talks he <b>had </b>with his parents and how he felt guilty for sending Kiya to Zircon Moon in the first ce. That feeling refused to leave. It stayed like ink to jeans.


    ¡°<i>If </i>only I didn¡¯t send her away¡­ Anthony thought, rapping his nails against the wood finish. It didn¡¯t sit right with him that one sister was safe and the other isn¡¯t. Lyria is happy as Luna of the Thunder Moon, caring for her husband and newborn son. When she caught a whiff of Kiya¡¯s disappearance, she and Alpha Dimitri sent their best soldiers tob through the state for her, abetting in his mission. Anthony was thankful, but still felt guilty.


    His hopes rests with the Moon Goddess that his baby sister is okay. Anthony knows she isn¡¯t dead, but the unknown still hurt his soul.


    Suddenly, he heard small taps against the <b>door </b>with tiny giggles. Mahogany swung open, and a trailzer waddled in, hopping into the Alpha¡¯sp. Anthonyughed as his daughter nuzzled her face into his chest, happiness bubbling. Luna Alesia also stepped in, sporting a gracious smile and a te of <b>food</b>.


    ¡°You need a break, my love.¡± The Luna remarked, settling the te in front of him. Anthony sighed heavily, using one hand to smoothen Ximena¡¯s auburn mane and <b>the </b>other to pop a baby carrot in his mouth. ¡°Any news so far?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    <b>None</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>His hardened eyes nced out the window to see pack members living, prospering, and training. He spotted Jacqueline sparring with more force and energy than usual. Knowing her well, it was her way of coping with <b>stress</b>. He mind¨Clinked both Dwayne and Abigail to check up on her. ¡°But I am hopeful. Mom <b>and </b>Dad are out searching. Something is bound to pop up sooner thanter.¡±


    <b>1/5</b>


    410


    §£§à§Ý§Ú


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Alesia walked behind Anthony¡¯s chair and rubbed his shoulders. ¡°Oh, mi amor. There is something on your mind. You don¡¯t <b>have </b>to be strong around me.¡±


    01:13


    The dam threatened to burst from his eyes. Ximena detected her father¡¯s mncholy and patted his cheeks gently for a smile. Anthony tried his hardest to give Ximey what she wanted, but the rock in his heart grew to a boulder. Alesia bent forward and smooched her husband¡¯s <b>face </b>with the sweetness of sugar, hands caressing his biceps.


    ¡°You made the right decision.¡± She whispered. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault. Kiya had to go back to face her demons.¡±


    ¡°She is in the clutches of another, my love.¡± He expelled an unsteady sigh, trying his hardest to not cry. ¡°She didn¡¯t want to go, but I made <b>her</b>. All I keep thinking about <b>is </b><b>if </b>I hadn¡¯t forced her to go back to Nevada<b>, </b>she¡¯d be happy and safe here. I made a lot of choices as Alpha that I regret, but this is the one I regret the most. What if¡­ Anthony bit his lip. ¡°What if she hates me for this?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? Do you think Kiya would ever hate you?¡± Alesia chuckled, sifting some papers to the side so she can sit. ¡°<b>You </b>acted out of love and you¡¯re still acting out of love. The both of you don¡¯t share blood but have a powerful bond of brother and sister. It is not your fault that some evil bastard became attracted to her. There would¡¯ve been that risk anyway if she¡¯d stayed. However<b>, </b>you aren¡¯t helping her by beating yourself up over something beyond your locus of control.¡±


    ¡°I could¡¯ve protected her<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°And that still wouldn¡¯t have stopped Osiris.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never despised anybody like him, and I haven¡¯t met the piece of shit.¡±


    ¡°Bad word, Papa!¡± Ximena eximed with a giggle, covering her ears.


    ¡°Oops! I¡¯m sorry, pumpkin.¡± He kissed her tiny cheek. ¡°Will you forgive your old man for saying a nasty word?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Alesiaughed, running her skillful fingers through her Alpha¡¯s hair, earning soft growls from both him and his wolf. Unconsciously, she crossed her legs to shield her womanhood from the effects of Anthony¡¯s sexy growling. ¡°Kiya would never hate you, Anthony. The love you <b>two </b>share for each other is beautiful; use that as your motivation to find her. You <b>will </b>get your sister back, but you have to take <b>care </b>of yourself.¡±


    Anthony knew his wife <b>was </b>right. Amber¨Ccolored eyes regarded her with a soft look, and a tug on her arm said all he needed to say. He wanted his family back together. His phone and hisptop were awaiting reports from his allies, but the anticipation subsided by the warmth of his sweet mate and sweeter daughter. The Alpha held his diamonds close, their warmth seeping into his heart and soul, calming his wolf Axel.


    He will find his <b>sister</b>. He is sure of it.


    Just as he is sure of how sublime the lone pork sandwich on his te looks.


    +10 The tires of Niki¡¯s car screeched as they entered San Jos¨¦, joining in the statewide search. He sent the Bond damaged passenger van away <b>for </b>repairs, settling for his ck Honda ord. Lyra¡¯s luminous eyes are g


    01:1 to the window, hoping to catch sight of a familiar bundle of ebony curls. Her heart constricted at the thought of Kiya and her unknown condition.


    She spotted members of her original pack, Diamond Moon, blending in with the humans on the streets. It brought ease to her heart to see familiar faces searching for her daughter, but she couldn¡¯t sit around and do nothing. She didn¡¯t want to sit in her home and wait for answers.


    As the car drove, dread suddenly entered her heart.


    ¡°Something has happened <b>to </b>her, I know it.¡± Lyra muttered, worried. ¡°It is like before we went to Zircon<b>, </b>but


    worse.¡±


    ¡°I feel it too, mi cielo.¡± <b>Niki </b>replied, his car picking up speed. ¡°But, Kiya is a survivor. She¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°I just want her found!¡± The former Luna groaned, rubbing her cheeks to alleviate the pressure in her face. ¡°We don¡¯t know what is happening to her<b>! </b>What if she ends up like the people who go missing for years, never


    to found, if at all?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t give energy to that kind of thinking¡± He gripped her trembling hand, nting a tender kiss on her supple skin. ¡°Our Moon Goddess wouldn¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    ¡°How could I let her slip out of my arms like that?¡± Lyra sniffled, wiping her tears with her white handkerchief. Every head of curls she spotted sunk her heart into despair because none of them were Kiya. ¡°My love, when I looked into her eyes, I saw something that shouldn¡¯t be there, and it was hurting her.¡±


    ¡°When did you see that?¡±


    ¡°Before you went to kick Jonathan¡¯s ass.¡± She chuckled small. ¡°My mother¡¯s intuition was going crazy. I don¡¯t know what it is, but it was dark and destructive. There is nothing good about it at all, and how she spoke about killing that man and how she nearly killed that girl¡­what if that is not the end of it?¡±


    Niki grew silent as his wife¡¯s words marinated in his mind. He couldn¡¯t deny that his daughter¡¯s energy shifted, but he assumed it was because of her declining mental stability. After listening to his wife, however, he is wondering what else was there. <b>And </b>with Osiris a new contender in this madness, it only amplified his


    worry.


    ¡°Kiya wouldn¡¯t kill unless she is pushed too far. She¡¯s too pure.¡± As he pulled to a stoplight, his eyes darted around for a sign of his child but found none. ¡°However, I wish we knew more about who Osiris is and where he came from. Why did he want Kiya in the original ce?¡±


    ¡°Power.¡± Lyra rested her head on the headrest, expelling her <b>stress </b>through huffs. ¡°Osiris <b>took </b>her for that. And isn¡¯t that why Jonathan was adamant about her staying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. Phoebe spoke about the first kidnapping, <b>and </b>how there were many other avatars held prisoner. It was clearly about power then, but it¡¯s different now. Wouldn¡¯t he have tried to take Phoebe <b>again </b>if all Osiris wanted was power? There is something specific about Kiya that he wanted<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°If only we knew what it is¡­


    +109 Bonus


    Red shed green and the ck <b>car </b>rolled down <i>the </i>lively streets, sparkling under the glow of the sun Lyhin resumed her silent search. The parents marinated on their brief experience with their attempt to bring 01:07 back home. They mistakenly thought the concerns would vanish if everybody remained in their forever <b>home </b>until the <b>chaos </b>was sorted out.


    But Niki had his suspicions. He distinctly recalled how distressed, yet enraged Jonathan was when he dered Kiva¡¯s departure. The former <b>Alpha </b>acted as if he was stealing his treasure <b>away </b>from him: possessive and controlling. What else had he done<b>, </b>or tried to do, that Kiya hadn¡¯t told him about? His heart ached terribly for his child¡¯s suffering but burned in anger at Jonathan¨Ca man turned monster.


    An inkling in the back of his head told him he might have some fault in the crash. Alphas don¡¯t let go of their possessions without a fight, but he was warned <b>that </b>if he tried something, Ga Moon would dere <b>war</b>. That crash could¡¯ve killed them all. Abigail especially. Would Jonathan Prince go that far to get Kiya back in his hellscape?


    Niki shuddered. A deep part of him had hoped that his old friend would correct the errors of his ways. Faint, dwindling hope.


    But the other part of him differs. The inkling refused to <b>leave</b><b>. </b>He made a mental note to contact Alpha Neron. In his mind, Niki believed it must be old age getting to him; he didn¡¯t want to use Jonathan of something he didn¡¯t <b>do</b>. I¡¯m not that type of man¡®, he thought to himself.


    But if this unfounded suspicion had any truth to it¡­


    ¡°STOP THE CAR!!!¡±


    Startled, Niki pressed the brakes, jerking the both of them forward. Cars behind them honked in irritation along with some pressed yelling. He hurried his car to the side so the drivers can pass. ¡°What is it?!


    ¡°I <b>saw </b>her!¡± Before Niki could stop her, Lyra hopped out of the car. As they were driving, Lyra could¡¯ve sworn she saw her baby girl seconds before. Kiyu stood on the street, dressed in a solid ck skater dress, and waved when she spotted her mother. When Lyra blinked, she saw her being hauled into an alleyway. Ignoring Niki¡¯s protests, she bolted to where shest saw her.


    ¡°She has to be here! I know I saw her!¡± Lyra shouted in her mind, swerving past the human pedestrians. ¡°Isabe, I¡¯m not insane, right? Was it her?¡±


    ¡°It was!¡± Her wolf replied with enthusiasm. ¡°A mother always knows their child.¡±


    In less than a minute, Lyra ran inside the alley, head darting around for Kiya. But all she found were dumpsters, muddy puddles, and rats dragging food wrappers to their home. Her nostrils red to pick up her fragrant scent, but rotting garbage burned her olfactory receptors. Her chest heaved in her heavy panting and her eyes welled with tears inplete devastation.


    ¡°Lyra!¡± Niki huffed, walking behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t run off like that!¡±


    ¡°She was here¡­¡± She whispered; voice lodged in the base of her throat. ¡°She¡­looked different. Her hair didn¡¯t have her coils and¡­she waved and¡­I know she was here! Someone dragged her in here!¡±


    Mi cielo¡­


    Found


    <b>+</b>10%


    ¡°Kiya! Please, answer me if you can hear me<b>!</b>¡± Lyra¡¯s cracked voice screeched in <b>sorrow</b>, tears raining hardeonus than a wild storm. ¡°Mi rayo de luna, please let me know if you¡¯re okay! My heart can¡¯t take this anymore.


    <b>01:05</b>


    Niki pulled his beloved mate into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder so she can cry her heart out. His <b>eyes </b>swam with tears, and soon, he cried along with Lyra. Their hearts throbbed and ached in sync. The pain of <b>parents </b><b>was </b>powerful <b>as </b>it rolled into the air is cataclysmic waves with reckless abandon.


    Their daughter <b>was </b>so close, yet so <b>far</b><b>.</b>


    And they¡¯re back to <b>square </b>one.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 149

    <b>Chapter </b>60 ¨C Are You Okay?


    ¡°The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.¡± ¨C Carson McCullers


    Third Person <b>POV</b>


    +<b>10</b>%


    Bonus


    01:01


    ¡°Come on! Is that all you got?!¡± Jacqueline shouted at the soldiers, ignoring the one groaning under her heel. Her nose red with every <b>inhale </b><b>and </b>her <b>braided </b>hair <b>was </b>disheveled. Some soldier <b>trainees </b>flinched in fear from their Beta¡¯s thundering voice<b>. </b>Since she came back from Zircon Moon, the woman busied herself with exercise and training. Working up a sweat provided a distraction from the chaos looming in the air.


    As some trainees <b>were </b>brave enough to attack, their female Beta swiftly defeated them, her muscles rippling underneath the scorching sun. Before she knew it, all the trainees <b>were </b>scattered on the ground, defeated. A. Delta called for a <b>time </b>out. Jacqueline groaned. There wasn¡¯t anyone left to fight her, and it frustrated her. <b>Disappointed</b>, she <b>grabbed </b>a towel and a water bottle and took a break on a secluded bench. All the worried energy she hoped to burn off returned with a vengeance.


    Losing Kiya angered her. If she had the opportunity, she¡¯d find Osiris and rip open his chest for taking her best friend. Her anger rushed through her like hotva, fists balling up and her jaw clenched with her unsteady, ragged breathing. She remembered their initial meeting like it was yesterday; her frailty became Jacqueline¡¯s motivation to befriend her. Small, adorable, and full of promise, the Beta watched <b>as </b>Kiya grew from a scared pup to a powerful woman.


    Her best friend. Her sister.


    She wanted <b>to </b>protect her, always. But her stay at Zircon Moon opened her eyes, truly, to the terrors Kiya faced. Nothing about what they did made sense to her. Jacqueline grew up believing all packs had a duty to protect their members with love. But Kiya wasn¡¯t the first person to prove


    her wrong.


    Without warning, fingers flicked her nose, causing her to flinch and growl. Jerking her head behind her, she was face¨Cto¨Cface with her identical twin brother¡¯s knowing smirk. She wanted to punch Dwayne in the face<b>, </b>but threw her sweaty towel at him instead.


    ¡°Gross.¡± He muttered, throwing it over the spine of the bench. ¡°How did you not hear me sneaking up on you? That is unlike you, Jack.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking.¡± Jacqueline grumbled, rolling her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you have Beta business to attend to? Last time I checked; it isn¡¯t ¡®Annoy Your Sister¡® Day.¡±


    ¡°Ha, its every day in my book.¡± Dwayneughed. ¡°But, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here. I wanted to check up on you to see how you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°As you can see,¡± She gestured to her body. ¡°I¡¯m <b>fine</b>.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>You aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Jack, you can¡¯t lie to me. Twins can¡¯t lie to each other; it is a sixth sense thing we have going on.¡±


    1/5


    +10


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Jacqueline pinched the bridge of her nose. As much as she hates being checked up on, she missed Bonus brother. The months away from him made her appreciate how lucky she is to have him in her life. Sight <b>00:59 </b>regarded her brother with a look. Dwayne took it as an invitation to sit beside her on the bench, grasping her


    hand.


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong, little sis.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>concerned about Little Bit, bro. <b>We </b>don¡¯t know if she¡¯s okay. I¡¯m terrified and I¡¯m so fucking pissed off at everything that has happened. We don¡¯t <b>have </b>any answers. But I feel like I failed, somehow.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Why </b>would you think that?¡±


    ¡°I vowed I¡¯d protect her, and I didn¡¯t. But¡­¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯m also mad at her and I shouldn¡¯t be! I wish she told us everything that happened, including what that guard did to her, but I understand why she didn¡¯t. We wouldn¡¯t have gone there to help, or at least made her stay here. Remember how you told me to not burn the ce down when I got there?¡± Dwayne nodded. ¡°I wish I had.¡±


    ¡°When you texted me, I had the right mind to tell <b>you </b>to do it. He chortled. ¡°I know you love Kiya a lot, but don¡¯t me yourself for what transpired. Anthony has been doing that a lot and I don¡¯t need my sister doing it too.<b>¡±</b>


    Jacqueline sighed, settling her head on her twin¡¯s shoulder. Both <b>have </b>the same height and build, but she¡¯ll always be the smaller of the two. Dwayne wrapped his arm around his sister¡¯s shoulder, rubbing her shoulder.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t like what happened with Katrina, you know.¡± The woman stiffened at the mention of the woman¡¯s name. ¡°Her death wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°I promised her, just like I did Kiya. Maybe if she knew about werewolves<b>, </b>I would¡¯ve had her join the pack. She¡¯d still be alive. I wish she talked to me instead of reading the damn note she left behind. I would¡¯ve killed that stupid human she called a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°And karma came to <b>him </b>when he died <b>a </b>weekter in a car crash. You shouldn¡¯t be taking on responsibilities not meant to be yours.


    Jacqueline didn¡¯t want to remember the loss of her first friend. She worked hard to move pass it, yet: she


    reminisced. Simr <i>to </i>she didn¡¯t know specific details of their pain until it blew up in their faces. Maybe


    Kiya,


    it was her instinctive sense to protect those she loves as Beta, or maybe she was terrified of losing more people. That fear trickled in with her mate, a magnificent human with all of humanity¡¯s vulnerabilities.


    ¡°I know.¡± She sighed, wiping her tears before they fell. ¡°I love Kiya, dude. And I miss her. I hope she¡¯s okay, wherever she is. If I joined the search party, I¡¯d go mad looking for her.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got people out there searching. Something wille up, I promise. All you have to do is stop beating the shit out of our trainees because you¡¯re stressed. They have to walk too.¡±


    Jacqueline chuckled, the corners of her eyes crinkling. ¡°I guess I should find another way to relief this tension. right?¡±


    Suddenly, the aromatic perfume of papayas assaulted her nose and a pair of loving lips made their home on


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    ¡°It isn¡¯t!¡± Darien shouted, turning to his lifelong friend. ¡°You have a mate who loves you with his heart! i Bonus the same damn thing and got it crushed because mine couldn¡¯t <i>be </i>bothered with me. How would you kno:53


    how I feel?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not trying to say I know how you¡¯re feeling, Odessa took your heart and trampled it underneath her heel. She yed you like a fiddle. Your anger should be on her, not Neron.¡±


    ¡°Part of this shit is his fault.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he asked Odessa to fuck with your heart for his sake.¡±


    Darien sighed in defeat, holding his head. It was easier to me Neron for the <b>copse </b>of his rtionship- he¡¯s the reason Odessa hurt him. He had every right to be resentful at him and tell him exactly what is <b>on </b>his mind. He knows he didn¡¯t <b>deserve </b>that shit.


    ¡°Sirius misses Ariel <b>so </b>much.¡± He <b>revealed</b>. His voice was low, pinging with sadness. ¡°Those two never got time to be with each other<b>, </b>and I feel like I robbed him of that experience. Hell, Odessa did too. Maybe it was her <b>way </b>of not wanting the mate bond thing toe true<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so messed up. How could she deny her wolf her mate?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Because of that, I cannot and will not rescind my rejection. Sirius deserves better.¡±


    ss I


    ¡°You do too.¡± Galen smiled small. ¡°Odessa was bitch. If I had the <b>chance</b>, I¡¯d roast <b>her </b>entire lineage. Fucking with your heart is shit I won¡¯t tolerate. Just like the <b>rest </b>of us, you deserve someone who loves you for YOU, not because of power, <b>rank</b>, or other useless crap.¡±


    Heavy silence fell between them for a minute. ¡°¡­Do you think I have a second<b>¨C</b>chance mate?¡± The melody of trickling <b>water </b>suddenly quieted in Darien¡¯s ears, his chest tightening in grief. He was scared. He wanted a mate for so long, but after his struggle with Odessa, he wasn¡¯t certain if he wanted to move forward with another <b>one</b><b>. </b>¡°What if <b>they </b>are just like Odessa? My heart can¡¯t take another heartache, Gal.¡±


    Galen ced his hands on his friend¡¯s shoulders, his heart sinking at his despair. ¡°I believe our Moon Goddess <b>is </b>merciful. There is someone out there for you who will cherish you like the king you are. I don¡¯t know who they may be, but there won¡¯t be another person like Odessa for you. She is <b>a </b>special type of selfish.¡±


    Darien thought he should be mad when Galen insulted her, but he wasn¡¯t. The love and care he once had for that she¨Cwolf disintegrated into dust, blown aside by the breeze. He didn¡¯t know if Odessa epted his rejection, but he didn¡¯t care. Deep in his heart, he felt Sirius¡® pain. His wolf hadn¡¯t spoken to him in a while<b>, </b>licking his wounds. The separation hurt him too<b>.</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°Afraid? Yeah, I know. Don¡¯t be <b>so </b>worried about another mate; our Moon Goddess will bring the both of you together when the time is appropriate. There is no need to rush the process.


    Darien nodded<b>, </b>expelling a shaky sigh. ¡°Thanks for being here, bro. I didn¡¯t know how much I needed Everything is so fucked now, especially with Little Bit gone<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    talk.


    ¡°Everybody is <b>worried </b>about <b>her</b>. It is like the light has <b>been </b>sucked out of <b>us</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    +70%


    Bonus


    ¡°Do you think she is okay?¡±


    <b>00:50</b>


    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Galen grinned. ¡°That girl is a powerhouse and a survivor. I have faith.¡± He then patted his shoulders once ¡°If you need to talk again Darien, or just <b>need </b><b>a </b>shoulder to lean on, you know where to find me. We¡¯ve been best friends <b>since </b>we were kids, and I¡¯m not letting <b>you </b>go <b>that </b>easily.¡±


    Darienughed for the first time in a while, feeling his heart soar with missing happiness. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other <b>way</b>, dude. Again, thank you. <b>I </b>appreciate it.¡±


    Both men drew into a powerful hug, patting each other on the back. Sharing a tender moment, both <b>allowed </b>the <b>impact </b>on their conversation to settle. Best friends <b>turned </b>brothers¨Cin¨Carms. Birds returned to the fountain for their mid¨Cafternoon bath as peace settled over them once more. Darien knew Galen was right. He deserved better than Odessa. The pain she caused left asting impression on him, but he hoped that if he had a second¨Cchance, it won¡¯t swear him off of mates all together.


    He could only hope.


    <i>¡°</i>Darien! Galen! <i>I </i>need you both at the Northern borders, now!¡± Alpha Anthony ordered through mind¨Clink. Both men jumped apart <b>and </b>sprang into action, heading in the same direction as <b>many </b>soldiers are.


    ¡°Alpha, what is the problem?¡± Galen asked.


    ¡°We have visitors.¡±


    Chapter Comments


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    POST COMMENT NOW

 Chapter 150

    <b>Chapter </b>61 ¨C Dark Auras


    ¡°But nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it.¡°¨C Ca Quinn


    Third Person POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°What do you <b>mean</b>, Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Too many eyes are around us. Our allies aren¡¯t the only ones on the streets.¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s amethyst orbs tailed the pedestrians strolling along the warm summer streets of central San Jose. Pulsating colors surrounded each individual, generating a sea of rainbow only she can see. Detecting auras have helped the witch out of dangerous situations with ill¨Cminded people, and she felt lucky to be blessed with such an ability. She doesn¡¯t use this ability often, but she figured now is as <b>good </b>a time as any.


    Sapphire¡¯s golden hair danced with the wind from the <b>driver </b>side window as her blues concentrated on the road ahead of her. Her mate, Isaiah, <b>now </b><b>a </b>newly bonded member to Ga Moon, focused his attention on the streets. With the aim to finding their friend, the three joined the statewide search party. They recently came back from the popr supernatural club in the city, The Den, speaking to some supernaturals if they¡¯re


    familiar with Osiris.


    Some didn¡¯t know who he was, others refused to answer. All hope seemed lost. However, <b>those </b>who were unusually forting in their answersid cryptic messages for the trio <b>that </b>brought chills down their spines.


    ¡°The end is near. Soon, your <b>souls </b>will be devoured by imminent darkness.¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s leg bounced as she thought back on what her fellow witch had said. Her smile <b>dripped </b>in malice and her aura pulsed with corruption. Whether that witch was forced to bind themselves to darkness or not bothered her. Some witches practice ck magic without the intention of hurting others, but that one was more than prepared to create mayhem. Judging by the watchful gazes she felt against her back, there was a slew of simr witches and sorcerers with the same mindset as the cryptic one back at the club. Phoebe ground her teeth to quell her frustration, pressing a hand to her leg for it to stop bouncing.


    Corrupted auras were everywhere. And it made her uneasy. She feared the same happened to Kiya. With Osiris and the legacy he left behind with her and the other avatars, the witch held no doubts that he¡¯d done something wicked. Phoebe shook when she recounted the collection of night terrors she <b>had </b>from her treatment in the run¨Cdown asylum.


    ¡°Should we tell Alpha Anthony?¡± Sapphire asked, arching an eyebrow. She eyed Phoebe through the rear¨Cview mirror. ¡°Could Osiris have his minions out here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Phoebe pondered in thought. ¡°It¡¯d be best to inform him of the recent developments. There are people. with malevolent auras and intentions, but it wouldn¡¯t be wise to assume they alle from Osiris. Some people just <b>have </b>negative energy.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t take any chances.¡± Isaiah spoke through the tense atmosphere. ¡°Back in Chicago, my old pack did


    Chapter 61 ¨C Dark Auras.


    things the old¨Cfashioned way. When we¡¯re sure about who is involved in what, <b>we </b>snatch them <b>and </b>take them in for questioning. Nine times out of ten, we get the information we¡¯re looking for. With Kiya¡¯s disappearance, we need every lead we can get.¡±


    ¡°Should we really kidnap people off the street based on unfounded suspicion?¡± Sapphire asked<b>, </b>turning a corner. ¡°It hical, not to mention illegal. If we were to take someone, it should¡¯ve been that freaky witch back at the club. What the f*ck did she mean by ¡®darkness will eat our souls¡°?¡±


    ¡°Cryptic bullshit.¡± Isaiah retorted.


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Phoebe quipped. ¡°Dark witches exist. Some <b>are </b>nice, but some can be petty. I don¡¯t know if Osiris would be arrogant enough to have his minions out on the street, knowing well we¡¯re searching for <b>Kiya</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Viins have to slip up <b>some </b>time.¡± The blond shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Once they get toofortable, they


    make mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Osiris is smart. He kept an abandoned facility running with hybrids and avatars for who knows how long, avoiding detection. His ns fell because his servants, Nadia and Lucien, betrayed him. If they hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here right now.¡±


    ¡°It is tough to pick apart the mind of a viin when you know nothing about them.¡± Isaiah sighed, rubbing his thumb over Sapphire¡¯s free hand as she controlled the steering wheel with another. His mate smiled lovingly, pink blossoming on her cheeks. A ¡®<b>ding</b>!¡® resounded from Phoebe¡¯s cell phone, pulling her attention away from the street. When she read the message, her eyes widened.


    ¡°Miss Lyra spotted Kiya not too far from here!¡±


    ¡°Shit, really?!¡± Sapphire gasped. ¡°Where?¡± When told the address, the woman mmed her foot on the gas pedal and rocketed toward the location where Kiya wasst seen. Her heart pounded in both excitement and fear because it meant that their family was <b>close </b>to recovering her.


    It <b>gave </b>her hope.


    When the trio arrived at their destination, Lyra and Niki caught them up on what happened. Kiya¡¯s scent had long disappeared since then, but Lyra¡¯s tears have not dried. The devastation of a mother is a powerful sensation that isplex toprehend. It hurt beyond measure. Encouraged by Sapphire and Isaiah, the married couple drove home to rest. It took time for Niki to pull his wife back into his car because she forced herself to stand in the alleyway, hoping that her daughter would run up and give her the biggest bear <b>hug</b>.


    It broke her heart further when it didn¡¯t happen.


    The trio stuck around to search the area further. The shadowy, deste alleyway was a direct contract to the populous sidewalks. Shops and stores lined from one intersection to another. Perfume, fresh linen clothes, assortments of different foods, children¡¯s <bughter</b><b>, </b>and muddle conversation amalgamated in the city¡¯s atmosphere. As it is downtown San Jose, it attracted many inhabitants and tourists looking for a <b>good </b>time.


    The breeze<b>, </b>softer than a feather, licked at the exposed arms of the trio as they split up to cover more ground. Sapphire and Isaiah went one way while <b>Phoebe </b>went the other. The witch blended in with the crowd


    Chapter 61 ¨C Dark Auras


    seamlessly, despite darting her head around. She passed by people with the dark auras that bothered her earlier, involuntarily shivering at the level of hatred embedded within. Her instinct is to help to purify their energies from their evil affliction, but those beings disappeared faster than she could blink. It is as if they don¡¯t want to be found.


    Or helped. Not everyone can be saved.


    <b>After </b>about ten minutes of searching, she stopped to purchase a water bottle from a concession booth, tired <b>and </b>thirsty.e


    she downed the chilly liquid down her parched throat, a mighty surge of sinister energy knocked her off bnce<b>.</b>


    Full of hatred, evil, and¡­<b>sadness</b>? It was unlike anything she <b>had </b>ever felt.


    Darting her eyes around for the owner of the <b>aura</b>, her purplesnded on a pair of glowing <b>reds</b>. On the far side of the street, Phoebe spotted Kiya sporting a stoic expression. Her aura, ordinarily a glittering silver and blue, donned a cloak of ck and crimson. Kiya stared back at her witch friend, unblinking and unmoving. <i>¡°</i>Kiya?¡± Pho


    ¡°Kiya?¡± Phoebe whispered, hoping that what she is seeing isn¡¯t a mirage.


    Kiya blinked, her impassive expression shifting to shock. She turned on her heels and took off down another alleyway.


    ¡°Kiya! Wait!¡± The witch screamed, ready to run after her. This was the closest she hase to finding her <b>friend</b>, and she wouldn¡¯t stop now. But her hope decimated when the ring of car horns killed her focus and <b>she </b>was yanked back to the pavement by two pairs of hands. Her water bottle dropped, crushed savagely by a passing bus.


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Sapphire eximed, frightened. ¡°Why did you run off like that?¡±


    ¡°Lyra wasn¡¯t wrong! Kiya is here!¡± Both Isaiah¡¯s and Sapphire¡¯s eyes widened in <b>shock</b>. ¡°I called after her, but she disappeared in another alleyway. She seemed¡­spooked.¡±


    ¡°How peculiar. Lyra said when she saw her, she smiled and waved.¡± Isaiah mentioned. ¡°What the actual f*ck is going on here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve seen nothing like this.¡± Phoebe nced back at the spot where Kiya was at, dispirited.


    ¡°<b>We </b>might <b>have </b>to cut this short¡­¡± Sapphire droned, a hand working through her golden curls. ¡°Alpha Anthony texted us, telling us toe <b>back</b>.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but its urgent.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t leave!¡± Phoebe shouted. ¡°We¡¯re so close!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Alpha Anthony specifically asked for us. We¡¯ll notify the members already out here to search this <b>area</b>, but we need to return.¡±


    Phoebe couldn¡¯t go against <b>her </b>Alpha¡¯s orders. As much as she loathed <b>it</b>, she had to return. Sending a silent


    Chapter 61- Dark <b>Auras</b>


    <b>prayer </b>to Hekate to protect her friend, the trio trotted back to Sapphire¡¯s car and drove down the <b>road </b>back to


    the thick redwood forest.


    All felt Phoebe¡¯s disappointment.


    Neron


    It has been nonstop searching over the past few days. Recent reports from Ga Moon told me that Anthony had deployed his soldiers into the streets, just as I have. Relief blew through me like a wisp of cool air; having many trusted people searching for my mate brought me ineffable joy.


    I¡¯m


    hopeful. We¡¯re going to find Kiya and bring her back safe <b>and </b>sound.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Valerian and I are in my office, chatting about our recent findings in Carson City. While there have been no sightings of either Kiya or Osiris, information gathered from the habitants of The Witching Hour club were helpful to an extent. Osiris was a frequent flyer, prowling for prey. His efforts were awarded when he left the club with a couple of witches and other beings.


    However, he hasn¡¯t visited in a month. The timeline matched up to when Kiya told me when Osiris began tormenting her.


    Son of a bitch<b>. </b>I can¡¯t wait until I get my ws in his throat.


    Diana, a precious bird, took a nap with her tiny head resting against my arm. Looking down at the bundle of feathers, my heart soared. Diana is the most adorable creature I everid my <b>eyes </b>on, so small and cute.


    ¡°Kiya is cuter.¡± Onyx butted in. ¡°Always!¡±


    Yes, Kiya outranks Diana any day, but I wanted to marvel at the owl. I¡¯ve grown to care for her, even love her. I love Diana, even when she attacked the Omegas for their chicken parmesan dishes the previous day. Why the hell is this bird fixated on human food when she has a full forest of insects and rodents she can snack on?


    ¡°Nero.¡± Kwame walked in with a folder at hand. ¡°Pardon my interruption, but I have some information that can benefit Ariel in her soul separation.¡±


    ¡°Oh?<b>¡± </b>I arched an eyebrow, sitting up fully in my seat. Ariel has remained in the dungeons since her discharge and I made <b>sure </b>she is fed throughout the day. She hadn¡¯t let Odessa in control of her body once. ¡°What have you found?¡±


    ¡°Aftermunicating with the Elders of Ga Moon and Elders from packs in the southern states<b>, </b>I¡¯ve learned that a pair of female elders have extensive experience in performing <b>several </b>rituals, including soul separations. They reside in Amethyst Moon, a pack deep in Las Cruces, New Mexico¨CEste and Marjorie Angell. I phoned them an hour ago and they¡¯ve agreed to perform the ritual for Ariel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± I proimed, cracking another grin. Ariel would be so happy when she hears the news. ¡°Arrange for them to <be-</b>¡±


    ¡°Way ahead of you.¡± My Gamma winked, always one step ahead of me. That¡¯s what I appreciate about Kwame


    the most, his quickness and preparedness. ¡°They¡¯ll be taking the next flight out of New Mexico and should. arrive within a day or two.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll arrange amodations for them in case they rather stay in a hotel or in our home.¡± <b>I </b><b>announced</b>, taking the folder from Kwame. ¡°At least we have one part of our problems settled.¡±


    ¡°Any news from the searches?¡±


    Valerian shook his head. ¡°Nothing so far, but we aren¡¯t giving up. But I¡¯m concerned about my wife. Raina has been praying every night for her sister¡¯s safe return, but it is taxing on her health. Just this morning, I found her vomiting her breakfast in our bathroom. Thank Goddess Adonis was asleep, but she¡¯s putting herself through so much stress. She truly wants Kiya back.¡±


    This I didn¡¯t know. I can¡¯t <b>allow </b>one of my best ranked wolves to copse under stress. I made a mental note to instruct Raina to rest. We all want Kiya back, but she shouldn¡¯t sacrifice her health.


    My phone suddenly buzzed. Anthony¡¯s caller ID shed on the screen. Hey, this could be a lucky break! Answering immediately, I listened to my fellow Alpha deliver news that dramatically altered the trajectory of <b>our </b>mission.


    I was beyond furious. Onyx growled after listening to the phone call, bing unruly. He needed answers as much as I did. My hands clutched my phone tight as I felt my canines lengthening with my fury.


    Shooting up from my seat, I seized the attention of my Beta and Gamma. ¡°We¡¯re needed at Ga Moon,


    now.¡±


    Kwame and Valerian wasted no time hopping into my car shortly after. Diana, roused from her nap, followed. I mind¨Clinked Omar<b>, </b>Kwame¡¯s father, to watch over the pack, Raina, and Lori in my absence, including my father. What normally took <b>five </b>hours to get to California took three because I broke every speed¨Climitw known to man. There wasn¡¯t any time to waste.


    Once


    we entered on Ga Moon territory, two people were handcuffed together, perched on rocks under the gleaming sun. Both blonds, the woman held fearful blue eyes and the man with angry reds. Kiya¡¯s friends and family, many sporting angry scowls, circled them. Unable to control myself, I marched up to the both of them. and stared them down with the power of a thousand suns. suns.


    ¡°Who <b>are </b>you two?¡±


    The woman shrunk under my glower, shuffling closer to the man in fear. The man, however, didn¡¯t falter. ¡°My name is Lucien, and this is my partner, Nadia. We have information concerning your missing wolf and Osiris. But we won¡¯t say anything unless you grant us asylum.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 151

    Chapter <b>62 </b>Nadia and Lucien


    ¨C


    ¡°There is safety in the very heart of danger.¡°¨CVincent van Gogh


    Lucien


    Running-


    Running to keep myself and Nadia safe from Osiris¡® <b>insanity</b>. The maniac had eyes and ears everywhere. If we moved, he knew. Privacy was nothing more but an illusion in the grand scheme of things; he took that from us. We couldn¡¯t rest because we weren¡¯t allowed to rest. After all, Nadia and I had a bounty on our heads.


    Standing up against a tyrant grants you an endless list of enemies.


    Run to Ga Moon was all I heard through the wild journey. Those who risked themselves to keep us safe- the wolves, fairies, and other creatures all said the same thing. The Warrior Pack of California was a <b>haven </b>for those running from danger. A diverse pack dedicated to keeping their members safe. I had doubts, I couldn¡¯t diminish the hope in Nadia¡¯s eyes. Full of desperation and fear, she needed¨Cno, deserved a safe ce to stay. After all that Osiris had put her through; his supposed mate. She deserves better.


    And here we are, handcuffed like animals under the annoying, blistering sun. I¡¯m disappointed, but not surprised. Many eyes are on us, burning with untold fury and scrutiny. Nadia shrunk under their gaze, scooting her body close to mine. Her exhaustion is present on her face and I want nothing more than for her to get some sleep. However, one pair of eyes didn¡¯t hold red¨Cfiery rage, but concern. Mystical purple glittered with tears. I recognize the woman who possesses them as one of the many captives all those weeks ago.


    I recognize all those who Osiris puts through hell with his ever¨Cevolving ns.


    ¡°Asylum?¡± The auburn hair man, who I assume is the Alpha of Ga Moon, spoke. ¡°You¡¯re withholding vital information by forcing me to grant you asylum?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.¡± I countered, gritting my teeth. ¡°Our lives are in danger. My offer is non¨Cnegotiable; you must guarantee that Nadia and I will be protected. If not, we¡¯re not saying shit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll depend on the type of information you give about Osiris. I¡¯m not in the mood for games.¡± The Alpha warned with an <b>added </b>growl. ¡°What is your rtion to him?¡±


    ¡°I am¨Cwell, was his <b>good </b>friend.¡±


    ¡°<b>And </b>I was his mate.¡± Nadia added<b>, </b>earning widened eyes at her response. Her blue eyes and head lowered as if she was begging. ¡°Please, just promise us we¡¯ll be safe here. We¡¯ll tell you everything! I¡¯m tired<b>, </b>hungry and¡­please¡­¡± Stray tears rained on herp. My heart twisted in agony. I <b>wanted </b>tofort Nadia as I¡¯ve been doing the entirety of our escape, but the cuffs aren¡¯t doing me any favors. When she <b>rested </b><b>her </b>head on my shoulder, I rested mine on top of hers as she sniffled. Already, I can feel her palpitating heart slowing


    down.


    ¡°They¡¯re telling the truth, Anthony.¡± The woman with purple <b>eyes </b><b>revealed</b>. ¡°Nadia <b>and </b>Lucien helped Kiya, Violetta, and I escape the facility. Without them, we¡¯d still be there<b>. </b>I sense no malice or deceit. You can trust them.¡±


    Alpha Anthony regarded us with a heavy look for a moment longer, <b>soaking </b>in the words of the witch. The man standing next to him <b>with </b>an owl on <b>his </b>shoulder shook with withheld rage. He then took <b>a </b>deep breath and ran his hand through his long hair. Whoever he is, I can tell he wanted to strangle me. Not a moment after, the cuffs around my wrists were removed and my arms immediately wrapped around <b>Nadia</b>, rubbing soothing circles on her back.


    ¡°Nadia, Lucien¡­¡± The purple¨Ceyed woman <b>walked </b>around and kneeled in front of us with a dazzling, warm smile. ¡°Do you remember me?¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± <b>Nadia </b>asked confidently, earning a nod and a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you


    you both are okay. I <b>thought</b>¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°I thought <b>you </b>both perished in the mes<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°No¡­sometimes, I wish we were.¡± Nadia replied in sadness, sighing heavily. ¡°Lucien and I have been on the run from Osiris for over a month now. He wants us dead because we <b>betrayed </b>him. We ruined his ns, so he had to make new ones from scratch¨Ca task he hates to <b>do</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°How were you able to elude him for so long?¡±


    ¡°We kept moving. Every day, we found a new ce to hide out¨Ceither in in sight or hidden in the woods<b>. </b>We tried our best to find a ce to sleep and eat, but when the enemy has eyes and ears on you, the danger just heightens.¡±


    A month full of hell and <b>looking </b>over our shoulders. It has been so long that I forgot what peace felt like.


    ¡°Okay, so you both betrayed the big dude, and he wants your asses on a silver tter.¡± Another woman with braids in <b>her </b>hair spoke, almost indifferently. It angered me. ¡°Nadia, right? How the hell did you have the misfortune of bing his mate? Do vampires even <b>have </b>mates?¡±


    ¡°From what Lucien told me, they <b>do</b>, but it¡¯s different from a mate bond with a werewolf. Osiris is a hybrid- both vampire and werewolf.¡± Nadia exined. ¡°The bond was from his werewolf side, but it is no more. He killed his wolf, <b>Set</b>. Don¡¯t <b>ask </b>me how because it <b>is </b>something I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    I heard a collection of gasps around us. Killing your bonded wolf must be unheard of around these parts. <b>I </b><b>resisted </b>the urge to scoff.


    ¡°Love isn¡¯t supposed to be possessive.¡± Nadia continued, squeezing my pale hand forfort. ¡°I don¡¯t think he ever loved me. He just strung me along because he knew I¡¯d wouldn¡¯t leave him. Osiris never hesitated to remind me that my life is worth nothing without him in it. For a moment, I thought it was true; I have no family or friends¨Cjust him. I guess it¡¯s my fault for not stopping him sooner.¡±


    ¡°Osiris¡® descent into madness is not your fault, Nana.¡± Her sweet smile graced her lips when I called her by her nickname. It made my world shine brighter. ¡°<b>You¡¯ve </b>done what you could. His maniption runs deep. He <b>doesn¡¯t </b><b>care </b>about anyone but himself.¡±


    ¡°You were his friend.¡± The man next to Alpha Anthony spoke. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try to stop him?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I tried.¡± I retorted, balling my free hand into a fist. Memories of Osiris and I before the madness settled in gued my mind like a disease. ¡°He wasn¡¯t always like this, or perhaps<b>, </b>I was too blind to his true identity, Osiris¡® hatred for this world is <b>immense</b>! My voice, in a sea full of red¨Chot vehemence, holds no


    Chapter 62¨CNadu and Lucien


    weight and being the avatar of an evil god made nothing easier. Unfortunately¡­¡± I sighed heavily. ¡°He roped me into his ns. I was weak. I¡¯ve known him for a while¨Cdamn near a century, but Osiris is an enigmatic


    man.¡±


    ¡°He must have told either of you something.¡± Phoebe spoke, biting her lip. ¡°Osiris took Kiya and we have to get her back. Please, if either of you know something, no matter how insignificant it is, we can use to take him down¡­¡±


    Nadia and I nced at <b>each </b>other for a moment, our eyes shining with the same type of fear. My heart dropped and dread filled my mind. His insanity filled rambles of ¡®capturing the light¡® all made sense now, and I fear for not just our safety, but the entire world.


    ¦§


    ¡­I don¡¯t like the looks in your <b>eyes</b>,¡± Alpha Anthony pointed out.


    <b>¡°</b>He got Kiy


    Kiya¡­¡± Nadia sighed, rubbing her cheek. ¡°This is <b>bad</b>. How long has it <b>been</b>?¡±


    ¡°Approximately a week, now.¡± An older version of the Alpha replied.


    ¡°Then none of you are safe.¡± I said. ¡°In fact, you all might as well count your blessings because it is going to


    be <b>a </b>shit storm from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Then talk.¡± The long¨Chaired man retorted with a deep <b>growl</b>. ¡°What the f*ck does he n to do with my


    mate?¡±


    ¡°Kiya is your <b>mate</b>?¡± I arch an eyebrow in shock. When he nods, I closed my eyes to gather my words without sounding like aplete asshole. ¡°You might have to prepare losing her for good.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡±


    ¡°Might as well be. From what I can recall from Osiris¡® talks, he <b>hates </b>werewolves more than anything on this. He disclosed to me that they are the <b>reason </b>behind his abusive past and that bitterness settled and


    grew <b>for </b>over a century.¡±


    ¡°He lost someone.¡± Nadia revealed. ¡°When we <b>were </b>in bed one night, he was calling out to someone in his sleep. He sounded sad and distraught. Whoever that person was, they were significant to him. I tried talking to him about it the following morning, but he shut me out and shoved me to the side. Maybe <b>his </b>hatred and this. mysterious person are <b>linked</b><b>, </b>somehow.¡±


    ¡°Okay, this is a good start. He <b>is </b>motivated by revenge.¡± Phoebe pondered. ¡°Then, why take Kiya?¡±


    ¡°He hates werewolves, and Kiya is the avatar of Selene, the wolves¡® matron goddess, Just as Lady Nyx is the matron to vampires. <b>Kiya </b>has the power and the ability to shape the future of all werewolves as their salvation or the cause of their destruction. He can¡¯t kill <b>you </b><b>all</b>, so why not get Selene¡¯s avatar to do it?¡±


    ¡°Kiya wouldn¡¯t do <b>as </b>he says.¡± The woman with braids retorts. ¡°She is not evil.¡±


    ¡°If Osiris could manipte Nadia and I into his ns, don¡¯t you think he¡¯d do the same thing to her? If her willpower is strong, as you¡¯re implying, she¡¯ll be okay. But Osiris is cunning and perverse; he can find a weakness and use it to his benefit. That is how he could get dark witches and tormented hybrids on his side, thus, making <b>them </b>his army.¡±


    Chapter 62 Nadia and Lucien


    ¡°Great. We¡¯re dealing with a motherf*cker with a godplex.¡±


    ¡°And an ego too big for this world.¡± I snorted. ¡°When you prey on the desperation of someone and feed them false hope and happiness, they¡¯ll bend to do whatever you want. If Osiris found Kiya¡¯s weakness, he will use it to get her on his <b>side</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Oh, dios mio.¡± An older woman muttered, covering her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m worried Osiris might have gotten to her because I¡¯ve seen her and-¡±


    ¡°You saw her?!¡± The long¨Chaired man bellowed in shock.


    ¡°I did as well, Neron. It happened during our searches, but she never stayed.¡± Phoebe sighed wistfully. ¡°We¡­ might be toote. I think he got to her. When I saw her, her aura altogether has changed from what is normal. Dark, yet incredibly powerful.¡±


    Nadia dosed off on my shoulder in urgent need of sleep. Her eyes drooped and her breathing slowed. Keeping a protective arm around her shoulders, I did my best to make this woman asfortable <b>as </b>possible while the wolves are in conversation. Thinking back, I wished I could have done more to stop Osiris, but how does one stop hatred? If felt as its purest state, the victim bes reluctant to let go of what provided them strength. Nadia¡¯s love wasn¡¯t enough. Mypanionship wasn¡¯t enough.


    What would be enough <b>to </b>stop a man hellbent on destruction?


    Now, he has lured Kiya into his thralls. If these wolves have as much faith as they do in her survival, I can¡¯t be the one to disappoint them. Osiris is a venomous snake and with a single strike of his fangs, he cripples his victims. Exhaustion creeps in like a thief in the night, demanding that I surrender to sleep. Like Nadia, I haven¡¯t slept in several days nor have my regr supply of blood. My growling stomach says so.


    ¡°This is progress. It is better than what we had before, which was nothing.¡± Alpha Anthony showed me onest look. ¡°Lucien, in your opinion, what should we <b>do </b>now?¡±


    ¡°Toughen up security and prepare for anything and everything.¡± I sighed, rubbing my temples. ¡°Osiris covers his track and will strike when least expected. If he ns to use Kiya, which he will, prepare for the fight of your lives because he will <b>leave </b>no one alive.¡±


    A wave of silence washed over everyone as I noticed some of their eyes zing over. Communicating through their mind¨Clink, it appears. After a minute, Alpha Anthony expelled a hefty sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ve allowed you and Nadia to stay out of concern for your safety. You¡¯ve provided us with significant information that will aid us in our investigation. There are a couple of furnished houses unupied on the south¨Ceast part of my territory. My Omegas will lead you both there for rest and food. If either of you can remember anything you believe can help, tell us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± A gasp exited Nadia¡¯s lips, relief running through her in waves. Finally, she can get some rest. That mattered the most. Expressing my gratitude to Ga Moon¡¯s Alpha, I carried Nadia in my arms as the Omegas led us to our new home.


    Nadia and I <b>are </b>safe. But I¡¯m still worried. Osiris will know we¡¯re here and won¡¯t hesitate to attack this pack to kill us both. Have we made the right decision? I watched Nadia¡¯s chest rise and fall as she submitted <b>to </b>a much¨Cneeded sleep on a soft bed, pulling <b>a </b>nket over her<b>. </b>I pressed my lips against her forehead gingerly,

 Chapter 152

    <b>Chapter </b>63 Off Limits


    ¨C


    <i>¡°</i><i>If </i>he¡¯d done something to harm her, I would annihte him.¡°¨CStephenie Meyer


    Kiya


    Children are so precious. Blissful ignorance carved a pathway to their innocence and joy¨Cunaware of the world¡¯s dangers. I watched tiny hands grasping onto their parents¡® hands as they walk through the dangerous streets and listened to their infectiousughter when ying with their <b>friends </b>in the park.


    Purity. Abundant purity. I wanted to reach out and touch it; to get a feeling of <b>what </b>I once had. Tainted, I cant never be pure again, but it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t protect it. Oh, how I want to hold and tell them that the world. will never harm them as long as I live.


    But how can I? I am one with the darkness. Its ck tendrils wrap around my body, chaining me into its evesting charm. It caresses and pampers me <b>as </b>if I¡¯m its child. Pain is non¨Cexistent and my happiness mattered. Why should I step into the world of light when the darkness has done more for me in keeping me safe? I can¡¯t enter a world that doesn¡¯t guarantee my protection.


    Sometimes it is lonely. At random times, I crave for my family. I want my mother and father with me, and my brother and sister. I <b>wanted </b>my friends as well. The army of witches and hybrids cannot rece the people my heart treasured. My darkness cannot taint that sacred part of my ckened heart¨Cit is untouchable, guarded fiercely by my undying love for them. Even when I <b>saw </b>my mother today, my heart burned with life.


    Then I remembered. I cannot expose myself so carelessly. That is why I ran from Phoebe when she saw me too. Osiris¡® ns cannot fall to ruins. I am to stick by his side at all times, notably since the wolves from my pack have blended with our minions on the streets. How long until Anthony and the others know? A part of me wants them to <b>find </b>me so we can be together, but <b>the </b>other part recognizes that Osiris is wise, and he has a n for everything.


    Behind me are bags of clothes¨Cexpensive clothes¨Che purchased for me. They are to be tailored and fitted once <b>we </b>go back home to add to my new dark wardrobe. I¡¯m no seamstress, but I¡¯m excited to <b>see </b>what ideas he has for me. Yet, I don¡¯t feel that bubble of excitement in my stomach.


    I wonder why?


    Osiris and I are sitting on a secluded bench in a shaded area of St. James Park with his arms wrapped tight around my waist. My head rests on his shoulder <b>as </b>I watch the children y in the distance. Hearing theirughter brings a smile to my face.


    ¡°Will the children be safe in our new world?<b>¡± </b><b>I </b>asked him <b>out </b>of the blue. ¡°I want nothing to happen to them.¡± He shuffled a bit before expelling a deep, rumbling sigh.


    ¡°If that is what you want, Little Moon.¡± Osiris answered. ¡°You will be their protector, their dark guardian angel. We just have to eliminate the danger first.¡±


    A painful stingnced through my heart, causing me to wince. I don¡¯t know why that happened. Osiris must have noticed because he squeezed me tighter. No pain, please, no pain! Before I could say anything else, a hybrid walked up to Osiris and whispered in his ear. I watched his <b>face </b>go from calm shock to slight anger to at


    dangerous grin. The hybrid left, leaving the both of us alone.


    ¡°Nadia and Lucien made it to Ga Moon, it seems.¡± A deep growl groveled in his chest, loud enough for me to hear. My head cocked up to listen more. ¡°We can¡¯t let them live for much longer. They could plot with the wolves to ruin our ns.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to feel. For some reason, I felt happy that those two are safe? I <b>was </b>under the impression that Osiris killed them, but it looks like he hasn¡¯t. He loves to y games with his prey. But why do I feel happy? They are the enemy; I should feel angry! ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t like what I¡¯m about to say, Little Moon, but I¡¯ll say it. After we destroy <b>Zircon </b>Moon for good, we must get those two. That means we must attack your pack to do so.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I promptly said, narrowing my eyes. ¡°No one touches Ga Moon.¡±


    ¡°We must. If you wish to me someone for putting your family in danger, me them.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re proposing to attack my family just to lure <b>those </b>pathetic meat sacks out! I won¡¯t allow it!¡±


    Hurting my family and friends? Hot anger imploded in me <b>and </b>my vision hazed over in a sea of red. My mind scrambled like eggs and thoughts garbled together in disjointed sentences that made my head throb. And all I wanted was to snap Osiris¡® neck for <b>even </b>suggesting to attack my home. He is making me angry. I don¡¯t like to <b>be </b>angry. He promised me happiness, and he¡¯s betraying me?


    In a sh, we went from sitting on a secluded park bench to darkness disguising us in a random alleyway away from the humans. Although tinted in red, Osiris¡® re was as clear as day.


    ¡°Now isn¡¯t the ti


    the time for your childish tantrums, Kiya.¡± Osiris growled. ¡°For us to remake this world into our image, we must make sacrifices. Whether or <b>not </b>you like it, we will attack to kill Nadia and Lucien. They betrayed me and didn¡¯t stick around for you. In the end, family and friends won¡¯tst forever<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Mine will.¡±


    He let out a rambunctious cackle, as if I performed the bestedy act in the world. ¡°You, out of all people, should know that family never sticks around. Your biological parents and your sister abandoned your weak self. Do you think once your new family and friends see the new you, that they¡¯ll still be around <b>to </b>support you?¡± He leans in close to where our noses almost touch<b>. </b>¡°Tell me, Little Moon. Are you ready to be betrayed <b>again</b>?¡±


    Silence. Heavy, <b>deafening </b>silence.


    My family wouldn¡¯t betray me<b>. </b>They cannot betray me. Mom and Dad love <b>me</b>. Anthony loves me. Jackie and the others love me. They¡¯ll have a special ce in the new world because I love them. Betrayal wouldn¡¯t exist because I won¡¯t give them the chance. They¡¯re different <b>from </b>Ashley, Steven, and Raina.


    They won¡¯t hurt me! Ever!


    And the gall for Osiris to suggest that they will¡­This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A deep buzz vibrated through my arms and pulsated out of my hands, incinerating my veins. Sheer energy hit


    Chapter 1 On Linds


    Osiris square in the chest,unching his body many feet from me. He made me angry after he promised <b>he </b>would make me happy.


    Happiness finally bubbled in my belly. It came from hurting him. Today, he¡¯ll understand what it means to hurt me. A giggle escaped my throat as I walked over to his rising form, knocking him on his back once again. with my leg. Without further a due, my bare knees were on his chest, carrying all my weight to trap him between me and the dirty ground.


    ¡°You broke your <b>promise</b>, so I will kill you!¡± Iughed, wrapping my hands around his throat, and squeezing as tight as I could. His hands worked to pry my fingers from his delicate flesh. ¡°I will destroy this world, the sun, and the moon if you harm my family! Anyone who tries is dead! Dead, dead, DEAD!! Do you hear me, <b>Osiris</b>?!¡±


    Suddenly, I¡¯m tossed off and my back hit the ground. With a gleeful smile on my face and a vision full of red, I¡¯m itching for a fight. Osiris engaged in a mini¨Cfight where he tried and failed to subdue me. But he didn¡¯t seem to put much of a fight as I attacked, focusing heavily on defense, dodging my ws every chance he got.


    Boring.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lot of things, Kiya.¡± He growled at me. ¡°But I¡¯ll be <b>damned </b><b>if </b>I¡¯m bested by you.¡±


    ¡°Take back what you said about my family.¡± I pulled out the dagger from the attached sheath underneath my skirt and pointed the tip at his throat. ¡°We¡¯lle up with a different n to get Nadia and Lucien. There are other ways to lure <b>a </b>human and a vampire from a sea of wolves. However, touch my family and I won¡¯t hesitate to gut you like a f*cking pig, Osiris.¡±


    Osiris shot me a look of <b>pure </b>fear, crimson darting from my de to me. I expected him to cower and fall to his knees, but heughed like a parent proud of their child¡¯s aplishment. Gently pushing my arm down, he yanked me into a tight hug andnded a firm, yet powerful kiss on my lips.


    The red haze disappeared<b>. </b>I¡¯m¡­confused?


    ¡°You are beautiful as you are fearsome. Absolutely perfect.¡± He snickered, running a knuckle over my cheek. ¡°I love it. You are more than ready to destroy all that is in your way. Your homing draws closer and I cannot wait to watch you lead Zircon <b>Moon </b>to their ughter.¡±


    ¡°What about Ga Moon?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t touch them.¡±


    Relief flooded through <b>me </b>like a tsunami, knocking me off bnce. Osiris didn¡¯t hesitate to press my head on. his chest, rubbing circles on my back as he basked in my warmth under the darkness of this alleyway. My family will be safe.


    But Zircon Moon? I¡¯ll bathe theirnds in <b>red</b>.


    They won¡¯t know what hit them.


    Neron


    After <b>Nadia </b>and Lucien retired into their new abode, I¡¯m left with more questions than answers. Lucien alluded to Kiya potentially being influenced by <b>darkness</b><b>, </b>and I cannot wrap my mind around it. Kiya <b>is </b>strong with impervious willpower¨Cthat woman cannot and will not surrender. But, with Lyra¡¯s and Phoebe¡¯s recall of her sightings, my worry only grows. I need to see Kiya with my own eyes to believe it. Until then, I won¡¯t believe that <b>she </b>has turned to the darkness.


    It is out of her character. She is much stronger than anyone gives her credit for. With the new information we learned about Osiris and his quest for revenge, it gives all of us <b>a </b>solid starting point. The more we know about <b>our </b>enemy, the closer we are to take him down. But there is a nagging feeling at the back of my head that the abusive past Lucien briefly mentioned may have something to do with my family.


    After all, he said my bloodline is cursed.


    I spotted Darien walking away from the group. I know fully that he hates my guts, but he deserved to know what will happen with Odessa and Ariel, Jogging up to him, he realized my presence when he turned on his heals and shot <b>me </b>a burning re.


    ¡°What the f*ck do you want, Neron?¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to you about something important.¡± I answered, unfazed. ¡°Hear me out, please.¡±


    a


    ¡°I prefer not to.¡± He rolled <b>his </b>eyes and walked away from me. I can¡¯t let this pass me by. With a deep breath, I <b>spoke </b><b>again</b>.


    ¡°Ariel wants a soul separation from Odessa.¡± That stopped Darien in his tracks. ¡°In the next few days, two elders from New Mexico will perform the ritual. Since Odessa was your mate<b>, </b>I thought you deserve a right to


    know.¡±


    ¡°Soul separation?¡± All anger evaporated from Darien¡¯s eyes when he turned to me, and worried.


    now m ¡°Why would she agree to that? Wouldn¡¯t it kill her?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I replied. ¡°But Ariel wants to be happy and doesn¡¯t believe she¡¯ll get it being bound to Odessa. She¡¯s willing to risk death for it.¡±


    I watched Darien¡¯s blue swim with many unspoken emotions as the gravity of the situation settled over him. I stood, waiting for his response. His eyes cast down, zed over<b>, </b>and darting from side to side as hemunicates with his wolf.


    ¡°What about Odessa<b>?</b>¡± He asked. ¡°What has she said about it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ariel refuses to let Odessa <b>have </b>control.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be at the ritual, Darien?¡± I might as well have hit him because he¡¯s taken aback by my question, mouth agape like a fish. Goddess, I wish to never be in his shoes, deciding whether to attend <b>a </b>sacred ritual of separating a wolf from their human. My heart throbs at the thought of it. But the conflict <b>on </b>Darien¡¯s face is as clear as day.


    hapter 63 ¨C Off LimT


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m <b>not </b>sure if I want to.¡± He whispered, rubbing his temple. ¡°Is it bad that a small part of me hopes Odessa is regretful and changes<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not foolish.¡±


    ¡°But Sirius¡­Ariel is his mate, and he¡¯s been cheated out of spending time with her. I think¡­f*ck this is <b>hard</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°You don¡¯t <b>have </b>to decide now.¡± I point out. ¡°It¡¯s a big decision-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go.¡± Darien reveals, eyes swimming in determination. ¡°But, not for Odessa; for Sirius to see and talk to Ariel before the ritual. He deserves that, at least.¡±


    <b>I </b><b>nod </b>firmly, rubbing the side of my neck. Diana, on my shoulder, gazes at me with concern. I still feel guilty for the fall of Darien¡¯s rtionship. He didn¡¯t deserve to lose his mate like this. I hope that at the ritual, he and his wolf find some closure in the hysteria.


    Moon Goddess, please grant Darien a second¨Cchance mate. If anyone is more deserving of love, it is him.


    And I pray that my touch doesn¡¯t burn it to ash.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 64 ¨C The Ritual


    ¡°You win some, you lose some. Nothing wrong with that at all.¡°¨C Stefan Edberg


    Two Days Later¨CZircon Moon Pack


    Third Person POV


    The ming sun settled below the vivid orange horizon to allow <b>the </b>silver moon to take its reign as ruler of the night. Twinkling diamonds bedazzled the cobalt cloak as it enhanced the shine of the waning gibbous. It <b>was </b>a night unlike any other. While the many humans and supernaturals of Nevada tucked away in their beds, <b>the </b>moonlight shone over a vast and vacant field surrounded by dense oak trees. A solitary tree with a wide bark stood in the center of the obscured greenery. In the distance, a waterfall ys its soothing song for the creatures taking shelter for the evening.


    Perched in the birches was little Diana, with her <b>golden </b>orbs glued to the magic cradled within the moon.


    Gentlemotion echoed through the breeze, carrying worries and curiosity from the wolves awake to see this monumental asion. Two women decked out <b>in </b>orchid¨Cpurple garbs tossed glittering white dust in the air, whispering as the particles scattered across thend. Calm and collected, they worked to insure the area is free from impurities that could disrupt the soul¨Cseparation ritual.


    One woman dusted off her hands and marched toward Neron, her ginger pixie cut fluttering with the near- unnoticeable wind. Her approach captured the Alpha¡¯s attention, his sapphires drawn to her freckles highlighted by the moonlight. ¡°How many people do we expect to be in attendance, Alpha Neron?¡±


    ¡°More will arrive soon, Elder Marjorie. That should be it. The man answered, ignoring the rising goosebumps on his exposed arms. ¡°If I may ask, what was that dust you and Elder Este were tossing?¡±


    ¡°Crystalline dust from selenite. It purifies the area from negative energy lingering in the area. Any disturbances can harm both the mortal and the wolf.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t the ritual itself hurt them both?¡±


    ¡°I cannot say for certain because those who partook in soul separations each yield different results and experiences. For some, it is painless. For others, it is excruciating.¡± Elder Marjorie adjusted her amethyst ne, enclosing the gem with her palm. ¡°To separate a wolf from their human means severing a bond untouched since birth. Invoking Selene is the only solution. However, if one party refuses to release the other, it adds to the pain<b>.</b>¡±


    Neron bit his lip as the thought of Ariel in pain. Despite the immediate threat of agony, the wolf¡¯s inflexible resolve is praiseworthy. She held immense strength for enduring endless days of her human¡¯s greed and gave out endless chances for her to <b>repent</b>. How often did she suffer every <b>time </b>he and Odessaid in bed together?


    <b>Odessa¡¯s </b>truth squashed any remaining feelings he had for her, along with her guiltlessness with tormenting Kiya. His heart didn¡¯t beat for her as it used to before. Was this <b>the </b>effects of falling out of love with <b>a </b>woman who cared about the <b>power </b>he gave her?


    His nostrils red with his inhale, his chest settling after expelling an unsteady sigh. ¡°Has anyone ever died


    Chapter 64 ¨C The Ritual


    during these rituals?¡±


    The icy mask of Elder Marjorie melted, disclosing the sorrow glittering in her emeralds. Her <b>shoulders </b>tensed as if her body is recalling what her mind didn¡¯t want to. ¡°There <b>were </b>a couple of asions. If <b>you </b>don¡¯t mind,


    I don¡¯t wish to <b>delve </b>into that.¡±


    <b>Neron </b>nodded. ¡°I apologize for my overstep.¡±


    ¡°No need for apologies. Not every ritual is sessful. For whatever happens tonight, brace yourself for all


    oues.¡±


    Ten minutester, Neron¡¯s ears perked at multiple footsteps nearing the field. With his Betas and Gammas behind him, Darien and his friends marched in. While his friends held curious expressions, Darien adorned a frigid, impassive mask. But even Neron can identify the cracks within the stone.


    ¡°Has the ritual started<b>?</b>¡± Darien asked, his body rigid. Neron answered with a headshake. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve arrived on time. I brought my friends¡­for¡­¡±


    ¡°Moral support!¡± Galen chirped, his infamous smile settling on his face. ¡°We can¡¯t let you go through this alone, dude. It¡¯s¡­<b>intense</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Darien muttered, refusing to talk further. Emotional conflict raged a lethal war in his stomach<b>, </b>chest, and heart as his eyes watched the preparations. He spotted a youthful woman about the same age as him in a floral print dress, settling out white candles in their holders with Elder Este. Both adults made eye contact, but Darien darted his eyes elsewhere, avoiding further attention. Sirius trotted and pranced around in his mind, adding to the pooling anxiety <b>he </b>wishes to eradicate.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost ready.¡± Elder Este announced to the surrounding constituents. Her modted voice carried with the wind, gentle but full of authority. Thick braids syed on her shoulders, contrasting heavily with her purple garb. ¡°Everyone, pleasee and grab a candle from Mara and form a perimeter around the


    area,


    preferably a circle.¡±


    Everybody grabbed a white candle adorned with a <b>silver </b>candle holder. Bits and <b>pieces </b>of authentic selenite poked through the waxy body, adding weight to the power it held. Darien¡¯s hands shook as he reached for his candle, but barely when it stumbled out of his hands.


    ¡°Oop!¡± Mara caught the candle before it smashed on the forest floor, her smile meeting their amber¨Ctinted eyes. ¡°Gotta be careful with these things! I didn¡¯t spend hours making them for them to kiss the earth.¡±


    Darien blinked. ¡°You made these yourself?¡±


    ¡°Every single one. It wasn¡¯t easy either.¡± She scoffed, rubbing her neck under her thick, golden hair. ¡°Do you know how troublesome it is to find selenite in Las Cruces? It is like finding a needle in a haystack!¡± She hands him the candle. ¡°Logically, it would have been better to use amethyst since we already have a shit ton of it, but beggars can¡¯t be <b>choosers</b><b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    Darien <b>eyed </b>Mara from head to toe, eyes unblinking. For <b>a </b>moment, Sirius stopped his shuffling and stared along with his human, curious. The pads of his fingers grazed the body of the candle, feeling the ridges of selenite poke at his flesh. ¡°You¡¯re not a werewolf.¡±


    Chapter 64 The Hit


    ¡°Nope.¡± Mara shook their <b>head</b>. ¡°I¡¯m a witch. Well, not <b>a </b>full one. My distant ancestor is a witch, <b>and </b>gics made me one, it seems. Este and Marjorie are my parents.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d get along with Phoebe, then. She is a witch as well, but she is in California at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always up to meeting fellow witches. Send her my way if possible.¡± Mara¡¯s effervescent personality is infectious, awakening a smile on Darien¡¯s <b>face</b>. A smile he thought he had lost for good.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt,¡± Elder Este poked her head between the two. ¡°But the ritual will begin in a few.


    minutes.¡±


    ¡®Right. Sorry, Mom.¡± Darien watched the woman pull out a portable lighter to light his candle. The me stretched to the sky, flickering crazily when touched by moonlight. ¡°Looks like you better get back to your friends.¡± The man nodded in silence, turning on his heels to walk back to his group.


    His heart hammered hard in his chest. He wasn¡¯t certain if it was from his nerves or speaking with Mara.


    After the perimeter formed, <b>and </b>all candles were lit, the main attraction arrived. Ariel¡¯s eyes fluttered close as she took a sharp inhale of the night air, her grin glittering under the silvery light. Some members parted ways for her to enter the circle along with a few guards. Her green eyes recounted every individual present; all whom Odessa wronged. Guilt pierced her heart when she spotted Emily¡¯s family; the woman who was wrongly executed for the cyanide poisoning.


    Her human hurt many. Separating from her guiltlessness is a miracle she treasured.


    The guilt melted away like ice on fire when her eyesnded on Darien. Her grin grew impossibly wider, breaking away from the guards toward him. Darien¡¯s blues shed to soft yellow, <b>marking </b>the presence of Sirius. Once the two were close enough, Sirius drew his mate into his arms, pressing his forehead against her


    own.


    ¡°You came, Sirius!¡± Ariel gasped, tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    ¡°I needed to see you before¡­¡± He sighed, hands rubbing her naked arms. Her cheeks flushed. The colorless dress Ariel failed to provide warmth against the tranquil night. ¡°Are you sure about doing this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been surer about anything, besides you being my mate.¡± Gold eyes searched for signs of doubt and conflict, but found none. Ariel¡¯s steadfastness is unbreakable, and she intends on following through with her promise. ¡°Sirius. I¡¯m sorry for not being strong enough to stop my human. This is all my fault.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not! You didn¡¯t ask for this. I should apologize to you¨CI could have stopped Odessa from poisoning Darien, but I was <b>as </b>weak as a newborn pup. There was nothing I could do.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be going back and forth with whose fault it is, <b>so </b>we might as well stop now.¡± She chuckled, brushing her palm against Sirius¡® cheeks. Yellow filled with indescribable emotion. Ariel¡¯s face softened. ¡°We won¡¯t have to worry about Odessa anymore. I <b>don¡¯t </b>know what our Moon Goddess¡® ns <b>are </b>for me, but with the utmost confidence, I believe we¡¯ll find our way back together <b>again</b>.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You make it sound so final¡­¡± Sirius <b>whimpered</b>.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rising on the tips of her toes, Ariel nts a tender kiss on her mate¡¯s lips. ¡°Forgive me making


    Chapter 64 The Ritual


    you sad.¡± Without hesitation, Sirius drew the she¨Cwolf into <b>another </b>kiss. Smoldering. Desperate. Silently conveying his prayers for her to emerge unscathed after the ritual, his fears, and his hopes. Ariel drunk it all like fine wine, relishing in the touch of her other half that Odessa deprived her of


    The moment ended quickly because of the urgency to start the ritual. Both mates gazed into each other¡¯s eyes once more, emeralds and citrines full of love and pain from their impending separation.


    ¡°I love you, Sirius. You and Darien.¡±


    ¡°And we love you too, <b>Ariel</b>.¡±


    Time was no longer an ally. It was time to start the treacherous, yet imperative ritual that might cost two lives. Lit candles bathed the circle in a rich amber light, highlighting all the faces of the surrounding constituents. Ariel stood strong and tall, wrists handcuffed behind her as she stood against the lone tree, blindfolded. The elimination of her eyesight only enhanced her other senses, her <b>hearing </b>sharp enough to hear the burrowing cicadas in the trees. Mara, veiled with her hair hidden from the world, traced arge crescent moon around Ariel with selenite dust. After she finished, she took her ce next to her parents,


    holding her own candle.


    ¡°Under the waning gibbous, we all stand here today to bear witness to the departure <b>from </b>Ariel, one of Selene¡¯s many children from Odessa<b>, </b>her mortal.¡± Elder Este¡¯s voice boomed across the field, dripping with authority and respect. ¡°May Goddess Selene hear our pleas and prayers to heal the heartache and grant a


    second¨Cchance to Ariel for a better human host.¡±


    A great energy shift sparked the lit candles to glow brighter and dance wildly with the wind. All the wolves felt an abrupt drop in temperature, breaths held at the base of their throats. An authoritative, divine presence hovered above and around the ritual space, and the moon shone impossibly brighter.


    It is as if Selene is right there with them<b>.</b>


    Ariel took in a sharp breath, bracing herself for iing pain. Odessa won¡¯t let her go without a fight, and she knew that. As the presence of the goddess vibrated through the air, Neron took a step forward. His hands clutched the base of his candle holder, half of his face bathed in amber and the other in silver.


    It was now or <b>never</b>. As acting Alpha, he <b>has </b>the power to sever bonds. This differed from severing pack bonds from wolves who wished to leave Zircon Moon or his unfortunate decision to <b>sever </b>his mate bond; this could cause death. But he couldn¡¯t back out<b>.</b>


    Ariel deserves better.


    ¡°Goddess Selene.¡± He dered, his thunderous voice reverberating. ¡°I call upon you, as Alpha of the Zircon Moon Pack, to <b>sever </b>the bond between the wolf, Ariel, and the human, Odessa. Grant the wishes of happiness and freedom for Ariel as she is an innocent soul caught in <b>a </b>sea of madness. Cradle her in your mercy <b>as </b>she and Odessa depart from one another for eternity.¡±


    Silence. No one dared to move or breathe.


    Until a powerful scream tore from Ariel¡¯s throat.


    The crowd watched the <b>she</b>¨Cwolf writhe and convulse against the tree bark, chest heaving from agony. Ariel


    Chapter 64: The Roul


    and Odessa fought within the vessel¨Cone desiring autonomy and the other desiring the opposite. The woman¡¯s soul glowed a luminous silver, palpitating forward as an outline of a wolf emerged from her chest. Silver quickly shifted to red as the light pulled itself forward away, one scream bing two. Two screams bing one and a mighty howl. Odessa refused to let Ariel go, but Ariel remained determined to leave her human behind for good. It was a never¨Cending tug¨Co¨Cwar with the weakening bond as the rope.


    Ariel burst out of Odessa¡¯s chest as a translucent wolf spirit with a golden bond protruding out of her chest, connected to Odessa. Plopping onto the ground in a breathless heap, Ariel was free. Free from the misery and ignorance. Everybody heard her tiny howls through her parted jaw as she struggled to rise on her paws. Odessa¡¯s knees buckled in her sudden surge of frailty, slumping onto her legs as she panted with perspiration dripping down her temples.


    In a blink of an eye, an invisible force lifted the bond and snapped into two with a silvery sh of light. A mysterious gust of wind blew through the area, extinguishing all the candles. A shot of pain sizzled on Odessa¡¯s right shoulder de, her pack mark vanishing from her apricot flesh.


    ¡°It is done.¡± Elder Marjorie announced. ¡°Ariel and Odessa are separated for eternity.¡±


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 Chapter 154

    Chapter <b>65 </b>¨C Cutthroat


    ¡°Is Fate getting what you deserve, or deserving what you get?¡± <i>¨C </i>Jodi Picoult


    Third Person POV


    Ariel found her equilibrium and rose to her paws, trotting toward Darien. As a wolf sprit, solid objects pass through her hollow body, so the man couldn¡¯t pet her even if he <b>tried</b>. Her emeralds gazed into his watering aquamarines, expressing silent hope and happiness.


    Ariel is finally happy.


    The red wolf released a mighty howl toward the moon, echoing through the hushed forest. She called for Selene to wrap her arms around her to take her from the earth. All watched her translucent body fading into silvery dust, starting from the tail. A painless transition. Darien watched helplessly as Sirius¡® mate returned to Selene¡¯s side. In utter sadness, the ck wolf howled in agony at watching his mate disappear.


    He couldn¡¯t <b>stand</b>. Galen and Jacqueline had to steady their forlorn and heartbroken friend on his feet as he wept for Ariel. Wanting her back. Wanting to ease his wolf¡¯s suffering


    And his own.


    Odessa, bound against the tree, huffed. Mara, in silence, removed her blindfold before retreating. Sad and irritated hazels red at the dozens of eyes staring at her in scrutiny and disgust. She felt insignificant and bitter; frustrated that her punishment is losing Ariel forever.


    Bing human.


    ¡°Do you have anything to say, Odessa?¡± Elder Este asked the million¨Cdor question everybody wanted to know. Her lips formed into a snarl as her reality settled in. Human. Damned to weakness and vulnerability. Her eyes found Neron¡¯s, void of love, filled with burning disappointment. Darien¡¯s sniffles echoed in her ear, grating at her eardrums. The two men who were supposed to love her watched her downgrade without resistance.


    Hatred burned.


    ¡°F*ck you all.¡± She spat out. ¡°I have nothing to say to a crowd of dirty dogs.¡±


    ¡°May Selene have mercy on your soul.¡± The crowd quietly dispersed, returning to thends of Zircon Moon, leaving the ranked wolves, the Ga Moon team, and the guards. Elder Este, Elder Marjorie, and Mara gathered their supplies, bid Alpha Neron farewell and good luck.


    Mara and Darien lingered for a bit, staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity. The woman wasn¡¯t <b>sure </b>what to say to him, but silently prayed to Selene to heal his broken heart. She joined with her mothers and left the distant pack grounds.


    Odessa was reticent, refusing to acknowledge the surrounding people. Everyone disgusted to her and earned every droplet of her hatred. Alpha Neron <b>sighed</b><b>, </b>mentally deciding on what to do with Odessa.


    ¡°Execute her.¡± Onyx suggested, his voice filled with venom. ¡°Her crimes are too great. Ariel punished <b>her</b>


    <b>b</b>


    <ul>


    <li>Chapter 65 ¨C Cumclenat</li>


    </ul>


    y leaving, but she still is responsible for harming our mate. If she dies, she won¡¯t have the chance to hurt Kiyn again when we get her back.¡±


    Neron <b>was </b>inclined to agree. Odessa is a furious woman who has proven that she can and will kill to enact her revenge. She may be human, but her living will merely give her the ammunition to harm others. With knowledge of the supernatural world and darkness lurking around every corner, it was too risky. He didn¡¯t want to be a killer, but this one will be justified.


    ¡°<b>Guards</b>.¡± Neron demanded. All four stood tall, ready for orders. ¡°Take Odessa back to her cell. I will decide her fate in the morning. Afterwards, retire for the night.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Dar? Are you alright?¡± Galen whispered to his childhood friend, who stood stiff and unblinking at the cuffed woman against a tree. Once upon a <b>time</b>, he <b>was </b>ready to give her all the love he held and hunt for the happiness she <b>deserved</b>. Now, his heart felt hollow. Empty,


    The sparks are dead. Forever.


    ¡°Let us go home.¡± Darien¡¯s detached voice answered. ¡°There is nothing more for us here.¡±


    As the six members of Ga Moon prepared to take their leave, a heavy groan stopped them. It followed with two more grunts inteced with agony. Heads <b>turned </b>to see Neron, Valerian, and Kwame clutching their heads and gritting their teeth. Raina and Lori, rmed, ran tofort their mates, but their touch didn¡¯t quell the tsunami of voices from their pack signaling for help.


    ¡°Alpha Neron!¡± Omar, Kwame¡¯s father, rose from the sea. ¡°We need you back on thend! There are multiple reports of intrudersing in from all sizes of the territory. Some are attacking our patrols!¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Neron growled.


    ¡°Is there trouble?¡± Sapphire asked.


    ¡°Big trouble.¡± He emphasized. ¡°We¡¯re under attack.¡±


    ¡°Need help?¡± Jacqueline asked casually. ¡°We¡¯re at no rush to get home.¡± Darien didn¡¯t reply but nodded in agreement. The Alpha grunted, pointing his head to the pathway back to the maind. He reiterated to the guards to take <b>a </b>different path back to the prisons while the rest of them took off into the shadowy forest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t f*cking touch me.¡± Odessa snapped, ¡°I rather stay here than to go back to those dingy cells.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, girlie. Alpha¡¯s orders.¡± One guard reprimanded with an eye roll, unaffected by Odessa¡¯s heated re. They were performing their duty of transporting an unruly woman back to prison. Simple, right?


    Wrong.


    Before any of them could uncuff the woman from the tree<b>, </b>a violent gush of power rushed passed them. Hairs on the back of their necks rose in full salute, signaling danger approaching fast. Too fast. In the blink of an <b>eye</b><b>, </b>one guard plopped to the ground with a grunt, a pool of crimson <b>forming </b>around his head from his open


    neck.


    Chapter 65


    Then another. And another. All four guards fell to the same cutthroat fate, bathing the grass in deep red around the woman. Odessa whimpered in fear, confused by what happened. Hazels widened like tes and her lungs went out of sync. She had seen nothing, and the guards literally dropped dead all around her.


    ¡°W¨Cwha-!¡±


    Giggles announced themselves like an auditory strangtion. They wrapped around Odessa¡¯s throat, imprisoning her as her eyes looked every which way to <b>find </b>the owner. The moon hid itself behind imprable clouds, obscuring the ritual <b>space </b>in obsidian ck, her white dress glowing in the dark.


    ¡°Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The top bitch of Zircon Moon is a wolfless human, chained helplessly to at <b>tree</b><b>. </b>It is about time you found your true ce; on your knees.¡±


    Clicking of heels resounded in the darkness, unhesitant and meticulous. Each step radiated with deathly power and poisonous excitement. Trepidation gripped at Odessa¡¯s spine as she struggled to free herself from her cuffs, only to have the metal dig against her skin.


    ¡°W¨Cwho are you?¡± Odessa demanded, failing to steady her voice. The child¨Clike giggles turned into sharp, adultughter. A pair of crimson orbs pierced through the darkness,unching invisible chains to hold the woman¡¯s soul in ce. A captive. The clicking grew in volume as it closed in on the defenseless woman. Stepping over the corpses of the fallen guards, the darkness cloaked the woman¡¯s identity.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already forgotten me? Odessa, I¡¯m ashamed of you. The least you can do is give me the respect <b>I </b>deserve.¡±


    An icy hand gripped Odessa¡¯s chin, forcing her chin upward. ¡°But¡­¡± The mysterious person whispered. ¡°Why would a bitch like you ever respect, who you called, a former ve?¡±


    Odessa¡¯s breath hitched in her throat. She lost all her werewolf senses and abilities, but there was no mistaking the voice; formerly rich and feminine dripped with sarcasm. It was sadistic, yet <b>sweet</b>.


    ¡°¡­K¨CKiya?¡±


    The darkness suddenly cleared, revealing the woman in question, dressed in an unfamiliar garb that emted her new status. Her amber ne rested on her cleavage, drinking in the fear of the newly¨Cformed mortal. Kiya shined a charming smile, her thumb caressing the point of Odessa¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡±


    Odessa stuttered. Was it from nerves or from her shock? Her stuttering got worse when Kiya¡¯s grin widened, fingers shaking with anticipation. What could she say? Words failed as the woman took in her adversary¡¯s appearance. She didn¡¯t look like the Kiya she previously knew with her springy coils, soft browns, and mildly conservative clothing. Now, she was regal with her hairpletely straightened, sinister reds, and adorning a dress that exposed all her aged scars from past abuse.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Odessa asked, curious. ¡°This isn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Like me?<b>¡± </b>Kiya finished, arching an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you actually paid attention. Study your enemy to discover the best way to take them out, correct?¡±


    Chapter 65 Cutthroat


    ¡°T¨CThat¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to <b>me</b>.¡± Her fingers squeezed her chin, digging her sharpened nails into her flesh. Odessa whined. ¡°Figuring out what made me tick was your surefire way to insure I don¡¯t interfere with your ns. Did you <b>think </b>I <b>was </b>too stupid to figure it out?¡±


    ¡°No. You were too smart for my liking.¡± Odessa grumbled; <b>eyes </b>cast down. ¡°If you were dumber, it would¡¯ve made things easier.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Kiya released her chin and stood erect. ¡°Stand up.¡± When the woman didn¡¯tply, she grabbed her arm and forced her on her bare feet, earning a shriek of pain from how tight she grabbed Odessa¡¯s arm. Upon release, she noticed red blossoming from their ce of contact. She cocked her <b>head </b>to the side, running her fingers across <b>the </b>bruise. ¡°I forgot. You bruise easily, now.¡±


    ¡°Did youe here to gloat?¡± Odessa asked in irritation, her lips frowning. ¡°I lost my f*cking wolf. Aren¡¯t you d?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Without hesitation, Kiya brandished her gifted de from the sheath on her thigh, the de gleaming in the captive¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯vee to kill you. However, because you¡¯re wolfless, you won¡¯t feel the effects of the silver and wolfbane on my de. I¡¯ll have to <b>find </b>another way to make you suffer.¡±


    ¡°Y¨CYou can¡¯t!¡± Odessa shrieked, pressing her back against the tree bark. She was literally trapped between a rock and a hard ce¨Cthe aforementioned rock being the insane woman admiring her de like a child with a new toy. ¡°Please Kiya, <b>there </b>has to be something we can work out!¡±


    Kiya¡¯s crimson eyes shot daggers at the brte. She flinched and cowered from the intensity of her re, feeling <b>the </b>heat incinerate the hairs off her flesh. Odessa, for the first time in her life, was terrified for her life. Living as an untouchable woman disseminated her luck in her precarious situation where instead of killing her enemy, her enemy will kill her.


    ¡°I remember a game you and Raina used to y with your friends back in the day.¡± Kiya¡¯s voice filled her mind and <b>the </b>clicking of her heels filled her ears. Odessa felt the strands of her long hair shift from her shoulders to her back by the other woman¡¯s hands, fingers caressing <b>and </b>smoothening out the river of brown silk with <b>care</b>. ¡°You both called it ¡®The Hunt.¡°¡±


    Memories of those times filled Odessa¡¯s mind like concrete to a hole. Revitalized and powerful, her mind plunged into the sensations and emotions she felt that day. Mischievousness. yfulness. Malice. <b>L </b>hatred. Her body remembered everything, right down to the phantom sensation of scissors in her hands.


    ¡°You were the hunters, and I was the hunted<b>.</b>¡± Kiya continued, her voice soft <b>and </b>melodious. ¡°I was to run and hide while your posse searched high and low for me. My fear awakened your beasts and attracted


    you all to me. Every single time. Your reward? Hacking off my hair with five pairs of scissors. My broken body took <b>in </b>your assault while you decorated the grounds with bits <b>and </b>pieces of my hair.¡±


    ¡°I always wanted hair like yours.¡± Kiya cooed, bunching up strands. ¡°Soft. Silky. Long. Beautiful, even. Do you know how long it took me to obtain the length I have today?¡±


    ¡°Ow!!¡± The back of Odessa¡¯s head mmed against a tree as the woman tied her hair around the tree bark, <b>tight</b>. If anyone were to free her, they¡¯d had to cut through the knots. ¡°W¨CWhat are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Three years.¡± Kiya ignored Odessa¡¯s question and tied the rest of her hair together, admiring that it fully exposes her neck. ¡°Through the <b>bald </b>spots, oils, trims, and the rest of the shit I had to do to <b>make </b>my <b>hair </b>healthy ag


    I felt hideous. You damaged my crown because the evil in you wanted to make me suffer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry-!¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t.¡± The woman walked back to Odessa¡¯s front, admiring her handiwork as she watched the wolfless woman panic because she can¡¯t move her head. ¡°I wish you can see how exposed you are, knowing within minutes, you will die<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°K¨CKiya, please!¡± Tears fell from Odessa¡¯s checks like raging waterfalls. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°Instead of owning up to what you did, you elected to beg for your life.¡±


    ¡°What is killing me going to solve?!¡±


    ¡°Everything. My pain will disappear and all who hurt me will die.¡±


    ¡°B¨Cbut that means you¡¯ll have to take out all of Zircon Moon!¡±


    Kiya exploded into a fit ofughter, clutching her belly before standing erect. ¡°That¡¯s the f*cking point, you dumb bitch! But there is a bright side to all this for you.¡± She brandished the de once more, pressing the tip against the thin skin of her throat. Tiny bubbles of blood dribbled out because of Odessa¡¯s struggle, pleas going unheard. ¡°Once Neron is dead, the both of you can be together in Hell. That is what you wanted in the end, is it not?¡±


    ¡°No! Kiya!¡± Odessa sobbed. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry for everything I did to you. I was a shitty person! Give me a chance to prove it.¡±


    Kiya paused, staring at the helpless, writhing, wailing woman she is about to kill. A tiny sensation sparked in the pits of her heart, shouting in a miniscule voice to not take Odessa¡¯s life. She is better than this. However, the memories of her abuse overrode it all. Hatred roared in her blood, and sparks of red decorated her vision.


    <b>¡°</b><b>An </b>eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth<b>.</b>¡±


    The darkness was her weapon to kill the guards, but her de was perfect to ridding the world of Odessa.


    A perfect cut from ear to ear; apricot flesh splitting open under razor¨Csharp silver. Blood flowed and sprayed in the small space between the women, decorating brown flesh with crimson and dying the white dress crimson. Kiya knew she nicked Odessa¡¯s carotid arteries <b>and </b>watched as her enemy sumbed to a swift death. The screaming that grated in her ears quicted to nothingness.


    ¡°And I¡¯m no longer the Kiya you <b>knew</b>, little human.¡± She watched Odessa¡¯s body go limp, held up solely by her hair tied around the bark. Five bodies surrounded her in <b>a </b>sea of violent crimson, iming its next victim.


    And certainly not thest.


    Untouchat?e (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)


    Chapter 66 <b>¨C </b>Kneel


    ¡°Maybe I am viin in your story, but I am hero in mine.¡°¨CShon Mehta


    Neron


    Chaos has a distinct, indescribable scent. Some say it is the amalgamation of fear <b>and </b>sweat. Others say blood and tears. Tonight, chaos smelled like trepidation and woody nuances. Oak trees whizzed in my peripherals in blurs as <b>adrenaline </b>pumped through my legs. Omar¡¯s warning reyed in my head like a broken record, <b>perforating </b>the fabric of my mind like a knife throughce. Every stomp and jump brought me closer to thends I was born and raised upon.


    Zircon Moon is under attack, yet again. This time, it feels different. Nightfall made itsnding hours ago, <b>but </b>an unnatural darkness billowed through the trees<b>, </b>swallowing any remnants of light. The <b>moon </b><b>is </b>a wolf¡¯s guide through the darkness, but not <b>even </b>she can prate through the thick ck.


    Behind me I can hear the plethora of stomps, each of different weights and speeds, from my wolves and Gamet Moon alike. My heart warmed at the other pack¡¯s willingness to help mebat this foreign threat. It brought us together under the unification to save the one most precious to us..

 Chapter 155

    <b>Kiya</b><b>.</b>


    Oh Kiya, I hope you¡¯re alright. We all miss you so much<b>.</b>


    As we drew closer, screaming perforated my eardrums, steadily growing in volume and intensity. Innocent men and women grabbed their loved ones <b>and </b>retreated to safety when I arrived on the maind. My hands sped around my throat as the air thickened with disorder. Omar and Amani guided children and our pack¡¯s most vulnerable to the underground bunkers; a frequented ce that they all are very familiar with, mellowing the panic.


    A horrid scent assaulted my nose, and my heart dropped in a sea of despair. Blood mingling with death,ing in at all directions. Whoever or whatever is attacking has gotten their hands on my people!


    ¡°Alpha!¡± Omar yelled, leaving his <b>wife¡¯s </b>side. His dark, aged face contorted in dread. His eyes met with Lori¡¯s, panic increasing. ¡°Lori-¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She and Kwame shared a brief kiss before she and her pregnant belly were guided to safety. <b>Worry </b>perspired out of my Gamma<b>, </b>his heart at ease knowing his wife and unborn child are safe.


    ¡°The attack happened no <b>less </b><b>than </b>fifteen minutes ago.¡± Omar exined. ¡°Our <b>enemy </b>blends seamlessly in the shadows, ughtering anyone in their way. We¡¯ve lost patrols and warriors. Some older men and women, sadly, fell victim as well. There is no definitive number on our casualties.¡±


    I grit my teeth, feeling the anger bubble at my core<b>. </b>Already, the bonds between those members and their life snapped like weak twigs. ¡°Thank you, Omar.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for not sounding the rm earlier.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done all you can, Dad<b>.</b>¡± Kwame spoke, patting his old <b>man¡¯s </b>arm. ¡°Now, you and Mom need to get to


    safety.¡± The couple retreated without hesitation.


    ¡°We can¡¯t see the enemy, eh?¡± Sapphire asked, arching a knowing eyebrow. ¡°Not for long.¡±


    Knowing well what she meant, I allowed Onyx to take <b>over</b>. With a keen eye and superior night <b>vision</b>, he homes in on the enemies blending in the dark. Multiple enemies. Growls erupted from most of the Ga Moon team, including my wolves as their <b>eyes </b>shined like diamonds. Their wolves are out.


    We¡¯re used to rogues attacking, but rarely full¨Cbodied enemies.


    And it made the hairs on the back of my neck rise.


    Running <b>isn¡¯t </b>an option. I don¡¯t know what they want, but their lives <b>are </b>on the chopping block and I have the hatchet. My warriors who helped guide the pack members to safety bristled and spreading about, prepared to face the onught head on. Shuffling echoed widely in the forest, the enemy getting in formation. No longer will they harm the innocent because they¡¯re facing the big, bad wolves aching to drench their ws in maroon¨Ccoated revenge.


    Before anyone could react, a deep, loud, rumbling cackle knifed through the ckened air, gripping at our spines. Dripping with venom and malice. Theughter belonged to a madman high on illicit drugs, yet a simple sound revealed the owner¡¯s true intention. It mocked us.


    Mocked me.


    I was aedy act, and it was the spectator. Onyx was ready to pounce, but I peeled back his control and <b>took </b>the driver¡¯s <b>seat</b>. The monster in charge was here while his army waited for his signal, hidden behind obscurity and <b>oak </b>barks.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡± I <b>roared</b>, hands balling up into fists at my <b>sides</b><b>.</b>


    ¡°My, my, aren¡¯t you eager to meet me, <i>Alpha</i>?¡± The familiar voice chuckled. ¡°How does it feel to watch one miracle happen only tond yourself in hell?¡±


    Darkness shifted before my eyes like graphics on aputer game, bending and twisting to a silent tune. The Ga Moon team took a couple steps back, vignt of what is about to appear in front of us. Valerian pushed Raina behind him, and Kwame watched <b>the </b><b>scene </b>with profound scrutiny. Is this magic at y? Or some other sickly force I know nothing about?


    I wanted to believe a monster would walk out of the dancing shadows, but what emerged was worse. The humans say that the worst of the world¡¯s beast takes on human form. A man walked out of the mystifying shadows like he owned the world, dressed more like a regal dark <b>prince </b>than a wild beast. Hair as white as snow and mouth lined with pearls <b>glowed </b>in the darkness while his flesh melted into it. But what captured my attention the most were <b>his </b><b>eyes</b>.


    Eyes as red as blood.


    Onyx stood on all fours in my mind, growling loud as the menace before me. With a smile that would make the devil weep, his <b>eyes </b><b>scoped </b>the area before huffing through his nose. ¡°Oh, you could <b>have </b>done much better with your army, <b>Alpha </b>Neron. I thought you had better taste.<b>¡±</b>


    216


    My breath hitched in my throat, and my posture stiffened. I¡¯ve <b>never </b>seen this man before in my life, but he knew of me? I fought every instinct firing <b>in </b>my body to attack<b>, </b><b>but </b>I needed answers. Answers that alluded me for weeks after my mind was obliterated with Kiya¡¯s status.


    ¡°Do not attack unless I give a signal.¡± I tell my members through mind¨Clink, smelling the anticipation and anger rolling off their flesh in waves. ¡°Who the hell are you<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°The barbarism of a true Alpha alludes you. So damn demanding.¡± The man sighed mockingly, flipping his colorless tresses behind his ear. <b>¡°</b>Allow me to introduce myself, properly. My name is Osiris¨Cthe avatar of Apophis; and I¡¯ve been dying to meet you.¡±


    I lost all rationale. Onyx demanded his head <b>on </b><b>a </b>silver tter for him to feast on. That demented name that haunted the air of mynd and tormented the mind of my mate. The beast in human skin. A devil in his own right. The bastard who stole Kiya from all of i


    us!


    <b>¡°</b><b>YOU</b>!¡± Onyx¡¯s and I¡¯s <b>voices </b>sandwiched together in our righteous fury. I would¡¯ve pounced on the bastard if Valerian <b>and </b>Kwame hadn¡¯t held me back by the arms. My men know me and my instincts <b>too </b>well. Even Raina bristled, her delicate face contorting in her own anger. ¡°Where the f*ck is Kiya?! What have you done to her?! Give her back to us!¡±


    The Ga Moon members beside me restrained themselves as their wolves threatened to leap out of their skins. Beta Jacqueline is lucky to have Beta Female Abigail at her side, but even she is having trouble resisting. Osiris is <b>aware </b>of our struggle and released a heartyugh, holding his stomach.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little mutts?¡± He taunted <b>us</b>. ¡°Are you afraid to attack me?¡± His rubies found me again. ¡°My Little Moon <b>is</b><b>¡­</b>doing well. Very well. But the weakling you knew no longer exists. And you have no chance in hell in getting her back.¡±


    A door hinge squeaked. Then two, three, many. When I turned my head, my jaw dropped to the ground. All pack members, minus children, young teenagers, and pregnant women marched out of hiding like organized zombies, row after row. My soldiers fell into the same state, ckening their <b>stances </b>and dropping weapons. They formed rows and columns behind my team and Ga, eyes hollow and bodies stiff as if they¡¯re waiting for an order from a higher power.


    ¡°What are you doing, Osiris?!¡± I demanded, feeling Onyx w at my defenses.


    ¡°Me?¡± He feigned innocence, a dark hand over his heart. ¡°Why, I have done nothing, Alpha. But it appears mydy hase out and y.¡±


    High¨Cpitched feminine giggles resounded in the air, surrounding me at all sides. It is consuming, bone- chilling, and fear¨Cinducing. A frigid chill swam down my spine, and Onyx broke his stance as my fear touched his soul. Theughter <b>was </b>familiar, and it froze every nerve and synapse in my body. Everyone grew frightful, trembling as if they knew who theughter belonged to.


    Then it happened.


    A colossal weightnded in front of us in a mighty crash, picking up dust and debris from the darkened ground. The force propelled us back on our asses, blowing us away. Dirt rained on our faces. My members still <b>stood </b>in their ces as frozen statues. I couldn¡¯t hear a single exhale.


    ¡°Thank you, Cerberus! You¡¯re such a sweetheart!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart dropped like a bomb. Obliterating in a fiery explosion with no hopes of recovery.


    That voice. It couldn¡¯t be! It can¡¯t be!


    ¡°No¡­¡± I <b>heard </b><b>Raina </b>whimper behind me.


    When the dust cleared, I saw her. Cerberus held her up with one arm as she sat with her arms around his thick neck. Osiris walked over and took her hand into his, helping her as shended on her ck heels that raised her stature a few inches. Stained with stters of blood, her ck dress blended into the night, exposing almost <b>every </b><b>scar </b>that ever marred her bronzed flesh. Her ebony hair lost all its coils and curls, flowing down to the middle of her back with a lone braid sitting on her left shoulder. A snake emblem slithered from the back of her hand toward her right shoulder, menacing.


    Her eyes. The rich, dark browns I love so much are gone; reced by menacing red full of sinister intentions


    and hatred..


    Kiya. My Kiya!


    <b>Piercing </b>red rubies scanned the <b>crowd </b>until <b>she </b>said the one word that broke my focus. <b>¡°</b>Kneel.¡±


    All the Zircon Moon members dropped to one knee and bowed their heads at her singlemand. Some shook while some cried silent tears. I couldn¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing! My heart constricted in my chest and it became tough to breathe. The amount of power vibrating through the air,ing from my beloved<b>, </b>is astronomical<b>.</b>


    And it scared the living shit out of me. Especially since that mischievous smile on her face shows she


    than enthusiastic over the oue.


    <b>is </b>more


    ¡°What did he do to her?!¡± Onyx bellowed, his voice taking on an unnatural soprano braided with shock. When Osiris raised Kiya¡¯s hand to his lips and <b>nted </b>a kiss on her pliant flesh, eyeing me with victory, Onyx lost it. ¡°I¡¯ll f*cking kill him!<b>¡±</b>


    Literally thrown into the back seat, Onyx tookplete control andunched himself at Osiris with ws <b>out </b>and <b>jaw </b>frothing. He wanted his head. I wanted his head! His grimy hands ruined our mate and turned her¡­.


    into this!


    However, Onyx¡¯s conquest ended abruptly when we were thrown back on our back after Kiya drop¨Ckicked us in


    the chest.


    ¡°Control your f*cking dog, Alpha.¡± My mate hissed as I winced from the pain. ¡°Better yet, the rest of you should kneel as well. It¡¯s only fair.¡±


    Cold and pulsating energy suddenly flooded my body, clouding all my senses under an imprable haze. Onyx <b>whimpered</b>, bowing and tilting his head to the side to show his surrender. He never surrenders¨C<b>not </b>even to <b>me </b>or my <b>father</b><b>! </b>Unable to control my body, I followed suit with one knee bent and head lowered. From my peripherals, everybody else, including the Ga Moon team, followed with signs of considerable


    resistance<b>.</b>


    It didn¡¯t hurt, but no wolf likes to be controlled.


    ¡°K¨CKiya¡­¡± Beta Jacqueline croaked out, unable to bnce her voice. ¡°What are <b>you </b>doing? This isn¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡°It is, Jackie.¡± She answered with a slight pep in her voice. ¡°And I¡¯m not Kiya anymore; at least, the one that you knew. Call me¡­Lady Sanguine.¡±


    ¡°The air is ripe and rich of cowardice tonight!¡± She proimed, delighted. ¡°It is never a dull moment to <b>see </b><b>a </b>pack boasting about their strength and honor bow before their superiors. It must feel humiliating¨Cto <b>have </b><b>your </b>bodily autonomy controlled and dictated by someone else, hmm?¡±


    Struggling to raise my head, I only held it for half <b>a </b><b>second </b>before beingpelled to bow again. I watched Kiya¡¯s heels click against the grass, walking around as if she¡¯s examining the crowd. A deep hum sang from <b>her </b>throat. Like she¡¯s deep in thought.


    ¡°The kings and queens be peasants. The soldiers be weaklings, and the hunters be the hunted.¡± A delightful giggle escaped her lips. On either side, my Beta and Gamma shook violently, trying to fight the control my mate ced over us. She is hellbent on making us submit. Even Onyx shook. From anger or fear, I don¡¯t know.


    Nothing seemed real anymore!


    ¡°I¡¯m in the mood <b>for </b>a game.¡± She dered. ¡°We¡¯re going to y an old favorite. I¡¯m certain my lovely sister can recall such an activity. ¡°The Hunt¡®?¡± Raina whimpered in absolute <b>shame</b>; it broke my already shattered heart. ¡°Once the game starts, all of you will run for your miserable lives while I, or our loyal subjects, chase you down like the pathetic mutts you are. I can¡¯t guarantee that you¡¯ll live to tell the tale of your capture. Get caught, and you¡¯re finished. Permanently.¡±


    ¡°N¨Cno!¡± Darien strained. ¡°Kiya, this is wrong! You can¡¯t kill everyone!¡±


    ¡°Watch me.¡± She growled. ¡°<b>Actually</b>, you all will do just that.¡± Tossing my head up, I witnessed the Ga Moon members plus my Gamma beingpelled to walk and stand against the trees as the shadows in the forest bound them with what I believe is rope. Kiya reinforced the bindings with her powers.


    Now, I realized who was left behind to y the game.


    Everybody who has <b>ever </b>hurt her in the past.


    Kiya is exacting her years¨Clong revenge. And Osiris simply watches like a bemused child.


    ¡°Elder Sage, stand up.¡±


    Turning my head to my left, I watched as the damned Elder rose to his feet; lips <b>glued </b>together, failing to keep his struggles and whimpers at bay. My mate reached for somethingtched around her thigh and pulled out a bloodstained de. The metallic stench wafted up my nose.


    Including who it belonged to.


    ¡°In case you all didn¡¯t get the memo¡­¡± She flung her dagger with an expert toss that lodged the de deep in Elder Sage¡¯s neck. My heart stopped as he choked on his own blood, gurgles echoing. Sage¡¯s body slumped to


    <b>5.6</b>


    the ground like a sack of potatoes, dead and bleeding. Walking over, she pulled the de out <b>and </b>flicked the blood away as if it disgusted her.


    ¡°You all should start running.¡±


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 Chapter 156

    <b>Chapter </b>67 ¨C Lady Sanguine


    ¡°Every villian is a hero in his own mind.¡°¨C Tom Hiddleston


    Lady Sanguine


    ¡°No children. No pregnant women. Do not touch the Gammas. Deviate from <i>my </i>rules and your lives are mine to take. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my <b>Lady</b>.¡±


    I <b>feel </b>alive!


    Fire simmering in my veinsbusted into a raging wildfire by the pungent consternation involuting through the atmosphere. Adrenaline danced a sweet tango with the mes, and my senses heightened beyond measure. I can feel the pulsating heartbeats of the wolves as they ran for their lives. A body or magic blocked safety points across thend, effectively trapping the mutts to face the death itself. The <b>same </b>fear I was taught to embrace for my survival brings the wolves to their much¨Cdeserved fate.


    I was sick of being the good girl; swallowing my thirst for revenge to stay on the blistering, painful path of light. Demolishing my life to pieces earned Zircon Moon the blessings that should¡¯ve been mine<b>. </b>As <b>I </b>mourned the loss of my years to torture, they celebrated in their slice of heaven. A paradise thrived above the hell below. Benedictions galore¨Cbirths<b>, </b>weddings, parties, celebrations¨Ceverything Zircon Moon didn¡¯t deserve, they still got.


    That wasn¡¯t fair.


    What about my life? What about my losses? I never got retribution for them and will never experience the joys and turmoil of graduating from school, having my first dumb kiss at <b>thirteen</b>, running to my Mom for first <b>period </b>advice, homing, prom, <b>and </b>so much more. At seventeen, I had to y catch¨Cup because this pack took everything from <b>me</b>.


    Including my innocence.


    Tears of my oppression will make <b>for </b>storm surges of vengeance. Bathing the wickednd with blood is the only solution. All the agony, night terrors, and sadness will alle to <b>a </b>screeching halt once I wipe this pack from existence.


    It needs to happen.


    But my heart doesn¡¯t beat to the tune of revenge and death.


    Thump thump.


    Thump thump.


    Thump thump.


    No. This beat is different. My heart throbs to the bad of pain, drumming against my ribcage with incredible force. Why? Why is this happening?


    ¡°Kiya, stop <b>this</b>!¡± Abigail.


    ¡°Little Bit,e <b>on</b><b>! </b><b>Wake </b>up from this nightmare!¡± Jackie.


    ¡°You¡¯re so much better <b>than </b>this! Don¡¯t let the evil control you!¡± Sapphire.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re listening, Kiki. Don¡¯t do this, please.¡± Galen.


    ¡°We know you Kiki; if you do this, you¡¯re going to regret it. Please, walk away!¡± Darien.


    My friends. Their begs and pleastched around my arms <b>and </b>waist like <b>chains</b>, pulling me from entering the haze of crimson retribution. Sadness dripped from their every syble as it extinguishes the mes burning in my body. They want me back; to step back on the path of light once again. I feel the chains tighten and my <b>head </b>pounded with <b>a </b>rapidly approaching headache, enticing a whimper from my lips.


    They don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m doing this. I wish they could take a step inside my head and <b>see </b>what it really is like carrying the burden I didn¡¯t deserve. I feel their love and care. They¡¯re the good ones. What did I do to deserve them?


    As I <b>was </b>to turn around and reach for my friends<b>, </b>something stopped me. A dark miasma surged in my mind again, shooting their words down. It seized my soul and pumped my body with intense darkness. Osiris¡± presence looms <b>and </b>slithers like a viper ready to strike its venom in me again and again. He snuffed out the light, and my thirst for blood and death awakened anew.


    ¡°You can¡¯t afford to have distractions, Little Moon.¡± His maniacal voice fills my mind, blocking out the screaming from the wolves. I <b>turn </b>my head to see a vicious smile on his face. ¡°You have work to do. I¡¯ll keep the Alphapany in your absence.¡±


    He¡¯s right.


    I <b>have </b><b>a </b>mission toplete.


    I broke free from the chains and entered the crimson haze. A smile awakened on my face as I envisioned the bodies of my abusers lying at my feet, cold and lifeless. Through the chaos created by the witches and hybrids, my eyes locked on the targets as they escaped inside the pack house.


    My de desires blood, and I couldn¡¯t wait to feed it.


    I thought about killing Neron first. His eyes burned into my flesh as he, somehow, could raise his head. Deep blues swam begged <b>me </b>toe back to him, but I didn¡¯t feel an ounce of mercy for him. Cutting off his head would be fun, but I decided against it. I nestled my de in my thigh holster.


    He¡¯ll lose everything before losing his life. That¡¯s the ultimate revenge.


    <b>¡°</b>Kiya, wait!¡± Kwame¡¯s voice rang. ¡°You¡¯re angry. You want us to pay for the crimes of the past. Our punishment is long overdue, but obliterating the pack won¡¯t change the past. It¡¯ll only hurt you in the end. Please think about this.¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± I replied, turning my head to face him with a smile. ¡°And you can¡¯t change my mind. But you and <b>your </b>family will <b>live</b><b>. </b>You <b>were </b>the only ones who were kind to me, and I¡¯ll forever be indebted.¡± My smile


    Chap 67 Lady Sanguine


    turned into a <b>snarl </b>when I turned back to Neron. ¡°I¡¯ll <be </b>for youter.¡±


    My nose locked on the scent of chamomile andvender. A calming fragrance poisoned with trepidation. Images of the woman¡¯s death flooded my mind as every predatory instinct embedded in my DNA propelled me into the invaded pack house, tracking the owner down. I ignored the showcases of chases and ughter around me, searching for my first victim.


    Entering the second floor corridors, I heard a panicked conversation as I blended in the shadows.


    ¡°Raina, I <b>can¡¯t </bpromise <b>your </b>safety! You need to get to the bunkers, now!¡±


    ¡°No, Val! Osiris is controlling my sister<b>; </b>I know it! There¡¯s no way she¡¯d willingly be like this. I <b>have </b>to get through to her.¡±


    ¡°This is not up for debate. You honestly think you alone can stop her rampage? Is it worth putting your life in danger?¡±


    ¡°I have to try, right? I can¡¯t give up on her!¡±


    Oh, Raina. You have no idea how right your <b>beloved </b>mate is.


    Unsheathing my dagger, I threw it toward the couple, watching the de bury itself to the hilt in <b>Valerian¡¯s </b>shoulder. Two shouts followed: one of horror and one of pain. The Beta crumbled to his knees as he gritted his teeth in feeling the effects of the de seeping into his muscles. Raina¡¯s hands began iling like a bird in panic as she tried to remove the de from her husband¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°S¨Csilver¡­¡± He groaned out. ¡°Wolfsbane!¡±


    ¡°What the hell-


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt that bad. Stop acting like a fucking baby.¡±


    Fear glossed over warm browns when I stepped out of the shadows. ¡®Good¡®, I thought and smiled. Raina <b>looked </b>like a fish out of water, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Valerian, engulfed by his protective instincts, shot to his feet and shielded his wife with his <b>body</b>. My dagger is still embedded in his left scap<b>.</b>


    ¡°Kiya¡­¡± He warned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but if you harm Raina, I will attack.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your permission.¡± I crossed my arms under my bosom. ¡°The effects of the wolfsbane de will continue to weaken <b>you </b>unless it is pulled out. Silver is an unnatural blood thinner and judging by the blood raining down from your shoulder, you¡¯re shit out of luck. You can¡¯t even shift.¡±


    ¡°Kiya.¡± Raina worked to pull my dagger out of Valerian¡¯s shoulder, hand pressed against his wound as he paled. ¡°Can we talk, please? Don¡¯t hurt Val; <b>he¡¯s </b>innocent in all of this.¡±


    ¡°Is he?¡±


    In a flurry of action, the shadows billowed in from each corner under my graciousmand. Dancing and twirling, it performed <b>a </b>spectacle for the three of us beforeunching into an attack. ck smoke separated the couple andunched the big man through the hallways and down the stairs, away from us. I don¡¯t need


    3/6


    his distraction. Raina shrieked as the same shadows slinked around her wrists and ankles and pinned her against an adjacent wall. Trapped under my mercy.


    ¡°No! <b>Val</b>!¡±


    saw nothing and


    ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡± Memories of Raina¡¯s brutality battering my body yed, igniting more hatred in my soul. ¡°He let you do all those things to me. As a mate, he should¡¯ve stopped you. Instead, he acted as if he continued to coddle you. Valerian <b>is </b>as guilty as you.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Leave him out of this, Kiya! This is between you and me! It¡¯s not his fault; our love made us blind. It made me blind as <b>I </b>hurt you and¡­¡± Tears fell down her cheeks. ¡°He needs help. I need to help him.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s a big boy, <b>he </b>can help himself.¡± I picked up my fallen de, gripping the hilt like my life depended on it. ¡°What else more can you say <b>for </b>me to spare your life?¡±


    ¡°What would killing me solve?¡± She whimpered.


    ¡°Funny. Odessa said the same thing before I slit her throat.¡±


    A deafening cackle erupted from my throat when Raina¡¯s eyes widened <b>like </b>saucers. Her nostrils red and her skin visibly paled in horror. She must have smelled remnants of Odessa¡¯s blood on my skin; thest pieces of her while the rest rots in the distance. My beloved sister shook her <b>head </b>in disbelief.


    ¡°No. You didn¡¯t kill her. My sister wouldn¡¯t kill anyone¡­no matter how angry she got.¡±


    ¡°A summer of uneasy peace between us doesn¡¯t equate to you knowing me.¡± Clicking echoed as I marched up to my imprisoned sibling. The heels added to my height; now nose to nose with Raina, My hand shot up and grabbed her throat, squeezing her airways. ¡°You know nothing about me and still know nothing. You ruined my life and never suffered the consequences for your actions. Luckily for the both of us, that ends tonight<b>.</b>¡± I twirled a lock of her hair with my knife, admiring the springy curl. ¡°How does it feel to be the hunted in our little game, big sister?¡±


    ¡°P¨CPlease¡­!¡± She wheezed, desperate for air. ¡°W¨Cwhat about my son? You can¡¯t take me from him!¡±


    ¡°Adonis will be <b>fine</b>.¡± I sang, cutting the curl and watching it fall to the ground. ¡°Contrary to your belief, I won¡¯t harm him. Children are off¨Climits.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll be taking his mother from him!¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Children are resilient, remember? I can and will take care of him in your stead. It¡¯s <b>a </b>shame that he¡¯ll


    never know how wicked his mother was to his auntie.¡±


    The dagger glides across Raina¡¯s russet flesh, tendrils of smoke twirling into the air as she <b>winced </b>and whimpered. ¡°Does it hurt? I hope it does! I still remember the pain of when you cut <b>me </b>on the thigh. It was like <b>someone </b>set fire on my skin.¡±


    Suddenly, an idea popped in my head<b>. </b>I gasped in delight, beaming like <b>a </b><b>maniac</b>. ¡°We <b>are </b>sisters, right?¡±


    ¡°R¨CRight¡­¡±


    Chapter 67 ¨C Lady Sanguine


    ¡°<b>We </b><b>should </b>match!<b>¡±</b>


    <b>Shrill </b>and deafening screaming were muffled by my <b>hand </b>when I shed Raina¡¯s right thigh in the same <b>area </b>and shape as she did to me when we <b>were </b>teenagers through the fabric of her flimsy green dress. Tears <b>rained </b>on my fingers as she sobbed and convulsed<b>, </b><b>red </b><b>swimming </b>down her thigh, <b>dripping </b>onto the floor. Now she <b>knows </b>what it feels like to be defenseless and unable to tend to her wound.


    ¡°An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.¡±


    My sister¡¯s struggles increased tenfold when I raised my de, pointing toward the center of her cleavage. The scent of her blood beckoned for death. For me to put her out of her misery. No doubt that soon, Valerian <b>will </b>swoop


    op in like a superhero to save his wife<b>, </b>so I must end her quickly before I end him.


    I was ready to kill my sister. Her body would¡¯veid before my feet if it wasn¡¯t for something that ruined everything for me. My resolve broke, and the haze disappeared. A unique, sweet scent invaded my nose, blossoming from soothingvender¨Cvery faint.


    Orchids.


    My nose found its way in the crook of Raina¡¯s <b>neck</b>, sniffing deeply to ensure I wasn¡¯t imagining things. It was true. The scent of <b>orchids </b>is hidden deep in her fragrance, like a bug hiding in a bouquet of flowers.


    I couldn¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t kill Raina!


    ¡°No!¡± I cried, backing away from her. ¡°No, no, no! This isn¡¯t fucking fair!¡± My screams echoed throughout the hallway; the type of scream that bypasses the ears and strikes deep in the heart. All I wanted was Raina to pay, and I can¡¯t even <b>have </b>that! Fate is cruel to me once again!


    Snarling<b>, </b>I released Raina from her imprisonment and watched her crumble to the floor on her knees, holding her wound. ¡°Leave! Leave, <b>now</b>! Stay the fuck away from me if you value your fucking life!¡±


    ¡°Kiya¡­¡± Raina tried to reach out to me with a trembling hand, but I flinched.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Sanguine, stupid bitch! Leave me be!¡± My screams didn¡¯t sound human anymore. It was like a pained monster bellowing out for someone to acknowledge. Nothing felt real to me. Since Raina wouldn¡¯t leave, I did, disappearing into the shadows.


    Raina got lucky. So fucking lucky! An unexpected twist of events dyed her to¨Cbe execution.


    I¡¯ll get her one day. Even if it takes months!


    But, for now, I¡¯ll focus on my next set of victims. And their scents of nutmeg and honey led me to their bedroom, where their scents umted the strongest. They¡¯ll die in Raina¡¯s ce.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me!¡± I roared, kicking at the door three times until I tore it off its hinges<b>, </b>crashing to the ground in an emphatic thud.


    Ashley <b>and </b>Steven Lane are in here.


    And I won¡¯t hesitate to kill them.

 Chapter 157

    <b>Chapter </b><b>68 </b>¨C ytime


    <i>¡°</i>Pleasure is sweetest when ¡®tis paid for by another¡¯s pain¡± ¨C Ovid


    Lady Sanguine


    The essence saturating my former parents¡± room flooded my mind with memories freed from their burial chambers. Memories of hiding under their bed to spook them fresh out of the shower or drenching my clothes in Ashley¡¯s expensive perfume. My childlike innocence lingering in the corners of the teal walls, fading away to nothingness. There¡¯s no question that I loved Ashley and Steven¨Cthey were my world, my role models, and my protectors rolled into one. A part of my heart still aches for them; a relic of my younger years that wished for them to call me their Princess again.


    But they stripped their princess of her crown because of their cowardliness.


    I hated this ache. Dull. Bothersome. Gripping the hilt of my bloodied de, I had the choice to carve it out of my chest or eliminate the source. Who am I if I didn¡¯t choose thetter? It is why I¡¯m here, isn¡¯t it?


    A sparkle suddenly shed in my peripherals. I turn to the ck vanity table ornamented with jewelry and framed family pictures. The maic pull of the sparkle drew me to a gold ne resting in a <b>small </b>box lined with ck velveteen, glittering underneath the fluorescent lighting.


    My eyes bulged out of their sockets. <b>It </b>wasn¡¯t an ordinary gold ne. Hooked around the bail was a bumblebee pendant with its wings spread. I picked it up by the pendant to flip it over, fingers running over the engraving.


    ¡°To our little Honeybee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a little bee! I¡¯m a big bee!¡± A voice echoed in my head, loud and proud. Tears pricked my eyes as 1 remembered how I got this ne. My Sth birthday.


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be our little bee, Hali.¡± Ashley replied with overflowing love. I <b>can </b>feel her hands smoothening out my wild curls. ¡°Even if you be a big bee, you¡¯ll be the queen of the hive!¡±


    ¡°<b>I </b>won¡¯t get a king? Why isn¡¯t there a king bee?¡±


    ¡°Because the queer


    queen doesn¡¯t need a man at her side.¡± Steven chuckled before poking my nose, making me squeal. ¡°No man is good enough for my baby girl, let alone to be her king.¡±


    ¡°Ah, love, you¡¯ll eat those words when she gets older! Her mate is somewhere out there, waiting for her.¡±


    ¡°Ew!¡± I cringed, sticking out my tongue. ¡°That means kissing. Gross! You <b>and </b><b>Daddy </b>do it all the time. Aren¡¯t you scared of cooties?¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>Adults </i>don¡¯t get cooties, baby girl.¡±


    ¡°They must get something, then.¡±


    ¡°They get <i>babies</i>.¡± Raina butted in, earning a push on her shoulder from Ashley,ughing. ¡°Can¡¯t we eat some cake now? I¡¯m dying here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my cake!¡± I stuck my tongue out at my older sister. She retaliated the same way, squinting her eyes. the queen bee today and what I say goes<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°What do you say then?¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Time for cake!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m


    Laughter echoed like a siren song throughout my skull, dissipating like smoke in the wind. The dull ache graduated to a resonate agony. I grabbed my chest with my free hand and tried to breathe through the <b>pain</b>. I hated it! How could they love me one year and treat me like trash <b>the </b>next? It makes no <b>sense </b>to me!


    I dropped the ne on the ground and crushed the bee beneath my heel. Broken memories will stay broken. No matter how many feel¨C<b>good </b>memories I have, they¡¯re constantly eclipsed over the pain ravaging my body like a recalcitrant beast.


    <b>They </b>need to pay for what they did to me, no matter what!


    <b>However</b>, not all prey will ept their fate with ease. The bathroom doors suddenly burst open, and a body tackled mine to the ground. My de flew out of my hands, hitting a distant wall. Nutmeg assaulted all my senses and my body roared to life for a fight, struggling <b>and </b>biting against my <b>restraints</b>.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    dare you!¡± I howled, scratching my knees against the carpet. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you hurt anyone else, Kiya!¡± Steven bellowed, grip tightening around my wrists. ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to get revenge! You¡¯re hurting innocent people!¡±


    ¡°No one in this fucking pack is innocent! I¡¯ll kill everyone if it¡¯s thest thing I do!¡±


    Sweaty hands held my legs down, and I continued to thrash and kick. Ashley¡¯s sickening voice entered my ears in a twisted melody. ¡°Think about what you¡¯re doing, Honeybee! Can you live with yourself knowing you hurt other people? Listen to us for once in your life!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking call me that! I was never your Honeybee! You tore off my wings and left me for dead!¡± Surrendering into my red¨Chot rage, I freed a leg from her grasp and kicked Ashley in her chest,unching her into a wall. Literally. She <b>slid </b>to the ground in a painful heap and I bashed the back of my head to Steven¡¯s jaw, drawing blood. When he ckened his hold, my elbow struck his stomach to where he toppled over. Weak


    like an <b>old </b>man.


    I wanted them dead! I wanted them out of my life! They¡¯ve been allowed to live for too long, but it¡¯s time for them to <b>go</b>!


    ¡°You want to repent for your sins? Your repentance is your death!¡±


    The thing about darkness is that it is easily manipted. With the wave of my hand, I can make it do anything that I wanted. I¡¯m the puppeteer, and the living ck is my marite. Imprable ck filled the room where only my eyes pierced the opaque fog. Choking echoed through the horrid atmosphere; strips of ck wrapping around Ashley and Steven¡¯s necks like snakes to their prey, lifting their bodies in the air.


    Then, the anthem of breaking ss blitzed the air without remorse.


    <b>2/5</b>


    Chapter 65 ¨C Maytime


    Pleasure rocketed through my body with reckless abandon as I seized my fallen de off the floor. Ashley and Steven writhed in <b>pain </b>outside <b>on </b>the ground<b>, </b>oblivious of the next stage of my vengeance. Chaos <b>ruled </b>the atmosphere<b>, </b>but their screams of death will make <b>for </b>a lovely tune to calm my <b>ck </b><b>heart</b>.


    This is every predators¡® dream; to have their prey helpless underneath their preeminence. The anticipation of knowing they <b>have </b>the power to dictate if they live or die <b>is </b>glorious! I¡¯m hopelessly addicted and in <b>need </b>of


    another fix.


    ¡°Ready or not, here Ie!¡±


    Hopping on the window ledge, I aimed my de above my head, focusing on Steven. I¡¯ll kill Dear Ol¡® Dad first, then Sweet Mama after she feels her mate bond die. Unable to contain my maddening giggles, I leaped into the air and descended to the ground like a dark angel descending from the murky <b>corners </b>of <b>heaven</b>.


    Unfortunately, the panic of my prey saved them. Instead of my de finding its ce in Steven¡¯s skull, is buried in dirt. The couple rolled out of the way and escaped into the forest in a frenzy. Giggling, I rose on my heels <b>and </b>followed them<b>, </b>relishing in each panicked step and <b>sob </b>of terror. This must be what stalkers feel <b>like</b>. Their fear <b>and </b>bloody aroma added to the excitement of the chase!


    ¡°<b>Come </b>on! Dying won¡¯t be that bad, I promise<b>!</b>¡±


    As they ran, so did L. When I caught them, I drew blood. When they escaped, I stalked them down. They forget that they¡¯re in my domain. The moon rules in darkness and in darkness, I thrive! They were slippery ones; escaping my grasp whenever they are able<b>, </b>but I¡¯m <b>a </b>stubborn mule. I don¡¯t give up. I¡¯m having way <b>too </b>much fun to let them win at my game!


    Yet another <b>sparkle </b>in my peripherals interrupted my fun. This time, it wasn¡¯t jewelry. I followed the streak of light to spot Diana perched on a branch, haloed in pulsating silver. Her golden eyes examined me, full of silent emotion. For that moment, my bloodlust vanished, and my attention was all on my precious <b>owl</b>. Her presence surrounded me in a dome of pristine white. It was <b>only </b>the two of us.


    Is this an illusion? How can a bird create this?


    ¡°Diana¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hoo!¡± She flies and beckons me to follow her. I do, stupefied by the magic she held. Diana is <b>a </b>special bird; I always knew that. But this was different. I felt safe. The chaotic background noise drowned into silence as I tailed the bird to wherever she wanted to take <b>me</b><b>.</b>


    Diananded on a rock, cute and light. When I got close enough, I slid to my knees, propping my de in my thigh holster. My bird cooed softly, tilting her head curiously. Our dynamic is so strange; natural predator and prey, but we¡¯re best friends. Was <b>she </b>an angel sent by Selene herself? Or amon owl with a <b>strange </b>attachment issue? Either way, I¡¯m d she is still in my life.


    I love her. So much.


    ¡°Diana¡­¡± I murmured again, my bloody fingers reaching out to touch her. I wanted to feel the softness of her feathers and hear her sweet hoots of happiness. She wasn¡¯t frightened of my new appearance or my stench of blood¨Cshe¡¯s just here. So, so brave.


    Chapter 68¨CMaytime


    But everything changed when I touched her. My entire body froze in the middle of the petting.


    A voice<b>, </b>familiar and sweet, violently speared the darkness clouding my mind. Unexpected. Surreal. Wistful. Powerful. The rich melody perforated holes in the darkness and opened the gateways for much¨Cneeded rity. Osiris <b>was </b><b>a </b>persistent presence in my mind, but this voice trumped everything.


    ¡°Wake up, Kiya!¡± The voice boomed<b>. </b>¡°You can fight this! <i>I </i>believe in you!¡±


    1 opened my mouth to speak, but my throat dried up. I couldn¡¯t find the words. It couldn¡¯t be!


    The voice sparked to life in the darkest pits of my heart, untouched for many years. Diana hobbled onto my thighs and rubbed her head against my torso, but her touch felt like fire. Pitiful whimpers escaped my lips and my fingers dug into my scalp tobat the impounding headache. My head pounded like a jackhammer to concrete as Diana¡¯s touch became <b>a </b>warrior and fought against the ckness clouding my soul. The dark and <b>the </b>light fought for their right to inhabit my body, thus creating an internal war zone that caused me to writhe.


    Despite the pain, my mind was clear for the first time in weeks. Rationale returned and my senses heightened. But I didn¡¯t have time to appreciate it as a storm of ck prated the illusionary white dome Diana created. Angry, the ck focused on my bird. I hugged Diana, protecting her with every fiber of our being with my pain¨Cwracked body. She nestled into my chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡±


    The white illusion disappeared and exposed me to the cmity I helped create. Osiris stood before me in silence<b>, </b>face contorted with overwhelming fury. Hellish energy buzzed and crackled around his hand as he aimed it not toward me, but toward the bird burrowing in my breasts. ¡°NO!¡±


    The ball of hell hurtled toward me. All I could think about was shielding Diana. But what I didn¡¯t expect was for myself to be shielded by a broad body swallowing me whole. Hidden inside a pyre of flesh and muscle, I heard a tree bark sizzle and pop in contact with Osiris¡® power. My owl shifted in my arms to tell me she was safe, and I felt like I could breathe again. In that split second, I didn¡¯t care if I got hurt¨Cif Diana did, there¡¯s no telling what I¡¯d do.


    Thick arms locked tight around my torso and pushed my back against a wall of solid muscle. Sandalwood and ginger assaulted my nose and my vision clouded. Neron¡¯s haggard breathing was fierce against my ear and neck, sending foreign shivers down my spine. Slowly, I turned my head behind to meet steely and passionate


    blue.


    ¡°Neron?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you hate me, Kiya.¡± He huffed, catching his breath. His dark tresses curtained his face and mine to hide us from the world. Could he hear my heartbeat? ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you want me dead, but I won¡¯t allow for you or Diana to get hurt.¡±


    Fire burned bright like the wings <b>of </b>a phoenix behind his blue orbs. Piercing. Powerful. His fi


    firm promise was clear on how tight the Alpha held me under the threat of death. <b>Does </b>Neron know he has made it easier for me to kill him? I could unsheathe my knife and pierce his heart without struggle. Neron can die by my hand, here and now.


    Chapter 14¨Cytime


    Yet, a deep part of me didn¡¯t want to. Not with the way he is looking at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve signed your death certificate when you put your filthy mitts on my Lady.¡± I hear Osiris growl. I felt his power, destructive and pulsating, weave its way in between <b>us</b>, working to pry us apart.


    But Neron is as stubborn as a mule, much like me. Instincts over pain. <b>Love </b>over death. Willpower over submission. Osiris, an avatar<b>, </b>an epitome of a god, is stronger than him, but he doesn¡¯t care. He resists the pull, focusing all his effort in shielding Diana <b>and </b>I from him<b>.</b>


    I¡¯m covered in <b>blood</b>, mentally deranged<b>, </b>and my bloodlust threatens to awaken again, but Neron intends on putting me above his safety. Above his life.


    ¡°She is not yours!¡± He deres powerfully, grunting against the violent pulls. ¡°You¡¯ll have to kill me to im her and I intend on fighting you until myst breath!¡±


    Osiris scoffs. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll end the Prince bloodline myself!¡±


    No! I can¡¯t <b>allow </b>this to happen<b>! </b>Neron can¡¯t-!


    ¡°Stop this!¡±


    The prying suddenly ceased. Rumbling vibrated in Neron¡¯s chest to where I could feel it in my toes. Everything fell into silence, minus the distant tumult. I wish I can say the voice is from our liberator, but it wasn¡¯t. The voice ignited my bloodlust, encapsting and ravaging every blood cell in my body. Judging by Neron¡¯s growling, he isn¡¯t fond of the bastard <b>evil</b>.


    When I pulled my head away from his <b>chest</b>, Osiris held a malicious sneer on his face as he stared at the <b>man</b>


    I knew I was going to kill without remorse.


    Jonathan Prince.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Chapter Comments


    <b>Vinh </b>Tuy


    kiya kept living in a hatred that¡¯s the reason she get caught for bad evil. I totally she is powerful?


    VIEW <b>1 </b>COMMENT

 Chapter 158

    Chapter <b>69 </b>¨C <b>Sweet </b><b>Sacrifice</b>


    ¡°Insanity is rtive. <i>It </i>depends on who has who locked <i>in </i>what cage.¡°¨CRay Bradbury


    Lady Sanguine


    When Jonathan came out of hiding, the world stopped. Osiris¡± <b>silent </bmand swept through the minds of the witches and hybrids to cease their attacks; focusing their attention on the former Alpha. I heard not a single whimper or exhale.


    Still, in his old <b>age</b>, radiates power and dominance <b>that </b>demanded respect and control. If I still was a feeble ve, I¡¯d surely would¡¯ve cowered back into my cell, hoping the darkness would <b>quell </b>the intensity of <b>his </b>re. Now<b>, </b>with pale blue eyes shifting from Osiris to me<b>, </b>Jonathan didn¡¯t bother to hide his disgust and contempt. To insult an Alpha is to trespass on thend they¡¯re <b>so </b>proud <b>of </b>and cause trouble. Judging by the thickened aroma of death and blood in the air, we practically spat in his <b>face</b>.


    Hate cannot describe how I feel about him. The man who destroyed me doesn¡¯t get to be blessed with the luxuries of life. My eyes <b>burned </b>and blood pumped harder in my body to amodate the bloodthirstiness <b>in </b>my veins.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one you want Kiya, is it not?¡± Jonathan questioned in our exchange of piercing res. ¡°Instead of destroying mymunity, you should¡¯ve found me instead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not wise to poke the bear when it <b>is </b>enraged<b>, </b>Jonathan Prince.¡± Osiris chuckled. Neron held onto me <b>harder </b>as I struggled in his grasp again, ready to pounce on his dad. ¡°The grandson of Titan Prince shares the same face as the madman who set the course of this pack¡¯s fate. It is <b>uncanny</b>.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are or why you know my grandfather, but I won¡¯t allow you to harm my pack any longer!¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± Osiris <b>asked</b>, cocking his head to the side. ¡°You¡¯re outmatched, Jonathan. Attack and I¡¯ll snap your body into two. Or my Lady will cut your head off your shoulders. A lone Alpha will never be a match to an


    avatar.¡±


    ¡°Then <b>allow </b>me to consider an offer.¡±


    My interest <b>piqued</b>. My struggles in Neron¡¯s arms ceased, his warmth enveloping me once again. Osiris lowered the hand that prepared to attack Diana and <b>gave </b>Jonathan his full and undivided attention. Above <b>me</b>, Neron growled as he jerked his head toward his father.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Dad?!¡±


    ¡°Doing what you obviously cannot: protect this pack.¡± Ouch. Even I felt that sting. Neron mumbled something incoherent, but I paid no mind as I¡¯m intrigued by what this ¡®offer¡® is. ¡°In exchange for sparing my pack and my son, I¡¯ll surrender myself to you.¡±


    Neron¡¯s breath hitched above me, and my eyes widened. The suggestion sparked a dissonance of conversation amongst enemies and my friends, pondering on Jonathan¡¯s mental state. Why is he sacrificing himself? He <b>was </b><b>met </b>with opposition from the soldiers and members who were still alive, begging him to reconsider, but his deep growls instantly silenced them.


    1/5


    ¡°Why should I ept?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t about you, but about her.¡± Jonathan shifted his focus onto me. ¡°You want revenge? <b>You </b>want me to pay for the years I¡¯ve taken from you? This is your chance. You can have me only if you leave my son out of your madness.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t tell me what to do!¡± I hissed, hiding Diana¡¯s tiny body in a nearby bush. I don¡¯t want her to get hurt because of me. ¡°You think your futile attempt to appease me will stop fate?! Your son and your pack will follow <b>you </b>in your death!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, stop it!¡± Neron demanded, now sping hisrge hands around my <b>wrists</b>.


    ¡°Let go of me<b>, </b>asshole! I want nothing to do with you!¡±


    ¡°My Lady.¡± Osiris¡® voice flooded my mind and the mark on my neck throbbed with his presence. <b>Neron </b><b>might </b>think I¡¯ve stopped because of him, but I didn¡¯t. ¡°Think about it. The Alphas deserve to suffer, do they not? They collectively caused you pain and suffering. Kill Jonathan <b>and </b>Neron suffers the loss of his family right before his death. A perfect way for him to feel how you lost yours, hmm?¡±


    Puzzle pieces connected to create the bigger picture. It all made sense to me. Jonathan¡¯s death will seal the destiny of Zircon Moon, since most of these bastards would rather follow him than his son. Neron can feel the


    burning </b>in hellfire. Then the pack will cease to exist.


    But Jonathan doesn¡¯t deserve to die on thend he loves so much. No. That is <b>a </b>luxury he cannot afford.


    Lucky for him, I¡¯ll be the one deciding his fate. Just as he condemned me to suffering, I will do the same to <b>him </b>with him on his knees and my de above his head.


    The former Alpha will bow to the former ve.


    Cackling erupted from my lips <b>as </b>I felt the bloodlust consume me once more. Knowing Neron is too damn scared to hurt me, I summoned my newfound powers to pry the both of us apart. The poor man wasunched back so <b>hard </b>that he mmed into a tree, grunting in pain. He can resist Osiris, but he can¡¯t resist me¨Cand I¡¯ll use that weakness to my advantage after I take <b>care </b>of his father.


    Our touchy connection went on for too long. It had to end, especially when I felt that faint tickle in my heart.


    ¡°Very well then, Jonathan Prince.¡± <b>I </b>spoke, my voice falling to an octave when I returned to Osiris¡® side where he wrapped his arm around my waist. ¡°I ept your offer under one condition.¡± His eyes widened in confusion. ¡°Ashley and Steven will <be </b>as well. Kill three birds with one stone.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that to your parents.¡± do that to vo


    ¡°You underestimate just how far I¡¯ll go to make you pay.¡± I snarled at him. For a second there, I thought I saw him flinch. Having power over my abuser, after so long, is exhrating. I needed more of that feeling. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking our fun elsewhere. Zircon Moon will live, for now.¡±


    On cue, a couple of witches dragged out a struggling Ashley and Steven from the forest, entrapping them with their ck magic. They pleaded with me to let them go, but I ignored them. Cerberus got behind <b>Jonathan</b>, knocked him out with a hit to the head, and threw his limp body over his shoulders. Osiris calls for the army


    to return to the shadows, dropping whatever they were doing and fading into the thick ckness behind the


    vast <b>oak </b>trees.


    ¡°Kiya, please don¡¯t go.¡±


    Neron¡¯s <b>voice </b>was like ance piercing me through the heart. His rising body appeared in my peripherals, ready to grab <b>me </b>back to his side. I should hate him. I do hate him, but I hate the <b>way </b>he is affecting my heart more. Quickly, I created a translucent <b>wall </b>swimming with ck and red wisps of energy next to me, separating the both of us. I didn¡¯t want him touching me.


    You¡¯re stronger than this!¡± He shouts, pounding his fists <b>against </b>the <b>wall</b>. He hits and hits <b>until </b>it settles <b>in </b>his <b>thick </b>skull <b>that </b>he can¡¯t do anything about it. Defeated, he fell to his knees, hanging his head low. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you¡¯re meant to do. You have a heart, a soul, and a spirit that can¡¯t be tainted. You belong in the light, not lost in the darkness. I know the real you is somewhere buried underneath all that hatred and I won¡¯t stop until youe back! Don¡¯t walk away from me, Kiya!¡±


    <b>Gosh</b>, I wish he¡¯d shut up!


    ¡°Quiet!¡± I shouted at him. Great, <b>another </b>fucking headache is in the works. ¡°Don¡¯t be so eager to die, Neron; your turn wille <b>sooner </b><b>than </b>you think. <b>All </b>this begging will get you nowhere, <b>and </b>I guarantee that the only way you¡¯ll get me back in your arms is with my knife in your throat. Be thankful that your father¡¯s sacrifice prolonged the inevitable.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to be here anymore. Everywhere I turn is a goddamn distraction¨CNeron, my friends, Diana, and even <b>Raina</b>. Clearing my head is the only option to refocus my efforts on revenge.


    ¡°Not to worry, Little Moon.¡± Osiris¡® voice rung in my head. His hand massaged my upper arm. ¡°It¡¯ll all be over Spon.¡±


    I know it will. The shouts and yells of my tied up friends fell on deaf ears. Focusing on them is detrimental to my mind. I cannot afford any cracks in my resolve. With Osiris holding me close to him, we faded into the darkness, leaving Zircon <b>Moon </b>to pick up the pieces from our attack.


    I¡¯ll be back, Neron.


    That¡¯s a promise.


    Neron


    The aftermath of an ambush is always the hardest to deal with. When a pack goes to war, they expect a victory. They expect the reward of bragging to their friends and family about the battle and how they emerged alive. As winners. Tonight, it was anything but. We <b>were </b>the losers. The <b>damage</b>, the blood, the injuries.


    The bodies.


    Kiya¨Cexcuse <b>me</b>, Lady Sanguine, along with Osiris, wiped out about a third of my pack. Many <b>lives </b>were lost because we were grossly under¨Cprepared for the carnage of the goddess of darkness. Is any pack ever prepared to fight against bywords of the gods in <b>heaven</b>?


    Hospital staff <b>tended </b>to the plethora of injuries while some rolled bodies <b>towards </b><b>the </b>mortuary <b>to </b><b>prepare </b>them for funerals. How many families <b>were </b>torn apart tonight? How many mates lost their <b>partners</b>? <b>What </b>about the children? My heart ripped to pieces tonight, in more ways than one. Onyx hasn¡¯t said anything: likely nursing his ever¨Cgrowing wound of our lost mate.


    I have to <b>save </b><b>her</b>.


    1 sighed<b>, </b>mopping up thest of the blood from the foyer grounds. I don¡¯t want the children to <b>see </b>blood of their <b>loved </b>ones smeared all over the floors. My saving grace is that the <b>Ga </b>Moon team was here to help my pack in their time of need<b>, </b>despite the sour history. Sadness reeked in their auras, plunging the temperature of the surrounding air to artic chill.


    But what¡¯s colder? Their depression or Kiya¡¯s hateful eyes? Those red orbs will haunt me in my dreams and <b>my </b>nightmares.


    ¡°We¡¯re <b>finished</b>.¡± Sapphire <b>announced</b><b>, </b>strolling <b>in </b>from upstairs. ¡°We cleaned up the <b>blood </b>and debris as much as <b>we </b>could, but the damage is still obvious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Beta Jacqueline sighed with heaviness in her heart, taking a seat on <b>a </b>stair. The light in her eyes dulled as she <b>entered </b>deep thought. The rest of her pack walked in from outside with my Betas and Gamma at their side. Valerian had thick gauze <b>around </b>his shoulder and Raina, her thigh. Abigail wrapped her arms around Raina for support as she slowly sat on the bottom stair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe all hope is lost.¡± Jacqueline whispered, folding her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t believe she¡¯s gone. What happened tonight <b>was</b><b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°Insane.¡± Galen finished, propping an elbow on the railing. ¡°But, what can we do? Little Bit is out of her mind and it¡¯s clear that Osiris is calling the shots.¡±


    He is. The master puppeteer and the orchestrator of the chaos. Osiris is a man with the utmost confidence in his superiority and power. Fighting him was like fighting <b>a </b>wall; he was unbreakable and unwavering. How many times had he thrown me around like a rag doll


    while Kiya destroyed the pack house from the inside out? The bastard humiliated me and enjoyed every second.


    ¡°Your ¡®mate¡± is no longer yours. She is bound to me and therefore, mine. And there is nothing you can do to stop


    me.¡±


    How can I kill an enemy that I can¡¯t fucking touch?! How do I get through Kiya¡¯s hatred?


    ¡°S¨CShe let me go.¡± All our heads turned to Raina, shaken up by her attack as Valerian held her. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know why. <b>She </b>was seconds away from killing me until she backed off. She wanted me to die. Why did she let me 80<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Kiya still loves you, Raina.¡± Darien said, but she shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. <b>I </b>saw no love in her eyes.¡±


    ¡®Mommy! Daddy!¡± Adonis burst into the foyer, running to his parents immediately. The children have been


    released from their bunker and returned to their parents<b>. </b>His head <b>cocked </b>to the side when he noticed the bandages his parents <b>adorned</b>. But that¡¯s <b>not </b><b>the </b>most <b>shocking </b>thing <b>he </b>did.


    He sniffed his mother, blinking in curiosity before touching her stomach. As if his protective instincts <b>took </b>over, he wrapped his arms around Raina¡¯s waist and rested his head near her belly.


    That is when it all clicked<b>.</b>N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Raina¡­¡± Abigail <b>whispered </b>in shock. ¡°Kiya let you go because <b>you¡¯re </b>pregnant.¡±


    Raina was speechless. Instantly, her hand covered her stomach. ¡°H¨CHow? I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°The intense stress from the past week must have blocked your ability to detect your new pup.¡± Valerian said thoughtfully. ¡°And I smell orchids <b>in </b>your scent. It is tiny, but there.¡±


    ¡°Guys, don¡¯t you know what this means?¡± Jacqueline asked, bouncing in her seat with a grin. ¡°Our Kiya is still in that manic banshee! She¡¯ll <b>never </b>raise a hand against children and Raina is carrying. Her morality is still there! If she <b>was </bpletely <b>gone</b>, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to kill her sister!¡±


    ¡°Thatst bit doesn¡¯t make me feel any better¡­¡± <b>Raina </b>mumbled dejectedly.


    is still


    ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to, but this <b>means </b>there We can save our Little Bit.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Galen asked, arching an eyebrow.


    Jacqueline detes. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you on that one.¡±


    Saving Kiya from Osiris will be a perilous journey. With the man being untouchable and my mate being unhinged, there is no telling what could happen. My father and Raina¡¯s parents are in their clutches. We don¡¯t know where they¡¯ve taken them or how long they <b>n </b>on keeping them alive.


    So much is <b>on </b>the line and Lady Sanguine is prepared to take my life.


    So be it.


    I won¡¯t rest until my beloved is safe and sound with Osiris¡® body bleeding out on the pavement.


    I can¡¯t give up.


    <b>Not </b>on her


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 Chapter 159

    Chapter 70 ¨C Prisoner of War


    ¡°And¡­here¡­we¡­go¡­<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°The Joker; The Dark Knight


    Osiris


    Iron and rust. What once gleamed under the flickering light eroded away from the nipping windchill, and the raining of sorrowful tears. The prisons are no ce for the weak; the presence roaming the halls devours hope and spits out despair with a menacing grin akin to actual monsters. Monsters with rows of teeth and ws <b>demanding </b>the offering of unmarred flesh and blood.


    Certainly, I¡¯m not that type of monster. But a monster.


    The jails are quiet tonight despite our new guests in its cells. Three adults snatched from their home under the conquest of vengeance. My steps echo through the dreaded atmosphere as the events tonight reyed in my mind with vigor. Just like that, I¡¯m smiling for the thousandth time tonight! Observing the miserable pack responsible for the destruction of my life corrode in the storm of chaos was a dreame true. Death and blood mingled like lovers, stealing the breaths of man and woman alike without remorse.


    And my Little <b>Moon </b>was their angel of death.


    There was <b>a </b>beast inside her all along, starving for the freedom it deserved. Her fun was my form of excitement and humiliating her pitiful mate was my entertainment. The light in his eyes, fueled by determination, died with defeat after defeat. Alphas hate losing; it breaks their fragile little hearts because they¡¯re used to being kings. Hell, they <b>are </b>kings.


    <b>s</b><b>, </b>the beat¨Cdown surely humbled Neron. He couldn¡¯t touch me. He can¡¯t touch me. I¡¯m a god and he is a lowly mutt; he never stood a chance, and he knew it. And now, I have two things he cares about the most in


    his world.


    His father and his mate<b>.</b>


    Too bad he¡¯ll lose both.


    I walked past the cells of Ashley and Steven Lane, chained to the wall like mutts, unconscious upon the grimy floor. Separated in distant jails, my Lady knew it will weaken their bond, therefore making their inevitable deaths painful beyond belief. Lady Sanguine did quite the number on them as their wounds <b>are </b>slow to heal. They begged and pleaded with her until she knocked them out with a blow to the head, sick of their whining.


    I wonder what she has in store for them.


    But I don¡¯t care about those meat sacks. My eyes are on Jonathan Prince. I cannot touch Titan Prince, but I¡¯ll do so through his grandson.


    Haggard breathing echoed in response to his exhaustion as the rusted chains behind him held his nting. body up. Auburn hair curtained his somber eyes, <b>dark </b>strands in harsh contrast to his paling skin. His clothing is disheveled because of the rough handling by my subordinates and partner. In all honesty, Jonathan Prince


    was a sight for sore eyes!


    <b>1/5</b>


    Breaking down <b>an </b>Alpha is an art few can master. It doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t try.


    Who is to say I can¡¯t have a little fun myself before Lady Sanguine casts the first stone to his death<b>?</b>


    His blues shot open when I opened his prison doors. The chains that held him captive sung a <b>sour </b>tune <b>as </b>he growled <b>and </b>struggled with the desire to kill me. It was hard to notugh at his weakness, but I did. Titan¡¯s face molded into Jonathan¡¯s<b>, </b>snarling at me with heavy¨Cduty hatred that did nothing but irritate me. I wanted to <b>wipe </b>his gruesome face from my mind for good.


    ¡°How do you know my grandfather?¡±


    He wastes no time jumping to the point. I ambled <b>toward </b>the wall, leaning against it <b>as </b>I stared the defenseless man down. Being this close to him, I can smell his scent; identical to Titan¡¯s. Jonathan Prince is no more, but a bastardized version of my abuser. The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.


    <b>¡°</b><b>Titan </b>Prince and I were less than acquaintances.¡± <b>I </b>spat out. ¡°Your old man was quite skilled at <b>striking </b><b>down </b>those he deemed undeserving of his kindness; a talent you inherited, apparently.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°He¡¯s been dead for a long time, you fool. Whatever high horse your riding on, it is <b>about </b>time you got off.¡±


    ¡°Death does not and will not absolve him of the crimes hemitted. He no longer walks the earth, but his legacy does. And I n to end it.¡±


    Jonathan arched an eyebrow as the realization hit him. He <b>chuckled </b><b>and </b>shook his head. ¡°You were <b>a </b>member


    of Zircon Moon, weren¡¯t you? Either that or you came from another. It is odd; <b>you </b>don¡¯t smell like <b>a </b>werewolf.


    You¡¯re just a full<b>¨C</b>blooded leech.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± I chuckled, crossing my arms. ¡°Smelling like a dog causes more problems. The advantages of getting rid of my wolf outweighed the consequences, including the freedom from being tied down to a waste of a pack like <b>yours</b>.¡±


    ¡°You killed <b>your </b>wolf?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°That is for <b>me </b>to know <b>and </b>for you to never find out.¡±


    ¡°Why did <b>you </b>attack my home?¡±


    ¡°Zircon Moon needs to die.¡± Memories of my childhood attacked my mental defenses, flocking in once a crack in the barrier was exposed. Anger filled my veins like fire trailing spilt gasoline, threatening to explode. ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a little secret, Jonathan Prince. There is no way in the fiery pits of hellfire did you all deserve the endless blessings over many decades of your pack¡¯s existence. From afar, I watched it grow in number and abundance¨Cbirthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and so much more. I watched Alpha after Alpha reign over yournd as if it wiped their sins clean. Zircon Moon lived long and prospered despite the bloodied uprising filled to the brim with tears, death and torment.¡±


    I grabbed the primitive man by the chin and forced him to look at me. I wanted him to feel every drop of


    Chapter 70¨CPrisoner of War


    <b>hatred </b><b>I </b>have for his damn bloodline and <b>his </b>pack. ¡°Your grandfather ruined my life! He destroyed my family- my mother, my father, and my older brother, and he destroyed the love <b>of </b>my life because of his obsessive need for power. You and your son, his living descendants<b>, </b>carry his sins. The only way to mend that is to destroy your bloodline for good!¡±


    ¡°What my grandfather did to you has nothing to do with me or Neron. I don¡¯t know you, nor do I <b>care </b>about a beast who ughtered innocents on mynd!¡± A vein pulsated in Jonathan¡¯s neck, desperate for my attention. One cut with a knife and he¡¯s done for. <b>¡°</b><b>Painting </b>my grandfather to be a monster <b>is </b>your prerogative if you wish to continue your fantasy of getting revenge on a dead man. You proim him to be a monster, but I see one right before my eyes. If he allegedly killed your family and your lover, it must¡¯ve been within good.


    reason.¡±


    I heard a crackle, <b>and </b>then with pain radiating through my fists, Jonathan¡¯s head shot back with a deep groan. I stood above him, feeling my fangs poke at my bottom lip. My hand is still curled up in the fist that socked him in the <b>nose</b>. Titan¡¯s face wore like a mask over Jonathan and it refused to leave. His cackling rung through the darkness of my mind, haunting me like a ghost. It taunted at my weakness and cruel existence as a hybrid.


    And <b>here </b>is his offspring, sculpted into his perfect liking. I hated him. Oh, Lord Apophis, I hated him!


    ¡°Was it within good reason for your bastard idol to mark, rape, and impregnate my lover?¡± Jonathan went mute. I got him. ¡°Amber, an innocent soul, a victim of the circumstances Titan brought her in. Only lusting after the power she had, not her beauty, and the desire to keep her as his breeder. Children of avatars are non- existent. But he was determined to make the first, even if it meant her pain. Sound familiar?¡±


    The former Alpha was reticent for what seemed like an eternity before he spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. My grandfather was a good man! He wouldn¡¯t do anything like that, least of all to Selene¡¯s avatar.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to. Prince wolves are notorious for deflecting responsibility. You all refuse to hold yourselves ountable for the horrors you inflict on innocent people. Titan did it to Amber, and you did it to Kiya. Different circumstances, yet the same action and brutality. If Kiya wasn¡¯t your son¡¯s destined mate, your would¡¯ve kept her for yourself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>a </b>sick man with an even sicker mind!¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but you didn¡¯t deny my usation, which told me all I needed to know.¡± I continued. ¡°I know all the terrible things you¡¯ve done to her. A sip of her blood revealed all. The simrities couldn¡¯t be ignored, Jonathan. You are your grandfather incarnate in different flesh!¡±


    ¡°So, this shit isn¡¯t really about gave him earlier healedpletely. ¡°It is about avenging your lover. Kiya is but a surrogate for your Amber. You stole her to fulfil your twisted fantasy of having your lover back, and you call me a monster?¡± Heughed again. ¡°You don¡¯t care for her.¡±


    your family.¡± He sighed, shifting his body weight to his knees. The shiner I


    ¡°And you do?<b>¡± </b>I used. ¡°You ruined her life because you were too weak to save your mate and your daughter.¡±


    That got him riled up. He charged at me, but the chains yanked him back like rubber bands. His futility awakened a new power in my veins¨Ca power over the oppressor. ¡°You <b>have </b>no right to speak of them. You know nothing! That little menace is responsible for their deaths and always will be!¡±


    375


    I <b>giggled</b><b>, </b><b>then </b>erupted intoughter. A wolf without his mate is a <b>loser</b>, and Jonathan is a loser. Pathetic. Useless. ¡°Your arrogance is admirable. So is your inability to see the truth. <b>You </b><b>only </b><b>care </b>about power <b>like </b>your predecessors<b>; </b>power and reputation<b>. </b><b>Fate </b>did the <b>world </b>a <b>favor </b>in taking away Celeste <b>and </b>Nuria because now your son is suffering the <b>same </b>fate.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t touch my son.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>have </b>to. Having Lady Sanguine choose me over him is gradually killing him from the inside out, and I¡¯ll be there to make <b>sure </b>he¡¯ll never experience the joy of having her again.¡± Faint clicking from the distance <b>awakened </b><b>a </b>grin on my <b>face</b><b>. </b>¡°Love is the least of what you both deserve. Think about it this way; if your grandfather learned to keep his hands to himself, none of this would¡¯ve <b>happened</b>. You abusing Kiya was a <b>catalyst </b>to all of this. You only have yourself to me<b>, </b>Jonathan.¡±


    A growl erupted from his chest as he scowled. ¡°Then get it over with! Kill me!¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I shook a finger at him with a cocky grin. ¡°Can¡¯t have the full meal without the appetizers, first!¡±


    The scent of the prey draws the predator in like a fish on a lure, igniting their instincts to hunt and feed. Ensnared by the scent of <b>the </b>monster, the hurried sound of clicking heels stopped at the prison doors I <b>opened</b>. It doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to see the unbridled hatred overflowing in Lady Sanguine¡¯s eyes. With the hilt of her de inside her balled fist, she took her first steps inside, settling herself behind the chained man.


    I know Jonathan <b>senses </b>her because he abruptly stopped breathing.


    Without warning, Lady Sanguine¡¯s hand grabbed a handful of his hair and jerked his head back so hard I thought I heard his neck <b>crack</b>. ¡°Not so tough now, are you, Alpha?¡± She teased, twirling her de between her fingers.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Kiya.¡± Jonathan hissed, gritting his teeth. ¡°You think Neron will ever love you like this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need his love, nor do I need him.¡± She shot back. Pride bubbled in my chest. I knew Kiya was mine for good, and this proves it. ¡°If you miss him <b>so </b>much, I can bring him here so you both can die together!¡± Tearing of fabric resounded in the air, Jonathan¡¯s shirt bing looser in the back. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve wanted to do this. Do you regret what you did to me, Jonathan?¡±


    Silence.


    The fool couldn¡¯t <b>give </b>an answer. Or he didn¡¯t want to give an answer?


    ¡°Your silence is a response.¡± My Lady replied.


    ¡°You killed my wife and daughter. I did what I had to do. You¡¯re only alive because my son loves you like a lovesick puppy.¡±


    ¡°And that love is what¡¯ll kill him. As for you, I¡¯m going to take my sweet time brutalizing you before I kill you. An eye for an <b>eye </b>and a tooth for <b>a </b>tooth.¡±


    Grunts transformed to pitiful roars of pain when Lady Sanguine slowly and deeply dragged her bloodstone de across Jonathan¡¯s right shoulder de, blood gushing to the dirtied floor. Her gleeful, almost child¨Clike


    Poor Jonathan. Those wounds won¡¯t heal at all. Leaving him lying on the ground, I watched the retreating figure of my Little Moon disappear in the darkness.


    ¡°You n to bring Neron here?¡± I <b>asked </b>her through our link. She stopped momentarily.


    ¡°Yes. Father and son will die together. It¡¯ll be a fitting end to their legacy.¡±


    ¡°<b>And </b>of Ashley and Steven?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve nned <i>their </i>deaths. I¡¯ll deal with them when I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t wise to wait, Little Moon.¡±


    ¡°And it isn¡¯t wise to poke your nose in my business. Stay the fuck out of my way, Osiris.¡±


    Our conversation ended there. I <b>tapped </b>a finger against my cheek as I thought through our interaction and her temporary break back at Zircon Moon. Lady Sanguine surely is a fierce woman skilled at the de, but something is¡­off.


    Ever since her encounter with that bird, she¡¯s been different. Even more so when her Alpha came to the


    rescue. <b>And </b>she ns to bring him here.


    I don¡¯t like this.


    It looks like I¡¯ll have to monitor my Little Moon to make sure she doesn¡¯t break further.


    She is <b>mine</b><b>.</b>


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 160

    <b>Chapter </b><b>71 </b>¨C Memory Recall


    ¡°Things end but memoriesst forever.¡°¨C Unknown


    Anthony


    A new summer¡¯s day starts off with the sun blessing mynds and the echoes of my wolves bombarding the air. It is something I look forward to each morning, and it fills my heart with joy. Happiness is no stranger to me as every day brings more warmth and possibilities for greatness <b>and </b>progress.


    Today wasn¡¯t one of those days.


    News of the attack on Zircon Moon didn¡¯t just reach my ears, but it <b>crossed </b>state lines. It is unheard of that <b>a </b>lone enemy can destroy a good portion of a titr pack, but it struck fear in the strongest hearts. Because of this, Alphas all over have increased security around their territories in case the threat spreads. No one was taking any chances.


    I followed suit. Security around the perimeters of my terrain increased in expectation that we might <b>be </b>next <b>on </b>Osiris¡® hit list. My members had asked why the sudden change when Ga Moon was the safest pack on the West Coast, but I assured them it was a precautionary measure. I couldn¡¯t tell the whole truth, for it would


    raise rms.


    However, nothing could prepare <b>me </b>when Jacqueline and the others recounted the horrific details of the attack. They¡¯ve arrived in the morning with heaviness in their hearts and sadness in their eyes. As if someone ripped their hearts out of their chest. Descriptions of the blood, the screaming, and the terror made it feel as if I was there <b>on </b>that cmitous night¨Cand knowing they couldn¡¯t do a thing to help is a type of helplessness I wouldn¡¯t wish on my worst enemy.


    I couldn¡¯t describe the gut¨Cwrenching sensation I felt when I learned that my little sister led the charge. Corrupted. Misled by a snake in the grass. One bite of the poisonous fruit and she turned into a beast with Osiris holding the leash. All of what Lucien, Phoebe, and Nadia spected not too long ago molded into the truth; Kiya could be beyond reach. If her friends couldn¡¯t get through to her, what could?


    Kiya ughtering people struck a lightning bolt of fear into my spine. I didn¡¯t believe it was my little sister; the most humble and benevolent wolf that I know, aside from my mother. She isn¡¯t the type to hurt people, no matter how angry she got. The group described an unhinged, vengeful animal, not Kiya.


    I refuse to call her by that wicked <b>alias </b>Osiris gave her. His name awakens an anger in me I never thought existed he took my family. He <b>is </b><b>a </b>dead man as soon as I get my hands on him!


    Telling my parents wasn¡¯t easy. Watching the devastation on their faces demanded that I repent for the sin of upsetting them. The light left my mother¡¯s eyes <b>as </b>she cried, and the unspoken sadness in my father hurt deeply. I wanted tofort them, but I <b>knew </b>it wouldn¡¯t work. Mom looked like she hadn¡¯t slept in days. Dad <b>confirming </b>it only aggravated my pain.


    They need Kiya back.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to waste time. We have to find Kiya and bring her home; even if it means dragging her kicking and screaming. If anyone <b>knew </b>answers about where Osiris is, it is Nadia and Lucien. Desperate times


    1/6


    call <b>for </b>desperate measures.


    <b>1 </b>needed Phoebe¡¯s expertise.


    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>think Nadia and Lucien know where Osiris¡® main base Is?¡± Phoebe asked, carrying her ck, <b>thick </b>book as we walked to the <b>couple¡¯s </b>safe home. ¡°Nadia said before that they didn¡¯t <b>know </b>where they wereing from.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, but I believe if we keep pushing, they can <b>recall </b>things they couldn¡¯t recall before.¡± I exined. ¡°Is there anything in that book of spells that can help?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s <b>called </b>a grimoire<b>.</b>¡± Phoebe answered with a <b>yful </b><b>eye</b>¨Croll. ¡°But, yes. There are spells in here for memory recall. To be transparent with you, these are the spells I don¡¯t touch nor perform on a whim. <b>These </b>spells don¡¯t just make the person recall specific memories; they can recall any¨Cgood and <b>bad</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I see. There is the risk that we might retraumatize them.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Memories are powerful, but some are better left buried and forgotten.¡± The witch paused <b>for </b><b>a </b>moment and sighed<b>, </b>as if she was trying to push back <b>some </b>memories of her own. ¡°We don¡¯t know the full extent of what Nadia and Lucien experienced at Osiris¡® hands. They remember more than what their <b>brains </b>allow them to. What <b>do </b>you hope to gain from this?¡±


    ¡°A way to know Kiya¡¯s location. Osiris kept his business hidden¨Cwe know that, but if they¡¯re able to recall things in the environment, it can point us in the right direction. We may not know the city, state, hell even the zip code of where they were, but I need something to work with.¡± The weight in my chest is back, pressing against my heart. I¡­I can¡¯t believe what Kiya has be. She¡­it isn¡¯t possible.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Anything is possible, Anthony.¡± Phoebe hugged her grimoire when she faced me. ¡°Darkness and light have aplicated rtionship. It isn¡¯t as ck <b>and </b>white as everyone thinks it is. Kiya is an amazing person with a great heart, but even those with big hearts struggle with their darkness¨Cthe feelings they¡¯re forbidden to express. Just as Lucien said, if Osiris senses a weakness, he¡¯ll exploit it and whether we like it or not, Kiya had many that she hid very well.¡±


    ¡°You really thought about this, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yep</b>.¡± She nods. ¡°But not all hope is lost, Anthony<b>. </b><b>You¡¯re </b>going to get your sister back. We just need to get creative and look at other avenues we haven¡¯t thought of before. And take risks.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take risks.¡±


    ¡°You take calcted risks.¡± She smiled as we resumed walking. ¡°But I don¡¯t have to touch you to know that you fear the future<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    It was my turn to pause. Goddamnit, I love and hate Phoebe¡¯s perceptiveness. Yes<b>, </b>I¡¯m scared. The image of my little sister in my mind is wless and polished¨CI remember her as how I left her at Zircon Moon months ago. I haven¡¯t seen her since. But, with these recent developments, I¡¯m afraid of that perfect image distorting into something grotesque. Kiya, though every <b>w </b>and blemish she has, <b>is </b>still perfect in her own way.


    <b>I </b>hate <b>the </b>circumstances that led up to this.


    ¡°Talk about it to someone.¡± Phoebe called out some distance <b>ahead </b>of me. ¡°I¡¯m not the most ideal person, but


    someone else could be.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    As we drew closer to Nadia and Lucien¡¯s home<b>, </b>I noticed a familiar <b>pair </b>walking toward their front door. Confused as we were, Phoebe and I trotted up to them. ¡°Mom? Dad?¡± They turned to face me, shocked that I was even here. ¡°<b>What </b>are <b>you </b>both doing here?¡±


    ¡°We were¡­¡± Mom hesitated a bit, eyeing Dad for help. ¡°¡­wondering if Nadia and Lucien could answer some questions for us.¡±


    ¡°<b>About</b>?¡±


    ¡°Where the snake lives.¡± Dad <b>answered </b>ndly.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re on the same wavelength.¡± Phoebe chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re going to do the same thing. Wouldn¡¯t it be overwhelming for the four of us to be <b>here</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Mom replied, firm in her stance. The light in her eyes ising back, but it is not as prominent as before. <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯m </b>sick of not knowing, and I¡¯m sick of waiting. Those two rested for long enough and I need answers on how I <b>can </b>get my baby back!¡±


    Despite our protests, Mom stalked to the white door of the modest house and knocked so hard the door shook. She was <b>a </b>woman on a mission¨Ca mission formed out of desperation and impulsivity. When we caught up, <b>we </b>heard <b>a </b><b>yelp </b>and rummaging echoing in the interior. Curious, I press my ear against the door to listen in<b>.</b>


    ¡°Fuck, Lucien! Where did you put my clothes?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? You look better naked, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Not in front of our guests! Where the hell is my bra¨CLucien! Give it back!¡±


    ¡°Why are the cups bigger than my face? It¡¯s adorable!¡±


    ¡°Because retail stores don¡¯t sell bra sizes above D¨Cget it off your face!¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>I </i>could use this as a face mask <i>if </i>I wanted to!¡±


    ¡°Lucien!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    Oh Goddess Selene, were they fucking?


    Mom, impatient, mmed her fists against the door again. A <b>save </b>Bowl rumbled inside, along with theMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org.


    pitter¨Cpatter of footsteps. The door swung open to reveal a disheveled Lucien wearing his unbuttoned blouse inside¨Cout and Nadia in a short robe.


    Yep<b>. </b>They were <b>fucking</b>.


    ¡°Can we help you with something?¡± Lucien asked, irritated. Mom and Dad invited themselves into their home and made themselvesfortable on the couch while Phoebe entered hesitantly along with me<b>.</b>


    ¡°It stinks of sex in here.¡± Mom blurted out.


    ¡°Mom!¡± I shouted through <b>mind</b>¨Clink. Nadia¡¯s checks grow red and Lucien smirked.


    ¡°Anyway¡­<b>¡± </b>Phoebe fell to her knees at the coffee table<b>, </b>mming her grimoire on the surface. ¡°We wanted to <b>talk </b>to you both to see if you can recall anything else about your escape<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°We told you everything.¡± Nadia said, adjusting her robe.


    ¡°Osiris and Kiya attacked Zircon Moonst night.¡± Their eyes widened. ¡°The damage is severe, and they¡¯ve kidnapped the old Alpha and Betas. We need to know where Osiris is located so we can retrieve them and my sister. The smallest detail would help.¡±


    ¡­Most likely, keep would keep them in <b>the </b>prisons.¡± Lucien exined with a weighty sigh. ¡°We were there until we broke out. We never looked back, and we don¡¯t know where his home is located, but it was in a deep woodsy area.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a start.¡± Dad muttered. ¡°What about the direction you ran in? Did any scents stick out, maybe the weather?¡±


    ¡°We just kept running until we came across smaller, unestablished packs and supernaturals that took us in. The direction didn¡¯t matter¨Cwe needed to get far away from Osiris has possible.¡± Nadia¡¯s eyebrow arched. ¡°But your pack was south. <b>So </b>we headed south.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± Our attention turned to the witch on her knees. ¡°With both your permissions, I¡¯ll cast a memory <b>recall </b>spell where you¡¯ll be put into a trance.¡±


    ¡°Will it hurt?¡± Nadia asked.


    ¡°Physically, no. Again, it is up to you two if you want to go through this.¡±


    The couple spared t one another, teetering between eptance and rejection. From the look in their <b>eyes</b>, they didn¡¯t want to relive the intimate details of their escape but understand the importance of it. We <b>shared </b>looks, some of hope and some of anxiety. But, in the end, Nadia and Lucien agreed to participate.


    Mom, Dad, and I watched as Phoebe ce the two in a trance once they settled on the couch. Purple and white wisps of magic emitted from her palms and sunk into the skin on the couple¡¯s shoulders. The surrounding area sunk in temperature as the spell progressed and Phoebe¡¯s magic buzzed through the <b>air</b>, urging us to huddle for warmth. Between Nadia and Lucien was shaking, sweating, and soft cursing, but the witch helped them with guiding questions so that my parents and I can receive the clues to Kiya¡¯s location.


    Dense forests for miles.


    Clouds blocked the sun.


    Yelling and screaming from Ostris subordinates to capture them.


    Pain¨Ccuts and bruises littered their bodies as they dodged every tree and log.


    The shadows were both ally and enemy because Osiris maneuvers through it with ease.


    When Nadia couldn¡¯t go on, Lucien muscled his way to safety with the woman in their arms.


    Their escape seemed too easy.


    ¡°The trees smelled like Christmas trees.¡± Nadia <b>said </b>out of the <b>blue</b><b>. </b>¡°I smelled <b>pine </b>everywhere.¡±


    ¡°It felt like we stepped from one dimension to another¨Clike we burst through the bubble of darkness into the light.¡± Lucien added. Phoebe¡¯s eyes, purple and glowing, shot open as she halted the trance<b>, </b>knocking the couple back into reality with a gasp. She gave me a knowing, frightful look before she gathered her grimoire and left the house. Mom took off after her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t be more helpful.¡± Nadia answered, bowing her head.


    I shook my head. ¡°You both did good; there is nothing to apologize for. Get some rest and we¡¯ll let you <b>know </b>if <b>we </b>find anything.¡± Dad and I turned on our heels and left the home to catch up with Mom and a spooked Phoebe.


    ¡°I think the trees Nadia described are Dous Fir.¡± I proposed. ¡°They¡¯re indigenous to the northern states like Washington and Oregon, stretching to Canada. They¡¯re also in Idaho and Montana.¡±


    ¡°Since they were told to head south to our pack, it¡¯d make sense if they came from the North.¡± Dad added on thoughtfully. ¡°But that is yet a vast area to cover.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they mention before that they encountered fairies and other creatures?¡± Mom mentioned. ¡°They¡¯re found in trees, right?¡±


    ¡°Oregon.¡± We all looked at Phoebe, clutching her book until her knuckles grew white. Her breathing became erratic. I¡¯ve <b>never </b>seen her so frightened. ¡°Oregon has thergest poption of supernatural beings in all of North America, Salem is where most of them stay. Since Osiris¡® army consists of witches and hybrids<b>, </b>it makes sense he would stay in an area where he has an endless supply of them to lure into his cult.¡±


    ¡°Oregon is right above us, which means Osiris never left the West Coast. Something tells me he didn¡¯t choose Oregon on a whim.¡± I exined, tapping my cheek.


    ¡°He could have.¡± Dad shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t know how his mind works.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence that he was in the center of where different packs were attacked and destroyed in the Tri¨CState <b>area </b><b>several </b>months ago. Osiris was practicing for the main event! Don¡¯t forget that Oregon sits <b>above </b><b>Nevada </b>too.¡±


    That is when I noticed Mom¡¯s eyes widening when she caught onto it all. ¡°He kept Zircon Moon under his surveince?¡±


    ¡°Most likely. The ambushst night wasn¡¯t sloppy; it was nned. Osiris doesn¡¯t seem like the type to attack


    impulsively and why he has Kiya in the first ce, I believe<b>, </b>is the key to understanding his true motivations.¡±


    ¡°Endo is in Salem now, so I¡¯ll call him to ask if there have been any magical disturbances <b>as </b>ofte and in <b>what </b>area. There are a lot of forests <b>and </b><b>woodsy </b>areas in Oregon, so it is still a huge area to <b>search</b>.¡± Phoebe <b>shut </b>her eyes. <b>¡°</b>Anthony? Can I make a request?¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re <b>going </b>to say, Phoebe<b>. </b>You don¡¯t have to do anything that makes you ufortable. When I n for a <b>travel </b>mission, you don¡¯t <b>need </b>to participate.¡±


    The anxiety departed <b>Phoebe¡¯s </b>shoulders, making her sigh with relief. Phoebe never talked about her past, nor was it my business to know, but something about Oregon scared her. I can¡¯t ce her in apromising position like that.


    <b>¡°</b>Thank you.¡±


    Nodding. I turn to my parents. ¡°Something is better than nothing. This is our big break to getting Kiya back. I¡¯ll call Neron and <b>ry </b><b>what </b>we¡¯ve found out.¡±


    Mom <b>and </b>Dad both sighed with relief, smiles creeping up on their aging faces. The light is already returning and <b>the </b>heaviness on my heart has lifted.


    Hang on, little sis.


    <b>We¡¯re </bing.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter <b>72 </b><b>¨C </b>Loved Ones


    ¡°I miss you in ways that not even words can understand. ¨C Gemma Troy


    NeronUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Nightfall brought its silvery partner, the moon, to dazzle the world with its luminescence acting as a guiding light through the dark. The stars twinkled in their silent symphony as the celestial diamond stole the show. But I didn¡¯t <b>have </b>the energy to admire the spectacle. It has officially been one day since the devastating attack <b>and </b>the anxiety from the pack members soured the air.


    Sleeping wasn¡¯t an option, not with imminent danger uging our hearts. I checked up on families that lost their loved <b>ones</b><b>, </b>members recovering in the hospital, and assisting with repairing minor damages to the pack house and the smaller homes. Many expressed their <b>fears </b>of another attack and began arranging temporary shelter elsewhere until the danger <b>passes</b>, if at all. It hurt to see many saddened and frightened faces as Zircon <b>Moon </b>lost its medal of safety and security.


    But there <b>was </b>amon theme when I checked on the members of the older generation.


    Is there a n in <b>ce </b>to rescue Dad, Ashley, and Steven?


    No, there wasn¡¯t. At least, not yet.


    Osiris¡¯ location was a growing mystery irking my soul. The bastard was proficient in covering his tracks. I caught a lucky break when Anthony phoned me earlier to say that he and his team believes the snake is in Oregon. That small bit of information filled me with hope. Where Osiris is, Lady Sanguine is there. While the information came at a great time, it leaves us both at a lost-the state is huge with endless amounts of forestry. If we deploy our soldiers to search the entire state, we¡¯ll waste time, and by the time we reach our destination, Dad, Ashley, and Steven will be dead. The information isn¡¯t sufficient to move forward with a rescue <b>mission</b><b>.</b>


    Kiya¡¯s ne rested in my palm as my thumb caressed the cracked full moon pendant. Despite the damage, the image glowed under the moonlight in the darkness. I haven¡¯t found the time to get it fixed, but the chill of the silver is redolent of my mate¡¯s missing presence. Everything is colder without her around, but she¡¯s spreading the mes of hatred as she holds Dad and the Betas prisoner.


    But the question is, do I want my father back? Time and time again, he¡¯s proven that he isn¡¯t trustworthy. I can take him assassinating my character, but my respect for himbusted into mes when he admitted to the car crash. He almost killed Kiya and her family because of his anger.


    However, that is not the reason he needs to be rescued. It is because of what Lady Sanguine will do. During the aftermath, patrols discovered Odessa¡¯s body, along with the <b>guards </b>I assigned to take her back to the dungeons in the open field. Someone sliced her throat to where the wound exposed the muscles to the elements. Her hollow, lifeless eyes stared ahead at nothing, void of the life they once had. Odessa was killed shortly after Ariel separated from her. Kiya¡¯s scent, once aromatic, turned sour, drenched the area.


    I¡¯m certain that this hell won¡¯t <b>end </b>with anything other than my father¡¯s and the Beta¡¯s deaths.


    I¡¯m terrified. Has Kiya-<b><i>Lady </i></b>Sanguine killed him? A part of <b>me </b><b>doesn¡¯t </b>think so, but even gut intuition can be


    wrong. With every kill, part of the soul dies. Before the person knows it, they <b>are </b>but a hollow shell.


    programmed for murder. Kiya, naturally, has a benevolent<b>, </b>bright soul. She is a good person, through and through. However, if Lady Sanguine kills my dad, I¡¯m scared that Kiya will never return to the path of light. Osiris¡¯ hold over her will be absolute.


    Onyx and I will lose our mate for good.


    I <b>have </b>to rescue them; not for their sake, but Kiya¡¯s.


    <b>¡°</b><b>But </b>that begs the question.¡± Onyx¡¯s strong, rumbling voice spoke. <b>¡°</b><b>If </b>Kiya doesn¡¯t kill him, would you be the one to <b>do </b><b>so</b>?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a god, Onyx. I can¡¯t choose who lives and who dies.¡±


    ¡°No, but we don¡¯t have <b>a </b>choice in this matter.¡± My wolf paced around in my mind. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to y <b>god</b><b>, </b>but you need to weigh the pros and the <b>cons </b>of keeping him alive. I¡¯m not waiting for old age to kill the man. That <b>kind </b>of death is too merciful.¡±


    A heavy sigh left my <b>lips </b><b>as </b>I rubbed my face<b>, </b>taking <b>a </b>seat in my chair. I press my back against the backrest, staring at the moon peeking through the window in my office. My heart stung like a ho¡¯s sting. The conflicting images of my father yed side by side in my mind, disying moments where he was aplete monster and others where he was a loving father. The father I needed.


    I¡¯ve lied awake at night thinking of solutions about my father. Exile, banishment, hoping the bastard somehow repents-everything. Peaceful resolutions won¡¯t work this time and I know it, deep down. My father is guiltless, just <b>as </b>Odessa was. Both made the life of my mate <b>a </b>living hell and kept secrets from <b>me </b>that didn¡¯te to light until after I lost Kiya for the second time.


    It both angers and saddens me at the same time.


    <i>¡°</i>He¡¯s the only family I have left.¡±


    ¡°What the hell am I, chopped liver? You have me, dumbass!¡±


    ¡°You live in my head, Onyx.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>still count.¡± I <b>know </b>he¡¯s rolling his eyes. ¡°You also have family in Norway. Your mom¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t spoken to us since Mom and Nuria died, and <i>I </i>don¡¯t me them. They were in just as much pain as we were, and what do I say to them, Onyx? But back to Dad. If I kill him, wouldn¡¯t that make me as bad as the men before me? Wouldn¡¯t I be on par with those monsters?¡±


    I can¡¯t be like them.


    ¡°No, because you have <b>a </b>heart. Think about it this way; would leaving your father alive do more harm or <b>good</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Harm. No doubt.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Neron</b>, you literally have your answer, but I know this isn¡¯t <b>a </b>simple decision to make. Me? I clearly <b>d</b>


    wrong. With every kill, part of the soul dies, Before the person knows it, they are but a hollow shell


    programmed for murder. Kiya, naturally, has a benevolent, bright soul. She is a <b>good </b>person, through and through. However, if Lady Sanguine kills my dad, I¡¯m scared that Kiya will never return to the path of light. Osiris¡¯ hold over her will be absolute.


    Onyx and I will lose our mate for good.


    I have to <b>rescue </b>them; not for their sake, but Kiya¡¯s.


    ¡°But that begs the question.¡± Onyx¡¯s strong, rumbling voice spoke. ¡°If Kiya doesn¡¯t kill him, would you be the one to do <b>so</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    <i>¡°</i>I¡¯m not a god, Onyx. I can¡¯t <b>choose </b>who lives and who dies.¡±


    ¡°No, but we don¡¯t have a choice in this matter.¡± My wolf paced around in my mind. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to y <b>god</b>, but you need <b>to </b>weigh the pros <b>and </b>the cons of <b>keeping </b>him alive. I¡¯m not waiting for old age <b>to </b>kill the man<b>. </b><b>That </b>kind of death is <b>too </b>merciful.¡±


    A heavy sigh left my lips as I rubbed my face, taking <b>a </b>seat <b>in </b>my chair. I press my back against the backrest, staring at the moon peeking through the window in my office. My heart stung like a ho¡¯s sting. The conflicting images of my father yed side by side in my mind, disying moments where he was aplete monster and others where he was a loving father. The father I needed.


    I¡¯ve <b>lied </b>awake at night thinking of solutions about my father. Exile, banishment, hoping the bastard somehow repents-everything. Peaceful resolutions won¡¯t work this time and I know it, deep down. My father is guiltless<b>, </b>just <b>as </b>Odessa was. Both made the life of my mate a living hell and kept secrets from me that didn¡¯te to light until after I <b>lost </b>Kiya for the second time.


    It both angers and saddens me at the same time.


    <i>¡°</i><i>He¡¯s </i>the only family I have left.¡±


    ¡°What the <b>hell </b>am I, chopped liver? You have me, dumbass!¡±


    ¡°You live in my head, Onyx.¡±


    ¡°I still count.¡± I know he¡¯s rolling his <b>eyes</b>. ¡°<b>You </b>also have family in Norway. Your mom¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t spoken to us since Mom and Nuria died, and I don¡¯t me them. They were in just as much pain as we were, <b>and </b>what do I say to them, Onyx? But back to Dad. <i>If </i>I kill him, wouldn¡¯t that make me as bad as the men before me? Wouldn¡¯t <i>I </i>be on par with those monsters?¡±


    I can¡¯t be like them<b>.</b>


    ¡°No, because you <b>have </b><b>a </b>heart. Think about it this way<b>; </b>would leaving <b>your </b>father <b>alive </b>do more harm


    or <b>good</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Harm. No doubt.¡±


    ¡°Neron, you literally <b>have </b>your answer, but I know this isn¡¯t <b>a </b>simple decision to make. Me? I clearly d


    <b>26</b>


    <b>on¡¯t </b>give a fuck about <b>your </b>Dad or Raina¡¯s parents. But we can¡¯t let Klyn fall further into the darkness. You-no, we have to end your Dad before she does.¡±


    ¡°Kiya isn¡¯t lost yet, Onyx. She¡¯s still in there, in whatever Lady Sanguine Is.¡± I felt her, smelled her, and saw her. All before Osiris ruined everything. Kiya is fighting to get out, I know it!


    ¡°We saw her light in her eyes! We can¡¯t let that disappear forever because I will tear this world <b>apart </b>if I lose Artemis!¡±


    ¡°Were you able to get a hold of her at all?¡± I asked.


    Onyx¡¯s mood deted<b>, </b>his cars lowering in sadness. ¡°No¡­I couldn¡¯t, even with how close we got.¡±


    ¡°We must kill


    Osiris too.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Oh, that¡¯s <b>a </b>given. I¡¯ll use his fucking face as my chew <b>toy</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Speaking of the walking enigma, during our fight, his taunts had a certain level of malice in them. He had referenced my great-grandfather several times, not to mention ending my bloodline before Dad showed up. Along with the news about Oregon, Anthony also informed me of his spections about Osiris¡¯ fixation on Zircon Moon¡¯s movements long before the attack. He could¡¯ve been stalking my <b>pack </b>and the attacks on other packs were simply target practice.


    But that¡¯s all they were. Spections. The only person who can tell about Osiris¡¯ motivations is Osiris himself. This attack was personal. My great-grandfather <b>did </b>something to him. He has his motives for revenge<b>, </b>and Lady Sanguine is his weapon of destruction.


    What aren¡¯t you telling me, Osiris? How many secrets do you hold?


    As I sat, my <b>eyes </b>drooped. Lack of sleep consumed me in my failed <b>efforts </b><b>of </b>squeezing my eyes shut and opening them to stay awake. Sadly, this made everything <b>worse</b>. I haven¡¯t slept since the attack, <b>and </b>it is catching


    up to me quicker than a cheetah.


    ¡°Shit.¡± I grumbled, opening the window slightly ajar. The night air billowed in and cooled my furnace-<b>like</b><b>. </b>body down, but instead of waking <b>me </b>up, it did the exact opposite. Sleep rushed in and demanded my surrender. Unable to fight it off, I rested the back of my head on the spine of my chair and dozed off.


    A couple minutes of sleep wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?


    Dream


    I need to stop listening to myself.


    White weed me in a world flowing with serenity and joy. Light hovered over the heaven-like domain, guiding and helpful as it led me further into the realm. Without a doubt, I felt out of ce, but there wasn¡¯t much <b>I </b>could do about it. Onyx was silent in my head <b>as </b><b>he </b>is in all of my dreams. Huffing in a sharp <b>breath</b>, I traversed down further into a continuous flower field with their <b>petals </b>tickling my toes. Every petal shone <b>a </b><b>lustrous </b>glow, revealing the hidden rainbows bathing the field with magic<b>, </b><b>a </b>wondend. Clouds fluttered <b>past</b>


    aleonline/untouchable chapter 155/


    me, dissipating on contact with my fingers. The air carried a gentle, but pleasant scent simr to <b>freesia </b>flowers, enticing a smile on my face. I walked until I reached a temperate pond waiting for ripples on its surface.


    The same iridescent flowers decorated the exterior of the pool, but their glow was more notable than its fellow florae. The familiar chill I¡¯m used to is non-existent, Instead reced by a joyous warmth that encircled me from head to toe. This ce is in harsh contrast to the dreams and nightmares that pick which night to torment me. Here I felt weed and <b>protected</b>.


    Almost as if something was waiting for me here.


    Walking to the pond, I kneeled on the ground and dipped my hand into the water, watching the surface dance in ripples and waves. My eyebrows arched in both curiosity and confusion. Huh. Ponds aren¡¯t usually warm, but this one is. It wasn¡¯t an awful warmth, but a pleasant one, like if you wanted to rx in a bath after a long <b>day</b>.


    How strange.


    Then again, this entire realm is strange underneath the veil of light and silver. Why this type of dream? Why


    now<b>?</b>


    ¡°Neron?¡±


    The entire world froze when <b>the </b><b>sharine</b>, yet gut-wrenching voice spoke. Nostalgia engulfed me like a violent tsunami with powerful shock riding the waves, clouding my <b>senses</b>. My eyes widened and my breath hitched in my throat. Sweat perspired though my pores and I couldn¡¯t <b>move </b>nor speak. That voice ensnared the <b>Alpha </b>faster than anything I¡¯vee across.


    ¡°Neron, I know you can hear me. Don¡¯t act <b>as </b>if you don¡¯t, <b>please</b>.¡±


    Chills nestled in their favorite ce in the middle of <b>my </b>back. So many reasons festered in my <b>mind </b>as an answer to <b>the </b>owner of the voice, deftly avoiding the one correct answer I¡¯m afraid to acknowledge. My mind is ying tricks on me from all the stress. Yes, that¡¯s it! It is <b>a </b>trick; a hopeless trick toying with the heart of


    <b>man</b>!


    Surely, it can¡¯t be-!


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake, Neron!¡± The voice groaned, annoyed. ¡°Turn around so I can finally see my big brother after thirteen goddamn years!¡±


    My body twisted around so fast that I thought I got whish, but the pain didn¡¯t hold a candle to the beautiful woman standing before me in a silver dress. ¡°It¡¯s about time! I thought you were deaf for a second there.¡±


    Her smile aged but held that same star-striking shine, holding a level of warmth and glee I thought I¡¯d never seen again. Her ebony tresses matched mine, longer and silkier, scarcely brushing against her elbows. The twin admiral orbs overflowed with an abundance of excitement as she did a small dance, waiting for my <b>reaction</b>. I couldn¡¯t match her dance! I wanted to scream, cry, rip my hair out, but I couldn¡¯t. I was a robot waiting for amand that never came. Instead, I summoned the fleeting power in my muscles and reached out with my shaky palms, cupping her tanned cheeks to relish the supple flesh.


    <b>R </b>A


    Tears fell, and they didn¡¯t stop falling. One tear turned to two, and two turned into a pair of raging rivers. My heart throbbed to the beat of a drum, hitting my ribcage so hard that my lungs didn¡¯t bother to work after the initial shock. How could this be? This is a dream, but why does she feel so real? A painful gasp erupted from my throat when the woman pressed her smaller palms on top of mine, her <b>eyes </b>filling with unshed tears.


    ¡°N-N-Nuria? Is that really you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s <b>me</b>. Metaphorically, in the flesh!¡± Her smile turned into a smirk. ¡°The one and only, <b>unless </b>I¡¯m cloned-whoa!¡±


    ¡°Nuria!!!¡± My sister! My sweet, trouble-making little sister! I buried my face in the <b>crook </b>of her neck when I yanked her body into the tightest bear hug I could give. Pomegranates! <b>She </b>still smelled like pomegranates! My sobs turned to wailing, and it thus <b>turned </b>into screaming. I¡¯ve made peace with the fact I¡¯ll never <b>see </b><b>Nuria </b><b>again</b>. Death takes and <b>never </b>returns. But she¡¯s here; real, tangible-1 can touch her!


    Thirteen years of suppressed pain; missing her<b>, </b>wishing she¡¯de back, the loneliness of being an only child, growing ustomed to seeing her tombstone versus her face crushed the dam and opened the floodgates. I drowned in unspoken emotions I¡¯ve long forgotten were a part of me, but Nuria¡¯s light pulled me out of the chaos <b>and </b>into her arms. Her arms wrapped around my broad back, rubbing soothing circles as her head rested on <b>my </b>shoulder<b>.</b>


    ¡°I missed you so much.¡± She murmured, nuzzling her nose against my hair. ¡°It¡¯s been so long¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t speak. I just tightened my hold like someone was going to take her from me again.


    Suddenly, my wailing got much louder when another presence joined us. A strong, tender, and loving presence. There is a reason mandarins are my favorite fruit because they reminded me of her. My legs buckled, and I dropped to my knees, taking the women with me, but they never broke out of their embrace. Another pair of arms wrapped around my body, humming a sweet melody in my ear that calmed my beating heart; a sweet nighttime melody that lost its luster after her death.


    This is¡­<b>too </b>much.


    ¡°M-Mommy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>here</b>, skatten min.¡± Her whispers tugged at my heartstrings. ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll all be okay.¡±


    My tears distorted Mom¡¯s image, but I didn¡¯t care. Her warmth and touch were all I needed. I missed <b>her </b>heavenly presence in my life. There is something about a mother¡¯s hugs that turns fear on itself. Everything is going to be okay because Mom said it will be. And I believe her<b>. </b>My cries didn¡¯t settle, but I was more than ted to have Mom and Nuria <b>around </b>me.


    My family.

 Chapter 162

    Chapter <b>73 </b><b>¨C </b><b>You </b><b>Must </b><b>Fight</b>


    <i>¡°</i>This kind of war, you gotta believe in what you¡¯re fighting for.¡± ¨C John Wayne


    Neron


    Our feet <b>kicked </b>up some pond <b>water</b>, six different ripples encircling our ankles. It was peaceful. I¡¯ve long stopped crying, the itchiness in my throat a distant remembrance of my breakdown. Mom¡¯s breathing echoed softly between us as held one of my <b>hands </b>in hers while Nuria rested her head on my shoulder. I still can¡¯t believe this is happening. I¡¯ve done nothing to deserve this, but here <b>I </b>am, staring at the tangible presences my lost family.


    Why couldn¡¯t we <b>have </b>stayed this way? Why did they <b>have </b>to die?


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, Nero.¡± Nuria whispered, her fingers brushing against the flower petals. I realized what <b>she </b>meant, but it didn¡¯t lesson the doubt swimming in my head. ¡°You can still <b>save </b>her.¡±


    of


    ¡°Can I?¡± I exhaled, glimpsing at my reflection in the pool. My eyes are red and puffy. ¡°Nuria, Kiya wants to kill me because I hurt her. I want to save her, but I can¡¯t ignore the possibility that¡­I might not be able to. What if I can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What ifs <b>are </b>dangerous, my precious.¡± Mom <b>squeezed </b>my <b>hand</b>, pushing some strands of my hair behind my ear. Her thumb <b>caressed </b>my cheek. ¡°But, you¡¯re right. You hurt that darling and it stuck with her for years, but it wasn¡¯t just you. Everyone, whether they directly harmed her or turned the blind eye, are also responsible¡­. including your father.¡± Hurtced in herst words. I looked into her <b>eyes </b>and saw an amalgamation of pain and shame. Coming to terms that your mate abused a child couldn¡¯t be <b>an </b>easy


    thing to deal with.


    Kiya <b>used </b>to refer to my mom as her aunt because she <b>was </b>close with her family. Mom loved her like she was her own. Maybe how Mom feels now is what Kiya felt every time she saw me for the first time. I squeezed her hand to let her know that I¡¯m still here, but I wonder. Did Mom see everything? How <b>else </b>would she have known? I nced at Nuria to see the same amalgamation in her eyes. ¡°Your father and you used Nuria and I as scapegoats for the abuse. Who Lady Sanguine is today directly results from that. You¡¯ve done wrong, and it is your job to make it right.¡±


    I nodded. Lady Sanguine didn¡¯t appear on a whim; Zircon Moon, collectively, created a weapon of our own destruction and she won¡¯t stop until we¡¯re all gone. ¡°I know Mom, and I¡¯m so sorry. I missed you and Nuria so much, and then Dad started talking and


    ¡°Shh.¡± Mom held a finger on my lips to shush me. Then, she leaned in and pressed a firm kiss on my forehead. ¡°You were suffering, I know. But abuse is never justifiable. You cannot erase pain by causing pain to another.¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows Kiya isn¡¯t responsible for what happened to Mom and I.¡± Nuria huffed, kicking her feet up. ¡°She never was, and we never med her. Dad just hates her. It¡¯s not even about losing us anymore!¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Mom intercepted. ¡°The difference between you and your father, Neron, is that you¡¯re learning from your mistakes. Not many people can do that.¡±


    ¡°Are you ashamed of¨Cme, Mom?¡± I inquired, anxious<b>. </b>¡°Are you, Nuria? Kiya was your best friend.¡±


    <b>1/5</b>


    Not was, She is my best friend.¡± She corrected with a glower. ¡°At first, I was deeply ashamed of you. I was furious, Selene showed us everything¨Cthe least painful parts, I suppose. You do not know how much I wanted to march out of heaven and strangle <b>the </b>shit out of you.¡±


    ¡°Nuria.¡±


    She gulped. ¡°Sorry, Mommy. What I meant to say is <b>yes</b><b>, </b>I was ashamed, but not anymore, Neron.¡±


    ¡°And neither am 1.¡± Mom sighed, swinging her feet <b>as </b>she entered deep thought. ¡°Zircon Moon is not what it used to be. I can¡¯t love it anymore. But it is not your responsibility to carry everyone¡¯s sins. You only carry your own, baby boy.¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve done something, Mom.¡± I retorted, grinding my teeth. It doesn¡¯t matter than neither of them are <b>ashamed</b>; I <b>have </b>enough of it to <bst </b><b>a </b>lifetime ¡°I¡¯m her mate! <b>It </b><b>is </b>my job to protect <b>her</b><b>, </b>and I <b>failed</b><b>, </b>back then and now! All I wanted <b>was </b>Dad¡¯s love, and I hurt her to get it, and it turned out to be a load of bullshit. He never cared <b>about </b>me and look at <b>the </b>consequences! It¡¯s <b>because </b>of me she killed herself and its because of me that Osiris has her. And now, <b>she </b><b>wants </b><b>me </b><b>dead</b>. How can I help free Kiya from <b>the </b>darkness if I trigger her hatred?¡±


    ¡°You love her, right?¡± Nuria asked.


    ¡°I do. So much.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to fight, Neron. Fight <b>harder </b>than you¡¯ve ever done before. Your mate bond with Kiya went through hell <b>and </b>back, but its still there. Your love for her has to shine through this time. Losing her to another who wants her purely for her power, is not an option!¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°You have to figure that out on your own, skatten min. We can¡¯t tell you how to reach to her. There is an answer; you just have to find it.¡±


    ¡°And it won¡¯t be easy.¡± Nuria added. ¡°The question is, are you up for the challenge?¡±


    Fate piled the past against me. Fate pile the present against me. My past behavior and actions are piled against me. All <b>sank </b>into a melting pot that molded into who Lady Sanguine is today; a manifestation of Kiya¡¯s anger and hatred toward all who wronged her. But when I held her, she had every opportunity to kill me. My throat was exposed for her de to take what it wanted, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, I saw the real Kiya drowning in a raging sea with no one to help her<b>.</b>


    I¡¯ll never free myself of the guilt of hurting her. Ever. I¡¯ll carry that sin until the day I die.


    Can I help save Kiya? I don¡¯t know.


    Am I the one who can save her? I don¡¯t know that either.


    But I will try. The future <b>is </b>uncertain, and danger continues to make its presence known, but I won¡¯t run away.


    ¡°I can¡¯t lose her, Mom.¡± I confided, pain pulsing in my veins once again. ¡°She <b>has </b>toe back, for her


    Chapter 73 ¨C You Must Fight


    family¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°For their <b>sake </b>and yours too. Don¡¯t forget about <b>yourself</b>!¡± Nuria added, giving <b>me </b>a yful shove. I said <b>nothing</b>.


    Mom patted my long tresses with a loving smile. ¡°Whatever you do and whatever path you take, know that Nuria and I <b>are </b>with you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll always be at your side, big bro, right Mom?¡± Nuria shot a wink at Mom, who rolled her eyes and lightly. kicked her feet in the water. My sister giggled before patting me on the pack.


    I wonder what that¡¯s all about.


    Speaking with Mom and Nuria rejuvenated me. Hearing their words of encouragement was enough to douse out the harsh words Dad imnted in my head. He doubted my abilities andpetence to be a leader, and I doubted myself. If my father didn¡¯t believe in me, why should I? I tried hard to appease him, but nothing worked. But now, with the two most important women in my life<b>, </b>I felt like anything is possible.


    Mom and Nuria couldn¡¯t stay for long. They have to leave. A spasm of loneliness entered my heart, tugging at my heartstrings. I grabbed onto their hands for dear life like a child frightened of being left alone. I just got them back. A dream is a dream, but to me and the child¨Clike innocence left inside me, this was a paradise.


    Part of me didn¡¯t want to wake up; it wanted to indulge in the love Mom and Nuria have for me. When I wake up, I¡¯ll be <b>alone </b>again and they¡¯ll be in their graves. But I have to leave also, because the real world won¡¯t wait for <b>me </b>to get my bearings. I have to bring Kiya back to the light, even if it means my death.


    I love Mom and Nuria more than I love myself, and with my palms pressed together, I quietly thanked my Moon Goddess for blessing me with the opportunity to see and chat with my family again.


    Our lives would¡¯ve been so different if they were still alive.


    But, for now, I¡¯ll relish this moment while itsts.


    With the women I love.


    I woke up from my <b>chair </b>with a startled gasp, my eyes readjusting to the darkness after being in white for <b>so </b>long. The moon was fully shining through my window, casting a silvered glow on my desk. I¡¯m back in my reality, but at what cost?


    My hands flew to my face and soon touched the hot tears I¡¯ve unknowingly shed in my slumber. My sniffles echoed through the hushed air, and loneliness took its ce as my partner once more. The dream was so vivid that I <b>can </b>still feel them. I still feel Mom¡¯s hands in mine and Nuria¡¯s head on my shoulder.


    ¡°Mom¡­Nuria¡­¡± I¡¯m missing them all over again. Tears pricked my eyes, but I hastily wiped them away with my hands, sniffling. My world fell into that familiar chill once more. But Mom and Nuria left me with a smidgen of hope that everything will turn out alright in the end. They¡¯ve given me a newfound purpose to fight, perhaps a grander purpose before.


    Chapter 73 You Man Fight


    ¡°Hoo?¡±


    Diana appeared, sitting under the strip of moonlight on my desk, her gold eyes peering at me with curiosity.


    ¡°Oh, Diana.¡± How long was she there before I noticed her? I wondered <b>how </b>she <b>got </b>in, but when I looked at the opened window, it all came back to me. I inspected her feathers to <b>see </b>no injury, bringing a wave of relief. The owl disappeared after the attack <b>and </b>I was so worried something might have happened, but I¡¯m d that the worry was a waste of time. A smile awakened on my lips when the owl craned her neck when I went to pet


    her.


    Still as soft <b>as </b><b>a </b>pillow.


    ¡°Do owls dream?¡± I wondered, gathering the tiny bird in myrge hands. ¡°You won¡¯t believe the dream I just had, Diana. 1¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°I miss my mother and Nuria, a lot. But, oddly enough, your presence makes us for it. You¡¯ve made my life less lonely and you aren¡¯t even <b>mine</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Diana cocked her <b>head </b>to the side, blinking once. Maybe she doesn¡¯t understand me, or thinks I¡¯m talking straight out of my <b>ass</b>, but everything I¡¯ve said is <b>true</b>. This owl made her way into my heart without even trying. She deserves to be protected.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Hoo!¡± Diana hopped out of my hands and pecked at the picture frame of Mom <b>and </b>a young Nuria smiling in a flower field. It was thest photo those two took together.


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s them.¡± She pecked at Nuria. ¡°That is Nuria. She was as beautiful back then as she was in my dream. Time sure flies, huh?¡± Diana stared at the photo for a minute before settling near the frame, continuing her <b>initial </b><b>stare </b>down.


    ¡°What? You want to tell me something?¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Alpha Neron.¡± A patrolman¡¯s voice abruptly entered my head, erasing all the warm and fuzzy feelings from before. ¡°I apologize for the disturbance, but we¡¯ve found something that you need to see.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch or move anything. After what happenedst night, I¡¯m not taking any chances. I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    ytime is over, <b>so </b>it seems. It¡¯s back to business. Diana hobbled from my <b>desk </b>and perched on the windowsill, pointing her head to the forest, and cooing with urgency. I rose from my chair, bewildered. <b>Does </b>she want me to follow her? Hooting sharply, she fled into the midnight sky.


    Looks like she does.


    I made my move out of the pack house, mindful to not arouse my Betas and Gammas sleep. Once outside, Diana, small and majestic, encircled the sky before taking off into the forest. Charmed, I followed, eluding every sapling and log to the scene toward the northeast part of the territory. The owl¡¯s white feathers faintly gleamed in the twilight, serving as my North Star toward the patrols.


    She¡¯s like an angel.


    In two minutes, I arrived at the location, the air tense with apprehension. Three patrolmen surrounded a specific tree, murmuring amongst one another, but ceased when they saw me approach. Diana took her ce on a nearby branch, observing us with scrutiny. ¡°What is going on, men?¡±


    Chapter 73. You Murl <b>Fight</b>


    ¡°We discovered this.¡± One patrolman gestured to the tree bark. ¡°We don¡¯t know how this slipped <b>past </b>us during <b>our </b>rounds, but when we crossed this zone a second time, this was here.¡±


    ¡°We also smelled blood.¡± Another <b>patrolman </b>mentioned. I walked in front of them only to have my heart drop. Embedded into the tree bark is mani¨Ctinted letter nailed to the bark by a silver de pungent with the odor of wolfsbane. Blood saturated the edges of the envelope, dripping onto the roots of said tree.


    Not only was the letter addressed to me, but the scent of the blood settled blocks of ice in my bones. The blood belonged to my father.


    ¡°Shit.¡± I snarled, tearing the letter from the tree. Touching the knife <b>was </b>not an option. Tearing the envelope open, the message revealed <b>careful</b>, stylistic writing penned by a feminine hand. I realized at that moment, I had to loop in Anthony. The situation reached an all¨Ctime high.


    <i>Surprise</i>, huh<i>? </i><i>Do </i>you miss your old man<i>? </i>This is <i>only </i><i>the </i>beginning of your nightmare<i>.</i>


    <i>If </i>you want your father and the Betas back unharmed, meet me at Pauline <i>Park </i>at noon.


    Come alone. Bring back¨Cup and your members return in pleces..


    <i>I¡¯ll </i>be waiting, Alpha Neron.


    -Lady Sanguine


    Chapter Commenta

 Chapter 164

    Chapter <b>75 </b>¨C <b>Asim</b>


    Collection)


    ¡°We only have what we give.¡°<i>¨C</i>Isabel Allende


    Third Person POV


    Lady Sanguine had disappeared. She kidnapped Neron. They left behind trails of devastation that wracked through the bodies of Lyra and Niki as the ck portal sealed all chances of a rescue. Helplessness settled in their hearts after witnessing their daughter fall into darkness once <b>more</b>, Lady Sanguine usurping control of Neron¡¯s fate. <b>The </b>clock was ticking, and time was no longer on their side.


    Neron¡¯s life rested in their hands.


    The news traveled far and quick, reaching the ears of Alpha Anthony, his warriors, and Neron¡¯s brothers¨Cin- arms. Panic filled their veins like an unweed injection, working alongside their adrenaline as they piled into <b>cars </b><b>and </b>raced toward Pauline Park. Anthony¡¯s knuckles threatened to turn <b>white </b>as he gripped the steering wheel, blinded with devastation from <b>the </b>sudden twist in events. His little sister was so close, and she slipped away again!


    A war erupted on within Anthony, both sides armed with swords and shields. His brotherly side wanted Kiya away from the Osiris, but <b>his </b>Alpha side acknowledged that he needed the unexpected change to find the snake¡¯s hidden <b>fortress</b><b>. </b>Anthony knew his father was sessful in nting the tracker, but he wanted Kiya back <b>so </b>much that he wanted to roar in frustration.


    Tires screeched when he mmed his foot on the gas petal, elerating his speed down the road. His passengers fell into a rift¨Craft of shouts andints as the car behind them tried to catch up.


    ¡°ck magic was


    was at y here.¡± Phoebe muttered, raising her hand <b>to </b>the air as if she was touching ss. Her eyes shimmered like amethysts as they scanned the earthy area. ¡°Residuals of the magic are lingering in the air. Those two haven¡¯t disappeared for long.¡±


    ¡°What about the tracker?¡± Sapphire asked. ¡°Do we, at least, have a signal on where Lady Sanguine is?¡±


    ¡°Let us pray to the Moon Goddess that the magic doesn¡¯t interfere with the signal.¡± Kwame responded, fingers dancing across his tablet screen. ¡°It is on and active<b>, </b>so a reading wille soon.¡±


    ¡°How soon?¡± She asked again. The Gamma arched an eyebrow, eyes still glued to his screen.


    ¡°Soon.¡±


    Galen kicked a couple of rocks as his confuddled mind tried to make sense of everything. He was never much of an intuitive person, but he knew something didn¡¯t feel right. He became concerned not just for his friend, but for the missing Alpha. ¡°Hey,¡± Everyone turned to him. ¡°I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but how long do you think <b>we </b>have until Neron dies?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t die.¡± Valerian interjected; confidence inteced in his voice. ¡°Neron wouldn¡¯t go out without fight.¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Abigail spoke, rubbing Jacqueline¡¯s <b>arm</b>. ¡°This <b>time</b>, Neron¡¯s opponent carries his


    15


    Chapter 75¨CAsm


    heart. I¡¯ll be the first to say it, but I don¡¯t think Neron will fight against Lady Sanguine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re contradicting yourself, Abigail.¡± The Beta retorted, his emerald carrying embers of anger. ¡°You are doubting Neron when you say that. It is in an Alpha¡¯s instincts to fight to survive.¡±


    and


    ¡°Not when your mate threatens your survival.¡± Her fingers weaved through Jacqueline¡¯s, who was reticent, squeezed. ¡°Any man can see how deep in love Neron is for Kiya; we¡¯ve all <b>seen </b>it through his actions and words. However, Neron¡¯s biggest adversary isn¡¯t Osiris. He can fight Osiris until his end days, but if Kiya stands between <b>them</b>, he wouldn¡¯t raise a w against her. If you had to fight against Raina, would you raise a hand against her, <b>even </b>if it meant you¡¯d live?¡±


    Valerian¡¯s voice caught in his throat, words falling deceased on his tongue. The simple thought of him hurting Raina was enough to tear his heart in two. His sadness and uncertainty doused the embers of anger, eyes cast to the ground. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t live with that.¡±


    ¡°Then, you know Neron has no time left. It¡¯s not a question of how long until Neron dies<b>, </b>but when.¡±


    The gravity of the situation drenched the surrounding air with suffocating heaviness. Kwame, although silent, paled at the thought of losing his best friend; the man he grew up with and trained with. Everyone else fell into silence, contemting on <b>what </b>to do next. Niki sat on a rock next to Lyra, thumb running <b>over </b>the polished surface of the teardrop¨Cshaped golden gemstone. Specs of dust clung onto the silver coils. Kiya¡¯sst words echoed in his mind, exposing the significance of the ne.


    ¡°That is Osiris¡± weakness! It belonged to Amber, the avatar before me!¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡± Anthony asked, walking over when father¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°This might not help Neron, but Kiya left this behind before she vanished.¡± The elder Alpha held up the ne <b>with </b>silver snaked around the stone, hooking to the bail. Under the sunlight, the gold stone shone brightly like a miniature sun. The others walked closer to see <b>the </b>stone up close, enraptured by its beauty, but Phoebe grimaced. ¡°She said it belonged to the avatar before her, named Amber.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t Selene¡¯s avatars born once every century?¡± Anthony pondered. ¡°Why would Kiya, or Osiris have a century¨Cold ne?¡±


    ¡°Better yet, why is there dark energy in the gemstone?¡± Phoebe blurted, narrowing her eyes. She fished a handkerchief from her pocket and took it off Niki¡¯s hands, cautious. ¡°It is enchanted. Kiya was wearing this<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lyra answered in <b>a </b>hoarse whisper.


    ¡°I need to inspect this.¡± The witch ced the ne in her satchel. ¡°No one will handle this ne except for me. I don¡¯t want anyone getting infected with whatever is in the stone. There <b>is </b><b>a </b><b>connection </b>between <b>this </b>ne, Amber, and Kiya; we need to find it.¡±


    ¡°At least we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡± Darien muttered from a tree. An owl¡¯s whistle cuts through the air without warning. Many eyes look up to <b>see </b>Diana, wings spread, soaring under the <b>sun</b>. She circled <b>around </b>before perching herself on Lyra¡¯s shoulder. It startled the woman to see the bird on her, but after a few seconds, she rxed and rubbed her finger on the bird¡¯s <b>head</b>.


    Anthony groaned. ¡°Great, this thing is trying to steal my mother too.¡±


    Chapter 75¨CAsim


    ¡°Mijo,¡± Lyra warned as Diana cooed. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude.¡±


    ¡°Well, that bird won¡¯t help us <b>find </b>Neron and Kiya.¡±


    ¡°No, but I might.¡±


    All heads turned toward <b>a </b>shadow emerging from the nearby trees. A youthful man emerged, adorned in an elbow¨Csleeved dark blue, knee¨Clength linen kaftan with white pants and ck sandals. His aureate arm cuffs glistened against his dark skin as his colorless hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing his honey¨Ccolored eyes. The energy emanating from the man was pleasant and epassing. However, <b>one </b>look to his face was all it took for some wolves to spring into action.


    Jacqueline punched the man in <b>his </b>jaw. ¡°You have some nerve showing your face around here!¡±


    The area exploded into violence like sprouting fireworks. Jacqueline threw the first punch and the rest of the Ga Moon wolves joined, venting out their frustrations over their missing friend through a flurry of punches and kicks on the man they believed to be responsible. It wasn¡¯t until Anthony¡¯s authoritativemand stopped them from killing the stranger, forcing them to scamper back to their initial ces. The man, unfazed, chuckled as he rose to his feet, patting the dust off his clothing. His injuries healed fast.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Anthony demanded, gritting his teeth to keep his anger in check. ¡°And why do your look like Osiris<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Is that his name now?¡± The man scoffed. ¡°Stolen the name from the lord of the <b>dead </b>and rebirth. Interesting choice. But no, I¡¯m not him. He is Asir. My name is Asim, his identical twin brother.¡±


    Silence befell amongst the crowd of wolves staring in either wonder or disbelief at Asim. No one <b>dared </b>to move or speak. After the madness they¡¯ve endured, trusting an outsider wasn¡¯t an option. However, when Diana flew to Asim¡¯s shoulder and a smile befell this face, some ckened in their stances.


    Birds fly away from danger, not toward it. <b>Diana </b>wasn¡¯t afraid of the man.


    ¡°Osiris¡± <b>twin </b>brother?¡± Anthony narrowed his eyes. ¡°How are we just hearing about you now?¡±


    ¡°Lord Ra. I¡¯m his avatar, and he guided me here.¡± Asim pulls from his leather satchel arge gold amulet shaped like the ancient Ankh, encrusted with rawpiszuli, peridots, <b>and </b>turquoise. The teardrop loop circled a glittering Sunstone. Raising the talisman to the <b>sun</b>, a golden light show bedazzled <b>the </b>surroundings <b>with </b>strips of sunlight twirling <b>around </b>the members of Zircon <b>Moon </b>and Ga Moon, bathing them in great warmth. They gasped and jumped at the magic gyrated around their bodies. Sunlight seeped into Asim¡¯s skin, <b>outlining </b>hieroglyphics and other intricate markings as Ra¡¯s <b>avatar</b>, including the Eye of Ra on his <b>forehead</b>. After a few seconds, he settled his ankh away and his markings vanished.


    ¡°<b>Wait</b>, <b>something </b>doesn¡¯t <b>make </b>sense.¡± Darien mentioned after <b>the </b>light show faded. ¡°Osiris is a vampire, so that makes you one as well. How the hell are you the avatar of a sun god when you also smell like <b>a</b>N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    werewolf?¡±


    ¡°You see the juxtaposition I¡¯ve wondered since my awakening, but I¡¯m afraid Lord Ra likes to keep his choices. <b>a </b>mystery.¡± Asim smirked, the <b>corner </b>of his eyes crinkling with his smile. ¡°But it ties to the destiny of my brother and me. Our <b>gods</b><b>, </b>his being Apophis, are eternal enemies. Holy light versus damning darkness. I wasn¡¯t <b>aware </b>Asir <b>was </b>alive until Lord Ra informed me of an esction of his Apophis¡® <b>presence </b>in the mortal world, therefore beginning my two¨Cday journey from Egypt to California.¡±


    ??


    Chapter 75 ¨C Axim


    ¡°The attack on Zircon Moon was two days ago.¡± Kwame mentioned. The mention of <b>Zircon </b>Moon brought darkness to Asim¡¯s eyes..


    ¡°Hmm. Zircon Moon.¡± The man walked toward a rock and settled upon it, folding his leg over the other. ¡°By the grace of <b>Ra</b>, I had hopes it would fall during my lifetime.¡±


    ¡°It seems you and Osiris¨Cexcuse me, Asir, <b>share </b>the same sentiment.¡± Jacqueline snarled.


    ¡°Of course. Alpha Titan tortured us both when we were children because we were horn hybrids.¡± He revealed. ¡°Asir suffered the brunt of it, sadly. I¡¯ve protected him as often as I could when our mother was banished, but¡­¡± His eyes shone with sadness. ¡°I had the chance to escape, <b>and </b>I took it, but it forced me to leave my brother behind. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to go back and rescue him from <b>that </b>hell. How is a child to fight. <b>against </b>men more powerful than him?¡±


    ¡°You abandoned Asir.¡± Anthony concluded. Asim nodded, bowing his head in shame.


    ¡°Yes. A mistake I¡¯ve carried in my heart since then. Twins carry a unique bond that can transcend time. No matter the distance, we¡¯d always find each other. Now imagine that bond breaking, leading you to believe your twin had died.¡±


    Jacqueline flinched, a hand going to her heart as she reminisced about her twin bond with Dwayne. Abigail noticed her difort and held her hand.


    ¡°Now, after so many years, I found out he is alive and causing chaos. I don¡¯t know the full details of the conflict, but I know people you all care about are affected. Please, allow me to help you.¡±


    Anthony <b>was </b>hesitant. ¡°This is too coincidental for me.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. I would¡¯ve been skeptical, as well. However, my only goal is to stop Asir¡¯s madness before it bleeds beyond these grounds. With Apophis, darkness and destruction is his end goal and I don¡¯t doubt Asir has the same.¡±


    ¡°Anthony.¡± Niki mind¨Clinked his son. ¡°We don¡¯t <b>have </b>any other options now. We have to <b>trust </b>him.¡±


    Anthony looked at his father, then to Asim, and then to Diana perchedfortably on his shoulder. If Neron¡¯s pet trusts him, he has no choice but to trust him as well. He sighed before nodding. ¡°Very well. You can help. us. However, if you do anything that jeopardizes our mission, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear.¡±


    Shrill beeping resounded from Kwame¡¯s tablet, drawing his attention to the screen. A vivid red dot shed on the map of Oregon in a deep, forestry <b>far </b><b>northeast </b><b>from </b>any known <b>civilization</b><b>. </b>The location <b>read </b>as Unknown. ¡°We have <b>a </b>location on where Lady Sanguine is, but the area is not recorded in any state records.¡±


    ¡°May I see?¡± Asim asked. Kwame handed him the tablet. ¡°I¡­I think I may know where this is. The <b>only </b>connection my brother and I have with our family is our father¡¯s home. However, as he was a vampire, his home is hidden and protected under Goddess Nyx¡¯s blessing¨Cthe matron to all vampires. This is a typical urrence for their deity to hide their homes from the world¡¯s view.¡± The shing suddenly ceased, marking


    the tracker as offline.


    <b>Phoebe </b><b>tapped </b>her cheek in deep thought. ¡°What do you <b>propose </b><b>we </b>do, <b>Asim</b>?¡±


    pter 25- Asim


    ¡°Your friends are there, so storm the castle<b>. </b>However, to defeat <b>an </b><b>avatar </b>is with another. If my hunches are correct, Asir will be a tough opponent to beat.¡±


    ¡°Our friend, Kiya, is <b>one </b>too.¡± Galen mentioned.


    ¡°Ah, double trouble.¡± Asim hummed. ¡°Then, it¡¯ll be best to have at <b>least </b>two avatars on your team. I¡¯ll be one.¡± He turned to Phoebe. ¡°You¡¯re an avatar. I can sense it. You can be the second-


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>not </b>stepping foot in Oregon.¡± Phoebe retorted, fists shaking. ¡°I have my reasons, but I¡¯ll help from <b>afar</b>. <b>However</b>, there is another avatar I know who I think can help. Violetta could use some adventure in her life.¡±


    ¡°All <b>that </b>is left to do is to n our attack.¡± Anthony proimed, gathering everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°With Asim¡¯s information and Osiris¡® location, we have enough ammunition to move forward. Our primary goal is to rescue Kiya and Neron before Osiris gets the opportunity to stop us.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, Neron will still be alive by then.¡±


    Lady Sanguine kneeled on the dirtied ground of a prison cell, her kneeing in contact with Neron¡¯s warm skin. Unconscious, the Alpha breathes with case, unaware of his current surroundings. As the woman continued to stare at Neron¡¯s tranquil face<b>, </b>a struggle ensures.


    A struggle to not take her de out to slice his throat.


    A struggle between her darkest desires <b>and </b>her <b>restraint</b>¨Cher dark versus her light.


    But an unusual urge blossomed in her chest. Lady Sanguine didn¡¯t know why she felt the urge to do it, but she did it <b>anyway</b>. She reached out to cup Neron¡¯s check in her hand. Her thumb caressed <b>his </b>smooth, tan skin, lightly brushing up against the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Why am I doing this?¡± She thought to herself.


    A simple, affectionate such as this could ruin all of her ns, and <b>she </b>couldn¡¯t afford that.


    Suddenly, pain whizzed <b>from </b>her stomach to her chest, knocking the <b>wind </b>out of her. She gritted her teeth to hold back her whimpers as the promise of no pain began unraveling into the hidden truth. Is it from Neron, or


    is it from another source?


    This was too much for her. Her damned light wasing out, <b>and </b>she needed to stop it. Standing erect on her <b>shoes</b>, Lady Sanguine walked out of Neron¡¯s prison, mming the door behind her.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 76 ¨C Artemis


    ¡°I feel like a part of my soul has loved you since the beginning of everything. Maybe we¡¯re from the same star.¡± Emery Allen


    Artemis


    The <b>heart </b>is a delicate organ. Floods of blood shot through it in a life¨Csustaining cycle, and it made me feel both alive and dead at the same time. What many cannot understand is that the heart is also a part of a <b>chain</b>, connecting its life force to another. Forged bonds and soul ties <b>attach </b><b>themselves </b>to the crimson bodies of two beating hearts, connecting those individuals beyond the visceral. Bonds are created between people, <b>animals</b>, <b>and </b>emotions. The heart serves a grander purpose beyond sustaining life, and the visceral pain of when <b>one </b>bond is severed is unimaginable.


    My heart hurts. The bond it treasures the most is nothing more than a flickering lightbulb unable to handle its burial under pitch¨Cckness. Imprisoned just like me, frantic to cling <b>onto </b>the spec of light keeping it alive. But the darkness is intelligent and conniving. Malevolent whispers bombard my ears like <b>a </b>bully¡¯s torment while tightening the reigns around the gilded cage Halima trapped me in. There <b>was </b>no escape,


    Pathetic.


    Useless.


    Pitiful.


    I couldn¡¯t cover my ears. The dark was too loud. Air was knocked out of my lungs, the area <b>enclosing </b>around


    <ol>


    <li><b>me</b>. It wanted me to die.</li>


    </ol>


    Failure.


    Well, I did <b>fail</b>. My beloved Kiya surrendered to darkness, and it was my job to safeguard her heart and <b>soul</b>. Together, we fought the demons lingering in the corners of her mind daily. I¡¯m her anchor and her guardian. If the human strays, the wolf pulls them back into the light because we can¡¯t bear to lose them. As much <b>as </b>Kiya needed me, I needed her as well.


    Alone in the darkness, punished by being unable to hear the rich melody of her voice summoned a broken howl from the ocean of my despair. My body shook from the chill of her absence and the silence reckoning in my mind <b>was </b>murderous. I wanted Kiya. I needed Kiya.


    I¡­I miss her <b>so </b>much.


    With every attempt I <b>made </b>to reach her, I met an impassable block. Once, twice, thrice; I never stopped trying to connect with her, ignorant to the looming fear that Kiya might be lost to me. Are we lost to Selene as well?


    Growling with tears blotting my vision<b>, </b>I threw my body at the steel¨Clike bars for the thousandth time like <b>at </b>ball in a batting cage. My body ached, my bones ached, but I didn¡¯t care. All I cared about was getting to Kiya. The darkness snickered<b>, </b>enjoying the spectacle of a caged animal attempting to escape. Snickers grew to echoingughter, advising me to give up the fight.


    I admit, shamefully, that surrendering had crossed my mind a few times when the darkness and the <b>pain </b>became too much. One could only withstand this amount of horror for so long before it destroys them. But


    1/5


    I¡¯m not like anyone else. I refused to give up, so if that meant breaking my body until I¡¯m out, then I never needed my bones, anyway!


    And I was rewarded for my efforts.


    High above me, as I recovered from my recent hurdle, a strip of white light broke through the darkness. Shaped like an angel with celestial wings. Ripplingughter fell to silence. The light warmed a patch of my fur, and it uttered three basic words that revitalized thembent hope in my heart.


    Don¡¯t give up!


    The light grew bigger and suddenly I was cased in warmth from all angles¨Cfrom the tip of my ears to my paws, repairing my injured soul and invigorating my determination. Over <b>time</b>, the light intensified by the familiar warmth of two people, doubling in size. At that moment was when I felt the fleeting sparks of the sacred bond. The missing piece of my heart. I grabbed onto the fading sensation, growling with newfound hope.


    Now<b>, </b>anything was possible!


    Hang on, Kiya<b>! </b>I¡¯m on my <b>way</b>!


    Roaring. I threw my body against the cage again. It budged! Again; the bars weakening under the holy light. On the third try, the door swung open, and I rolled out like a log. Finally! The light weakened above me; the darknessing back with its own ammunition.


    Without hesitation, I hopped on my paws and took off running to where Ist <b>saw </b>Kiya and Halima. The makeshift pond. The light guided my way, fading behind thick wisps of ck as it gradually took over the area again. I¡¯m stuck in the dark once more, but not before reaching my destination. The thick sheet of ice on the surface <b>barred </b>many cracks, water dribbling through.


    ¡°Kiya!¡± I pounded my paws against the ice as hard as I could, more cracks sprouting from the impact. ¡°I¡¯m here! I¡¯ming!¡± After <b>a </b>couple more hits, the ice shattered <b>and </b>separated, revealing the murky waters rippling underneath. Pushing chunks of ice from the hole I <b>made</b>, I sucked in a sharp breath and plunged into the deep pond.


    Padding through <b>the </b>current, I searched long and low for Kiya. The fleeting sensations of our bond were my guide, pulling me to where my human was. The waters threatened to consume me as it did to Kiya, grabbing onto my legs, but I pulled <b>away</b>. <b>I¡¯m </b>not a victim and will never be a victim.


    Soon, I found Kiya with Halima clinging around her torso, swinging her legs as she struggled against the tangible ck hands pulling her deeper in the ck. I padded faster than <b>I </b>ever done before and when I got close enough to Kiya; I bit on the cor of her shirt and swam to the surface, dragging her and her inner child


    with me.


    Kiya <b>gasped </b><b>for </b><b>air </b><b>once </b>we <b>reached </b>the surface<b>, </b>coughing and wheezing along with Halima who shook in the <b>woman¡¯s </b>arms. I barred my teeth in a wolfish grin when I searched for any injuries on Kiya¡¯s person, only to find none<b>. </b><b>She¡¯s </b>here! <b>She¡¯s </b><b>alive</b>! She<b>¡­ </b>she¡¯ll be <b>okay</b>!


    a:


    ¡°Artemis¡­¡± Her beautiful brown eyes held my own, a small smile awakening on her <b>face </b>as she panted. Her hand reached out to caress my wet fur, love pouring from her touch. ¡°I missed you¡­¡±


    <b>275</b>


    Chapter 76 ¨C Artemis


    Relief burned in a congration of panic when a dark hand broke through the icy surface of the <b>ck </b>pond and grabbed hold of Kiya¡¯s legs. Halima shrieked and Kiya screamed as they were being dragged back to the water again.


    ¡°Artemis!¡±


    Kiy


    Halima burrowed her small head into my chest, her arms tight around my waist like a belt. Screams for Artemis burned my throat as I used one <b>arm </b>to grip onto my inner child and the other to reach out to my wolf.


    ¡°No!¡± Artemis bellowed. Shetched her jaw onto my arm, teeth sinking deep into my skin as she pulled me toward her.


    A painful tug¨Co¨Cwar begun with my body as the rope. Both sides jerked backward and forward, my limbs screaming <b>for </b>relief. Blood dripped from my arms from the wounds she created with her teeth, but I didn¡¯t mind. I foundfort in Artemis¡® electrifying cyans, refusing to give me up to the darkness again. Through the pain, her <b>love </b>for me seeping into the pores of my skin.


    Tears <b>dripped </b>down my cheeks. Artemis, my guardian angel, fought as hard as she could for me. Her growls saturated with determination and resolve echoed through the space between us. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her. After I surrendered <b>into </b>the darkness<b>, </b><b>she </b>shot out like a bullet and pulled me from the seductive allure


    back into her<b>.</b>


    I don¡¯t deserve her. I betrayed her.


    ¡°I. Won¡¯t. Let. You. <b>Go</b>!¡± She shouted through her snarls. I know she wouldn¡¯t, even when I gave up on myself.


    It all seemed hopeless until a miracle happened.


    Tendrils of luminous <b>silver </b>sprouted underneath Artemis¡® paws and coiled around her limbs. Balls of light danced with the strands of her snowy fur like lovers on the dancefloor before sinking into her flesh, steadily transforming <b>her </b>into a silver silhouette. Artemis, catching on to the spectacle, growled in confusion.


    The outline of a wolf <b>shifted </b>into the outline of a human.


    Two warm and firm hands wrapped around my wrists, pulling me far from the pond. The hand ckened its hold and retreated to its domain after ribbon of light shot at it like a lightning bolt. I caught my breath<b>, </b><b>finally</b>, feeling my heart pound to the beat of a drum in my chest.


    I¡¯m okay. I look down at Halima to <b>see </b>she is unharmed. We¡¯re okay<b>.</b>


    The light disappeared, <b>and </b>Artemis wasn¡¯t there anymore. A mirror image of myself emerged, except the image adorned white glowing hair instead of ck and piercing blue <b>eyes </b>instead of brown. Everything else, from the <b>shape </b>of the nose to the <b>plump </b>lips, matched my own.


    Her hands <b>released </b>my arm, her <b>fingers </b><b>dancing </b>across the deep wounds decorating my skin. Blues reflected in gentle sadness as I <b>allow </b><b>her </b>soothing touches to trace around the cuts. Sitting up on my knees<b>, </b>Halima stared


    315


    Chapter 76¨CArtemis


    at the woman in hushed awe, perching herself on my thighs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­<b>¡± </b>She said, thumbs wiping the <b>blood </b>away. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Artemis?¡± I asked<b>, </b>perplexed. She arched an eyebrow and nodded, confirming her identity.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± A charming smile appeared on her lips. She cupped my cheeks, gentle and loving, ¡°I have so many questions<b>, </b>but are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Arty!¡± I pulled my wolf¨Cer, ¡®human¡® into a tight hug, burying my face in the crook of her neck. Tears dripped down my cheeks again, falling onto her shoulder. Artemis chuckled, returning the hug but squeezing me <b>tight</b>, rubbing her cheek on the top of my head. My heart soared with sheer happiness to feel my other half again. After being buried in darkness for so long, I almost forgot what she felt like.


    I felt a shuffle on my thigh. When Artemis and I separated, I look down to see Halima lingering less than a foot from us, averting her gaze from us with her bear in her arms. Uneasiness perfumed out of her, her fingers fidgeting at her sides. ¡°Halima<b>?</b>¡± I asked. Her eyes, back to brown, found mine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve a hug.¡± She whispered, bowing her head. ¡°You¡¯re mad at <b>me </b>because of what I did, right?¡±


    Her small voice tugged at my heartstrings. I scooted to her, our knees touching. My hand gripped her shoulder, urging her to look up at me. Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes as she <b>awaited </b>my response. Was I angry at her? No. Should I be? I don¡¯t think so.


    I understand why Halima did what she did¨Call she wanted was for me to hear her. To be with her. <b>She </b>hated any interference in what she wanted because her desires were always <b>denied</b>. Trapped in a ckened world with only a teddy bear to talk to, it was the perfect recipe for Osiris to manipte her. He manipted me <b>because </b>Halima is me. I was angry at that snake, not my inner child..


    ¡°No.¡± I answered, firm. ¡°I¡¯m not angry at you, Halima.¡±


    ¡°<b>Are </b>you telling me the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I caressed her damp hair with my palm, pulling her into our own hug. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Halima stiffened in my arms, then rxed. Seconds afterward, her muffled sobs reverberated around <b>us </b>as she cried her heart out in anguish. I tightened my hold around her, giving her the freedom to cry without shame. Artemis moved closer to us, wrapping her arm around my shoulder<b>, </b>giving me her shoulder to lean on while the other rubbed Halima¡¯s back.


    It was a tender moment shared <b>by </b>my wolf, my <b>inner </b>child, and I.


    Until the cking of heels echoed around the space.


    Artemis and I looked up to <b>see </b>a new contender approaching, her energy so poignant and dark <b>that </b>Halima¡¯s cries transformed to frightful whimpers. Darkness danced around her form like court jesters obeying their queen, and a queen of darkness she was.


    Lady Sanguine.


    ¡°Kiya, why must you constantly insist on struggling?¡± She asked, shaking her head. ¡°We created this dark paradise for you to rx, and yet, like a rabid bitch in her cage, you want to <b>leave</b><b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    Chapter 76 ¨C Artemis


    ¡°A world created by Osiris is a world I don¡¯t want to be in.¡± I snapped back, rubbing soothing circles on


    Halima¡¯s arms.


    Lady Sanguine let out a wicked cackle. ¡°Yes, Osiris <b>had </b>a hand in enhancing this world, but this world is your creation, dear. Out of this ck <b>heaven</b><b>, </b>I was born, so you¡¯ve created me as well. You forget that I¡¯m a manifestation of your thirst for vengeance, a merger of both your pain and fury. Isn¡¯t it marvelous to see the creations of the minde to life?¡±


    Artemis pulled me closer into her arms, tightening around me in protection. Lady Sanguine noticed this action and scoffed, rolling her eyes as she flipped her bone straight hair to her back.


    ¡°Rx. I will not harm my creator.¡± She smirked. ¡°I love Kiya very much, Artemis. More than you do. I¡¯m a hairline close to achieving victory over the people that harmed us because I had the courage to stop her pain at <b>the </b>source!¡±


    ¡°Killing people won¡¯t solve anything!¡± Artemis shouted.


    ¡°Oh, murder solves <b>a </b>lot of things.¡± She smirked, wagging her finger. ¡°Just wait. Our endgame is approaching, and we¡¯ll wee it with <b>open </b>arms, right Kiya?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I¡¯ve seen all that Lady Sanguine has <b>done </b>from murdering Odessa to kidnapping <b>Neron</b>. Hell, I might as well say I¡¯ve done those things because she extends from my forbidden emotions. I pushed Halima into Artemis¡® arms before rising to my feet, ring down at my darker side, scowling at me. ¡°I want this madness


    to end.¡±


    Lady Sanguine raised an eyebrow. ¡°<b>Hmm</b>? Are you going against me? Are you defending your abusers?¡±


    ¡°Listen, there are very few people I care about in this situation. Jonathan and the Lanes can suffer¨Cthat emotion I will own. I hold no remorse for them. However, what I won¡¯t allow is for you to take over and <b>force </b>me back into the darkness. I don¡¯t belong there, <b>and </b>you know that!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only way I can keep you safe, but I can¡¯t do that if you¡¯re being so fucking difficult!¡± Lady Sanguine huffed, running a <b>hand </b>through her <b>hair</b>. But she suddenlyughs again, her <b>ming </b>eyes piercing through the darkness. ¡°But, that¡¯s alright, Kiya. You¡¯re not <b>leaving </b>nor stopping me. You¡¯ll just have the front¨Crow seat to watch me kill both Jonathan and <b>Neron</b>. After that, the world is ours for the taking. You should thank me!¡±


    ¡°I rather die a thousand deaths than to have that future! And I won¡¯t let you harm Neron!¡±


    ¡°Then, do something about it.¡± She snarled.


    I did. I tackled her to the ground, therefore beginning our battle.


    Chapter Comments


    POST COMMEN

 Chapter 166

    Chapter <b>77 </b>Choice


    ¨C


    ¡°You make choices that are good and sound, but the gods have other ns for you.¡± <i>¨C </i>Lisa See


    Neron


    un with


    Oxygen forced itself into my lungs in a sessful attempt to arouse me from unconsciousness. I woke up a startled gasp, along with the throbbing pain in the back of my head. My vision swirled with dark, indescribable colors as I <b>rubbed </b>the tender spot, aching for relief. Scrunching up my nose at the foul stench of death and blood assaulted my nostrils, the frigid air billowing around my form nipped at my naked flesh. It wasn¡¯t natural to go from burning under the torrid sun to shivering under the ruthless cold.


    Thest thing I remembered was Lady Sanguine tackling me and falling backward into a shadowy mass that knocked me into oblivion. However, once my vision <b>cleared</b>, I took in the surroundings that had the power <b>to </b>make the strongest men quiver in the knees<b>.</b>


    in a cell. A dirtied<b>, </b>fetid cell with rusted chains hanging from the walls with no windows for the <b>sweet </b>sce of the light. The air carried the <b>essence </b>of past prisoners, their haunting spirits wailing before falling into a deafening silence. <b>Ghosts </b>of the past were warning me to proceed with caution, for things <b>aren¡¯t </b>what they seem here.


    Lady Sanguine brought me here. This meant that I was far <b>from </b>my teammates <b>and </b>alone in an unknown ce <b>that </b>could <b>end </b>up as my grave. I couldn¡¯t ignore the heavy chills barreling down <b>my </b><b>spine </b>as I rose on my feet, groaning at the tender back and muscle aches pulsating around me. The prison bars stood in front of me, posing as either my <b>escape </b>or my seal. Walking toward it, I grasped <b>a </b>bar simply to retract when audible sizzling echoed, my hand screaming in <b>pain</b>.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed, gripping my wrist. ¡°<b>Silver</b>!¡± <b>Lady </b>Sanguine went the extra mile to ensure I wouldn¡¯t get the chance to make an escape. The pain subsided after a minute<b>, </b>but my <b>anger </b>didn¡¯t. She won¡¯t keep <b>me </b>in here like a caged dog! I raised the hem of my shirt to my teeth and tore some fabric out to act as my shield for the


    bars.


    It isn¡¯t much, but it¡¯ll do.


    Wrapping the torn fabric around the bars, I grasped it again and gave it a <b>good </b>shake. Clicking and nking from the lock alerted me that the <b>bars </b>were unlocked this entire time. Part of <b>me </b>was ted, but the other


    <b>was </b>suspicious. My eyes <b>narrowed </b><b>when </b>I slid <b>the </b>bars open with ease, my <b>heart </b>picking up pace. One foot over the threshold and I¡¯m out.


    This <b>was </b>too easy. There is no way in hell Lady Sanguine would forget to lock the gates. I grew uneasy at the prospect of this bing another trap. But trap or not, I <b>need </b>to find the woman in ck.


    ¡°Be careful, Neron.¡±


    Onyx warned. <i>¡°</i>Thone:


    no telling what is lurking in the shadows.¡±


    I slipped out of my prison into the echoing hallway, illuminated by flickering torches hanging on the walls. <b>Prisons </b><b>stood </b>on either side of me, separated by <b>a </b>thick brick wall coated in muck and <b>grime</b>. The dark ambience added to the deathly mystery and darkness, obscuring its horrors in a haze of ck. To think that Kiya was roaming <b>these </b>halls made <b>me </b>sick to my stomach.


    Her bright and beautiful soul didn¡¯t belong here.


    <b>175</b>


    Walking through the dungeon halls brought back repressed memories of when I¡¯d go down to the prisons


    below the packhouse to hurt Kiya. Anger was my only friend, urging me to do the worst, to mend the pain of losing Mom and Nuria, ms of the prison doors bombarded my cars in real time as I remembered my mate¡¯s small body cowering in the corner, frightened of what will happen next.


    My <b>stomach </b>churned. I didn¡¯t want to be here. I wanted to turn on my heels and run. This ce, albeit different, reminded me of the monster I previously was. But what if <b>that </b>monster was still alive? What if it is just waiting for its moment toe out? My eyes welled up in tears at the thought.


    But I stayed. Because I needed to find Kiya buried deep in Lady Sanguine.


    As I walked, the acrid aroma of blood burned every olfactory receptor in my nose. <b>Fear </b>trickled down my back when I realized the blood belonged to people I knew well. Following the trail of spilled blood with hastened speed, I came across Ashley <b>and </b>Steven in two separate prison cells, bleeding. Their haggard breathing echoed with their pained wheezes as flood profusely seeped out of theirrge and plethoric wounds like crimson waterfalls into <b>the </b>pool steadily growing underneath their knees.


    They were carved up like turkeys.


    Ashley looked up at me and relief washed over her dark eyes as <b>she </b>sobbed. ¡°Neron. O¨COh my Goddess, you¡¯re here!¡±


    1 jiggled the woman¡¯s <b>prison </b><b>bars</b>, finding them unlocked. Slipping in, I ran to <b>Ashley </b>to check the <b>chains </b>imprisoning her to the wall only to have her shake her head. ¡°Don¡¯t touch them! They¡¯re made of silver.¡± From her raw and reddening wrists, anyone could¡¯ve guessed that,


    ¡°Ashley, <b>what </b>happened?¡± I asked, kneeling away from the pool of blood. ¡°Can you tell me who did this to


    you?¡±


    Brown eyes gazed into mine, weak and pleading. A sigh <b>escaped </b>her lips as tears fell from her eyes. ¡°My baby girl, S¨CShe came here to ¡°vent¡® out her frustrations and started cutting me up with her knife. She did the same to Steven. Goddess, his screaming.


    Rage. That is all that could describe the torture marred on Ashley¡¯s brown skin. <b>Every </b>cut, deep and superficial, told a story of how much fury Lady Sanguine harbored in her body. And it terrified me.


    ¡°Neron¡­¡± Ashley whimpered. ¡°Run for your life. K¨CKiya has gone insane. She attacked ournd, and this is what she did to us. There is no telling what she could do to you if she has the opportunity. I¡­I don¡¯t think we can stop her.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, frowning. ¡°Are you telling me to give up on her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to save your own ass before she kills you!¡± She huffed, her body trembling in spontaneous <b>pain</b>. ¡°Nothing we say will make her see reason. I¡¯m her mother and I can¡¯t reach her heart, and neither can her father. I don¡¯t know what else to do. When shees back, we¡¯re all dead.¡±


    ¡°Not if I find her first.¡± I growled, fists clenching. ¡°It is shameful that you¡¯re <b>just </b>going to give up on Kiya like this. That got us into this mess. You need to face the facts that Kiya will never forgive you or Steven for your past <b>transgressions</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Whatever hold <b>that </b>man has on <b>her </b>is absolute, Neron!¡± She winced andter started <b>coughing</b>. More blood


    Chapter 77 Choice


    spurted out of her wounds, soaking her clothes in crimson. ¡°What else do you think we should <b>do</b>? Because, from the looks of it, this hellhole will be our graves, anyway! She is lost to us!¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Onyx growled in the recesses of my mind, furious at the elder Beta. Neither of us believe we lost Kiya to the darkness because she isn¡¯t lost. I saw her true self sprout with Niki and Lyra¨Cshe is fighting to get out. If Kiya <b>is </b>fighting her hardest to escape, then we need to fight for her.


    She may


    be lost to <b>you</b>, but not me.¡± I snarled at the woman who flinched. <b>¡°</b>Giving up on your daughter means you¡¯re surrendering her to Osiris and I rather die than to let that happen!¡±


    ¡°That might happen sooner than you think.¡± Ashley fell into a fit of coughs once again, her breathingboring. Fuck! Both she and Steven needed medical attention, but there is no way to get them the help they need. We¡¯re trapped in the dungeons with no <b>way </b>out in the middle of Goddess knows where.


    ¡°I need to check on Steven.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± A <b>small </b>smile appeared on the woman¡¯s face, somewhat stained with her blood. ¡°We¡¯re connected through mind¨Clink, remember? That is our only sce in <b>this </b>madness, Neron.¡± I nodded, scratching a to¨Cdo off <b>the </b>list. ¡°When Kiya and Osiris brought us here, they took your father further ahead. If, by the grace of our Moon Goddess, that they didn¡¯t kill him, he should still be there. Go to him.¡±


    I stood on my feet, staring down at Ashley for a moment longer. There was so much I <b>wanted </b>to say but didn¡¯t find the words to do so. Giving up on Kiya might be her and Steven¡¯s prerogative, but it isn¡¯t mine. <b>Once </b>this <b>craziness </b>settles and I get Kiya back, I¡¯ll work on getting them the help they need. Werewolves <b>are </b><b>resilient</b>, and I¡¯m certain these two will hold out. With a weighty sigh, I turned to leave the prison, shutting the bars. behind me.


    Ashley said Dad was further ahead of the dungeons, so I <b>walked </b><b>down </b>that path. My nostrils red, <b>desperatel </b>to track <b>his </b>scent of cardamon <b>and </b><b>cinnamon</b>. The prisons darkened significantly the further I ran down, the light of <b>the </b><b>torches </b>snuffed out with only a wisp of smoke tomemorate its memory. Shadows lurking in the corners watched me with heavy eyes, <b>tracking </b>my every <b>move</b>. After about a minute of searching, I caught onto Dad¡¯s scent and bolted toward it.


    Dad¡¯s scent and his blood billowed out of a <b>grand</b>, solid prison door with a miniature window peeking into the interior. There were <b>torches </b>inside <b>his </b>cell, flickering like a lightbulb but illuminating his face enough to expose his unhealed injuries and clothes stained with blood. I gripped the door handle and yanked it open, slowed by the heaviness of the <b>door</b>.


    <i>The </i>s


    sound perked Dad¡¯s ears. His nostrils red, catching onto my scent. Once his eyes found mine, his pale blues widened with shock as I stepped inside. ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°How the fuck did you get here?¡± He <b>groaned</b>, his breathing hoarse. He looked worse for wear, perhaps in worse shape than Steven and Ashley. They had guts and gashes, but Dad had literal chunks of his flesh torn out and tossed aside. My stomach did somersaults as I trudged closer to him.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m here to get you out.¡±


    ¡°<b>No</b>, you fool! You need to get the hell out of here, <b>son</b><b>!</b><b>¡± </b><b>Dad </b>shouted with the miniscule strength he had left in his body that wasn¡¯t zapped from his festering wounds. ¡°You walked right into a trap!¡±


    Suddenly, a fierce blow to the back of my head knocked <b>me </b>straight to the ground. Pain rocketed all around


    <b>3/5</b>


    Chapter 3) ¨C Chrice


    my head, blurring my vision as I heard the prison door m behind me. The scent of honeyed strawberries and vani, instead of lulling me into peace, burned my nose. It was no longer <b>sweet</b>, clear that Kiya had changed. Mixed in her scent <b>was </b>the blood from Steven, Ashley, and my father.


    A cruel cackle cracked the deafening silence of the prison cell as cking of heels resounded next to me. It made my <b>skin </b>crawl. ¡°It is a pleasure for you to join us, Neron. It wouldn¡¯t be a party without you.¡±


    The torches roared to life, bathing the three of us in a dense, amber light. When my vision cleared, I turned to my right to see Lady Sanguine leaning against the wall by the hip with her knife in one hand and a teddy bear In another, blood smeared on her skin. Her sinister grin stretched across her face, evil glistening in her wicked


    <b>eyes</b>.


    ¡°Father and son together in a prison akin to the one you both tortured me in. It has alle full circle, hasn¡¯t It?¡±


    ¡°Lady Sanguine,¡± I wheezed, clutching the back of my head. ¡°Please, reconsider on what you¡¯re about to do.¡±


    Dad groaned in annoyance beside me. ¡°It is no use, <b>Neron</b>. Your mate is too far gone to be reasoned with. The darkness <b>has </b>poisoned her mind with no chance of recovery.¡±


    ¡°No! Kiya is not gone! I refuse to believe it!¡± I roared at Dad. He red at me, unflinching. ¡°Is it amon theme amongst you and the Betas to give up on her?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re in the right, Neron. You can¡¯t reach your damn mate, so there is no use in trying.¡±


    ¡°There is a way to bring her back. I know there is. I won¡¯t stop until I find it.¡±


    ¡°Then die trying, Neron.¡±


    A sardonic apuse erupted from Lady Sanguine as she clutched her teddy bear like a child waiting in pure excitement. Her child¨Clike giggles caused all muscles to clench throughout my body. <b>She </b>swung her hair behind her ear as she sighed. ¡°What a fantastica great disy of father <b>and </b>son love! Argue some more!¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d find this shit amusing, you heartless bitch.¡± Dad spat out.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I bellowed, silencing him almost immediately. ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to speak to her that way, so if you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself and let me handle this.¡±


    Dad scoffed in disgust, turning his head away from the scene. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste my energy on him anymore, so I focused all my <b>attention </b>on Lady Sanguine<b>, </b>peering at me with unbridled curiosity. ¡°Lady Sanguine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Sheughed.


    ¡°You have the both of us here under your mercy. But I want to know one thing. What is it you truly want?¡±


    ¡°What do I want?¡± The woman tilted her head to the side, humming in thought. ¡°That is a fantastic question. I want a lot of things, Neron. Death, revenge, blood, and to live a life free of pain <b>and </b>misery. However, what I want is to offer you <b>a </b>proposition.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± 1 questioned, <b>arching </b>an eyebrow. ¡°What do you want me to <b>do</b><b>?</b>¡±


    Chapter 77 Che


    Lady Sanguine paced behind me, bloodied eyes glued on my form. ¡°There is no chance in hell the


    your father <b>will </b>walk out of this prison cell alive. But you have the chance to walk out of here unharmed; to reunite with your friends <b>and </b>packmates. But you <b>have </b>to do one thing.¡±


    I gulp, anxiety rocketing through my body. ¡°W¨C<b>What </b>is it?¡±


    ¡°You have <b>a </b>very important decision to make, Neron Prince. You love me, but how deep does that love go? If you love me like you say you do¡­¡±


    She drops her de and kicked it toward me; the hilt stopping at my knee.


    ¡°Kill your father for me.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 78 ¨C Father Dearest


    ¡°No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.¡°¨CC.S. Lewis


    Neron


    Soft crackling from the torches nicked the tense air of my father¡¯s prison. I ogled at the weapon at my knees, faint smudges of blood staining both the handle and the de with miscenies of its past victims. Lady Sanguine¡¯s bleeding eyes <b>scald </b>at the top of my skull as <b>she </b>stands by, patiently, for me to act. Behind <b>me</b>, my father became silent, minus his ragged exhales through his broken nose.


    Sounds of many echoed around me, but I have yet to breathe.


    Rigid as <b>a </b>statue, the fatal promise the woman made to me reyed <b>like </b>a video¨Ccassette in my mind, <b>rewinding </b>and reying again and again. Exchange the life of my father for my freedom. Death for a life. Tearing my eyes from the de, I encountered Lady Sanguine¡¯s expectant grin as her arms squeezed the cotton from the fragile seams of her worn¨Cout teddy bear.


    mes of darkness and destruction licked behind her glittering rubies with untamed desire for death. Each me red to a hushed, internal tune as <b>they </b>scorch <b>what </b>was once Kiya¡¯s purity. The dominant heat of her hatred wrapped its tendrils around my throat <b>and </b>made work to <b>tighten </b>the airways vital for my life. Her mouth promised release, but her eyes promised death.


    She has no intention of letting either of us survive<b>.</b>


    Isn¡¯t that why she has us here? Lady Sanguine could¡¯ve easily finished my father off, but she went through the trouble of <b>towing </b>me along for the ride, toying with me like a puppet. I recalled her promation shortly before she brought here me.


    This is all but a game. But the stakes were too high to ignore.


    Lady Sanguine is torturing me.


    ¡°Why the sudden change in ns?¡± Dad questioned, annihting the stifling silence between us three. ¡°Too afraid to take me out yourself?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, Jonathan.¡± She purred, running her hand through the bear¡¯s pelt. ¡°Your fate is <b>sealed</b>, whether or not I kill you. But it is up to your son to determine if he should be <b>the </b><b>one </b>to take you out. Think of it <b>as </b>your parting gift before you <b>die</b>.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re beyond help.¡±


    ¡°I did <b>ask </b>you if I was crazy when I killed Tristan. Now, you have your answer.


    I <b>was </b>confident when I had nned to take my father away from Lady Sanguine, but now, I¡¯m entombed between two impossibles. If I kill Dad, Kiya, when shees back, won¡¯t live with his death on <b>her </b>hands. However, will letting Lady Sanguine watch have the same effect? I picked up a chipper sigh as she started. tapping her foot.


    ¡°Neron.¡± Onyx mind¨Clinked. ¡°Do it. There is <b>no </b>other alternative. He¡¯s lucky enough to die by your


    hands.¡±


    Is it? Dying by Gane or Lady Sanguine¡¯s hand is a fare worse than the death bell. The male Dad suffer until he expels hisst boeart, Lady Sanguine especially Dying by my hands is an act of men, bene din


    this, he doeon = defame I. TeLO


    Semifer of


    ended of waling dinner the


    But after what Dad has put us through, including the car cash them


    strided to take the de. A deep part of me didnt want world without a family. That part engized the man my


    Mom¡¯s needs, loving with Noria and me and queall a man I looked up to and waUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The man D


    hurt and pain he put me through. His derations that was nothing but a failure u tim genuinity of his smiles at park¨Crted thing. He used is smile whenever I drew permits of tim¡­¡­


    My heart wouldn¡¯t stop weeping


    Heels cached, increasing in volume, and gentle ingens cures underest my cum pulling my rest un Lats Sanguine peened into my sout, but the fated sensations of the worn¨Cout mane bond fer under


    digits. Her touch,


    since the day the left mynds


    Your father is not the type of


    ¡°He hurt you too, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    real Tia sumer benestar 1¨Che frm Tet of te


    anto only have one victim.¡± She murmured, he treats creating my nos


    I didn¡¯t respond. She turned and exhaled. ¡°I remember a day when I was sing away tear the spita


    pelling. He was screaming


    flew out from the doon, holding your face est my head down, but anyone could see the red blossoming De your skin like a rose in a dying garden.


    Dad reprimanded me for me


    used me for not caring enough about thing over the pace DECIDE WE inlewing cough with lessons. I skipped lessons for a full week, and he was in one of it trunken cages. Smiled me a mile and a stain to the memory of Mom and Nuria before pping ate crap out of me


    He overlooked the fact that day was the third anniversary of their dears. I don¡¯t care about a fucking thing because I missed them too much. I couldn¡¯t even sitter gates because Dad nk so much starvard that I was petrified that he¡¯d stopped breaming in his office & sumeen¨Cyear¨Cold boy szuggling to stake his father awake as bottles upon bottlesid around him he discarded toys became a vesich event ill Steven took


    Dad had yet to respond.


    I felt tears pool in from the corner of my eyes and Lady Sanguine sock notice. Brimson dans spark with delight as her hand dried from my chin to cup my cock crading me like a baby


    mer bad your father ¡°I also recall you arguing with him the night before Titan¡¯s execution. How many reminded you are a failure? Useless? An idiot? Did you think you were the only one he said those things 1, shamefully, leaned into her touch as her thumb caressed the underside of my eve is preposteroGS DO defend a lousy excuse of a man like him, and that is why he must perish


    ¡°The nerve of you trying to seduce my son in front of me Dad maried, tugging at his chains. My eyes floated to his face to see pale bices dting with fury. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t expect anything less from a ler.¡±


    Chapter 70¨CFather Dearest


    ¡°Are you truly going to take that sordid belief to the grave, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Damn straight! You single¨Chandedly ruined my life! If I knew Selene¡¯s avatar was nothing more than a deranged home¨Cwrecker, I would¡¯ve snapped your <b>neck </b>at the first opportunity!¡± Dail thrashed against his <b>chains </b>like a ferocious <b>beast</b>, the song of his imprisonment ying sour, screeching tunes,


    ¡°Too bad you couldn¡¯t.¡± She cackled, her caressing thumb holding a constant pace. ¡°But you had many opportunities to execute me, although you let them pass you by. Why is that? Is it only because of my connection to Neron, or is there something else you¡¯re not telling us?¡±


    ¡°I should¡¯ve killed <b>you</b>.¡±


    ¡°And now, I¡¯m a killer!¡± Lady Sanguine guffawed. ¡°It all hase full circle!¡±


    ¡°Neron, listen to me.¡± The heat of his re pulled my eyes to his. ¡°Make the wrong decision, and you¡¯ll live to regret it! If your mother and sister were alive, what would they think of you?! Can you stomach <b>throwing </b>away your only family for an unstable woman?!¡±


    Fury boiled through my entire body, burning away the edges of my skepticism. A fierce headache throbbed in my skull as Dad¡¯s well¨Cknown tactics of maniption hooked themselves into my psyche. The nerve of him mentioning Mom and Nuria<b>! </b>I snarled, snatching my face away from <b>Lady </b>Sanguine¡¯s <b>dark </b>touch. ¡°Quiet! You always do this! I can¡¯t make my damn choices without you guilt¨Ctripping <b>me </b>to siding with you! Are you this blind to the truth when it is right in front of your damn eyes?!¡±


    ¡°The truth is, your mate is a goddamn menace!¡±


    ¡°The truth is, you¡¯re a pompous man who can¡¯t see that you¡¯re the <b>reason </b><b>she </b>and I suffered because I couldn¡¯t do every fucking thing you wanted! What would Mom and Nuria say about YOU?!¡±


    ¡°Everything I did was to make you a <b>strong </b>Alpha! You needed discipline, and I taught you that! I taught you the family, and the packe first! You can¡¯t turn your back on your father!¡±


    ¡°My <b>father </b>died a long time ago.¡±


    Dad gawked at me, aghast with his jaw hanging open. Bronzed arms snaked themselves around my torso, pressing my back to a cushioned front. The dark energy emanating from the touch made me lightheaded and dizzy, sinking into my skin like a lethal poison. A head rests on my back with soft lips pressed over the <b>fabric </b>right where my pack mark is, waiting and demanding. I involuntarily shivered under Lady Sanguine¡¯s touch, but the only saving grace was I feel Kiya¡¯s pure energy lingering underneath.


    ¡°You¡¯d do anything for me, right?¡± Lady Sanguine¡¯s syrupy voice slithered into my ears as her fingers fluttered around my chest. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what mates do? You failed me before, so it is now your chance to make things right, Neron.¡±


    Yes, I have failed her. Failure chipped away at my heart as my father¡¯s <b>years </b>of belittling I¡¯ve buried for the sake of peace. Dad growled in front of me, eyes focused on my every move. I have yet to pick up the de resting underneath my knees, but my fingers ached to take it.


    To end this once and for all.


    ¡°It is not all bad, Neron. Underneath all that nastiness inside your father is love.¡± She continued<b>, </b>her cheek on


    Chapter


    my back. ¡°Your father destroyed me because he loved Celeste and Nuria. He loved you. He <b>hurt </b>you because he ¡°<b>loved </b>you. However, he ruined you just as he ruined me. The only difference is that I¡¯m doing something about it.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to sink into the same darkness I had.¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Oh, this was a long timeing. Karma <b>came </b>back to <b>kick </b>ass, or in my case, kill.¡±


    I could¡¯ve prevented this if I only was strong enough to defend Kiya. If Uncle Zain hadn¡¯te to kill Mom and Nuria. If Dad was still the loving man, I faintly remember. But, no matter how I spin the scenarios, it alles <b>back </b>to one ending.


    This is just my <b>fault </b>as it is my Dad¡¯s. He started the fire, and I roused the mes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Show it.¡± Lady Sanguine stated, digging her nails into my skin. A soft, anguished groan escaped my lips. underestimating <b>how </b>sharp her nails were. ¡°Rid the world of the man who ruined us. Unless you <b>were </b>lying to me all this time, like you¡¯re lying about your regret?¡±


    ¡°I never lied. Ever.¡± I shot back. ¡°I regret everything I¡¯ve done to <b>you</b>, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Lady Sanguine.¡±


    ¡°Same difference. You¡¯re still her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, maybe


    not. But I <b>don¡¯t </b>like beine kept waiting. Alpha. Kill him or I will.¡±


    ¡°Then, release me.¡± My voice came out harsher than intended, but at this point, <b>the </b>constant fucking around with my emotions between Dad and Lady Sanguine had pissed me off. Neither trust me to follow through with my intentions, Lady Sanguine was expected. But from Dad? I¡¯ve been too afraid to admit this to myself with full conviction, despite Onyx settling with his opinions.


    Siding


    th Dad had always been the safest and easiest option. My family <b>was </b>broken, and I didn¡¯t want to break it further. I kept silent about his actions toward me and the monster lingering underneath them morphed itself in a way that his actions became justified. I wanted hisughs, not his anger. But no matter <b>what </b>I do, he¡¯ll never <b>love </b><b>me </b>at full capacity.


    Love, from him, had be conditional overtime.


    I¡¯m tired of walking on eggshells as a grown<b>¨C</b><b>ass </b><b>man</b>. I¡¯ve made my decision.


    I felt a smile from Lady Sanguine on my back before <b>she </b>pulled away, backing off to her corner with her toy. This <b>is </b>between father and son. Dad took onest look at me <b>and </b>shook his head, puffing out a breath of pure revulsion. He <b>knew </b>my decision before I said it. The weight of the de in my hands was light, the tip gleaming off the light of the torches. I took onest look at Dad, the image of his loving self before tragedy


    struck fading into ash.


    If Mom <b>and </b><b>Nuria </b><b>were </b>still <b>here</b>, would¡¯ve I still have had the old Dad? They could¡¯ve <b>saved </b>him. Dad¡¯s heart


    wouldn¡¯t have ckened from their loss. I¡¯ve failed him just as I failed Kiya.


    Will I regret my choice? There was only one way to find out.


    Chapter 711 ¨C Father Dearest


    ¡°You will regret your decision, son.¡± The jail walls sent back a reverting echo at my Dad¡¯s deration. His eyes. held nothing but disappointment for me. I tried to <b>search </b>for the love he had for <b>me</b>, but I couldn¡¯t find it. I¡¯ll never find it. ¡°May our Moon Goddess have mercy on your lonely heart. Kiya will never love you.¡±


    Maybe, she never will. Dad¡¯s <b>final </b>words killed anyst hope I had for love. Well deserved, I suppose.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡±


    It was quick. Undeserving, but quick. I¡¯ve met <b>with </b>Mom and Nuria, and Dad must <b>answer </b>to them about his crimes. The pale blue in his eyes dulled to lifeless grey as my trembling hands thrusted the de into his <b>heart</b>. His final sound Dad will <b>ever </b><b>make </b>on this blue earth was a shocked gasp. His corpse <b>slumped </b>forward, and his blood seeped <b>through </b>my fingers like a hellish waterfall.


    I ended my <b>father¡¯s </b>cruelty. I ended every possibility of him hurting anyone else <b>in </b>the future.


    But my heart twisted deep sorrow, I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t make a sound. My entire family, officially, was gone. Onyx offered me his warmth, but it did nothing to stop the raging rivers dripping down my cheeks while I stared at Dad¡¯s body.


    You¡¯ll always be a fallure.¡±


    Even in death, his words still rung powerfully.


    ¡°Impressive. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d follow through. You just sentenced your father to death.¡±


    Suddenly, scalding <b>pain </b>shed through my right shoulder de, punching all the air out of my lungs. Hot liquid gushed down my back with reckless abandon, burning at the faint breeze brushing over the <b>naked </b>wound on the cut fabric, <b>Gasping </b>in <b>pain</b>, I brought my unsteady hand to the wound, <b>blood </b>staining my entire


    hand.


    I slowly turn my head <b>to </b>see Lady Sanguine, towering over me with an unbelievable amount of glee <b>scorching </b>her <b>eyes</b>. My soul shook in infinite fear under her crazed look, ring red eyes and a sinister grin piercing into


    <b>my </b>own.


    In her hands, she clutched her knife, the de dripping with my blood.


    ¡°And I, hereby<b>, </b>sentence <b>you </b>to death.¡±

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 79 ¨C Survival Pt. 1


    ¡°We must all face our demons sooner orter.¡°¨CMatt Abrams


    Third Person POV


    Anger is an unstable entity immersed in disobedience and resistance. To get the anger under control required near Herculean strength, as it will bend and writhe to continue its destruction of anything and everything it touches. But anger possessed a lust for battle; for if one tries to fight against it, it will push back with weapons of its own. Inside the temple carved of flesh, bone, and blood, an internal battle rages as thebatants fight for dominion within the body. Grunts and yells ricocheted off the surrounding darkness with the scent of sweat thickening the air. Adversaries clothed in opposing colors, ck and white, pushed back against one another while two bodies watched from a distance; arms snaked around each other forfort.


    ¡°Why the fuck are <b>you </b>fighting me?!¡± Lady Sanguine screeched like a banshee, grabbing her silver¨Cd twin by the arm and chucking her body from her. Kiyanded hard on her back, her lungs momentarily stilling upon the brutal impact. She expelled a pained <b>whimper</b>, clutching her right arm while spitting strands of her hair from her face. Little Halima squeaked a frightful whine, burrowing her face further into Artemis¡® chest like a kitten hiding amongst bigger cats. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m <b>doing </b>all of this <b>for </b>you?!¡±


    ¡°No, this needs to stop.¡± Kiya winced, rising to her feet as she tried her best to ignore <b>the </b>pain. Artemis¡® blue eyes read <b>the </b>emotions on her human¡¯s face and it took a titanium¨Clike willpower to stop herself from Interfering. She knew Kiya had to do this alone. ¡°Jonathan is dead! He can¡¯t hurt us anymore; the vengeance we wanted is done!¡±


    ¡°It will never be enough, Kiya!¡± Lady Sanguine¡¯s fists shook at her sides as mes of hatred licked behind her luminous rubies. Furious<b>, </b>she stalked toward Kiya like a ravenous predator to their prey, her pointed teeth bared for her to see. ¡°They haven¡¯t suffered enough! Our revenge won¡¯t be done until everyone who has ever hurt you is dead underneath my heels!¡±


    Every yell from Lady Sanguine¡¯s mouth shook the foundation under Kiya¡¯s feet. Her <b>hatred </b>was powerful enough to incinerate the hairs on her arms. Kiya almost couldn¡¯t believe that this woman¨C<b>no</b>, this manifestation was her, or rather, a part of her. The bond she and <b>her </b>ck¨Cd twin shared pulsated with moltenva seeping into the heart they shared.


    Untamed fire upon a scorched earth.


    Acid rain killing flora and <b>fauna</b>.


    Unhealed rage returning with a nail in its heel and <b>blood </b>dripping from its <b>eyes</b>.


    Lady Sanguine was <b>a </b>reurring figure through her recovery, not as a tangible being, but as a life¨Cforce nestled in the deepest recesses of her mind and soul. She was anger. She was her anger and her hatred. Kiya wasn¡¯t fighting <b>against </b>a demon who possessed her; she was fighting against herself.


    Her biggest challengeid within her until Osiris brought her out and gave her a living form.


    Sweat rolled down the back of her neck once Lady <b>Sanguine </b>was but a couple of inches from her body, <b>eyes </b>locked into one another in an unbreakable trance<b>. </b>How can Kiya reason with herself to <b>stop </b>the pointless bloodshed? ¡°We aren¡¯t judge, jury<b>, </b>and executioner, Sanguine. We have no authority to decide who lives and


    who dies<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°And we should leave that decision up to fate? To your damn goddess?! Fate never favored us<b>, </b>and it won¡¯t


    start now!¡± The irate woman grabbed the cor of Kiya¡¯s shirt and pulled her closer toward her to where their noses brushed against one another, lursh breathing fanning her chin. ¡°Your tender heart weakens your resolve, <b>Kiya</b><b>. </b>Revenge has no room for <b>weakness </b>and neither do I. I¡¯m simply doing what you couldn¡¯t¨Ctaking back the power stolen from you.¡±


    ¡°Through murder?¡± Kiya¡¯s lips tightened into a scowl, forcing her hands off her shirt. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I wanted at all! Taking back power doesn¡¯t mean killing people.¡±


    Lady Sanguine shrugged her shoulders<b>, </b>smirking. ¡°It does in my book.¡±


    ¡°You made Neron kill his father¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, wasn¡¯t that amazing?¡± She <b>cackled</b>, clutching her stomach. ¡°The idiot thought he could <b>save </b>you by carrying that burden! Foolish and admirable, I admit. If I had the power to bring Alpha Fuckface back to life, I¡¯d have so much more fun with him. Aren¡¯t you delighted that he¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Kiya breathed, flexing her fingers to control the flood of emotions in her. ¡°But, Neron shouldn¡¯t have¡­what was the point?!¡±


    ¡°An eye for an eye, darling.¡± She snickered. ¡°And Selene was working too slow to deliver karma, so I sped up <b>the </b>process.¡±


    ¡°This is too much.¡± Kiya whispered, as felt an iing headache rearing its ugly head. Lady Sanguine speaks of <b>the </b>thoughts she formerly had. She wanted everyone to suffer how she did¨Cto feel her pain, fear, agony; everything she carried for thirteen years. But, after seeing the damage <b>she </b>caused, she wanted to take it all. back. This couldn¡¯t be the legacy she wanted to leave behind. ¡°Yes, they deserved karma.¡± Kiya huffed in an unsteady breath. ¡°But, goddamnit, I¡¯m sick of being angry all the time! I¡¯m tired of putting all my energy into hating, fighting, and hurting! Can¡¯t you see how consuming this all is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a <b>shit</b>, Kiya.¡±


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t. Kiya recalled the day she and Neron had their first sparing session. The first time she lost control of her emotions. Hatred scorched and frayed all rationale <b>and </b><b>sent </b>her into <b>a </b>blinding <b>red </b>rage where she pummeled the <b>Alpha </b>until his blood painted both her fists. <b>That </b>moment opened her eyes to how terrified she was of bing the people who hurt her. She was not a violent person.


    Her desire for revenge over the eight years torn from her was more of her desire for people to understand her. To listen.


    But, as she learned in the past several months, many aren¡¯t willing to oblige.


    Kiya shook her head as the unpleasant realization washed over her like a savage <b>wave </b>from the wrathful ocean. ¡°I can scream all I want, Lady Sanguine, but not everyone will listen to me.¡± A threat to reputation had to be silenced or deceived. <b>Jonathan </b>actively tried to silence her by downying the pain he inflicted on her, and he got to keep his reputation amongst Zircon Moon. He would never listen, and for that, she was content he was gone. Ashley and Steven couldn¡¯t own up to their part in her trauma and deflected They¡¯re still alive. But she couldn¡¯t <b>find </b>it in her to care.


    many <b>times</b>.


    .we


    Hoy bass to be willing him in that Has simply in


    The strength to live) I was there, we step of He won in you try, biking the bow becond cut you


    Each Sanquine showed to the ground, where the popote bonusl the woman he the ground by hea siete and to the angry woman tiated and tool her head in de sticted her notice fallen form ¡°,


    Nova d¡¯t want to the under the mube of yougue for the post of her life she wanted to be happy the


    It was time to stop negotiating and start ghitung, yet again that she loqned for the day that she¡¯ll Bually reder


    Fuecrackers popped and sissiest in Kiva¡¯s belly upon Landynguini¡¯s allons deration. Her wrists, hemmal to the ground, <b>light </b>against the view while the strengths that leted her in times of depuration Hlowed b into her body. Paired with its lover adrenaline, it pumpest and died through her arteries and veins, leaving ne nerve untouched Kiva couldn¡¯t stomach any more deaths


    handen


    Lady Sanguine wax conect on one thing her heart is soft, but it can banton when need be,


    Releasing a mighty war, Kiva ripped her wrists from the tedits¡® grans as power flowed through her veins. Selene was absent, but she could feel the son mystici bianching and mapping out her arteries and wine Lady Sanguine spatied like a furious beast at the silent challenge from her counterpart.


    In the outside world, hell had slipped through the crack mid pulled Nerum into hte nightmare Deja vu wan The only way to describe the scenario yed out in front of him. The wound on his back erted rivers of blood, dripping onto the dusted Host under his knees as lus tertilled lines walelud mustion red rupt behind Laly Sanguine¡¯s irises while her cackles bounced off the prison walls.


    Did that make her a bad person? She bit her lip <b>as </b>she ruminated on that thought with her eyebrows knitted together. Tears welled in her eyes. What did it mean to be a good person? <b>Could </b>she still be a good person and celebrate <b>the </b><b>deaths </b>of her abusers? Does light still exist within her when all her care for her biological parents faded like wisps in the wind? Even now, with death on her hands, can she still im goodness?


    Lark Sanguine peered in her face again, her eyebrows raised as <b>a </b>sadistic grin etched on her lipses


    they <b>have </b>to be willing? Face it, Kiya. You wouldn¡¯t have the strength to cast karma down on those motherfuckers if it wasn¡¯t for me. You¡¯re weak.¡±


    says


    The woman red daggers at her ck¨Cd twin, the insult pricking itself into every pore. Lady Sanguine took notice and stifled a giggle. Oops. Struck a nerve! Can¡¯t handle the truth, moon baby?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me <b>weak</b>.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you are!¡± She continued. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here today if it wasn¡¯t for <b>me</b><b>. </b>I was the one who gave you. the strength to live! I was there, every step of the way in your recovery, lurking in the background until you needed me! You¡¯re nothing without me, Kiya! Without me, you would¡¯vemitted suicide again. I saved you, and this is how you repay me¡­you ungrateful cunt!¡±


    Tendril¨Clike grapnels shot from the ground without warning, wiggling and writhing for the touch of flesh. Lady Sanguine shoved Kiya to the ground, where the grapnels bound the woman to the ground by her wrists and torso. The angry woman tutted and shook her head as she circled her twin¡¯s fallen form. ¡°Once again<b>, </b>I must take control of the situation. I¡¯m going to kill Neron, and you¡¯ll watch, so be a good girl and behave. After all, I did promise Odessa that she¡¯ll meet him in death.¡±


    Kiya didn¡¯t want to live under the umbre of vengeance for the rest of her life. She wanted to be happy. She wanted to be okay.


    It was time to stop negotiating and start fighting, yet again. But she hoped for the day that she¡¯ll finally rx in peace<b>.</b>


    Firecrackers popped and sizzled in Kiya¡¯s belly upon Lady Sanguine¡¯s callous deration. Her wrists, bound to the ground, fought against the vice while the strength that fleeted her in times of desperation flowed back into her body. Paired with its lover adrenaline, it pumped and danced through her arteries and veins, leaving no nerve untouched. Kiya couldn¡¯t stomach any more death.


    Lady Sanguine was correct on one thing. Her heart is soft, but it can harden when need be.


    Releasing a mighty roar, Kiya ripped her wrists from the tendrils¡® grasp as power flowed through her veins. Selene was absent, but she could feel the moon mysticism branching and mapping out her arteries and veins. Lady Sanguine snarled like a furious beast at <b>the </b>silent challenge from her counterpart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop you!¡±


    In the outside world, hell had slipped through the cracks and pulled Neron into his nightmare. Deja vu <b>was </b>the only way to describe the scenario yed out in front of him. <b>The </b>wound on his back cried rivers of blood, dripping onto the dirtied floor under his knees as his terrified blues watched molten <b>red </b>erupt behind Lady Sanguine¡¯s irises while her cackles bounced off the prison walls.


    <b>3/5</b>


    Chapter 29: Survival P


    Same action. Same phrase. Different <b>scenarios</b>. Different times.


    He said those exact words when he sentenced Kiya to death at his ceremony. That phrase he thought he had buried in his head came back at full force, bombarding his senses with more guilt than ever before. Neron got his just desserts for the wound on his back, without a doubt, matched <b>the </b>scar on Kiya¡¯s back.


    He was going to die.


    Lady Sanguine¡¯s body unceremoniously began jerking at different angles as herughter rippled through the air. Every giggle followed with a silent hiss as her nails dug into her chest to ease the growing pain pulsing through her body. Thick acrid ck billowed in from the <b>cracks </b>and gapes of the prison doors and walls, substituting the amber glow for unsettling darkness. Neron watched <b>his </b>world fade into a bottomless void, with his palpitating heart as hispanion. He couldn¡¯t see his body, nor his deceased father. Sweat barreled down his temples. Was there anything he could do? Soon, his back met the wall, his wound screaming upon


    contact.


    ¡°Kiya-!¡±


    Shimmering rubies glowed with rage as an iron grip sped around Neron¡¯s throat, violently choking, ying the song of his imminent demise. Fear tickled his heart, for the first time in a long time. He threw his hands on the woman¡¯s arms to yank her crushing hold off him, but she was much stronger than <b>him</b>. Stronger than a dozen alphasbined. His attempts at freedom carned him with narrowing airways, cutting off his oxygen.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Sanguine, your angel of death!¡± She hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Remember that as you spend yourst moments begging for my mercy! Kiya <b>will </b>thank me for getting rid of you. Never again will she hurt from the pain you inflicted on her!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    A thunderous crash.


    Prison doors groaning and copsing in a dust¨Cpacked heap under excessive weight.


    Neron¡¯s heavy body, a foot taller than the woman in question, was thrown through the entrance like a demolition ball. Dust sprinkled around him like sugar, burning his lungs as pitiful coughs escaped his mouth. His body roared for relief from the impact, but Onyx was also in shock to offer his human healing. All the wolf could feel is an unyielding horror from the telltale cking of heels against the ground.


    Danger <b>was </bing. The tiny voice buried underneath theyers of his subconscious spoke for the first <b>time</b>, tiny yet powerful in volume.


    Run.


    Run!


    Wolf instinct tells him to fight. To survive. But he couldn¡¯t raise a hand against Kiya. Hurting her for his sake -his soul couldn¡¯t bear it. Isn¡¯t that what got him in this mess in the first ce? As Lady Sanguine drew closer, the voice began shouting at him.


    Run or else she¡¯ll kill you!


    The blood of his father clung to his flesh like a secondyer, perfuming his sin straight into his nose. His grave sin. But he had to do it. For her.


    Chapter 79- Survival 1. 1


    Run, you idiot!


    The faded light from the dungeon corridor highlighted the side of her face down to her hip and there, she clenched her bloodied de, the gleam of the tip excited to pierce his flesh once again. Underneath all of that hatred was his mate. His Kiya. His fists shook at his side, eyes searching in the depths of crimson to find her light.


    It was dull, nearly dying, but he saw it.


    <b>Kiya </b><b>was </b>still in there.


    Fighting.


    Lady Sanguine knew Neron wouldn¡¯t raise a hand against her. Her grin said it all. Killing the Alpha was going to be a gratifying experience, but not without the fear. The terror. The dynamics of nature have deviated. Nature deemed the alpha wolf as the ultimate predator, unyielding and dangerous. Challenging their throne equated to a death sentence.


    Now he was the prey. The <b>prey </b>that didn¡¯t want to fight back. And the woman was the apex predator ready to dine on flesh.


    Lady Sanguine released a mighty roar <b>and </b>leaped toward Neron, her knife aimed high.


    ¡°Neron, run!¡± Onyx¡¯s <b>voice </b>scorched through his trance. Against his better instincts, his nature, Neron jumped to the side and bolted, the de only snagging a couple of strands of his hair. A gaggle of maniacal giggling nipped at his heels as his feet pounded against the pavement.


    ¡°Run all you can, motherfucker! You¡¯re dead!¡±


    Chapter Comments


    Vii Tay


    whatdy said is right! kiya is, weak


    k that¡¯s why


    <b>by </b>all this happened, she d


    didn¡¯t want revenge but the still living in hatred in her heart


    VIEW 1 COMMENT O


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 Chapter 169

    Chapter 80 <b>¨C </b>Survival Pt. 2


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually lose my temper, but if I get angry, it¡¯s true- I¡¯m scary.¡± ¨C Eva Mendes


    Third Person POV


    A fang pricked the bottom lip of a toothy smile, a bead of blood sprouting from the incision. The shadows slithered through cracks and corners as a traveling witness to the bloodied spectacle. Trepidation tainted every air molecule while Neron sprinted through corridor after corridor to escape his fate, clutching her dagger, following him at anguid pace.


    The Prince bloodline was nearing its end. Osiris stifled a chuckle in his throat as glee dipped his <b>mind </b>in a pleasant haze, knowing his sess will be beautiful.


    From the dungeons, to the basement, to the bottom floor of his home. Steel to drywall marked the trail of the maroon¨Ceyed marauder, screeches ringing like sirens. Orange glow from the torches faded to fluorescent lighting,ter fading to miniscule sunlight, spotting the darkness <b>from </b>the windows,


    How long will the chase go <b>on</b>?


    ¡°She¡¯ll never hurt again! I¡¯ll burn everything to ash!¡± Lady Sanguine screeched before buckling over on her knees because of another violent jerk of her body. Osiris noticed her condition and arched an eyebrow in curiosity. His attention focused on hisdy. The woman sucked in a sharp breath; hand pressed against her chest like she was having trouble breathing. ¡°I¡¯ll show her¡­¡± She muttered, pushing herself on her feet again with the support of the <b>wall</b>. ¡°I¡¯ll show Kiya that I love her more than you!¡±


    She slipped off her pumps and ripped the heels from the insole before throwing her damaged shoes to the side. Newfound vigor pulsated through her ferality, urging her to surrender into the fiery lust of murder. She dashed toward Neron, eyes narrowing on his backside. A sharp whistle cut through the air near the shell of Neron¡¯s ear, and a sharp yelp left his mouth from two violent pricks <b>of </b>pain sinking in his back.


    The woman embedded her heels in his back.


    ¡°Onyx, any suggestions?¡± Neron beseeched. ¡°<i>I </i>can¡¯t keep running where there is not an exit in sight!¡±


    ¡°You need to fight her.¡±


    Neron nearly skidded to a stop. ¡°<i>I </i>can¡¯t-!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>She is winning because you¡¯re scared! I don¡¯t like it, but Lady Sanguine is thriving from <b>you </b>running instead of fighting. She expected this. The more you run, the more ammunition you give her to kill you. Running instead of facing is why people are dying left and right. We need to face the anger <b>we </b>helped create, Neron! You won¡¯t be hurting her, but simply proving that you aren¡¯t a coward.¡±


    Continuous promations of hate burned hotter against the flesh of his back more than his wounds. Every word from Lady Sanguine¡¯s frothing mouth stabbed him in the heart as he winced, eyes and hands desperately searching for a refuge. He couldn¡¯t <b>believe </b>he caused this. Did killing <b>his </b>father in front of her give the same effect as her killing <b>him </b>herself?


    <b>The </b>mind is aplex object; a mind dipped in a <b>pool </b>of hatred, more so..


    Chapter


    Neron didn¡¯t want to fight Kiya, but was that his only option?


    It is the only way.


    at the thought of raising his hands


    His heart thudded in against his mate again, for his sake.


    <b>You </b>won¡¯t hurt her.


    Lady Sanguine¡¯s steps pounded in his ears, drawing closer with each passing door. It <b>was </b>a deadly game of cat and mouse<b>. </b>The cat wanted <b>death</b>. The mouse wanted survival.


    Stop running and start fighting for your survival.


    Doors flung wide and Neron entered a spacious <b>area</b>, dimly lit by the dotted specs of sunlight from the drawn draperies of windows lining the wall to his right. Pristine tiles reflected his dusty and appearance as blood continued to drip from his <b>back</b>, the crevices drinking in every drop. A set of winding stairs extended several floors above him, permeating <b>bleach</b>, and other cleaning products. Neron¡¯s nose red, hoping to detect stray. scents of who or what might be housed in this maze of a mansion, but he <b>found </b>none.


    But Neron didn¡¯t have time to admire the <b>space </b>because a violent tackle to the ground destroyed his train of thought. Two bodies collided onto the hard ground in <b>a </b><b>sea </b>of struggle and restraint, grunting and yelling with the <b>dangerous </b>de pointed above their heads. Lady Sanguine kneed <b>Neron </b>in the stomach and elbowed him in the nose, a nasty crack echoing in the air.


    Don¡¯t let her kill you! Fight back!


    ¡°Your life is mine!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, no!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Stab. Unsheathe.


    The first stab to the


    to the shoulder unleashed lightning strikes of pain through Neron¡¯s body, incinerating every pain receptor around the wound. The pointed tip of the de soaked up the blood like a hungry monster, searching for more as it sliced through the flesh of Neron¡¯s torso and chest. Teeth stained with <b>red </b>gritted against each other as another stab perforated his right bicep. Onyx¡¯s howls, enhanced by the searing pain of both <b>silver </b>and wolfsbane, bombarded the inner chamber of Neron¡¯s mind <b>and </b>bombarded his eardrums. His wolf writhed in pain while his eyes watched the insanity on the woman¡¯s <b>face </b>grow each second, her manicughter <b>crackling </b>through the air.


    FIGHT BACK!


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Neron shouted, tossing Lady Sanguine off his body, where shended on her back some feet away from him in a heap of giggles. The Alpha groaned and rolled to his side, coughing as a small <b>pool </b>formed. underneath his body. The pain was intolerable, reaching to the blurred <b>edges </b>of his vision. He grimaced as he gingerly pushed his body on his knees.


    He didn¡¯t scream. He didn¡¯t cry. Showing weakness wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it?!¡± The woman cackled, her body unconsciously thrusting to the side as she grimaced, <b>one</b>


    hand over her stomach. ¡°There is no doctor here to patch your sorry ass up, just like there wasn¡¯t to patch Kiya up!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ know.¡± Neron squeaked as he watched his blood drip from his wound. Everything wasing in full circle; all Kiya had felt is what he is feeling now. He hissed with every inhale, his lungs drowning in the from the assault.


    Don¡¯t give up. Keep fighting.


    Something dropped to the ground with a dull nk. Neron¡¯s eyes went to the shining object resting upon smears of red¨CKiya¡¯s full¨Cmoon pendant. Promising himself that he would get it fixed, he kept it pocket. The cut Lady Sanguine made on his thigh severed the stitches of his pocket. Thus, the ne slipped out. His hand, trembling, <b>picked </b>it up as his eyes watering at the <b>dyed </b>silver.


    Kiya¡¯s smile before their first date shed in his mind¨Cher pearly whites glittering under the lights of his home. For the first time, he made her smile. Then he remembered her forlorn expression the day she left his territory. She also wore it then. Pride and happiness bubbled in his chest whenever he spotted Kiya wearing this pendant.


    Broken or not, it meant something to him. It meant something to her.


    He couldn¡¯t die without seeing Kiya wear it onest time,


    You can do this.


    Lady Sanguine groaned as she pushed herself back on her feet, ring at the man staring at his hands. ¡°Have you already epted your fate?¡± Neron didn¡¯t answer. ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as a yes.<b>¡±</b>


    The woman burst into a run toward the kneeling Alpha, bloodied de raised to strike him in the neck. However, Neron shot up on his feet and grappled at her wrists, restraining her from executing him. Through the blood on his face, Lady Sanguine saw his scowl and the determination burning behind his eyes. A twist to the wrist forced the woman to drop her knife with a yelp, and the Alpha kicked it away from them.


    She released a fierce snarl. ¡°No! You won¡¯t stop me! ck branched from the woman¡¯s fingertips to her elbows, mapping out her veins underneath the snake emblem on her skin. The dark touch burned Neron¡¯s palms, but he <b>refused </b>to let go. He refused to show his pain. ¡°Release me, bastard!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, Kiya!¡± <b>Neron </b>shouted, grunting with effort as his arms began buckling under Lady Sanguine¡¯s strength and powers. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand the full extent <b>of </b>how I hurt you, but I won¡¯t walk away from yout You¡¯re so much stronger than this<b>, </b>not because of what you went through, but because you¡¯re a good persons¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡± Lady Sanguine screeched, pulling her head back and mming her forehead on <b>Neron¡¯s </b>jaw, rewarded with a deep yelp. ¡°I¡¯m the better protector! I¡¯m better than you, stronger <b>than </b>you, faster than you¨Ceverything! You don¡¯t deserve her, at


    A shot of pain interrupted her tirade, impaling through her stomach, dispersing to her ribcage and the apex of her thighs. A pained mew! rolled <b>from </b>her lips as sweat dripped from her temples, the agony forcing her knees <b>to </b>tremble. Breathing became harder and her thoughts scrambled like eggs. ¡°No! She must¡­ stop!¡±


    Chapter


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Kiya strained, her arms looped under Lady Sanguine¡¯s armpits. She pressed her back against her front, keeping her still while she wiggled like <b>a </b>worm trying to escape.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to <b>me</b>!¡±


    ¡°I can, and I will!¡±


    Lady Sanguine¡¯s screams rocked the realm once again as she tried all means to escape her twin¡¯s clutches, <b>from </b>stomping on her feet to hitting the back of her head against her jaw. But Kiya didn¡¯t relent. It motivated her to tighten her hold.


    ¡°All <b>I </b>wanted was to protect you, Kiya! Why is that a fucking crime?!¡±


    ¡°Not in this way, Lady Sanguine.¡± The woman panted, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t want this -all this death and killing, this isn¡¯t me. You don¡¯t need to protect me all the time!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do! You would never be safe as long as they were alive! I did what I had to do to protect your heart!¡±


    ¡°I understand, Lady Sanguine, but¡­¡± Kiya grunted, and used the rest of her incredible strength to still the wiggling woman, pressing her face into the crook of her neck. Lady Sanguine froze. I don¡¯t need continuous protection. Destroying the world won¡¯t protect me. You should be angry at me.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>W¨CWhy?¡±


    ¡°Because I ran. I kept you in here¡­ just like I did to Halima.¡± Hot tears burned on Lady Sanguine¡¯s arm like acid. She winced and jerked, but her efforts were futile under her twin¡¯s strength ¡°Every time I felt angry, felt you, I kept it down. Swallowed it like water and moved on. I repressed you and kept burying you deeper inside of myself until I couldn¡¯t feel you anymore. I hated you because I feared what I could do if you came o you can see, you¡¯re pretty damn terrifying¡±


    ¡°Protect¡­¡± Lady Sanguine whimpered, resting her head on Kiya¡¯s. ¡°I just wanted to protect¡­¡±


    ¡°You did, but it has gone too far. You can¡¯t hurt anymore people¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Neron¡­.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done enough damage on him. You made your mark, and it is time for you to rest


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to! Please, just let me kill him.¡±


    ¡°Stop, please!¡± Lady Sanguine felt a small bundle of warmth wrap around her legs. She looked down to see Halimatched on her like a ko, her puffy brown eyes gazing into her reds. ¡°Lady Sanguine, please stop. We can¡¯t do this anymore. We¡­ I¡¯m not happy. Osiris lied to us.¡±


    That was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. The trio copsed to the ground as the woman in ck wailed in frustration, pain, exhaustion, and mncholy. An endless trail of Let me kill him rolled out of her tear- stained lips while tremors from her sobbing shook her body. Artemis ran over and supported Kiya from the back by taking her in her arms, burying her nose in her ebony curls.


    ¡°1-1-1 just-!¡±


    ¡°It is time to stop.¡±


    After a minute of crying, Lady Sanguine slumped over like a sack of potatoes. Her knife fell from her <b>hand</b>, in which Artemis <b>kicked </b>away. Her <b>sniffles </b>echoed through the empty space, tugging at Kiya¡¯s heart strings when she raised her head to face her angry half.


    ¡°Am I evil?¡± She <b>asked </b>in abored whisper. ¡°Did I make you a bad person?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Artemis spoke up<b>, </b>capturing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything to make Kiya a bad person, Lady Sanguine<b>. </b>I believe¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°¡­ like me, <b>you </b><b>know </b>Kiya deserves the world¨C<b>peace</b><b>, </b>happiness, and more. You were reacting against her <b>trauma </b>and mistreatment.¡±


    ¡°Until <b>Osiris </b>came and messed everything up.¡± Halima mumbled, rubbing her small head against Lady Sanguine¡¯s knee. ¡°We can fix this, right?¡±


    Kiya nodded <b>slowly</b>, eyes still glued to the irate woman. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, but that is if you give me my body


    back.¡±


    Lady Sanguine wanted to argue more, but the weight of the world rested on top of her body, expelling herst breaths. With her <b>eyes </b>downcast, she <b>nodded</b>.


    ¡°It was fun while itsted.¡±


    Neron <b>took </b>every punch to the face. Every kick to the legs. Every headbutt to the chin. Blood continued to leak like rivers, but that didn¡¯t stop him. Lady Sanguine screamed at him to let her go, but the Alpha tightened his hold. Not just to protect himself, but to show her he wouldn¡¯t <b>give </b>up on her.


    His hands burned <b>under </b>the radiation of her dark <b>touch</b>, skin splitting and blood staining bronze. His body cried for relief and his knees beckoned him to fall, but he remained standing. Despite being on the verge of fainting, <b>Neron </b>found peace.


    ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you again, <b>ever</b>. Lady Sanguine or <b>not</b>.¡± Neron breathed, his lungs burning. ¡°Please Kiya! Come back! I¡­ I don¡¯t <b>want </b>you to hurt, anymore. Come back¡­ for all who love you.¡±


    Lady Sanguine¡¯s hard, noisy inhales and exhales echoed in the smoldering space between their bodies in rapid session before <b>quieting </b>down toplete silence. She ceased struggling and stood still, eyes <b>concealed </b>in the shadow of her messy fringe. Neron held his breath, waiting for something to happen, readying himself for another attack. Or worse.


    Instead, the woman copsed to her knees, taking the battered Alpha with her upon the miniature pool of blood. Small whimpers <b>escaped </b>through tight, plump lips as her wrists weakly tried to escape his loosening grip.


    ¡°Lady Sanguine?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°¡­Kiya<b>?</b>¡±


    Kiya <b>raised </b>her head, gradually, to meet Neron¡¯s <b>face</b><b>, </b>silent tears staining her cheeks. A sigh of relief left the


    Chapter 10 <b>¨C </b>Survival Pt 2


    Alpha as, once again, he peered into a pair of beautiful browns. All words stuck to the base of her throat, reluctant to escape. All Kiya could do was sigh and <b>close </b>her eyes as Neron¡¯s palm caressed her cheek.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Both Neron and Onyx wanted to sing their praises<b>, </b><b>as </b>if it weren¡¯t for the hairs on the back of the


    man¡¯s neck sticking up in full salute. Crackles <b>doused </b>the air. Something wasing toward them, and it wasing <b>fast</b>. Without hesitation, ignoring his frail <b>state</b>, Neron gathered Kiya in his arms, pressing her face into his shoulder.


    ¡°I got you.¡±


    A door stood some distance from him, but he wouldn¡¯t make it, given his state. So, like any many, he opted to leaping through the nearest window, barely avoiding contact with a crackling strip of dark energy following him<b>.</b>


    A roar of utter fury shook the castle.


    He had angered the snake.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 81 ¨C Asir


    ¡°Maybe I couldn¡¯t help everyone survive, but I <b>could</b>, at least, save this one life.¡°¨C Tiana Warner


    Nerva


    ss shards rained around Kiva and I as our bodies descended to the green grass, stray shards sinking inte my open wounds when Inded on my feet. Big mistake. The shock wave of thending rippled through my feet to my head, the fierce explosions of pain forcing me on my knees. It took a god¡¯s worth of willpower to not curse out my existence. My wounds were sobbing for relief, their tears of blood continued to feed the earth with my misery.


    Every damn thing hurt!!


    But I couldn¡¯t show any weakness, not when Osiris was hot on my heels.


    My eyes found an open entrance into the thick forest, the sum peppering the trail of freedom on the brown. barks. I could make a run for it, but where would I go? I don¡¯t know the area or <b>where </b>I <b>am </b>at, so I¡¯d be wasting my energy. Not to mention that I don¡¯t think I can get far with my injuries, Breathing, now, was so Painful to do. I tried standing, but my knees instantly gave out under me, reluctant to cooperate with me. Even my peripheral vision began muddling into an opaque blur.


    I have kiya, but how the hell am I going to survive this?


    A weak groan from below caressed my eardrums. I looked <b>down </b>at Kiya with a smile gracing my lips, taking a moment to admire the serenity softening her face. Eyes closed, full lips slightly parted, her messy straight <b>hair </b>syed on her forehead and cheeks like an open fan. Blood <b>was </b>smeared across her exposed skin, including her cheeks and neck, but she still looked gorgeous. Her honeyed scent was sweetening right under my nose, no longer the sourness that morphed into my nightmares.


    How could this be the same woman who tried to kill <b>me </b>ten minutes before<b>?</b>


    ¡°Kiya.¡± 1 murmured, shaking her as gently as I could. Footsteps inched closer behind <b>me</b>, signaling the approach of the beast. I could feel Osiris¡± fangs ready to tear my throat open. ¡°You need to run. Please, wake up.¡±


    Kiya didn¡¯t. Instead, she pressed her body to mine,tching her arms around my neck. She couldn¡¯t be doing. this voluntarily, right? As much as I wanted to rejoice, I couldn¡¯t. I propped Kiya¡¯s body carefully on one knee when the strain on my arms became too much. Adrenaline left my body at a hurried pace, blistering agony taking refuge. Not even Onyx could heal me, for the silver injured him as well. My mind <b>swam </b>under the atmosphere of pain, helpless to keep up with the rapid change of hormones.


    Goddess, I can¡¯t let things end here!


    ¡°Touching what is mine is a death wish, dear Neron.¡± A voice snarled from behind. I turned my head to <b>face </b>the orchestrator of this hell, walking toward me with <b>ck </b>energy misting in one hand and an enormous <b>snake </b>slithering around the other. Rage exploded in my chest at this bastard iming Kiya to be his. ¡°Since Lady Sanguine couldn¡¯t kill you, I¡¯ll do it myself and have her punished for defiance.¡±


    ¡°With


    my Goddess willing, I will rip your torso in half if you try to touch Kiya!¡± I roared, holding Kiya against my body like a guardian to their princess. My body demanded rest, sleep clouding all five senses, trying to


    force me to keel over. She whimpered, mild tremors rocking her body to where I could feel them rolling through my arts.


    ¡°You can barely stand, useless Alpha. What makes you think you can fight me?¡± Osiris giggled, his silvery hair flowing with the breeze. Under human scrutiny<b>, </b>many would dare to call him beautiful. But today, he was a monster. This man inserted himself into my life, ruined Kiya, and leveled Zircon Moon from the ground.


    I didn¡¯t feel hatred. No, this was a level beyond hatred. I wanted Osiris gone.


    However, he was right. I was in no shape to fight him. As Osiris drew closer, I continued to shake Kiya awake, but she tightened her hold around me. Burrowing. Hiding. Trying to get as close as she could to me, wanting to bury herself underneath my Eesh


    She was scared. And so was I.


    But there was that inkling of hope niggling at the back of my mind. I don¡¯t know where it came from, but it was insistent. It tells me that all will be okay; this isn¡¯t the end. Help ising. Do I hold out for it or try Eight Osiris, resulting in my death?


    ¡°Hand my darling over.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I prefer it that way!


    Osiris readied his hand to deliver the killing blow. My hold around Kiya tightens and I stare down at the face of death itself, bracing myself for the life¨Csnatching impact. Unafraid. Unflinching. I refused to go out like a coward. At least I¡¯ll die with thest touch being my mate¡¯s


    ? *ASIR=¡±


    Time had frozen. Silence nketed us like a heavy fog after a stormy day. The demon snake¡¯s eyes widened like tes, and his skin paled into pallid brown. I watched the tremors seize control of his body while unshed tears glossed over his eyes, downgrading from menace to vulnerable child. He turned, gradually with fear, to face the person who called out the name that destroyed his entire world.


    It was then I realized the perpetrator looked exactly like him


    What the fuck?!


    Osiris


    My older brother.


    My older twin brother.


    He was alive this entire time?!


    Something foreign bubbled up in me, tearful and overjoyed to see Asim. My heart raced a million miles a minute, pounding against my ribcage to reach out to <b>him</b>; desperate for its lost half. It wanted its sibling¡¯s touch and it would kill me for it. The twin bond, the bond I thought to be long deceased, fluttered to life when we locked eyes. The violet hue of his eyes put the iolite gemstone to shame¨Csharing a remnant of our mother¡¯s beauty. He took after her the most.


    Memories of our time as indentured servants flooded my senses the longer I stared at his <b>face </b>and his puffed out chest. My face. Our face. I remembered the smiles he gifted me through his pain, the affectionate touch of his palms when he wiped away my tears, his powerful hugs when we hid in the shadows from our tormenters -everything.


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Asir.¡± He¡¯d always say. ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you in this hell.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re brothers¨Cour bond will never fade. Not even Alpha Titan can destroy us.¡±


    ¡°Stop crying. You must be strong. Predators can sense your fear.¡±


    ¡°Here, have my half<i>. </i>You must be <b>so </b>hungry.¡±


    ¡°One day, we will be free and happy. Wouldn¡¯t that be perfect, Asir? We should get a house and a couple of puppies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here for you. Sleep on myp tonight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    My brother took a singr step toward me, deliberate and full of purpose. I stepped back, uncertain if what <b>I </b><b>was </b>seeing is <b>an </b>borate trick of the mind.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Asir¡­ what the hell are <b>you </b>doing?¡± He demanded, <b>staring </b>right through me with a grimace.


    Same voice, only harder, with a deeper timbre. Instead of a headstrong kid, he was an adult. Asim was real.


    We were in that hell together until we weren¡¯t. Until he disappeared and left me alone under the Alpha¡¯s. bloodied <b>ws</b>. He promised he¡¯d protect me. He promised he wouldn¡¯t leave me.


    He. Fucking. Promised. Me!


    The violent rage and betrayal I felt stomped that alien feeling out! How could he have kept my <b>hopes </b>up and suddenly leave me like that?! Pepi hissed <b>near </b>my car, his body growing with my rage, and baring his fangs for the bastard to see. I waited for my brother¡¯s return like a na?ve little boy. Year after year, I prayed to Selene to see my family again.


    But the stupid Goddess never acknowledged my prayers; always picking favorites over those who truly needed help! Asim was no better than her, and it is now he shows up?!


    I scoffed. Such a <b>shame </b>that I abandoned my heart long ago.


    I felt nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>a </b>fucking liar!¡± I shouted, ignoring his question. ¡°How long have you been hiding, dear brother? You promised you wouldn¡¯t <b>leave </b><b>me</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a cholce, Asir.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t fucking call me that!¡± That named¨Cursed name, burned me. I hated anything and everything that tied me back to that frail little boy crying for his mommy. ¡°My name is Osiris and you¡¯ll address me as such<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be Asir to me.¡± Asim retorted, taking another deliberate step toward me. ¡°Creating chaos and destroying lives¨CI never <b>thought </b>I¡¯d see you like this.¡±


    ¡°Get with the modern age, Asim. Things have changed, and it is about time you did too.¡± His gaze turned to steel. ¡°Revenge is within my grasp and you won¡¯t stop me from getting it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt the <b>Alpha </b>or his woman any longer!¡±


    ¡°KIYA IS MINE!¡± I roared, a spray of spit jumping from my mouth. ¡°I imed her! I made her into who she is today, and I¡¯ll be damned if I let anyone steal anything else from me again! You couldn¡¯t even uphold your promise to


    me.¡±


    ¡°Kiya never belonged to you!¡± Asim roared back, his fists trembling at his sides. He was as furious as I was, baring his teeth at me as his eyes shed gold. ¡°Tampering with bonds Selene created will only bring you trouble<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°To hell with Selene! You think I¡¯d believe her fucking farce? She didn¡¯t do a damn thing to save me, just like she didn¡¯t with Kiya! She let all that <b>shit </b>happen to us and you¡¯re still giving her the benefit of the doubt?¡± A loud cackle escaped my lips as my hands gripped my scalp<b>, </b>an iing headache making its home at the front of my skull. ¡°How would a goddess as benevolent as her allow for heinous crimes to happen to her children, <b>huh</b>?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t answer for Selene.¡± Asim retorted. He reached into his satchel and pulled a golden item out, sharp. and pointed, discarding the bag to the side. ¡°But you will answer to me for all the horrible things you¡¯ve


    done.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer to shit.¡± Iughed, Pepi slithering hisrge body around my corbone, adjusting himself like my personal usekh cor. ¡°But you will answer to why you abandoned your little brother to the hounds!¡±


    Neron


    My mind couldn¡¯t keep up with the recent information I¡¯ve just heard. The volume of the space muddled like I <b>was </b>underwater, and my focus swam in uncharted waters.


    Asim is Osiris¡® twin brother? Osiris<b>¡® </b>actual name is Asir? Asim abandoned Osiris¨CAsir to my <b>great- </b>grandfather?


    I <b>didn¡¯t </b>know whether to be astonished or pleased because nausea attacked my stomach and threatened toe out of my throat. I lost too much blood. My arms ckened under Kiya¡¯s growing weight. I couldn¡¯t hold <b>her </b>anymore.


    I needed¡­sleep¡­


    Suddenly, multiple familiar scents billowed into my nose as the battle between twins had begun. Asim had to be an avatar with the way he was <b>toe</b>¨Cto¨Ctoe with Osiris¡® onughts and <b>attacks</b>. <b>A </b>weapon gleamed underneath the scattered rays of the sun, aiming towards the demonic snake. Therger snake slithered off his owner <b>and </b>tried to attack. But Asim was shrewd and cunning. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the damn thing, for he <b>he</b>


    grabbed it by the face and flung it against the walls of his castle, sending Osiris into a llying rage,


    tackled Asim.


    The scents grew stronger and closer. I had no energy to cheer for my pack members and Ga Moon¡¯s arrival into this hellhole. My vision blurred into muddles of indescribable colors, but I could make out both Anthony¡¯s and Kwame¡¯s forms running up to me.


    ¡°T¨CTake¡­¡± I wheezed, sputtering out an uncontroble wave of coughs. ¡°T¨Ctake Kiya, please.¡±


    ¡°Stay with me, Neron. We¡¯re going to get you help.¡± Kwame¡¯s voice sounded distant and his touch to the open wound on my bicep was frigid. Or was it me? I couldn¡¯t <b>tell </b>the difference. Kiya groaned as Anthony took her weight off my <b>knee</b>. ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    I shook my head, slumping over like a sack of potatoes. My Gamma was quick to catch me; receiving the answer to his question. In seconds, another scent <b>billowed </b>in my nose. Apples. Valerian..


    ¡°You take one side and I¡¯ll take the other.¡± Kwame ordered, which Valerian slung my left arm over his shoulders. Once my arms were snug around their shoulder des, my men grunted with effort as they pulled me to my feet. Just then, we heard a banshee¨Clike scream of pain from behind us. With the little energy I had, I turned my head to see Osiris on his rear, holding his bloodied shoulder.


    ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯re fast!¡± He eximed, tightening his hold around his newly gained wound,


    ¡°And you¡¯re slow!¡± Asim shouted back, plunging his, what <b>I </b>assume to be a dagger of his own, into his twin¡¯s chest. Choked sounds escaped the viin¡¯s mouth as he slumped onto the ground, his free hand clutching his open chest wound. Blood gushed out and the earth greedily soaked the gift up like a sponge. Asim nced <b>down </b>at his only family with a forlorn frown, and his <b>eyebrows </b>knitted together, like he was about to cry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Asir. You left me with no choice.¡±


    ¡°F¨CFuck you, Asim!¡± Osiris croaked out, turning onto his side as he coughed. The elder brother sighed with regret, grabbing his satchel, and stuffing his de into it. Then, he ran toward us and supported me from the back.


    My world faded into ckness not a moment after.


    I couldn¡¯t hold on.


    I¡¯m too tired.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 171

    Chapter <b>82 </b>Safehouse


    ¡°There <b>is </b>safety in the very heart of danger.¡°¨C Vincent van Gogh


    Neron


    Am I dead?


    My body teetered on a metaphysical ledge, floating above the thin, invisible line separating both states of humanity¡¯s transience. Life and Death. Thend of the living versus the world of the deceased. It was strange; the epassing pain from my wounds faded into nothingness. Sweet euphoria rolled through my body like gentle ocean waves, dousing me from head to toe in pleasant cool. Peace. Serenity.


    I felt secure. Safe..


    I could breathe without the nefarious blood gurgling in my lungs. Healed. I was healed, but I sit on the cusp of death, beckoning me to its embrace with open arms.


    Death was taught to be a terrifying event because <b>no </b>one truly knew what happens to us after we die. Stories of divine punishment and eternal damnation, passed down through generations, cultivated the fear of our mortality <b>and </b>the desire of immortality. We know the dreadful things we¡¯ve done and are terrified to <b>answer </b>for them to a higher power.


    But I knew what awaited me on the other side. My Moon Goddess. What if this was my time to go? What if, despite the shit from the past summer, I¡¯ve ignored the signs of my imminent death? My <b>bloodline </b>had to end at some point, since it carried nothing but destruction. This was meant to happen, foretold by destiny¡¯s silence. Who am I to question it?


    I couldn¡¯t feel the bond connecting my soul to thend of the living.


    Hmm. In the end, Osiris got what he wanted.


    But, if there is one regret I had, is not seeing Kiya¡¯s award¨Cwinning smile before I passed. The one thing that kept me fighting through the messed¨Cup crap thrown at me since day 1. I couldn¡¯t even give her the ne


    Wait! Her ne!


    In a sh of <b>panic</b>, I patted down


    jewelry to the metaphysical.des to <b>check </b>if I had it, but of course, I didn¡¯t. <b>Dead </b>men don¡¯t bring


    jewelry to the metaphysical. I never got it fixed! <b>How </b>could I have thought about passing over if I couldn¡¯t fix


    her ne before I did?


    I need¡­ I need to go back!


    Without warning, I felt something wet and cold press up against my hip, followed by soft fur tickling the back of my neck. I jerked <b>around </b>to be met with a familiar pair of gold <b>eyes </b>that had been with me, though thick <b>and </b><b>thin</b>, belonging <b>to </b>someone I consider my brother. A huff escaped his nose when I wrapped my arms around his bulky body in a tight <b>hug</b>.


    <b>*</b>Yeah<b>, </b>yeah, I¡¯m here, dummy.¡± Onyx scoffed, with a hint of amusement in his voice. He nuzzled his snout against the crook of my neck before licking my face. ¡°I came here before <b>you </b>were to make the dumb¨Cass


    d


    <b>176</b>


    Chapter 812¨CSafehouse


    ecision of epting death. I¡¯m not ready to die yet and you sure as hell aren¡¯t <b>taking </b>me with you!¡±


    ¡°My bad, Onyx.¡± I averted my eyes, heat rolling <b>into </b>my cheeks. ¡°I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything. I know what you <b>were </b>feeling.¡± He sat on his rear end, gazing down at me. ¡°But you need to pull yourself together.¡±


    ¡°Are <b>we </b>safe?¡±


    ¡°We are<b>. </b>You¡¯ll feel like shit, though. Silver and wolfsbane <b>aren¡¯t </b>a joke.¡±


    I grimaced, rubbing my chest in the memories of the stabbing. Sucking in a deep breath, I knew I had to go back. Too much left unanswered and undiscussed. ¡°The bond of life. I can¡¯t <b>feel </b>it, so how <b>am </b>I supposed to wake up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± Onyx tapped his paw in thought, his silky head tilting from left to right. ¡°Well, there is one option. The wolf, if strong enough, can resuscitate their human in both fascinating and¡­ weird ways.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow, now concerned. ¡°Weird ways? What <b>does </b>that mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll hate me for this, but I want to see Artemis again, so kick my ass <bter</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Onyx, what the-!¡±


    Onyx released a deafening bark that thundered through the world.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Right next to my fucking ear.


    An unholy scream tore through my throat and out of my mouth, pulling my body up like a rag¨Cdoll. My coordination must¡¯ve taken extra time off for my minia because I <b>lost </b>my bnce on whatever the fuck I was lying on, plunging to the <b>hard </b>floor with a colossal ¡®thud!¡®


    ¡°FUCK! OW!¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, Neron! Take it easy!¡± Two pairs of hands grasped at my biceps, pulling me up to the soft cushion. of what <b>I </b>assume was a couch. Pain exploded all over, yanking a hiss from my teeth. ¡°That¡¯s one way to wake up from <b>sleep</b>.<b>¡± </b>Anthony chuckled, trying to defuse the tension.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee<b>.</b>¡± Onyx snickered through mind¨Clink.


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°That <b>would </b><b>be </b>incestuous. <b>And </b>you¡¯re not my type.¡±


    I love and hate that damn dog.


    My hands went to my wounds, feeling for further damage, only for soft fabric to brush up against my palm. I look down to see that I was cleaned up from the blood, and medical gauze hid everyceration and <b>gash</b><b>. </b>I still felt light¨Cheaded, but it was better than almost dying.


    Chapter 82¨CSafehouse


    ¡°What happened?¡± I groaned, rubbing my temples.


    ¡°We¡¯re in Asim¡¯s safe house.¡± Kwame set a water pitcher on the ss table, handing me a cup of water, which I dly took. ¡°You passed out before we got here, giving us one hell of a <b>scare</b>, dude.¡±


    ¡°For


    a second there<b>, </b>I was ready to kick your ass out of heaven.¡± Valerian grumbled, messing with the buttons on his phone. ¡°Don¡¯t scare us like that again. When you stopped breathing, we all assume the worst.¡±


    I stopped breathing? My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, ncing at my hands as horror coursed. through my veins. ¡°<b>I¡¯m </b>sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize, bro.¡± My Gamma patted my shoulder, avoiding the gauze. ¡°We¡¯re d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    I nodded, growing silent. I looked at my surroundings, ncing from the windows to the full <b>and </b>simple furnishings made of ss and wood, to the simple d¨¦cor of antique vases and tes sitting inside ss cabs, intimidating the beauty of the morning sky. The couch I sat upon <b>was </b>soft in a dark <b>ash</b>,


    amodating to my weight. The ss table in front of me held a simple bowl of apples and bananas along with a water pitcher and several ss cups.


    The home and hearth were simple, yet warm.


    ¡°Wait. You said this is Asim¡¯s home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I jerked my head to see <b>the </b>man in questioning from the kitchen with a te full of rice and chicken. It <b>took </b>my <b>mind </b>a few seconds to realize <b>that </b><b>he </b>wasn¡¯t Osiris, despite their incredible resemnce. ¡°It won¡¯t be my home for long, however. <b>I¡¯m </b>only renting this space until I leave for Egypt once again.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Give or take a few weeks before I found your <b>team</b>.¡± Asim grinned, the corner of his eyes crinkling with his smile. ¡°I had to get used to life in the city before I ventured off with the guidance of All Mighty Ra.¡±


    ¡°I guess <b>that </b>means you¡¯re an avatar, as well.¡± He nodded. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your brother find us here?*


    Asim shook his head. ¡°No. Just like our parent¡¯s home, this ce is shielded <b>under </b>the blessings of my god, Everything inside this home is under his protection, which means Osiris won¡¯t be able to find us unless we step over the protection threshold, which is not rmended. However, he is¡­ incapacitated. At least, het


    should be.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you stab him?¡± Valerian asked, eyebrow arched.


    ¡°Yes. He isn¡¯t the only one who can deal with knives and daggers.¡± Sadness and regret reflected in Asim¡¯s violet <b>eyes </b>as he exhaled a weighty sigh. It hurt to look at them. ¡°It had to be done. He¡¯ll be spending his time healing, so he wouldn¡¯t exactly be on the hunt tonight.¡±


    ¡°Not him, but his subordinates would. We can¡¯t get toofortable.¡± Kwame mentioned. ¡°They could scour


    the streets right now.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we all must stay inside unless it is absolutely crucial for <b>us </b>to leave.¡± Asim patted his thighs <b>once </b>and handed <b>me </b>the <b>te </b>of food. ¡°Eat up. You need to get <b>your </b>strength back.¡±


    ¡°<b>Thank </b>you.¡± I took the te and was about to eat <b>until </b>a hefty reminder popped <b>into </b>my head. ¡°<b>Wait</b>! Ashley


    Chapter 2 ¨C Safehouse


    and Steven! They¡¯re-


    ¡°Out.¡± Valerian interrupted, voice void of emotion. His body shook under uncontained emotion. ¡°We got them out. It took time too, but since Ga Moon was the closest pack to where we were, Niki and Lyra transferred them to their pack hospital to heal.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lyra walked in from the dim corridor; lips curled into a soft snarl. ¡°They got lucky. If we left them any longer, they would¡¯ve bled out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you would¡¯ve liked that, huh?¡± Valerian used, ring daggers at the former Luna. Lyra shot a look at my Beta, close to a mother whose children he insulted in front of her. Her hazel¨Ceyes darkened to a rich brown, sending chills down my spine.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be wise to argue with me, pup.¡± She shot back. ¡°Your mother and father¨Cinw <b>are </b>alive. Be thankful.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my mate¡¯s parents and my son¡¯s grandparents. Do you know how hard it was getting off the phone with them and Adonis asking about them?¡± His hand squeezed his phone, metal absorbing in his anger. ¡°If your crazy¨Cass daughter hadn¡¯t cut them up like fucking ham-!¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± <b>I </b>roared, my Alpha authority bleeding through mymand. Valerian closed his mouth immediately, but not without <b>a </b><b>scoff </b>as his legs carried him to the window, staring out at the <b>obscure </b>sky. ¡°Watch yourself, Valerian. Disrespecting Kiya won¡¯t be tolerated, no matter what. You¡¯ve forgotten that you¡¯re in my presence.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten, Neron. Believe <b>me</b><b>.</b>¡± He snarled back. Onyx wanted to put him in his ce, to remind him that insulting Kiya in front of us was punishable, but I didn¡¯t <b>have </b>the energy. The living room fell into tense silence as I ate a couple of bites of my <b>food </b>before my stomach insinuated that I was full.


    Settling the te on the ss table, I turned to Asim<b>, </b>sitting in a <b>chaise</b>. ¡°How long do we have until Osiris recovers?¡±


    The twin hummed, tapping his finger against the arm of his seat to a silent tune. ¡°Vampires heal fast, so under normal circumstances, he would¡¯ve tried to kill us before we left into the <b>woods</b>. However, because Ra gifted my de to me, it¡¯ll take him some time to heal from a weapon forged by a deity. My guess is the earliest would be the next morning.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t give us enough time to n on how to defeat him.¡± Kwame muttered, knees on his thighs and hands folded in front of him. His gaze is hyper focused on the table, but I know he isn¡¯t paying attention to the ss. ¡°Do you know how we can stop him for good?¡±


    Asim¡¯s eyes lost their shine again<b>, </b>shame contorting his face. ¡°1¡­¡± He ran his hands through his long white hair in hopes to curb the growing anxiety on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of any and every possibility, but¡­ when I looked into his <b>eyes </b>today, I saw nothing. His soul¡­ my baby brother wasn¡¯t there. It is my fault that he is like this.¡±


    ¡°He said you abandoned him.¡± I reminded, remembering Osiris¡® hatred¨Cfilled screams.


    ¡°I did, and I¡¯ll never forgive myself for that.¡± Asim answered in a despondent tone.


    ¡°Would we have to kill him?¡± Kwame asked <b>the </b>million¨Cdor question. Asim flinched, eyes blinking back his


    Chapter 82 ¨C Salehouse


    tears. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± at as a <b>yes</b>.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°If there is no saving him¡­ then yes.¡± He lifted his gaze. ¡°But it¡¯ll take all of us to defeat him and his army.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m always up for a challenge. It¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve been in a fight!¡± A new voice entered the conversation, exiting the hallway with a few takeout boxes at hand. The scent of seawater andvender tickled my nose. I <b>recognized </b>the woman from somewhere, but my mind failed to pick up wear, especially since the shaven side of her <b>hair </b>was dyed with white, blue, and pink stripes. The dark¨Chaired woman grinned, offering me a <b>wave</b>. ¡°Hi Neron. Remember me?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I squinted my eyes before sighing in defeat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m Violetta. Kiya introduced us at the mall a while back.¡±


    A lightbulb went off in my head. The singer! Violetta grinned when she noticed the sh of recognition on my face. ¡°Phoebe called me up and said you all needed help, and I needed a distraction<b>, </b>so I thought, ¡°why not?¡± She settled the Chinese takeout boxes on the table. ¡°Avatars must stick together, right?¡±


    ¡°I take it she hasn¡¯t eaten?¡± Lyra asked, her voice etched with worry. Violetta¡¯s smile faded into a frown, nodding.


    ¡°She won¡¯t eat anything we offered. Galen said that she loves chicken dumplings, but she wouldn¡¯t eat that. It¡¯s like <b>she </b>is in a daze and we can¡¯t <b>pull </b>her out of it.¡±


    ¡°But, she¡¯s okay, right?¡± I asked, nearly toppling over in panic. The woman in fiss nodded.


    ¡°Physically, yes.¡± Violetta tapped her cheek in thought. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to talk to her, Neron? She¡¯ll respond to you. You¡¯re her boyfriend, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Heat rushed to my cheeks while Onyx panted and wiggled his tail behind my eyelids. ¡°W¨Cwe aren¡¯t in a rtionship, Violetta.¡±


    ¡°But, she certainly means something to you and vice versa.¡± She pressed her fists against her hips. ¡°If you¡¯re well enough to walk, try it. You might get through to her, who knows? You carried her before you passed out.¡±


    Would Kiya want to talk to me? We left many things unsaid between <b>us</b>. I still felt the heat of her body against mine when she clung to me for her protection. My head said to leave her alone, but my heart won¡¯t let it go and wants to see her.


    The humans <b>say</b>, ¡®follow your heart¡®, right? I¡¯ll be doing just that.


    Kwame and Asim helped me to my feet. Valerian was sucked into his <b>own </b>world that only the night sky could see. Walking up to Violetta, she looked up at me and reciprocated my smile.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±

 Chapter 172

    <b>Chapter </b><b>83 </b>¨C Well Overdue Pt. 1


    ¡°My guilt is an ocean for me to drown in.¡°¨CNic Yoon


    Kiya


    ¡°Mija, please. Eat something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, Dad.¡±


    ¡°When was thest time you¡¯ve <b>eaten</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    <b>On </b><b>cue</b>, my stomach growled like a ravenous bear, gnawing for nourishment. I knew Dad and my friends could hear it, but I didn¡¯t have the energy to care. The smell of my favorite foods both pleased and nauseated me and the age ol¡® fear of vomiting it back up settled in the center of my mind. I don¡¯t know if I could eat after all. that had happened.


    <b>Dad¡¯s </b>arm snaked around my shoulders, his wide hand pushing my head to rest on his shoulder. So warm. Worry drenched his pumpkin scent. How <b>could </b>he not be? This was the first time since my kidnapping where I sat and spoke with him. My friends, as wonderful as they were, helped me to get out of that dreadful dress Osiris gave me and brought my pajamas after I¡¯ve showered. Despite the smooth cotton textile of myvender set, I felt cold.


    So cold.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t eat, at least drink something.¡± Galen held up a cup filled with a green liquid with ck pearls<b>. </b>swimming at the bottom. He punched a hole through the stic top with a straw. ¡°Avocado boba tea. You never pass up boba tea!¡±


    His dark eyes <b>twinkled </b>with hope as he waited for me to take it. I didn¡¯t. Nothing looked appealing for consumption. I shook my head and burrowed my face deep in Dad¡¯s shoulder, wishing I¡¯d just disappear off the fact of the earth. Galen sighed in defeat, settling the tea away.


    Frigid chill wasn¡¯t the sole sensation I was feeling. The snake emblem ¡®tattooed on my right arm faded into washed¨Cout colors <bpared </b>to its former vibrancy hours before, as if it was withering away. It was disgusting. That symbol that connected me to Osiris, and I wanted to vomit stomach acid. My hatred for the bastard burned strong, likeva simmering under the unstableyer of a volcano. He <b>did </b>this to me. He put


    this on me.


    I almost wanted to carve it out of my <b>skin</b>. Fuck the damages.


    The bed Dad and I were sitting on dipped behind me, and two strong arms snaked around my torso. A pathetic whimper echoed from my mouth as a warm head rested on my upper back, the scent of orange blossoms tickling both my nose and my joy. ¡°You know you can talk to us, right?¡± Jackie <b>asked</b>. ¡°We won¡¯t judge you.¡±


    They should be! I killed people and <b>showed </b>no remorse at doing so. My friends witnessed me tear Zircon Moon into shreds with a grin on my face, cheeks smeared with blood, andughing. I became a riant maniac with eyes bleeding blood. How are they sitting here, wanting to take care of me after knowing all of this?


    175


    Chapter 53 Well Overdue Pt. 1


    Aren¡¯t they scared? Why aren¡¯t they hating me? Where is the anger and frustration?


    Goddamnit, this shit doesn¡¯t make sense!


    A gentle knock resounded through the bedroom, capturing <b>our </b>attention. Violetta poked her <b>head </b>through the crack, offering a meager smile. ¡°Am I interrupting anything?¡±


    Sapphire shook her head. ¡°No, you aren¡¯t. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Sea¨Cgreen eyes met mine. ¡°Neron wants to talk to you. Do you mind?¡±


    Fear bubbled up in my chest, my head shooting up from Dad¡¯s shoulder. Why would he? I knew we had to talk, but I didn¡¯t think it would be so soon. How would he react when seeing me? I damn near killed him! Who¡¯d want to speak to their attempted murderer?


    ¡°Kiya.¡± Artemis whispered, lending me her warmth. Her presence chased away the Osiris¡® haunting, phantom hands tickling my arms and caressing my ear. ¡°You both need this. There are a lot of things you both. need to get off your chests, and this is the opportunity to do so.¡±


    H


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts. I¡¯m not having any of that. Talk to him.¡±


    I


    Artemis¡®mand was absolute. And I know she¡¯d chew <b>me </b>out if I went against it, but it didn¡¯t lessen the dread guing my heart. Would Neron look at me the same way he did before? Would he <b>view </b>me as a killer, something his father proimed in his dying breath?


    I just¡­ I don¡¯t want him to look at me like he used to, full of malice and contempt. This time, <b>there </b><b>was </b><b>a </b>definite reason he should.


    But I <b>couldn¡¯t </b>run. That got me into this


    gave Dad a small smile he didn¡¯t retum with Lady Sanguine in the first ce. I exhaled a vast sigh and


    ¡°Can you handle it?¡±


    I have some privacy, Dad?<b>¡±</b>


    I nodded, firm. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll mind¨Clink you if I need anything.¡±


    Dad hesitated for a bit before nodding, nting a firm kiss on the top of my curls. I won¡¯t be straightening my hair for a while after this. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll <b>leave </b>you to it.¡± He looked at my friends and pointed his head to the door, gesturing for them to leave. Galen <b>and </b>Jacqueline whined a bit, wanting to stay, but was forced out by Dad who held onto their biceps like bratty children.


    Neron walked in shortly after, closing the door behind him.


    A pregnant pause drifted between us, the silence of my room deafening. I felt his eyes staring into my temple as I gazed down in myp, <b>fascinated </b>by my restless fingers. One of us had to talk or else I¡¯d go insane!


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± We both said at the same time. Heat rushed to my cheeks while Neron¡¯s cheeks blossomed a fierce pink. <b>Well</b>, at least we broke the ice, right? Embarrassing! He cleared his <b>throat</b><b>, </b>rubbing his bandaged arm as his eyes searched to look anywhere else but me.


    ¡°Mind if I sit next to you?¡±


    I wanted to say no, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to. A deep part of me wanted him near, while the other warned of approaching danger; that same part that lived and breathed during my captivity. I pushed thetter down as far as I could. This wasn¡¯t my cell thirteen years age. With a bit of reluctancy, I noddist shifting to the side to give him some room.


    We sat like that for a moment, silent, uncertain who would make the first move to begin the conversation.


    Goddess, we aren¡¯t good at this.


    ?????? ?????


    ¡°Um¡­ 1 hummed. ¡°Are you¡­ bealing okay¡±


    am


    Neron nced at the bandages covering his arms, wrapping from his wrists to his shoulders Gaure peeked out from the neckline of his sleeveless top, no doubt covering the rest of the wounds indicted on him. They shouldn¡¯t be there. He¡¯ll end up having scars like me. I¡¯m feeling a little better. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Kiya


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    ¡°But you never answered my question.¡± He shifted his body to face mit ¡°Are you okay**


    ¡°No.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    he knee on the mattress


    Was I ever okay? Was I ever going to be okay? No ordinary person walking around with the baggage I have could im to be a sane person. An invisible weight resoad in my palms in the hits shape of the life snatching de I weld. The weight solidithed when thesed my fingers, my brain tricking me to thinking that still had it. With it came the recollections. The memories.


    i


    Lady Sanguine¡¯s¨Cmyughter rung in my head like a siren song, growing in pitch while the memories of my chaos shed before my eyes. Blood, blood, and more blood Skin tearing to reveal the hiddenyers of mortality and the screaming


    Oh Goddess, the screaming Crying Begging I can even taste the blood of the victims on my tongue, a violent reminder of the monster I became.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± I asked, tearing my eyes from my palms to stare into Neron¡¯s blue don¡¯t understand


    ¡°You want me to fear you?**


    ¡°Yes. You shouldn¡¯t be sitting as close to me as you are now. What Is and decide to kill you, now?¡±


    ¡°Kiya.¡± Neron began. ¡°If you wanted to kill me on this bed you would¡¯ve done it by now. You have the god- like power to stuff my life out, but you aren¡¯t using it. I told you before that I wasn¡¯t scared of you.¡±


    ¡°That was before I killed people. Neron.¡±


    ¡°You killed Tristan before that.¡±


    I winced, remembering the rhythmic squelching every time I plunged the de into his fest slumped to the ground. The sounds of sien tearing when I cut into Odessa¡¯s throat rang in my ears, along with the deathly gurgles of Elder Sage¡¯s death. Each death barbered a distinct sound I remembered as clear as day,


    singing their praises to exacted revenge. I did that, I killed them.


    ¡°Yet¡­ I¡¯m confused Neron. We¡¯re in the aftermath of that <b>insanity</b>, but I don¡¯t feel¡­ what I¡¯m supposed to feel.¡±


    an by that?¡±


    ¡°Now, you¡¯ve confused me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    I swallowed the growing weight in my esophagus, anxiety bolting through my body. ¡°You won¡¯t look at me the same way again.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here if I looked at you differently, Kiya. Give it your best shot.¡±


    Artemis made her presence known in the center of my mind, urging me to speak in her pensive silence. Fluttering my eyes closed, I sucked in a strong, trembling breath to stop the tears <b>from </b>dripping. ¡°I don¡¯t feel guilty for killing Odessa and the others. I can¡¯t find it in me, and that scares me. The <b>sole </b>regret I feel is for those who


    got hurt or died in the crossfire. I don¡¯t feel guilty in the way I should and that makes me a monster, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Neron sat in silence, zed eyes <b>averted </b>as he tapped his finger against his knee. Here it is. This is where he is supposed to scream at me about how his dad was right and that he should finish what he started five years ago. Patiently, I waited for his hostile reaction, but it never came. Instead, he gazed upon my <b>face </b>with tender <b>eyes </b>and an equally soft smile.


    What the actual fuck?!


    ¡°It would be much easier to hate you, Kiya, but I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And why the fuck do you not? I made you kill your dad!¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve done it myself, eventually.¡± That distant look in his eyes shed over his blue, but he reeled himself in to continue speaking. ¡°Dad was too far gone to be pulled back into the light. He couldn¡¯t see the madness he created and who is to say he would¡¯ve continued if he had lived? I killed him because I didn¡¯t want you to. Dad dying by my hands was the best thing for him. If he wouldn¡¯t answer to you or me about his crimes, he¡¯ll answer to Selene.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ no! I just¡­ no!¡±


    ¡°Why are <b>you</b>


    trying so hard to convince me to hate you?¡± Neron demanded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. ¡°You know why you don¡¯t feel guilty about most of those deaths, Kiya. Those people hurt you and showed no remorse at doing so. This¡­¡± He gestures to his bandages<b>. </b>¡°¡­ was well¨Cdeserved. I may not fullyprehend the details of your pain, but I know enough to understand that we deserved <b>every </b>goddamn thing Lady Sanguine dished out at us. Getting pissed at you for that is like getting mad at a vase smashing to the ground when I ced it close to the edge. You had no choice!¡±


    ¡°I had a fucking choice!¡± I cried, forcing myself


    the bed, walking toward the window. The moon was up, full and dazzling. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to admire its beauty, <b>knowing </b>Selene was looking down at me with disappointment. ¡°I had a choice to not fall for that snake¡¯s honeyed words and I did! I let him manipte me! Everyone prided <b>me </b>in being so strong and now, what the hell am I? I¡¯m a fucking disgrace to Selene¡¯s name<b>.</b>¡± I heaved as <b>a </b><b>stray </b>tear made its escape down my cheek. ¡°Your father was right this entire time-¡±


    ¡°No, hell no, Kiya. Don¡¯t you fucking dare!¡± Neron marched from the bed, anger permeating in every step. He


    <b>stood </b>in front of me and raised his hand. I shut my eyes, expecting a p in the face, but it never came. Instead, Neron¡¯srge hand cradled my cheek, wiping the tear from my cheek. ¡°My father was wrong about you. You aren¡¯t a monster, angel. However, you¡¯re fishing for <b>confirmation </b>that you are, Kiya<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You are<b>.</b>¡± I hear both Neron and Artemis say in unison, my face scrunching up in irritation. I huff again, looking out the window again, gazing at the street void of human and animal life.


    ??


    I hate myself for letting Osiris get to me. For bingcent with the thought of harming others, even if they deserve it. ¡®Be the bigger person¡® is what I¡¯ve heard throughout therapy and therapeutic circles with other people. ¡®Be stronger than the people who hurt you¡®. Neron, I was ready to ruin the world because of my pain. I was so selfish. Can I ever be a <b>good </b>person after all I¡¯ve done<b>?</b>¡±


    Before Neron could answer, we jumped at the hard thud against the window. A white ball flew up and tapped rapidly against the window, demanding to be let in. Shocked, I cracked open the window for the object in question <b>to </b>sail in, hovering between the both of us.


    ¡°Diana?!¡± <b>I </b>hollered, pressing a hand over my heart to calm it. ¡°Why did you just crash into the window like that?!¡±


    She squawked, flying around Neron and me in circles. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; she¡¯s your pet.¡±


    Diana swooped in between us, pecked, and bit my pajama shirt, dragging me forward. Then she tugged at Neron¡¯s shirt with her talons, to where the distance between us vanished. We were touching. Afterward, Diana perched herself on the bed and squawked <b>once</b><b>, </b>satisfied.


    Neron and I gawked at each other before the bird again, arching eyebrows. Her expectant gold eyes settled on us, mute and patient.


    This was awkward.


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 Chapter 174

    <b>Chapter </b><b>85 </b>The Final Confrontation Pt. 1


    ¨C


    ¡°If not me then who? Confront evil!¡°¨C Ken Poirot


    Kiya


    Hair straight.


    Heels on.


    Dress donned.


    I hoped to Selene that this will be the <bst </b>time I¡¯d ever wear this garb, caked in the blood of my victims. The scent of death wrapped around my body like a weighted nket, and it was nauseating. Today was the day I take Osiris down for good. The telltale <b>throb </b>from the crimson blotch on my neck foretold his readiness to find me<b>; </b>to take me back in his arms andplete his destiny. I expelled a hefty sigh as I <b>stare </b>at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, eyes tracing every stress line and ckhead on my face.


    Brown eyes stared back at me. My brown eyes.


    ¡°Will this n work, Artemis? Osiris isn¡¯t an idiot. He¡¯ll see right through me.¡±


    ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>the <b>only </b>n we got, Kiki.¡±


    Infiltrate. Signal. <b>War</b>. The linear path for the n to run without problems. But, knowing my fucking luck, shit might go sideways. The desperation for freedom settled in. Every passing minute I could feel the lingering sensations of Osiris¡® fingers grazing my skin like a haunting spirit attached to my essence. Through this damn bond, I¡¯m tied to <b>him </b>in <b>ways </b>I never expected¨Cmind, body, and soul.


    That <b>shit </b>ends today.


    I walked out of my bedroom and met with my family and friends in the shrinking living <b>room</b>. Whatever conversation they had died as soon as I walked in, their expressions scrunching up into worry, I knew who was going to be the first to speak out against this n.


    ¡°I still think you shouldn¡¯t go.¡± Mom spoke, hiding her fingers under her thighs; a habit she developed whenever her anxiety manifested into tremors. ¡°What if Osiris tries to pull you back to him? We just got you back!


    ¡°I¡¯m


    going, Mom.¡± I reaffirmed, steeling my resolve. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Osiris could be prowling the streets <b>right </b>now. Who knows who he¡¯ll hurt to find me?¡±


    ¡°Kiya, it is our job to worry about you, even more so now.¡± Dad mumbled, his hands cradling Mom¡¯s<b>, </b>a thumb running over her knuckles. Anthony walked up behind him and rested his palms on his shoulders. ¡°What will you do if Osiris <b>tries </b>to hurt you?¡±


    ¡°He already has, and he¡¯ll continue to hurt me until I stop him.¡± With a man like that, he¡¯ll do anything to <b>stay </b>in control, even if it meant turning into the monster he hated for decades. I seem to have the misfortune of encountering power¨Chungry men like that. ¡°Let that momente. Mom, Dad, I made my decision. I need to end this.¡±


    Jackie walked up to me and brused her band og myered hair. She offered a sunny I returned. I could fear her rapid heartbeat tough her free. She¡¯s scared. ¡°You came up wit n, but it won¡¯t stop from worrying about you. Little B. You went through a tough time¡±


    ¡°Some of us more than other<b>.</b>¡±


    *


    smile.


    ith a decent


    ¡°Yeah, but things are different this time. We don¡¯t know what would happen once you walk out that door. Can you me as¡± Her voice cracked my heart. The been going through the motions of madness¨Cfelt it, seen it, smelled it tasted I didn¡¯t think about the people witnessing those motions and the helplessness tied to it None of them deserved to be fomented the that


    muscledText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    I grabbed facide¡¯s hand and led in with my cheek, watching her face met from the touch. Tim sorry. I¡¯ll make it up to you al


    cum


    I turned to walk to the door reads to the handle to leave, when arge hand grasped my wrist. My head turned to be met with Neron¡¯s even pleading with me to consider my stance. His earthy scent still lingered in my nesls from s ming when we woke up tangled into each others limbs, with Diana entangled in


    das his hair. Beat united to my cheeks the more thought about how incredibly close we were ¡°What is it


    ¡°I believe in you.¡® is


    eves furaring close


    sna go¨Ctorward repueden


    some replied. ¡± he to see you go back to¡­ He exhaled a sharp sigh but woule a belllent woman. You¡¯d be okay¡±


    Beat muited to my cheeks again


    ¡°Just don¡¯t diverge from the n because Goode knows you never follow rules¡±


    Iughed stilling my even while parting his hand wrapped around my wrist. ¡°Life is awfully short to follow


    ¡°Kim walked up higher with ease.


    me from behind and handed me the dagger he used to inture Osiris. It slid into my Remember to may in character as much as possible. He¡¯s hurt, so he will be erratic.


    dangerunch the signal. We¡¯ll move int


    ¡°You


    gringo do great Wolema side¨Chugged me, her fragrant perfume of sea water andvender tickling my mose. I cry wish Phoebe was here to help en ¡°Be careful, alngat?¡±


    ¡°I will


    This was it. Time to face Sell in moral form.


    1


    nook meest look at my friends and family, breathing in the scents I love. No matter how much I wanted to pretty¡± arms and bumpy in their warmth for eremity, I span on my heels and faced the doce. A niggling feeling in the back of my mind told me something will happen in this fight, but I yed it off as my


    Behind this white wooden door lid endiest possibilities that my n could go astray. Osiris might suck me back into that ckened fantary, hum me, or even kill me for running away from him. The chains of this PENSIVE CARNEristig were muting, but they still held a rigid grip over me. Every tug hurt, but I couldn¡¯t give


    I wanted to be back with my family again.


    Sucking in a sharp breath, I swung the door open and took the first steps out of the protective dome. An enveloping, invisible energy sizzled and popped once 1 prated the holy barrier that Almighty Ra cast, revoking the blessings hovering over my person. Exposed to the elements of the world. There was no one to protect me now.


    Except me.


    Lady Sanguine has been <b>quiet</b>. Her volcanic presenceid dormant in the depths of my soul; my anger nestled in its cocoon of security. <b>Pretending </b>to be her twisted my stomach because the thoughts running through my head were unpleasant, but how else am I going to pull this off? Letting Lady Sanguine take over means allowing my anger to win and based on experiences, I couldn¡¯t stomach that happening again.


    I need to be the best damn actor 1 can be. It¡¯ll be like pretending that I¡¯m straight!


    And I¡¯m walking straight into the snake¡¯s den.


    Oh Goddess, what did I get myself into?


    The sun haloed the emerald leaves of the canopy, slits of gold dancing upon <b>the </b>fresh soil like sequins. My footsteps echoed in the hushed space, soaking in the absence of insect and animal alike as my nostrils red to detect the rancid scents of Osiris¡® subordinates. I looked left to right, up and down, <b>for </b>any signs of life, but found none. Were they still searching for me? Did they even start?


    My questions were answered when the odors assaulted my nostrils and the members of Osiris¡® pathetic army jumped from behind the <b>trees</b>, their eyes lighting up at my arrival. They wasted no time bringing me back to Lady Sanguine¡¯s birthce: the five¨Cstory stony prison. Movement zipped through one window on the top floor, the curtains fluttering from the person¡¯s departure.


    Osiris.


    Shit.


    I hope my friends and family are getting in formation close by. Damn that Anti¨CSpray for being so effective. A whiff of familiarity would do wonders for my drumming heart.


    Once inside, the hybrid subordinates departed, and Osiris came flying toward me from the top of the staircase. Thick bandages peeked out from under his violet vest. The weight of the dagger on my thigh grew heavy, reminding me of its presence. <i>If </i><i>I </i>just plunge the de into his neck, it¡¯ll all be over¡­


    But I had to be crafty. There was a reason humans consider snakes to be cunning creatures.


    ¡°Little Moon.¡± Osiris grinned, taking his ce in front of me. My left eye twitched, but I overall kept an apathetic, stony expression. ¡°I knew you¡¯de back to me. It is in your nature to return to me.¡± A rich chuckle left his lips as <b>his </b>hand caressed my cheek. ¡°There is no way you¡¯d deny me.¡±


    ¡°Punch him in the wound!¡± Artemis shouted in my head. ¡°He won¡¯t deny these hands!¡±


    Ignoring her, I noticed some <b>differences </b>from the Osiris Ist saw to this one. His eyes <b>are </b>bloodshot<b>, </b>an


    insane allure settling over him like a <b>dark </b>cloud. His touch is also cooler than before, and the bottom of his Tanes pokest out from his bottom lip. He never shows them off unless he was about to feed..


    Pucking hell.


    [here was no reason for you to doubt me.¡± I reply, my voice dropping an octave. ¡°Returning to you is an


    gation, Osiris. There is nothing that can keep me from=mmh217


    Oh Goddess, I¡¯m drinking mouthwash after this!


    ris¡® lips enclosed my own in a furious, needy kiss, with his unhesitant tongue wiggling into my mouth. The mark on my neck throbbed to the beat of excitement. It took everything in me to contain my nausea from spilling into his mouth. Artemis screamed in sheer disgust while I¡¯m keeping the charade going by kissing him


    The things I do for my fucking ns.


    1 deserve a fucking Oscar after this!


    After an agonizing minute, Osiris pulled away and shined a shrewd smile at me. ¡°There is much we have to do, darling.¡± Without a moment to waste, he <b>hauled </b>me up the staircase into what was my bedroom. Locking the door behind him, he paced circles near the window, hands digging into his pallid tresses.


    Asim is alive! The bastard <b>forced </b>me to change my ns.¡± He brought his <b>shaking </b>hands down from his head. and sped up his pacing. ¡°The fucker left <b>me </b>to suffer! He¡¯ll pay for abandoning me! His head would look great next to the Alpha¡¯s¡­¡± His sinister grin met his eyes when he turned to me, chilling my spine. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it, dearest¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a find trophy on your wall,


    is, I answered as coolly as I could, reaching my arm out to grasp his hand. Keep the <b>facade </b>going. Kivu. ¡°He left you alone, just as everyone else did. Had you know he was alive, what would¡¯ve you <b>done</b>?¡±


    ¡°If he hadn¡¯t pulled out that internal dagger, I would¡¯ve killed him. Forgiveness is a human construct that doesn¡¯t apply to individuals like us. To make the world a better ce<b>, </b>mercy must die.¡± His grin never left his face as his thumb caressed the back of my hand. ¡°Sadly, I must apply that rule with you, Little Moon.¡±


    In a matter of seconds, everything spun out of my control into his. Osiris¡®rge hand snatched my throat and squeezed, cutting off my oxygen. Choked noises escaped my mouth as he lifted me up from the ground, using his great height to his advantage. That crazed look in his eyes got madder, the red shimmering with hatred. and his lips curling into a snarl.


    ¡°You betrayed me.¡± My nails raked at his hands, skin curling under my fingernails as blood dripped to his wrist. ck began dotting the corners of my vision. ¡°And I don¡¯t tolerate being made fun of, Kiva. From the moment I could smell you, I sensed the darkness dulling in you. By that pretty mark I left on your neck, 1 know when you have or haven¡¯t changed. I lost you to the light and yet, youe here to make a fool out of


    thigh?¡±


    <ol>


    <li>me. Or did youe here to kill me with the dagger on 1,¡­ **</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°It was fun while itsted.¡± A lowugh left my lips. He didn¡¯t seem to like that, so he squeezed, rendering m speech silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you had your little fun, darling. There is one way you can survive. If you don¡¯t do what I say as my


    Chapter 85¨CThe Final Confrontation Pt. 1


    good girl, then I¡¯ll make <b>you </b>watch as I gut your family alive. Who do you think I should kill first, hmm? Your friends? Or maybe your mother?¡±


    ¡°I had no problem killing Odessa and carving Jonathan like a Thanksgiving turkey.¡± Iunched a wad of spit at his face, swinging up my leg to kick him in the chest, only to have him stop it with his other hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do the same to you!¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t have a family or love, then no one will. And that includes you!¡±


    I¡¯ve upgraded from werewolf to a human<b>¨C</b>sized baseball.


    With a mighty roar, Osiris flung me toward the window. His nails scraped against the delicate flesh on my neck, no doubt leaving red lines to match the color of his rage. The window groaned and sang with shatters and clinking while gravity pulled my body toward the ground without care. ss rained all over me, like how Neron shielded me from the same ss recently, nicking my flesh. Inded on the unforgiving ground, back first, with pain exploding from my rear to my shoulder des.


    ¡°Your ce is under me, bound in chains!¡± Osiris dered,nding on his feet in front of me like a cat. ¡°You forced my hand, Kiya. You did this to yourself.¡±


    It looks like the fight was going to happen sooner than I thought. Quickly, I willed the birthed blessing of Selene from my soul to my <b>veins</b>, white tendrils delineated in cerulean, coiling around my fingers before pooling into a shimmering ball in my palms. Growing to the size of a dodgeball, I turned on my side and hurdled it into the air. It cut through the atmosphere above the <b>trees </b>and exploded into imitation fireworks, separating and sparkling. Despite the daylight, <b>the </b>silver glowed brightly underneath the clouds.


    Osiris noticed and red back at me with daggers in his eyes. I shot him a smirk, dusting ss off my arms.


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯de alone? You are the one who will learn not to fuck with me.¡±


    Osiris charged <b>toward </b>me, and Inded a solid kick into his chest.


    Soon, our bodies collided inbat under the heat of rage and hatred.


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 Chapter 175

    Chapter <b>86 </b>¨C The <b>Final </b>Confrontation Pt<b>. </b><b>2</b>


    *Im the hand of God! I¡¯m the dark messiah! I¡¯m the vengeful one! The Vengeful One¡® <i>by </i>Disturbed


    Third Person POV


    ¡°Kiya is going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°She is a fighter.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then, stop <b>worrying </b>so much. It¡¯s making me itch.¡±


    ¡°Keep scratching, then.¡±


    Moments after Kiya had left to confront Osiris, Anthony and Neron were alerted by the arrival of their warriors. Between the attack of Zircon Moon and losing many lives, Neron¡¯s numbers were small, but Anthony¡¯s soldierspensated for it. Thebined armyid in the outskirts of the forest hiding Osiris¡± home, their heavy feet rumbling through the forest floor. The Alphas and Avatars were in the front while everyone else followed close behind.


    Neron¡¯s right hand dug into his pocket to grip Kiya¡¯s moon pendant, the anchor to his hope. Kiya¡¯s presence had long since faded, but it lingered in the surrounding air. On <b>his </b>skin. In his nose. In his hands. His <b>skin</b>. flushed red in the memories of her hand in his own and the strands of her hair tickling his <b>chin</b>. His chest felt the phantom breaths of her gentle breathing as <b>she </b>slept next to him, safe and guarded from nightmares. As quick <b>as </b>he had her, his heart ached at letting her go once again.


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have to fight, Neron thought. ¡®She deserved rest, just like the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Neron.¡± Asim walked up to him, matching <b>his </b>pace as they walked over protruding roots. ¡°May I ask <b>you </b><b>a </b>question<b>?</b>¡±


    He nodded ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I hope this isn¡¯t too personal, but are you and Kiya fated?¡±


    Neron smiled small. ¡°What gave it away?¡±


    ¡°The look in your eyes is the look only a man in deep love has for their mate.¡± Asim answered, matching the Alpha¡¯s smile. ¡°Don¡¯t feel ashamed, I have the same look whenever I look at my Nah.¡±


    ¡°Nah<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°My wife and my mate. She¡¯s back home, waiting for my return along with my children.¡±


    Neron hoped, internally, that <b>one </b>day, he¡¯d <b>reach </b>where Asim was now. ¡°And you¡¯re here<b>, </b>risking it all to stop your brother.¡± A pleasant silence befell the men as the shuffling of leaves intermingled with the echoes of footsteps behind them. ¡°<b>Kiya </b>and I are fated mates, but because of¡­ <b>circumstances </b>in our past, we may nevere together.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re here, risking it all to help her.¡± Throwing Neron¡¯s words back at him earned the Egyptian a yful scoff from the Alpha<b>. </b>¡°You¡¯re okay with never having your mate?¡±


    Neron reflected on his next words, running a hand through his ck locks. ¡°I¡¯m learning toe to terms with it. It isn¡¯t easy, but in an ideal world, I¡¯d like her to ept me out of her <b>own </b>free will. Destiny be damned. Fate may bring us together, but I want it to be her choice to be with me or to choose <b>someone </b>else. She is a free woman in <b>her </b>rights.¡±


    Asim was silent for a moment, pondering on his words as he kicked a stray rock to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I could ever be that resilient. Disying that level of strength and restraint is admirable.¡±


    ¡°I would die for her, Asim. I love her <b>more </b>than anything.


    And he won¡¯t ever stop.


    Two minutes of further travel came to a screeching halt when the acute senses of <b>the </b>wolves detected a <b>plethora </b>of sour and acrid odors billowing in from between the tree barks. Nostrils red from every member in the squadron, their stances bristling at the new arrivals. Above the dense canopy, many explosions rang in swift session. Through the distorted holes between ovepping leaves and branches, silvery light shot across the sky like shooting stars,


    Kiya¡¯s signal.


    On cue, witches and hybrids alike emerged from the trees. Sickening red <b>stretched </b>from the base of their necks toward their chins and ears like tree branches. With <b>bloodshot </b>and bugged out eyes, snarling lips, <b>and </b>fingers either holding ws or ck magic, each enemy was ready to tear their new victims to <b>shreds</b>.


    The sh of the armies had begun; sounds of battle kissing the leaves and rocking the roots of the trees.


    Tricking him was a fool¡¯s game. Osiris couldn¡¯t see the conflict within the forest, but knew of it. He knew of his brother siding with his enemies, further proving his abandonment. His anger pumped and etched into the release of dark energy from his palms to his fingertips, demanding <b>and </b>desiring for both Kiya¡¯s defeat and submission. <b>However</b>, <b>the </b><b>woman </b>fought back with the energy of the celestial diamond. Silver and ck fought for victory over the other. Light versus dark¨Ca <b>testament </b>to ancient battles between the gods of


    heaven and humans on earth.


    With every il of her dress, the <b>snake </b>spotted the golden weapon attached to her <b>hip</b>. The weapon that caused his ursed wound. Kiya had yet to pull it out, waiting for the perfect opening for the man to pay for <b>his </b>crimes. He sent most of his subordinates into battle, their energy humming through his <b>veins </b>as the darkness from them reced the adrenaline in his body.


    Yet it didn¡¯t hold a candle to Kiya¡¯s tenacity. She didn¡¯t need to feed off others to be stronger. She was


    strong all on her own.


    That was<b>, </b>until he <b>remembered </b>something important. Kiya threw a punch, which he caught in his palm. The other came just as fast, but with both of her hands in his, both struggled in a deadlock. Osiris threw his head back with a deep, resounding cackle, confusing the hell of the smaller woman.


    ¡°What the fuck are youughing at?!¡± Kiya roared.


    ¡°I was so caught up in trying to punish you I forgot about the trick up my sleeve.¡± He leaned in to where their <b>noses </b>almost touched. ¡°My weapon worked wonders in dismantling your friends before, and it shall do it again. I¡¯ll ughter all you love without touching them!¡±


    Confusion contorted her expression before ttening into shock. Furious, Kiya hopped and using Osiris¡® arms for leverage, she wrapped her ankles around his neck and twisted her body, using her lower body strength to throw the man on the ground beforending on her hands, hopping back on her feet. Her back screamed <b>at </b>such a feat, but <b>pain </b>be damned when a literal war machine is on his way to kill her family.


    ¡°Watch out, everyone!¡± She shrieked through the <b>mind</b>¨Clink connecting her to her friends and family. ¡°Cerberus is on his way!¡±


    As Kiya got tackled <b>again</b>, her bundle of friends adorned paled faces during their fight. Memories of their brutal beat down festered like an infection, even <b>more </b>so <b>as </b>the familiar, unhesitant stomping drew closer to the battlefield. Neron remembered the tremor of Cerberus¡® colossal feet and the horrible stinging of his ws through his chest. Anthony confirmed his fears when he raised the rm, reiterating Kiya¡¯s message to the troops, concern rolling through the men and women.


    ¡°Oh, fucking hell.¡± Darien muttered in fear.


    Cerberus¡® colossal figure emerged from the shadows of the trees, the sunlight highlighting his deep wrinkles as he pped away the hybrids and witches in his way. His stomping grew louder <b>and </b>rapid once he spotted his targets. Both the Zircon and Ga Moon members readied themselves for another brutal onught until an unlikely friend rolled in with furious thunderps and dim clouds.


    A storm?


    A magnificent boom splintered the sounds of battle, startling the soldiers by its sudden appearance. A sweet, pungent aroma of rain tickled nostrils, but rain didn¡¯t apany the smell. Instead, singeing the leaves and branches was a powerful bolt of lightning impaling the juggernaut through his broad chest. A savage roar erupted from his throat as he fell to his knees with arge, burning open wound exposed to the world.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t fucking with my friends, today!¡± Heads turned to <b>see </b>Violetta with her hand humming in lightning, her hair taking on life as the storm bent to her will. She summoned another bolt of lightning to hit the beast, <b>aided </b>by a mighty thunderp. Rain fell to calm the seared leaves so a forest fire doesn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°You can control storms?!¡± Sapphire asked, mouth agape.


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a hurricane on two feet.¡± Violetta shot a wink, lips curling into a smile.


    Some <b>soldiers </b>shuffled away from Violetta, in awe at her raw power. A thought struck Neron as he bashed the head of an offensive hybrid against a tree. If an army of wolves couldn¡¯t stop Cerberus, then could avatars? A sly smirk settled on his face¨Che wanted revenge against the beast, but he was saving his uncontrolled anger


    for Osiris.


    Asim, understanding that the beast is his little brother¡¯s creation, was blessed with renewed vigor. The ground suddenly erupted with tremors until deep violet light <b>erupted </b>from <b>the </b><b>soil</b>, sprouting objects with a <b>loud </b>nking. Metaphysical chains delineated with violet danced like entranced snakes, thrusting forward <b>and </b>locking around Cerberus¡® wrists and ankles.


    Phoebe emerged from the distant trees, sporting ck hair as a sign she had channeled her partial avatar abilities. Violetta smirked as her blue <b>eyes </b>shimmered, nodding with heavy enthusiasm. When the witch got closer, the taller woman yanked her into a hug.


    <b>¡°</b>d you could join us!¡±


    Phoebe turned to Anthony, who sported intense confusion on his face. ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t stay away. I needed to be here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talkter, Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°Let us end this for good.¡± Asim added, his dominant arm glowing a fiery gold. Throwing his palm on the ground, enchanted sunlight mapped every crevice in the dirt, rushing to Cerberus. The gold shot up in a thick pir of light, swallowing the screaming beast within. The female avatars caught on the idea quick. Honoring Goddess Hekate¡¯s torches, Phoche summoned a pyre of orange and red,manding it to swirl around Cerberus¨Creminiscent of the fire that nearly imed the lives of her found family. Everyone watched the grandiose spectacle of light, including the hybrids and witches, who cowered away at the extreme power.


    Cerberus let out ast scream to mark his death when Violetta struck the ming pir with her lightning. Three unique elements epassing various forms of light were too much for him to handle. Three avatars defeated a beast made of the blood of avatars.


    The explosion rocked the forest before dying in wisps of smoke and burning flesh. Everyone shielded their eyes from the sh of light before looking at the chains resting on top of the gigantic pile of steaming ash.


    Cerberus remains.


    ¡°Good riddance.<b>¡± </b>Jacqueline spat out, dislodging a wad of spit at the ashes. Neron breathed a heavy sigh of relief, the world lifting off his shoulders. That beast won¡¯t harm <b>anyone </b>ever again.


    It¡¯ll be that much easier to defeat Osiris.


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    Kiya¡¯s scream flowed between the trees and touched the tip of the trees, igniting every sense <b>and </b>instinct; human, wolf, and everything in between within Neron. He abandoned all rationale. His body rocketed through the forest, shoving every obstacle in his way; wood and flesh<b>, </b>toward his woman¡¯s destination, ignoring the shouts of protest behind him.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Anthony growled. He looked <b>at </b>his members and <b>ordered </b>them to go ahead after Neron, in which they all took off running, including his parents. ¡°Phoebe, are you sure you¡¯re well enough to be here?¡±


    ¡°I <b>am</b>.¡± She nodded, confident. Dark witches unfazed by the death of Cerberus tried to attack, but met with a <b>massive </b>force full of fury. Hekate¡¯s presence flowed out of Phoebe and encircled the disgraces to witchcraft, forcing them to kneel in submission. Many resisted, but <b>none </b>can go against the embodiment of the goddess they abandoned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, Goddess Hekate will deal with you traitorster.¡±


    ¡°<b>And </b>for <b>good </b>measure¡­¡± Violetta summoned thin, goldens out of nowhere, thanks to Amphitrite¡¯s


    blessing, and trapped the witches against the <b>trees</b><b>, </b>knocking them out cold. ¡°Good?¡± She asked Phoebe.


    4/6


    the white wolf urred, leaving behind the army to clear way to the rest of the trash.


    Osiris¡® fist narrowly missed Kiya¡¯s face. He leaped in the air and tried to punch her down with his powers, but Kiya dodged by jumping backwards, his fist hitting the dirt; the impact leaving tremors in its wake. ¡°I <b>created </b>a marvelous world for you! An escape from the mortal <b>realm</b>! Everything I¡¯ve done was for you to never feel pain again!¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Kiya shouted back, summoning a ball of <b>silver</b><b>, </b>and hurdling it toward the man, hitting him in the shoulder. ¡°All you <b>wanted </b>was to control me! Your revenge was not mine, and you turned me into a war


    machine!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be mine! I did everything to keep you at my side and you betrayed me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT AMBER!¡± <b>Kiya </b>shricked, infuriated with the amount of lies Osiris convinced himself to be the truth. ¡°Underneath your faux desire on loving me, you tried to recreate Amber from me! I¡¯m nothing like her and you need to deal with that!¡± Darkness encircled her form like a thick rope, tightening <b>as </b>if someone were pulling from the end. Air left her lungs, but she continued to speak. ¡°We may have gone through <b>simr </b>shit at Zircon Moon, but in no way, shape or form, does that make me <b>anything </b>like you! If Amber was alive today, would she approve of what you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    Kiya!¡± The woman jerked her head around to spot Neron emerging <b>from </b>the <b>shadows </b>of the trees, the bodies of others gradually growing from the distance. His blue eyes saw the predicament and prepared to run toward her until she shouted at him to stay back.


    ¡°No! Stay back¨CFUCK!¡± Kiya rolled her head to the side, exposing the mark on her neck growing <b>and </b>branching out in crimson anger. The pull to Osiris became intolerable, just like when she fell into the depths of her darkness. Her pained whimpers burned Neron¡¯s ears like fire to flesh. ¡°Osiris¡­!¡±


    A deep chuckle rang from Osiris, his gleeful smilemanding the darkness to take hold. ¡°Oh, does it hurt, Little Moon? Come to me and I¡¯ll make your pain go away.¡±


    The others had arrived in <b>time </b>to watch in horror as Kiya¡¯s legs carry her to Osiris¡® side. It was a <b>surreal </b>moment for everyone, thinking the unthinkable that they¡¯ve lost their little warrior to darkness again. Kiya <b>stood </b>at Osiris¡® side, allowing him to gloat at his apparent victory.


    Until karma finally made itsndfall.


    Once the darkness coiled around her lessened, Kiya unsheathed the dagger at her thigh andmitted an <b>act</b>


    so shocking that it left everyone with their mouths agape. A battle cry rung out from her lips <b>and </b>she swung the de across Osiris¡® face, <b>blood </b>sttering on her own.


    Kiya had shed Osiris in the face, the imprudent scar running from his chin to his temple over his left eye.


    An eye for an eye.


    Osiris <b>unleashed </b>a barrage <b>of </b>painful screaming, his hands shoving Kiya away before flying to his bleeding wound, desperate to stop the pain. The woman tumbled into her friends and turned her head to watch her maniptor fall to his knees, body hunched over to hide his face. Her hand clutched the de tight as <b>her</b>


    576


    desire to hurt Osiris more leaped from her chest as he fell to his knees. Slicing his face wasn¡¯t enough topensate for the pain he <b>put </b>her through, so she waited for his next move.


    But there was more to Osiris than meets the eye.


    Shielded by the des of grass, Pepi¡¯s huge body slithered to his master¡¯s knee. The snake bit out a chunk of flesh from his thigh and burrowed himself deep in theyers of muscle and fat. Osiris¡® screaming <b>had </b>lessened, but the almost undetectable change toughter caught everyone off guard, especially when parts of Osiris¡® body began bulging out in boils.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Asim screamed in horror. ¡°What <b>have </b>you done?!¡±


    Osiris didn¡¯t answer. He cackled <b>like </b>a madman. Darkness sprouted from the ground and shot into the sky, creating a dome over the forest to block out the sun as the earth rumbled. The presence of great evil ensnared around everyone¡¯s throats and squeezed, even more so with the avatars who dropped to their knees.


    A disembodied roar echoed through the clearing.


    Violent bursts of energy shot toward the group of righteousness.


    The force threw <b>everyone </b>back farther into the ground.


    But a bright white light was their saving grace.


    What would emerge <b>will </b>decide the fate of the final conflict.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 87 ¨C The Final Confrontation Pt. 3


    ¡°It¡¯s through your wounds that your light pours out into the world.¡°¨CAbhijit Naskar


    Kiy


    <b>Please</b><b>, </b>don¡¯t tell me I fucking died again!


    My body floated, suspended in air in the vast white space. I looked to my left <b>and </b>right to see that I¡¯m alone. The ce was heated, like a nket on a bitter winter night, but I couldn¡¯t forget what happened moments ago<b>.</b>


    Osiris was¡­ mutating. Transforming. The air of the battle had shifted for the worst. After the smoke clears, what would I see? How would my family and I survive? I flexed my right hand to feel theck of a dagger, now uncertain if it would do the damage intended. The <b>snake </b>had changed.


    This is unlike anything I¡¯ve <b>dealt </b>before. Zombie rogues, Cerberus, hybrids¨Cthat I could handle. But how could I think to defeat Osiris now? My n hadbusted into mes in my palmis,


    A soft burst of warmth brushed against my cheek, tickling the bags under my eye. Beside <b>me</b><b>, </b>tiny balls <b>of </b>silver, fluttering like fireflies, outlined the form of a woman, sinking into the light silhouette. My eyes widened in shock when a familiar <b>pair </b>of silver orbs gazed into my eyes.


    ¡°Selene?¡± I croaked.


    ¡°Yes, it is me, my child.¡± She whispered, her <b>thumb </b>caressing my check. ¡°Behind those <b>browns </by a sea of questions you want to ask me. I will answer them in due time. <b>Right </b>now, we have pressing matters regarding that <b>snake</b>.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°A fusion.¡± Selene exined with a hefty sigh. ¡°Asir has epted the dark blessing from the serpent god, thus <b>essing </b>his ultimate and most powerful form. While all avatars have the power to ascend to near godhood or goddesshood, merely a handful achieve it. It is a unique state from the avatar state you know. Legend states that Almighty Ra defeats Apophis every evening to ensure the sun will rise anew. Today, the moon will aid the <b>sun </b>to trap <b>that </b>snake back in <b>Mountain </b>Bakhu in the underworld, cutting his ess to the world through Asir.¡±


    Godhood? Most powerful form? My head hurt from the new information, spinning like an uncontroble top. ¡°I guess he wasn¡¯t kidding when he called himself a god.¡±


    ¡°He took it literally.¡±


    ¡°So, <b>how </b>do I defeat him?¡±


    ¡°Simple. You¡¯ll be on <b>equal </b>footing with him soon enough. Lean on your fellow avatars and together, you¡¯ll vanquish the darkness for good.¡± Her soft palm slid <b>up </b>to cover my eyes. ¡°Rx and ept the blessing of the moon, for now, you¡¯ll reach the level of goddess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a goddess, Selene. I don¡¯t believe I could ever be at the level of one.¡±


    17


    ¡°You will, today.¡±


    I smirk. ¡°No room for arguments, right, Selene?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I notice your stalling, Kiya. I know you¡¯re scared, but I promise everything will be alright in the


    end.¡±


    From the top of my skull to the tips of my toes, an unnatural warmth flooded my body, smoldering and caressing every nerve, artery, organ, and muscle. Specs of silver and blue shimmered behind my eyelids beforebusting into mini fireworks, each growing with potency and vibrancy. The warmth wasfortable, but it threatened to leap out of my chest, determined to touch any untouched areas on my body. My lips sealed shut, but there was no need to <b>scream </b>or cry.


    I was safe.


    I leaned back and allowed Selene¡¯s presence and power to overflow out of my body, wrapping me up in a thick


    cocoon.


    I was changing.


    Changing for the better.


    Changing for victory.


    Changing for redemption.


    If this is the only way I can rid Osiris for good, then I¡¯ll ept whatever blessingse my way.


    Neron


    The air of fate had shifted.


    Under the prison of darknessid the light of hope shining brighter than a diamond¨Cme. Our moon illuminating hope through the deste horizon. I didn¡¯t know what to say or think when I witnessed the light morph and bend to form the silhouette of a woman. Gold, violet, and blue lights joined in on the light show, but when a crackling red ball surrounded with ck electricity was thrown toward me and the others, the violet light hopped in front of us. A translucent purple square stretched <b>from </b>where we all <b>stood </b>and stretched to the sky, shielding us from the attack. That deadly energy bounced off the wall <b>and </b>punted the ground, burning and sizzling, leaving a hole of scorched earth.


    ¡°That flimsy shield won¡¯t stop me!¡± A deep, disembodied voice spoke. The voice sounded like two demons. speaking at <b>once</b><b>, </b>seizing my spine with chills. We heard slithering along with soft growling, and when I looked up, my <b>insults </b>about Osiris reigned true.


    He truly was a demon.


    I¡¯ve heard <b>about </b>these creatures in mythology texts in my high¨Cschool sses. Half¨Cman, half¨Csnake, reverend <b>as </b>gods. Osiris looked like a beast fit for his god¡¯s <b>creation</b>. Half of his body was in the form of a ck snake, stretching his height to nine feet? Ten? Obscurity stained his hands, branches stretching through his veins, touching his shoulders. His clothing was in tatters, hanging onto his limbs for dear life. White hair flowed


    2/7


    Chapter 87 ¨C The Final Confrontation Pt <b>3</b>


    behind him, longer than usual. Sharp ws reced his nails, <b>and </b>his fangs were long as daggers.


    He became a Naga.


    And he <b>was </b>ready to take us out.


    ¡­


    oh, we¡¯re beyond dead.¡± Galen muttered in the group, carning a p on the back of the head from Darien.


    ¡°The shield may not, but I will.¡±


    The world suddenly turned into a slow¨Cmotion movie. Osiris tried to attack us behind the shield but was blown away by the glowing white silhouette, sending him into the bricks of his home, forming a deep outline of his body. White faded into a person I knew extremely well. This was <b>reminiscent </b>of the day when Kiya had awakened months ago, but this<b>¡­.</b>


    This¡­


    Kiya <b>was </b>a walking goddess, as she always was. She sported everything in her avatar form, but there was a celestial glow that couldn¡¯t be ignored. It hummed and vibrated all around her, in tune with the beating of her heart and the song of her soul. I couldn¡¯t see her face, but I knew she was sporting a determined scowl¨Cher signature look before running into battle.


    She was no longer wearing that ck dress stained with dried blood.


    She wore a pure white dress that brushed her knees and diator sandals carved out of gold.


    She shimmered like the moon. She was the moon. An angel.


    And this was the first time Onyx was shocked into utter silence.


    ¡°Ugh<b>, </b>where is that goddamn thing?¡± Kiya¡¯syered voice muttered, her head darting from


    <b>1 </b>side to side. Artemis spoke with <b>her</b><b>, </b>which <b>made </b>her more enchanting. ¡°Ah, there we go.¡± She skipped toward her fallen dagger and picked it up. Her touch shifted from the gold to refined white.


    ¡°Kiya!¡± The blue light faded into Violetta, carrying an air of holiness as her curls took on a life of their own, flowing like ocean waves. <b>Asim </b>walked out of his golden light and took precarious steps to where Osiris was, hieroglyphics etched into his skin. ¡°This is our chance to take the bastard out. We should-!¡±


    ¡°This is my chance to take him out.¡± <b>She </b>corrected. ¡°He¡¯s mine to defeat.¡± She pointed her dagger at us. Everyone was in a state of silent shock. ¡°We must protect them no matter what.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re shielded by my wall. They¡¯ll be alright as long as they stay away.¡± Phoebemented, walking out of <b>her </b>violet light.


    ¡°Oh, best believe we aren¡¯t getting anywhere near <b>that </b>thing!¡± Jacqueline eximed, throwing her hands up in surrender.


    ¡°Be careful, Kiya.¡± Kwame requested, his deep brown eyes darting from her to the beast. ¡°I know we keep saying it, but please tread with caution.¡±


    Klya gave a brusque nod and turned to the scene in front of her, eyes narrowing on Asim¡¯s form. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close, Asim.¡±


    37


    But her plea fell on deaf <b>ears</b><b>. </b>We watched as Osiris pounced from the debris and attacked <b>his </b>twin, jamming his fangs into his neck. The man shouted and elbowed the naga in the face, pulling his teeth out of his neck. The monstrous Osiris turned to us and roared; sonic waves rushing through the ck dome he trapped us under, battering against the shield surrounding us but nearly knocking the other avatars on their backs.


    ¡°Ugh, fucking musty¨Cass breath.¡± Violetta muttered, covering her nose and coughing.


    Groans and moans echoed behind us, growing louder before gradually falling silent. One of my soldiers sent <b>me </b>an alert that the members of the dark army copsed to the ground one by one, clutching their necks. That <b>was </b>when I noticed the ck branches on Osiris¡® skin stretching over his chest and reaching his face, darkening his scleras.


    He let out a menacing cackle. ¡°Darkness is mine! This world is mine!¡± His eyes narrowed on Kiya. ¡°If I can¡¯t have you, no one can! You¡¯re mine; in life and in death!¡±


    Fury rocketed through me from that promation. Oh, Goddess Selene, I¡¯d give anything to kill that bastard for defecating over Kiya¡¯s autonomy over that!


    The dark messiah unleased a war between avatars that none of us could ever think to be a part of. Four avatars versus an all¨Cpowerful Naga infused with the evilest god ever to walk the earth. Osiris attacked. They dodged and countered. Flurries of lightning, dark <b>fire</b><b>, </b>sun energy and moon energy stabbed through <b>the </b>darkness to prate the body of the snake. I heard groans from everyone, but more so from Osiris. But the monster was resilient. Every time he fell, he got back up stronger.


    The battle raged on, neither side giving up. Kiya tried many times to pounce on Osiris with her de but was thrown to the ground <b>each </b>time. Just like him, she got back up every <b>time </b>she fell.


    I could see the sweat rolling down the avatars¡® cheeks, staining their clothes.


    Suddenly, the ground rumbled like an imminent earthquake. ck hands shot from the ground, writhing and cracking, trying to grab hold of the avatars to subdue them. Shouts of protest from the peanut gallery alerted them before the hands grabbed at any of their limbs. Kiya dodged them before an abrupt shout pierced my


    heart.


    She dropped her dagger and gripped her neck, ws digging at the reddening mark.


    The hands, now shifting to snakes, coiled around her body, forcing her on her knees. The other three fell to the same fate.


    Something inside of me snapped.


    Osiris towered over her smaller form,ughing at the pain pulsating from her neck. Her wet face held a look powerful enough to kill, but I didn¡¯t miss her grimace of pain. Osiris was trying to drain her, just as he was doing to his army,


    ¡°Your darkness was the most exquisite.¡± He chuckled, running his lengthy tongue over his monstrous fangs. ¡°Too bad I¡¯ll <b>have </b>to end you now for <b>your </b>betrayal.¡±


    No!


    I couldn¡¯t let that happen!


    I must <b>do </b>something!


    My thought vanished into wisps of smoke, but only one <b>remained</b>.


    Protect.


    One hit from my fist. The shield rumbled..


    Protect her. Two hits. Everyone <b>shouted </b>at me to stop.


    Help her! Three. Four. Five.


    Protect her! Protect Kiya! Don¡¯t stop! Never stop!


    ¡°KIYA!!¡±


    To everyone¡¯s shock, including Phoebe¡¯s, the luminous magic shield shattered upon impact. But I didn¡¯t care. My eyes were on the love of my life, suffering under the damned forced bond. I couldn¡¯t let Osiris win, even when Kiya ordered me to stay put. My feet bolted toward the mini goddess, using every y ounce of Alpha strength within me to <b>push </b>her out of the gripes of the tangible darkness, away from the monster.


    Away from <b>the </b>murderous fangs <b>that </b>found their home in my neck.


    Closer to the fighting chance she¡¯s got at killing Osiris once and for all.


    There wasn¡¯t a care left in my body for myself. All I cared about was <b>her</b><b>; </b><b>the </b>thief of my thoughts, the bandit who¡¯d held my heart in her silvery palms, the magician that made me kneel before her without question. The love of my life.


    Dad said I was a weak Alpha, but I never felt stronger now. When Osiris tore his fangs from my throat, my arms locked around his body, all the Alpha strength Onyx and I possessed to hold the beast down. He was bigger and taller than me, but somehow, I kept him locked to my height, enraging him further.


    ¡°You want to die first?! Fine! I¡¯ll kill you before I kill her!¡±


    He dug his ws into my body, tearing my skin under his nails. Ten knives pierced and ranked down my body, drawing rushing rivers of blood. Oddly, I didn¡¯t feel pain. Under Osiris vengeful screaming, demanding me to release him, I felt peaceful.


    Maybe I¡¯dpletely lost my mind.


    ¡°NERON!¡± Kiya screeched. My eyes found her shimmering cyans, filling with tears. Oh, my love, please don¡¯t cry. ¡°GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!¡±


    ¡°End him!¡± I demanded of her, gritting my teeth. ¡°This is your only chance<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the fucking crossfire! I can hurt you!¡±


    ¡°DO IT!¡± <b>She </b>fell mute, her tears swimming down her shimmering cheeks. ¡°I won¡¯t be the one to hold you back, Kiya! It is your duty as Selene¡¯s <b>avatar </b>to <b>end </b>this chaos!¡± I mustered the biggest smile as I could, pressing my feet against the earth as Osiris threatened tounch me off it with <b>his </b>slithering body. ¡°Take your freedom back, my angel.¡±


    5/7


    I¡¯ll pick you over me, always<b>.</b>


    That¡¯s the hill I¡¯ll always die <b>on</b>.


    As the sacrifice <b>to </b>save <b>you</b>.


    Third Person POV


    Selene¡¯s melodic voice told Kiya to not hesitate.


    Through the tears, through the spige of Neron¡¯s blood and life¨Cthreatening injuries, there was the opening to defeating Osiris for good.


    Was this a movie? Was she being punk¡¯d? The survival of her loved ones and her freedom rested on her fingertips.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate.


    Neron fluttered his eyes close, strength slowly depleting, but holding onto <b>the </b>screaming naga for dear life, unable to break free from his iron grip. What made Neron, an Alpha without mystical powers, hold <b>his </b>own against Osiris¡® god¨Clike form?


    Osiris would nevere to find that answer.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Holy


    te voices whispered in the ears of the avatars, giving them the ammunition <b>to </b>seed. Asim, in his own


    <b>couldn¡¯t </b>go against the word of his lord. His heart steeled to protect itself from the agony of losing a family member.


    The avatars got into a diamond formation surrounding Osiris and Neron. Each hummed in their respective energies; <b>the </b>sea, the me, the sun, and the moon. Energies <b>trace </b>the crevices of the <b>soil </b>and bolted toward the men, immersing them in a powerful pir of light hundred times as potent as the average element on earth.


    Too powerful for a simple being to handle.


    Silver, gold, purple, blue swirled around them like tornadoes, added with lightning, fire, moonlight, and sunlight. Osiris screamed in sheer agony, but it was Neron¡¯s screaming that stabbed the hearts of the crowd. All four avatars focused their efforts and Kiya could feel her bond with Osiris sizzling, popping, and fading


    <b>away</b><b>.</b>


    Breaking formation, she grabbed the silver dagger off the ground and chucked it toward the men.


    Neron, hugging Osiris¡® front, moved slightly to expose Osiris¡® heart.


    Bullseye.


    Osiris¡® <bst </b>scream caused a catastrophic shock wave that rocked the world around <b>them</b><b>, </b>including the forest that stretched for dozens of miles. It tossed everyone to the ground, collective thuds resounding through the


    Chapter <b>87 </b>¨C The Final Confrontation Pt. 3


    air.


    The darkness lifted. The sun was shining once more, blessing the wolves and avatars with its purifying light. It <b>was </b><b>as </b>if the sun was waiting at the edge of its seat for their victory.


    Osiris¡® insanity had fallen. The source of the forced bonds dying for good. A weight lifted off Kiya¡¯s neck <b>as </b><b>she </b><b>panted </b>against the solid ground, eyes glued to the sunny sky.


    She didn¡¯t have to <b>look </b>to know that Osiris¡® hold over her finally ended.


    She heard two loud thuds. Asim shouted for his brother, hopping on his feet and running to his fallen form, now missing his snake¡¯s lower half. Ra¡¯s representative pulled his body <b>away </b>from another.


    The one Kiya, when she pushed herself up on her elbows, didn¡¯t want to see.


    It <b>was </b>her time for the earth to tremble underneath her screams.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 177

    <b>Chapter </b>88 ¨C Come <b>Back </b>To <b>Me</b>


    ¡°There is an ocean of silence between us¡­ and I am drowning in it.¡°¨CRanata Suzuki


    <b>Kiya</b>


    I was free.


    My gilded cage <b>had </b>rusted, and the chains of darkness crumbled to dust.


    Osiris was gone.


    I should be celebrating. I should be running into the arms of my parents<b>, </b>sobbing tears of joy, relishing <b>in </b>my newfound freedom.


    Instead<b>, </b><b>screams </b>of absolute sorrow tore through my throat and shattered the sunlit atmosphere. My world had darkened. Artemis¡® broken howls touched the stratosphere to where I was certain the angels of heaven could <b>hear </b>her.


    My legs moved on their own ord, splitting earth with each stomp toward the body that should thrive with life. The body that should rejoice in my liberation with incandescent sapphires and ivory smiles. The body I cradled in my trembling arms once my naked knees dropped to the dirtied earth.


    ¡°N¨CNeron?¡± My voice came out as a pitiful whimper. Footsteps echoed around me, but I didn¡¯t bother to look up. I glued my eyes to the Alpha¡¯s lifeless face, drenched in sweat. The wound on his neck exposed flesh and muscle, nausea resting like a stone in my stomach. ¡°Neron¡­ wake up, please<b>¡­</b>¡±


    I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>this to happen.


    I shook him lightly, hoping to get some inkling of life, but got nothing. His body weighed heavily with death, void of the weightless life that kept his soul afloat. I kept calling out his name, hoping that this was just the devil¡¯s trick on my mind¡­.


    But he wouldn¡¯t answer me.


    ¡°Mija¡­¡± Mom ced her loving hand on my shoulder. ¡°Neron is¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± I sniffled, tears threatening to spill over my eyes. ¡°Please, don¡¯t say it¡­¡±


    ¡°But Kiya¡­ it¡¯s true.¡± Abigail added, trying to soothe the wound in my chest with her gentle voice. ¡°He¡¯s gone<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°No! He wasn¡¯t supposed to do this! He wasn¡¯t¡­¡± The blood on his arms swirled like gxies around the droplets of my falling tears. On my skin, they burned like <b>acid</b>, searing through my flesh and bone. Neron kept his promise; he didn¡¯t allow Osiris to hurt <b>me </b>anymore.


    But at the cost of <b>his </b>life?


    He should¡¯ve¡­ he could¡¯ve¡­


    The realization hit <b>me </b>like two freight trains colliding, especially when Diana fluttered on Neron¡¯s chest, releasing a broken hoot with her golds reflecting deep sadness.


    Chapter 88¨CCome Back <b>To </b><b>Me</b>


    I¡­ I killed him.


    A strong tremor split my body in two. Pain bubbled in my chest and gushed out of my mouth like a hot geyser as sobbing and screaming. My throat tightened like a leash, but it did nothing to stop my painful <b>screams </b><b>as </b>I clutched Neron¡¯s body closer to mine and buried <b>my </b>face in his <b>chest</b>, hiding my tears from the world. Apology after apology tumbled out of my mouth with reckless abandon, muffled through his cooling flesh.


    I¡¯m sorry for hurting you!


    I¡¯m sorry for giving you scars!


    I¡¯m sorry <b>that </b>you, time and time again, throw yourself in danger for me.


    I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t give the way you do.


    I¡¯m sorry for taking and taking like a <b>selfish </b>woman..


    I¡¯m sorry, Neron! I¡¯m sorry, Onyx! I¡¯m <b>so</b>¡­ so fucking sorry¡­


    Because in the end, it was I who ended the Prince bloodline.


    A plethora of scenarios raced in my mind of various oues that could¡¯ve saved Neron¡¯s life. His death <b>was </b>avoidable! But every scenario ended with him jumping onto the path of danger to protect me.


    To <b>save </b>me.


    I was the warrior, and Neron was the shield. Osiris¡® fangs were meant to be in my throat; but Neron took the blow. And like a shield that¡¯s been through hell and back, they fall apart. Neron¡¯s final deration opened the pathway to victory, and he wasn¡¯t here to celebrate.


    <b>What </b>is the point of rejoicing when we <b>need </b><b>to </b>n his funeral?!


    No one tried to touch or talk to me. They were giving me space, and I was thankful for that. After a <b>while</b>, my sobs quieted down, but <b>there </b>was the asional hup. Artemis¡® sorrow hurt the deepest. Because I knew she missed Onyx. Neron wouldn¡¯t have done what he did if Onyx didn¡¯t agree; that I was <b>certain</b>. I wanted to reach out and hold Artemis <b>in </b><b>my </b>arms so we could cry together.


    Neron was still in myp, cocooned in my arms. I couldn¡¯t put him on the ground¨Cthat was <b>where </b>he took hist final breath. Every wall I put up came crashing down, picking up dust <b>in </b>a pile of forgotten debris. My family was feeling my emotions.


    Someone <b>kneeled </b>in front of me, his hands folded on <b>his </b>knees. My eyes, red <b>and </b>blotchy, met my brother¡¯s hazels, contemtive and worried. He expelled a massive sigh and tried to reach out. But some beastly instinct took over me and I gripped at Neron possessively, holding his head and body to my chest like he was a newborn baby, baring my teeth in warning.


    ¡°I won¡¯t touch him, Kiki.¡± Anthony¡¯s calm words calmed my beastly side and my arms slowly <b>rxed</b>, loosening my grip on the <b>corpse</b>. ¡°Neron didn¡¯t die <b>in </b>vain. He protected you <b>until </b>hisst breath.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t supposed to do that.¡± My hoarse whisper carried the pain my heart couldn¡¯t hold. ¡°He wasn¡¯t supposed to die. Not like this. Not before his <b>time</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Chapter 18 Come Back To Me


    ¡°I know, Little Bit, but <b>he </b>made his choice. He jumped in front of Osiris willingly, even if it meant his pain.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to hurt himself¡­I hurt him too much.¡±


    ¡°Hey, <b>none </b>of that.¡± <b>He </b>reprimanded. ¡°You aren¡¯t responsible for his death; don¡¯t carry responsibilities that aren¡¯t yours, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Osiris was supposed to kill me, not <b>him</b><b>! </b>It¡¯s not fair! It should be me that¡¯s dead, not Neron!¡± Moans escaped my mouth through the suppressed sounds of my sobs starting up again. ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of his sacrifice, Tony! He had so much to look forward to in life and he threw it all away for me!¡±


    ¡°Because he loved you, Kiya!¡± I burrowed my face in Neron¡¯s hollow chest again, the heat of pure shame burning through me. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have done what he did if he didn¡¯t love you. I¡¯ve watched this man consistently put you <b>above </b>himself through the amount of shit thrown at him, from us and his dad. I <b>don¡¯t </b>know what was going through his head, but he spoke with actions. It¡¯s a <b>shame </b><b>we </b>all lost him too <b>soon</b>.¡±


    ¡°Death¡­ too much death¡­¡± I choked, constantly sniffling to hold back more tears. My eyes were burning at this point.


    I heard shuffles around <b>me</b>, the heat of the space rising. Everyone kneeled to eitherfort me or mourn the loss of Neron. It only made my chest heave harder and strengthen my sobs. How was any of this <b>far</b>? What about the people who cared about and loved Neron? Adonis lost an uncle, Valerian and Kwame lost their brother, my pack lost an ally and I¡­


    I lost¡­ I lost¡­


    The surrounding air shifted, and the surrounding voices quieted to deafening silence. Tearing my face from Neron¡¯s chest, I watched my friends and family fade behind a wall of growing white. Fear died as quickly as it rose, my senses lulling me to peace, recognizing the world I <b>was </b>in. My arms ached for <b>relief </b>from <b>the </b>tension, but I continued to cradle Neron as if he¡¯d wake up at any moment.


    Footsteps echoed, growing in volume the closer they came to me.


    The holy light in front of me haloed around the goddess I know and love as she took her ce in front of me, on her <b>knees</b>. <b>I </b>relinquished my hold just a tad so that Neron could rest on her knees as well. His body grew colder, and I failed to stifle yet another sob.


    ¡°S¨CSelene¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, my child.¡± She sighed. Her hand reached <b>over </b>and buried itself in the Alpha¡¯s <b>ck </b>locks, smoothening them out and ignoring the slits of blood that stained her pallid palm. Diana hopped on her shoulder<b>, </b>silent as a mouse. ¡°This isn¡¯t the end of him, <b>Kiya</b>.¡±


    My eyes widened <b>as </b><b>a </b>hup jerked my body forward. ¡°Wh¨Cwhat do you.


    mean<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°He¡¯s not gone <b>yet</b>, but he <b>is </b>slipping away.¡± She snapped her fingers and a faint red cord connecting my heart to Neron¡¯s materialized between us. Selene cradled a loop in her palms. The red was flickering and fading <b>to </b>pale pink, bing translucent to where I could see the ridges of the goddess¡® palms. ¡°<b>You </b>always had a choice, dear Kiya. Whether it be epting Neron as your mate or epting your goddesshood, the choice had always been in your hands. Now, you must make <b>another</b>.¡±


    I sat up straighter, facing the goddess with inklings of confidence that exposed themselves under the nket of sorrow. ¡°Tell me, <b>please</b>.¡±


    ¡°Behind me is the path you¡¯re familiar with. The entrance to the Realm of the Moon Goddess. In minutes, both Neron and Onyx will arrive, leaving this vessel behind to return to the earth. I granted you clemency five years ago to be reborn, and you can do the same for Neron.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you want Neron to return to the mortal realm, or proceed into the heavens to be with his mother and


    sister?¡±


    My breath hitched in my throat. I looked down at Neron and contemted on all my choices. If I choose thetter, he¡¯ll get to see his family again. Nuria and Lun¨CAuntie Essie would get to see him again. Neron will get his family back, like he always wanted. He¡¯ll be happy.


    If I choose the former, he¡¯ll wake up surrounded by his friends and brother¨Cin¨Carms, but he¡¯ll be <b>alone</b>, walking the earth without a familial connection. My mind thought back to our date at the mall, where he <b>shared </b>with <b>me </b>the goals he would¡¯ve aplished if fate didn¡¯t push him to be Alpha.


    Neron wanted to go to school. To travel the world. To make his mark on the that didn¡¯t involve him <b>leading </b>a pack he grew to dislike.


    He wanted to experience everything that I had experienced.


    He craved the freedom I received from my family. While I <b>lived </b>it up in Ga Moon, he <b>had </b>to bend over backwards to make his father happy; don the mask and conceal his genuine emotions.


    Neron wanted to have true happiness. He deserved to experience the <b>joys </b>of freedom without the confines of his Alpha obligations.


    I wanted him to be happy.


    My eyes found Selene¡¯s silver diamonds<b>, </b>and I nodded. ¡°I want him back. I don¡¯t want <b>him </b>to <b>go</b>.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to live in a world without him in it.


    Selene searched my eyes for doubt but found none. Nodding, she leaned back on her heels. ¡°You know what to do to bring <b>him </b>back.¡±


    ¡°Are you <b>sure </b>you want to entrust me with this?¡± I asked my goddess, cocking my head to the side. ¡°Revival is your <b>specialty</b>.¡±


    ¡°Kiya, you and I share powers. Part of me lies within you. You are my avatar, but you¡¯re also my daughter- what is mine is yours.¡± She shined a glittering ivory smile and rested her hand over mine, squeezing gently. ¡°I know what your feelings are, even if you¡¯re afraid to admit them aloud.¡±


    ¡°If I do this, I might <b>not </b>survive.¡±


    ¡°The keyword in that statement is ¡®might.¡® <b>You¡¯ll </b>never know unless you try.¡± The red of the bond is now translucent, pallid <b>pink</b>. ¡°You <b>have </b>little <b>time</b>.¡±


    The finality was deafening. I look back at Neron¡¯s face once more, reaching out a hand <b>and </b>brushing away the stray strands that clung to his temple from <b>sweat</b>. With a heavy breath, I cradled him again and intertwined<b>.</b>


    my fingers through <b>his </b>heavy, chilly hand.


    ¡°Hang on, Neron. I¡¯m bringing you back.¡±


    Silvery lights shot out from the spaces between our fingers, sinking into Neron¡¯s pale flesh, mapping out <b>every </b>muscle fiber, artery, and vein within him. Rivers of white shimmered and mixed into a mosaic of healing magic. White strands of flesh and muscle began repairing, connecting like wires, and reinforcing themselves with his cells. Wounds littered Neron¡¯s body. Too many to count, but one by one, they began disappearing-


    Dizziness mmed against the back of my head, blurring my vision, but I ignored it and kept going. I kept pouring my energy into Neron, refusing to stop until I hear a groan or felt the jerk of a limb. My muscle strength was leaving in droves and my ears were ringing, but I poured and poured my holy energy in him without <b>an </b>end in sight.


    I needed his heart to beat anew.


    ¡°Come on¡­¡± I whispered, my eyes tracking his face for movement. The color of <b>our </b>bond was gradually returning, but not fast enough for my liking. Patience has never been my strong suit. I look back at Selene, an idea popping into my head<b>, </b>and she nodded, knowing what I was about to do.


    ¡°Artemis?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I want Onyx back.¡±


    And she¡¯ll get him <b>back</b>. Sucking in a sharp breath, I used my free hand to adjust Neron¡¯s head while supporting most of his bodyweight on my knee. I¡¯ve <b>never </b>been the one to instigate anything like this, but there is a first for everything.


    I closed the distance between our faces and molded the promise of life on his lips with my own. My soft puffs of breath echoed around us. My hand tightened in his <b>own </b>as the consequence of my excessive outpour of my healing bombarded me like raining grenades. I didn¡¯t care. I won¡¯t stop until Neron breathed again. With the weakness came peace. I <b>was </b>at peace.


    Come back, Neron. Come back Onyx.


    Come back for those who love and care about you.


    Come back to your bright future.


    Come¡­e back to me, please.


    I didn¡¯t note Selene¡¯s departure, or the white world fading back into the clearing of the battleground, but I ignored the gasps from my people. Artemis, with her own power, poured into connecting with Onyx again, her determination twinning <b>mine</b>. Our focus was infallible.


    Then there it was.


    The first breath of life.


    Neron sucked in a deep breath, arching his back. His groan was music to my ears, squeezing the hand with


    hapter #1 ¨C Come Back To Me


    mine in it. Finally, I pulled away from his face to be graced with his glowing sapphires. He¡¯s alive! I did it<b>! </b>IUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    almost screamed with happiness?


    ¡°Neron¡­¡± I grinned, straightening my body once more. Commotion rang around us, especially with the soldiers arriving from the forest to increase the surrounding crowd. ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡±


    Neron blinked, eyes darting around the crowd beforending on me again. He squeezed my hand again, cracking a small


    head. She hoot..le at me. ¡°I am.¡± Music to my ears! Diana hopped on his chest again and he scratched her


    <b>head</b>. She hooted with delight. ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t have to do that¡­¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± I reached to his <b>face</b>, cupping his cheek. Neron nuzzled into my palm, growling softly. ¡°How is Onyx?¡±


    ¡°The puppy is alright.¡±


    ¡°Good¡­ good¡­¡± I wanted to sleep. My eyes fluttered close. Thest of my energy had left. I couldn¡¯t keep myself up anymore. ¡°N¨Cnow¡­ I can rest¡­¡±


    The weight of the <b>world </b>returned; except I had no will to carry it. The ringing in my ears grew stronger until it popped, a high¨Cpitched sound drowning out the worried voices of my people.


    No more chaos. No more¡­.


    My world went ck.


    My body fell <b>forward</b>,nding on something <b>hard</b>..


    Then¡­.


    Nothing


    Just<b>¡­</b>


    Silence.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 178

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    Chapter 59 ¨C Part of Me


    ¡°My happiness grows in dret proporce, and in inverse proportion to my expectations¡±


    Michael Sow


    Heaven was in the blue eyes of a white haired angel who saved my life.


    Death had carried me over the threshold of the afterlife, ready to settle me before my matron goddess.


    Ring beside Death was Onyx, mypanion for eternity. That was the end of me; I gave my life to save Kia, and my fate awaited me past the darkness


    However, the warmth of life called to my soul. Tendrils of holy silver pulled me away from Death toward the light. Death grumbled and stomped its feet because someone disrupted the natural process all living beings


    must encounter.


    At first, I didn¡¯t want to go back. It was time for Onyx and me <b>to </b>move on.


    Until the tendrils twirled into the shape of a hand, beckoning me to touch it. The same stretched out to Onyx, but as a paw. I heard the melodic voice of the woman I love caressing my heart and ears.


    Come back <b>to </b>me, please.


    The memories rushed back. I realized couldn¡¯t leave yet. There was so much left unsaid and undone. Without hesitation, I took the luminous hand into mine and Onyx took the paw into his, and a sh of light pulled us both in the arms of our angel on earth.


    But I couldn¡¯t celebrate. My happiness turned to sheer panic when Kiya copsed on top of me. Her holy light dimmed, reverting her back to her original form. Dozens of others shared my panic as a bittersweet end to an ageless battle against the darkness.


    Afterwards, it was one big blur.


    I didn¡¯t take a single breath until we got to the hospital at Ga Moon. I cradled Kiya¡¯s limp body against my chest, her head rolling on my shoulder. The doctors and nurses hopped into action under the authority of Anthony¡¯smand, settling Kiya on a gurney, and rolling her away further in the hospital.


    Every breath, every foot tap, foretold the anxiety bubbling in each of us. The whish of the role reversal stressed our minds out¨CI died and came back. Now, there is no telling if <b>Kiya </b>was crossing the same threshold of death. Valerian insisted to have a nurse examine <b>me</b>, but I assured him I was alright.


    I felt better than ever, and I felt awful about it. Why? I knew healing took a toll on Kiya¡¯s health. She knew. The first time she healed Abigail and me, it knocked her unconscious. She <b>used </b>the same power to resuscitate


    <ol>


    <li>me.</li>


    </ol>


    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if Kiya ends up dying.


    Asim didn¡¯t join us, assuming he had to take care of his brother¡¯s body. The rest of us remained in the hospital waiting room, waiting for updates. The orange sunset stretched its lights toward our feet, casting a glow that didn¡¯tfort us. My soldiers returned to Zircon Moon, along with my Beta and Gamma. After this


    de (The Moonlight Avatar Series ?nfection)


    Chapter <b>89 </b><b>¨C </b>Part <b>of </b><b>Me</b>


    ¡°My happiness grows in direct proportion to my eptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.¡± Michael J. Fox


    Neron


    Heaven was in the blue eyes of a white¨Chaired angel who saved my life.


    Death had carried me over the threshold of the afterlife, ready to settle me before my matron goddess. Walking beside Death was Onyx, mypanion for eternity. That was the end of me; I gave my life to <b>save </b>Kiya, and my fate awaited me past the darkness.


    However, the warmth of life called to my soul. Tendrils of holy silver pulled me away from Death toward the light. Death grumbled and stomped its feet because someone disrupted the natural process all living beings


    must encounter.


    At first, I didn¡¯t want to go back. It was time for Onyx and me to move on.


    Until the tendrils twirled into the <b>shape </b>of a hand, beckoning me to touch it. The same stretched out to Onyx, but as <b>a </b>paw. I heard the melodic voice of the woman I love caressing my heart and ears.


    Come back to me, please.


    The memories rushed back. I realized couldn¡¯t leave yet. There was so much left unsaid and undone. Without hesitation, I took the luminous hand into mine and Onyx took the paw into his, and <b>a </b>sh of light pulled us both in the arms of our angel on earth.


    But I couldn¡¯t celebrate. My happiness turned <b>to </b>sheer panic when <b>Kiya </b>copsed on top of me. Her holy light dimmed, reverting her back to her original form. Dozens of others shared my panic as a bittersweet end to an ageless battle against the darkness.


    Afterwards, it was one big blur.


    I didn¡¯t take a single breath until we got to the hospital at Ga Moon. I cradled Kiya¡¯s limp body against my <b>chest</b>, her head rolling on my shoulder. The doctors and nurses hopped into action under the authority of Anthony¡¯smand, settling Kiya on a gurney, and rolling her away further in the hospital.


    Every breath<b>, </b><b>every </b><b>foot </b>tap, foretold the anxiety bubbling in each of us. The whish of <b>the </b>role reversal stressed our minds out¨CI died and came back. Now, there is no telling if Kiya was crossing the same threshold of death. Valerian insisted to have a nurse examine <b>me</b>, but I assured him I was alright.


    I felt better than ever, and I felt awful about it. Why? I knew healing took a toll on Kiya¡¯s health. She knew. The first time she <b>healed </b>Abigail and me, it knocked her unconscious. She used the same power <b>to </b>resuscitate


    <ol>


    <li>me.</li>


    </ol>


    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if Kiya ends up dying.


    Asim didn¡¯t join us, assuming <b>he </b>had to take care of his <b>brother¡¯s </b>body. The rest of us remained in the hospital waiting room, waiting for updates. The orange sunset stretched its lights toward our feet, casting a glow that didn¡¯tfort us. My soldiers returned to Zircon Moon, along with my Beta and Gamma. After this


    Chapter 19 ¨C Part of Me


    madness, they <b>needed </b>thefort of their <b>mates</b>.


    Onyx howled <b>in </b>sadness, anguished about Artemis. He could lose her again before they had the chance to talk.


    On my bouncing leg, I rested my head on my fists, calling out <b>a </b>hushed prayer to Selene for Kiya¡¯s recovery. She teetered on the edge of death many times and bounced back. This time shouldn¡¯t be any different. A hand gripped my knee infort. I looked up to <b>see </b>Niki offering me a modest smile. It did something to my heart that I couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Mi rayo de luna is strong. She¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± That was what everyone had told me. Kiya is going to be fine. I need to see it for myself before I could believe it. Kiya, pull through. Don¡¯t die on <b>me </b>now, please<b>.</b>


    ¡°Alpha Anthony?¡±


    All our heads collectively shot up when an auburn¨Chaired doctor walked <b>in</b><b>. </b>She clutched her clipboard and adjusted her sses. Anthony rose from his seat and walked toward her.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°She is alright. Her vitals are normal, her heart is strong¨Cno physical or physiological anomaly that would


    cause the condition that she is in <b>now</b>.¡±


    ¡°W¨Cwait¡­ condition?¡± Lyra spoke, her eyes glistening with tears. ¡°What happened to my baby?¡±


    ¡°She is in aa.¡±


    Kiya


    How <b>does </b>one describe peace? Definitions and descriptions vary from person to person, but for me? Peace is


    simply bliss. No harm, no fouls, no pain.


    I felt lightweight, like the world had released me from its confines, allowing me to ascend to the skies. Was I in my body? <b>Didn¡¯t </b><b>seem </b>like it. Despite the light sensation, my hands felt a hard texture. All of me did. Yet, I didn¡¯t want to move. I wanted to rest.


    Until something poked <b>me </b>at my hip, trying to nudge me awake. I groaned, scuffling away. ¡°Five more


    minutes.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Kiya</b>, wake up. <b>You </b>sleep like a damn sloth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯mfy, Artemis. Leave me alone.¡±


    I heard Artemis sigh, growling as she poked me with her snout. I didn¡¯t budge. Shuffling was heard, and I felt her presence tower over my <b>body</b>.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll <b>have </b>to wake you up the ol¡® fashioned <b>way</b>.¡±


    Hot breath tickled my ear and cheeks <b>with </b><b>her </b>soft growls rumbling through her chest and into my ears. A


    warning for what was about toe. Before I got the rude awakening that I wouldn¡¯t wish on my worst enemy, my hand shot up and gripped her <b>jaw </b>closed. I opened my <b>eyes </b>to re daggers <b>into </b><b>Artemis</b>¡® blues.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Artemis chuckled <b>as </b>I rose to my knees, stretching my arms above to loosen any kinks in my body. She took a seat next to me when I noted the familiar ce we were in. The <b>white </b>world. The warmth remained, but so did my confusion.


    ¡°Why are we here again?¡± I turned to Artemis.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Kiki.<b>¡± </b>Artemis replied, her tail swishing from side¨Cto¨Cside behind her. ¡°But what I remember before we <b>got </b>here is that you, or rather we, passed out after we revived Neron and Onyx.¡±


    A disgruntled groan rumbled in my chest. I warned Selene that I might not survive after the healing, and now I¡¯m here again! Sighing, I rested my head against Artemis¡® pelt, relishing in the softness of her fur. Despite the circumstances, I was d to have her at my <b>side </b>through it all.


    ¡°Wee back.¡± Our heads turned to see Selene approaching us with a wide <b>smile</b>, hands folded in front of her silver dress. ¡°You¡¯ve sessfully revived a man on the edge of death. A taboo act amongst the gods, but bending the rules here and there is always a source of fun. How do you feel, Kiya?¡±


    ¡°I feel calm, but I feel like <b>there </b>is a catch here somewhere. I quirked a skeptical eyebrow, ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°As you know, healing takes a tremendous toll on your health and well¨Cbeing. Using your life essence to heal the wounds of others is a double¨Cedged sword. You gave everything you got to bring Neron back, but your body couldn¡¯t keep up. Think of it as the energy of your soul was drained to the maximum, so you need time to recover.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m unconscious<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°For the time being, yes.¡± Selene nodded. ¡°Your body needs to heal, not just from the resurrection, but the literal hell you¡¯ve been through under Osiris¡® refuge.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. Moments before I copsed, my body felt like it was shattering piece by piece. I <b>had </b>no strength to hold myself up, let alone talk. ¡°When will I wake up?¡±


    Selene¡¯s eyes reflected sadness as she expelled a soft sigh. ¡°Only time will tell, my child. But no harm wille to you. You¡¯re being well taken care of by your family.¡±


    A smile rested on my lips as I thought about my family before it fell. They must be so worried. I couldn¡¯t wait to hug them again. Selene ran her smooth hands through my curls, her fingers massaging my scalp. I let out <b>a </b>quiet purr as I leaned backward and rxed into her tender touch. A simr sound came from Artemis when Selene petted her, her tail picking up speed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get toofortable, my dear.¡± My goddess chuckled. ¡°<b>There </b>are a couple of things you need to take care of while you¡¯re here.¡±


    Confusion settled on my face when I looked up at her, lips pursed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll <b>see</b>.¡± With that, she <b>took </b>her ce some distance from Artemis and me. Before I could <b>rest </b>my head


    against my wolf again, a small voice in the distance called out for me,


    ¡°Kiya!¡±


    Pitter¨Cpatter of tiny feet rung through the air, the distant light silhouetting a tiny figure running toward me. The closer it was, the more the dark faded to features I knew too well. Shocked, I turned my entire body toward the child and stretched my arms out for a hug.


    ¡°Halima!¡± My inner child leaped into my arms, nearly toppling the both of us over as she <b>clung </b>onto my body like a young ko. Halima giggled and muzzled her head into the crook of my neck, her curls tickling my chin. Once we separated, I noticed her change of clothing. Instead of the filthy dress, <b>she </b><b>wore </b>a pure white, thick strapped dress brushing over her knees. Her hair was brushed out <b>and </b>healthy, matching mine right down to the smallest curl. She <b>even </b>scampered over to Artemis to hug her, but because of her height, Artemis had to <b>lean </b>down so Halima can cline around her neck.


    ¡°Hi<b>, </b>Arty!¡±


    ¡°U¨CUh¡­¡± Artemis looked at me for help, but all I did was stifle augh. She rolled her eyes <b>and </b>nuzzled her nose into Halima¡¯s belly, ¡°I¡¯ll let it slide this time. Hello to you too, Halima<b>.¡±</b>


    Halima finally released Artemis before turning to me. ¡°Thank you for freeing us, Kiya. And¡­¡± <b>She </b>suddenly looked embarrassed; eyes downcast as she rocked on her heels. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry for <b>what </b>I did to you. I hurt you, didn¡¯t 1?¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart twinged in pain at Halima¡¯s distressed expression. I took her small hand into mine and pulled her into myp, rubbing her arm as I hugged her. ¡°You did, but I¡¯m okay. We¡¯re okay, sweetheart. How <b>are </b>you feeling after all of this?¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± She grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not in that <b>gross </b>ce anymore, so I feel happy!¡± Artemis sat next to us, resting her head near my knees. Halima took it as a sign to pet her head. <b>¡°</b><b>All </b>I wanted was for you to see me, Kiki. I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>you to <b>forget </b>about me.¡±


    ¡°Hali, I¡¯ll never forget you.¡± I forgot about Halima at first. I didn¡¯t want to know her existence because the past was too painful. But this experience changed my entire perspective. Halima was more than my inner child¨Cshe <b>was </b>the innocence in my heart. She bore all my unhealed trauma and suffered alone in the dark. Osiris took advantage of her vulnerability because of my fears. ¡°I made mistakes and ignored you, but no more. I ept you <b>as </b>a part of me and I¡¯ll never leave you alone again.¡±


    Halima held up a pinky, her eyes widening with innocent hope. ¡°Promise<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    I hooked my pinky around hers without hesitation. ¡°I promise<b>.</b>¡±


    Halima squealed in pure delight, leaning in to kiss <b>me </b>on the check before delivering the same to Artemis. She pointed to my heart over my left breast, silver light sparkling from where she touched me. ¡°I¡¯ll be here if


    you ever need me again with ! I love you, Kiya, and you too, Artemis!¡±


    A tear slid down my cheek as Halima¡¯s smile warmed my heart. The smile I <b>wanted </b>to protect. The smile i wanted all children to have. I ran my hand through my hair onest <b>time</b>, hugging her tight. ¡°I love you too, Halima.¡±


    ¡°And <b>1</b>, too.¡±


    Halima¡¯s body faded in color, her browns, cks, <b>and </b>whites washing away until she was translucent as a ghost. Her high¨Cpitched, happy giggles were thest sounds I¡¯ve heard as her body faded into dozens of sparkling balls of light, bunching up around my heart before fading away. My eyes shed more tears as I rested my hands over my heart, mourning over Halima¡¯s absence and presence at the same time.


    Until I felt another presence in this realm. In the distance.


    Hopping on my feet, my legs carried me toward the presence with Artemis at low. Light and white faded to reveal a person with their back turned to me¨Cfeatures matching mine except for her straightened hair. She must¡¯ve known I was behind her because she shuffled her weight on another foot, sighing.


    ¡°Lady S


    I asked.


    ¡°Can¡­ Can you not call me that?¡± She turned her head, crimson eyes meeting mine. ¡°Osiris gave me that name and¡­ I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin. I understand.¡± I nodded, mulling my thoughts over. ¡°Do you <b>have </b>a name in mind?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Never really had one.¡±


    ¡°How about we start with¡­ <b>San</b>, for now?¡± My twin was silent <b>for </b>a few seconds before nodding.


    ¡°I like it.¡± The power in her voice had vanished, now reced with timidness. Nervous, she turned her body aroundpletely, but bowed her head as if it was too shameful for her to <b>look </b>at me. ¡°All I wanted was to protect you, Kiya. I wanted to stop your pain at the source, so you never had to feel it again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could go through life without feeling some sort of pain.¡± I brought my hands up and rested them on San¡¯s shoulders, squeezing them. ¡°You don¡¯t have to protect me all the time. Your intentions were good, but the execution was-¡±


    ¡°Terrible?¡± San finished, shaking her head. ¡°Osiris just¡­ made everything out to be some sort of paradise. Kill to get it or let it slip away.¡±


    ¡°He yed all of us.¡± I concluded. ¡°But I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°I understood why you needed to be there. All I did was run from everything <b>and </b>neglected the most important and vtile parts of myself; you, and Halima. I had to stop running and face my fears. You aren¡¯t a viin, San.¡±


    San fell silent again, fidgeting with her fingers as if she was waiting for something. ¡°So, I taught you a lesson?¡±


    ¡°More or less. But you are me. as a part of me.¡±


    1 ept ur


    That must¡¯ve been the thing she was waiting for because, before I knew it, she yanked me into a hug and buried her face in my shoulder. Her arms squeezed my torso tight, heaving a small sob. She needed this as much as I did. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed back, rubbing her back soothingly. After a minute, <b>San </b>let me go and smiled. A smile that wasn¡¯t tainted with blood.


    5/6


    ¡°Thank you.¡± San said as she reached out to pet Artemis. ¡°Thank you <b>for </b>epting me.¡±


    Just like with Halima, San¡¯s body faded to a translucent outline before exploding into balls of light, rushing toward my heart and fading away<b>. </b>Artemis and I shared a look before we <b>walked </b>back to Selene, who held <b>a </b>jubnt grin on her face.


    ¡°I knew I made a wise decision when I chose you as my avatar. You harbor more strength than any god or goddess I know,¡±


    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t help me during this entire ordeal?¡± I asked. ¡°Because <b>you </b>knew I¡¯d get out of it?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need my interference, Kiya. You got yourself out of the chaos and you still standing strong and tall. That is where the real rewardes in and I couldn¡¯t be prouder.¡± Selene pulled me into a hug and sighed with content happiness. ¡°So, so proud of you¡­¡±


    After a few heartfelt moments between Selene and 1, she left Artemis and I to our devices. She mentioned something about passing judgement on some mongrels. Artemis rested against the ground and I cuddled into her, resting my head on her torso as her fluffy tail covered me like a nket.


    ¡°I love you, Artemis.¡± I whispered, running my hand through her tail. ¡°Let us rest now, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Kiya.¡± She leaned over and licked my <b>hand</b>, her own way of kissing me. ¡°<b>Yes</b>, rest sounds good.¡±


    The both of us fell into a cid slumber in the sweet warmth of our love.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 180

    Chapter 92 <b>Reunion</b>


    ¨C


    ¡°Happiness is only real when shared. -Jon Krakauer


    Kiya


    Auntie!¡±


    Adonis <b>small </b>body burst through my hospital room door, with Raina and Valerian trickling in behind him. With his arms stretched out in front of him, the boy was about to make a mighty leap until a sh of realization flew across his face. Adonis paused, removed <b>his </b>shoes with his feet at the end of my bed, and zed past Mom and Neron, leaping into my arms with the biggest hug he could muster. I let out a low groan because of my strength returning to my body, but it didn¡¯t deter me <b>from </b>hugging him back.


    ¡°Hi, little prince.¡± His curly hair tickled my chin as he adjusted himself on myp. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±


    ¡°Good! I¡¯m d you¡¯re awake! I tried waking you before, but Mommy said you were in deep sleep.¡±


    ¡°1¡­¡± I gave my nephew a small smile while rubbing small circles on his back. ¡°<b>Yes</b>, I was sleeping. I needed it to feel better.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±


    ¡°Much.¡±


    Minus the sour stench of vani stuck to my nose, waking up after a long slumber felt surreal. It was like waking up to a different world. Dull aches pulsated throughout my limbs as expected, but the air had shifted. I carried an invisible weight on my back for so long, with the world callously adding more weight each day. The world didn¡¯t care. The weight crushed me like a bug after I revived Neron, sending me into infinite darkness. But Artemis was at my side throughout our healing in our mini white world. We fought my demons for <b>years</b>, and it was our time to rx.


    Now, I¡¯m awake and the weight had lifted. I felt lighter than a feather. Freer than a bird taking their first flight from the <b>nest</b>. Halima and San rested within my heart, and now and then, I could feel a minor tug from the center. Were they cheering me on? Were they happy for me? I won¡¯t ever know that answer, but I¡¯m d that I¡¯m okay.


    I¡¯m d that I get to see tomorrow.


    The sound of a chair sliding against the ground made way for approaching footsteps that stopped beside my nephew and me. I lifted my head up to see Raina looking down at me with tears glistening in her eyes, fingers reaching, then contracting like she was afraid to touch me. A faint flowery scent tickled my nose, aplete opposite from Raina¡¯svender aroma. It wasn¡¯t until I looked down to see her rounding belly poking out of <b>her </b>maroon blouse was when I got my answer.


    Her unborn baby. The baby that saved her life from Lady Sanguine¡¯s deadly de.


    A flood of emotion rushed through me when I reached out my hand to rest on <b>her </b>stomach. <b>Raina </b>gasped quietly, folding her hand on top of my own. I <b>wanted </b>to cry when I felt the life stirring inside, but blinked back my tears. I didn¡¯t want to get emotional. Instead, I looked back up at her, expelling a heavy sigh.


    1/6


    Buima amovered with a hug, squishing her son in between our bodies. Adonis squeaked but giggled, wrapping bis arms around us, hugging us both at the same time. Raina¡¯s soft sniffing echoed loud in my eardrums along with her whispers of relief that I was okay. I almost couldn¡¯t believe that she didn¡¯t hold an aversion to me, because I could feel and smell the anger and concerning from Valerian in the distance.


    Tim alinghn, baby sis. I was so scared that you¡¯d never wake up.¡± She whimpered, running her hand through my factened curls.


    My arms found their way around Raina, tightening around her frame. Through the unbridled hatred I had felt for this woman, there was that part that ached for her touch. That part of me would never forget the bond I used to have with Raina, but somehow, it felt good to have her here, next to me.


    ¡°The baby?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s good.¡±


    I pulled back, eyes widening with shock. ¡°She?¡±


    Raina chuckled at my reaction and nodded, petting Adonis on the head as he looked up at her with stars for eyes. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be having a girl¡±


    Tm going to be a big brother. Auntie Adonis eximed, hopping on myp in excitement. ¡°Can you tell me how she got in Mommy¡¯s stomach? Because she and Daddy won¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Th¡± Heat rushed to my cheeks while my mind scrambled for a solution. Jackle snorted beside me. Mom covered her mouth to stifle herughter, and the men at the door looked away like they have heard nothing. Sighing 1 patted Adonis on the shoulder and answered, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in five to ten years.¡±


    Adonis disappointed groan was interrupted out of the blue when the door burst open, nearly hitting Valerian in the face. My hospital room got significantly smaller when Kwame, Lori, Dad, Anthony, and everyone else sprung in. A tiny voice amongst the adults whined. A smaller body squeezed out from the forest of legs,


    unning over to my empty side past Jackie. She hopped in myp, thus making two children sitting on either


    thigh


    ¡°Tis! Auntie!¡± Ximena shrieked, hugging my arm like a ko. ¡°You¡¯re awake! I missed you!¡±


    Before I could answer, a faint growl from my side made me jump. I looked down with wide eyes and jaw dropped to see Adonis ring at Ximena with contempt. She seemed to notice as well and red back with the same power her miniature body could hold.


    ¡°Auntie?¡± <b>Adonis </b>questioned. ¡°Auntie Kiya is my Auntie!¡±


    ¡°Your Auntie?¡± Ximena snarled, hugging my arm possessively. ¡°She was my auntie first, dummy!¡±


    Uh, oh.


    I looked to Anthony and Alesia for help, but their muffledughter hinted at their enjoyment of the new rivalry between children.


    Great.


    Chapter <b>92 </b>¨C Reunion


    <b>¡°</b>You need to <b>leave</b>!¡± Adonis barked.


    ¡°No, you!¡± Ximena shot back before looking up at me. ¡°Auntie, tell him <b>you </b>were mine first!¡±


    ¡°I just woke up from a two¨Cmontha¡­¡± I moaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.


    ¡°Daddy! Mommy! Get him out!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Who do you think you <b>are</b>?¡±


    ¡°An Alpha. Ximena grinned<b>, </b>showing off her white teeth. ¡°You look like a Beta.¡±


    ¡°And what if I am?!¡± Adonis scoffed, rolling his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t look like an Alpha. You¡¯re very tiny.¡±


    Before the two could <b>break </b>out into a child brawl, a deep rumble echoed through the room. Everyone¡¯s eyes shot at me as I was sure red was bursting on my cheeks, despite my darkplexion. I shined an awkward smile and bowed my head to hide my shame.


    ¡°¡­.. I¡¯m hungry?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t hunger. The bear in my belly had graduated to a ravenous whale. While everyone surrounding me was eating their lunches in rtive peace, I was scarfing down <b>bowl </b>after bowl, not caring what was inside. The whale needed to be satiated, and I missed the taste of normal food.


    Eating different foods <b>at </b>the same time was a recipe for disaster, but who am I kidding? I¡¯m fucking starving!


    ¡°Mija! ?Calmate!¡± Dad snatched a takeout box I was reaching for filled with dan dan noodles. ¡°This is your eight bowl of noodles in thest five minutes! If you don¡¯t be careful, you could choke!¡±


    I <b>bared </b>my teeth and <b>hissed</b>, unable to satiate my hunger. He held it out of arm¡¯s reach when I reached for it again, knowing damn well I¡¯d be slow to get out my bed. In the end, Mom plucked the bowl from his hands and handed it back to me. ¡°Mi amor, <b>she </b>hasn¡¯t eaten in two months. You <b>know </b>how <b>she </b>can eat us out of


    house and home!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like some food, too!¡± <b>Dad </b>grumbled, dropping in his seat next to his wife like a cantankerous old <b>man</b>. Well, he is <b>one</b>.


    ¡°At least she likes my cooking!¡± Galen shouted in pride, grinning from ear to ear in his seat. ¡°If there is anyone, I trust to judge my food fairly, it¡¯s our resident vacuum cleaner!¡±


    Neron choked on his drink while I <b>slurped </b>up thest of my noodles, shooting a <b>re </b>at my <b>friend</b>. ¡°I don¡¯t cat that much!¡±


    <b>Jackie </b>held up two full bags of empty takeout boxes and <b>tupperware</b>. So did Abigail. So did Sapphire. Darien,


    mail. So did


    too. My lips dropped into <b>a </b>scowl as I crossed my <b>arms </b>and huffed. ¡°Like Mom said, I <b>haven¡¯t </b>eaten in two


    months.¡±


    ¡°You also ate everyone¡¯s portions of the food.¡± Darien deadpanned.


    ¡°<b>Hey</b><b>, </b>you all still ate! And you offered!¡±


    Chapter <b>92</b>¨CReunion


    ¡°Because you had that puppy look in your <b>eyes </b>when you want something.¡± Sapphire rolled her eyes, ducking to avoid the stic spoon I flung at her. Yeah, I eat a lot. So what? I haven¡¯t broken any of my past records <b>yet</b><b>; </b>I just need two more bowls of noodles to do <b>that</b>.


    ¨C


    ¡°Are you still hungry, though? <b>Neron </b>walked to my side and handed me his <b>bowl </b>of chicken fettini, made from Cleo¡¯s lovely <b>hands</b>. My stomach wanted it, but I pushed the bowl aside. ¡°Come on, I insist.¡±


    ¡°No, Neron. You need to eat too.¡±


    ¡°Now, she¡¯s being considerate.¡± Jackie chuckled, only to be silenced by Abigail¡¯s elbow to her arm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. You need the food more than I do.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Are you <b>sure</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Of course! Besides, I¡¯ll be fi-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, I snatched the bowl like a greedy gremlin and stabbed the noodles, stuffing as much of the cheesy noodles I can fit into <b>my </b>mouth. Manners were lost to me when it came to feeding, even if I look like a deranged puppy. Neron¡¯s <b>gaze </b>lingered on my skin, harboring a decent level of shock <b>when </b>our eyes met. I smirked and continued to enjoy my savory offering until I was


    donc<b>.</b>


    I let out a small burp, which Adonis and Ximena both giggled to before scowling at one another again. I patted my legs once <b>and </b>yawned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for me to move out of this bed. Asfortable as it was, I¡¯m


    getting antsy.¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help.¡± Neron insisted, offering me his hand. I swung my legs over the edge and shook his hand


    away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I got this.¡±


    ¡°Kiya, you were immobile for two months,¡± <b>Raina </b>said, looking apprehensive. ¡°What if you fall?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Me? Fall? Oh, please!¡± I spoke too soon. Once my bare feet touched the floor and I stood, all sensations dissipated, bone turning into jelly. ¡°Oh.¡± Everybody gasped in fear as I tumbled forward to the floor, but sighed in relief once Neron swooped in and caught me by the arms<b>. </b>I stumbled, trying to move my noodle legs as the Alpha¡¯s grip tightened on my arms.


    ¡°You got this, huh?¡± Neron mocked, arching an eyebrow. I let out an embarrassedugh, cursing under my breath at my weakness. ¡°Where were you even trying to go?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>The bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t <b>you </b>say so earlier?¡± Heughed, carefully pulling me upright. ¡°Just take it slow. There is no need


    to <b>rush</b>.¡±


    I held onto Neron¡¯s arms as I took my first steps, gradually regaining feeling in my legs. Relief washed over me like <b>a </b>gentle ocean wave. ¡°I¡¯m not the most patient person.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t <b>have </b>to tell us twice.¡± Anthony snorted at my re, waving me off. Out of nowhere<b>, </b>white zed <b>over </b>his hazels, <b>a </b>definite sign of his mind¨Clink opening. His <b>eyes </b><b>returned </b>to normal after half a minute. ¡°There is something I <b>need </b>to take <b>care </b>of. Darien,e with me.¡±


    Chapter <b>12 </b>¨C Reunion


    ¡°Oh?¡± My friend cocked his head to the side, rising from his seat with his Alpha. ¡°Alright.¡± Anthony nted <b>a </b>tender kiss on my forehead before doing the same with <b>his </b>wife and child, leaving the room with Darien tailing behind him. Curiosity struck me as I reached the bathroom door, ignoring the sharp breeze on my backside.


    I wonder what was happening.


    Luckily, I didn¡¯t <b>need </b>any more help inside the bathroom. My legs were returning to normal, but I still had to take things slow. Neron wouldn¡¯t leave my side, <b>scared </b>that I might tumble to the ground. As sweet <b>as </b>his gesture was, he calmed down as soon as I reassured him I was okay.


    Part o


    of his worry wasing from Onyx, for sure. Artemis huffed, making shrewdments about how the big, bad wolf was a soft puppy on the inside. I smirked to myself, making a mental note on getting she and Onyx time to talk.


    After some time, everybody trickled out of my hospital room as time went on. Dr. Nava checked my vitals and motor functioning and concluded I was fit for release. I was more than happy to feel the sun¡¯s rays on my skin again. Abigail brought me some of my clothes from my room and Mom triple checked me to ensure herself that I was alright.


    Ah, mothers and their <b>never</b>¨Cending bouts of worry.


    I was straightening up my hospital bed, dusting off any crumbs <b>I¡¯ve </b>might have left over from my buffet. Neron was helping to <b>throw </b><b>away </b>left over trash while Mom walked toward the window <b>and </b>cracked it open.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little musty in here.¡± She muttered. Out of nowhere<b>, </b>she shrieked<b>, </b>causing Neron and I to look up in concern. A ball of white zipped through the window like <b>a </b>rocket, mming into my chest when I straightened my posture. Hooting and cooing sang in my eardrums as Iughed at the familiar ruffle of feathers tickling my corbone<b>.</b>


    ¡°Diana!¡± I eximed, cradling the tiny owl in my palms. ¡°Where have you been? I missed you.¡±


    Her wings pped, carrying her small body until she was face¨Clevel with me, and pressed her beak to my nose. She fluttered to my shoulder, taking her ce there as she nuzzled her face in my neck. <b>Mom </b>sighed, pressing a hand over her heart.


    ¡°That bird just took a few years off my life.¡± She muttered, opting to close the window instead as Diana hooted in apology. Neron walked beside me and rubbed his finger on her head,ughing when Diana leaned back, her gold eyes fluttering closed in pleasure.


    ¡°Well<b>, </b><b>she </b>needed to see her favorite person.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m d she dropped by.¡±


    Once the hospital room was cleared and I retrieved my discharge papers, the three of us walked out of the hospital. Mom walked ahead of us while Neron, Diana, and I lingered behind her. Questions swam in my mind as we entered the earthy space, thest bits of summer lingering before it made its way for fall weather.


    Wow. I <b>missed </b>the entire summer. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should feel happy or sad about it.


    ¡°How were thesest few months treating you?¡± I asked Neron, who ran his hand through his hair before.


    Chapter 92¨CReunion


    answering.


    ¡°Well. I¡¯ve been productive, mostly. There <b>are </b>a couple of projects I¡¯m working on.¡±


    ¡°Projects?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± He answered, popping the ¡®P. ¡°Your brother and father have been a tremendous help so far. It is moving on nicely and I¡¯m prepared to make a couple of big purchases.¡±


    ¡°Purchases?¡± I arched <b>an </b>eyebrow. ¡°Are you trying to buy a house or something?¡±


    More or less.¡±


    The <b>four </b>of us approached the pack house where I spotted Anthony speaking with three women who¡¯ve I never seen before. All had some level of power within them, like Phoebe¡¯s, but the person veiled with golden hair peeking out from underneath the cloth caught my attention the most. Witches, I assumed. Phoebe walked over and shook the veiled woman¡¯s hand, offering them a smile in which she returned with a blush on her cheeks.


    But that wasn¡¯t what was most shocking to me.


    A fierce growl reverberated from <b>the </b>small space, our heads turning toward the distant trees. Darien <b>stood </b>there, sweat clinging onto his skin and clothes from his recent run, eyes as ck as coal. He was focused on Phoebe, or rather, the woman standing next to them. She seemed to have a hint of recognition shing across their face because she growled low in response.


    ¡°M¨CMate?¡± She croaked.


    ¡°Mate!¡± Darien shouted, running up to them and pulling <b>them </b>into a bone¨Ccrushing hug.


    My jaw had dropped.


    Darien found his second¨Cchance mate!

 Chapter 181

    <b>Chapter </b><b>93- </b>Second <b>Chance</b>


    ¡°Miracles were just second chances <i>if </i>you really thought about it¡ªsecond chances when all hope was lost.¡°<i>¨C</i>Kaya


    McLaren


    <b>Darien</b>


    I never thought this would happen to me; to hold my second¨Cchance mate¨Cmy mate in my arms.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After Odessa, I thought I¡¯d never love again. I closed out every possibility of a broken heart, caging my own <b>in </b>a steel prison. Odessa had hurt me beyond belief; manipting and taking advantage of me while she pursued another behind my back. Fed with lies, I questioned my worth as both a man and a mate and decided to never open my heart again, to protect myself and Sirius.


    Now Sirius howled in joy, and my heart sprung free from its man¨Cmade containment. Mara¡¯s muffled squeak invaded my eardrums as her shaky arms wrapped around me. Her chocte and cinnamon scent made my soul cry with joy. I detected <b>a </b>hint of mocha, and I <b>loved </b>it. I absolutely loved it. My heart was singing its highest praises to the gods of heaven, especially my Moon Goddess. The vow I made to never love again incinerated to ash, birthing anew for this witch I met two months ago.


    Thank you, Selene! Thank you so much!


    Mara¡¯s blonde hair tickled my <b>chin</b>, telling me that her veil had slipped. ¡°Oh.¡± Immediately, I released her, keeping her at arm¡¯s length as my cheeks heated. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry, Mara, I shouldn¡¯t have been so forward.¡±


    ¡°No harm done, Darien.¡± <b>Mara </b>shined a modest smile, adjusting her veil by taking it off and resting the fabric inside her satchel. ¡°Ariel told me this would happen. I didn¡¯t believe her at first, but I had to see it for myself.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Ariel?¡± I asked, eyes widening. ¡°Ariel is¡­ with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You wouldn¡¯t believe how we met. I wasing back from a <b>hike </b>with <b>my </b>moms when I found her spirit sitting on my bed. She had chosen me as <b>her </b><b>new </b>human. We chatted, Moms did a ritual to bind us together for life and¡­ here we are.¡±


    *I¡­ I never heard of this happening.¡±


    ¡°Akin to the soul separation, the bonding ritual between a <b>wolf </b>and their newly chosen host is just as rare.¡± Este pressed an arm on Mara¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it with affection. ¡°When Mara told us what had happened, we were astonished to see the sweet wolf spirit had taken a liking to them so quickly. In my heart, I knew this bond would stand the testament of time.¡±


    ¡°So, Mara is officially a werewolf.¡± Alpha Anthony proimed. I forgot he was here with us.


    ¡°Yes, and Mara kept her abilities as a witch. She is now a hybrid.¡±


    Hybrid or not, Mara was wonderful. Her sunset <b>eyes </b>found <b>mine</b>, searching for something I couldn¡¯t decipher. <b>Was </b>she looking for trust? Doubt? Sirius wanted to leap out of my chest to meet andfort both her and Ariel.


    ¡°She just has to shift for the first time.¡± Marjorie mentioned. Mara <b>stiffened </b>and looked down at <b>a </b><b>striking </b>patch of grass beneath her <b>shoes</b>, fidgeting in her ce. Concern shot through my chest like a bullet.


    1 1/6


    Chapter 93¨CSecond Chance


    ¡°You didn¡¯t shift yet?¡± <b>I </b><b>asked </b>her. She shook her head.


    ¡°Ariel wanted to be here to do it, which is why we came. Shifting is tough, but since I¡¯m an adult as opposed to <b>a </b>teenager, <b>she </b><b>said </b>I needed your help to make sure things don¡¯t <b>go </b>wrong.¡±


    ¡°You can trust Darien.¡± Phoebe grinned at Mara,ing to my defense. ¡°He is an honorable man, I promise <b>you</b>, Mara.¡± Mara shot a pained nce at Phoebe before <b>nodding</b>, huffing in a profound sigh, with her eyes fluttering close.


    ¡°Can my Moms be with me during the shift?¡±


    ¡°Anything to make youfortable.¡± Thest thing I wanted <b>was </b>Mara to feel ufortable around me. <b>A </b>suspicion <b>stirred </b>in my chest that she was hiding something from me, but whatever it was, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll tell me when the time was right. ¡°<b>There </b>is an area in the forest that is secluded away from <b>the </b>eyes of the pack house. Kiya, do you mind if we use your shifting space?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all!¡± Happiness stirred in my chest when I looked at her. Her color was back, and her vibrancy shone brighter. I was d she was okay after these bleary two months. Mara¡¯s head shot in her direction, with her mouth dropping open.


    ¡°Kiya? You¡¯re Selene¡¯s-!¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Avatar? Yup. We can talk more about that after your shift.¡± She shot Mara a wink, causing gentle pink to colonize on her cheeks. ¡°Good luck!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for the four of us to find the secluded <b>spot </b>disguised by redwood trees and earth. Pebbles crunched underneath <b>the </b><b>soles </b>of our shoes with the mossy perfume of Mother Nature weed <b>us </b>into her territory. No matter how many times I run through the woods, her presence never ceases to make me feel safe.


    ¡°This is the ce.¡± I announced. ¡°Now, Mara, all you have to do is-¡±


    Mara threw herself behind thergest bush in the area, green shielding her body from my view<b>. </b>She squeaked again, ruffling the leaves as she stomped three times. ¡°It¡¯s alright! I just killed a spider!¡±


    I <b>rose </b><b>an </b>eyebrow, unsure whether I should be confused or amused. I turned to look at Marjorie and Este, but the most they offered me were uneasy smiles as they went to their daughter.


    ¡°Mara, are you sure you don¡¯t want toe out here?¡± I asked, now concerned.


    Her sharpughter,yered with her anxiety, echoed in the space. ¡°I¡¯m fine right here!¡±


    ¡°<b>You </b>sure<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Positive!¡±


    ¡°Mara is¡­¡± Este droned, working on the best words to say next. ¡°Notfortable stripping in the presence


    of others<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°But, we¡¯re <b>her </b>mate!¡± Sirius eximed. ¡°We can make her feel better, right?¡±


    ¡°<i>I </i>have faith, but it is up to Mara. She discovered our bond no less than twenty minutes ago. She needs time.¡±


    216


    Chapter 93¨CSecond Chance


    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± I gave a hearty smile to the woman, finding a boulder to sit on and wait. ¡°She cane out when she is ready.¡± The bush leaves continued to rustle with Mara¡¯s movement, her clothing popping from behind, handing them to her mothers. After thest of her garments were discarded, I continued to <b>sit</b>, waiting for her to emerge.


    But she didn¡¯t. She still hid.


    ¡°Mara? Are you okay?¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yes</b><b>! </b>I¡¯m just not used to being nude in the forest!¡±


    ¡°It is mind¨Cboggling at first, but the more times you shift, the more Mother Nature <b>will </b>amodate you. She holds no ill will to the wolves who enter her domain, especially the new ones.¡± Mara grunted in response and ceased her shuffling. Marjorie and Este nced at each other before craning their heads behind the bush, their eyes glossing over in white as their mind¨C<b>links </b>opened.


    After a while, my concern became unbearable. Mara deserved <b>to </b>shift in a safe space, but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if <b>she </b>feared me. Was I too intimidating? Did we get off to a horrendous start? Was my presence that rming to her? My heart dropped in fear while Sirius whimpered, desperate to get closer tofort her<b>.</b>


    Maybe I should try a different approach.


    ¡°Mara?¡± I called out again, rising to my feet. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to see you, right?¡±


    There was a pregnant pause between the bush and me. A small sigh floated from behind as her mothers. shifted their bodies to sit on the forest floor. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not ready for that, Darien. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to be sorry, Mara.¡± She had <b>nothing </b>to apologize for. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help you feel morefortable?¡± Another pause followed, but not for long, because Mara¡¯s bare hand shot out from the bush, flexing her fingers.


    ¡°Can¡­ can you hold my hand while I shift?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± I walked over, kneeled on the ground, and held her supine hand in my own. Her hand was smaller and softer in mine, and I <b>couldn¡¯t </b>help but relish it by running my thumb over the back of her hand. There was something she was hiding from me. Her embarrassment sunk into my skin like quicksand. She didn¡¯t want me to see her, and there was nothing on this earth that could anger me about that. I will happily wait until the day she isfortable enough to tell me what is bothering her.


    Until then, I¡¯ll support her in every way that I can.


    <b>¡°</b>Alright, Mara. Take in a deep breath.¡± Marjorie said, her arm disappearing behind the bush. ¡°You and Ariel <b>are </b>one. Allow her toe forth in your mind and body. Let go of the shackles chaining you to your body and lean into your wolf for support. Your shift will hurt, but Darien, your mother, and I are here by your side. Just breathe through the pain and it¡¯ll all be over sooner than you realize.¡±


    There was a long bout of silence.


    Mara¡¯s breathing equalized <b>into </b>gentle puffs.


    Then the screaming started.


    <b>376</b>


    Her titanium grip squeezed my hand as the discordance of bones snapping shattered the surrounding air. Sirius battered against my chest, trying to w his <b>way </b>toward Mara, but I pushed him back. Her mothers cooed and murmured words of encouragement to her, trying to ease the thick tension in the <b>air</b>.


    This was Mara¡¯s shifting ceremony. Her official entry into Wolfhood. It wasn¡¯t the same as having the entire pack¡¯s support, but this was the next best thing.


    Brown fur sprouted from her skin, growing in thickness and length. Growls mixed with her screams as the volume of her snapping increased in speed and in volume. Her furry palm lengthened and stubbed, her sharp <b>ws </b>sprouted, and dug into my skin.


    Come on, Mara! You¡¯re almost <i>there</i>! Just a little more! I believe in you<b>!</b>


    After a grueling couple of minutes, the growling and screaming ceased. Mara¡¯s hand, or paw, shot back into the bush at the speed of light. The leaves rustled in both movement and the pleasant wind blowing through us, soothing the umting heat in the air. The women gasped, grinning tearfully as they sang theirpliments to their child.


    ¡°Oh, you look gorgeous!¡± Este eximed.


    ¡°That¡¯s our little trooper. Youpleted your first shift. Wee, Ariel.¡± Marjorie grinned.


    I took a step back, watching as beautiful Ariel emerged from the bush, her emerald eyes ensnaring mine into their glittering beauty. Mara did it! Ariel was here! Dropping to my knees, Ariel trotted over and buried her snout into my chest, growling and sniffing me.


    Heat swam down my cheeks, dripping on my arms. I¡¯m not a crier, but today, I¡¯ll happily <b>im </b>that title. Not only have I found a person who I know I¡¯ll love with my whole heart, Sirius got his second chance to meet Ariel again. His wing got intolerable, because I knew he wanted to be with Ariel. To run, just as they were supposed to.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± I whispered in Ariel¡¯s pointed ears. I made haste with stepping behind a tree, stripping <b>out </b>of my clothes, and allowing Sirius to take over. In less than a minute, he trotted over to Ariel and nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck with uncontained love.


    Marjorie and Esteughed as they watched Ariel and Sirius run into the woods with renewed energy. My mind wandered to Mara inside Ariel, wondering <b>how </b><b>she </b>was feeling. We don¡¯t have an official link as we are still unmated, but when and if that timees, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to <b>make </b>certain no harmes


    to her.


    Odessa was my first love and first heartbreak, but Mara is the drink of cool water after walking miles in an infinite desert. I wanted to know more about her and what made her unique. I wanted to be the shoulder she can cry on, <b>the </b>support she seeks, and the person to mend her hurt. No matter what, I¡¯ll do and be the best man and mate for her.


    That is the newest vow I¡¯m making to my Moon Goddess <b>as </b><b>a </b>promise to guard Mara¡¯s heart from all those who wish to harm it.


    Hmm. I guess Neron¡¯s trouble was a blessing in disguise<b>.</b>


    Kiyar


    The happiness Darlen deserved hade to him as a medicinal witch. His smiles shined with his glee every time Mara was in his vicinity like she was a noble monarch. Mara and her mothers opted to stay for a week for those two to get to know each other. Neither she nor Darien had made the option for Mara to move to Ga Moon officially. But whatever decision those two <b>make</b>, I know it¡¯ll be the right one.


    Asim had returned to Egypt with his Osiris¡® ashes while I was in thea. My heart wept that he lost his brother, but it soared, knowing he¡¯ll never touch me or my life again. Nadia and Lucien are livingfortably In my pack and are deciding if to be official members or not. Just like me, they¡¯ll no longer live with the threat of danger hanging over them,


    A few days had passed, and I found myself on Zircon Moon territory, this time at the pond. Dad and Anthony <b>had </b>to speak with Neron about the mysterious project he was working on, so I opted to staying around a recognizable ce, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could stomach looking at the pack house without being reminded of what I¡¯ve done as Lady Sanguine. But the nausen wasn¡¯t as powerful as the memory of the conflict.


    Diana sang her song from a tree branch several feet above me, her neck elongating to follow the flight of smaller birds zipping in her view. My fingers danced on the surface of the pond, ripples stretching from my fingertips. This was where the chaos of my life had started, but now it didn¡¯t have the same impact as it did


    before.


    I didn¡¯t have the urge to regurgitate my lunch at the thought of being here.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d find you here.¡± I turned my head to see Neron approaching. He took a seat on the rock next to me, folding his hands on his knees. ¡°Are you okay with being here?¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>. It doesn¡¯t affect me as much as it did before.¡± I answered, shuffling to a rock myself. ¡°How did your


    meeting go?¡±


    ¡°It went well. I think I have something solid going for the next <b>couple </b>of weeks.¡±


    ¡°Are you ever going to tell me about this project of yours?¡± I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Does it have to be this big


    secret?¡±


    ¡°For now.¡± Neron shrugged. ¡°At least, a secret to the masses. I was wondering when it would be a good time to tell you, but now is a good time as any.¡±


    ¡°Does it <b>have </b>to do with me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A little. You were a slight inspiration.¡± Neron smirked, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small object. His Alpha ring. He stared at it for <b>a </b>moment, turning and inspecting it like a jeweler searching for a phony diamond. ¡°Someone once told me that my fate wasn¡¯t mine to choose, but I sure as hell could change it. It starts with getting rid of this thing here.¡±


    I blinked, trying to put the puzzle pieces in my mind together<b>. </b>¡°You¡¯re getting rid of your Alpha ring? You don¡¯t want to be Alpha anymore?¡±


    ¡°While this ring represents my status as Alpha, <b>I¡¯m </b>still one with or without it.¡± He exined. ¡°I won¡¯t be getting rid of my status, just the bonds it holds.¡±


    Chapter 93¨CSecond Chance


    <b>Once </b>the pieces fit together, a gasp <b>escaped </b>my mouth, my eyes widening with shock. ¡°Neron¡­ <b>are </b>you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m disbanding the Zircon Moon <b>Pack </b>for good.¡±


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 Chapter 182

    <b>Chapter </b><b>94 </b><b>¨C </b>Reminiscing


    ¡°Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe.¡°¨CC Joy Bell C.


    Krya


    ¡°Disbanding..


    There wasn¡¯t much to say, or there was, but I couldn¡¯t muster up the courage to speak. Neither of us uttered a word to each other. The sounds of the surrounding nature drowned out our silence. My eyes followed Neron¡¯s movements as he twirled his ring between his fingers. His eyes narrowed on the object, disgust reflecting on his orbs, grimacing.


    ¡°I found out the truth about my family, Kiya.¡± Neron spoke with momentous contempt woven in every syble. ¡°When you went missing. I searched high and low for answers. Osiris allusion to my family¡¯s history made little sense at first. Why did he condemn my bloodline every chance he got? There were so many secrets that I was unprepared to uncover. I never knew that the paternal side of my family was so¡­ violent.¡±


    <b>The </b>Alpha ring slid into his palm and he hid it inside his fist, tightening it as if he wanted to crush it. ¡°All the men before me only cared about power and they hurt people to get it.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°I found journals of my grandfather <b>and </b>great¨Cgrandfather hidden in the library,¡± Neron exined. ¡°I confronted Dad about it, and he defended their behavior, iming they were martyrs. The pain of others was worth the elevation of the Prince name.¡± Neron slumped his head into his free hand, rubbing his temple. ¡°He painted their tyranny as their ambition! I¡­ I couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of running Zircon Moon after that. My family history was diluted and painted into something else entirely.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the break in his tone, and it broke my heart. I couldn¡¯t fathom being fed fabrications about your own lineage for years and discovering the truth in the worst timing possible. What did he go through while I was gone? Neron sighed, wiping his tears before they had the chance to fall<b>, </b>sucking in deep breaths to calm his quaking hands.


    ¡°I was lied to my entire life. All this shit just to be a ¡°good Alpha¡® wasn¡¯t worth it in the end. It felt like everyone I held close to my heart <b>betrayed </b>me; Dad, Odessa, who knows who else?¡±


    ¡°You have Valerian and Kwame.¡± I <b>quipped</b>, scooting my body closer to him. ¡°They o


    didn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t listen.¡± Neron gazed upon my face, his reddening eyes searching in mine. ¡°If I <b>have </b>children, I wouldn¡¯t want to pass this legacy to them. I don¡¯t want them to discover it aste as I did and be reminded <b>that </b>their history was full of plunder and deceit. What does it make me to continue my rule as Alpha after finding this out? I couldn¡¯t turn a blind¨Ceye to this.¡±


    ¡°What did <b>you </b>do with the journals?<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Burned them.¡± <b>Neron </b>said. ¡°I never want to look at that shit again.¡± Neron turned his head to face the pack house, <b>a </b>shadow falling over his face. ¡°I¡¯m not proud of <b>Zircon </b>Moon, even <b>more </b><b>so </b>when I think about what we put you through. I¡¯m disbanding this pack because I want to create <b>a </b>new legacy <b>that </b>I know I <b>can </b>be proud of, building it from the ground up.¡±


    ¡°Neron, packs take years to establish, not to mention the time and resources allocating to it.¡± I exined, folding my hands in myp. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s so sudden to be making a radical decision like this?¡±


    Neron chuckled, his lips curling into a smile, turning his head to me. ¡°Kiya, this n has been on my mind for weeks. As harsh as it sounds, Zircon Moon is a name that needs to die. 200 years of living is long enough.¡±


    ¡°Right.. I whispered, soaking in the impact of his words. ¡°How do Anthony and my dade into y?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been helping me seek potentialnd <b>sellers </b>and buyers. Luckily, Dad had a decent amount of money. stashed away in <b>his </b>savings and from investments in stocks in Carson City and Las Vegas. He won¡¯t be using that anytime soon, so I¡¯m putting it to good use.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, that¡¯s good.¡± I offered a small smile. ¡°Have you thought about where you want your new pack to


    be?¡±


    ¡°Away from here.¡± Neron snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve outgrown Nevada. I want to stay on the west coast, so maybe Oregon or Washington, despite the shitshow with Osiris. The East Coast as awful winters, the South has <b>hurricanes </b>and tornadoes and the Mid¨CWest is just<b>¡­ </b>corn and farm life.¡±


    <b>I </b>shot Neron an incredulous look, cing my fists on my lips. ¡°The West Coast as wildfires!¡±


    ¡°They haven¡¯t <b>touched </b>us yet!¡±


    my life


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it.¡± I chuckled, shaking my head. Turning my head to the distant <b>pack </b>house, snippets of shed before my eyes. This ce was where my life began and ended. <b>Through </b>theughter<b>, </b>smiles, tears, and blood, thisnd held significant memories that I would never forget. Neron was right, it is time <b>for </b><b>Zircon </b>Moon to


    Ko.


    . And I¡¯m d that with time, this ce would cease to exist.


    Neron was moving on, and so <b>was </b>L.


    But that led to another sensitive topic that we needed to touch on. Or, at least, I needed to.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Neron asked.


    ¡°The past,¡± I answered, turning my head to the pond. Tiny fish leaped out of the water while birds took <b>their </b>baths around the exterior, Most of the people who hurt me are dead. This summer was a journey that tested my boundaries and my strength. Life threw one obstacle after another at me, whether as a snake or a painful memory. I¡¯ve fallen, gotten back up, and fallen again; a never¨Cending cycle ceasing when I <bnded </b>in aa. With all <b>that </b>time to rest and <b>rx </b>with Artemis, I¡¯ve thought about a lot of things, including how I wanted to move forward. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether this is the best or worst summer of my life.¡±


    ¡°Who says it can¡¯t be both?¡± Neron tossed his ring in the air and caught it with one hand. ¡°It sure as hell was


    mine.¡±


    ¡°<b>Yeah</b>, but we needed the chaos to get to where we are right now. Artemis and I talked a lot in mya, and I


    spoke with Selene as well. There is something I feel we need to talk about now that we don¡¯t have any


    distractions.¡±


    d that be?¡±


    ¡°What would that be?¡±


    ¡°Forgiveness.¡±


    Chapter 94 ¨C Perunisong


    Neron <b>had </b>stopped the tossing, his body stiffening like he was bracing for an attack. A new sadness reflected


    In his eyes <b>as </b>he averted them elsewhere from my gaze, sucking in a heavy breath full of trepidation. He was nervous, and <b>I </b><b>was </b>too. Forgiveness wasn¡¯t an option for me, at least, not the type many thought it was. Things have changed, <b>and </b>I have <b>changed</b>. Artemis¡® growl rumbled low in my mind, reminding me she there if I needed her.


    I unfolded my legs and crossed them again. ¡°Neron, can you answer me honestly?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you really need my forgiveness to change?¡±


    He settled his ring on the grass next to <b>his </b>hip, propping his knees on his thighs in his silence. I wish I had the power to <b>poke </b>and prod inside Neron¡¯s mind to discover the inner mechanisms of his thought process. A twinge of <b>pain </b>pierced the side of my heart at the plethora <b>of </b>answers he could give, but I swallowed it down and waited for him to respond.


    ¡°It was the motivating factor at first.¡± <b>Neron </b>began. ¡°But, over time, it became less about wanting your <b>forgiveness </b>and more on realizing that I was a shitty person. I had acted in ways that I¡¯m sure Mom would¡¯ve pped me for. I understood how love got <b>lost </b>in trantion and how I was performing for other people. I had abandoned the things I loved so I could get the <b>love </b>from people who I thought cared about me, and that was the <b>hardest </b><b>lesson </b>I had to learn.¡±


    ¡°Your dad taught you that one way was the correct way, Neron. You had no room for flexibility. That shouldn¡¯t be something you can me yourself for.¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯m still responsible for my actions in the end. I hurt <b>you</b>, Kiya.¡± Neron turned his body to face me. ¡°If I could take my actions back, I would, but I can¡¯t. Did I need your forgiveness to change? No. But, the thought of it helped me to wake up. After a while, I forgot about it. I wanted <b>your </b>safety and happiness more <b>than </b>your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°Do you still want it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it or need it. But¡­¡± His face contorted in worry, his gaze now on the canopy above us, with the sunlight highlighting his facial features. ¡°I want to be better than I was yesterday. I know I¡¯m changing, but there is <b>this </b>fear in the back of my mind that I¡¯ll turn out like my father, and it terrifies me. I don¡¯t want to be anything like him.¡±


    A shot of anger rose from my belly to my throat. I snapped my head in his direction, baring my teeth. ¡°You <b>aren¡¯t </b>like him. Not from what I can see right now. Your father wouldn¡¯t have held down a fucking naga to save me. He would never think about putting others before himself. Above all, he wouldn¡¯t have fought as hard as you did to stop hell from <b>raising </b><b>over</b>. You died for me, Neron, for fucks sake! You¡¯re a better man that he¡¯ll


    ever be


    Neron looked <b>away </b>again, gritting his teeth and shaking his head. Didn¡¯t he believe me? I cannot ever see Neron and <b>Jonathan </b>as the same man, even if they shared blood. Neron helped pull me away from the darkness while Jonathan catapulted me <b>into </b>it. I wish he could see just how much his actions <b>had </b><b>an </b>impact.


    ¡°He¡¯s still in me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. He can¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡±


    Chapter <b>94 </b>¨C Remmeng


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± His voice cracked again. ¡°He¡¯s always in my head, telling me I¡¯m a failure. Dad still lives, whether I like it or not.¡±


    Jonathan was a phenomenal douchebag and I hope he suffers in hell for all he¡¯d did to the both of us<b>. </b>I swallowed the urge to yell at Neron at how wrong he was, and instead diverted the conversation to something else.


    ¡°Have you heard of the inner child?¡± Neron raised an eyebrow and shook his head. ¡°Your inner child reflects what you once were as a kid that is shaped by our experiences, the good and the bad. They live inside you, in your heart. Halima is my inner child that needed someone to care about her, and I had abandoned her. As <b>crazy </b><b>as </b>it sounds, the chaos with Osiris helped me to realize I couldn¡¯t abandon <b>her </b>again. I <b>know </b>your dad fucked with your head and messed your life up, but I think you can do some mending with your inner child.¡± I pointed to his heart. ¡°He is in there, waiting for you.¡±


    I allowed that to marinate as Diana swooped down between us, nestling her tiny body between our hips. Neron smiled small, petting her head as she cooed. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I nodded. ¡°So, back to the topic at hand.¡± A small dandelion waved gently in the wind, spreading its seed to the farthest reaches of the pond and the woods. ¡°Ever since I came back here, people have distorted my view on forgiveness because no one wanted to take responsibility for my abuse. They weaponized it against me. Ashley, Steven, your father, and everyone in between wanted my forgiveness for themselves. <b>They </b><b>wanted </b>me to act like the abuse never happened, as if it hadn¡¯t impacted every aspect of my life. It felt like it was their opportunity to force me to forgive THEIR transgressions so that they <b>can </b>go back to their status quo<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forgive them either.


    ¡°Oh, I never will. I¡¯ll never give them that satisfaction.¡± I smirked, rubbing the back of my <b>neck</b>. ¡°It¡¯s not my job to get rid of their guilt. I don¡¯t regret carving them up like turkeys because it was the least of their problems. Ashley and Steven won¡¯t be part of my life.¡±


    ¡°Forgiveness is your choice to give, not something that is pushed onto you.¡± Neron concluded, smiling when Diana hopped on hisp. ¡°What about <b>Raina</b>?¡±


    ¡°I need more time with her.¡± I admit, drawingzy circles in the grass with my finger. ¡°She¡¯s still my sister and I don¡¯t hate her like before, but I¡¯m not ready to let her into my life, yet. Our bond still needs a lot of repairs.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. What about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Myself¡­¡± I paused. ¡°Anger consumed me for a long time, and I allowed it to dictate my path in life. I allowed myself to be destructive to both the world and myself. Once I epted Lady Sanguine as a part of me, forgiving myself became a process. I forgive myself for falling into darkness in the first ce and for abandoning Halima. It <b>Is </b>about time that I stop letting the past control me.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much of an inspiration you are, Kiya?¡± Neron chuckled, causing me to raise an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve <b>survived </b>the shit this world and life thrown at you and you didn¡¯t let them win. You have the strength that many Alphas <b>can¡¯t </b>imagine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an inspiration. I¡¯m just me.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re ridiculously humble.¡±


    Chapter 1


    ¡°And you don¡¯t like me talking about you because you¡¯ve turned the spotlight back to me before I got the chance to mention you.¡± Neron¡¯s eyes widened, his lips pursed in a <b>soft </b>pout. Gotcha! ¡°Try not to do that again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too smart for your <b>own </b>good.¡±


    Iughed, reaching over to pet Diana¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re right, however. You didn¡¯t need my forgiveness to <b>change </b>to a better person because you chose to change. I brought you back to life because I care about you, Neron. If your father was around and still influencing you, you¡¯d bet your ass that I would¡¯ve cut you out of my life for good. Lady Sanguine would¡¯ve cut you out of your existence for good too.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ she almost did.¡± Neron¡¯s humorless chuckles disguised the self¨Cdepreciating tone in his voice. He still felt guilty, and I¡¯m not sure if I could do anything else to ease that a bit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>want </b>you to forget what you did, Neron. I don¡¯t want anyone to forget what they did. However, I don¡¯t want the guilt to control you anymore because it sounds like it is.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, you know?¡± He shot me a wink, gingerly cing Diana back on the grass to adjust his legs. ¡°It won¡¯t go <b>away</b>, no matter <b>what </b>I do. I <b>have </b>no choice, but to ept it.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to. Could you try therapy? It helped me, so maybe it can help you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Neron tapped his cheek in thought, his hair strands dancing across his face. ¡°I¡¯ll think about that


    too.


    ¡°<b>And </b>about forgiving you-¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t, <b>Kiya</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    Diana¡¯s sudden screeching brought our back¨Cand¨Cforth to aplete halt. We watched as the owl flew high above us and rocket toward the direction of the pack house. Neron and I hopped on our feet and <b>dusted </b>the dust and dirt off our clothes.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We should follow her to see if she is okay.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 183

    Chapter <b>95 </b>The Heart <b>of </b>Angels


    ¡°A ¡°hello again¡± after the final goodbye is sometimes harder than just keeping the goodbye as it was.¡± -Jessiqua


    Wittman


    <b>Kiy</b>


    Diana was an angel incarnate. Sunlight haloed her wings as she glided through the leaves of the canopies, screeching for us to follow. Neron and I tailed behind our bird friend as the pack house came into full view. Diana drew curious nces of some members frolicking on the frontwn, their awes of appreciation muddled into multiple whispers. Her body zipped behind the house, past the pool and Omegas taking out trash and hangingundry on clotheslines.


    Curiosity nibbled at my psyche, at what Diana wanted us to see. Mystery always shrouded her.


    When Diana reached her destination, however, my body suddenly froze. I couldn¡¯t move, or rather, I didn¡¯t want to move. The past was in the past, but my body and mind recalled the rule imposed on us regarding this area. I could never enter, no matter the circumstances. A lump in my throat settled like a rock, prohibiting any sort of speech to leave my <b>lips</b>.


    Neron was about six feet in front of me when he stopped, jerking his body around to <b>stare </b>at my frozen state. Realization shed in his eyes and prompted him to walk up to me. All my bravado from earlier had vanished, reced by unnecessary trepidation. My <b>hands </b>shook at my sides, the flexing of my fingers failing to <b>quell </b>the bubbling anxiety in my belly. Neron ced his hands on my shoulders, my tremors shaking his hands with


    <ol>


    <li>me.</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°<b>Kiya</b>, it¡¯s alright. You¡¯re allowed toe here.


    I <b>know </b>I was, but I still felt like I couldn¡¯t. <b>Shamefully</b>, I shook my head, unable to find my voice. Jonathan¡¯s disembodied voice recited the rule in my head like a <b>broken </b>record, growing in volume each <b>time</b>. The tremors in my arms had spread to the rest of my body, provoking the tears burning behind my <b>eyes</b>.


    ¡°I forbid a disgrace like you to enter this sacred space. If I catch you near this ce, even if you¡¯re a yard away, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson that you¡¯ll never forget!¡±


    ¡°Kiya, the rule Dad imposed on you doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Neron reassured, pressing his fingers into my shoulders. ¡°On my honor, nothing will happen to you here. You¡¯re safe.¡±


    I¡¯m safe. Two short words turned into a mantra tobat Jonathan¡¯s dying voice in my ears. I closed my eyes and inhaled an unsteady breath, exhaling my anxieties out. After a couple of minutes, the feeling <b>of </b>approaching doom dissipated into dust and my physical sensations returned. Tears pricked <b>my </b>eyes, but I blinked them back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I <b>don¡¯t </b>know what came over me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, Kiya. I understand.¡± Neron reassured. He nced back at the area before turning to me. ¡°Are you up for it?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I answered quickly, nodding my head. ¡°I want to get this damn fear over with.¡± My lungs took in a shotty breath to feign my confidence, despite my anxiety lingering. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Chapter 15 ¨C The Heart of Ang


    Neron <b>took </b>my hand into his and led me to the area of Zircon Moon I¡¯ve haven¡¯t stepped in for thirteen years. Silence nketed the air in unnatural stillness, <b>the </b>scent of dirt tickling my nose. I did my best to hold on le my confidence, but I squeezed Neron¡¯s hand <b>tight </b>as we drew closer to where Diana settled on top of a ts of granite. Those same bs surrounded me at all angles, <b>some </b>with multicolored flowers resting against them on the ground.


    Zircon Moon¡¯s graveyard.


    And I stood in front of Nuria and Aunt Celeste¡¯s graves for the first time.


    I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from pouring. I never got a chance to mourn over them, nor was I allowed to. I still remember overhearing their funeral from the kitchen window while scrubbing the floors. The sobbing, the pain, the brokenness¨Cit wasn¡¯t seen, but I felt it. I couldn¡¯t cry because I knew I would get beaten If I did, so | <b>cried </b>in my cell <b>that </b>following evening.


    I never got a chance to say goodbye.


    My knees met dirt. <b>Diana </b>perched on top of Nuria¡¯s headstone. But I couldn¡¯t see her. All I could see was the names etched in the granite, symbolizing the resting beneath the grass. Whoever made their headstones took great care in carving their names and carving a heart and an angel next to their summames, Neron took a seat next to <b>me </b>as I took my time soaking in the fact that I¡¯m <b>here</b>.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I choked out, sniffling. ¡°¡­ don¡¯t know <b>what </b>to say here.¡±


    ¡°You can say anything.¡± Neron suggested.


    ¡°I want to say <b>the </b>right thing, but I don¡¯t know what that is.¡± Should I apologize? Should I speak to <b>them </b>as normal? I was at a loss on <b>what </b>to do. I wish I had a warning beforeing here or else I would¡¯ve brought flowers or something. Neron must¡¯ve sensed my distress, because he grabbed my hand again, caressing his thumb over my skin.


    ¡°Mom and Nuria would love to hear anything you have to say.¡± He whispered. I <b>could </b>hear the smile in his voice, but his voice betrayed the heavy mourning in his voice. ¡°Take your time, Kiya.¡±


    H


    ¡°I¡­ miss them a lot.¡± I confessed. ¡°There is not a day <b>that </b>goes by <b>where </b>I don¡¯t think about them. How would our lives turn out if they had lived? I miss Nuria¡¯sughter and Aunt Celeste¡¯s¨CEssie¡¯s hugs. It has been


    so long since I¡¯ve seen their faces and I¡¯m terrified that I¡¯ve forgotten them. How would <b>they </b>react to me being Selene¡¯s avatar? Would¡­ would they still love and care for me <b>as </b>they did before? Goddess, <b>this </b>is too hard.¡±


    I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. The past is the past, but the impact still lingered. There would always be a hole in my heart that only they could fill. When they died, they took those pieces with them. I want my aunt and my childhood friend back.


    ¡®wish<b>¡­</b>


    ¡®I wish I could see them, just to hug them again.¡±


    ?uddenly, the tranquil breeze burst into a harsh, howling wind that battered against my arms. The dirt and <b>rass </b>picked up all around Neron and I, rising and twirling into mini tornadoes several feet from us. Neron ind pulled me closer to him to shield me from the air¡¯s onught, his arms caging me against his side.


    Chapter 95- The Heart of Ang


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± He demanded.


    Goddess, I hope it isn¡¯t more avatar shit I need to deal with!


    Diana squawked, tugging our attention back to her. She rose to the air, her wings pping against the gusting current. <b>While </b>her body fought, her feathers delineated in glowing white, devouring the entirety of her body like the moon had swallowed her whole. Squawks and <b>hoots </b>rebounded against the tombstones across the cemetery like the songs of mythical sirens, growing in volume with the wind. <b>Diana</b>, now as a ball of light, buzzed and spun around Neron and I before rising high <b>into </b>the air.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Diana¡­?¡± I whimpered, scared of what wasing. What was happening to my <b>bird</b>?


    Another orb of light, twice the size of Diana, floated into the scene, hovering next to her. The glowing globes. danced with the wind, whirling around one another in rapid spirals before nestling inside the two mini tornadoes. The wind had ceased attacking Neron and me, prompting us to get up to watch the magical spectacle in front of us.


    The spears of light expanded and shaped <b>themselves </b>into the outlines of two people. The heads came first, then the arms, then the legs, and everything in between. What was once Diana was now a white silhouette of a woman several inches taller than me, and the other nearing Neron¡¯s height, but inches shorter.


    The lights faded, and two people emerged with smiles gracing their youthful <b>faces</b>.


    Time had stopped.


    I froze again, but it wasn¡¯t out of fear. It was out of the many emotions that detonated inside my body, creating an uncontroble <b>shock</b><b>¨C</b><b>wave </b>of denial. This couldn¡¯t be real. There <b>was </b>no way that this was <b>real</b>!


    M¨CM¨CMom?¡± Neron asked in a hoarse whisper. The woman¨CAunt Celeste¨Cshone a smile full of bursting warmth, stretched her arms out wide. ¡°MOM!¡± He shot forward, running into his mother¡¯s arms<b>, </b>melting into her hug. Aunt Celeste¡¯s mellow giggles tickled my eardrums as she allowed her son to pick her up and spin her around in both his joy and his tears, nting gentle kisses on the top of his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m here<b>, </b>skatten min.¡± <b>She </b>muttered, running her fingers through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    My eyes turned to Nuria, standing with her arms crossed, tapping her foot against the ground with a smirk on her face. She¡­ she was Diana! Nuria was with me this entire time?!


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for my hug, you know!¡± Nuriaughed, flipping her long ck hair behind her. She hadn¡¯t aged a day over twenty. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Kiya.¡±


    How¡­? Why¡­? I shook my head, refusing to believe what was in front of me. This was impossible! Nuria¡¯s grave was next to me. There was no way¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­!


    I took <b>several </b>steps back, my mind spinning like a tornado. My hands went to clutch my head as a fresh wave of tears spilled over, more powerful than thest set. I didn¡¯t know what to do when Nuria¡¯s hands cradled my own, bringing them down back to my sides. She then curled her hand under my chin, raising my head up to meet her eyes. Beautiful, brilliant blues. Just like her brother.


    ¡°Hey.¡± She whispered, poking my nose. ¡°I know this is a little crazy, but this is real. I¡¯m <b>real</b>! We used to y tricks on each other, but I wouldn¡¯t trick you now.¡±


    Chapter 95 ¨C The Heart of Angels


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Nuria said with a firm, powerful voice. ¡°Our deaths were never your fault. I¡¯m sorry that you suffered because of Mom and I, but I wanted you to know that we were never angry at you. We <b>never </b>med you, not once. I still love you, best friend.¡±


    That


    <b>was </b>the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. The blow that destroyed the dam and flooded everything in its path. Loud, stifling sobs full of the indescribable emotion within me gushed out of my mouth like a hurricane. Nuria pulled me into a tight hug, pressing my face against her shoulder while my body gyrated.


    Nuria doesn¡¯t hate me!


    I sobbed and sobbed, gripping at her shirt, terrified that she¡¯d disappear again. Soon after, it wasn¡¯t just Nuria hugging me. Aunt Celeste and Neron joined as I released thirteen years¡® worth of guilt and self¨C<b>hatred</b>, relieving my soul of that sinister pressure.


    I could breathe again.


    The holes in my heart can finally start healing.


    Selene worked in mysterious ways. I never thought she¡¯d grant Nuria and Aunt Celeste their lives back. When the women told Neron and me the news, we were bbergasted. But deep inside, I was beyond thrilled. Not only did it mean that I got part of my <b>old </b>family back, it meant Neron wouldn¡¯t walk through the rest of his life alone.


    I <b>was </b>happy for him.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the news to travel through Zircon Moon that the former Luna and her daughter had returned from the dead. It would¡¯ve been a time for celebration if Aunt Celeste didn¡¯t turn into a walking firestorm<b>, </b>shaming anyone and everyone who contributed to my abuse. While she was dignified in her responses¨CNuria chewed everyone out with a barrage of colorfulnguage. She spared not even Raina. In a way, it was validating.


    ¡°Just because you got knocked up doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t call you out!¡± <b>was </b>what Nuria had said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that I can¡¯t kick your ass!¡± I wanted to stop her, but Raina held her hand up and told me it was alright.


    ¡°I need this, baby sis.¡± She responded with a smile. Well<b>, </b>I wouldn¡¯t get in Nuria¡¯s way, that¡¯s for certain. Neron¡¯s grin never left his face as he watched his mother and sister take his soon¨Cto¨Cbe former pack by storm.


    The future truly is brightening for us.


    When Dad saw Aunt Celeste, he almost passed out from a heart attack. Anthony <b>had </b>to drag him to the couch in themon room for him to catch his breath. Mom must¡¯ve caught on to the news because, courtesy of Phoebe¡¯s teleportation powers, she was here within the hour. She sang her praises in Spanish as she hugged her long¨Ctime friend after so long, crying just as I did hours before. Mom spoke of her friendship with Aunt Celeste <b>asionally</b>, but it wasn¡¯t until they reunited when I saw just how close those two were. And I hope they remain that way.


    My friends also tagged along, meeting the ¡°legendary Nuria¡± they <b>liked </b>to call her for the first time.


    Chapter 95 ¨C The Heart of Angels


    And I might <b>have </b>unintentionally sparked another rivalry. This time between Nuria and Jackie.


    ¡°I was her friend first!¡± Nuria eximed, tugging me toward her.


    ¡°Well, I picked up where you left off!¡± Jackie shot back, tugging me back. What am I, rope<b>?!</b>


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all just be friends?¡± Abigail interjected, like the peacekeeper she was.


    Well, this was going to be fun.


    The reunion with Nuria and Aunt Celeste spread deep into the day, for the sunset decorated the sky with brilliant oranges and soft purples. Anthony called for a van to pick us up since Phoebe didn¡¯te with us, so they couldn¡¯t teleport back. While my friends and family were preparing to leave, I spotted Neron watching the sunset near the walls of the pack house.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I called out, walking toward him. Neron looked in my direction and smiled, shuffling <i>to</i>


    me room. ¡°How are you with all of this?¡±


    the side to give.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are enough words in the English dictionary that could describe how I¡¯m feeling.¡± Neron confessed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. ¡°But, overall, I¡¯m happy. My mom and Nuria are back. My¡­. inner child, as you called it before, is happy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d, Neron.¡± I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes to breathe in the waning summer air. ¡°Kwame, Valerian, Lori, and Raina are there for you, but nothing beats having your family.¡±


    <i>¡°</i><i>And </i>the


    they¡¯ll be here to watch me build a pack of my own. I can¡¯t wait to show them what I can do.¡± Neron¡¯s smile was innocent but full of hope. The guilt from earlier was still present from what I can feel from his energy, but his joy overshadowed it ¡°I want to make them proud.¡±


    ¡°You already are.¡±


    Neron shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d still like a visual confirmation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll happen. Have faith and don¡¯t rush it.¡± We fell into afortable silence, admiring the beauty of the sunset in the distance. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Nuria was Diana<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°<b>She </b>was a devious little bird. It exins <b>why </b>she took a liking to the both of us.¡±


    ¡°It alles full circle.¡± We fell silent again. <b>Many </b>things swam in my mind, and I¡¯m sure his brain was the <b>same </b>way. I thought back to our conversation at the pond about whether I should forgive him. <b>Neron </b>said didn¡¯t want my forgiveness because he didn¡¯t find a need for it.


    It was my choice to give or relinquish it.


    But the question remains.


    Should I or should I not forgive him?


    I finally have the answer for that.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 96 ¨C New Beginnings (A Long Chapter A)


    Third Person POV


    ¡°Neron, I forgive you.¡±


    The excitedmotion from the pack <b>house </b>billowed through the open windows, carried by the waning summer air. Kiya drummed her fingers against her thigh while Neron looked heavenward at the sunset sky, fixated on the beauty of thevender clouds. They waited for <b>the </b>response of the other, wondering who¡¯d be the first to break the silence. Anxiety nipped at Kiya¡¯s throat while Neron tried to find the words to speak. Both Onyx and Artemis sat tight in their minds, listening and watching in bated breaths at this much¨Cneeded


    conversation.


    The anticipation was palpable.


    Neron inhaled an audible breath through his mouth and exhaled, clearing his throat as he stood straight off the wall he was leaning against. He turned his head to face the woman he loved, blinking once before asking a breathless, but forlorn ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°To heal. To let go. I¡¯m not forgiving you for you, Neron. I¡¯m doing this for myself. Kiya turned her body to <b>face </b>Neron, putting her back to the sun. ¡°In thest five years of my life, I held onto so much hatred toward you, Raina, and so many others. It was exhausting. <b>Now</b>, I don¡¯t feel it as much, at least toward you, How I look at it is that me forgiving you destroys any possibility of that hatred controlling me again. I don¡¯t want to <b>hate </b>you anymore, Neron, nor have the chance to again<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°You had every reason to, not that I me you.¡± Neron stuffed his hand in his pocket, fiddling with an object he had yet to take out. ¡°I understand where you¡¯reing from, but I¡¯m still unsure how forgiving me would help you.¡±


    ¡°eptance.¡± Kiya watched Neron¡¯s eyebrows lift, his confusion settling on his face. ¡°I¡¯m epting that the past happened. No amount of prayer, or wishes, or avatar magic can change that. I was a victim of abuse; that¡¯s it, that¡¯s all. But, I¡¯m not a victim anymore. We can¡¯t change what happened yesterday or the day before that, but I¡¯m changing my attitude toward the future.¡±


    Neron shook his head. ¡°I feel weird about it. I don¡¯t know if I could put that feeling into words, but¡­¡±


    Kiya reached her hand toward Neron¡¯s and grasped it in her own, holding it like a delicate vase. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you do or don¡¯t deserve my forgiveness. But I¡¯m doing this for myself because I need peace from all of this. I deserve peace. I¡¯m kicking this ball out of my court because I don¡¯t want it


    anymore.¡±


    Neron¡¯s mouth fell open, but he swiftly closed it. His eyes dropped to their connected hands, unable to ignore the warmth radiating from Kiya¡¯s palm. Orange sunshine hit the side of his face, and it also flooded the space In his heart as his fingers traced circles on her brown skin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He muttered. ¡°I¡¯m just having a hard time epting this.¡±


    ¡°I think it is because you have a lot of guilt to work through, Neron. Take it <b>from </b>someone with experience.¡± Kiya responded. ¡°Some days can and will be harder than others, but would it make you feel a little better knowing that I¡¯m not holding <b>the </b>past against you, anymore?¡±


    ¡°It feels like <b>a </b>drop of cool water in a <b>sea </b>of boiling water, but it is still something.¡± A mirthless smile tugged


    at the corner of Neron¡¯s lips. Kiya couldn¡¯t find a reason to smile back, because she could feel his self¨Cloathing from their touch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve been such a downer, but, I¡¯m so, so happy <b>that </b>you¡¯re going to be better with your healing. That¡¯s all I ask for that when you <b>leave </b>here; knowing that you¡¯re going to be okay.¡±


    Now, Kiya found a reason to smile back. ¡°<b>Thank </b>you, Neron. I also want you to extend that same grace to me. I want to know that you¡¯ll be okay too.¡±


    ¡°I will be, because Mom and Nuria will be at my side. My family is back, and I don¡¯t feel as empty as I did. before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Nuria still has that pranking streak in her again, but keep an eye on her for me, will you?¡±


    Neron¡¯s face brightened <b>with </b>his smile. I


    f course! Given <b>how </b>Lyra and Niki acted when they saw Mom, don¡¯t have any doubts that they¡¯re weed at <b>Ga </b>Moon. They do have to get used to this new world, however. Life is different now than it was thirteen years ago.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. Your mom and sister are tough cookies.¡± Kiya grinned at the thought of the women. She fell into an abrupt silence, brushing her hair behind her ear and clearing her throat. ¡°You know I care about you a lot, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°And you know you muddle with my mind a lot too, right?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. That was not my intention.¡± A flush crept up the Alpha¡¯s cheeks. ¡°But I think I know where this conversation is heading to, if my intuition is correct.¡±


    Kiya¡¯s expression softened, pressing her lips together. She crossed her arms under her bosom, exhaling a soft sigh as she soaked in Neron¡¯s presence. This decision didn¡¯te lightly when she conversed with Artemis about it in heratose state. Part of her reeled in shame, while the other stood in confidence.


    <b>¡°</b>Kiya, it¡¯s okay.¡± Artemis reassured her. ¡°Tell him. He needs to know.¡±


    ¡°I just feel like I¡¯m constantly in the way of you getting what you deserve, Artemis. You always have to wait for me.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll continue waiting until you¡¯re ready, Kiki. Go <b>on</b>.<b>¡±</b>


    Just like that, the shame dissipated into nothing. Reeling herself back into reality, Kiya blinked before speaking. ¡°I <b>know </b>you¡¯re my mate, and I¡¯m aware of the bond we have with each other, despite it going through hell and back. And I know you love me, Neron, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>not </b>ready for us to be mates.¡± Neron finished, his expression dulling.


    Kiya nodded, nibbling at her bottom lip. ¡°So much has happened between us and there is so much work I need to do for my own mental and emotional wellbeing. I¡¯m not ready to jump into any sort of romantic rtionship with anyone, especially not one as intense as <b>a </b>mate rtionship.¡±


    The words stung Neron¡¯s heart, but he kept poker¨Cface to mask the pain <b>in </b>his chest. ¡°Believe it or <b>not</b>, Kiya, I¡¯m on the same boat.¡± Neron chuckled softly when Kiya widened her <b>eyes</b>. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for a romantic rtionship either, especially so soon after¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve to get hurt like that by Odessa.¡± Kiya frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to find out her betrayal


    Chapter 9¨CNew Beginnings Long Chapter


    <b>like </b>that.¡±


    Neron winced, scratching his upper arm. ¡°Thank you for understanding, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°And I know how much Onyx loves Artemis.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m aware.¡± He winked. ¡°But the puppy will have to wait just a little longer until I¡¯m ready for that type ofmitment.¡±


    Onyx huffed in his mind. ¡°Artemis is the only <b>one </b>for me, you know. I refuse to settle for <b>less</b>!¡±


    ¡°I know that, puppy.¡±


    ¡°And only she <b>can </b>call me puppy. It¡¯s cute and endearing. You¡¯re just condescending.¡±


    <i>¡°</i>Perhaps, but you love me all the same.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡±


    Neron shook his head in amusement, shutting down his mind¨Clink before diverting his attention back to Kiya. ¡°Whether or not you and I happen, I won¡¯t stop loving you, Kiya. My vows to our Moon <b>Goddess </b>are absolute and I don¡¯t n on breaking them.¡±


    Moon


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever thanked <b>you </b>for all you¡¯ve done for me.¡± Kiya fiddled with her fingers. ¡°<b>Zircon</b>


    for being my voice in situations where I


    would listen to you before they would listen to me, so thank you


    couldn¡¯t be. I¡¯m not deserving of your sacrifices.¡±


    ¡°You are, and you always will be, Kiya, and you won¡¯t change my mind about that,¡±


    ¡°I guess not.¡± She smiled, ncing up at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, so why don¡¯t we let Artemis and Onyx have onest run together before I head back home<b>?</b>¡±


    + for sure.¡±


    Neron gave a lopsided grin, nodding. ¡°You read my mind. They need it, for


    The pair walked into the dense cak forest<b>, </b>separating toward two trees to strip out of their clothes and shift. The dissonance of bones breaking filled the air, and two huge wolves emerged from it shortly after. Onyx trotted up to Artemis and nuzzled her snout into his face, earning a quiet huff from the white wolf, Artemis reciprocated with a nuzzle on her own, extending her tongue and licking his face as payback from the first time they ran together. Onyx growled and tried to tackle her, but Artemis was nimble on her feet, jumping to the side before the ck wolf could.


    ¡°Gotta be faster than that, puppy.¡± Artemis chuckled in her mind.


    ¡°One day, I¡¯ll catch you, my angel.¡± Onyxughed in his mind.


    The two took off deep into the woods, swerving and hopping over logs side by side. It wasn¡¯t a race or apetition; it was a shared moment of peace and longing between them. There was no <b>need </b>to show off superiority of any kind, but to enjoy one another¡¯spany. Orange light peeked through the canopy and illuminated their path on <b>the </b><b>forest </b>floor, marking their way to the distant sunset.


    ¡°<i>If </i>we are meant to be, Onyx¡­¡± Artemis muttered in her mind. ¡°I¡¯m sure we will find our way back to each other. Whether it be next week or a few years from now.¡±


    Chapter 16¨CNew Beginnings (Long Chapter


    ¡°<b>Have </b>you thought of a name for your pack yet?¡± Kiya asked Neron as they sat on the top steps of the pack <b>house</b>. The diamond¨Cstudded night sky stretched across Nevada without thepany of the moon, but thefort remained the same. It was almost time for Kiya and her family to depart back to <b>Ga </b>Moon, but the mingling and joy hadn¡¯t stopped. Instead, it moved to the frontwn as they watched Celeste and Nuria dive into conversation with drinks at hand.


    ¡°Yep. After some trial and error, I think I found a name that¡¯ll fit.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Onyx <b>Moon</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Kiya¡¯s jaw went ck while Onyx released a confused bark in his human¡¯s mind. Neron resisted the urge tough when Onyx became a blubbering mess, never hearing his wolf so flustered.


    ¡°What made you decide to name it after Onyx?¡±


    ¡°I love him.¡± A smile tugged at his lips. ¡°He is my brother and has stuck with me through thick and thin. He never let me give up<b>, </b><b>even </b>when I wanted to. We fight a lot, but Onyx has been a source of strength for me, even when you were kidnapped. It felt fitting to name my <b>new </b>pack after him.¡±


    ¡°B¨Cb¨Cbut!¡± Onyx stammered. ¡°Dummy, my name means ck! You can¡¯t see a new moon!¡±


    ¡°A new moon means new beginnings.¡±


    Onyx felt silent after that, but not before sniffling. ¡°Damn fool. Here you are, making me emotional.¡±


    You¡¯re wee!¡±


    ¡°I like it. It rolls off the tongue well.¡± Neron¡¯s attention was drawn back to the woman beside him. ¡°New beginnings all around.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Suddenly, Neron perked up, as if he remembered something. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot!¡± He dug a grey velvet box from his pockets and handed it to Kiya. ¡°This is for you.¡±


    Are you


    you proposing?¡± Kiya burst intoughter when she watched Neron¡¯s entire face flush red. ¡°I¡¯m joking! Anyway, what¡¯s in <b>here</b><b>?</b>¡± Once she opened the box, her mirth fell into delighted shock. She quickly took out the item and held it up to the moon. ¡°My ne! You found it! I thought I lost it for good after<b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°It suffered some damage due to rough¨Chandling, but I went to a jewelry store to get it repaired, and it was like it had never been broken. Think of it as an early birthday present,¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Kiya squealed, holding the jewelry to her heart. ¡°Can you put it on me?¡± Like their date at the amusement park, Kiya held her hair up while Neron took the ne from her hand and hooked it around<b>. </b>her neck. Once it was secure, Kiya let her hair down and yed with the full moon pendant with her fingers.


    ¡°Right where <b>it </b>belongs.¡±


    ¡°Thank <b>you </b>again, Neron. I don¡¯t know how I <b>could </b>repay you.¡±


    Chapter 95¨CNew Beginnings (Long Chapter 2)


    ¡°You can do so with a kiss.¡±


    Both Kiya and Neron jumped at the newest addition to their conversation, which <b>was </b>Nuria grinning expectedly at the <b>two</b>, rapping her fingers against her soda can like an excited child. Her brother sighed with a headshake while her best friend rolled her eyes in amusement. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind <b>me</b>! Go <b>on</b><b>!</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°We¡¯re not kissing, Nuria.¡± Neron reprimanded, earning a small pout from her<b>.</b>


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be on the lips! Maybe on the cheek, or if you¡¯re daring enough, on the neck-¡±


    ¡°Not happening, Nuri.¡± Kiya poked her friend on the arm. ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t risk my feathery ass plowing into your face so Nero can catch you for you two to end up as friends!¡± Nuria grumbled, shaking her arm. ¡°But I understand why you¡¯ve settled with that¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, speaking of.¡± Kiya suddenly stood up, crossing her arms. ¡°What if Neron didn¡¯t catch me, huh? My brain would¡¯ve been all over the damn ground!¡±


    ¡°But, he did!¡± Nuria gave her <b>friend </b>a puppy¨Cdog look. ¡°I knew he would!¡±


    ¡°That was reckless, Nuria.¡± Neron rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Reckless is my middle name.¡± She shot a wink at Neron, who scoffed in response. ¡°And I can¡¯t believe it took you so long to figure out that I was Diana! I fucking ate croutons<b>!</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°To be fair, my mind was preupied. And you didn¡¯t make it clear enough for me, Nuria.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was clear when I was tapping my beak against my


    wn damn picture! Goddess, you¡¯re clueless.¡± Nuria shook her head before taking a sip of her soda. ¡°The c is much sweeter than what Ist remember. Not that I¡¯mining though.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much. It¡¯ll rot your teeth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Mom. You can¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the joy of having siblings.¡± Kiya giggled at their interaction, warmth filling in her chest. The three of them were much older, but the spirit of their youth remained. Suddenly, honking filled the <b>air</b>, pulling their attention to the Ga Moon crew preparing to pile into their <b>van</b>.


    ¡°Little Bit, are youing?¡± Galen shouted, waving her down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± She shouted back, patting her thighs. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been real you two, but it¡¯s time for me to head home.¡±


    Nuria pulled Ki


    into a hug at lightning speed, burying her face in the crook of her neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go. I just got you back¡­¡±


    ¡°You can always text or call me, Nuria, or drop by for a visit.¡±


    Her head perked up at the possibilities before grinning. ¡°Oh yeah. Neron, you need to buy Mom and I cell phones, like the fancy <b>one </b>I¡¯ve <b>seen </b>Lyra hold.¡±


    Beginnings LX Long Chapter 5)


    ¡°Something tells me that the biggest investment. I¡¯ll <b>make </b>is not in the newnd, but in you and Mom.¡± Neron chuckled, rising to his feet. ¡°I will soon, I promise.¡±


    The trio walked from the stairs to the crowd near the piling van. Celeste¡¯s blue eyes brightened up at her favorite children, embracing Kiya into a tight hug. Kiya¡¯s eyes fluttered close when she took in Celeste¡¯s sweet scent, her childhood memories of her bubbling to the surface. She felt a tender kiss on her forehead and two hands holding either side of her face, cradling her <b>like </b>a mother to her baby.


    ¡°You be good, kj?re.¡± Celeste whispered, caressing <b>her </b>cheeks. ¡°Call anytime you <b>want </b>to talk. Your mother and I will arrange for days where we cane and visit, granted if we aren¡¯t too busy with <b>moving</b>.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee at any time, Aunt Celeste,¡±


    ¡°<b>Ah</b><b>, </b>ah! Auntie Essie.¡± Celeste corrected, pinching Kiya¡¯s nose with a chortle. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare act formal with


    me.¡±


    Kiya blink


    blinked in shock before nodding, her mouth twitching to a smile. ¡°Okay, Auntie Essie.¡± The Alpha family watched with smiles as Kiya said her goodbyes to the Betas and Gammas, having the misfortune of prying a clingy Adonis off her legs. Raina promised to send pictures of her daughter once she was born, and <b>Valerian </b>remained cordial with simple nods and curt responses. Kiya <b>had </b>the niggling feeling that he still held some dislike for her after the Lady Sanguine fiasco, but decided not <b>to </b>hold it against him. Lori delivered the same promise of pictures after her child is born, as she <b>was </b>reaching the end of her pregnancy, Kwame wished the avatar luck as she embarks on her journey wherever it may take her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± Kwame remarked with a chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to not be.¡± Kiya replied.


    As Kiya walked toward the family van, pale light hit the corner of her eyes, pulling her attention to the lit window on the third floor of the Zircon Moon <b>pack </b>house. Her biological mother stood in her view, watching


    activity below. Their eyes locked momentarily, the world freezing around them. Kiya waited for a response; a wave or some gesture to see if the miniscule speck of hope at the bottom of her heart rejoices at the possibility of change or the <b>chance </b>of Ashley recognizing her as her child.


    But that hope was stomped out when the older woman pulled the curtains closed, walking away from her view. Kiya simply shrugged, content with Ashley and Steven, never rising to the asion as her parents.


    She was better off without them.


    A warm hand gripped her shoulder, turning her away from the window. Neron¡¯s eyes found that window, and Kiya couldn¡¯t help but smirk at his grimace. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°<b>Yeah</b>, I am now.¡± She answered.


    ¡°Your family is waiting for you.¡±


    Her true family. Kiya¡¯s <b>eyes </b>darted from the van to Neron, to Celeste and Nuria behind him. The <b>revival </b>of her traumas filled her initial departure from Zircon Moon, but now her departure was full offort and joy. Her heart thudded against her ribcage to the beat of hope for the future, and her hands held the key to possibility and prosperity.


    Chapter 96¨CNew Beginnings (Long Chapter)


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep in touch, Neron. Keep me updated with the new pack.¡±


    on your Doo


    ¡°It¡¯ll be the first thing on my to¨Cdo list.¡±


    ¡°Then, there isn¡¯t much else left to say.¡± Kiya rocked back and forth on her heels, scrambling to <b>find </b>something <b>to </b>say to break the silence. ¡°You¡¯re going to do great, Neron. I know you will.¡±


    ¡°And the same with you, Kiya. Once I establish Onyx Moon officially, you¡¯re always wee to visit.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a goodbye because Kiya knew she¡¯ll <b>see </b>him and his <b>family </b>again. Comfort nestled in Neron¡¯s chest, knowing that the love of his life will be alright without him, as she always <b>was</b>. He had a lot of work to do, but Kiya¡¯s well¨Cwishes lessened the load.


    A tight hug shared between them solidified the pathways both were about to walk on. Separate direction, different obstacles they must ovee, but if fate allows their paths to <b>cross</b>, it will <b>happen</b>. Neron pressed a sweet kiss on Kiya¡¯s forehead, inhaling her scent for thest time while Kiya sighed with content,mitting his sandalwood <b>scent </b>to memory. Beneath the surface of their flesh, the electricity of their bond came to life, sparkling under their connection. Like a wound, it needed time to heal, but the link between their hearts was alive and breathing-Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you proud, Kiya.¡± Neron vowed, ¡°just you wait.¡±


    ¡°You <b>already </b>have.¡±


    Kiya raised her hand and curled a finger, gesturing Neron toe closer. Arching an eyebrow, the Alpha bent <b>down</b>, lowering <b>himself </b>to her height. <b>Red </b>exploded on his cheeks when <b>Kiya </b>rose on the tips of her <b>toes </b>and nted a gentle kiss on his forehead, reciprocating. She stifled a giggle when she saw his face, turning away to head toward the family van.


    ¡°See you on the flip side.¡± Kiya announced before opening the side door of the van and hopping into her seat<b>. </b>A consonance of farewells from both packs followed the van as it rolled off Zircon Moon territory for thest time, the <b>ck </b>vehicle disappearing amongst the shadowy oak trees. The Betas and Gammas retired into the pack house for the evening, except for the Alpha family who stood at their spots, breathing in relief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Neron.¡± Nuria spoke, patting his shoulder. ¡°She won¡¯t be gone forever.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be fine, Nuri.¡± Neron sighed, relishing in the night breezepping against his bare arms.


    Celeste hummed, walking up to her son, and smoothed the hair cascading down his back. ¡°Let us focus on the now. Did your father put our things in storage?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they should be in the closet in the basement.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t <b>see </b>what the point is.¡± Nuria rolled her eyes as she and her family <b>walked </b>toward the front entrance. ¡°It isn¡¯t like we can fit into those clothes anymore.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t, but I can. There <b>are </b>a couple of dresses I was fond of that I think I can fit into again.¡± Celeste mentioned.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t know about that. You¡¯re more¡­ fuller, now.¡±


    Celeste thumped Nuria on the back of the head. Her confused whine <b>enticed </b>a gaggle ofughter from <b>Neron</b>


    Chapter 96 New Beginnings & Long Chapter 6)


    as he held <b>the </b>door open for his mom and sister to enter..


    ¡°What did I say?!¡± Nuria asked.


    ¡°Too much.¡± Neron shook his head as he closed the door behind him, melting at the sight of the reality in front of him. This was it. This was his family, and he¡¯ll never take their moments for granted ever again.


    Kiya retired to her bedroom after her family arrived back <b>home</b>, bidding everyone a good night. Sled at her eyes as she changed out of her clothes and into her pajamas, tossing them on the floor to <b>deal </b>with in the morning. She cracked her window open to let the cool breeze to fill her room. She half¨Cexpected for Diana to flutter <b>in</b>; <b>one </b>of the many things she¡¯ll miss about her birdpanion. After brushing her teeth, she trudged toward her vanity to brush her hair into tworge braids before fishing her silk bo from a drawer.


    ¡°There you are.¡± She whispered, pulling out her favorite ck bo. Before she <b>set </b>it on her head, she noticed a picture frame from the corner of her eye. It was the portrait Neron had drawn of her. Her heart warmed at the sight, tracing the delicate strokes of the paintbrush once she picked it up.


    ¡°You did good, Neron.¡±


    Kiya rummaged through her closet for an adhesive hook and stuck it to the wall between her vanity <b>mirror </b>and her bedroom door. She carefully adjusted the picture frame to hook onto the hook and grinned when it stayed in ce with no signs of slipping. Feeling satisfied, she slipped on her bo, shut off themps on her bedside tables, and shimmied underneath her nkets, pulling them up to her neck as she settled on her side.


    Peaceful slumber greeted her the moment she closed her eyes.


    Everything was going to be okay.


    A couple of days passed by without incident.


    Neron sat in his office with mani folders <b>ced </b>in rows on his desk, each representing <b>a </b>seller ofnd in Oregon and Washington, while the green folders represented buyers for his property. He was so deep in reading the documents that he failed to hear the knocks on his office door until the person called out his name. Blinking, he set the folder down and permitted the person to enter.


    ¡°Hey, Neron.¡± Kwame entered with a piece of paper in his hand. ¡°I gathered the list of providers for you. You¡¯remitted to doing this<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Neron graciously took <b>the </b>paper his Gamma offered. ¡°I gave Kiya¡¯s suggestions some thought and believed it would be best <b>to </b>start now.¡± His eyes narrowed at the list. ¡°Some of these names are highlighted in yellow. Why?¡±


    ¡°Those providers are werewolves. Thought it¡¯d be good to have them on your list.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± Neron nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kwame. You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡± With that, Kwame left the Alpha alone in his office. Expelling a sharp sigh, Neron pulled his


    Chapter 16 ¨C New Beginnings 15. Long Chapter 51


    phone out from his pocket, his eyes glued to the holy grail in <b>his </b>hand. He knew this was a step in the right direction, but Neron would be lying to himself if he said he wasn¡¯t nervous. Spilling his life story and internal feelings to a stranger was horrifying, but if it worked for Kiya<b>, </b>it would work for him too, right?


    ¡°You can do this, Neron.¡± Onyx said. ¡°It all starts with making that call.¡±


    His wolf was right. He wasmitted to this decision, and he wouldn¡¯t back down. Biting the bullet, he called the first number on his list and inquired about an intake session, crossing names off his list until he <b>found </b>someone he feltfortable with.


    The following day, Neron drove into Carson City, parking his car in the lot in front of the office building where <b>his </b>provider was in. With the help of the front desk clerk, he took the elevator up to <b>the </b>eleventh floor, Inhaling and exhaling to calm the bundle of nerves forming in the pit of his stomach.


    ¡°You can do this.¡± He told himself. A ¡®ding¡® signaled his arrival and once the doors slid open, the ss doors, reading the bold ck words presented to him.


    Dr. Andreas Nilsen, Clinical Psychologist, PsyD


    he walked


    up to


    Pushing down his <b>fear</b>, he opened the door and spoke with <b>the </b>receptionist in the office about his appointment. After confirming his identity, he sat in one of the waiting chairs, waiting for Andreas toe out to greet him. The minute he waited felt like an eternity, his leg taking on life as it bounced rapidly beside him.


    Neron resisted <b>the </b>urge to vomit. He had never been this afraid before<b>.</b>


    Dr. Nilsen came out and <b>greeted </b>him, both men shaking hands. The walk to his private office was quick, and before Neron knew it, the intake interview had begun. He filled out the forms requiring his insurance to the use of confidentiality. It took <b>three </b>minutes toplete the forms. Now it was time to talk.


    pen


    ¡°It is not every day where I get an Alpha as my client.¡± Dr. Andreas chuckled, grabbing his notepad and from the top of <b>his </b><b>desk</b>. ¡°So, Neron, it is your turn to do the talking. You guide the conversation in this room, and I follow along. There are <b>no </b>expectations nor any pressures. Is that alright with you?¡±


    Neron nodded, folding his hands on hisp. ¡°Um¡­ I never done this before, so I apologize in advance if I seem¡­ weird.¡±


    ¡°Weird doesn¡¯t exist in my office. It is normal to feel hesitant, especially since this is your first <b>time </b>in therapy. Why don¡¯t we start with what you get out <b>of </b>our sessions?¡±


    ¡°What I want is¡­ Neron sucked in a strong, unsteady breath, expelling slowly to push all his troubles out of his body. Dr. Andreas sat up in his chair, waiting patiently as he watched his newest client gather himself. Already, the Alpha felt safe andfortable, but his nerves couldn¡¯t rx. Neron started mulling his words over, thinking of the best way was to answer the question.


    ¡°I want to feel¡­ okay.¡± He exined. ¡°There is so much I¡¯m holding in, and so much about myself that I don¡¯t understand. I guess I¡¯m also trying to find out who I really am as a person. I¡­ I want to be the best version of <b>myself </b>for <b>everyone </b>I love¡­ and start liking myself. I want to heal, doc.¡±


    A vision yed out behind Neron¡¯s eyes when he fluttered them <b>close</b><b>, </b>plunging him into a spacious world of lightid before him, bare, but he wasn¡¯t alone. A small figure emerged from the distance, walking toward him


    Chapter 16 ¨C New Beginnings (Long Chapter)


    with caution in their footsteps. The closer they got, the clearer the image <b>became </b>before him.


    It was him, but many years younger.


    Neron¡¯s inner child.


    Child <b>and </b>adult stared at one another in deafening <b>silence</b>. Neron kneeled to his inner child¡¯s height, resting a hand on his shoulder, blinking back the flood of tears ready to flow down his cheeks.


    ¡°We got this, buddy.¡± He sniffled. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    inner child leaped into his arms, melting to his embrace like he was desperate for warmth in the middle of a blizzard. Neron hugged back, just as tight, sighing in content on finally having to meet the hurt child resting in his heart, allowing for his tears to fall.


    There were many wounds that needed to heal: on the heart, the mind, and the soul. They must take the time <b>to </b>heal.


    But, <b>as </b>the dawn breaks from the dusk, from the ashes, a new life will emerge.


    The journey had just begun.


    A/N: Unhinged has officially ended. If you made it to this end, thank you for giving this story a chance and supporting me throughout the book¡¯s adventure! Your support means a lot <b>and </b>your kind words motivates me daily. There will <b>be </b><b>a </b>third book, which I am currently working <b>on</b>! We shall see what lies ahead for both Kiya and Neron.


    Be on the lookout for the title of the <b>third </b>book: Unbreakable.


    Once again, thank you <b>so </b>much and I hope to <b>see </b>you in the third and final installment of the Moonlight Avatar Series!


    ¨C Marii Sria


    POST COMMENT


    Chapter Comments


    Tai Tay


    I don¡¯t understand kiya, she just love draging n draging in a rtionship, if you can¡¯t ept let moon god let him have second mate, then you can be lonely forever, too draging! must learn to hate in love


    VIEW I COMMENT

 Chapter 185

    Unbreakable <b>¨C </b>Prologue


    Selene


    The mortal kingdom upon Mother Gaia¡¯s beautiful never ceases to amaze me. How many times have I watched the humans, young and old, congregate under the night sky with the desire for new discoveries? The diamonds in their eyes shined as bright as the diamonds instilled in the night sky, shielding the mysteries thatid beyond the naked eye. A world that many of them will never reach in their lifetime was just a gaze away through their unique technologies and their plethoric records about the mysterious cosmos.


    I believe they¡¯ve coined the term stargazing.


    However, the mortal eye was limited. Some discoveries of the universe weren¡¯t meant for their minds, human and supernatural alike. Through their fantastical <b>stories </b>of the world above and the world below, the beings of <b>the </b>earth have grown ustomed to the idea of life after death. Time was but a temporary urrence, minus for <b>the </b>immortals. If their <b>stories </b><b>had </b>a smidgen of truth<b>, </b>they would have some inkling of what trulyid past the firmament.


    But <b>there </b>was a <b>reason </b>their stories could only stretch so far.


    There was a world beyond the heavens, but knowledge of its existence belonged to the gods. We each have our individual realms to rule over, but on rare asions, do we all amass in one dimension <b>to </b>conversate. The world beyond the beyond.


    s, I couldn¡¯t say I was excited about this meeting.


    My footsteps echoed loud under the translucent bridge connecting to the aether. Thick clouds shielded my view of the world below, but they neglected a few spots, granting me the view of humankind. Lights of all shapes and colors glittered <b>and </b>flickered as minuscule <b>dots </b>running to and forth every which way. So Insignificant to a few, but beautiful to me.


    A sharp gust of wind whipped past my exposed arms, whirling around me like a disturbed bee before rushing ahead of me. Does it appear Aeolus is of attendance at the holy meeting or was it his brother god, Vayu?


    The divine summit opened in my view; a fortified acropolis nestled above the heavens, but below the cosmos. My ears picked up muffled chatter from within the gates while the immense aura of the many gods in attendance consumed my spirit. The babble heightened and lowered in pitch, filled with hints of anger and astonishment. But there was one voice that stood out from the rest.


    And now, I¡¯m annoyed.


    ¡°Fantastic. The drunkard is in attendance.¡± I muttered, rolling my eyes. Walking up to the stone doors separated by Corinthian pirs, white light shone through the cracks and gaps before they eased open, allowing me to amble through. The telltale aroma of mead and golden elixir tickled my nostrils as I walked through the elongated halls, with celestial energy billowing through the crevices of the floor as colorless smoke. I passed by hallway after hallway, eyes trained on therge door in front of me that led to the <b>main </b>assembly hall.


    ¡°Selene!¡±


    I turned around to see Hekate emerging from one of the many corridors. Her long, coal hair flowed with her


    Unbreakable¨CProloque


    steps, giving off the illusion of her floating as her deep crimson dress swayed with her sashays. She adjusted her triple¨C<b>moon </b>crown as she came to my side.


    ¡°Hekate.¡± I smiled in greeting. ¡°Fancy seeing you here. You aren¡¯t one to attend these meetings.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that I have no choice in the matter,¡± Hekate replied. ¡°It is quite unfair that Hades can skip these assemblies, but my attendance is required. The poor sap prefers to not be anywhere, with Persephone in attendance. He¡¯d be too tempted to whisk her away back to his kingdom, risking an endless winter in the mortal kingdom from Demeter.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have this gathering on Mount Olympus?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What is so urgent that it required our brother and sister gods to be in attendance as well? Who called this meeting?¡±


    ¡°Lord Ra did.¡±


    My eyes widened when Hekate walked ahead of me toward the assembly hall doors. The urgency wasn¡¯t enough to describe the situation if Ra made the trek from his kingdom to assemble us. I caught up to my sister goddess once the shock subsided, nudging the doors open to be blinded by the celestial light of our realm shining upon arge gathering table with about three¨Cquarters of the seats filled with the bodies of different <b>gods </b>across all pantheons.


    I spotted my brother gods, Chandra and Iah, sitting <b>on </b>the far corner of the table while Dionysus offered himself another helping of mead. The fool couldn¡¯t sit straight in his seat! Praise be to Oshun, who settled the holy liquor beside her so the grape¨Charvester couldn¡¯t give himself a <b>second </b>helping. Or fifth.


    Brigid, Athena, Ira, and several others hailed from all corners of the world <b>were </b>in attendance as well. I doubt there will be a gathering of every god and goddess unless our livelihoods were at stake like with Chronos many eons ago.


    Our stories were passed down through the humans from one generation to the next. How would the human mind handle the prospect of their folklore holding true, I wonder?


    ¡°The goddess of the hour has arrived!¡± Dionysus bellowed, his golden eyesnding on me. ¡°You aren¡¯t one to bete, Lady Selene.¡±


    ¡°You lose track of time whenever your mind is intoxicated, Dionysus,¡± I replied, taking <b>a </b>seat between Hekate on my left and Amphitrite on my right, being cautious to not bump against her golden trident. ¡°Care to fill me in, if you can handle it?¡±


    ¡°The bnce of the world has tipped.¡± He slurred, somehow regaining his sense of regality. ¡°And since Lord Ra <b>was </b>the one to call this meeting¡­¡±


    My heart crept its way into my throat, seizing my speech. A terrible chill gripped at my spine as I recalled the events <b>three </b>human years ago, but before I could speak, the doors from beside the gathering table were nudged open and Ra walked through, hisrge form nestling in his chair with his mighty falcon fluttering down on the bronzed table beside his hands.


    ¡°Thank you all for arriving.¡± His deep voice resounded through the assembly hall. ¡°At any other time, it would be a joyous celebration for us to be together, but I¡¯m afraid this matter concerns all of you. I¡¯m afraid it may bleed into the mortal kingdom if we do not act now.¡±


    Unbreakable ¨C Prologue


    ¡°What <b>is </b>of concern, Lord Ra?¡± Athena <b>asked</b>.


    ¡°Apophis <b>is </b>missing from Mountain Bakhu.¡±


    <b>Gasps </b><b>and </b>growls of dismay erupted from the table from the news. I sensed Lord Ra¡¯s apprehension from the distance. Something like this has never happened before, but it begs the question of how did that gargantuan snake escape his <b>prison</b>? I hid my hands beneath the table and gripped at my dress, dread hitting my body like an asteroid. <b>However</b>, a cool butforting hand rested on top of my own. I looked to see Hekate offering me a soft smile. Amphitrite repeated the action on my right.


    They knew why I felt nervous. It was unbing of me to show my fear, but this was beyond a concerning matter.


    ¡°How does that happen?¡± Ira asked the golden question we¡¯ve all been wondering. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Osiris or Anubis <b>have </b>sensed of disappearance before you did<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°They were the ones who informed me,¡± Ra answered. ¡°Most of you have noticed the increase in earthquakes on Mother Gaia¡¯s earth, <b>have </b>you not?¡± We all fell silent. ¡°I thought so. The bnce of our worlds has indeed teetered in the wrong direction, but none of you cannot deny that this can and will affect our realms and the order of fate.¡±


    ¡°A spirit of malevolent <b>evil </b>cannot go unchecked,¡± Brigid muttered, curling her finger under her chin in deep thought. ¡°You know the monster better than we do, Lord Ra. How do you believe this happened? Surely, <b>the </b>humans couldn¡¯t have had a hand in this, would they?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, more and more humans are turning to the side of darkness and evil. However, I do not think they¡¯re powerful enough to break the serpent out of his prison. Not even his demons could. He still lurks in the underworld, so he has not fully escaped. However, I¡¯m afraid to believe that another god could be responsible for this madness.¡±


    ¡°Are you


    you suspecting a traitor among us?¡± Oshun pondered.


    ¡°It is but a spection, but it is possible. Or he somehow escaped under his power, which is unlikely, but Apophis is not to be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, the serpent was motivated by an external factor.¡± Dionysus tapped his cheek with an irritating smirk resting on his lips. ¡°He lost his avatar, did he not?¡±


    ¡°<b>Three </b>human <b>years </b><b>ago</b><b>,</b>¡± Amphitrite added with a huff. ¡°What relevance does that have now?¡±


    ¡°If <b>a </b>certain someone killed off my only connection to the mortal kingdom, I¡¯d be furious too.¡± The wine god grinned. He turned his attention to me, burning his eyes into mine. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Selene? Your avatar murdered his.¡±


    Every bone in my body demanded I punish Dionysus for his insolence. I gritted my teeth, casting a re in his direction while the other gods <b>waited </b>for my response. ¡°ording to thew of divinity, Apophis must lie below the horizon and cannot persist in the mortal realm beyond Mountain Bakhu. His avatar was <b>his </b>only :angible link to the human empire, and it was through him he wreaked havoc. For the <b>evil </b>to not persist, my avatar killed him because there was no way Apophis would relinquish his hold on him. My sacred child did the ight thing, and you are a fool to think otherwise!¡±


    Unbreakable¨CPrologue


    ¡°Every decisiones with a consequence. Can you confidently sit there and say that your avatar¡¯s decision. <b>could¡¯ve </b>sparked fury in Apophis? And now, he is missing from his prison!¡± Dionysus crossed his arms and folded one leg over the other. ¡°We are at risk too, dearest Selene.¡±


    ¡°A rise in earthquakes in the mortal kingdom is not a good sign,¡± Hekate interjected, folding her arms in herp. ¡°The serpent lurks underneath the surface and he is angry and hungry. While I agree that killing his avatar ensured the safety of ours and the human kingdom alike, it is unjust to believe that not killing him would¡¯ve prevented this.¡±


    ¡°All I¡¯m implying <b>is </b>to look at this situation from a different perspective. I¡¯m, in no way, condoning what that dark <b>avatar </b>had done, but <b>we </b>cannot ignore the ageless effects of his death! An <b>avatar </b>killing another is synonymous with one of us killing the other.¡±


    ¡°Osiris, the lord


    the lord that avatar bastardized the name from, is in charge of the underworld along with his brother God, Hades,¡± Ra added, diffusing the growing tension in the air. ¡°While the disturbances in the underworld <b>have </b>increased, his avatar¡¯s soul has been kept out of <b>reach </b>so he doesn¡¯t decide to resurrect him; not that he could.¡±


    Athena took off her helmet and <b>set </b>it on the table, shaking out her russet hair. ¡°As long as he remains in that realm, there is no need to worry. But I agree the lords must check up on him to see that he doesn¡¯t attempt to leave the realm. I do not wish to think of what can ur if he does get a chance to encroach into <b>the </b>mortal kingdom.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve agreed that Apophis out of his mountain is a threat to us all. Chaos will happen sooner, rather thanter. But, if he escapes to Mother Gaia¡¯s green earth, the one responsible for his link¡¯s death should <i>be </i>the


    one to defeat him.¡±


    ¡°How dare you suggest such a thing, Dionysus!¡± I shouted, rising out of my seat. ¡°Never! I refuse to pit my sacred child against that mad god! He will kill her!¡±


    ¡°That could be the only way to appease him, is it not? She got us into this mess and let us not forget your nasty habit of pussyfooting around death. Four of your wolves, including her, havee back to life after meeting with death. Must <b>we </b>continue to bend thews of nature to our benefit?¡±


    ¡°As if you¡¯re the one to talk.¡± Vayu chortled in his seat, leaning back against the spine like he was enjoying the altercation. ¡°None of us are strangers to bending thews of divinity by a slight margin. We invented thosews to keep order between our worlds.¡±


    ¡°Let us not forget you¡¯ve brought back yours after he was savagely murdered, or how Brigid brought theirs back to keep peace with the fae. Hypocrisy is not a good look for you, Dionysus.¡± Amphitrite snarled.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Lord Ra instantly silenced our banter, heaving a deep sigh. ¡°This is not what I wanted when I gathered <b>you </b>all here. I¡¯m extending a warning to you all. There is no telling what Apophis might do or what are his next steps. I implore you all to keep extra guard in your realms and watch over your avatars if you have them. We cannot interfere with their affairs, but it helps to know that our sacred children are safe.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Oshun spoke, who was quiet the entire time. ¡°Apophis cannot attack our children nor the <b>creatures</b>


    of the earth as we¡¯re barred from entering their world. That same rule applies to him as well. Let us not quarrel amongst each other and focus on the task at hand.<b>¡±</b>


    We are safe, for now.


    Unbreakable¨CPrologue


    I <b>lowered </b><b>myself </b>back in my seat and forced myself to sit through the rest of the assembly. Every <b>agonizing </b>minute that <b>passed </b>added to my heartache. I do not doubt Lord Ra or any of his fellow deities about Apophis¡± disappearance, but Dionysus had some correct points.


    What if it is revenge Apophis is seeking? That beast cannot be <b>reasoned </b>with. However, it has been three years, <b>so </b>what was <b>different </b>about this <b>time</b><b>?</b>


    I didn¡¯t want to <b>think </b>of my avatar falling into danger once again, but that was the hope I don¡¯t have the luxury of affording. Chaos followed peace. Chaos wanted to dismantle <b>and </b>destroy for its <b>benefit</b>. This danger is much worse than Asir.


    Apophis <b>is </b>more than a menace. He is immortal <b>evil </b>incarnate. He would crush her.


    After Ra adjourned the gathering, I power¨Cwalked out of the holy acropolis onto the translucent bridges. I couldn¡¯t stand being in that suffocating room anymore! However, as I was walking my path back to my realm, two <b>pairs </b>of footsteps followed me. Sighing, I rubbed my face before adjusting my moon circlet that tightened around <b>my </b>forehead.


    ¡°Hekate. Amphitrite. What is your concern?¡± I asked, turning to face my fellow goddesses. Their faces fell into soft worry as they stepped closer to me.


    ¡°Dionysus is an asshole, so do not take his usations to heart.¡± My eyes widened at Amphitrite¡¯s choice ofnguage. She giggled<b>, </b>covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching Violetta for too long and I¡¯ve picked up on her word choices. I admit I like it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you would.¡± Hekate scoffed with a headshake. ¡°Anyway<b>, </b>Selene, our avatars were there at Asir¡¯s death, including Ra¡¯s. If Apophis manages to go after her<b>, </b>you know our children will step up and help her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, and I¡¯m incredibly grateful. Those women have developed a powerful bond over the <b>years</b>.¡± I smiled warmly, but it fell to a frown when reminded of the situation. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive myself if anything were to happen to them.¡±


    ¡°Your child did the right thing. There is no shame in that.¡± Hekate pressed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing to reassure me. ¡°Do not fret over this. Allow time to let us see what may or may not happen. Our children. have the tools to ensure their victory, including yours.¡±


    ¡°We <b>will </b>tread with caution and keep an eye on any abnormalities tied to Apophis. Keep faith that your child will be alright, Selene. You look like a worried mother.¡±


    ¡°I am a worried mother.¡± I chuckled, sighing out the bubbling anxiety from my belly. My sister goddesses were right; we mustn¡¯t carry the burden of worry when we don¡¯t know what the future may hold. My heart can rest in peace knowing that Hekate and Amphitrite were on my side. Their children aided mine in many battles, <b>keeping </b>each other safe. Their rtionship reflected ours, and I couldn¡¯t be any happier.


    I returned to my realm without haste, relishing in the burst of cool when I sat on my stone bench¨Cthe one Kiya and I spoke on eight years ago. Faint chatter echoed from the gates of my heaven, from the <b>constituents </b>within, happy and thriving in peace with their wolves. True tranquility was scarce for my creatures, for the mortal kingdom was riddled with conflict. However, I refuse for a mad serpent god to be <b>one </b>of them. I¡¯ll protect my world. I¡¯ll protect my sacred child to the best of my ability.


    Kiya was much too important to me, even though she was stronger than anyone thought she could be.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Unbreakable¨CPrologue


    I whistled <b>a </b>small melody into the air and watched the ground beside my feet opened a reflective pool, allowing me to peer into Gaia¡¯s green earth. Nightfall had nketed over <b>Californin</b>, pulling the <b>many </b>wolves into many packs into a deep slumber. I peered at where Kiya resided in her apartment, curious to see if she joined in the journey of <b>sleep</b><b>.</b>


    She wasn¡¯t asleep. Kiya was wide awake in the middle of the night, standing at her open window, looking up at the sky. She couldn¡¯t see me, but I could see her. We¡¯ve locked eyes and concern swam in those <b>beautiful</b>


    browns.


    On <b>the </b>windowsill <b>were </b>pieces of <b>her </b>selenite crystals, pulsating to a silent <b>beat</b>. The light wasn¡¯t bright enough to illuminate her space, but it illuminated her curiosity. My heart ached with gentle pain, possibly reacting to my emotions <b>not </b>too long <b>ago</b><b>.</b>


    I¡¯m so sorry for waking you, my dear child. I didn¡¯t intend to disturb you.


    My hope is that you remain safe and at peace until thest of your days.


    But, be prepared if yound yourself in a war beyond your wildest imaginations.


    Yet, I have faith that you¡¯ll be alright.


    Chapter Comments


    ͹

 Chapter 186

    <b>Chapter </b>1 ¨C Three Years Later


    ¡°Do what you love. Do what you are. Do what you do.¡°¨CMatshona Dhiliwayo


    Kiya


    ¡°Alright, kids! I am so happy that you all decided to spend your day in the Museum of Fine Arts! Follow me and I¡¯ll take <b>you </b>to the Greek Mythology exhibit!¡± An enthusiastic female voice boomed over the group of third graders walking behind their teacher. Noticing a couple of stragglers that were ¡®too cool for school¡® mingling at a distant corner, I gathered <b>the </b>kiddos to encourage them to join the group. As the second chaperone on the field trip, I couldn¡¯t afford any student to get lost.


    It was thest field trip of the year before the official end of the school year. The students were just


    just as excited as I was to start our summer vacation; proof of theirck of effort in turning in their final assignments. It was expected<b>, </b>of course. A sharp burst of cool air washed over us from the residential air conditioners, providing relief after boarding off the hot school bus. With my hands in my skirt pockets, I walked behind the students as we were led down a hallway decorated with art pieces and portraits of the museum¡¯s founders.


    ¡°Miss Kiya.¡± I looked down to see one of my students slowing her steps to match mine. ¡°How long do you think <b>this </b>tour is?¡±


    ¡°Well, Lesley, it should be less than an hour, give or take.¡± I poked her shoulder with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re tired already!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Lesley puffed out her cheeks in defiance. ¡°I was wondering how long it would be until lunch.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry. We¡¯re going to feed you all on time, I promise. Now, pay attention. You might learn something. This beats sitting in a ssroom all day, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Our tour guide, Deborah, let us through a populous area filled with families and college students studying art pieces and historical galleries, posing for pictures, and reading information on disy ques. Cultural exhibits of all sorts <b>were </b>hidden beyond the many hallways that we have yet to explore, but I was excited. My heart ached at the prospect of leaving my students for the summer, but a year as their sess coach proved to be an enjoyable endeavor.


    It solidified my desire to work with children once I apply for graduate school.


    <b>A </b>couple of minutester, Deborah led us into the Greek mythology exhibit, where there <b>were </b>already a couple of families gazing at disy cases filled with clothing, jewelry, and statues. A feeling of familiarity captured my heart and embraced it in a warm hug as <b>I </b>spared nces of the many statues marveled by the children¡¯s


    <b>eyes</b>.


    ¡°Back in ancient times, the Grecian people held a firm belief that the gods of Mount Olympus watched over theirnd. They were responsible for their blessings and sometimes, their curses. As you can see in these disy <b>cases</b>, they <b>carved </b>many of the marble statues in the likings of those gods and goddesses<b>, </b>and when you read <b>their </b>information que, you can learn more about them. Warriors fought in battle; they made offerings in sacred temples¨Ctheir way of life followed their praises in their deities.


    ¡°But it is all just a story, right?¡± One student <b>asked</b>. ¡°We learned in ss that <b>this </b>is folklore! That means the


    stories aren¡¯t true, right?¡±


    Ch. dear Samuel If only you knew¡­


    ¡°They were true to the Grecians. It was part of their belief system so anything good or bad that happene they tributed to the gods. For example, they believed that Goddess Demeter caused the seasons we know today because her daughter, Goddess Persephone, lived in the Underworld with her mudband for half a year The fall and winter signaled that Persephone was no longer with on and was caused by Demens cadan But, when the returned. Demeter was happy again and that the spring and summer happened¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t know if that is true, though. It is a myth Just like how ghosts and werewshes don¡¯t e Samuel added with his pessimism.


    es, they are 1 sew videos on the name friend. Bran, romed with a shoulder nudge. Those neo fell into a loud banter until I had to break it up. It reminded me just how much the humans don¡¯t show about tha existence of whe may bride in the shadows, in the woods, and so on.


    I¡¯d be skeptical too if I didn¡¯t shit into a white wolf every other day


    ¡°Alright, alingis¡± Deborahughed


    do want to stick to the schedule, so you kiddos mane ten minute to


    indoor


    explore the exhibit. Ask your chaperones or me if you have questions. Don¡¯t wander


    Just like that the kids dispersed in a page of mutedversation spreading to various disy a


    I


    Ms. Day¡¯s folioved one group of students roles around the gallery


    Athena, spollo, and many more mood high and proud over my form. While mones depicted cam got in their unique way. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder who testly were


    Are all gods depicted as serious beings with no room for humor? Or are they just as home as my students


    and me?


    I wonder if any of them have avatar. Woulder to


    As I was walking, a powerful pull of pleasant energy sited my body. I was seep in my mind that I didn¡¯t notice whose disy 1 passed by a wide gi rested on my when I stood in from of Selene¡¯s disy. Her statue was shown wearing a crescere on top of her hair while her right hand held a to Her signature well flowed over her head behind her


    She looked beauti


    Then, an urge to touch her statue came over me It was


    shielded behind a ss care, but security belts were


    ??


    caping around the bottom half of her form to prevent anyone from gaming so close. But I wanted at ger dise The world around me faded into white leaving the statue and me alone,


    My hand reached up inching closer to my goddess


    stle touch¡­to be closer to her


    awed my eyemws, shalling my


    Until a hand on my shoulder knocked me back to reality. I blinked and furrowed head from the fantastical illusion I fell under ¡°1602 22 you singer


    ¡°I and curing my head to meer Ms. Dat hape Was I alrigh


    dat was when I realized how doe


    Chapter 1¨CThree Years Later


    I was to the security belts, nearly tripping over the crimson chains. My hands went to my pockets to feel the telltale bump of my selenite, now hot against my thigh when moments before, it was cold as ice.


    ¡°Ah, <b>yes</b>¡­ I¡¯m alright.¡± I muttered, nodding. ¡°I just¡­ ah¡­ do you know where the women¡¯s <b>washrooms </b><b>are</b>?¡±


    ¡°They should be on your right when you leave <b>from </b>the entrance. Are you sure you don¡¯t need-


    ¡°I¡¯m <b>fine</b><b>, </b>Ms. Davis. Just lost my head for a bit. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With fire licking at my heels, I bolted out of the exhibit and into the bathroom. By the grace of my goddess, it was empty. I walked to the mirror <b>and </b>gripped the sink counter, staring hard at my reflection<b>. </b>I did not know what came over me at that moment, but it couldn¡¯t happen again.


    Unless I wanted to get kicked out and fined, of course. I don¡¯t think Anthony would bail <b>me </b>out this time.


    towel.


    Sighing, I refreshed myself by sshing my face lightly with water and patting my face dry with a paper When I exited the bathroom, I had full intentions of returning to my kiddos. But, simr to the pull I had toward Goddess Selene¡¯s statue, I had that same pull to another part of the exhibit, hidden in a hallway beside the Greek Mythos.


    I couldn¡¯t resist it. It pulled me in its direction like a siren luring their sailor to their watery grave. Once I entered the new exhibit, the sheer amount of gold and bronze decorating every disy case blinded my eyes. ss cases disyed weapons such as spears and ceremonial daggers with statues of pharaohs and head. sculptures of ancient queens sat on their presentation tables.


    It was the Egyptian Myths exhibition.


    My reverberating footsteps echoed in the silence as I looked around, being the only person in the exhibit. Icked a connection with Egypt and its history, but it interested me to some degree, thanks to Asim and his help with his brother three years ago.


    I hope he and his family are doing well.


    As I explored the exhibit, I came across a game board depicting a coiled snake divided into rectangr depressions. Blue, green, and yellow game stones rested upon the spaces, some were rusted from use. Raising an eyebrow, I eyed the description que.


    ¡°Mehen was a board game yed in the times of ancient Egypt. Also called the ¡®snake game¡®, its name came from the snake god who wrapped around Ra to protect him during his nightly journey into the underworld.¡± I smirked. ¡°I guess <b>not </b>all snakes are bad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of snakes tost me a lifetime,¡± Artemis grumbled in my mind, waking up from her nap. ¡°You should get back to your students before Ms. Davis notices your disappearance.¡±


    ¡°Bored already, Art? You¡¯ve been sleeping more than usual.¡±


    ¡®Because I don¡¯t have to exert any brainpower while <b>you </b>work. You do enough thinking for the both of 1s.¡± Sheughed. ¡°Plus, there is no reason for me to interfere<b>. </b><b>So</b>, that trantes to long naps.¡±


    You¡¯re lucky the school year is over. You won¡¯t be sleeping much when we get back home.¡±


    Hence why I¡¯m taking advantage of nap time<b>, </b>now.¡± Artemis sighed in content. ¡°Get back to your job, <b>K</b>


    Chapter 1 ¨C Three Years Later


    iki. It isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± I replied with heavy sarcasm. My ears picked up chattering from the long corridor leading to the gallery, taking it as my cue to leave. But, <b>as </b>I walked <b>toward </b>the exit, the chatter died into a heavy. foreboding silence.


    Then the lights flickered out, bathing me in <b>darkness</b>.


    ¡°Um¡­ Artemis?¡± I asked with a trembling voice. Instantly, Artemis was on full alert, her senses heightening


    <b>my </b><b>own</b>.


    ¡°Fucking hell. Get out, <b>now</b>!¡±


    Her voice powered my legs toward the exit, ready tounch my body into the light of safety. But the doors swung <b>shut</b>, not only cutting off my escape but recoiling my body back inside the exhibit. My eyes shot to the entrance <b>to </b><b>see </b>its doors mmed shut as well. Hopping on my feet, I grabbed the door handle and pressed the <b>lock</b>, but it wasn¡¯t budging.


    I¡¯m trapped here!


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± I shouted, pulling and pushing against the door, hoping it would open with effort, but it didn¡¯t. Just as things couldn¡¯t get any worse, a sickening sound filled the surrounding air, tuning its strings to my fear.


    Hissing.


    I turned my body slowly to see where the noise wasing from, and I wish I hadn¡¯t. The Mehen <b>game </b>board shook and shuttered on its table, knocking the game pieces onto the ground. The hissing grew louder, and the danger thickened. Pressing my back against the door, I watched as the snake¡¯s impression uncoiled and rise into the air, releasing an ear¨Cpiercing roar that forced me to cover my ears.


    That was not the snake that helped Ra!


    Through the darkness, the snake¡¯s body darkened to a deeper shade of ck that stood in contrast to the obscurity, writhing. Suddenly, the only speck of color shone through and enraptured my eyes into its own. Sharp red eyes. Its mouth widened, revealing incisors sharper than any kitchen knife and deadlier than the fangs of the worst beast on this earth.


    The <b>snake </b>roared once more and thrust toward me. I threw my body to the side to avoid the strike,nding on my shoulder with a painful thud. To my misfortune, the demonic entity didn¡¯t wait for me to regain my


    :enses<b>.</b>


    Our battle became a game of bobbing and weaving because that was what I was doing. I didn¡¯t want this snake o get me, but I also didn¡¯t want to damage priceless Egyptian artifacts! Luckily, or so I thought, the demon lidn¡¯t care about the artifacts. Only harming me.


    Leave me alone!¡± I shouted, running toward the entrance. ¡°What the hell are <b>you</b><b>?!</b>¡±


    he snake answered with a roar, unleashing its menacing strike once again. I ducked to the floor, and by the race of fate, the doors swung <b>open</b>. Shrieking, I took off, <b>away </b>from the possessed exhibit. I didn¡¯t stop until I an into someone who grabbed me by the shoulders.


    Chapter 1


    ¡°Miss Kiya! What happened?!¡± Ms. Davis asked me<b>, </b>her eyes glittering with worry. I wasn¡¯t sure to answer her, considering I was drenched in sweat, breathing like a dehydrated dog, and holding my shoulder that I was sure was threatening to form a bruise. ¡°Were you attacked? I noticed you were gone a long time and-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m fine, Chasity.¡± I muttered Ms. Davis¡± first name. <b>There </b>was nothing I could say that would rationalize what I had experienced back there. Families and groups of friends were frolicking into the exhibit as if nothing happened. No shouts of confusion or concern, just excited chatter on recent discoveries. I released a <b>shaky </b>breath, wiping the sweat off my brow with the back of my hand. ¡°H¨CHow are the students?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to <b>head </b>to the cafeteria for lunch.¡± She <b>answered</b><b>, </b><b>removing </b>her hands from my shoulders. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You looked like you¡¯ve seen a <b>ghost</b>.<b>¡±</b>


    ¡°I probably did,¡± I said to myself. Sighing, I shook my head and mustered up a smile to the best of my ability. ¡°As I <b>said</b>, I¡¯ll be fine. We should get back to the kids.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for a response. Watching the <b>faces </b>of my students light up was the best medicine to my turmoil. Lunch and the rest of the field trip flew by like a distant breeze and before we knew it, we¡¯re heading back to <b>the </b>elementary school. On the school bus, I stared back at the museum building, my mind stuck on what happened in the exhibit.


    <b>What </b>would¡¯ve happened if I didn¡¯t escape? What was that snake? This was an experience <b>I </b>couldn¡¯t shake off.


    And I wasn¡¯t sure if I could for a while.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 2 <b>¨C </b>Home Sweet Home


    ¡°Home is everything you can walk to.¡°¨C Jerry Spinell


    <b>Kiya</b>


    on the


    Saying goodbye to my students was the toughest thing I had to do. The joys and stress they¡¯ve brought me during the school year were lessons and memories I¡¯d <b>never </b>forget. In my heart, I knew they¡¯ll take fourth grade with greatness. Having the privilege to watch those kids grow academically <b>and </b>socially warmed my big heart.


    Summer was here, and it <b>was </b>time for me to head back to Ga Moon.


    I drove up to the curb after leaving the elementary school for thest time. Once parked, I stepped out of the cool interior to a blistering exterior. The sun was unforgiving today, and the warm breeze didn¡¯t help! As much as I loved San Jose, being cooked alive for <b>three </b>months wasn¡¯t on my list of ns.


    I entered the three¨Cstory apartment building on the quest of retrieving my two priceless treasures. There wasn¡¯t anyone I trusted in taking care of them other than my downstairs neighbors, also Ga Moon. members, but living outside the packnds. Did I mention Anthony bought this building? Nothing lives in my mind rent¨Cfree than living in my apartment rent¨Cfree!


    My footsteps echoed on each stair until I reached the second floor, walking up to a door with a que that <b>read </b>¡®Fernandez¡® underneath the viewing hole. Grinning, I knocked three times and waited. I heard minor shuffling from inside until the door swung open to reveal an olderdy wearing a painfully bright pink apron with her pale brown hair tied into a bun. Her brown eyes crinkled with her smile, yanking me into a sharp hug.


    ¡°You¡¯re back so soon, Kiya!¡± The woman said, patting my back. ¡°Must you take them back now?¡±


    ¡°I have to, Elena. But, I always know that <b>you </b>take good care of my babies <b>whenever </b>I¡¯m working. Now, they muste back to their mother!¡±


    <i>They </i>st


    <b>should </b>stay a little longer with grandma¡­¡± She whimpered, pursing out her bottom lip. I let out a giggle before walking over the threshold of Elena¡¯s apartment. The delicious smell of beef and spices immediately assaulted my nose, making my stomach growl like a ravenous bear. ¡°Sounds like you also need to stay a bit with grandma!¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re offering to feed me, how could I say no?¡± Iughed, entering the small, sunlit living room with pictures hung on the walls. Elena and her husband, <b>Luiz</b>, lived <b>here </b>to be closer to their children and grandchildren who moved into the city. Mom <b>and </b>Dad knew them very <b>well</b>, as they were high school friends. Anthony was kind enough to purchase the apartment building, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about rent. Once I moved in toplete my schooling, I knew I was getting a taste of home from the elderly couple. They¡¯ve helped me so much and I couldn¡¯t repay them.


    <b>Once </b>I sat on the soft<b>, </b><b>ash</b>¨Ccolored loveseat<b>, </b>tiny patters of feet approached me at Mach speed. My babies pounced on myp <b>and </b>began licking my fingers, wiggling their shaggy tails in my nose. ¡°Ebony! Ivory! Hello


    to you, too!¡±


    My ck bombay and white ragdoll cats meowed in unison, rubbing their heads in <b>my </b>palms as I pet them.


    Chapter 2 ¨C Home Sweet Home


    Finding these two in a dirty alleyway in the neighborhood was the day they changed my life forever. So <b>small </b>and helpless, they reminded me of myself before Mom and Dad adopted me. I couldn¡¯t leave them alone, exposed to the evils of the world. Once they got healthy and had their vinations, they¡¯ve be my children.


    Elena and I chatted for a while over the delicious pae she <b>was </b>so kind to serve me. We talked about <b>what </b>ising for the future, the pack, and my parents. She confided in me she missed the pack life but didn¡¯t miss the incessant noise of children bouncing off the walls and the battles against rogues. That we both could


    rte to.


    After lunch, I carried my cats back to my apartment on the third floor. They ran through the floors once I opened the door, finding their beds and nestling in them like the pampered princesses they were. I was blessed to not <b>have </b>a pair of cats who needed continuous attention or else they¡¯d scratch up the minimalist furniture in my tiny living room. Once I settled in<b>, </b>I took a well¨Cneeded shower and hopped into a pair of pajamas while I tossed my hair into a cotton shirt to dry.


    As much as I loved my apartment, I missed my family. The joys of having my abode didn¡¯tpare to being surrounded by constant love and affection, but there was a certain allure to being alone and self¨Csufficient that I¡¯d never take for granted. I could <b>walk </b>around naked in my apartment with no one saying a damn thing.


    Artemis <b>made </b>her presence known while I grabbed the hamper filled with dirtyundry. Judging from the tense aura <b>she </b>gave off; I <b>knew </b>she wanted to talk to me about something. ¡°Artemis? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t get over what happened at the museum the other day.¡± She responded with a heavy sigh. I admit, it has been bothering me too. Walking to my portable washing machine, I yed the event over in my mind as I tossed my clothes inside. ¡°Nothing like that has happened since¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I responded, watching the clothes spin after dumping an ample amount of soap. ¡°I¡¯m trying not to think about it too much. I don¡¯t want to ruin the <b>peace </b>I have.¡±


    ¡°I get it, Kiki. However, I don¡¯t believe in <b>coincidences</b>. Walking into an exhibit and getting attacked by a snake spirit? Not to mention that there weren¡¯t any witnesses <b>to </b>corroborate our story. <b>What </b>if


    Osiris is-¡±


    ¡°No, Artemis!¡± I shouted<b>, </b>mming my fist on top of the dryer. The sinking feeling in my chest made it painful. <b>to </b>breathe. With <b>one </b><b>shaky </b>sigh <b>after </b>another, I tried my best to get rid of my pooling anxiety. ¡°He¡¯s dead. There¡¯s no way he coulde back, <b>not </b>after so long. What if what happened was just a damn hallucination?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a hallucination, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°It has to be because there is no way in hell that I¡¯m dealing with that shit again.¡± Artemis didn¡¯t respond after that, opting to retreat to <b>the </b>back of my mind. Groaning, I ran a hand <b>through </b>my hair as I leaned against the wall by my hip. I put the whole Osiris fiasco behind me for the sake of my healing. Sometimes that bastard haunted my dreams, his lingering presence sticking to me like glue. I had to miss a full <b>semester </b>of school because of <b>his </b>crap, but after a while<b>, </b>things got better. He faded with the wind, along with his memory.


    Whatever happened in that exhibit could just be a post¨Ctraumatic shback manifesting in that snake game. Snakes were disgusting. For the past three years, I had nothing but peace. Nothing interfered with my ability to finish school and work, and life was <b>back </b>to normal for me. No <b>avatar </b>madness, no <b>supernatural </b>attacks<b>, </b><b>or </b>anything else of the sort. Phoebe and Violetta fell into their normalcy afterward as well, for they deserved the same peace I got.


    Chapter 2 Home Sweet Home


    There is <b>no </b>impending doom. My life was peaceful, and it will stay that way.


    My <b>mood </b>soured<b>, </b>which madeundry feel like an egregious chore. I tossed my wet clothes in the dryer and carried them back to my room once they were done. <b>While </b>folding my clothes on my bed, a heavy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach from how I reacted to Artemis. I didn¡¯t mean to respond so strongly like that. Regretfully, I opened our mind¨Clink, connecting with my beloved wolf.


    <i>¡°</i><i>Hey</i>, Artemis? I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you like that. I¡¯m not angry with you and if I made you feel that way, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, <b>Kiya</b>. I was never angry, but concerned. I guess you can say I was also scared of our peace being interrupted. I tried to make sense of what happened, and I frustrated you.¡±


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just a lot to think about, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    My phone buzzing on my vanity table pulled me out of my thoughts, demanding my attention. I set my shirt down and walked over to pick it up. It was a text message. When I saw who it was from the preview, my heart. rate picked up as I had run a marathon.


    Neron.


    It was the first text he sent me in the past few months. Life had sucked us into our journeys that so much time would pass <b>without </b>us talking to one another. My heart continued to race as my thumb lingered <b>over </b>the text preview, curious to know what he had sent me. Should I open it or not? Why <b>the </b>hell was I so nervous? He¡¯s a friend I missed talking to, and this was a good chance to start up again.


    Hell, Nuria blows up my phone every chance she gets. At least her brother was calmer.


    Reeling in some courage, I pressed the preview and read what he had sent. I couldn¡¯t stop the smile forming on my face.


    NERON: Congrats on finishing your job with your students! I hope life has been treating you well since then. How is


    Artemis<b>?</b>


    <b>I </b>shouldn¡¯t be too damn eager to text back, but my fingers had a mind of their own<b>.</b>


    ME: Thank you, Neron. I appreciate the congrats and Artemis is doing great! I¡¯m preparing to <b>move </b>back home in a few days. How is Onyx?


    NERON: Onyx¨Cing.


    Artemis let out a bark ofughter at the response and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. She never voiced it because she wanted to <b>keep </b>a strong face, but I knew deep down she missed Onyx a lot. Onyx and she couldn¡¯t be any more different from one another, but somehow, they meshed well together. I felt like the bad guy for robbing her of that experience because of my problems; always waiting for me to get my act together.


    They¡¯ll meet again. I know they will. I just wasn¡¯t sure when or if I¡¯m ready to head to Onyx Moon yet.


    Neron and I continued texting, talking about what our ns were for the following week, our families, and more. I¡¯d forgotten about theundry and the time that flew by in the blink of an eye because when I came to,


    16


    Chapter 2 Home Sweet Home


    albeit <b>from </b>Ebony pawing at my ankle, it waste afternoon.


    <b>Crazy</b>.


    Ebony meowed, curling her tail around my foot as her way to tell me she was hungry. The most vocal out <b>of </b>my cats. Iughed <b>and </b>rubbed her head. I sent Neron a quick text, telling him I had to go, and went to feed


    my cats.


    I¡¯ll just finish packing <b>tomorrow</b>.


    Bags? Packed.


    Cats? Secured.


    Gas tank? Full.


    Time for <b>me </b>to head home<b>!</b>


    I bid Elena <b>and </b>Luiz farewell and set off on the road <b>back </b>to Ga Moon. Scrolling my window down, the wind danced wildly with my curls as I sted ¡°Whatever it Takes¡® by Imagine Dragons on the radio. Every building I passed melted into a blur of browns and whites, and every person the same. So many great memories happened in San Jose, and my heart <b>missed </b>the nostalgia of my college campus. I loved college, but I loved graduating more. Life waited for no one. I nced at the rearview mirror now and then to check on Ebony and Ivory in their harnesses.


    Just like the angels they were, they sat and groomed themselves in their cat beds.


    Before long, I made it onto <b>the </b>main road. The aroma of the redwood trees tickled my nostrils, the scent of my hearth. My car entered <b>a </b>sea of pale reds blooming under the blistering sun, bathing the forest floor with. lights unmatched to mes. I loved it. I felt Artemis growing antsy for a much¨Cneeded run on the territory. and I couldn¡¯t wait for her to stretch her legs out once again.


    Fifteen minutester, I rolled into the familiarnd, bombarded with the echoes of children ying and warriors <b>training</b>. I grinned; nothing had changed. Parking my car in the garage, I stepped out into the diesel- fuel¨Cscented heat when <b>I </b><b>was </b>osted by a smaller, yet strong body. A tuff of auburn hair greeted my eyes, but the head lifted to reveal a bright set of hazels and a brighter grin.


    ¡°Tia! You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you too, Ximey.¡± I giggled, squeezing her in a hug. Ximena had grown into a formidable five¨Cyear- old, and from her tight squeezes around my waist, her Alpha strength wasing in rather too quickly. A <b>smaller </b>body followed behind her, a beautiful boy with cute cheeks and curly brown hair clouding his equally brown eyes. He giggled andtched himself onto my other leg<b>, </b>rubbing his face into my skin. ¡°Ah, and you <b>too</b>, Alessandro!¡±


    Home sweet home.


    A couple of Omegas met me outside <b>and </b>offered <b>to </b>take my suitcases <b>and </b>my cats inside the pack house, considering the children refused to leave my side. Walking out with my <b>niece </b>and nephew on either side of


    Chapter


    me, we ambled to the front entrance, passing by the training grounds. If Ximena and Alessandro were here, that meant their parents wouldn¡¯t be too far behind. Alessandro scurried on <b>ahead </b>with Ximena groaning.


    ¡°He is always running off somewhere.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Mama and Papa should be here soon. Do you want me to get them?¡±


    ¡°You can if you want to. Do you know where your Abu and Abuelo are?¡±


    ¡°Over there!¡± Ximena pointed in the distance where Mom and Dad strolled, connected by their hands, before running behind her little brother. Excitement filled me like adrenaline as I prepared to run toward them, but at pair of strong hands <b>snatched </b>and lifted me in the <b>air</b>.


    ¡°Little Bit has arrived!¡± Jackie shouted with augh, lowering me to squeeze me into a tighter hug than Ximena could muster. Laughing, I reciprocated her affection, resting my head on her shoulder despite her sweat clinging onto me. ¡°How was the trip?¡±


    ¡°It was good. Now, let me go¨Cyou¡¯re all sweaty.¡± I said, separating from the hug. ¡°Where¡¯s Abigail and Aisha?¡±


    ¡°Abi <b>took </b>her little cousin shopping for new clothes, so <b>they¡¯ll </b>be back <b>in </b>a few hours. Aisha would be <b>so </b>happy that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her I was <bing</b>?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. My best friend shined a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding my gaze.


    ¡°Surprise?¡±


    ¡°Mija!¡± I turned around to see my parents strolling up to me with smiles on their faces. Unprovoked, I <b>leaped </b>in and hugged them both, filling my <b>nose </b>with their sweet scents of pumpkin and peaches. ¡°Are you settled in yet?¡± Mom asked <b>me</b>.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My stuff was just taken to my room, so almost.¡±


    <b>Jackle </b>scoffed behind me. ¡°Wow. <b>I </b><b>see </b>how it is, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    ¡°As s


    soon as <b>Lyra </b>and Nikie around, I¡¯m left in the dust!¡± She replied with enough dramatics to make theater kids jealous. I turned <b>to </b>see her mocking hurt with a hand on her forehead. ¡°Woe is me! Whatever


    shall I do<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Get your butt back into training.¡± Dad responded, crossing his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t think it <b>is </b>your break <b>time</b>, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°I schedule my own <b>breaks</b>.¡± Jackie retorted with a bout of confidence. However<b>, </b>one look from Dad stripped and burned her confidence to <b>ash</b>. Her <b>face </b>fell, and she immediately scampered back to the training grounds, knocking one of <b>the </b>male trainees on his ass.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t <b>have </b>to do that, Dad.¡± Iughed.


    ¡°That woman has been cking.¡± He rolled his eyes in amusement. ¡°But, being freshly married will do that to you.¡± Lyra nudged him on the shoulder<b>, </b>enticing a fit ofughter from him. Jackie and Abi got married a <b>year </b>ago and have been growing stronger ever since. It was also around the same time Abigail¡¯s little cousin, Aisha,


    Chapter 2 ¨C Home Sweet Home


    moved in with them.


    I couldn¡¯t believe how much <b>had </b>changed over the three years with my little gang of friends. Children wereing in from all angles, and their rtionships were stronger than ever.


    Life truly waited for no <b>one</b>.


    Ximena ran over and tugged on my leg, pulling my attention from my parents. ¡°Mama and Papa want to see you, Tia!¡±


    toe wit


    with?¡±


    ¡°Oh, do they?¡± I smiled down at my niece before looking back at my parents. ¡°Want to


    ¡°We will. We have some things to talk to that young man about, especially with the uing Alpha <b>Gathering</b>.¡± Mom mentioned, her voice <b>lowering </b>an octave. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity as to what the subject matter <b>was</b><b>, </b>but I was sure it was Alpha business. It didn¡¯t involve me.


    But, Ximena, restless as she was, tugged me toward the pack house entrance.


    It felt good to be back <b>home</b>.


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 188

    <b>Chapter </b><b>3 </b>The Onyx Moon Pack


    ¨C


    ¡°Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We <i>shall </i>get there some day.¡±<b>¨C</b>A.A. Milne


    Neron


    Three years ago, I never thought I¡¯d be in the position I¡¯m in today. Three years ofborious effort to <b>ensure </b><b>our </b>survival; a direct result of Onyx Moon flourishing today. My pack. Instead of looking back with disdain and shame, I looked at my enormous family with pride and happiness.


    Because I did that. I made it happen<b>. </b>After the strings of doubt guing me for those years, questioning my abilities<b>, </b>I could finally hold the keys to my new home and watch my members grow in number under my


    <b>eyes</b>.


    Today, Onyx Moon was a prosperousmunity that continued to grow. Some old Zircon Moon <b>pack </b>members followed, but many departed to other territories. New wolves, seeking a new home, blended <b>in </b>seamlessly, <b>and </b>with my mother <b>as </b>acting Luna, she ensured that every family got the help and supplies they needed to settle in. As time went on, our Moon Goddess finally blessed us with the long-awaited peace we¡¯ve been praying for.


    I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything in the world.


    The potent scent of maple wafted up to my nose as my <b>car </b>rolled down the streets <b>from </b>Pornd to the pack grounds. <b>Mellow </b>music caressed my ears, tapping my finger against the steering wheel with the sunlight reflecting off my Alpha ring. The golden band encircled therge ck onyx crystal, exposing a prism of rainbows hidden within. A symbol of my sess.


    a


    It <b>had </b>been a long day of gathering supplies for my art ss, and I was looking forward to a couple of hours of rxation. Aside from my Alpha duties, I worked part-time as an art teacher to my <b>pack </b>disciples. Call it strange, but I found joy in teaching the younger folk about the pleasures of art and the history behind the greats, like Vincent Van Gogh. I still had a long way before I could be an actual teacher if I decide to take that path.


    Two guards unlocked the double-gated doors once they spotted my car rolling in. Blurs of the maple trees filled my eyes, zipping past my peripherals. Sounds of pack activity graced my ears, picking out theughter of children. My home opened in front of my <b>eyes</b><b>; </b>the grand pack house standing in the center with smaller houses scattered around its infrastructure<b>. </b>Soldiers trained in the south, kids were ying in the east<b>, </b><b>adults </b>shared conversations over tea and food in front of their homes-everything that constituted a healthy pack was happening right before my eyes.


    My heart unleashed a mighty beat. It¡¯s real. It¡¯s <b>real</b>. This wasn¡¯t a dream.


    I rolled into the parking garage, exiting my car once I shut it off. Some members greeted me as I approached the front steps of my home with two statues of wolves on either side of the stairs. However, I was <b>met </b>with a different greeting when I nudged the door open.


    And it came as a dramatic howl, and a wagging white and grey tail.


    ¡°Hey, buddy!¡± I kneeled and petted my husky, Lupin<b>, </b>behind the ears. Lupin took the chance <b>to </b><b>assault </b><b>my </b>cheeks with his wet tongue. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. You better not have caused too much trouble while I was


    Chapter 3 ¨C The Onys Moon Pack


    <b>gone</b><b>.</b>


    <b>Lupin </b>barked in offense, stomping his front paws in a growl. There¡¯s nothing that truly hits the mark of it being a wolf pack without a pet <b>dog </b>added to the mix. Rubbing his head <b>one </bst time, I <b>rose </b>to my feet and walked through the <b>grand </b><b>foyer </b>with the pup trailing behind me. The smell of my mother¡¯s cooking graced my nose, my stomach roaring for sustenance. Before I could head inside the kitchen, Kwame walked by with a panicked look on his face, darting his head every which way.


    ¡°Kwame?¡± He jumped, turning to me. ¡°<b>Is </b>something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Neron, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so soon.¡± Kwameughed, toying with the ends of his dreadlocks. ¡°Something is the matter. I¡¯m looking for Naomi.¡±


    *She disappeared <b>again</b>?¡± His daughter liked to pull the vanishing act often. Causing her parents¡¯ heart attacks must be her favorite pastime. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gone very far. I¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, you don¡¯t <b>have </b>to, bro. You just got back from the city.¡±


    Iughed<b>, </b>patting his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. Have you tried scoping out <b>her </b>scent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s <b>awfully </b>smart for a three-year-old. Naomi got her hands on the damn Anti-Spray.¡±


    Lupin hopped around my feet, pawing at my leg like the attention-hog he was. ¡°We¡¯ll still find her. Maybe Lupin would have better luck.¡±


    Kwame left to search for his daughter on the other side of the pack house while Lupin and I searched every broom closet and barren room. If I was a three-year-old, where would I hide? Somewhere I¡¯d think no one <b>would </b><b>find </b>me. Aftering up empty for the millionth time, I looked down at my husky, who hadn¡¯t left my


    side.


    ¡°Take me to thest spot youst saw Naomi, Lupin.¡±


    Wagging his tail excitedly, Lupin took off, and I <b>followed</b>. He led me to theundry room on the lower level. I thought my dog led me on a wild goose chase until I overheard faint muffles of¡­ two girls? I looked high and low until I spotted the short recess nestled next to one of therger dryers. I crept toward the cupboard and threw it open to be met <b>with </b>the shrieks from two small girls.


    Naomi and Orchid.


    ¡°Uncle Neron! Hi!¡± Naomi grinned while her cousin waved silently. ¡°Fancy meeting you here!¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Your Dad is looking for you.¡±


    A <b>wave </b>of panic shed over Naomi¡¯s face, shaking her head. ¡°Did you tell him I <b>was </b><b>here</b>?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± My eyes darted to the second girl curled in the cupboard. ¡°Why is Orchid here?¡±


    ¡°She wantedpany,¡± Orchid answered, darting her dark eyes to her knees<b>. </b>¡°Am I in trouble, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± I sighed. ¡°Go find your Mom. You can take Lupin with you.¡± Orchid¡¯s eyes glowed at the mention of her favoritepanion and Lupin howled in response. She crawled out of the cupboard and followed the husky <b>out </b>of theundry room, shutting the door behind her. Now, with Naomi and <b>me </b>alone in


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    the linen-scented room, I kneefed on both my knees and offered her a meager mile. ¡°Wald well me he


    ¡°Would real reason you¡¯re here. Mimi


    Naomi sighed, patting her curly mass of hair. ¡°Mommy and Grandma want to id maut got scared when I saw the brushes and the gel and hid here with Orchid her und Dat¡¯s


    utat! thing


    So, that¡¯s what it was. While I couldn¡¯t fathom having my hair manisare farmed with¡¯s Naomi¡¯s fear. Distant memories of spetting Kiva and Raina having her wir done in a culine came t mind. And their wincing faces. ¡°Did you tell your Mom and Grandma that nurt


    ¡°Na¡­¡± She whimpered. ¡°What if they get mad?¡±


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    mi?¡± She looked at me. Look at my hair and look at yours. I may be witte mu my tar e no strung as yours.¡±


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    marking smile


    Chapter 3 ¨C The Onyx Moon Pack


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yep</b>,¡± I answered, peering over her shoulder at the stove. ¡°What are you making? I smell fish.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re making lunch.¡± Mom <b>answered</b>, yfully <b>evasive </b>as always. ¡°I know you¡¯re hungry, but I <b>won¡¯t </b>have <b>you </b>spoiling your dinner.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not a kid. I won¡¯t spoil my dinner.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She shook her <b>head</b>. ¡°That¡¯s the same excuse your sister gives me, but I¡¯m not falling for it! You¡¯ll have to wait <b>like </b>everyone else.¡±


    1


    ¡°Fine,¡± I whined butughed it off afterward. ¡°I got some stuff to take care of, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of, <b>have </b>you confirmed your attendance for the Alpha Gathering, yet? And are you taking <b>Nuria </b>with you?¡±


    Damnit, I forgot about that damn thing. I wasn¡¯t in the <b>mood </b>for dealing with pompous alphas and their mates for three days, in a state <b>known </b>for crazy humans and roaming alligators. Resting my elbows on the kitchen ind, I huffed. ¡°Not yet. Did someone call my office about it?¡±


    hotel for th


    ¡°Yeah, Alpha Erik, who is <b>renting </b>his event.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate you answering for me, Mom. I wish I could get out of it, but the damn five-year privilege thing is kicking my ass<b>.</b><b>¡±</b>


    ¡°Just two <b>more </b>years, darling. It¡¯lle by faster than you think.¡± Mom ran her hand through my hair, sinking her fingers into my scalp-her age-old technique of calming me down. Unashamed, I melted under her touch like I did many <b>times </b>as a child. She always knew how to make me feel better.


    ¡°Speaking of Nuria, where is she?¡±


    ¡°In the trees.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Mom and Luli pointed out the window above the sink. Well, they weren¡¯t kidding. There Nuria was<b>, </b>sitting on top of the thickest branch of a tree with her legs <b>crossed</b>, tapping away at her cell phone. She looked up briefly and gave us a wave before returning to whatever caught her interest on her phone.


    Those bird mannerisms hadn¡¯t disappeared, so it seems. Shaking my head, I pushed <b>myself </b>off the ind. ¡°I¡¯ll be in my office. Let me know if you need anything, Mom.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    After spending a <b>good </b>ten minutes in my office examining <b>and </b>signing documents, something knocked at my window. When I turned to look, I jumped when <b>Nuria¡¯s </b>face was in full view, hanging upside down from a <b>tree </b>branch with aic grin on her face. She gestured for me to open the window.


    This is what I get for setting my office <b>near </b>the <b>trees</b>.


    I set the <b>documents </b>down and allowed my sister to slip in with case. ¡°Hi, Nero! What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I was busy.¡± I rolled my eyes<b>, </b>taking my seat in my chair again. ¡°What were you doing?¡±


    Chapter 3 ¨C The Onyx Moon Pack


    Nuria shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Hanging out?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re <b>not </b>funny.¡±


    ¡°Humor is subjective, Mount Everest.¡±


    I shot <b>a </b><b>re</b><b>, </b>which was returned with a grin. Nuria¡¯s many nicknames for my height have yet to <b>run </b>out. <b>Last </b><b>week</b>, it was Sasquatch. The week before, Beanpole. ¡°Anyway, what do you want? I doubt you came to my office to <b>chat </b>about humor.¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± Nuria hopped on my desk, folding one leg over the other. ¡°I wanted to ask how the ns for Mom¡¯s birthday party areing <b>along</b>?¡±


    Just like that, my annoyance was reced with glee in an instant. ¡°Well, Mom is a social butterfly, so I sent out invitations to all her friends <b>plus </b>advised <b>the </b>pack members to keep this a secret.¡± I pulled open a drawer next to my leg and pulled out a ck folder I kept hidden from view. ¡°I found a renowned bakery in Oregon called Pearl¡¯s Delights and I¡¯ve ced a custom order for Mom¡¯s cake.¡±


    ¡°Buttercream frosting or whipped cream?¡±


    ¡°Buttercream. Whipped would melt in the heat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fair. How about presents?¡±


    I slumped my head into my fists. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I asked Mom if there was anything she wanted and the answer she gave me was ¡°I have my babies, I need nothing else.¡±


    Nuria snorted. ¡°Typical Mom response. Why don¡¯t draw a portrait?¡±


    ¡°I did thatst year, <b>and </b>I want to do something different. What are you getting her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m deciding between a custom-made purse or a weighted nket. Her birthday party is in a week and I still can¡¯t decide.¡± My sister sighed, rubbing her temples. ¡°But I¡¯ll figure it out. I just need more time.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Flipping open the folder, my eyes were greeted with rows of colorful highlights. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the Omegas to go shopping the day before for the feast. Now, the only thing we haven¡¯t figured out is how to get Mom out of the house for the day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that! I got that covered!¡±


    ¡­How?¡±


    ¡°Trust <b>me </b>on this.¡± Nuria giggled, crossing her arms. I arched an eyebrow in suspicion, but I let it the invitations, Neron. I don¡¯t know if you thought about it, but¡­ since <b>you¡¯ve </b><b>invited </b>her parents, I think you should also invite Kiya to the party this year.¡±


    <ol>


    <li>go.</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°Back to


    My heart jumped straight into my throat, stilling my body without fail. Lyra and Niki¡¯s <b>names </b><b>were </b>highlighted as confirmed attendees to Mom¡¯s birthday party, but I didn¡¯t list <b>Kiya¡¯s </b><b>name</b>. Not even onst year¡¯s list or the <b>year </b>before. Nuria waited for my response, but I simply closed the folder and set it on my desk and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t <b>think </b>so.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± <b>She </b>asked, baffled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask. Kiya is a part of my family too.¡±


    Chapter 3 The <b>Onyx </b>Moon Pack


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is the right <b>time </b>for her toe.¡±


    ¡°You said thatst year!¡±


    ¡°She said she wasn¡¯t ready toe, and we discussed this. I don¡¯t know if it would change this year.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that for her or are you saying that because you¡¯re scared?¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, Nuria


    I <b>continued</b>. ¡°It¡¯s been three years <b>since </b>you both saw <b>each </b>otherst. I don¡¯t see why she wouldn¡¯t be invited. Mom would <b>love </b><b>her </b>to be here since it is her party.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Nuri. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to see her yet.¡±


    ¡°Neron, you always do this!¡± Nuria groaned, throwing her hands in the air. ¡°Every time we breach the Kiya subject, you always avoid or shut it down. Whenever Mom and I visit Ga Moon, you nevere! What <b>are</b>


    you so scared about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not <b>scared</b>.¡±


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the problem? Can you at least talk to me about it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about,¡± I insisted. ¡°I texted her yesterday to congratte her on finishing her job with her students. We chatted, <b>and </b>that was the end of it. There¡¯s no reason to push her toe here unless she


    wants to.¡±


    ¡°How would you know if she wants toe if you don¡¯t ask her?¡±


    I shifted in my seat, feeling the telltale bump of my phone in my pocket. Nuria <b>was </b>right; how <b>would </b>I know if I don¡¯t ask? My fingers itched to grab the <b>device </b>and invite her to the party,


    but everything in my body rebelled against it. I wasn¡¯t scared of <b>Kiya</b>, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ready. I love that woman more than life itself, but how could I look at her without feeling so¡­ so¡­


    <b>¡°</b>Guilty?¡±


    Yes. My work with Dr. Nilsen was far from <b>over</b>. I¡¯m thankful that he became my pack¡¯s official psychologist, but I have underestimated how hard the healing I¡¯ve done was. The distance between Kiya and me has been beneficial for me to focus<b>, </b>and perhaps it was the same with her, but every time I think about her, the desire to hold her and keep her beside me grows stronger daily.


    I desired everything about her-from her presence to her smell, to her intellect, to her heart.


    But I don¡¯t deserve her. I don¡¯t care what anyone has to say about that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ask her, Nuria.¡± I <b>shook </b>my head again. ¡°Can I <b>have </b>some space, right now? I need to be alone<b>.</b>¡±


    Nuria reluctantly nodded. She pulled out her cell phone and became engrossed with it as she left my office. <b>Breathing </b>in the silence, I turned my chair to face the window, watching the sun spring <b>out </b>from behind the clouds to highlight each leaf in its pale halo. I didn¡¯t acknowledge the tear that escaped down my cheek.


    Why the hell am I feeling this way? If Kiya came to the party, it¡¯ll be for Mom. Hell, she¡¯ll get to see Raina <b>again </b>and meet her niece. It¡¯ll be a nice family reunion. But I knew the moment 1 smell her; I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay away from her. I would whisk her away and kiss <b>her </b><b>until </b>she was breathless.


    And <b>that¡¯s </b>what was the problem. Sure, our talks have be sporadic over the years because our lives got busy, but there was never a moment where I didn¡¯t think <b>about </b>her. She was doing so well for herself; a college-educated woman with her whole life ahead of her, surrounded by supportive friends and family. Mom treated her like she was her own, and Nuria has her best friend back.


    I wasn¡¯t sure where I fit in the picture. If I did at all.


    My thumb hovered over her contact when I pulled my phone out. We¡¯ve talked yesterday; shouldn¡¯t that be enough for some time? I sighed, frustrated with myself at my Indecisiveness. I missed her terribly, but I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>to intrude on her life.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Onyx wanted to talk to me. He offered his strength and opened our mind-link, waiting for me to take the initiative, but like a coward, I walled up my side of the <b>link</b>. There was no way I <b>could </b>talk about her without jumping into my car and <b>break </b>every roadw to see her. One day, I¡¯ll see her. One day, I¡¯ll be able to not feel the guilt when looking at her.


    One day¡­ one day¡­.


    But not today.


    Chapter Comments


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 Chapter 189

    Chapter 4 ¨C Peace, Disturbed


    ¡°The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure.¡°¨CCornelia Funke


    Kiya


    Ivory <b>and </b>Ebony followed the water droplets dripping from my hair underneath the cotton shirt as we walked down the stairs toward the kitchen. The felines campered to their feeding bowls, eating to their heart¡¯s content <b>once </b>I set them down on the floor. Poor Ebony was still partly wet from the bath incident. My wild child wanted attention so much that her little brain concocted the idea to leap into the soapy bathwater.


    Her nails¡­ ended up in a ce where they shouldn¡¯t be.


    Needless to say, <b>bath </b><b>time </b>came to a swift end.


    I rummaged through the kitchen cupboards for a mug, wanting a drink of water, when I heard the refrigerator door open from behind me. Turning, 1 spotted a very pregnant Sapphire digging through the stuffed fridge, pushing aside the bundles of vegetables and juice bottles for the renowned container of Nute <b>and </b>celery sticks. She <b>tore </b>open the container with and dipped <b>her </b>sticks, moaning loudly when she began eating.


    I stared in silence. Pregnancy looked like a nightmare.


    ¡°Hey, Kiki!¡± Sapphire greeted, waving a stick. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I thought food <b>cravings </b><b>were </b>supposed to disappear <b>after </b>the first bimester.¡±


    ¡°<b>Jokes </b>on you; I¡¯m always hungry.¡±


    Well, I understand <b>that</b>, Isaiah strolled into the kitchen<b>, </b>the sunlight bouncing off his eyes as he found his wife. His hands <b>went </b>to her swollen belly, rubbing loving circles over her shirt. ¡°Sapphy, we¡¯re going to bete for your appointment if we don¡¯t get going. You can have your jar of chocte afterward.¡±


    ¡°Hazelnut.¡± She corrected. ¡°We¡¯ll go after I finish my snack.¡±


    ¡°Thest time you said that we were an hourte to yourst appointment! You¡¯re lucky Dr. Nava loves you so


    much.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m eating for two.¡±


    ¡°Thesest five months flew by, huh?¡± Imented, filling my mug with water. Unlike human pregnancies <b>that </bst nine months, werewolf pregnanciessted six. The first month of a werewolf pregnancy equated to the third month of a human pregnancy, ording to the size of the fetus. Sapphire was at thest stretch of her pregnancy. In the next few weeks to a month, we¡¯ll have a brand¨Cnew pack member!


    ¡°Indeed, it has. I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be meeting my <b>son </b>soon.¡± Isaiah murmured, pressing loving kisses on Sapphire¡¯s cheek, who giggled in response. ¡°I still think you overdid it on the blue baby clothes.¡±


    ¡°Blue is royalty, and Micah will <be </b>into the world as a handsome prince!¡± My blond friend vowed, finishing up thest of her celery sticks before setting the jar down on the counter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready. How do I look? Please, tell me my <b>shoes </b>match this time.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no.¡± Sapphire scowled at her sheepish¨Clooking husband,ughing nervously. ¡°I tried to tell you, but you <b>wanted </b>your chocte jar so bad!¡±


    ¡°Hazelnut!¡±


    I looked down to see Sapphire wearing a <b>ck </b>slip¨Con shoe on one foot and a neon¨Cpink croc on the other. I me her enormous belly for her inability to bend down like she used to. That position got her pregnant in the first ce.


    Both left for the hospital with the winds of excitement following them. My fingers rapped against my mug as I soaked in the kitchen¡¯s silence. However, it <b>was </b>broken through when the excited chatter of children echoed through the kitchen window.


    Children of all shapes, sizes and colors zipped past the window chasing each other or a worn¨Cout ser ball they loved to kick around. Ximena sat on a rock, showing Alessandro how to y <b>on </b><b>the </b>Nintendo Switch. Aisha mended to a garden of flowers with Mara at her side, grinning as she showed them a blossoming daisy. Dwayne swung around <b>his </b>son Kane, while Olivia watched with a smile. Darien and Galen were training with Jackie, as usual, while Mikhail and Abigail sat off to the side, cleaning <b>training </b>weapons


    My home was blessed.


    Everyone was happy, and so was I.


    But I couldn¡¯t ignore the sting of loneliness that hit my heart from time to time. I settled my mug to the side, inhaling a stream of air as I watched the happiness of my family bloom wildly as the flowers of the garden. There wasn¡¯t a reason to pay attention to the ache, because there was none. Ebony and Ivory are children. I have my peace.


    Nothing was going to ruin it for me<b>.</b>


    ¡°Kiya?¡± I felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I spun around to meet a pair of purple eyes, waiting expectantly for me. My heart throbbed underneath my palm <b>as </b>I breathed in <b>relief</b>.


    ¡°You¡¯re way too quiet for your own good, Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± A soft meow echoed below us. Phoebe¡¯s smile grew when Ivory rubbed her head <b>against </b>her ankles, her tail pointed up. ¡°Hello, little one. You look good today.¡± <b>Phoebe </b>leaned down and Ivory purred and butted her head against her <b>palm</b>.


    ¡°What brings you by?¡± I asked, leaning against the counter. ¡°Are you worried about something?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better at feeling emotions, I see.¡± Phoebe stood erect, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her <b>maroon </b>summer dress. ¡°<b>I </b><b>am </b>worried. Kiya, do <b>you </b>feel as though something is off?¡±


    ¡°Out of bnce.¡± She <b>spoke</b>. ¡°I believe there is something terrible on the horizon. I contacted Violetta about it yesterday, and she <b>said </b>she felt something <b>was </b>wrong as well. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I expelled <b>a </b>short<b>, </b><b>audible </b>sigh <b>as </b>the memories of thest few <b>days </b>reyed in my <b>head</b>. From my selenite acting strange to <b>that </b>horrific encounter in the museum, I¡¯d be a fool if I didn¡¯t <b>expect </b>Phoebe <b>out </b>of


    Chapter 4¨CPace Disturbed


    all people to sense that something is fucked up in the <b>air</b>. ¡°How long have you felt this?¡±


    ¡°A few days now.¡±


    ¡°That pretty much lines up with what happened to me at the museum.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what happened? What museum?¡±


    I reiterated everything to Phoebe, from the pull to the Egyptian exhibit to the literal attack. Her fear and pallid skin told me she, too, knew something was up. I bit my lip, the anxiety in my belly stirring. Attacks like the <b>one </b>I <b>experienced </b><b>don¡¯t </b>happen at random, and considering it was a goddamn snake spirit thing, the inklings of the past crawled up my skin.


    I wanted to scream.


    ¡°This is¡­ concerning.¡± Phoebe muttered, crossing her arms under her chest. ¡°And since Violetta could feel the shift too, I believe it would be best for us to meet up and talk to get to the bottom of it.¡±


    ¡°But she and her band are traveling. We don¡¯t <b>even </b>know if she is in California. I thought about contacting Selene about it, so maybe she¡¯ll tell me something?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up. The gods are notorious for being cryptic and leaving us to figure some <b>things</b>. out. Hekate had nudged me in the right direction but has revealed nothing specific.¡±


    That was true. Since Selene prided in her wolves making their own discoveries, I doubted she would <b>expose </b>what was truly going on. It was both a blessing and a curse. A nudge is what we need¨Cmaybe two nudges. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll text Violetta to see if she is in town. How soon would you want us


    to meet?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, if possible.¡±


    My eyes jumped from my phone to my friend, arching both eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s very soon, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to let this drag on, and I know you don¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°Good point.¡±


    Before I could send Violetta a text, the notification sound pinged. A preview text from Nuria appeared on the screen. When I read her message, both my <b>throat </b><b>and </b>my mouth dried up. ¡°Um¡­ Nuria sent me a <b>text</b>.¡±


    ¡°N¨CNuria?¡± Phoebe¡¯s eyes widened, her cheeks blossoming a mellow pink. ¡°H¨C<b>how </b>is she doing? Is sheing. <b>to </b>visit soon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. <b>She¡¯s </b>inviting me to Aunt <b>Essie¡¯s </b>birthday party next week¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The downtrodden tone of her <b>voice </b>sparked my curiosity but disappeared when Phoebe¡¯s lips rose into a smile. ¡°<b>You </b>should go. Parties are always <b>a </b>fun time when you¡¯re not <b>an </b>Empath.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t sto


    stop staring at the text. Nuria <b>was </b>waiting for my reply, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I <b>had </b><b>an </b>answer. Should I ept or decline? On one hand, going to the party meant I get to <b>see </b>some familiar faces and see Onyx Moon for the first time. On the other, I <b>was </b>nervous about <b>seeing </b>Neron <b>again</b>. We haven¡¯t seen each other in <b>three </b><b>years</b>. Texting <b>and </b><b>asional </b>video calls were the only times we <b>ever </bmunicated.


    Chapter 4¨CPeace, Disturbed


    Did I miss him? Yes.


    But separating was the best thing for us. I could focus on myself and my healing without distractions. Hell, <b>I </b>spoke to Neron more than I spoke to <b>Raina</b>. Aunt Essie and Nuria would drop by <b>the </b><b>pack </b>from time to time, but Neron was <b>always </b>absent.


    I wonder how he¡¯s truly doing. He seemed worriedst night, but maybe I¡¯m looking <b>too </b>deep into it. I¡¯m. concerned about nothing.


    ¡°<b>Kiya</b>. I know <b>you </b>want to see Neron.¡± Damn Phoebe and her psychic abilities. ¡°This would be a wonderful opportunity to <b>reunite </b><b>with </b>your family and catch up with him. Kill two birds with one stone<b>, </b>as people say.¡±


    Ivory¡¯s soft fur brushing against my ankles helped ease the anxiety threatening to grip at my heart. ¡°I guess. you¡¯re right. Seeing the new pack has been long overdue, I guess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! <b>And</b>¡­ maybe you can figure out when Nuria will being over again?¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    The sudden silence between us was deafening, but the growing smile on my face made all the noise. Phoebe¡¯s pinkening cheeks graduated to red as she <b>shot </b>me a haunting re. Her attempt at intimidation made meugh because she knew what I was thinking. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you<b>¡­</b>¡±


    ¡°No. The answer <b>is </b>no.¡±


    ¡°There is no shame in liking Nuria.¡± I grinned. ¡°She is a very beautiful woman and-¡±


    ¡°Just let me know when Violetta messages you back,¡± Phoebe said quickly, stomping out of the kitchen with her strawberry¨Cblond hair flying behind her. I¡¯m no Cupid, but if fate yed their cards right, there <b>could </b>be something in for <b>those </b>two¡­ but I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up. Pulling the cotton shirt from my head, I texted Nuria about my attendance and sent Violetta a message right after. Her response came through when I was walking toward my parents¡® home, confirming that she was in <b>California</b>.


    Looks like tonight¡¯s meetup was happening.


    An hourter, I walked <b>to </b>Mom and Dad¡¯s home. When I reached the petite abode, I swung the door open because it was unlocked. However, I sincerely wished they remembered to lock the door <b>because </b>what I saw <b>had </b>my eyes screaming for holy water.


    Oh, why the fuck didn¡¯t I knock?


    My memory <b>needed </b>to be <b>erased</b>. Cursed <b>imagery </b>was <b>right </b>in front of me. Mom and Dad were seconds <b>away </b>from peeling their clothes off <b>and </b>fucking on their couch.


    Of course, they had every right to do the devil¡¯s tango in the privacy of their home, but lock the goddamn door before that! They shrieked, hopping off each other <b>and </b><b>smoothening </b>out their clothes and hair, but never mind the bright cherry red lipstick on Dad¡¯s lips<b>.</b>


    It¡¯s a nice color on him.


    ¡°<b>Mija</b>!¡± Mom shouted<b>, </b>fingerbing her hair. ¡°W¨C<b>what </b>are you doing here? Haven¡¯t I taught you to knock?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t me me for walking into a whorehouse because you two forgot to lock the door!¡± I huffed, crossing my arms. ¡°I have my fair share of interrupting loving couples in the middle of their loving, but this is too much.¡±


    ¡°We apologize for disgracing your eyes, mi rayo de luna. Next time, we¡¯ll let you know beforehand.¡± Dad grumbled sarcastically, obviously upset from the interruption. I bit my lip to stifle myughter when he turned his head <b>away </b>like a grumpy old man. Mom poked at his side, slowly but surely bringing a smile back on her mate¡¯s <b>face</b>. My heart was warm. I hope to have the love they have one day.


    ¡°What brings you by?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°Nuria invited me to Aunt <b>Essie¡¯s </b>birthday party, and I want to go this year. I know you two are attending, but I was wondering if you <b>have </b>any suggestions on gifts I could get her?¡± My parents tapped their cheeks in thought. Dad patted a seat <b>next </b>to him for me to take, but I opted for the armchair.


    I¡¯m not sitting in their sin.


    ¡°Jewelry is always the way to go. Celeste loves anything and everything shiny.¡± Mom answered, cing her arm on the armrest. ¡°Anything custom made she¡¯ll <b>love</b>, even clothes. Does that help?¡±


    ¡°I sent her jewelry <bst </b><b>year</b>.¡±


    ¡°You can never have enough jewelry!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know. I spent thousands in jewelry <b>since </b>we got married.¡± Dad chuckled <b>when </b>Mom punched him in the arm. ¡°Think about what she means to you, bebita, and you¡¯ll find something, I promise.¡±


    ¡°<b>What </b>did you two get her?¡±


    ¡°Bath bombs<b>, </b>skincare stuff¨Cthe usual,¡± Mom responded.


    ¡°Celeste brought us a soft set of robes and towels on our wedding anniversary, so I got her the same,¡± Dad


    answered.


    ¡°Hmm. Okay.¡± I hopped <b>on </b>my feet with my <b>mind </b><b>running </b>through many gift options. ¡°I have <b>a </b>week until the party, <b>so </b>I should have the present wrapped and ready to go until then. Be sure to lock the door this time when I leave, okay?¡±


    ¡°<b>You </b>don¡¯t have to keep reminding us!¡± Myughter echoed through their home as Dad pushed me out, muttering <b>under </b>his breath in Spanish. Hearing that telltale lock of the door, I skedaddled out of <b>there </b>to protect my ears <b>from </b>the hellish noises of <b>lovemaking </b>bound to <b>make </b>their <b>appearance</b>.


    Wolves were too fucking loud.


    Selenite. Moonstone. Diamond, Clear Quartz.


    Jewels of the earth couldn¡¯t rival the moon shining over the wavering sea. The moon was entering itsst quarter<b>, </b>soon fading into the new moon of June. Silver light <b>entranced </b>me as Phoebe and I sat side¨Cby¨Cside on arge rock on Millennium Beach, a beach closest to pack territory.


    The wind howled around us, taking our strands in its methodical dance like lovers on the dance floor; gentle. <b>We </b>waited for Violetta to arrive. Sneaking out of pack territory was no easy feat, and Phoebe and I surely would get into trouble, but we needed this.


    All three of us needed this.


    Quiet minutes had passed, the sound of the waves hitting the shore serving as our only music. Soon, dissonant sshing was heard, capturing our attention. I squinted my eyes to spot an anomaly in the <b>water </b>swimming toward us. An indescent fluke hit the surface, glittering under the moonlight as the body propelled toward us. When the culprit rose to the surface with a grin, Phoebe and I breathed in a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Am 1te?¡± Violetta asked, stretching her arms toward us. <b>We </b>worked to pull the mermaid from the waters. settling her in between us, her tail flopping against the rock. Her fishtail reminded me of the angel aura quartz; every shift revealed a part of the rainbow glistening in her scales.


    ¡°Nope, you¡¯re right on time.¡± Phoebe answered. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±


    ¡°Blessed, if I¡¯m being frank. The band has been doing well. My partners are amazing, and I¡¯m living my life to the fullest as a full woman. I¡¯ve never been happier. Vio¡¯s smile warmed my heart, her happiness shining through her ocean blues. I remembered the news she shared about fully transitioning into her true self, and to see the change in her eyes and smile from it made me realize just how precious life and happiness <b>were</b>.


    If there is an opportunity to make yourself happy beyond belief, take it, no matter <b>the </b>cost.


    ¡°Our peace has been great, as well.¡± I answered back, but my smile lessened to a forlorn frown. ¡°But I¡¯m scared that it¡¯ll be cut short.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± The mermaid pushed wet strands of her hair behind her ear. ¡°I¡¯m praying to Amphitrite that what we¡¯re feeling is wrong. It has to be. I don¡¯t want this peace to end.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have that luxury as avatars.¡± Phoebe exhaled, staring back out into the sea. ¡°If something wants to happen, it will. Being part god isn¡¯t all that is cracked up to be.¡±


    ¡°No kidding.¡± I drew my knees to my chest. ¡°So, how are we going to do this?


    The three of us fell into silence, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. Phoebe perked up, her eyes shimmering through the darkness, giving her more of a haunting yet alluring appearance. ¡°Well, this is where the associations of our goddesses <b>have </b>met. Why don¡¯t we use it to our advantage?¡±


    ¡°Exin.¡± Violetta said.


    ¡°The sea is Amphitrite<b>, </b>the moon is Selene, and the night is <b>Hekate</b>. <b>I¡¯m </b>not saying this could happen <b>every </b>night, but we can use this one to ask for a sign. They can hear us, and I know if we <b>ask</b>, they¡¯ll respond.¡±


    Despite the moon entering thetter stages of its cycle, the bond <b>between </b>Selene and I was strong. The moon¡¯s strength goes through its phases, with the full moon being the strongest time between my goddess and I. Selene was here and <b>is </b>listening. Two other powerful presences linger <b>around </b><b>us</b><b>; </b>Hekate <b>and </b>Amphitrite. Phoebe has never been wrong with mystical dealings, so the fact that I could feel all three goddesses was proof <b>enough </b>for me.


    Violetta, Phoebe, <b>and </b>I prayed to our goddesses, begging for guidance on this next <b>phase </b>of our journey. To


    Chapter 4 ¨C Prace, Disturbed


    <b>give </b>us <b>a </b>sign or a clue for what wasing. To tell us what we need to watch out for, and what risk it can


    post to us, our friends, <b>and </b>our families. The surrounding silence howled with the wind as it picked up around us, centering <b>us </b>in <b>the </b>middle of its non¨Cthreatening whirlwind.


    Trickling water drew us to its tune<b>, </b>allowing the three of us to witness a magical spectacle that children would dream of. The moonlight bent and danced around the funnel of water in the middle of <b>the </b><b>sea</b>, growing in size and potency with wisps <b>of </b>violet encircling it like a dancing thread. We watched in awe, charmed by the show.


    The disy of white and violet, however, <b>suddenly </b>shed red, and the sea moved to the tune of force and violence. In the pir of red light, we saw the vision of a monstrous <b>serpent </b>with its head imbued with flint, releasing a menacing roar that rocked the earth beneath us. I didn¡¯t have the power to look away because every second of the vision forced <b>me </b>to look while horror floated in and around my chest like a balloon.


    A smaller version of that exact snake attacked me in the museum.


    The serpent slithered in and around what appeared to look <b>like </b>a mountain deep in a dark realm, unreachable by mortals and creatures alike. I felt fury beyond anything I¡¯ve ever felt within myself or anyone else. The red eye of the serpent found me, and my body seized in fear. It couldn¡¯t see me, but I felt <b>as </b>though it could.


    ¡°What¡­ the fuck¡­¡± Violetta whispered, trembling beside me. I grabbed her hand, squeezing it for reassurance more for myself than her. I heard Phoebe whimper and felt her hand sping mine. She must¡¯ve reached over


    to do so.


    ¡°Guard your hearts and your bonds.¡± A voice in the wind whispered around <b>us</b><b>. </b>It wasn¡¯t Selene, but one of the other goddesses. ¡°The mad god seeks revenge, and he will not stop until he does. He cannot escape for now, but <b>tread </b>carefully, young goddesses.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, everything reverted to normal. No more of <b>the </b>shing light show. No more whispers of the wind. It was <b>as </b>if nothing ever happened. The three of us shot each other looks of worry and fear at what


    was told to us.


    Mad god?


    A GOD?!


    <b>I</b>¡­ I don¡¯t know if I could do this again.

 Chapter 190

    <b>Chapter </b><b>5 </b><b>¨C </b>The Nightmare


    ¡°Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever. ¡°Aleksandar Hemon


    Neron


    Sinister hissing reverberated off the thick air. The crimson sma billowed with the harsh wind ying my skin. Ominous silence dominated, my harsh breathing barely agitating the stillness. My hands mped my neck as I struggled to breathe, gasping for a small remnant of oxygen. <i>I </i>made the mistake of looking at the red sky for a sign of hope, but all I found was a curse. The sun didn¡¯t shine its purifying light, for an eclipse stood in its ce. An irremovable eclipse.


    How long has it been since Ist had a nightmare? The years felt like eons, yet I¡¯m plunged into a familiar trepidation I¡¯ve long forgotten about.


    Dread¡¯s spidery legs crawled up my arms as I hobbled under the hellish atmosphere. I needed to find an escape. <i>The </i>longer I remained, the more disorienting my vision became. My breathing grew loud in my ears and the red blurred like a splotch of watery paint. But there was a danger hidden beyond the red haze. I felt it sinking into my skin, seizing my bones in a violent grip.


    Leave. Leave! I must leave!


    Suddenly, my energy was zapped. I fell to my knees, continuously gasping for breath.


    The hissing grew louder. The ground moved beneath my legs. My heart¨Cwait, the ground is moving?!


    One dumb decision after another. When I looked down, the haze momentarily faded to reveal snakes. Nausea crept its way into my stomach at the sickening sight of the surplus of ck, scaly bodies bumping and grinding against one another with reckless abandon. <b>The </b>earth rumbled, but the snakes paid no mind. One snake stood out from the rest, noticing me with its beady, red eyes. It slithered up my thighs, careening its head up to get a better view. Its forked tongue flicked out twice before returning to the herd.


    I hated snakes with a burning passion. I had Osiris to thank for that. This nightmare was making it worse!


    ¡®You don¡¯t have a clue why you¡¯re here, right, Alpha?¡± A deep, callous voice growled in my ear. The earth quaked again, the aftershock running through my <i>body</i><i>. </i><i>A </i>portentous shadow loomed over me, swallowing my body whole. When I whipped my head around, I nearly copsed on my back in fear of the gargantuan serpent ring down at me with eyes the color of the deepest fraction of blood. ¡°s, I wanted to make my arrival unannounced, but oh well, I cannot help it¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I demanded; my voice broken in wheezes. ¡°Why are you showing me this?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one showing you this vision, stupid dog.¡± The viper hissed, lowering its colossal head toward me, his nose nearly brushing against mine. ¡°Why would I show you the future when your power conjures up the future itself?¡±


    ¡°P¨Cpower? F¨Cfuture?¡± The haze cleared to reveal nothing but absolute devastation that stretched for milles. Corpses of innocent men, women, children, and animals littered the earth. The snakes slithered to and from holes of the bodies. Adrenaline was dead. Panic rushed through my body. ¡°N¨Cno¡­ you lie! This is not the future!¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± The serpent¡¯s evil boomed with every chuckle it made. My skin crawled. ¡°But it will be the future once I t


    ake this ne as my own.¡±


    ¡°The future is not for certain.¡±


    ¡°That rule doesn¡¯t apply to gods, little puppy.¡± Itsughter boomed through the world when it caught sight of the confusion on my face. ¡°Ah, I forgot your feeble minds cannotprehend the presence of a god. But it won¡¯t matter once you surrender your life to me.¡±


    ¡°Like hell, I will!¡± I snarled, pushing my body off the snake¨Cinfested ground. The nt serpent cocked its head before shaking it in disappointment, rising back to full height.


    ¡°olves are as stubborn as the wretched goddess who created them. This will change your mind. Look behind you.¡±


    With a thunderous snap echoing across the air, I looked behind me to see a scene <b>so </b>horrific <i>I </i>thought my heart would rocket out of my chest. Thick snakes suspended Kiya in the air by her neck, entrapped by the coils of snakes and cobras slithering around her body from her shoulders to her feet. Her breathing hollowed out to almost nothing as the reptiles¡± bodies tightened around her chest. I could hear her ribs snapping. Her russet eyes lost their light, now a deathly pale brownpared to the brilliance I loved so much.


    ¡°N¨CN¨CNeron¡­¡± She whimpered as dribbles of <b>blood </b>slid clown the ends of her lips. ¡°P¨Cplease¡­¡±


    My heart didn¡¯t leap; it exploded. My panic¨Cturned¨Cadrenaline fought against my fatigue as I tried to run toward Kiya, but the mini serpents <b>were </b>smart creatures. They sensed my fear. In their amusement, many shot up from the ground, colled around my limbs, and threw me on the ground on my back. Their barbaric strength held me to the earth as they forced me to listen to Kiya¡¯s screams of terror.


    ¡°NO!¡± I screamed, struggling against my binds. ¡°Let her go! RELEASE HER!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not done.¡± King cobraughed; the thunderous roar heard once again. Dropped on either side of Kiya like rag dolls were Phoebe and Violetta in identical states; their bodies ensnared by the devilish serpents, tightening around their fair flesh, leaving deep purple bruising. ¡°Recognize them?¡±


    ¡°What do you want with them?!¡±


    ¡°They took something precious to me. Do not believe I haven¡¯t forgotten about your involvement, dog.¡± It snarled. ¡°It is only fair for them to die first, is it not?¡±


    <i>I </i>heard the girls whimper and choke. This beast was going to kill them in front of me! I looked into Kiya¡¯s eyes to see her silent pleas swimming in the sea of pallid brown.


    And I saw the glimmer of an¡­ apology.


    I¡¯m sorry for involving you,¡± she mouthed


    ¡°A life for a life.¡± The serpent towered over me, his gigantic, forked tonguepping on the sweat dripping down my temple. ¡°Taking what belonged to me signed their deaths. Once I get my fangs onto all who were responsible for my loss, I will exact my revenge, even if I must destroy heaven and hell, myself!¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯ll start with the moon¡¯s avatar.¡±


    The snakes tightened and twisted with a sickening crack silencing Kiya¡¯s screams.


    Chapter 5¨CThe Nightmare


    The loudest scream I¡¯ve <b>ever </b>mustered tore through my throat when I shot up from the bed. Sweat clung onto me like <b>a </b>second <b>skin</b>, entrapping me in unbearable heat. The world was in a muddled fog of ck instead of red, but it didn¡¯t make the horrors any less real. The panic that bound itself to me crumbled my defenses, <b>pummeling </b>my chest and lungs while I struggled to calm down. But I couldn¡¯t calm down. My head pounded. in the only thought buzzing like an angry ho.


    Is Kiya okay?!


    Gasping, I grabbed my phone and sent her a flurry of text messages, begging for her to wake up. I needed at sign that she¡¯s <b>alive</b><b>. </b>A sign that she wasn¡¯t dead with a broken neck. A sign to ease my biggest fear. Onyx¡¯s overwhelming presence flooded my own, sending a thick heat to my fingers. He¡¯s telling me to stop. I growled and fought against my wolf, dropping my phone in myp, thrashing on <b>the </b>bed, and gripping at my head.


    ¡°Neron, listen to me!¡± Onyx shouted, pouring his warmth into mine. ¡°Listen to your charismatic and troublesome wolf! You¡¯re safe and Kiya is safe, I promise!¡±


    ¡°No! I need to know, Onyx! I need proof!¡±


    ¡°She IS safe! Anthony would¡¯ve let us know if something happened! I promise you our sweet angel is alright. She¡¯s okay.¡±


    She is<b>¡­</b>?


    She is.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    I finally stopped, catching my breath. I picked up my cell and held it to my chest. My heart was an uncontroble drum hammering against my chest, but it lessened when the world cleared up. I was in my bedroom. The air conditioner hummed at the window, the ceiling was dark, and around me were familiar items that made my bedroom mine. My breathing leveled out as the panic left me, my lungs sucking in the precious oxygen my nightmare deprived me of.


    I¡¯m safe. I got out.


    ¡°Goddess¡­¡± I cried, covering my face with my hands. The aftereffects of the nightmare shook me to my <b>core</b>. It was too damn real. I still hear Kiya¡¯s scream before her death. Onyx did his best to soothe me, but I was terrified. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s safe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Plus, it¡¯s two in the morning, so you can¡¯t expect her to answer your texts now.¡±


    Right. I forgot howte it was<b>. </b>After getting my bearings, I pushed my body off the bed and just sat on the edge of the mattress for a minute, trying to <b>make </b>sense of what I just dreamt. A nightmare, no more, no less. I refused to believe it woulde true. It couldn¡¯t.


    Not like the other dreams I had.


    No matter <b>how </b>insignificant my dreams were, I¡¯ve noticed a link that I couldn¡¯t ignore. They all came true. One dream I had a couple of weeks back <b>involved </b>Adonis hurting his leg while ying with friends. I thought nothing of it, painting it off as the worries of an uncle.


    But it happened exactly the way I <b>had </b>dreamt.


    Another instance was when one of my members had a pregnancyplication and his mate, one of my warriors, confided in me about <b>his </b>worries about his wife and unborn child. Their born <b>healthy</b>, but it didn¡¯t help when I had dreamt of the sameplication my warrior told me about.


    My dreams foretold theing future, even the dreams I had of Kiya when Osiris was alive. That big ass snake, somehow, knew too! A cold sweat tumbled down my spine,nding in a powerful thud on my lower back. What if this nightmare is part of the collection of these¡­ prophetic dreams?


    Kiya fucking died in the nightmare. I wasn¡¯t afraid of a lot of things but losing Kiya tied to losing my family.


    I needed some water.


    The pack house <b>was </b>quiet, with the slumbering <b>wolves </b>nestling in their bedrooms. <b>Thank </b>Goddess <b>that </b>my room was soundproof, or else exining why I was screaming in the middle of the night would¡¯ve been. awkward. I crept down the stairs, making a beeline toward the kitchen. Grabbing a mug from the cupboard, I filled it up with cold water.


    I never want to have a nightmare like that again. Despite the gentle cool, the nightmare lingered like cigarette smoke. Heaving out a heavy sigh, I dragged my tired body to themon room to rx before heading back to bed until a familiar scent wafted up to my nose.


    What was she doing up sote?


    Opening the door, I spotted Nuria sitting on the couch cushions with her legs to her chest, <b>head </b>rested on her knees as she faced the window. Moonlight flickered through the window, delineating my sister¡¯s form in a gentle, silver halo. Her back tensed up as her soft sigh echoed through the room.


    Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± She asked. I walked to the couch and took the seat beside <b>her</b>, resting my mue on the table.


    ¡°No.¡± I answered, rubbing my elbows. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She whispered, sniffling. Nuria turned her head to reveal puffy eyes, wiping her tears with her hands. ¡°I¡­ I had a really bad nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Do you <b>want </b>to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Nuria shook her head, tightening her arms around her legs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about it again. <b>You </b>should go back to sleep; I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to leave my sister alone in themon room.¡± I reiterated, resting my back against the


    couch cushions. ¡°At least let me be of somepany. <b>I </b>had a nightmare, too.¡±


    eves filling with


    Nuria lifted her head, concern. ¡°This night is kicking us both in the ass, huh?¡±


    ¡°Looks <b>like </b>it.¡± I chuckled, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to <b>me</b>. She rested her head on my shoulder, sighing in content. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to talk about it? It¡¯ll make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± <b>Nuria </b>hummed, her <b>eyes </b>fluttering close<b>. </b>¡°I don¡¯t know where to start. It was fucking terrifying. The realism was¡­ it was like I was physically there, but I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it.¡±


    Chapter 5¨CThe Nightmare


    I blinked. That sounded too <b>simr </b>to how I felt after I woke up <b>from </b>mine. There¡¯s no way Nuria and I could¡¯ve had the same nightmare, right? My curiosity was eating me alive, but I didn¡¯t <b>want </b>to push my sister to tell me a dream that spooked the shit out of her. So, I did what a good brother should do and just allowed her to restfortably in <b>silence </b>until she was ready to talk.


    I needed thisfort as well.


    <b>Suddenly</b>, the scent of rose hit my nose. Nuria¡¯s nostrils red, deeply sniffing the powerful aroma. We lifted our heads to see Mom standing at the doorway with concern on her face and arge, aged photo album in her hands. My sister and I spared each other nces before facing our mother<b>.</b>


    ¡°Mom?¡± Nuria asked. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°There is something I need to tell you two.¡±


    Chapter Comments

 Chapter 191

    <b>Chapter </b>6 ¨C Foresight


    ¡°No one knows the future, but the present offers clues and hints on its direction.¡°¨CInnocent Mwatsikesimbe


    Neron


    The tension in Mom¡¯s voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Nuria and I shuffled to make room for her. She took <b>the </b>seat between us, resting the album on herp. ¡°A mother¡¯s intuition never lies<b>. </b>I¡¯m sure you both have questions as to what is going on.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ we do not know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Nuria chuckled nervously. Goddess, she was such a terrible liar<b>, </b>sometimes. I shook my <b>head </b>in disappointment.


    ¡°You both been receiving prophetic dreams, correct?¡± Silence. ¡°Or dreams that reveal to you the future before it happens? What about dreams involving your mates?¡±


    My jaw mmed shut. How did Mom know about that? Has Nuria been getting the same dreams like me? My sister looked at me with eyes pleading for help, but I didn¡¯t know how to help her. I was just as confused. Mom took our silence as her answer, nodding before flipping through the pages of the album. The photos of our family aged the further she flipped, going back in time as each photo lost its color.


    ¡°I <b>haven¡¯t </b>done my due diligence on exining your true family history.¡± Mom started; eyes glued to the album. ¡°You both are aware of your paternal family history, but not mine. Your ability to dream and see the future directly results from your Norwegian blood; a blessing passed <b>down </b>by your ancestor, Ulf, and Alva Johansen.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of those people <b>before</b>.¡± I rested my elbow on the armrest. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us this before?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have been dead for thirteen years, for one.¡± Momughed. ¡°And these abilities typically manifest betweente adolescence and early adulthood, but there are some exceptions, especially for the both of you.¡± She flipped to a page where an aged, yellowed portrait of a man was shown, wearing what looked to be Viking clothing. His face was stoic, yet I felt the power from <b>this </b>man radiating <b>through </b>the picture.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look friendly.¡± Nuria joked. Mom smiled, shaking her head as she patted her on the top of her head. She huffed, batting her hand away yfully.


    ¡°The Johansen bloodline stretches back many centuries, dating back as early <b>as </b>when the gods once roamed the earth.¡± Mom¡¯s fingers gently smoothed out the bent <b>corner </b>of the portrait. ¡°Ulf Johansen was a Viking werewolf one hundred percent dedicated to Lord Odin, King of the Norse Gods. Our family has many stories of how werewolves came about in Norway. From what I can remember from when I was a child, one story stated Ulf was one of the first werewolves born from Fenrir, the demonic werewolf beast destined to kill Odin during Ragnarok but was purified by Selene once she saw their internal suffering. Another stated Ulf was born as one of Selene¡¯s creations, just like the rest of the werewolf race<b>, </b>and was gifted, along with many others, to Odin as a sign ofpanionship. The Asnuz Pack, our family¡¯s pack, is one of the oldest of Norway<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Zircon Moon had nothing on them.¡± Nuria chuckled.


    ¡°Not <b>even </b>a droplet of worth,¡± Mom added.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I muttered, tapping my finger against my thigh. ¡°What else is <b>there</b><b>?</b>¡±


    Chapter & Foresight


    ¡°Much more. Holy wars were amon urrence between the gods that, often, spilled into the mortal <b>realm</b>. As a non¨Chuman, Ulf fought to protect his people during the wars, Unfortunately, he harbored distrust for anyone who wasn¡¯t a wolf, as there has been some uneasy peace amongst the other supernaturals. A warrior¡¯s blood burns bright, long after death, but kept alive through their ancestry. However, during one war, he was severely injured and was on the verge of death until a volva, or a witch, rescued and healed him. Come to find out that witch, named Alva, was his destined mate.¡±


    Mom flipped to the page that revealed her portrait of Alva dressed in traditional Scandinavian garb, holding a staff in one hand. She hore a striking resemnce to her and Nu, right down to the ringlets in her hair.


    ¡°<b>Despite </b>Alva being a volva, Ulf fell passionately in love with her and found purpose in making certain she was safe. They kept their rtionship a secret from both their sects, as they feared neither would be epted. Ulf did not let anyone or anything harm his <b>love</b>. One day, Alva requested to be a wolf like Uff so they could <i>be </i>together for much longer because Alva was still mortal. He pleaded with Odin for his help and Alva was, to this day, one of the few humans in history to not be a werewolf from birth. Alva¡¯s transformation was difficult and there was a guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t survive the shift, but Ulr¡¯s love for her and her love for <b>him </b>was strong enough to ensure her survival. After her transformation, Alva kept her volva abilities and those two officially mated and lived happily until the end of days with their many children.¡±


    ¡°Aw, I¡¯m d they got their happy ending.¡± Nuria smiled, resting her head on Mom¡¯s shoulder. Our family line wouldn¡¯t exist without it. A fierce feeling suddenlynced through my belly like a sword to concrete, filling my <b>veins </b>with green, gently tickling my anger. As quick as it appeared, I stomped it to dust.


    Goddess, <b>what </b>the <b>hell </b>was wrong with me? I shouldn¡¯t be jealous of my own ancestors. They didn¡¯t fuck up. like I did.


    Mom flipped to an extensive and detailed family tree, written in Norwegian. ¡°Alva was <b>a </b>secress of many skills, but her prominent gift was foresight. Her blessings <b>were </b>passed down from one generation to the next, asionally skipping some for an unexined reason. Not all of us would have Alva¡¯s blessing, <b>but </b>we all gained Ull¡¯s <b>blessing</b>. Johansen blood stretches from beyond Norway. To ensure that our <b>bloodline </b>remains strong until the end of time, our mates are powerful themselves, whether it be through the Alpha lineage or inter¨Cmating with another species.¡±


    ¡°Has anyone in our family mated with a human besides Ulf?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that, but it is possible.¡± Mom¡¯s eyes crinkled with her smile. ¡°Selene¡¯s ways <b>of </b>choosing our mates will be forever shrouded with mystery. However, the past couple of <b>generations </b>of our family have exclusively mated <b>with </b>Alphas, counting myself. You two are purebreds, and <b>so </b>are your grandparents and great¨Cgrandparents. Alva¡¯s blessing was given to your grandfather, who has the gift of foresight. It had skipped my generation, but it looks like you two have her blessing as well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know Mom. The story was <b>cool </b>and all, but Neron and I being seers?¡± Nuria scoffed. ¡°Would¡¯ve we have known we <b>had </b>this ability sooner?¡±


    ¡°Considering the circumstances of our lives, the discovery and development were dyed.¡±


    My fingers traced over the branches of <b>the </b>family line, descending to where Nuria¡¯s <b>and </b>I¡¯s namesid. ¡°Did Dad know anything about this?¡±


    ¡°I never told him,¡± Mom confessed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if either of you would¡¯ve gained the blessing. I didn¡¯t know. how he¡¯d react.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that he¡¯ll never know.¡± Nuria folded one leg over <b>the </b>other, crossing her arms as she frowned. ¡°Who knows what the power¨Chungry old man would¡¯ve done if he sniffed it out.¡±


    I watched Mom as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, stress lines creasing in her brow. Worried<b>, </b>I held her hand, thanking me through mind¨Clink.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that our blood isn¡¯t tainted, after all,¡± Nuria added.


    Mom froze, darting her head to look at her daughter with a mix of shock and sadness. I couldn¡¯t look her in the eve when she spared a nce at me, because I thought the same. Dad destroyed us. He ruined our family. Yet, a part of him lives within us as we are his children. How couldn¡¯t we think we have tainted blood when the man who made us was an abusive fuck like <b>all </b>the men before him? Nuria watched me live under his authoritarian rule, watched me almost be just like him. What if I continued to be ignorant? Would¡¯ve I be a worse man than him? What if¡­ what if¡­ what if-!


    ¡°Both of you were never tainted, skattene mine.¡± Mom¡¯s voice was firm, but <b>love </b>dripped from every syble she spoke. She nted kisses on our foreheads before continuing. ¡°Despite all he¡¯s done, he has gifted me you two, my treasures. I love you both <b>more </b>than life. Your father was bad, yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean you two are.¡±


    We sat in silence, soaking in the impact of her words. Nuria shot me a worried nce, struggling to believe Mom¡¯s words. She was right, but it still hurt. One day, we¡¯ll believe Mom. Maybe. But today wasn¡¯t that day. ¡°What else can this foresight power do?¡± I asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°ording to my father, foresight is at its peak whenever your mind is rxed enough to be susceptible to its messages. How have your dreams been tonight, my darlings?¡±


    I stiffened. Nuria stiffened. The scenes of the nightmare yed like a broken record yer¨Cthe snakes, the red, the heavy miasma of Kiya¡¯s <b>fear</b>. I peeked over at Nuria to see her eyes tightly shut and her teeth grinding in her mouth. Neither of us wanted to answer, but Mom didn¡¯t need that. She already knew. ¡°Foresight has a couple of limitations, as it will only allow you to see the future if it involves someone you hold dear to her heart. It¡¯ll show you what you need to see versus what you want to see.¡±


    ¡°If it shows us something bad¡­ Nuria hesitated, sucking in <b>a </b>gulp of air. ¡°¡­ does it mean it¡¯lle true<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°It can.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t ept that.


    I refused to ept that.


    It¡¯s one thing to be an Alpha, but to be tortured by psychic dreams of your mate murdered in front of you was another. And to add salt to the wound, it cane true? No fucking way. I never asked for this damn ability. The future wasn¡¯t set in stone, but that didn¡¯t mean that vision wouldn¡¯te true.


    I won¡¯t go back to sleep if it meant watching Kiya get killed again.


    Silently, I pushed myself off the couch, heading toward the front door. Mom called out for me, but I didn¡¯t respond. The crisp cool air filled my lungs and licked against my skin once I was outside, but it didn¡¯t calm the irritation bubbling in my stomach. Why this? Why now? My foresight had only shown me visions of losing Kiya, both in the past and now, in the presence. Not one vision I got where Kiya <b>was </b>unharmed.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Chapter & Foresight


    Did this mean I¡¯m destined to lose her <b>again</b><b>?</b>


    My heart dropped, and my chest constricted. No, no, no, no. Not again.


    I plopped onto the top steps<b>, </b>cing my <b>head </b>in between my legs to calm my erratic breathing. A technique Dr. Nilsen taught me whenever my anxiety manifested physically. I gripped my hair to anchor myself to another sensation besides my chest ripping apart.


    Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.


    After what I thought to be a minute, serenity took the ce of my panic, bathing me in its cool.


    A hand touched my back. I lifted my head to see Nuria taking her spot next to me, handing me a cup of water and a tissue. Sniffling, I took the tissue to wipe my tears I didn¡¯t know had fallen and gulped down the water. <b>Nuria </b>sighed, rubbing her elbows, staring at the almost barren night sky.


    ¡°Did you dream of a big snake, too?¡±


    My eyes widened <b>as </b>my hold tightened around the mug. ¡°Yeah, I did.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence that we had the same nightmare. That¡¯s why I was awake when you found me¨Cit felt too real for <b>me </b>to go <b>back </b>to bed. Even Angelika was terrified.¡±


    ¡°I <b>saw </b>Kiya die,¡± I whispered, my throat drying instantly. ¡°Did you see it too?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡­ saw it kill someone else.¡± Nuria¡¯s blue eyes filled with fear, glittering as a stray tear swam down her face. ¡°That person could be my mate, Neron. I don¡¯t want to be wrong.¡±


    ¡°Why would you feel you¡¯d be wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been alive for three years, and I¡¯m still trying to adjust to being a normal werewolf¡­ whatever the fuck that means.¡± She chuckled, sniffling. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re aware of the bond and if they <b>were</b>, would they ept me? I¡¯m just¡­ treading as lightly as I can.¡±


    There was more Nuria was hiding. I could see it in her face. Her face was like an open book, exposed and readable. I¡¯m happy she knew who they were, but I hated how she felt inadequate to be epted. She¡¯s <b>a </b>marvelous woman, and whoever her mate turns out to be will love and honor her.


    If <b>they </b>don¡¯t, they¡¯ll have to deal with me.


    ¡°But, with what Mom said about this ¡°blessing¡® we have, that nightmare was confirmation that person is mine. Am I going to lose them before I <b>get </b>to know them<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°No. That won¡¯t happen.¡± I <b>drew </b>my sister into a tight hug, nting a soft kiss on the top of her hair. I hated seeing her like this. We¡¯re more connected than <b>we </b>seem. Our fears, our hopes¨Cthey¡¯re on the line after this damn nightmare. She was just as afraid of losing her mate as I was of losing mine. Whoever, or whatever, that damn serpent was, tortured the both of us without effort.


    I¡¯m, now, more angry than afraid. Angry that the snake monster put my sister through hell. But who was that thing? It wasn¡¯t Osiris, but he was the only person I <b>knew </b>with a snake <b>motif</b>.


    A new threat? It had to be<b>.</b>


    Chapter 6 Foresight


    My head pounded. This was too much for <b>one </b>night. I suggested to Nuria if she wanted to go for a run to blow off steam, and she agreed. In no time. Onyx and Angelika raced through the towering trees side by side, blending into the <b>shadows </b>with the perfume of maple pulling them into peace. After an hour, I bid Mom goodnight and went back to my room, the tension in my muscles melting like ice to a me.


    My phone buzzed on my nightstand. When I picked it up, my heart grew wings and my stress dissipated to nothing. I smiled for the first time tonight, feeling relief.


    <b>Kiya </b>texted back.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Neron, Are you alright? What happened<b>?</b><b>¡±</b>


    I wanted to tell her everything, but the bold white numbers on my phone told me not to. It was past three in the morning and we both needed to rest. Sleep clouded my senses again, pushing my body into my bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Kiya. I just needed to know if you were okay.¡±


    ¡°Bad dream?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Yeah


    but it¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s <bte </b>and you should go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, Skyscraper. Goodnight!¡±


    A fond smile made its way to my face as I pulled the covers over my body, the air conditioner filling my room. with cool,forting air. I won¡¯t let this snake bastard get the best of me. I wouldn¡¯t put it past its realism considering the shitshow three years ago, but that wasn¡¯t a big concern now.


    Kiya was safe, just like Onyx had said.


    And I fell asleep with that thought in mind.


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 Chapter 192

    Chapter 7 ¨C My Humanity


    ¡°One love, one heart, one destiny.¡±-Robert Marley


    Kiya


    I couldn¡¯t get over what happened at the beach. A brand-new day was ahead, but my mind was stuck onst night.


    A g**d could be after me. A full-bodied, breathing, angry deity.


    What the hell did I do this time?


    Artemis¡¯ paws pounded against the forest floor as her snow-white coat raced through the trees. The early morning sun spilled through the gaps between the redwood jungle and the birds¡¯ morning song filled our ears. My wolf and I took advantage of the privacy of the silentnd until the soldiers woke up for their training. Artemis ducked under branches, jumped over logs, and s**d protruding roots. Her panting filled my ears while I sat with my thoughts.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could be the avatar my species needed again. Osiris¡¯ sinister touch made asting impact on me and my family. His evil vanished with his life, but it didn¡¯t repair the damage he had done to me. Through intensive therapy with Mayra, I¡¯ve learned to pick up the pieces of my life and glue them back together. And I was satisfied with the life I have without worrying about an imminent threat targeting me.


    But, because I pi**d off a g*d, that peace threatened to shatter again. I couldn¡¯t catch a da**n break if it hit me in my face.


    ¡°An avatar¡¯s job is never done,¡± Artemis said as she gradually tame to a stop, lifting her head to the canopy. She trotted to an adjacent pond and drunk out of it. ¡°I can¡¯t say that I was suspecting a g**d out of all things, but everyone can¡¯t feel the change in the air.¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong to wish for some normalcy?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ve worked way too hard to rebuild our life for a deity with a chip on their shoulder to ruin it. I just wish fate did not call us to be avatars again so soon.¡±


    ¡°You and I both know our lives won¡¯t ever be normal, no matter how much we beg for it.¡± Artemis huffed, resting her body on the ground with her head on her paws. ¡°I, too, wish for our peace tost a little longer. We did good for ourselves, but most importantly, you, K**i. Selene wouldn¡¯t have made you her avatar if she didn¡¯t believe in your strength.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m special,¡± I replied sarcastically. ¡°You know, sometimes I get jealous of our friends and family. They don¡¯t have to carry the responsibility of being a mini goddess amongst all the wolves. Ever since we¡¯ve reached goddesshood, it feels like the world is slowly slipping from my fingers. I don¡¯t feel as connected to the world as I once did. This higher power flows through the both of us, and it is a part of us, but I don¡¯t want to be it.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t losing your humanity, Kiya.¡±


    ¡°What if I am, Artemis?¡± Fear rested, heavily above my heart. ¡°If we fight this g**d, what then? The only g*d who had eyes on us was Selene, and now, who knows who else? I don¡¯t want to appear whiny or b**h*y, but I don¡¯t know if I want to be an avatar anymore. I want peace over the power to fight g**d*s and s**t.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t being whiny. You¡¯re scared of losing everything you¡¯ve fought tooth and nail to get. I understand t


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    Chapter 7 ¨C My Humanity


    he enormous pressure and burden both of us have to carry. We¡¯re always aware that we have a leg up over all werewolves, in power and strength. However, there is good that came out of all of this, and you know what they are. Being an avatar isn¡¯t all that bad. We just¡­ have a lot of side quests besides our main one.¡±


    Iughed, feeling the fear diminish bit by bit. Goddess, I¡¯m so thankful to have Artemis. She always knew what to say and when to say it. ¡°Yeah, I can see that. I wonder what happens when weplete the main quest, you know? What do we


    get at the end?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Artemis let out a big yawn, stretching her body and paws out like a cat, wiggling her butt and tail in the air. ¡°All that we¡¯ve ever wanted. You and I wished for so many things, and I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll get them. It¡¯ll take time.¡±


    ¡°And a lot of risk. I hope we don¡¯t have to risk our livelihoods again.¡±


    ¡°Be prepared if we might have to, again. There is no telling what coulde out of this. Whateveres our way, Kiya, we¡¯ll be okay. We¡¯re a powerhouse-no one can take us down. Many have tried.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why they¡¯re dead.¡±


    ***


    Ebony and Ivory were curled up in their cat beds when I came back from the morning run. Their little ears twitched, and heads perked shortly after I shut the dooralvory¡¯s tail wagged idly while Ebony hopped out of her bed and stretched.


    ¡°Hi, baby.¡± I cooed, scratching her head. She pawed at my hands and bit my fingers, making meugh. Ivory, envious of her sister¡¯s attention, trotted over and demanded with a sharp meow. ¡°So spoiled.¡± 1 pet the ragdoll too, watching as she stretched to butt my palm. Both cats pounced on top of my bed, snuggling under the tussled covers with their gold and blue eyes trained on my every move.


    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you two after I shower, I promise,¡± I said, rummaging through my drawers for a clean towel. Both cats meowed at me as if they were saying you better or else. Chatter echoed from my window, signaling that the warriors had awoken and begun their daily bout of training. When I pulled out my towel, it pulled something heavy along with it, the corner of the objectnding on my unfortunate toes.


    I muttered every curse word known to man. Gritting my teeth, I red at the culprit at my feet and my mood lightened up. It was the Legend of the White Wolf book. I haven¡¯t cracked this thing open in a while. Picking up the book, I set my towel over the bathroom doorknob and sat on my bed, examining the leather spine.


    ¡°I wish you can tell me more¡­¡± The book was an enigma beyond my understanding. The pages sprung open after 1 nicked my finger with a needle and unlocked the magical lock. Nothing has changed since Ist opened it, which was almost a year after Osiris¡¯ death. During that time, I noticed new pages were written, speaking about the ascension to goddesshood. But it didn¡¯t tell me anything new. I ran my fingers over the new content I read back then, the words emitting a low, silver glow. This was all the book was willing to reveal to me.


    I¡¯ll never understand this thing. Why show me what I already know? Why couldn¡¯t the nk pages be filled with content I needed to know? Must everything be a mystery waiting to be solved?


    ¡°Fate wants you to make your own discoveries,¡± Artemis said.


    Chapter 7 ¨C My Humanity


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m tired of it. Fate needs to give me directions because I¡¯m winging everything at this point.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that? Don¡¯t you want to go on new adventures and explore what humans can never reach


    in their lifetime?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, setting the book back in my drawer again. Ivory and Ebony followed me as if they had nothing else to do except bother me for food. It¡¯ll reveal more when the time was right, whenever the hell that would be. The cryptic b**i*t was picking away at my nerves.


    Suddenly, my cats stood erect on their paws, arched their backs, and hissed. A shadow loomed through my window, blocking the sunlight. I was ready, on high alert, tobat whatever my cats were on edge about, but I jumped and shrieked at the d**n intruder grinning, hanging upside down from a branch like a circus monkey.


    I threw my window open, scowling at the perpetrator with hands nted on my windowsill. ¡°Can¡¯t you be a normal person and use the f**g door next time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to announce my arrival unless I have to.¡± Nuria shot me a wink. ¡°And this is more fun!¡±


    ¡°You should be more careful, Nuri. What if I was naked?¡±


    after


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind a show.¡± She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, making meugh. I shimmied out of the way opening the window wider, allowing my friend to slip through with ease. She was still more Diana than a wolf, but at least she had some courtesy as an owl. Ivory and Ebony calmed down, sitting on their butts as their tails wagged behind them. ¡°What¡¯s up, p**t*s?¡±


    ¡°Meow.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, walking toward my closet. ¡°You¡¯re a long way from home. Does Neron know you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what he doesn¡¯t know can¡¯t hurt him, right?¡±


    ¡°Nuria¡­ you know how protective he is of you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± She waved it off. ¡°He¡¯ll know once he figures out that I took his car. Mom knows, though! Besides, he doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m here to see you.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± I pulled out a blue sleeveless tank and tossed it on the bed. ¡°Is he okay? He texted mest night and said he had a bad dream, but told me not to worry about it. Should I not worry?¡±


    Nuria pivoted on her heels, averting her eyes to avoid my gaze. Now, I was curious. She knows something but doesn¡¯t want to tell me. Ebony walked over and pawed at the hem of her jeans, curling her tail around her ankle. I watched Nuria exhale weight off her shoulders and mustered up the fakest smile I¡¯ve ever seen. ¡°He¡¯s right. He¡¯s fine. We had a family talk with Momst night, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? How did that go?¡±


    ¡°It went well. Just¡­ figuring stuff out that we¡¯ve never known before.¡± Her smile lessened to a small one, scratching


    Chapter 7 My Humanity


    ¨C


    the back of her neck. ¡°We¡¯re fine, I promise.¡±


    Liar. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°So, I know you¡¯reing to the party! Just like that, the gloomy atmosphere melted into a sunny one. ¡°And¡­ I was wondering if you could stay over after it?¡±


    ¡°Stay over? For how long?¡±


    ¡°A week and a half? Maybe two?¡± Nuria scampered over me with wide blue eyes, pursing out her quivering bottom lip as she grabbed my hands. F**g fantastic, the dreaded puppy dog stare. ¡°Please! I promise to make it fun! Plus, it¡¯ll be like old times again!¡±


    ¡°Old times¡­.¡± I whispered. ¡°Could¡¯ve you have told me this over text? It would¡¯ve saved you the trip.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­ I wanted to see you.¡± She squeezed my hands, caressing the backs with her thumb. Her blue eyes clouded over in emotion I couldn¡¯t decipher well. Worry? Concern? Fear? I wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so I remained still. ¡°You know, just to make sure you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always okay.¡± Most of the time, anyway. ¡°Really, this could¡¯ve been done over text, but I¡¯m not holding it against you. This is teetering on the edge of suddenst-minute changes, but you¡¯re not the one to n ahead.¡±


    ¡°I live on the edge.¡± She shot me a wink and a grin. ¡°So, will you stay over?¡±


    ¡°Does Neron know about this?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll handle him. Don¡¯t fret.¡±


    I thought about it for a second. That meant being around Neron again after so long. I wanted to see him and his pack, yet I wasn¡¯t sure how I fit into his picture after the separation. Would he be delighted to see me? Was he ready to see me? There was also Raina I had to think about, and Orchid, the niece I¡¯ve never met. Is this a sign from the universe to


    take this chance?


    Artemis and Onyx can reunite, too. I know she misses him a lot.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t miss that puppy.¡± Artemis scoffed.


    Yes, you do. More than you think.¡±


    ¡°Kiya?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay over.¡± I finally said. ¡°Only because I have nothing to do for the next month.¡±


    Nuria squealed and drew me into a tight hug, swinging me from side to side. I would¡¯ve enjoyed the hug if my face wasn¡¯t filled with two round breasts, Heat burned my cheeks when she squeezed me tighter, pressing my face further into her pillowy bosom.


    This must be what heaven felt like.


    ¡°Kiya! Are you awake? I wanted to talk to- My door swung open, the wildberry scent filling the air in an instant.


    Chapter 7 ¨C My Humanity


    Nuria forced me away from her, snapping her neck at Phoebe. Rumbling echoed from her chest and I saw her flexing her fingers as if she was resisting the urge to pounce. The two women engaged in a staring contest in the middle of my room, but I didn¡¯t miss the growing pink on Phoebe¡¯s checks. My eyes darted back to Nuria, her eyes flickering from ck to blue like a faulty lightbulb.


    O-Oh¡­


    ¡°N-Nuria¡­¡± Phoebe whispered, taking a step closer toward us. ¡°H-hi¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°I have to go,¡± Nuria muttered, her voice dropping to a deep alto that I¡¯ve heard before. It was the voice of Angelika, her wolf. She darted toward the window and dived out. Phoebe and I screamed, running to it in hopes we don¡¯t see the worst, but we watched my best friend climb down from the tree bark and disappear into the woods without looking


    back.


    What the hell was that about?


    I turned to look at Phoebe; her face fell and shoulders slumped forward. Sunlight bounced off her purple eyes filling with her tears. I tried to touch her shoulder, to offer somefort, but she instead turned her back and bolted out of my room, mming the door behind her. Ivory meowed and pawed at the door, wanting to go after her.


    This was not how I wanted to spend my morning.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 8 ¨C Sweet Scents


    ¡°To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves.¡±-Federico Garcia Lorca


    Third Person POV ¨C One Week Later


    The day of Celeste¡¯s birthday party had arrived. Excitement buzzed in the air of the Onyx Moon Pack as the members tried their hardest to hold their silence about the party set to liter that evening. Neron and Nuria stood on the vast grassy curtge, watching their mother be escorted out of the house by a grinning, long-haired gentleman by the hand. Nuria hopped in ce with an excited grin while Neron scowled, raised a wary eyebrow.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe involving Ezekiel was your genius idea on keeping Mom out of the house.¡± He reprimanded his sister via mind-link. ¡°He seems a little too excited.¡±


    ¡°You, big brother, are too oblivious for your own good.¡± Nuria rolled her eyes. ¡°I know you can see that he has a big crush on Mom. Look at that charming smile on his face.¡±


    ¡°No one is good enough for Mom, not even that Alpha


    ¡°Former Alpha.¡± Nuria corrected. ¡°Those two have been ogling each other since the day the Iron Stone Pack weed us here. I¡¯m sure that he¡¯ll treat her right. I¡¯ve already sent him instructions to not let Mome back until eight o¡¯clock tonight.¡±


    Neron sighed, staring at the scene in front of him. His mother¡¯s smile warmed his heart, but it didn¡¯t soothe the ache t i ts apex. Ezekiel Ferro was the former Alpha of the Iron Stone Pack, presently in rule by his son Wystan. Ezekiel was a good man with a heart full of honor. But it didn¡¯t ease the worry in his heart. Neron watched as the older couple hopped into his vehicle, bid him and Nuria farewell, and drove out of the territory. If his mother found true love with him, Neron¡¯s heart will be at ease.


    Not every man interested in his mother was like his dad. He forced himself to remember that.


    Once the car had disappeared, the organization had begun. From picking up the cake to cooking for the feast to the intense decoration, the ranked wolves and select members got to work. The morning sun was gradually rolling into the afternoon. It left little leeway to rx or ck off.


    At Ga Moon, Niki poured gasoline into his car tank for the long car ride to Oregon. Kiya scampered over with a suitcase and tossed it in the trunk,nding with a heavy ¡®thump! Her father arched an eyebrow and poked his head from the side. ¡°Is your present big enough to involve your suitcase, Mija?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for the gift. I¡¯ll be staying over at Onyx Moon for a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Oh? When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Nuria slipped into my roomst week and asked me. I said yes.¡± Kiya replied, adjusting her shoulder purse. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t be-wait, Nuria slipped into your room?¡±


    ¡°She allergic to the front entrance.¡±


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    Chapter 8 ¨C Sweet Scents


    ¡°She confuses me, sometimes.¡± Niki chucked, removing the gasoline can and set it off to the side. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ready to go there? You haven¡¯t talked much about¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Dad.¡± Kiya interrupted, rubbing her arm. ¡°It was about time I go see the pack.¡± She pulled out a small pewter-colored leather box hidden within blue wrapping, tied with a white ribbon from her purse. ¡°At least I got Aunt Essie her present.¡±


    ¡°Kiya?¡± Phoebe emerged from the entrance, grasped Kiya¡¯s arm, and pulled her out onto the verdantwn, darting her eyes from side to side. She shoved a small box into Kiya¡¯s hands. The woman detected an aromatic scent, blended with ginger, perfuming from the folds of the decorative cardboard; ck and gold markings and swirls stretching from one corner to the other. ¡°Can¡­ can you give that to Nurin, for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but¡­ what is it?¡±


    ¡°She likes fruity teas, correct?¡± Kiya nodded. ¡°I made a tea blend with rose hips, hibiscus leaves, ginger, and dried fruit. Tell her all she has to do is boil the tea bags, drain them, and add honey. Not processed sugar. Only honey for maximum benefit.¡±


    Kiya smirked as she stared hard at her witchy friend as she sweat bullets, pivoting from one foot to the other. Phoebe was nervous at the prospect of Nuria trying out something she made. Her deep red cheeks were proof of that. The witch was always the calm and collected one out of her and Violetta, but her shyness whenever Nuria became the topic of conversation betrayed her stoic mask. She nodded, tucking the fragrant box in her purse. ¡°I will deliver it once I see


    her.¡±


    ¡°G-good! It¡¯s not like it means anything!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t implying that it did, Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°Your face exposes the truth while your mouth runs with lies!¡± She pointed an usatory finger at her. ¡°I don¡¯t have a crush on Nuria, and that¡¯s final!¡±


    ¡°I said nothing about that.¡±


    ¡°I-Just give her the da m n box.¡± With that, Phoebe stomped back to her home without looking back as her deep blush spread from her cheeks to the back of her neck, over her triple moon birthmark. Once she was out of sight, Kiya burst intoughter as she walked back to the car, passing by her dad leaning against the passenger door. ¡°You saw that, right?¡±


    ¡°Everything. That girl is head over heels for that Alpha Female and she¡¯s afraid to admit it.¡± Niki shook his head. ¡°I may be old, but I know a thing or two about young love.¡±


    ¡°Your consensus?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s hopeless.¡±


    Lyra joined not long after, gingerly setting the boxes of presents in the trunk beside her daughter¡¯s suitcase. The trio bid their pack and the family farewell as the Toyota Arius rolled away of thend of warriors onto the roadway straight toward Oregon, and soon, Onyx Moon. When Zircon Moon existed, a car ride there would take five hours. Now that Onyx Moon was in a different state at a farther distance, it was much longer. Kiya pulled out her headphones from the pocket of her demin shorts and plugged them into her phone, sting music in her ears while admiring Gaia¡¯s


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    Chapter 8 ¨C Sweet Scents


    beautiful earth w h i z i n g past her in a sea of colors.


    She was going to see Neron again. Her heart pounded in anticipation. The rock music faded into background noise, her thoughts ringing louder than the rhythmic beat. Earlier, she shot Nuria a text that she and her parents were on their way. Nuria¡¯s excitement showed through her texts, but a message she sent led Kiya to think this was a convoluted scheme against her brother.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you! Oh, and don¡¯t tell Neron that you¡¯reing.¡±


    Why wouldn¡¯t Nuria want Neron to know she wasing? Many thoughts ran to her mind about why that would be, but none stood out like the thought that made her blood run cold. Neron didn¡¯t want to see her.


    Was he morefortable talking through text? It was their primary form ofmunication for the past three years. Perhaps Neron had expected Kiya to s k i p this party as she did the previous two. She s k p d birthday celebrations for him and Nuria too, except for sending their presents to them. It felt like the only exnation she could think of.


    ¡°Does he even want me around?¡± She thought, feeling her panic nudging against her ribcage. With a silent groan, Kiya shook her head, forcing her negative thoughts out of her mind, Assumptions always led to bad oues. Sighing, she leaned her head against the car window, shut her eyes, and drowned in her music.


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out once I get there.¡±


    ¡°Adonis, how many balloons do you have left?¡± Raina asked while cing mason jars filled with fairy lights across therge dining table. Her son turned her head from the helium tank his father was operating, blowing up a champagne-


    colored balloon.


    ¡°Uh, ten?¡± He responded. Orchid dashed by in a fit of giggles, holding a floating blue balloon by the string with Lupin trotting behind her, his tail wagging in delight. ¡°Do we need to have so many balloons?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen the size of this ce?¡± Valerian asked, gesturing to the opulent dining hall. ¡°We¡¯re lucky to have enough balloons in the first ce. Can you start tying the balloons to the chairs? Both colors on each chair.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Dad.¡±


    In the kitchen, Lori stirred a massive bowl of juice while her daughter ogled, patting a container of sugar beside her. The Omegas mastered the stove and oven with their global recipes while some stood to the side, dipping fresh strawberries in colorful bowls of chocte. Naomi squealed, hopping in her seat when her mother offered her a cup of juice to taste test. The girl drunk the juice and smacked her lips, shaking her head. ¡°More sugar, Mommy.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°More? I think we put enough.¡± Loriughed. Naomi grabbed the sugar and attempted to pour a hefty amount until Lori grabbed it from her tiny hands.¡±No, Mimi! Too much sugar is bad for you!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t get sick!¡±


    *But


    we can get c


    get cavities.¡±


    Naomi pouted, crossing her arms as she watched her mother pour two additional cups of sugar into the juice mixture. Kwame gently kicked the kitchen door open, carrying the giant custom-made cake with Neron holding the opposite


    3/5


    Chapter 8 Sweet Scents


    side. The wolves in the kitchen stopped to stare. Naomi¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Wowzah! That¡¯s a big cake!¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not getting any of it until the party,¡± Kwame warned as the two men hefted the treat on the ind. The cake was a triumph of flour and sugar, multyered with cut-up summer strawberries hidden between each spongyyer in their red sea of rich sauce. Blue, white, and pink buttercream swirls stretched from corner to corner, outlining the rectangr treat in delicious pastels. Edible pearls sprinkled throughout the topyer brought the design together, spread out around the edible flowers sprouting from each corner. In the center, written in thick red frosting, read ¡°Happy Birthday Celeste! A cake is a cake, beautiful as the woman being celebrated.


    ¡°Luli, do we have enough room in the fridge to store the cake?¡± Neron asked, fishing a hair tie from his pocket, pulling his long hair into a ponytail. The Lead Omega opened the fridge and hummed, rubbing her chin.


    ¡°There should be once I rearrange a few things in here.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± He patted his G a m a on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going for a run. Thanks for the help.¡±


    ¡°No problem, bro.¡±


    Neron walked past the dining room, peeking his head inside to see the progress. A calming blend of pastel colors his mother cherished filled his vision, from the balloons to the tablecloths to the centerpieces to the floral wall decorations. He grinned as he envisioned his mother¡¯s smile when she sees their hard work. Nuria stopped sprinkling confetti on the gift table when a ping sounded from her phone. She squealed in excitement, skedaddling out of the dining hall exit.


    He raised an eyebrow, confused. ¡°What¡¯s with her?¡±


    Neron left the hall and walked out of the pack house toward the forest. The hot sun beat against his back, sweltering his ck sleeveless shirt. He shrugged off his clothes once behind arge tree, fell on all fours, and shifted into Onyx. Thick ck paws pounded against the forest floor as the enormous wolf entered a state of bliss, his howls ricocheting off the tree barks, His leg muscles burned as he pushed himself to the limit, hisrge body slicing through the air. feeling the stress of the week melting off his fur.


    Birds and insects hid as the king of the forest d t h ro ugh their homes. Running through the forest never tired Onyx out; in fact, it made him more in tune with Mother Nature¡¯s blessings. Maple tickled his nostrils when his fur brushed against the leaves of the trees. Soon, he stopped by a cliff¡¯s edge, his eyes taking in the beauty of Gaia¡¯s art


    before him.


    Aquamarine blue rushed past rocks and wet earth, flowing fast and powerful over the rocky edge, thundering down into arge pool like a gigantic waterspout. Mist shrouded from the pool, mimicking smoke beneath the waterfall. Onyx could see tiny fish jumping from the whirling water, flowing into a rushing river that stretched beyond what his eyes could see. Lust green nts lined the outer edge of the river, adding its emerald sheen to the blue waters. The sweet aroma from the rainbow of blossoming flowers wafted up to his nose as he sat on his hind legs, soaking in the serenity of the unity of water and earth. Neron had found the beautiful cascade not long after moving his pack to thend.


    Onyx made it a personal habit to visit whenever he was out for a run, because it was peaceful. It brought him peace. He stayed for a good twenty minutes, resting his head on his paws, filling his lungs with the mild scent of serenity.


    He loved it.


    Chapter 8 ¨C Sweet Scents


    As he rested, Onyx¡¯s ears suddenly twitched, picking up the faint sound of a car engine. He thought nothing of it, for he assumed guests for Celeste¡¯s birthday party were trickling in, despite the early time. However, a familiar scent drifted up to his nose, not found with the aroma of nature.


    It was sweeter. Way too sweet. And every nerve in his bodybusted into raging mes.


    Onyx shot up on his paws and made the journey back to packnds, excitement filling his heart, mind, and soul to what he believed this meant. The delicious scent got stronger, and his body grew warmer until the heat couldn¡¯t be contained.


    ¡°She¡¯s here!¡± That was all he could scream in his mind. ¡°My love is here!¡±

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 9 ¨C Reunion


    ¡°Time and time again, we reconnect. It¡¯s like the universe nudges us to give it one more chance.¡±-Nikki Rowe


    Kivn


    Breakfast. When the car rolled into packnds, the sharine scent of maple caressed my nose. Onyx Moon territory smelled like breakfast. Taking out my earbuds, I took in a heavy whiff as the giant emerald trees passed by my window. I saw birds shimming in their nests high in the branches, families of squirrels skittering around logs, noisy insects buzzing around, and much more. The distant trickling of water told the story of a river. Nature and her beauty. Neron had chosen a beautiful patch ofnd for his home. I wondered what elseid hidden beyond the trees.


    rays. A


    Mom and Dad¡¯s chatter ceased when the pack house opened up in our view, faintly glittering under the sun¡¯s literal four-story mansion with speckles of mass hidden in the brick crevices. It was built simrly to the Zircon Moon¡¯s pack house, but there were notable differences such as the statues of wolves guarding the front entrance and specs of ck in the infrastructure. If I were to guess, they were onyx crystals-honoring both the pack name and the wolf it was named after. Houses lined the perimeter of thends, stretching beyond the grandiose building with wolves, their mates, and children scatterin


    g about like ants.


    It felt like home. A true home. There wasn¡¯t that heavy, dictatorial air that Zircon Moon had before its death. I could see myselfing here often.


    The closer we got to the house, the clearer Nuria¡¯s excited stature became. Grinning, I waved back. Dad came to a gradual stop in front of the house, allowing Nuria to run up to my car door, yank me out with her Alpha strength, and pick me up for a hug..


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re here!¡± She shrieked, hopping in ce. I steadied myself with my


    hands on her shoulders. Nuria¡¯s lovenguage is physical touch; I¡¯m convinced.


    ¡°So am I! Now, put me down.¡± She obeyed, settling me on my feet. She turned to my parents exiting from the driver and passenger sides. ¡°Hi Aunt Lyra, Uncle Niki! I hope the trip here was without trouble.¡±


    ¡°Hello to you too, spitfire.¡± Dad ruffled Nuria¡¯s hair affectionately before drawing her into a hug. My heart swelled with happiness at the sight. ¡°Staying out of trouble?¡±


    ¡°Please, trouble finds me.¡± My friend scoffed, earning a chuckle from Dad. Mom came ov


    er and hugged her niece as well, smoothening out the hair strands her mate messed up. This is my family. I leaned against the car by the hip, toying with the strap of my purse.


    ¡°Your mother isn¡¯t here, correct?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°Nope! She¡¯s canoodling with Ezekiel at this moment.¡±


    Wait, who the hell was that?


    ¡°Excellent! She deserves a little loying on her special day. Now, dear Nuria, is the gift table set up in the dining room? We can bring our presents there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll handle that.¡± Her eyes zed over for a few seconds before returning to their natural


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    Chapter 9 ¨C Reunion


    blue color. On cue, some Omegas came out and greeted my parents. Dad popped the trunk open and two male Omegas carefully pulled my suitcases and their gifts from the back. ¡°Put those bags in the guest room next to mine and set the gifts on the table in the mess hall.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Both men said before disappearing into the house. In a flurry of action, Mom followed the Omegas inside while Dad parked the car in the nearby garage. He patted my shoulder and kissed my temple before joining Mom. That left Nuria and me alone.


    i


    ¡°Everyone is a little busy today, as you can imagine.¡± Nuria chuckled, crossing her arms under her bosom. ¡°The party is in three of hours, so you and your parents made it on time! More people areing in the hour, but they aren¡¯t important.¡±


    *Yeah, yeah, but Aunt Essie is canoodling with who? Who is Ezekiel?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Her crush. Ezekiel is a former Alpha in a nearby pack and they¡¯ve had eyes on each other for a while now. He took her out for the day.¡± She waggled her eyebrows. ¡°She¡¯ll be back before the party begins.¡±


    Wow. I didn¡¯t know that. That man better treat Aunt Essic right, or else I¡¯m ending his retirement with a one-way ticket to Selene. My aunt deserved all the happiness in the world.


    ¡°Oh! Speaking of crushes¡­¡± I fished out the box of sweet-smelling tea bags from my purse. ¡°This is for you, courtesy of Phoebe.¡±


    I watched Nuria¡¯s confidence drain from her face, instantly reced with a sharp pink blush blossoming from her hairline to her neck. Words were lost to her, and she began scratching the back of her neck as she stared at the ornamental box, her lips widening and shrinking. ¡°F-for me? S-she made that for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something about tea blends and how you like fruity tea.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ r-remembered that¡­?¡± Her shaky hands grasped the box from mine, an affectionate smile growing on her lips as she traced a decorative swirl with her finger. ¡°That¡­is so sweet. S-she shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    ¡°You two should really sit down and talk. It¡¯s clear you both like each other.¡±


    Nuria darted her eyes from the box to me, shifting her weight on her right leg. She sighed, hugging the box over her heart before brightening up with a soft smile. I could see red hearts floating around her head. How cute! ¡°She didn¡¯t have to make tea for me¡­ what a sweetheart¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re dodging.¡±


    ¡°I should try these out right away.¡±


    ¡°Nuria¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Neron went out for a run-He should be back, soon.¡± She escaped inside the pack house before 1 could say anything else. I sighed in exasperation. How long must those two dance around each other? I didn¡¯t expect how irritating it can be to witness two people who clearly like eachother avoid one another like the bubonic gue. Could they be mates? Definitely. And they look cute together.


    I looked around for any sign of Neron. Not a skyscraper in sight. When I turned back around, a ck and white husky


    2/6


    Chapter 9 Reunion


    ¨C


    trotted up to me with his mouth partially open, tall wagging in the breeze. ¡°Hey, buddy!¡±


    The dog barked and sniffed all around me, growling softly when I scratched behind his ears. What an adorable dog! A thick ck cor rested around his neck with a silver, bone-shaped tog. It read ¡®Lupin¡¯. Of course, there had to be a dog named ¡®wolf¡¯ in a wolf pack. Suddenly, I remembered a conversation I had with Neron a while back about him adopting a dog.


    ¡°Neron is your owner, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Lupin barked, his tail wagging faster. I giggled. At least I got to meet the dog that stole his heart.


    A little girl in the distance called out for Lupin, her tiny legs carrying her to us. The husky looked behind himself and barked again, sitting on his butt. When the girl got closer, she took a good look at me and her eyes widened. Her flowery scent tickled my nose. ¡°Are you here for the party, Miss?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I nodded with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s your name, sweetie?¡±


    ¡°Orchid. I¡¯m three.¡± She held up three fingers. ¡°You look a lot like my Mommy.¡±


    ¡°I do? That¡¯s interes- Wait. Her scent. The features she shared with both her mother and father. Her hair matched


    mine with looser curls. The likeness she shared with Adonis, minus the eyes. This meant only one thing. ¡°Orchid, are


    you-!¡±


    A shriek echoed beside me. I snapped my head to the front entrance to see Raina standing there iling her hands as she made her way to me. I stood erect, bracing myself for impact. My sister smacked into me and hugged me tight, burrowing her head in my shoulder. Shock radiated from hervender scent, melting into the pleasant perfume of love. ¡°You¡¯re here! I d-didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    ¡°Nuria invited me. It looks like she kept it a secret from everyone.¡± I chuckled, hugging her back. It took a long time before I wasfortable speaking with my sister again. As her daughter stood next to us, I couldn¡¯t help but think how much I missed out on her life because I, m e n a l l , wasn¡¯t ready to be an aunt. Forgiveness with Raina was a long way away. After a couple of years of therapy and talking, I forgave her for my sake,


    Raina lifted her head up, showing a motherly smile, cupping my cheek with her palm. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m so happy to see you. You look great.¡± Her head went up to my ponytail. ¡°Your hair has gotten much longer.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve cut yours.¡± Raina¡¯s hair was to her shoulders, gently brushing against her unblemished skin. ¡°It looks good.


    on you.¡±


    ¡°I needed a change.¡±


    ¡°Mommy?¡±


    Raina looked down and ran her hand through her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°And I see you already met Orchid. She follows Lupin everywhere. Sometimes, I think he is more her pet than Neron¡¯s.¡±


    huckling, I kneeled down at Orchid¡¯s height, holding my hand out for her to take. ¡°Your Mommy and I look alike because she is my sister. I¡¯m your aunt, Orchid.¡±


    ¡°Auntie?¡± She d h er head to the side, her inquisitive stare gradually brightening into a Cheshire grin. ¡°Auntie!¡±


    Chapter 9 ¨C Reunion


    Orchid leaped into my arms, wrapping her short legs around my hips. Iughed, hugging my adorable niece hack, nting a delicate kiss on her temple.


    ¡°Kiya. Auntie Kiya.¡± I whispered in her ear, standing as Lupin walked around and through my legs, rubbing his fur against me. Raina stood to the side, in tears at the sight. Tears burned my eyes, threatening to fall. I finally got to meet my niece. And I¡¯ll try my hardest to be in her life to the best of my ability.


    After a minute, I set Orchid on her feet. ¡°Wait here!¡± She spoke. She scampered to the edge of the forest, shuffling behind arge bush. I looked at Raina for answers, but all she did wasugh and smile, holding up her hand to tell me to wait. The tiny girl ran back to me shortly after, holding up a blooming purple and white orchid to me. ¡°This is for


    you.¡±


    A lone tear slipped down my cheek when I took the orchid flower from her small hands. My niece was as beautiful as the flower name after her. She gestured me toe down to her height and when I did; she plucked the flower out of my hands and nestled it on the side of my hair. ¡°There!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, baby girl,¡± I whispered, kissing her forehead. Goddess, I love her so much already. ¡°You¡¯re too kind to me.¡±


    ¡°Adonis will be so excited once he knows you¡¯re here,¡± Raina said.


    I stood erect, patting my thighs. ¡°Let¡¯s find him and let him know.¡±


    I¡¯ll see Neron when hees back from his run.


    Or so I thought.


    A mighty bombarding howl ripped through the air, drawing all eyes and ears to the owner. Sandalwood and ginger drifted up to my nose, stoking an internal dormant me I hadn¡¯t felt in so long. When I turned my head, there he stood. The Alpha, fur ck as coal, capturing the glitters of the sun with every strand. Molten gold brightened when focused on my form. He panted like he spotted its favorite human. Artemis rose in my mind, pirouetting as she howled at the sight. So much for missing him, huh? Lupin wagged his tail, taking refuge beside Orchid, clearing the pathway between the Alpha and me.


    ¡°Long time, no see.¡± Standing tall, my sigh apanied my smile as I waved at the giant wolf. ¡°Hi, Onyx.¡±


    Onyx barked, galloping to where I was. Suddenly, I realized our height and weight differences. He¡¯s huge while I was tiny byparison. ¡°S h i t. Oh no, Onyx!¡±


    The big puppy tackled me to the ground on my back and soon bombarded me with his rapid licks to my face. Onyx sniffed me like there was no tomorrow, all while coating my face in a thick sheen of his drool. Laughing, I tried to push him off, but it didn¡¯t deter the overly affectionate puppy from cleaning my face.


    ¡°Onyx! Stop! You¡¯re licking off my foundation!¡±


    After a few more seconds from his relentless assault, Onyx sat on his rear, the tip of his tongue stained brown. Raina helped me up while I pulled out a napkin from my purse and wiped my eyes and cheeks with his drool. He needs a mint. He leaned his head toward me and butted my chest, sniffing again. I caressed his fluffy fur behind his ears, relishing in his soft growls. His tail was like a propeller, picking up wind behind him. It brought back a distant memory of when Neron shifted for the first time.


    Chapter 9 ¨C Reunion


    Onyx acted exactly the way he did back then, right down to the tail. I was beyond happy.


    I scratched his ears, burying my face in his fur. ¡°I missed you, Onyx, and Artemis did too.¡±


    ¡°N-no I didn¡¯t!¡± Artemis stammered. ¡°Don¡¯t give him false hope like that!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Ignoring her denial, I continued to scratch and caress the big puppy, sinking deeper into the sheer joy perfuming out. of his pores. ¡°Would you like to go on a runter?¡±


    Onyx barked, lifting his head up and hopping in ce, shaking the earth beneath my feet. I¡¯ll take that as a yes. Lupin trotted to my side, trying to rub his fur onto my legs until the big Alpha growled and barked at him to back off. I fell into a fit ofughter, shaking my head.


    ¡°Lupin didn¡¯t do anything!¡±


    Onyx didn¡¯t care. He used his snout to push Lupin away, curling his head and body around me. Someone¡¯s jealous. I patted his back, rubbing his fur again. ¡°No need to be rude, Nix. He¡¯s innocent.¡±


    He didn¡¯t let up. He curled himself tighter around me. Silly puppy.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to have seen you, big fe. Do you mind if I see Neron?¡±


    Onyx panted, lifting and nodding his enormous head. He scuttled toward the deep shadow between a wide set of trees. I didn¡¯t miss his booty swaying like he wanted me to see it. I waited, watching the shadows bend to different shapes and shuffling between the bushes and leaves. The sound of bones snapping echoed before silencing. The sandalwood scent got much stronger, drenching the surrounding breeze.


    Goddess, was his scent always this strong?


    After an eternity of waiting, Neron emerged from the trees, sucking in a deep breath before his cobaltsnded on me. The sounds of the world drowned in silence. Our surroundings faded into a muddled blur. I held my breath as he took his first steps toward me. Three years. Three years since Neron and I saw each otherst. His hair was longer-now brushing to the middle of his back, his muscles were bulkier-sturdy like tree trunks, and there were signs of stubble growing on his jaw. His pack mark settled on his right shoulder, just above his deltoid.


    Goddess, he¡¯s handsome.


    Neither of us spoke a word, even as we stood a foot from each other. The words were stuck in my throat, refusing to leave. Neron reached out and cupped my face with both hisrge hands, running his thumbs underneath my eyes, brushing against my nose and above my lips. His face cracked into a smile, his eyes shimmering like jewels from his tears. A few strays escaped, leaving streaks on his cheeks.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± He h o a s e y whispered, trying hard to contain his emotions.


    1 ced my palms on top of his hands, astounded the size differences. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°I missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°I did too.¡±


    Chapter 9 ¨C Reunion


    My head rested on his chest, his brawny arms wrapping around my smaller frame in a tight hug. I felt his lips on top of my head before his chin rested, sighing in pure relief while sniffling. I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing as hard as I could muster without hurting him.


    We stayed like that for a while, basking in each other¡¯s presence underneath the warm sun.


    I knew I made the right decision toe.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 10 ¨C Reminders


    ¡°It¡¯s always times like these when I think of you and I wonder if you ever think of me.¡±-Vanessa Carlton


    Neron


    Kiva was here. She is inside my home. Her beautiful soul graced my sanctuary with her equally beautiful smiles and


    melodiousughter.


    I should praise our Moon Goddess for the chance to reconnect with her, finally.


    But I¡¯m freaking out.


    I wanted her here more than anything. I¡¯ve dreamt about this day for the past three years. Yet, I¡¯m terrified of, somehow, f**g this up. She has forgiven me, but my guilt continued to eat me alive and spit me out. I still couldn¡¯t forgive myself for what I¡¯ve done. It wouldn¡¯t let me breathe or think in peace-it is an ink stain permanently marred in my mind. It continued to hold me hostage, and I was a willing prisoner.


    Adonis squealed with glee at the sight of his aunt, running up to her for a hug. Kiya giggled and drew the future Beta in her arms, picking him up to swing him around. He rested his head on her shoulder, twirling his fingers around her curls. I watched the affectionate scene from behind the dining hall doors, admiring Kiya from afar. Orchid and Naomi gathered around her, pulling at her hands as soon as she set Adonis on his feet. They wanted her attention.


    Kiva s


    a still had that magic touch with children. Some things never change.


    Groaning inwardly, I pressed my forehead against the door. My hand tightened around the doorknob, metal crying softly under my grip. Goddess, I wanted Kiya more than air. Yet, my hands are undeserving of her heavenly touches. Onyx beat against my mind-block, desperate to be in Kiya¡¯s presence again, but 1 reinforced the wall. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. I won¡¯t. But what if I do? I¡¯m a f**d-up Alpha with panic attacks as apanion.


    Thest thing I wanted to do was to give into my beastly instincts and scare her away for good.


    When I hugged her, my side of the bond roared to life like a phoenix reborn from the ashes. It became a powerful ma, searching for its opposite. Our bond wasn¡¯t this powerful before, and I wondered if Kiya felt the same. Part of me hoped she did, while the other cowered away in fear, hoping she didn¡¯t. Because the self-control I¡¯ve steeled for years would crumble and I couldn¡¯t afford that to happen.


    ¡°Surprise! Are you happy that Kiya is here?¡±¡±


    This little s**t.


    I turned my head to see Nuria standing with a beaming smile, nursing a mug of rich crimson liquid with a spoon. It smelled great. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you went behind my back, Nuria. I told you I¡¯d handle this.¡±


    ¡°And we both know you wouldn¡¯t have invited her, anyway.¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Someone had to do something, and it might as well be/me.¡±


    I pinched the bridge of my nose/Leave it to my sister to meddle in my personal affairs. Yet, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be mad at her. ¡°Nuria¡­¡±


    Chapter 10 ¨C Reminders


    ¡°And she¡¯s also staying for two weeks.¡±


    I choked on my spit. Two weeks?! I¡¯d be smelling her scent, see her around every corner, and hear herughter for two


    weeks? ¡°I-1-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Nuria put a fist on her hip. ¡°Whether you want to admit it or not, you need this. Both of you. Use this opportunity to sit down and talk to each other, okay? I refuse to watch you both p**t around each other while avoiding the elephant in the room.¡±


    My heart hammered in my chest. I want to sit down and talk with her, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the dastardly voice in the back of my head telling me I¡¯m a horrible person. Undeserving of Kiya¡¯s attention. Texting was so much easier. As I watched her poke at a blue balloon tied to a chair, her plump glossy lips curved into a heart-stopping smile. Her beautiful browns t**d with innocent wonder.


    I wanted to bottle up that bejeweled smile and keep it at my side until the day I pass.


    Kiya was out of my league. I don¡¯t believe I could love another as much as I love her.


    Dr. Nilsen and I worked tirelessly on my impermeable guilt. Day in and day out since we¡¯ve started working together. It has be a part of me, molded into my person like a perfect puzzle piece. I couldn¡¯t take it out, no matter how hard I tried. Simply put, I couldn¡¯t find a reason to let it go.


    Nuria waited for my response, but I couldn¡¯t give her one. I ran a hand through my hair, huffing out an anxious breath. I¡¯ve done good. I am good, am I? Is that enough for that beautiful goddess gracing my home with her holy presence? For the woman who kids flock to for her love and safety?


    ¡°This is moreplicated than you think it is, Nuria.¡± I sighed, tearing my eyes from the dining hall for thest time. My heart crumbled to pieces, crying out for its other half a mere ten feet from me. It graved her touch, her closeness- just her. I love that woman more than anything. I¡¯d give up my lungs if it meant she could breathe better. I¡¯d forfeit my life again and again if it meant she¡¯d live.


    Kiya is everything to me, right down to her heart and soul.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think its asplicated as you¡¯re making it out to be.¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I understand I want my brother to be f**g happy for once.¡± She snapped. ¡°Kiya makes you happy. Anyone can see that. I¡¯m not saying to mate; just sit down and have a conversation?¡±


    Kiya and I will talk. I just need to reel myself in and prepare for it. Her strawberry scent irritated the silent beast hidden deep inside the internal pit. That was another issue. For years, I had a firm grip on my primal instincts; pushing them aside to keep Kiya safe. I was a danger, and those instincts made me a threat, just like how I almost pounced on her when she went into heat. Controlling them got easier with time, aided with the broken mate bond that


    years it didn¡¯t exacerbate it. Now, the mate bond was strong and alive, and the beast wanted more-to make up for the was neglected.


    I needed to iron out my resolve. The only way for me to keep Kiya safe is for me to control myself. The toughest part about being Alpha is the intrinsic nature to take and im. And I f**g hated every moment.


    2/6


    Chapter 10 Reminders


    ¡¤


    I¡¯m not a monster, but I feel like I am. That is why I must love from afar and never touch beyond what was appropriate. Never lose control. Never hurt her or else I¡¯ll take the silver de and end myself.


    The love I had for Kiya scared me. It¡¯s incredibly strong. And I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk in due time, I told Nuria, pulling the dining hall door close. I pointed to her mug. ¡°What kind of tea is that? I¡¯d like to try some if-¡±


    ¡°NO! It¡¯s mine!¡± Nuria¡¯s eyes shed obsidian ck as she clutched the mug to her chest. Some of the steaming liquid got on her blouse, but she didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Mine!¡± Breathing heavily through her nose, she bolted away, leaving me bewildered.


    That must be some pretty d m n good tea.


    Kiya


    ¡°The cake is so beautiful,¡± I said, staring at the encased treat hidden in the fridge. Rainaughed beside me, closing the fridge. ¡°I bet the kids are eager to get to it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they are, which is why the Omegas guard it with their lives.¡± She chuckled, leading me out from the kitchen and into the foyer. ¡°Is there anything else you wanted to see?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying for a few weeks, so if there was anything I¡¯ve missed, I¡¯ll find it. Thank you, Rain.¡± Raina showed me the key ces in the pack house as part of a mini-tour while my parents tested out the champagne in the G a m m a home. Any excuse for day drinking, I guess. The two of us walked toward themon room in rxed silence.¡±


    ¡°How are Adonis and Orchid doing since¡­ well¡­ I sighed as my sister looked at me expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s been a year


    since¡­ and¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been doing fine. Orchid was too young to remember. Adonis had a tough time, but¡­¡± She gave me an anguished smile. ¡°It¡¯s tough losing grandparents, but he has a strong family, here. My baby boy misses them from time to time, but time has been healing him.¡±


    Ashley and Steven passed awayst year. Raina broke the news over a phone call. I don¡¯t know how they died, nor did I want to know. Relief flooded me like a hurricane after the call, yet a deep part of me hurt. I didn¡¯t attend their funeral. They never reached out to me or my parents since I left Zircon Moon for thest time. There was never a chance for reconciliation between us, and maybe it was for the best.


    Their deaths grew into a sore spot for me. It hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°I¡¯m d they¡¯re alright.¡± I shined a hopeful smile. ¡°And you and Valerian?¡± I realized I never asked how they coped with their deaths. Valerian and I weren¡¯t on good terms for a while. Despite Raina and I keeping in touch, he wouldn¡¯t talk to me for the first year and a half. But, after some convincing, we talked and got on good terms with one another. I wanted my brother-inw in my life, too,


    ¡°We¡¯re good. In fact, we got stronger. Having each other helped us through the grief. We even went to Dr. Nilsen to talk about it too.¡±


    3/6


    Chapter 10 ¨C Reminders


    There was still some pain behind Raina¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s not easy losing parents either, even with how y they were. They still were a significant part of her life. I didn¡¯t want to breach this sore subject any more than I did, so I immediately changed the subject after noticing a missing piece I haven¡¯t seen in some time.


    ¡°Where is Neron?¡±


    ¡°Probably holed up in his office.¡± Raina chuckled. ¡°Guests for the party shoulde soon, so we best get ready.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I nodded. ¡°Can you tell me where his office is?¡±


    After Raina gave me directions, I ascended to the fourth floor, s k i p g steps in between. I found the pair of alder wooden doors she told me to look out for and knocked. Nuria¡¯s convoluted scheme to bring me here worked, and I wanted to know how Neron felt about it. We shared a moment in the front yard, but he skidded off soon after like someone doused his pants on fire.


    We really needed to talk.


    ¡°Come in.¡± I heard him say. When I walked into his office, his masculine scent immediately overpowered me, drenching every molecule and atom in the air. Steeling myself with my resolve, I felt the bond on my end desperately reaching out to him, aching for its other half. I knew the bond needed time to heal and repair, but I didn¡¯t expect the level of power it held.


    Neron eyed me under his observant gaze, holding his breath and grinding his teeth behind his lips. He set his papers down on his desk and forced a smile. ¡°Hi, Kiya. Is there anything you need?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I just wanted to see you.¡± I admitted, looking around his office. Pictures of hand-paintedndscapes decorated the walls along with pictures of him and his family. I spotted a few drawings made by children¡¯s hands, making me smile. Arge window stood behind him, the sunlight haloing the outline of his body, highlighting the deep blue undertones of his hair. ¡°You made all of those paintings, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I preferred to make my own portraits versus spending money on someone else¡¯s.¡± He answered nonchntly, leaning against his chair.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t lost your touch.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°You can look around more if you like.¡± He smiled back, rxed.


    And that I did, mindful of his eyes scrutinizing my every move. I moved from one end of the office to another, admiring the mountains and waterfalls crafted by his hand. When I moved to a particr desk in a corner, a forest green sketchbook rested beside coloring pencils. I heard Neron¡¯s breath hitch when I picked it up, along with a chair skidding across the ground.


    ¡°No!¡± He shouted, s n t c h i n g the sketchbook from my hands. His cheeks heated to vivid pink, hiding the book behind his back like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar. I quirked an eyebrow, confused and curious. ¡°This¡­ i-isn¡¯t ready for anyone¡¯s eyes yet. I-I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    That was suspicious. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I¡¯ve done enough exploring. I didn¡¯t want to pry any more than I already had. I took a seat in a chair while Neron sat back in his, inhaling a deep breath. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


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    Chapter 10 ¨C Reminders


    ¡°Do you want me here?¡± His eyes widened as I continued. ¡°Nuria told me not to tell you I wasing, assuming it was a surprise. Did you intend on inviting me to the party in the first ce?¡±


    Neron sighed heavily, fixing his body on his chair. I tried my best to swallow my fear, but it kept bubbling up in my throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you wanted toe. I assumed it would¡¯ve been the same asst year and the year before.¡±


    ¡°Fair. I didn t talk about it much.¡± I fiddled with my fingers. ¡°Do you still want me here? I¡¯m staying for a couple of


    weeks.¡±


    Neron¡¯s eyes glinted. He shined a small, yet warm, smile. ¡°Nuria, told me. I want you here. I just¡­ didn¡¯t want to make you ufortable in any way being around me.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t making me ufortable, Neron. I had a really warm wee.¡± I grinned. ¡°I think you¡¯re doing just fine, but¡­ I do want us to really talk when the party craziness settles down.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Just about life and anything else that pops up,¡± I replied, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°Artemis is also itching to go on a Tun with Onyx or whatever else she wants to do.¡±


    ¡°Onyx is the same.¡± Neron chuckled. ¡°Those two deserve some time together.¡±


    ¡°That they do. When do you think would be a good time for us to talk?¡±


    The Alpha fell silent, tapping his chin in thought. ¡°Let¡¯s try after the party, if feasible. There are¡­ some other things I want to tell you about as well.¡±


    There was hanging tension in hisst words, sparking fear in my heart. Sucking in a sharp breath, I nodded. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± I stood up from my chair and walked toward the door. Before I could touch the k n o b, Neron called out


    to me.


    ¡°Kiya?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re here. Truly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m happy that I¡¯m here too. It¡¯s good to see you after so long.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Likewise. Let me know if there is anything you need.¡±


    + it for a


    ¡°You¡¯ll be the first I call.¡± I chuckled, opening the door. Stepping out, I shut the door and leaned against it minute, listening to the sounds of my shaky breath.


    That felt¡­ formal. Too formal for friends, right?


    Why did Neron seem so stiff?


    Goddess, I needed a drink. I shouldn¡¯t care so much, yet I do.


    Chapter 10 ¨C Reminders


    We¡¯re just friends. Even if our mate bond didn¡¯t want us to be.

 Chapter 196

    Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)


    Chapter 11 ¨C The Party


    ¡°In this world, there is no one more essential than a mother.¡±-Debasish Mridha, MD


    Kiya


    I could see why Phoebe doesn¡¯t like parties. Too many bodies and energies flooding a small space. Nevertheless, it hasn¡¯t put a damper on my mood because the time has finally arrived!


    Nightfall hade quicker than I expected. The guests for Aunt Essie¡¯s party came in droves in thest hour, carrying gifts and mirthful smiles for the beloved woman, who captured the hearts of many. I couldn¡¯t wait to see her face when she walks through the front door! The dining hall was decked out from head to toe with her favorite colors: champagne pink, blue, and white. Fairy lights lit up therge table as the Omegas worked fast to set up the tes and utensils. Smaller tables loaded with appetizers and mini desserts made our stomachs grumble, mine included. The children were the most excited, dispersing like excited ants searching for food. This meant they could stay up past their bedtime.


    Half of them would be knocked out on the couches before ten. I¡¯m betting ten bucks on it.


    mmy¡¯s


    Dressed in a simple white dress with blue floral print stretching from my shoulders down the curves of my hips, I stood with the Johansen siblings for their mom to arrive. The lights of the foyer dimmed as the guests huddled near the stairs and entranceways for the big surprise. It didn¡¯t take long because my lovely aunt walked through the front doors, hand-in-hand with an older gentleman with skin like molten caramel wearing simple casual wear. He wore a buttoned-up navy blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, white cks secured by a brown belt, and toffee- colored loafers. Arge shark pendant stood out from his entire outfit. His long-ck hair was pulled into a low ponytail and his eyes, as ck as the night sky, scanned the crowd ahead. An amused smirk rose on his lips. He knew we were here, waiting.


    My aunt sure knows how to pick her men. He¡¯s handsome!


    The lights flickered on. Aunt Essie shrieked in surprise when the crowd pped and cheered as if we were in a sports stadium, singing their ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯s¡¯ to her. Orchid and Naomi ran up to her legs and held up a decorative flower crown made of daisies and orchids they¡¯ve made from their hidden garden in the trees.


    ¡°Here you go, bestemor!¡± The girls said in unison, their high-pitched voices melting my heart. I looked at Neron and Nuria


    confused about what that word meant.


    ¡°It means grandma in Norwegian,¡± Neron answered with a smile. A thick wave of happiness washed over me. I couldn¡¯t stop grinning. That was so cute! My aunt took the crown and nted kisses on top of the girl¡¯s heads.


    ¡°Thank you, mine kj?re.¡± She whispered, pinching their cheeks. The dapper gentleman beside her adjusted the crown on top of her head, earning a couple of wolf-whistles from the crowd. Nuria and I snorted while Neron rolled his eyes, grumbling something under his breath.


    The party was in full swing the moment my tipsy mother dragged Aunt Essie into the decked-out dining hall. Dad followed behind, somewhat tipsy himself, but making certain his mate didn¡¯t fall into trouble.


    The Omegns weaved through the bustling crowd, carrying sses of champagne for the adults and appetizers everybody snacked on every minute. I wolfed down a couple dozen myself, my stomach still the bottomless pit I love


    Chapter 11 ¨C The Party


    Teenagers gathered around the punch bowl to help themselves while the children buzzed around like worker bees. Adonis tried to sneak a taste of the champagne, but Valerian put an abrupt end to it by s**g the ss out of his hands and recing it with a cup of fruit juice. Lupin followed Orchid around like a faithful pet, asionally putting his paws on my legs to get my attention.


    Half an hour into the party, Aunt Essie pulled me aside and hugged me with a mother¡¯s love gushing out of her warmth. I rested my head on her chest, inhaling her sweet rose scent like it was my lifeline. Goddess, I love her so much. ¡°You came this year! How have you been, kj?re?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been good, Auntie.¡± I smiled, tightening my arms around her backside.


    ¡°You¡¯re so much more beautiful than thest time I saw you.¡± Auntie lifted my head and cradled my cheek in her


    palm.


    ¡°Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Your sense of humor hasn¡¯t faded.¡± She poked my nose with her free hand. ¡°I was worried I might wait a decade to see your face again. What made you decide toe?¡±


    ¡°A lot of things, but mostly, I wanted to see my family.¡± Her thumb caressed my cheeks, brushing under my eye with the touch of a feather. ¡°When do you open gifts?¡±


    ¡°After we serve the cake. I haven¡¯t seen it yet, but I wonder what my baby boy has cooked


    up this time.¡±


    ¡°Whatever the vor the cake is, I¡¯m sure Neron picked the best one for you. Only the best for his mom.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of, have you had time to talk to him?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯ve decided on after the party.¡±


    ¡°Good, good.¡± She nodded, moving her hands to my shoulders, squeezing them lightly. ¡°Nuri had also told me you¡¯re staying for a few weeks. What perfect timing!¡±


    ¡°Um, for what?¡± I asked, c**g my head to the side. Aunt Celeste widened her eyes and pressed her lips closed as if she said something she wasn¡¯t supposed to say. My curiosity sparked like a candlelight. Was there another reason I¡¯m


    here?


    ¡°Nothing, nothing. I¡¯ll let Neron tell you.¡±


    How mysterious. Deciding not to press further, a shrewd smile curved on my lips. I pointed to the gentleman she was with earlier, chatting with Dad over their fourth ss of champagne. ¡°So¡­ who was the guy you were with? You both seemed¡­ friendly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Ezekiel?¡± She asked, rubbing the back of her neck as her cheeks flushed pink. ¡°He is a former Alpha of the Iron Stone Pack. Our allied back settled about 12 miles from here. We¡¯ve¡­ been seeing each other for some time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Auntie has a boyfriend!¡± I sang, poking at her arm. ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°A little over a year now and¡­¡±/She leaned in close, lowering her voice. ¡°He¡­ he could be my second chance, kj?re. We haven¡¯t officially mated, but we might soon. We just have to tell our kids.


    Chapter 11 ¨C The Party


    My smirk grew into an excited grin. I leaped back into her arms and squeezed. Thank you, Selene, for granting my aunt another chance of happiness! She deserved it after what she¡¯s been through and seen. ¡°You have my full support. Just by how you talk about him, he¡¯ll treat you like the queen you are. If he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯ll have to deal with me.¡±


    ¡°ttery will get you everywhere.¡± She chuckled, squeezing my cheek. ¡°And¡­how do I talk about him? What do you


    mean?¡±


    ¡°Your face brightens up and you smile a lot. You¡¯re smitten.¡±


    Just like Nuria and Phoebe.


    Aunt Essie attempted to hide her smile behind her hair, but I scoffed, shaking my head. ¡°May our Moon Goddess bless us with a happy union. Now, enjoy the party and limit yourself to two sses of champagne.¡±


    ¡°How strong is that drink, anyway?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Strong enough that your parents aren¡¯t driving home tonight.¡±


    The cake cutting wouldn¡¯t start for another twenty minutes, so I popped a jpeno popper in my mouth and searched for familiar faces. The half-moon shined through the open windows of the dining hall, the night air flowing in to cool the heat from the plethora of mingling bodies in the room. I walked to the window, resting my hands on the windowsill, inhaling the earthy air. It licked against my exposed skin.


    It felt so good.


    But I couldn¡¯t enjoy in full because the **d sounds of two men reached my ears.


    I poked my


    head out the window, squinting my eyes when I spotted two lone figures in the darkness. They looked as if they were in a heated conversation, both adorning scowls on their faces. The taller figure I recognized was Neron when the faint moonlight hit the side of his face. He held a deep frown, staring down the slightly shorter but antagonizing man wagging his finger at him. It was hard to make out the features of his face, even with the added moonlight.


    I could hardly hear what they were saying, even with my enhanced hearing. Neron didn¡¯t look happy to see him, and I didn¡¯t like how man was bothering him. My legs carried me back to the party, searching for one person I needed the


    most.


    Lucky for me, she walked into the hall with arge mug in her hands. ¡°Nuria, I need to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°You cannot have my tea!¡± She growled at me. Rolling my eyes, I flicked her nose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your d**n tea! I need you!¡± Without giving her time to answer, I grabbed her elbow and dragged her to the window. I pointed to Neron and the unknown man in the distance. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡±


    Nuria smirked. ¡°I never pegged you for nosy.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, when you hang around Jackle for as long as I have, it bes second nature.¡± Iughed. ¡°But, seriously, do you have any clue what¡¯s going on down there?


    Nuria careened her head out the window, squinting to get a better view of the pair. After what felt like a minute, she groaned and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s Wystan, Ezekiel¡¯s son and current Alpha of the Iron Stone Pack. Or, as Neron puts


    376


    Chapter 11 ¨C The Party


    it, a pain up his a***¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t get along?¡±


    ¡°Nope. They¡¯re allies, but their personalities sh whenever they meet.¡± She shrugged her shoulders, setting her mug on the windowsill. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d should stay away from Wystan.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a persistent little s***t, especially when he spots something or someone he likes.¡± Nuria rolled her eyes. ¡°Men like that remind me every day on why I like **s and p**y.¡±


    I grimaced, giving my friend an incredulous look. ¡°Must you be so vulgar?¡±


    ¡°Just telling the truth.¡± She chuckled, swirling her tea with a spoon. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Noment.¡± Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I shook it off. ¡°By the way, how many cups of Phoebe¡¯s tea did you have today?¡±


    ¡°I lost count after the ninth cup.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can kiss sleeping tonight goodbye. You aren¡¯t supposed to drink that much tea in one day.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rule that says I can¡¯t.¡± She replied nonchntly, taking a huge sip. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet like her. Like her scent. She sat down and crafted individual tea bags for me to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°She is good with her hands, I suppose.¡±


    My friend¡¯s mood shifted, her suggestive smile shining while bouncing her eyebrows. ¡°Is she now? I¡¯ll keep that in


    mind.¡±


    Oh no. I walked right into a trap. ¡°**g hell.¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose. Who the hell let Nuria out of **y jail?


    ¡°You know what else?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to know what else.¡±


    ¡°It makes me wonder if she tastes as good as this tea.¡±


    And this was where I made a U-turn back to the party. F**g werewolves and their f**g libidos.


    Nerou


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Kiya to go with you to the Alpha Gathering next week?¡±


    Kids rushed past us in their mini-sugar rush with cake crumbs dotting their lips. Mom had cut the star of the show into many pieces, currently enjoyed by all the partygoers alike. Spongy vani mixed with thick strawberry sauce


    4/6


    Chapter 11 ¨C The Party


    melted in my mouth when I took a bite. I needed it after my recent encounter with Wystan outside.


    I shook my head, sighing through my nose. ¡°Is that such a good idea, Mom? I don¡¯t like the idea of her being in a room surrounded by many Alphas,¡±


    ¡°Are you


    worried she¡¯ll attract them? I wouldn¡¯t me them; she¡¯s a beautiful woman.¡±


    ¡°That she is.¡± I smile to myself, my eyes finding her in the distance, eating her slice of cake with my Betas and G a m m a s. ¡°I know she can take care of herself, Mom, even if one tries to overstep their boundaries. Kiya kicked my a s s plenty of times and I know she¡¯ll do the same to them.¡±


    ¡°A powerful woman garners attention, especially when one is our Moon Goddess¡¯ avatar.¡± Mom took another bite of her cake, crushing the edible pearls between her teeth. ¡°However, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want to take Nuria with you again, huh?¡±


    No way. I love Nuria, but she¡¯s a d da n terrorist whenever we share a room.


    but


    I grimaced at the memory of her pping a handful of s h a v i n g cream on my face as a wake-up call. Or the time she sted music in my ears through her earphones. She helped garner alliances with some alphas on the east coast, I¡¯d like to sleep peacefully without the looming threat of her waking me up the ¡®sisterly¡¯ way, as she liked to put it. ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°Then ask Kiya. The worst she can do is say no.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    My eyes found Kiya once again,ughing as she clinked sses of champagne with Lori. We¡¯d travel to Miami, stay in a hotel room for three days, and she¡¯d get a taste of what I¡¯d have to do as Alpha. Anthony and her sister Lyria attend the meetings as well, so she¡¯d have the benefit of having her family there. Many Lunas are in attendance with their mates. We talk werewolf politics, allegiances, and so much more that¡¯ll benefit the packs of North America.


    Having Kiya beside me through the journey was more than I deserve. Yet, I wanted that slice of the potential future if she were to be my Luna, making all the big decisions with me. Would she befortable being in proximity with me for all that time?


    Could I handle having her close to me for that long, especially with the mate bond acting up?


    ¡°You two were made for each other, Neron.¡± Mom reiterated, swishing the pink liquid in her ss. ¡°I know you are distancing from each other for your own sakes, and I hope you don¡¯t think I¡¯m putting any pressure on you.¡±


    both


    ¡°You aren¡¯t, Mom.¡± I held her free hand in my own. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re trying to do. And Nuria, despite her unorthodox ways of approaching things. You two want me to be happy.¡±


    ¡°A mother always strives for the happiness of their children. Kiya is my child too, and I want her happy as well. If Selenc allows it, you both will find your way to one another. If not, then she will grant the happiness you rightfully deserve.¡± She reached up and cupped my cheek. ¡°How is your Foresight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten no visions of Kiya getting hurttely, which I¡¯m thankful for.¡±


    ¡°Pappa said it gets easier to manage over time.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡±


    Chapter 11 The Party


    Mom nodded. ¡°You and Nuria are still very new to it. Give yourself some grace,¡±


    ¡°Is there a chance we could talk to morfar?¡±


    ¡°The thing I hate about calling Norway is the time differences.¡± She scoffed, chuckling to herself. ¡°Yes, I will put in a call in. He¡¯d be d to speak to his grandchildren after so long.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    There was so much to do and so many things to handle.


    And Kiya and I¡¯s time to talk was drawing near.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    ¡°Love may be harder to find in some people, but when they do love you know it must be something marvelous.¡± ¨C Criss Jami


    Kiya


    The partysted until the early morning hours. Guests trickled out into the darkness with fuller stomachs and bigger smiles, while parents carried the sleepy children off to bed. Mom and Dad, of course, drank too much, so they¡¯ve upied the guest room to sleep and sober up. The clean-up was quick and efficient, with the Omegas working like a well-oiled machine. Lead Omega Luli was an absolute angel, ten times better than the wretched Cassandra. I yed with Lupin for a bit before it was time for him to head to his dog bed in themon room to sleep.


    hidden


    Ezekiel and Aunt Essie spoke in m f f le d tones at the front door. I watched in glee from the top of the stairs, behind a wall. They shared a tender kiss goodnight, a fitting end to a magnificent birthday. A thick air of infatuation hovered around my aunt like dense smoke. Her pupils dted and her pink lips stretching to a smile. Goddess, I hope those two end up mating because Aunt Essie deserved love so pure. I made haste back to my room after she shut the front door, not wanting to be discovered.


    In my room, a sudden realization hit me as I removed my makeup and hopped into my pajamas. Neron and I agreed to talk after the party. S**. I exhaled a shaky breath while weaving my hair into two thick braids.


    We have to do this. Can¡¯t avoid this forever.


    I let m y mind wander when I pushed a door open with my palm; the kitchen opening up before my eyes. What will Neron and I talk about? Both of us left our pasts behind when we walked our separate paths, not knowing whether or not we¡¯re going to see each other again. Lives needed to be lived. Wounds needed to heal. Hope needed to be found again.


    We needed to be apart. But we¡¯ve found each other again. Now, what?


    I pulled out a bag of pretzels from one of the lower cupboards, split the top open, and filled a bowl with the salty snack. Walking backward to the fridge, I pulled a bowl of sealed hummus from the back. The gentle scent of chickpeas ticked my nose.


    A light snack for my hungry a**. What else was new?


    I nted my butt on top of the granite kitchen ind, sitting under the fluorescent lighting shining above. I tore open the sealed top of the hummus bowl, dipped a pretzel, and popped it into my mouth. The c r e a m y texture hit my tongue first, followed by the sharp entrance of salt and a satisfying crunch. I breathed in the kitchen air, staled with the aroma of food from the party. The cream-colored walls tinted yellow under the lighting with white enameled cupboards lining below and above the sink and oven. The kitchen used to be a ce of horrors for me, but now it is a weing space.


    I popped another hummus-covered pretzel into my mouth. Smuch has changed. I¡¯ve lost and gained so much. My life was good. Now, Neron and I needed to figure out where we stand in our rtionship. We¡¯ve developed a close friendship as we lived apart, confiding in one another when the obstacles of life became too hard. We talked about our


    Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    ¡°Love may be harder to find in some people, but when they do love you know it must be something marvelous.¡± ¨C Criss fami


    Kiyn


    The partysted until the early morning hours. Guests trickled out into the darkness with fuller stomachs and bigger smiles, while parents carried the sleepy children off to bed. Mom and Dad, of course, drank too much, so they¡¯ve upied the guest room to sleep and sober up. The clean-up was quick and efficient, with the Omegas working like a well-oiled machine. Lead Omega Luli was an absolute angel, ten times better than the wretched Cas


    s a n d r a. I yed with Lupin for a bit before it was time for him to head to his dog bed in themon room to sleep.


    Ezekiel and Aunt Essie spoke in m u f l e d tones at the front door, I watched in glee from the top of the stairs, hidden behind a wall. They shared a tender


    goodnight, a fitting end to a magnificent birthday. A thick air of infatuation hovered around my aunt like dense smoke. Her pupils dted and her pink lips stretching to a smile. Goddess, I hope those two end up mating because Aunt Essie deserved love so pure. I made haste back to my room after she shut the front door, not wanting to be discovered .


    In my room, a sudden realization hit me as I removed my makeup and hopped into my pajamas. Neron and I agreed to talk after the party. S h i t. I exhaled a shaky breath while weaving my hair into two thick braids.


    We have to do this. Can¡¯t avoid this forever.


    S n a t c h i g my phone from my tablemp, I made my way to the kitchen. The hem of my pajama pants tickled the apex of my feet as 1 ambled through the hushed corridors. Silence stilled the air, spliced by the sound of my bare feet pping against the titled floors.


    I let my mind wander when I pushed a door open with my palm; the kitchen opening up before my eyes. What will Neron and I talk about? Both of us left our pasts behind when we walked our separate paths, not knowing whether or not we¡¯re going to see each other again. Lives needed to be lived. Wounds needed to heal. Hope needed to be found


    again.


    We needed to be apart. But we¡¯ve found each other again. Now, what?


    I pulled out a bag of pretzels from one of the lower cupboards, split the top open, and filled a bowl with the salty snack. Walking backward to the fridge, I pulled a bowl of sealed hummus from the back. The gentle scent of chickpeas ticked my nose.


    A light snack for my hungry a s s. What else was new?


    I nted my butt on top of the granite kitchen ind, sitting under the fluorescent lighting shining above. I tore open the sealed top of the hummus bowl, dipped a pretzel, and popped it into my mouth. The c**y texture hit my tongue first, followed by the sharp entrance of salt and a satisfying crunch. I breathed in the kitchen air, staled with the aroma of food from the party. The cream-colored walls tinted yellow under the lighting with white enameled cupboards lining below and above the sink and oven. The kitchen used to be a ce of horrors for me, but now it is a weing space.


    1 popped another hummus-covered pretzel into my mouth much has changed. I¡¯ve lost and gained so much. My life was good. Now, Neron and I needed to figure out where we stand in our rtionship. We¡¯ve developed a close friendship as we lived apart, confiding in one another when the obstacles of life became too hard. We talked about our


    1/6


    +


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    struggles, families, philosophical**t, and so much more. The times we could video chat were the best, but it couldn¡¯t substitute for the real thing. When we had our periods where we didn¡¯t talk, our connection bloomed with a text or a phone call. It refused to fade.


    Would we remain friends for the rest of our lives?


    My heart pounded against my ribcage at the thought. Does he want us to stay friends?


    Do I?


    After a few minutes of waiting, his heady scent floated in from the kitchen doors. Neron was here. My body grew hot. His natural perfume was the match, and my body was the wick, lighting upon contact. I gripped the pretzel bowl until my knuckles turned white. The Alpha was approaching and not a moment too soon.


    Breathe, Kiya. Just breathe.


    A smirk rose on my face when the doors creaked open. Neron emerged from the dark foyer in his pajamas. ¡°It¡¯s about time you showed up. I thought you bailed.¡±


    ¡°Bailing on you? Never.¡± He chuckled, scooting an ind seat closer to the table. ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t waiting long.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± I watched him settle himself in his seat, his veins pulsating in his muscled arms. I offered him my hummus. ¡°Care for some?¡±


    Neron held his hand up. ¡°I¡¯m good. I don¡¯t like hummus and I¡¯m not a big fan of pretzels.¡±


    fell


    ¡°Suit yourself. You¡¯re missing out.¡± I shrugged my shoulders, popping another treat in my mouth. A pregnant pause between us. It couldn¡¯t be more obvious that neither of us knew how to start the conversation. We waited for the other to talk. Seconds turned into minutes.


    Awkward.


    Goosebumps dotted on the exposed skin of my tank top, but I wasn¡¯t cold. In fact, I was undeniably warm. And it was then when I noticed Neron¡¯s eyes on my form. Pensive. Heavy. His eye was likesers on my skin, tracing and marking every curve, scar, and blemish.


    My disorderly mind picked and cradled the memories of the past I couldn¡¯t forget. This was the man who proimed his love for me more times than I can count. He risked his health and safety for me. He died for me. The emotions I felt back then came back at full force.


    Appreciation. Care: Comfort. A small smidgen of guilt. And another emotion I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to voice out loud.


    Three years. Three f**g years.


    ¡°Kwame told me you¡¯re an art teacher here.¡± I pulled my legs up to the ind and crossed them in front of me. ¡°Sounds exciting! How is that going for you?¡±


    ¡°Their attention spans don¡¯tst very long. Neron¡¯s grin stretched from ear to ear, his eyes staring into space in a mncholy trance. ¡°But there is a great joy in teaching them the stroke of a brush. Some I see genuine talent in. The teenagers and young adults? That is a separate challenge altogether.¡±


    2/6


    Chapter 12-The Talk


    ¡°So, you teach everyone?¡±


    ¡°Whoever wants to be taught, yes.¡±


    There was a light that shined as bright as a diamond when Neron spoke about his teaching. I thought back to the paintings in his office and the portrait he made of me three years ago hanging to this day in my room. Such talent he has and now he¡¯s giving it to hismunity. The light brought out the rich blue in his eyes, the shade of happiness and passion. I smiled inwardly as I continued to watch it gleam like the million of stars in our night sky. I didn¡¯t realize how long I¡¯d been staring at him until he asked me a question.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What do you n on doing now that you¡¯ve finished teaching?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, I wasn¡¯t actually teaching but more like assisting,¡± I put my chin on my fist as Ner¨®n leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. His hair fell off his shoulders, brushing against his biceps. ¡°Graduate school is definitely on my to-do list. I won¡¯t be happy until I be a child psychologist, but applications haven¡¯t opened yet.¡±


    ¡°Have you thought about where you want to go?¡±


    ¡°In-state, out of state, I¡¯m not sure. I have my options open. Maybe Colorado?¡±


    ¡°O-oh. Colorado¡­¡± Neron¡¯s eyes rapidly fluttered, his thick eyshes moving like butterfly wings. Blue darted back and forth as his teeth pulled on his upper lip. Pushing himself off the ind, my heart squeezed when the stars in his eyes faded away. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were thinking about moving states.¡±


    ¡°It is an option, but it isn¡¯t anything solid¡­¡± I shouldn¡¯t have talked about it. I wanted to see his eyes shine again. Pushing my snack aside, I turned my body to face his, now rigid. ¡°Does that bother you?¡±


    Neron¡¯s entire body inted with his inhale. He and I were a couple of feet apart, but it felt as though we were inches apart. His heat stretched toward me, grasping at my arms and legs, beckoning to move closer. It¡¯s the f**g bond, I know it. ¡°No, I¡¯m not bothered. Wherever you decide to go, that school will be lucky to have an intelligent woman at


    their institution.¡±


    His tone of voice betrayed his words. Neron spoke with words of pride and encouragement, but his tone sounded defeat. Shame itched its way up my throat, my desire to soothe him jumping out as an outstretched arm. ¡°I know that, but I haven¡¯t decided yet. It¡¯s too early, Neron. Who knows? I might stay in California.¡± I shined a reassuring smile, hoping to ease the blow I unintentionally dished out. ¡°The future hasn¡¯t been written yet. It¡¯s not like I can see into


    it.¡±


    ¡°But I can.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, taken aback. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Neron scratched the back of his head, the corner of his lips quirking up into a tense smile. ¡°I can see into the future, Kiya. Apparently, I always had this ability and didn¡¯t know about it until recently.¡±


    ¡°You con¡­ see into


    the future¡­?¡± I hesitated, still baffled by his admission. ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to magical s h i , but I¡¯m


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    going to need you to exin how, why, when, where, and what.¡±


    For the next couple of minutes, I sat in silence as Neron told me the story of his ancestors. An ancient werewolf and a witch-turned-werewolf. Alva Johansen¡¯s blessings carried through the bloodline, granting generations the gift of sight. Foresight. And Nuria had that power, too.


    I did not see thising.


    ¡°So, you and Nuria are basically psychics?¡±


    Neron smiled, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Yup. I¡¯m still grasping it, believe me.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡± Other than I¡¯m incredibly curious. Neron and Nuria aren¡¯t normal werewolves. Not to the same extent as I was, but it separated them from others. While I¡¯m not psychic myself, an overwhelming urge to help Neron imprisoned me in an iron grip. ¡°Have you had any visions?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± His voice dropped an octave, along with his eyes on hisp. ¡°I¡¯ve had minor ones that havee true, nothing too big. They usually happen when I¡¯m asleep, but I¡¯ve had bigger and more vivid ones. As if I was feeling it in real-time. Those are the scariest.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me about them? Only if you¡¯refortable talking about it, of course.¡± I asked. He raised his head, his eyes searching into the depths of mine. Back in the day, I hated direct eye contact. Now, I¡¯mfortable with it. Blue shaded into the color of apprehension and fear, two emotions I haven¡¯t seen on Neron in a long time.


    I wasn¡¯t prepared for the bombshell he dropped on my head.


    ¡°The scariest visions I¡¯ve had are of you, Kiya. Every single time, you¡¯ve gotten hurt. I had onest week and¡­¡± He sucked in a deep breath. ¡°A giant snake murdered you.¡±


    I pressed my lips together in a thin line. A giant snake. Just like in the spectacle, the goddesses showed Phoebe, Violetta, and I. Just like the snake spirit that attacked me in the museum. And now, Neron was having visions of it.


    I didn¡¯t know what to feel. P**d? Saddened? Conflicted? Confused? Mystical gifts are both a blessing and a curse, being gued by powerful death visions wasn¡¯t something I wished on anyone. Least of all, Neron.


    and


    ¡°Kiya, say something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ thinking. Sorry.¡± I murmured, biting my lip. My eyes darted away for a few seconds before finding his again. ¡°Thank you for telling me. Unfortunately, I¡¯m aware of what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    I told Neron everything I¡¯ve experienced before I came here, right down to what the three goddesses showed me. Surprise and fear crossed his face, but not before shes of anger. His hands clenched in hisp and his breathing became stronger. This wasn¡¯t how I wanted our talk to go; with the revtion of dangering to us again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you again.¡± He spoke. ¡°And you said this beast is a g**d?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is.¡± I dropped my gaze to myp, picking at my nails.


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    ¡°Life is merciless. When you think you finally grasped at peace, it throws a slice of hell at you once again. Testing your resolve and seeing whether or not you¡¯re worthy of peace.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to find a way out of this, Kiya.¡± I lift my head, in awe at the determination crossing his face. ¡°We did it once with Osiris. We can do it again with this snake beast.¡±


    ¡°HR?¡±


    ¡°We. I¡¯m not leaving you alone with this. Since I¡¯ve seen and spoken to it in a dream, I might as well have a hit on me


    too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± I whispered. ¡°It¡¯s because of me you¡¯re tangled in this b**t again.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d dly be tangled up if it meant I can keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°I want you safe, too. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt again like before.¡± Emotion burned in my throat and tears stung my eyes. shes of Neron¡¯s dead body three years ago still haunted my dreams. A heavy reminder of his sacrifice. And I know him well enough that he¡¯ll do it again to protect me.


    Not this time. I¡¯ll protect him, Nuria, and everyone else close to my heart. No one is getting hurt again.


    No one is f**g dying on me again.


    ¡°How can I get hurt if I have a goddess at my side?¡± The corner of Neron¡¯s eyes crinkled with his smile. ¡°Speaking of that, there is something else I wanted to ask you.¡±


    Grateful for the subject change, I shined a smile and nodded. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You know of the Alpha Gathering?¡± I nodded. Anthony talked about it all the time on his semiannual trips, lining up with both the winter and summer solstice. The summer solstice is next week. ¡°Would you like toe with me?¡±


    ¡°You want me to apany you?¡±


    ¡°That or I go alone or take Nuria and develop insomnia for three days.¡±


    Nuria had a ¡®gift¡¯ for waking people up in her own special way. There was a menace hidden underneath her beautiful exterior. I hope Phoebe can tame it.


    It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. I always wanted to know what goes on in these things, and I¡¯d get to be with Anthony and Lyria. ¡°Sure. I¡¯d love to go.¡±


    Neron¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Why not? It seems like fun.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fantastic!¡± He grinned. ¡°Thank you, Kiya!¡± His hand reached toward mine, grasping it in a tight enough grip


    tell me his undying excitement.


    5/6


    Chapter 12 ¨C The Talk


    But, I wished he hadn¡¯t touched me..


    The moment Neron and I touched hands, something exploded between us. Two halves of a single bond shot forward like snakes striking their prey and melded together. Every cell in my bodybusted into tiny mes, molding into an untamed wildfire. I was burning up but soothing at the same time in a whirlwind I couldn¡¯t find purchase in.


    The mate bond healed. It was alive. And it wanted its other half.


    And goddess, it felt so f**g good.


    Neron and


    Janked our hands away like we¡¯d just touch an open me, our eyes holding fear and curiosity. My throat dried up like a prune, viscerally aware of everything about the Alpha.


    It was no longer one-sided. Our bond wanted retribution for the years it was damaged, neglected, and healed. No longer did it want to wait.


    And I wasn¡¯t sure if I could resist it this time.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 13 Want


    ¨C


    ¡°Each of us is born with a box of matches Inside us but we can¡¯t strike them all by ourselves.¡±-Laura Esquivel


    Kiyn


    ¡°Dad, are you sure you¡¯re well enough to drive back home?¡±


    ¡°Mija, I¡¯m fine. Goodness, you fuss over me more than my Abu, bless her soul.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to fuss if you and Mom didn¡¯t get so hammeredst night.¡±


    Dad¡¯s cheeks dusted pink as he adjusted his seatbelt, clipping it in ce. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at Mom!¡± I shouted, gesturing to my unconscious mother in the passenger seat. Her head was angled on the shoulder of her seat, lips parted like a frightened fish, and her hair embracing the look of a f**d capybara. The sunlight highlighted a dribble of drool falling from the side of her lip.


    Whatever was in the champagne knocked her right off her a**N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Dad chuckled, gently straightening his wife¡¯s head, using his thumb to wipe the drool away. ¡°Isn¡¯t she gorgeous?¡±


    1 rolled my eyes heavenward. ¡°Just be careful when you drive home, okay? I don¡¯t want to have to worry.¡±


    Dad¡¯s eyes lingered on me before curving his lips into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry about you, mi rayo de luna. Have confidence in your old man!¡±


    ¡°I have enough confidence to know that we¡¯re never purchasing that type of champagne again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s toote for that. Celeste gave us a few bottles for the ride home.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Dad took advantage of my shock by nting a kiss on my cheek, mming the driver¡¯s door closed, and revving up the engines. I should¡¯ve expected something like this. Mom, Dad, and Aunt Essie are good friends, yet acted like a bunch of unruly teenagers. Always goofing off and out drinking one another. However, a part of me was d that they had fun, shedding the expectations that waited for them back at home.


    No matter how old you get, that goofiness never fades. It waits for you to wee it with open arms, to take it for a ride on the rollercoaster of youth.


    My worries slowly dissipated to mist when my parents¡¯ car drove out of the territory, disappearing behind the wall of tall trees. I puffed a breath from my lips, anchoring my hands on my hips. I¡¯m staying here for two weeks with my family, my best friend, and¡­my¡­


    F**k.


    Neron and I will be around each other for two consecutive weeks, even more so when we travel to Miami for this summer¡¯s Alpha Gathering. I had readily agreed to go with him, but that was before the touch evoked our mate bond.


    1/6


    Chapter 13 ¨C Want


    It¡¯s¡­ scary. Old and new feelings under my skin and Neron was the only one who could tame them. I wanted-no- needed to be closer to him. Everything I¡¯ve wanted with Neron would¡¯ve made me vomit back in the day, wanted nothing more than to experience those things with him.


    but


    now, I


    My body started burning up again. Did I always have these illicit feelings? Were they just waiting for the perfect moment to rise? When I look at Neron, I see more than the Alpha of Onyx Moon. I see potential. Hope. Strength. Resiliency. Desire. It killed me to see him sad or disappointed. It brought me joy to see him happy and carefree. I wanted to protect that.


    Yet, I wanted to see more of him. Know more about him. I wanted to dig deep into his heart and soul and figure out


    what made him tick.


    But the ultimate question remained. Was I ready for any of this?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I take over for a bit?¡± Artemis¡¯ soothing voice suggested. ¡°You need a thinking break.¡±


    ¡°Have I been thinking too hard?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s giving me a headache.¡±


    I shook my head,ughing under my breath. ¡°Alright. Have fun.¡±


    Artemis


    I walked into the maple-scented forest, sitting on the roots of an arbitrary tree, folding one leg over the other. Some


    of hair, I bugs jumped aside, scurrying along the ground to find a safe ce to go. Twisting a finger around a lock pulled it in front of my view, the white color glowing under the dotted sunlight. After reaching goddesshood, whenever Kiya and I swapped control, our hair color changed from ck to white. I didn¡¯t mind it, as it was easier for others to know who was speaking. The coils snapped back once released. I leaned my head back against the tree bark, closing my eyes, and breathing in the crisp, clean air.


    There was no escaping this. The mate bond has been reborn, and it¡¯s sucking my human and me into its trenches. Kiya continued to dangle on the cliff of sensibility, terrified of falling. She holds on for as tight and as long as she could. I understood why-she¡¯s scared. The mate bond exposes vulnerability in hopes the mate would cradle with care. For years, she was the one cradling that piece of her heart, so handing it off to someone else was terrifying.


    However, I wasn¡¯t in the same state she was.


    When Neron and Kiya touchedst night, the bond connected Onyx to me. Through it, deep in the background of my human¡¯s mind, I felt Onyx¡¯s excitement. His desire. His hope, He wanted this more than anyone. Onyx was overjoyed to get a sliver of connection with me when, before, it was impossible. Our connection would strengthen if we fully mate, both us and our humans. It was solely through touch and swapping control was when we couldmunicate with one another. See one another. Hold one another.


    My lips still burned from the kiss we shared three years ago.


    And I wanted that again.


    2/6


    Chapter 13 ¨C Want


    That made this situationplicated. Onyx wants me. After ruminating for years, I knew Onyx was the only wolf I wanted. No one else ever came close. That was my honest-to-goddess truth. That huge, serious, protective, and silly puppy was the d m n puppy I wanted for myself.


    But I won¡¯t jeopardize my rtionship with my human because of my selfishness. Kiya was aware of how I felt and encouraged me to pursue what I wanted. While I¡¯m loyal to a fault, she has to take that step forward with me before I


    run.


    Until then, I¡¯m staying put.


    Just like the person in front of me when I grabbed their nose and pinched. Hard. My eyes were still closed, but I


    couldn¡¯t mask my vexation.


    ¡°Sneaking up on a woman while she¡¯s trying to rx is a guaranteed death sentenc ¡°Unless you want to lose your nose, I wouldn¡¯t rmend doing this again.¡±


    I reprimanded, pinching harder.


    ¡°Ow, okay! I¡¯ll make it up to you if you¡¯ll let me go. An apology for my transgressions, one might say.¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not convinced.¡± The person howled in pain, heavy hands wrapping around my wrists when I pinched down to the cartge. ¡°You can do better than that, can you?¡±


    ¡°F u c k i n g hell, woman. I won¡¯t be able to if I¡¯m noseless! Neron will demand my head on a guillotine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Fair enough.¡± I let go. I was blessed with the sight of Onyx rubbing his reddened nose when I opened my eyes, stifling a giggle in my throat. ¡°Clever using the Anti-Spray to disguise your scent. It¡¯ll serve you well on the battlefield, but not with me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± Onyx grumbled, sniffling.


    ¡°I can be, just not when my quiet time is disturbed.¡±


    Pushing myself off the ground, I didn¡¯t have the chance to dust the dirt off my pants when my world spun on its axis. ¡°Whoa!¡± Onyx spun me around in aplete circle, pushed me up against the tree bark, and eliminated the distance between us. He pressed his forehead on mine, anchoring hisrge hands on my waist as if they were meant to be there. Memories from our cavorting in the forest rushed in. I raised my lips in a smirk, sinking into his deep pools of gold as our breaths mingled as one.


    His lips were inches from mine. Oh, Goddess.


    ¡°I refuse to leave until I bring a smile on your face.¡± His e w hisper, riddled with emotions, shot thunderbolts to my core. His touch and epassing presence engulfed me in an endless sea of excitement. Unconsciously, I pressed my thighs together. ¡°Allow me to make it up to you, my sweet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to show me how repentant you are, Alpha.¡± I challenged, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Then, maybe, I¡¯ll grant


    you that chance.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the golds flickering to ck. It was so quick. If blinked, I would¡¯ve missed it. Onyx closed the distance between our lips, his breathingboring. Mine did too. To my chagrin, I¡¯ve dreamed and hoped for the day we¡¯d kiss again. My little secret that Kiya didn¡¯t know about.


    Chapter 13 ¨C Want


    Centimeters apart, our lips would¡¯ve molded together like two puzzle pieces if he hadn¡¯t pulled away at thest


    second. His chuckle caressed my ears when he stepped back, rising toughter when he spotted the disappointment on


    my face.


    A s s o e.


    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± He spoke. ¡°There is something I want to show you. It¡¯s a bit of a walk, but we¡¯d get there quicker


    in our true forms.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And where is this ce?¡± And why wasn¡¯t it between my legs?


    Yikes! Control yourself, Artemis.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to see and find out.¡±


    I let out a loud groan. ¡°Fine. You and your a n secrets.¡±


    Onyx¡¯s face rose with his grin, s k i p i n g behind a giant tree to strip and shift. I swore I heard a low humming. Keeping my chuckles to myself, I stripped behind a tree and shifted into my wolf form. Onyx and I met at the center, rubbing his nose against a sensitive part of my neck. The part that would bore a mate mark one day. I shuddered, butting his head from me.


    He¡¯s going to be the death of me.


    Onyx took off down a rocky path, and I followed not too far behind him. Whatever he wanted to show me, he was excited for, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see it. After a couple of minutes of hopping over earthy debris, he led me to a massive cliff. Onyx slowed to a stop and gestured with his head for me to look down. Cautiously, I ambled toward the edge and looked down.


    And what I saw was absolutely stunning.


    A waterfall! The scent of water blended with earth and flora tickled my snout. This world had many hidden gems, and this was one of them. I looked at Onyx, who sat on his rear, waiting for my response.


    I growled in approval.


    Soon after, Onyx led me down another rocky path that brought me closer to the waterfall. The sounds of rushing water grew louder the closer we got. It was one thing to look at the water from above, but from below? There aren¡¯t enough words in the dictionary to describe the beauty, Grass and flowers crushed beneath our paws, walking closer to the river.


    Many sensations rushed through my body. Boundless joy. Childlike curiosity. Excitement. Before I knew it, I shifted back into human form, ignoring the fact I was stark naked, and leaped into the cold water. The river swallowed me whole, appearing deeper than I originally thought. A couple of fish zipped past my nose. My feet brushed against rock and lush vegetation, the stems of water lilies sprouting toward the surface, blossoming above. Beauty lies both above and below the surface.


    I rose from the water when my lungs burned for air, flipping my hair to my back. The sun peeked behind the clouds, enhancing the glitters embedded in the ripples. ¡°Onyx, this ce is beautiful. Thank you for showing-¡±


    Onyx wasn¡¯t at the riverbank. In fact, he wasn¡¯t anywhere. Concerned, I darted my head in all directions in hopes to


    4/6


    Chapter 13 Want


    spot a tuff of ck fur but found nothing. The water sloshed around my hips, rushing between my legs without care. I waded toward the riverbank, shaking my head. ¡°I really hope that dumb puppy didn¡¯t leave me here alone¡­¡±


    Oh, how wrong I was.


    In seconds, something seized at my ankles and yanked me b backward into the river, my body cutting through the innocent water lilies. I shrieked and iled my arms around, thinking someone attacked me until the familiar warmth grabbed my wrists. The water obscured my vision, but I saw Onyx¡¯s s i t eating grin as clear as day. S n a t c h i n g one of my wrists back, I punched him in the arm, his smile turning into a wince.


    ¡°Guess I deserved that.¡±


    ¡°You deserved that and more!¡± I shook my linger in his face. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that! I couldn¡¯t hurt you!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me, angel.¡± Onyx winked.


    Heat rushed to my cheeks. ¡°You don¡¯t want a demonstration, puppy. Not here in the river when we both-!¡±


    My eyes maneuvered from his face to where the water cut off his form just below his waist, revealing the dangerous vee of his thighs that led to¡­ his forbidden ared. Water droplets rained from his bulging muscles, from his ridiculously long hair, and his sharp chin. Sunlight hit him from behind, haloing his naked form like he was a deity blessed by the king of the g o d s himself. Many of his scars had faded, but I could still see them if I looked closely.


    All words expired on my tongue. My mouth went dry. His hand was secured around my wrist, his thumb now massaging my radial pulse. His lips arched into a smile that shot more thunderbolts to my core, his half-lidded eyes peering into my shivering soul. My heart was racing, and he felt it.


    The water was chilly, but the heat between us burned fiercer than moltenva.


    I m**d a squeal when his brawny arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me toward his body. The bond went crazy, writhing like a dog in heat and bursting with firecracker-like explosions underneath my skin. Onyx brought my wrist up to his mouth and kissed each digit, his lips lingering on my ring finger. His lips traveled from my fingers to my palm, down to my wrist.


    He nipped the thin skin over my pulse with his teeth, my body jolting against his. That movement alone made me aware of his hardened arousal pressing against my lower stomach.


    Oh, sweet Selene¡­


    ¡°Your scent is driving me crazy.¡± Onyx¡¯s arm trembled against my flesh, his fingers syed against hip, digging into


    mind¡¯s the supple flesh. His entire body buckled against mine as he grunted, closing his eyes, and exhaling heavily. M first thought was that he was hurt, but I knew this reaction. Kiya did it all the time. Onyx was resisting something. holding himself back. ¡°Goddess, I love you so much.¡±


    ¡°Onyx¡­¡± I whispered, flexing my fingers. The hand closest to his face cupped his cheek, his eyes flying open. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    He gifted me with a dazzling smile, shaking his head and pressing his lips against my palm again. ¡°Nothing to worry your pretty little head about. It is overwhelming having you this close.¡± 5/6


    Chapter 13-Want


    ¡°You make it sound like a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°It truly isn¡¯t, my sweet.¡± His eyes bore into mine. Hented. Smoldering. ¡°I much prefer this, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    ¡°I guess you can say I¡¯m overwhelmed too.¡± I smiled, exhaling a shaky breath. ¡°This is very intimate and¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything unless you explicitly tell me to.¡± Onyx released my wrist, pushing wet strands of my hair behind my car. Electricity hummed through me, sweet yet potent. ¡°But you and Kiya need to be onboard if you both chose to


    ept us or not.¡±


    If you both chose to ept us or not. both chose to entus


    And I don¡¯t know when that¡¯ll be, if ever. I don¡¯t voice my thoughts, but nod in my silence. Wherever Kiya goes, I go, but I don¡¯t know if I would or want to leave Onyx.


    But that is another thought for another day. I didn¡¯t want to ruin this moment between us,


    ¡°May I request a kiss from you, Onyx?¡±


    Hisrge hands cupped both my cheeks. He leaned down and brushed his nose against mine. ¡°How can I say no to such a sweet request?¡±


    Our lips met in a sweet unison that made the angels in heaven sing. I felt so warm that it surprised me that the surrounding water didn¡¯t boil. Onyx picked me up and carried me to the riverbank, my arms secure around his neck and my legs locked around his waist. Thest kiss we shared was passionate, almost hurried, and sinful. This kiss was gentle with the embers of our me stoking our strongest desires.


    It was all I could take for today.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 14 ¨C Shame


    ¡°We can endure all kinds of pain. It¡¯s shame that eats men whole.¡±-Leigh Bardugo


    Kiya


    Shame was a soul-eating emotion I¡¯ve carried for a long time. Unintentional at best, intentional at worse. In my darkest days, shame was mypanion, swaddling me in bothfort and pain. Releasing that shame shined light on the rest of my days. It didn¡¯t control me anymore. Life was too short and prosperous for it to s**h my light away.


    Unfortunately, shame has entered my life again. Not for what I¡¯ve done in the past or the words I¡¯ve said, but for bing this imprable wall for the being I love more than life itself. When Artemis told me about her encounter with Onyx, joy burned in my chest like a heat rub over sore muscle. But shame burned like a freshly made bruise. I wanted to be happy for my wolf, but I couldn¡¯t be because we both knew there was one thing standing in her way of getting Onyx.


    Me.


    Artemis loves Onyx. She wants to be with him. Her devotion to me was stronger than the bond she held with her mate, and I hated it. Once again, I¡¯m reminded of how devastating cruel two distinct desires can pull at a person-one of love and one of loyalty. Artemis sacrificed her own desires andfort to ensure mine. Wherever I go, she followed. Whenever I fight, she fought at my side. My wolf wouldn¡¯t hesitate to throw her life down for me.


    Who am I to hold her back? Who am I to stop her from pursuing what she wants? If she wants Onyx, she should have him without my approval.


    Nuria dragged me by the arm inside a bustling shopping mall. Washington Square, one of the most populous malls in Pornd. She rambled on about how I needed a dress for the banquet portion of the Alpha Gathering and how I needed to make the alphas and lunas ¡®writhe in jealousy¡¯, but my mind was in another world. The scent of fresh, clean clothing couldn¡¯t pull me back to reality.


    I¡¯m a coward. A f**g coward. If I could spend the rest of my life avoiding rtionships, I would. But I couldn¡¯t ignore the ache inside my heart-the longing for someone to cradle it as I had for my entire life. To wrap it up in a security nket in love¡¯s embrace. Exposing that part of my heart was as perilous as walking into a war zone. All it takes is for a stray bullet to threaten its entire livelihood.


    I¡¯banked on that. I watched my friends and family get into longsting, loving rtionships that tickled me green. From sweet kisses to proposals to enormous marriages, I¡¯ve seen it all. Sapphire and Isaiah are about to wee their first-born son. Jackie and Abigail married two years ago, now bearing the responsibility of raising Aisha, Galen and Mikhail are amid nning their own wedding. Darien and Mara¡¯s bond was so powerful that marriage and adoption were in the future. Phoebe and Nuria are sure to be an item.


    My day wasing. My time wasing. But I¡¯m too d**n scared to take the first step.


    My options were open; I could mate with anyone I wanted to, but none of them were who or what I wanted. Both humans and werewolves pursued me, but I nipped that s*t in the bud before it blossomed. There was no one I trusted enough to protect my heart.


    No one¡­ Except one.


    10


    Chapter 14 ¨C Shame


    How much longer will Neron wait for me? He¡¯s rified that he only has eyes for me. His desire rests in my hands. Through all the s**t we¡¯ve been through, through all the ** I put him through, his love refused to waver. Neron looks at me like I¡¯m a walking goddess and his smile was enough to knock the panties off of a gal.


    Could I love him? Do I love him?


    I think


    ¡°Youch!¡± I yelped, pping Nuria¡¯s hand away. ¡°Did you have to pinch me that hard?¡±


    ¡°Um, yeah?¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I called your name three times, but you didn¡¯t answer. And it was I either pinch you on the arm or on the a**.¡±


    I rubbed the ache on my arm. ¡°Something tells me you would¡¯ve preferred thetter.¡±


    Nuria responded with a wink and a finger gun before turning to a rack of colorful dresses. She hummed a nameless tune as she pushed through her options, sparing me asional nces and head shakes. ¡°These won¡¯t do. We need a dress that can entuate your curves.¡±


    My face scrunched into a grimace. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°To show everyone that they can¡¯t have what you have.¡± Her high-pitched giggle drowned out the screeching of the sliding coat hangers.


    ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    ¡°A body blessed with the touch of Selene.¡± Nuria¡¯s eyebrows rose skyward. ¡°All those single Alphas are going to drool


    all over you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to avoid that,¡± I replied, rubbing the back of my neck.


    ¡°True. Neron might kill them all, anyway.¡± Before I could protest, she called on one of the store¡¯s workers, Caroline, to show us a better array of dresses. The brte led deeper us into the store where rows and rows of c**l dresses lined the walls and circr racks. Nuria¡¯s eyes lit up like Christmas lights as she hunted for the perfect dress for me. I idled behind her, shaking my head at every option she picked out.


    ¡°You¡¯re so picky.¡± My friend grumbled, crossing her arms. ¡°I thought the dress with the deep neckline was an excellent -fit!¡±


    ¡°¡­I like to keep my breasts contained. And I can¡¯t wear a bra with that!¡±


    ¡°Okay, what types of necklines do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°Halter, off shoulder, sweetheart¡­¡± Anything to prevent maximum spige.


    ¡°Hmm. We can work with that.¡± Nuria suddenly grinned, reaching out and grasping my shoulders. ¡°You know, I¡¯m d you¡¯re going with Neron this year. He¡¯s not fond of the Alpba-Gatherings.¡±


    It sparked my curiosity like a match. ¡°Really? Couldn¡¯t he just opt out of going this year?¡±


    217


    Chapter 14 ¨C Shame


    ¡°There is a weird rule that you have to rule as Alplun for five years or more to opt-out of attending. Neron has been


    Alpha for three years, not counting his time with Zircon Moon.¡± Nuria turned back to the dress racks, fingering with a maroon dress. ¡°The gatherings are prime time for gaining and solidifying new and old alliances. There is always something new each meeting, whether it be a recent marriage or conflicts spilling onto the banquet floor.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I curled a finger under my chin. ¡°Is he treated well?¡±


    ¡°Not by all.¡± Nuria exhaled a heavy sigh. ¡°Veteran Alphins love to pick on the ¡®newer¡¯ ones, no matter how old they are. I¡¯ve seen it. Neron keeps calm when faced with disrespect, but sometimes I want to rip the balls off of those old men. My brother is doing his best.¡±


    A sh of anger rocketed through me. If I was in Neron¡¯s shoes, I wouldn¡¯t want to go if I was expecting disrespect. Unfortunately, not every Alpha is like him and Anthony. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a crock of b**t. They¡¯re hazing new alphas for


    what reason?¡±


    My best friend blinked, surprise shing on her youthful face. ¡°I wish I knew, but men are d**k*s. Figuratively and literally. I would tell you more, but it¡¯s not my ce. The only thing I can say is that having you there would do him some good, maybe boost his confidence a little.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°I know so.¡±


    Now, I don¡¯t regret agreeing to apany Neron to the gathering, because I would throw down my honor to ensure he¡¯s respected. Alphas are to help each other up, not put each other down. Power is a temptress and having such a title equated to being king. It can go straight to someone¡¯s head if they aren¡¯t careful. Experienced or not, I¡¯m kicking the a** of anyone who tries to disrespect him in my presence.


    The need to defend Neron is strong. Whether it ising from my own feelings or the mate bond, I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m grateful that it¡¯s here.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    A fl a shed in my peripheral. I turned my head to see a stunning off-shoulder dress hanging two rows above other dress racks. Nuria followed my line of sight and grinned. We asked Caroline to fetch us the dress, and I went to try it on. When Nuria came into my dressing room, her eyes scanned me up and down, a cartoonish wolf-whistle leaving her lips.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner!¡± She leaned against the wall by the shoulder. ¡°That color looks so good against yourplexion. If I wasn¡¯t Phoebe¡¯s, I¡¯d s*h y*ou up as mine.¡±


    I shook my head, unable to hide my grin. ¡°And you¡¯d have to fight your brother.¡±


    ¡°I can kick his a**.¡± Nuria scoffed, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Phoebe, too.¡±


    ¡°She can kick my


    Iughed, admiring the dress through my reflection. It entuated my every curve from my chest down to my legs. The fabric exposed enough skin to leave the rest to the imagination, even with the seductive slip on my left leg. Fake diamonds sprinkled my waistline and theteral curvature of my breasts.


    3/7


    Chapter 14 Shame


    I feel like I was plucked fresh from the tanzanite mines.


    ¡°You look like a gem.¡±


    ¡°I feel like a gem.¡±


    Neron


    ¡°The shipment of weaponry will arrive here noter than tomorrow afternoon. My best men will make the delivery.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Your point of contact will be Beta Valerian. He sure to check in with him in order to be granted entrance.¡±


    ¡°And when will you deploy your carpenters?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡± I arched an eyebrow, looking up from my mass array of documents. ¡°I assume their room and


    board are in order?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Nothing less from our partnership.¡± Bitterness aligned with Wystan¡¯s tone as he bit the inside of his cheek. I felt a headacheing through. My allyship with the Iron Stone Pack has proven beneficial to the lives of my wolves. Thanks to Ezekiel, Wystan¡¯s father, their help was partly responsible for the rapid settling of Onyx Moon. Now, three yearster, he and my mother are in a long-term rtionship.


    And that was where Wystan¡¯s disdain for mees from.


    His scruffy, almost boyish dark hair gave way to his youth, along with his sharp hazel eyes that failed to hide his disdain. His white tee underscored his hazelnutplexion, harking back to his Native American ancestry. While his acrimony was understandable, it wasn¡¯t enough to break our allyship.


    But it doesn¡¯t make it any less irritating to deal with.


    ¡°So.¡± He spoke, folding one leg over the other. ¡°Who are you taking to the Alpha Gathering this year? Your sister, again?¡±


    I clenched my jaw. I still remember his incessant pursuit of Nuria until she came out as a lesbian. Part of me was ecstatic that he left her alone after that or else I would¡¯ve done something I¡¯d regret. ¡°Not this year, much to your


    chagrin.¡±


    ¡°There is no shame in attending alone, Neron.¡± He smirked. I rolled my eyes heavenward.


    ¡°Much like yourself? Still haven¡¯t found a woman to call your own?¡±


    Wystan¡¯s eyes sharpened, his spine going erect. Ah, I¡¯ve hit a sort spot. ¡°Not¡­ yet. She is out there, and I won¡¯t stop until I find her.¡°


    ¡°May Selene bless her with the patience to deal with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you insinuating that I¡¯m hard to work with?¡±


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    Chapter 14 ¨C Shame


    Yes. ¡°No. But m


    I remind you that flirting your way through the women of my pack is unbing? You¡¯re lucky I haven¡¯t banned you off my property.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re any better. I¡¯ve yet to see a woman on your arm, given your age.¡±


    I bit my lip to stifle my response. Alphas typically are mated and have one or two children by the time they¡¯re my age.


    At twenty-nine years old, it is seen as¡­ strange. A rarity. Wystan is a year and a half my junior, so he wasn¡¯t fairing any better. Unlike him, I have someone to call my own.


    If she allows me to, that is.


    ¡°What¡¯s your story?¡± My fellow Alpha asked. He folded his hands on my desk, leaning in with interest. ¡°Lost your game? Punished by our Moon Goddess? Of all the times I¡¯ve seen you, the only women hanging off your arm are your


    mother and sister.¡±


    ¡°My personal life is none of your business, Wystan.¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s a little touchy.¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s going to end with his head off his shoulders.¡± Onyx snarled in my head, but I ignore him. My saving grace came with a knock on the office door. It wasn¡¯t one of my men, that¡¯s for sure. When one works as Alpha for so long, you learn which knocks belong to who.


    Kiya¡¯s head popped in with a grin and my heart grew wings. ¡°Am I interrupting anything?¡±||


    ¡°No, of course e not. Come in.¡±


    Kiya approached my desk with a mani folder at hand and shopping bags in another. Wystan stared up at her like a child seeing the moon for the first time, eyes t**g and jaw agape. Onyx growled low, I bristled in my seat. ¡°Kwame asked me to take this up to you. Something about Naomi going missing?¡±


    Poor Kwame. I chuckled, taking the folder from her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kiya. Naomi disappears twice a week. She¡¯s probably hiding in the yroom.¡± I gestured my chin to her bags. ¡°Nuria spared no expense, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Yep. She used your tinum credit card to make it happen.¡±


    Iswear to Selene that little **t is going to drive me to an early grave.


    Shaking my head, I pinched the bridge of my nose. Nuria must¡¯ve swiped my card from my wallet when I wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°Tis alright. Did you have fun?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I brought a dress for the banquet part of the gathering and¡­¡± She bit her lip, darting her eyes away from mine.


    ¡°L¡­ think you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    Kiya could dress in a brown paper bag, and I¡¯d love it. But I didn¡¯t miss Wystan¡¯s eyes brightening with purpose. S**t. He knows now that Kiya is apanying me, and I didn¡¯t like that. Not one bit. When she turned to leave, Wystan stopped her by grabbing her wrist, I almost leaped out of my seat when his thumb ghosted over her pulse.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill him! Get his hands off my mate!¡± Onyx bellowed. Ever since his canoodling with Artemis, he¡¯s be more and more¡­ possessive. And it¡¯s slowly bleeding into me.


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    Chapter 14 ¨C Shame


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± Wystan shined his award-winning smile. Kiya wasn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°How unfortunate that hase to an end.¡± She replied tly. ¡°And it¡¯s impolite to touch a woman you aren¡¯t acquainted with.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, dear.¡± He still hasn¡¯t let her go, only moving his hand to hold hers. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you here before. And believe me, I would¡¯ve noticed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Ga Moon, not this pack.¡± She arched an eyebrow. ¡°And do you use that tired one-liner on every woman


    you meet?¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± He blinked. ¡°I never expected such fire from a beautiful woman.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll burn you to crisp if you don¡¯t let me go in five seconds.¡±


    G**n, I f**g love her.


    Wystan giggled to himself, releasing Kiya before the allotted time was up. ¡°Well, I know now you¡¯ll be at the Gathering.¡± He shot her a wink. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, Miss Kiya.¡±


    ¡°Lovely.¡± She muttered under her breath. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around, Neron.¡± And with that, she left my office. Wystan grinned from ear to ear, turning to me with astonishment.


    ¡°What¡¯s a gorgeousss like her walking around unimed?¡± He asked. I could feel my veins throbbing with anger and Onyx revving up for an attack. ¡°If I was her mate, I would never let her walk around without my mark.¡±


    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t,¡± I replied,ing off harsher than expected. ¡°Kiya is my friend.¡± S**, that hurt to say. ¡°She¡¯s a guest on mynds and Alpha Anthony entrusted me with her safety. I expect you to treat her with respect.¡±


    Wystan c**d his head to the side. ¡°No need to be so harsh, Neron. I won¡¯t hurt the lovelydy, but she¡¯s a catch:1, most definitely, will be the lure.¡±


    Bold m**r.


    My nails dug into the armrests of my chair, lengthening with the purpose of teaching Wystan his ce. Onyx was more than ready to burst out and attack, but I held him back. If he knew the truth of Kiya and I¡¯s rtionship, he¡¯ll never let me live it down and it¡¯ll give him more incentive to im her.


    I can¡¯t do this. I¡¯m not a f**g testosterone-filled caveman. Kiya can handle and protect herself fine. A beauty like her has many admirers, and that number will skyrocket at the Gathering. Yet, the green-eyed monster in me refused to


    settle.


    Our meeting ended not a moment after, and I entrusted two guards to escort the Alpha off mynds. Leaning back in my chair, I groaned, covering my face as unbridled shame settled in my stomach.


    How will I survive the Gathering without decapitating everyone who looks at Kiya the wrong way?


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s simple! All you have to do is-


    I¡¯ve never mmed down a m n t a l block so fast.

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 15 ¨C Sentimentality


    ¡°She, who prided herself on her tough exterior, could always be undone by the beauty of flight.¡±-Alice Hoffman


    ¦ª?¦Í¦Á


    I zipped up my purple suitcase after stuffing thest of my body soaps inside. Neron and I were leaving for the Alphat Gathering this morning, and I was nervous. I didn¡¯t know what to expect once wend, but Neron knew these things like the back of his hand. The only thing I have to ensure was to keep my cool and keep everyone else at arm¡¯s length, especially with my newest pursuer, Wystan.


    I shuddered at the lingering feeling of his hand on my wrist.


    My saving grace was my older brother and sister were going to be there. Lyria had been so busy taking care of Alexi, her son, and she¡¯s expecting her second. I couldn¡¯t wait to see her again.


    Nuria sat in a chair next to my vanity table. She propped an elbow up, resting her chin against her hand while staring at her reflection. I pulled my small ck backpack from under my bed and tossed it beside my suitcase. I nced at the back of my friend¡¯s head. A d m n statue could¡¯ve reced the woman and I wouldn¡¯t know because she hadn¡¯t moved an inch while I was packing. Her ebony silkid limp against her back, dulling under the light. And she looked exhausted. There was no excitement or mischievousness, just foreboding silence.


    Who the hell is this woman and what has she done to my best friend?


    ¡°Nuri?¡± I asked, but met with more silence. Concern pinched at my nerves. I called her name again. Nothing. Walking over to her, I pressed my palm against her back. Nuria jumped and blinked rapidly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± She looked up at me, her features softening. ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Nuria, are you okay? You¡¯ve been zoning out for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡± Nuria pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning. ¡°There has been a lot on my mindtely, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°You had me worried there.¡± I grabbed a chair from the desk and slid it next to her. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t want to ruin your day.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not ruining it.¡± I tried my best to give her one of my dazzling smiles, hoping to appease whatever stress gued her. ¡°You know you can talk to me about anything.¡±


    Nuria¡¯s eyes glistened with unshed tears. She blew out a heavy sigh filled with trepidation, cupped my hands, and squeezed them with her own. She opened her mouth, but closed it again, shaking her head. ¡°What time is your flight?¡±


    I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Um¡­in about three hours?¡±


    ¡°You should get going. It¡¯s better to be early than on time.¡± I sat, confused, when Nuria rose out of her seat and made her way to my bed without looking back. She hauled my bagm her shoulder and pulled my suitcase off the bed by the retractable handle. A heavy thuphp echoed when the wheels hit the floor. ¡°I know lover boy is waiting for you. Best not keep him waiting.¡±


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    Chapter 15 ¨C Sentimentality


    Something was going on, and Nuria didn¡¯t want to tell me.


    This woman oozed nothing but high-octane energy, ready to take the world by storm. There was a much softer side to Nuria that not everyone gets the privilege to see, shielded by the wall of her Alpha exterior. Nuria can act like a child, think, to make up for her lost childhood, but when ites time for her to buckle down, she¡¯s just as formidable as her brother. Nuria is the Alpha Female by birth and by reputation.


    But I¡¯ve never seen her this afraid, Withdrawn. Avoidant. It¡¯s an insult to her vitality. I wanted to shake her, to remind her that if she needed a listening ear, I was here. In defeat, I hopped on my heels and removed my backpack from her shoulder, recing it with mine.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s not keep him waiting¡±


    I locked my bedroom door behind us, stuffing the keys in my pant pocket. We made our way down the hallway toward the stairs, descending each step in silence. Some Omegas were dusting and sweeping around us, ignorant to the dark cloud hanging over my friend. When we reached the door, Nuria stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked again, despite knowing she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Is Phoebe a trained fighter?¡±


    I didn¡¯t blink for a solid minute. What a hell of a question to ask out of nowhere. ¡°Well¡­ not in the sense that I am.¡± I began, folding my arms in front of me. ¡°She can fight, but it is more with her magic than physical if that makes any


    sense.¡±


    ¡°So, its like if a soldier prefers to fight with weapons as opposed to bare knuckles?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a preference for Phoebe. It is a necessity.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Nuria droned, her eyes hardening. ¡°If she were to get attacked by a rogue, for example, she¡¯d defend herself without help?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What Phoebecks in the physical, she makes up in the mystical.¡± I eyed my friend with suspicion, crossing my arms under my chest. ¡°Where are you going with this?¡±


    ¡°I need to get a sense of how I should protect her, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I see.¡±


    Phoebe gets underestimated a lot because of her quiet and elusive exterior. But, simr to Nuria, if she needs to fight, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to conjure up a spell or two. I got a taste of what she could really do when we fought Osiris for thest time. I didn¡¯t know she could manipte fire before that. Nuria regarded me with a heavy look, nodding in satisfaction before she exhaled.


    ¡°Nuria, it¡¯s natural to worry about someone you care a lot about.¡±


    ¡°I-I know that.¡± Nuria avoided my gaze, her cheeks dusted pink. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be a good idea to ask, anyway. Phoebe is¡­ important to me. And I want to ensure that she¡¯s safe at all times.¡±


    ¡°She lives in the most powerful pack of California.¡± Iughed. ¡°Even her breathing is protected.¡±


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    Chapter 15 ¨C Sentimentality


    Blue eyes lit up with her chuckling. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Her hand turned the doorknob, pushing the front door open. There was more Nuria was hiding, but I didn¡¯t push. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll tell me when she¡¯s ready. Those two are destined for each other and Nuria, growing sentimental at the thought of her, was cute.


    Aunt Essie stood in front of Neron, patting his cheeks before pinching them. Neron grimaced, batting her hands away as Nuria and I approached. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be fine. You do this every time I travel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so a mother cannot worry about her son when he¡¯s traveling across the country?¡± She put her fists to her hips. ¡°Is that what it is? You¡¯ve outgrown your own mother?¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Neron panicked, nearly dropping his suitcase handle. ¡°Do you always have to be so melodramatic?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s in my DNA.¡± His motherughed, pinching his cheek again. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be fine, but I¡¯ll always worry about you, no matter what. I still remember the days where I changed your diapers or when you¡¯d cling to my dress


    when scared.¡±


    The image conjured up in my head was so adorable.


    He noticed my smile. Neron looked as if he wanted to crawl into a hole and perish. ¡°Is it your duty to embarrass me,


    too?¡±


    Nuria snorted. ¡°Please, you do enough of that on your own.¡±


    ¡°Now, Nuria.¡± Aunt Essie warned. Neron shot his sister a re, but she shrugged her shoulders, sticking her tongue out at him. Lupin barked and trotted to my side,


    him behind the ears while he howled ang his snout into my calf. I bent down on one knee and scratched


    my face.


    ¡°You¡¯re growing sentimental, Mom,¡± Neron said, his serious tone betraying his smile. Aunt Essie smiled, cupped his son¡¯s cheek, and leaned in to kiss it. I swear Neron melted a tad.


    ¡°I might be.¡± Sheughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling with her smile. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my baby boy, no matter how old you get.¡±


    Valerian inspected his ck mustang, revving it to check the status of both the engine and the gas tank. He mmed the driver¡¯s side door, pulling our attention to him. ¡°Everything is good to go. Whenever you¡¯re ready, Nero.¡±


    He¡¯ll be escorting us to the airport. Neron and I worked to push our suitcases and bags into the car¡¯s trunk, mming it shut. Lori and Kwame walked over and handed us paper bags of snacks for the ride, wishing us a safe and productive trip. Adonis, Orchid, and Naomi saw us off with their parents; grumpy that we¡¯re leaving but smiled when told it was only for three days.


    Before we hopped in the car, Nuria drew me into a tight hug and whispered, ¡°Bring me back a key chain.¡±


    ¡°Why a key chain?¡±


    ¡°Just because.¡± She winked before releasing me. She turned to her brother. ¡°You better protect Kiya or I¡¯m kicking your


    255.


    ¡°As if you need a reason to do so.¡± Neron scoffed, crossing his bulging arms in front of his chest. Rivers of blue streaked under his tanned skin, from his biceps to his fingers. My fingers itched to trace every single vein, curious of


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    Chapter 15 ¨C Sentimentality


    how he¡¯ll react. Would he jump or quiver under my touch? Would he like it? The rush of heat through my body from the thought made me gulp.


    G o d a n.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯re not getting a hug.¡±


    ¡°You were never going to give me one, anyway.¡±


    ¡°F k no.¡±


    Raina ambled over to kiss her husband¡¯s cheek while Neron and 1 hopped into the back seat. The Onyx Moon crew saw us off as the car left the territory onto the road to Pornd International Airport. I rummaged through the paper bag and immediately satiated my hunger with the snack bars, mini-sandwiches, and juice-my chewing resounding in the car¡¯s silence, save for the music on the radio.


    ¡°I see your appetite hasn¡¯t changed.¡± I could tell Neron was amused by his low chuckling. Rolling my eyes, I poked him in the shoulder after finishing my juice bottle. His chuckling grew as he batted my hand away. I neither confirmed nor denied that fact; I¡¯ll just let my stomach do the talking.


    The sunlight captured something ck on Neron¡¯s wrist. I blinked, squinting my eyes to get a better view. When I did, my heart leaped over a tall building in a single bound. My cheeks red in heat and my breathing shallowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing it.¡±


    Neron stopped, his eyes holding confusion. He followed my line of sight to his wrist, blowing out a content and knowing huff. ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    A beaded bracelet strung by an stic cord encircled his broad wrist, joining with a sterling silver four-sided bar. Each bead was an authentic onyx crystal, carved and tumbled to perfection. Because of its ck color, the crystals wouldn¡¯t fade in color nor be damaged when exposed to direct sunlight. The silver bar has four different words carved on


    each side.


    Neron¡¯s name. Onyx¡¯s name. Neron¡¯s birthday, April 16th. And the word ¡°Strength¡¯.


    Onyx is the stone of protection and strength. Neron¡¯s name held different meanings, including strength. A simple piece of jewelry that reflected his internal values.


    The simple piece of jewelry I made for his twenty-ninth birthday less than two months ago.


    I searched all over San Jose for authentic onyx crystals, even going as far as dragging Phoebe along with the ride. One retailer after another, I wouldn¡¯t stop until I found what I was looking for. I refused to make his gift from manipted and fake versions. It took a week, but I/ultimately got legitimate crystals and got to work, tumbling them into beads. The engraving I got done by a professional.


    Words were lost to me. I couldn¡¯t verbalize how happy I felt to see Neron wearing something I¡¯ve made for him. A part of me wanted to hide in embarrassment, for he shouldn¡¯t know how much effort I put into making his gift. How it meant something to see him wearing it with pride.


    Valerian focused on the road ahead of him in silence, but I didn¡¯t miss his green eyes ncing at us from the rear-view


    Chapter 15-Sentimentality


    mirror.


    Neron wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulled me to his chest, and kissed the top of my head. Warmth swaddled. me from the tips of my toes to my head, added with bolts of electricity striking my core. His lips maneuvered to my forehead, marking their spot at the center. ¡°Thank you, Kiya. I know I¡¯ve thanked you through text, but I always wanted to thank you in person. This means a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± I squeaked, gluing my eyes at the car window. Oh goddess, I hope my cheeks aren¡¯t too red. Neronughed above me, and I shrunk in his arms, no doubtughing at my high-pitched voice.


    I wonder if I could pay Valerian to dig a hole in the side of the road for me to hide.


    I felt warm fingers graze under my corbone, slipping under the chains of my ne. Neron pulled the pendant. from underneath my shirt, his breath hitching in his throat. ¡°You¡¯re wearing it.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    My full moon pendant caught a sliver of sunlight in its center, the gold star charm clinking against it in a pleasant chime. The same pendant he got for me on our first date three years ago. After Neron gave it back to me after repairing it, I took extra care of it, scared of damaging it. I only wore it on special asions and kept it in my jewelry box in my room.


    It¡¯s precious to me. Always will be.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I breathed. ¡°I am.¡±


    In twenty minutes, Valerian dropped the both of us at the airport, bidding us farewell to assume the role of Alpha for the next three days. When Neron handed me my ticket at the baggage check in, I was shocked to see that we¡¯re flying first ss to Miami.


    Nothing but the best, it seems.


    We got our bags checked, went through the painful lines for the metal detectors, and we made it to our gate in no time. While waiting to board at our gate, my phone pinged. Pulling it out of my pocket, I smiled and opened the message from Nuria,


    Have a safe flight! I¡¯m heading to Ga Moon to see Phoebe. Wish me luck!


    I quickly texted her back my well wishes before stuffing my phone back in my pocket. Neron came from a concession stand with two water bottles and handed me onc.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Nuria just texted me, saying she¡¯s going to see Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great. She better not take my car.¡±


    In an hour, we boarded into our cabin and our ne took off for its seven-hour flight to sunny Florida.

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 16 ¨C My Starlight


    ¡°This is going to sound crazy, but¡­ from the moment I first set eyes on you I haven¡¯t been able to stop thinking about you. ¨C Leigh Fallon


    Nuria


    So, I took Neron¡¯s car.


    The big palooka can yell at me about itter. He hates it when his mileage racks up, but I needed fast wheels to get to Ga Moon. Any parking tickets I get will be in his name, and as head Alpha, paying off a ticket is equivalent to buying candy at the corner store.


    A win-win situation!


    I rolled down my window, the wild wind whipping at my cheeks and dancing with my hair. My, fingers gripped the steering wheel as I raced down the empty road to California¡¯s boarders. As soon as Kiya and Neron left for Florida, I took off. The overwhelming need to see Phoebe was eating me up inside. I had to see her to stomp out the f**


    Phoebe. *


    My Phoebe.¡±


    My perfect, golden-haired, enigmatic witch.


    My mate I needed to protect.


    My body buzzed with the warmth of a firece as I recalled the first time I caught eyes on her. It was Kiya¡¯s twenty- fifth birthday. I had arrived on Ga Moon equipped with her birthday present in one hand and a bottle of chardonnay in the other. Neron¡¯s scared ** didn¡¯te, and Mom couldn¡¯t make it, so I came on behalf of both of them. My best friend and I lost our childhoods, including celebrating each other¡¯s birthdays. An inseparable duo since birth, spending time with each other took precedent over everything else. I, sometimes, wonder if our lives hadn¡¯t fallen apart, where would we be right now?


    I cherished Kiya¡¯s birthdays just as she cherished mine. I celebrated my birthdays in heaven surrounded by endless white while she celebrated hers in hell, surrounded by endless ck. Now, I¡¯m alive, full-blooded, and ready to take advantage of its pleasures, and that included living it up with my dearest friend until the sun came up. One could say we were ying ¡®catch-up¡¯. Clutching my present until my knuckles turned white, I was going to make d**n sure we both partied harder than we ever did before, whether it be stered out drunk in the front yard or watching dusk shift to dawn¡¯s early light together.


    My life changed forever when I caught a whiff of the richest aroma of wild berries. A tantalizing mixture of every berry known, ckberry standing out the most. The ambrosial fragrance sent frissons of pleasure and heat through my nerve endings, straight to my core. Not even ten feet from the Ga Moon residence, and I felt like a b**h in heat.


    The scent couldn¡¯t be from a man. It was beyond the scope of femininity. No, I knew my soulmate was a woman,


    And I was right.


    1/5


    16- My Starlight


    My little g***y heart almost burst out of my chest when I spotted the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Phoebe scampered out of her tiny two-story home with a watering can in one hand, dressed in a simple ck top with a pair of red shorts that hugged every blessed curve and valley she owned. A bed of herbs grew on her windowsill, sprouting toward the sunlight spilling through the gaps between leaves. Her back was turned to me as she collected and watered her nts, oblivious to my star-struck a** staring at her from the distance.


    I had forgotten about the party. The world hyper-focused on Phoebe¡¯s heavenly backside, my eyes drinking in her goddess-like beauty. All I wanted was to take that sweet woman in my arms and im her as mine. I wanted to know all her ws, insecurities, hopes, and dreams. My lips burned with the desire to kiss the triple moon birthmark tattooed the side of her neck. My fingers ached tob through her golden silks, dancing with the autumn breeze. I didn¡¯t know who she was, I couldn¡¯t see her face. And already, I had fallen passionately in love with her.


    It was love at first sight, as clich¨¦ as it sounds.


    Angelika battered against my mind¡¯s walls to s**h her for herself. She wanted her as much as I did and was determined to waste no time in marking her as ours. But Phoebe wasn¡¯t a wolf, despite living in a wolf pack. Her scent exposed her as a human. A human oozing with mysticism beyond myprehension. My brashness could scare her away and my heart would break before she held it.


    Hell, she didn¡¯t know me.


    I ended up seeing her again when the Kiya¡¯s birthday party was in full swing, sitting outside on the front bench with a soda can nestled on herp. I pleaded with Kiya to introduce us, begging on my knees like I was praying to Selene herself. She giggled at my dramaticism and brought us together like Cupid, bringing potential lovers together. I think she saw the sparks between us. Why else would she introduce us without question?


    Purple became my favorite color that day. The darkness of the night enhanced the purple hue, making it glow like the stars in the sky, I was convinced Phoebe¡¯s eyes captured the light of the stars.


    1


    Starlight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard nothing but great things about you,¡± Phoebe told me, shining a smile that gave me cavities. ¡°It¡¯s finally nice to meet you, Nuria.¡±


    Her melodious voice said my name, each syble as sweet as honey. My heart couldn¡¯t stop fluttering. Her voice was like a siren¡¯s song, drawing me to the ocean¡¯s depths, and I was drowning with glee. When we shook hands, the mate bond rose from the ashes. The fated sparks jumped and raced through my veins. I could¡¯ve sworn she felt it too, with the way she looked at me with shock.


    But with love came fear. I wanted to do right by her, which meant holding back on my desires. It meant resisting the intrinsic urge to pounce and bite her neck. Neron held his own desires in check with Kiya, and I co-opted his control. Kiya told me all she could about Phoebe, including how she lived a life of seclusion as a solitary witch.


    She had no coven. No family besides the pack. Not even a lover. My mate was alone in all senses of the world and she was happy with that.


    I mmed my foot on the gas, tipes screaming against the concrete. My jaw worked tight. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white/ A woman like her shouldn¡¯t find sce in solitude. There was a stark difference between being alone and being lonely, and I¡¯ll be d**d if I let her choose between the two.


    215


    Chapter 16 ¨C My Starlight


    My arms will be her sce from here on out. My mission was to find her and im her as mine, bite or not. The feeling strengthened after a d**n vision I received in my sleep.


    A f**g nightmare. Phoebe was begging for my help, weakened and alone. I fought my way through the crimson miasma to get to her, only for the d**n serpent who haunted my dreams the first time to grab her and tear her apart. Sleep eluded me the rest of the night because I saw her torn corpse every time I closed my eyes.


    F**g Foresight. This d**n ability was more trouble than it was worth. I refuse to let that visione true. Phoebe is mine to protect and mine to love, and I won¡¯t let an invisible enemy ruin that.


    I hoped, deep in my heart, Phoebe will ept me entirely. I¡¯m overzealous, childish as f*k, a*nd impulsive, coupled with all the innate traits of an alpha wolf, but I can and will devote myself to her happiness and love. Phoebe Lacey is the love of my life. The apple of my eye. The key to my heart.


    Stjernelys min. My Starlight.


    ¡°So, you¡¯vee here to im my friend as your own? How interesting.¡±


    ¡°Um, yeah?¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Do I need your permission to love my mate?¡±


    Ebony arched her back upward to meet Jackie¡¯s palm, purring at her smooth fingers running through her ck fur. Her fluffed tail swayed from side to side, her gold eyes shut in pleasure. Jackie graced me with a smile shining with curiosity, ignoring the mild irritation from my re. She folded her strong leg over the other, back pressed against the c u s h i o n of the couch, her long braids falling over the spine. ¡°Of course not, munchkin. I¡¯ll help you¡­ If you make me an offer I can¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Tiny steps entered the room, added with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Are you done with Ebony, now? You said you were going to give her back, Jackie!¡±


    And thus, the Beta¡¯s acting career has ended. Jackie¡¯s eyes widened slightly before grumbling under her breath. Aisha s**d up to the couch with an innocent grin, extending her arms, motioning her ¡®grabby hands¡¯ for the cat. Ebony meowed when passed to the girl, adjusting her paws on the little one¡¯s shoulder, licking her cheek with her sandpaper-


    like tongue.


    What a spoiled p**y.


    ¡°Go on with ya. Remember to feed her the wet cat food from the blue can, not the red.¡±


    Aisha nodded, disappearing to another room with Ebony at tow. Jackie sucked in a deep breath, the corner of her full lips quirking with a smirk when she faced me. ¡°You and Phoebe, huh? How long have you known?¡±


    e been


    ¡°For a year now?¡± I ran my hand through my hair. ¡°I know I should¡¯ve given her a call like, yesterday, but I¡¯ve scared about scaring her off and-¡±


    ¡°Chill, Nuria.¡± Jackie held a hand up to silence me. ¡°I understand. I was the same way with Abigail, and it took us six months before she wasfortable mating with me. Phoebe is different as she¡¯s a witch used to blending in the background, but I think with your spontaneous nature, I think you¡¯d bring out parts of her no one has seen before.¡±


    3/5


    Chapter 16 ¨C My Starlight


    My heart s**d a beat. ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and hopefully humble the ** out of you.¡±


    I squinted my eyes, offended. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane, but in a good way.¡± Jackie bust out in a fit ofughter after I punched her in the arm, rubbing her sore spot. She had no right to call me out like that! This woman tells the truth like it is, and I¡¯m d to have her as a friend. And since she was a lesbian like me, she opened her doors for me if I ever needed advice on navigating life as a


    g** woman.


    ¡°S**.¡±


    ¡°You betcha I am.¡± Jackie pulled a scrunchie from her pocket to tie her braids up. ¡°My advice? Let her guide you through her emotions, whether she expresses them physically or verbally. I¡¯ve known Phoebe for a long time and if youe on too strong, she¡¯ll close up and run away. Let her lead. Show her she can trust you.¡±


    Jackie¡¯s words echoed in my head as I approached the front steps of Phoebe¡¯s home. A bed of roses blossomed next to the steps, the sun glinting on the waxy surface of the ripe rose hips hanging off their stems, Painted in muted beige and ck, the home was tucked around thick b?rks of the redwood trees, hidden from the view of those entering the territory. It was a solitary home, matching the witch nestled inside.


    Let Phoebe guide me with her emotions.


    Will she love me? We¡¯ve yed hot and cold for so long I wasn¡¯t sure if she felt as strongly as I did.


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to chicken out! I sucked in a deep breath and pulled up my jeans by the loops. I¡¯m Nuria Johansen, g**nit! Nothing was going to stop me from professing my undying love for my mate!


    I walked up to her door, ready to knock, when my ears perked at the sound of her honeyed voice rising and lowering in pitch. I thought nothing of it until I heard another feminine voiceced with a gentle alto, one I¡¯ve never heard before.


    Another woman is in her home?!


    ¡°Phoebe is ours!¡± Angelika roared in my mind. ¡°Get rid of the other b**h or I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to tell me twice!


    When I twisted the doorknob, it wouldn¡¯t budge. My body moved on its own ord, vibrating with a righteous fury. I rammed my shoulder into the door, it nearlying off its hinges once it swung open to show my dear Phoebe and a dark-haired woman with ringlets in her hair gawking at me in shock. I narrowed in on the stranger, my face painted the color of my anger.


    ¡°Nuria?!¡± Phoebe shouted, springing to her feet. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you and why are you in the home of my mate?¡± I demanded of the other woman. There was no distinguishable pack mark in sight, nor did she smell like a werewolf. She raised both eyebrows, settled her teacup on the wooden table before rising to her feet, dusting off her fis leggings and ck skirt. We were about the same height, the onlymonality we share.


    4/5Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Chapter 16 ¨C My Starlight


    ¡°Your mate?¡± She chuckled, crossing her arms underneath her chest. ¡°Well, I learn something new every day. My name is Violetta, and you are?¡±


    The woman was calm as f**k for someone walking on the edge of death. Phoebe scuttled next to me, putting a palm on my bicep, her touch calming my anger. ¡°Nuria, she is my friend and a harmless one at that.¡±


    ¡°A friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes. A friend.¡± Phoebe crossed her arms, pushing up her ample chest. The inkling of her cleavage d**n near made a waterfall flow between my legs. ¡°Jealousy is not a good look for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous!¡± I retorted, shaking my fists. ¡°I just want to know why Violetta is kicking it up in your home. She sure as hell isn¡¯t a pack member, and you both sounded a little too friendly!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Suddenly, Violetta wrapped her arms around her belly and almost toppled over inughter, her ringlets bouncing with her heaves. ¡°You think there is something going on between Phoebe and me?¡±


    The woman shook her head, muttering something about jealous werewolves under her breath as pulled out her cell phone from her pocket, and scrolled. Violetta turned her phone to the side and showed me a picture of herself with a pale woman with bubblegum pink hair to her left and a darkplected man with dreadlocks tied back in a ponytail on her right. My eyes bounced from the phone to her amused smile.


    ¡°This is Marina and Manny, Nuria. My partners.¡±


    My brain short-circuited. ¡°P-Partners? As in¡­ plural?¡±


    Violetta nodded. ¡°Yes. Did you forget that polyamory was a thing?¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ooh, we f**d up.¡± Miss Angelika stated the obvious.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a faithful rtionship that doesn¡¯t involve Phoebe. She and Kiya are like my little sisters, so it makes the fit you just had that much funnier.¡±


    I was beyond mortified. My eyes darted to the broken front door hanging off its hinges. I jumped to conclusions in the heat of jealousy at the mere prospect of Phoebe with another woman. Phoebe stood beside me, arms crossed, with a scowl marring her pretty face.


    Oh, Selene, kill me now. I¡¯ll offer my brother as a parting gift.


    Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 17 ¨C Hers to im


    ¡°Those true eyes. Too pure and too honest in ought to disguise. The sweet soul shining through them.¡±- Owen Meredith


    Nuria


    Violetta continued tough until Phoebe stopped her with a ¡°Vi, read the room.¡± She blew out a rich and patted my shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mind me. You¡¯re a lovely gal, so you can get any woman you want. I¡¯ll just swim out of here for you two to catch up.¡±


    ¡°Did you really have to add that terrible pun?¡± Phoebe asked.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the same without it.¡± Not even a minuteter, Violetta left the home, leaving Phoebe and me alone. I


    bowed my head in shame, turning to my golden-haired beloved, my ears burning from the embarrassment.


    ¡°¡­I made a d a n fool of myself, didn¡¯t 17¡±


    ¡°You did.¡± I heard Phoebe sigh. ¡°Would you like some tea, Nuria?¡±


    I raised my head, nodding. ¡°Can it be the fruity tea you made for me?¡±


    Her dazzling smile stopped my heart again. ¡°Of course.¡±


    After five minutes, the both of us were sitting on her two-seater couch, my body sinking into the soft material. Phoebe brought her teacup to her lips and sipped while my eyes nced around the interior. Arge altar stood beside the firece. ck and gold etched into the wood. The top of the altar adorned with candles, sealed jars, and dozens of crystals, all in varied sizes. Herbs were sprinkled around the bronze statue of Hecate, standing proudly over her sacred space. The walls of Phoebe¡¯s home were barren, minus several floral wreaths. A table seating two tucked in themer next to the small kitchte, with a bowl of fruit as the centerpiece. Dark curtains over the windows were drawn to keep most of the sunlight out. With my shoes off, my feet savored the softness of the wool carpet between my toes. The front door was mostly functional, although the lock needed repair after my little spectacle.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    There was a twinge of loneliness in the air I didn¡¯t like. No one would¡¯ve ever known someone was living here. How many guests have passed by without knowing this home existed?


    Was it sheer luck I discovered itst year?


    ¡°Your tea is getting cold.¡± Phoebe said, setting her cup on the table. I realized I haven¡¯t drunk mine. ¡°What brings you by, Nuria?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ No coherent thought formted in my mind. Goddess, why was I tongue-tied now? Phoebe sat patiently with one leg folded under her, hands resting in herp while I sipped the lukewarm liquid. There was a sparkle in her eyes I couldn¡¯t decipher. Her eyes scrutinized my every move like a hawk stalking its meal.


    Does she know why I¡¯m here?


    ¡°You¡¯vee to im me, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    1/5


    Chapter 17 ¨C Hers to im


    I almost spat out my tea, my eyes widening like tes. ¡°I-How did you-7¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised no one has told you.¡± She twiddled her fingers in herp, rosy pink dusting her cheeks. ¡°I can know someone¡¯s intentions just by their presence, whether it be good or bad. I can read your aura like a book, Nuria.¡°


    I felt more than exposed. I was f u c k i g naked. Setting my teacup down beside hers, I cleared my throat, adjusting my body in my seat.


    Let her lead. Don¡¯t rush.


    ¡°Yes. I¡­ I came here to im you as mine. We¡¯re mates, Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°I knew that.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Why else would you fly in here in a jealous rage? It¡¯s amon trait amongst you werewolves.¡±


    I blushed, lowering my gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. That wasn¡¯t my intention nor how I wanted to make an official first


    impression on you.¡±


    ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Phoebe giggled, raising her hand to her pink lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can handle the constant repairs if you keep breaking down my front door.¡±


    Now, it was my turn tough. This felt natural, like two close friends catching up. I felt at ease in Phoebe¡¯s presence- no pressure, no expectations. Phoebe scooted closer to me, our knees touching, and thefort I felt was thrown right out the window. My side of the bond thrived and writhed, stretching out to grasp Phoebe¡¯s heart. My body sank in a pleasant heat that only the woman in front of me could quell.


    ¡°I know what being a wolf¡¯s mate entails, Nuria.¡± Phoebe¡¯s voice lowered to a heavy whisper, every syble carrying the weight of the world. I didn¡¯t speak, nor move, but invited the supple touch of her hand on top of mine. I tucked Angelika behind a wall, but I knew she felt it all. ¡°The good and the bad, the ups and downs-everything. I lived in this pack for most of my life and I¡¯ve seen the incredible dynamic between destined partners.¡± She huffed out a sad sigh, running a thumb over my hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been alone for a long time and I¡¯ve let no one get this close to me.¡±


    ¡°Why is that Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Solitude meant safety and protection. I¡¯ve been hurt in the past, my heart manipted by people who were supposed to protect me. A solitary witch holds solitude in all aspects of her life, even with romantic rtionships. I¡¯ve had crushes on both men and women, but I always kept them at arm¡¯s length because I know there wouldn¡¯t be anyone capable of cherishing my heart. Sometimes, I feel like solitude was the only option for me. I have friends and a family here, but romantic rtionships expose a vulnerability that one can brutalize without a second thought. It¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    Every word Phoebe confessed chipped away pieces of my heart. Solitude, to her, was better than being vulnerable. I couldn¡¯t imagine how tough navigating romance is when she feels the intentions of a person before knowing their


    name.


    There are too many people in this world who take pleasure in hurting and destroying others. Too many of them hide in in sight, waiting for their perfect victim. They left an incorrigible amount of destion in their wake and they walk,


    315


    Chapter 17 Hers to im


    away with a smile. The real monsters are those who look like ordinary people.


    I wanted to hunt down and rip into every person who ever hurt Phoebe. Made her shed a tear. Contributed to the poisonous thinking that she deserved to be alone. I lifted my hands and framed Phoebe¡¯s face with my palms, running my thumbs over the outline of her lips. Her c r a m y skin was as smooth as silk and warm as a gentle ember. My thumbs caressed every part of her face they could reach,mitting her touch to memory. Phoebe¡¯s lovely purples looked into mine with innocent wonder t n k l i n g in its depths.


    Waiting.


    Wanting.


    There was a crystal Kiya told me about that matched her eyes.


    Amethyst.


    ¡°I¡¯d cut off my right arm if it meant your pain would stop, Phoebe,¡± I said with conviction. ¡°This is scary for me, too. We¡¯re barely leaving the cusp of being strangers, and here I am, hopelessly in love with you, praying to Selene that you¡¯ll ept me. I¡¯ve been alive for three years and already, I have found my destined partner before I found my ce


    in the world.¡±


    ¡°Funny how that works out, huh?¡± Phoebe cupped my hands with her own. ¡°All this time my soulmate was dead, and yearster, she deres her love after t r s p a s s g into my home like an angry bull.¡±


    Clich¨¦s are overrated. I prefer the more direct approach.¡± Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°But, if there is one thing I can and will promise you, is that my heart belongs to you. I will go to the ends of the earth to ensure your happiness. You are the love of my life, my soulmate, my forever. I want to know everything about you, and in turn, I want you to know everything about me. You¡¯re mine, Phoebe. Mine to love and mine to protect. The only question that remains is, will


    you ept me as yours?¡±


    A pregnant pause fell between us as we fell into the depths of each other¡¯s eyes. Phoebe¡¯s bottom lip quivered and her cheeks pinkened like bubblegum. Before I could react, she leaned in and greeted my lips with a soft kiss. Electricity zapped my heart and my core like lightning to water, my body buzzing with pleasure from her touch, heightened by the mate bond. She gripped my hands tight, holding onto me as I was her lifeline.


    was my li


    Little did she know she was my lifeline.


    Phoebe¡¯s wildberry scent flooded my senses like a hurricane. I wanted to absorb this moment and sear it into my memory. Today was the day I truly felt alive. Taking the lead, Phoebe shyly swiped the bottom of my lip with the tip of her tongue. I moved a hand from her face and buried it in her golden tresses, holding her to me.


    Oxygen be a m n e d .


    Her tongue took the invitation once I parted my lips, meeting mine in a tango of sharine love. The world didn¡¯t matter to me anymore. All that mattered was the bundle of starlight in human form kissing me for the first time.


    I leaned back against the c s h i o n s of the couch, taking her body with me. Her smaller, lean figure fit perfectly with my muscr frame like two pieces of the same puzzle. I couldn¡¯t stop kissing her if I tried. Magic or not, I fellpletely under her sway.


    Chapter 17 ¨C Hers to im


    But when her tiny moan flowed into my mouth, my control snapped.


    The tango of our tongues turned into a battle for dominance when I deepened the kiss, my muscle wrapping around hers. Phoebe threw her arms around my neck, granting me the privilege of governing her mouth. My hand bunched her strands, and the other found its ce on the small of her back, my thumb sinking into one of her dimples.


    ¡°Oooh, Nuria.¡±


    F u c k, I wanted to hear more. I wanted this woman to sing for me.


    My mouth continued its relentless assault on her neck, determined to leave no spot untouched. She was especially sensitive where I kissed her birthmark, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm. There was so much I wanted to do to her, do with her, just to see what other surprises she hid underneath her cool exterior.


    Phoebe¡¯s neck adorned a cor of h ked up at my precious mate, unable to hide the smile on my lips. Her skin was flushed pink, her chest was heaving against mine, her half-lidded eyes zed over with surprise and arousal. She continued to cling to me like a ko.


    She¡¯s so f u c k i n g beautiful.


    ¡°I got a bit carried away.¡± Iughed, smoothening out her hair.


    ¡°I¡­ I liked that you got carried away.¡± Phoebeughed quietly, pressing her forehead against mine. Her swirling purples pulled me into their depths once again. ¡°I guess I can get used to this mate thing.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean you ept me?¡± I asked, hopeful.


    ¡­I thought my kiss was your answer.¡±


    I fell into a fit ofughter, rising to kiss her lips once more. ¡°I¡¯d prefer if you verbally tell me, my starlight. Although, your bodily response was very enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh.¡± She smirked, shaking her head. ¡°I ept you as my mate, Nuria. But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for the bite, yet. I want to make sure that it¡¯s safe for us to do so.¡±


    ¡°Safe?¡± I questioned.


    Phoebe nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happens if a wolf mates with an avatar. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt in any way. We can¡¯t exactly ask around and the only other person in your situation is your brother, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. We¡¯ll hold off on it for now.¡±


    Chapter 17-Hers to im:


    ¡°But I still¡­ um¡­¡± She averted her beautiful eyes from me, her pink cheeks migrating to red. ¡°I¡­ I want to¡­¡±


    ¡°Use your words, love.¡±


    ¡°D m n.¡± She pressed her palms to her cheeks. ¡°I want to¡­ sleep¡­ with you, Nuria. Not now, but I want to eventually. I don¡¯t exactly have any experience under my belt, aside from the collection of erotic romance books in my library.¡±


    I let out a ragged chuckle, relishing the sweet perfume of her arousal. ¡°Trust me, when that timees, written words in a book won¡¯t hold a d a m n candle to what I¡¯ll do to you.¡± Shecked experience, but I had enough for both of us. I wanted nothing more but to peel her clothes off, bury my face between her slender legs, and guzzle down her sweet nectar until the world quakes to her screams. Waiting will only sweeten up the experience more when it happens. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready, Phoebe, tell me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She muttered meekly with a nod. We adjusted our bodies on the couch to where Phoebeid on top of me, resting her head on my chest and her arms secured tight around my waist. I rubbed soothing circles on her back as the sunlight slowly faded, sinking her little home intoforting darkness. Her breathing slowed to a constant, gentle rhythm, letting me know she had fallen asleep.


    ¡°I love you, Phoebe,¡± I whispered to the air, hoping she¡¯d heard me in her sleep, or whomever was listening. As my little magician rested, my body picked up a presence hovering about in the silence, p r i c k i g with goosebumps. Yet, there wasn¡¯t a cause for rm. The presence was powerful, but non-threatening. Oddly, I felt safe under the enigmatic gaze.


    Before I knew it, sleep took me to where my mate was.


    Selene, thank you for this gift. Phoebe is more than perfect for me.


    I hope you can grant my brother the same.

 CHAPTER 203

    Untouchable (The Moonlight Avatar Series Collection)


    Chapter 18 Checking In


    ¡°I can¡¯t protect you without holding a sword. I can¡¯t embrace you while holding a sword.¡±-Tite Kubo


    Neron


    ¡°It¡¯s hotter than Satan¡¯s armpits.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Florida. What did you expect?¡±


    Kiya¡¯s lips twitched in a smirk when she grabbed her luggage off the conveyer belt. Perspiration rolled down her temples from both the many humans surroundin


    us and the thick humidity. The Florida heat was definitely not for the faint of heart. We¡¯ve arrived at Miami International Airport shortly after two in the afternoon. After we grabbed our suitcases, we weaved through the hurried crowds to the airport terminals for our designated ride to the Alpha


    Erik¡¯s hotel.


    ¡°Anthony texted me.¡± She said, pointing to her phone screen. ¡°He and Alesia are at the hotel already. Only he would book a seven AM flight to wherever.¡±


    ¡°And your sister?¡±


    ¡°Lyria hasn¡¯t replied to my messages in a while, so I think she¡¯s still on her flight.¡± Kiya shone an ecstatic smile, hopping on her heels. ¡°This is so exciting! Are we waiting for a taxi?¡±


    I scoffed, shaking my head. ¡°Oh, we aren¡¯t taking a taxi.¡±


    ¡°A Lyft?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°An Uber?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What are we taking, then?¡±


    Right on cue, our designated driver rolled up to the curb in a white luxury limousine with tinted windows, seating at least six people. Kiya¡¯s jaw dropped so quick that I had to put a muzzle on myughter.


    ¡°A limo?!¡± She eximed.


    ¡°A limo.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh!¡±


    The driver hopped out of his seat, showed his pack mark on the right side of his neck to verify his identity, and helped


    admiring the polished exterior of a sugar rush carry our bags in the trunk. Kiya fan around the vehicle like a child in the vehicle, her eyes shining with wonder. After a minute of exploration, she threw her door open and hopped into her seat, bouncing against the leather seat.


    1/6


    Chapter 18 Checking In


    ¡°Now, this I can get used to!¡± She grinned, soaking in the interior of our ride, squealing when she spotted the mini fridge. Michael, our driver, drove from the curbside pickup, into the long road toward our destination. I watched Kiya with a smile on my face as she dug into the mini fridge, adding to her growing pile of snacks beside her legs.


    ¡°Is this your first time being in a limo?¡± I asked, folding my legs.


    ¡°Did I make it too obvious?¡± She asked, twisting open her ss soda bottle. ¡°Alpha Erik sure went all out, huh?¡±


    ¡°The Moon Valley Pack is the richest pack in all of Florida. Erik would take any and every chance to unt his wealth, especially since he volunteered to host the summer Alpha Gathering.¡±


    ¡°And I assume the hotel is just as nice?¡± Kiya shuffled back to her seat, dropping her array of treats on herp. I answered her with a nod. It was safe to expect the hotel would be as luxurious as our ride, since I hadn¡¯t seen the building up close. I scrolled through the photo album of my phone, pulling up the information about our reserved suite. ¡°How many Alphas and Lunas will be attending?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, a couple hundred?¡± I pushed a couple of strands of my hair behind my ear.


    Kiya hummed as she took arge bite out of her cheese stick, discarding the packaging in the trash beside her. Afortable silence fell between us, minus the crinkling of wrappers. My muscles rxed into the cool leather, taking away the stresses from the airne ride.


    Kiya and I were far from home, on the east coast of the country, for three days.


    Three days of us sharing a hotel room. Mingling with guests. Building new alliances. Spending time with one another far from our families. Now that I think about this, this is the first trip we¡¯ve taken together.


    My fingers toyed with my bracelet, flicking the onyx beads through the stic band. The dynamics have shifted. While I knew fully that Kiya can and will take care of herself, it was my responsibility to ensure that she¡¯s both safe and protected the entire trip. I wasn¡¯t kidding about the alphas we¡¯ll encounter. Every man and woman stretched across the spectrum of kindness and morality. Some are benevolent, while some thrived on chaos. Some will use this opportunity to boost their ego and will leave the state with more than just alliances on their belt.


    theil her den


    My eyesnded on Kiya¡¯s neck, unblemished and bare, except for the silver chain of her ne. Unmarked. Wystan is just one of many who she¡¯ll capture the interest of. An unmated woman walking into a den of possessive and entitled alphas was akin to a newborn bunny tossed in a den of hungry coyotes. I tightened my grip on the armrests, my teeth aching to tear the throats of those who¡¯llmit the sin of looking at her the wrong way.


    Competition over Kiya¡¯s attention is a fight I refuse to be a part of, solely because my instincts are too powerful to ignore. I love this woman and I¡¯m already imagining scenarios of myself fighting against unmated alphas for the trophy of Kiya¡¯s heart. I¡¯m thinking Kiya as mine when I know damn well I don¡¯t have any im over her.


    But, goddamnit, I can¡¯t help it.


    I pinched the bridge of my nose. Goddess, I¡¯m such a man.


    ¡°Neron?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Kiya?¡±


    2/6


    Chapter 18 Checking In


    She inhaled a deep breath, blinking slowly. ¡°You¡¯ll keep me beside you at all times, right?¡±


    I lifted my head up from the headrest, my heart singing the hymn of angels. ¡°That¡¯s what I intend to do. Are youfortable with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯d prefer it if I¡¯m being honest.¡± She tossed a couple more wrappers in the trash, including her empty soda bottle.


    ¡°I trust you. I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to co with you on this trip if I didn¡¯t believe in your ability to protect me. Plus, I¡¯m more¡­¡± Kiya paused, waving her hands exaggeratedly. ¡°¡­ liable to be snatched up considering that I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°Unmarked.¡± I finished.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She puffed out her chest, trying to look more confident in my eyes. It was rather endearing. ¡°But I¡¯m not insinuating that I wanted to totally depend on your protection; I can protect myself. Since I¡¯m Selene¡¯s avatar, I don¡¯t want a situation to arise where I¡¯m exposed to hundreds of alphas and lunas for my¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I grasped her hand in my own, raised it to my lips, and nted tender kisses on the back of her palm. ¡°Rest assured, Kiya, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to protect you both when you¡¯re awake and when you¡¯re asleep.¡±


    Because if anyone hurts you, I will kill them.


    ¡°N-now you don¡¯t have to go that far¡­¡± I didn¡¯t miss the rising red on her cheeks, betraying her rich brown skin. Kiya emitted a squeak so small it could be mistaken for a mouse when I kissed each of her fingers before lingering on her ring finger. Her hand trembled, but when I gently squeezed, she stilled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put a limit on my protection, Kiya. You¡¯re priceless.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want her to forget that.


    I watched her expressions carefully, looking for that tick in her jaw or twitch in her eye to tell me she¡¯s ufortable.


    cell in my bodybusted


    That I might¡¯ve taken a step too far and breached a boundary I didn¡¯t know existed. Even ell me she¡¯s ufortable.


    with the need to hold her body in my arms. A need to show potential suitors that Kiya was off-limits. Controlling my innate instincts had raged an internal war, and each day it has be harder. Now, with Kiya and I together on this trip, I¡¯m being tested.


    And I n to pass with flying colors.


    Kiya had yet to remove her soft hand from mine, stilling like a statue as the limo rolled quietly down the road. I waited and waited until she moved. Her lips curved into a smile, her delicate digits curling around my own. Fated sparks zipped and zoomed through my veins from her touch, pushing me into a pool of heat, overpowering the air- conditioned interior.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to limit you.¡±


    ¡°No harm done, angel.¡±


    I lowered my hand, settling hers on the armrest before removing mine. Her smile fell into a frown, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared. Kiya expelled a sigh carrying unspoken thoughts and emotions before turning her head to the window, watching the cars pass by. The sun peeked through the window, stretching over her hand.


    There was more that wanted to be said. Needed to be said.


    3/6


    Chapter 18 ¨C Checking In


    One day, I hoped, Kiya will tell me what goes on in that little noggin of hers.


    ¡°We have arrived, Alpha Neron.¡±


    Our limo roiled to the curbside of the grandest and most opulent hotel I¡¯ve ever seen. This hotel was the space the richest of the rich would lie down and rx. Breathing in the air of this hostel would be like breathing in gold. Kiya¡¯s eyes widened like tes, gasping in shock when she took in the pce¡¯s magnificence. More limos rolled in beside and behind us, more guests arriving.


    ¡°Holy s**it,¡± Kiya muttered.


    Iughed. ¡°Holy **t, indeed.¡±


    Michael helped us with our bags and the many bellhops burst out with luggage carts, settling our suitcases inside. Kiya scurried to my side, pressing her body into my arm as a gentle tremor shook her limbs. Her hand found refuge in mine. She was intimidated.


    ¡°I feel severely under-dressed.¡± She muttered as we walked through the front doors. The lobby was bathed in the hues of luxury, a story told in strong golds and austere whites. ¡°This is way too extravagant for me. I bet the curtains cost more than my college tuition.¡±


    ¡°The lightbulbs cost more than your college tuition.¡± I joked. In minutes, many more guests arrived in the lobby. Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around Kiya¡¯s waist as I checked us in, receiving copies of electronic keys to our hotel room. The bellhop with our luggage cart led the way to the elevator. Our room was on the fifth floor.


    As we walked down the hallway, Kiya suddenly jolted beside me, whimpering softly. ¡°Whoa.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, concerned.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± She sighed, nodding. ¡°I-I am. Just had a weird rush of power there, I think.¡±


    How odd.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The bellhop announced, pulling our luggage from the cart. ¡°Swipe your card for ess. Dinner will be served in the ballroom at eight PM, so feel free to rx until then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± We both said. Swiping my card through the electronic key, a click echoed, our door nudging open. When we entered our room, Kiya dropped her luggage and ran toward the window with the biggest grin on her face.


    ¡°Holy **¡± She eximed, pressing her palms against the window. ¡°Neron, the view is amazing! I can see the beach from here! This entire room puts the presidential suites to shame!¡±


    The entire room invited my lungs to expand, inhaling the scent of clean linen. Muted colors of taupe, grey, and silver gave a sense of calm, a ce where we could forget our troubles. Lamps were on every small table, adding to the amber light from the overhead chandelier. A ss table stood in between two settee couches on either side, an armchair tucked in the corner next to the window, shadowed by the curtain. The marble carpet stopped all sound from my feet as I made my way to the bed. Kiya dropped her bag into the armchair and bolted toward the bathroom.


    I specifically requested two beds for our room. I wanted Kiya to be asfortable as possible. The bed sunk under my weight when I sat on it, the cotton sheets caressing the pads of my fingers. Before I could unpack, Kiya shrieked from the bathroom.


    ¡°The f**g toothpaste dispenser is made of gold! I bet the toilet is made of tinum!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t keep my smile to myself. Kiya was an exceptional woman, but to see her be a child exploring for the first time was entertaining. There were so many ces to go and things to see, and I wanted to see the other faces she can make.


    If I can recall, there a couple of restaurants within walking distance from here. I should bring her out if we have time.


    She suddenly burst out of the bathroom, scampering up to me with her palms outstretched, presenting what she nestled inside. ¡°They even carve the soap bars into roses! I guess when you¡¯re rich, you really can do whatever the hell you want.¡±


    I picked up a white rose soap bar from her hands, turning it to inspect it. I m**d a noise in my throat. ¡°A petal from this one is chipped.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She plucked it out of my hands. ¡°I want to keep this one.¡±


    ¡°Why? Soap is soap.¡±


    ¡°Well, someone made this, and despite its w, it is the most beautiful one out of the others in the bathroom. That chipped petal makes it stand out from the rest.¡±


    I regarded Kiya with a curious look beforeughing. ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, dear.¡±


    ¡°And pretty proud of it too.¡±


    Setting the soaps on the table, Kiya grabbed the handle of her suitcase and her bag and hurried to her bed, throwing it on the mattress, humming a tune as she pulled out her bottles of her hair care.


    And her skincare.


    nd her body care.


    Holy hell, the bottles just keeping. How much does a woman really need?


    ¡°You want to know what else she needs?¡± Onyx piqued, a smile underlining his tone. I didn¡¯t like it. I already knew he was thinking of some s**t he wasn¡¯t supposed to.


    ¡°Onyx¡­don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    ¡°Her a**looks amazing in her jeans. The perfect peach!¡±


    I regretted my life¡¯s choices the moment I looked. F**g hell. He was correct; it looked beyond perfect.


    ¡°Smack that a**like a drum!¡±


    5/6


    Chapter 18 Checking In


    ¡¤


    ¡°What the f**no! Absolutely the f**k not! Go back to your f**g corner.¡±


    ¡°You know you want to¡­ because I sure as hell want to! I bet it j i g g l e s.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here on g**n business!¡±


    ¡°Her perfect a** IS my g o d m n business!¡±


    ¡°You good?¡± Kiya asked, peering over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been awfully quiet for a minute, there.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯m fine!¡± My voice came out higher than normal. I cursed under my breath. My cheeks felt hot. Onyx cackled in my head, and I threw his a** over a wall. Clearing my throat, I pulled out a set of my clothes and headed to the closet. ¡°We have a good amount of time before dinner, so make yourself at home.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind if I use the shower first?¡±


    My cheeks were on f**g fire. ¡°N-no, go right ahead.¡± I heard the rummaging of bottles, muf l footsteps, and the bathroom door closing. I breathed out a sigh of relief in the silence, banging my head against the closet rod.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Oh, great Goddess, give me the strength to survive this without losing my mind.


    ¡°Lose the clothes and hop in the shower with her. A simple solution for your simple mind!¡±


    I¡¯ll offer Onyx as a parting gift.


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