《The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate》


 Pay back what you owe!

    ITHRA


    ¡°She¡¯s cursed.¡±


    I hear people whisper around me as I head to my mother, walking through the pathway created just for me.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time she left us, she¡¯s nothing but a stain, a weakness.¡± Another voice said, but I didn¡¯t care to know who it was.


    I was a witch without powers. The shame of the Celts Coven witches, and a curse to my people.


    ¡°Ithra. We don¡¯t have all day, Come forward.¡± My mother, and the enchantress of the coven spoke from her seat, barely containing her disgust and impatience towards me.


    I presented myself in front of her, getting on my knees as I awaited her final decision concerning me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be. I¡¯ve harbored you in our midst for the past 20 years of your life! You should be grateful for an opportunity to pay back what you owe.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my mother was saying this to me in public. She usually said it to me in the confines of our house, or in the dark corners of my room, who knew she¡¯d finally grow a limb to make an open show of her scorn towards me?


    ¡°I understand that I have been a burden on the Celts witches for the longest period of time, and I will pay back your kindness however possible.¡± I replied with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°About time.¡± Murmurs from the crowd of warlocks ensued.


    ¡± Enough!¡± That was my mother, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything from anyone.¡± She warned, fire brimming in her eyes. Sharply, she turned to me. ¡°Good. There is something you can do to help this coven thrive.¡± She started.


    ¡°You must go to the dark forest.¡± She announced and gasps were heard in the camp.


    ¡°W-what?¡± I stuttered, unable to believe my ears.


    ¡°You heard me right. The only way you can redeem yourself of all you owe is by going to the dark forest and getting us the ghost orchid that grows at the thick of it.¡± She lectured without sparing me a nce.


    I almost lost my voice, ¡°what do you mean go to the dark forest? You and I know that any witch that enters into the forest will be reduced to a pile of dust! It¡¯s not weing to our kind.¡± I reminded her, but something told me she was well aware. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that sending me to the dark forest is sending me to my death?¡±


    ¡°Oh stop whining, Ithra!¡± My sister, Morgan, said from her seat, ¡°You can¡¯t call yourself a witch if you don¡¯t have powers. Instead of whiling away time and burdening others with your presence, why not be of use to us for once?¡± She got on her feet and continued;


    ¡°Every single warlock has dedicated their lives and powers to ensure that the Celts Coven remain unharmed for thest 12 years. You are alive today because of the forcefield we created to keep every beast away. As you can see, the forcefield is weak and we need stronger properties if it¡¯s going tost us the next 10 years.¡±


    I cut her off, anger brewing inside me, ¡°And the only solution you were able toe up with is to send me to the dark forest? I have witch blood flowing through my veins, Morgan! Whether or not I have powers wouldn¡¯t stop me from getting killed the moment I step foot in there.¡±


    With my protests, the people grew angry.


    ¡°Who do you think you are?! You are of no value to us! It¡¯s better if you get killed for a noble cause than be alive for nothing!¡±


    ¡°Such a selfish person! She should be stoned to death!¡±


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH.¡± My mother said, putting a stop to the growing agitation. With her eyes trained on me, she said, ¡°Do not forget your ce, Ithra. I am your mother, as well as the head of this coven. I will not take any disrespect or misbehavior from you. Do you understand?¡±


    I remained silent, daring and unbending. I knew I had a debt to pay for my powerlessness and inability to make a great impact to the stability of the Celts Coven, and I have dedicated my life to doing everything to cover for my incapabilities, but nothing seemed to be enough.


    ¡°Do not let me repeat myself Ithra, do you understand what you have to do?¡± She asked in a firm tone.


    ¡°You are sending me to my death.¡± I stated, holding back tears. ¡°Do you hate me that much because I don¡¯t have powers? Is that how invaluable I am to you?¡±


    She got up and walked closer to me, ¡°No my dear , you have be quite valuable to me.¡± Her tone hardened, and she pushed me to the floor. ¡°Just trust me and get going already!¡±


    She turned to Morgan and ordered, ¡°Do it now!¡±


    Within a second, I was pushed by an invisible hand into a ck hole and the next thing I saw, Inded on the floor, in the woods.


    Afraid to move, I remained on the floor, gauging my surroundings. Was this the dark forest? I pondered with fear.


    Gathering up courage, I sat up slowly, and eventually got on my feet. Seeing I was still alive, I took it as a good sign and proceeded to take a step, only to be stopped by the sound of a voice.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± The voice said, and it wasn¡¯t friendly.


    Scared to the bones, I turned around and my eyes collided with two gray ones.


    ¡°Witch.¡± He snarled after sniffing the air, and immediately bared his fangs.


    It didn¡¯t take long before I realized I was surrounded. I wasn¡¯t in the dark forest, something must have gone wrong with whatever spell they used on me.


    ¡°I see you have no fear, crossing over to my territory, witch.¡± Another voice emerged, bringing shivers down my spine.


    For some reason, every sense in me urged me to run away. He smelt like death, in its raw and most painful form. When my eyes connected with his, I saw the infamous scar that ran through his bloodshot eyes, and knew I was done for.


    It was the cursed Alpha, Exterminator of the witches, and King of the BloodMoon pack.


    Zadok Kir Roman.


    ¡°Wee to hell, witch.¡± He said with a smirk that immediately turned sour, ¡°Seize her!¡± He ordered, and like a propelling force, the men beside him attacked me like the ravenous wolves they were.


    Just when I thought it was over, a voice rang in the air, stopping their advancement towards me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t harm her! She¡¯s the Chosen one!¡± A feminine voice said.


    Before I could grasp what was going on, I felt a hit on my head and everything went ck.

 Ghost Orchid

    ZADOK


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s the chosen one?¡± I snarled as soon as I entered Shilhi¡¯s office.


    Shilhi was one of my trusted aide and hybrid. She is half werewolf and half witch. Thankfully, her werewolf side was more dominant, so much so that she couldn¡¯t cast a spell.


    But in what she couldn¡¯t do in spells, nature made it up to her in knowledge of herbs, and general wisdom. Shilhi was the smartest being around and she was loyal to me.


    ¡°Alpha, please.¡± She implored, ¡°have a seat.¡±


    I sat down, ¡°You should know that I don¡¯t have all day. A witch is in my territory, waiting to be made an example of, so whatever you have to say, make it make sense.¡±


    My beta, Azriel, ced his palm on my shoulder, silently urging me to calm down.


    ¡°Alpha, please, it¡¯s important.¡± I could hear the urgency in his tone.


    ¡°Then let her talk.¡± I faced her with a raised eyebrow,


    ¡°The witch is the key to the dark forest.¡± Shilhi began, shocking us all. ¡°During the hunt, I felt mypass go off and realized something was wrong. I followed its direction and it led me to her, to you.¡±


    ¡°She is the one we have been searching for thest 12 years, the neutral, the one able to hold the ghost orchid and break the curse.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t exin the feeling that erupted within me. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Azriel spoke before I could utter a word.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± His tone was hard and unbelieving. ¡°This is a sensitive case, and we can¡¯t afford to make slip ups. Especially with the mating ceremony around the corner.¡±


    I knew what Azriel was trying to say. He didn¡¯t want me to get my hopes up. He alone knew of my decision to take a chosen mate in the next ceremony if I was unfruitful in my quest to break the curse that hindered me from sensing my mate.


    ¡°Let her speak.¡± I urged, surprising them and myself.


    ¡°Like I said, she is the neutral one, once we secure her loyalty, then she will bring the ghost orchid that will be used to break the curse.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, once we secure her loyalty?¡± I asked, sharing nces with Azriel.


    ¡°That¡¯s the part I was getting to. ording to my books, the neutral one must hand over the flower of her own free will. If she is forced to get the flower, it will wilt away once her hands make contact with it.¡±


    ¡°And if that happens, you will have to wait another 20 years before you can ess another Ghost Orchid that grows in the thick of the forest.¡± She finished her sentence and my hands were balled up in fists.


    ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± Azriel asked aloud, ¡°And think a witch will do that for us? I hate to break it to you but there¡¯s no way in hell a witch will be willing to put us out of this misery. And unless there¡¯s another way around this, we¡¯re doomed.¡±


    I remained silent, while the gears in my head worked at full speed. There was no way in hell I was missing this opportunity.


    And if it takes me getting the little witch to be on my side, however way possible, I will do it.


    ********


    I walked into the prison with Azriel and Athaliah hot on my sides. Azriel being my second inmand and Athaliah, my third.


    Athaliah was the strongest female wolf in my pack. Being the only daughter of an Alpha whose pack was exterminated by rogues, she joined my pack at a young age and worked her way to this position.


    I felt my wolf¡¯s aggravations as I walked into the prison that held the key to breaking my curse. Ever since her appearance, my alpha wolf ¨C Kir ¨C was acting more irrational than usual.


    As a result, making me take more potions to subdue his irrational thoughts and influence. Ever since we were cursed never to find our mate, my wolf ¨C Kir ¨C became unhinged.


    The idea of never getting to meet his mate drove him to madness, to the point of single handedly wiping out the entire witch ns around my territory and even more.


    Once he takes control, every sense of reasoning is thrown out the window and a vengeful killer wolf is all that he bes. As a result, I was reduced to taking herbal potions prepared by Shilhi in order to keep him under my control.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± Azriel called as soon as we got to an iron gate.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Athaliah answered, ¡°She¡¯s chained inside. I also ced the witch bracelet on her wrist so she is not able to use her powers.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to say anything before Azriel took the keys and threw the gates open. I walked in and was greeted by the sight of her fiery red hair.


    She was chained like a thief, her arms above her head, strung up by strong heavy metal chains, and her legs chained to the walls. She was kneeling and her head bowed.


    I ached to see her face.


    ¡°Is she asleep?¡± I asked, noting herck of reaction to our entry.


    Athaliah walked to the side of the room and pressed a button that dragged the metal chain, making it more tighter and straining.


    The witch immediately opens her eyes, and all I see is pain.


    ¡°She was asleep after all.¡± I remarked with a smirk, and moved closer to her, stopping a few feets away from her. ¡°What is your name?¡± I asked but got no response.


    Athaliah dragged the chains a bit more and a scream of pain left her lips. No doubt, her joints will be in stitches if she was stretched any further.


    ¡°Ithra¡­ Ithra Couldron.¡± She replied with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Now that wasn¡¯t so hard was it?¡± I said and signaled Athaliah to let her arms down.


    Ithra couldn¡¯t hide her fear when Athaliah pressed another button, this time around, relief passed through her face when she realized she could let down her arms.


    ¡°That feels good doesn¡¯t it?¡± I raised her face to meet my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal.¡±

 Over my dead body

    ZADOK


    ¡°It¡¯s either you pledge your loyalty to this pack or you face the consequences of entering my territory.¡± I told her with all seriousness, ¡°and of course, you should know that no witch is permitted to live in my pack.¡± I reminded her casually.


    She didn¡¯t utter a word, her tired eyes skimmed through me like I was nothing and her nonchnce got on my nerves.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    My wolf urged me to slit off her neck, end things here and go to the dark forest myself. But I knew better.


    If she was the chosen one, I¡¯d rather have her do the dirty work and kill her afterwards, than risking failure by embarking on the journey alone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it that you don¡¯t have an answer for me. However, I expect an answer soon. Consider it carefully and in a few days, I expect your answer.¡± I finally said, finding my way back to Azriel who stood at the door, ready to kill if need be.


    ¡°I will never be loyal to you.¡± A small voice filled the air, Ithra¡¯s voice.


    Despite its groggy state, I could feel the intensity and determination packed behind it. I turned around, unable to hide my distaste.


    ¡°I suggest you seriously consider your choices before making hasty decisions, witch.¡± Ished, ¡°You are in a bit of a tight corner right now, and if I were you, I¡¯d apply wisdom to my decisions.¡±


    ¡°I will never pledge my loyalty to you, or to this pack. Let me go!¡± She gritted, eyes aze.


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡± I replied, meaning every word. I could tell she knew it too. ¡°And I¡¯m not dying anytime soon, Ithra.¡± I added smugly, her name rolled off my tongue like fine silk.


    ¡°She will remain under close supervision.¡± I said through the mind link and Azriel nodded in answer. ¡°Athaliah, she is under your custody, I don¡¯t want mistakes.¡±


    I said to Athaliah, and with that, we headed out of the prison, leaving the witch to her devices.


    ****


    While I worked in my office, I couldn¡¯t get the picture of Ithra away from my mind. Something about her left me reying our little interaction over and over again in my mind.


    I needed a distraction, something that¡¯ll take off the stress from my shoulders, and I knew just the perfect solution. Rxing on my chair, I sent for Athaliah via mind link.


    Within a few minutes, my door opened and she sashayed towards me with a sultry smile. My wolf growled in disapproval but I shut him off with another potion down my throat.


    I knew what I was doing was all shades of wrong, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Athaliah knew what it was for me, she knew I was stillmitted to finding my mate, and she also knew I was a man with needs.


    Needs that couldn¡¯t wait until I figured out how to break the curse. I didn¡¯t need to say a word before she captured my lips in a kiss. Athaliah was one hell of a kisser.


    My arms groped her and just when I was getting into it, she pulled back. It took a minute for me to get oriented, and I shot up my eyebrow in question.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡± She finally said, sitting on my table and caressing my beard.


    I wasn¡¯tfortable with whatever the fuck was going on but I decided to y along.


    ¡°What is it this time?¡± I retorted, praying to the gods above that it was something short of drama. I didn¡¯t have the time to y listener, I had a ton of work to attend to.


    ¡°I heard that the witch is the neutral one.¡± She said with a pout.


    Her words caught my attention. Just how many people knew I¡¯d secured the neutral one?


    ¡°Who told you?¡± I asked, grabbing her by the arm. My tone was taut and desperate.


    ¡°Let me go, that hurts!¡± She cried and I let go of her arm instinctively.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologised, but didn¡¯t relent. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    She huffed, ¡°I am your third inmand, Zadok. Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t find out the identity of the prisoner kept under my care? Of course I did my research.¡± she answered with an eye roll.


    I let out a sigh of relief. Truly, Athaliah took her job seriously, she always delivered exceptionally and it was no surprise that she wanted to know what she was up against.


    ¡°True, and that¡¯s why I left her in your custody. Her identity as the Neutral one must be safeguarded at all times.¡± I said, meaning every word.


    Athaliah was not satisfied, ¡°But why?¡± She asked, ¡°why are you hell bent on breaking the curse and finding your mate? I mean, you¡¯re a powerful alpha and you are within your rights to select a mate in the next mating ceremony, why are you so keen on finding your real mate?¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I asked, putting some space between us. I didn¡¯t like how this conversation was going.


    ¡°Ohe on, Zadok.¡± She drew closer to me, ¡°You and I know that you will be fine with or without your mate. I make you happy just fine and I have alpha blood flowing through my veins. What else could you possibly want in a mate?¡±


    She finished up with a pout, batting her eyes as she trailed a finger down my chest. I stopped her hands mid way.


    ¡°Let this be thest time you utter such stupidity.¡± I spoke with a low growl, fighting the urge to push her away. ¡°Because the next time you do, I¡¯ll show you your ce in the cruellest possible way. Am I clear?¡±


    It seemed like I wasn¡¯t clear enough because she continued with her nonsense. ¡°Why are you giving these witches a hedge over you? For all we know, you might not even be cursed! Your wolf acting out might just mean your real mate has been killed. Do you-¡±


    I cut her off by cutting short her breathing. My fists tightened around her neck, leaving her no room to talk as I strangled her till she was red in the face.


    ¡°Do not test me, Athaliah. You may be my third inmand, but you are very much receable.¡± I let her go and she wheezed in some breaths, panting heavily. ¡°Get out of my office.¡± I barked, using my Alpha tone.


    I was done with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Zadok.¡± She said with a sombre tone, but I knew she was far from sorry.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha to you. Now, get out.¡±

 Perfect

    ITHRA


    It¡¯s been a while since I was imprisoned.


    At least, I could enjoy the peace and quiet over here. Meanwhile, had it been at home, I wouldn¡¯t have rested from the taunts and insults from my oh so sweet sister.


    I must have concluded too early because the next moment, my gate flung open and a blondedy walked into my prison with the meanest look.


    I knew her from somewhere, I just couldn¡¯t ce where.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alive, witch.¡± She spat at me, and the next second, I felt my arm stretch in the most painful way. My chains shot up, forcing me to my knees.


    How could I have forgotten her? She apanied the cursed Alpha to my cell this morning. She was the reason why my arms were so sore and almost out of joint.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I spat back, ¡°did your alpha send you here?¡±


    p!


    My eyes rolled back as I felt a stinging pain engulf my face. How on earth did she get here so quickly?


    ¡°You will not use that dirty mouth of yours to mention his name!¡± She growled in my face, holding my neck in a tight grip.


    I could feel my breath leave, ¡°Kill me already, I know that¡¯s why you are here.¡± I managed to say, ¡°stop beating about the bush and do it now!¡±


    ¡°Oh I love your eagerness to die.¡± She said with a sickening smile, ¡°I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you wouldn¡¯t be dying. At least not yet. However, I¡¯ve taken it upon myself to see that after I¡¯m done with you, death would be your biggest wish.¡±


    In a split second, the chains on my legs pulled, dragging me back to the dirty walls. Now, I was totally under her mercy. But I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me in fear.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± She tutted, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a little lesson to stay in your territory and stop causing people problems.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed at the band on my wrist. She took some steps forward and checked to see they were intact.


    I recognized the band, it was a forged band that hinders witches from using their powers. I¡¯ve only read about them in books, who knew I¡¯d be able to see one with my own eyes.


    With the way she looked at me, it was clear she thought of me as a threat. If only she knew.


    After verifying the band was properly tightened around my hand, she threw a wicked smile and I watched in horror as her hand elongated to ws.


    ¡°This might hurt.¡± She says, and casually shes my clothes open, leaving me in my undergarments.


    Before I could breathe, I felt an excruciating pain in my abdomen. With my hands tightly secured above my head, I couldn¡¯t see what she was doing, but I felt it.


    She was digging into my bowels! Her ws shed everything it came across and in that moment, death stared me in the face.


    My breathing dulled and my sight blurred, the pain in my arm, legs, and stomach became distant.


    ¡°Not so fast, hunny!¡± Athaliah said and immediately took a small bottle out of her trousers and doused it on therge wound.


    A few secondster, something strange took ce. The pains ceased and to my utmost surprise, I was healing, and fast!


    Within one minute, I felt strongly. So much so that even the sore in my arms was gone. I looked up in shock and met the eyes of my tormentor.


    ¡°W-who are you?¡± I stuttered, a brand new wave of fear engulfed me.


    ¡°Athaliah Hezron. Luna of the Blood Moon pack.¡± She smirked, ¡°Oh don¡¯t be so scared now, darling, we¡¯re just getting started.¡± she cooed, ¡°I made a promise to make you beg for death, and this potion here will ensure that I keep to my words.¡±


    Before I could reply, she gave me an uppercut that left me spitting blood. The pains returned with a vengeance.


    ¡°Dirty, dirty witch.¡± She said in disgust,nding a couple other low blows in my abdomen, leaving me gasping for breath and sucking the wind out of my lungs.


    Her assaults continued until I lost consciousness for the second time. I wasn¡¯t given an opportunity to rest as the next second, cold water brought me back to life.


    The third round was a series of cuts and shes. She cut me using her ws, knife and everything at her disposal. Almost as though she wanted to brand me and leave reminders of this cruel nightmare.


    Athaliah was careful not to touch some parts of my body. With the precision of the cuts, there was an intent I couldn¡¯t understand.


    Leaving me ragged and in pain, she held up a red bottle, ¡°the sweet thing about this potion is that, it leaves the scar behind.¡± Sheughed, and immediately doused me with the bottle¡¯s content.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As soon as the fluids made contact with my body, it felt like salt added to injury. I couldn¡¯t help the scream that escaped me.


    ¡°Did I forget to tell you it also intensified the pain while it heals you?¡± She cackled.


    Whimpering in pain, I heard the doors open and a masculine voice roar,


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even raise my head to see who it was.


    ¡°Beta Azriel, what a pleasant surprise!¡± She said in a cheery tone.


    ¡°What the hell did you do to her? Have you lost your mind?!¡±


    ¡°No I haven¡¯t.¡± She replied in a curt tone, ¡°I have everything under my control, Azriel. This witch had iting since she showed up here.¡±


    I heard Azriel pace around with his hand in his head, ¡°You must be out of your mind, Athaliah. Jesus! How could you do this to her knowing who she is?!¡±


    ¡°I did this to her for that exact reason! Since she decided to show up and roughen my ns to be Luna, it¡¯s only fair she got a taste of how I feel inside.¡±


    ¡°Alpha¡¯s going to be mad.¡± He stated, ¡°You really are not scared of death, are you?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be mad, because he won¡¯t find out. Her scars will be well hidden under clothes and the potion will heal her alright. Unless you want to tell him.¡± Athaliah remarked with a raised eyebrow.


    Azriel kept silent for a moment, a battle going on in his head. Afterwards, he said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell this is, but it ends now. Wrap it up and do a good job because if the alphaes asking, I wouldn¡¯t cover your sorry ass.¡± He said and walked out the door, leaving Athaliah to her devices.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s about time we cleaned up.¡± Athaliah remarked, ¡°Azriel sure has his way of taking the fun out of things. Where were we?¡±

 Tell me something I don’t know.

    ZADOK


    Kir has been a lot more agitatedtely. For some reason, my wolf became harder to control, which caused me to be in a poor mood.


    Just yesterday, my wolf went batshit crazy on some rogues that thought it best to cross my territory. Safe to say they sorely regretted it, as they currently burned in the deepest part of hell.


    Today however was going to be interesting. I sat on my throne with Azriel behind me as we awaited the presence of Ithra, or should I say, the neutral one.


    The doors flung open and she was dragged in by some guards, her hands tightly secured by heavy chains.


    She was a prisoner. My prisoner.


    With a wave of hand, the guards left my presence, leaving her on the floor, head bowed and alone with me and my beta.


    ¡°I suppose you have an answer for me, Ithra.¡± I said, looking forward to seeing her beautiful face.


    ¡°I do.¡± She answered, and my heart might have skipped a beat.


    ¡°Good.¡± I purred, liking the fact she was responsive to me, perhaps her stay at the prison sobered her up to the reality of things. ¡°Let¡¯s hear you.¡±


    ¡°I can never be a part of your pack.¡± She spat. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than be a part of this cursed pack, so unless you have something else nned, I suggest you kill me now.¡±


    Azriel advanced towards her, no doubt ready to teach her a lesson but I held him back. This was my fight.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Getting up from my throne, I circled her like a prey, intentionally sending waves of my alpha aura around the room.


    ¡°I see you are determined to lose your life, witch.¡± I held her red hair and squeezed tightly, ¡°Unfortunately, you are more valuable to me alive than dead.¡± I let go of her hair, and continued. ¡°The moment you crossed into my territory, like every other beast, you lost your right to decide what happens with your life and what not.¡±


    ¡°Just kill me Alpha, kill me like you¡¯ve killed others because I assure that you¡¯ll never get value out of me alive!¡± Ithra spewed but I didn¡¯t care.


    I held her face up and she struggled to look away but failed to escape my iron grip and continued like she didn¡¯t openly defy me.


    ¡°What that means is that, whether or not you like it, you must be loyal to me. And if you are having a hard time learning to ept the easy way, then you will learn the hard way.¡±


    My words were a promise. One she would realize soon enough.


    ¡°Take her to my quarters.¡± I ordered, and with a curt bow, Azriel executed mymand. Dragging her away with just as much distaste as expected.


    By the time he returned, his face was a lot more questioning than anything.


    ¡°Say it.¡± I ordered after some moments of silence.


    ¡°What do you intend to do with her? Why is she in your quarters? What¡¯s the n?¡± He fired his questions without as much breathing space.


    I could understand his confusion. If there was anyone that hated the witches more than myself, it was him. I also knew that the thought of having one anywhere other than the prison or six feet under left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    ¡°I need to win her over.¡± I ended up saying.


    Azriel gave me a look that said he couldn¡¯t understand what the hell it had to do with the case at hand.


    ¡°Listen, if I am going to get her on my side, then she needs to be close.¡± I exined, ¡°Fighting her every single time wouldn¡¯t get her to do shit for us, and we¡¯re running out of time. The earlier I get her on board with us, the better for us all.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think she will bend her beliefs just because you gave her a room in your quarters? Beautiful room or not, she is still a prisoner, that much is clear to her. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s the dungeons or a fancy one with a bow on it.¡±


    I felt exasperated, most of it stemmed from the fact that he was making sense. Surely Ithra wouldn¡¯t turn a new leaf and decide to help us just because I gave her a fancy new prison room.


    What the hell was I thinking? Surely there had to be a more realistic approach to it.


    ¡°What do you suggest I do?¡± I finally asked, having hit a dead end.


    ¡°We need to find something that will make her want to help us. Whether she likes it or not.¡± Azriel said and I looked as lost as he did a few moments ago.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Shilhi says the neutral one must be willing to do it, she needs to genuinely be on our side, else it won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know..¡±


    At this rate, I was getting impatient. If he had a n, then he might as well speak up and keep the long talk.


    ¡°We need to make her want to do this. At this point, she doesn¡¯t care about her life so it¡¯s useless threatening to kill her. But if we used something else..¡±


    ¡°Something she actually cared about, then she would be willing to do anything for us.¡± I finished for him, loving the idea as seconds passed. ¡°Now all we have to do is find out what she actually cares about, something strong enough to get her to do what we want. That¡¯s a brilliant idea!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha.¡± He replied humbly.


    ¡°Great, let¡¯s get to it immediately! I need every single detail about her on my table by nightfall. Who she is, where she came from, her mission, goals, parents, every single thing you can find. Get Shilhi to work with you on that, and report to me before nightfall.¡± I ordered, already seeing everythinge together.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    With that, Azriel left my presence with a task, knowing him well, I knew it was only a matter of time before I found out everything about my little witch.

 Zadok choked on his food!

    ITHRA


    Azriel didn¡¯t like me.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your new room,¡± he said with gritted teeth. ¡°Gatria over there will oversee your¡­ stay here.¡± He cleared his throat.


    ¡°You mean I get a female guard now?¡± I gasped dramatically, ¡°But I loved my guards rough and dirty, why don¡¯t I get you for a guard instead?¡±


    I knew I was biting more than I could chew, but I didn¡¯t care. I meant it when I said I¡¯d rather be dead than be here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me, witch.¡± He spoke in a dangerously low tone, then turned to Gatria. ¡°Keep in touch.¡±


    With that, he left me in the hands of a woman I knew nothing about. Just great.


    ¡°Hello¡­¡± she said, expecting me to say my name but I feigned stupid.


    ¡°My name is Gatria and I am the head mistress of the blood moon pack,¡± she introduced with a smile.


    I looked her up and down, wondering why on earth she was being tolerant of my existence.


    When she saw I had no ns to introduce myself, she demanded it.


    ¡°May I know your name, child?¡±


    Child?! This woman did not just call me a child¡­ I thought angrily.


    ¡°I do not appreciate you calling me a child,¡± I fired immediately, ¡°no matter the circumstance.¡± I added when I saw her raised brow.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to tell me your name, we will stick with that, child.¡± She said, making sure to entuate the word ¡®child¡¯, much to my exasperation.


    ¡°I am a witch.¡± I stated the obvious, half expecting her countenance to change.


    If she knew what I was, she wouldn¡¯t be trying to make small talk with me. Right?


    ¡°And?¡± Gatria replied, walking towards me with a key.


    Just then did I realize I was still in chains. She shut the door behind me before proceeding to unlock me.


    ¡°While you¡¯re in here, you are permitted to be without chains.¡± She exined and I felt like she grew a second head.


    What?


    ¡°You will also be having breakfast, lunch and dinner in the alpha¡¯s kitchen.¡± noticing my frown, she added, ¡°except you would prefer it in your room.¡±


    Happy to be free from chains, I exercised my hands and finally took a look at my prison room. Breath seized from my lungs as I took in the beautiful, decent sized, modern themed room.


    King sized bed, floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathroom and closet. What in the world? This wasn¡¯t a prison.


    I turned around in surprise, half expecting to get whipped in the face and taken back to my dungeons.


    Instead, Gatria stayed put, and assessed my reaction. Something was fishy.


    ¡°Why am I here?¡± I finally asked, ¡°I am a prisoner, not a guest.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you have been upgraded to being a guest by the alpha.¡±


    What she said didn¡¯t make any sense. I just insulted their cursed alpha and he gives me a fancy new prison? No way.


    I suddenly felt suspicious of them. What was their motive and who was this woman?


    ¡°I am the head mistress of the Blood Moon pack. I already said that, if you were paying attention.¡± She answered, and I realized I asked those questions aloud. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any more questions, then listen. You are very lucky to be alive and if I were in your shoes, I¡¯d pick my battles.¡±


    I could hear the warning in her tone.


    ¡°Also, you will be meeting with the alpha for dinner.¡± Before I could protest, she cut me off, ¡°No excuses. You have a bed, bathroom, filled closet and fridge. I expect to meet you well rested and refreshed by the time I return.¡±


    With that, she walked out of the room, and closed the door behind her. Just when I thought to check the door, I heard a click sound.


    I was locked in.


    *******


    I watched the maids serve dinner while throwing dirty looks at me. I couldn¡¯t be bothered by their hatred but what disturbed me was the fact that I¡¯ve been seated here for a total of two minutes and Zadok was yet to show up.


    I was surrounded by wolves who hated witches, and I didn¡¯t doubt their ability to kill me and make it look like an ident.


    Since the alpha was somewhat hesitant to finish me off, I bet they were itching to take it upon themselves to end my miserable existence.


    Sitting tight in my seat, I heard light footsteps and the guard wolves and others chorused in respect.


    ¡°Alpha.¡±


    I didn¡¯t utter a word. My eyes fixed on the floor for some reason, and refused to meet his own.


    Zadok sat at the head of the table, and I felt his gaze rest on me. He wanted me to look at him, but I refused to give him that satisfaction.


    ¡°Leave us.¡± He ordered and the room was emptied of servants and guards.


    As soon as the door shut, he spoke, ¡°Look at me, Ithra.¡±


    His voice sent sweet shockwaves down my system. How did he learn to pronounce my name like that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± He said after a second of me being lost in thought.


    I let my eyes wander everywhere except his face, and my thigh snapped shut underneath the table. For some reason, this man made me nervous.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ithra¡­¡±


    He warned and I immediately connected eyes with his red ones. An electrifying moment passes between us as I take a good look at his face.


    The scar in his left eye, his chiseled face and lustrous lips. My eyes scanned through his neck down to his chest, and my tongue became dry.


    Under the dark glow of the candle, I could tell that he had an impressive body hidden under those clothes, and I wondered what he looked like without them on.


    Zadok cleared his throat and I am embarrassed by how tantly I¡¯d been checking him out.


    I sat up and resumed my fighting stance, ¡°Why am I here, Zadok?¡± I fired off the bat, ready to get things over with.


    ¡°Dinner.¡± He said and immediately dug into his food like it was the most normal thing in the world.


    Irritated at his nonchnce, I said with sarcasm, ¡°Didn¡¯t know you ate real food, Alpha. Here I was thinking I was for dinner.¡±


    As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how wrong they sounded. How desperate I sounded.


    Cough! Zadok choked on his food.


    My face burned with embarrassment and I immediately added, ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    After a long gulp of water, his eyes found me and his words made me angrier than I had ever been.


    ¡°One dinner and you are already making passes at me? Didn¡¯t peg you for the desperate kind, Ithra.¡±

 Good Girl.

    ITHRA


    I stared daggers at Zadok who went on eating his food like he didn¡¯t just insult me.


    The nerve of him to think I wouldn¡¯t get back at him baffled me.


    Thwack! I threw down the te of food ced in front of me.


    ¡°Oops!¡± I shrugged, and got up. ¡°I believe I¡¯m done here, alpha.¡±


    I made to leave the table but got held back by a tight hold on my wrist.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± I said, entuating every word.


    Without letting go of me, Zadok dropped his fork and got up his feet. I could feel his zing gaze and the anger that sizzled through him.


    ¡°Sit.¡± He ordered,


    I didn¡¯t care if he was angry, neither did I care if I was taking a gamble with my life by not obeying him. But I remained standing.


    ¡°Let me go, Zadok.¡± I dared to speak, venomced in my tone.


    I feel his hand loose around my wrist and I am shocked that he let me go. He sits down on his chair and just when I was about to leave his presence, his voice stopped me.


    ¡°Ithra Couldron. Daughter of the Celts Coven enchantress. Did you also have a sister? Was it Morgan?¡± He said with a smirk, and I felt a bucket of cold water wash over me.


    How¡­how on earth did he know?


    ¡°Morgan Couldron, your sister, isn¡¯t she? Heard she isn¡¯t your biggest fan. Is that also true?¡± he said in a mocking tone.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I turned around, storming towards him with waves of anger.


    ¡°Leave them alone! Did you hear me? Leave them alone, you cursed animal!¡±


    I yelled at the top of my voice, dragging him by his cor. Zadok remained unmoved, adding fire to the raging inferno within me.


    ¡°Did you kill them? Did you wipe them away like you did every other n?¡± I asked but got no answer. ¡°I will kill you! I promise, if you hurt them, I will kill you and every senseless wolf in this pack-¡±


    My breath supply was cut off by Zadok¡¯s lips, which covered my own in an intense kiss.


    What in the world?


    A few seconds passed before I was left breathless and free from his lips. Before I could recover from his kiss, his hand strangled my neck, forcing me to lose my breath the second time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever threaten my pack again.¡± He breathed into my ears, biting my lobes. ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t speak from the pressure in my neck, desperate to live, I nodded my head vehemently,municating my need to be set free.


    ¡°Good.¡± He said and finally let me go.


    I fall to the ground like a pack of cards, holding my neck and breathing heavily from his assault.


    ¡°Since you have refused to pledge your loyalty to my pack, you will be my ve moving forward. Unless you change your mind, and decide to be my subject, you are not the owner of your life.¡±


    I could feel Zadok¡¯s anger as he spoke without stopping.


    ¡°And just in case you get any funny ideas, I know where youe from, I know everything there is about you, so if you make any wrong decisions, your coven gets wiped out.¡±


    He said and I knew he meant it, he was the exterminator of the witches after all.


    ¡°The Celts Coven are still existing under your mercy, Ithra. Do as much as breath wrongly and I assure you will be served their heads for dinner.¡±


    I felt crippled by fear as I watched him spill his intrusive dark desires. His eyes were a darker shade of red, and a silver lining appeared every now and then.


    Zadok returned to his chair, picking up his fork like he didn¡¯t just kiss me, strangle me and threaten everything dear to me in thest few minutes.


    ¡°You are done for the day. Think carefully about your choices and I will see you at breakfast, perhaps then, you¡¯ll be a bit more mannered and hungry.¡±


    Immediately, the double doors flew open and Azriel walked in, dressed like he wasing from a date. His eyes found mine and his countenance grew poor when he saw me on the floor.


    ¡°Take her back to the room.¡± Zadok ordered and with a nod, Azriel dragged me away from his presence, while I nursed a bruised ego, neck, and growling stomach.


    *****


    My night was longer than usual.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised because I didn¡¯t sleep a wink. If someone told me I¡¯d be so worried about the same people that maltreated and hatefully exposed me to danger, I wouldugh at their face and tell them how ridiculous they sounded.


    But that was the truth. Ever since I left Zadok¡¯s presence, I couldn¡¯t find sleep knowing he knew about my people, and could easily destroy them if he so desired.


    For the first time since I got here, I wondered if the weakened forcefield that hides us from ordinary eyes yed a role in his tracing the coven.


    If I yed a role in hie finding them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gatria opened my room door and led me back to the dining room for breakfast.


    My fiery red hair was in a ponytail and I bet I had bags under my eyes from myck of sleep. However, I was determined not to be bullied by anyone.


    Not even the big bad alpha.


    I walked into the dining room, and to my surprise, Zadok was already seated, tes of sizzling hot meals ced on the table as he awaited my presence.


    I suddenly didn¡¯t feel as bold as I did the previous day.


    ¡°Ithra,e sit.¡± He said and I realized I¡¯d stopped walking.


    The doors shut behind me, and for the second time in thest few hours, I realized I was alone with him.


    Keeping my eyes on the floor, I moved my feet to the seat designated for me.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He praised in a delighted purr.  ¡°that wasn¡¯t so hard now, was it?¡±


    I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to say something that couldnd me in trouble.


    I bit my tongue, but not for myself. Forr the n that hated and rejected me.

 Should I be afraid of you?

    ITHRA


    ¡°Tell me, what is it like back at your coven? Was it that bad, you had to run away?¡± Zadok asked while I ate silently.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t run away.¡± I gritted, ¡°If you¡¯re going to intrude on my personal life at least get your facts straight.¡±


    I don¡¯t know why the thought of him knowing how I was treated made me furious.


    Everything about the man in front of me infuriated me and the baffling thing about it was that he knew.


    He knew but didn¡¯t give a damn about how I felt.


    ¡°Watch your tone.¡± He cautioned with a hard voice, ¡°As much as I have everything I need to know about you at the tip of my fingertips, nothing beats hearing from the culprit, don¡¯t you think?¡± He says, slicing through his meat.


    I hated that I was so hungry. If not, I would have gotten up from this table and headed back to my room. Cough, prison.


    Since I couldn¡¯t leave, I decided it was best to make this breakfast as unbearable to him as it was for me.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I began, ¡°Do you prefer cooked meat as opposed to raw ones?¡±


    Zadok seemed startled to hear my voice. No doubt, he was surprised I¡¯d taken the motive to speak to him.


    ¡°As a wolf, nothing beats having meat in its natural state.¡± He replied but I could tell he was picking his words.


    ¡°You mean killing other animals and devouring their carcasses is better than eating a decently cooked meal? Such a beastly thing to do, don¡¯t you think? I mean, no offense, but why pretend to enjoy eating here when you can be having a better breakfast that suits your needs more perfectly?¡±


    Zadok¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gauged me, trying to understand what my intentions were.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly eat raw meat in my human form.¡± He said slowly, staring at me like I¡¯d grown a second head.


    I returned my eyes to my food, cutting through my steak, ¡°Oh really?¡± I feigned surprise, ¡°what else can a wolf not do in their human state?¡± I pondered aloud.


    ¡°Why are you so interested?¡± He fired back, sizing me up, ¡°Have you made up your mind to pledge your loyalty to us, or is this an investigation to hurt us?¡±


    Over time, I realized something about Zadok. He knew just the right buttons to push to get me in a terrific mood.


    Yay¡­ not.


    ¡°Like you earlier stated, nothing beats hearing from the culprit.¡± I yed it cool, not giving him the answer he wanted.


    It felt good to know he wasn¡¯t having a field day with our conversation. It made us even.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He said, dropping his fork. ¡°Since you have be so curious about us, I might as well feed you with knowledge.¡±


    His words threw me aback but I hid it and nodded my head, encouraging him to continue.


    ¡°In the bloodMoon pack, we train ourselves to be strong on our two sides. Both the human side and werewolf side.¡± He started, ¡°What this means is that, in any skin we find ourselves, we are trained to blend in and easily use whatever we have at our disposal.¡±


    He continued, ¡°For some wolves, perhaps newly transformed ones that are yet to master using their beastly abilities, they train, live and eat in their wolf form, out in the outskirts of the packnds until they are better acquainted to bncing both ends.¡±


    I adjusted on my chair, wondering why he was telling me all of this.


    ¡°Why ce them on the outskirts of the pack? Are they also a threat to your people?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°Far from it. Matter of fact, they are better off staying under guidance on the pack, in order to quicken their learning experience and be of use to the pack.¡±


    Now I was confused, ¡°If that¡¯s a better option, then why keep them there?¡±


    ¡°You see, a newly transformed wolf is usually unstable. Unstable in the sense that until they are able to get control of their wolf, their wolf instincts guide their every decision.¡± He smirked, ¡°And nine times out of ten, it¡¯s usually kill first, and ask questionster.¡±


    Why did I feel like he was threatening me?


    ¡°Remember when I found you wandering around my territory? You were on the outskirts of thends, and right in time to attend the hunt.¡±


    ¡°The hunt?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ithra. For some reason, you decided to show up when the newly transformed ones were to hunt for their first meal.¡± He chuckled, ¡°You can be thankful I found you and not one of them, perhaps we wouldn¡¯t have met?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears, he actually thought I should be grateful he met me and not one of his unstable younglings.


    ¡°Perhaps it would have been better if I met one of them and called it a day. Of what use is it that I met you and ended up here, with no future in sight.¡± I snickered,


    ¡°Mind your words witch,¡± his jaws ticked, ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but I strongly believe your life over here as a ¡­ willful captive, is a hundred times better than the one you lead as a Celts Coven witch.¡±


    That did it. I dropped my fork loudly and faced him.


    ¡°Of course it would seem that way to you.¡± I said with fury in my eyes, ¡°And for the record, getting torn apart by your crazy beastly younglings will forever be better than staying under one who lives for the sole purpose of killing witches unprovoked. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the killer beast in youes out anyway,¡±


    Zadok let out a wryugh, ¡°I see you¡¯ve done your homework. Tell me, are you afraid of me now?¡±


    ¡°Should I be afraid of you?¡± I challenged,


    He got on his feet, ¡°I see you have forgotten your ce, witch.¡± He looked at my empty te, ¡°or perhaps you¡¯ve eaten and found strength to bite at your owner.¡±


    He walked out the table and in seconds, he was behind me and breathing down my ears.


    ¡°Since you have enough energy, let¡¯s put them to good use.¡±


    My legs were shaky as he encircled me. Just what did he want to do this time?


    ¡°Azriel will take you.¡± He whispered, cing an arm around my waist, ¡°Hopefully, this time around, you learn decent table manners.¡±


    My body hairs stood at the contact of his arm to my waist. His muscr arm sent shockwaves through my body, making me shut my thighs and gasp inaudibly at my body¡¯s reaction to him.


    Still in that haze, the door opens and Azriel appears. He walked over while Zadok put some space between us.


    ¡°Take her to work.¡± He ordered, and returned to his seat.


    His phone rang and he picked it up, while Azriel led me out of his presence.

 Who are you?

    ITHRA


    ¡°For someone who is at the mercy of the alpha, you speak out of turn too often.¡± Azriel said as we trudged the hallways.


    So he could speak? Maybe I needed to do things like this with Zadok more often, anything to get his moody beta to speak more often than growl.


    Unable to hold my tongue, I fired back, ¡°For someone who doesn¡¯t like me, you are speaking to me a lot more than usual.¡±


    ¡°And why would you say I don¡¯t like you?¡± He spoke like it was the most bizarre thing he¡¯s heard in a while.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t deny it.¡± I pointed out,


    He gave me a look I couldn¡¯t quite understand, ¡°You are still alive and you are not in chains.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but no thanks to you.¡± I said, and he rolled his eyes, knowing there was no winning with me.


    When he didn¡¯t say anything, I continued. ¡°Are you always like this or is this just me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what I was expecting but it wasn¡¯t that. And it did sound offensive.


    ¡°Care to exin what I did to warrant you treating me like dirt? Not that I care, just genuinely curious.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°I am not obligated to answer your silly questions, witch.¡± He growled.


    And there it was, the beta I knew was back.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the problem. Because I am a witch, you and your entire pack are having period cramps knowing I¡¯m still in your midst, walking free and alive.¡± I instigated, but he remained silent and hastened his footsteps.


    We continued on the journey to no man¡¯snd and as we walked through the halls, a lot of people, or wolves, walked past us, each and everyone of them greeting Azriel with a bow or an acknowledging ¡®beta¡¯.


    Meanwhile, I, on the other hand, was bombarded with a lot of scorned looks, snarls, hisses and sometimes growls. It was clear their ¡®love¡¯ for me ran deep.


    I noticed their eyes always drifted to the wristband on my hand ¨C the one that hindered a witch from using her powers and the biggest joke of the century to me.


    If only they knew.


    I also noticed they had a weird aversion to my fiery red hair. Almost like they were intimidated by it, perhaps they thought it held something dangerous, or dare I say ¨C bewitching.


    Coupled with the fact that I wasn¡¯t the happiest in the halls, it was a party of mean looks and ugly faces as we went further to wherever I was being taken to.


    Soon enough, we get to our destination. And shockingly, it¡¯s the kitchen. I barely hold in myugh at the ridiculousness of it all.


    I guess while doing their background check on me, someone missed the fact that I was a terrible cook. They were in for a surprise, I thought.


    We got to a point and Azriel stopped, speaking to someone I didn¡¯t see, ¡°Gatria, take her in, and fix her somewhere for the day.¡±


    Finally, I connected eyes with the headmistress I knew so well.


    ¡°Yes Beta.¡± She replied with a bow, while he walked out of sight. She beckoned to me, ¡°Come child.¡±


    ¡°Ithra.¡± I murmured angrily,


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, looking genuinely lost as to why I was suddenly throwing res her way.


    ¡°My name is Ithra, now quit calling me a child.¡± I answered with a pointed look.


    I could see her struggle to hide herughter, and surprisingly, I wanted tough too. I didn¡¯t though.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, Ithra. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Without a word, I followed her to the inner parts of the kitchen. Of course, meeting more snarky wolves on the way. Matter of fact, this ce was crawling with them.


    ¡°This is Morgan.¡± Gatria said, and only then did I realize we hadpany. ¡°She is going to oversee your work here And afterwards, give you your wages.¡± She exined.


    I looked up at the wolf that dared to bear my sister¡¯s name, and she shes me her canines ¨C not in the friendliest manner.


    ¡°Wages?¡± I asked in confusion.


    This was supposed to be a punishment.


    ¡°Yes. In this pack, everyone gets paid for the work they do,¡±


    I shot her an eyebrow and she added, ¡°even prisoners.¡±


    If I didn¡¯t know who they were and what they stood for, I¡¯d almost believe they were a decent pack. Paying their hostages for work? Outstanding!


    ¡°So what exactly am I to do around here?¡± I asked after a minute, ready to get things over with.


    ¡°Morgan over here will lead you to your work station.¡± Gatria finished and walked away, leaving me in the hands of yet another wolf that didn¡¯t care for my existence.


    She walked away too, and I followed without a word until we got to the inner parts of the kitchen.


    ¡°You will work here.¡± She snarled, ¡°You are not permitted to leave until the job is done. I¡¯ll be watching.¡±


    With that, she walked away, leaving me and a mountain of dirty dishes. I find myself wishing I was cooking instead. Of course they found a way to give me the job I despised the most after cooking.


    I stood alone for a while, reflecting deeply on Zadok¡¯s words. They were teaching me table manners alright? Well yed.


    Grumbling, I began my job and just a few seconds into it, someone walks into the room.


    My first instinct is to protect myself, so I pick up a knife, ready to kill anything that thought to y jokes on me.


    ¡°Hey..¡± The voice says warily, knowing I was armed.


    I turned around and met with a little girl with pearly white hair.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, and I genuinely saw the confusion in her face.


    I drop my weapon and answer curtly, ¡°I am assigned to work here.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Her reply surprises me, ¡°I have been working here alone for the past six years.¡±


    What? I looked at the high and endless stash of dirty tes and genuinely wondered how she had been doing this alone for the past six years.


    That ought to be a form of torture.


    ¡°Oh really,¡± I find myself short of words.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She says and picks up a glove.


    In no time, she stood beside me, silently washing dirty dishes.


    ¡°My name is Althea.¡± She says after a minute, and I can sense she really hoped I talked to her.


    There was something about her, something that made me genuinely want to know her. And for the records, she¡¯s the first one that doesn¡¯t seem to mind having a witch around, or perhaps she didn¡¯t know I was one.


    Nevertheless, I answered. ¡°My name is Ithra.¡± I didn¡¯t know what possessed me to add, ¡°A witch from the Celts Coven.¡±

 Seize her!

    ITHRA


    Apparently, my identity as a witch didn¡¯t phase Althea, because in the next few minutes, she talked my ears off till I nearly regretted talking to her in the first ce.


    ¡°When I didn¡¯t get my wolf six years ago, the pack changed towards me and I think with time, they just decided to ignore my existence.¡±


    Althea was telling me how she became the lowest ranking wolf in the bloodMoon pack. And of course, it was giving me more ammunition and reasons why this pack was the worst.


    ¡°You mean to tell me that you were reduced to the position of an omega just because you don¡¯t have a werewolf?¡± I asked, the ridiculousness of it all eating at me.


    Althea wiped a te clean and dropped it by the side. ¡°I can¡¯t really me them because there¡¯s only so little I can do without my wolf. Despite having elerated healing and ws, I can¡¯tpete with a fully transformed wolf.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes at her words, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that your beast refused to show up at the time it was supposed to, Althea.¡±


    ¡°I know that. In fact, I¡¯ve made peace with that.¡± She finally said,


    A wolf walks in with a tray of dirty dishes. He drops them with a nk and after giving us the dirty look, walks out of the area like some chap.


    ¡°But it¡¯s clear your pack members are yet to make peace with it.¡± I said after a second, ¡°do they always treat you like this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she answered so quickly, I knew she was lying. ¡°I already told you, these days, they just ignore my presence.¡±


    ¡°And in the first instance? What did they do to you then?¡± I asked, eyebrows hewn together.


    ¡°A lot of things, but that¡¯s in the past.¡± She began, ¡°Alpha Zadok ensured to put an end to it, infact, he even asked me to leave work permanently and took me under his wings. I didn¡¯t work for six months and nearly lost my sanity, so I came back to work here.¡±


    ¡°And how has that been going for you? If that¡¯s anything to go by, the people here aren¡¯t the friendliest.¡± I said, referring to odd looks and snarls they seemed to give us both.


    ¡°I know, but at least I¡¯m around people. Staying in the alpha¡¯s quarters was peaceful, way too peaceful and quiet for my mental health.¡±


    I could understand what she meant, I stayed in those quarters and it was honestly a vault.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand you.¡± I remarked, meaning it with all of my heart.


    For some reason, I felt like I could rte to Althea in more ways than one. While we carried out our jobs in earnest, I stole nces at her, and wondered how someone so beautiful could be treated as an outcast just because she was yet to have her wolf.


    I suddenly felt the urge to protect her from her people, the ones who should be protecting her. From my interactions with her, I could tell she had a good soul, one that couldn¡¯t be corrupted or aggrieved.


    Finally, we rounded up our duties and it was time to get our paychecks. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be needing whatever pay they were going to be giving out, but I went regardless.


    ¡°Because of your presence here, I was able to finish up much faster than usual.¡± Althea yipped as we walked.


    Of course we did, I still couldn¡¯t wrap my head around giving a single person the job of washing the entire tes from a pack as huge as this.


    Maybe I¡¯ll take it up with Zadok someday.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak up to have more hands on the job? I mean, it¡¯s hardly fair that one person cleans after the entire pack. I didn¡¯t wash a quarter of what you took on and my hands feel like they¡¯ve been cut off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re more or less human.¡± She said, when she saw my confused look, she continued, ¡°I on the other hand, have unusual strength, although I don¡¯t have my wolf, I am stronger than a normal human.¡±


    ¡°If you are so strong, why aren¡¯t you getting trained with the others? Last I heard, your alpha ismitted to ensuring the people are strong in both their human and wolf side.¡±


    Or did he lie to me?


    Althea struggled to speak, ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± She ended up saying.


    Before I could say another word, someone cleared their throat. It was Morgan.


    ¡°I see you both have enough time on your hands.¡± She said, looking between us.


    ¡°We are done for the day,¡± Althea spoke for us, ¡°we came to get our wages.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch. Perhaps you should wait to clear up the ce just in time for dinner.¡± She said, and made to leave.


    Althea stops her with her words, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I wouldn¡¯t be able to work double shifts, I have other ns for the day so I would like to have my pay.¡± She looked at me, ¡°I and Ithra.¡±


    Morgan turned around with a snarl, ¡°I think you are mistaken. That wasn¡¯t a request, it was an order. To both of you.¡±


    That did it for me, ¡°And if we refuse?¡± I challenged, stepping up to face her.


    ¡°Then you can leave with nothing.¡± She said cynically, ¡°keeping you alive is payment enough, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    I didn¡¯t care about the money, but hell will freeze over if I didn¡¯t get my due rewards after ving in there.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°And you,¡± she said to Althea, ¡°get out of here while you can or you will be joining the next run.¡± She barked.


    At this point, Althea was close to tears. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She said to me, but I refused.


    ¡°We will not leave until you give us our wage, Morgan.¡± I snarled, ¡°Or is it to say that Zadok doesn¡¯t have money to pay his workers?¡±


    In a second, her hands covered my throat in a firm grip. ¡°How dare you mention his name with that cursed tongue?¡± She growled, ¡°you need to be taught a lesson.¡±


    In a split second, I watched her transform into a ck wolf with clear blue eyes. By now, the kitchen was crowded and no one made a move to stop her.


    Instead they threw supportive words and watched here for me.


    Desperate to live, I ran for it, encircling the kitchen, as I searched for some weapon to defend myself. Who knew that my training in the Celts Coven wille in handy one day?


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    I heard a few wolves growl while Morgan pursued me in her wolf form, making a mess of the ce.


    Finally, I got to the storage room where the utensils we recently wiped were kept and immediately, I located the knives.


    I picked it up just in time for her to find me. Morgan bared her canines, and with a powerful jump, came at me with an intent to kill.


    I didn¡¯t blink, I didn¡¯t relent, with all the power I had, I came at her with the knife and just before she could kill me, I buried the knife in my hand inside her throat.


    With a guttural growl, Morgan fell to the floor, struggling to get the knife out but to no avail. Blood poured out of the wound but she wasn¡¯t deterred, this time around, it seemed like she was more determined to kill me.


    She came at me again, and this time, I buried the second one in her chest till it hit the bone. I saw the light go out from her eyes and there and then, realized that I may have killed my first wolf.


    I didn¡¯t know there was a crowd watching until I heard the powerful voice of one, pointing at me with hate in the eyes.


    ¡°Seize her!¡±

 Fight!

    ZADOK


    ¡°Are you just going to stand there and watch all day?¡± Azriel said a few meters away from me.


    We were on training grounds. The air reeked with sweat, determination and blood. Just the way I liked it.


    ¡°You are doing a good job,¡± Imented, examining the wolves as they sparred. ¡°However, there is room for improvement. I taught you better than this.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°This is just the first round, Alpha. I promise it gets rough with time.¡± Azriel said, now standing beside me.


    ¡°All I hear is excuses.¡± I tutted, ¡°take a look at the female wolf¡¯s end. Athaliah is doing a better job. Perhaps I should watch them instead?¡±


    Athaliah was the strongest female wolf in the bloodMoon pack, she was capable of training other females. Ths was as a result of the alpha blood that flowed through her veins, and the impressive skills she¡¯s built over the years.


    I hear excited screams from the other end where the females trained and I realize they were all listening in on our conversation.


    I turned to Azriel with a smirk, ¡°I think the girls will like that too.¡±


    An arm came around my shoulder, and a familiar voice said into my ears.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be our pleasure, Alpha.¡±


    That was Athaliah. We hadn¡¯t spoken since thest time and I could tell this was her way of ¡®making up¡¯ to me.


    I untangled herself from her embrace and addressed her, ¡°Maybe someday you¡¯ll need to teach the males how to put up a good fight. Azriel¡¯s growing old.¡± I teased,


    That got to the people andughter erupted in the training ground. This was a routine for me, whenever I was chanced to watch them train, I made it a point of duty to always appreciate their efforts.


    Sometimes with little jokes to lighten the area, or a sumptuous meal after the day¡¯s work. Today however, I chose to crack a joke at my beta¡¯s expense.


    ¡°You know what¡¯s better than having Athaliah teach the males?¡± Azriel said with an equal smirk, ¡°teaching them yourself.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what he was getting at, but I yed along. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to, I don¡¯t have as much time on my hands to teach them how to win a good fight.¡±


    Nodding his head, he said, ¡°I figured. But maybe if you showed them what winning a good fight looked like, they¡¯ll pick up much faster. I mean, we are all dying to see Alpha Zadok do what he knows best.¡±


    Upon hearing the words of Azriel, the entire wolves were charged with excitement. Roars of ¡®Yes!¡± Chorused through the training ground.


    ¡°Are you challenging me to a fight, beta?¡± I asked after a few seconds, taking off my shirt and standing in a battle stance.


    ¡°You know I am.¡± He replied, pulling off his shirt too.


    ¡°Oh this is gonna be good, been a while since we saw you both go at it!¡± Athaliah said and the crowd mirrored her excitement.


    ¡°Fight!¡±


    ¡°Fight!¡±


    ¡°Fight!¡±


    The choruses continued and the wolves formed a circle around us, giving us enough room to fight.


    ¡°Last chance, Azriel. Unless you want to get your ass beat up again in public, back out now.¡± I said, feigning concern, and feeding off the excitement of my people.


    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything, alpha. I¡¯m not the same wolf I used to be.¡± He spoke with confidence, getting into a battle stance too.


    Iughed at what he insinuated. From a very young age, I and Azriel trained together, and every single time we were ced in for a match, I always won.


    Although it frustrated him that he was unable to win me, with time, he came to understand that it wasn¡¯t because he wasn¡¯t good enough.


    He pegged it to be as a result of my alpha blood. Which was partly true. Another reason why he couldn¡¯t ever defeat me was because I¡¯d mastered his game and I knew his weakness.


    ¡°You already know what will be happening here today, Azriel.¡± I taunted, hoping to get into his head. ¡°They all know.¡±


    Within a split second, Azriel came at me with a punch that nearly sent me down my knees. I must admit, his punch was a lot stronger than what it used to be.


    ¡°Is that all you can offer? No wonder the wolves seem like a sloppy second of you.¡± I instigated.


    Azriel was a good fighter, he had every qualifications to be my beta and was honestly the best warrior I was privileged to spar with.


    The only thing about him was he was easily aggravated. All I had to do was aggravate him and his moves be predictable.


    Too predictable that I could easily make a mess of him.


    Azriel continued with offense while I blocked every hit with precision, frustrating him the more.


    ¡°Tut, tut, Azriel. Do better.¡± I said, not even breaking a sweat.


    Azriel on the other hand, was breathing heavily. The more I dodged him, and sent powerful unforeseen sessful hits his way, the more he got angry and desperate to get a shot on me.


    And guess what followed an angry Azriel? An utterly predictable Azriel. Bingo.


    Without wasting any more time, I switched from defense to offense. Raining blows on his face and making a wreck of it.


    One thing about Azriel, he didn¡¯t know when to give up. Even though all hope seemed lost, he was one to fight till the very end. And that¡¯s what he did.


    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t feel like letting him get a shot in, instead, I pummeled his guts and everything else my fists came in contact with.


    ¡°Pathetic.¡± I spat when he was visibly weakened, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you to be so weak¡­ and predictable.¡±


    It seemed like a lightbulb went off in his head because immediately, he stopped fighting, and stared at me like I stole from him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you to be one who yed dirty, alpha.¡± He said with gritted teeth.


    There and then, I knew he¡¯d caught on my game.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you are so easy to aggravate, Azriel.¡± I said with a smirk, ¡°and there were no set rules, I couldn¡¯t resist messing with you.¡±


    Getting up his feet, Azriel took a deep breath and said, ¡°Nice one, I¡¯ll take it as a loss. But I want a rematch. Now.¡±

 I said let her go

    ZADOK


    The lot was drawn and the fight began!


    This time around, Azriel was calm and calcted, sessfully hiding his next moves, and catching me unaware more often than not.


    ¡°I see you know what you are doing,¡± Iplimented after getting into a draw with him.


    One would think that with how weak he was, he¡¯ll be a bit easier to finish off, but Azriel always put that fact to shame.


    Despite being badly wounded by yours truly, he was still brimming with strength as though we just started. A worthy opponent indeed.


    ¡°I told you, Alpha. There¡¯s a first time for everything.¡± He started, spitting out blood.


    Again, I went at him, determined to force him to submission. We closed in a headlock and I rammed my fist ceaselessly into his stomach while he did the same.


    By now, the entire training ground was engulfed in silence, everyone watching with rapt attention to see who would give up.


    With a spin kick, and uppercut, Azriel fell to his knees, barely able to stand.


    ¡°You should know your alpha by now, Azriel.¡± I rasped, breathing heavily, ¡°some things never change.¡± I said, delivering another powerful blow to his jaws.


    His eyes rolled up, weak to the core. However, he refused to give up.


    ¡°Tell me, Zadok..¡± he whispered, ¡°are some things still the same? Because I see the way you look at her.¡± his tone was using,


    Time froze as soon as I understood the impact of his words, alongside the fact that the entire wolf popce around us heard him.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked,  knowing exactly what he was talking about.


    It was hard to forget when she was drilled to my psych from the moment she stepped foot in my territory. Even more so when she became the key to my very existence, when I connected lips with her.


    ¡°You know what I mean, Alpha.¡± He said with a bloodied smirk, and I realized he was speaking through the mind link this time, ¡°I only have one question.¡± His tired eyes bored holes at me,


    ¡°Is she worth it? That witch. Is she worth the hassle of going into the dark forest to break the curse when the mating ceremony is so close?¡±


    I knew what he was insinuating. He didn¡¯t want me to go. He wanted me to take another as my mate. He never liked the idea of having a witch determine whether we failed or not.


    So he wants me to take the easy way out. A way that meant losing to the witches forever and being without my true mate forever.


    A way I would choose over my dead body. Driven by anger, I let my alpha aura st into the air, suppressing the wolves around me.


    I don¡¯t move an inch as I channeled all my alpha powers upon poor Azriel. Forcing him t on the floor.


    ¡°I refuse to give the witches thestugh, Azriel.¡± I said through the mind link, ¡°no matter what it takes, I must break the curse and be with my true mate. Your true Luna.¡±


    ¡°I submit.¡± Azriel croaked, breaking the silence around us.


    Immediately, I let go of the pressure and helped him up.


    ¡°That¡¯s how to win a good fight.¡± I remarked, not anymore into the joke.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cheers erupted and with a few orders from Azriel, everyone returned to training.


    ¡°And what if she isn¡¯t willing to help? Have you considered the fact that Ithra might be unwilling to help?¡± Azriel asked, looking me straight in the eyes.


    ¡°Then-¡±


    ¡°Alpha! Alpha!¡± An rmed voice cried into my mind, ¡°the witch just killed a wolf!¡±


    Shocked, I faced Azriel, and noticed his widened eyes, it was clear he also got the message.


    Without wasting time, I walked out of the training ground, brimming fire and ready to kill if need be. No one, absolutely no one messes with my people.


    And if the witch thinks she could escape the hell I would rain on her just because I preserved her life, then she had another thinging.


    ******


    I walked into the kitchen, and the first thing I noticed was there was an eerie silence in the building.


    Suddenly, I heard growls. Powerful growls that could onlye from a fully transformed wolf.


    I saw red when I realized something¡­ in this pack, the penalty for killing was death. And if there were fully transformed wolves somewhere inside the kitchen, there was only one exnation.


    They were about to kill her!


    I hastened my straps with Azriel following behind me. I could sense where the wolves were and when I heard another thunderous growl and a gasp following, I broke into a sprint.


    Finally, I got to the storage room, which was filled with snarling wolves. Naturally, they made way for me and in no time, I stared at a scene that almost took the breath out of my nostrils.


    Ithra was cornered by four wolves, badly wounded and waving a knife while they advanced towards her with intent to kill.


    ¡°Leave¡­me.. alone¡± she managed to say, short of breath and struggling to stand.


    Jacob, one of the warrior wolves bared his teeth and in a whish, bit into her leg, causing a howl of pain to leave Ithra¡¯s lips.


    Seeing his fangs deep in her legs brought a sickening feeling to my guys. And hearing her howl of pain caused a terrifying amount of fear inside me.


    My wolf was pacing, itching to get out and my reaction was instant. Using my alpha tone I roared,


    ¡°Let her go!¡±


    The four wolves turned around and I could see the shock in their eyes. They didn¡¯t realize I was in the room.


    ¡°Jacob! Elijah! Matthew! Benjamin!¡± Azrielmanded, pointing at the warrior wolves, ¡°Down! Get out Now!¡± He ordered with fiery eyes.


    The wolves hesitated, looking between Azriel and Ithra who closely held her knife like her life depended on it. Petrified by the wolves that refused to back off.


    Seeing her look so scared broke something in me, suddenly, I felt the room grow hot as my rage built.


    Shards of alpha power exuded me, forcing the wolves to their knees. My eyes turned red and I let Kir take over.


    ¡°I SAID LET HER GO!¡±

 What do you mean?

    ZADOK


    Pick her up! Pick her up!


    My mind yelled at me, and like a possessed person, I walked towards Ithra with that goal in mind.


    Probably scared by what happened, she leans into her person but I wasn¡¯t deterred. I picked her up like a pack of cards and immediately made my way out, leaving behind a pack of bowed wolves in my wake.


    As I stepped through the people, carrying her bridal style, my eyes caught an unconscious wolf by the corner with a knife to the chest.


    My blood boiled, knowing exactly who had perpetuated that act. My eyes connected with Ithra¡¯s and my hold around her tightened.


    With clenched jaws, I walked past the body, sending a note to Azriel to take the impaled wolf to the pack doctor while I led Ithra to the prison till I knew exactly what to do with her.


    We got to the prison and I dumped her on the floor. ¡°Lock her up. No food or water until I say otherwise.¡± I ordered one of the guards who immediately dragged her away with a snarl.


    I watched Ithra struggle to look back, almost as though she wanted to say something to me, but it was toote. I didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    No matter what happened, she had no right to takews into her hands or to hurt my own. And I was going to ensure she learned that the hard way.


    I walk out of the prison and meet Azrieling in. Angrily, I fired my orders,


    ¡°Find out everything you know about her, Azriel. I want more details, something more than where shees from, it should be on my desk by midnight.¡±


    ¡°Find out what happened in the kitchen, Azriel. I need more details about her, something more than where shees from. I want to know everything there is about her, something you might have missed, and I want it done by midnight.¡± I gritted.


    ¡°Yes alpha.¡± He replied, knowing I wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    ¡°And Morgan? How is she doing?¡±


    Asking about my injured and probably dead wolf brought pain to my heart.


    ¡°She will be fine. Luckily, the knife barely missed her heart. She¡¯s currently on bedrest and should be fine by tomorrow.¡±


    Hearing Azriel¡¯s words brought relief. I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d stomach it if I lost another wolf to a witch.


    ¡°Tell Shilhi to do everything she can, I¡¯ll take responsibility for everything.¡± I said, ¡°Find me in my office if you have news for me.¡±


    With that, I walked away, leaving him to his devices while I went to bury myself in work.


    ******


    I was in my office, digging through paperwork when Azriel finally showed up.


    ¡°Took you long enough.¡± I said, looking at the clock which read 2:00 am.


    He was two hourste.


    Azriel took a seat in front of me, oddly silent. I could tell something was up because he seemed bothered, lost.


    I dropped the paperwork and focused on him. ¡°is there a problem?¡± I asked, already getting impatient.


    He sat up, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what I found out about.¡±


    That peaked my attention, ¡°stop dawdling and speak up already. I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    ¡°I started my investigation in the kitchen.¡± He started, ¡°Apparently, Ithra cursed you out in the kitchen and when they tried to speak to her about it, she went crazy and attacked Morgan.¡±


    My jaws tightened at his words. I didn¡¯t know what I was expecting but I honestly hoped there was a mistake somewhere.


    ¡°Are you certain that¡¯s what happened?¡± I find myself asking, unwilling to believe she held a grudge so bad she wanted to kill a wolf.


    ¡°Unless everyone lied to me, including Morgan, then that¡¯s what happened.¡± He gritted, I could tell he wasn¡¯t finding my incessant questions pleasant.


    ¡°Morgan¡¯s awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She is. Thanks to her werewolf healing, Shilhi was able to quicken the process. Do you want to see her?¡±


    I waved my hand, ¡°No. Not yet.¡± I managed to say, ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Azriel gauged me silently for a moment, then he began.


    ¡°I sent spies to the Celts Coven.¡±


    My eyes shot up, there was no way to sneak into the Celts Coven. We both knew that. The reason being that the forcefield hindered and protected them from wolves, and other beasts or threats.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked after a beat, fully immersed in his words.


    ¡°The forcefield is weakened.¡± Azriel remarked, ¡°I found out that the forcefield which hinders us from essing the n was having a major problem. For some reason, it no longer holds the ability to keep every beast at bay.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Speak clearly.¡±


    ¡°What I mean is that the forcefield isn¡¯t stable. Although it¡¯s still able to keep the wolves and other territorial beasts away, it doesn¡¯t ward off every other species.¡±


    When Azriel noticed I was still waiting, he continued.


    ¡°The Faes. I was able to convince them to get into the coven and source out more information about her. Although it cost me heavily, it was well worth it.¡±


    ¡°The Faes are not to be trusted.¡± I growled, ¡°they can put together a fake story with mour in order to rob you of all you¡¯ve got. Surely, you thought of that.¡±


    ¡°I am aware, Alpha.¡± Azriel spoke with confidence. ¡°However, I am very sure that¡¯s not the case. Before we hit a deal with the Faery, she was caught snooping in our territory.¡±


    I snarled, not liking the idea of a sneaky Faery roaming my territory.


    ¡°I got into a deal in exchange for her life, and to show hermitment to it, she revealed her true form.¡±


    When he said that, I felt rest assured. One thing about the faeries was that they never showed their true form. Most of the time, they moved in mour, deceitfully hiding their true identity as they perpetuated evil.


    However, when they do reveal their form and give you their word, they are bound by it.


    Seeing I was getting convinced, Azriel continued.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what I found out.¡± He said with a cynic smile.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Ithra, our oh so powerful chosen one, cannot cast a spell.¡±


    I remained silent, waiting for him to tell me he was joking. When he didn¡¯t, my brows furrowed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what you heard, Alpha. Ithra, the eldest daughter of the Celts Coven enchantress, does not have powers.¡±

 Wolves before witches

    ITHRA


    I couldn¡¯t forget the look in his eyes when he dropped me off.


    Disappointment, frustration and something I couldn¡¯t quitey my hands on.


    For the past three days, I¡¯ve been here. Locked up in the dark and starved of food or water.


    For some reason, despite being badly wounded and empty, I was still alive and breathing through it all.


    Did I regret what I did? Not the littlest bit. If Zadok was anything like Sollel described him to be, he would agree with me too.


    I doubt he was anything like the poor girl described, seeing I was still here, serving punishment for something that was not my fault.


    ¡°I can hear your brain wheels turning, what on god¡¯s name are you thinking, witch?¡±


    I heard the voice of my prison mate and nearly let out a sigh. As if getting locked up and starved wasn¡¯t enough, I ended up with a talkative wolf roommate.


    ¡°I wonder why you are not dead yet.¡± he continued, ¡°Has Alpha Zadok gone ck on his life¡¯s goal to eradicate every witch on earth or is he taking his sweet time to kill you so it¡¯s more satisfying?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything. I could tell that the wolf was looking for a word from me. Perhaps he was curious to know what a witch sounded like.


    I didn¡¯t miss the hatred in his tone when he mentioned Zadok. It was hard to miss it when every single person I¡¯de across in this godforsaken pack always spoke of Zadok with reverence.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising this particr wolf was in prison, perhaps he was a rogue?


    Without any care in the world, he continued like I wasn¡¯t in the room.


    ¡°Ever since the witches cursed him, he¡¯s done nothing but cause trouble everywhere. One would think he¡¯d be well on his way to the dark forest by now, but no, he chooses to stay here with his crazy beast!¡± Hemented, anger filled his tone. ¡°If I ever get out of here, I¡¯ll put the witches out of their misery and kill him myself.¡±


    His words grabbed my attention, I didn¡¯t know when I spoke, for the very first time since I came here. ¡°The dark forest?¡±


    I sense his neck swish towards me, thenughter, a mocking and infuriating kind ofughter.


    ¡°So the witch speaks! And here I was, thinking the only witch I was able to meet in my lifetime happens to be a dumb one!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I pursed my lips, regretting ever uttering a word. I knew Zadok was referred to as the cursed alpha. It was general witch¡¯s knowledge.


    Although I didn¡¯t know what the curse entailed, I knew he got it from his decision to eradicate every witch n he could find.


    However, there wasn¡¯t a single book that told what the curse was, nor was there a book that entailed how he was supposed to break the curse.


    ¡°Answer the damned question.¡± I breathed, needing every bit of information he could provide.


    ¡°And why on earth should I tell you witch?¡± He cackled, ¡°It¡¯s wolves before witches.¡±


    At this point, I knew there was no reasoning with him. If I wanted to know anything more about why Zadok needed to go to the dark forest and how it rted to his curse, I would have to find out myself.


    ******


    I couldn¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t happy when they took loudmouth away from my cell, leaving me to my quiet.


    But of course, before I could get back to wallowing in my beautiful situation, Zadok decided to visit me.


    Yay¡­


    I didn¡¯t need to see his face before I knew it was him. His footsteps, aura, and just how well he managed to dominate a room was enough to know.


    I felt his stare before I saw it. This man made it a goal to put my nerves in a wreck every single time he came around.


    My body ached to meet his eyes but I kept my eyes on his shoes. He was outside my cell, rxing on the wall and watching me with fascination.


    Was this the day I would finally die? Is this the end? I wondered with the prolonged silence.


    ¡°Unlock her.¡±


    His voice vibrated through the prison, and immediately, my gate was drawn open and the chains on my hands and feet were set loose, leaving only the witch band.


    I felt scared. I calcted my odds of escaping and surviving whatever terrible judgment that awaited me.


    Facing my fears, I connected eyes with Zadok who immediately walked into my cell, all the while maintaining eye contact.


    ¡°Leave us.¡± He said after a moment of silence.


    His eyes never left mine as he spoke. Despite his lowmand, the guards stationed at my door disappeared into the dark, leaving me alone with him.


    Refusing to cower, I kept my eyes on him, too tired to stand on my feet or do anything more.


    ¡°Morgan is alive.¡± He said, with his left hand inside his pocket.


    ¡°Morgan?¡± I replied, brows scrunched in confusion at what he was talking about.


    ¡°The wolf. The one you thought to kill. She¡¯s alive.¡± He states, searching my face for a reaction I had no ns on giving. ¡°The knife was very close to her heart, nearly killed her, but she¡¯s fine.¡±


    Putting up a nonchnt attitude, I leaned back with a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s too bad..¡± I stated, ¡°remind me to aim properly next time.¡±


    I saw his jaws twitching, and I knew he didn¡¯t like what I said. Unfortunately for him, I didn¡¯t care, not for someone who tried to kill me first.


    ¡°Is that all you came to do? To tell me that I missed my target? I thought you were a busy man, Zadok.¡± I tutted.


    If I was dying soon, I might as well make myst moments worth it. Nothing pleased me as much as the surprise on Zadok¡¯s face when I mentioned his name.


    ¡°You amuse me, Ithra.¡± He said,ing closer to me, and dropping to his knees.


    The air around us was charged. I could barely breathe from being so close to him.


    As though his invasion of my personal space wasn¡¯t enough, he went on to do something that ced me in an irrevocable shock.


    He removed the witch band from my wrist.

 What do you have to lose?

    ZADOK


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance to tell me who you are, Ithra.¡± I said into her ears, enjoying the look of horror in her eyes.


    ¡°Not that I do not know, but I¡¯d like to hear you say it¡­¡± I spun the witch band in my pinkie finger. ¡°Who are you and what is your real motive for entering my territory?¡±


    Ithra gulped and it was the most attractive thing I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.


    Focus, Zadok. Focus.


    I shook my head, trying to get the odd thoughts away.


    Ithra remained silent, an act that didn¡¯t go down well with me. I thought that by now, she would have learned her lesson about crossing me.


    ¡°You must feel very confident.¡± She croaked, surprising me.


    Her voice wasn¡¯t the sweet and sultry one I¡¯de to know her for. It sounded parched, broken and overused.


    Why did she sound like that?


    ¡°Unlocking that band has got to be the stupidest thing you¡¯ve done since the beginning of your existence, Zadok¡± She said, eyeing me warily.


    I saw through her act. Behind the tough girl persona, was a girl scared she had been found out.


    ¡°You mean the smartest thing I¡¯ve done in a while.¡± I got up, and my voice hardened. ¡°How long did you think you could fool me, Ithra?¡±


    Walking around in circles, I continued.


    ¡°You must have enjoyed ying this game didn¡¯t you? Having us wary of you, cing a witch band on your wrist, treating you like some powerful being.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ithra asked, still acting ignorant.


    Moved by anger, I grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully. ¡°You tell me, Ithra. Tell me why a proimed witch is unable to cast a spell.¡±


    Her eyes widened, and there and then, it was confirmed. She couldn¡¯t cast a spell. And she knew it too.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do. I guess a little part of me was holding on to the fact that they might have been wrong. That something must have gone wrong.


    That Azriel was somehow fooled by the faery. But seeing her react to it, I was certain she was unable to cast a spell. She was exposed.


    Questions danced in her eyes, questions she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask.


    Reality dawned on me. She was harmless. Defenseless. And most importantly, under my mercy.


    A surge of power reverberated through me at the implications of what her powerlessness meant. She couldn¡¯t even be called a witch.


    She couldn¡¯t cast a spell on me. She wasn¡¯t a threat.


    How then could she lead us to the dark forest? How could she be the chosen one if her state was this pitiful and weak?


    I needed to see Shilhi.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s not a surprise to you. So I¡¯m going to set things straight.¡± I began. Letting go of her arm as I spoke.


    ¡°So far, we know you are from the Celts Coven, and you aren¡¯t the most wee there, despite being the daughter of the enchantress.¡±


    She sneered at my words, but I couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°We also know you cannot cast a spell and that means you are totally vulnerable and under the mercy of the blood moon pack.¡±


    ¡°Thirdly, the force field that protects your people from invasion is halfway down, which means, if I do desire to eradicate the Celts Coven, I can.¡± I said with so much certainty that she visibly shook.


    In the back of my mind, I wondered why she cared so much about people who are definitely not so fond of her.


    The horror in her eyes fed my ego. The other times I spoke to her, she always held an air of confidence, although it was little, but it was there.


    However, as I spoke to her, there was no shred of confidence around her. She seemed like one who had their carpet pulled from underneath her legs.


    Unsettled, fidgety, and scared.


    Just how I liked it. I could tell she believed I meant every word. So I let her believe that, for both our sakes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you a final deal.¡± I continued, wearing a serious expression. ¡°Pledge your loyalty to me and the bloodMoon pack. Pledge your loyalty to me and preserve your life and that of your n.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s only a matter of time before that forcefield goes down. And when it does, I¡¯ll be waiting to finish off the only witch n exempted from my rampage.¡±


    Ithra opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her lip was broken, dried and all shades of unattractive.


    Yet I wanted to stroke it. To kiss it alive. So much so I tightened my fist to get a grip of myself. Why couldn¡¯t I get a grip around her?


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ll need time to think about your choices.¡± I said when she didn¡¯t speak. ¡°With how malnourished and ugly you look, I can imagine how hard it is to think looking and feeling like that. So I¡¯ll give you some time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to think about your choices carefully. This is the third andst chance you would get, Ithra. So you should examine your choices clearly. Afterall, what do you have to lose?¡±


    I walked out of her cell, leaving her room to think. And decide.


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve forgotten about what you did, hurting a member of my pack. Your actions shall be punished duly. And until I see you show remorse for what you have done, you shall be remanded here.¡±


    I tutted, ¡°For the next two weeks, you will be on hardbor, and just because I¡¯m in a good mood, you¡¯ll be allowed a meal per day. Do anything funny, and you¡¯ll lose the meal. Let¡¯s see how far your human, not so human body can take you without food.¡±


    With that, I walked out of the cells. Ordering the guards to see to it that my words were carried out.

 Chosen one

    ITHRA


    I could count the ribs on my stomach.


    That¡¯s about how much I lost weight since my sentence one week ago.


    ¡°Keep moving, witch!¡± A guard said from behind me, harshly poking me with a stick, ¡°we don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    What he meant to say was that he didn¡¯t have all day. Because I clearly wasn¡¯t in a hurry to return to that godforsaken farm.


    I moved my feet faster, ready to return to the farnd I had been working for the past one week.


    Every day since thest time Zadok visited me, I was escorted by a wolf guard to the pack farm where Iboured all day, picking out weeds in the hot sun.


    For a pack that eats a lot of meat, I wondered why they had a farm. And a very big one at that. Everyday, people came from the kitchen to pick out their produce for the day, not forgetting to send me a nasty snarl every single time.


    When we got to the farm, the guard left me to the hands of another, who immediately urged me to begin my duty, while keeping an eye on me.


    I proceeded to my job, handpicking the weeds from where I stopped the previous day. After hours of toiling without food, I¡¯ve had enough with the weeds in the farm.


    However, when I look up to see what is left, I feel like I haven¡¯t done a single thing since I came here. Arge expanse of unweedednd stared back at me.


    Mocking my efforts of the day.


    I was never going to finish this, I said to myself. Not today, not in two weeks time, not ever.


    My stomach growled and I am reminded of the fact I can¡¯t have anything until I at least finish the portion allocated for today.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    For the first time ever, I miss the Celts Coven. Despite the terrible treatment meted out to me out there, I wasn¡¯t hungry.


    Remembering the Celts n brought back the worry that ate at me since thest time with Zadok. I wondered how they were doing, how the forcefield was holding up.


    If Zadok was able to find out I couldn¡¯t cast a spell, that meant the forcefield was a shadow of itself. Or worse, nothing to write home about.


    That fact threatened the existence of my n, and brought days of sleepless nights. While I continued the day¡¯s work, I thought of the many ways I could secure my n without selling my soul to the devil.


    All of which turned up empty. When Zadok visited my cell, he knew he had all the cards. There wasn¡¯t anything I could do to stop him, I couldn¡¯t even pretend like I had some powers to wipe out the pack if I wish.


    These days, the fact that I was left unchained was more of a mockery to me than freedom. It showed I was nothing, nothing to be afraid of and nothing to regard.


    Without going back to the Celts n, I was returned back to my state of mind there. I also nursed some anger at the fact my secret was sold out to Zadok, who now held it over my head.


    Another thing I couldn¡¯t deny was the fact that I wanted to see him. Ever since he walked out of my cell, I wanted to see him so badly and submit myself to him.


    My family couldn¡¯t be destroyed. Not until I am able to figure out a way out of here and get a remedy for the forcefield.


    You guessed it. I wanted to go to the dark forest. I figured dying in the dark forest was better anyway. At least, then, I¡¯ll be dying for a noble cause.


    I had to get to the dark forest. But how?


    ¡°Chosen one.¡± I hear a voice say behind me and I snap out of my thoughts.


    A capeddy with flowing ck hair stood at the gates of the farm, wearing an eerie smile that made me ufortable.


    ¡°What did you just call me?¡± I managed to speak, thirsty and tired.


    ¡°I see you are tired.¡± She said, picking up some herbs, very close to the gate.


    Quite a profound observation. I said under my breath, feeling bitter.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± she said, still plucking some herbs, ¡°you don¡¯t belong here.¡± She looked up at me, ¡°you know that right?¡±


    Her eyes flickered between blue and gray and I felt something zap into me.


    I blinked, wondering what on earth just happened and who the hell she was. To my greatest surprise, she was nowhere to be found.


    Just like that, she disappeared.


    ******


    Dark clouds covered the sky, leaving no room for light as I toured the dark forest, looking for a way out.


    Chosen one¡­.


    An eerie voice from nowhere startled me. I turned around, seeking to know who it was but there was no one.


    I picked up my pace, heading deeper into the dark forest, meeting twigs, twists and turns. The coldness of the forest warned me of the dangers that lurked within.


    Chosen one¡­.


    The voice said again, and this time, it was closer.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out in a shaky voice, enveloping myself in a hug. ¡°Is someone there?¡± I yelled, and my voice echoed back.


    ck Ravens in multitudes erupt, pping their wings into the sky. The dark sky is covered by them inrge numbers, and a loud noise of pping and screeching.


    I duck my head in reflex, trying to preserve myself from harm and thinking of the best way out.


    Ithraaaaa


    A powerful voice that seemed like a thousand drums echoed in the forest, scaring the shit out of me.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± I sobbed, tired of the strangeness of it all.


    ¡°Hold out your hands.¡± The voice said, and with a trembling body, I obeyed.


    Immediately, a bright light zaps into my hands and enters my body.


    What the hell?


    Immediately, I felt a surge of power rise through me and every fear was gone. The entire forest regains stillness and the coldness increases.


    I feel an urge to say something. To do something. To let out the powers within me. And so¡­ I did.


    ¡°Die.¡± I say to a palm tree, and to my greatest surprise, it withers.


    And dies.

 Mission Impossible

    ITHRA


    Not a day passed without a dream about the dark forest.


    Ever since the capeddy visited the farm, every waking moment was spent with thoughts of the dark forest.


    So much so that I felt a part of me was there, waiting for me toe.


    With the rming increase of my dreams about the dark forest, I became a shadow of myself.


    If I was looking bad before, then I looked terrible at the moment. Dragging myself to the farm, I contemted how to get to the dark forest.


    I didn¡¯t know where it was located, neither did I know how to leave this ce. I didn¡¯t even have powers to help myself out there if peradventure, I left on my own.


    It was an impossible mission.


    I toiled on the farm, calcting my odds if I was to get an opportunity to leave this deserted ce.


    The dark forest didn¡¯t scare me anymore. Infact, I was certain nothing would happen if I stepped foot in the forest.


    Call it an intuition, but I was convinced that the dark forest wouldn¡¯t harm me. Infact, I developed a weird connection and belief that the dark forest will make me stronger.


    How? I didn¡¯t know. But I knew it wouldn¡¯t destroy me. Not in the way I had read it destroyed many.


    ¡®Ithraaaaa..¡¯


    An eerie voice called, and my hands ceased to function. It was that voice again.


    ¡®The chosen one¡­¡¯


    The voice echoed from behind me, sounding like a rush of mighty waters.


    Slowly, I turned around, and to my greatest shock, I wasn¡¯t on the farm anymore.


    The forest green leaves and crops around me were reced by twigs and dark trees of the dark forest.


    Am I dreaming? I thought, looking around and cleaning my eyes.


    A strong wind from the east blew into the forest, causing its trees to dance and pushing my red hair with it.


    I closed my eyes as tree particles and earth rose to the air, filling everywhere with dust.


    What is going on? I thought, terribly scared at the strangeness of it all.


    ¡°Ithraaaaa¡­¡±


    I hear the voice call from the deepest part of the forest. And for some reason, I feel moved to answer that call.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I called out, walking deeper into the forest. ¡°Come out and stop ying mind games already!¡± I said desperately, frustrated and losing my mind.


    No one answered. Instead, the voice stopped. Everything ceased. Giving me nothing to work with.


    I turned back, and with great fear, realized that I had lost my way. I¡¯d been so caught up with following the voice that I stepped into the deep parts of the forest with zero recollection of my way back.


    I was supposed to be in the bloodMoon farm, serving my tenor and nning my escape.


    How did I get here? Was I going crazy? Is this a dream?


    My head exploded with a lot of questions that had no answers, and in a few seconds, I was very close to a panic attack.


    ¡°Calm down Ithra.¡± I said to myself, taking the breathing exercises that did nothing to slow my heart rate.


    ¡°It¡¯s all a dream. You¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s all a dream.¡± I chanted in my mind as I turned around the same way I came. ¡°You are going to walk back this way and everything will be fine.¡± I said to myself, and without a thought, I walked back the same way I thought I came.


    I hadn¡¯t taken three steps before I was blocked by a big, brown colored wolf.


    My feet lost their motion as I stared death in the face.


    Standing on itsrge paws, it held eye contact with me, refusing to make a move but watching me vigntly with its brown orbs.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My feets remained rooted to the ground but my brains screamed to run for my dear life.


    After a few seconds of the stare contest, I decided to give in to the impulse of my brains and made a run for it.


    In one breath, I turned around and immediately, an earth shaking growl hit the forest, scaring the birds and other little animals into hiding.


    As I ran, I heard the powerful paws of the wolf hit the ground, no doubt, chasing after me. Another powerful growl hit me and in fear, I tripped on my feet, falling like a pack of cards.


    While on the floor, I looked back and saw iting at me with its fangs bared and ready to tear into my flesh.


    I was dead meat.


    Resigning to my fate, I closed my eyes, ready to end it all when I felt a bright light around me. I didn¡¯t open my eyes, until I heard a soft voice call to me,


    ¡°Ithra! Get up! Come!¡± The voice said in a haste.


    My eyes flew open and I realized there was a forcefield that covered me. While the wolf was outside, pacing and attacking the forcefield, wanting to get to me.


    ¡°Get up Ithra! We don¡¯t have time!¡± The voice said to me and only then did I realize I wasn¡¯t alone.


    I see ady on white and flowing red hair holding up her hands that released white currents that formed the forcefield.


    She was a witch!


    Shocked, I jumped up and she pointed in the right direction.


    ¡°Go there! I¡¯ll join you in a few minutes.¡± She ordered and I ampelled to obey her voice.


    Just who was this woman?


    I went through the right and a bright light engulfed me, I couldn¡¯t see but something kept pulling me forward.


    And for some reason, I kept walking until a powerful feminine voice stopped me.


    ¡°Ithraa! Don¡¯t go any further!¡± Shemanded and it feels like thend obeys her.


    I want to move forward, I feel something calling at my soul but my feet remain rooted to the ground, unable to proceed.


    I remained standing until she came back. She stood in front of me with a soft breathtaking smile.


    ¡°The wolf is gone. You should be careful around here when youe around.¡± She said, and walked ahead.


    I followed her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I finally spoke following behind her as we walked through the dark forest. ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit hurt you don¡¯t recognize me, Ithra.¡± She said with a chuckle and I stopped.


    ¡°Is this a dream? I was on the farm a few minutes ago and now, I¡¯m here. What is going on? Were you the one who called me? What are you?¡±


    I felt overwhelmed as more questions developed in my head. Everything was bizarre. I could feel a panic attacking.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± She said in a hard tone.


    For some reason, my body obeyed her and the panic ceased. Almost like she had power over me.


    ¡°Look me in the eyes. Do you not know me?¡± She said and for the first time ever I saw her golden eyes.


    ¡°Sarai..?¡±

 The ancient witch’s code

    ITHRA


    Her smile widened and my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    ¡°Enchantress Sarai!¡± I got on my knees, and she ced a palm on my shoulder, urging me up.


    ¡°Get up, Ithra. You have a long journey ahead of you.¡± She said, and I got up.


    Sarai was the most powerful enchantress to have crossed the earth. She was the witch who created the Celts forcefield and ording to legend, she wasn¡¯t found after she conjured the spell.


    Some said she was defeated by the powerful spell while others said she was cast into abyss for conjuring such great magic.


    I couldn¡¯t believe I was seeing her.


    ¡°Sarai, what happened? How are you here? Have you been here all along?¡±


    ¡°Listen to me,¡± her voice was desperate. ¡± I don¡¯t have much time. You must not allow them to win. You must stay true to who you are.¡±


    Her voice faded as she spoke, as well as her body.


    ¡°Sarai! What is going on?¡± I panicked, I couldn¡¯t see her anymore.


    ¡°Just LISTEN!¡± Her voice echoed. ¡°No matter what, you must go to the dark forest. You must recover your powers, you must right this wrong, Ithra.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What are you talking about? Sarai!¡±


    ¡°Go to the dark forest. Recover your powers. Time is running out¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find her anymore. But her words rang in my head.


    Go to the dark forest¡­


    Recover your powers¡­.


    There is no more time¡­.


    ¡°Sarai?¡± I called out, taking note of the fact I was alone.


    I closed my eyes, fighting the fear that paralyzed me.


    ¡°Ahem..¡± someone cleared their throat and my eyes flew open. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked, eyes narrowed in concern.


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to talk. I was too shocked. Because like magic, I was back at the farm. Squatting exactly where I¡¯d been before I left to the dark forest.


    I quickly got on my feet and took a look around. Nothing seemed out of ce. The guards were still there, watching me like a hawk.


    Was it a dream? It felt too real, I could still hear her voice. I could still hear my rapid heartbeat.


    I turned to the woman that stood there, observing me like an odd specimen. It was the capeddy! The same one that disappeared some days back.


    ¡°You! You vanished¡­W-who¡­who are you?¡± I asked, taking steps back.


    She smiled, ¡°I see you are having a hard time here. You were busy when I left the other time. Come on, I¡¯ll show you where I was.¡± She beckoned to me and led the way.


    I stood for sometime, wondering if it was safe to follow her, and if I was allowed to leave my duty post.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them, they won¡¯t speak a word. Follow me.¡± She urged without looking back.


    I hesitated for a few seconds and like a fool, I followed her.


    We got to a clearing in the far right end of the farm after a few minutes of walking. I see something of the semnce of a greenhouse.


    ¡°This is my favorite ce in the world.¡± She said, opening the wooden doors.


    Inside the hut held shelves of dusty old books, a table with various coloured liquid and a boiling cauldron.


    It was a typical witch¡¯s coven!


    I faced her with a new found wariness, ¡°who are you?¡± I asked again, one foot out the door.


    ¡°I am Shilhi.¡± Thedy said, pulling off her cape and revealing her long violet hair. ¡°You can call me the pack¡¯s herbalist.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t satisfied with her introduction, and she knew it. Without as much as a nce back, she continued.


    ¡°This used to be the witch¡¯s coven but it¡¯s been revamped to my workshop.¡± She said, ¡°I deal with herbs so it¡¯s more convenient having a ce close to the farm. And since I love reading, the books added to its appeal.¡±


    I let out a breath, and felt myself rx. However, I had no business here. If the guards found out I wasn¡¯t at my duty post, I didn¡¯t know what would be of me then.


    ¡°No need to worry. The guards saw us leave. You can take a few minutes rest, they needed some rest too.¡± Shilhi said, and I¡¯m surprised at her discernment of my thoughts.


    Deciding to take my much needed rest, I walk around the old hut, looking through the ancient books that it held, while Shilhi tests some herbs close to the fire.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    For some reason, my eyes are drawn to an open book ced at the table with some experimental sses. Silently, I make my way over, and carefully observe each cup, wondering what on earth it contained.


    Finally, I get to the book. Its pages were old and its contents were written in anguage I couldn¡¯t understand.


    I remained standing, wondering whatnguage it was and why it fascinated me so much.


    ¡°Can you read it?¡± Her voice startled me, I had almost forgotten I wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°No.¡± I stepped aside. ¡°Whatnguage is it?¡±


    ¡°The ancient witch¡¯s code.¡±


    My eyes widened at her words. The ancient witch¡¯s code was thenguage used by the ancient witch n, dating back to a thousand years.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to read it for years but I can¡¯t seem to break the code.¡± She said, carefully flicking through the pages. ¡°Legend says it¡¯s been locked by the ancient witches and can only be read by one they permit.¡±


    I was no stranger to thatw. Stories about the ancient witches and their code were told to us as young warlocks. It was basic witch¡¯s knowledge.


    ¡°Try to read it.¡± She demanded, pushing the book closer to me, ¡°you are a witch, who knows, they might reveal something to you.¡±


    I could see thepulsion in her eyes, it wasn¡¯t a request. It was an order. No wonder the guards let me go. It was all a set up.


    Unfortunately for her, I couldn¡¯t read it. The words printed on the page were as clear as a dark sky.


    ¡°I can¡¯t read it.¡± I muttered, turning away.


    ¡°Try again.¡± Shemanded, holding me by the wrist.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I withdrew my hand from her, ¡°And even if I could, why on earth would I read it to you? If you don¡¯t mind, I need to get back to work.¡±


    I took one step and she broke into augh.


    ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t do it. Just wanted to try.¡± She said, ¡°You can rest here for a while before returning to work. Don¡¯t let me spoil your day. I¡¯ll be out back.¡±


    Before I could utter a word, she skipped out of the hut towards the back. I stood for some seconds contemting leaving the hut but decided against it.


    I returned back to the book and to my greatest shock, I could make out its words.


    ¡°The dark forest mountains retain the power to give and restore a witch¡¯s power.¡±

 You must be strong.

    ITHRA


    ¡°The dark forest mountains retain the power to give and restore a witch¡¯s power.¡±


    I reread those lines with shock, cleaning my eyes every now and then.


    This must be a set up too.


    I turned around, checking for the odd herbalist who thought it wise to y tricks on me. However, she was nowhere to be found.


    I looked around the hut, turning out back in search for her all to no avail. I was left alone.


    With a new found determination, I shut the door behind me and return to the book with fresh eyes.


    This time around, one thing stood out to me. Everything written on the page remained on the ancient witch¡¯s code safe for thest paragraph.


    Which read, ¡°the dark forest mountains retain the power to give and restore a witch¡¯s power.¡±


    Goosebumps wash over my body as I recite the line in my head. I could feel my spirit connect to the book. It felt like the line was written just for me.


    ¡®Legend says it¡¯s been locked by the ancient witches and can only be read by one they permit¡­¡¯


    Shilhi¡¯s words return to my mind and I don¡¯t know what to make of it. What in the world is going on? Is this a sign? Should I be concerned?


    My internal battle was cut short by the sound of the door opening. I turned around and came face to face with Athaliah, proudly followed by Morgan.


    Her smile brought shivers down my spine, a reminder of the hell she was capable of putting me through.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Why was she here?


    ¡°Oh there you are! I¡¯ve been looking for you for a minute.¡± Athaliah said with a wave of hand, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be in the farms, where you were supposed to be working.¡± She looked around, ¡°But I see you found your way around.¡±


    I stepped away from the book, making a mental note to return from it when I had lesspany.


    ¡°I need to go.¡± I muttered, ready to leave, only to be stopped by Athaliah.


    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t¡­¡± she held me by the wrist, tightening her grip as she spoke, ¡°I thought to bring Morgan to you. Poor Morgan nearly lost her life and I hear you are responsible?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s lucky I missed.¡± I gritted, unable to control my temper.


    This bitch tried to kill me and hell will freeze over before I regret anything I did to her.


    p!


    My neck turned at the sheer power behind her p. Before I could speak, a blow followed to my guts and a spin kick brought me to the floor, hitting my head at the back of the shelf.


    Just when I thought the horrors were over, the shelf gave way and its contents copsed right on top of me.


    Searing pain rose from my joints up to every part of my body. I couldn¡¯t even stand.


    ¡°This is just the beginning. I will make you sorely regretying a hand on a wolf. That I promise.¡± Athaliah spoke with venom and with a painful kick, walked out with Morgan behind her.


    At that moment, I knew one thing. If I don¡¯t get stronger, I¡¯ll always be the victim.


    ****


    I felt out of breath as I ran with every strength in me.


    Ithraaaaa¡­


    The voice said in my head, driving me crazy.


    You can¡¯t run away from me¡­.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± I screamed, running through the dark forest.


    I feel a shadow loom over my back.


    You are the key¡­


    I shook my head, and continued running. I wanted to get out of this forest, I needed to find a way out.


    Ithraa


    My legs give way at the intensity of the voice, and I fall down.


    A cold sensation seeped into my bones, and I knew I was in danger. There was only one demon I knew who came with such an amount of coldness.


    Sirion ¨C reaper of the witches!


    I struggled to get up but I was too weak, its back shadow loomed over me like a fog, covering me with a cruel smile as it reached for my soul.


    My eyes closed as I waited for my death. A loud screeching sound startled me and I jolted awake to behold the horror that was taking ce before my eyes.


    ¡°Ithra! Step aside!¡±


    It was Sarai, this time around, she was holding a ck staff that expelled the Sirion from me.


    ¡°Get up!¡± She ordered without looking at me.


    I immediately stood up and the Sirion let out an earth shattering screech of pain. A dark glow filled the air, choking me to death.


    It was dark magic! Enchantress Sarai was performing an exorcism! She was performing such a powerful procedure alone!


    The sight of the Sirion getting sucked into the staff made me starry eyed. As well as increased my reverence for the enchantress.


    Soon enough, it was over and Sarai tucked the staff into her robe. I remained motionless, while she walked over to me.


    ¡°You must be careful on these grounds. The dark forest is crawling with demons and beasts who are ready to kill at the sight of you.¡± She said, ¡°Especially the mountains. You must be prepared, Ithra.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She walked ahead of me, and I followed.


    ¡°You cannot be weak when you thread the grounds of the dark forest. You must be strong, Ithra. There isn¡¯t enough time.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do if I don¡¯t have powers to ward them off? I¡¯m barely a witch.¡± I said, growing frustrated.


    ¡°You must be strong, Ithra. The next time we meet, you have to be stronger. I won¡¯t always save you.¡±


    Her voice sounded far away, I could tell she wanted to leave.


    ¡°No! Please! Exin to me, how do I get strong? What am I supposed to do? How do I leave this forest?¡± My desperation was heavy on my tone.


    ¡°There¡¯s no more time, Ithra. You must be strong!¡± Her voice echoed until it eventually faded, leaving me in the midst of tall mystic trees of the dark forest.


    You must be strong¡­.


    My door flings open and I jolt awake from the sheer impact of the steel gates. It was yet another dream.


    Within seconds, my cell is crowded by three bulky looking guards, eyeing me with cruel eyes.


    Finally, one of them spoke in the nastiest tone ever.


    ¡°Get up! You have been summoned by the Alpha!¡±

 I submit

    ZADOK


    It¡¯s been two weeks.


    Two weeks of defending my territory and killing every rogue that forgot what awaited anyone that crossed me or my territory.


    I returned to my office with Azriel after taking a pit stop at Shilhi¡¯s in order to restock my potions.


    Due to the recent events, I allowed my wolf to have total control of my body, and as expected, he rained carnage on everything that threatened his dominance.


    Now however, we were in the packnds, and thest thing I wanted was my people getting hurt by the Alpha that ought to protect them.


    I felt Kir growl at my words but I didn¡¯t care. Without hesitation, I threw back two bottles of my potion, and waited for it to take effect.


    ¡°I just reached Athaliah. Morgan has been discharged and is back in shape.¡± Azriel reported,


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I nod in approval, ¡°and Ithra?¡±


    ¡°You mean the witch?¡±


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°get her in front of me by dinner. It¡¯s about time we wrapped things up.¡±


    ¡°Yes Alpha.¡±


    ******


    I sat in the throne room with Azriel, going through some paperwork when the door flung open.


    Three guards walked in, two of which were dragging a malnourished looking Ithra, who was ced on the floor before me.


    A tinge of regret pressed my chest as I took in her sight. She looked overworked and in dire need of food. She wasn¡¯t supposed to look like this.


    Damn those rogues for taking my time at the borders! I should have returned much earlier and put an end to this foolishness.


    ¡°You can leave.¡± Azriel ordered from beside me and the guards left the room, standing guard outside the doors.


    I wanted to touch her, so much I held my throne to avoid getting up. Her red hair covered most of her face, hindering me from seeing the damage I had caused.


    I frowned and just when I wanted to ask her to look at me, she raised her head, and connected eyes with mine.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± She said, and I heard the respect in her voice.


    That was a first.


    ¡°Ithra.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Do you have an answer for me?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    My brows shot up, ¡°and what would that be.¡±


    ¡°I pledge my loyalty to you, Alpha Zadok.¡± She said, looking me in the eye. ¡°I submit.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the grit in her teeth as they said my name. Neither could I stop the pleasant feeling that enveloped me at the hearing of her submission.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± I praised, surprising myself and Azriel who watched our interactions. ¡°You have chosen wisely.¡±


    I say, not wanting our interactions to end so early. ¡°Is there a reason why you decided so?¡± I asked, rxing on my chair.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you asked. Because I have a condition.¡± She stated, her tone serious.


    I didn¡¯t like the idea of being given a condition, but I nodded anyway. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°No harm muste to my n. The Celts Coven must be left alone.¡± She said, I could tell this was a non negotiable.


    Infact, I wasn¡¯t surprised she thought I would go ahead to destroy those mongrels after she pledged her life to me.


    My reputation always precedes me.


    I didn¡¯t correct her misconception, it was best she thought the worst of me. That way, she would think twice before crossing me.


    ¡°For as long as you behave, no harm wille to them.¡± I gave her my word. ¡°That I swear to you.¡±


    ¡°Then we have a deal.¡± She bowed her head, and her eyes were hidden by the volume of her hair.


    ¡°Good. Now that¡¯s settled, we still have some unfinished business.¡± Ithra shot up at my words, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I forgot your little act of trying to kill one of ours, did you?¡± I asked, staring her nk in the face.


    ¡°No..¡± She said, looking lost for words.


    ¡°I know you have served your due punishment, but I¡¯d like to know.¡± I sat up on my throne, ¡°why did you want to kill her so badly?¡±


    Ithra didn¡¯t skip a beat, ¡°because she attacked me first.¡±


    ¡°Listen. No matter your reason, I wouldn¡¯t bite. You¡¯re part of us now, I just need to make sure you don¡¯t make a habit of it. You don¡¯t have to lie..¡±


    ¡°Do you believe me or not?¡± She snapped, and Azriel made to move but I stopped him.


    ¡°I believe you.¡± I said to her without skipping a beat. ¡°But I must warn you, I do not take being lied to lightly.¡±


    ¡°She attacked me first. Sollel was there, everyone will bear witness to that.¡±


    ¡°Sollel?¡± I turned to Azriel. ¡°I thought Sollel was out of duty and in my quarters?¡±


    ¡°She returned to work. I told you some time ago.¡± He answered, surprising me.


    ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°A few months.¡±


    I turned back to Ithra. ¡°Since you¡¯re so sure, I¡¯ll bring in Sollel.¡±


    Azriel immediately walked out of the room, and after a brief talk with the guards, he returned back to his spot, notifying me that Sollel was on her way.


    My eyes remained on Ithra who was unfazed until there were knocks and the door opened.


    Sollel walks in and joins Ithra on the floor with her head bowed.


    ¡°Raise your head.¡± I immediately ordered, ¡°how have you been?¡±


    ¡°Fine thank you, Alpha.¡± She answered with a smile.


    ¡°Good. I apologize for the urgent call but I needed to rify something.¡± My eyes narrowed on Ithra. ¡°Do you recognize thedy beside you?¡±


    She nodded.


    I pped my hands, ¡°Excellent. How did you meet her?¡±


    ¡°We worked in the kitchen together some weeks ago.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°I presume that was the day a fight broke inside the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°Yes alpha.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what transpired between her and Morgan?¡±


    Sollel hesitated, looking between Ithra and myself.


    ¡°No need to be scared, I just wanted to get the ount from you because I trust you. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes A-alpha.¡± She stuttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. So let¡¯s hear you.¡±


    For the next few seconds, the room was silent, as we all waited for Sollel to speak. Just when I was losing my patience, she immediately spoke, shocking the hell out of me.


    ¡°She insulted you and when Morgan tried to correct her, she charged at her with knives.¡±

 What happened to her?

    ZADOK


    ¡°Is this a joke? What do you mean I attacked her?¡± Ithra spoke immediately, causing Sollel to shrink.


    ¡°Fix your tone, Ithra.¡± I warned, not enjoying the sight of Sollel looking scared of her.


    ¡°She is lying!¡± She pointed at Sollel, ¡°why would you lie against me?¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± I muttered, already feeling an headache.


    ¡°Why on earth would I charge at a wolf in such a public ce? I might be anything, but I¡¯m not stupid to curse you out in the face of your people, Zadok.¡±


    The entire room got three times hotter than normal. I knew she didn¡¯t just address me by my name, and that in front of my subjects.


    ¡°ENOUGH.¡± I hit the handle of my throne, causing a reverberating sound to fill the air. ¡°Henceforth, you only talk when you are spoken to. And this is thest time you utter my name with such disregard. Am I clear?¡±


    Silence.


    Oh this witch wanted to test me. Kir was at the brink of my skin, ready to take over at the slightest provocation.


    ¡°Yes Alpha.¡± She finally said, breathing heavily.


    ¡°Sollel. Tell me everything and leave nothing out.¡± Imanded.


    ¡°Yes Alpha.¡±


    She proceeded to tell me what transpired, detailing how Ithra had bullied her into doing the entire job of the day and when it was time to receive the wages, couldn¡¯t shut up with terrible remarks about me.


    Of which Morgan attempted to shut her up, but ended up getting attacked with knives and ced in a near death condition.


    by the time she was done, I was a lot more angrier than I thought I¡¯d be.


    ¡°She¡¯s lying. Don¡¯t listen to her! I did no such thing.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± That was Azriel. ¡°Are you calling the entire bloodMoon pack liars? because the story is the same everywhere.¡±


    I looked at Azriel and I could tell he was serious. His seriousness meant only one thing ¨C Ithra had tantly lied to my face.


    I got up on my feet, ¡°I already warned you about the repercussions of lying to my face.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to believe them? I said I didn¡¯t do it! They are all deceiving you and you are stupidly fall-¡±


    Her words ceased as my hands wrapped around her neck in a tight grip. A few secondster, she was struggling to breathe, and her face matched her red hair.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How dare you speak in my presence?¡± I spoke into her ears, tightening my grip just enough for her to see the stars but not enough to drive her unconscious.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± Azriel spoke, I could hear his words.


    He wanted me to let her go.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear her lie to me! She is now a member of this pack, and I need to teach her certain lessons if she is going to be useful.¡±


    Her face paled and my hands cken in shock. I could feel my wolf¡¯s anger at me but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because I let her go or I held her in the first ce.


    Not ready to dig into the darkness of my mind, I got up and returned to my throne. Leaving Ithra unconscious on the floor.


    Only then did I realize that Sollel was still in the room and had witnessed all of that.


    ¡°You may leave.¡± I snapped at her and she made her way out of the room.


    To Azriel, I ordered, ¡°Take her out of here, and back to her cells.¡±


    I saw him hesitate but he knew better than to cross me. In seconds, the guardse rushing in and one of them picks her up and hangs her over his shoulder.


    Her gown rides up and I spot faint scars on her thighs. One I¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    I ordered, and without a word, made my way towards her, carefully analyzing the scars till I couldn¡¯t for fear of being called a pervert.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± My voice is dangerously low, ¡°what are these scars?¡±


    Everyone looked nk. I turned to Azriel and he had no answer for me either. I traced the marks and knew something was off.


    ¡°When I ask questions, I expect answers.¡± I growled, hating the silence that enveloped us.


    One minute, and still, nothing.


    ¡°Drop her.¡±


    My jaws flexed as theyid her on the floor, looking confused. I checked her pulse to ensure she was still breathing and picked her up bridal style.


    ¡°Notify the pack doctor. I¡¯ll be with him shortly.¡±


    With that, I walked out of my throne room, leaving them with a ck jaw while I proceeded to do what I had to do.


    *****


    I watched the pack doctor connect an IV to an unconscious Ithra as she carefully analyzed her body.


    ¡°What happened to her?¡± I asked, brimming with anger.


    It seemed like no one was willing to answer me, and it got on my nerves.


    The doctor raised a finger, silently requesting for more time, as she analyzed the scars that burned deep into her skin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not seen this in a while.¡± She muttered underneath her breath.


    My voice rose, ¡°I am not a patient wolf, doctor. Tell me what¡¯s going on or-¡±


    ¡°She will be fine. Her body is fatigued and in dire need of nutrients. Enough food and proper rest will help her recuperate.¡±


    I held back from the morbid thoughts to kill this woman and get another pack doctor.


    I wasn¡¯t stupid. Of course I knew she was in need of proper rest and food. Those scars were my problem.


    My heart was convinced she didn¡¯t have those at the time she was captured. And I was very certain I didn¡¯t do that to her, which leaves a huge nk spot in the story of how she got such terrible scars hidden in the delicate parts of her body.


    ¡°And the scars? Is there something you can tell me about those scars?¡± I ticked, losing patience by the second.


    The doctor took another long look at the scars, and another long look at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is as a result of the witch¡¯s bane.¡± She says slowly, scared of my reaction.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This witch has been tortured, and it appears it¡¯s recent. Using the witch¡¯s bane.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t express the pain and anger that filled me. I could hear the usations in the doctor¡¯s tone.


    They thought I did that. And I couldn¡¯t me them. The witch¡¯s bane was a weapon found only in the bloodMoon pack.


    Which is my pack. Making me realize something that changed the dynamics of things. I never ordered anything of the sorts.


    But someone did. And right under my nose.

 You have twelve hours.

    ZADOK


    My powerful fists collided with the table and it broke in two.


    ¡°I handed her over to you, Azriel! How could you let that happen?!¡±


    My eyes were bloodshot red. The scars on Ithra¡¯s body reappeared in my mind and I felt the urge to slit the throat of whoever did such wickedness under my nose.


    Azriel fell to his knees. ¡°I am sorry, Alpha. I will get to the-¡±


    ¡°You have two seconds to tell me what happened, Azriel.¡± I cut him off, ¡°Who did that to her?¡±


    I saw him hesitate, and it made me furious. He knew what happened, and I wanted to know.


    ¡°Alpha-¡±


    ¡°I want an exnation! And so help me God, if you don¡¯t give me one, I will go to the depths of hell to find out what happened and I will take you with me.¡±


    Knocks came from the door, and I shouted.


    ¡°Get out! Nobodyes in!¡±


    My blood ticked as I paced around, trying to get my mind together. Azriel could feel it, he always knew when I was on the edge of losing my mind and giving into my intrusive thoughts.


    ¡°Alpha, your potion..¡±


    ¡°I want answers, Azriel.¡± My voice was cold, ¡°this is thest time I¡¯ll ask.¡±


    Kir was itching toe out. I was barely holding him back because I didn¡¯t know what his wolf brains nned on doing in this situation.


    Ever since the extermination, my mind and that of Kir was separated. We never seemed to agree on anything other than when it came to killing the bloody witches and rogues that threatened our existence.


    Recently, that wasn¡¯t the case. We seemed to be at the opposite ends with matters surrounding Ithra, and I didn¡¯t know what to make of that.


    I didn¡¯t know if he wanted to kill her or stop me from killing her. There was only one way to find out and, for some reason, I couldn¡¯t take that risk.


    Not with her.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t have answers, our meeting here is done.¡±


    I walked around the broken table, ready to make my findings when his voice stopped me.


    ¡°It was Athaliah.¡±


    I turned around, and our eyes connected.


    ¡°What do you mean? What has Athaliah got to do with this?¡± I asked, unable to wrap my head around what he was saying.


    ¡°When we first found her, you ordered for her to be put in prison.¡± He bowed his head, ¡°I only found outter on that she was tortured.¡±


    ¡°T-tortured? On whose orders? By who?¡±


    My arms were itching to kill the person who thought it right to hurt Ithra. I was the only one permitted to touch her.


    Who gave them the right to touch what was mine?


    ¡°Athaliah.¡±


    For the first time ever, my urge to kill overpowered my wolf¡¯s killer instinct. All I felt was the need to put an end to her existence, to them both.


    An unmistakable sense of betrayal hit me and my breathing changed.


    ¡°Why will she do that? Why would she hurt her knowing what she meant to me and to this pack?¡±


    I was growing insane as I walked back to Azriel who was kneeling in front of me.


    ¡°At the time, she wasn¡¯t aware. She didn¡¯t know who-¡±


    I shut him up with a punch that sent him to the floor.


    ¡°Excuses. All I hear is excuses.¡± I sneered, and kicked him with every word. ¡°I ced her under your custody, and you let her get abused.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, I never thought she would go as far as using the witch¡¯s bane on her. I take full responsibility for my negligence and will ept any punishment you see fit.¡± Azriel said, coughing up blood.


    ¡°Get Athaliah in here.¡± I ordered, and went towards the window for some air.


    Within a few minutes, the doors open and Athaliah walks in. Two steps inside and she fell to her knees.


    Apparently, she¡¯s been briefed.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± She said with her head bowed.


    ¡°Get up, Athaliah.¡± I said with a cynic smile and she shook her head.


    ¡°I dare not. I have failed you and I apologize for my actions. I will ept any repercussions you deem necessary.¡±


    ¡°Tell me Athaliah,¡± I walked towards her, circling her like a prey, ¡°What did you do to warrant repercussions from me?¡±


    She swallowed, not expecting such a question, or calmness on my end.


    ¡°I just called for you and you immediately went on your knees, pleading for forgiveness. I wonder what you did that could warrant my being angry with you.¡±


    My tone reeked of sarcasm. So much I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she was the chosen one. I tortured her thinking she was a witch that dared to cross our hallowed territory. I apologize for my ignorance.¡± She breathed with her head bowed. ¡°I now realize the repercussions for my actions and I solely take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Bravo!¡± I pped, ¡°What a moving speech right there.¡± I turned to Azriel, ¡°You still somehow found the time to inform her of the situation? Where was yourpetence when Ithra was getting tortured? Why wasn¡¯t I informed with this level of timeliness?¡± I sneered,


    Azriel bowed his head. He knew better than to say anything. It would only put me in a terrible mood.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I turned to Athaliah. ¡°You said you were willing to take any repercussions for your actions?¡±


    She gave an affirmative nod.


    ¡°Good. However, I won¡¯t be deciding that. The one whom you have hurt will be deciding your punishment.¡±


    Her eyes almost came out of their sockets.


    ¡°W-what?¡± She stuttered,


    ¡°It¡¯s only fair that Ithra decides your punishment, seeing she was the one wronged. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± I said, daring her to defy me.


    ¡°Y-yes A-alpha.¡±


    ¡°Thought so.¡± I turned to Azriel. ¡°You have one job. Find out what truly happened in the kitchen. I¡¯ll make my findings too. And God help you, I find something different than you did.¡± I smirked, promising a world of pain.


    ¡°You have twelve hours.¡±

 Forgive my foolishness.

    ITHRA


    I need water.


    That was the only thing I could think of as my eyes fluttered open. I felt like I hadn¡¯t drank water for a thousand years.


    My eyes adjusted to my surroundings and I couldn¡¯t tell where I was. White light, white covers, soft mattress, but no water.


    I need to find water.


    I forced myself up the bed, scanning the room for any transparent liquid that could quench my parched throat.


    Instead, I feel a prickly pain in my wrist. An IV drip was ced on my hand, hindering my free movement.


    I tried to remember how I got here but came up nk. Thest thing I remembered was pledging my life to Zadok.


    With that opened up memories that flooded my consciousness.


    I was set up. And then, strangled.


    My hands instinctively go around my neck. And immediately, the doors open.


    Zadok walks in and our eyes connect. A paralyzing chill spreads through my body as I remember how he tried to kill me.


    He put me in this condition.


    I disconnected the IV drip on my wrist and prepared to flee when he raised his hands in surrender.


    ¡°Calm down. I mean no harm.¡± His voice was soft, and soothing.


    For some reason, I felt secure, like he wouldn¡¯t hurt me. Like he was incapable of hurting me.


    The memory of him strangling me shes before my eyes and I wasn¡¯t sure anymore. He had tried to kill me. And not once.


    I was just lucky to be alive.


    ¡°I want to go.¡± My voice was shaky and parched,


    Zadok looked around, and muttered a silent ¡®shit¡¯ before returning to me.


    ¡°I promise I will not hurt you.¡± His voice sounds pained, as though it hurts him that I thought he could hurt me.


    The door opens again and a female walks in with a tray of water.


    Finally! I thought, counting the seconds till she got to me.


    I took the water without precaution. Even if it was poisoned, the results would be the same.


    I¡¯ll either die of thirst or from the poison in this water. At least I got to choose my poison.


    After dropping the second ss, I feel more alive.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Thedy with a white coat says with a smile.


    I contemte talking to her for a few seconds before I speak. ¡°Better.¡±


    It seemed like she expected more, but I wasn¡¯t nning on saying anything more.


    She quickly realized that and continued, ¡°My name is Aurora. I am the pack doctor.¡± She exined, holding up a friendly smile, ¡°Do you feel pain anywhere? Anything out of the ordinary?¡±


    I shook my head. I felt fine. Too fine even.


    ¡°Good.¡± She took some notes on her pad, then turned to Zadok who, although quiet, seemed to upy the room with his presence. ¡°She¡¯s good to go. Proper rest and proper care will leave her good as new.¡±


    ¡°And the other thing?¡± He asked, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice his ticking jaws.


    ¡°Good as new.¡± The doctor replied and I wondered what they were talking about.


    It was ufortable knowing they were talking about me like I wasn¡¯t in the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way, Alpha. Contact me if there is anything else.¡± She said with a bow, then turned to me, ¡°see you around, Ithra.¡±


    Her smile made me almost as ufortable as my name on her lips.


    The doctor left, and the room felt two times smaller with Zadok stationed by the walls, watching me like a hawk.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    My head swerves to the side, not sure I heard him right.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°I promise I will never hurt you. Please, forgive my foolishness this once.¡±


    He sounded broken. My eyes narrowed in wonder. What happened to my big bad alpha?


    ¡°Is this because you strangled me?¡± I asked in a firm tone.


    A brief pause, ¡°That¡­ and many others.¡±


    Now I was getting entertained. ¡°Care to enlighten me, Alpha?¡±


    Zadok rolled his eyes at my sarcastic use of his title. Unfortunately for him, he was not done groveling so he couldn¡¯t do much.


    ¡°I am sorry for everything. For not believing you and letting them¡­¡± He clenched his teeth, ¡°I promise to make everyone who thought toy their hands on you or lie against you, pay dearly for it.¡±


    ¡°Does that include you?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I don¡¯t know what came over me, but I was pushing it. And to my greatest surprise, he was humoring me.


    ¡°Yes, Amore, that includes me. You¡¯re a part of my pack now, and no one, not even me, holds the right to do you wrong.¡±


    That shut me up fast. The intensity of his gaze brought sweet chills down my spine. And his voice? What in the world?


    ¡°I assure that no one who thought to make a fool of me will be left alone. Every single one that thought to defy me or my orders will pay. I swear on my honour.¡±


    I adjusted on my bed, having nothing to say to that. I could feel anger roll off him in waves and I honestly felt bad for whoever would be at the receiving end of that anger.


    ¡°Have your rest. Gatria will be here in a second to take you home.¡± His eyes rummaged through my frame, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡±


    Did he just call this prison home? I scoffed. If only he knew.


    As soon as he left, the door opened again and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I couldn¡¯t catch a breather around here.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re still alive.¡± Gatria said with a smirk.


    ¡°It takes more than a measly alpha to get rid of me.¡± I fired back, suddenly feeling bold.


    ¡°Tut, tut.¡± She hushed, ¡°Werewolves have heightened hearing, more so for an Alpha, which by the way, is not quite far from us.¡±


    I pped my palm on my mouth at the implication of her statement.


    Surely he didn¡¯t hear me. Or did he?

 The ball is in your court

    ITHRA


    I sat across from Zadok with a bored look on my face. I didn¡¯t know why I needed to have dinner with him.


    My room was more than fine and I honestly could do without seeing his face. For some reason, he demanded that I eat with him.


    With what happened thest time I came here, I wasn¡¯t ecstatic to be in any more dinners with him. But apparently, my opinion didn¡¯t count.


    Our table wasyered with all sorts of food. Meatballs, pies, soup, every single food found in mother earth.


    At this rate, it seemed we were having others join us because this couldn¡¯t be just for both of us.


    The maids set up the table and left us to our devices. I waited for sometime, expecting guests to join us but Zadok dug into his food, surprising me.


    I watched in fascination as he tore into a chicken, he looked good, his canines were sharp and pointy. I couldn¡¯t believe I just thought he was good-looking.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t meet your taste?¡± He broke the silence after taking a sip of water, ¡°I could order a fresh new set of meals. Anything you prefer?¡± He asked,


    If I wasn¡¯t surprised before, I am now.


    ¡°This¡­Don¡¯t you have guests? People who are supposed to join us.¡± I managed to say, unable to believe this feast was for us.


    ¡°I do. She¡¯s seated in front of me, refusing to eat.¡±


    His eyes conveyed hismand. He wanted me to eat.


    I picked up my spoon, and a te of soup. ¡°I thought we were having others join us.¡± I said, taking a spoonful of my soup.


    My taste buds came alive, leaving me wanting more, and so, I continued.


    ¡°Eventually.¡± He said without sparing me a nce.


    His tone held a promise, I wondered what went up his sick mind. I continued eating in silence, and my mind went back to the thought of visiting the dark forest.


    Ever since I woke up, I had this nagging feeling at the back of my mind. Pushing me to go back to the farm, back to that green house, to find that book.


    If there was anything that could help me figure out a way to the dark forest, it had to be in that book.


    I found myself wishing for another dream with the enchantress. I felt out of touch, I needed something, something to keep me busy, or better still, something to make me stronger.


    ¡°A penny for your thoughts.¡± Zadok interrupts my thoughts, and I let out an inconsistent shrug.


    How do you tell your captor that you are looking for a way out of his hold?


    ¡°Nothing much. Just wondering what the future holds.¡± I managed to say, refusing to meet his eyes.


    ¡°We have no control of what we will be Ithra, no one, no matter how powerful, has such power,¡±


    I looked up, wondering where he was going with this,


    ¡°However, we have control of the present. We may not have control of what happened in the past or what the future holds, but rest assured, you are in charge of your present.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what he was alluding to, but something told me I would understand with time.


    The doors flew open and the leftovers and tes were cleaned up by the maids. I felt full, and ready to retire for the night.


    I got up, ¡°thank you for-¡±


    I was interrupted by the door opening. Four people walked into the room. Four people I recognized.


    Azriel, Athaliah, Morgan and Sollel.


    Theter three got on their knees the moment they came in while Azriel stood behind them with his arms crossed behind him.


    ¡°Are you feeling tired, Mi Amore?¡± Zadok said with a smile that unsettled me, ¡°We were just getting to the good part. Have your seat.¡±


    I knew better than to refute his orders. Zadok was weirdly out of character today, and honestly, I prefer when he was all big bad alpha than this sweet, and cunning show he was putting on.


    He was angry, that was obvious from the get go. But to what extent, it was unclear.


    I sat down, then focused my gaze on the women who were kneeling in front of us. I could hear the faint sobs from Sollel, which was silenced by one look from Zadok.


    ¡°You see my dear, the people before you are the ones who thought it wise to make a fool out of me.¡± Zadok announced as he got on his feet, introducing them like I didn¡¯t know who they were.


    ¡°Athaliah, my trusted third inmand, in unity with Azriel over there, decided to takews into their hands and torture you without my consent.¡±


    Azriel dropped to his knees, while I fought the painful memories Zadok¡¯s words produced. I suddenly felt weak. Unable to defend myself, and under their mercy, all over again.


    ¡°While Morgan here, tried to kill you.¡± Heughed, ¡°Again, without my consent. You know the funniest part of it? After failing woefully and ending up close to death, she decided to y the victim and have everyone testify to her favor.¡±


    Morgan broke into tears. But Zadok wasn¡¯t moved. He continued with Sollel.


    ¡°And Sollel here, lied to my face when I asked her for nothing but the truth. Not only did she lie, but she also put your life at risk.¡±


    Sollel¡¯s sobs were once again audible. Compared to the otherdies, she shook with fear as tears flowed down her eyes like a river.


    ¡°So here¡¯s the catch. I¡¯ve decided to punish them for their crimes, but then I thought, who is in the best ce to determine what happens to these traitors?¡±


    ¡°Who has gone through the most hell at their hands?¡± He turned to me with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s where youe in, Ithra. These women¡¯s lives are in your hands.¡±


    He turned to me, ¡°What would be the punishment for their crimes against you? Whatever you say will be granted, even if you desire their heads on a tter of gold. The ball is in your court.¡±


    Zadok returned to his seat with a cynic smile. I couldn¡¯t tell if this was a trap. I turned to the women and the ghostly expression on their faces told me one thing.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The Alpha meant every single word he uttered, and their lives were in my hands.

 Old habits die hard.

    ITHRA.


    ¡°Come on, Ithra. Tell me what you want.¡± Zadok spoke into my ears.


    Hup.


    We have been in silence for the past few minutes. My gaze fixated on Athaliah, and the deepest part of me wanted to see her head bloodied on a golden tter.


    However, I chose to be diplomatic and make good use of the opportunity. Like it or not, I was now a member of this pack, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t change my gicposition.


    I was a witch. Whether or not I had powers didn¡¯t mean anything to these people who lived the better part of their lives believing witches to be a scourge that needed to be cleansed.


    Killing these people would only solidify their terrible opinion of me.


    Zadok¡¯s expression was unreadable, he had a glint in his eyes as he watched me, thoroughly enjoying my dilemma.


    I strongly felt like it was a test. And for some reason, I was determined to ace it.


    ¡°Let them go.¡± I finally spoke, eyes focused on Zadok.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± His eyes widened a bit, he didn¡¯t expect me to say that.


    A satisfying feeling settled within me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. I survived and that¡¯s what matters. I do not intend to soil my hands with blood.¡± I took a glimpse at Athaliah and I felt pure scorn. ¡°No matter how dirty.¡±


    Athaliah¡¯s gaze locked on me. Out of the three women, she remained unfazed. One would think she already knew the oue.


    I found myself wondering¡­ if I had specifically requested her head, would it truly be granted?


    Why did I feel like I made a terrible decision?


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve made your decision?¡± Zadok¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts.


    No doubt, he noticed my clear animosity towards Athaliah. It was hard to forget a face that led you to the brink of death and back.


    I will not forget. I would return every pain meted out to me in a thousand fold. But in due time.


    ¡°Positive.¡± I muttered, tearing my gaze away from her mocking face.


    Zadok remained silent. I could hear his brain work and I¡¯d kill to know what he was thinking.


    ¡°Ithra might be forgiving. But I am not.¡± He rubbed the nape of his neck. ¡°You are no longer in charge of the kitchen.¡± He said to Morgan, ¡°You will serve in the kitchen, taking care of the dishes without pay until further notice.¡±


    Morgan dropped her head in a silent cry, the sound of her head hitting the floor brought waves of pleasure within me.


    I¡¯d like to see her get around washing those tes. I mean, I¡¯d been there and she thought it was right to let me go through that without pay.


    It¡¯s only right she does the job with thanks in her heart. Being alive was payment enough, right?


    ¡°You will assist her in her duties.¡± He said, referring to Sollel, ¡°Since you favour working with her rather than being under my care, I presume you will do just fine living with her too.¡±


    ¡°Alpha!¡± Sollel cried, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± His tone was menacing and cold. He turned over to Athaliah, ¡°You will no longer continue as my third inmand. Till further notice.¡±


    His eyes sifted through the three of them and he barked, ¡°Get out of my sight.¡±


    I watched the women scramble to their feet as a guard led them out of the room, leaving Azriel on his knees.


    ¡°Get out.¡± Zadok said to the air and I felt ufortable.


    Was he talking to me or Azriel?T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Leave!¡± He barked and my spirit nearly left my body.


    Azriel got up and walked out the door with visible disappointment. He didn¡¯t even spare me a nce and closed the door behind him.


    Leaving me alone with Zadok.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± I stumbled my way around him, wondering if the guard who brought me was outside the door.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood for any more angry wolves. I just wanted to cuddle up my bed and sleep forever.


    Arge hand held my wrist and I felt cold airce my skin. Delicious currents erupt from where our hands meet, pushing sweet shockwaves down my spine.


    What was this feeling anytime he touches me?


    ¡°We are not done here.¡± He hissed. I feel his grip tightening around my arm. ¡°Who permitted you to leave?¡±


    A nervous chuckle left my lips, ¡°I thought you were in need of some alone time..¡±


    He gave me a look I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He finally asked,


    My eyes narrowed in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡± He dragged me into his hold, and his arm circled my waist. ¡°You want something. That¡¯s why you let them go. So tell me already..¡± I could feel his breath in my ears, his masculine body made mee alive in ways I¡¯ve never been. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    He bit my earlobes and a shiver left my mouth. My heart beat increased and I felt moisture down there. What was he doing to me?


    ¡°Tell me, Mi Amore.¡± He brushed my ears and I realized I might have an ear fetish.


    Something told me he¡¯s discovered that way before me.


    ¡°I want to be strong.¡± I said before I could think.


    He gives me a little space but his arm remains tightly secured around my waist. ¡°Strong?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± I tried to walk out of his hold but he held me in ce.


    ¡°Why?¡± His tone told me he was having a hard time trusting me.


    Old habits die hard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be vulnerable to your wolves.¡± I spoke curtly, ¡°You already know of the terrible things they are capable of,¡± I took a breath, ¡°alongside the fact I am not as powerful as a witch should be. I need to be stronger.¡±


    Zadok gauged me for a moment, then proceeded to blow my mind.


    ¡°Your training begins tomorrow.¡± He let me go. ¡°I will personally oversee your training, to ensure you are able to protect yourself without harming others.¡±


    He still considered me a threat. I don¡¯t know if he was the wisest or stupidest wolf I¡¯ve encountered.


    ¡°And just to prevent this nonsense from happening again. You will be announced as my guest tomorrow.¡± He walked towards his window and opened it, cold air wafts into the room.


    ¡°Good night, Mi Amore.¡±

 Always thinking ahead

    ZADOK


    My eyes skimmed through the decade old greenhouse that was Shilhi¡¯s workspace.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s good that she wants to train.¡± Shilhi remarked, stirring her cauldron pot.


    God knew what content it was this time around.


    ¡°Why do you say so?¡± Azriel asked from behind me. ¡°She poses enough danger even without powers, why would she need to train more?¡±


    I heard the implications of his words, but chose to y dumb.


    ¡°A powerless witch living in a pack of witch-hating-wolves.¡± I answered in ce of Shilhi. ¡± It doesn¡¯t take a genius to know why she feels threatened.¡±


    I watched Shilhi pour little portions of the pot¡¯s contents into small bottles.


    Those were my potions.


    ¡°I understand that, but you already said you would introduce her to the pack as a guest. No one would hurt her after that.¡± Azriel exined. ¡°Training her will pose more of a risk to us with her current skill set.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know you well, I¡¯d think you are scared of her, Azriel.¡± A wry smile was on my face, ¡°If ites to that, I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll be able to handle it. And if you¡¯re unable, I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡±


    Azriel¡¯s jaws twitched and I knew he did not appreciate my jab on his ability to properly carry out his duties. I couldn¡¯t be bothered.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s great she wants to train.¡± Shilhi spoke again, grabbing our attention.


    One thing I hated about Shilhi was that she tended to leave her sentences unfinished, until we called her out on it.


    ¡°And why do you think so?¡± Azriel asked the million dor question.


    She dropped her spoon and walked closer to us, taking a seat on an empty chair to my right.


    ¡°Ithra is the chosen one.¡± She started, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at that, ¡°Although it is clear she has no witch powers, we need to be sure.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, hating the probability of being deceived yet again by a meager witch.


    ¡°Think about it. A person who has the power to lead us into the dark forest, a powerless witch who has the power to hold the ghost orchid that grows in the dark forest. Nothing about her spells is ordinary.¡±


    ¡°You think she has powers and is hiding it?¡± Azriel said with a growl undertone.


    I didn¡¯t like where this was going.


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Shilhi opened a book, and traced its content. ¡°However, I do not entirely rule out that possibility.¡±


    She looked up at me, and I felt my blood boil. If she was saying this, it meant there was still need to be wary of Ithra.


    I didn¡¯t like the feel of that.


    ¡°There¡¯s also a little possibility that she does have powers, but is in the dark about it, alongside a chance she really doesn¡¯t have powers.¡± Shilhi shook her head with a tut, ¡°thatst possibility will be a shame. To be known as such a legendary being and yet have no power to show for it.¡±


    ¡°How do we verify the extent of her abilities? If her abilities are still lying fallow or somehow hidden within her, I doubt she¡¯d disy them to us if we ask peacefully.¡± That was Azriel.


    Always thinking ahead.


    ¡°That¡¯s where the traininges in.¡± An evil glint lit her eyes, ¡°what better way to force her powers to y than the training ground?¡±


    Azriel nodded his head, liking the sound of manipting the training to uncover whatever secrets she held.


    My wolf however, was having a hard time understanding their reasoning. As usual, I shut him off, and headed to the table that held a dozen freshly brewed potions.


    Without a thought, I picked a bottle and gulped its entire contents.


    I feel their eyes on me, no doubt, wondering the reason for my fluid actions. I owe nobody an exnation.


    ¡°How do we set up the training to discover what we need?¡± I asked and Shilhi began.


    ¡°During the training, we will set up natural tests and see how she reacts to it.¡± I could hear her brain churning. ¡°You can handle the physical part of her training, while I incorporate the testing into whatever you have nned out.¡±


    ¡°A win-win if you asked me.¡± Azriel smiled, he loved the sound of a challenge. A new thrill.


    I did too.


    ¡°You are in charge of her training.¡± I said to Azriel, ¡°both of you can figure out the details, while I oversee every once in a while.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Shilhi said,


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Azriel nodded, cing a book on the shelves.


    ¡°Great. Any other thing we need to settle?¡± I asked, already up on my feet.


    Shilhi got up. I sensed her hesitation and I wondered what she wanted to say.


    ¡°There¡¯s but one thing, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°The mating ceremony. It¡¯s fast approaching and we are the one to host.¡± I felt my wolf stirr at her words, and within seconds I felt pain.


    Irreconcble pain of yet another mating ceremony without my mate.


    ¡°I believe Azriel can handle it.¡± I spoke in a straight tone, leaving no traces of my inner turmoil. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Sure. However, this is the 12th mating ceremony in the past 12 years and you are yet to make an appearance. We¡¯ve pushed the responsibility of hosting for the longest time and now, everyone is eager toe.¡±


    ¡°Of course they¡¯d be eager toe, it¡¯s a night of finding their significant other.¡± I didn¡¯t understand why I needed to have this conversation, ¡°You will y host to them for the night. Give them some excuse on my whereabouts, I doubt they¡¯d remember me when the fun starts.¡±


    I turned around, ready to leave when his words stopped me.


    ¡°They are not just here for their mates, Alpha.¡± Azriel said in a serious note, ¡°They are here to confirm if the legend is true, and if you truly do not show up, words will spread.¡±


    ¡°And thest thing we need in such a delicate time is to give them a reason to look into us, especially with the appearance of the chosen one.¡± Shilhi sufficed.


    Arge part of me wanted to walk away, act like I always do and tell them to figure it out. But I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°What needs to be done?¡± I said after a long silence. ¡°Remind me at the time and I¡¯ll see to it. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­other than the fact we need to hasten up in preparing Ithra and getting into the dark forest, everything¡¯s good.¡±


    My jaws tightened. ¡°Great.¡±

 Anyone else have something to say?

    ITHRA


    ¡°Why do we have to go this early?¡± I walked behind Azriel, trying to meet up to his pace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that because you are now a member of the pack, you have permission to idle away.¡± He said without a nce back. ¡°We are disciplined, and in order for you to fit in, you must be disciplined.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to fit in.¡± I sneered behind him, ¡°Zadok- I mean, the alpha said I would be introduced to the pack. It¡¯s been two days and there¡¯s been no word. Forgive me but I don¡¯t feel like getting attacked by your people.¡±


    Azriel stopped, and turned around. ¡°My people?¡± he asked in an incredulous tone.


    I stared back at him. Surely, he didn¡¯t expect me to refer to them with anything dear. Not when they were all after my life.


    When he realized I wasn¡¯t nning on saying anything, he sighed.


    ¡°Today is your first day of training. Zadok will meet you in between. I have been assigned to oversee your training.¡± He took a long look at me, ¡°which unfortunately for you, begins in the early hours of the day. If you¡¯re doneining, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    My mouth opened but no words came out.


    Azriel didn¡¯t care to see if I had something to say. He walked forward and disappeared into a door by the end of the hallway, leading outside.


    I took a deep breath and followed him, murmuring all the way.


    The vastnd became quiet the moment I stepped out. Everything ceased and I felt all eyes on me. The pungent smell of sweat and bodily fluids were heavy on the air.


    ¡°Ahem-¡± Azriel cleared his throat,manding attention. ¡°This is Ithra.¡± He introduced me, and I was greeted by hostile hisses and snarls. ¡°She will be training with us moving forward.¡±


    That did it. The wolves broke into a fit of growls and words,municating how ¡®weed¡¯ I was in their midst.


    ¡°I¡¯d kill her before I let her train with us!¡±


    One of the wolves hollered and a chorus of agreement filled the air.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A witch training with us? What an insult!¡±


    ¡°She deserves to die for showing her face over here! Let¡¯s show her how brutal the bloodhound warriors can be to flimsy witches like her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± A voice said from the door and the raging crowd silenced.


    ¡°Alpha!¡±


    They changed in unison and got on their knees, with heads bowed. Everyone was on their knees including Azriel, however, I remained standing, rooted to my spot as I watched Zadok walk towards me with a displeased look.


    His long legs found their way to my side and I found myself mesmerized by his features. His sharp jaws were clenched, tight, and promising a world of pain to whoever thought it wise to cross him.


    I looked at his bare chest and rock hard abs. Years of training and hard work are visible in the hardness of it.


    So much I want to touch it.


    It was hard to withhold myself from touching him. Unconsciously, I reached out, and just before I could perpetuate my thoughts, he stopped me with his next words.


    ¡°Rise.¡±


    His voice reverberated through me, and I felt a powerfulmanding force following it. The effect of hismand was instant.


    Forcing the entire people in the training ground up on their feet with a respectful gaze. Gone was the previous hostility and anger towards me.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Zadok asked, and I felt the fear emanate from the crowd.


    Nobody spoke. Everyone remained tight-lipped, refusing to be the scapegoat.


    ¡°I figured it¡¯s about time I made things clear to all.¡±


    Zadok hands enclosed around mine and within a second, I was flush and pressed beside him.


    ¡°Ithra is my guest.¡± He announced with an alpha tone, leaving no room for rebuttal. ¡°Moving forward, I expect her to be treated as such.¡±


    He stopped speaking for sometime, and I am awfully aware of the closeness between us and where our hands meet.


    Confused murmurs soon reached my ears, and I remembered we were not alone. Zadok always managed to steal my attention anytime he came close.


    Suddenly, Zadok let out a shortugh. I felt the vibration of hisugh in my core.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I ruled disrespectful wolves.¡± He muttered and the murmurs seized. ¡°It seems like there is a misunderstanding on who the alpha of this pack is. Maybe I¡¯ll need to defend my title again,¡± he turned to Azriel. ¡°And him too.¡±


    Swiftly, he let go of me and pushed me behind him.


    ¡°Do I need to remind you who is alpha?¡± He barked, and the wolves went on their knees.


    I hadn¡¯t seen such a clear disy of power in my entire life.


    ¡°No Alpha!¡± They chorused, and I was amazed.


    ¡°Ithra is officially a part of this pack. If any of you, and I mean anyone, go as far as looking at her the wrong way. Blood shall flow. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes alpha.¡±


    ¡°She shall also be joining the training here.¡± Zadok said, and stepped beside me. He ced an arm on my shoulder and continued. ¡°Azriel shall-¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± A wolf interrupted with a hiss.


    A cynic smile appeared on Zadok¡¯s face. ¡°Who was that?¡± He asked, but something told me he knew exactly who it was.


    The crowd parted and a young hefty looking man was revealed.


    ¡°Come forward.¡± Zadok ordered.


    He hesitated for sometime, and finally came forward, looking at Zadok square in the eyes.


    His eyes reverted to me and I saw the malice and anger behind his orbs.


    ¡°I believe you have something to say, Essau?¡± Zadok smiled, ¡°you are free to speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Alpha.¡± He began, his eyes turned fierce and he stared daggers at me, ¡°this witch you-¡±


    Ssh!


    The stter of his blood stained my face and I heard the shocked gasps of the crowd before us.


    I couldn¡¯t open my mouth for fear of actually tasting his blood. However Zadok had no problem with that.


    He just killed a wolf like it was the easiest thing.


    ¡°I warned against looking at her the wrong way.¡± He tsked like it was something normal. However, everyone¡¯s eyes were the size of saucers.


    Including mine.


    ¡°Anyone else have something to say?¡± He asked, and this time, no one moved a muscle. ¡°Thought so.¡±

 You know nothing about me

    ITHRA


    Everyone returned to their ces after the little show from Zadok. The remnants of the wolf¡¯s body was carried out of the training ground and decorum returned like it never left.


    Zadok left for God knows where and everyone returned to sparring and getting dirty on the ground.


    ¡°Come.¡± Azriel said, and led me to the right side of the training ground where there were less people.


    I wondered what he was nning on teaching me today.


    ¡°For today, I¡¯m going to test your abilities.¡± he gauged me with a look I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you are capable of doing.¡±


    Azriel stepped back with his arms spread wide and a wolfish grin. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have it. Show me what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    For the first time ever Azriel seemedfortable with me. Dare I say, he looked almost happy. Like nothing could go wrong and this was his forte.


    It took a moment before I realized he wanted me to hit him.


    ¡°No..¡± I muttered, refusing to do it.


    His face lost its smile. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t want to do it. Get to it already.¡± he hissed.


    I remained unfazed.


    He took a deep breath and spoke in a much softer tone after a while. ¡°We can¡¯t know what we need to work on if I don¡¯t ess what you are capable of, Ithra.¡±


    My eyes widened, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard him say my name aloud. This has got to be a first. I couldn¡¯t tell how that made me feel but the next thing I did was to throw in a surprise punch.


    It wasn¡¯t so much of a surprise to him seeing he caught it without much of a hassle. It was embarrassing how easily he caught my hand and twisted it over my back.


    His tone was amused, ¡°Is that all you can do?¡± He mocked, ¡°And here I was, thinking you have something up your sleeves. I was even looking forward to learning a thing or two. Guess I would be doing all the teaching over here.¡± He shrugged.


    I didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Surely, he couldn¡¯t have gotten all that from a single failed attempt to punch him. He was trying to make me miserable and I¡¯ll be damned if I let it happen.


    Without bothering to humor him, I proceeded to try and get out of his hold. Another useless adventure if you ask me. With my failure to get out of his irond hold, I felt pathetic.


    My pathetic feelings soon reflected in my refusal to try to get out of his hold. The joints of my arm, which was tightly secured on my back, threatened to give way with the amount of pressure on it.


    Noticing myck of participation, Azriel let go of me and I dropped to the ground. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on me. Suddenly, I feel exposed, watched.


    I knew the entire wolf popce were watching, but these eyes felt different. familiar. I looked up from the floor and my eyes stopped in a familiar dark pair.


    Zadok.


    He stood at the far end of the training ground, sparring with someone but his attention solely focused on me.


    Despite his distracted state, he still managed to effortlessly win the sparring session, cementing his power and mastery.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Azriel said, but I didn¡¯t move.


    I refused to allow myself another round of humiliation. That was all I got from this ¡®training¡¯ session.


    I figured I¡¯d be better off learning the ancient witch¡¯s code or cracking the way to the dark forest. This was a waste of time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day.¡± He said again, I could tell he wasn¡¯t fond of my decision to disobey him but I was too bratty to care.


    ¡°Ithra-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± A voice said from behind me, and Azriel swallowed his words.


    A bare chested Zadok stood in front of me before I knew it. His hands were ced on his hip and he wore a look I couldn¡¯t pinpoint.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Get up.¡± His tone left no room for refusal.


    I could hear themand in it, his eyes fixed on my form on the floor and it dared me to defy him.


    Deciding to pick my battles, I got up on my feet, nursing my arm joints and stretching them to ce.


    ¡°You requested to be trained.¡± Zadok started, ¡°The moment the words left your lips, it became amitment, a project. Both to me and to yourself.¡±


    My eyebrows twitched, ¡°what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You are a member of this pack, and failure is not an option. You only have one choice. To be strong. So the next time you go at it, I want you to give it your best, or die trying.¡±


    I opened my mouth but no words came out.


    He turned to Azriel. ¡°I don¡¯t care how long it takes, but she does not leave here until she is less pitiful.¡±


    With that, Zadok walked away, leaving me and Azriel to it. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Pitiful?


    I must have underestimated Zadok when he said that, but Azriel didn¡¯t. He made me use him as a punching bag for the next few hours and I was well on the way to losing consciousness.


    ¡°Your fist game is sloppy. Makes me wonder how you stabbed Morgan to a near death condition.¡± Azriel tutted, but I could hear his genuine wonder.


    He held my hand without a breath and positioned my fist with my thumb wrapped around it. ¡°Go again.¡± He instructed, getting in ce.


    I didn¡¯t care. I let go of my fist, and held a finger up. ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡± He said, ¡°there¡¯s still a fight in you, I just need you to find it.¡±


    My fists were aching. So bad I couldn¡¯t feel my fingers. Coupled with my terrible mood, I red up,


    ¡°I said I need to rest! Don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m not a werewolf with super abilities, I need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I heard Zadok before I saw him, ¡°You will get a reasonable punch on Azriel or you die trying.¡±


    I chose to ignore him. Which was a bad move on my part. Because the next second, I was dragged towards him and his fist wrapped my neck.


    My breathing was harsh, and my eyes connected with his. ¡°Kill me already.¡± I spoke fearlessly, ¡°That was your n all along, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you because you¡¯re having a bad day. But make no mistakes, the fact that you are my guest doesn¡¯t give you the right to act out.¡± He said, tightening his grip for good measure.


    I didn¡¯t care, my pride was way too wounded to care about what he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want this, I don¡¯t want your training anymore, I¡¯ll figure myself out.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t survive with suchughable skills, Ithra. You got lucky with Morganst time, but I doubt you¡¯ll be lucky if there¡¯s a next time.¡± He drew closer to me and whispered into my ears, ¡°You are weak, much weaker than I thought.¡±


    I felt rage eat at me from his choice of words. ¡®Weak¡­powerless¡­you need to be stronger¡­¡¯


    Voices fill my head and buried memories are unearthed. My mind returned to the Celts Coven, when I was powerless, helpless and weak against my mates.


    I couldn¡¯t continue like this. Not here, not when I could get to the forest and prove them wrong. I needed to be strong!


    I pulled his arm away from my neck with a power I didn¡¯t know resided within me, and gritted, ¡°You know nothing about me.¡±

 It wasn’t a witch’s essence

    ZADOK


    Shilhi, Azriel and Zadok were seated round a wooden table in the greenhouse.


    ¡°She suddenly became powerful, like she wasn¡¯t weak andining some seconds ago.¡± Azriel narrated to Shilhi, speaking about the training session with Ithra. ¡°She took off his hands like it was nothing.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t take that for a fact, who knows, perhaps the alpha didn¡¯t use as much strength?¡± Shilhi opined, her gaze flickered to me, and I answered.


    ¡°I obviously didn¡¯t use as much strength, but I am certain she shouldn¡¯t have been able to get out of my hold that easily. I didn¡¯t exert much strength, but it was strong enough to hold her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe your hand ckened a bit during your interactions?¡± Shilhi said with her eyes focused on me.


    ¡°The alpha was angry.¡± Azriel said, ¡°From my point of view, he was seconds away from strangling her. He couldn¡¯t have ckened his hold in that mind state.¡±


    It was good he answered her bizarre question because I doubted my answers will be anything but lethal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Shilhi said, ¡°However, that¡¯s not fact enough to determine if her sudden surge of strength was triggered by her anger or she was ying games all along.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a game.¡± I find myself speaking, ¡°She was weak. Very weak.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, how exactly do you know that, Alpha?¡±


    Shilhi¡¯s eyes narrowed at me, and I felt ufortable. How do I exin that I felt her weakness inside of me? That she was so weak I could feel it deep inside of me.


    ¡°I sensed the weakness of her essence.¡± I managed to say, shifting within my seat.


    ¡°What essence?¡± That was Azriel, he adjusted his seat and leaned forward, with prompt attention.


    ¡°Pray tell, Alpha. What essence did you feel? Is it the first time you¡¯ve felt her essence or has this happened before?¡± Noting my reluctance to answer, Shilhi added, ¡°Please do not skip any detail, as it could be helpful to determine the extent of the chosen one¡¯s abilities.¡±


    I let out a deep breath and decided to spill my guts. It was about time, anyway.


    ¡°During the training, I felt her weakness with every punch. Before that, I felt her zeal to get through the training, but over time, it waned. Her essence and zeal weakened, alongside her performance.¡±


    Shilhi¡¯s eyes were slightly widened, ¡°When you say essence, do you mean a witch¡¯s essence?¡±


    I looked between them. This was where the problem lied, how do I exin that a witch didn¡¯t hold a witch¡¯s essence, but that of a she-wolf?


    My hands dug into my pockets and I picked up one of my potions. I¡¯ve taken a lot more than I should within a short space of time but who cares?


    I needed every help I could get since my Alpha Wolf instinct seems to be misleading. I couldn¡¯t afford to be unsure, that was a risk in itself.


    ¡°Alpha?¡± Azriel called, and I heard the concern in his tone.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a witch¡¯s essence.¡± I mumbled after my shot.


    ¡°Then what was it?¡± Shilhi¡¯s impatience was visible, this time, much more than usual.


    ¡°A she-wolf.¡± I breathed, ¡°Ithra has the essence of a she-wolf.¡±


    I looked up and caught the open jaws of Azriel. Shilhi on the other hand seemed shaken, like she didn¡¯t expect me to say that.


    ¡°Has?¡± Azriel asked, ¡°you said she has the essence of a wolf, not had. Are you saying all this while, she didn¡¯t have the essence of a witch.¡±


    His tone was grave, I could understand his fear, so I put him out of his misery.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t always have the essence of a wolf. At first she was a witch, everything about her said that.¡±


    ¡°What changed? And When did it change?¡± Shilhi asked,


    ¡°Everything changed when she pledged her loyalty to me. Her essence immediately changed. I was thinking it was a mistake on my part and got close to her with every opportunity I got. However, it stays the same.¡± I exined. ¡°Ithra somehow has the essence of a she wolf.¡±


    ¡°How do we exin that?¡± Azriel turned to Shilhi. ¡°She still reeks of a witch to me. There¡¯s got to be something wrong somewhere.¡± His tone was grotesque, ¡°What have we missed?¡±


    ¡°You said it started the moment she pledged allegiance to you.¡± I nodded, ¡°interesting¡­¡±


    Azriel got on his feet. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be taking this lightly. We are talking about a witch here! What if she has bewitched us to think she is powerless? What if she isn¡¯t truly the chosen one? We can¡¯t afford to be mistaken on who and what she is capable of, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°I agree¡± Shilhi got up and walked to a cupboard at the side of the greenhouse. ¡°However, we can¡¯t make rash derations out of fear.¡±


    She opened the cupboard and brought out a fresh stash of potions. ¡°There is a logical exnation to this.¡± She lined up the potions in front of me. ¡°With the appearance of the chosen one, the curse is elerated.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Azriel asked incredulously,


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, unable to wrap my head around the implications of her words.


    ¡°That means with the appearance of the chosen one, the spell cast on you is working at a heightened rate. The witches made preparations just in case. the n is to wreck your senses and drive your wolf to insanity.¡±


    ¡°So even if the curse gets broken, it¡¯s of no use because he¡¯s ruined anyway.¡± Azrielpleted the logic, seething and pacing around.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± My blood was boiling, and so was Kir¡¯s.


    I took another bottle of my potion. How wasn¡¯t the time to let Kir on rampage. I needed to sustain a clear head.


    ¡°That¡¯s two in a row.¡± Azriel called out, ¡°that can¡¯t be good.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that the appearance of the chosen one has shaken up the alpha wolf. I predicted that development and went ahead to prepare a strongerbination for his potions.¡±


    She pointed to the batch on the table, ¡°that should carry out the job more efficiently.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Shilhi.¡± Azriel said, picking them up. ¡°You are an asset.¡±


    I nodded in agreement, battling the urge to take another bottle. ¡°And Ithra.¡± I said, and she nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s unclear if her odd strength was triggered by her anger or it was residual all the while.¡± Shilhi said, ¡°Taking into ount that your alpha instincts are under attack with the appearance of the chosen one, we can¡¯t make judgment based on your observations.¡±


    ¡°So what do we do?¡±


    ¡°We will test again. This time around, we need to get her agitated, push her to the limit and see what happens.¡±


    ¡°I can do that.¡± Azriel said with a smirk,


    ¡°Not you.¡± Shilhi looked at me, ¡°we need someone who will replicate what you did but in a more intense manner.¡±


    ¡°Someone who she hates?¡± Azriel said, catching on, ¡°Morgan?¡± He suggested.


    Shilhi rolled her eyes, and tutted, ¡°Too weak.¡±


    ¡°Athaliah.¡± I breathed, and she smiled.


    ¡°Bingo.¡±

 First lesson – Your offence must be as good as your defence

    ITHRA


    I haven¡¯t received a word since the training two days ago.


    When Azriel informed me of our training session this morning, I didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. When we passed the training grounds, I got concerned.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Azriel turned back, ¡°You will not be training with the others today.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind his words, and I felt my guard build up. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Alpha has instructed you will be training at a different spot moving forward.¡± His tone clipped.


    I didn¡¯t like the sound of that, ¡°Where is he? Will he be present?¡± I find myself asking.


    There was no way I was training without Zadok. If they wanted to kill me, then he should have the decency to do it himself.


    ¡°Not that it is your concern, but he will join us shortly.¡± He answered.


    Without waiting for a response, he took a route I knew too well. He entered the farm, but I remained rooted to my spot.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    ¡°Beta Azriel.¡± A feminine voice greeted, ¡°Good to see you again.¡±


    I saw Athaliah, and my guard tripled. I couldn¡¯t see Zadok in sight. Was this a set-up?


    Azriel soon noticed I wasn¡¯t following him. He turned around and saw me rooted to my spot. His gaze alternated between me and Athaliah, and a look of understanding crossed his face.


    ¡°Athaliah will be joining us in training moving forward.¡± He informed me, ¡°She will-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± My tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°There is no way in hell I will be training with her.¡±


    Athaliah wore a sober look. However, her eyes held an amused glint.


    ¡°I am sorry for everything I did to you, Ithra.¡± She said, ¡°Believe it or not, I have paid dearly for my actions against you during my time of ignorance.¡±


    ¡°Athaliah has been reinstated as one of your trainers. She is the best female warrior, and I believe she will be able-¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait to hear Azriel finish his statement, ¡°The alpha said he will oversee my training. Unless he shows up here, there will be no training for me.¡±


    Now he was pissed, ¡°The alpha will join us in a moment, Ithra. We don¡¯t have time for useless arguments.¡±


    ¡°Alpha..¡±


    Zadok walked past me. The smell of mint and earth filled my nostrils.


    ¡°I see the training is yet to take off.¡± He remarked, looking through the farm.


    Athaliah got on her knee. Azriel bowed his head.


    ¡°We were about to take off before your arrival,¡± Azriel said,


    Zadok finally acknowledged me, ¡°I heard you say you were not going to train unless I was present?¡± He stated.


    I swallowed, suddenly at a loss for words.


    ¡°What is there for me to see?¡± His eyes went through my form. ¡°It will be an eyesore watching you in your current state.¡±


    His words hit me like a ton of bricks, ¡°Whatever made you think I cared what you thought of me?¡± I fired back, and I heard snarls from Azriel.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± Zadok was oddly calm, ¡°Athaliah will handle your training until you are ready to be trained by me. She is the best female warrior and is more suited for the job to make you stronger.¡±


    I held in a breath, ¡°What if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Zadok spoke like it was general knowledge. ¡°Rest assured that she will not be doing anything funny.¡± He finally acknowledged Athaliah¡¯s kneeling state, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be impressed or surprised you are still alive.¡±


    ¡°I am very sorry for my actions, Alpha. I promise not to disappoint your faith in me this time around.¡± I rolled my eyes at Athaliah¡¯s tant attempt to kiss Zadok¡¯s ass. ¡°Had you not given me this opportunity, I would have been rogue¡¯s meat.¡± She added,


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Zadok walked back to me, and in a whisper, he said, ¡°This will be thest time you disrespect the Beta of this pack. You are to obey and regard his words as you would me.¡± His eyes turned grave. ¡°Failure will make you have yourself to me.¡±


    After that, he straightened up, and took a few steps away from me, ¡°I shall be back.¡± He said to no one in particr, and I saw Azriel nod.


    Zadok left the Farm, leaving me with Athaliah, who got up with a triumphal smile.


    Azriel cleared his throat and finally started. ¡°Last time, I noticed you need much work on your fist game. Thankfully, Athaliah here is the  best at that.¡± Queue in a smile from Athaliah. ¡°I will let her do what she knows best.¡±


    Athaliah moved forward, standing tall and holding a bitchy smile. I knew I was in for trouble with her appearance. She shared a look with Azriel, and my thoughts are confirmed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be around.¡± Azriel disappeared into the farm, and I made a mental note to check out the greenhouse. But first, I needed to survive.


    My body turned rigid as I got into a stance. Other than the fact I got disgraced at thest training, I learned a few tricks, which I nned to deploy if it came to that.


    ¡°Today, we will be working on your offence, using our fists, of course.¡± She said, ¡°I want you to understand that you are a part of this pack, and everything I do in this training is what it is. Training.¡±


    I swallowed, then nodded, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She remarked with an evil glint in her eyes, ¡°But first, let¡¯s see just how far you can go.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have enough time to process the implications of her words. The next thing I knew, I was thrown back by a solid punch in the face that left me shattered and bleeding.


    ¡°First lesson, in a fist fight, your offence must be as good as your defence.¡±She said with a smirk.

 Sixth lesson – never be caught off guard

    ITHRA


    I fell to my knees with another blow to the head from Athaliah. Blinded by my bodily fluids and earth, I could hardly make out the frame of Azriel, who stood at the far end of the farm.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Athaliah urged, dragging me by the hair. ¡°Second lesson. Do not stay down for too long. Every second is valuable, and the more you stay down, the more dominion your enemy has over you.¡±


    She dragged me up and cut me short with another heavy blow to my stomach. My body erupts in pain, and I feel my internal organs struggle to keep up.


    Athaliah continued to drill her fist into my guts, and I tried and failed to prevent myself from it. It became evident that I didn¡¯t have enough skills to defend myself.


    All my life, I craved power and went after everything that could grant me dominion over my enemies. I was already at a disadvantage. Born as a witch without powers. I tried all I could to get myself armed and ready to attack before they attacked me.


    However, I never thought there woulde a time when defence would be much more valuable and life-preserving. I was learning the hard way.


    I suddenly didn¡¯t feel Athaliah¡¯s blows raining on me. Everything just ceased.


    ¡°Tip three. Never give up in the face of adversity. No matter how weak and disadvantaged you think you might be, you must never stop seeking ways to turn a fight around.¡± I saw her standing above me with a winning smile.


    Her voice got closer as she squatted beside me, ¡°You look like a mess. What have you learnt from all your years training to fend off wicked witches from your n?¡±


    I spat out blood, ¡°Don¡¯t ask useless questions. Stick to your job description.¡±


    Athaliah let out a chuckle. It sounded like ws on a chalkboard. That was either my hate talking or my ears had been affected too.


    ¡°I thought to give your weak ass a break. I guess I better get back to it then.¡± She stood up, and I braced myself for another hit, but none came.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a fair chance to get back at me. Three minutes. You have a task to get me off my feet. Any means necessary.¡±


    I sat up on the floor, battered beyond recognition. I knew I would receive some potion that would quicken my healing. Hence, Athaliah had the liberty to go to extreme lengths in training.


    A few minutes into the training, I found the extreme lengths only entailed dealing with me till the point of death. I knew that training was unachievable without pain, but I didn¡¯t think I had to be beaten up so badly I struggled to remember my name.


    The worst part of it all was that it had to be Athaliah doing the training. Not only was my pride hurt, I was hurt by the fact that, like it or not, I was learning a thing or two from her.


    Again, the hard way.


    ¡°Tick-Tock.¡± She tutted, ¡°Your time is running out, Ithra.¡± She picked me up andnded a blow on my nose and leg.


    I fell with a thud, and I felt my ankle shift. A howl of pain left my lips, and my eyes opened wide, ¡°You said three minutes!¡± I roared,


    ¡°Lesson four and five. Never waste an opportunity, and never trust your enemies.¡± She smirked. ¡°You have a long way to go, witch.¡± She added in a subtle tone.


    I could hear the hostility in her tone. Her glee was evident. With the increased pain in my ankle, I felt my anger. Anger that could only be satiated by Athaliah lying on the floor with pain.


    Set aze by my goal, I got up, gathering my strength into a powerful punch. I must have been slow. She dodged my attack without breaking a sweat, as though she anticipated it all the while.


    ¡°I see you are finally catching up.¡± She praises me, and I¡¯m stunned by the genuineness of her words.


    Before I could make sense of her sudden change, a powerful spin kick was delivered to me, sending me to the floor on my shifted ankle.


    Horrid pains spiralled from my ankle, paralysing my entire body with pain. My mouth opened, but there were no words. Not a sound escaped me as I mourned for the pain that tore me apart.


    ¡°Lesson number six. Never be caught off guard, no matter the situation. You must never leave room to be distracted by your enemies. It only takes a second, and your life could be gone.¡± She kicked my ankle, and searing pain devoured me, ¡°Pro tip. Your enemy is not your friend.¡±


    I remained on the floor, devoid of any will to go on. I realised just how weak and inexperienced I was. It hit me like a truckload of bricks. What was I thinking about agreeing to this training?


    It was torture and torture in the highest form. My entire body felt out of ce. We have been at this for not less than an hour, and it feels like an eternity. Rule number two and three suddenly sh into my mind.


    Do not stay down for too long¡­


    Never give up in the face of adversity¡­


    Turn the fight around¡­


    I prep myself, thinking of retaliating when I heard her walk towards me and squat. ¡°Look at you,¡± She tsked, ¡°So weak, you can¡¯t even protect yourself. How do you n to fight against us wolves, or better still, protect that wretched n of yours.¡±


    My eyes flew open, and I took in her smirking face. ¡°If you think those witches are safe just because you pledged your useless self to this pack, then again.¡± She whispered, ¡°The alpha always knows how to get them unsuspecting and clueless witches like you.¡±


    When the implications of her words dawned on me, I felt my blood boil like never before. The look on Athaliah¡¯s face as she said those words remained in my mind, mocking and ridiculing me for how cheaply I had fallen for their tricks.


    A deal with the Alpha? What possessed me to think I could trust him?


    ¡°Do you want to know what happened? Do you know what I did to them during my little vacation? What Zadok instructed me to do?¡±


    ¡°What have you done?¡± I asked slowly. My mind was ready to conjure up a spell.


    ¡°What do you think I did, Ithra? It was only a matter of time before the world¡¯s freed from the curse that is witches.¡±


    Everywhere suddenly became hot. Very hot. Too hot, a fog covered the ce, and I could hardly see. However, I could sense my target, and hell would freeze if I didn¡¯t return to her a thousandfold pain as she had meted to my n.


    Up on my feet, I reach out to her with a powerful blow.


    Athaliah blocked the blow with her hands. However, I was far from over. I turned around and delivered a three-fold spin kick, getting her exactly where I wanted.


    ¡°I will kill you,¡± I muttered, staring her dead in the eye.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    For some reason, I could sense fear roll off her in waves. The scent of her fear added mes to the fire within me. ¡°How would you like to die? Slow and painful, or quick and effective?¡±


    ¡°Ithra¡­ calm down¡­¡± She said, shying away from me.


    ¡°Calm down?¡± I said in an incredulous tone, ¡°I¡¯m only getting started.¡±


    Determined to end this, I leapt to the air, aiming at her heart. Athaliah stood, looking confused and trying to decipher where the hit woulde from. I decided to y a game. I made her think I was aiming for her legs when I was aiming for her heart.


    I was about to deliver my hit when strong arms held me in the air. I felt a spark of tingling feeling within me. Delicious currents rushed through my body, leaving me dazed at the sheer contact of that person.


    ¡°Athaliah! Get out! Now!¡± A voice roared. It was Azriel.


    Then who was holding me?


    Athaliah crawled out of sight, and I felt anger surge within me. She must not escape! I struggle my way out of my hostage and gun for her.


    Athaliah predicted my move. She turned back and delivered a powerful hit on my head that knocked me out cold.


    ¡°Tip number seven. Do not get beat up.¡± I heard her say, and I sumbed to unconsciousness.

 The Rise Of The Phoenix

    ZADOK


    ¡°She can¡¯t survive the dark forest,¡± I muttered, gritting my teeth as I watched Athaliah beat Ithra to a pulp. ¡°She¡¯s too weak.¡±


    ¡°Exactly why she is training.¡± Shilhi said beside me, ¡°She will do fine with enough training.¡±


    I got frustrated. ¡°Can¡¯t you see? It will take years before she bes good enough to survive the dark forest. We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°What do you propose we do?¡± Shilhi turned to me, ¡°Last I checked, she is our only hope of getting into the dark forest. We don¡¯t have options.¡±


    Athaliah delivers a spin kick, and Ithra is on the floor, Almost lifeless. I could tell she was still alive by the faint high and low of her chest.


    She was breathing, thank God.


    For some reason, it sucked to watch her get beat up. Despite knowing it was for her good. I knew she would be attended to afterwards, but it didn¡¯t go well with me.


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Shilhi¡¯s inquisitive tone jolted me from my thoughts. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    I looked to the field and spotted Athaliah squatting over Ithra with a winning smile. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say Athaliah was enjoying this much more than she should be.


    Refusing to be bitter, I shut off my thoughts and tried to listen to what she was saying, but only caught the tail end of her words. So far, she had been brutal in teaching several lessons in their training.


    I knew firsthand how effective her methods were. Because Athaliah was a product of that method ¨C When she joined my pack, I¡¯d taken it upon myself to ensure she was strong enough to defend herself.


    Experience was always the best teacher. I made it a point to deal bitterly with her so that no one else would have to do it.


    ¡°What in the world?¡±


    Shilhi froze, and we watched Ithra get up with the agility of a lion. Her eyes were suddenly furious, and from Athaliah¡¯sck of confidence, I knew something was wrong.


    Azriel got closer to them, wanting to see the dramatic change of events firsthand.


    I watched in shock as Ithra delivered a powerful hit ¨C  nearly bringing Athaliah to her knees. Azriel¡¯s eyes went wide, shocked at the sheer amount of power her punch carried.


    A series of blows followed the hit and delivered with such precision ¨C that I could see Athaliah struggle to ward them off.


    Something was wrong. Gone was the weak and beaten-toa-pulp Ithra. Where did she get such strength? What triggered such anger?


    I was full of questions when Shilhi finally spoke. ¡°I think you need to get closer.¡± The worry in her tone confused me.


    I looked at her and noticed her eyes fixed on Athaliah. With a renewed understanding, I realised she wasn¡¯t worried for Ithra.


    Shilhi was worried about Athaliah!


    ¡°Athaliah can hold her own.¡± I tried to make sense of her needless worry. ¡°Powerful or not, Ithra is not seasoned enough to defeat-¡±


    I ate my words when I saw Athaliah on the floor and Ithra with an evil glint on her face.


    She wanted to kill her. I could sense the intent to kill oozing from Ithra. I looked around and saw Azriel standing there with a ck jaw, unable to believe his eyes.


    While Athaliah struggled to dodge her hits, my legs moved on instinct. Athaliah relentlessly tried to turn the fight in her favour.


    No such luck because there was no way she could win against a person possessed by God knows what.


    Athaliah hadn¡¯t caught on to the fact that Ithra had disappeared. What was left was a vindictive beast ¨C aiming to end her for good.


    I caught on to the n to kill Athaliah first and ran to the training ground, full of purpose.


    When Ithra was about to end it all, I held her tightly by the waist, and her hands seized in the air.


    She stilled for a few seconds as our bodies connected. A sizzling hot feeling zapped into my body from where our bodies met, and my grip ckened around her.


    An inexplicable warmth overwhelmed me, and I couldn¡¯t get enough of hervender scent. She was suddenly more appealing, and my wolf stirred awake to see her.


    I shook my head, refusing to let Kir interrupt our moment. While I embattled my mind, she struggled to get out of my hold, and I almost lost hold of her.


    ¡°Athaliah! Get up!¡± I roared, exerting my alpha strength to hold her down.


    Athaliah did not get the memo. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t attempt another hit on Ithra.


    Within seconds, Ithra broke free and attacked Athaliah ¨C who had her back to us.


    Pow!!!


    A powerful spin kick from Athaliah went straight to her head, and Ithra lost consciousness. I watched in horror as the light went out of her eyes, and she slumped into a puddle on the floor ¨C just a few meters away from me.


    Athaliah squatted in front of her, breathing heavily and delivered a line about how she got beat up, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Ithra was in dire need of attention, and nothing was forting. I turned around in search of Azriel, who immediately noticed my gaze ¨C and brought out a little bottle from his pockets.


    He hurries to an unconscious Ithra and feeds it to her while we watch with ceased breath.


    After three gruelling seconds, the potion took effect, and she stirred in her sleep. Her breathing pattern changed. I knew she would be fine. Peace clouded her features as the seconds trickled by.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Take her to the pack doctor,¡± I said, but Shilhi cut me off.


    ¡°No, Alpha.¡± She said, ¡°I need to check something about her. I will take care of her.¡±


    My tone changed, ¡°she is unconscious.¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t let me if she was conscious.¡± Shilhi looked at her form, ¡°I won¡¯t be long. She already took the potion, so she¡¯s out of danger.¡±


    Everyone looked at me, expecting a reply, but I gave none, which gave them the go-ahead to take Ithra to the greenhouse.


    ¡°The Rise of the Phoenix,¡± Shilhi said, catching my attention.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When she is at her weakest, anger stimtes her strength.¡± She exined, ¡°Congrattions, Alpha. We just found out something about your chosen one.¡± She smirked, ¡°Something she isn¡¯t quite aware of and could be used during your journey to the forest.¡±

 The Ancient Witch’s book

    ITHRA


    ¡°Ithra¡­¡± A voice called in a ghostly tone,


    ¡°There is no more time¡­¡±


    I looked around the dark forest without fear. ¡°Sarai, where are you?¡±


    ¡°At the heart of the forest. Let¡¯s meet at the heart of the forest¡­¡±


    The voice returned to me. I nod and turn eastward toward the forest. I stare longingly at the mountain,


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there, just hold on!¡± I called back and started my sprint towards the mountain.


    Wait!


    The voice called back, Sarai¡¯s voice. Ie to a halt.


    ¡°Take the book! Don¡¯te without the book! You need the book!¡±


    Confusion clouded my features, ¡°What book? I don¡¯t have any book.¡±


    ¡°The ancient witches book. Get it, you¡¯ll need it. You¡¯ll need your powers¡­¡±


    At the mention of my powers, I felt a dark aura surround me. It immediately dawned on me the implications of her words. I still didn¡¯t have my powers. I was still weak.


    ¡°Get the witch¡¯s book and get to the heart of the forest, Ithra.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    My eyes flew open, and my heart rate increased. It took a while for me to realise it was just another dream. It¡¯s been a while since I had one of those.


    I sat up, and my eyes adjusted to my surroundings. When I saw I wasn¡¯t in my quarters, I got up  and stumbled onto a stool by the side, holding a burnt-out candle.


    Where am I? I thought with concern. How did I get here?


    I slowly found my way out of what seemed to be a storage space I was kept and moved towards a small hallway that led to God knows where.


    The room was brighter, and I adjusted my eyes ordingly. Books, bottles, leaves. I was in the greenhouse. Soon enough, I noticed I was alone.


    Immediately, the threshold of memories broke, and I remembered everything. The fight with Athaliah, the betrayal from Zadok, a sharp pain in my head, and the book!


    The freaking book!


    I walked with purpose, going through everything in the greenhouse. Thest time I was here, the book was ced on the table, waiting for me to read. It was only a matter of time before the people who left me here returned to check on me.


    My eyes went through the shelf, reading the book titles of every arranged set in each row. I hear some shifting in the bushes, and I hold my breath. I couldn¡¯t get caught sifting through the items.


    I spot a stool close to an open window and naturally find my way to it. I sat down like a thief, and after some seconds, I looked out the window.


    The bushes move again. But this time, I see a squirrel run out of the bushes and slip into another. A sigh escapes me, and I get back on my feet, determined to finish what I started.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I get up from my seat and nearly trip on something on the floor. I hold the walls to help myself and look at the darned thing that stood in my way. My breath seized as I took in its blue cover and intricate markings.


    The Ancient witch¡¯s book.


    I looked around before picking it up and dusting it with my clothes. I took onest look at it and calcted my odds of taking the book out without getting caught.


    The darned bushes moved again, and the book fell off my hand. I roll my eyes at the squirrel that hopped out of its hole and picked up the book. I looked between the book and the rabbit hole, and an idea hit me.


    I couldn¡¯t get the book to my quarters. But I could hide it in a hole. I could keep it somewhere it could be essible to me, and when I was finally ready to embark on my journey, I would know where to find it.


    Immediately, I got outside the greenhouse, a vast farnd came into view, and I saw a shovel ced by the bark of a white oak tree. I held the book to my chest as I made my way to the tree, looking behind me at every opportunity.


    I finally got to the tree and took up the shovel. My heart rate increased as I thought of the best ce to bury it. I couldn¡¯t leave it close to the greenhouse. It was a recipe for failure.


    However, I didn¡¯t know how much time I had before someone discovered I was missing. While I contemted my options, Sarai¡¯s voice flooded my consciousness.


    ¡°Meet me at the heart of the forest¡­¡±


    Suddenly, it felt like I¡¯d struck gold ¨C The heart of the forest, the heart of the farnd. I couldn¡¯t forget that if I tried. Careful so I don¡¯t get followed, I hurried towards the heart of the farnd, dragging my book and shovel along.


    I got to a point and looked up ¨C A white oak tree stood before me.


    Without a second thought, I walk towards it and dig a pocket hole ¨C  big enough to size the book. I marked the spot on the tree and returned the same way I came ¨C praying no one saw me.


    I get to the greenhouse, and before I can open the door, Zadok stands before me with a disgruntled face. ¡°Where did you go?¡± He barked, and I felt my anger erupt at his rudeness.


    ¡°I went for a walk,¡± I said in a tone equally as rude.


    I made to walk past him, and he held my hand, hindering me from moving. ¡°Let me go!¡± I gritted, eyes aze.


    ¡°I warned you,¡± He breathed, ¡°I will not stand for such disrespect.¡±


    ¡°You promised!¡± I growled, getting out of his hold. ¡°You told me my people were safe, and what did you do? You send Athaliah to get rid of them!¡±


    Zadok took me by the hand. His eyes searched my features. He said with a rasped voice. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you chose to believe lies, Ithra.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t having it, ¡°Athaliah told me-¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± He barked, cutting me off. ¡°I have not gone back on my word, but if you choose to believe whatever you heard, that is on you.¡± He let go of me, ¡°You will go in there and get a proper rest. From tomorrow, your training will be more intense.¡±


    My mouth opened, but no words came out.


    He opened the greenhouse and walked in, leaving the door open behind him. I followed him after some seconds, and he suddenly turned back, ¡°And Athaliah will be in charge till further notice.¡±

 Reject me!

    ITHRA


    I hadn¡¯t set my eyes on Zadok since thest time at the Greenhouse.


    Despite his sudden disappearance, he stayed true to his words.


    My training with Athaliah continued. Every day, I returned to my quarters with an aching body. One thing was sure ¨C I was getting better.


    With my constant training, I got better at defending myself, alongside learning valuable skills to add to my offence game.


    I couldn¡¯t lie. Athaliah was one hell of a teacher. She wasn¡¯t my friend, and every lesson felt like an opportunity to show me how much of a weakling I was ¨Cpared to her.


    I took it with good faith, expounding my knowledge of her tactics and getting stronger. As time passed, her hits weren¡¯t as defeating. In my current state, I felt I could take on a warrior wolf.


    As time passed, I discovered that l anticipated training every day. So much that I spent my nights sparring alone in my quarters in the dead of the night.


    This week was different. My training was cancelled without reason, pending further notice. Despite my ban from nearing the farnd or exiting my quarters, I heard whispers about the reason behind the sudden change of things around the pack.


    A mating ceremony was holding very soon.


    ording to the news, Zadok hadn¡¯t attended one in thest 12 years, and every other pack was desperate toe into the bloodhound pack to rectify the news flying around town.


    I didn¡¯t hear what the news flying around town entailed before I got caught listening in on their conversation. I didn¡¯t care anyway. I just hated that I had to miss training because of it.


    Despite the ban on my training, I managed to get through the days with a pocket of training exercises within the premises. It wasn¡¯t the same with training on the farm with Athaliah, but I had no choice.


    Today, however, I nned to visit the farnd. Not because I wanted to be a rebel. But because I needed to get the book. It¡¯s been some week with heavy downpours.


    I couldn¡¯t afford for the book to be lost. Or worse, revealed.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    In the dead of the night, I prepared myself, dressing in a ck dress and a ck cape to go. With the excited chatters and the festivities I could hear from my room, I knew that this was the night.


    The mating ceremony night. The best night to carry out my act.


    While they were all busy bumping heads with what they believed to be their significant others, I would sneak out to the farm and get my book.


    Easy peasy.


    Armed with the knowledge of the ceremony¡¯s venue, I sprayed myself with one of the wolf scents I stole during one of my walks, hoping to hide my original scent when the time arrived.


    I snuck out of my room, avoiding eye contact and walking quickly, hoping the wolf popce were caught up in their ritual, giving me enough time to carry out my rendezvous.


    Everything went seamlessly. Nobody spared me a second look, and the air was festive. I noticed theck of guards in the corridors and the overall leisure in the air. No one was paying attention. At least that¡¯s what I thought.


    ¡°Reject me!¡± I heard a voice as I passed thest room of the hallway.


    ¡°No! You are my mate, Athaliah! You belong to me!¡± The voice sounded broken and oddly familiar. ¡°Why would you want me to reject you when I¡¯ve been waiting for you my whole life?¡±


    That caught my attention. I felt caught between two decisions ¨C to continue my way like I didn¡¯t hear anything or quietly find out what was wrong.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t say that to me.¡± She said, sounding tired, ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be. I can¡¯t ept you as my mate. You know I¡¯ve only ever wanted to be Luna.¡±


    I finally peeped through the doors, and my eyes fell on Azriel and Athaliah, screaming their heads off. They were mates. I¡¯d think by now they would be consummating their bond, but for some reason, here they are, screaming their heads off and plotting to be a Luna.


    What was a luna?


    Azriel looked crazed. ¡°No! You are my mate, Athaliah. The moon goddess has given you to me to love, to protect and to cherish. I can prove to you I am worthy of your love. I will make you feel like a Luna. You will be my Luna. Just,¡± He let out a frustrated sound, ¡°please don¡¯t do this. Don¡¯t break the bond we share.¡±


    He held her hand, pleading like a baby. ¡°I will always make you happy. I am for you. I¡¯ll give everything to have you by my side.¡± he kissed her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that? I can¡¯t live without you anymore. From the moment I scented you as my mate, I don¡¯t want anything else.¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem to understand, do you?¡± Athaliah removed her hand from his. ¡°This is a distraction on my path. I have trained myself all these years, preparing for when I can finally be Luna. How can I throw all of that and settle to be your mate?¡±


    Athaliah¡¯s words were a p to Azriel. I could feel his heartbreak as she spoke to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not hurt ourselves any more than we have. I want you to reject me.¡±


    Azriel blew up. ¡°You want to be the Luna?¡± he scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t fool yourself. The Alpha is currently working on finding his mate. What makes you think he will choose you instead?¡±


    ¡°We both know he won¡¯t find his mate. The whole thing with Ithra will eventually crash, and he¡¯lle running back to me.¡± She boasted. ¡°As it stands, you are the only thing standing in my way to bing Luna.¡±


    Azriel turned around, fisting his hair like a crazed person. ¡°Can you hear yourself? You are willing to give up your original mate to be someone¡¯s second choice?¡± He asked in an incredulous tone.


    ¡°I will not stand here and listen to your insults.¡± Athaliah raised her hand, and Azriel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I, Athaliah Hezron, Gamma of the BloodHound pack, reject you, Azriel Montreal¡­ as my mate.¡±


    ¡°Who do we have here?¡± A voice startled me. I jumped from the door ¨C creating a noise.


    Shilhi looked at me and then the opened door. Before I could muster an excuse, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    I followed her without a word, and just when we crossed the main gates, I heard a painful howle from the building. I didn¡¯t need to ask to know who it was.


    Azriel.

 Rogues! We are under attack!

    ZADOK


    My jaws tightened as I saw Alpha Cole of the BloodMoon pack walking towards me with his vour of the night.


    It was one of the reasons I despised social gatherings. I put on a fake smile and met them halfway.


    ¡°Alpha Zadok! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. I thought you would miss this year¡¯s ceremony too.¡±


    His words were a double-edged sword.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to miss when I am the host. I¡¯ve been quite busy these years. I didn¡¯t realise I was causing an uproar by my absence.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! We are all busy, Zadok. We all have packs even bigger to run. Yet you don¡¯t see us shying away from the public¡¯s eye.¡± He gestured around the hall ¨C as though aiming to drive a point. ¡°One will think you are hiding something, especially with your status as an unmated Alpha wolf. Don¡¯t you want to find your mate? Or perhaps choose one from the strong females that attend the ceremony this year.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me if people find it hard to mind the business that pays them,¡± I force a chuckle, ¡°I am not obliged to attend the mating ceremony if I have something more crucial to attend. My packes first.¡±


    Cole tutted, ¡°Twelve years is a long time, my friend.¡± He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Or is there something you are hiding?¡±


    I went straight to the point, done ying games. ¡°Is there something you heard, Cole?¡±


    Heughed, ¡°You dropped the honorifics. I must have struck a chord. Perhaps I am not far from the truth?¡± He pondered aloud.


    ¡°You did it first. I don¡¯t know or care to know what the hell you are talking about.¡± My tone was demeaning. ¡°However, I wish you a good night.¡± My eyes flickered to his vour for the night.


    ¡°I hope you put thedies off their misery tonight and chose a darned mate, Alpha.¡± He said in a low tone but loud enough that I heard it.


    I feel my blood boil at his sentence, but I refuse to let it get the best of me.


    ¡°I hope you find your mate too, Cole.¡± I fired, then tutted, ¡°Oh yeah! You already did. Let¡¯s hope the moon goddess blesses you with another-¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, Cole was pressed against me with his fists on my cors. ¡°How dare you speak of her with that cursed mouth of yours?¡±  He threatened, breathing fire.


    Cole lost his mate a few years back because of his negligence. That was word on the street, and I didn¡¯t know how true it was. However, I did know he was one crazy Alpha wolf. With his reaction to my words, I figured the rumours weren¡¯t far from the truth.


    I pulled his feeble fingers off my shirt and straightened up. A crowd of people stood, watching to see the battle unfold, but I had no ns to get down and dirty with him.


    No matter how badly he asked for it.


    ¡°Nothing to see here,¡± I said, all eyes averted. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need a drink,¡± I said to a fuming Cole and walked away.


    Two steps away from Cole, I got hit with a distress call.


    ¡°Alpha! Alpha!¡± I hear the panicked voice of one of my patrol guards. ¡°Rogues! We are under attack!¡±


    I stop in my stride andmand via mind link, ¡°Calm down! Where are you, and where is Azriel?¡± I asked, preparing to deal with any rogue that thought it best to defy me at such a critical time.


    ¡°The farm! I can¡¯t reach the beta! They are everywhere!¡±


    My jaws tightened at the implications of his words. I maintained my cool and left the hall without a second thought.


    ¡°Azriel, where the hell are you?¡± I reached out to Azriel via mind-link as soon as I got out.


    No response.


    I tried reaching him again as I made my way to the farm. Everywhere seemed calm, but one thing that stood out to me was theck of patrol guards in their designated ces.


    Athaliah and Azriel were supposed to deal with this. But for some reason, none of them were answering my calls. I was one step away from killing them. But I had to secure my pack.


    If they weren¡¯t aware, my pack was vulnerable. I didn¡¯t like the sound of that.


    With renewed strength, I returned to the farm, taking off articles of my clothing as I neared the ce. On getting to the farm, I give my wolf fifty per cent control.


    My ws elongated, and so did my fangs. My eyes turned red as I switched to my wolf¡¯s eyes, which allowed me to see much farther than my humanoid eyes allowed.


    I get inside the farm, and I¡¯m shocked to see it empty. When I thought the worst, I saw a form in the middle of the farm, digging relentlessly.


    With a snarl, I headed towards the rogue who dared to remain and steal from me. In a second, I got to the spot, and just when I wanted to end their miserable life, I was startled by the red hair that greeted me.


    Noticing my presence, the thief turned around, bearing a deer-in-headlights look. It took a moment before I identified who it was. My face scrunched in suspicion.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, holding her by the elbow.


    Ithra tried to get out of my hold to no avail, ¡°Let me go!¡± She hissed and pulled out of my hold.


    I was startled by her newfound strength. Just when I made to hold her the second time, I heard the bushes move and saw some rogues hidden in the bushes.


    Ithra sensed my distraction and followed my eyes to the rogues that hid in the bushes.


    She wasn¡¯t bothered or surprised at their presence, which brought the conclusion that she knew they were there. She must have known they were here with her all along.


    Theyid ambush here, on the farm, one of the most secured ces in my pack. The one ce Ithra knew too well. I snarled at her betrayal, and she nearly tripped on her feet.


    ¡°You!¡± I cursed, brimming with anger.


    Before I could finish my sentence, chaos broke, and the Rogues leapt out of their hiding. I let Kir take over, and the battle began.

 Ithra! Watch out!

    ITHRA


    I watched in horror as Zadok took on the wolves that suddenly poured out of the bushes.


    He leapt to the air and midway transformed into a gigantic wolf that scared the wolves to a still.


    Within seconds, the air filled with bone-cracking sounds as the wolves transformed into their beast one after the other.


    What in the world?!


    My back found the oak tree behind me as I watched the confrontation between the wolves and Zadok¡¯s wolf.


    It was clear which wolf belonged to Zadok because it was thergest and mostmanding. Not to talk of its demon-red eyes that struck a chord inside me.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It¡¯s just training.


    I remembered the words of Shilhi and swallowed hard. If this was indeed the test she spoke of, I had every n of acing it.


    She mentioned it would be a beastly test, but I didn¡¯t take her word to mean that.


    Without further contemtion, I joined Zadok in the fight, throwing myself in harm¡¯s way as I dragged a knife into the bowels of a wolf.


    Everything stilled as the wolf let out a guttural growl that didn¡¯t move me. I was the only one in my human skin, but I could feel them talking about me.


    Shilhi told me how deadly it would be and gifted me a knife, saying I would need it. I knew Zadok was perverse to using anything other than my abilities to defend myself, but he seemed he didn¡¯t care.


    Instead, I could sense his worry. I couldn¡¯t get why he was worried because two brown wolves came at me with a vengeance.


    I put my head in the fight and dodged their attacks. It felt like I could tell what they wanted to do beforehand and sessfully evade their harm.


    Zadok, on the other hand, was taking on about five wolves at the same time. I hadn¡¯t seen him fight so vengefully against his people.


    Who would believe that all these were done to asses just how prepared I am in terms of defending myself.


    Zadok took it to the next level, going as far as beheading a couple of wolves that came his way.


    sh!


    I yell when I feel my arm open from the ws of a wolf behind me. I was busy with two small-sized wolves when another approached me from behind ¨C sessfully getting a hit on me.


    ¡°Ithra! Watch out!¡± I heard Zadok¡¯s panicked voice in my head. I didn¡¯t care to look his way.


    I sensed another wolfing for me with a vengeance, and with surgical precision, I got out of the way, causing him to collide with the two wolves I was fighting.


    I leapt to a tree branch and climbed to the top. When I was stable on the tree, my eyes searched through the mayhem beneath me, and I could hardly find Zadok.


    As I stayed up the tree, I saw more and more wolves pouring into the farnd, each and everyoneing for Zadok.


    To the point, I got momentarily forgotten as they all strived to kill him. Something was wrong.


    The tree shook, and I saw hungry wolves shaking the tree with eyes set on me.


    Dang it!


    I held fast to the tree and tried to hold on until I saw them climbing anding for me.


    ¡°Come down, Ithra,e down!¡± I heard Zadok¡¯s worried voice in my head. I felt stunned.


    How did he manage to do that?


    I look at him and see him fighting still. However, I could tell he was getting tired as time progressed. His eyes focused on me, and I saw his worry about me.


    It wasn¡¯t a test. I thought. It was an attack! Suddenly, everything made sense.


    There were two things I¡¯vee to know about the bloodhound pack. They were submissive to a fault around the alpha, and Zadok seemed protective of them.


    They couldn¡¯t attack Zadok with such hatred or do him harm in any way. Neither could Zadok kill his people without a moment¡¯s thought.


    There and then, I knew that Zadok was indeed in danger.


    I jumped down with a newfound strength and continued the fight. This time around, I make ample use of my knife, shing my way through to Zadok and leaving dead wolves in my wake.


    As I killed more and more of these strange wolves, I sensed they had a morbid smell, and their wolves were wild.


    Rogues!


    The word hit me, and I used my knife vengeancefully, trying to get to Zadok. I could sense his strength weary, and for some reason, I couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of him getting killed.


    No one wasing, and there was no way for me to reach anyone for help.


    I heard a powerful growl I knew belonged to Zadok. I turned towards his direction and saw he was wounded.


    Blood gushed out of his stomach, and more wolves heaped on him, perpetuating their evil desires.


    ¡°Get off him!¡± I screamed in fear, eyes focused on Zadok¡¯s ck wolf. A chard of light hit the wolves, sending them permanently to the floor.


    That drew their attention to me, and half the wolves came for me, dering me a threat.


    I don¡¯t know how it happened, but I rush to Zadok, concerned at his blood loss. A wall made of fire formed a protective shield around us, hindering the rogues from getting close to us.


    ¡°change,¡± I ordered, holding his stomach. ¡°Now!¡± I say, not caring I was talking to a wolf.


    For some reason, I felt he could understand me. In the next few seconds, a human Zadok appeared before me. Naked and battered.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked, his tone very weak.


    ¡°We have to leave, They are everywhere.¡± I helped him up, and the wall of fire disappeared.


    Immediately, they attacked us. This time, a rogue buried his teeth in one of Zadok¡¯s legs.


    I feel fangs deep into my shoulder, and a painful cry leaves my mouth. Immediately, a white light came from me and sted through the farm. When I opened my eyes, to my greatest surprise, every rogue was lying on the floor.


    Dead.

 Weird dream of the dark forest

    ZADOK


    ¡°They areing! We need to run.¡± Ithra¡¯s voice was panicked. As well as concerned.


    I managed to get on my feet, holding the bleeding gash on my stomach. With my movement, I felt pain all over again.


    ¡°Why the hell was this taking so long to heal?¡± I mumbled, gritting my teeth in pain.


    ¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll die before we get help.¡± Ithra¡¯s eyes fixed on my wound, which poured out blood.


    I could understand her concern, but I didn¡¯t have it in me to remind her I was an alpha and I couldn¡¯t die from loss of blood.


    With my dyed healing, I was losing blood and getting weak fast. The rogues used a silver weapon.


    Ithra helped me to an oak tree, and I rxed, trying to preserve my breathing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just find some herbs to stop the blood.¡± She said and got up, ¡°Try reaching out to the others with what you guys do in your mind.¡±


    My eyes perked at her words. Before I could ask what she meant, she was gone.


    Grudgingly, I tried to reach the others via mind link, all to no avail. There was a mental wall that blocked ourmunication.


    No matter how hard I tried to pass through, it didn¡¯t work. I couldn¡¯t do much with my weakened state.


    A frown marred my face as I took in my surroundings. Thousands of roguesy on the farm, their bodies burnt beyond recognition.


    Ithra.


    She did that to them without a blink. She did that to save my life. I owed her my life. However, I was confused.


    Was this another manifestation of the powers hidden inside her, or did she have them all these while?


    A headache hit me, and I searched for my potion but found none. It got lost fighting these darned rogues.


    I feel a bit better and instinctively look down at my stomach. My blood was clotting, and it was only a matter of time before I got healed up.


    I observed my super-healing stomach and then heard shuffling in the bushes. Someone was there.


    I sniffed the air and felt anger fill me over again. Those darned rogues were around. And by the terrible stench that covered the air- they weren¡¯t a few.


    Quietly, I sat by the tree with an elongated w, refusing to give up without a fight. The sweet scent ofvender and spice hit me, and I remembered Ithra was still out there. And in danger.


    Telling by the rogues on the farm, I knew it was only a matter of time before she got head to head with them.


    I couldn¡¯t risk her getting harmed or discovered.


    With the loss of my potions, Kir was at the brink of my consciousness, ready to take charge at the slightest opportunity.


    While my human body healed, I leaned on his strength to bear the pain that my body felt.


    ¡°Psst¡­¡± A voice hushed into my ears, and I got ready to strike.


    ¡°Zadok¡­ we have to go¡­they are endless.¡±


    This time around, I knew her voice.


    I could also sense the presence of another beast I knew didn¡¯t belong in my farnd. I remained quiet while Kir assessed its scent and possible strength.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Despite Shilhi¡¯s statements against trusting my better half(wolf), I let Kir do his thing and walk by his judgements. He was the only one I could trust.


    I looked down and saw my wounds were all healed. However, I still felt weak. Losing all that blood was the cause.


    My eyes came into contact with Ithra¡¯s erged ones, and before I could notify her of the impending danger, she dragged my arm, helped me to my feet, and took off in a sprint with me beside her.


    I heard a loud growl behind us, followed by the thunderous footsteps of our pursuers.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Ithra swore as she picked up her pace, looking back time and time again. ¡°Where are theying from?!¡± She gritted, holding me firmly by her shoulder.


    I wondered the same. How on earth did these rogues enter mynds without my knowledge? How are they still here and in suchrge numbers?


    How did they go through our tight borders unscathed?


    Ithra¡¯s hands tightened around me, jolting me from my thoughts. Her red hair lit up, glowing into a fiery red colour.


    The trees around us changed from forest green to a darker green, and cold air seeped into my body.


    Something was wrong.


    I looked beside me, and with shock, I realised everything was a blur. We whoosh past dark trees at an insane speed, and fear erupted within me.


    Everything seemed dead. Even the leaves that we barely trod upon. Gone were the howls from the rogues that chased us.


    Gone were the sounds of their feet pursuing us. Everything was calm. Ithra slowed to a stop, panting heavily.


    ¡°I think we lost them.¡± She managed to say between breaths, ¡°How is your body?¡±


    I remained silent and took in thend before my eyes. And that was not my packnds.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± I stand on my own and ce a gap between us. My ws and fangs elongated, and I felt some wolf hair at the lower of my back.


    Kir was a minute away now.


    Her eyes were confused, ¡°what are you talking about? I just saved your life, Alpha.¡± She said in a sarcastic tone. I could tell she was offended.


    I didn¡¯t care. I took in the spooky forest that was certainly not my farnd, then asked again with a hardened tone, ¡°What have you done, Ithra?¡±


    ¡°I just saved you from the rogues that wanted to kill you. I think I might have made a wrong call.¡± She spewed, ¡°You better start calling for help before the darned rogues find us again. It¡¯s a miracle we were able to outrun them.¡±


    While she spoke, I realised something that nearly took the life out of me. She didn¡¯t know what happened.


    She thought I was crazy.


    I held my head between my palms for a second before I broke it to her.


    ¡°We are not in the packnds.¡±


    Ithra looked like I¡¯d grown a third head. Then she looked around, and her face clouded in horror.


    ¡°This is a dream..¡± she muttered, ¡°this is just another weird dream of the dark Forest.¡±

 What have you been seeing?

    ZADOK


    ¡°It¡¯s a dream. It will be over soon.¡± Ithra said, tapping her face.


    My eyes narrowed at her, and she didn¡¯t seem surprised. She didn¡¯t seem like this was strange to her. It seemed like it was business to her.


    I walked to her and held her by the arm, ¡°Have you been here before?¡±


    She struggled out of my hold and continued pacing, ¡°It¡¯s all a dream, Ithra. Focus.¡±


    Irritated at her constant pacing and refusal to speak, I walked to her and pinched her cheeks, and she let out a screech.


    ¡°Do you still think it¡¯s a dream?¡± I deadpanned.


    I watched as her eyes grewrge, and she took in the environment again.


    ¡°W-what? H-How?¡± She stuttered, looking around like she was only finding out where she was.


    ¡°I should be asking you that,¡± I said, holding her again. ¡°Have you been here before?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she pulled her hands and put some space between us.


    I didn¡¯t like the sound of that. But I persisted nheless.


    ¡°We need to figure out a way out,¡± I said, and my desperation leaked from my tone. ¡°I can¡¯t do that if you don¡¯t talk to me.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t get it. I was in the farnd a few moments ago. How did we get here?¡± She asked, and I felt anger brew within me.


    ¡°Enough with the games already.¡± My tone was taut, ¡°Do not take me for a fool, Ithra. I need you to talk and fast.¡±


    She let out a breath, and her eyes fixed on me. ¡°I have been having dreams of this ce.¡±


    I moved closer to her and asked softly. ¡°What have you been seeing?¡±


    ¡°Visions. Dreams that urge me toe to the dark forest.¡±


    My breath seized at her answer. We were in the dark forest. We finally crossed over. And she knew.


    ¡°To do what? Come to the dark forest to do what?¡± I pushed back, wondering how much she knew about my predicament.


    ¡°To protect my people.¡± Her eyes shone as she spoke. ¡°I need toe here and repair the wall. To preserve the life of my people.¡±


    My eyes widened at her reply. Did she not know about my situation?


    ¡°Your people are not in danger. I made sure of that.¡± I said in a definite tone.


    ¡°Oh really? Because thest time I checked, that was not the case.¡±


    Her words portrayed her underlying anger, including her tone.


    ¡°How do you mean?¡± I asked the forbidden question, and she blew up.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know your n to get rid of my n behind my back? You think I don¡¯t know you n to discard me after using me to do God knows what?¡±


    At this point, she was screaming at me. My mind returned to that day at the farm. Athaliah¡¯s strategy to drive her to anger was biting back at me.


    ¡°There is no such n, Ithra,¡± I said with a low tone. ¡°I do not appreciate your constant doubt in me. I gave you my word, and I do not n to go back on it, and for as long as I am alive.¡±


    I left my gaze on her, and she remained quiet. At that moment, I realised that she knew it. She trusted me enough not to believe the scrawny words of Athaliah.


    If she didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I wouldn¡¯t be alive. She saved my life.


    ¡°I guess you already knew that,¡± I said, and she confirmed it with a shrug.


    ¡°I needed to be sure I didn¡¯t make a wrong call.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at her dramatic antics, then watched her walk away from me. Not so fast, I thought and walked after her.     ¡°About those dreams,¡± I said and got into step with her, ¡°Did it say anything about how we got in here or perhaps how we can get out?¡±


    My desperation leaked from my words. It was getting dark, and thest thing I wanted was to remain here without an idea of how we could make things work.


    In all my years of nning, I never imagineding to this dreaded forest alone with the chosen one. Alone with Ithra.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Her reply was quick, and I knew she was lying ¨C or leaving something out.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked when she increased her pace, ¡°You know nothing about the dark forest. You could get lost.¡±  I warned.


    ¡°I need some space to think. I suggest we split ways. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    That got me angry, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. This forest is crawling with demons, beasts and deadly creeping things you cannot imagine. We should stick together.¡±


    ¡°Yet you are the one whining.¡± She sauntered far from me, ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. I just need to get something before I leave. You can find your way out, but I¡¯m not leaving.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can¡¯t survive without me out here.¡± I gritted, ¡°Get off your high horse and let¡¯s figure out a way out. We can always returnter. Staying here without a n or map around is madness.¡±


    ¡°And yet I saved your life.¡± She fired back. ¡°Again, don¡¯t make me regret making that call.¡±


    ¡°I am your Alpha, Ithra. You cannot turn your back on me. It is not a negotiation. It¡¯s an order. We will return to the packnds. Then discuss whatever you need from this forest and return fully prepared.¡± I barked, causing her to halt in her steps.


    ¡°I think you are forgetting something, Alpha.¡± She turned around, and I saw her hair gain a brighter colour. She was furious. ¡°We are not in the packnds. It¡¯s the dark forest. You have nothing on me here. If you want to go, then find your way back yourself.¡±


    The wind blew, and I watched her hair re, giving her a regal look. At that moment, Ithra seemed different. Powerful, confident, and my personal favourite ¨C wildly beautiful.


    To my greatest surprise, I didn¡¯t feel angry. Neither did I feel upset at the utter disrespect. Instead, I felt Kir puff at her words, like he was proud to have her defy him.


    And for the first time in a long while, I agreed.

 If she dies, your purpose is defeated.

    ZADOK


    Where is she? I wondered as I trudged through the dark forest alone.


    I heard the snap of a branch, and turned to see a giant spider walking towards me with the intent to kill me.


    Not today. I thought and immediately picked up arge, strong tree branch. Before it could get to me, I charged towards it and hit it severally till it reduced to tiny pieces on the floor.


    I threw the branch as I continued my search for Ithra. I can¡¯t believe she wandered off on her own. What exactly did she think going off to her death?


    I followed her trail eastward, carrying a decent tree branch, just in case anyone else tried something funny, hoping I got to her before danger did.


    ¡°Zadok¡­¡± I heard a voice behind me, and I turned around with a swift movement.


    Nobody. There was nobody behind me.


    I continued my journey with vignt eyes. I had heard stories about the deadliness of the dark forest. And how it reduced even the greatest to a delusional moron. I was determined to make a mess of that myth.


    The dark forest was home to a lot of creatures and beasts. Some of which had the power to create hallucinations and draw their prey as they fit. My case was different.


    Thanks to the darned curse that brought me here, I was already a mess in the head, and there was nothing else they could do to top my current predicament.


    ¡°Zadok!¡± I hear a voice whisper behind me, and it sounds oddly familiar.


    A breeze blew through me, and I felt a strong presence behind me.


    ¡°Alpha! I don¡¯t have much time.¡± It said, and I turned around, branch in hand.


    Without as much as a look, I struck the person behind me, only to find air. I knew there was someone. I saw their shadow just behind me, and now, nothing.


    ¡°Listen!¡± A grey light appeared before me, and the face I saw took a breath out of my lungs.


    Shilhi. There she was in the grey light, looking like a hologram. She sported a frown I knew too well.


    ¡°You¡¯re not real..¡± I muttered and shook my head, ¡°This is the dark forest. Nothing is as it seems.¡± I rehearsed, closing my eyes. ¡°You are not real,¡± I said, gathering the courage to face what I believed to be a fae.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The voice admits, and my eyes fly open, shocked. ¡°This is a vision. A hallucination. Call it whatever you will, but I need you to listen carefully.¡± She said, surprising me with her words.


    I remained silent, unsure what to make of the scene before me.


    ¡°You must not return without the ghost orchid.¡± She said, and my eyes widened. ¡°Time is running out. You can¡¯t return without the flower because the dark forest only allows you entry once in a lifetime.¡±


    My eyes narrowed in concern, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you leave the dark forest without the ghost orchid, you can forget about breaking the curse forever. The dark forest never allows a creature twice into its domain, including the chosen one. Once you leave the dark forest, it¡¯s over. You can never enter its grounds again.¡±


    My brain worked overtime and decoded the implications of her words. Sudden anger brewed within me. ¡°And you are telling me this now?¡±


    ¡°My apologies for thete information. I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you all these while, and after many unsessful attempts, I finally got to you.¡± She said, seeming worried.


    I let out a deep breath, trying to stop the anger that ate at me. ¡°So what next?¡± I asked, ¡°How do I get my hands on the ghost orchid without a map? I can¡¯t even find  Ithra!¡± I said in frustration.


    Shilhi¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to lose her. You must work with her, Alpha. Find her and get her to work with you. I will stay in contact with you as you proceed to help your quest, but you need to find Ithra. And fast.¡±


    ¡°I will find her,¡± I said with determination. My eyes searched my immediate surroundings. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gone that far.¡±


    ¡°Find her. You must protect her at all costs, Alpha. If she dies, your purpose is defeated.¡± Her words struck a chord in me.


    My mate. If she dies out here, it would cost me my mate.


    ¡°My time is up!¡± She announced, and her hologram started disappearing, ¡°I will reach youter. But first, you must wake up and find her.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Her words rang endlessly in my head, and my eyes flew open. It was a dream.


    My body acts on reflex, and I search my surroundings for Ithra. I realised with terror that I was alone, lying by a tree.


    Shook to the core, I jumped on my feet and looked around. My heart raced as I remembered myst interaction with Ithra. We decided to spend the night together and go our separate ways at the crack of dawn.


    She fooled me and took off the moment I went to sleep. I couldn¡¯t even perceive her intoxicating scent. She left without a trail.


    If she dies, your purpose is defeated.


    The words of Shilhi return to me with a vengeance. Goosebumps wash over me as I hear her voice ¨C speaking in an endless cycle and bringing a wave of fear.


    I couldn¡¯t lose Ithra. I couldn¡¯t lose her.


    You must wake up and find her. I heard Shilhi¡¯s words, and the dream gained a new meaning. It wasn¡¯t a mere dream ¨C she said it herself. It was her way ofmunicating with me.


    Suddenly, I remember the words of Ithra. The visions! They were real.


    My thought process cut off, and I felt a paralysing fear that brought me to my knees. For some reason, I could tell that this fear wasn¡¯t mine.


    It belonged to someone. It felt so real, and my heart pricked at the level of fear that overwhelmed me. I look around my surroundings, and there¡¯s no threat whatsoever.


    A thought hit me, and instinctively, I took off in a sprint, headed towards the east.


    Ithra was in danger.

 It’s not real.

    ITHRA


    I knew I shouldn¡¯t have gone. I knew it wasn¡¯t the right call. But I did it anyway.


    After our little fight yesterday, we decided to stick around for the night and go our separate ways at the crack of dawn.


    However, I got another vision, urging me to find my book and begin the journey to the heart of the forest. I didn¡¯t want to get into another fight with Zadok concerning my decision.


    While I trudged farther away from him, I contemted telling him of my vision and getting him to work with me, but I remembered what a controlling arse he was and decided against it.     I believed I was ready for this. I spent thest few months of my life getting strong for this journey. There was nothing I couldn¡¯t face.


    I hoped.


    Shaking off the fear that gued me, I headed deeper into the forest. Dark shadows cast on my path as I walked forward, moving eastward.


    Justst night, Sarai visited me, telling me to find the ancient witch¡¯s book I lost during my transition here. ording to her, I lost it on my way and must recover it before I begin my journey towards getting my powers and the ghost orchid.


    Before I deserted Zadok, I heard the dark forest mountains beckon to me ¨C and    I nearly abandoned my quest to find the ancient witch¡¯s book.


    As I treaded the deadly path of the dark forest, I sought the blue covers of the ancient witch¡¯s book to no avail. I retraced my steps back, but it seemed I was going in circles.


    By the third time, It dawned on me that I was lost. I had no sense of direction, and with the tall trees that reached the heavens, I couldn¡¯t tell the east from the west.


    An eerie wind passed, and I felt the presence of something. My body hairs stood, and I felt a coldness within me. I felt the eyes watching me, and that very closely.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I said slowly, reaching for the knifeced to my thighs.


    ¡°Ithra¡­ Long time no see.¡± The voice whispered, leaving a cold trail on my body.


    Fear engulfed me, one that felt very familiar. Too familiar.


    ¡°You finally made it. Who would have thought you woulde here? and for the same people that dealt with you.¡± His words trapped me, weaving through my mind and capturing it to his will. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    The voice said, and I felt pain in my heart, head and everywhere else. It was the Sirion! A knowledgeable demon from the dark forest that captures one¡¯s soul and enves it to his will.


    One of the many things I knew about this beast was that it wasn¡¯t real. His powers hinged on hallucinations. The moment he took control of your mind, he could destroy you from the inside out.


    Another little detail about this particr beast was that it wasn¡¯t a stranger to me.


    How could I forget the day I was thrown out of my n?


    ¡°Leave me alone.¡± I moaned, trying to keep my sanity.


    ¡°You are not just here to save your n,¡± It chuckled, ¡°Who would have thought there was a selfish bone in you that wants to experience power too..¡± It cooed, ¡°It¡¯s pitiful that you would not achieve anything. Not on my watch.¡±


    I felt pain hit my heart, and a loud screech left my lips. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not real. I muttered to myself, and I didn¡¯t believe it.


    Suddenly, I became powerless and weak. Who deluded me to think I could do this on my own?


    ¡°So weak¡­¡± The Sirion cackled, ¡°Killing you will be doing you a favour. It will save you from the horrors ahead of your fruitless journey.¡±


    I fell to my knees, paralysed and wriggling in pain. I needed help. I couldn¡¯t fight. How could I fight when all he said was the truth? I was weak, powerless and delusional. It was a jokeing here. It was a mistake walking off by myself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put you out of your misery, witch. I¡¯ll send you off to the worlds beyond. Maybe you will find your fulfilment on the other side.¡±


    I feel my body lean into the pain, like I deserved it, like I was destined for the world beyond.


    ¡°Stay awake!¡± I hear a masculine voice shout at me.


    Zadok?


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to it! Hang in there!¡± Hemanded. I felt my bodye alive.


    He found me. He came back for me.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± I hear the spooky voice of the Sirion.


    Immediately, I felt a chard of ice prick my heart with surgical precision. ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°Ithra! It¡¯s not real! Open your eyes! Don¡¯t give in to it. Stay awake!¡±


    Zadok spoke with desperation. Like I meant the world to him. I couldn¡¯t leave him. I couldn¡¯t disappoint his trust in me.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You were rejected and tortured! I am doing you a favour! You must enter the world beyond!¡± I heard the Sirion, but he wasn¡¯t as loud as before.


    I don¡¯t feel his hold anymore. I want to open my eyes.     ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it! Focus on my voice! You are doing well, mi amore! Open your eyes! It¡¯s not real!¡±


    It¡¯s not real. I said and felt my body grow hot.


    It¡¯s not real. I heard the screech of the Sirion, leaving in its signature way.


    IT¡¯S NOT REAL!


    I yelled, and my eyes opened. The first thing I saw were dark shadows. A form also loomed over me. Iy on the floor, breathing heavily as my sight cleared up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You are alright. It¡¯s gone now.¡± Zadok said, searching my face.


    At that moment, I knew there was no way I was leaving without him.

 She tricked us!

    SHILHI¡¯S POV


    I threw thest mandrake into the cauldron pot as I prepared another set of potions for Alpha Zadok.


    Joy filled my heart at the thought of his face when he finally realised what a fool he was ¨C A joy I nned to share with the exterminated n of witches after I sacrificed them at the heart of the dark forest.


    Poor Ithra. I wondered how she would feel knowing she was but a means to an end.


    The pot¡¯s content boiled under the threshing fire, and I put in the secret ingredient of the Alpha¡¯s potion ¨C A sealing spell.


    My mouth moved, and murmurs of chants filled the air. The pot grew green, and a wicked smile touched my lips.


    Everything was perfect. It was only a matter of time before I took my revenge and made the werewolf race pay for the evils wrought against the witches.


    After 12 years, everything was finallying into ce.


    I dished the potions into small bottles and left them on a table in the greenhouse, just beside another bottle that held the consciousness of Shilhi.


    ¡°Just wait, I¡¯ll have another body, and you can return to this one.¡± I cooed, touching the bottle that shook furiously.


    I wouldn¡¯t lie. Taking over Shilhi¡¯s body twelve years ago wasn¡¯t easy.


    Being part wolf, she had a strong loyalty towards the Bloodmoon pack ¨C especially towards the Alpha.


    For two whole years, I lived inside her, suppressed by her gigantic will and waiting for an opportunity to gain control and send her packing till I executed my ns.


    My opportunity came during one of the mating ceremonies, which saw her mate rejecting her for being partially a witch. In one moment of hating the werewolves and the pack, I was able to influence her hatred and finally take root as a co-owner of her body.


    From that day, everything went downhill for her and upwards for me until I had full possession of her body. Now, Shilhi was lost, and her life shut in a bottle.


    The fact that the so-called Alpha and other friends didn¡¯t seem to notice a hair out of ce for the past ten years since I inhabited this body showed that looks were deceiving. It was the best camouge.


    ¡°Shilhi!¡± I heard a desperate yell from outside the door and immediately braced up. It was show time.


    Mustering the most concerned Shilhi¡¯s voice, I asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Rogues! They are everywhere!¡± Azriel said, looking like a fish out of water.


    I nearly rolled my eyes at his dramatics. Of course, I knew there were rogues! I brought them in myself.


    ¡°What?! Where is the alpha?¡± I asked with widened eyes.


    ¡°Athaliah¡¯s gone to find him. He stepped out of the event some time ago and hasn¡¯t returned.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss his pained undertone at the mention of Athaliah. Poor and rejected beta, how would he feel when he finds that while he was busy with his personal affairs, the alpha and the witch left for the dark forest?


    Courtesy, me.


    Soon enough, the door opened, revealing Athaliah panting heavily. Their eyes met, and I saw the utter pain and devastation between them. Each for different reasons.


    ¡°Zadok¡¯s gone! I can¡¯t find him! Including Ithra!¡± She reported, terrified. ¡°No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t reach him. I can¡¯t even feel his presence throughout thend.¡±


    ¡°Thends are crawling with rogues. If they took him, they would try to mask his presence to cover their tracks.¡± I supplied, praying they were stupid enough to believe that.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha. They shouldn¡¯t be able to mask his presence that easily.¡± The thought-provoking Azriel said, and their eyes returned to me, awaiting an exnation.


    ¡°Not if the rogues are working with a powerful witch and the Alpha resists his wolf abilities with potions,¡± I said, looking between them as I yed myst bet. ¡°Did you say Ithra is missing too?¡±


    ¡°I knew it. That girl is not to be trusted. She tricked us!¡±


    Athaliah seemed nuts, and so did Azriel.


    ¡°Ithra doesn¡¯t have powers,¡± Azriel said, more to himself.


    It seemed like he was having a hard time believing it.


    ¡°With a witch, you can never be too sure. If she hid her powers and allowed herself to be humiliated to gain entrance and skill in the blood moon pack, what can she not do?¡±


    Azriel snarled, ¡°If you knew she wasn¡¯t real, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?!¡±


    ¡°I recently found out that the ancient witch¡¯s book was missing. Ever since, I kept a close eye on Ithra. While I continued my search for it.¡± I walked towards the shelf and squatted.


    With a click sound, I opened the hidden drawer on thest shelf and dragged out a dusty blue book ¨C The real ancient witch¡¯s book.


    ¡°You said the book was missing,¡± Athaliah sneered, impatience rolled off her in bouts.


    ¡°I set a trap just in case Ithra had other things up her sleeve. I got her in here and dangled the bait in her eyes.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Eventually, she fell for it. But that¡¯s beside the point. I picked up the fake version of the book in the woods on my way from picking herbs. Someone got a little angry at theck of results and burned a part of it.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She must have known you were onto her and decided to act fast.¡± Athaliah said, ¡°We need to do something, Azriel. Zadok might be in danger.¡±


    I smirked at her desperation. They were buying it. Good. I needed more time to perfect my master n. I couldn¡¯t risk these peasants getting in the way.


    ¡°First things first.¡± I continued, ¡°You need to secure thends. Rogues are everywhere, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before they take over the town.¡±


    ¡°Done. I will situate guards around the farm to keep the rogues away. Please try your best to keep the book safe. If Ithra is truly behind this, she could being for the book.¡± Azriel said, his ws elongated as he spoke.


    He transformed halfway into a wolf.


    ¡°Got it,¡± I said, holding the book closely.


    With that, they left the greenhouse, transforming into a wolf as soon as they hit the woods. Things were getting interesting.


    I picked up a timer and set it in motion. In a few more weeks, I will be in my body and reunited with my n in the dark forest.


    The ancient Witch¡¯s n.

 I need you

    ZADOK


    Ithra stayed glued to me in a tight embrace. I tapped her back as she held tightly to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I managed to say, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    We remained like that for a while, and slowly, her breathing normalised. I fought against asking her why she left without a word, but I knew it wasn¡¯t the right time.


    Shilhi¡¯s words strongly reverberated inside me. I couldn¡¯t scare her away If this thing would work between us. I needed her.


    And with the looks of things, she needed me to survive in this forest and get our desired results.


    We needed to work together.


    I knew that, seeing her nearly give up to the Sirion told me just how vulnerable she was to the beasts that lurked in this forest alone.


    It scared me how easy it was for them to kill her and bring doom to my mission. There and then, I vowed never to let her out of my sight.


    She needed me as much as I did her. I just had to make her see it.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ithra said after stepping away from me.


    Her voice was so low. I almost didn¡¯t catch it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I answered, using a soft tone.


    Her eyes met mine, and I could tell she was expecting something. However, I was still determining what it was she expected.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We need to work together,¡± I said after a moment of hesitation.


    So much for trying to get her to see it, my wolf said in my mind.


    I resisted an eye-roll. My wolf only showed up when it was time to nitpick on me.


    I shut him off and continued, ¡°I understand you have your ns, but we need to work together if we are going to survive in this forest.¡±


    She frowned, ¡°Are you looking down on my ability?¡±


    ¡°This is not about what you can do and what not. In this forest, we are alone. Either we work together and try to make it out alive, or the beasts in this forest get us one way or the other.¡±


    ¡°I already made it clear to you. I am not leaving this forest! I am willing to die if that¡¯s what it takes to remain here.¡±


    Her breath was full of fury, and frustration grew in my bowels, ¡°Last time I checked, you didn¡¯t seem like you wanted to die.¡± I fired back,


    ¡°Last time I checked, I never asked for your help. I was doing fine until you decided toe y saviour.¡±


    By now, we were facing each other, with our eyes ame with anger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± I finally said, and her eyes turned in confusion.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard that right.¡± I breathed, ¡°We don¡¯t have to go back.¡±


    Ithra cocked her brows, and after a few seconds, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    I feigned ignorance, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Justst night, you were strongly agitating for our return.¡± She whipped her hair to the side. It was the most attractive thing on earth. ¡°Seeing me in danger couldn¡¯t have caused a drastic change in your disposition.¡± Her eyes searched my own, ¡°There¡¯s something else. What are you not telling me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you need to know,¡± I replied tightly, ¡°I told you we were going to return to this ce when we are more prepared, but then, I thought, why not get things over and done with?¡±


    I was having a hard time convincing her. I could tell she saw through my bullshit, but I continued anyways.


    ¡°What do you say? Let¡¯s work together.¡±  I proposed and stretched out my arm, ¡°No more taking off in the night. Let¡¯s look over our backs in this forest.¡± She opened her mouth to speak, but I stopped her. ¡°This is not an order from your alpha. It¡¯s a proposition from a friend.¡±


    Ithra was momentarily stunned. After a while, she said the words that nearly took my breath out of my nostrils.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear you are hiding something. I am sorry, but I don¡¯t trust you. We should go our separate ways.¡±


    Ithra made to leave, but I held her back. ¡°I need you.¡±


    The words fell out of my mouth before I could think. ¡°I am cursed. Unable to find my mate. I need you to break the curse.¡±


    Her eyes widened in shock, ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked slowly, as though dreading my reply.


    I had already started. It was about time I bared it all. I couldn¡¯t turn back now.  Ithra wanted my trust. And that¡¯s what she would get.


    ¡°You are the chosen one. The only one able to hold the ghost orchid that will help break my curse.¡± I breathed, staring her in the eyes. ¡°When I thought all hope was gone for me to find my mate, you showed up and gave me hope again.¡±


    Ithra was enthralled. She stared at me in shock, unable to speak. I continued,


    ¡°For the past twelve years, we have been preparing for the visit to the dark forest. We have been waiting for you to show up to begin the long journey, and when you finally did, you became a puzzle we couldn¡¯t fix.¡±


    ¡°You did this on purpose? You brought me here for your selfish reasons?¡± Ithra asked with a shaky voice. Anger was evident in her tone.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± I quickly defend myself.


    Why was she so quick to assume the worst about me?


    For the same reason, you quickly assume the worst about every witch. My wolf answered me in sarcasm.


    ¡°Ouring here was anything but nned. I don¡¯t know how we managed to get here. The original n was to go with Shilhi and some others, but we got thrown here together.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hide the unhappiness in my tone, and Ithra picked up on it.


    ¡°You can still go back and pick up the others. I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡± She said, and I nearly rolled my eyes.


    ¡°I thought so. But here¡¯s the catch. The dark forest grounds are sacred. Everyone has just one chance to visit. That is if you can make it out alive.¡±


    Ithra¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If I leave, I can¡¯t return. Forever.¡±

 Deal?

    ITHRA


    Zadok¡¯s words struck a chord within me.


    It was the first time I had heard about such a thing. Not only was the forest hostile to witches, but it only gave one opportunity to visit.


    Which meant I only had one chance to achieve my goal ¨C one chance to get my power. I couldn¡¯t fail. If I did, I might as well kiss my powers and n goodbye.


    The only way I could be free from the Blood Hound pack was if I got hold of my powers.


    ¡°What do you say? Are you willing to put the past behind you and work together?¡± Zadok asked.


    I could hear the desperation and vulnerability in his tone.


    He wanted me to choose him. He wanted me to help him break the curse and get the ghost orchid.


    I wondered how he would feel if he knew that the ghost orchid he needed to break his curse was the same way I needed to protect my n.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a conflict of our interests. As much as I¡¯d love to help, I couldn¡¯t do that to the detriment of my people.


    ¡°This alliance cannot work.¡± I finally said, ¡°I think we both should go our separate ways.¡± I said again, and all my being kicked against it.


    I would die if I ventured into this forest alone. That was clear to both me and Zadok. But I couldn¡¯t deceive him to think I was on his side.


    He was vulnerable to me, and thest thing I would do was take advantage of his situation. I knew first-hand how it felt to get betrayed.  Thest thing I could do was betray his faith in me.


    ¡°Why?¡± His tone was bitter, ¡°Does it irk you so much to help break the curse that your people ced on me?¡±


    ¡°There you go. Assuming the worst of me because I have witch blood flowing through my veins.¡± I fired back. ¡°You see this/¡± I motioned between us, ¡°This will forever be why we cannot work together. Our instincts are pit against the other, and no matter how good or close we are to each other, it will always bite us in the ass.¡±


    I turned away, but he held me back.


    ¡°Let me go, Zadok. It¡¯s best like this.¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°I was truthful to you. I told you everything and bared it all to you.¡± He gritted his teeth, ¡°The least you can do is to give me an actual reason. Stop hiding behind the war of our kind. Tell me why you don¡¯t want to do it. The actual reason. Why are you so persistent on remaining here?¡±


    I felt caught ¨C Exposed with nowhere to hide.


    I took a deep breath and prepared to speak. ¡°Do you want to know?¡± I asked rhetorically, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as hiding behind the war going on between our kinds. We are two parallel lines, Zadok! It would be a sin for us to work together. Even the universe frowns at it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if we are two parallel lines, Ithra! I will bend over a million times if that means getting my mate. There is nothing I cannot give up, not even this pointless war.¡± He drew close to me, ¡°All it takes is for me to say the words, and it ends now. No more killing of witches, no more predating on ns, everything ends. As long as I have my mate with me.¡±


    His voice grew desperate, pained. ¡°Please, speak to me. What does it take to make this work.¡±


    For the first time, I saw a different side of Zadok. Not the proud alpha ¨C and not the heartless beast I  grew up to believe.


    I saw a broken man who wanted his love. A man who will do anything if it means reuniting with his love.


    Growing up, I read a lot about the wolves. Those books were to help us kill them, but I came across one that mentioned the irreversible bond werewolf mates shared.


    One look at Zadok told me the books didn¡¯t do justice to the mate bond. I could see how Zadok revered the thought of ever meeting his mate.


    He hadn¡¯t met her. He didn¡¯t even know what she looked like or if he would fancy her physical appearance. And yet he was in love with her.


    For the first time, I felt envy for whoever would end up at the receiving end of that love. I envied thedy that would be his mate.


    ¡°I need the ghost orchid to repair the wall.¡± I find myself saying. ¡°When I entered yournds, I was supposed to be on my way to the dark forest, but for some reason, I ended up in your territory.¡±


    Zadok¡¯s eyes widened, but I didn¡¯t let that derail me.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we can¡¯t work together.¡± My eyes connected with his, ¡°The sole reason you met me in the first ce was because I wanted to get the ghost orchid. If I can get my hands on the orchid, I will use it to repair the wall that protects my n.¡±


    Zadok shook his head, ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Exactly why we can¡¯t work together,¡± I made to leave, but he stopped me again.


    I was getting tired of this.


    ¡°We can strike a bnce.¡± He said, ¡°I will protect them with all I have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather get the orchid and protect them myself.¡± My answer was taut, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t say no to me, Ithra!¡± His voice rasped,


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± I moved closer to him. ¡°You are not the only threat the Celtz n faces. The wall hinders other deadly species froming in and preying on our people. We might be free from your kind, but how about the likes of the Sirion when theye knocking?¡±


    My voice raised, and I continued, ¡°It¡¯s not all about you, and there¡¯s only a handful you can protect us from.¡± Zadok tried to speak, but I cut him off. ¡°I will always ce my people first. The same way you would your people.¡±


    Zadok¡¯s silence proved that I was right. Had he been in my position, he would have chosen his people regardless of what I faced.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Zadok said. ¡°We stay together and work together. When we get there, we¡¯ll decide who gets it.¡± Our eyes connected. ¡°Deal?¡±

 A sleeping wild boar

    ZADOK


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me,¡± I said after a long silence.


    Ithra didn¡¯t budge ¨C confirming my assumptions.


    I let out a briefugh, ¡°After everything? I told you all there is to know about me, and you still don¡¯t trust me enough to continue the journey with me?¡±


    My tone was bitter. Because worse than turning me down, I hated not being trusted.


    I hated that she chose to keep her guard up when I lowered mine to the ground.


    ¡°Trust is earned, not demanded.¡±


    ¡°I just saved your life.¡± I pointed out, ¡°I also just told you how valuable you are to me. You couldn¡¯t possibly think I have something bad in mind.¡±


    ¡°And there you go again.¡± She sighed, ¡°Rubbing that you saved me in my face.¡±


    I raked my palm through my hair, ¡°Listen. I just want us to be together. This forest is crawling with beasts that you can¡¯t imagine. We have a better chance at survival together than alone.¡±


    Ithra¡¯s eyes remained on mine. It seemed like she was contemting my words.


    ¡°We will split ways at the forest¡¯s heart. The one whoes in contact with it first gets it.¡± I said, and her eyes widened. ¡°Is that good enough for you to work with me? Because that¡¯s thest I can offer.¡±


    I meant every word. If Ithra decided it wasn¡¯t good enough for her to stay, I would walk away from her and do things myself.


    If I failed¡­ I couldn¡¯t bear to think of what would happen then.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Ithra said, and I was mildly surprised.


    I don¡¯t know why I thought it would take more convincing to get the job done. My look must have said it all.


    ¡°I am bold enough to ept help. Especially on a tter of gold.¡± She looked around us. Dark mist and trees surrounded us. ¡°I am not stupid to think I can do it without help.¡± Her eyes returned to me, ¡°It¡¯s nice having someone who isn¡¯t after my life by the side.¡±


    I heard the joke in her tone and shook my head in amusement. If her words were anything to go by, this was her subtle way of saying she trusted me. A burst of joy fills my heart at her hidden admission.


    For some insane reason, I loved that she trusted me deep within her. Even though she wasn¡¯t vocal about it, I could tell. She also knew I had picked on her words.


    ¡°We are on the same page.¡± she said, ¡°Where do we go from here?¡±


    I looked around, trying to remember where I came from, but it¡¯s long forgotten. I remembered frantically following Ithra¡¯s scent until it led me here.


    Due to her predicament, I didn¡¯t have the liberty to look back at the route I took ormit it to memory. Everything looked the same here, the trees, the paths ¨C not one thing seemed separate.


    We were lost.


    Seeing the look on my face, Ithra startedughing. So much that I felt offended.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Herughter slowed to a stop, ¡°You looked so out of it.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°I was headed east.¡± She pointed in a direction. ¡°If we go through that path, we will return to where I left you.¡±


    I turned towards the direction, ready to begin our journey, but she stopped me. ¡°Not so fast, big boy.¡± She said, ¡°We keep moving eastwards.¡±


    ¡°Why? We need to return to the cave so I can map out the forest¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± She turned eastward, ¡°If I can find my book, we will locate the heart of the forest.¡±


    I got confused, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    She turned back to me, sporting a pointed look. ¡°The ancient witch¡¯s book.¡±


    My eyeballs nearly fall off their sockets. ¡°The ancient witch¡¯s what?!¡±


    ¡°Try to keep up, will you?¡± She continued walking, not sparing me a nce.


    I joined her in steps, ¡°Thest time I checked, the ancient witch¡¯s book was locked up securely in my pack.¡±


    ¡°You mean in the greenhouse?¡± She corrected, shocking me the more.


    ¡°Did you steal it?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No. Why would you steal it? It¡¯s written in the ancient witches¡¯ code. You can¡¯t read it.¡±


    ¡°For someone who spent his life hating witches, you know a lot about them.¡±


    ¡°You have to know it to kill it,¡± I said, waiting for her reaction.


    ¡°I can say the same. I grew up reading about how the best way to kill a werewolf was to kill their mate. Better still, a pregnant mate. It¡¯s like killing three wolves with one stone.¡±


    ¡°Ithra.¡± My tone was threatening.


    ¡°Can¡¯t take a joke?¡± she marched forward. ¡°The ancient witch¡¯s book is somewhere around here. And no, I didn¡¯t steal it. I borrowed it for some time and unfortunately lost it on my way here.¡±


    ¡°How do you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°Read the book. A mere witch or mortal cannot read the ancient witch¡¯s code.¡± My eyes scanned her dangerously, ¡°and from my knowledge, you are not an ancient witch.¡±


    ¡°Good call.¡± She tsked, ¡°You can imagine my surprise when I found out I could understand some inscriptions in the book.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right.¡± She turned to me, ¡°For some insane reason, the book chose to reveal itself to me when I visited the greenhouse. I took it out to properly study it and ended up here.¡±


    My brain nearly blew up at the amount of information. ¡°How do you know it has the map of this forest?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know.¡± She said with a wink. ¡°If you want to help, I suggest you look for a book with a blue covering and-¡±


    ¡°ck inscription on the spine?¡± I finished up for her,


    ¡°Correct.¡± She said, after some seconds, her head whipped back, ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m staring at it.¡±


    Ithra turned towards my direction, and a shocked breath escaped her at the sight before us.


    A sleeping wild boar. You would never imagine what it used as its pillow.


    The ancient witch¡¯s book.

 May the best man win!

    ITHRA


    ¡°Stand back,¡± Zadok said in a low voice.


    His eyes focused on the sleeping Boar while mine remained on the book.


    ¡°I need to get the book. I¡¯ll be quiet.¡± I said, and without waiting for a reply, walked towards the beast with steady steps.


    Before I could take one step, Zadok dragged me back by the arm.


    ¡°Are you stupid?!¡± he whisper-yelled. ¡°Or are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone,¡± I replied in a hushed tone. ¡°It¡¯s asleep. I¡¯ll just get the book, and we will be off.¡±


    I made to move, and he held me back, much to my frustration.


    ¡°You know what?¡± He said, holding his forehead in an exasperated manner. ¡°Just stay back. I will get it myself.¡±


    It was my turn to hold him back.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked in a hushed tone, picking offence. ¡°I am more than capable of handling it.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this, Ithra,¡± Zadok said in a slightly raised voice. ¡°I¡¯ll quickly get it, and we will be on our way.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hear what he was saying. My eyes widened to the size of saucers as I took in the sight before me.


    ¡°Z-Zadok,¡± I stuttered, unable to word what was behind him.


    ¡°Shush!¡± He whisper-yelled. ¡°I swear you are gonna wake it up,¡±


    I shook my head, staggering back as I watched the boar rise behind Zadok. Its eyes were on us as it got on its four paws.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zadok asked as I stepped backwards.


    I didn¡¯t have the time to answer him. He immediately turned around, going face to face with the beast. He turned back with an eerie calmness, and the next second, he shouted at the top of his voice.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Zadok took into a sprint while I remained rooted to my spot, fear distilled within me. A loud screech came from the boar. Fear gripped me as I heard his powerful paws on the ground.


    Suddenly, I felt a strong hand wrapped around my wrist, and instinctively, I ran like my life depended on it.


    The boar screeched as it pursued after us. We ran in circles, refusing to lose sight of the book.


    ¡°We can¡¯t continue like this,¡± I said betweenboured breaths. ¡°How do we kill it?¡± I asked as we ran through the woods.


    ¡°Find a tree and stay on top,¡± Zadok ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it busy while you secure your safety. Onlye down when it¡¯s dead.¡±


    A frown marred my face, ¡°Can I hear of a n that doesn¡¯t involve me hiding like a loser while you take the glory?¡±


    My words brought a smile to his face. His smile disappeared at the screech of the boar, which happened to be much closer than ever.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for jokes, Ithra.¡± He said, ¡°Please, do as I say.¡±


    I ran as fast as my strength could allow. I couldn¡¯t lie. I was enjoying this much more than I should.  ¡°No.¡± I called out, ¡°I¡¯ll do this my way. It¡¯s my book.¡±


    Zadok disagreed with my words. I could tell by the eye-roll he sported. ¡°And what will that be?¡±


    I smirked, ¡°We will both go against it in our way. May the best man win!¡± I dered. In a swift motion, I dragged my hand free from his hold.


    Zadok¡¯s eyes widened at my act. But I wasn¡¯t done. I jumped and held on to a branch with my weight, so much it broke in half.


    Without a nce back, I ran with the tree branch, with Zadok ahead of me- who looked back with a worried look etched on his face.


    He must be thinking I¡¯ve gone nuts. If I was being honest, I had no idea what I was doing. However, I had one overarching rule that governed my actions.


    To stay alive. No matter the cost. And for both our sakes, I also hoped that was Zadok¡¯s overarching rule.


    While I ran, I wondered the best way to kill the boar without getting myself killed. I suddenly felt the weight of a pocket knife tied to my thighs. Such a weapon was useless against a boar as it couldn¡¯t harm a chicken.


    ¡°Ithra!¡± I heard the panicked voice of Zadok and saw him far to the right. ¡°Climb the tree! Now!¡± His orders were precise, and I found myself doing as he instructed.


    I kicked off my feet with a powerful jump andy hold on a tree branch. However, I pulled myself up and climbed the tree using all my strength.


    I looked down and saw the boar walking around the tree with its eyes on me. Zadok¡¯s timely intervention saved me this time around. I shuddered at the thought of getting bitten. Or worse, killed by the boar.


    Suddenly, the boar turned around, seemingly distracted. I looked towards that direction, and I didn¡¯t see Zadok anymore. A giant ck wolf stood in his ce, fangs bared and in a predatory position.


    I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sharpness of Zadok¡¯s canines. It shone like a sharpened knife. I saw myself using it to kill off the boar with a strike to the head.


    A bulb went on in my head, and an idea hit me.


    I brought out my blunt knife and my tree branch. While the animals battled, I watched in tension as I sharpened the edge of my tree branch.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The fight became intense as Zadok bit into the boar that seemed to never run out of strength. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary boar! It seemed possessed with power and will to kill.


    With one hit from the boar, Zadok¡¯s wolf was flying back. The force nearly brought down a barren tree. The boar heads in for him, and I silently urge Zadok to get up and out of the way.


    Thankfully, Zadok is up and misses another hit by the sleeve.


    Finally, my wood is sharpened and ready for the job. I jumped down from the tree and attracted the attention of the Boar ¨C whose attention flickered between us.


    It was two against one, and I had ns to end this. Zadok transformed back to his human form, and he seemed upset.


    ¡°Get back up there,¡± He ordered with gritted teeth, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°May the best man win,¡± I muttered, and with a vengeance ¨C I charged towards the boar like my life depended on it ¨C because it did.

 Are you getting scared, Ithra?

    ZADOK


    I watched with horror as Ithra charged at the boar from behind, holding a sharpened wood.


    She was trying to kill herself!


    The boar noticed her as soon as she got closer and turned around with agility. Scared for her life, I charged at the boar from behind, hoping to get its attention away from Ithra to enable her to run away, but to no avail.


    They were far too gone to stop.


    Ithra went face to face with the boar, tightly holding a sharpened wood in her right hand. Her face was taut, and I could see determination coursing through her.


    It happened so fast. Within a second, Ithra jumped into the air and stuck the beast at the centre of the head using her makeshift knife.


    My eyes went wide when I saw blood pour from the head of the boar. It tumbled to the floor and breathed itsst.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. Ithra did it. She took on the darned beast and won!


    My heart was relieved, and joy sprang instead of the horror I¡¯d felt ¨C one that knew no bounds. Ithra looked at the boar with astonishment. It was clear she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    I walked up to her with a grin, resisting the urge to take her in my arms. She looked so beautiful. Blood sshed on her cheek, matching the colour of her hair.


    ¡°That was a pleasant surprise,¡± I said, pushing her hair to the side of her ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had it in you.¡±


    She finally acknowledged me with a huff. ¡°Get the book.¡± She ordered. Despite her tone, I felt honoured to do it.


    I picked up the book by the tree and presented it to her. ¡°Your majesty,¡± I joked, and she bit a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± She said, taking the book from my hands and walking away.


    Ithra looked through a map on the first page while I followed her with watchful eyes. I wondered if Shilhi knew we were with the book. Was this what she was relying on to get us into the forest?


    A hiss escaped Ithra¡¯s lips, and I jolted out of my thoughts. I watched her try and fail to read the map. I guess there was something she couldn¡¯t do after all.


    ¡°Let me,¡± I said after watching a few more tries and frustrated sighster.


    ¡°I am doing alright. Just give me a minute, and we¡¯ll be off.¡± She said stubbornly.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to figure it out even if you had a hundred days,¡± I said, and a frown marred her face. ¡°Just give it to me already.¡±


    She held her ground and suddenly threw the book at me, ¡°You have two minutes to get us out of here.¡±


    I caught the book and said, ¡°That is two minutes long for me to figure it out.¡± Sporting a confident smirk.


    Without further ado, I opened the book and studied the map. It was a normal one. Thankfully. I took a minute to analyse the map and soon figured out where we were.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, looking through the woods.


    I didn¡¯t miss the surprised arch of her brows when I spoke. ¡°Are  you sure you know where we are going?¡± She asked, looking genuinely worried.


    ¡°I¡¯d hate to break it to you, but I know how to read a map. Sometimes, the difference between getting where you want is the right skill required.¡± I looked up and saw the clouds shifting. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We need to cover up much ground before the sun sets.¡±My eyes focused on her till she agreed.


    That settled it, and I led the way through the woods with the book in hand. To my surprise, the journey through the woods was free from unpleasant surprises.


    Ithra walked closely beside me, eyes open for any creeping thing. With time, I understood that walking the dark forest without any form of guide was a recipe for disaster.


    It was so easy to get lost with how simr everything looked. If I didn¡¯t learn to read a map and monitor the woods, I¡¯d think we were going in circles. Ithra kept looking around, and I could tell she felt we were lost but refused to voice her concerns.


    ¡°Finally,¡± I breathed when I saw the light. ¡°I thought we were getting lost a second there.¡±


    Ithra¡¯s eyes narrowed at me, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Close to water,¡± I answered.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Her face scrunched in confusion, ¡°How close is that to the dark forest?¡±


    ¡°Far away.¡± I answered, ¡°Hopefully, we get past the bridge before nightfall, find a ce to rest, and continue tomorrow.¡± I gauged her bodynguage, ¡°Is that alright?¡±


    She swallowed, ¡°Did you say a bridge?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Any problem with that?¡± A shiver ran through her, and her hand trembled. ¡°Do you need to rest?¡± I said and internally pped myself for forgetting she wasn¡¯t a wolf.


    Of course, she¡¯d be hungry!


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s get past the bridge. Then we will know how to sort things out.¡±


    I heard her stomach growl, and I wanted to argue, but I resisted the urge when she shot me a look.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get going,¡± I said with arms raised in surrender.


    As we walked, the sky grew dark. We maintained afortable silence until we got to a clearing. We walked on the sand until the water and the wooden bridge became visible.


    ¡°Is there a way we can go around it?¡± Ithra asked, surprising me with her words.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bridge.¡± I looked at her and back to the water before us. ¡°It might not look safe, but that¡¯s all we got.¡±


    Ithra remained rooted to the spot. Her eyes fixed on the water before us, and her breath pattern changed. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say Ithra was scared.


    A light bulb went off in my head, and I asked a stupid question.


    ¡°Are you getting scared, Ithra?¡±

 You are welcome

    ITHRA


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± I stated, pushing my hair to the back of my ear.


    I took in the dark waters before me and felt my heart shrink in fear.


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Zadok said, scrutinising me with his eyes. ¡°Is there a reason why?¡±


    ¡°I said I am alright!¡± My words came out harsher than intended.


    He raised his hands in mock surrender and said, ¡°No need to bite. I was only making sure.¡±


    Zadok walked ahead without sparing me a nce. I could tell he was offended. I couldn¡¯t find it within me to care.


    As a child, they warned against getting close to water. The only thing that could neutralise a Celts witch¡¯s power was water ¨C water in itsrge body.


    Thankfully, I never experienced the horror of what water could do to a Celt¡¯s witch, seeing I didn¡¯t have powers. But I was no stranger to what it could do to a witch.


    I once watched a witch get traumatised by a mere hallucination of an ocean conjured by a witch as an attempt at a joke. There, my mother ced a ban on casting such a spell and spent months rehabilitating the affected witch.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    After that experience, I walked away with a lesson. Avoid water at all costs. If it could harm a witch in such a manner, only God knew the horrors it could inflict on me.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark.¡± I heard Zadok from afar. I knew he was referring to me, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Counting my steps, I walked towards him, shaking with fear. The water seemed so dark. I felt the presence of something inside, something capable of killing me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way to get around this?¡± I asked but got shushed by Zadok.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± He whispered, warily looking at the water. ¡°We need to cross over. And fast.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I said from a reasonable distance, and Zadok¡¯s face turned sour.


    ¡°Could you be any more loud?¡± He asked in a low but sarcastic tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± I heard the river stir, and my mouth snapped shut.


    There was something in there.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Zadok beckoned at me with an rmed look.


    I tried to run, but my feet remained rooted to the spot.


    Zadok noticed my hesitation and ran to me. He held out his hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± But for some reason, I refused to take his hand.


    ¡°Tell me what it is. Give me the book. There is something inside that water. We can¡¯t cross over until we know what it is.¡± I argued, stalling him.


    Zadok raked his hands through his hair. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± His eyesmunicated his desperation. ¡°Whatever lives inside there will be showing up soon, and it¡¯s either we beat its arrival and go through the bridge now, or we get stranded with another unknown beast of the dark forest.¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out when I saw a gigantic ck octopus throw an arm around the bridge. I instinctively took two steps back, and the water rumbled.


    Zadok seemed split between decisions. His eyes flickered between the bridge and me. Without a word, he picked me up bridal style with his strong arms tightened around me.


    He took off towards the river, and my eyes snapped shut. If I was going to die today, I didn¡¯t want to see it.


    I felt the wind through my hair as he ran with me in his arms. I heard the sound of wood breaking, and my eyes flung open. I came to face with a ck octopus, whose arms wrapped around the bridge edge, squeezing it to pieces.


    The bridge broke, and a screech escaped my mouth as I saw the dark waters beneath us. The octopus¡¯s mouth was widely opened beneath us, awaiting our fall.


    ¡°Close your eyes!¡± Zadok instructed, and naturally, I shut my eyes. ¡°Just trust me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what happened, but in a moment, I heard the descent of his feet on the ground. My eyes flew open, and I realised we were safely on the other side.


    He jumped to the other side!


    The first thing I saw was the dark orbs of Zadok, looking deep into my eyes with a worried look etched on his face. I struggled out of his hold and got on my feet. Looking back, I saw the bridge had disappeared.


    The octopus had broken it to pieces.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Zadok said from behind me. ¡°Find somewhere we can sleep while I¡¯ll go get dinner.¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait for my response and took off to get dinner. I looked at the water a few feet below the ground, and it returned to its calm state ¨C Like there wasn¡¯t a killer beast living inside.


    The sky was dark, as well as the waters. I wondered why I was scared in the first ce. The water seemed serene and harmless.


    I turned, and my eyes searched for Zadok. He needed an exnation.


    Eventually, I found a shade that was a decent ce to rest, as well as a spot for a campfire. I gathered sticks together and started a fire as I waited for what was supposed to be dinner.


    Zadok came after some minutes with rabbits, and I fought the urge tough. ¡°Was this all you could catch?¡± I asked after a failed attempt to hold in myughter.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised how empty this forest can be. We better make do with what we have.¡± Zadok ced the dead meat on the floor, took out a knife and got to work.


    I¡¯d expected the task of cooking, but Zadok was doing just fine. I watched his arms flex as he roasted the meat and remembered his status as an alpha.


    Looking at him, I felt like that was a long time ago. He wasn¡¯t just an alpha to me. He had somehow found his way to bing my friend. And that¡¯s why I told him about my fear of water and heights.


    Zadok listened carefully, making it easy to open up to him. After my little speech, he broke the ice with a signature smirk.  ¡°Good thing I was there to sweep you off your feet, princess.¡± He handed me a piece of perfectly roasted meat. ¡°There you go.¡±


    Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I couldn¡¯t exin the elerated beating of my heart. At that moment, I knew I didn¡¯t want to forget how I felt.

 That should be punishment enough for his crimes

    ITHRA


    I rxed on the tree and finished off the remains of my roasted meat.


    I couldn¡¯t lie. Zadok was one hell of a cook. It made me wonder just how many things he excelled in.


    My eyes raked over his sturdy back as he stood watch a few metres away from me.  He felt my gaze and said without ncing back, ¡°Done having dinner?¡± He stated.


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± I find myself replying. We shared a moment of silence before I spoke again. ¡°Do you n on staying there all night long?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s got to keep watch.¡± He answered with a shrug. ¡°You can go to bed.¡±


    I resist the urge to say something rude. ¡°If you are staying awake, why can¡¯t I?¡±


    A brief and tired sigh left Zadok¡¯s lips. For the first time, I saw his shoulders sag. How tired was he?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough strength to bicker with you, Ithra.¡± He said, finally turning around. ¡°Go to bed already. We have a long day ahead.¡±


    I pouted my lips, maintaining silence. A thought breezed into my mind, and I spoke again. ¡°You know, thest time we had dinner together, you were threatening my life.¡±


    Zadok took a seat opposite the fire. Right in front of me. ¡°And now I am trying to protect it.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I acknowledged. ¡°You live long enough, and you¡¯ll see strange things.¡±


    Zadok shook his head, biting back a smile. I couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Is that a ghost of a smile?¡± I teased, and he ced up a stoic face.


    I was unphased by Zadok¡¯s rigid face. These days, I found myself admiring his sulking face. I wouldn¡¯t breathe a word of it to anyone.


    ¡°For someone with a decent smile, it¡¯s a shame you go around sulking all day.¡± I teased again, partly hoping to get another smile. But no such luck.


    Zadok threw a tree branch into the fire, connecting his eyes with mine. I could feel the intensity eat at my nerves.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you are hitting on me, Ithra.¡±


    Air lodged into my throat, and I threw a coughing fit.


    ¡°What? Hitting on you? Don¡¯t be silly.¡± I said with a wave of hand.


    For some reason, my face heated at the directness of his words.


    ¡°You seem full of energy today. Perhaps you should stand guard while I sleep?¡± I could hear the humour in his tone.


    Who knew Zadok had a humourous bone in him?


    ¡°Right.¡± I picked up a stone from the floor and began scribbling on the floor.


    I continued in silence, feeling Zadok¡¯s gaze on me.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± He said, watching me with careful eyes.


    I looked up at him, ¡°Since when do you take permission before asking a question?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so protective of your n?¡±


    His question hit me like a tonne of bricks.


    ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong. You haven¡¯t received the best treatment.¡± His head tilted to the side, and confusion etched his face. ¡°Why are you so determined to protect the n when they have done nothing to deserve your loyalty?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t swallow. How on earth does one answer such a question?


    ¡°Why are you dedicated to protecting my n if I help you break the curse?¡± I asked after a while.


    Zadok¡¯s gaze turned intense, his eyes narrowed at me as if to say, You are the reason. You should know that by now.


    I couldn¡¯t resist my eye-roll. ¡°So you mean you would kill a whole n of witches that did nothing just to satiate your insane instinct to exterminate witches?¡±


    No answer.


    My blood boiled as I understood the message behind his silence. If I decided to help him with breaking the curse, he would spare my n from destruction and ¡®protect¡¯ us from other external factors.


    And if I didn¡¯t, he would wipe out my innocent n, as well as any other n he was fortunate to discover while he lived on earth.


    Suddenly, I felt a strong sense of hatred for the monster that sat before me.


    ¡°What did the witches do to deserve such hatred and punishment from your hands, Zadok?¡± His name was bitter in my mouth. ¡°At least, we deserve an exnation for your wickedness towards us.¡±


    I could see his jaws flex from the glow of the fire. Zadok didn¡¯t utter a word. He sat there like what I said didn¡¯t mean anything to him. I couldn¡¯t believe I thought he was a good person.


    At this point, all I could see was his form ¨C a selfish and wicked bastard who deserved to die most cruelly for his sins against innocent people.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why I am so protective of them,¡± I fired when the silence became unbearing. ¡°Because they are my family. Regardless of what they did to me, it doesn¡¯t change that we are family.¡± I seethed. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand that Zadok. Someone like you can never understand the bond that binds us.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± The base in his tone caught me off guard. ¡°I will pretend that this conversation didn¡¯t happen. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we journey through the valley of thorns.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, Zadok got on his feet and returned to his spot, standing guard. Frustration at his nonchnce boiled within me, and I fought the urge to yell how terrible of a person he was to his face.


    How did he manage to live with the blood of innocent witches he had killed for no cause? How did he sleep knowing he was the cause of many deaths that led to the drastic reduction and near extermination of the witch race?


    If what I saw was anything to go by, he was living alright. Other than the quest to break his curse and find his mate. There was no sign of remorse for the evil he had done to the witch race.


    At that moment, I wished he wouldn¡¯t find his mate. I hoped he experienced the pain of losing someone dear to him, just like the thousands he exterminated had experienced before their unjust death.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    That would be punishment enough for his crimes. And maybe he woulde to regret all he has done.

 Surrounded with no way of escape!

    ZADOK


    I sat in the throne room with my parents, ying with the hourss I stole from the witch¡¯sir. ¡°Daddy, how much time do I have before I begin training to be alpha?¡± I asked, genuinely interested in his answer.


    ¡°Oh, Zadok, eager to disce your daddy, aren¡¯t we?¡± Mum said with a soft smile.


    ¡°He¡¯ll make a perfect Alpha, love. I can tell just by looking at him.¡± Daddy said with a proud look on his face.


    ¡°Gatria said I can begin my training after getting my wolf.¡± I pouted, ¡°Why can¡¯t I begin the training now so that when I transform into my wolf, I¡¯ll have more power to control it.¡±


    That caused my parents to burst into a fit ofughter.


    ¡°Oh, Zadok, you don¡¯t control your wolf. You partner with him.¡± My mom said betweenughs.


    ¡°But you said I can only partner with my mate,¡± I dropped the hourss on the floor and looked up, ¡°Why do I need to partner with my wolf when I have my mate?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, he asks a lot of questions.¡± Father huffs, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you both to it, okay?¡±


    Before I could speak, Azriel¡¯s father walked in with some files. He sent me a curt nod, and together, they walked out of the courtroom to my father¡¯s office.


    My gaze returned to my mom, expecting answers.


    ¡°Your wolf is your better half, love, and he is your partner, an extension of you.¡±


    ¡°And my mate?¡±


    ¡°She is your other half. You are iplete without her. She will be your true family. Your one true love.¡± Mum cooed, patting my head with a smile.


    That was thest thing I saw of my mom because the next moment, a fleet of witches appeared in the courtroom, and with a loud voice, the head witch ordered,


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    I stood in confusion, unsure of what was happening. And like magic, I watched my mother cough up blood until she was lying in a pool of her blood.


    I couldn¡¯t blink. I couldn¡¯t speak. I didn¡¯t know what to make of the nightmare in front of my eyes.


    ¡°Mum¡­ wake up,¡± I knelt before her, tears in my eyes.


    My dad¡¯s office flung open. And the first thing he saw was my mom ¨C lying in a pool of her blood.


    ¡°Noo! What have you done!¡± My dad bellowed, shaking with anger.


    ¡°Nothing she didn¡¯t deserve. I warned you. If I can¡¯t have you, no one else would.¡±


    ¡°Argghh,¡± Dad charged at her, transforming into his wolf.


    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t,¡± She said, and with a flick of her hand, Dad got flung to the pir of the courtroom ¨C so hard its foundations shook.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± I yelled as I watched him hit the floor and breathe hisst.


    ¡°Pity.¡± The witch tutted, ¡°I¡¯d think an alpha should be stronger than this, but you disappoint me.¡± She said to my father¡¯s dead body. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to find myself another entertainment. It was fun while itsted.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I got on my feet, ready to attack her, when my father¡¯s beta came out.


    ¡°Zadok! No!¡± he said, drawing attention to me.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± The witch said eyes zeroed on me, ¡°A split image of them.¡± She said, and a frown grew on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll just send you with your beloved parents. It¡¯ll suck living here without them, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Before she could do anything, Beta David charged at her with an elongated w. Hisst words to me were, ¡°Run, Zadok! Run!¡±


    That did it. I ran without looking back, my eyes full of tears.


    I woke up threshing in the middle of the night. It took a while before I realised I was in the dark forest. I got up on my feet and spent the rest of the night standing guard.


    ******


    Walking beside Ithra felt like walking with a stake impaled dangerously close to my heart.


    The air around us was suffocating. Since our conversation, or shall I say ¨C since Ithra¡¯s rantst night. Things strained between us.


    It didn¡¯t help that we were the onlypany we had, and there wasn¡¯t any room for us to give each other space without getting into a near-death situation.


    Ithra walked ahead of me. I could tell she was getting tired by the slump of her shoulders. We¡¯ve been walking for hours now, and other than the swords we picked from bushes on our way to the Valley of Thorns, there hasn¡¯t been much action.


    Thankfully,


    When I saw the swords left in a bush, I thought perhaps we weren¡¯t the only ones in the dark forest. For a moment, I saw a flicker of hope in the eyes of Ithra.


    Almost as though she was looking forward to havingpany other than me.


    No such luck because the next few steps led us to the bones of people we believed must have been killed by something during their journey in the dark forest.


    Safe to say, Ithra returned to my side, wary of whatever lurked in in sight of the forest. We soon got to the Valley of Thorns, and it didn¡¯t live up to expectations ¨C if I say so myself.


    Instead of thorns, we only saw a sparsend that had no end. I sniffed the air and nearly threw up from the deadness of it all. Ithra seemed to perceive it because her nose scrunched up in disgust.


    ¡°What is that smell,¡± She said to no one in particr,


    ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a dead body somewhere,¡± I suggested, looking around.


    ¡°Or a dead scorpion,¡± Ithra said, and I looked back at her, confusion d in my looks.


    ¡°What do you mean dead-¡±


    My eyes nearly fell off their sockets when I saw an army of ck scorpions headed for us.


    ¡°What the hell,¡± I swore, taking out my de.


    ¡°They are everywhere!¡± Came the panicked voice of Ithra.


    We were surrounded with no way of escape!

 They were running for their lives!

    ITHRA


    Zadok took out his de, ready to fight. ¡°Get behind me.¡± He hissed, eyes focused on our newfound mutual enemy.


    I took out my de and thanked God for Zadok, who thought it wise to pick them up earlier. I couldn¡¯t imagine being in this situation with nothing to defend ourselves.


    ¡°We need to go south,¡± Zadok said to my hearing, our backs touched as we prepared for the battle. ¡°No matter what, make sure you don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    I nearly rolled my eyes at his insinuation. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± I brisked, ¡°Just focus on getting us out of here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens,¡± A sh of Zadok¡¯s sword split a scorpion in half. ¡°You must protect yourself first.¡± He said, ¡°And that¡¯s an order!¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother to reply to that. I was too busy with the influx of scorpions that seemed to multiply by the minute.


    Maintaining close distance from Zadok, I killed every scorpion, leaving dead bodies in my wake.


    Zadok wasn¡¯t doing too bad. He was doing beautifully. I almost got distracted by the way he killed every slimy scorpion that thought to do him harm.


    Following his instructions, we fought southwards, moving towards the direction with hopes that we would get out of this cursed valley soon. No such luck because no matter how hard we fought or how fast we moved, there were no signs of exit.


    Another growing concern was the multiplication of the scorpions that wanted to get a sting on us. I didn¡¯t need a soothsayer to know that it would only spell doom if they got a sting on us.


    If a scorpion¡¯s sting was deadly, I couldn¡¯t imagine how destructive a sting from a scorpion in this dead forest would be. And I wasn¡¯t trying to find out either.


    ¡°Ithra! Watch out!¡± I heard the panicked voice of Zadok, and I ducked instinctively.


    His sword goes above my head, slicing a scorpion standing behind me. ¡°You need to be focused-¡±


    Zadok didn¡¯t finish his reprimand before he got stung by a scorpion on his back.


    ¡°No!¡± I yelled, and with a powerful thrust of the sword, I killed the scorpion that dared to hurt Zadok on my watch.


    That didn¡¯t mean anything because I was a second toote. Zadok had been stung because of my carelessness.


    It seemed like the scorpions could tell he had been stung because, within seconds, they charged at him. The amount of scorpions drastically increased, and for some reason, the majority was on Zadok.


    ¡°Are you alright?!¡± I yelled across to him, fighting off the scorpions on my end.


    Zadok didn¡¯t reply. I didn¡¯t have the space to look around and see what went on around him. I couldn¡¯t afford any mishaps. But I was worried nheless.


    With a spin, I took down a line of scorpions around me. I saw Zadok on his knees, and my heart nearly fell off its hinges.


    ¡°Zadok!¡± I cried, fighting my way to him.


    Scorpions were round about him, and his sword was out of his reach. He was fighting back with what I believed to be thest of his strength.


    His face held a greenish colour, and his right arm seemed immobile. He was infected, and it was spreading fast! I had to get to him.


    The scorpions multiplied, keeping me in a spot for over fifteen minutes. Zadok was at the mercy of the scorpions around him. It was all my fault! Had I not been absent-minded, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten hit by the scorpion.


    A loud hiss from Zadok forced me to look towards his direction, just in time to see him fall on the floor, with his mouth oozing blood. Fear gripped me, and I made to reach him. I felt the sting of a scorpion at the centre of my head.


    Immediately, I felt its content rush into my blood, circting my system. It didn¡¯t take a minute before I began to feel its effects on my face.


    I wasn¡¯t discouraged. I continued on my quest to get to Zadok. Much more than me, he needed attention. I couldn¡¯t let him die. We were in this together, and hell would freeze over before I let him go.


    The scorpions didn¡¯t care about my convictions. They tore me apart, stinging me until I could barely walk. Gone was the swordswoman that tore thousands of scorpions. Gone was the powerful and determined woman confident in her abilities.


    What reced her was a crawling woman, desperate to get to her partner and save his life no matter the cost. He couldn¡¯t die on me. Not now, and not ever.


    I was finally able to get to him. The stings of the scorpions didn¡¯t let me celebrate my little wins. I figured I was looking defeated, but that was beside the point.


    Zadok could barely open his eyes when I got to him. ¡°Get up, Champ,¡± I said, ¡°We have to get out of here.¡±


    Before the words went out my mouth, he got stung by another scorpion, and blood poured from his head. Rage ate at my heart, and all I saw was red.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get out!¡± I roared in anger. For some reason, I felt full of strength.


    I felt myself draw power from the mountains above me. The scorpions didn¡¯t mind my shout. They continued their havoc on an unconscious Zadok, and that¡¯s when I knew I¡¯d had it with them.


    A surge of power connected through me. It fed on my anger so much that I felt pressure on my heart. I needed to disburse this power, or it would kill me. I didn¡¯t know how I knew that, but I was sure it would kill me if I didn¡¯t let it out.


    Power shouldn¡¯t be tied down. It was to be shared. And so I did.


    I smirked when a burst of light hit my surroundings, shaking the forest to its core. Snapping of the scorpions was heard. This time around, they weren¡¯t fighting to finish us off.


    They were running for their lives!


    All was in vain because, within three seconds, the light burned them all to dust, leaving me and Zadok on the floor, surrounded by the dust of our attackers.

 I couldn’t let him die

    ITHRA


    I rushed to Zadok with my heart beating fast.


    ¡°Open your eyes!¡± I held him and ced his head on myp. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about dying on me.¡±


    His eyes fluttered open, and blood gushed from his head down to his face. ¡°Ithraa,¡± He said, breathing heavily.


    It was a struggle for him to breathe. ¡°Shush,¡± I said, ¡°Just stay with me. Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡±


    His mouth was slightly open, and I could tell he wanted to say something, but I didn¡¯t let him. Without further interference, I helped him up to his feet.


    Damn, he was heavy! He put his weight on me, and there I noticed something odd.


    His clothes were soaked. Instinctively, I raised his clothes and noticed a gash on his stomach. Blood dripped from the wound, and I contemted putting him down and searching for some herbs to stop the blood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Find a ce. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Zadok wheezed,


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± I spoke like it was news to him, panicking.


    ¡°It¡¯ll heal.¡± He said, ¡°This ce,¡± He coughed, ¡°this forest is crawling with deadly creatures. We need to get out of here.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to speak twice. I looked around for our possessions and walked us out of the darned valley. True to his words, his gash was healing and no longer dripping blood.


    We soon got to the front of a cave, and I felt Zadok¡¯s weight heavier on me. My head swished, and with horror, I realised he passed out on my body.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I shook him, ¡°Wake up!¡±


    No answer.


    He was healing. Last I checked, his wound was closed up. What was going on?


    I dragged him into a cave and gently ced him on a rock. Without a second thought, I rid him of his clothes, and as expected, the gash healed with little scar marks.


    A light bulb went off in my head. The Scorpion! Its poison!


    I remembered seeing the scorpion sting his head and dashed out of the cave, looking for a palm tree. When I was a young child, I watched a witch get stung by a scorpion get treated.


    As I ran through the dark forest, looking for a palm tree with fruits, I hoped that I would be able to replicate the results as my mother did.


    While I scoured the forest for a palm tree, I kept track of where I left Zadok. I hoped with all my heart that I didn¡¯t make a mistake.


    My eyes finally caught a palm tree holding fruits. But I needed to climb to get them. I looked up the twenty-metre-high tree and felt my resolve waver.


    I couldn¡¯t climb it. I was scared of heights.


    A sh of Zadok lying unconscious in the cave entered my mind, and my hands balled into a fist. I couldn¡¯t disappoint him. I couldn¡¯t let him die.


    I looked down at my hands. Time was of the essence.


    Looking at therge tree, I felt my legs stick to the ground. I couldn¡¯t do it.


    Zadok. I couldn¡¯t let him die.


    I swallowed a scream and moved my feet to the tree. With my eyes focused on the palm tree¡¯s fruits, I began my journey, one step at a time.


    Soon enough, I was climbing. As I ascended the tree, I felt a strong urge to look down, but I resisted. I couldn¡¯t look down even if my life depended on it.


    Why? Because the moment I did, everything would go downhill, and I wasn¡¯t ready to lose at all.


    I climbed the palm tree, taking my time and going as fast as I could manage without falling. After what felt like a decade, I finally got to the tip of the tree.


    Using one arm, I held on to the tree as my life depended on it. With my other arm, I took out my knife and cut down three palm fruits the size of a beaver. That will have to do.


    I heard the descent of the fruits on the ground before proceeding to retrace my steps.  What I didn¡¯t take into consideration was the fact that it was going to be a different ball game altogether.


    Slowly, I climbed down the tree, refusing to see how far above or close to the ground I was. I climbed down, using the tree bark to support my bnce. One wrong step and I was dangling on the tree, far from the ground.


    My heartbeat elerated as I took in the height, and my hands suddenly felt sweaty, and jittery. I was going to fall. I was going to fall and die. I needed help.


    Suddenly, I felt a hiss above my head and then spit. I hugged the tree like a ko bear, afraid to lose my grip. When I felt a slithering sensation on my arms, I hit it, thinking it was some insect, but oh was I wrong.


    A snake crawled on my arm and a scream left my lips, causing it to retreat, but not without biting me on the arm. As a result of my pain, I let go of the tree, and within seconds, I was free-falling down the tree.


    In my dying moments, I realised one thing. I didn¡¯t care about my life, neither did I care about getting my powers. I just didn¡¯t want him to die ¨C Not without finding his mate and not in this dreaded forest.


    Charged with a fresh will to live, I struggled to get a hold of the tree just a few metres to the floor. I grabbed a tree bark, bringing my fall to a stop. Using my free arm, I held on to another and did the same with my feet until I was bnced.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Slowly, I climbed down, careful not to miss my steps. It didn¡¯t take long, and soon enough, I was standing on the ground close to my feet were the fruits I¡¯d fought so hard to get.


    I stretched my arm and took in the damage of the snake bite. However, I didn¡¯t have time to fuss over it. I needed to get to Zadok and fast.

 They betrayed us. I hate them.

    ITHRA


    I returned to a barely alive Zadok and immediately fed him the fruits.


    As I fed the fruits to him, I prayed to the heavens above that I wasn¡¯t wrong with my administration. I remember watching my mother boil the fruits, pound them and administer the content after drawing out its nutrients using water.


    With our current predicament, we didn¡¯t have such luxury. I gave Zadok the fruits raw and hoped that would help while I got to creating a fire to roast another batch.


    My snake bite burned like fire, but I didn¡¯t let it distract me. I put some fruits in my mouth for the poisonous effects of the snake bite and went on to put on a fire in the cave.


    It took a while, and eventually, the fire burned. The cave glowed with a fiery red tone. I returned to Zadok, using my mediocre skills to assess the extent of damage.


    Thankfully, his breath evened and gone was his previousboured breathing. He was still unconscious, but I hoped he wouldn¡¯t die.


    While roasting the fruits, I thought about how I¡¯d left the scene, reducing the scorpions that filled the valley to dust. It wasn¡¯t the first time such happened, and I genuinely wondered what happened back then ¨C the power surge, the light, and the killings afterwards.


    I remembered the farm and a permanent picture of the dead rogues on the floor etched in my mind. I did that. I had killed them by the surge of power that ran through me.


    The same power that brought us into the dark forest and killed the army of scorpions. For the first time in a long while, I ached to see Sarai.


    I needed some rity as to what was happening to me. After roasting thest batch, I squatted beside Zadok, looking at his face, which seemed too pale. His eyebrows hewn together, and it seemed like he was having a nightmare.


    I thought to kiss them away and afterwards realised how odd that would be. It didn¡¯t stop me from doing it. I ced a fluttering kiss on Zadok¡¯s forehead, and like magic, his brows soothed, and he got into a deeper sleep.


    I needed to know what was wrong with me. Why did these power surges happen, and what triggered them? It was clear there was no magic within me. After the deed, the power disappeared without traces.


    The night was cold. I gnashed my teeth as I struggled to light another fire. I looked for ways to cover the cave¡¯s entrance to prevent the wind from blowing off my fire again.


    I needed to get more firewood to sustain the warmness of the cave, and on that note, I went out.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Setting aside the wind and the coldness that seemed toe from the mountains, gathering wood for the fire was a walk in the park. Within thirty minutes, I returned, albeit slowly, to the cave.


    I came right on time to see the fire flicker off, as well as Zadok ¨C who struggled in his sleep. I dropped the firewood and rushed to his side, taking his palm in mine.


    Zadok¡¯s fist tightened around mine, and he took both our hands to his chest. Despite the growing coldness, I let him and sat beside him, hoping my presence would at the least chase the demons away.


    I sat beside Zadok until I saw the goosebumps that spotted his arm. I also noticed the jitters that rocked him asionally. It was time to raise the fire.


    Slowly, I unwrapped his fist from mine, which proved to be an audacious job, seeing that, for some reason, his hold on my hand was quite strong for someone unconscious.


    Eventually, I got out of his hold and got to work. I set up the wood and fanned the mes alive. This time, the fire was fiery. The temperature around us changed within minutes, and I returned to Zadok.


    He seemed morefortable, and all traces of goosebumps were gone. In its ce was sweat. I wondered if it was too hot, but I figured it was better hot than cold. I needed to know he was still alive, and his dripping sweat told me there was a bit of normalcy in his system.


    I looked around my arm. My eyes naturally drifted to the snake bite. There was a harsh scarring around it, and it matched the red in my hair. I needed to treat the wound to avoid harsher scarring and infection, but I couldn¡¯t leave Zadok without supervision.


    To treat this wound, I would need some herbs that I wasn¡¯t sure grew in the dark forest. Besides, I couldn¡¯t risk going into the thick of the forest alone. I picked out my knife and tore the helm of my dress ¨C long enough to wrap around my arm.


    I covered the wound and made a mental note to search the surroundings of the cave for something better. For now, this would have to serve.


    A noise found its way into my ears, and my hand found its way to the knife on the floor. I turned around, armed and ready to strike, only to meet the presence of a rabbit, trying and failing to find its way out of the cave.


    I could neverprehend its reason for leaving such a warm ce for the biting cold, but that was beside the point. My stomach growled, and I decided it would have to do for both dinner and breakfast.


    Seeing my hunter was down, the heavens sent me food on a tter of gold. I couldn¡¯t deride their graciousness by letting the rabbit go scott-free. Besides, I was hungry.


    With the agility of a warrior, I found my way to the rabbit and killed it using my little knife. I took a long look at its meat. It was far better than the ones Zadok caught the previous day.


    I felt pride ooze within me and fought the urge to ce the dead animal across his face to show off. Instead, I got to work roasting the meat, had myte dinner, and preserved some for breakfast the next day ¨C Hoping that by some divine intervention, Zadok would be awake.


    After executing my tasks, I returned to Zadok¡¯s side, watching him sleep. I nearly fell asleep by his side but was jolted awake by his soft calls of my name.


    My eyes fluttered open, and I wondered if I was hearing things. I looked at Zadok, and his features seemed troubled.


    Another nightmare? I wondered and took his hands in mine.


    ¡°Ithra,¡± He mumbled in his sleep, confirming I wasn¡¯t hearing things.


    Nothing prepared me for his line of words.


    ¡°I hate witches.¡± he said, ¡°They betrayed us. I hate them.¡±

 Calm your tits, Zadok.

    ZADOK


    I felt a soft body pressed beside me, and a sweet scent ofvender and spice filled my nose.


    My eyes fluttered open, and I came face to face with a mop of red hair. Soft legs wrapped around me, caging me to the silkiest skin I¡¯ve been privileged to feel in my years of existence.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Instinctively, my hands traced the skin of the legs around me, and I felt my wolf purr in delight. Waves of pleasure shot through me, and my arms tightened around her.


    It took a moment for me toe to my senses. I was a second toote because Ithra jolted up from her sleep, hitting my head in the process. A sharp pain from my head rocked my body, and I winced at the strange feeling.


    ¡°Are you alright? Oh my goodness, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Came the panicked voice of Ithra.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. It seemed like the pain in my head increased as time passed by.


    ¡°It¡¯s the poison. Lay on your back. I¡¯ll get you something to help the pain.¡±


    Poison? I thought, wondering what the hell she was talking about. I didn¡¯t have the time to inquire from her because the next thing I knew, she was pushing me back on my back and rushing away from me.


    Within seconds, she sat beside me, holding a palm fruit.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± I asked, wary of the fruit.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Eat.¡± Her tone left no room for refusal, and for some insane reason, I found myself eager to please her.


    I felt a lot better, and my head lightened after I took the fruit. I felt like my memory got lost without hope of recovery.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked Ithra, who sat beside me, watching me like a hawk.


    ¡°You were stung by the scorpions in the valley of thorns.¡± She said, and I was surprised even more.


    I struggled to understand what she was saying but came up nk. It seemed like she noticed my struggle to recollect what happened and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have read that a temporary loss of memory is normal when stung by a scorpion. Especially when its poison stayed a while before an antidote is ministered.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I sat up despite her protests. ¡°I am a werewolf, Ithra. An Alpha. Those things shouldn¡¯t be able to have such hold over me.¡± I reminded.


    She rolled her eyes, ¡°And that¡¯s why you are not yet dead, Alpha.¡± She pointed back to the rocks that formed my bed. ¡°I suggest you get some rest and recover better so you don¡¯t permanently lose your memory, or worse, your limbs?¡±


    My eyes narrowed, ¡°My limbs?¡± I asked in confusion.


    She took out her knife, eyeing it suggestively, ¡°I can¡¯t help myself if you refuse to help yourself and put all my hard work to shame.¡±


    I bit a smile, ¡°Are you threatening me, princess?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t if I tried, Alpha.¡± She said in a sultry tone. ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts. Believe it or not, if you don¡¯t recover well, I might as well end it now.¡± She looked up at me. ¡°I can¡¯t have a weakling for a partner.¡±


    That hit me in the head. I felt intense pain in my head, and suddenly, the floodgates opened. My memories returned.


    The valley of thorns. The scorpions. Ithra¡¯s near-death experience and how she saved my life. Everything else was a blur. I gauged Ithra in a new light.


    ¡°You remember.¡± She stated, reading me like a book.


    I nodded my head.


    ¡°Good. Now you know why I¡¯d rather kill you myself than watch my efforts go down the drain.¡± She said and motioned to my makeshift bed. ¡°Rest.¡±


    Her tone was resolute. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Was this what getting cared for by a witch felt like? Iy on my bed, and a barely concealed look of approval shed through her face.


    She walked over to a dusty firece and picked up something covered by leaves. Ithra returned, and I perceived the smell of roasted meat and her heavenly scent. I leaned into thetter, and a picture of herying flush against me this morning shed inside my mind.


    My member hardened at the thought of having her close to me again. Refusing to sumb to such thoughts, I violently shook my head, trying but failing to get the vivid thoughts from my head.


    ¡°Here¡¯s some roasted meat if you are hungry.¡± She said, trying to conceal her concern but failing woefully. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked and made to stand up, but she held me back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± She warned, ¡°I need to get us something for lunch and dinner. You can¡¯t get better on an empty stomach, can you?¡±


    I made to boast how I was an alpha werewolf with superb healing abilities, but my stomach betrayed me with a growl. I felt heat rush to my face in embarrassment.


    ¡°d the little monster in there agrees.¡± She added, turning away from me.


    I noticed the little cloth wrapped loosely around her arm shifted, revealing a ghastly wound that tainted the whiteness of her skin. I got on my feet on instinct and held her back by the arm.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± My voice was thick and demanding answers.


    Ithra dragged her hand away from mine and faced me with furious eyes. ¡°I said, get some rest.¡±


    I didn¡¯t budge. My eyes remained focused on Ithra, waiting for an answer.


    Confusionced her expression, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. My eyes dropped to the wound in Ithra¡¯s arm.


    She let out a soft oh sound and moved to cover the wound with her cloth, but I didn¡¯t let her. ¡°Tell me,¡± I urged, refusing to budge.


    A sigh escaped her lips, and her shoulders sagged, ¡°I got bit by a snake.¡±


    My eyes widened, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Calm your tits, Zadok.¡± She deadpanned, uninterested in my concern for her. ¡°I am alright. It¡¯s not as bad as it looks. Besides, I already took an antidote for it. I just need to dress it up, and everything would be alright.¡±


    Everything she said registered in my head, but I refused to let go. I held her still, eyes narrowed at the wound. I wanted it gone.


    ¡°Did you not hear a word of what I just said?¡± Ithra sounded irked, ¡°I am fine, calm-¡±


    ¡°My tits?¡± I supplied with a lopsided grin, ¡°I can¡¯t help that I don¡¯t have some as good as yours. Don¡¯t rub it in.¡± I said casually, and my eyes dropped to her chest.


    Ithra¡¯s face matched the colour of her hair in seconds. I could tell she was embarrassed, and for some reason, that made me feel good inside.


    I wondered how red she would turn if I teased a bit more.


    I mustered my line of words, and she broke free from my hold.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be out getting something to dress my wound. Don¡¯t you even think of moving an inch!¡±


    She bolted out of the cave, leaving me to my antics. I felt light and looked forward to her return.

 Such a pervert!

    ITHRA


    Not as good as my tits?


    I huffed as I walked through the woods, trying and failing to put off the mes in my cheeks.


    Zadok was unreasonable, I thought. Remembering his lopsided grin as he teased me without shame. I couldn¡¯t have it with him.


    I walked through the bushes, cing thoughts of Zadok in the corner of my mind. My stomach growled, reminding me of the hunger that ate at me.


    There was nothing in the forest ¨C not even a single bunny. I wondered where the animals fled and why. A scare came upon me at the thought of them running away.


    If they had all run away, I presumed something scared them ¨C and whatever it was, I knew I needed to be wary of it. I pulled out my knife and stayed guard, and my eyes opened for any unfriendly attacks.


    I heard rustling in the bushes and turned around with my hands clutched tightly on my knife. I smiled when I saw an antelope feasting on leaves. I felt joy as I checked out itsrge behind and hinds.


    Meat. I thought with a smile, getting ready to strike.


    Slowly, I drew closer to my prey. The more I drew closer. I doubted my ability to kill it with the meagre weapon I held. I couldn¡¯t allow it to escape. I stayed rooted in my spot, contemting my odds.


    I¡¯d die before I gave up without a fight.


    Charged with determination to kill and starvation, I rushed towards the antelope with my knife. I must have been too fast and loud in my approach because the antelope looked towards my direction at the speed of light.


    I didn¡¯t let it deter me. I increased my speed and thankfully got to it before it escaped. However, I couldn¡¯t pin it down with a strike to the neck. Despite how hard my knife dug into it, the antelope was desperate to live and escape ¨C Not under my watch.


    I used every bit of strength to pin it down, all to no avail. All my attempts to pull it down seemed like it would go down the drain as it managed to bring me to my knees.


    I must give it to the antelope ¨C It was a smart one. Watching it struggle against my hold was a beauty to behold. Such doggedness and will to live was admirable. However, my will was fiercer than that. Hell will be darned if I let my breakfast, lunch and dinner elude me.


    Somewhere between our struggle, the antelope hit my arm with my dagger buried between his neck. A burst of pain exploded from my arm, and I withdrew my hands and held on to my bite wound.


    I bit back the scream that threatened to leave my lips at the pain I felt, and by the time I opened my eyes, my breakfast, lunch and probably dinner was galloping away with a bloodied neck and my knife.


    My reaction was instant. I rushed towards the direction, pursuing my catch with all my strength, hoping I could close the gap between us and even the ying field.


    However, the more I got closer, the farther it went. I was having a hard time keeping track of the road back. I didn¡¯t like the thought of getting lost in the darned forest and losing track of Zadok and the cave.


    At that moment, I felt split between two roads. To forget about the antelope meant to forget about my knife, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Do I pursue it and risk getting lost and losing touch with Zadok?


    The thought of not returning to Zadok brought a sore taste to my mouth. I couldn¡¯t stomach it. However, I also couldn¡¯t stomach losing out on such arge kill, so I pursued still ¨C Against my better judgment.


    I¡¯ll figure out my way back. I just need to capture the darned animal first. I thought, encouraging myself to move faster. The antelope must have had a simr pep talk in its head because it also increased its pace.


    How was it running that fast with a knife to its neck?!T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I ran out of breath, and frustration ebbed at me. I couldn¡¯t continue. It was a fruitless chase. I reckon it would eventually die for loss of blood and perhaps fatigue. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see that happen.


    I knew when to bow out of a fight ¨C That I learned the hard way.


    I slowed my chase, giving up altogether. To my surprise, A sharp arrow flew past my head, hit the antelope in its neck and brought it to the ground. Dead.


    I turned around, shell-shocked, wondering who or what was behind me. Our eyes connected, and pleasure bloomed within me.


    I was happy to see him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Zadok said with an insufferable smirk.


    He cocked his head to the side to buttress his point, and a wince escaped him. The fluttering butterflies in my stomach died at the sight of his wince. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be out here.


    He was supposed to be back at the cave, resting.


    My face reflected my reprimand, and he raised his hands in mock surrender, ¡°I know, I know, I shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± He said, ¡°I felt a lot better, and you were taking too long. I was worried you were hurt, and my worry was justified.¡±


    I was ready to throw my knife at him, but fortunately for him, it was buried deep in the neck of the antelope, or rather ¨C Breakfast, lunch and dinner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. You should be d I caught the antelope before it disappeared.¡± He walked ahead of me and squatted when he got to the dead animal. ¡°It would be a shame if it ran away.¡±


    ¡°I was working on it.¡± I breathed, fire burning in my eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not lie now, princess. We both know you were ready to bow out of the chase.¡± He said with a raised eyebrow.


    How did he read me so well?


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡± I asked instead, fighting the blush that threatened to expose just how fond I was of his nickname, or should I say, endearment for me.


    ¡°Long enough.¡± He said and plucked out my knife from the dead meat. ¡°With how hard you were breathing, I couldn¡¯t sit back.¡± his eyes connected with mine, and he added with a glint in his eyes, ¡°I love your tits too much to put them through such stress.¡±


    I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Zadok rendered me speechless. My face burned as I felt his gaze on my chest. Such a pervert!


    Zadok was going to be the death of me.

 Next time, use your words.

    ITHRA


    Zadok was brimming with energy.


    He carried the dead meat and led us back to the cave without breaking a sweat. I even felt stupid for worrying over him. From my observations, he was as strong as a calf.


    His Alpha genes must have hastened his healing, thus giving him back his strength. It was beautiful to behold him back as the protector I knew him to be.


    A butterfly pped in my stomach, and I killed its motion before it could take off. I couldn¡¯t be fawning over Zadok. I shook off the weird thoughts that gued me and walked by his side ¨C ridding me of the view of his legs from behind.


    I didn¡¯t miss the feeling of despair that hit me at the loss of that precious view. This time, I violently shook my head, trying to rid the thoughts that brought heat to my cheeks.


    What was going on with me? I thought. Unknown to me, Zadok¡¯s attention was well on me.


    ¡°Any problem?¡± He asked with a gruff voice.


    I was startled, but I covered up with a tense smile. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He dropped the antelope, and I felt concerned. ¡°Are you tired? Do you feel pain anywhere?¡± I asked, wondering why he dropped it.


    He seemed full of energy just seconds ago.


    Zadok¡¯s eyes narrowed at me. ¡°Calm down. We are here.¡± He said, and only then did I realise we were at the door of the cave.


    We were home.


    My face turned red, and I blushed profusely. Zadok somehow caught on and asked, ¡°What? Are you thinking about my tits yet again?¡±


    ¡°Zadok!¡± I eximed, looking aghast and hitting him in the chest.


    He bent over, holding his heart and making an oww sound. Was he hurt? I pondered, scared I might have done some damage. When he refused toe up, I became worried.


    ¡°Are you alright? Did that hurt?¡± I asked, racking my brain for the side effects of a scorpion sting. I knew he recovered too fast, werewolf abilities or not!


    Zadok remained hunched over, so I bent down to his size. ¡°Hey,¡± I called softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s get you inside.¡± I said, reaching for his arm.


    I helped him up, and his arm went over my shoulder, dangling very close to my chest region. I felt my breath seize as I walked him into the cave, overly conscious of his dangling arm.


    ¡°Are you nervous, princess?¡± Zadok breathed into my ears with a gruff voice.


    My heart fell into the pit of my stomach, and a thousand butterflies took off from my stomach, adding to my nervousness.


    I swallowed, feeling a knot in my stomach, ¡°Why would I?¡± I managed to speak.


    ¡°Good. Because I want to feel what¡¯s mine, Amore.¡± He said in a low and intimate tone.


    My heartbeat elerated to a dangerously high tone. I couldn¡¯t even speak. I felt overly aware of Zadok¡¯s arm around me ¨C his lips also teased my ears.


    ¡°Would you let me?¡± Zadok spoke like he was physically restraining himself from touching me. I didn¡¯t say a word. I was having a brain melt.


    Was Zadok asking me to let him touch my tits? I must be hearing things.


    His hand balled to a fist around my neck, ¡°Please..¡± He begged, ¡°Please let me feel it. Just once.¡± His voice was low and reeking of desperation.


    Our eyes connected, and the world stood still. I could feel the fire in Zadok¡¯s eyes as he shamelessly took me in, undressing me with his eyes. His look was that of hunger ¨C in its most primal and rawest form.


    I felt a sense of pride knowing that I put that hunger in him ¨C knowing that I was the only one capable of soothing his desires ¨C Of satisfying him.


    I couldn¡¯t breathe, and my eyes feasted on him. I let my eyes take in the art that was Zadok ¨C Heaven¡¯s most-priced possession. I wondered how it would feel to be ravaged by him, to feel his strong arms on me.


    I felt moisture inside me. I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    My eyes gave the consent that my mouth wouldn¡¯t, and I watched his lips stretch into a wicked smirk. His smirk did something to me. I couldn¡¯t understand this madness ¨C but I didn¡¯t want it to end.


    Zadok drew me closer to himself, and I felt his body. Sweet baby Jesus. His body enveloped mine perfectly. I could do this all day.


    His hands trailed a line from my neck. I took a deep breath and felt more moisture down there. His eyes were intense. I could feel it. My eyes fluttered close as I enjoyed the feeling of him on me.


    Zadok trailed down, dangerously close to my chest. My hands wrapped around his head, and my legtched on him. There was no space between us as we stered on the wall. I felt every inch of him. Even the parts that I had not seen.


    I wondered if it looked as heavenly as it felt. Zadok¡¯s hands teased me, and I found myself longing for him to touch me. So much so that I arched my chest, shamelessly throwing myself at him.


    I was far too gone to care now. I felt Zadok¡¯s hovering hands, teasing me, groping me with my clothes on, but neversting long enough for me to bask in it. I felt denied.


    Like a young child getting his treat dangled in front of his eyes but never receiving it. I pushed myself closer, hoping he got the memo and gave me what I wanted, but he didn¡¯t. Or he chose to be insufferable.


    Perhaps he was enjoying my plight. My obvious need and hunger for his touch ¨C like I did earlier when he asked. I got tired of getting denied, and my eyes fluttered open. I was ready to put a stop to this madness.


    One step away from him, and I felt his member nudge me. It felt strong,rge and ready. Zadok dragged me back to himself with an arm to my waist. His grip was tight, letting me feel him.


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My body shuddered with need and desperation. Wetness pooled inside me, and I was hanging off the bridge. I felt too much all at once. It was a sweet addiction.


    I struggled to put some space between us but couldn¡¯t manage an inch. I took a deep breath, ready to demand it, but I underestimated the abilities of Zadok.


    Just when I opened my mouth to call it quits, he plunged further into me, and I felt him much more than ever. As though that was not enough, his lips found the sweet spot in my neck and a gasp escaped me.


    His hand found my nipple, and he squeezed gently. Causing a traitor moan to leave my lips. I was in ecstasy ¨C pure bliss.


    Suddenly, his lips left my neck, and he breathed into my ears. ¡°Next time, use your words,¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Zadok picked up the animal and walked into the cave, leaving me high and dry. I felt split between bliss and confusion.


    Oh Ithra, what have you gotten yourself into?

 Is the big bad alpha tired of walking already?

    ITHRA


    ¡°Ithra! Please, help us!¡± My mother screamed as she burned alongside my sisters.


    My eyes were red with tears as I helplessly watched the fire devour them while they screamed for help. I couldn¡¯te close to them. I got held by Athaliah and Azriel ¨C who refused to leave me as the others burned every hut in the Celtz n.


    ¡°Please. Stop it, I already pledged my life to him, I already agreed to help him! Please, just spare their lives. I beg of you.¡± I cried,


    ¡°It was stupid of you to think I will let these scoundrels live. You are lucky you are still alive. Had it not been for our Alpha¡¯s generosity, you should be burning with them!¡± Athaliah said, eyeing me with disgust.


    ¡°Kill me!¡± I screamed, unable to hold myself. ¡°Kill me right now because death is worse than this! I can¡¯t live with this memory. End my life this instant.¡± I yelled, getting tired of the torture.


    ¡°dly,¡± Azriel said, tightening his hold around me. ¡°I would love to rid this earth of trash like you, but unfortunately, your life does not belong to you. It belongs to the Alpha, and unless he permits your death, you can¡¯t die.¡±


    Tears streamed down my eyes as I watched the home I grew up to know perish in the fire ¨C leaving behind the dust of what used to be my home. At some point, I was let go and left to mourn the destruction of my n.


    Pain tore at my heart as I vowed to do worse to him. To make Zadok pay for his wickedness and destruction of my n.


    I jolted awake, feeling the pain pricking my heart. I looked around in haste and settled down when I realised we were in the cave. Zadoky behind me, soundlessly asleep.


    I couldn¡¯t help the hate that filled my heart. I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d been distracted by Zadok. I needed to get my head straight and return to the original n. If there was one thing I picked from this dream ¨C I couldn¡¯t trust Zadok with my n.


    No matter how terrible they were, no one deserved to die for a sin they knew nothing about. I needed to get the orchids and protect them myself. The thought of losing my n brought a searing pain in my heart, and at that moment, I realised just how much I cared for them.


    Despite their wickedness towards me, I couldn¡¯t watch them perish. I just couldn¡¯t let them die. For a while, I had forgotten what was at stake and even entertained the thought of helping Zadok achieve his goal to my detriment.


    Everything was over now. It was a needed wake-up call, and I wouldn¡¯t let it go to waste. There was no time to waste. I got up and headed to the mouth of the cave. We have been here for three days ¨C we were behind schedule.


    From our activities the previous day, I was sure he was well-rested enough to carry on with his duties as my partner and undeniable protector. Nothing more, nothing less.


    I contemted our next point of action, and deep in thought, an arm wrapped around my waist, and a gruff voice I knew too well spoke into my ears.


    ¡°Up so early?¡± He asked, his tone was sweet and soft.


    I fought the urge to lean into his embrace. I couldn¡¯t let myself and my n down.


    I stepped out of his embrace and cleared my throat. His eyes narrowed at mine, undoubtedly surprised at my actions, but I remained silent.


    ¡°I see you are strong enough. It¡¯s time we get back on the road. We already wasted three days.¡± I said, letting bitterness seep into my tone.


    Zadok arched his brows, ¡°Wasted three days?¡± He said, willing me to retrace my words, but I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Are you ready to go, or do I need to go off myself?¡± I asked with a pointed look, ¡°We are running behind schedule. I don¡¯t want to remain here any second more, and if you are not alright with that, maybe we need to part ways here.¡±


    Zadok cleared his throat, and his face hardened. ¡°I¡¯ll just get our supplies.¡± He said and returned to the cave.


    He came back dressed and holding a small bag made out of leaves. My eyes narrowed at his bag, wondering what was inside and when he had the time to do it, but I refused to verbalise my concerns.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zadok said, and without waiting for an answer, led the way into the forest with his book in hand. ¡°If lucky, we would get to the cold valley before midnight. We keep heading south.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but miss the friendliness in his tone. All of that was lost. His tone was indifferent. Like he was talking to a stranger and not who he spent the better parts of the previous day edging her till she neared her climax.


    There was a sudden uneasiness hanging between us. One that I caused. I followed behind while Zadok cleared the way for us as we travelled without rest.


    As time progressed, I missed the base in his tone. The gruff of his voice when he spoke into my ears, and ultimately, that stupid lopsided grin.


    Zadok was a shadow of himself. Or rather, he had returned to being the dark hole I thought he was. I thought cutting him off and bringing up the walls between us would make my journey better and aid me in doing what I needed to do, but it only made me miserable ¨C miserable and needy of his attention.


    My state only made me more snappy and angry. Zadok took a detour, and my eyes narrowed at him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I snapped, my voiceing out harsher than intended.


    For the first time since morning, I saw his handsome face. A rush of joy filled me, but I didn¡¯t let him see my happiness.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I hear ake around. Let¡¯s rest for a bit and freshen up.¡±


    I cut him off, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that, Zadok! We are already behind schedule as it is. We need to get to the Cold Valley before midnight. I can¡¯t spend another night in this forest.¡± I snapped, breathing heavily.


    He looked at me, not saying a word. I missed his voice. I¡¯d do anything to hear it again.


    ¡°Do you need to rest? Is the big bad alpha tired of walking already?¡± I mocked, pushing him to talk.


    Zadok looked at me and turned right back where we came. He continued the journey, leaving me in a terrible mood.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    And no, he didn¡¯t spare me a word.

 Do not test me, Zadok.

    ITHRA


    We trekked all night long.


    My feet hurt. My body was sore, but I refused to give up. My pride refused me to retract my words and demand us to rest.


    Zadok was agile. He brimmed with energy as he made way for us in the dark forest. He didn¡¯t look back even once.


    Everywhere was hot, and Zadok created a torch made out of firewood in the shortest possible time. We continued the journey that suddenly felt like it had no end.


    Zadok suddenly stopped in his tracks. I bumped into him, lost in thought. It felt like I walked into a steel door.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, too tired to be anything but soft.


    ¡°We rest here.¡± He stated and dropped the torch on the floor.


    I couldn¡¯t ept defeat, ¡°No. I told you we must get to the Cold Valley before resting. If we stop now, all our efforts will go to waste. We must continue.¡± I picked up the torch, determined to continue.


    Zadok grabbed the torch out of my hand. I could see his clenched jaw through the glow of the light. He was pissed.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking permission. We are resting here, and that¡¯s what it is.¡± I didn¡¯t like the base in his tone.


    ¡°And I said no!¡± My voice raised, ¡°We are already behind schedule, and I need to¡±


    ¡°At this rate, you are going to die before getting to the darned Cold Valley!¡± He said with a voice equally as high.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you pitying me? Is that it? Do you think I can¡¯t handle this? You think I can¡¯t do it on my own?¡± I picked up the torch and continued. ¡°I guess this is where we path ways, Zadok. It¡¯s been great while itsted.¡±


    I sidestepped him and made to continue the journey on my own, and the next thing I knew, I was in the air and over his shoulder. I kicked with the strength left within me. ¡°Let me down!¡±


    ¡°Not until youe to your darned senses, Ithra.¡± He answered in a tight tone.


    Hearing my namee out of his mouth felt odd. I mourned the loss of the endearments he¡¯s given me over the time. I guess he was angry this time.


    ¡°Do not test me, Zadok. Let me the fuck down.¡± I swore, meaning every word.


    It seemed like he heard the threat in my words and immediately ced me down. Angered, I turned to leave, unwilling to deal with whatever this was. My legs and my throat hurt, and I felt sore all over.


    I needed to get away from myself before I broke down. I couldn¡¯t break down in front of Zadok. I needed to be strong ¨C Not for myself but for my people. I could do this on my own. I didn¡¯t need him.


    Zadok dragged me back to himself, and I felt him again. I refused to get drugged in his essence and made to step away from him, but he held me tight, using one of his hands ¨C he forced me to look at him, and I saw the confusion in his eyes.


    I bit back the tears that threatened to expose me, and concern reced his confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, searching my face for answers.


    I shook my head, refusing to speak. How do I tell him that I wanted to betray him? How do I tell him I felt so loyal to the n that despised me, so much that I was willing to put his mission to doom? How do I say I could bear the thought of him being angry with me, and it physically hurt to be at odds with him?


    ¡°You need to rest, Amore.¡± He said when he noticed I was unwilling to speak. ¡°Please.¡± he begged, ¡°Let me take care of you.¡±


    His tone was soft and sensual. His words were my undoing.


    I let the tears drop from my eyes, and my shoulders sagged. ¡°Promise me you would never hurt my people.¡± I asked, ¡°Promise me that no matter what happens, my people will always be safe.¡±


    Zadok¡¯s face turned rigid, and I felt my heart fall into the pit of my stomach. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me,¡± he said, his voice heavy with emotions.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. What does one say to that?


    Just when I thought it was over, he looked me in the eyes with a determination I¡¯ve never seen. ¡°I promise you, Ithra. No matter what happens, as long as I am alive and long after I am gone, your people will be protected by the Blood Hound pack.¡±


    I sniffed, shocked at his deration and the intensity behind it. ¡°You mean that?¡± I asked like a little child, seeking assurance.


    ¡°I swear it.¡± He affirmed without hesitation. ¡°I swear it on my honour.¡± He added softly, looking into my eyes.


    Zadok¡¯s words brought peace into my troubled heart. In that instant, all I wanted was his arms around me. Zadok must have read my thoughts because he took me up in his arms, and like a little child, I wrapped around him. My arms were around his neck, and my legs wrapped around his torso.


    As I stared into his face, I felt a strong urge to kiss the life out of him. Zadok must have felt the same because he immediately locked my lips in a mesmerising kiss that took a breath out of my lungs.


    The world stood still, letting us have our moment. After what seemed like an hour, our lips disconnected, and I ced my head on his shoulder, feeling content.


    Zadok picked up his torch and led us to God knows where. I slept off in his secure arms and woke up to the sound of running water. I looked up, carefully dabbing his shoulder to be sure I didn¡¯t drool on him.


    After confirming I slept in adylike manner, I raised my head and saw a running stream. Zadok put me down, and I walked into the water bank, feeling its coolness in my feet.


    I instantly felt like having a long and cold bath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get some wood and arrange for dinner.¡± He looked at the darkened sky and added, ¡°A veryte dinner and early breakfast.¡± His gaze returned to me, ¡°You can take all the time you need.¡± He said, urging me to go into the stream.


    Of course, he read my mind. Was there something he couldn¡¯t do? I was running out of hands counting the many skills of Alpha Zadok Kir Roman.


    I nodded my head. He turned around, giving me space to do my business. I felt risque and took off my clothes, going naked within seconds. He stopped in his tracks, and I knew within me that he knew I was naked.


    I didn¡¯t know how he managed to sense when I dropped myst article of clothing, but I wondered what he thought. I walked into the stream, taking my time and wondering if he would take a peek.


    Zadok¡¯s self-control was top-notch. I watched his jaws clench ¨C his fist also tightened before he continued on his track ¨C not sparing me a nce.


    I didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. I respected that Zadok didn¡¯t vite my privacy, but I also felt disappointed that he didn¡¯t turn around. Shaking off those thoughts, I proceeded into the stream, and by the time I returned, I felt alive.

 Careful. The snow might bite you.

    ITHRA


    We woke up to a freezing atmosphere.


    Zadok and I journeyed through the Valley of Thorns. In our journey so far, this has got to be the longest walk yet.


    Thankfully, we were close to leaving the Cold Valley, and we could tell by the coldness that increased as we went further.


    ¡°Finally.¡± Zadok said, stopping in his tracks, ¡°We are here.¡± He faced me with a smile. ¡°Wee to the cold valley.¡±


    I searched for signs that told me we were in the cold valley but saw none.


    ¡°Where does it say so?¡± I voiced my concerns, and he smiled.


    ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t expect a signpost in the dark forest, Ithra,¡± he said sarcastically.


    I rolled my eyes, ¡°No shit, Sherlock.¡± I gestured to our surroundings, ¡°Forgive me for looking for something that suggests we are out of the Valley of Thorns.¡± I opined, ¡°Other than the increased coldness, there¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we are yet to cross its thresholds,¡± Zadok said, studying the map. ¡°From my analysis, it should be right here.¡±


    Zadok walked a few feet to the right and stopped in a tree. I watched him with keen eyes. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± He says, scratching his head. ¡°The map says there is a route that marks the entrance to the Cold Valley.¡± He stated, looking around. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for miles.¡± He added and buried his head back into the book with a scrunched face.


    ¡°Maybe you missed something?¡± I suggested, forck of better words.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have. We are where it says we should be.¡± He snapped, eyes fixed on the map.


    I refused to be upset by his tone, ¡°Maybe we should keep walking down. Who knows? Perhaps we will stumble into the Cold Valley.¡± I suggested in a calm tone, looking around.


    ¡°Ithra, please.¡± Zadok¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, okay? Just give me some time to figure this out.¡± His eyes closed, and I could tell he was getting frustrated, ¡°Is that okay?¡± He finished, expecting a response.


    I didn¡¯t like the way he spoke to me. I felt Zadok didn¡¯t ord me respect enough to take my suggestions, and it didn¡¯t go well with me. Nevertheless, I swallowed my reservations and gave an affirmative nod.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispered and continued with his analysis of the map.


    Giving him space, I walked up to the said tree and touched its bark. It was so cold ¨C I wondered how many degrees it was out here. ¡°The Cold Valley,¡± I muttered, tapping the tree as I waited for Zadok.


    Suddenly, the tree moved, and I nearly fell on my butt.


    ¡°What in the world-¡±  I cussed, rmed at the sight happening before me.


    I watched with a slightly opened jaw as the tree reset itself, turning into a door made of the tree with odd scribblings.


    ¡°Zadok..¡± I called, mind blown by the things happening in front of me.


    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± Zadok¡¯s tone was curt, his eyes never leaving his book.


    Just before I could call his attention to it, the door disappeared, and a white fog reced it. The white fog started small, and within seconds, it grew so big I could barely see in front of me.


    ¡°Zadok?¡± I called again, this time, my voice wavering.


    ¡°Ithra, I said ¨C what the hell is going on?¡± The next second, Zadok was standing in a protective stance in front of me.


    ¡°How did that happen?¡± He asked, watching the mystery in front of us.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. I watched in shock as the fog dissipated and a path opened in front of us.


    ¡°The Cold Valley.¡± That was Zadok. ¡°It was here all along.¡± He added and instinctively took a step forward.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I called out to him, and he stopped in his tracks. ¡°Be careful,¡± I warned, wary of the path before us.


    He nodded, eyes keen and stance agile. ¡°Follow closely behind me.¡± He instructed.


    I didn¡¯t need to hear twice. I followed behind  Zadok, and together, we walked through the path that got colder as we entered. Soon enough, I felt something drop on my nose, and I jumped, holding Zadok tightly.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he said, holding back a smile ¡± It¡¯s just snow.¡± He added, and I looked forward to seeing droplets of snowballs falling from the sky.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I said, finally rxing and walking off.


    ¡°Careful. The snow might bite you.¡± Zadok called behind me in a teasing tone.


    I rolled my eyes at his words and continued on my journey while he hastened his steps and got on par with me.


    While we walked, the snow increased, as well as the coldness of the Valley. Trees around us were covered with snow, giving the area a frozen vibe. Everything looked too beautiful and scenic. I wondered if we were still in the dark forest.


    As we got deeper, I couldn¡¯t appreciate the beauty of nature before my eyes. My feet were so cold ¨C I couldn¡¯t feel them anymore. My teeth shattered, and I struggled to breathe through the cold.


    Zadok noticed my struggle, pulled off his coat and draped it over me. It didn¡¯t change a thing. The more we walked in, the colder the wind and harsher the snow.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Zadok hugged me in an attempt to keep me warm. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now. We are almost out of here.¡± His teeth shattered as he spoke.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. My body seemed like it would freeze any moment from now. Zadok must have sensed that because he took me in his arms bridal style.


    ¡°What.. are.. you.. doing?¡± I managed to speak, feeling coldness to my bones.


    ¡°Shush,¡± He said and quickened his pace. ¡°Just hang in there.¡±


    We continued like that, and though I felt terrible for Zadok ¨C who was going through a lot carrying me and enduring the harsh conditions, I felt slightly better.


    I could move my feet, and my arms regained their mobility. Although I was still cold, death wasn¡¯t knocking at my door. The shaking of Zadok¡¯s arm told me he was taking on more than he could, and with one peek at his face, my heart sank.


    Zadok¡¯s teeth clenched, and his jaws were tight. His face was white, and his veins pulsated. His mouth slightly opened, and his breaths were harsh. I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    ¡°Drop me,¡± I said, readying to use my feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He breathed, eyesced with concern.


    ¡°I can walk on my own, Zadok. Just drop me.¡± I said, this time ¨C struggling to get off his hands.


    Just like I suspected, his arms were weak, and he immediately gave in to my struggles.


    ¡°You are in no condition to walk on your own, Ithra. Come here.¡± Zadok ordered, trying and failing to sound firm.


    ¡°So are you.¡± I replied, ¡°You can¡¯t survive at this rate. We¡¯re going to die if we keep this up.¡±


    A frustrated sound escaped his throat, ¡°So what do you suggest we do? Because we are running short of options. Spending more time arguing decreases our chances of making it out alive.¡±

 We are going to die.

    ZADOK


    ¡°She¡¯s right, you stubborn human! Are you trying to kill yourself?¡± My wolf, Kir, said in my head.


    I mentally rolled my eyes at his ridiculousness. ¡°Stay out of this, Kir. I have no time for your side talks.¡± I replied to him through my mind, and he snickered.


    Rude.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay?!¡± Ithra threw her hands in the air. ¡°All I know is that I am cold, and you are in no position to get us through this Valley.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me be the judge of that?¡± I asked, tired of the arguments. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste. Let¡¯s get going.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I walked through the snow and felt my bones shake from their marrow. I clenched my teeth, feeling partially numb in my feet. Shit.


    The map depicts the journey through the Cold Valley as a short one. I¡¯d heard a lot of people died in this particr valley, and for a while, I wondered why and what monster lived in this part of the forest to warrant such a high death rate.


    There was no monster at all. The monster that killed many travellers and ended their journey was Mother Nature itself. The North Pole must be as cold as this.


    ¡°I will walk on my own,¡± Ithra said, taking slow steps away from me. ¡°If we are going to die, then I¡¯d rather die with honour than let you take all the glory.¡± She hissed, but I found her words amusing.


    I didn¡¯t have the liberty to give a smart-ass reply because Kir interrupted me once again. ¡°Let me out. I¡¯ll lead us through this valley, and you can continue afterwards.¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°I thought we agreed you had stopped trying to kill witches?¡± I questioned, sporting a raised eyebrow.


    I could sense Kir roll his eyes, ¡°And what has that got to do with this, human?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡± I gritted, thoroughly hating how he addressed me but refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me nag. ¡°There¡¯s no way you will lead us when you have a track record of losing it when you sight a witch or anything that smells like one around you.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up, I have been here all along, haven¡¯t I?¡± He answered. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was offended. ¡°If I hated having Ithra around, we wouldn¡¯t havee this far. Human.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me miss the days I got to shut you up with the potions,¡± I remarked, already feeling a headache.


    ¡°That darned half witch.¡± Kir growled, ¡°She¡¯s lucky to be alive. Feed that poison to me again, and the next time I get the opportunity to be around her, It¡¯ll be herst day on earth.¡± He threatened, breathing fury.


    ¡°And you expect me to let you loose around Ithra?¡± I asked, hoping he saw the ridiculousness of it all.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He answered that that was a normal thing to do.


    I fought the urge to smack him on the head.


    ¡°I can read your thoughts, and smacking me is the same as smacking yourself.¡± He said sassily.


    ¡°Oh yeah, you must be feeling wise,¡± I said, tired of the conversation.


    ¡°As always.¡± He remarked, puffing up, ¡°Now quit being stupid and let me run through this forest, or she will die from cold.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ithra¡¯s voice jolted me out of my bickers with Kir.


    ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± I answered, blinking confusedly.


    ¡°Those.¡± She pointed ahead, and I followed her hand. ¡°Are those statues?¡± She wondered, and I walked closer to see what it was.


    We drew closer, and my eyes widened at the sight before me. Humans. Young and old, scattered across the valley and frozen to death.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to die,¡± Came the panicked voice of Ithra. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can make it out alive.¡± She breathed, staring into the soulless eyes of a frozen corpse.


    ¡°We will not die,¡± I said, trying to be strong. I didn¡¯t believe myself, but I said it like a mantra.


    ¡°We need to go back now. Maybe we can return to the Valley of Thorns and find a way around to the forest¡¯s heart.¡± Ithra suggested, riddled with fear.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible..¡± I muttered, staring at a corpse before me. For some reason, I could feel the darkness around the corpse.


    Not only did they bring a paralysing fear, but they seemed trapped. Alive but not alive ¨C locked in their nightmare. I couldn¡¯t exin why.


    ¡°We have to try!¡± Ithra was hysterical. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I have no ns of dying so cheaply! If you don¡¯t want to return, I will do so without you.¡±


    My tone was soft. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± I said, and she huffed.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The dark forest. You can¡¯t go back. You¡¯ll be wasting your time.¡± I said with my head bowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°As someone who handed this book to me, I¡¯d think you would have spent ample time reading it,¡± I handed over the ancient witch¡¯s book.


    She didn¡¯t take it. ¡°Stop beating around the bush and speak to me.¡±


    A tired sigh slipped from my lips, ¡°In this forest, you can only go forward or around.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Ithra seemed rmed ¨C like she could tell I was about to break the terrible news.


    ¡°Except you go through a portal, you can only go forward or around in this forest.¡±


    Ithra swallowed, ¡°What do you mean around?¡±


    My eyes connected with hers as I spoke, ¡°The only way to leave this valley is by crossing over to the next one. Any other way will lead you travelling around this valley to no end.¡±


    I felt it. I felt when Ithra¡¯s spirit broke, and utter despair and hopelessness filled her.


    ¡°We are going to die.¡± She muttered, this time around, it was to herself.


    Seeing Ithra grow so weak paralysed something within me. I felt her hope evaporate, and with hers, so did mine.


    I suddenly felt the biting cold stroke at my heart. I lost the will to live and wondered if this was my fate all along. To die in the dark forest and never get the opportunity to meet my mate.


    Perhaps this was judgment for the innocent lives I had taken to satiate my thirst for revenge. It was the punishment given to me by the moon goddess for the evils I have perpetuated and my refusal to repent.


    ¡°I¡¯m done talking to you, human.¡± I suddenly heard the gruff voice of my wolf, ¡°Since you won¡¯t give me control, then I¡¯ll take it myself.¡±

 Not Zadok?

    ZADOK


    I felt my body weaken, and I felt at the brink of death.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked Kir, panicking within me.


    ¡°Since you have refused to submit to me, I will show you how weak you are without my help.¡±


    My body felt like chards of ice were pricking my skin. It felt like the cold increased ¨C so much that I fell to my knees. My legs couldn¡¯t carry me anymore.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± I heard Ithra¡¯s panicked voice from afar off.


    I could barely keep my eyes open. My insides were freezing, and every single organ was failing. It felt like I was in a cold room. Every single fluid in my body was dried, dead.


    My heartbeat slowed, and I could taste death.


    ¡°Can you see how weak you are against me?¡± Kir asked. I heard the anger in his tone.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t speak. It hurt too much. Was this what Ithra was going through all this while? How was she surviving?


    ¡°Remember this the next time you choose to disregard me,¡± He growled. ¡°You are as weak as a human without me. You need me just as much as I need you, if not more.¡±


    I nodded, hoping he realised I got the message and rid me of the pain.


    ¡°Good.¡± I heard him say, and immediately, hairs sprouted at my wrist, arms, legs and back at an rming rate.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I heard Ithra say, but her voice seemed far away.


    The air filled with the cracking of my bones as it rearranged itself. With every snap of my bone, I felt pain like I¡¯d never felt before. It felt like the first time I transformed into my wolf.


    Soon enough, I reduced to a part of part of his thought. Every pain disappeared, and I watched everything through the eyes of my wolf.


    Ithra was rooted to the spot, her eyesrge in shock. Seeing her look so distraught made me feel guilty. I wrecked my brain, thinking of the best way to assure her of her safety, but came up short.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Kir suddenly moved towards her direction, and she took a matching step backwards.


    Great, she was scared. I facepalmed. ¡°Don¡¯t go to her dummy. She is scared. Let me figure out how to make her understand I am still here.¡± I said to Kir, and he huffed.


    ¡°Shut up, human. Watch and learn.¡±


    !!!


    I tried to revolt but met a mental wall between us ¨C Hindering me frommunicating with him. I couldn¡¯t do anything but watch him advance towards Ithra with purposeful steps.


    It was a pain to watch the beat of Ithra¡¯s chest, knowing it was a result of fear. Kir continued walking towards Ithra while she stepped back. At some point, she fell on her butt, and when Kir finally reached her, she tightly shut her eyes, no doubt expecting the worst.


    I was also expecting the worst as I couldn¡¯t predict what my wolf thought with the mental wall between us. ¡°Please be fine.¡± I prayed in my heart, and for the first time, I genuinely wished she could hear me.


    Suddenly, Ithra opened her eyes. Kir was inches away from her, looking her over, smelling her, and to my greatest surprise, he licked the hell out of her.


    !!!!


    ¡°Zadok?¡± She stuttered in an unsure tone, and I was startled. ¡°Is that you?¡± She asked again, this time around, giggling as Kir continued his assault on her, licking her like she was the sweetest lollipop.


    The barrier went down immediately, and I heard Kir¡¯s aggravated voice resound in my ears. ¡°Tell her my name!¡± He growled, ¡°Tell her it¡¯s Kir.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand Kir¡¯s obsession with her knowing his name, but that was beside the point. A shiver passed through Ithra, and I remembered how cold it was out.


    ¡°Move already. Ithra¡¯s cold.¡± I said, unable to hide my urgency.


    ¡°Tell her my name.¡± Came his reply. Resolute and unchanging.


    My eyes nearly rolled back with how frustrated I was. ¡°At this point, Ithra¡¯s going to die. Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s cold? Get going already!¡±


    No answer.


    Kir continued to lick Ithra, and she was a giggling mess on the floor.


    ¡°How on earth do you expect me to tell her? She can¡¯t hear me for goodness sake!¡± Zadok said, fighting the urge to smack sense into his stubborn wolf.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡± Kir finally spoke, seeing reason. ¡°As soon as we leave here, you will introduce her to me.¡± A brief pause, ¡°Or I can just do that myself.¡±


    A frustrated sigh left my lips. ¡°And how do you n on doing that, Kir? Newssh, you are a wolf who can¡¯t speak words.¡± I reminded him with scorn.


    ¡°Watch and learn.¡± Came his reply, and once again, he put up the mental wall between us.


    Great. It was going to be a long day.


    I watched behind my wolf¡¯s hooded eyes as he yed with Ithra, licking her and eventually getting her to his back.


    ¡°Zadok, I know it¡¯s you. Let¡¯s go already.¡± She moaned, eliciting a reaction from Kir.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, noticing his unhappiness.


    Kir stopped in his tracks and made a big letter Z in the snow with his tongue.


    ¡°Zadok?¡± She asked, and a frustrated whim left Kir.


    ¡°Not Zadok?¡± She asked again, going by his bodynguage.


    In this instant, Kir behaved more like a dog than a wolf. And it was shocking to watch.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, buddy?¡± Ithra asked, totally in sync with him.


    Kir didn¡¯t waste time. He immediately got to work using his tongue. I didn¡¯t realise he was that good at writing, or should I say, drawing letters. My years of ving in my office and attending to paperwork were not in vain.


    Within a minute, the name ¨C K I R ¨C was poorly imprinted on the floor, and my wolf stood proudly by the side, waiting for Ithra with expectant eyes.


    I could feel my wolf¡¯s anticipation, the genuineness of his feeling. He wanted to be known by Ithra ¨C to be acknowledged. I couldn¡¯t fathom the reason behind such emotions.


    ¡°Kir?¡± Ithra said, sounding unsure. Kir wagged his tail excitedly, and she repeated it. This time, more confidently. ¡°Kir.¡±


    That did it. Kir attacked Ithra with aundering session of licks, and the next second, Ithra was on his back.


    ¡°Okay?¡± Ithra said unsurely, holding on to him.


    Kir nudged his head, and an involuntary smile stered on my face.


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡± He said and immediately dashed into the woods with Ithra behind him.

 Ghouls!

    ZADOK


    The ride with Ithra was joyous and filled with heartyughter.


    Despite being relegated to the back of the fun, I derived joy seeing hery freely in Kir¡¯s fur as he took us through the cold Valley.


    At some point, I felt stupid for not allowing Kir to take the reins earlier. He was more suited to take us through the Cold Valley than I will ever be.


    ¡°I see you are getting wiser, human.¡± Kir¡¯s voice intruded my thoughts, and I tried not to be offended.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were paying attention.¡± I said bitterly, ¡°Last I checked, you shut me off without a care.¡±


    ¡°Jealous?¡±


    I near damned coughed blood at the audacity of this wolf.


    ¡°Jealous?!¡± I said incredulously, ¡°What in the world am I supposed to be jealous about, Kir?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡± He said it so casually that I felt like smacking his head.


    ¡°We are the same person, so it¡¯s not feasible,¡± I said before Kir, feeling a sense of aplishment afterwards.


    ¡°Good to know you¡¯re learning.¡± He said, and once again, put up the mental barrier.


    I couldn¡¯t win with him!


    I remained silent, sulking as I watched him breeze through the Valley while Ithra sleptfortably in his fur.


    I guessed that Kir¡¯s fur formed a solid shield for Ithra against the biting cold ¨C So much so that she fell asleep.


    Kir¡¯s pace slowed, and I pulled from my thoughts. I looked through the window of his eyes, wondering what was wrong.


    ¡°Ghouls!¡± Came the sturdy voice of Kir. ¡°They are here and inrge numbers. I can smell them!¡± He exined, and every atom of peace left me.


    Ghouls were bad news, and Ithray asleep on Kir¡¯s back, totally undisturbed. They were dead spirits that escaped the underworld, roaming through the dark forest and sniffling souls from every living thing they sensed.


    Thankfully, as a werewolf, we learned to mask our scent using the earth, and Kir was ready to do that. Except that Ithra was still asleep and in harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°How far are they?¡± I asked Kir, who sniffed the air in return before answering me.


    ¡°Very close. We need to do something and fast.¡± He said with urgency in his tone.


    While I wrecked my head for a solution, Ithra stirred awake.


    As though she sensed the uing danger, she jumped to the ground, looking around with her hand hovering around her dagger.


    If only she knew how useless a knife was against ghouls!


    ¡°I need to talk to her. I need to transform now.¡± I demanded from Kir, hoping he would understand me for once and not argue.


    Thankfully, he understood the gravity of the situation, and immediately, I felt him rescind within me. A few crackled bonester, I stood before Ithra in my human form.


    ¡°Zadok!¡± She eximed with a smile, but I shushed her off.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. I need you to keep your mouth shut, roll on the floor and cease your breath till I tell you otherwise.¡±


    Ithra did the opposite. She took out her little dagger, eyeing the surroundings warily, and muttered, ¡°I knew something was off. What are they?¡± She asked, using a low tone.


    I didn¡¯t have time to exin. I already felt a strange coldness that seeped into my soul. They were here! I fell to the ground, dragging Ithra along with me, and in one big turn, we rolled in dust from the ground.


    When I noticed her mouth open, I ced my hand over her mouth, hoping she got the message my eyes passed. After a moment, I removed my hand from her mouth, and her gaze transfixed on me.


    I held my breath, physically puffing up so she got the memo, and like a child, she replicated my actions. We remained like that for some seconds, and the coldness grew worse.


    With my eyes, I begged her to persevere ¨C to hold her breath for some time so we could go undetected by the ghouls. The n worked, and I saw the dark shadow of a ghoul pass by us.


    Ithra¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the thing, and I urged her to close her eyes, using myself as an example of what she needed to do. The Ghouls had no eyes. They could only tell if you were alive by your heartbeat and breathing ¨C two of which temporarily seized from us at the moment.


    Just when I thought it was over, the second shadow stopped in its tracks, and for the first time, I heard the voice of a ghoul. ¡°Can you hear that?¡± It said, and the other stopped in its tracks.


    My eyes opened, and I found Ithra holding her breath afresh with her eyes tightly shut. She slipped up.


    ¡°Hear what?¡± The other ghoul answered, seeming uninterested.


    However, the other refused to let up, ¡°I just heard the heartbeat and breathing of something.¡± It said, sounding sure of itself.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maybe an animal just took itsst breath.¡± The other opined, ¡°It¡¯s the dark forest. Things die by the second. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°No. Just wait a second. If I am right, it means one more soul in the bag.¡± He stated gleefully and walked around, kicking everything in sight.


    I knew that move. It was a ghoul¡¯s tactic aimed at catching anything that thought it could outsmart it by holding its breath. It was general knowledge that a ghoul would kick everything ¨C including a dead animal ¨C for days to ascertain it was truly dead and not pretending.


    ¡°And if you are wrong, you would have wasted my time.¡± The other one added in a sour tone. ¡°If something was living out here, don¡¯t you think I  would hear it too? We already spent a couple of hours at the forest¡¯s heart. So please, cut it out. It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    At the mention of the forest¡¯s heart, I let out a shocked breath, and the ghoul eximed, ¡°I heard it again! Did you hear? There¡¯s something out here! I need to find where it¡¯s hiding and give it the beating of its life before stealing the soul.¡±


    I held my breath, and sweat dripped from my face. The ghoul wasing this way.

 Don’t be too quick to judge.

    ZADOK


    The ghoul threshed till it was a few feet away from me.


    Ithra¡¯s face was red from holding her breath for so long. I couldn¡¯t describe how I felt the more it came close to me with its deathly cold aura.


    Just when I thought it was all over, the other ghoul eximed. ¡°I hear it! It certainly came from this way.¡± It said, sniffing the air. ¡°It¡¯s a bear!¡±


    The ghoul stood away from me and said, ¡°Who cares about a bear when you can find something more profitable.¡± It sneered, ¡°I¡¯m close to finding what it is. I can feel it right underneath my nose.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart seized at itsment because we were right under his nose.


    ¡°If you are not interested in partnering with me, just say so. Enough of your stupid acts. Are you trying to get on my nerves?¡± The other one said, sounding offended.


    I heard a tired sigh, ¡°But I feel there is something here. Please give me a few minutes before we go after the bear?¡± It asked, shocking me with the sincerity in its tone.


    ¡°I will not give up another kill for another one of your better options. I¡¯ll be hunting down the bear. You know where to find me when you are done ying around.¡± It said, and just like that, left the other ghoul standing right in front of us.


    It was a struggle for him ¨C lost between trying to follow its hunch and a real opportunity to get a catch. After hesitation, I watched the ghoul move slowly away from us, walking toward the direction of the other.


    They were gone within a minute. And just like that, we survived.


    I let myself breathe, as did Ithra ¨C who I realised was entangled under me. We¡¯ve been in this position the whole time, but it didn¡¯t matter because we were trying to preserve our lives.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the case anymore, and with that knowledge came an intimacy I couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, helping her up.


    Ithra dusted her clothes and nodded.


    For some reason, she avoided my eyes as she dusted her clothes. I wondered if she was upset. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked again and tilted her head so she met my eyes.


    She shook her head. ¡°Nothing. Just a bit startled, that¡¯s all.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you get to stare death in the face and survive to tell the story.¡±


    I wanted to make a joke and say ¨C wee to the dark forest ¨C but I knew better. Instead, I nodded with understanding and silently led us out of the Cold Valley.


    *****


    ¡°So Kir is your other half?¡± Ithra asked for the nth time, and I nearly pulled the hair out of my head.


    ¡°Something like that.¡± I grimaced, ¡°Just call him my better half.¡± I said, hastening my steps to avoid more questioning.


    Ithra didn¡¯t seem to get the memo. She chased after me like no man¡¯s business and continued her terror in the form of questions.


    ¡°How do you guys talk to each other?¡± She asked. ¡°I mean, he doesmunicate with you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± My answer was dragged and tired. ¡°Maybe I should invite him out since you are curious about him. I¡¯m sure he will be happy to take the lead.¡±


    Ithra¡¯s face warmed. She was embarrassed, and I felt like a dick for making her feel that way, but I couldn¡¯t stand anymore Kir rted questions.


    ¡°Jealous.¡± A voice I know too well breathed in my mind, and I nearly lost it.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I answered, sounding bitter. ¡°What¡¯s there to be jealous about? Newssh, you are a part of me. If she¡¯s curious about you, that¡¯s just because you are a part of me, so don¡¯t go about feeling so special.¡± I ranted but met with silence.


    Great, I was getting snubbed by my wolf!


    We got to the top of a mountain, and looking down, it was all rocks. I looked over the map, affirming I was in the right spot before I broke the news to her.


    ¡°Wee to the dark caves,¡± I announced, wrapping the map into my side. ¡°ording to legend, it was the most easy andplicated part of the forest.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all of that?¡± Ithra asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°When you¡¯ve spent the better part of your life researching and nning to visit the dark forest, there¡¯s only so much you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± I answered with a huff and led the way. ¡°With my calctions, one day should be enough to get us out of here if there are no mishaps.¡±


    Ithra followed behind me, ¡°And if there are mishaps?¡± She asked, getting into step with me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just pray we don¡¯t experience any. It¡¯s been quite a ride, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    That brought a smile to her face, and I patted myself on the back for achieving such a feat. Cheers to many more of those beautiful Ithra smiles.


    Together, we began our journey into the dark caves. I lit a torch at the gates and led us through the cave.


    ¡°In this cave, there¡¯s only one rule.¡± I lectured as we entered deep into the cave. ¡°Keep your hands to yourself, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Ithra asked. I didn¡¯t miss the way she folded her hands at my instruction.


    An obedient little girl.


    ¡°News has it that there are a lot of treasures packed in the caves of the dark forest. Every piece with their guardian. It¡¯s not news that dark forest caves are a trap for the greedy ¨C Hence the saying, keep your hands to yourself, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what treasures it holds that could make one so greedy to gamble with their life.¡± Ithra huffed, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be silly to get through all the horrors living in the Valleys, only to fall cheaply because of greed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to judge,¡± I said, stopped in my tracks, and took in the sight before me.


    ¡°I just think that-¡± Ithra didn¡¯t finish her words. She took in the sight, standing beside me, short of words.


    Suddenly, it made sense. Why do people fall cheaply at the hands of the dark caves? Who wouldn¡¯t fall at the sight of such glory?

 Run

    ITHRA


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    Golden coins, sparkling jewels, mirrors, and other priced artefacts simmered in their millions. A hidden treasure cave!Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Zadok said, ¡°Remember, we don¡¯t touch anything.¡± He swallowed, ¡°We will be fine if we don¡¯t touch anything.¡± He repeated, but my jaws were on the floor, and I didn¡¯t think they wereing up soon.


    ¡°How did this get here?¡± I asked the question that gued my mind. ¡°Just how many years has it been hidden here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps a thousand years?¡± He suggested, sounding perplexed. ¡°Who knew there was something good in this forest? No wonder people risked their lives toe here.¡±


    Zadok took a step forward, and I followed him. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any records of this ce in the dark forest. There would be more people seeking to try their luck at wealth assuming there was such information.¡±


    I stopped by a treasure chest sitting on a rock, ¡°It feels so unreal.¡± I said, eyeing the glittering contents.


    ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t touch anything,¡± Zadok warned. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this cave. Hopefully, we get out of them before the day runs out.¡±


    I nodded my head and followed him as we journeyed through enough money that could serve for many generations.


    At some point, I felt the gold call at me. I shook my head, hoping I was hearing things, but Zadok confirmed my assumptions.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± He asked in a low tone, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°You heard it too? I thought I was losing it.¡± I answered, feeling relieved that I wasn¡¯t hearing things.


    ¡°These things are enchanted. That must be why this cave is the most dangerous ce in the forest. I can feel the darkness within it.¡± Zadok quickened his steps, ¡°just in case they are truly enchanted, then we need to get out fast. Don¡¯t look at the treasures. Keep your eyes on the path.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I did as he said, wondering how eye contact would influence the enchantments if they were truly enchanted.


    I didn¡¯t have the liberty to ask questions. I decided to leave it forter. We continued in afortable silence until I heard a very familiar voice call out to me.


    ¡°Ithra..¡± That was my mother. I knew that voice even in my sleep.


    I turned around, and my eyes immediately spotted a mirror ss. Its edges glowed with precious jewels, and the more I stared at it, the more alluring it became.


    Don¡¯t touch anything. Zadok¡¯s warning rang in my head, and I turned around, taking a huge breath.


    ¡°Ithra! Please! Save us!¡± I heard my mother¡¯s voice again. This time around, it was loud, clear and frantic.


    Her voice sounded so distressed that it ebbed at the chords of my heart.


    Without a second thought, I turned around and came face to face with her. ¡°Mom?¡± I stuttered, unable to believe my eyes.


    Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, ¡°We are dying. The wall is too weak. Help us.¡± She said from the glowing mirror.


    My heartbeat increased. I rushed to the mirror, wondering how it was that I was seeing my mother. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, eyes open and ears rapt for attention.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, Ithra. If you can see this, you are in the dark forest, on a mission to save us all. Please hurry! Or it would all be in vain.¡±


    Her words were a stab to my heart. Before I could respond, she disappeared, leaving the mirror empty and reflecting my face.


    ¡°No! Come back!¡± I cried and grabbed the mirror.


    ¡°Ithra! NO!¡±


    Zadok was toote because I had taken the mirror from its position. I was already a thief.


    ¡°Zadok..¡± I cried, feeling a burn in my heart, ¡°My mother. She was right here.¡± I struggled to speak, ¡°I just saw her a moment ago. My n is in danger,¡± I sobbed.


    ¡°Drop it, Ithra.¡± He said in a calm voice.


    ¡°I already broke the rule. You need to go before something bad happens to us both.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Drop it, and let¡¯s go.¡± He urged, slowlying towards me.


    I didn¡¯t know what came over me. But I couldn¡¯t let go. At that moment, I believed I deserved to die, and I couldn¡¯t let Zadok die with me.


    ¡°Don¡¯te close,¡± I said, taking a few steps back.


    ¡°Then drop it, or I swear to whatever you hold dear, I will pry it off your hands.¡± His tone was frustrated as well as serious.


    To stop him from doing anything stupid, I dropped the mirror. It fell on the ground, breaking in half.


    ¡°Dang it! You couldn¡¯t have let it down more softly?¡± Zadok asked in an exasperated tone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said, suddenly feeling brave.


    Zadok did a double take but nodded shortly after. He grabbed my hand and immediately took off in a sprint.


    I joined him, running from nothing in particr. Running with Zadok brought an exhrating feeling ¨C like I was untouchable, on top of the world.


    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t!¡± A fierce voice said from behind us, and I heard the sound of a billion coins hitting on themselves.


    The noise was so much that it stopped Zadok in his tracks, and I covered my ears with my hands. What in the world?


    ¡°Run.¡± Three letters and one word. I took off with Zadok, gunning for the cave¡¯s door a few metres away.


    We would be running for a while.


    Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the cave, taking us off our feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I met another one of you greedy humans.¡± It said.


    While I tried to get on my feet, another wind blew through the cave, making a joke of our attempts at getting up. This time, I fell on my back, and with shock, I realised it was no ordinary wind.


    Standing before me was a ck dragon, who was anything but pleased to see us.


    ¡°A hybrid?¡± He cocked its head to the side, and its fangs bared in an evil smirk. ¡°Even better.¡±


    The dragon picked me up with its feet, and I was up in the air in seconds.


    ¡°Ithra!¡± I heard the far cry of Zadok ¨C who was a few feet below us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me,¡± I cried, never taking my eyes from him.


    At that moment, I realised that the thought of never seeing him again was worse than the probability of losing my life.

 Not so fast, buddy.

    ZADOK


    I watched in horror as the dragon took Ithra farther and farther away from me.


    ¡°Wait! Please! Don¡¯t kill her!¡± I screamed with all my might. Praying that the dragon heard and reconsidered its decision ¨C All to no avail.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Instead, the dragon took her up to the roof of the cave and threw her into what seemed like a reef at the top of the rocks.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I heard the cackle of the dragon. ¡°Sometimes, it gets lonely over here. I mean, it¡¯s once in a thousand years before I can meet visitors in the dark forest.¡± he snickered, ¡°And that¡¯s not because there haven¡¯t been a lot of them, but because they weren¡¯t lucky enough to get here.¡± The dragon descended and sat proudly on the mountain of treasures. ¡°So you can imagine my surprise when I saw two suspecting individuals threading my territory with every n of crossing over without saying hi.¡±


    ¡°Let her go,¡± I growled, not in the mood for his story time.


    The dragon hissed, ¡°I¡¯ll be careful if I were you. Because even if you haven¡¯t touched anything of mine, and I have no legal ground to hold you, I have something precious of yours that I could do with as I please.¡± It let out a roll of fire for good measure. ¡°Get out of here while you can, wolf. I have nothing to do with you. Unless you touch what¡¯s mine.¡± It added evilly.


    Before I could muster up a response, the dragon took to its heels, flying so far up that I could barely see its form. It had been there all along ¨C waiting for us to make a mistake before making an appearance.


    My eyes found the high reef that held Ithra hostage, and I decided to climb for it. My journey was useless without her, and I¡¯d die before I let her perish in this darned cave.


    It seemed like the heavens were against me this time because as soon as I began climbing, the caves rocked from above, and stones fell like hail from the sky. Desperate to take cover, I hid myself by a corner, shielded by a rock above my head.


    When I thought I had seen the worst, I came out of hiding, wearily searching the space above my head for any signs of the dragon or Ithra.


    ¡°Zadok!¡± I heard the panicked voice of Ithra miles above me. ¡°Are you alright? Are you alive?!¡± Desperation and concern in her tone.


    I needed to get to her.


    ¡°Still there?¡± I heard the unfriendly voice of the dragon, and I took cover by the side of the cave.


    Suddenly, everywhere became hot ¨C Like a burningrva at the top of my head.  I looked up and was greeted by the burning mes from the dragon, pouring down like a waterfall.


    For the first time, I stared death in the face, and within a second, I took to my heels, running for cover. As a result of the ring fire, the coins and treasures were sizzling hot ¨C making it hard for me to run at ease.


    I ran away from the fire that chased me down. Soon enough, it became clear what it was trying to do. I came face to face with the door that led out of the cave, and when I tried to make a curve for it, the dragon released more fiery breath, trapping me with no way to go but out.


    His message was clear ¨C the dragon wanted me out of the cave, and if I refused to obey, it would cost me my life.


    Another st of fire pushed me outside the cave, painfullynded on my butt.


    ¡°And stay out!¡± I heard the dragon say, and I got up on my feet.


    I hastened to get up and heard a loud rumble inside the cave. I watched in horror as the cave door was blocked by fallen rocks ¨C trapping me outside and leaving Ithra alone with the Godforsaken dragon.


    *****


    I toured the cave for another entrance but to no avail. By dusk, I was tired, frustrated and nearly lost hope of ever getting to see Ithra again.


    My stomach growled, and I saw the darkening sky above me. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything for an entire day, and I doubted I could swallow anything with my state of mind.


    I needed help. For the first time in a long while, I hoped to reach Shilhi. Nothing in the ancient witch¡¯s book spoke of how I could retrieve a person stolen by a century-old dragon.


    Or get into a dark cave locked by the said dragon.


    I let out a loud growl, and my wits were slipping. Kir was in a terrible mood. When I felt his burning anger at what he believed to be me abandoning Ithra in the caves, I let a walle up between us, blocking my head from his furious thoughts.


    A light passed by me, and I traced it to a shadow standing by an oak tree. My eyes narrowed as I watched it turn into the form of a woman with long blonde hair.


    Its beauty was ethereal ¨C so much that it stung my eyes to look at such fairness. I thought I¡¯d seen it all, but it gradually became a troll ¨C getting so ugly that I could barely look at its horrendous appearance.


    I stood a safe distance from the strange creature and got ready to fight if the need arose. Just when I thought I¡¯d seen it all, I heard itugh so hard that it struck a chord.


    I knew thatugh. There was only one creature I knew that had such an annoyingugh ¨C The Sirion ¨C the most knowledgeable being to have walked the earth.


    Bingo.


    Without a second thought, I got on my feet and sneaked up to the beast while it shapeshifted into different animals andughed into my hands.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said when I was close enough.


    The rmed look on the face of the Sirion told me it wasn¡¯t expecting to see me, which was good news because I didn¡¯t expect to see it either. Perhaps the goddess decided I had suffered enough and sent me a solution on a tter of gold.


    Before the Sirion could disappear, I caught it by the arm, and an evil smirk graced my face, ¡°Not so fast, buddy.¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone! I don¡¯t have anything to do with you. Just let me be.¡± The Sirion screeched, but I was far too gone to care.


    I made a thinking position and answered casually. ¡°How about, no.¡± I opined, holding it tighter. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to do you harm. Just a little help and we¡¯ll both be on our way. What do you say?¡±

 Goodluck getting something he doesn’t already have, Alpha.

    ZADOK


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± The Sirion screeched as I dragged it to the entrance of the cave.


    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± I said, brimming with anger. ¡°You are going to tell me how to get back into this cave and rescue my partner from that dragon, or I swear it, you will breathe yourst today.¡±


    The Sirion struggled from my hold to no avail. One thing about the Sirion was that it was powerless against people.


    Its power lies in its knowledge and ability to transform into anything. It was a very rare being that used its knowledge to preserve its life in dire situations.


    Everyone needed a Sirion at some point due to its rareness and wisdom. People tended to keep it hostage and force it to serve their purposes. Over time, things changed, and for a mysterious reason, The Sirions received the ability to escape from the hands of their captor after answering a question as decided by the captor.


    ¡°You already know the truth. There¡¯s no going back in the dark forest, Just going forward.¡± It snapped.


    However, I wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°The same way you will not escape my hands today,¡± I promised, and my ws elongated, as did my fangs.


    ¡°Wait! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡± The Sirion reacted when it saw I was serious with my threats.


    Kir was inside my head, badgering and causing a ruckus, wanting to be released.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for jokes. Get to it already.¡± I snarled and nudged the sealed cave door. ¡°How do I get in there and get her back?¡± I asked desperation in my tone.


    ¡°There is only one way. But that is near impossible, so you might as well forget about her.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My hands found their way to the neck of the Sirion and tightened around it. I watched as the beast turned blue, gasping for air.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you correctly,¡± I said, pressing harder.


    I let go of him when he raised his hands in surrender, seeking an audience.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± It coughed, ¡°There¡¯s only one way to get her back. You must exchange her for a more precious gift ¨C a gift more precious than the one she broke.¡±


    ¡°And how do I get back in there?¡±


    ¡°Simple. Get the gift, and the dragon will naturally open the doors of his cave.¡± It breathed, ¡°The dragon is greedy and the cave¡¯s guardian. Only he can grant entrance back into the cave, and  the only way to trick it into doing that is by bearing something of value.¡±


    I nodded my head, deep in thought. ¡°Good luck getting something he doesn¡¯t already have, Alpha.¡± The Sirion said in a mocking tone and immediately disappeared.


    ¡°Shit.¡± I cursed when I realised it was gone. Itsst words rang in my head as I looked over the emptynds before me.


    What would I get in ce of Ithra?


    ******


    The Sirion¡¯s words proved to be true. I scoured thends around the cave ¨C searching for something presentable and precious enough in ce for the broken enchanted mirror, but to no avail.


    The scorching sun ced me in a terrible mood, and my failure to secure something became a sore in my mind.


    I couldn¡¯t let Ithra die. Leaving her in the hands of the dragon was tantamount to leaving her for death. My stomach grumbled, and a biting pain followed it.


    Hunger ate at the pit of my stomach, and I couldn¡¯t even find a bunny around to quench it. Suddenly, I heard the sound of rushing water and followed it.


    Soon enough, I squatted on the bank of a flowing river, scooping up water and drinking it ¨C effectively quenching my thirst. I filled some reserve for the journey ahead andy on the bank of the river, hoping an idea would hit me on what to do.


    A few minutes after Iid down with my thoughts, I heard the bushes shake, and my fist covered the helm of my sword ¨C ready for any unpleasant surprises.


    Just when I wanted to seek out the traitor in the bushes, it hopped out, and I nearlyughed at the innocence of the rabbit that would serve as my lunch and dinner.


    I watched the unsuspecting animal drink from the river bank, and when it was ready to leave, I was there in time to end its life. I took a good look at the kill.


    ¡°Shame it isn¡¯t presentable enough for the dragon. However, it will do just fine in satiating the hunger in my stomach.¡± I thought, picking it up and cing it in a bag.


    Soon enough, I started a fire and roasted the meat till it was edible. Settling down by the closed cave, I ate part of the meal, keeping some for Ithra.


    I left my things by the closed cave and headed for the river. While I approached the river, a beautiful sight caught my eye.


    I saw the back of a caped person with a pointy ear, but that was beside the point. I was more interested in the object in his hands. A golden globe enclosed in a ss shell.


    My eyes nearly popped out of my sockets when I watched the person quickly put the globe by the side and pour out the contents of a backpack it carried.


    The floor shone as various precious stones poured to the ground, shining as light.


    Unconsciously, I moved forward, trying to get a better look at the items on the floor, but ended up kicking a stone and drawing attention to myself.


    The person turned around immediately, eyes searching the area until he met with mine. With an rmed look, the goblin picked up the sack and quickly started putting all the items, but he was toote.


    I caught him by the neck, and in one powerful push, he fell face-first on the floor, leaving me with his bag of treasures. ¡°Let me go! Those do not belong to you!¡± The goblin cried, but I didn¡¯t care.


    The goblin must have stolen the items. ¡°Neither is it yours,¡± I growled, and its eyes widened.


    My gaze altered between him and the cave, and everything suddenly made sense. He stole these items. What better way to satiate a dragon than recovering his stolen possessions and handing over a peace offering as a bonus?

 Life isn’t fair

    ZADOK


    ¡°No! Please don¡¯t take me there! I only just escaped!¡± The goblin cried as I dragged him towards the cave, carrying his bag at my back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I need to get my partner, and if catching a jewellery thief will get the desired result, then so be it.¡±


    ¡°The dragon doesn¡¯t care about this. I got it out a few decades ago. He has long forgotten about it!¡± The goblin exined, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out then.¡±


    I dragged the goblin to the front of the closed entrance, holding him down tightly. I stood till I realised I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°I told you,¡± The goblin said, ¡°I hold no value to him, neither do my possessions. Let me go already.¡±


    I stayed silent, looking at the closed door, waiting for some miracle to enable me to trade the goblin ¨C All to no avail.


    My shoulders sank, and I contemted if the goblin wasn¡¯t valuable enough to recover my Ithra. Just when I thought it was over, a rumble rocked the cave, and slowly, the rocks that blocked the entrance rolled away ¨C making a pathway inside the cave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in haste to speak,¡± I said. Without a second thought, I dragged the goblin into the cave.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right. I ept,¡± The goblin said in a whispering voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. I can help you get something more valuable for the dragon,¡± It begged, ¡°Just please, don¡¯t take me to him.¡±


    ¡°Toote!¡± A loud voice which I knew too well said from the head of the cave. ¡°What do we have here?¡± The dragon asked while I searched for where the voice came from.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡± I yelled, feigning confidence. ¡°I have a deal for you.¡±


    ¡°That I can see,¡± The dragon said, and a mighty wind blew through the cave, throwing down rocks. ¡°I see you did your homework on me. Very impressive, I must say.¡±


    The dragon flew down and stood before me with its mighty wings bare. I fought the fear that came at the thought of its fire.


    I pushed the goblin in front of him, holding him down. ¡°This is a goblin. I caught him. I am offering him in ce of my partner.¡±


    The dragon looked at me and then at the goblin before him. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would be seeing you anytime soon, theif.¡±


    The goblin shook under me, and I felt pity on its behalf. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop me from bidding it in exchange for Ithra.


    ¡°Give Ithra to me, and he¡¯s all yours.¡± I negotiated with a taut voice.


    The dragon let out a breath, and smoke oozed from his nostrils. ¡°As exciting as that offer is, I prefer the girl.¡±


    My heart broke at his verdict.


    ¡°I will catch this thief at ater time. Don¡¯t you know the saying? Once a thief, always a thief.¡± The dragon pped its wings and took up the air. ¡°You can see yourselves out.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called, stopping him in his tracks.


    ¡°What is it this time, wolf?¡± He sounded aggravated.


    I threw the bag of treasures on the floor, letting it pour out its precious content.


    ¡°Add this to the goblin,¡± I breathed. ¡°Give Ithra back to me.¡±


    The dragon returned to its former position and looked through the bag¡¯s contents.


    ¡°Hmmm, they are quite precious.¡± He remarked, and I quickly packed them back into the bag. ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy.¡± He tsked, and a stone fell from the sky, blocking the way of the goblin that tried to run away. ¡°See, I just prevented your prisoner from deserting you.¡±


    My jaws clenched, and I dragged the goblin to his position. Holding him tighter this time around. ¡°Give Ithra to me, and it¡¯s all yours.¡± I gritted, tired of the conversation.


    The dragon made a thinking noise, and after much contemtion, it finally spoke, ¡°No deal!¡±


    Frustration ebbed in my heart as he took off to the air again, leaving me to my devices.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called and brought out myst card. If he refused this, then I was truly fucked.


    I brought out another bag that held the golden globe in a ss. Within a second, the dragon returned, sniffing the air. ¡°Gold.¡± He seethes, eyes focused on the bag in my hand. ¡°Let me see it,¡± He demanded impatience in his tone.


    It was my turn to be wooed, ¡°Not until you give her to me.¡±


    A breath of fire went out his nostrils, and his eyeballs dted, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what you heard.¡± I growled, ¡°You can only see it when you return her to me.¡±


    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t like its content? What if you gave me a defective item? How can it be a fair transaction?¡± The dragon asked ¨C Anger evident in its tone.


    ¡°No one said anything about being fair.¡± I said, ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair.¡±


    ¡°Well said.¡± The dragon huffed, ¡°But if you refuse me to see what is inside the bag, I will have to reject your offer and keep the hybrid to myself.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a hybrid!¡± I found myself defending. ¡°And you will not see what is inside this bag until you hand her to me.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Then I will scour the dark forest, collecting every precious beast or item and bringing them until the day I die,¡± I said with all conviction ¨C Meaning every word.


    A brief silence ensued between us as my words stood in the air.


    ¡°Well yed, wolf.¡± The dragon said, seeming impressed. ¡°I am interested in the item in your bag, and you know it. So let¡¯s call a truce.¡± His eyes fixated on me. ¡°Hand over the bag, and I will make it so you don¡¯t need her to fulfil your mission anymore.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyes went wide at his proposal. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I stuttered, unable to understand what he meant.


    ¡°I reckon you need the girl to be sessful in your mission here.¡± His eyes narrowed at me, ¡°What if I told you another way you could fulfil your destiny and get out of this ce without getting to the heart of the forest? in exchange for one small little thing.¡± His tone was patronising, ¡°The bag.¡±

 Happy reunion to you lovebirds!

    ITHRA


    I watched Zadok as he looked between the bag and the dragon.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t fall for it,¡± I prayed as I walked around the cave, shielding my presence with the mountains of treasures.


    ¡°Decide already, wolf!¡± I heard the dragon say, ¡°What will it be? I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    ¡°I want the girl.¡± Zadok said after a while, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else but the girl. Give her to me, and we have a deal.¡±


    The cave shook with the bark of the dragon¡¯sughter. ¡°How foolish! Foolish, foolish wolf. If only you knew what that witch is hiding from you, then you wouldn¡¯t make a decision as careless as this.¡± He said, and I prayed that Zadok would see through its schemes.


    ¡°Give her to me.¡± Zadok¡¯s stance was strong. ¡°Give her to me or forget about it.¡±


    The dragon let out a ze of fire in my direction. The mountain of gold zed at the fire, and I resisted the urge to scream out of pain. I couldn¡¯t let him know I had escaped.


    ¡°Are you threatening me, alpha?¡± The dragon breathed, standing on its feet.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± Zadok repeated without fear. I felt scared on his behalf.


    I had seen the bones of people in the prison he¡¯d kept me in. I didn¡¯t need a soothsayer to know they had died from abandonment. They were trapped with nowhere to go and eventually passed on as prisoners.


    The dragon didn¡¯t even care to check on them. All it cared about was adding new items to its treasures and tricking unsuspecting individuals!Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He was a mastermind, and I was sure he had no way of helping Zadok find his way out. Instead, he would trick him like he did me ¨C taking the item and Zadok¡¯s freedom.


    ¡°Fine!¡± The dragon said, shocking me to the bones. ¡°I give her back to you.¡± He gritted, ¡°Now, give me the bag.¡± He said in desperation.


    ¡°Not so fast, bud.¡± Zadok said, ¡°I need to see her first. Bring her before my eyes, and when we get out, you can have it.¡±


    ¡°You are biting more than you can chew,¡± The dragon roared, shaking the cave with fury. ¡°Give me the bag and have the girl while I¡¯m nice.¡±


    ¡°This is business. Give and take.¡± Zadok replied, maintaining his stance.


    The dragonughed. This time, it sounded light-hearted, but I knew it was the calm before the storm. ¡°You caught me.¡± It said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is, wolf. I must have lost her somewhere inside the cave. You can look around. I¡¯m sure she is hiding somewhere.¡±


    ¡°You did what?¡± Zadok thundered with his voice. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t find her? You took her!¡±


    ¡°And I said I lost her!¡± The dragon bellowed. ¡°You have yourself a deal. Find her, and she is yours. Now give me the bag.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t do business that way. I already told you to hand over the girl. When we are safely out of your cave, then you get the bag.¡±


    ¡°I think you may have forgotten whose territory you are treading, wolf.¡± The dragon said with zing eyes. ¡°Since you have refused to do this the easy way, you leave me no choice.¡± It let out a breath of fire, and it was raining rocks.


    I dodged one of the rocks in an attempt to save my life but ended up dragging their attention.


    ¡°Ithra!¡± Zadok cried when he saw me, ¡°How are you doing?¡± He asked.


    Before I could muster up a reply, the dragon spoke. ¡°So that¡¯s where you¡¯ve been hiding? Who would have thought!¡± He said in a dramatic tone.


    There and then, I knew he was aware of my presence. Why did he make up those stories?


    ¡°Happy reunion to you two lovebirds.¡± The dragon said, then tsked, ¡°Unfortunately, no one is leaving this cave.¡± He announced, ¡°Smart, isn¡¯t it? Why take one when I can have it all? A wolf, a hybrid, the thief, and my precious stones!¡±


    ¡°We had a deal! Let us go, and you can have your things.¡± That was Zadok.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? You all belong to me now. I don¡¯t have to pick because everything is mine!¡±


    ¡°Ithra!¡± Zadok said, pointing towards the opening of the cave. ¡°Run!¡± He ordered, and I obeyed, running towards the opening.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± The dragon thundered and pped its wings. It hit the side of the cave, and rocks tumbled, falling in their numbers.


    I was undeterred by the rocks that rained. I ran towards the opening, dodging the rocks, till I got to the open entrance of the cave.


    ¡°Zadok! Let¡¯s go!¡± I called out to him, but he was too busy, transforming into a wolf ¨C Kir.


    ¡°You must be stupid to think you can defeat me with that dog of yours!¡± The dragon said, angered. ¡°I¡¯ll show you just how mistaken you are.¡±


    A scream left my mouth, and my eyes widened when the dragon sent Kir flying and hitting the wall with one throw. A terrible sound of bone cracking hit the air, and tears pooled in my eyes.


    Kir whimpered in pain as he rolled to the ground.


    ¡°Please!¡± I shouted when the dragon made to roast him using his fiery fire. ¡°Please! I¡¯ll do anything! Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± I begged, meaning every word.


    ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s nothing you can do for me. You already belong to me, so maybe this would teach you not to misbehave moving forward.¡±


    I fell to my knees. ¡°Please. There has to be something I can do. Something we can do.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± The dragon said, his eyes confused.


    ¡°Yes. We.¡± Zadok said from behind him, holding a sword in his hands.


    The dragon huffed and turned around, ready to end Zadok, but he was toote.


    Before he could muster up a puff of fire, Zadok rose to the air in a big jump and thrust his sword directly into the dragon¡¯s heart. A loud cry that shook the cave erupted from the dragon, but it didn¡¯t stop Zadok.


    I watched Zadok twist the knife into the dragon¡¯s heart, and it swallowed his entire arm. With one pull, Zadok retracted his arm, and blood poured out of the dragon¡¯s gaping heart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zadok yelled, ¡°This ce is falling apart!¡±


    I rushed to the entrance, waiting for Zadok, who was limping. The dragon fell with a thud, and more rocks fell, threatening to close our only chance of survival.


    Seconds rolled by, and a rock fell on Zadok, ttening him on the ground. My reaction was instant. I rushed to him and helped him up. We walked towards the opening, and it was nearly closed up.


    I pushed the rocks, giving him space to climb out, and just when the opening was about to seal, I crossed over, falling on my butt beside Zadok.


    We remained like that for a while, catching our breaths and holding hands. ¡°We made it,¡± I said, close to tears, ¡°You came back for me.¡± I breathed, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zadok¡¯s lips tilted in a smile, ¡°I will alwayse back for you, mi amore.¡± He said, and Iughed between my tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You should be proud. We just yed a dragon.¡± He joked, and I cried even harder.

 Be a good girl and go to bed.

    ITHRA


    Zadok and I spent the night camped very close to a river.


    After everything we¡¯ve been through, we resolved to rest and continue our journey the next day.


    ¡°I needed that,¡± I said, joining him beside the fire after having a much-needed bath.


    ¡°That river has got to be the best thing we¡¯ve experienced since we came to this forest.¡± He joked, and I smiled in agreement.


    I looked at Zadok, and I felt my heartbeat increase. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint how exactly I felt for him. He managed to diffuse every doubt I had about him and the werewolfmunity.


    But why was I still afraid to trust him with everything? I couldn¡¯t shake off the guilt in my heart, knowing that I was keeping something from him when he so bravely fought for my life, even when he had an opportunity to bail out.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Zadok jolted me from my thoughts, watching me with keen eyes.


    ¡°Nothing serious,¡± I said, bowing my head.


    Zadok sat close to me and took my hands in his. ¡°I want to hear it,¡± he raised my jaws with his hand, ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, still not meeting his eyes.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bail out? Why didn¡¯t you let me go?¡± I asked, needing to know his reason.


    I needed to know if I could trust him.


    ¡°Because we are in this together. We are partners, remember?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°You had an opportunity to continue with this journey without me. Heck, he could have handed the Ghost Orchid to you, and you wouldn¡¯t need to continue in this darned forest again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that liar, do you? It was all a game. He said so himself.¡± Zadok said, ¡°And even if he were speaking the truth, I would never be interested. Either I do this with you or don¡¯t do it at all.¡±


    The sincerity and passion behind his voice were my undoing. Knowing he followed me with such a sincere heart made me feel worse. What happened when I eventually got my powers and took the orchid for myself?


    How broken will he be when he finds out I haven¡¯t been sincere with him?


    ¡°Ithra,¡± Zadok called, tightening his grip on my hand. ¡°I can never leave you. It hurts my heart to think that you may have doubted my returning to get you even for a second.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. ¡°What happens when we get to the forest¡¯s heart? What happens when we need to face off to get the orchid at the end of the day? You had an opportunity¡±


    Zadok ced a hand on my lips, effectively shutting me up. ¡°Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t say it.¡±


    A frustrated sigh escaped my lips, and I got on my feet, needing some space between us. ¡°It¡¯s inevitable. There¡¯s no use denying the reality.¡±


    Zadok got on his feet. ¡°There¡¯s no use stirring these waters. When we get to that bridge, we will cross over it. For now, we are partners, and hell will freeze before I let anything happen to you. Is that clear?¡±


    I didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Do I need to use other ways to get you to open that mouth of yours? Because I can think of quite a few.¡± He said,ing dangerously close to me.


    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± I said when his hands circled my waist.


    ¡°Good. Be a good girl and go to bed. We have a big day ahead of us.¡±


    ******


    We were ready to take on the forest the next morning. Zadok and I walked through the dark forest and soon, we were in the maze of truth.


    ¡°It¡¯s hardly a maze,¡± I said, observing the emptynd before me.


    ¡°It¡¯s the dark forest, Ithra. It should be a sin for anything to be normal around here.¡± He remarked, leading the way.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think it should be named the dessert of truth. Except it can¡¯t pass for a dessert with this atmosphere.¡± I opined, getting into step with Zadok.


    ¡°I genuinely don¡¯t care about what it is named, Ithra. I just hope we don¡¯t get to see any more creatures. I¡¯d appreciate a safe journey through.¡± He said, looking through the book. ¡°From my deductions, this should be the longest walk yet and thest ce before we get to the forest¡¯s heart.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t exin how I felt. ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked in a soft tone.


    Zadok looked up, and our eyes connected. ¡°Yes.¡± A brief moment passed between us, and he shrugged, ¡°The good news is that there are no known creatures or beasts that inhabit the area,¡± He looked through the empty sparse ofnd and added, ¡°For obvious reasons. So we can journey with rest of mind knowing we won¡¯t be caught unaware by any profaned beast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so strange,¡± I remarked, moving faster. ¡°I would think the deadliest beast will be hanging out very close to the heart.¡± I exchanged looks with him, ¡°For obvious reasons.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me them. What¡¯s deadlier than a century-old dragon? That was tailor-made to send every traveller to their death.¡±


    ¡°And yet you killed it,¡± I added, proud of the man before me.


    ¡°We killed it.¡± He said, and I felt butterflies in my stomach.


    Yeah, we did.


    We continued our journey silently and apanied one another when the worst happened. I knew we were wrong to think that it would be a free ride to the heart of the forest.


    Suddenly, a man wearing a ck cape appeared before us, with a ck glow around him. Zadok bared his ws, having buried his knife in the dragon¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I mean no harm.¡± The man dered and let down his cape. ¡°Alpha Zadok Kir Roman.¡± He called with an evil smile, ¡°Never imagined I¡¯d see the day youe into this forest,¡± His gaze moved to me, ¡°Not to talk of bringing a witch with you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. Neither do I care to know, but I promise to get rid of you if you don¡¯t get out of our way.¡± Zadok growled, his fangs elongating, as well as his ws.


    ¡°Easy, Alpha.¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°I have no problem with you.¡± His gaze returned to me, ¡°I just wanted to see for myself. I needed to see if her powers were restored.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Zadok asked confusion in his tone.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± heughed, ¡°But of course, she won¡¯t tell you. She¡¯s a witch after all.¡± The caped man teased, leaving me in the middle of the ocean. ¡°I wish you a fruitful journey, Alpha.¡± His gaze flickered to me. And he let out a mockingugh, ¡°Good luck!¡±

 Don’t be stupid, human. Go back!

    ZADOK


    Ithra has been oddly quiet since the caped man showed up.


    I didn¡¯t think anything of the man¡¯s words, but with her bodynguage, I felt something was off, making me wonder if something was wrong with her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I finally asked when I couldn¡¯t bear the silence anymore. ¡°Is there something you need to say?¡±


    Ithra¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°What? You don¡¯t trust me anymore, is that it?¡± She snapped.


    ¡°I never said that.¡± I palmed my face, thinking of the best way to approach the conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve not been yourself since he showed up and spewed something concerning getting powers. Should I not be concerned?¡±


    ¡°Please Zadok.¡± She began, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk right now, okay?¡±


    I felt a bolt in my guts. ¡°I need you to say something, Ithra. I don¡¯t like the way I am feeling right now and I suggest you put me out of my misery and exin what the fuck is going on!¡± My voice raised towards the end of my words and I saw her wince.


    My first instinct was to apologise but I withheld myself from doing anything as I waited for her answer. Ithra eventually spoke, breaking my heart with every word.


    ¡°You know what? Yes! The man was right! I am on a journey to recover my powers. Yes, I hid it from you because I didn¡¯t trust you enough to tell you. What now? Huh? What are you going to do? Kill me?¡± She said, standing in my face. ¡°You see why you should have left me when you had the chance? I had my ns. I could have survived alright, but you just had to y hero.¡±


    For the first time in a long time, I felt like a knife was struck to my heart. ¡°What are you saying?¡± I muttered, still trying toprehend the meaning behind her words.


    ¡°Listen. I don¡¯t want to make this any more harder than it needs to be. This is thest ce before we get to the forest¡¯s heart. Let¡¯s just stop this foolery and be the enemies we ought to be.¡±


    Now I was mad. ¡°Enemies!¡± I growled, ¡°You think we are enemies?! After everything we¡¯ve been through, you still think I care about some damn fight between our kinds?! Are you seriously kidding me?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, enemies! That¡¯s all we are. We can¡¯t be anything else! You want to find your mate and I want to save my n. We both need the Ghost Orchid and there¡¯s only one of it.¡±


    ¡°Who cares about the fucking Ghost Orchid?! You can have it for all I care. You deceived me, lied to my face and nned to get your powers behind my back.¡± He listed. ¡°I told you everything there is to know. I was vulnerable to you and protected you as I would my mate! But what did you do? You lied to my face and pinned it down to some stupid rivalry?!¡±


    ¡°Why do you care about the fact that I want to get back my powers?¡± Ithra said, ¡°It¡¯s not like it affects you in any way. If you were truly willing to give up the ghost Orchid, then what exactly are we fighting for?¡±


    My fingersbed through my hair, and frustration grew within me. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? This isn¡¯t about the darned Ghost Orchid. This is about you betraying my trust!¡± I yelled, feeling the pain in my chest increase. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted you! I went against everything I believed and singled you out as someone I could trust, and this is what you do?¡±


    Ithra opened her mouth, but no words came out. At least she had the decency to be ashamed of herself.


    ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s end this.¡± I gestured between us. ¡°Whatever this is, it ends now. I can¡¯t believe I have been deceived by a witch again.¡± I muttered, unable to believe that this was happening.


    ¡°Zadok¡­ please-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alpha Zadok to you.¡± I growled, ¡°And try not to utter my name from that cursed mouth of yours. I might not be as forgiving. We are enemies after all.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait to see her reaction or hear her try to call for me again. I walked forward. Leaving her rooted to her spot. With every step I took away from her, I felt a part of me dragging me back to her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, human. Go back. She might be in danger!¡± Kir growled in my head and my anger increased.


    ¡°I know you are a wolf, but I presumed you were wiser than that,¡± I growled, increasing my pace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me, human. I have no problem teaching you some manners.¡± Kir said, and I could tell he was provoked. ¡°I know you feel betrayed and hurt, but you should understand why she couldn¡¯t tell us. We spent the better part of our lives killing witches and exterminating ns ever since the incident. It¡¯s only normal she would think you epted her because she had no powers.¡±


    I felt a headache. ¡°What are you, Kir? Ithra¡¯s advocate or my Wolf? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been bewitched by her too, you only spent a few hours with her on your back and suddenly you are an expert in knowing the thought process of a witch?¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to choose when I can be both your wolf and Ithra¡¯s advocate? I love the fact that you think I¡¯ve been bewitched by her too. Makes me wonder how long it has been since you discovered you were bewitched and what you have done about it.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t have time for this. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to pit us together. Our mate is out there, and I feel ashamed of myself for even thinking of giving up the Ghost Orchid for someone as despicable as Ithra.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s a lie.¡± Kir said, ¡°Stop being stubborn and go back to her. If she gets hurt, it would be on you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice the protectiveness of my wolf over Ithra. I wondered how, when and why it started. I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to ponder more on it before I heard a loud and familiar scream of my name.


    Ithra. She was in trouble.

 Why would you save your enemy?

    ITHRA


    I can¡¯t expect the pain I felt watching Zadok walk away from me.


    I remember the urge that boiled within me, begging that I run after him, apologise to him, and tell him I never saw him as an enemy. Neither did I want to be his enemy.


    I wanted to hold him by his leg and tell him just how much of a coward I was to get clean with him after holding back the truth from the beginning. I needed him to know  I was ready to give up the ghost Orchid so he could find his mate if I could be in his good books.


    From the moment he came back for me at the dragon¡¯s cave, I fell hook, line and sinker in love with him. I was ready to carry this love I have to the grave if it meant I got to see him happy with his mate.


    However, it was toote. I couldn¡¯t say that because it would be no use. I had broken Zadok¡¯s trust so foolishly and damned myself to a life of perpetual pain, agony and sorrow ¨C A life I was born to live.


    I walked towards the east, knowing fully that the forest¡¯s heart was the opposite way. I had lost every will to live, and I wished that I could die by yet another profane beast of the dark forest.


    Dying was the only way to ease the pain and fill the gaping hole in my heart. I didn¡¯t have anything to live for. Returning alive without the Ghost Orchid was a shame I couldn¡¯t take in the Celtz n.


    I couldn¡¯t return to see the damage my decision might have caused either. The more I thought about it, the more dying seemed like the best option. My prayers got answered too quickly, and immediately, I realised how wrong I had been.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to die. I stared a python in the face. I didn¡¯t have any weapons with me. I lost them while arguing with Zadok earlier on.


    I didn¡¯t even have Zadok with me. I was as good as dead. When the python opened its mouth wide and ready to swallow me, I screamed with every strength in me, calling the name that had saved me more than a few times already.


    I hoped he wasn¡¯t too far away. Because that would mean my end, and I didn¡¯t want to end this way. After screaming Zadok¡¯s name as loud as I could, I took off in a run, going in a zig-zag manner to get more time alive.


    Soon enough, my strength waned. If I kept this up, I would likely die fromck of breath before the python got to me. It¡¯s been a terrible minute. Zadok wasn¡¯ting. Did he not hear me? Did I not scream loud enough? Did he choose to ignore me?


    A thousand thoughts rushed into my mind as I prepared for what I believed to be myst breath on earth. I fell to the ground, weak and loss of breath. The Python soon got to me, shing me its deathly canines. I closed my eyes, ready to be swallowed, and I heard arge screech from the animal.


    My eyes flew open, and I saw a long spear made from wood buried inside the serpent¡¯s throat. I watched the serpent fall on its back, struggling to breathe and raising dust.


    Who was that? I wondered in fear, searching for the perpetrator of the act ¨C also known as my saviour.


    My eyes widened when I saw a familiar body walking up to me, taut, manly and filled in all the right ces. The dead butterflies in my stomach suddenly regained life and began their familiar pping in my guts.


    My eyes pooled. Zadok?


    ¡°I leave you for one hour, and you nearly get yourself killed?¡± He asked in a firm tone, leaving me short of words. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even defend yourself?! Where is the strong girl I groomed to take care of herself? Since when did you be so weak?!¡±


    Every word cut me like a knife. Weak. Defenseless. Powerless. The mantra started in my head. I was still that girl. I hadn¡¯t learned anything. I had given up without a fight. I have be too dependent on Zadok. I couldn¡¯t even think for myself.


    I bit back tears, ¡°Why did youe back?!¡± I yelled in his face, ¡°Why did you fuckinge back, huh?!¡± I pushed him, ¡°Why would you save your enemy?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t let my enemy die at the hands of another. If my enemy is going to die, it better be at my hands. Not some dark forest beast, and not by fucking suicide! Do you understand me?!¡± He growled, and once again, I was short for words. ¡°You will follow me, and we will get to the forest¡¯s heart. That is not up for debate. When we get there, we¡¯ll know who gets the Orchid.¡±


    Zadok said, and to my greatest surprise, he dragged me along with him.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    We journeyed in an ufortable silence till the sky darkened. ¡°There is still a day¡¯s journey ahead of us. We will pass the night here.¡± Zadok said, dropping our possessions on the floor.


    I nodded, too weak to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll gather wood to burn the fire and maybe find us dinner.¡± He added and walked away from me.


    A few minutester, Zadok returned with wood for the fire. He instructed that I start the fire while he went hunting. As much as I doubted his ability to catch anything in this desert ce, I obeyed his instruction and got to work.


    In addition to being terrible at defending myself, I realised I was a mess with starting campfires after multiple attempts of trial and failure. I sat on the floor, ring at the wood and hoping they would just catch fire.


    Suddenly, I saw a flicker of light in the wooden assembly, and just like that, the fire started.

 Hello Ithra, I’m Adira. Your wolf.

    ITHRA


    I blinked repeatedly, thinking I saw wrong. But the fire remained.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would do that so easily,¡± Zadok said from behind me and I jolted at the sudden appearance. ¡°The woods were a bit damp.¡± He remarked, clearing his throat.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. I felt confused. I stared at the fire that turned on their own ord. Did I do that?


    ¡°I brought us dinner,¡± Zadok continued when I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°It was a runner, but I caught it. Should be enough for the night.¡± He said, presenting a bloodied beaver.


    I nodded my head and took a seat on the log of wood, staring at the fire. I heard a tired sigh from Zadok and he walked a few metres from me, tending to dinner.


    My heart raced as I thought of the probability of me starting the fire with my mind. It was not odd for a witch to start something as mundane as a fire with her mind, and for the first time, the thought of having powers within me didn¡¯t seem so wrong.


    I felt an energy within me, bottled up and rattling to be let out. I refused to go deeper into the thought of having power, so I decided to test it once and for all. I should be able to put off the fire if my powers were restored, Right?


    I let out a long breath and decided to try. Thest time, I wished for the fire toe on and it did. Let¡¯s see if I can turn it off. I looked at the fire, and with my mind, willed it to disappear slowly.


    A few secondster, the fire was still burning with intensity.


    I shook my head and decided to try again. This time, I focused my mind on the mes, willing it off, but I was met with nothing. I felt my hopes dash to the ground.


    It was stupid of me to assume I had powers just because the fire lit up after many failed trials to start it. Perhaps, the wind blew and the fire ignited on it own. It was a coincidence.


    Ashamed of myself, I got up and decided to take a walk. I felt unease in my heart and for some reason, my body hurt. At this moment, I wished I was locked up in my room, in between my bed.


    I hated this ce and all it had to offer.


    ¡°Ithra! Quick! The fire is waning!¡± I heard Zadok¡¯s call from behind and turned to see what was wrong.


    I saw the fire dwindling to my surprise, almost turning off. Instinctively, I rushed to the fire, blowing some air, and when Zadok continued with his work, I willed it back to life.


    Filled with faith, I watched the fire return in a fiery furnace, giving a red glow to my face. I couldn¡¯t believe it. I did it. I made that fire. I had powers.


    With that realisation, I felt a lid open, and power surged within me. So much it intoxicated me. My hair was a fiery red, and I watched with shock as the length increased, pouring down my back.


    I got up and looked at my hands. They glowed, then twitched, begging for some action. I felt a need to release the power that ebbed within me. I needed to let it out, to use it and exact the revenge on the people that preyed on my kind. To protect my people.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I heard Zadok¡¯s concerned voice from behind me.


    I stiffened and willed everything inside of me. I turned around like a child caught red-handed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, wondering if he had seen anything.


    ¡°Why did you go off like that? I have been calling you for a while. Are you alright?¡± He asked and his eyes roamed my figure.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I managed to speak, hoping he didn¡¯t detect the nervousness in my tone. ¡°I just wanted to get some air.¡±


    Zadok looked like he had something to say, but decided against it. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± He finally said and walked away from me.


    I was d he didn¡¯t push further with it despite his reservations. Things were still strained with us and thest thing I wanted was to make it worse by telling him the recent development with me.


    He¡¯d think I was deceiving him all this while.


    A deep breath left me, filled with the power that consumed me. I had to be careful. Until we parted ways, I needed to be careful not to give him, any more reasons to hate me.


    That night, I ate dinner andy on the ground, with a reasonable space between us. Zadok must have been very tired because he slept off like a log, leaving me with my thoughts.


    Time passed, but I couldn¡¯t sleep. My body hurt ¨C Every single part of it. I felt like throwing up and everything seemed to be weighing in on me. I turned on the floor, facing the sky and the moon shone on me.


    It was a full moon.


    I felt my bones shake, every single bone in my body turned in weird angles, leaving me with excruciating pain. Was this a result of my newly gained powers? I wondered, trying and failing to get up.


    I remained quiet, desperate not to wake Zadok when I felt like screaming my head off. It hurt so much. When I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I decided to go far away from him.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Biting my lips, I tried to get up, but to no avail. I decided to crawl, letting out a growl of intense pain. At this point, I didn¡¯t care about keeping quiet anymore. It seemed like I wanted to break in half.


    I got to a safe distance, feeling the fire in my system. I could feel my blood boiling, and my veins shook, I bent my head, biting my lip in pain when I heard my clothes tear from my back.


    My bones shot out, and I watched in horror as my nails grew into ws. There¡¯s only one person I knew had such dangerous ws. I shook and fell to the floor, feeling weak, and close to death.


    My body tore in half, and suddenly I felt myself rescind. My eyes dted and I felt my body covered with white fur. Suddenly, I felt strength flow within me, and a feminine voice that sounded like a stronger version of mine flowed into my head space.


    ¡°Hello, Ithra. I am Adira. Your wolf.¡±


    The moon shone directly at me, and suddenly, a loud howl left my mouth, shaking the grounds of the dark forest.

 Sorry to interrupt your reunion, loves.

    ZADOK


    A loud howl woke me up from my sleep, and I felt Kir pacing in my head, fighting to be let out. I put up a mental wall between us, not interested in any of his rants.


    I looked around and realised I was alone. My heartbeat elerated, and I jumped to my feet. Where is Ithra?


    For the first time, Kir bulldozed through my mental wall, and his frantic chants made me stand in attention.


    Mate! Mate! Mate!


    He chanted without stopping. Confusion clouded my face. What was he talking about?


    Mate! He growled. Go to mate, Now!


    Just when I wanted to inform him how ridiculous he sounded, an intoxicating scent wafted through my nose, driving me to the brink of sanity. Pineberry and rose. I¡¯d never smelt anything like it before.


    A loud howl entered my ears and my heartbeat increased. The pull from the howl was irresistible, and every part of my being pulled me towards that direction.


    Mate! Go to mate! Mate!


    Kir ordered in my head. His voice was clear andmanding. He was just at the brink of my skin, any minute now, I knew I would be transforming into my wolf.


    I breathed a scent in the air and it made my wolf madder. Before I could take a step forward, Kir burst out of me, forcing me to the background. I watched him immediately take off in the right direction.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He didn¡¯t even smell the area. He moved with the agility of the Alpha wolf he was, the descent of his paws shook the ground as he raced towards who he believed to be his mate.


    My heart felt fragile. I felt a sense of foreboding as we approached the forest¡¯s heart, very far away from where we camped. I remembered Ithra and for some reason, I felt I was headed towards her.


    Suddenly, Kir stopped in his tracks, and when I looked through the window of his eyes, I saw a white wolf, standing on a rock and howling to the moon. My heart nearly burst out of my chest as I felt a piece of mee together.


    Mate! Kir growled and as though she heard his possessive chants, she turned around and our eyes met. The moment her eyes touched us, a tingling sensation erupted within me, adding pressure to the beating of my heart.


    Red. Her eyes were red. It reminded me of someone. Ithra.


    With a powerful run, Kir pushed forward and within a twinkle of an eye, we were stood in front of our mate. And she was everything I wanted and more.


    Kir didn¡¯t waste time. He rushed towards her, pushing her to the floor and attacking her with aggressive licks. At some point, I felt disturbed on behalf of our mate.


    Kir licked her entire body, chanting the word mate to our hearing at the end of every lick. It was a sight to behold. As much as I love to see our mate in her primal form. I ached to see her in person.


    A lot of thoughts filled my head and I felt a gnawing feeling in me. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was, but there was something. Like a sense of foreboding and danger.


    Suddenly, a thought struck me and I felt disoriented. I looked at my mate, wondering if this was a dream. How on earth was this possible?


    I was under a curse. One that I was in the process of breaking. How exactly am I able to sense my mate? And most importantly, how did she get into the dark forest?


    It¡¯s not real. I concluded, and Kir growled at me.


    ¡°How dare you say our mate is not real?¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother reasoning with him. If this was indeed another test from the dark forest, then we were treading on dangerous grounds. I forced my way to the front, trying to return to my human state but Kir was not letting up.


    For the first time, we battled for power and ended up half-transformed. Our mate got on her paws, finally able to breathe without Kir hovering over her.


    The battle ended with me lying on the floor, breathless. I felt the sweet sensation of the presence of our mate and her scent made me want to bury my canines between her neck.


    I fought my primal urges, and with the hardest voice I could muster, I ordered. ¡°Transform. Now.¡±


    I could feel the hurt that passed through my mate¡¯s eyes at the thickness of my voice, but I couldn¡¯t let myself be soft.


    ¡°If our mate decides to reject us because of you, be ready to live your life without a wolf!¡± I heard the angry threats of my wolf before he shut me offpletely.


    However, I could feel him trying tofort our mate through the bond. Traitor!


    Our mate remained in her wolf form. So much so that I started suspecting her motives. ¡°I said transform. I want to speak to you.¡± I said with gritted teeth.


    It physically hurt to speak to her like this. But it had to be done. I needed to see her true form and have her give me answers, or confirm my doubts.


    While I thought about my next course of action, Adira fell on the floor whimpering in pain. She folded into herself, and I felt my heart waver. What is going on?


    ¡°What did you do to her!¡± Kir returned, his fury zing down the walls between us.


    I rushed towards her, bending to my knees. Before I could ascertain what went wrong, a mop of red hair greeted me. My mate returned to her human form. With how much pain she seemed to be in when transforming, it pointed to one reason.


    It was her first time transforming.


    My heart shook as I took in the familiar clothes that were now a shadow of itself. ¡°Ithra?¡± I asked, hoping that I was wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t even possible. It can¡¯t be her.


    The few seconds she hid her face from me felt like a thousand years. ¡°Look at me,¡± I called softly, withholding myself from touching her.


    My mate turned around, and to my greatest shock, it was Ithra.


    I drifted back, shocked to the core. ¡°It isn¡¯t possible. You are a witch, how did you-¡± I didn¡¯t finish my statement before a familiar voice spoke into the air, drawing our attention.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt your reunion, loves. I guess I¡¯m right on time.¡± She smiled, and I felt the stink of dead meat-heavy in the air. ¡°And I broughtpany too.¡±


    I watched with shock as rogues in their multitude surrounded us, with their fangs bared and ready to attack.

 You made her barren?!

    ITHRA


    ¡°Leave him alone!¡±


    I watched in horror as they injected a bloodied-looking Zadok with a strange liquid, while two dirty-looking rogues held him up. He could barely open his eyes with how much they beat him up.


    ¡°Oh shut it, Ithra,¡± Shilhi said from behind me. I heard the descent of her feet as she approached where I was held by two buff men. ¡°Just a little something to keep him down till we are ready for the sacrifice. Kir is quite the strong Alpha.¡±


    My heart broke at the sight of Zadok, ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± I yelled, unable to understand the reason for her betrayal. ¡°You are supposed to be on his side! Why are you doing this to us?!¡±


    Shilhi squatted in front of me and let out a loudugh. ¡°I am supposed to be on his side? Let me guess, just like you were supposed to be on the side of the witches but you turned around and stabbed them  straight in the back?!¡± She asked, fire burning in her eyes.


    ¡°What is it to you? They treated me terribly, you know that! It¡¯s up to me to decide if I want to help them or not! You have no right topare that to what you are doing to Zadok! He never wronged you! All he did was protect you and the BloodHound Pack!¡±


    Shilhi made a sound, mimicking me most offensively. ¡°He never wronged me?¡± She let out a shortugh. ¡°That must be the funniest joke I¡¯ve heard in a while. Tie her up!¡±


    Her order was implemented immediately. I screamed while the men dragged me towards a sycamore tree, tying my hands to its branches. They left me when they were sure it was tight enough.


    I struggled against the rope, trying and failing to get my freedom. The next second, I saw an unconscious Zadok get dragged before me and ced in the middle of a circle made out of ground chalk.


    I knew it because I¡¯ve seen it a thousand times growing up. Despite being metres away from it, the power in it affected me, making me weak to the bones. It was enchanted!Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s go a little back in time.¡± Shilhi sped, her eyes glowed as she spoke. ¡°Oh great! The alpha is waking up just in time to join the story time!¡±


    My eyes flew to Zadok who tried to stand but ended up falling every single time. That didn¡¯t deter him, he continued trying and falling so much that I hurt for him.


    Shilhi watched him like it was the most interesting thing on earth. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I used a spell like this on an alpha,¡± She said, and I felt Zadok¡¯s heart pricking. Pain from the mate bond flowed from his end to mine. It was unbearable. ¡°Oh yeah! Thest time I used it was on his father! What a beautiful coincidence that I got to use it on him too!¡±


    My face wasced with confusion, and Zadok¡¯s eyes shot towards us. He seemed angry and tormented. ¡°Oh yes. I need to introduce myself,¡± She shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for the past decade, and it¡¯s about time you knew who you were dealing with.¡±


    Shilhi pulled off her cape in its entirety, letting it fall to the ground. She closed her eyes, and I saw a dark fog cover her form. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, scared for our lives.


    Within three seconds, the fog disappeared, and a face I knew too well reced Shilhi¡¯s. ¡°S-Sarai?¡± I muttered, unable to believe my eyes.


    The next second, Shilhi¡¯s face returned, recing the enchantress Sarai¡¯s face like it was never there. ¡°Still working on that spell,¡± She sighed, ¡°Hopefully, after the sacrifice, I will finally be able to possess my true form.¡±


    ¡°True form?¡± My brains were working ten miles per second.


    ¡°Back to my story!¡± Shilhi sped her hands. ¡°Fifteen years ago, Zadok¡¯s father ruled the BloodHound pack as the Alpha. At the time, witches were in alliance with the werewolf kind, so much that we even married and protected one another.¡±


    ¡°Of course, the wolves had their fated mates and sometimes, we just couldn¡¯t cut, but there was peace and loyalty from the two kinds. Until one day when the alpha decided to betray me.¡± Shilhi¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°After promising to reject his mate and make me his chosen luna, the alpha went back on his words and marked his mate on arrival.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I attended the ceremony and even congratted them. Being the Enchantress of the Ancient Witch¡¯s n, we lived together with the Blood Hound pack, and I worked as both a healer and herbalist, tending to the Alpha¡¯s mate, who knew nothing of what had gone on between me and the alpha.¡±


    Shilhi looked taken anytime she mentioned the alpha, and her eyes boiled at the mention of his mate.


    ¡°But of course, the alpha refused to have anything to do with me and treated me like some rejected mistress. So I waited and plotted the best way I could take the luna out of the equation, but of course, ensured that she couldn¡¯t take in with a constant supply of my potion.¡±


    ¡°You made her barren?!¡± I gasped, unable to believe my ears. A low growl came from Zadok¡¯s end. He was too weak to do anything else.


    ¡°I waited until her baby was 17 years old, strong and dependable Zadok.¡± Shilhi continued like she didn¡¯t hear me. ¡°Then on the night of the annual mating ceremony. I killed her.¡± Her eyes were cold, but her lips smiled. ¡°Of course, I couldn¡¯t make it bloody. I invited my beloved ancient witch¡¯s n and they helped me make it brief and but painful.¡±


    ¡°However, just when I was finishing up the wench, Zadok came in with his father and made it end badly.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Long story short, I ended up killing the alpha and his mate in one night. That marked the beginning of the feud between the BloodHound pack and the Ancient witches.¡±

 What sacrifice?

    ITHRA


    ¡°After Zadok became the Alpha, the first thing he did was to throw us out of the pds.¡± Shilhi, or rather, Sarai continued her story. ¡°Of course, I saw thating, so I made provision for the Ancient Witch¡¯s n to camp around the outskirts of the pack until I found somewhere safe enough to call home.¡±


    ¡°After one year, I was finally able to find a ce, far away from the BloodHound pack and everything it represents. I even raised a wall to protect us from external attacks and changed our name.¡± My eyes widened at her words,


    ¡°You changed the name of the ancient witch¡¯s n?¡± I asked, scared of her answer.


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± She giggled. ¡°I divided the ancient n and set some of my trusted aides over it while I remained in the outskirts of the pack with my trusted aides.¡± She gasped, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe what happened the night after I divided the n.¡± Her face turned stoic, ¡°Zadok came with his men and murdered 17 ancient witches while making me watch.¡±


    My breath ceased. ¡°He made sure to burn their bodies after killing them so that I couldn¡¯t remedy the situation. He must have known that the n was divided, so he took me hostage and went around the town, exterminating every witch n he could find within one year.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. This was the reason why he killed every witch n. He was trying to find the Ancient witch n. He wanted revenge for his parents!


    Zadok struggled to get up, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. Shilhi¡¯s eyes found him and immediately, he fell to the ground, weaker than ever.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°All the while, I was tortured in the Blood Hound dungeons. Drained of blood, and just when I was at the brink of death, I was nursed back to life so they could do it again.¡±


    That sounded oddly familiar. I grimaced as I remembered the hell I was put through the first time I arrived at the BloodHound pack. That was thest standard for witches in the BloodHound pack.


    ¡°One faithful night, after a year of suffering, the tides turned.¡± Shilhi smiled, ¡°I was granted the opportunity to be let into the underworld. I died as a scorned woman, and kept my soul alive in a bottle, using myst strength. And guess what, the pack herbalist who took my ce was the first to enter my cell.¡±


    Shilhi. I thought fearfully. She possessed Shilhi for the past 10 years!


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy taking full control of this body.¡± Shilhi looked at herself, andughed, ¡°But it was the perfect camouge for nning the perfect revenge.¡±


    ¡°Slowly, I began my ns. Starting from the epic curse.¡± Sheughed. ¡°Yes. I nned it from the get-go. From nting a witch that told him he was cursed and couldn¡¯t sense his mate, to following it up with a stupid solution to his non-existent problem.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Good question. Of course, he wasn¡¯t cursed. The only curse he had was the one I created by feeding him potions that hindered his wolf¡¯s abilities. Think about it, if his wolf¡¯s senses are destroyed, how then would he be able to sense the appearance of his mate?¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand her. A thousand thoughts swirled through my mind. ¡°Kir is doing fine,¡± I muttered, calling her bluff.


    ¡°Now he is. But for thest ten years, I¡¯ve suppressed his abilities using the potions from Shilhi.¡± That was Zadok. ¡°I took it hoping to prevent Kir from losing his mind, as she directed.¡±


    ¡°Awesome! Your brains are still working well. Maybe I need to beef up my spells.¡± She said and immediately Zadok let out a scream, holding his hand in his head.


    ¡°Stop! Please! Enough already.¡± I begged, tears streaming down my eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯ll survive.¡± Shilhi said, ¡°Now back to my story. I made Zadok take potions that hindered his ability to sense his mate long before you came along.¡±


    ¡°You knew I wasing?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± she said, ¡°I prepared for youring long before you arrived the BloodHound pack.¡±


    Confusionced my face, ¡°What are you talking about.¡±


    ¡°Try to keep up, will you?¡± She red and walked closer to me. ¡°When I found out you were Zadok¡¯s mate, you were but a baby. Born by one of the ancient witches that a beta wolf deceived.¡±


    ¡°Azriel. Azriel¡¯s father.¡± Zadok muttered with a wince.


    ¡°Bingo. One of my witches was stupid enough to get pregnant for Azriel¡¯s father and when his mate came along, she was rejected as expected. The beta allowed her to have her baby, but he had nothing to do with them anymore. When I found out the connection between our first hybrid baby and the Alpha¡¯s son, I couldn¡¯t pass up such an opportunity.¡±


    My heart sank, ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing bad. I ced you under a sealing spell, and when we left the pack, I sent you with your mother to the new n.¡±


    ¡°The Celtz n,¡± I muttered, shocked. ¡°The ancient witch¡¯s n is the Celts n.¡±


    ¡°So you see, it was easy manipting the situation, and training you to believe that you have no power. When the time was right, I made them send you to me, so I could perfect the final step before getting us into the dark forest.¡±


    ¡°You masterminded it all. You worked with my mother, hid my powers and brought us here to the dark forest?¡±


    ¡°I had originally nned to keep my eyes on you a bit more. Just to be sure the sealing spell was still strong. However, when you killed the rogues on the mating ceremony night. I knew I had to act faster and send you earlier on before the full moon. And as expected, you recovered your powers and even transformed into a wolf.¡±


    ¡°You became the first hybrid. Half witch, and half werewolf. The final ingredient of my sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°What sacrifice?¡±


    ¡°The sacrifice to resurrect my dead allies. And of course, reunite with my own body. This one is ugly and worn out.¡±

 Vent your anger on me, Sarai. I am right here.

    ZADOK


    Weak. Too weak.


    I felt my wolf try to support me with strength but that was all it was. Staying inside this circle was cruel. I couldn¡¯t heal myself and I could feel life zap out of me as the minutes passed by.


    Shilhi stood in front of me with a smile that made my blood boil. ¡°How does it feel being at the receiving end of the torment you once dished out to me?¡± She asked, having a field day by her expressions. ¡°I¡¯m sure you regret everying your hands on all those ns you brutally murdered with the hope of exterminating the ancient witches.¡±


    I spat out blood. ¡°Never. That remains the best decision I¡¯d ever taken since I walked this earth.¡±


    ¡°I love your consistency.¡± She tightened her fist and I felt my heart squeeze so painfully I nearly passed out. ¡°You know, your father used to be like you. Consistent and steadfast in his words. Until that bitch came along.¡±


    Shilhi¡¯s tone turned grave. ¡°Everything would have been perfect if she died alone that day. Who knows, I could have been a great mother to you.¡± she shrugged, ¡°But you chose to walk in and make a mess of an otherwise perfect n.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer her. Feeling too weak and in pain to humour her with responses.


    ¡°For someone who seemed so protective of your pack, it¡¯s a pity that you haven¡¯t thought of just what mess it is right now.¡± That perked my attention.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I growled, feeling a bout of headache.


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± She opined. ¡°Just killed every wolf and enved their wives and children.¡±


    I felt my heart rage with fury, ¡°You didn¡¯t. You are a liar.¡± I spat, refusing to believe her.


    ¡°Well said. Thankfully, I have proof to back up my words.¡± Shilhi waved her hand to the side and a white fog covered the air. ¡°Watch.¡±


    I raised my head and watched the scene that yed before my eyes.


    Fire. There were a lot of houses on fire. I watched in horror as my people were in by rogue wolves. Killing every warrior and leaving behind their scared females and children.


    Blood filled thend, and the once glorious Blood Hound pack was reduced to and of pain and havoc ¨C a shadow of itself. I didn¡¯t know when I got on my feet, ready to kill the woman who brought such cmity upon me.


    ¡°Not so fast.¡± She waved her hand and my heartbeat slowed. She was ying around with my life. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. In this world, I hold your life in my hands.¡±


    I fell on my knees, holding my heart in pain. I felt the silent sobs of Ithra before I heard them. It broke my heart to see her tied up like an animal. My mate. My other half. It was all my fault.


    If I had given up on my quest for revenge, maybe this would not have been. Maybe my pack would still be in good condition. But I would not have my mate, another voice whispered and I couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    That was the only thing that made this whole suffering worth it. The fact that I got to meet my mate. My Ithra. My amore.


    ¡°Get ready.¡± Shilhi suddenly said. ¡°The two of you. Because by midnight, we will begin the rites for the sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°He is in no shape to carry out any sacrifice,¡± Ithra said weakly. ¡°He can¡¯t even help himself.¡±


    ¡°Who says I needed him to carry out the sacrifice?¡± She shook her head, ¡°You see darling, for this sacrifice, I don¡¯t need you to move an inch. You are both in the perfect spot to make it a sess. I just need to drain your blood into his circle at midnight, and vi, it is done.¡±


    ¡°Drain my blood?¡± Ithra asked, the fear in her voice broke my heart. I was supposed to be her mate. Her protector, her helper. But I couldn¡¯t even help myself.


    ¡°Yes sweet. I¡¯m afraid, your blood is so precious. The blood of a hybrid. Mix that up with the sacrifice of the alpha that exterminated the witches, and a powerful spell under the moonlight in the heart of the dark forest,¡± She sped her hands in excitement, ¡°I could raise an entire army of witches.¡±


    ¡°You will do no such thing,¡± I muttered, voicing both mine and Kir¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ll die before I watch you do that to her.¡±


    ¡°oomph! A challenge!¡± Shilhi almost ran to Ithra. ¡°Since we are going to kill her anyway, I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind an early start.¡±


    I watched in horror as Shilhi conjured a knife, and with small steps got to Ithra. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to go through this.¡± She said, feigning apology. ¡°This is going to hurt a little.¡±


    Nothing prepared me for the scream that left the lips of Ithra when Shilhi stabbed her in the stomach with the knife.


    ¡°NO!¡± I yelled, watching blood pour out from her guts.


    Shilhi smiled. I could tell she loved the devastated look on my face because she did it again. Stabbing Ithra several times in different spots, leaving her dripping blood and gasping for breath.


    ¡°Please! Enough, no more, please.¡± I begged, crawling forward with a hand on my chest.


    ¡°No more? Why?¡± Shilhi feigned concern, ¡°But we were only getting started. She wouldn¡¯t die. At least not yet. She¡¯s a hybrid now, remember? So she has super healing abilities. No need to be scared. Okay?¡±


    Before I could speak, Shilhi sliced down the arm of Ithra, causing a painful hiss to leave the lips of Ithra and blood poured out.


    ¡°Did I forget to tell you?¡± She gasped, ¡°This knife is designed to destroy even the most powerful creature on earth. So it should work well against her heightened healing. But not to worry, I¡¯ll make sure that she doesn¡¯t die. At least not yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her,¡± I begged, getting closer to the circle. ¡°I did you wrong. I haunted your kind and exterminated them. If there¡¯s anyone you should focus your anger on, it should be me.¡± I locked eyes with Shilhi. ¡°Vent your anger on me, Sarai. I am right here.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Shilhiughed. It sounded maniacal. Like she had lost her wits and was surviving off her determination for revenge. ¡°Good to know you still recognize me in this body of a loser. Tell me. Why would I do that when there is a better way to get back at you?¡± She smiled, ¡°I can tell you love her. Even before she became your mate. I can¡¯t wait to see you break when I break her, and make you watch.¡±

 No, Ithra! You will kill yourself!

    ITHRA


    Shilhi saw to her words.


    I felt the twist of a knife in my back, and I shouted at the pain that followed it.


    ¡°How does that feel?¡± She asked from behind me. ¡°Terrible isn¡¯t it?¡± She dragged my hair from behind and whispered in my ears. ¡°That¡¯s exactly how the n felt when you switched sides in the dark forest.¡±


    ¡°I never betrayed anyone¡­¡± I  managed to say, and she pushed the knife further into my back.


    I felt the sharp edge scratch my heart.


    ¡°Stop¡­ don¡¯t kill her, please..¡± Watching Zadok beg brought a bitter taste to my mouth.


    I felt my wolf whimper at the sight of him struggling to get out of that darned enchanted circle.


    Shilhi did a perfect work. After sessfully capturing us, the first thing she did was to ce a spell that hindered us from transforming into our wolves.


    My wolf, Adira, was reduced to a figment of my imagination. I could not feel her anymore. The only thing I felt was the bond between Zdok¡¯s wolf that reminded me that she was still alive, somewhere.


    ¡°For someone who is going to die soon, you sure have a lot of requests.¡± Shilhi hissed and continued her assault on me.


    Before me,id all sorts of weapons. Knives of various kinds, spears and even poisonous herbs. Shilhi took her precious time informing us of the things she had prepared to ensure Zadok had a spectacr time watching.


    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have any more spots in your body, I think it¡¯s time we moved to the herbal side of things.¡± She said, picking up some dark green leaves. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do with this.¡±


    I didn¡¯t raise my head. I felt like if I moved even a little bit, the knife in my back would kill me. It was that close to my heart.


    Shilhi didn¡¯t care. She forced my head up and I felt the knife slice through my heart.


    ¡°Arggghhhhh!¡± I screamed, feeling my heart bleed within me.


    ¡°Aww. Did that hurt?¡± Shilhi said in a mock concerned tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did it scratch your heart?¡±


    I bit my lips, unable to bear the pain that flowed through my system. Every breath I took led me closer to my death. The pain in my chest made the others feel non-existent.


    I was dying. I could feel it. And so did Zadok.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± I heard the far cry of Zadok, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare give up on me, Ithra.¡± He warned, ¡°Don¡¯t give up on us¡­¡± His voice broke at the end of his statement.


    I wanted to tell him I had no ns of giving up on him. I wanted so badly to assure him I would fight, but that would be a lie. My body was shutting down and I could feel it.


    ¡°Where were we?¡± Shilhi returned, holding leaves in her hands. ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight.¡± She announced, sounding sad. ¡°Despite how much I would have loved to hang out with you guys and drag this out, I¡¯m eager to meet myrades so this would be yourst treat before I finish you off.¡±


    I raised my head and the knife in my back scratched my heart further, causing me to cough out blood. ¡°You will pay for this.¡± I spat. ¡°I promise you will not-¡±


    Shilhi forced the leaves into my mouth, roughly shoving them down my throat. Due to the force exerted, the knife at my back sliced another part of my heart. My eyes widened, and blood dripped in ce of tears.


    A loud growl made its way to my ears. That was Zadok. ¡°Mate!¡± I heard him say, and at that moment, I realised it was not Zadok.


    Zadok has taken a bow out, and Kir was at the forefront. I forced myself to look at him and his eyes were horrified, and a deeper shade of brown.


    I knew those brown eyes. They belonged to a certain wolf I was very fond of. Kir. However, gone was the light that used to be in it. Kir exuded a darkness that I had never seen before.


    ¡°I see the Alpha has made an appearance!¡± Shilhi said,ughing to herself. ¡°I was getting worried I was not using the right technique. You are highly wee, Alpha Kir. Such a pleasant surprise.¡±


    ¡°Leave her. Leave mate.¡± His words were straight to the point.


    Despite talking through Zadok¡¯s body, Kir¡¯s voice remained unrivalled. Hard, and packing an absolutemand.


    Shilhi ced her fingers on her jaw, sporting a thinking gesture. Two secondster, she replied. ¡°How about, No.¡± She walked towards Zadok, standing a few feet away from the enchanted circle. ¡°You¡¯ve been a very bad wolf, Kir. You killed every single one of my kind you couldy your hands on. It¡¯s only fair I returned the favour, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Before Zadok could answer, Shilhi gasped. ¡°It¡¯s time!¡±


    I felt my body react to the poison, and my eyes, nose and ears bled.


    ¡°No¡­¡± I muttered,Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Shilhi looked at the sky and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for this moment for so long.¡± She turned around and started chanting some words, with her eyes focused on me.


    I felt my body swell with power. Suddenly, strength came upon me, so much that I knew what to do with it. In that might, I cut the ropes that bound me, ready to attack Shilhi when a circle appeared around me ¨C hindering me from moving forward.


    ¡°Not so fast, hunny.¡± Shilhi snapped and continued her chants.


    The moon shone more brighter than ever and I felt the powers paralysing me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked in fear, watching half of my body reduce to a paralytic state.


    ¡°You may not know what powers you have within you. But I do,¡± She cackled. ¡°Since you have no use for them anyway, I¡¯ll just borrow them for this night.¡±


    ¡°Rise!¡± She called in a loud voice, and suddenly, a wind blew around us and the dust rose to the air.


    I watched in shock as the dust formed living bodies in their thousands ¨C more than I have ever seen.


    ¡°Kill him!¡± She ordered and some of the rogue wolves headed for Zadok who was lying on the floor, a few inches from the circle, weak and clutching his heart with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed with power and a protective shield formed Zadok.


    Shilhi turned furious. With one nce, the shield shattered, leaving Zadok open to harm. ¡°Leave him alone!¡± I screamed, a bright light shot out of me and the rogues around him fell to the ground, reducing to a pile of dust.


    Immediately, I realised something. They weren¡¯t real. The rogues around her were not alive. They were just walking dead. Just like the ones she nned to raise, and use our blood to give them life.


    Shilhi saw the understanding look in my eyes and immediately focused her attacks on me. ¡°Die!¡± She said, and I felt my heart weaken.


    I followed my instinct, and channeled the power within me, shooting them like arrows. Shilhi dodged them with ease. Frustrating me the more.


    ¡°The more you use your power, the weaker you be,¡± She taunted. ¡°Just die!¡±


    A ck sword came from her body and pierced my heart. I suddenly felt weaker than I started. I couldn¡¯t keep this up. I looked around me and saw the army rising, as the dust formed them in multitude.


    ¡°Give up. It¡¯s over.¡±


    I breathed heavily, examining the situation. If I decided to kill the army, I would die in the process, I didn¡¯t have enough strength within me.


    However, if I killed Shilhi, her army would go down with her. But how do I kill the soul of Sarai? There was no assurance that she would be gone forever if I destroyed her host body.


    ¡°I will not only kill you, I will shatter your heart to a tiny million pieces, you¡¯ll never have the opportunity to return ever again.¡± She threatened, pushing the knife into my heart.


    That¡¯s it. Her heart.


    I gathered every life force within me, as I prepared for my one final shot. If I missed, then we were doomed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked, wary of me.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t have breath to waste. My eyes shone a bright red colour and my hair rose in mes.


    ¡°Die,¡± I muttered and shot out every atom of power inside me directly to her heart. ¡°You wanted my power?¡± I smirked, ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°No! Ithra! You will kill yourself!¡± I heard Zadok say from his circle but I didn¡¯t care.


    I was ready to die if it meant putting an end to this madness.

 I love you, Zadok.

    ZADOK


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± I muttered under my breath, very close to the circle.


    Ithra seemed determined to kill herself. I felt our mate bond shrink as she poured out her life essence.


    ¡°Stop her!¡± Kir said in a frantic voice. ¡°She is going to kill herself!¡±


    I struggled to cross the line, pushing through the invisible barrier that weakened me, all to no avail. If only I could disrupt the circle, maybe I would be able to get through.


    ¡°No more..¡± Shilhi said, falling to her knees. But Ithra didn¡¯t relent.


    Whatever Ithra was doing, it was working. When the rogues saw that Shilhi was falling, they attacked Ithra.


    Their attempts were useless because Ithra sensed them a few seconds away and directed her wrath on them, leaving Shilhi some breathing space.


    The rogues were reduced to a pile of dust, and before Ithra could focus on Shilhi, she beat her to it and sent her down with a bout of dark light.


    Shilhiughed, seeming powerful. ¡°Stupid, stupid girl.¡± She tutted, sending another powerful bout of power towards Ithra, causing her to fall. ¡°Did you think you can kill me?¡± She approached her and caught her by the hair. ¡°You just made me a lot more stronger than you are, bitch!¡±


    Ithra was thrown to the floor by a furious Shilhi, who immediately conjured a circle simr to mine, caging Ithra inside. ¡°That should hold you.¡± She muttered and faced the open ground.


    ¡°Iktarrni pakhi tar!¡± She roared, lifting her hands to the sky, as she chanted. ¡°Ancient witches! The time hase! Rise!¡±


    The atmosphere around us changed, and fog rose to the sky, forming a ck gate.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes!¡± Shilhi eximed, then said to the rogues behind her. ¡°Quick! Use the knife! Kill her!¡± She instructed.


    Controlled by her order, a rogue picked up a knife in the armouries and headed straight for Ithra. ¡°Strike it directly to her heart! We need her blood flowing! Now!¡±


    Before the rogue got to her, he was stopped by Shilhi. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± She said and faced Ithra with a stretched-out arm. ¡°Die.¡±


    Ithra fell as soon as the light from Shilhi hit her. Blood leaked from every part of her body and I felt her life force weaken. Ithra¡¯s blood flowed into my circle and I felt my body convulse.


    What was going on?


    ¡°Yes! Open the gates of the underworld! Here is your sacrifice!¡± Shilhi said, and I felt like my body was on fire.


    The gates opened and like magic, dark shadows trooped out, standing in a straight line. As time proceeded, I felt weak ¨C weaker than ever.


    Ithra raised her head, looking deranged, ¡°No..¡± She muttered and forced her way up. Our eyes connected and she shot me a defeated smile.


    Her eyes traced my circle, and slowly, a breeze from nowhere started blowing the chalk. The effects were instant. I felt my wolf¡¯s presence ¨C though it was subtle, but it was there.


    My eyes shot back at Ithra, and she blinked. She was the one doing this! She was trying to help me. I shook my head. She should be preserving her energy for crying out loud!


    ¡°Yes! More! Come out! It¡¯s time to take our revenge!¡± Shilhi eximed with a grin, focused on the scene before her.


    ¡°I love you, Zadok.¡± A voice fluttered into my headspace.


    Ithra. How did she? I looked at her, my eyes begging. Just a little bit more time and I would be free to end this madness.


    ¡°Just hold on,¡± I said through my mind link, I knew she could hear me. ¡°Just hold on, Amore. I will end this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that,¡± Her voice choked, ¡°You¡¯ve done enough for me. Let me do this for you.¡±! Her eyes connected to mine. ¡°Please don¡¯t forget me.¡±


    I looked at the circle that held me. Just a little more and I will be free. I had no idea what she was thinking but I knew it wasn¡¯t good. I needed to stop her before she did something worse.


    Suddenly, Ithra a st of light from Ithra hit Shilhi, taking her off guard.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Still haven¡¯t given up?¡± Shilhi said as she turned around, ¡°Are you really in a haste to die?¡±


    Ithra remained silent. Focused on whatever madness she was doing. I couldn¡¯t feel our bond anymore. I was losing sight of her and, my wolf was losing his mind.


    ¡°You must be stupid to give me more of your powers. Are you trying to kill yourself?¡± Shilhi said. Her voice thundered, as the power lifted her off her feet.


    ¡°Is there any need of living?¡± Ithra responded, gritting her teeth. ¡°I will die either way.¡±


    ¡°That has got to be the smartest thing you¡¯ve said so far. You are right! There¡¯s no need to die with your powers when you can hand them over to my capable hands. I¡¯ll do you a favour, and take it all!¡± Sheughed, ¡°I have an army to raise after all.¡±


    Ithra was pushed back by a force from Shilhi, who took her powers with delight. Ithra was losing strength, and life, everything about her dimmed, the more Shilhi took, till there was nothing left.


    ¡°Thank you so much for the tip.¡± Shilhi mocked with a cackle. ¡°Have fun in hell.¡±


    Ithra fell to the ground, weak to the core. She managed a weak smile and said, ¡°Oh I will. Knowing you are no longer in existence will keep me happy for all eternity.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about.¡±


    ¡°You wanted my powers. Now you have them.¡± She coughed. ¡°Lipha cardo len till.¡± She muttered and Shilhi¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°You.. who taught you that?¡± She said, fighting the light that gathered from every part of her body and centralized in her heart.


    ¡°I am an ancient witch. It¡¯s only right I learn some spells, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Immediately the words went out her lips, and Shilhi¡¯s heartbusted to a thousand pieces, shaking the dark forest. I watched in shock as everything disappeared, the shadows, the gates, the fog, everything. Including Ithra.


    ¡°No!¡± I jumped out of the circle, realising I was free. I anxiously ran to the spot where she was ¨C touching the floor. There were no signs of her. She disappeared. Leaving me with the rogues that surrounded me.


    ¡°Alpha!¡± I heard the voice of Azriel, running through the forest, and ying rogues in their thousands.


    I couldn¡¯t feel it. I couldn¡¯t feel the bond anymore.


    I fell to the floor and Kir let out a loud and grievous howl, copsing in the middle of the fight. At that moment, I was weaker than ever. I watched as Azriel, Athaliah and other warriors fight. I couldn¡¯t believe it. She was gone.


    Pain shot through me and my eyes turned ck. Kir took over, raining carnage in the forest, till the dead bodies of the rogues littered the forest.


    ¡°We must find our mate.¡± He said, losing his mind. ¡°We must find our mate and protect her!¡±


    How do you exin to a wolf that his other half was dead?

 How dare you?

    ZADOK


    It¡¯s been three years since I saw her.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    And three years since I heard from my wolf.


    Three years of searching the dark forest with my warriors for any sign of Ithra.


    Everyone thought I was crazy, Some believed I had lost my senses in the dark forest ¨C including my beta.


    ¡°The men returned not too long ago,¡± Azriel informed me in my office. ¡°We lost arge number of wolves in the Cold Valley.¡± He said with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Did they find her?¡± I asked the question I¡¯ve asked for the past three years. ¡°Did they find any trace of my mate?¡±


    ¡°No sir.¡± Azriel answered, ¡°There were no reports of seeing or spotting anything out of the ordinary.¡±


    ¡°Prepare another batch,¡± I ordered in a dismissive tone. ¡°By tomorrow, let them return to the dark forest.¡±


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Azriel said, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°I said send another search party!¡± My eyes zed. ¡°Send another batch of warriors, more fiercer than thest. They must not return without valuable news of the Luna.¡±


    A frustrated sound left the mouth of Azriel. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time you get over this? People are dying!¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t care!¡± I yelled, getting up from my seat. ¡°Tell me, Azriel. Whose life is more important, your Luna or her subjects?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Azriel asked with a shocked look on his face. ¡°Who are you and what have you done to the Alpha that loved and protected his people?¡±


    I held my breath, refusing to let my anger get the best of me. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think Azriel. I want results, and I want it now.¡±


    ¡°Ithra is dead.¡±


    I felt the world around me still at his words.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked in a dangerously low tone.


    ¡°You heard me, Alpha. I mean no disrespect but It¡¯s high time you mourned your loss and get back to being the Alpha we love and respect-¡±


    I shut his mouth with a powerful punch that made him spit blood.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± My voice was low, dangerous and threatening.


    ¡°I refuse to clean up your messes, Zadok. It¡¯s been three years. I will not keep sending people to their deaths because you refused to ept reality. I refuse to endanger my warriors.¡±


    ¡°And what gives you the right to call the shots?¡±


    ¡°I am the beta of this pack, Zadok. If you will not listen to me or hear my counsel, then it¡¯s time you sought a new second inmand. Because I¡¯m done taking your shit!¡±


    For some insane reason, I couldn¡¯t speak. Tongue-tied, I watched Azriel clean his bloodied lips and make thest word.


    ¡°You will put yourself in order, mourn your loss, and heal. I¡¯m done trying to bnce this shit.¡±


    Azriel walked away, leaving me with my thoughts. I walked to the side of the room and poured myself some alcohol.


    This has been my mechanism for shutting out the noise since I returned without her ¨C since I stopped hearing from Kir altogether.


    I wondered if I deserved this punishment. I¡¯ve searched for Ithra for the past three years, in which I spent my time wondering if I deserved this pain.


    No matter how hard I thought about it, no pain on earth could bepared to this. No crime on earth should warrant such a sentence.


    Sometimes, I cursed the day I met her. The day I fell in love with her and when I found out she was my mate. Because some sick part of my mind thought I would have been better if I didn¡¯t meet her.


    I wouldn¡¯t grow to love her, to feel her absence, or the gaping hole in my heart. You can¡¯t miss what you never had. If she remained a figment of my imagination, I might move on, forcing myself to believe that the woman I choose to be my mate in her stead would be way better than she could ever be.


    However, having met her, I knew no woman couldpare to Ithra. There was no female better, or perfectly crafted for me.


    Choosing the bestdy wouldn¡¯t cut it. It would be the biggest downgrade in the history of werewolves and mates.


    Azriel¡¯s words returned to my consciousness. I knew I was falling behind. Hell, the entire werewolf race and rogues thought something was off with the Alpha of the BloodHound Pack.


    That exined why my territory has faced more attacks than usual these past three years. I didn¡¯t hesitate to correct the impression whenever I was blessed with the opportunity to deal with anyone stupid enough to get caught in my territory.


    Other than the asional reminder of the terrible things I was made of, I knew the people were murmuring. Gone was the wonderful and thrivingmunity that the Blood Hound pack boasted of.


    Everyone minded their business these days, only doing as they were told. No one wanted to get on the bad side of the Alpha. Who would have thought that a day woulde when I would be the terror of my people?


    Indeed, If you live long enough, many things be possible.


    Every day, I mourned the death of every warrior wolf that died, trying to get my mate back to where she belongs ¨C ruling by my side. And every day, I die when I receive the news stating she was yet to be found.


    Every day I eyed the portal that led to the dark forest, created by Shilhi, or rather Sarai, to aid her effortlessly travel to the dark forest.


    Thankfully, she left the portal open, believing she would return with her army of resurrected allies. Sarai¡¯s unforeseen end in the dark forest led to the possibility of Ithra returning to my side.


    For years, people asked why I was sending my men to die for someone who might be dead. They wondered why I refused to let it go. In those moments I wished I could return to the dark forest for a second run and find my luna myself.


    Unfortunately, the dark forest refused to grant me a second chance.


    To my people, I became a terror. Selfish, and to some deranged. No one could understand why I was hell-bent on sending people to a forest as dangerous as the dark forest. And that for a woman that was probably dead.


    They didn¡¯t know. They didn¡¯t know I could still feel the faint presence of our bond within me.


    They didn¡¯t know that despite how little and almost insignificant it was, It gave me hope. That maybe, just maybe I wasn¡¯t cursed, and my mate was still out there.


    Alive.

 Good to see you alive.

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    I headed back to the training ground sporting a bruised lip.


    Odd looks were thrown my way as I passed members of the pack, but no one was bold enough to ask what went wrong.


    These days, everyone was a shadow of themselves ¨C trying to hide from my sight with hopes that they wouldn¡¯t be the next to die.


    I missed the days when I was looked upon with love and reverence as a protector and beta of the pack.


    Now, I was seen as an angel of death ¨C Picking up wolves from their families and sending them to their deaths ¨C just like I was about to do with the next batch of wolves I¡¯d been asked to send.


    I arrived at the training ground and didn¡¯t miss that we had reduced drastically. I¡¯ve lost count of the warriors we have lost to this cause.


    The number of people returned a shadow of themselves after being lucky enough to cross the darned portal and return alive.


    ¡°Beta.¡± One of my trusted aides said with a bow.


    ¡°Rally the warriors.¡± I ordered with gritted teeth, ¡°We need to send another set of people for the search tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Beta.¡± He said and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, walked away to carry out my instructions.


    I didn¡¯t miss the murmuring that ensued as he called them together. They knew what was about to happen. They had seen it happen for the past three years since I returned.


    ¡°Silence,¡± I said, and normalcy returned. They were scared. I could taste their fear on my lips. No one wanted to go to the dark forest ¨C Not after seeing what it had done to the Alpha, the pack, and me.


    But there was no avoiding it. Until I restored the sanity of Zadok, we would keep paying the price.


    I pointed at six men who had been training for the past year. ¡°Prepare with your family. Tomorrow, you will go through the portal to search for the Luna.¡± I ordered, turned around, and went out of the training ground.


    No matter how much I did this, It never got easier. The broken look on their faces knowing they might not return from the journey but having no choice.


    The life of a Blood Hound Warrior.


    My heart skipped a bit when a familiar scent wafted into my nostrils. Athaliah. I knew it was only a matter of time before I encountered her. I just didn¡¯t think it would be this early.


    After she rejected me so cruelly, she went further with her ns to be the Luna ¨C but met a shocking reality when the Alpha suddenly went missing with Ithra.


    I remembered feeling happy when I found out he was gone and making ns to ask her again until the rogue¡¯s invasion. I learned never to be emotionally dependent the hard way.


    One mistake. One moment of losing focus nearly cost me the entire BloodHound pack. When we realised that the Alpha was missing with Ithra, the first thing we believed was that the witch had done something terrible as expected.


    So when Shilhi fed into that narrative, it was easy to believe she had taken Zadok when our guards were down. Shilhi had promised to find a way to pinpoint Zadok¡¯s location using his essence and demanded time to do that.


    Stupidly, I fell for her tricks and continued chasing after Athaliah, while fighting off the increasing rogue¡¯s attack and keeping the news of the alpha¡¯s disappearance a secret.


    Everything backfired, and I will forever regret trusting Shilhi and letting Athaliah get the most out of my time. Who would have thought that the same person who was supposed to be a part of the pack, was the mastermind behind the disappearance?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I knew something was wrong when I caught Shilhi talking to a bottle, and speaking of the progress the Alpha and Ithra were making in the dark forest.


    I was toote. Before I could dig into the matter, she usurped power by conjuring a powerful rogue attack, that left me and the BloodHound pack in shambles. I was imprisoned with Athaliah, while the pack was under the rulership of Shilhi.


    We watched her prepare the portal of the dark forest while she told us how long her n had beening, and how excited she was to see it finallye together.


    When she left, we were guarded by the rogues she conjured until we were set free by the warriors whoter followed us on a journey to the dark forest to recover and save the Alpha.


    We were toote because when we stepped into the battleground, Ithra disappeared from our eyes after an explosion that rocked the entire forest. And for one year, we remained in the forest with the Alpha, searching every nook and cranny for Ithra, who he imed to be his mate.


    At the close of the year, the dark forest decided it had enough of us and spat us back into our realm, which marked the beginning of the search. A search that has eaten more than it has given. A search for our Luna ¨C the first hybrid.


    ¡°Azriel.¡± Athaliah¡¯s voice brought me out of my thoughts. ¡°You haven¡¯t aged a day since thest time-¡±


    My eyes remained on her face,mitting it to memory like I always did. I felt the familiar ache of my rejected heart and swallowed. ¡°Good to see you are alive.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She smiled, and came closer to me, speaking into my ears. ¡°I couldn¡¯t die in the dark forest, knowing my alpha was still here. Waiting to be taken as mine.¡±


    The pain of watching my mate talk so favourably of another male was inexplicable. My tongues were tied as she continued.


    ¡°The mating ceremony is in the corner. If he doesn¡¯t attend or pick a mate this time, then it would be a problem.¡± She chatted, ¡°I was worried the dark forest wouldn¡¯t spit me back on time. I am so d to be back.¡±


    People thought Athaliah was focused on finding Ithra. But I knew better. If she were lucky to find Ithra alive, she would return to the Blood Hound pack with her corpse.


    ¡°Beta Azriel! Gamma Athaliah! The Alpha is requesting your presence!¡± A warrior said in a panicked voice.


    My face grew stoic, ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, following him, with Athaliah hot on our trail.


    ¡°The portal. It disappeared!¡±

 Don’t you ever say her name in front of me.

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    It¡¯s been one week of intense sorrow and pain.


    Since the portal of the dark forest disappeared and the message from the luna was sent to the Alpha, I had not set my eyes on him.


    The atmosphere of the pack seemed like we were in mourning. Everyone moved about conspicuously, bearing the pain of our Alpha.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it myself. Over the years, despite trying to bring Zadok out of his slum by insinuating his mate was dead, a part of me felt she was still alive.


    Call it a beta¡¯s instinct, but I just had this silent resolve that the Luna couldn¡¯t be dead.


    Unlike Shilhi, whom I watched explode into a million pieces, she didn¡¯t explode. Ithra disappeared ¨C Just like they had disappeared from the pds and entered the dark forest.


    Hearing Aaron repeat what he said to me, everything in me kicked against it. I couldn¡¯t believe that my half-sister and Luna was dead.


    Acknowledging that fact in my head made a new wave of sorrow fill my heart. I couldn¡¯t understand why because we never had a cordial rtionship, and I didn¡¯t have an opportunity to confirm if truly she was my sister.


    I didn¡¯t trust anything Shilhi said, no matter how true it seemed.


    Getting up from my bed, I walked to my window, needing some fresh air when I heard a powerful howling from the Alpha¡¯s Chambers.


    I felt my heart break all over again as I heard the sorrow and pain attached to the howl. For seven nights straight, we listened to the painful howls of our Alpha wolf ¨C Kir.


    Every single time, I¡¯ve fought the urge to barge into his chambers andfort him, but I knew he¡¯d rather be alone as he came to terms with the loss of his mate.


    A pain he had refused to acknowledge until the appearance of Aaron.


    I returned to bed, dabbling with thoughts of how life would be if Ithra were not dead, and how different things would have been, had she not shown up in our territory.


    Zadok would probably be mated to the strongest she-wolf. He might havee to terms with the fact that he was cursed, while I stood in the sidelines, watching him rule with who would have been my mate.


    I knew Athaliah had the hots for him, and it was only a matter of time before he epted her advances. She was the strongest shewolf after all.


    *****


    The next morning came with an announcement to the werewolf race.


    Another mating ceremony was in the corner. I went to Zadok¡¯s office with the invitation as I had done for the past three years. Unsure of what to expect.


    Three knocks in, and I heard him order me in.


    I stepped inside the office and I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Zadok was seated in his office, looking like a shadow of himself.


    His eyes darkened, and he was as pale as a vampire. He seemed like he wrestled with the devil and barely made it out alive.


    ¡°If you are done moping, then you should get to telling me why you are here, Azriel.¡±


    His voice was groggy as he spoke, but I could tell he was trying his best not to be hostile, and doing a shitty job at it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a letter from Cole.¡± He sat up, and I handed the letter to him. ¡°He is hosting the mating ceremony this year and he specially invited you over.¡± I gritted my teeth as I remembered the asshole, ¡°I¡¯m sure he wants to confirm the rumours. This is his way of finding out if you are still as strong as he knew. Only God knows what he has nned.¡±


    Zadok didn¡¯t utter a word. He read through the invitation with a clenched jaw and dropped it on the table with a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send word back, telling him you can¡¯t make it,¡± I said, picking up the invitation,


    ¡°No.¡± Zadok surprised me with his words. His lips stretched to a closed lip smile and I was shocked. ¡°and why would you do that, Azriel? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time I attended a mating ceremony? It¡¯s been what? Three years?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. ¡°You want to attend the c-ceremony?¡± I asked, wondering who was before me.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± He said and I felt my heartbeat reduce. ¡°But since he is very curious about what is going on with me, Don¡¯t you think I should show up?¡± Zadok got to his feet, easily towering over me. ¡°I need to make a statement to those slimy Alpha¡¯s with any stupid intentions against my pack.¡± He said, ¡°I am the alpha, and it¡¯s about time I took on my responsibilities of protecting the pack, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    I swallowed, wondering what the hell happened to Zadok overnight.


    ¡°And what better ce to do that than the annual mating ceremony?¡± He asked with a smirk.


    ¡°You are going?¡± I asked. ¡°You are going to attend the mating ceremony?¡±


    His silence confirmed my words. And with the firmness of his stance, I knew there was no talking him out of it. His mind was made up.


    ¡°They might think you want a mate.¡± I blurted out and mentally pped myself after the words were out.


    ¡°Who knows,¡± He shrugged, ¡°I might pick a mate while at it. I need a Luna after all.¡±


    I heard the bite in his voice when he said the word luna. He was still hurt. And was doing a terrible job hiding it.


    ¡°Do you think we should visit the Celts n?¡± I asked the thought that boiled in my heart since the portal disappeared.


    Zadok¡¯s face grew grim, ¡°And why would we do that, Azriel?¡±


    It was a miracle he hadn¡¯t chopped off my head. I took it as a green light to continue. ¡°Shilhi made the first portal. And from what we know, the ancient n is the Celts n. Maybe we can get them to create a portal like the one she created, to assess the dark forest.¡±


    Silence. The silence in the room felt nauseating.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And? What happens if they create the portal?¡± Zadok growled, ¡°Of what use is the portal to us?¡±


    ¡°Alpha. I understand you are hurt by Ithra¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± He cut me off with zing eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say her name in front of me, do you understand that?¡±


    I wanted to speak but I decided against it. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    It was stupid to bring up his hope again when there was nothing concrete that proved she was still alive ¨C Except the killer instinct that pressed in my heart.


    ¡°Good. Rally the people. It¡¯s about time I addressed their concerns.¡±

 What’s wrong with the Alpha?

    ZADOK


    I wore my dress shirt as I prepared to address my people.


    It¡¯s been three years since I returned. I never reached out to my people or attempted to associate with them.


    Today was the end. The end of my string of wickedness to my people and the start of a new dawn in the Blood Hound pack.


    For seven days, I let myself mourn like I should have been for the past three years. I let out all the pains locked in my heart and sought for myself like a pin in a haystack.


    Hearing the message from Ithra was the wake-up call I didn¡¯t think I needed. I didn¡¯t realise how much I had disappointed myself, my people, and Ithra with my actions over the past few years.


    I was selfish. Blinded by my pain, I ignored the suffering of everyone else. I had lost my mate and instead of taking it like the strong wolf I was supposed to be, I sent others to their death with a ridiculous mission to find someone who was dead.


    My heart hurt not only for her death, but for what her death made me, and what it cost my people. The worst part of it was that I had ignored my wolf.


    For a long time, I believed Kir left me alone as a result of her death. I thought I lost him because I had lost his mate by my careless actions, but during my week of self-reflection, agony, and pain, I realised I was wrong.


    Kir never left me. It was the other way around. Unknown to me, I had unconsciously shut him out of my life, so much so that he couldn¡¯t reach out to me anymore. I had unintentionally put up an imprable wall between us as I mourned the loss of Ithra.


    I abandoned him when he needed me the most. I abandoned him, forgetting that I wasn¡¯t the only one who lost a mate.


    Thankfully, I was able to settle it with him in the past few days. For the first time in three years, I let him have the power, and while I grieved, I let him grieve too.


    As a result of being so out of sync, I was still having a tough time developing our rtionship to what it used to be. He still hadn¡¯t said a word to me, but unlike before, I could feel his presence.


    I wondered if we were ever going to get through this, and a part of me worried if I was ever going to hear his voice again.


    I shook off the dark cloud around me, forcing my mind out of the murky waters. I couldn¡¯t continue with these self-deprecating thoughts. I had a people to rule, who were awaiting my presence.


    It was time I ced the needs of my people first. And to do that, I needed to get clean with them.


    ******


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Azriel said with a bow, and I nodded in approval. ¡°The people are in the training ground, awaiting your presence.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Azriel.¡± I said, ¡°You¡¯ve done an amazing job and I¡¯m d I chose you to be my beta.¡±


    Azriel appeared short for words. I didn¡¯t me him. I wasn¡¯t in the habit ofplimenting people. especially him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He finally spoke and without a word, led me to the podium, where my people were gathered below.


    I climbed the podium, and with one look, I realised just how few we had be. We used to count thousands and thousands of people in the Blood Hound pack, but now, we were but a few hundred.


    The stench of fear filled the air as soon as I climbed the podium. The revered looks that were once on their face whenever they looked at me were reduced to hollow and lean looks.


    My people had be a shadow of themselves and it was all thanks to me. There and then, I came full circle and my heart broke in half.


    I fell to my knees, holding my heart and sounds of shocked gasps filled the air. I could feel concern ooze from the people, and immediately, I felt their emotions and thoughts flood my mind.


    ¡°What is wrong with the alpha?¡±


    ¡°Someone help him!¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look too good, he¡¯s lost a bit of weight.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, he must be in terrible shape from the death of our Luna!¡±


    These and many more concealed thoughts flooded into my head, and my heart squeezed in pain.


    Despite the horrors I put them through, taking their males to fight for a lost cause, they still cared about me.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    That realisation was my undoing. I bowed my head, and in front of my people, I cried till I couldn¡¯t anymore.


    Azriel appeared by my side in seconds, kneeling by my side, and patting my back in solidarity.


    His act only squeezed my heart further and I cried even harder ¨C unashamed of my public show of weakness.


    One after the other, my people got on their knees, and together we cried, mourning our loss ¨C The loss of my mate, and their luna.


    After several minutes, I got on my feet, and my heart was relieved. I felt full of love from my people, and at that moment, Kir came forward, taking fifty per cent control, as he watched his people, kneel in solidarity with him.


    ¡°Rise.¡± He said in my mind, and while I was still reeling from the shock of hearing him speak, I watched as the people rose from their knees, with their heads bowed.


    Then I realised he used the mind link to talk to the entire wolves of Blood Hound pack. Suddenly I understood why I could now hear their thoughts and feel their emotions.


    I had shut off the pack¡¯smunal mind unknown to me, during my years of agony.


    ¡°Alpha Kir.¡± They chorused in unison, and I felt a power, more than ever before consume my being.


    A wave of Alpha power filled the air and my people returned to their knees, suppressed by the sheer power that flowed from me.


    I made to reduce the hardness of it all, but Kir beat me to it. Within seconds, the suppressing power in the air was reced byfort.


    Kir was using his alpha aura tofort the people!

 To a new beginning!

    ZADOK


    I watched the people enjoy thefort that my wolf sted into the air. It was one of the best feelings in the world.


    The atmosphere changed and long after Kir retreated from the forefront of my being, his presence was felt among us.


    I cleared my throat and began my speech when they settled down. ¡°For the past three years, I have failed you.¡± I started, and they kicked against it.


    ¡°No, Alpha!¡± One of the werewolves spoke to my surprise, ¡°We failed you! We failed to understand what pain you were going through and stand with you through it all.¡±


    Choruses of yes filled the air, hindering me from talking. When Azriel noticed the situation, he silenced the people, and the peace returned.


    ¡°I know I have failed at performing my duties as you Alpha in the past three years.¡± I started. ¡°There are no excuses for my selfish, wicked and terrible acts towards you.¡± I looked around my people and swallowed the pain that I felt. ¡°For the longest time, I believed I was the only one hurting. And for the selfish reason of refusing to ept the death of my mate, I sent your mates, and warriors on a terrible journey to the dark forest. Killing and endangering their lives for no just cause.¡±


    I bowed my head. ¡°For this, I am eternally sorry.¡±


    There was silence. Just silence. I took it as a queue to continue.


    ¡°In these few years, not only was I a killer to my people, but I relegated my duty as alpha, cing all the responsibilities on my beta, and continually putting him in situations where he has to be the one in front to face your fury, and pain.¡±


    ¡°I was reprobate to your cries, needs and pain. I violently shut everyone out, too consumed in my pain to care about that of others, including my wolf, Kir.¡± My lips shook as I tendered the apology. ¡°For this and the many others I have failed to list, for three years of darkness in the BloodHound pack, singlehandedly championed by me, I am truly, and deeply sorry. I promise to turn a new leaf and do better in the future.¡±


    I bowed my head, feeling shame course through me. I didn¡¯t deserve to be their alpha ¨C especially not after what I¡¯ve done.


    ¡°You are more than deserving to be our Alpha.¡± That was Azriel. He held my shoulder strongly, and I realised my thoughts weren¡¯t privy to me.


    The entire pack had heard the thoughts that ran through my head, and most likely felt my emotions like I did theirs.


    ¡°For three years, we have been mourning the demise of our Luna, whom we treated with scorn and hate during her short time with us. If she could sacrifice her life to save ours, three years is not enough for us to mourn the gem you have lost. Even if it takes forever, we will dly go through it, because we owe her our lives and nothing is too much a sacrifice for our Luna.¡±


    I saw my people stand in solidarity with Azriel, and I was shocked by the power of their love and respect towards not just me, but my mate.


    How on earth did Ind such good fortune?


    ¡°If you are done with your drama, assure the people, there will be a change moving forward, Human.¡± Kir breathed in my mind and the tears I fought to keep hidden spilled down my cheeks.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would talk to me ever again,¡± I said to him, sobbing.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to do that, It¡¯s hard seeing we are more or less the same person.¡± He reminded in a light tone. ¡°Ignoring you is the same as ignoring myself, human. No matter how much I hate it, that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    I nodded my head, smiling through the tears. That¡¯s the truth.


    I raised my head, unashamed of my tears, and spoke the words without a sense of doubt. ¡°I promise to be better. To serve you better and bring back the glory we are known for.¡±


    Pleased with my words, the crowd roared in cheers, filled with faith in me. With the howls of joy that proceeded from the bloodhound pack, I felt strengthe into my body and let out a powerful howl backed up by the howls of the pack members.


    It was then I saw it. The break in the clouds. A sign of a new era, and a new beginning of the Blood Hound pack. One I was ready to build using every drop of my blood.


    ******


    Dinner was a celebration of a new bloodhound pack.


    After our littlemunity meeting in the early hours of the day, I dered the evening a feast with my people, celebrating the new dawn and fresh start of the Blood Hound pack.


    Although we weren¡¯t as much as we used to be, it was still a joyous and sessful event. I watched my people eat, dance and chat to their heart¡¯s content. It was a beautiful sight to see.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± Azriel poured me a drink and I took it. ¡°The people are happy to have you back. You should make a toast.¡± He suggested.


    I nodded my head and noticed he was missing a ss. ¡°Where is your drink?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t drink. I am on duty tonight.¡± He answered with a shrug.


    My head tilted to the side, ¡°Last time I checked, you assigned people to guard the territory, and oversee them.¡± I said, ¡°One ss won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Azriel shook his head, ¡°Thest time I got distracted, you were missing the next morning.¡± He tapped my shoulder. ¡°Enjoy yourself while I do my job.¡± He said and without waiting for another word, walked away.


    My eyes remained on him till he was out of sight. I could tell he carried much burden ¨C More so since I returned. There was more to Azriel than meets the eye and I was determined to find out what went wrong while I was away.


    I got up and naturally, their eyes drifted towards me. I raised my ss. ¡°To a new beginning!¡±


    The people raised their sses, ¡°To a new beginning!¡±

 And why is that a surprise to you, human?

    ZADOK


    ¡°Alpha Cole sent in another letter,¡± Azriel said, closing the doors behind him. ¡°He is requesting a response on whether you would honour his invitation.¡±


    He sat in front of me, ¡°What do we do?¡±


    I smiled in my seat. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Azriel this stressed about something, or perhaps I was too self-absorbed to care these past few years. ¡°Come in, Azriel. I didn¡¯t realise you¡¯ve been knocking that long.¡± I joked and he rolled his eyes.


    ¡°You knew I wasing, so cut it out,¡± He said in defence. ¡°What do we do about it?¡± He said, gesturing to the letter.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t negate the fact that you intruded on my privacy, Azriel.¡± I deadpanned, and he let out a frustrated sigh, ¡°I could be wanking for crying out loud.¡±


    Azriel raised his hands in surrender, and said in a dramatic tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? Please. I will make sure to knock the next time Ie into your office.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I rxed on my chair, ¡°What is that idiot trying to achieve with this? Is there some other reason he wants me there other than to check on my welfare?¡± I asked on a serious note.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Azriel leaned forward and spoke in a lower tone. ¡°From my findings, you are not the only alpha getting these letters.¡±


    My attention piqued, ¡°That¡¯s interesting. How many others are getting harrassed by Cole?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else.¡± He said and I felt confused. ¡°Alpha Cole seems to have something up his sleeve with this year¡¯s mating ceremony. Word on the streets is that he has a special announcement.¡±


    ¡°And did you find anything outside the contrary from his side?¡±


    Azriel shook his head, ¡°So far, his pack is the same old. Nothing serious has happened since he was here for the ceremony. Beats me what the special announcement would be.¡±


    ¡°Then what would be his motive?¡± I thought aloud, ¡°Why is he hell-bent on gathering the Alpha¡¯s in his pack? I doubt he has any worthwhile announcement to make, so that¡¯s outside the point.¡±


    ¡°I wonder the same. I have tried to reach to my allies, but the feedback is nothing out of the ordinary.¡±


    I let out a deep breath, my brain working at optimal speed. ¡°I guess I will have to find out at the ceremony.¡±


    Azriel kicked against it. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. Before we make any rash decisions, we need to find out everything we can about Alpha Cole to avoid walking into a trap.¡±


    I nodded my head. ¡°I agree. That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving you with the task of finding out if there are any concerns. I¡¯m certain Alpha¡¯s harrassed by Cole would be doing the same.¡± I smirked, ¡°As much as I need to be careful, I don¡¯t think he can do anything stupid with all of us present. And in retrospect, I need all the Alpha¡¯s present if I want to make a statement. So it¡¯s a win-win.¡±


    Azriel nodded and stood, ¡°That means I better get to work. The ceremony is a few weeks away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare my tux,¡± I said as a joke, and he left my office, leaving me to my duties.


    *******


    The mating ceremony was a week away.


    Early this morning, Azriel came to seek permission to inform the people of my presence in this year¡¯s annual mating ceremony.


    Despite his extended investigation into the reason for Cole¡¯s invitation. He didn¡¯te up with anything that hindered me from attending the event.


    You would think it would make him more rxed about my appearance at the event, but it made him twice as anxious. It was amusing to see him act so concerned about me.


    I needed to remind him I was capable enough to handle myself.


    ¡°Alpha Cole has left no stone unturned with his letters. This is outright harassment. Why is he so bothered about youring?¡± He aired his frustrations, ¡°One would think he was finding his mate in this ceremony. He didn¡¯t cause such an uproar when he found his mate thest time.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he has decided to pick a Luna.¡± I supplied. ¡°Cole throws a good party, and at this point, I¡¯d hate to miss a first-hand view of what the ruckus is about.¡±


    ¡°Is that your way of telling me to inform him of your presence?¡± Azriel deadpanned.


    He knew me so well. ¡°Put thed out of his misery and tell him I wille to his party, okay?¡± I said, amused at Azriel¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get to ensuring you are safe during the event.¡± He murmured, walking away.


    I huffed and got back to my job.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Later that evening, I stood before my people, who waited for the announcement. They all knew the mating ceremony was at hand, and I could sense the tension in the air.


    Usually, when a mating ceremony was close, the unmated wolves went the extra mile to prepare themselves in case of meeting their mate. Meanwhile, the mated wolves busied themselves with the celebration of their anniversary.


    It was such a joyous asion, you could feel it in the air. However, for some reason, my people shied away from expressing their joy and anticipation for the event.


    ¡°And why is that a surprise to you, Human?¡± Kir interrupted my thoughts with his less-than-human remarks.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, trying not to sound snide.


    ¡°They are concerned about you! Read the room, dummy! Even a wolf could understand that.¡±


    Okay. That was offensive.


    ¡°What are you trying ¨C ow!¡± My eyes opened as I finally got the hang of what he meant.


    ¡°But¡­ no,¡± I said, my tone understanding. ¡°We already moved past that. I don¡¯t need them hiding their joy because I lost a mate. That¡¯s just unfair.¡± I said, hating that they thought to hide their excitement for the mating ceremony because of me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± Kir huffed, retreating to the bottom of my mind, ¡°Tell them.¡±


    And I did just that.

 I present to you, Calla.

    ZADOK


    I was thest to leave my pack.


    It was finally the mating ceremony and werewolves from the world arrived at the Moon pack for the event.


    Werewolves from my pack were not exempted from the fun. As the Alpha, I ensured that the members interested in the event were taken there on time and granted adequate security, just in case Cole tried anything funny.


    I knew the ce would be packed, and there was hardly any wolf he could be targetting but my people were precious to me. After ascertaining their safe arrival, I prepared myself for the event.


    Wearing a ck tux, I was ready to attend the darned event. I took a long look at my reflection in the mirror andmended myself for a job well done.


    My hair wasid back, my eyebrows trimmed, alongside my beard and other bodily hairs. I looked like a snack if I said so myself.


    My thoughts were interrupted by knocks that came from my front door. I didn¡¯t need a soothsayer to know who was behind it.


    I opened the door and an unprepared Azriel walked into my room with a smirk on his lips. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you have some hidden agenda up your sleeves.¡±


    I sported an eye-roll, ¡°What are you putting on?¡± I asked, gesturing to his assemble.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Clothes?¡± He said, keeping up that stupid smirk of his.


    ¡°Is this some kind of joke? Because it isn¡¯t funny.¡± I started with a bored look. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dressed for the asion?¡±


    ¡°What asion?¡± Azriel asked, feigning stupidity.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t get out of my sight, and get prepared this second, don¡¯t me me for what I will do to you.¡± I warmed, pointing him out.


    ¡°Why would I need to prepare?¡± He asked amusement in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like I am attending the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°And who made that call?¡±


    Azriel looked around with a silly glint in his eyes. ¡°Me?¡±


    I held my forehead, sporting a headache. ¡°Last I checked, the only people allowed to stay back are already mated wolves, children, and guards who are to protect the pack while we are gone.¡± I gave him a pointed look. ¡°You don¡¯t fall into any of those categories.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± He said, walking into my room and sitting on my bed. ¡°I decided to stay here with the guards. In case of anything, someone has to be avable to protect the pack.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the guards cannot protect the pack from external attacks?¡±


    ¡°I did not say they are not able. I just think I should stay behind and keep watch with them. You can never tell what can happen.¡± He defended and I could tell his mind was made up.


    ¡°Azriel,¡± I called in a frustrated tone.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find your mate?¡± I asked the question that gued my mind. ¡°You are well over 26. You shouldn¡¯t be missing the mating ceremony for anything.¡±


    Azriel¡¯s face turned grim.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± I asked, trying to read his expression. ¡°Is there something you are not telling me?¡±


    His silence was disturbing. I knew something was wrong and his reaction just proved me right.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to go to the ceremony because I already found my mate.¡± He said, and I was shocked.


    ¡°You already found your mate? Where? When? How did-¡±


    ¡°She rejected me. Three years ago.¡±


    Azriel¡¯s words were short and cutting. I felt even shittier than when I first found out he had a mate.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he was rejected. Which wolf in her right mind would reject a person like Azriel? I couldn¡¯t believe it.


    To think I had been sulking over my mate and he put up with my shit for three years while bearing the pain of being rejected by his mate alone, made me feel another level of hurt.


    ¡°I am over it,¡± Azriel said, getting up from the bed. ¡°Have a good night. And if possible, bring a mate back.¡± He winked. ¡°You might be lucky to find yourself a second chance mate.¡±


    With that, Azriel walked out of my room with a bounce to his step while I looked on till he was out of my sight, having every n to interrogate him the second I returned from the ceremony.


    *****


    I arrived at the Moonlight pack with my guards. I noticed the beautiful decorations in the packnds and the festive atmosphere.


    ¡°Cole knew how to throw a party,¡± I remarked as we walked inside.


    ¡°Alpha Zadok! Finally!¡± A voice said from the crowd and in no time, Cole, the Alpha of the moonlight pack stood in front of me with a smirk stered on his face. ¡°I almost thought you wouldn¡¯t make it.¡± He said and led me to a table.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t miss this for anything,¡± I said with an equal smirk stered on my face. ¡°With how much you harassed me, it would be uneptable for me to miss it.¡±


    Cole let out augh that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Harassment is a big word, Zadok. Let¡¯s just call it a friendly reminder.¡± He said, taking a seat across from me.


    The entire ce was buzzing with wolves from every part of the world, interacting with each other and some dancing their time away. Others stood aside, eagerly waiting for their mates with doe eyes. It was clear they were attending the ceremony for the first time.


    Other Alphas were scattered around, some attending to business, and others having a good time. I had appeared a bitte.


    ¡°I heard you have been sending warriors into the dark forest.¡± Cole said, drawing my attention.


    My face grew stiff. ¡°I didn¡¯t peg you to be one that listens to silly gossip, Cole.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Heughed, throwing his head back. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t resist the urge to ask.¡± he raised his hand and a waiter came to us, bearing sses.


    Alpha Cole took two sses from his tray and handed one over to me. ¡°Loosen up.¡± He said, ¡°You don¡¯t want your mate to find you looking so grumpy.¡±


    I didn¡¯t spare him a word. Thest thing I wanted to do was engage with someone who didn¡¯t know when to shut it or speak. I wondered how he ruled his pack.


    The mices on and I heard Cole¡¯s voice from the podium. ¡°Beautiful evening folks. I hope we are all having a good time.¡± He said, eliciting a positive reaction from the crowd.


    How on earth did he get over there?


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate every one of you foring. Especially the Alpha¡¯s who have defferred all odds to be here this evening. I promise you will not be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°For the wolves who have gathered here today, waiting to meet their mate in today¡¯s ceremony, I hope you are not disappointed and meet with your other half at the appointed time.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of mates, I ampelled to tell you the reason for this great asion. The reason I had invited all the Alpha¡¯s toe and bear witness of a union like we have never had in the werewolf history.¡±


    Everywhere was quiet, sizzled with tension as Cole boasted whatever he wanted to present.


    ¡°My chosen mate! The love of my life and the next Luna of the Moonlight pack. I present to you, Ca. My beautiful flower, who happens to be a witch and a werewolf. The first Hybrid!¡±


    I watched in shock as the crowd made way for ady, d in a red gown, I couldn¡¯t make out her face, but as she proceeded, I saw the redness of her hair, cut short to her neck.


    Then I saw her face. Beautiful, unchanging, and very familiar.


    ¡°Mine!¡± I heard the growl of Kir and in that moment, our eyes connected.

 How dare you interfere with my affairs?

    ZADOK


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.


    It was her ¨C walking up to Cole with a smile that made my hearte alive. A smile I believed was meant for me.


    Because she belonged to me ¨C she was my Amore, My Ithra, My mate.


    I watched in shock as she met my eyes, and for a moment, remained rooted to her spot, holding a look of confusion.


    ¡°Come on my Ca,¡± Cole said from the podium, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Come to me.¡± He said, and like magic, I watched Ithra go on like she didn¡¯t know me, joining him on stage.


    ¡°I present to you, my chosen mate and lover.¡± Cole said with a grin, ¡°Ca!¡±


    The crowd erupted with hoots and congrattions were thrown their way. Meanwhile, my eyes focused on Ithra, unable to believe she was right before me.


    ¡°Everyone can attest to how heartbroken I felt when I lost my mate. I nearly went crazy. Losing one¡¯s mate is a pain I don¡¯t wish upon anyone.¡± He said, and for the briefest moment, his eyes flickered to me, ¡°The moon goddess must have seen my sincerity and decided to favour me with a second chance.¡± He shot an endearing look to Ithra. ¡°The first day I set my eyes on her, I knew she was a prayer answered and I will spend the rest of my life treasuring her.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    His speech moved the crowd. I could even hear the faint sobs of girls, but that was beside the point. He was holding her, presenting her like a trophy to the world. My mate.


    Was this some sort of joke?


    Cole looked at the giant clock in the hall, it was a few minutes to midnight. ¡°Oops! I was carried away, I didn¡¯t take note of the time!¡± His hands tightened around my mate, and at that moment, I wanted to sever his wrist from his arm, all the while, hearing him cry while I watched him bleed. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you all to your business, and hope you find your significant other, while I share a dance with mine.¡± He announced, and once again, the crowd erupted.


    I stood like a statue, watching them walk down the podium. My blood boiled within me. I could also sense stares from members of my pack, watching me while I watched them, no doubt, as shocked as I was.


    If I thought seeing Cole hold hands with my mate was painful, nothing prepared me for seeing him dance with her. I hadn¡¯t even danced with her, and he was, doing it right before my eyes.


    He was going to pay.


    I walked towards them, watching him hold her by the waist as they slowly swung around while he looked into her eyes, leaning in. Ithra tilted her head, and I saw her sport a shy smile, one I knew too well.


    He leans in again and this time, their faces touch. Ithra shook her head lightly, but he pressed further. Again, she dodges his kiss and he sends her an insufferable look. As though trying to appease him, Ithra pecks him on the cheek, and theyugh together.


    I felt my heart squeeze in pain. This ends now.


    I headed towards them, sifting through the herd of couples that danced to the song. I couldn¡¯t get there faster than I¡¯d liked but I got there eventually. I reached out to Ithra, and to my greatest surprise, Athaliah appeared before me, taking my hand.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked with raging eyes, withdrawing my hand from her.


    ¡°A dance,¡± She said, weirdly doing something with her eyes. ¡°May I have this dance, Alpha?¡±


    I rolled my eyes, stepping away from her. As I approached Cole, she returned to my front, and before I could say a word, dragged me into her arms in a dance.


    Now she was getting on my nerves. ¡°What the hell is-¡±


    Before I couldplete my statement, Cole¡¯s voice fluttered into my ears. ¡°It¡¯s just one dance, Zadok. Let her have it.¡± He said with a chuckle.


    My eyes turned to him, and amusement danced in his eyes. He was making fun of me. I turned to Ithra and she gauged me with a fascinated look. We shared a moment that came to a short end when Athaliah spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not let the music go to waste, I don¡¯t bite.¡± She said, and Cole backed her with a grunt.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t bite.¡± He whispered, and I nearly darned punched him in the face.


    He was ying a dangerous game here, holding my mate and spewing crap to my face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t dance.¡± I gritted, hoping to end this mess.


    ¡°Neither can I.¡± A soft voice I knew too well said and everything went still. ¡°I came to this ball with zero sense of direction dancing, but thanks to Alpha Cole, I can hold my own on the dance floor.¡± She said, and I didn¡¯t miss the appreciation in her tone.


    ¡°Yes my love,¡± Cole said, sporting a proud grin. ¡°So you see, it¡¯s not impossible, give it a try, and perhaps, when the song changes, I¡¯ll let you dance with her.¡± He said, presenting her like a trophy.


    I didn¡¯t like the sound of that. I didn¡¯t like the idea of Cole parading her in my face like some darned property with no say on what she wanted. I didn¡¯t understand why I was still listening to this crap and not grabbing my mate.


    Athaliah dragged me into the dance floor, navigating us through a slow dance. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± I finally said through the mind link. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Trying to stop you from doing anything stupid.¡± Came her reply through the mind-link.


    Now I was offended. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you have forgotten your ce, Gamma,¡± I grounded my teeth in anger. ¡°How dare you interfere in my affairs?¡±


    She drew close to me, so close I could feel every curve, bump and stop in her body. However, I wasn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°I know what you think. You think she is the one. You think It¡¯s Ithra.¡± She said and I shot her an affirmative look. ¡°If she was the one, don¡¯t you think she could have recognised you? Perhaps said something?¡±


    ¡°You intervened before we could get to that,¡± I said defensively. ¡°So excuse me, I have some important business to handle. And I¡¯ll appreciate if you deferred from trying anything stupid to hinder me.¡±


    I left Athaliah and started my search for Ithra. It seemed like the heavens were on my side because the music stopped and everyone returned to their tables, hanging around. Now I just had to find Cole.


    Without further ado, I searched the area, looking for a loud mouth or any mop of red hair. My search was cut short when I saw her, getting up on her feet, and heading out for the asion in elegance. She appeared to be in a haste and I wondered why.


    Instinctively, I followed her, with my heart pounding in my ears.

 Get out of my pack.

    ZADOK


    Ithra disappeared from my eyes.


    I rushed to the corridors where I saw her go but couldn¡¯t find her.


    My eyes went through the stairs, breathing heavily. With one nce up, I saw her shadow headed to the right on the second floor, and I rushed through the flight of stairs with the agility of an eagle, eager to see her.


    On getting to the top of it, I went the same way I saw her walk and was led to arge balcony that saw the entire pack. Wind pushed her short hair back, making the soft skin of her neck visible.


    For the first time, I thought her short hair wasn¡¯t that bad. It couldn¡¯t be if I had the pleasure of seeing such beauty. I watched her eyes flutter close as she took a deep breath, seeming relieved.


    My steps slowed as I walked towards her, memorising every inch of her body andmitting it to memory. She was beautiful, every curve, and every inch. And she was mine.


    Lost in the beauty before me, I missed a step, and she turned around with the speed of light, eyes aze, and hands ready to defend herself.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± I said softly, raising my hands in surrender, ¡°It¡¯s me, Ithra. No need to be afraid, it¡¯s just me.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed, and she brought her hands down. Her eyes searched my face, almost as though trying to recollect where she¡¯d seen me from. Eventually, she stopped and her gaze grew hostile.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, eyeing me warily.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. ¡°Ithra..¡± My heart broke, ¡°Ithra¡­ I¡¯ve searched for you all these while. I lost my mind trying to search the dark forest when you disappeared, what happened to you?¡± I said, taking her hand in mine.


    Ithra didn¡¯t say a word, her eyes fixed on me and she sported a confused look. ¡°I am so sorry, Amore.¡± I sobbed, ¡°I am so sorry I let you go through all of this alone. I am so sorry. I am so sorry I didn¡¯t find you sooner.¡±


    With her continued silence, my heart broke further, and I dropped to my knees, worshipping at her feet. ¡°Please, please¡­ my love. Just say something.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She muttered again, stiff as wood. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I looked up at her, and my gaze met her cold eyes. Her eyes were hollow and empty. She seemed like a shell of what she used to be. What had happened to my Ithra?


    ¡°Ah-hum!¡± I heard the sound of someone clearing his throat and I turned around to meet the cold eyes of Cole.


    ¡°Is there something going on?¡± He asked, and Ithra left my hold, and walked into his embrace, leaning into him.


    My blood boiled at the sight of them together. ¡°Leave her alone,¡± I said, meaning every word.


    ¡°Alpha Zadok,¡± Cole said in an unfriendly tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were up here.¡±


    ¡°I want her back. Give her back to me.¡± I growled. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡±


    Cole let out a growl, baring his canines at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare?¡± He warned in a threatening tone. ¡°I will not watch you disrespect me in my territory, Zadok.¡±


    I didn¡¯t care what he thought. All I knew was if he didn¡¯t get his hands off what¡¯s mine this instant, I was going to sever his arms from his body. I felt Kir¡¯s approval of my thoughts as he itched toe out and make true of my thoughts.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Scar, take her away.¡± Cole suddenly said, and I turned around. A woman came into my sight, her aura told me she was no ordinary woman, but I couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what she was.


    ¡°Come, Ca.¡± She said softly, and like magic, I watched Ithra step away from Cole, and head towards her.


    No. I needed to get to her.


    Cole sensed my intent because he immediately snarled, and got into an offensive stance. I let out a simr snarl, ready to defend myself. Unfortunately, Ithra was safely on the strangedy¡¯s side.


    I saw the relief in Cole¡¯s eyes when she finally got to the arms of thedy. He faced me, seeming more confident and said, ¡°I will forgive you this once because I heard a tweet saying my mate looks like ady you once lost. But make no mistakes, the next time you try something of this nature, you will not walk away free.¡±


    He turned to Ithra, eyes focused on the woman beside her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long night. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s tired. Please escort her to her chambers, I will join you in a moment.¡±


    I made to grab her but got stopped by a soft familiar hand. ¡°Alpha. Please.¡± Athaliah said, pleading with her eyes.


    A frustrated sound left my lips. I couldn¡¯t leave without her. How was I supposed to survive another night without her? ¡°Athaliah¡­¡± I said in warning but she remained rooted in front of me.


    Ithra walked away, led by the woman, while Cole remained in his stance. Just when she was about to go through the door, she turned around and her eyes connected to mine.


    ¡°Ca.¡± She said, and I was confused. ¡°My name. It¡¯s Ca.¡± She said, and for the briefest second, I saw her lips twitch in a smile.


    Before I could understand her words, she turned around and disappeared into the hallway with thedy assigned to her ¨C leaving me with Cole and Athaliah.


    ¡°Never again,¡± Cole said, drawing my attention. ¡°Never should this madness repeat itself.¡±


    ¡°She belongs to me.¡± I snarled, and my lips twitched in a smirk. ¡°Was this why you were so keen on having me here?¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± Cole said. ¡°I will forgive you this once, but I promise the next time, I won¡¯t take it lightly. Stay away from my mate.¡±


    ¡°Your mate?¡± I asked with a scoff. Was he trying to be funny? I attacked him in a split second, holding him by the shirt. ¡°What did you do to her? Huh? Why can¡¯t she recognise me?¡± I asked, brimming with fury.


    Coleughed, not even trying to fight me. ¡°The rumours were true. Something is wrong with you.¡± His face turned cold. With one pull, he got out of my hold. ¡°Get out of my pack.¡±

 One wrong move, and poof, you’re gone.

    ZADOK


    The drive back was cold and silent.


    I couldn¡¯t wipe the picture of Ithra from my head. Thinking of the many things Cole could do to her made my blood boil in anger. I couldn¡¯t sit back and do nothing, not when he had what belonged to me.


    We got to the pack, and I sent a message to Azriel via the mind link. ¡°I want Aaron in the dungeon. Meet me there in ten minutes.¡±


    Ten minutes was too long because I was in the dungeon before they dragged him into the dungeon while he screamed in horror.


    ¡°What have I done?!¡± He said, ¡°Leave me alone!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± My tone was hard, and packing an alphamand.


    Azriel walked in momentster. ¡°What happened?¡± He said, gauging me with a confused expression.


    ¡°This man over here thought he could y jokes with me,¡± I said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eye. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe how stupid I had been to listen to his crap.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Asked Azriel, looking between the scared man and myself.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You heard him, didn¡¯t you?¡± I said to Aaron who was hung in the air by the chains that held him. ¡°Tell him why you are here.¡± I urged him.


    ¡°Alpha!¡± He cried, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you have heard but I assure you that I have done nothing to betray you!¡± He said with conviction. ¡°I swear I have been loyal to you and the entire Blood Hound pack.¡±


    I let out an amusedugh. ¡°Really?¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Do I look that easy to deceive or did they put you up to this?¡±


    ¡°Put him up to what?¡± Azriel said and unsheathed his knife. ¡°Was he sent to spy on us?¡±


    ¡°That would have been better.¡± I said, ¡°Had he been a spy, it would have been better for him.¡± I stepped into his cell. ¡°Will you tell the truth or should I bring it out from you?¡± I asked, picking up a dagger that reminded me of Ithra. ¡°I could do this all night,¡± I assured him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! I swear! It must be a set-up!¡± He cried, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I ordered a fire and roasted my knife ordingly. When the des were heated properly, I tried again. ¡°Are you going to confess or do I need to bring it out of you?¡±


    Azriel and Athaliah stood by the door, watching me like I was out of my mind. And If I was being honest, I had truly lost it that night. And hell will break loose if I don¡¯t get answers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try that again,¡± I said, getting closer to him with my knife. ¡°Did you or did you not lie to me about Ithra?¡±


    Immediately the words left my lips, his eyes widened a bit and there, I knew he was guilty. Nevertheless, I humoured him, waiting for him to lie. He fell right into my trap.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie! I saw the Luna in the dark forest! I couldn¡¯t possibly lie about something so-¡±


    I didn¡¯t let him finish. I drove the heated dagger into his stomach and a guttural scream left his lips, they were music to my ears. I needed more, more of that sweet sound. It¡¯s been a while since I got to y with my toys.


    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± I said, twisting the dagger into his guts. ¡°You know what I hate more than rogues?¡± I asked and he shook his head, breathing heavily. ¡°Liars!¡± I said and sent him a punch that produced two of his front teeth.


    ¡°Especially one that lied repeatedly to my face,¡± I added for good measure. ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance, Aaron. Two questions and I will make your death quick and painless.¡±


    My head tilted, ¡°Did you meet my mate in the dark forest? And who asked you to lie?¡±


    ¡°I swear to you, Alpha! I didn¡¯t lie to you! I really-¡±


    This time, he was shut up by a dagger, dangerously close to his heart. ¡°Oops! Wrong answer! I also forgot to add that it is made of silver.¡± His eyes went the size of saucers and I could tell he was finding it hard to breathe. ¡°One wrong move, and poof, you¡¯re gone,¡± I said with a wicked glint in my eyes.


    Aaron didn¡¯t say anything. He remained silent and visibly terrified. I wasn¡¯t satisfied. If he would not speak, I might as well go on to make good on my promise ¨C A long and torturous death.


    I went on with my torture, attacking every vital organ in his body, but leaving him at the brink of life and death. At some point, he lost consciousness but I wasn¡¯t satisfied. I needed to see him feel the pain I inflicted on him.


    He needed to feel the measure of pain I felt when I mourned the death of my mate, who was alive and in the hands of another. He needed to pay for the shock, the embarrassment and everything it cost me, including my sanity.


    Like a rabid wolf, I sliced his manhood, and blood flowed like a river. The pain of having his private part cut brought him out of unconsciousness. Good. Now I needed to harvest his organs. They were a waste on him anyway.


    ¡°Alpha!¡± Athaliah¡¯s horrified scream brought me out of my bubble.


    I turned around, and everyone gauged me like the beast that I was. A beast I had be.


    It seemed like her scream jolted Azriel to action because he immediately approached me with a definite look on his face. ¡°Enough.¡± His voice was firm but his eyes were pleading. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this, Zadok. We can talk about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about Azriel. He lied to me. Ithra is alive. She was alive and in the arms of another while I mourned her for three years!¡± I yelled with a maddened expression. ¡°He said he saw her ghoul. He said she wanted me to live again. To be the protector. And because of her, I let go. I taught my heart to let it go and what did I get?!¡± My voice broke as I continued, ¡°The reality of the fact that I had been betrayed and deceived by a member of my pack!¡±


    ¡°Tell me Azriel¡­ Give me one bloody reason why he shouldn¡¯t die a slow and painful death?¡±

 The Dark Forest.

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t forget the look in his eyes when he reached out to me.


    The light that appeared in his eyes when he saw me, and how fast it went out when I asked who he was. He seemed like the world was taken away from him and that devastated look gued me even while I headed to my room with Scarlett.


    ¡°You must have been shocked,¡± Scar said, and I jolted out of my thoughts.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s usually not normal for a wolf to behave that way after a woman has been openly imed by an alpha, not to talk of an alpha behaving in that manner.¡± She remarked, ¡°This is just a one-time thing, and I assure you won¡¯t be caught in the drama again.¡±


    She unlocked the door, and pushed it open, gesturing me in. I walked inside, and she followed behind me. ¡°The night was perfect. Other than I couldn¡¯t remember the names of the important people Cole introduced to me, I am genuinely impressed by the love and family.¡± I said, meaning it from my heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it. Because when you officially get coronated as the luna of this pack, you will attend these events by the side of the Alpha.¡± Scar said, and I noted it, cing it in mind. ¡°As for the names, we can always brush you up as time progresses.¡±


    ¡°Oh great,¡± I said with ack of enthusiasm. ¡°I want to know,¡± I began, taking a seat on the soft mattress of my bed. ¡°That man back then. Who is he? Why does he call me Ithra? What¡¯s his story?¡±


    ¡°I would have been worried if you didn¡¯t ask,¡± Scar said, and I blushed. It was no news of how curious I was ¨C one of the traits Cole didn¡¯t like about me.


    Thankfully, I had Scar ¨C his tested and trusted beta, who helped me in these situations.


    ¡°For some reason, Cole didn¡¯t tell me anything about him. We interacted with him on the dancefloor and I could tell there was something between them. And I was right.¡± I exined to her, hoping she could give me something more to work with.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be telling you this,¡± Scar started and my lips curved downwards. ¡°However, if I know the Alpha, I¡¯m sure this would be thest time you set your eyes on him, so I might as well satisfy your curiosity.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the sadness that gripped my heart at the thought of not seeing him again. However, I feigned a smile and nodded excitedly, urging her to continue.


    ¡°The man you saw is an Alpha. His name is Zadok Kir Roman ¨C Alpha of the Blood Hound pack and one of the most powerful werewolves to have walked the earth.¡± She started. ¡°As you can already tell, he isn¡¯t in the best rtionship with our Alpha.¡± I nodded, making a mental note to find out the reason for their hostility towards each other. ¡°Some years ago, his pack was attacked by rogues and for some time, he was said to be missing with somedy he newly epted into his pack.¡±


    ¡°His beta was able to secure the pack after some time, and soon, we heard he returned a shadow of himself. Some said he lost his mate, while others said he lost his mind while trying to find his mate who died in a forest.¡±


    ¡°The dark forest.¡± I supplied, and Scarlett¡¯s eyes grew wide.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡± She asked, eyeing me warily. ¡°Have you recovered your memory?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I said, and after a while, asked, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s where I came from? The dark forest?¡±


    ¡°Ca.¡± Her tone was serious. ¡°How did you know about the dark forest?¡± She asked again, leaving no room for distractions.


    ¡°I overheard them speak about it,¡± I said, bowing my head.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Cole in a conversation with one of the Alpha¡¯s,¡± I said but she didn¡¯t seem to buy it. ¡°He said something about an alpha sending troops into the dark forest, and theyughed. I didn¡¯t know it had anything to do with Zadok.¡± I replied innocently.


    ¡°Enough now. Don¡¯t mention his name.¡± She said, and I knew she believed me. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. Go to bed, I believe Cole will join you very soon.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I shook my head, hating the thought of spending another night with him. I didn¡¯t think I was ready to give him what he wanted, nor could I let him touch a part of me. But I shelved the thoughts at the back of my mind.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me why he called me Ithra.¡± I reminded with a protest. ¡°Please..¡± I begged when I noticed her hesitancy.


    ¡°Word has it that the name of thedy he lost in the dark forest.¡± She said and I felt coldness wash over me.


    ¡°Was she his mate? Why would he think I was her?¡± I asked, many questions swirling through my head.


    ¡°Like I said, he is said to have lost his mind after his return from the dark forest.¡± Scar exined with a tut, ¡°He probably calls every girl he meets by that name. Don¡¯t let it bother you. He is crazy.¡±


    I nodded my head, despite not agreeing to her words. By now, I knew when to let things rest. If I pushed further, it would mean I wasn¡¯t satisfied and nothing that bothered me went past Cole.


    Thest thing I wanted was for him to get wind of the fact I was remotely interested in another male. I learned the hard way ¨C how protective, possessive and jealous Cole could be.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Thankfully, I wouldn¡¯t be meeting him anymore.¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°Good. Now get to rest, tomorrow, we will practice more of your witchcraft, so while you y tonight, get enough rest.¡± She said with a suggestive wink.


    I shook my head and gave a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes. As soon as the door closed behind her, the smile disappeared from my lips, and I felt anxiety.


    Anxiety about what another night with Cole will hold.

 Oh my baby, did I trigger your other side?

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I heard my door click open while Iy in the dark.


    I didn¡¯t need to turn around to know who it was. The morbid stench of Alcohol confirmed my fears. He was here again.


    One would think he would be kind enough toe to me without drinking his wits away, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    I knew Cole was a good man. He showed me kindness by taking me in three years ago when I washed up in his territory with no idea who I was. He saved my life and gave me the Identity I had today, all the while, helping me to recover my memories while training me to discover the abilities I had within me.


    ¡°Ca..¡± I heard him call, and I winced when I felt his cold hands touch me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are asleep.¡± He said, and I didn¡¯t miss the snap in his tone.


    ¡°Cole.¡± I said, turning the lights on, ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°Way to point the obvious, love.¡± He said, pulling off his shirt as he joined me in the bed. ¡°I only had a little.¡± He said, pinching his fingers.


    ¡°I finally chose you as my mate, Ca.¡± He said wrapping his hands around me. ¡°You belong to me now,¡± he said with his mouth to my neck. I fought the urge to puke at the morbid smell that oozed from his mouth.


    Cole kissed my neck, licking and nipping. It felt all shades of wrong. I could feel my body reject his touch, so much so that I unconsciously drifted away from him. That did not stop him.


    ¡°Where are you running to, my love.¡± He hissed, ¡°I have longed for this night since the day I set my eyes on you. Are you going to deny me again?¡± His tone was soft, but his grip was tight. ¡°Tell me, my Ca. Are you going to refuse me tonight? Are you going to refuse your mate his price?!¡±


    ¡°Cole!¡± I cried, feeling helpless, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me! You¡¯re drunk!¡±


    ¡°No, my love.¡± His hands loosened around my waist. ¡°I can¡¯t hurt you.¡± I said, ¡°I need you, don¡¯t deny my love, let¡¯s make this night special. Let me in.¡± He begged, and I felt a sharp prick in my neck.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Cole!¡± I gasped, and suddenly, I felt my body peak with strength, so much that I got up from the bed, breaking out of his hold. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I yelled, standing on my feet, with zing eyes.


    That sobered him up quickly. ¡°Ha, you are getting stronger.¡± He mused, getting up from the bed. ¡°How much of your training have I missed so far?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer, too taken by the anger that swirled through me.


    ¡°Oh, my baby. Did I trigger your other side?¡± He said, walking around in circles but never touching me. ¡°I thought I would get to have you, my love. I just wanted to mark you as mine.¡± He sighed, ¡°Make you feel as good as you make me feel. I promise to be gentle. Just a little pain and that¡¯s it.¡± He took my hand. ¡°Let me mark you love. Let me brand you as mine. My wolf is crazy with the need to make you his. To make you ours.¡±


    His words were filth to my ears. I couldn¡¯t let him. I would die before I let anyone touch me. My blood boiled within me, it felt like I would go into mes at any second.


    Cole suddenly let go of my hand as one scorned. ¡°How dare you, bitch!¡± He roared, looking at me with anger.


    Only then did I understand that I had unintentionallybusted to mes. I had lost control of my powers once again and my hands burned with fire, hurting him in the process.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± I said, apologetically. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise,¡± I stated, turning off the fire and my anger. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He said, stopping me froming closer to him. ¡°I guess I overstepped. You are nowhere ready to be marked.¡± He gritted, wearing his clothes.


    ¡°I-I-¡± I muttered, unable to make out words.


    ¡°I will leave you to rest this night, Ca.¡± He finally spoke, standing by the door. ¡°I will leave you for tonight. But I cannot guarantee how long I can wait before you give yourself to me.¡± He took a deep breath, and let out a false chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have any more patience, Ithra.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I said, not quite catching hisst words. ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Since you have refused to have me tonight, I will channel my energy towards something more productive.¡± He said, ignoring my question. ¡°I hope you sleep well knowing people will be going through it this night, and it will be all because of you.¡± He said, and with an evil glint in his eyes, he turned off the light and disappeared through the door.


    I didn¡¯t miss the click that followed. I was locked in.


    True to his words, Cole spent the night productively. I could tell by the screams and howls from the dungeons beneath me.


    I didn¡¯t sleep a wink through the night.


    How could I? Knowing he was down there, torturing someone to release his pent-up energy as a result of my body¡¯s refusal to yield to him. The painful cries of the tortured prisoners made my heart break.


    I wished I could intervene and ease the pain with my powers. But I couldn¡¯t. Thest time I did, cost me a sentence into this room ¨C Its doors were foolproof to my powers.


    Attempting to send a spell from this room with the door locked was the same as wasting time because it never worked. Cole changed the doors ¨C Another one of his attempts at keeping me in check.


    Just like he was doing to me now by making another pay for my denying him.


    I heard a howl and my eyes watered. If anyone deserved such pain it was me, hearing another go through it because of me felt more painful than the thought of going through it myself.


    The next morning, Scarlett knocked on my door. Another day to perfect my witchcraft, I thought, filled with angst.

 Case Closed

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    We returned to Zadok¡¯s office, leaving Aaron half-dead in the dungeons.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked for the nth time, while Zadok paced in the office.


    ¡°I should have finished him up! I should have killed him with my bare hands.¡±


    Athaliah stepped into the office, sporting a worried look


    ¡°You want to know what happened?¡± He finally said, taking a seat. ¡°I met my mate at the ceremony!¡± He announced with an evil smile.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Athaliah,¡± He called, ¡°Please tell Azriel what happened at the ceremony tonight.¡± He said with a deranged expression, ¡°Tell him how I watched my mate get mated to another, how my mate was stolen away before my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Alpha¡­¡± Athaliah began but he shut her up.


    ¡°Listen.¡± Zadok chuckled, ¡°I went to the darned meeting, ready to perform my assignment.¡± Cole stepped up a few minutes to midnight ¨C ready to make an announcement.¡± Zadok¡¯sugh was maniacal. ¡°You would never believe who I saw, walking through the midst of the crowd and glowing with majesty.¡±


    He suddenly sat up, and smiled, revealing his pointy sharp canines. ¡°It was Ithra!¡± He announced. ¡°The same one that told Aaron she was dead and needed me to give up looking for her. The same Ithra appeared as a ghoul in the dark forest, saving his life from harm. Do you remember?¡± His eyes narrowed at me. ¡°That same Ithra walked up to the stage as Cole¡¯s chosen mate!¡± He said, banging his fist on the desk.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure¡­¡± Athaliah said, startled. She was cut short by the growl that left Zadok¡¯s lips.


    I could feel his alpha power filling the air. It was only a matter of time before Kir showed up. ¡°Alpha,¡± I said, hoping to calm him but it was useless.


    ¡°You cannot imagine my joy when I saw her.¡± He inhaled, closing his eyes in bliss. ¡°She looked so beautiful with her short hair and morous dress. She looked so beautiful and mine.¡± Suddenly, the smile on his face was gone, recing it with a grim and angry look. ¡°Neither can you imagine my shock when she looked me in the eye and asked who I was.¡±


    ¡°That was his announcement?¡± I asked, bewildered in my spot. ¡°How did he find her? You spoke to her?¡±


    ¡°I must bring her back,¡± Zadok said resolutely. ¡°I have to bring her back to where she belongs. I don¡¯t know what Cole did to her, little wonder he was so persistent to have me in the meeting. He wanted to show her off to me. To spite me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Athaliah squeaked from the corner, getting our attention. ¡°Forgive me but I don¡¯t think that is the case, Alpha.¡± She said and I looked at her like she had grown a second head.


    Was she trying to get killed?


    Zadok was calm ¨C it felt like the calm before the storm. ¡°Please tell us why you don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Even Athaliah seemed shocked by his reply. That made the both of us.


    ¡°That couldn¡¯t have been Ithra.¡± She managed to speak. ¡°Her hair was shorter and she looked so taken with Cole. I even did a bit of digging and found out she has been with him for years in the MoonLight pack.¡± that caught my attention. ¡°That is not the Luna we know and love, she is just a lookalike.¡±


    Athaliah continued while Zadok remained silent. ¡°If she were truly your mate, she would have recognised you. I saw the way she looked at you, there was nothing. She didn¡¯t even know me, she didn¡¯t know you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said to Athaliah, but she continued.


    ¡°No. He needs to hear this and stop embarrassing himself!¡± She fumed. ¡°Today was an opportunity to choose another mate, one who would fill the big shoes of our Luna and help you heal, but what did you do? You went after another man¡¯s woman like a love-sick puppy and ended up getting thrown out of the ceremony!¡±


    ¡°I thought we were over this. I thought this was a new beginning, but you have returned where you started. I advise you to end this madness and pick another mate-¡±


    Athaliah was shut off by Zadok, who suddenly threw the table over and attacked her with an arm to her neck. My breath nearly seized as I watched her dangle from Zadok¡¯s hold, trying to breathe to no avail.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± I rushed to him, dragging him away but he remained rooted to his spot ¨C squeezing life out of her. ¡°Alpha! You are going to kill her!¡± I shouted, and fear gripped my heart when her eyes began to close. ¡°ZADOK!¡±


    Zadok let go of her, and she dropped to the floor. ¡°How dare you?¡± He said to Athaliah, who shivered, drawing back as she held her neck.


    ¡°Please..¡± She coughed, ¡°Please. I spoke foolishly..¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡± He ordered and she disappeared, scrambling out of the office and leaving me alone with Zadok.


    For a minute, I thought he woulde at me for throwing him back, but he walked to his window with a thoughtful expression.


    My heart slowed when I realised she wasn¡¯t dead after all, only to hurt when I remembered the motive of Athaliah¡¯s earlier outburst. I had to talk some sense into her. It was fine if she didn¡¯t want me, but heaven forbids her to kill herself in her pursuit to be Luna.


    For now, we needed to sort this out once and for all.


    ¡°There might be a chance she isn¡¯t the real person,¡± I said, testing the waters. Zadok¡¯s shoulders tensed and I knew he was listening. ¡°And there is also a chance she is the real person we have been looking for all these years.¡± I bnced my words.


    Zadok was silent, but I could tell he was listening.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We have to be sure of what we are dealing with. We have to be sure it¡¯s the Luna before taking action.¡± I said and he turned back, sporting a frustrated look.


    ¡°And how are we supposed to do that? Cole will not let me a few feet close to her. The only way to get her is by war.¡± He announced with a smirk. ¡°And I am ready to do that.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head, ¡°There are other ways to discover her true identity. Give me time to dig deep into this matter, and I will uncover everything about her.¡± I said, hoping he bought the idea. ¡°War should be ast resort.¡±


    Zadok hissed, looking me in the eye. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get it, do you?¡± He clenched his jaws. ¡°I cannot live another day without seeing her. I cannot wait for you to carry out your darned research on her. I know my mate, and I am going to get her back. Case closed.¡±


    ¡°I know that feeling,¡± I said, feeling the familiar ache in my heart. ¡°I will get her back to you, just calm down and listen to me. I have a n.¡±

 What do we have here?

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I followed Scarlett to the field where we had our practice.


    Having stayed up all night, thest thing I wanted was to do this but I didn¡¯t quite have a choice.


    It was a crime to miss any day of practice and I¡¯d be damned if I let another wolf suffer for another one of my misbehaviours.


    Hopefully, today¡¯s training will be a walk in the park.


    I stood in the middle of the field and Scarlett sped her hands, ¡°Today, we are going to be practising how to make a piece ofnd barren.¡± She announced with excitement.


    I was wrong. There was no breezing through for me. At this rate, Scarlet was after my life.


    ¡°You look so weak,¡± She noted, observing me with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Had too much fun with the Alphast night?¡± Her tone was suggestive.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep,¡± I said, but she seemed to get the wrong impression.


    ¡°I warned you, didn¡¯t I?¡± She said, standing akimbo. ¡°Less fun and more rest.¡± She tutted, ¡°It will only affect your performance during practice. Maybe I need to speak with the Alpha about wearing out my student.¡±


    I felt a headacheing. Thest thing I needed was another reason to be in the same room with Cole or hear his voice. I¡¯ve had enough of his for one year.


    ¡°Did you say we were practising bringingnds alive?¡± I asked, wanting to return to our lesson.


    Scarlett frowned, ¡°Makingnds barren.¡± She corrected, ¡°Were you even listening?¡±


    ¡°I am now. However, I don¡¯t know how long I would be  awake.¡± I gave her the look, ¡°Long night, remember?¡±


    Scarlett shook her head and a sigh escaped her lips. Tired of me already? I thought, releasing a sigh of my own.


    ¡°We are going to be practising how to kill and full of life and produce.¡± Scarlett began her lesson. ¡°I have told you before that dark spells are not something to be afraid of. They are not evil like the witch world makes it out to be. They can be quite good and powerful if you learn how to use it.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, not every n of witches were blessed with the ability to master dark magic and spells, so they forbade it and killed anyone found practising it.¡± I finished up for her, boredom evident in my tone. ¡°Can we please get to the good stuff?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Only because you asked politely.¡± But of course, sarcasm dripped from her tone. I didn¡¯t care though.


    ¡°We shall start with something small.¡± Scarlett cast a spell and a beautiful garden appeared on the far left side of the field, holding diverse flowers.


    Within a second, She transported us to the front of the garden, saving me the stress of walking towards it.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered but she ignored my existence and continued with her ss.


    ¡°You have to say the words, Erahe Shulfir,¡± She said with an intonation. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to picture the nts dying one by one as you chant.¡± She instructed.


    ¡°Erahe Shulfir.¡± I said, testing the words on my lips.


    This should be easy. I¡¯ve had longer words. I thought gleefully, readying my mind for action.


    ¡°Erahe Shulfir.¡± I muttered under my breath, imagining the flowers wilting to death.


    Nothing happened.


    I shook my head, stroking the back of my head. ¡°Maybe I should try that again,¡± I said and Scarlett gave me the floor to do as I desire.


    I let out a breath and tried again. This time, cing my heart into it. ¡°Erahe Shulfir.¡± I said again, eyes focused on a bed of roses, that mocked me with its sustained life.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You have done better than this, Ca.¡± Came a firm reprimand from Scarlett. ¡°Be focused, and do the job. Remember, you have the power within you, you just need to let them loose and direct them to do what you want, meaning it from your heart.¡± She urged, ¡°Try again.¡±


    A tired sigh left my lips. Why did I need to kill the darned flowers till they were a wilted mess? What exactly did this woman have against flowers?


    She said to mean it from my heart. Hmph! The only thing I wanted from my heart is a sweet rest. I¡¯d rather be in bed than be forced to make rid of another unreal plot ofnd or human dummy she created to test the extent of my powers.


    Yes, I was having a shit day.


    ¡°The more you relent, the more we remain.¡± Scarlett reminded, spelling a chair and gettingfortable.


    I hated that she was right. I hated that my life had to be this way. Sometimes, I felt like I was being forced to be someone else. Someone I was not.


    I wanted to recover my memory. I needed to get my memory to know how I got these dark powers. They felt too foreign. and sometimes, I felt like it locked up another part of me.


    The important side of me. I focused on the garden and channelled the darkness within me like I have done these past three years.


    ¡°Erahe Shulfir!¡± Imanded and immediately, the flowers wilted, turning to dust. I wasn¡¯t satisfied. I kept my eyes on the patch ofnd, channelling my powers to the earth without mercy.


    She wanted thend barren. I will give her a barrennd.


    ¡°Wonderful! You did beautifully, Ca.¡± Scarlettplimented but I didn¡¯t care. I was too focused on trying to kill thend of every living particle.


    I felt dead inside, and I needed the earth to replicate that feeling.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s enough.¡± Scarlett shook me, breaking my concentration. ¡°Are you trying to make the entire packnds barren?!¡± She asked in a harsh tone. ¡°I only said the flowers. I¡¯ve been calling you the entire time and you were lost in your spell. I already warned you against losing control of your mind in the middle of a spell.¡±


    ¡°Bad things can happen,¡± I muttered, to my greatest surprise, I found out that not only was the entire left side of the field dead of any nt, but the entire field.


    ¡°How do I exin this to the Alpha?¡± Scarlett murmured, trying and failing to reverse my damage.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± I said but she didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± I stilled at his voice.


    Cole. He was here.

 It was not a test. It was punishment.

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    My body froze, and I smelt him before I saw him.


    ¡°I see my Ca has grown much stronger than thest time I was here?¡± He stated more than asked.


    ¡°Wee, Alpha,¡± Scarlett said from beside me, giving him a slight bow. ¡°Our Luna has grown in leaps and bounds.¡± She added.


    I remained silent.


    Cole sped his hands, ¡°I can tell from what I see.¡± He noted, seeming pleased. ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you. Ignore my presence and go on with what you have nned, I¡¯ll watch from a distance.¡± He said, stepping into my front, ¡°But first, I need to ensure she is alright.¡±


    Cole said to no one in particr, and Scarlett stepped away, giving us privacy.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too good my love.¡± He said, pushing my face to meet his eyes. ¡°Did you have a good night¡¯s rest?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°I am fine. I just found it difficult to sleep. Nothing a little rest won¡¯t fix.¡± I gritted.


    ¡°Good,¡± He purred, smiling with an evil glint in his eyes. ¡°You forgot to ask but my night was good. Beautiful even. I didn¡¯t sleep a wink but I feel full of energy.¡± He let go of my face. ¡°I will tell you all about itter on. But for now, let¡¯s focus on practice.¡±


    Cole stepped away from me and I could finally breathe. I didn¡¯t breathe long enough before Scarlett stepped in. ¡°Next on the list is killing wild animals without a spell.¡± She said and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.


    What¡¯s with her urge to kill things today? For some reason, I felt more bitchy today.


    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be?¡± I asked, unable to feign excitement.


    ¡°Your enthusiasm is off the charts today,¡± Scarlett murmured and I knew she was through with my attitude, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I was not in the mood. I could apologiseter.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± She hissed and I nodded.


    Immediately a giant serpent appeared before me. Its tail ran through the entire field and it rose its head, coiling to a reasonable height as it stared me in the eye.


    I felt like a fish out of water and suddenly my mouth dried.


    ¡°Kill it!¡± I heard Scarlett urge from behind me, ¡°Kill it before it kills you!¡±


    That was all the encouragement I needed. It was either me or him, and he¡¯ll be damned if I let it be me without putting up a fight.


    Suddenly, I felt a sh scene in my mind, and a cruel migraine hit me in the head. I saw a bigger serpent in arger field, pursuing me under a dark sky while I ran screaming what I perceived too be a spell.


    Fear gripped my heart, and its beating increased to an all-time high. The serpent rose its head to the skies, making a boast of its size, and afterwards, came at me with an open mouth, ready to devour.


    I ran like a fool, missing my step and falling to the ground. Horror filled me when I looked up and saw iting at me. I could sense its deathly intent in that moment, another sh scene appeared in my eyes.


    This time around, I was lying on the floor, eyes closed and expecting my death as the dark serpentunched for me, ready to end my existence. My head hurt, so bad that I held it in my palms, wincing and trying to make sense of what I was seeing.


    ¡°Ca!¡± I heard an aggrieved voice, it was Cole¡¯s. ¡°I didn¡¯t train you to be so weak!¡±


    ¡°Ithra!¡± A simr but fiercer voice said in the darkness of my mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t train you to be so weak!¡± The voice added a momentter, but this time, I could taste the anger in the voice.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My body reacted to that anger. I didn¡¯t want that voice to be angry. Every part of me kicked against disappointing that voice. I opened my eyes and the serpent was a few metres away.


    I uncapped the power enclosed within me, channelling it to the beast with every bit of strength. I couldn¡¯t be weak. I heard a voice that mirrored my own. I needed to be strong.


    The determination and power embedded in that voice pushed me. It forced me to do more ¨C to prove myself. I stared death in the eyes, and when I thought it was all over, the serpent turned into stone right in front of me.


    I watched the serpent turn into stone and destroy itself, turning to earth. My eyes widened in shock, and my head swirled towards Scarlett and Cole.


    The look on their faces told me they had nothing to do with that. Cole seemed shocked as he took me in, a momentter, a look of pride reced it.


    ¡°Well done, Luna!¡± Scarlett praised, ¡°I knew you would do well.¡± She said and for the first time, gave me a little bow.


    I felt abashed. ¡°Thank you. I couldn¡¯t have done it without your expert guidance.¡± I said and suddenly felt tired ¨C my body grew weak as the seconds passed.


    The headache returned and I knew I needed some rest.


    ¡°Of course not. I only told you to kill the beast.¡± Scarlett held her ground. ¡°I never taught you to turn it into stone. That was all you¡¯re doing.¡± She said, and I felt her genuine surprise as she pushed further with curiosity. ¡°How did you do it? What spell did you use?¡±


    My headache grew. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t use a spell.¡± I said and realised just how absurd that sounded. I hadn¡¯t performed such a feat without a spell before.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Scarlett probed and I felt the intense gaze of Cole. I wanted the ground to swallow me. How do I exin?


    ¡°I just kind of channelled the powers within me to the serpent,¡± I muttered, hoping that would answer enough.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked, looking at me with a weird assessment. ¡°Why did you do that? What did you hope to achieve when you set out to use that route?¡±


    I felt confused. What did I set out to achieve? I just didn¡¯t want to die! Isn¡¯t that reason enough?


    I don¡¯t want to be weak¡­ A voice with a striking resemnce to mine said again, and a bout of headache hit me.


    ¡°I just did it on instinct.¡± I snapped, wincing at the pain in my head.


    Scarlett must have sensed my mood because she immediately dropped the conversation.


    ¡°You¡¯ve exceeded my expectations today, Luna. Well done.¡±


    What¡¯s with her sudden address of me as the Luna? I felt irked and just needed to return to my bed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, desperate for dismissal,


    ¡°That would be it for today,¡± Scarlett finally said, ¡°We are through with practice for today.¡±


    Suddenly, handps filled the air, from Cole. ¡°Bravo my Ca!¡± he said with a big smile, headed towards me.


    Not again. I thought. The thought of staying here any longer with him rubbed off me the wrong way.


    ¡°You have exceeded my high expectations of you, my love.¡± He said, cing an arm around me. ¡°It¡¯s only right that I reward you.¡± He said, ¡°Allow me the pleasure of dinner with you, love.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be honoured.¡± I gritted and he nodded his head, seeming pleased.


    ¡°Good! Now, before we call it a day, I¡¯d like you to do a little more work for me,¡± He said. ¡°You can call it the final practice for today,¡± He gauged me expectantly, ¡°What do you say?¡±


    I heaved a breath and nodded my head. It wasn¡¯t like I had a choice in the matter.


    ¡°Beautiful!¡± He charmed. ¡°Like I said,st night, I was having fun in the dungeons.¡± My eyes grew cold. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t finish up and as a final practice, I¡¯d like to see you do exactly what you did to that snake to them.¡±


    I felt fired up. He didn¡¯t finish up the people he tortured for my sake? He wanted me to do the honours? Surely he had lost his mind.


    ¡°I feel tired, my love,¡± I said, fighting the grit in my tone as I sweetened him up. ¡°I don¡¯t have it in me to perform another spell.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You will do perfectly.¡± He said and raised an arm, beckoning on one of the guards. ¡°Bring them in!¡± He ordered and the gates were opened.


    Three bloodied men were carried by two guards, who dragged each of them till they were metres away from us, set up as targets.


    My heart gripped and my face paled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it more interesting shall we?¡± He said with a dark aura and evil glint in his eyes. ¡°If you kill these three the same way you have killed the beast, I will throw you a feast.¡± He boasted, ¡°If you don¡¯t,¡± His eyes turned dark. ¡°Then you will have six to kill tomorrow.¡±


    I turned in shock, unable to believe he had just said that. And that¡¯s when I saw it ¨C the anger and malice in his eyes.


    This was not a test. It was punishment ¨C punishment forst night.


    A guard walked forward and whispered something in his ear. ¡°You have a few minutes to make your call, my love.¡± He suddenly said, trying and failing to put up a decent smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

 You

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    Today would be interesting.


    I could tell as I came out of my room, headed for the Alpha¡¯s chambers. We had a mission and I was determined to see that my n was fruitful ¨C by any means necessary.


    However, I needed to confirm something before we began our Journey to the MoonLight pack. I saw Athaliah¡¯s door open and she came out just in time.


    I pushed her into her room without a word and shut the door behind us.


    ¡°What-¡± I covered her mouth with my palm, preventing her from screaming while she took me in.


    When she was settled, I slowly let down my hand, and pulled her to the wall of the dark room, cing a hand by her side.


    Athaliah swallowed, and the sight of it drove something beastly within me. Now was not the time. I needed to be sure of something.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± She finally asked, jolting me from my thoughts.


    With a closer look, I could tell she was nervous. This was a discovery. Athaliah was always confident, and seeing her shiver under my gaze was out of character.


    Was she ufortable? My head corked to the side and I watched her eyes gleam over me. Kill me if I¡¯m wrong but I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that my mate, who rejected me, seemed taken with me.


    ¡°You know what this is about,¡± I said, closing the distance between us. My eyes flickered to her neck and I saw a handprint, faint but there. Zadok¡¯s handprint. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, unable to stop myself.


    Athaliah must have noticed my eyes on her neck and immediately adjusted the neck scarf. ¡°I am fine.¡± She said in a hard tone, shifting from my gaze. ¡°Is that what this is about? Because I need to report to¡­¡±


    My hand traced her neck and her words were cut off. Her breath changed and there was an intense air around us. ¡°You are so stupid,¡± I muttered, meaning every word. ¡°You were so close to dying at the hands of the Alpha. You were gambling with your life.¡± I gritted as the scene from the previous day yed inside my head.


    Athaliah was putty in my arms. She opened her mouth but nothing no words came out. ¡°You won¡¯t be lucky next time.¡± I muzzled, kissing her neck, and feeling the buzz of our broken bond.


    ¡°Azriel.¡± She struggled to say.


    One word brought me back to my senses. I couldn¡¯t believe I allowed myself to be carried away by her body. Our eyes connected and I could see the need in her eyes. A need that burned for me, for what I had to offer.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough. I wasn¡¯t enough. She told me to my face. What the fuckery was I even doing? I straightened up, putting a little space between us, but enough to still be in a haze.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I finally asked, getting back to my reason for seeking her out.


    Her voice was faint, and she leaned closer to me, pushing up her chest in a suggestive manner. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I opened my mouth but no words came out. How could I speak when I was assaulted with the sweet savour of Athaliah¡¯s arousal? My eyes widened as I thought the unforgivable.


    Was she dripping for me?T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Athaliah¡¯s eyes burned with passion. An unspoken truth. I pushed her back to the wall with a hunger in my eyes. I had to find out. I needed to find out or I might lose my darn mind.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t miss the panicked look on your face when Aaron was getting tortured yesterday,¡± I said, tracing my hands down to the helm of her short dress.


    Athaliah¡¯s breath hitched when my hands came in contact with the skin of her thigh, below her knees. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let him die¡­¡± She moaned, biting her lower lip.


    The scent of her arousal thickened around us, wrapping me like a garment. My wolf went mad with need.


    ¡°Why?¡± I gritted, slowly tracing my hands upwards, under her gown. ¡°Why would you care if he dies?¡± My hand traced a garment made out of a, and my member hardened with need.


    What was she wearing? I thought, feeling my way up.


    ¡°Why should I not?¡± She purred, melting like silk in my hands.


    My hands hit the G-spot and I let it hang there, shocked at the discovery. She was naked down there.


    ¡°Exactly my point,¡± I growled, thrusting a finger inside without warning. Athaliah moaned, briefly shutting her eyes. ¡°Why would you care if he dies? Unless there is something you are not telling me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, Az.¡± She stuttered and I slowed the pace of my finger, her eyes opened, bereft with need. A need I could only satisfy, but she needed to work for it.


    ¡°I will tell you a story,¡± I said, using both fingers and moving at a snail¡¯s pace. I could tell she was getting frustrated, and I kissed a spot on her neck, causing her to shiver in my arms. ¡°You and Aaron were the survivors from thest batch sent to the dark forest.¡±


    ¡°Um-hum,¡± She moaned, and I slowly topped the pace of my fingers, rewarding her truthfulness.


    She rewarded me with a loud moan, and let out more of those hot juices I wanted top with my tongue ¨C All in due time. A filthy little thing she was.


    ¡°Aarones back with news that surprises us both.¡± I continued, it was torture keeping up with both things but I loved every step of it. ¡°You were separated in the dark forest and somehow, he met with Ithra.¡±


    Athaliah¡¯s nose red at the mention of the Luna¡¯s name but I was there to smoothen the ride. I plunged in a third finger, and it filled her ¨C not as full as I would, but good enough to shut her up.


    ¡°Like that?¡± I asked, moving slowly, and driving her crazy with need.


    ¡°Azriel.¡± She gasped, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°You.¡± I smirked, and with one hand, tore her gown in half.

 Tell me the truth

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    We ended up on the bed. Half naked and under the dark glow of the room.


    I sucked on Athaliah¡¯s nipples like my life depended on it. If I was being honest, I thought it did.


    Sparks ignited between us and my member throbbed to be inside her, but I needed to know first. I needed to be sure before I gave in to my unhinged desire to take her in every possible way ¨C to ruin her for everyone else.


    My hands fingers continued their assault, edging her to no end. ¡°Azriel¡­¡± She moaned and gathered the bedsheet with both fists. ¡°Please..¡±


    As much as I loved to see her like this, I couldn¡¯t afford to lose my shit. ¡°Tell me,¡± I purred, biting her earlobe, as I tortured her, digging dip into her with every thrust of my finger. Her wetness dripped down her thighs, and I felt proud. ¡°Did he see her?¡± I began, ¡°Did Aaron really see her or was it a lie?¡±


    Athaliah was out of this world. She breathed deeply, eyes closed and she shuddered under me. ¡°I don¡¯t know..¡± She said, and my fingers slowed.


    She made to help herself but I held her hips down. Stopping her movements, I gritted into her ears. ¡°Wrong answer.¡±


    My lips caught her left nipple and I bit it lightly. I must have done something right because she pooled in my hands, I brought it up to my lips and licked my hand clean while she held my gaze.


    I was finished. I thought she would taste exquisite, but she exceeded my expectations. I savoured her juices like the starved man that I was, looking for my next hit. The look in Athaliah¡¯s eyes made it all worth it.


    ¡°Azriel¡­¡± She called, thrusting her lips forward. ¡°Please..¡± Her hands found my member and she palmed me from my trousers.


    Sparks sizzled from where our bodies met, shooting waves of signal down to my groin. So much so that it fought to be let out of the cages of my pants. While I contemted my next point of action, Athaliah took the lead.


    She pulled out my big boy and he sprang free, standing alert. A coy smile passed Athaliah¡¯s face and she reached for me, but I stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t.. touch,¡± I said, fighting the urge to take her.


    I turned her around, facing her on the bed. I pped her round bum, unable to stop myself. She purred in approval, and I watched her bum turn red. ¡°You told him to lie.¡± I hit the nail on the head, and without warning, slid my member deep into her pussy.


    Athaliah screamed. I passed a pillow over to her, and she bit it like a good girl.


    I began my pace, in and out, slow and steady, while she gave me melodies that stroked my already inted ego. I couldn¡¯t believe I got in.


    I was fucking my rejected mate. Where in the world did that happen?


    Lust stirred in me and I increased my pace, desperate to ruin her for everyone else. If this was thest time, I was determined to make the most of it. Athaliah took me in like a champ ¨C She was made for me.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I devoured every inch of her body, riding her to heaven¡¯s gate and back ¨C Edging her so much that she was reduced to a mumbling mess.


    ¡°Admit it, Athaliah,¡± I said, asking two questions. ¡°You did it. You put Aaron to it.¡±


    Athaliah¡¯s breath wasboured. I was doing that, I wanted to see her face but I knew it would distract me. I needn¡¯t fall in love with her. This was lust, and I¡¯ll be damned if I let myself feel anything more for my ex-mate.


    She remained quiet, taking me in like a good girl. I wasn¡¯t satisfied. I needed her to speak. To tell me I was wrong ¨C That this was another crazy theory my mind decided to put up.


    ¡°You made him lie, didn¡¯t you, girl?¡± I said in her ears, ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± She tightened around me, and I knew she was about to peak ¨C Not on my watch.


    I pulled out of her when she was at the peak of ecstasy and her eyes flew open, her mouth was slightly opened too, as shecked words to express her bereavement.


    Her eyes mourned the loss of my dick, but I didn¡¯t let her grieve for too long.


    I slid into her again, torturously slow. It was a miracle I was still holding my wits because as much as I was torturing her, edging her slowly, I was enduring the painful mould that begged to be released.


    I was suffering along with her, but I refused to cave into my fleshly desires.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Athaliah moaned, ¡°I told him to lie and save the alpha from dying in grief. So please, enough¡­¡± she begged.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Hearing her say it out loud did something to me. To what lengths was she willing to go for her ambition to be his Luna?


    With a vengeance that burned within me, I pushed into her again. This time, more roughly. She gasped, and it was a mix of pain and pleasure but I didn¡¯t care. That was how she made me feel. Bittersweet.


    I fired on, refusing her an allowance to breathe. I wanted to kill her for her evil deeds. I could imagine the write-up on her tombstone, hereinys Athaliah Montreal, Gamma of the BloodHound pack, who died during coption with her rejected mate.


    I would be doing the world a favour but she didn¡¯t deserve to die in such a manner.


    ¡°You made him lie,¡± I gritted and pummelled my way into her. ¡°You made him lie and stood there while he paid for a sin you made himmit.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ No¡­ Please¡­ no more.¡± Athaliah was a mess, inebriated, and unable to take any more of his painful pleasurings.


    I slowed my assault when I realised I was close. She didn¡¯t deserve to have my seed in her. She didn¡¯t even deserve to see me in my most primal form, andstly, She didn¡¯t deserve to finish.


    I suddenly pulled out of her, leaving her high and dry. ¡°I will not cover your wickedness this time around,¡± I said, breathing heavily. ¡°Get dressed and meet us out front.¡±


    ¡°Azriel..¡± I didn¡¯t care to listen, I took up my pants, wore them and left her room, shutting the door with a bang.


    I needed a cold shower.

 I was insulted by your alpha. Get your facts straight.

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    We were surrounded when we stepped foot in the Moon Light pack.


    I heard the unfriendly growl from Zadok, and the MoonLight wolves, bared their ws each ready to attack.


    ¡°We mean no harm.¡± I announced to the wolves, ¡°Take us to the alpha.¡± I requested, hoping they were smart enough to see we were here on a peace offering.


    ¡°And who do you think you are,ing here unannounced?¡± One of the wolves asked, baring his canines and eyeing us warily. ¡°The ceremony is over. Didn¡¯t get the memo?¡±


    ¡°Tell Alpha Cole that we are here for goodness sake!¡± That was Athaliah. She had been in a terrible mood since this morning.


    I didn¡¯t give a fuck.


    ¡°Identify yourselves.¡± A wolf came up, with an air of confidence.


    My eyes narrowed, ¡°Are you the beta of this pack?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that concerns you.¡± He said rudely. I could tell he was strong. But he was no match for me.


    And if I was being honest, I wanted to deck his teeth for looking at me wrongly. ¡°Azriel. Beta of the Blood Hound Pack.¡± I introduced myself, saving us the drama that was begging to happen.


    I didn¡¯t miss the slight widening of his eyes. Good. He ought to be scared.


    ¡°And yourpanions?¡± He asked, his tone more respectful.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not that it concerns you, but this is the Alpha and Gamma of the pack,¡± I said, looking smug. ¡°Now do us all a favour and take us to Alpha Cole.¡± If I guessed correctly, he  shouldn¡¯t be surprised by our arrival.¡± I added with a smirk. ¡°In fact, he should be expecting us.¡±


    The wolves exchanged looks. No doubt thinking if they wanted to mess with us. Thankfully, they chose to do the right thing, and after some time, they led us into the pack Lands.


    Zadok has been deathly silent all this while. I was getting worried. I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and thest thing I wanted was to get an unpleasant surprise that would cost us dearly, and wreck the n I had painstakingly created.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember sending you an invite.¡± Alpha Cole said, standing at the entrance of what I believed to be the pack house. ¡°To what do I owe this unpleasant meeting?¡±


    I could sense the anger in Cole¡¯s tone. Although he smiled, it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. Was this the wrong time?


    ¡°My sincerest apologies, Alpha Cole,¡± I said, catching his attention. ¡°My name is Azriel and I am the Beta of the BloodHound pack.¡± I started, bowing my head slightly for respect. ¡°Thedy by my side is the Gamma and I believe you know our Alpha. We are here on a peace offering.¡±


    Cole gauged me like some experiment and after a long silence, he led us into the house. ¡°You are just in time for lunch. So we will discuss over food.¡± He said and opened a double door that revealed arge dining table.


    The Grand Table.


    All sorts of food filled the table ¨C like they had prepared for us even before we came. ¡°Apologies for the small table. If you had informed me earlier, I might have made preparations to host.¡± Cole said, and I couldn¡¯t ignore his use of words.


    He ¡®might¡¯ have made preparations ¨C Way to sound very generous.


    We settled down on the table and we were served ordingly. The atmosphere was tense. Zadok was not leaving any stones unturned with the dirty looks he sent to Cole, which Cole dly returned.


    ¡°Thank you so much for being a wonderful host.¡± I broke the silence, the words tasting bitter in my mouth.


    Cole ced a grape in his mouth, taking his sweet time to reply. ¡°Is the food not to your taste?¡± He said with his eyes trained on Zadok. ¡°You haven¡¯t touched your food.¡±


    ¡°He had lunch before we headed here!¡± Athaliah squeaked, and it sounded like the bullshit it was.


    Cole smiled and nodded with an evil glintced in his eyes. ¡°Then let¡¯s get down to business.¡± He sat up. ¡°Why have youe to my pack?¡±


    I cleared my throat ¨C distracting Cole¡¯s eyes from Zadok. ¡°I believe we have made a grave mistake and need to correct the impression to avoid further misunderstandings,¡± I said, sounding diplomatic.


    ¡°Interesting. Do exin.¡± Cole said, and I continued.


    ¡°Last night, during the mating ceremony. I was made to understand that there was some riff between our Alpha and yourself.¡±


    Cole cut me off, ¡°I was insulted by your Alpha. Get your facts straight.¡± He said with zing eyes.


    Okay. There was no way to go around this. I¡¯d have to hit the nail on the head then.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said with a solemn look. ¡°Although I was unable to attend the meeting, I was briefed on what transpired and after careful deliberations, the alpha decided it was needful for us to pay you a visit and express our sincere apologies.¡±


    Cole was silent for a moment while he considered my words. ¡°You have spoken well, Beta.¡± He started, and I could sense there was a waring.


    ¡°However, I believe that if there was going to be an apology, it should be from the one who offended.¡± He gauged me with a two-edged smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    I felt tongue-tied. There was never a n for Zadok to apologise. It was hard enough getting him to follow us on this journey, and now, Cole was asking the impossible.


    My eyes drifted to Zadok and his jaws were clenched tightly. No doubt, he had no ns of apologising. We were fucked.


    ¡°Have I said something wrong?¡± Cole said after a while of silence, amusement danced in his eyes.


    Why did wee here again?


    ¡°I apologise for my actions.¡± Came the sordid voice of Zadok. ¡°I had mistaken her identity to be someone very dear to me. I hope we can overlook this mistake and move forward.¡±


    As much as he didn¡¯t sound like he meant any of the things he said, I was d he spoke. Cole seemed surprised, and he hid it with another one of his fake smiles.


    ¡°As long as it wouldn¡¯t repeat itself, we are good.¡± He finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll forgive this once seeing you have understood your mistake this time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Cole,¡± Zadok said, taking a deep breath.


    Alpha Cole got up. ¡°Anytime.¡± He looked at the three of us, seated in the dining without touching anything on the table. ¡°Since you have all had something to eat, we needn¡¯t waste more time here. My beautiful mate is waiting for me, so I have to go.¡±


    That was the opening I needed. ¡°About your mate, Congrattions,¡± I said and he nodded his head in approval.


    ¡°Thank you. I would have loved for you to see her, but it¡¯s a pity you didn¡¯t attend the ceremonyst night.¡± He said, sporting a faraway look. ¡°Last night was perfect. I didn¡¯t sleep a wink through the night.¡±


    Oh dear, was it just me or did the room grow a few degrees hotter?


    With a sidence, I saw Zadok sending death res towards an unbothered Cole.


    ¡°After having a beautiful time with my mate, I went into the dungeons to deal with some bastards that thought it wise to cross my territory and now, I have to go watch my Ca deal properly with them,¡± Cole tattled with a satisfied look.


    ¡°Rogues are the worst,¡± I said, indulging him. ¡°We do not take them lightly in the BloodHound Pack. Even spies. They are dead the moment they cross our territory.¡± I informed him, hoping he caught the threat in my words.


    ¡°Yes! Rogues and Spies are the absolute worst! They don¡¯t deserve to be alive. Thankfully, I have my mate who is set to give them the worst deaths imaginable!¡± His eyes found Zadok¡¯s. ¡°I would have invited you in, but you seem in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it,¡± Zadok said before I could speak.


    ¡°Great! You can follow me. This time you¡¯ll be a safe distance away from her,¡± He smiled, ¡°For both our sakes.¡±


    So much for a peace offering. I couldn¡¯t wait to see the woman who had Zadok so torn in between.

 She’s not a werewolf.

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    We followed Alpha Cole to arge field, walking past several guards.


    For some reason, there was a sordid smell in the air and thends seemed¡­ dead. The grass was dead and the atmosphere was odd ¨C like a disaster was waiting to happen.


    Cole led us, ushering us in while we followed in silence. The Atmosphere around Zadok suddenly tensed and I knew something was wrong. I looked around and that was when I saw her.


    Short Red hair, curvy and strong. Standing agile beside ady I didn¡¯t know. Zadok stilled beside me and I knew he¡¯d seen her too. There was no way in hell it wasn¡¯t Ithra.


    Even her presence was familiar. I could feel it despite standing metres away from her. Her back stiffened as soon as Cole spoke.


    ¡°Forgive me, my Ca!¡± He said, slowing his steps as he approached her and carelessly hung an arm around her. ¡°We had guests and I had to y host for a minute.¡±


    Uh-oh. My gaze found Zadok and he was breathing fire, his hand tightened in a fist.


    ¡°Have you made your decision?¡± He asked with a gleeful expression, his back facing us.


    I wondered what decision he was talking about. I waited for her to turn around. I needed to see her face. I needed to see her with my own eyes before running to a conclusion.


    Something told me it was useless but I held my ground.


    Finally, She turned back and my breath was knocked out of me. Zadok¡¯s aura became too tense, too solid and overbearing ¨C weighing me, and innocent wolves around.


    Cole soon noticed what was happening and turned around with a thick expression. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± He asked.


    One would think it was a harmless question, or perhaps, he was being concerned, but I saw through his bullshit. We all knew that was a threat in disguise, and slowly, Zadok reined in his aura, letting us breathe properly.


    Ithra¡¯s eyes widened as soon as she noticed our presence. I didn¡¯t miss how her eyes naturally gravitated to Zadok, whose eyes had been on her the entire time we came here.


    Finally, she spared me a look, and for some insane treason, I feltpelled to acknowledge her. I bowed my head and the words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I said.


    I let my eyes find her own, searching for a look of recognition, or anything that said she knew me, or even the familiar hate that she used to direct at me.


    To my surprise, there was nothing. Instead, she seemed exhausted ¨C her bodynguage told me she¡¯d rather be somewhere else and for a minute, the thought of Cole maltreating her came to my mind.


    The air around me changed, and to my surprise, I realised that my wolf was angry and ready to defend her if it came to that. I wasn¡¯t even sure she was Ithra, yet the fierce will to protect my luna was stirred within me.


    ¡°Ca,¡± She managed to speak and I was lost for a moment. ¡°The name is ca.¡± She said, reminding me of my unfinished greeting.


    Her voice. Unchanging and clear as day. It was hard to forget the voice that taunted and dared me at the slightest opportunity.


    ¡°Ah! Forgive me.¡± Cole said, tapping his forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t introduce you.¡± A woman stepped up and stood beside Ithra in a protective stance.


    An odd air surrounded her and my first instinct was to be wary of her. ¡°This is Azriel. The beta of Blood Hound pack, and beside him is Athaliah, the gamma.¡± Cole started, pointing towards us and we bowed our heads as a sign of respect.


    ¡°Alpha Zadok needs not to be introduced.¡± He added in an offhanded manner I didn¡¯t quite appreciate. ¡°And this,¡± He pointed to Ithra who stood ufortably under his arm, ¡°Is the love of my life, my chosen mate and soon to be the Luna of MoonLight pack.¡±


    That was a lot to take in ¨C even for me. I wasn¡¯t surprised when the air around us changed again. Zadok was at it again. Athaliah exchanged looks with me and I could see the worry in her eyes.


    There was no telling what the Alpha would do next.


    ¡°Zadok.¡± I heard the Alpha say, as he walked forward to Ithra, or Ca, with an outstretched arm. ¡°Allow me to formally introduce myself.¡± He said, and like magic, Ithra connected hands with her, gazing into his eyes as they entered another world.


    A world that consisted of just them both. Because they were made out of the same material. There and then, I believed.


    I didn¡¯t know what went wrong, but my gut instinct told me she was Ithra. Immediately, my brain drew out ns that could help us walk out of this pack with her, and all of them involved Cole¡¯s head separated from his body.


    What were the odds of killing him in a courtesy visit? I couldn¡¯t tell.


    ¡°And this is my beta,¡± Cole said, dragging Ithra away from Zadok with a maddened look. ¡°Scar.¡±


    Finally. A name to the strange woman.


    ¡°You have a woman as your beta?¡± I spoke my thoughts and it came off ruder than I¡¯d hoped.


    Scar¡¯s face turned grotesque and I made to apologise but she beat me to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise a dick came with the job description, beta.¡± She hissed.


    Oh well ¨C no need to cry over spilt milk.


    Coleughed, and it has got to be one of the fakestughs in the history of fakeughs. ¡°She gets the job done alright.¡± He said, and I could tell he didn¡¯t appreciate my little remark.


    Remind me to keep my thoughts to myself next time.


    ¡°Matter of fact, she isn¡¯t even your conventional werewolf.¡± He said with an air of pride.


    I was interested. ¡°Do tell, what kind of werewolf is she to carry out such magnanimous duties as your beta?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint,¡± Cole said, eyeing us with a smirk. ¡°She¡¯s not a werewolf.¡±


    My eyes widened. I didn¡¯t see thating. A female beta who was not a werewolf. Fuck me senseless. I gauged Scar with a newfound respect and wariness.


    No one could tell what she was, or what she was capable of. Which made her a lot more dangerous. Just when I wanted to bite the bone and ask the forbidden question, Cole spoke up, effectively shutting me up.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s over, back to business!¡± He turned to Ithra, ¡°My Ca! Have you made your decision already?¡±


    Her back stiffened, and she answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Cole sped his hands, ¡°Let¡¯s have the morons!¡± He ordered, and to my greatest surprise, three bloodied and beaten men were dragged out, and ced as baits.


    Cole looked deranged and I felt worry when I took in Ithra¡¯s look. What in the world was he making her do?

 Because you are not a killer.

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I felt his eyes on me ¨C Zadok¡¯s.


    Or should I say, Alpha Zadok¡¯s? I couldn¡¯t be distracted by him though. I didn¡¯t have time to think about how his hands fit so perfectly around mine, or how much I wanted to return his gaze that had been on me all this while.


    ¡°I know you are tired, love.¡± Cole¡¯s voice brought goosebumps in my arms. ¡°Make it snappy and you¡¯ll be off to rest.¡±


    Since when did I hate his guts this much? My eyes found the bloodied men ced before me. The men I was supposed to kill for Cole¡¯s amusement.


    Sparing them wasn¡¯t an option. I knew that from my three years of experience with Cole. If there was even the slightest chance of me trying to change his mind ¨C it was thrown out of the window by the appearance of the guests.


    I didn¡¯t know if I shouldugh or cry about it.


    ¡°Channel that power you spoke about earlier,¡± Scarlett whispered to my hearing. ¡°You did it once. Twice¡¯s the charm.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if that was true. Because as I beheld the men, beaten out of recognition, I just couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t find it in my mind to kill them in such a gruesome way when they had done nothing to me.


    Of course, I knew they were not innocent in their ways, but I didn¡¯t think it should be my job to finish them off.


    ¡°Just do it, Ca. They don¡¯t deserve your mercy. These men deserve death. You would only be doing them a favour.¡± Cole said and a hup left my lips.


    He noticed my hesitation to do it. I wondered what else he noticed.


    ¡°Okay..¡± I muttered and closed my eyes.


    If I was going tomit this sin, I might as well do it with my eyes closed. Perhaps if I didn¡¯t see them, I wouldn¡¯t feel the difort and guilt for taking a breath out of their body.


    I was wrong. Closing my eyes proved to be a bad idea because I ended up seeing him. Zadok ¨C staring at me with his mesmerizing brown eyes. His eyes evoked something in me. It felt so familiar. Too familiar even.


    My eyes fell open and I found him with ease ¨C his brown orbs locked on me like a most priced possession. What was it with him?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Came the concerned voice of Scar,


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± That was all I managed to say.


    ¡°Try again.¡± She urged, and I let my eyes find Cole¡¯s. His jaws were tightened and he looked anything but pleased.


    A paralysing chill went down my spine. ¡°Shall we try that again, love?¡± He said, with a smile that intimidated me.


    I nodded my head, unable to speak. I felt many eyes on me ¨C the members of the BloodHound  Pack. I couldn¡¯t find it in me to look at the expression on their faces. They probably thought I was too chicken to perform.


    I was an embarrassment and it was normal for Cole to feel upset. Failing in Cole¡¯s eyes was redeemable, but I learned that failing in the sight of his guests might as well be unforgivable.


    Cole treasured his face. He lived up to high expectations and prided himself in doing the extraordinary, making him well-known and formidable. Being his bride was a cross I had to carry ¨C living up to his expectations, his pack¡¯s expectations and the entire werewolfmunity.


    The exact reason why he introduced me as the first Hybrid when he knew so well that I hadn¡¯t gotten my wolf. So far, I understood I was a witch who could cast spells and do unimaginable things, but I had yet to find my wolf.


    And for some reason, Cole remained hellbent on helping me ¡®recover¡¯ my wolf. How can one recover what they don¡¯t have? I¡¯ve asked Scar and people who are said to have known me before I tragically lost my memories, and every one of them told the same story.


    I was a hybrid, Half wolf and Half witch. I just needed to find my wolf and it will be fine. I lost the strength to investigate any more about my identity and hoped that someday, as they have said, I would find my wolf.


    However, I was content with being a witch. I was having a hard time relearning things I was said to be proficient in before and it took a toll on me. I wondered how it would be if I recovered my wolf too.


    I¡¯ll probably die from the training that would be imposed on me by Cole. I cringed at the thought and Cole¡¯s impatient voice reached my hearings.


    ¡°Are you going to keep us waiting?¡± He gritted.


    I didn¡¯t reply. There was no use. I looked at the men and decided to do it despite every part of me that kicked against it. I tried to do it again, against my better judgment and nothing happened.


    I tried again, and the results were the same.


    Every time I opened my eyes after attempting to turn them into stone and saw them slumped and alive, I grew frustrated.


    ¡°Calm down, Ca.¡± Scar said but I was far too gone to be calm.


    Why couldn¡¯t I do it? Why can¡¯t I do this right and end their suffering? Why?! I thought frustratedly.


    ¡°Because you are not a killer.¡± A voice said in my thoughts and I stilled in shock.


    What was that?


    I might have spent a lot of time in my head because Cole immediately spoke, sounding pissed and yet diplomatic about it.


    ¡°Ca.¡± He said, ¡°We have guests.¡± He reminded me, and that did it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± I said, meeting his eyes. ¡°I am not a killer, Cole. I can do anything else, but not to kill.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I apologize to you all.¡± My eyes found their way to my guests. ¡°But I cannot do this.¡± My tone was resolute and I meant every single word.


    Scar regarded me with a look that suggested I might have been stupid to do that. But I didn¡¯t care. My head was banging with a headache, my body felt weak and I could still feel Zadok¡¯s eyes on me.


    I needed to leave. I had to go before I lost it in here.


    ¡°I think I might have stretched my mate past the limit,¡± Cole said to the guests and turned to me with a fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my love, I shouldn¡¯t make you stain your hands with their dirty blood.¡± He said and turned towards the prisoners. ¡°I will take care of them myself. Scar, please take my mate to her chambers. I will join you in a few.¡±


    I opened my mouth to protest against killing the men but was led away by Scar, while I fought the urge to look back at the one whose eyes had never left me.

 Good thing I didn’t have a problem with finishing my dirty dishes

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    I couldn¡¯t stop looking at her ¨C  My Amore, my Ithra, my mate.


    I knew it was stupid to agree with Azriel¡¯s n to pay her a visit without a concrete n to recover her but I couldn¡¯t resist the temptation of even a chance of seeing her again.


    I needed to see her again, to be sure I wasn¡¯t crazy. I needed to see her and touch her. To feel the little sparks between us to know that I was indeed living a life where my Ithra was still alive.


    Nothing prepared me for the sight of her, standing under the sun while she forced herself to kill against her will. It took a miracle to prevent me from blowing up at Cole, who was having difficulty reading the room.


    I got angry at how many other things he was forcing her to do against her will. We were leaving the field after Ithra tantly confronted Cole, dering she was unable to kill.


    At that moment, I felt my member harden at her confidence. Pride flooded me and I could hear my wolf¡¯s approval of her standing up for herself. However, the next moment I was worried about her, seeing she was still in the hands of that bastard who had taken her outburst as an insult.


    It was clear in the stupid smile he held while he tried to cover his anger.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d have liked to entertain you with my mate¡¯s beautiful skills, it will not be possible today.¡± He said as we walked out of the field. ¡°Maybe some other time.¡± He added, leading us back to the house.


    Some other time? I thought, baffled. This fool thought I would allow him to do that to my mate some other time? Over my dead body.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to handle the dirty dishes by yourself, don¡¯t you think, Alpha Cole?¡± Azriel took words from my mouth. ¡°If our females are made to do the dirty jobs, then it should be a shame to the males.¡±


    Cole looked like he had been pped. I wondered how his face would look after I brushed his face with my fist.


    ¡°I believe in making my males and females the best they can be.¡± He said in a clipped tone, ¡°If everyone is strong enough and with equal opportunities, then gender roles would be useless.¡± His eyes fixated on me ¨C like he was waiting for me to speak.


    I didn¡¯t give a fuck about gender roles. What I did know was that there would not be a next time to this bullshit. I was going to see to that myself.


    Cole sent us off in a hurry. ¡°Thank you for your time, I hope-¡±


    His words were cut short by the opening of the doors behind us. ¡°Alpha! Alpha! The Luna! She Copsed!¡±


    My body froze as I heard the words. Ithra was in danger.


    Without a second thought, I turned around, ready to seek her out when I was stopped by a hand on my wrist ¨C a strong hand belonging to Azriel.


    ¡°Alpha¡­ please.¡± His words drifted into my mind but I felt confused.


    What was he begging me for? My mate was in danger! Surely he didn¡¯t think I would return to the pack as though I didn¡¯t just hear what was said.


    ¡°I have to leave,¡± Cole said and turned to the guards around. ¡°See them out.¡±


    With that, he left us at the door, rushing inside while we stood, surrounded by guards.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave.¡± I gritted to the hearing of Azriel. ¡°You heard it. She copsed. I need to save her.¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°We will,¡± Azriel assured, but I was not moved.


    ¡°Leave without me. I will get her out today.¡± I spat, ¡°Enough is enough.¡±


    It seemed like Azriel wasn¡¯t the only one listening to our conversation. Because as soon as I turned, the guards had tripled. Each of them stood in a defensive stance.


    ¡°You may leave now.¡± The guard who led us to Cole appeared before us, showing us the way out.


    I didn¡¯t move. How could I? My heart lurched and I ached to know her condition.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Azriel called again, his tone begging for me to do the right thing. ¡°We wille back for her.¡± He promised through the mind link. ¡°We will stop at nothing to get her back.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even know what was right anymore. What if she died before we were able to get her?


    Without a word, Azriel led me back to the car, and I let him, till we drove further away from my mate.


    *****


    I reported to the dungeons as soon as I stepped into the packnds.


    I needed to release the pent-up anger within me and I knew just the right person. Azriel and Athaliah followed silently, and I could sense their worry and dread.


    My hands itched as I drew closer to the cell where Aaron was kept ¨C away from others and at the far left, where I dealt with people like him.


    Aaron must have sensed his death because as soon as I opened the gates of his cell, his eyes flew open, and his horror was visible.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he still had eyes. What on earth was I doing the entire time I was herest time? My mate was unconscious, so therefore, unable to use her eyes.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It was an injustice for him to be able to use his eyes.


    I wanted his eyes closed. Forever. My instinct screamed at me to do the right thing. To finish him off in the cruellest way ¨C Good thing I didn¡¯t have a problem with finishing my dirty dishes.


    Without a second thought, I grabbed a knife from the weaponry and with swift motion, tore through his eyes ¨C blinding him in one sh.


    Arggghh!


    His scream was music to my ears. ¡°Are you ready to fess up?¡± I asked a rhetorical question.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to answer. You can imagine my shock when he said the words that changed everything.


    ¡°Please! Please Alpha! I will confess!¡± My eyes narrowed and I turned around, finding my beta and Gamma standing by the door.


    The door suddenly shuts close and I see Azriel lock it from behind. ¡°If he¡¯s going to confess, no one else needs to hear it.¡± He answered my questioning look.


    With a nod, I turned around, facing the now-blind Aaron. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time,¡± I said in a clipped tone and he shook in fear.


    ¡°Athaliah! It was Athaliah!¡± He said and I couldn¡¯t believe my ears.


    I turned around and the look on her face confirmed my doubts.

 Because she wanted to be Luna

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    ¡°She made me lie! I had to do it to survive the dark forest.¡± He said, ¡°She saved me from dying and gave me the assignment saying it was for the good of the pack!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to lie! Please! Spare my life!¡± Aaronmented while I stood immobile, gaze focused on Athaliah.


    For the first time, I felt at a loss for words. My brain was nk and I could bring myself to understand why she would do such evil against me.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what I did to her to warrant such an act of betrayal. My blood boiled as I looked at her, waiting for some exnation.


    Something that told me Aaron was lying, and his entire story was a scheme to save his head. But nothing came forward, forcing me to ask.


    ¡°Athaliah.¡± I breathed, ¡°I will only ask you this once.¡± Athaliah stiffened and for the first time in a long time, the air reeked of Athaliah¡¯s fear. ¡°Did you ask him to lie to me?¡±


    Asking that aloud felt odd. Impossible. Stupid even. But I needed to hear her say it. I needed to hear her say it before I believed anything.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°A-alpha..¡± Her tone was begging, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±


    ¡°I asked a question!¡± I roared, cutting her off. ¡°What Aaron has just said¡­ Is it true?¡±


    She gulped. With her dyed response, my anger grew. ¡°I¡­ I told him to do it.¡± She answered and hell broke loose inside my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I saw how much you were suffering and thought it would help you get over her easily!¡± She exined, ¡°The pack was deteriorating with your refusal to ept reality and I thought if maybe I helped a little, things would turn around for good.¡± She said in one breath, ¡°And I was right! You came around, but everything was destroyed when that Ca girl came into the picture.¡±


    I looked at her. There was no sign of remorse for her actions. How did this get past me?


    ¡°I know I was wrong to go about things in that way, but surely, you must understand why I had to step in and-¡±


    I didn¡¯t know when I reached her with a p that sent her to the floor. ¡°Alpha!¡± Azriel roared, rushing towards me, and holding me back.


    ¡°This bitch! This good-for-nothing bitch I picked up from nowhere! I took her in when she had nothing, and made her the gamma of my pack and this is how she pays me back?! By conniving with this bastard to deceive me?! She will pay! She will pay for this!¡± I roared, pushing Azriel to the wall as I picked her up by the hair.


    ¡°Please! I didn¡¯t mean any harm! I did it for you!¡± She said, her voice heavy with pain.


    She hadn¡¯t seen anything. If she thought she had experienced pain, then I would show her what pain truly felt like. I would make her understand what it meant to be on my bad side.


    ¡°Hang her up!¡± I ordered, and immediately, guards came in, and Athaliah was hung beside Aaron.


    I took up my knife, spinning it with a deranged look. Looking at them both, it seemed so unfair. Athaliah looked like the better side of the coin, but that was about to change.


    In my eyes, both of them were dead meat. It was only a matter of time.


    Azriel got up, hanging by the corner. He hadn¡¯t said a word since the truth came out. He was probably as shocked as I had been but that was beside the case.


    ¡°Alpha-¡± Athaliah began and I silenced her with a silver knife to her knees.


    Her screams of pain bounced off the walls, shaking the entire dungeon.


    I took a scarf and tied it around her mouth ¨C making it hard for her to scream.


    With perfect symmetry, I punched the knife in all her joints, not forgetting to squeeze at every turn, while she screamed like never before.


    Athaliah was an Alpha female. I was reminded of that fact when her silver wound seemed to heal as time proceeded. This wouldn¡¯t do. I thought and walked away from her, going into the weaponry and bringing out one of my most priced possessions in poison.


    An enchanted potion has the power to break down the physical properties of an alpha, weakening their alpha genes and reducing them to the strength of a regr wolf. I had never used it on anyone.


    It was only one and I never thought to use it all this while. I guess it was waiting for a time like this when I would need to use it ¨C Athaliah was the perfect one to test it on.


    I picked it up and returned to the dungeon, headed towards Athaliah who was now a bloodied mess. I forced open her mouth and poured the contents into her mouth.


    Her eyes widened, and I was reminded yet again that my mate was unconscious and she was awake, alive and seeing. ¡°W-what d-did you do?¡± She said, coughing up blood.


    Interesting. I watched her body turn pale as she barfed up more blood that eventually turned ck. ¡°What did you give her?!¡± Azriel roared, and rushed to the discarded bottle, shaking his head as he read it. ¡°No, No, NO!¡± He bit his wrist and blood dripped from his hand.


    To my surprise, he fed it to her, forcing it down her throat. I had never seen Azriel look so out of order. Something was fishy.


    I pulled him back with a questionable look and he begged, ¡°Please! She will die! I need to feed her my blood or she will die!¡± His tone was panicked. Devastated.


    I wasn¡¯t moved. ¡°And why is that so bad?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t watch you kill her! She is my mate!¡± He said, shocking me to the bone.


    ¡°You said your mate rejected you,¡± I didn¡¯t miss the flicker of pain that passed through his eyes, ¡°Athaliah, rejected you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to say a word. His face said it all.


    ¡°Why?¡± I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it. ¡°Why would she do that?¡±


    His face hardened as he took me in. Athaliah was unconscious. ¡°Because she wanted to be Luna.¡±

 Don’t kill her

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± I roared as soon as Azriel shut the doors of my office. ¡°Why on earth would you keep something so important from me?!¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Azriel answered, his tone calm.


    ¡°What do you mean nothing? You mean to tell me that this entire time, Athaliah, who is YOUR mate has been pining to be Luna and you didn¡¯t deem it fit to tell me? Are you kidding me?!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary.¡± He answered and that only increased my anger.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary?¡± Iughed and threw over my table the next second ¨C causing a loud crash in my office. ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary?!¡± I roared. ¡°Tell me, how many more things have you hidden from me? How many more things did you deem unnecessary to tell me?¡±


    Azriel bowed his head, biting his lips. Did he think I was joking?


    I approached Azriel with a crazed look and the next moment, my handstched to his clothes. ¡°How do I know you haven¡¯t betrayed me? How many more lies have you told to cover her Atrocities?¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°The entire time, you must have hated me. It must have been a pleasure to watch me get broken beyond repair. Give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t kill you?!¡±


    Azriel pulled my hands away from his clothes with a maddened expression. ¡°How dare you?¡± He growled. ¡°How dare you use me of such sin?!¡± He shook his head and spoke animately, ¡°You want to know why? Do you want to know why I kept things from you?! I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    cing a hand on the bridge of his nose, Azriel continued. ¡°Tell me, how could I have told you? When? During your sudden trip to the dark forest or after you returned a shadow of yourself? Tell me! How could I have told you? How could I have told you when you were too busy, obsessed with Ithra?!¡±


    I gripped him by the throat with rage in my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare..¡± I said in a grave tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bring her into this.¡±


    Azriel must be seeking his death ¨C he didn¡¯t back down. Instead, he did worse.


    ¡°She is already in it! The moment she came, everything changed around here. She changed everyone! Look around, Zadok. You don¡¯t even care about the pack. You just murdered a member of your pack because he lied to you in an attempt to save his life. Could you still call yourself an Alpha that keeps the interest of his people before his own?¡± He said, and I couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°You were asking me why I didn¡¯t tell you, huh?¡± He pulled my hands from him, ¡°Because if I told you, it might as well be a waste of time! You care about no one, and if there¡¯s one thing I know that has changed about you since you met Ithra, it¡¯s that you have be a selfish good-for-nothing prick!¡±


    I stared Azriel dead in the face, and I could see he believed every word from his mouth. ¡°Selfish good for nothing prick?¡± I scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that you got rejected by your attention-seeking whore.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not our fault you lost Ithra in the dark forest.¡±


    I threw a punch in his face within a millisecond. ¡°Get out of my office.¡±


    Azriel smirked with bloodied teeth. ¡°Get over yourself, Zadok. If you have even the tiniest bit of responsibility, then spare Athaliah¡¯s life. She does not deserve death.¡±


    ¡°The gut you have to tell me she doesn¡¯t deserve death after all she did.¡± I walked towards him with purposeful steps, ¡°I killed Aaron. Athaliah is a dead woman walking.¡±


    ¡°Two wrongs don¡¯t make a right. Do anything else, but please.¡± Azriel dropped to his knees, shocking me with his words. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her.¡±


    I turned around, refusing to see him in such a pitiful state. ¡°That¡¯s a call I must make. Get out of my office.¡±


    ***************


    My rtionship with Azriel only grew worse as the days passed without any message from me regarding Athaliah.


    I couldn¡¯t talk to him after he clearly stated how poorly he viewed me. I couldn¡¯t shake off the in-depth feeling that told me he wasn¡¯t wrong in his assessments of me.


    Ithra had wrecked my life from the moment she stepped foot in my pack ¨C but in the most beautiful way. If I had an opportunity to redo life, I would make the same decisions knowing I would get to meet her again.


    Today was the D-day.


    Azriel stepped into my office bearing news. ¡°The people have been assembled.¡± He said in a taut tone.


    ¡°And Athaliah?¡±


    ¡°The guards are on their way to bring her.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I replied, ¡°You can go ahead. I will meet you there.¡± I said, dismissing him as usual.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I could sense him hesitant to go, no doubt, he was wondering what I nned to do with Athaliah.


    After the time at the dungeons, Athaliah was taken in for emergency care, and unfortunately, survived the lethal dose of poison she ingested ¨C courtesy ¨C me.


    The drug did more harm than I could hope for as she was paralysed, bedridden and always in pain. This I got from the feedback of the people I ced in charge of her while I decided her fate.


    A few days back, I got the news that she was responding well to treatments and decided it was time for her to pay for her crimes. Today was the day I meted out judgment to her. And ever since the announcement, Azriel had been a shadow of himself.


    Despite the strong urge to reach out to him, I couldn¡¯t do it knowing this might be the reason for his sullen and moody aura. As soon as I dressed, I headed for the field, ready to settle things.

 Take her away

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    ¡°If for some insane reason, you make it out alive today, do us all a favour and leave this pack,¡± I said to Athaliah, who walked with a limp, around her prison room.


    ¡°How is Zadok? Why isn¡¯t he here? I need to thank him for sparing my life.¡± Athaliah said with an eagerness that made me want to p her silly.


    ¡°Is that all you can think?¡± I asked in bewilderment. ¡°You are on a death roll and you still can¡¯t shut off the thoughts of Zadok?¡±


    Frustration was evident in my tone but she didn¡¯t care. What was I thinking? She never cared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dramatise it.¡± She said in a taut tone. ¡°You know how I know I would survive this? Because If Zadok wanted me dead, I would be dead by now.¡±


    ¡°No shit.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Right now, the Alpha is out of the waters, and as much as I think you deserve death, I hope you don¡¯t die. But don¡¯t get your hopes up, the Alpha is as unpredictable as hees. This might as well be thest time we see.¡±


    Athaliah let go of her breath. ¡°Azriel.¡± She began, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    I felt like a fish out of water. ¡°Why are you making things hard for us both?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, fearing her answer.


    ¡°This. All of this. Saving my life, getting me this room, all these good things you do out of the blue for me.¡± She said with a resident bitch face. ¡°I already made things clear. My lifelong ambition is to be the Luna and I can¡¯t have people thinking otherwise of us, especially the Alpha.¡± She exined with a serious expression on her face.


    I gauged her with an amused expression, refusing to let her see the pain in my face. I swallowed a bile in my throat. ¡°Don¡¯t be ttered. I don¡¯t give a shit about you.¡± I walked up to her, taking her face in my hands. ¡°Everything I do, I do it for my wolf to be more at ease.¡±


    She saw through my lies. I could see it in the eye-roll she sported. ¡°Really? It¡¯s because of your wolf? Surely, you can do better than that, Azriel. That has got to be themest lie I have heard in all my years of existence.¡±


    ¡°And why is that so?¡± I pushed back, not knowing when to stop. ¡°Is it because of the other day? Because I pleasured you and put my dick in you? You think I harbour other feelings for you?¡± My eyes raged as the scenes shed before my eyes. I wanted to do it again.


    To feel her up close again. But I couldn¡¯t do that in her condition. That was why she needed to stay alive. If not as my mate, but as someone who could scratch that itch when I needed it.


    ¡°Newssh, Athaliah. I never finished. I only exploited that to get the truth from you, and like a fool, you were putty in my hands.¡± I smirked and added for good measure. ¡°Literally.¡±


    Athaliah¡¯s face burned with anger, and the next moment, she threw a fire p at me. It felt weak too weak for the Athaliah I had grown to know.


    ¡°Pathetic.¡± She spat, and it cut through me. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic how far you would go for someone who has rejected you. Even if I die today, I would die happy knowing I didn¡¯t settle for less.¡± She said with an eye roll. ¡°Do me a favour and keep those gory details to yourself. Thest thing I want is for rumours to spread about giving myself to a measly beta who cannot handle himself in bed.¡±


    ¡°That was not what you said when you begged me to fuck you, Athaliah.¡± I reminded her and received another p.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever mention my name again? Get out.¡± She growled, but I stood with an amused smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t die and I will make you beg for it again. I promise.¡±


    With that, I walked out of the room, telling the guards to bring her to the field while I headed for Zadok¡¯s office, hoping for a glimpse of his thoughts before the event.


    *******Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    A crowd gathered in the field as they awaited the Alpha¡¯s presence.


    After what felt like aeons, Zadok arrived at the field and I went straight to him. ¡°Alpha.¡± I greeted and he grunted in reply.


    That has been his manner of speaking to me since the arguement in his office. I was desperate now. I had to know the fate of Athaliah, I needed to know what he nned on doing.


    ¡°What do you n to do?¡± I asked him outrightly for the first time.


    He kept walking like he didn¡¯t hear my question. ¡°Is everything set?¡± He asked and I nodded affirmative.


    ¡°The people are here and the guards just came in with Athaliah.¡± It hurt to say her name out loud. ¡°What do you n to do with her?¡± I asked again,


    ¡°We are about to find out,¡± Zadok said, and parted ways with me, headed for the toon where he addressed the people.


    I stood by the side and watched him begin his speech, while I waited impatiently for his verdict.


    ¡°Rise.¡± He said and continued his speech. ¡°I believe a number of you are wondering the reason for this sudden call, but rest assured that you will be answered shortly.¡± He began. ¡°Three years ago, I went on a journey to the dark forest that saw to the discovery and loss of my mate. I returned to you sorrowing and a shadow of myself, sending many to their deaths in the quest to bring back someone we all believed to be dead.¡±


    ¡°Looking back at the mess I created, I remain apologetic for everything, and can now see how I forced many to act out in order to recover my sanity.¡± He beckoned on the guards. ¡°Bring her up.¡±


    Everyone turned around, and together, we watched Athaliah mount the toon, chained hands and feet. ¡°A few months back, I came here and openly grieved my loss and marked a new chapter for Blood Hound Pack.¡± Zadok¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°However, I never told you the reason for such sudden change.¡±


    ¡°Most of you must know that the door to the dark forest mysteriously disappeared, but that was beside the point. Among thest batch of wolves, two survived, one dead, and the other, our very own Athaliah.¡±


    The crowd was silent, you could hear a pin drop.


    ¡°I was informed of news that made me believe my mate was dead and hoping I could be a better person for your sake. Who would have known I was being deceived by the very people who walked side by side with me?¡±


    Gasps filled the air at Zadok¡¯s insinuation. I could feel the daggers that were getting thrown at Athaliah, whom they all believed to be the offender.


    ¡°I was made to believe my mate was dead for another to have a chance to take her ce,¡± Zadok said. ¡°The woman in front of you singlehandedly orchestrated the deceit. And today, I have decided to strip her from her duties as the Gamma of this pack.¡±


    ¡°Although she deserves death, I have decided to leave that to the gods. However, she is no longer a member of this pack and has been banished from Blood Hound. At any time she steps foot in this territory, she will be put to death.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Athaliah shouted with her eyes the size of saucers. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t do this! I promise never to do such again. I swear! I have turned a new leaf.¡±


    Zadok turned to me and ordered. ¡°Take her away.¡±

 Who is Shilhi?

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I wandered through the bushes, unable to find my path. Where am I? I thought fearfully.


    The sky was getting dark. I needed to go before it got too dark. I needed to go back to my pack. But how?


    ¡°There you are!¡± A voice said from behind, and I was startled to a stop. Slowly, I turned around, looking for the owner of the voice. ¡°You thought you won didn¡¯t you?¡± She smirked, hands akimbo.


    ¡°Did you think I would not find you?¡± My body jittered with fear. ¡°Did you think I would not find you in this forest?¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone,¡± I said, stepping back. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t!¡± The woman roared, and the grounds beneath us shook. ¡°You destroyed my face! This is a mour to cover the wickedness you have done!¡±


    I felt like I needed rification. I didn¡¯t remember doing anything of the kind. She must be mistaken.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡± I said, stepping backwards. ¡°I did not do anything so please let me go!¡±


    The womanughed, so hard I wondered if I said something funny. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything bad?¡± She said, stepping forward. ¡°Did you just say you didn¡¯t do anything bad?¡± She scoffed, ¡°Your existence is an offence!¡± She roared. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alive. You should have died in the dark forest!¡±


    ¡°What? W-what dark forest?¡± I stuttered, and my body shivered at the sound of that ce.


    Goosebumps covered my skin and I wondered why. What and where was that ce? What did it have to do with me?


    ¡°This dark forest!¡± She roared, and I was horrified.


    ¡°T-this is the d-dark forest?¡±


    ¡°What did you think?¡± She said, gesturing to the environment around us. ¡°This is your destiny. You were supposed to die here, Ithra. But no, you had to alter destiny and put me in this hell!¡±


    The woman advanced towards me and I stepped back, full of fright. Unknown to me, there was a tree root, which I tipped over and fell on my butt.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡± I said, ¡°My name is Ca! Not Ithra!¡± I defended myself but it was useless.


    ¡°You think you can fool me? You think a switch of name will save you?¡± She said in a threatening manner.


    I shook my head. ¡°No! Please! No!¡±


    My eyes erged when I saw her bring out a butcher knife. ¡°Look at this, who do you think this belongs to?¡±


    I stared at the de, fear-stricken. For some reason, it seemed familiar. I just couldn¡¯t ce my fingers on where I¡¯d seen it before.


    ¡°I-I D-don¡¯t know,¡± I stated after much trial.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡± The woman asked, with her head corked to the side. ¡°I wille back for you Ithra.¡± She suddenly said and arge scar appeared on her face, shocking me further.


    What was going on with her? I thought as she suddenly lost her strong body, appearing old and worn like a glitching toy.


    ¡°I will find you ande back for you.¡± She vowed, ¡°Even if I have toe out of the depths of hell to do it! For now, this will do.¡±


    The woman touched me and I suddenly saw shes of a woman exploding before my eyes. I woke up with one word in my mouth.


    Shilhi!


    I jumped on my feet, filled with fear, and breathing heavily.


    ¡°Shilhi.¡± I muttered with wide eyes, ¡°Shilhi.¡±


    I must have screamed because immediately, Scar rushed into the room, with searching eyes.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Luna!¡± She said with a worried look etched on her face. ¡°Are you alright? Sit down.¡± She held my hand, directing me to sit but I couldn¡¯t.


    My entire body shook and I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of fear and anxiety that rocked through me. Shilhi. She wasing for me. Her words repeated in my head.


    I needed to hide, run, anything! I couldn¡¯t sit still. My body shivered and all I could think about was how to run.


    ¡°Calm down, Luna! We¡¯re here. Nothing would happen to you.¡± Scarlett said into my ears, resisting me from moving. ¡°The Alpha will be here any moment from now.¡±


    I remained restless, struggling to go, and almost having my way until Cole stepped into the room with a serious expression.


    His countenance broke when he saw me and hurried to my side ¨C stopping me from leaving.


    ¡°Let me go! She¡¯s going to kill me!¡± I cried, ¡°Please! Let me go! She knows I am here! I have to leave now!¡± At this point, I was hysterical.


    ¡°Scar! The potion! Now!¡± Cole said but I was too upied with my horror to wonder what he was talking about.


    Scarlett left me and searched the drawers beside my bed with a speed I couldn¡¯t describe. She brought out a little ck bottle, took a syringe and withdrew its contents.


    Before I could say a word, she injected me and I felt its effects immediately. My eyes felt droopy and my strength failed.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± I asked, breathing heavily. ¡°What have you done to me?!¡±


    ¡°Sleep, my Ca.¡± That was thest thing I heard before I sumbed to the darkness around me.


    ******


    I sat on my bed, surrounded by concerned gazes. I didn¡¯t me them, I hadn¡¯t uttered a word since I woke up.


    A vast difference from thest time I got up.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Scar was the first to speak, while Cole watched me in silence.


    I made to speak but there was a bile in my throat. ¡°Fine.¡± My voice came croaky and I cleared my throat and tried again. ¡°I am fine.¡± This time, it came out better.


    Scar wasn¡¯t convinced. She followed up with check-ups,  checking my pulse and overall well-being.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡± Cole finally asked after Scarlett finished her round on me.


    ¡°Everything seems alright.¡± She said and turned to me. ¡°Do you feel pains anywhere?¡±


    I shook my head, negative. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said for the nth time.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Cole asked immediately. ¡°Why were you so afraid.¡±


    My body shook, as I relived the dream I had. The first one was terrifying, but the second one I just woke up from took the cup. I couldn¡¯t even put the horror I saw into words.


    ¡°Who is Shilhi?¡± I asked forck of an answer.


    Cole and Scar shared a knowing look.


    ¡°What happened?¡± That was Cole, his tone was fierce and left no room for refusal.


    If I wanted to find out what these dreams that felt so real were about, I couldn¡¯t sit on them. There goes nothing. I thought, took a deep breath and told them my dreams.


    When I finished, their eyes were wide and shell-shocked.


    ¡°So please, tell me, who is Shilhi and what is the dark forest?¡±

 what do you think she is seeing?

    CALLA¡¯S POV.


    My dreams didn¡¯t stop.


    I woke every day with another horrifying dream of the dark forest and Shilhi.


    As time proceeded, they stopped feeling like dreams. They seemed so real ¨C like I had lived in them. Like I walked through the grounds of the dark forests and battled with many things with a person I couldn¡¯t see his face.


    It didn¡¯t help that Cole was dumb to my questions and desire for knowledge. Scarlett too. Every time I met them with my dream, asking more and more questions about the dark forest and the woman, Shilhi, they tended to wave it as another of my meaningless dreams.


    At some point, they even said I might be conjuring hallucinations using my powers! I could never get over the ridiculousness of that theory. The worst part of it was that I couldn¡¯t help myself.


    I could not help myself and as the days went by with me idly sitting in my room or walking around the Alpha¡¯s chambers, it seemed like there was something in me, begging to be seen, known and acknowledged.


    With every passing dream, I felt like a bit of me was restored, only that those bits and bits of me were yet to form a clear picture. It was like collecting different pieces of a puzzle with some parts missing.


    The silence from everyone only grew my curiosity and frustration at my ignorance of what was happening. If I could find something about the dark forest, I would be able to find my way around and see if I was indeed seeing things or if it was my memories.


    One of the days, and during my hours of careless thinking, I had begun to think that I might be seeing pieces of my memory. I had started seeing pictures of ces I had never been to or seen in the Moon Light pack.


    Sometimes, I asked Scar, describing the ces, only to have her look at me like I was crazy. I learned never to share my thoughts with her so straightforwardly.


    I was finally out of the clear. After I slumped and woke up with this problem, I was relegated to the Alpha¡¯s chambers where I was to have my rest and take medications that honestly just made me sleepy.


    Today was my first day back to practice with Scar and I was expecting Cole any moment from now. I doubted he would let me go without finding out if I was ¡®fit¡¯ enough to be in public¡¯s eyes ¨C that was code for if I had another crazy dream that I couldn¡¯t shut up about.


    The door opened and I smelt him before I saw him. I was growing a third sense of smell. These days, I perceive things, people and even animals. It was so weird, I sometimes got dizzy at the scents of everything that came in full force.


    ¡°My Ca.¡± Cole said in a fondly manner, ¡°How are you?¡±


    In my head, I heard that as, ¡®Are you alright? Did you have any weird dreams today? Are you sane enough to appear in public?¡¯


    ¡°I am fine.¡± I gritted with my back to him, refusing to look at his hypocritical face.


    Cole didn¡¯t get the message because he walked into the room, closed the door and headed for me. ¡°My love,¡± He said, turning me around. ¡°Look at me.¡± He urged and raised my head.


    My eyes met his and he purred in approval. ¡°I¡¯ve missed those beautiful eyes.¡± He said, ¡°Are you ready to begin your training? Do you have anything you want to tell me? Anything you need? Just tell me, and I¡¯ll make it happen.¡± He said so softly, and for a moment, I thought about asking him again.


    I looked into his eyes and I couldn¡¯t be vulnerable to him. I couldn¡¯t trust him with my dreams. Not when it was evident he was keeping something away from me. ¡°I am ready,¡± I said after much thought but Cole was quiet ¨C waiting, expectant.


    I disappointed him with my words. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I need.¡± I took a few steps away and gave him a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach my eyes. ¡°I just need to get out of here and do something other than mope around.¡±


    Cole didn¡¯t buy that. His eyes said it all. But like me, he chose to pretend. ¡°Good. Scarlet is waiting to receive you.¡± He walked to the door and opened it for me. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to answer. Together, we went to the field with his hand covering my own as we passed guards and pack members ¨C who greeted us as we made our way past them.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    When we arrived at the field, I noticed something different. There was grass. The field had grown with grass. I shot Scar a curious look.


    ¡°Luna.¡± She called, walking towards me the moment she saw me. ¡°Wee back.¡±


    To Cole, she gave a curt nod and he acknowledged. ¡°I see you are set to begin practice,¡± Cole remarked, letting go of my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her to you. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t watch today¡¯s training. There are a lot of papers in my office that won¡¯t sign themselves.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Scarlett said and I stepped towards her wondering what was wrong with the field.


    There was a dead smell in the air, but the grasses seemed green and alive. Something was wrong. ¡°I will see youter, My Ca,¡± Cole said and I nodded, giving him an odd smile.


    If he noticed it, he didn¡¯t say, and walked away, leaving us to our business.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Scarlett asked, gauging me with a suspicious look.


    I decided to y dumb and ask what was on my mind. ¡°There is a dead smell in the ground and the grass seems so healthy?¡±


    ¡°Because the grass is faux.¡± She answered, feeling the floor. ¡°Since you killed the earth, it¡¯s only normal that we fix it the best way we can.¡± Her words made me remember thest time we were here and how I¡¯d taken life from the earth, killing every living particle in the soil and leaving it dead.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Oh is right,¡± Scarlett said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it looks better? When I came in here, I thought it was some growing farnd.¡± She chuckled.


    Farm. Farnd. A sh image came into my head and I saw myself walking through a farm, looking for a book. I saw the book and a loud voice hollered in my head,


    ¡°Ithra! Watchout! Rogues!¡±


    I staggered when I saw a flood of rogues pour into the farm, chasing after me, and someone I couldn¡¯t see. A migraine hit me and I squatted, holding my head and breathing heavily.


    ¡°Ca? Ca!¡± I heard the panicked voice of Scarlett before I gave in to the darkness around me.


    ******


    ¡°What is wrong with her?¡± I heard Cole say from beside me, but I didn¡¯t open my eyes. ¡°You said everything was under control?!¡± His voice was threatening.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± It was Scarlett, ¡°I gave her the right potions but for some reason, she keeps having these attacks.¡±


    ¡°What do you think they are?¡± He asked, ¡°What do you think she is seeing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell. But if I were to guess, I¡¯d say the Luna is recovering her memories.¡±


    Cole let out a low growl. ¡°I already told you to make it stop. Put her on drugs, poison, anything. She cannot recover her memories. Not until she belongs to me, body, mind and soul.¡±

 We are even now.

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    The pack had been quieter than usualtely.


    Since the day I banished Athaliah, the air in the pack was filled with a sense of foreboding. I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    I decided to visit the training ground. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯d been there and I needed some fight to burn off the nerves around me.


    Pack members greeted me with a bow as I passed, headed for the one ce where I knew I would find Azriel ¨C who had also been distanttely.


    I stepped foot on the training ground, and everyone stopped sparring. They got on one knee with their heads bowed. ¡°Alpha.¡± They chorused in greeting and I nodded my head in approval.


    ¡°Rise.¡± They got on their feet at my orders and I walked in front of them, with a proud look. ¡°I can smell the sweat and blood in the air. I¡¯m d that the Blood-Hound warriors are still what they used to be.¡± This time, my gaze found Azriel ¨C who championed the training. ¡°I was hoping to get a little training in but I see you have left no grounds uncovered.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha.¡± He replied modestly, ¡°However, I believe there is always more to learn from you. The warriors would be d to have you join the training and show us more insights.¡±


    ¡°The warriors and not you?¡± I said patronizingly, causing a roar ofughter from the people. ¡°Beta Azriel, why do you sound so arrogant?¡±


    Azriel caught on the joke in my tone and puffed up his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I am arrogant, Alpha. The word is confident.¡±


    ¡°Ouuu.¡± The people reacted, getting excited at our usual exchange.


    I didn¡¯t know why I was happy we were doing this. When I came in here, I half-expected him to treat me like every other ¨C with a choking reverence and respect, far from what we were used to.


    If he had treated me like that, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised, neither would I take it to heart. Believe it or not, Athaliah was his mate, he was in his right to hate me for what I did.


    But he didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know if I shouldugh or cry.


    ¡°That would only get you beat up, beta.¡± I flexed my muscles. ¡°Do you want to get beaten?¡± I asked with a snide smirk.


    Azriel shrugged and looked at the people. ¡°I never get beaten. I get even. You missed me by the hair thest time, I havee very far from what I used to be, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Are you challenging me to a duel?¡± I asked with a raised eyebrow, and the people¡¯s roar became louder ¨C So loud I could feed off their excitement. I wanted to do it.


    It¡¯d be a great way to break the ice between us and give the people something else to gossip about. I dig it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be my honour,¡± Azriel said, taking off his shirt. ¡°And the people¡¯s pleasure.¡±


    That did it. I took off my shirt and got into a stance ¨C getting ready to fight.


    The people formed a circle around us ¨C some chanting my name and others the name of Azriel. As expected, my name was louder. No one had ever defeated me in a battle and I had no ns of breaking that streak.


    But first, I needed to see just how much Azriel had improved. I was a bit rusty, and I couldn¡¯t underestimate my beta. He was my second inmand for a reason.


    Fight! The g went off and Azriel came at me like a starved boar seeking its next meal. He moved like lightning and before I could get a grasp on what was going on, he punched me hard in the face.


    I didn¡¯t bleed, but damn did it hurt.


    Azriel didn¡¯t stop there. He meant business in every sense of the word. He had the first blow, and hell would freeze over if I didn¡¯t have thest.


    Aiming at each other¡¯s neck, we battled, throwing punches and kicks. Azriel didn¡¯t lie. He hade a far way from what he used to be, I could see it from his precise hits and attacks. He had the big guns.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite impressive,¡± I said as I blocked another of his killer blows in time to deliver a powerful one of my own.


    ¡°You are still the same.¡± He replied, leaving me stunned. Azriel was not a talker, how much had he changed?


    I pushed him back and delivered an uppercut that finally drew blood from his lips. ¡°A hard nut you are to crack,¡± I said as he came for me with a deadly intent. I stopped him with a spin kick, sending him to the floor for the first time. ¡°A hard nut but a nut anyway.¡±


    When I thought it was over, he got up with a wry smile. ¡°You know what I learned in thest few days?¡± His smile disappeared, ¡°Live long enough and you will do great things.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    My face morphed in confusion. What was he trying to say?


    In my one second of distraction, Azriel delivered a powerful spear hit, ramming his shoulders in my guts and sending me to the floor with a banging hit on my head. A pounding headache followed.


    Before I could get up, Azriel delivered another kick on my head, increasing the pain I felt. My wolf was eager toe out, disrespected by Azriel¡¯s actions. Everywhere was silent. No one expected such an oue. It was unheard of.


    Azriel squatted and I saw an evil glint in his eyes when he spoke. ¡°Every second is precious, Alpha. One moment of distraction could lead to your downfall.¡± He smirked. ¡°You thought me that.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t speak. Iy on the floor, shell-shocked at the beast in front of me. There and then, I realised he had been holding back. He had been holding back on his strength, waiting for the right opportunity to strike, all this while.


    I taught him that. I had used it countless times to defeat him. How did I not see through his games? Azriel gave me a hand and I took it while he raised me, to the people¡¯s shock.


    ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t know he was that good,¡± I said to the hearing of everyone, yfully shaking my head. ¡°I guess I need to brush up on my skills too.¡±


    The crowd roared inughter and excitement, cheering and discussing the fight without fear as Azriel dismissed the training for the day. After the people dispersed, Azriel approached me, with a letter.


    ¡°What is that?¡± I asked, and he beckoned me to read it.


    ¡°Cole is throwing a birthday party.¡± He finally said ¨C gauging me with a look I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°We are going,¡± I answered his unasked question and he knew better than to oppose me.


    ¡°About the fight.¡± He started and I stopped him, thinking he wanted to apologise.


    ¡°It was a game. You won fair and square. No need to apologise.¡± I waved him off.


    He shook his head. ¡°Thatst hit was for every grudge I held for you.¡± My eyes widened at his words. ¡°We are even now.¡±

 Let’s get to work

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    Scarlett handed me a potion to drink while they watched me curiously.


    Cole never left my side since I regained consciousness. I couldn¡¯t drink it ¨C not after what I heard. Who knew the extent to which they would go to stop me from regaining my memories?


    Or what they have done for the past three years I have lived here. As I looked them in the eyes, I knew I could not trust them. Not anymore.


    ¡°Are you feeling pain anywhere?¡± Cole asked when I failed to drink my ¡®medicine.¡¯ I winced at his words.


    ¡°I think I need to use the bathroom,¡± I muttered, looking at them both. ¡°Alone.¡±


    They shared knowing looks and Cole got on his feet. ¡°I will be back.¡± He said to Scar. ¡°If there is any problem, do not hesitate to call me.¡±


    Scar nodded and he walked out of the room, leaving me alone with her.


    ¡°Take the drink.¡± Her voice was soft and urging.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it,¡± I spoke with a straight face. ¡°I feel alright. I just need some time to collect myself.¡±


    ¡°This is not about what you feel. Your body is weak and you need these supplements to boost your immune system.¡± Her voice hardened. ¡°You need them.¡±


    I nodded my head, tired of her relentless pursuits. ¡°I¡¯ll just have a quick shower, and take themter.¡± She didn¡¯t budge.


    Scarlett took up the potion and handed it to me ¨C gesturing to take it.


    Angry, I took the potion and threw it down my throat. ¡°Can I have my rest now?¡±


    ¡°Ca..¡± She started but I cut her short.


    ¡°I need to be alone.¡± I snapped, standing impatiently, as I waited for her to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be outside if you need me.¡± She said when I didn¡¯t budge, and walked out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts.


    As soon as the door clicked shut, I rushed to the bathroom and purged myself of the poison I had ingested. Breathing heavily, I looked in the mirror and found my hair was longer than usual.


    And for some weird reason, I loved it. There and then, I decided to let it grow long, knowing it would spite Cole who favoured my short hair. I was far too gone to care now. I looked in the mirror and made a vow to find myself.


    To discover who I was and break out of this facy I¡¯ve lived for the past three years ¨C or die trying.


    ********


    Weeks passed and I felt lighter with my continued not digesting everything given to me. My thoughts were clearer and I had never been more self-aware.


    With that discovery came a newfound wariness for Cole and Scarlett. I couldn¡¯t ignore that they were more watchful of me these days, especially Cole.


    Cole tried every possible means to get into my head and tweak it to his standard but there was no such luck. I refused to speak to anyone about my dreams and expertly carried myself. I felt like a new person.


    I could feel another side of me slowlying to the light. A freer side of me ¨C so much that the name Ca didn¡¯t do justice to. Despite my immense progress, there was still a lot to do.


    There was still a lot of gaps to fill. I could feel like I had forgotten a huge part of me, and the more I discovered little things that felt normal and familiar to me, and changed my appearance, the more I felt there was even more to know about myself.


    My dreams didn¡¯t make it better. I could see things that felt real and gave me the impression I had once lived such a life. But there was no one to rte these things to, so I kept it sealed and carried on my day like normal.


    Today was my first day back to training. I felt a lot better than normal and for that, I was grateful. It was about time I left my chambers and felt the wind in my hair anyway.


    ¡°Luna.¡± Scarlett¡¯s voice brought me out of my reverie, and my face twinged at her choice of words.


    ¡°Ca.¡± I corrected her for the first time. Her eyes perked and I added with a smile. ¡°We are close enough for you to address me by name.¡±


    Scarlett shrugged. I could tell she had more to say but decided to hold on to it. I didn¡¯t push further. ¡°How do you feel?¡± She asked, and I shrugged.


    ¡°Awesome.¡± I stepped forward. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Scarlett gauged me with her eyes and slightly shook her head. ¡°Do you know how I joined this pack?¡± She asked out of the blue and my attention perked.


    I shook my head. I knew she wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, as she didn¡¯t have a werewolf just like myself. I often wondered how she climbed the ranks and became the beta but never asked.


    ¡°I lost my memories twelve years ago.¡± She said and my eyes widened in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but I stumbled upon this pack with no idea who I was.¡± She continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t even realise I was in danger until the Alpha stepped in and stopped the guard wolves from killing me.¡±


    ¡°He asked who I was and when he realised I couldn¡¯t remember my identity, he tried everything to find out who I was all to no avail. One day, I tried to ease his burden and thought, maybe if I remembered who I was, I could head out and be on my way back to wherever I came from. At some point, I was eager to meet myself. To introduce myself to Alpha Cole who was kind to me.¡± She said with a revering look on her face.


    ¡°That day, I saw something. And decided it was best I embraced my new self.¡± My eyes narrowed at her words.


    ¡°What did you see?¡± I asked before I could stop myself. ¡°What did you see that made you make such a decision?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I saw. The little I was able to see was so full of pain, I decided I was better off without my memories.¡± Her eyes found my own. ¡°Take it from me, Ca. Sometimes, we forget because the memories were too painful, and we were better off without them.¡±


    Her eyesmunicated her message and I regarded Scarlett with a new perspective. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t let my guard down. ¡°You never know if you don¡¯t know,¡± I muttered and she heard me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡± She said, taking her stance and we began training for the day.

 Did I wake you up, my Calla?

    COLE¡¯S POV


    I could feel her slipping from my hands. My Ca.


    These days, she has be a whole new person from what I made her to be. She drifted farther and farther away from who she was as time proceeded.


    I needed to im her. I had to trap her and make her mine before things got out of hand. I headed to her chambers with one thing in mind. To make her mine, spirit, soul and body.


    To ruin her for anyone else. Including herself. Whether Ca liked it or not, she would be my woman and bare my pups. With her strong hybrid genes and my Alpha blood, we could create babies strong enough to take over every pack and be the King of all werewolves.


    A long-term dream of mine.


    I had yet to explore just how powerful her wolf side could be. There was so much of her to cover and it felt like she was escaping from the reality I had mapped out for her ¨C A reality I had carefully created and nted her inside.


    I couldn¡¯t lose her after my years of hard work. It would be over my dead body. Today, it was going to end. I would bind her irrevocably to me, so much so she cannot exist without me. I was going to mark her.


    ¡°Get out,¡± I ordered the guards that stood in the hallway that led to my Ca¡¯s chambers. ¡°Nobody shoulde close till dawn,¡± I added.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± They bowed and made their way out of their duty post.


    Thest thing I needed was for any news to spread of my night with her. It was clear she would resist me, just like she had been, but tonight would be different. I would take her whether she liked it or not.


    The thought of hearing her scream or squirm under me made a dark sensation run through my body. I was ready, ready to possess her. I hoped she was prepared to take what I had because she had no option.


    I stood in front of her door and knocked. No answer. I knew she was not asleep. I heard the faint shuffling of her bed. If she thought I was fooled then she had another thinging.


    My second knock was followed by me pushing the door open, and stepping into the darkness that was her room. I see my Ca lying on her bed, backing the door, as soft breaths escape her lips.


    She looked so beautiful in her white satin gown ¨C one I had handpicked to match the taste of what I wanted her to look like. I¡¯d wished she opted for the transparent one but this would do regardless.


    My member throbbed at the sight of her porcin skin and her slightly parted lips ¨C What I wouldn¡¯t give for her to kneel in front of me and take me in her mouth. To pleasure and serve me because that was what she was made for.


    I shook off the thoughts from my head. Good thingse to those who wait. For now, I needed to secure my territory. I needed to own her and every other thing shall follow naturally.


    My eyes found the skin of her neck. Ca shuffled under the covers, covering her neck in the process. It seemed like she could feel my gaze on her. My member throbbed in pain. Watching her sleep wouldn¡¯t cut it.


    I needed to feel her right now.


    I walked to the bed and it dipped when I sat by her lying form. ¡°My Ca,¡± I called in a sombre tone, touching her with hopes she would turn around but she remained still.


    ¡°My love,¡± I called again and tapped her lightly.


    Her hair covered the major parts of her face and I frowned. She was due for a haircut. Why did she keep it overgrown? It didn¡¯t suit her. I made a mental note to correct the mistake as soon as the sun rose.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to have her look like something else. Everything had to be perfect. When she didn¡¯t move, I lost my patience. With a hard grip, I forcefully turned her around and her eyes jerked awake.


    Bitch. She was pretending all this while.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    My eyes were amused, ¡°Did I wake you up, my Ca?¡± I asked, and she sat up.


    ¡°Cole. What are you doing here?¡± I resisted the anger that came at her uttering my name without respect.


    ¡°Alpha Cole.¡± I corrected endearingly. ¡°I havee to take you, my love.¡± I breathed close to her ears, drawing closer to her.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asked, shifting backwards.


    I came even closer. ¡°I know you have been through a lot. But it¡¯s about time wememorate our union.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, C-Cole?¡± She seemed panicked, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Alpha!¡± I yelled, dragging her on the bed and sitting on top of her. ¡°Alpha Cole to you!¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± She struggled under me ¨C it only made my member harder.


    I loved a good chase before I ate. My Ca was perfect.


    ¡°Trust me, love. You will love this as much as I do.¡± I assured her with bared canines. ¡°Just a little prick of pain and the fun would begin.¡±


    I tore her clothes like a piece of paper ¨C Leaving her bare to her undergarments. I thought she was beautiful, but damn was I wrong.


    She was ethereal, unreal and mine.


    Itched onto her neck, using my hands to hold her from escaping.


    ¡°Please! Don¡¯t do it!¡± She cried, but it added to her allure.


    She¡¯ll be screaming for me in time. I just had to get this over with.


    My canines broke the skin of her neck and just when I wanted to sink deep into the abyss and mark her as mine. I felt a jolt of fire pass through my canines and into my body.


    The fire was consuming and suddenly, her body caught fire.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I roared, getting away from her, burned.


    She didn¡¯t say a word. Her eyes flickered ck and white. ¡°How dare you?!¡± She roared. I see her ws protrude with fire on her fingertips.


    I stepped back. She held a deathly look in her eyes. I knew that look because it was the same one I had when I wanted to finish up a prey.


    She came down from the bed, bare-bodied with a killer instinct.


    My instinct was to get away from her. To run before she ended my life. I couldn¡¯t put it past her. My jaws clenched, and against my primal need to force her to submission, I fled her room in anger and headed to my office.


    Two knocks on my door and Scar stepped in. ¡°Alpha! Your attention is needed.¡± She said with a sense of urgency.

 You can’t trust her, Alpha.

    COLE¡¯S POV


    ¡°We caught the Gamma of Blood Hound pack in the outskirts of our territory,¡± Scar said as we walked.


    My eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She has been arrested and ced in the dungeons. She ims to have a message for you.¡± She added as we proceeded.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I said as we got to the dungeons. ¡°Good thing I couldn¡¯t sleep. Talk about the right timing.¡±


    My blood boiled as I entered the dungeons while she led me further into the dungeons. ¡°Here she is,¡± Scar said, stepping out of my way.


    I walked to the front and my eyes met the burning ones of a female wolf who stood without fear in the dungeons. Her face was familiar, I had seen her before. I just didn¡¯t know where.


    ¡°Alpha Cole.¡± She bowed in greeting. ¡°Nice meeting you again.¡± She shook her hands and the chains ttered.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I went straight to the point. ¡°Who are you and why are you snooping around my territory at odd hours?¡± My tone was anything but friendly.


    I wasn¡¯t in the mood for honorifics. If she didn¡¯t get talking, I was ready to tear her apart piece by piece.


    ¡°My name is Athaliah Montreal.¡± She started. ¡°I was the Gamma of BloodHound. We have met a couple of times.¡±


    I gauged her with a questionable look. ¡°Was?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I am no longer the Gamma of the Blood Hound Pack.¡± She gritted, ¡°I was dismissed from my position some time ago.¡±


    I remembered her now. She was thedy who held Zadok from touching what was mine. How could I forget? On the two asions, he visited my pack, she had managed to be by his side. Gamma she said. Now I was interested.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t receive any notice of youring. Which makes you a trespasser in my books.¡± I met her eyes. ¡°Gamma or not, you should know the consequences of stepping into a territory without due process.¡±


    ¡°I want to be a member of your pack.¡± She dered. ¡°I am ready to submit my life in service to you. That is why I am here.¡±


    That caught my attention.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± I muttered, genuinely amused. ¡°And how would your Alpha take to that?¡± I asked. If she thought she could deceive me with her bullshit story, then she had another thinging. ¡°How would he react to his Gamma or ex-Gamma¡¯s submitting to another pack?¡±


    That did it. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Bingo.


    I stood aright, with fuming eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go through that again now, shall we?¡± I started. ¡°Why were you found frolicking around my pack in the dead of the night, Athaliah? Your answer will determine whether you will die painfully or quickly. And I hate lies. Tick tok.¡±


    Athaliah must have sensed the deadness of my eyes. Or the reality that I meant every word I said. Whatever she saw was the truth, because I was ready to finish her ¨C no questions asked.


    ¡°I need to be alone with you.¡± She said, surprising me further.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Scar said in warning. I could tell without looking at her that she was against it. Nevertheless, I wanted to hear her.


    ¡°I will be fine,¡± I assured, eyes focused on her. ¡°Everyone, step out,¡± I ordered and they all did, Scar being thest to obey.


    I puffed up my shoulders. ¡°Whatever you have to say, make it quick. You have three minutes.¡± I said with a deadly glint in my eyes.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can help you.¡± She started and I was disappointed. What a cliche thing to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I answered without missing a beat. ¡°Case closed. Is that all?¡± Now I was getting bored.


    What was I expecting from a dethroned gamma?


    ¡°I am an alpha born.¡± She said, without stuttering. ¡°I can be an asset to you and this pack. I have allies in the Blood Hound pack, and connections that can take this pack to the number one spot.¡± Her voice was confident. ¡°I can train your warriors as well as teach them everything the BloodHound pack stands and believes in.¡± Her eyes met my curious ones. ¡°You need me.¡±


    Iughed. ¡°And yet you are the oneing to me.¡±


    Athaliah took a deep breath. ¡°You can kill me.¡± She huffed. ¡°By now, you should know I do not fear death.¡±


    I gauged her with a smirk. I couldn¡¯t lie. Now I was interested.


    ¡°Tell me something I do not know.¡± I said, ¡°I just might consider your offer.¡±


    ¡°Zadok is far from over with the Lady.¡± My body froze at the mention of Ca. ¡°He will be back for her. I can assure you that for free.¡±


    My blood boiled, and rage filled my heart. More so because I could tell that it was true ¨C It was one of the things that gued my mind but I managed to ce them behind, ignoring its existence.


    Now that it was loudly affirmed. I couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore.


    ¡°Tell me your story. Don¡¯t even think about lying to me because I would find out. And then, you will be sorry.¡±


    Athaliah took in a deep breath and told me her story.


    ******


    ¡°You can¡¯t trust her, Alpha.¡± Scar said as soon as I stepped into the office. ¡°Whatever she said cannot be trusted. She might be a spy sent to infiltrate us. You can¡¯t possibly take her seriously.¡±


    ¡°I never told you I trusted her. That would be foolish of me.¡± I snapped, my brain churning at the things she told me. ¡°I already instructed someone to make findings. Until then, she will remain in custody.¡±


    Scar shook her head. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this. Dark energy around her makes me believe she does not spell good news for us, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°The same way Ca didn¡¯t pose a good news to you?¡± I scoffed, ¡°Focus on your job, Scar. Leave her to me.¡±


    ¡°Ca did pose a threat to us. She has dark powers. You have seen that. Dark powers are not something to joke about. Those were what I felt the day she washed up in our territory.¡±


    I got on my feet. ¡°My territory.¡± I entuated my words. ¡°You will do well to remember your position. I have no problem reminding you where you belong.¡±


    That did it. She shut her mouth with clenched jaws and left my office with a bow.

 Because those were her first words to me.

    COLE¡¯S POV


    I received news from my Allies in Zadok¡¯s pack after three days.


    Our gamma wasn¡¯t lying to me. She was kicked out for deceiving the Alpha and causing him to believe his mate was gone.


    Although she kept that she had always had the hots for Zadok, I could forgive her. She was too interesting to be killed over something so fickle and mundane.


    Other than that, I received aprehensive detail of who she was, how she joined her former pack and her capabilities. I was sufficiently intrigued.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    As I approached her cell, excitement coursed through me. I couldn¡¯t wait to see her face when I told her my condition. I looked forward to that with all eagerness.


    I hadn¡¯t seen Ca for the past three days ¨C She was confined to her chambers while I contemted the best punishment for her misdeeds. It was clear I needed to get her under control. But that would beter.


    For now, I needed to sort things out with Athaliah. I approached her cells and her head was raised and waiting. She looked thinner, but her spirit did not waver. I had instructed that she be starved before I left thest time.


    I didn¡¯t like how confident she seemed.


    I hoped that today, she would be a bit more submissive and docile like thedy she was, but there was no such luck. I would break her from within to get the perfect look to suit her stay in this pack. It could take a while, but I knew it was possible.


    Good thingse to those who wait.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± She greeted me as soon as her eyes met mine.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know if I have epted you,¡± I said with an amused glint. ¡°You seem to be doing fine,¡± I stated the obvious, and her answer was expected.


    ¡°Three days without food is nothing to me. If you did your homework, you should know that by now.¡± Athaliah gritted and I resisted the urge to test how much she could go without food or water.


    How long would it take to break her and mould her in an image more suited for her? I shook off my morbid thoughts, focusing on the situation at hand.


    ¡°I have decided to take you in as a member of my pack.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the slight widening of her eyes. She didn¡¯t have anywhere to go. I was herst resort. I might as well exploit that advantage. ¡°But there are some conditions.¡±


    Her face darkened. ¡°What are they?¡±


    I didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°First,¡± I let my eyes wander to hers. ¡°You will have to denounce your title as an Alpha.¡±


    Athaliah seemed startled. Did she think I would miss that an Alpha¡¯s blood is higher than a normal wolf¡¯s and almost equal to an alpha¡¯s? It got me wondering when she said she had trusted allies in the Blood Hound pack.


    Why would people bound to their Alpha betray him to her?


    It was practically unheard of that a wolf should betray their Alpha. The loyal blood in us made it physically and gically impossible.


    But like every damned spell, there was a loophole to that. If the person waspelled or forcefully sired to another Alpha ¨C that was the end. And guess what Athaliah was? An Alpha blood.


    Thest thing I needed was her raising little minions in my pack. There was only room for one Alpha. And that was me. If she rejects, then she might as well sign her death warrant ¨C Because there was no way I¡¯d let her live.


    ¡°Already did.¡± A voice breathed into my head and I was shocked.


    My eyes widened as I asked her, ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I submitted to you the moment I saw you.¡± She gritted painfully and I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°How? Why?¡± My questions were endless.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I left out something thest time we spoke.¡± My breath seized. ¡°I am no longer an Alpha blood.¡± She dered, her pain filled her voice. ¡°Zadok made sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Exin,¡± Imanded. And she did, by the time she was done. I didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. To think that Zadok had such a potion in his possession unnerved me. What else did he have up his sleeve?


    I stared hard at Athaliah before I said the words that brought me here in the first ce. ¡°Wee to the pack.¡±


    ****************************


    Dinner became a feast and weing party for Athaliah.


    As a tradition, whenever we had a new addition to the pack, be it a baby or a full-grown wolf, they were weed to the fold in this manner.


    Today was Athaliah¡¯s turn and I could sense the animosity in the room. Everyone knew who she was and what she represented. I could imagine their thoughts on having an enemy joining the celebration, but I thought them well on how to behave.


    I clinked my ss with my spoon at the thick of the celebration, and silence returned. I cleared my throat and started my speech. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful night to feast and wee another new addition to the Moonlight pack.¡± I began and they cheered. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like to waste your time so I would make this short and snappy.¡±


    ¡°This is Athaliah Montreal,¡± I said, gesturing to Athaliah ¨C who stood up, d in a stunning ck gown. She gave off a devilish vibe that I was drawn to. ¡°She is a warrior and a new member of our pack.¡± Murmurs began and I felt my temper ticking. ¡°If anyone had their reservations, doe out.¡±


    I said, waiting for the one I would make an example of. They knew better. No one dared toe out. I trained them well.


    ¡°Like I was saying,¡± I continued, ¡°She will be a part of us and serve as a trainer. We all know her former identity, and I assure you she will be a valuable asset and loyal to us. Cheers to Moon Light.¡± I finished, and they all raised their sses.


    Soon enough, the dinner was over. I took Athaliah by the arm, and introduced her to people she would be working with, after which we returned to my office for a special assignment I had for her.


    ¡°Wee on board,¡± I said again, gesturing for her to sit. ¡°Other than your normal duties, I have a special assignment for you.¡±


    Her attention piqued. ¡°What will that be?¡±


    I leaned closer to my table. ¡°It¡¯s Ca. I need you to keep a close eye on her.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask why?¡± I didn¡¯t like the sound of that.


    ¡°You cannot,¡± I said with a dark glint. ¡°You will be her trainer and are expected to report anything odd to me. You are to report everything to me. Don¡¯t leave out a single detail.¡±


    ¡°If I am going to excel at my job, I will need full transparency. That is a non-negotiable if I am to take on this task.¡±


    My nose red. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I need you to tell me everything about Ca. I already told you my story. For this to work, you have to trust me.¡± She said without blinking.


    My jaws clenched as I waited for her to chicken out but there was no such luck. I didn¡¯t like her arrogance. But she made a point. Her life belonged to me anyway, so there was nothing to lose if I told her the truth.


    And so I did.


    ¡°You are sure she has recovered her memory?¡± She asked after a while.


    ¡°That bit is clear. I just need to know how much.¡± I answered, ¡°Trust you can help me with that.¡±


    She nodded affirmatively. I made to dismiss her when she stopped me. ¡°Onest thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I was getting impatient.


    ¡°During the Mating ceremony. You said she was a half werewolf and half witch.¡± My attention was sustained. ¡°How did you know that? How did you know she was a hybrid?¡±


    The silence was deafening. ¡°Because those were her first words to me.¡±

 What was this foolery?

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I hadn¡¯t seen Cole since he tried to rape me.


    I was going crazy in my chambers, waiting for his next action. His punishment for my refusal to give in to him and my hurting him with my powers but he didn¡¯te.


    I didn¡¯t know what was worse ¨C getting punished for my acts or waiting for a punishment that wasn¡¯t forting. In the usual Cole manner, by now, I ought to see something that would point to consequences for my action but this time, there was nothing.


    I was getting treated better. More food than I could have asked for, more clothes, jewellery, you name them. Cole went above and beyond to spoil me despite not appearing in front of me for the past three days.


    Was this his way of mentally torturing me? If it was, then it was working. I couldn¡¯t even sleep without the nightmare of him appearing in front of me and trying to kill me. I needed out of this torment.


    My door opened and Scar stepped in. I couldn¡¯t contain my joy ¨C Finally, someone who could feed me on what was happening outside my chambers.


    I got up and met her halfway. ¡°Scarlett.¡± I greeted her, and she replied with a bow.


    ¡°Luna.¡±


    I made to correct her yfully but the look in her eyes made me swallow my words. Something was off with her but I couldn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked. I felt concerned at the dark aura around her. Was she angry?


    ¡°We need to go.¡± She disregarded my question and urged me out of the room. ¡°The Alpha has requested your presence in the training ground.¡±


    I froze at the mention of Cole¡¯s name. What was he up to?


    ¡°Why?¡± The words were out of my mouth before I could stop it.


    ¡°My guess would be to train.¡± Her tone was sarcastic. I felt stupid.


    I nodded my head and silently followed her. It was clear she wasn¡¯t in the mood and thest thing I needed was to get another person angry.


    Scar led us past our usual training ground, and I felt confused. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere with better soil and air.¡± Came the reply from Scarlett.


    Why did that sound like something rehearsed? Something Cole would say.


    I was right. We got to a piece ofnd which looked like a farm and Cole stood with ady that felt so familiar. Where did I see her?


    Cole¡¯s eyes found me immediately and they stopped their conversation and headed towards us. We met them halfway. My eyes were on Cole, as was his. I didn¡¯t know what I expected, but it was not this.


    ¡°My Ca,¡± He smiled, taking me into his hands. ¡°How I¡¯ve missed you.¡± he cooed, patting my head afterwards. ¡°Did you miss me, love?¡± He asked but I couldn¡¯t speak.


    I felt the stiffness of his arms when he hugged me. Gone was the sense of entitlement and boldness he used to have when he hugged me. If you asked me, I¡¯d say he was sceptical of me ¨C Testing the waters and giving me space.


    I wasn¡¯t used to that, but I can as well get used to it.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied when the atmosphere became tense. ¡°Scar said we were training here?¡± I said, hoping to get out of the limelight.


    ¡°Yes!¡± He answered, tapping his head. The woman beside him cleared her throat and his eyes slightly widened. ¡°My bad! This is Athaliah Montreal.¡± He introduced her to me, and a light shone in his eyes. ¡°She would be in charge of your training moving forward.¡± He announced and I nearly coughed up blood.


    ¡°What?¡± I said with widened eyes that flickered to Scarlett who stood a few steps away with an aloof look. ¡°I thought Scarlett was in charge of my training?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my love.¡± Came the coercive voice of Cole. ¡°She was and will still be your trainer. However, I believe you are sufficient in controlling your powers.¡± His eyes bore an evil glint. ¡°Athaliah will teach you how to turn your body into a weapon. Who knows, maybe this could be what would bring your werewolf side to light.¡±


    I fought the urge to scream I was not a werewolf. This was rubbish. Was this his way of punishing me? I can¡¯t believe he came up with such a ridiculous excuse. I was barely able to control my powers ¨C everyone knew that.


    What was this foolery?


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet with you Luna.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the snide in her tone.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Athaliah stretched out her arm for a handshake which I honoured, sporting a fake smile. ¡°The honour is mine,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Excellent! Since that¡¯s settled, I will leave you all to it.¡± Cole announced. ¡°Scar,¡± He called, ¡°A word.¡±


    With that, I was left in the hands of another woman I knew nothing about. I couldn¡¯t help the way I felt about her.


    ¡°Today, we will go through the basis.¡± She started and I nodded, letting her speak. ¡°I will have to apologise because, for this part of the training, things may get a bit intense,¡± she warned and I swallowed.


    ¡°I understand pain is the price to be strong.¡± I didn¡¯t know where my boldness came from or what I was saying but I continued. ¡°Do what you have to do.¡±


    I didn¡¯t miss the slight curve of her brows. I took her by surprise. Good.


    Athaliah led us to the midst of the farm and I couldn¡¯t wrap my head on why this was an ideal ce for physical training. I didn¡¯t like the idea of things getting out of hand and the crops dying but I reeled it in.


    ¡°Hit me.¡± She ordered and I was confused. ¡°I need to see how much strength you have in your wrist. Let¡¯s see what we are working with. Give it everything you¡¯ve got.¡± Shemanded, entering trainer mode.


    I nodded, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. I was curious about how I¡¯d do it. I gathered all the strength I could find and tried to hit her. The key word being tried. Athaliah caught me without breaking a sweat and with a punch, sent me flying down on the grass, groaning in pain.


    Her eyes were traitorous and she squatted by me while I groaned in pain on the floor. ¡°First lesson. Your offence is only as good as your defence.¡±  Her eyes sparked with excitement and my mind shed back to a simr scene, on a farm, with her smiling cruelly at me.


    Shocked, I blinked, unable to believe my eyes. She must have noticed my change because a smirk stered on her face as she helped me up.


    A thousand thoughts were running through my mind. Who was she? Where did I meet her? Did she know me?


    ¡°Next,¡± Athaliah began but I stopped her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Have we met before?¡±

 Show me

    ATHALIAH¡¯S POV


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I giggled, staring the bitch in the face. ¡°You would remember if I met you before, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ithra¡¯s eyes narrowed, and uncertainty filled her look. ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said with a smile, noticing her unease. I wondered what she saw. Or what she remembered to ask me that question.


    From my observations, Cole wasn¡¯t far from the truth. It seemed like this bitch was getting back her memories.


    I didn¡¯t know if that was a good or bad thing yet. I mean, I only tortured her in the past andter apologised about it. She wouldn¡¯t mind. She shouldn¡¯t hold grudges. I thought sarcastically.


    If I was going to ce my tent here, I needed to be sure no one could disce me. Not even the future Luna. I felt a ne together and my smile appeared naturally.


    ¡°Shall we go on with the business of the day? Do you feel tired, Luna?¡± My words were concerning but my tone was mocking.


    She noticed it but covered it up with a stern outlook. Some things never change. We continued training, and although it irked me to pass along my valuable skills to yet another clueless version of Ithra, I did it anyway.


    Soon enough, I wrapped up the training and Scarlett came to pick her royal highness. I didn¡¯t miss the hard look she threw or how she tantly ignored me.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    There was something up with that one. It was clear she didn¡¯t approve of mying into this pack. Good thing Cole had a better foresight, and was firm in his decision. I wondered why she was beta anyway.


    From my observations, she didn¡¯t deserve it. I could easily defeat her in a duel. What standards did Cole use in making his selections? I thought as I headed to his office to give reports on my observations during today¡¯s training.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Cole ordered after I knocked on his door.


    A smile graced my lips as I walked into his office, intentionally swaying my hips as I bit my lower lips.


    ¡°Athaliah.¡± He sounded out of breath and his eyes roamed my body.


    Exactly what I wanted.


    ¡°Can I sit, Alpha?¡± I said in a small tone, and his eyes widened slightly.


    He never expected me to say that. All along, I¡¯ve made him believe I was this strong confident woman who would not take no for an answer. It has worked up to this point but after much thought and observations, I found that Cole was more drawn to docile and weak women.


    For some insane reason, he seemed pleased when a woman was just that ¨C a woman without say or power, the perfect submissive. As I looked at him, I decided I was willing to be just that if it meant I got to be by his side and rule with him until I was trusted enough to be an Alpha of my own.


    If I needed to drop my pride to get in Cole¡¯s head ¨C I would do just that.


    ¡°Sit.¡± He breathed and I could see the approval in his eyes.


    Slowly, I sat on the chair in front of him, tantly checking his out, and generously shing my boobs. It¡¯s been a while since I got some action too. If I scored that today, it would be killing two birds with one stone.


    I was the perfect seductress. And if I yed my cards right, I would be the perfect Alpha of this pack too. ¡°I came with reports from today¡¯s training with the Luna.¡± I started slowly, ¡°If you are busy, I coulde at ater time to report my findings.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. I am all ears.¡± He waved his hand, ¡°Talk to me, what have you observed?¡±


    I cleared my throat and leaned forward. If I was shing him before, my boobs were fully on disy now. ¡°The first thing I noticed was that the environment we created had some effects on her.¡±


    ¡°Exin.¡± His tone was serious and he paid rapt attention.


    ¡°Before she left for the dark forest three years ago, I used to train her in a farnd back at the BloodHound pack to separate her from others as the Alpha wanted her training to be in seclusion.¡±


    ¡°You mean Zadok.¡± He corrected and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I continued without missing a beat. ¡°When the Luna stepped into the farnd today, I noticed she was rmed. Her eyes kept looking around the environment and I half-expected her to make a statement regarding it but she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I decided to step up my game and abandon the original practice ns for the day, and instead, replicated a training I once taught her three years ago.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    A smirk graced my lips. ¡°She fell right into my hands.¡±


    A frustrated sigh left Cole¡¯s lips. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She asked if we had met before.¡±


    A cold silence ensued after my words.


    ¡°What did you tell her?¡± He growled.


    Easy boy. I thought, picking offence at his tone but smiling nheless.


    ¡°I assured her that there was nothing of the sort. However, she might have her reservations.¡± I said with a faraway look. ¡°It¡¯s clear that she has been seeing things but has refused to share it with us.¡± My eyes found Cole¡¯s. ¡°You were right with your suspicions, Alpha. I advise that you mark her quickly. She is yours to keep after all.¡±


    I got on my feet, and with a seductive look in my eyes, I found my way to Cole, turning his chair around. ¡°Last night, after the dinner,¡± I started, getting on my knees. ¡°I figured I didn¡¯t thank you enough for taking me in and showing me kindness.¡±


    A smirk graced his lips, ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°I had something in mind,¡± I responded innocently, batting my eyelids.


    ¡°Show me.¡± He said and that did it.


    I reached for his belt, palming him through his clothes with my gaze fixed on him. It felt humiliating kneeling before him. The thought of taking him in my mouth brought bile to my throat, but I did it anyway.


    With expert precision, I dug out his member and licked him like the best thing I¡¯ve ever tasted. At some point, he took charge and hurt my throat, leaving me little to no breathing space. But I took it regardless. I took it like the champ I was, and the Alpha I would be.


    All in due time.

 Is there a problem, Luna?

    CALLA¡¯S POV.


    Three knocks on my door, and I was wide awake.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I asked, jolting from my bed.


    The door opened and Cole entered with a smile. ¡°Did I wake you up, my love?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± I asked, maintaining a safe distance from him.


    He must have noticed it as he took a few steps closer to me, close enough that he didn¡¯t need to shout from over the room to talk to me.


    ¡°I came to inform you that you would be training with Scar today.¡± He said after a while. ¡°I know I said you would be training with Athaliah but there has been a little change in today¡¯s n.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the sound of that.  I had looked forward to meeting her in today¡¯s session, digging into her person and most importantly, finding out why she seemed so familiar and yet hostile to me.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, holding back the question on the tip of my tongue. ¡°Anything else?¡± My eyes widened when I realised what I had just said.


    How dismissive I had sounded. Cole was not pleased. It was clear from his clenched jaws but he didn¡¯t react. Instead, he responded to my question with a calmness he was not known for.


    Was it the calm, before the storm?


    ¡°After your training, you would be returning here. A dinner is happening tonight and you will be attending by my side. Preparations have been made for you and everything you need will be avable at your return.¡± He had an evil glint in his eyes. ¡°Have a great time, my love. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    With that, Cole left my room and I mentally kicked myself for speaking out of turn. I didn¡¯t know what he had nned and I was foolish to add sin to sin after my hostile acts thest time he was here.


    I didn¡¯t have enough time to reflect on my choice of words before Scar entered my room. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving early today.¡± She said when she noticed my state of unpreparedness. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside.¡±


    As soon as she left I got into the shower and dressed, a few minutester, I was ready and we proceeded to the training ground. This time, we were back to the dead field.  I couldn¡¯t help the twinge of guilt I felt whenever I perceived the deadness in the air ¨C knowing I was the cause.


    ¡°Today, we are going to be practising something different.¡± Scar started her lecture, and I was all ears. ¡°We would be learning restraint. The best way to control our powers even when we are emotionally or mentally unstable.¡±


    That was interesting. I nodded my head and she continued. ¡°If things go well, this might be our shortest lesson yet. But if not, we could go for hours, until you have perfected this valuable skill.¡±


    That sounded daunting. But with my experience with learning from Scar. I knew there were two options ¨C to get it done or die trying. And I naturally leaned towards the first.


    The day¡¯s training was short. Thankfully. I mastered the skills of restraint ¨C trying to cage my powers against situations I perceived to be deadly. She even went as far as forming visions that triggered me to use my powers instinctively.


    After many failures, I seeded and never looked back since then.


    ¡°Good work,¡± Scar said as we wrapped up the day¡¯s practice.


    I smiled, genuinely proud of myself. ¡°I have the best teacher,¡± I replied humbly.


    ¡°You tter me,¡± She said with an equal smile. ¡°It was all you.¡±


    We walked away from the field and headed towards my chambers in a light mood. I decided to try my luck on something pricking my mind. ¡°Scarlett.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem, Luna?¡± She asked, looking straight ahead.


    ¡°I need to ask you something.¡± I slowed to a stop and looked at her.


    Scarlett stopped in her tracks too. ¡°What is it this time?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s about your memories,¡± I said after a while.


    Her face froze. I could tell it was dangerous territory but at this point, I could die of curiosity. ¡°Luna.¡±


    ¡°Please. I just need to know something. It¡¯s nothing too big.¡± I persuaded her. ¡°Just listen to the question and decide if you will answer it.¡±


    It took a while, but she agreed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I started. ¡°You once told me that you had a glimpse of your past and what you saw made you choose to forget who you were.¡± She gave an affirmative nod, and I swallowed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think there might be more to you than the bad memories you saw? Have you considered the possibility that there might be good memories and people lost in the darkness of your mind, which you have decided to forget for one bad memory? Don¡¯t you feel¡­ short knowing you could know more about yourself, but you chose to give that up?¡±


    ¡°That is a lot of questions.¡± Scarlett pointed out and turned to me. ¡°I understand that you must be curious and unable toprehend the reasons for my actions, but that is the life I chose¡± She resumed walking and I followed beside her. ¡°I have considered all those things. But I¡¯m afraid, I am not as optimistic as you are, Luna.¡±


    ¡°What if I dig out those memories and reverse id the case? What if I learn something that will forever alter my life course? What if I can¡¯t handle it?¡± Her questions threw me aback.


    At that moment, I realised something. There would always be what-ifs. But it took a certain amount of courage to step into the dark and truly find out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that courage. I cannot risk what I have now for the unknown, Ca.¡± She said and stopped.


    I realised we were in front of my door. ¡°I will leave you to your business.¡± She said, and with a bow, walked away from me, leaving me to my thoughts.


    Did I want to find out who I am? Can I handle the responsibility of knowing the truth? Was I better off this way?


    I stepped into my room and I was reminded of Cole. Living without my memories was like living with Cole for the rest of my life ¨C a risk I couldn¡¯t take.


    It was hell.

 You look pale, Luna.

    CALLA¡¯S POVContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I was dressed in a ck studded gown and paraded into the dinner hall by Cole.


    Contrary to my belief, the room wasn¡¯t packed with pack members. Instead, there was a giant table ¨C big enough to feed thirty people in the centre of the room.


    As we approached the dinner, I realised we were not alone. Athaliah and Scarlett stood on their feet, waiting for us.


    As soon as we got to the table, Cole dragged a seat by his right and thedies bowed their heads in greeting. ¡°Have your seats.¡± He ordered and we all sat down to eat.


    I could feel the hard gaze of Athaliah on my form and wondered if this was some sort of set-up. I suddenly didn¡¯t feel like eating. ¡°Wee Luna.¡± She said and I raised my eyes to meet hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was unable to train with you today.¡± Her eyes swapped to Cole who¡¯s eyes were already on hers. ¡°I was a bit busy.¡±


    Scar cleared her throat and the atmosphere was riddled with tension. I felt like there was an inside joke I wasn¡¯t privy to happening at this table. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I trained with Scarlett today.¡± I said and dug back into my food.


    ¡°I presume today¡¯s training was sessful?¡± That was Cole.


    Scarlett nodded. ¡°The Luna did amazing as usual.¡± She remarked and a blush stained my cheeks.


    ¡°Good, Is there anything else you¡¯d like to say? Any hindrance or setback?¡± Cole asked and my eyes found him in confusion.


    It felt like he was waiting for something. Did he expect me to fail? What was this about?


    ¡°No, Alpha.¡± Scarlett affirmed, ¡°Everything went beautifully.¡±


    Cole maintained silence for a while, before he nodded, speaking no more on the matter. We ate in silence until Athaliah spoke.


    ¡°From my training with the Luna, it seemed like she had prior training.¡± She said, and I was shocked.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Cole asked, his eyes darted to me.


    ¡°Such strength in her hands.¡± Athaliah tutted, ¡°For a beginner, that is impressive.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if she wasplimenting or using me of something.


    ¡°Maybe she had learned something of the sort and forgot about it when she lost her memories.¡± My breath seized at her words. As well as everyone on the table.


    Athaliah however seemed non-chant. She smiled like she was speaking about the weather and not my predicament, which I was stunned she knew.


    ¡°Athaliah,¡± Cole growled and the table shook at the power. ¡°What exactly are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± She held her mouth. ¡°I was just thinking out loud, I didn¡¯t realise it was a taboo topic.¡± Her eyes found mine and I could see amusement dancing in her eyes. ¡°My sincerest apologies, Luna.¡±


    Something was up. It was clear as day. What was she trying to get from me?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I said, hoping it sounded as genuine as I intended. ¡°It¡¯s not news that I lost my memories three years ago. Now that you speak of it, I wonder if I had engaged in such before losing my memories.¡±


    ¡°Ca. You don¡¯t need to bother yourself with useless thoughts.¡± Cole said almost immediately. ¡°Rest assured that anything you have learned can be relearned. Don¡¯t stress trying to remember.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Athaliah seconded and I almost rolled my eyes at their words.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Scarlett said snidely ¨C taking a big gulp of water.


    I nodded my head. Can this dinner be over already?


    ¡°I must say that I am a bit jealous of you,¡± Athaliah said with her eyesced on Scarlett. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the job you do, helping people to control their witch side.¡±


    My eyes perked at her words.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a job.¡± Scarlett tone was dry and bored.


    Athaliah gazed adoringly at Cole. ¡°It¡¯s a beauty to see how receptive you are to everyone. In my former pack, they will kill anyone that is not a werewolf.¡± She scoffed, ¡°Even the ones that dedicated their lives to their service, Zadok killed without mercy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not everyone that has such foresight,¡± Cole said, and I could tell he felt ttered.


    How easy it was to brush his feathers. ¡°You are right, Alpha. There was ady who served as the only non-werewolf in the pack,¡± Athaliah squinted her brows. ¡°What was her name again? Shilhi?¡±


    The entire room was quiet. You could hear a pin drop. My hands froze mid-way and I dropped my fork, finding Athaliah with a look of confusion.


    ¡°Did you just say¡­ Shilhi?¡± I muttered, my heartbeat increasing with her dyed response.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±  Came the tense voice of Cole.


    Athaliah shrugged. ¡°Just forget it. She is not important.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I suddenly raised my voice. ¡°Shilhi. Tell me about her. Where is she?¡± At this point, I was desperate.


    Finally ¨C someone who knew about the strange woman in my dreams.


    Athaliah seemed stuck. Her gaze flickered between mine and Cole¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. Pray tell, who is Shilhi?¡± Cole said to my surprise and I was d he did. ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in her story.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to say anything else. Athaliah sat up and began her story. ¡°Shilhi used to be a member of the BloodHound Pack, and ced in high esteem by Zadok. She was an herbalist who got possessed by a dark spirit and eventually died in the dark forest.¡± She said and my eyes nearly fell off their sockets.


    ¡°The d-dark forest?¡± I asked, and my dream shed before my eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± Athaliah settled on her chair. ¡°The dark forest. Everyone has a lot of theories on how she died but I believe she exploded to a million pieces.¡±


    Horror took over me. She was dead. Shilhi was dead. I was seeing a dead woman.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Athaliah said, catching my attention. ¡°You look pale, Luna.¡±


    I swallowed hard. ¡°I am fine. Thank you.¡± I answered, and our eyes connected, her eyes were smiling. Like she knew my inner turmoil.


    Was I seeing things?


    ¡°That¡¯s all about Shilhi!¡± She said, sping her hands. ¡°I feel famished.


    I shook in my seat and images poured into my head. A woman explodes in the night ¨C A scream, andstly, a picture of Athaliah ¨C Torturing me.


    Ovee with fear, I pushed back and fell off my seat. A headache hit me and I winced, closing my eyes in pain.


    ¡°Ca!¡± Cole rushed to me, helping me up. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked but I couldn¡¯t speak. I was too shocked to speak. ¡°What did you see?¡± He asked and I shook my head.


    ¡°Just a headache¡­¡± I muttered, cing my guard up. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± He said and turned around. ¡°Scar! Take the Luna to her quarters and summon the doctor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Scar took me from his hand, and led us out of the dinner.

 I know exactly what I want.

    ATHALIAH¡¯S POV


    ¡°You must be out of your mind!¡± Cole gripped me by the throat once they were out of sight.


    ¡°Alpha..¡± I breathed, fighting the urge to punch him in the face with a smile on my face.


    ¡°How dare you mention that name!¡± He roared, ¡°Is this it? Was this your n all along? To get her to recover her memories? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?¡±


    ¡°Listen to me!¡± I got out of his hold, coughing hard. ¡°I might be stupid, but not that stupid. Believe it or not, I knew what I was doing.¡± I took a deep breath and my tone became sifter. ¡°Everything I did was for your best interest.¡±


    Cole let out a derangedugh and I thought I might have taken my experiment too far. What were the odds of me leaving here with my life? It would depend on how this went.


    ¡°Tell me, gamma.¡± He cooed, and goosebumps filled my arm. ¡°Make it make sense or you might end up like the herbalist you were yapping about.¡± He scrunched his face. ¡°What¡¯s it again? Shilhi?¡±


    I swallowed and ced my best foot forward. ¡°I know it looks bad, but I promise, there is an exnation for this.¡± I began, ¡°It¡¯s clear that the Luna has been keeping something from us. We don¡¯t know to which extent she has regained her memories and thest thing we need is to be taken off-guard.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t exin why you had to reveal the identity of Shilhi to her!¡± Cole roared, advancing towards me. ¡°If you were on my side, I¡¯d expect you¡¯d keep your mouth shut on anything that could trigger her memory.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± I bellowed, ¡°If you are always running away from the subject matter, she would remain curious. If we are to find out what she¡¯s keeping from us, we have to earn her trust and take the bull by the horns.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, hiding our cards can be a recipe for losing the game. If we are to know what is going on with her, the best approach is to win her trust, and that can onlye by risking telling her certain information.¡±


    Cole scoffed, but I could tell I was getting to him.


    ¡°Think of it this way. It¡¯s give and take. If you want her to trust you, or any of us enough to tell us how she is truly faring, then you need to be able to tell her things that she is desperate to know. Not everything. But enough to keep her satiated and secure.¡±


    Cole stood a few inches from me, and his breath was heavy. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work? What if she doesn¡¯t fall into our hands after everything? Would you take responsibility if she decides to go?¡± He asked, but his gaze roamed my body.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work she can¡¯t me us for the actions we¡¯ll take.¡± I smirked, ¡°I believe you can take what belongs to you. Whether she likes it or not.¡±


    That did it. A purr of approval left his mouth and he pushed me against the dinner table. ¡°Why do I hate that you are right?¡± He grumbled into my ears, and I felt his hardness pressing in my centre.


    I bit my lip. ¡°You can punish me if you so desire.¡± I looked up at his unwavering eyes, and with a small voice, I said, ¡°I can take it.¡±


    A hungry growl left Cole¡¯s throat and the next thing I heard was the tear of my thigh slit gown. ¡°Oops!¡± He said but he was not sorry.


    I ced my arms on the dinner table, supporting my weight, and feeling risque at the thought of doing it so publicly. Anyone could walk in and catch us. The danger of it made my centre pool with wetness.


    His hands found my panties and he tore them in one pull ¨C leaving red marks on my hips and legs. ¡°Dirty, dirty girl.¡± He cooed when he felt my wetness, my eyes rolled back in pleasure as he slid one finger into my core. ¡°You are already wet for me.¡± He bit my lobes, ¡°Were you expecting this? Huh? Were you hoping to get fucked?¡±


    I bit back my words, unable to speak as he assaulted me with two fingers.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Bitch. You look like a slut, opening your legs for another.¡± He spat on my core, and I heard the unbuckling of his belt. ¡°How many people have you opened your legs to?¡± He growled, ¡°How many have you allowed to defile you?¡±


    ¡°No-¡± I was unable to finish my words before he shoved his shaft into me. ¡°oomph.¡± I bit back the scream at the tip of my tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Cole raised my leg and shoved deeper inside of me. ¡°Take it like the dirty girl you are.¡±


    My eyes were on the door, and my hands rested on the table as he pummelled into me, while I took it like a champ. I couldn¡¯t lie, fucking Cole was good, but Azriel took the trophy.


    As he pounded into me, I found myself wishing for the sparks that came with Azriel grinding into me. The wholesome feeling and how perfectly his dick stretched me. If only he were an Alpha. I¡¯d mate the fuck out of him.


    That¡¯s why I needed to be an alpha. If I could get a pack as the Alpha, I could easily convince him to join me as my mate. It¡¯d be a win-win.


    A guttural growl from Cole told me he was at the edge. I took over with a smirk, riding him silly to the finish line. His seed poured inside me and it felt all shades of wrong but I took it like a good girl.


    letting it drip down my core while he watched with fascination. ¡°Is it wrong that I wish you were Ca?¡± Cole said and my smile faded.


    Was he thinking of her all these while?


    I forced on a smile and sat on the table with my torn dress, ¡°If you want her that badly, why don¡¯t you mark her?¡± I suggested, having nothing else to say.


    Cole chuckled, ¡°You just want Zadok to yourself.¡± He said in an using tone.


    For the first time, I realised it¡¯s been a while since I thought about Zadok, or being his luna. These days, my fantasies included Azriel and all I wanted was the power of being a pack leader ¨C A role destined for me, had some witches not wiped out my father¡¯s pack.


    I let my finger wander through his body, ¡°What if I told you I want you both?¡± I said, biting my lips, and gauging him with innocent eyes.


    ¡°Be careful what you wish for,¡± Cole warned, and I felt chills down my spine.


    ¡°I know exactly what I want,¡± I said and with a boldness, caged him between my thighs, and slowly guided myself into his shaft.


    It felt so good, as I slowly worked my way through a second round, shamelessly letting my moans fill the air.


    Unknown to them, the door slightly opened and teary eyes watched them go at it till they couldn¡¯t anymore.

 Happy birthday, Alpha!

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I hadn¡¯t stepped outside my soon since dinner thest time.


    I was ced on bed rest by the pack doctor who came in intervals to check on how I was faring, only to receive the same answer, time and time again.


    Why couldn¡¯t they understand that I was doing fine?


    The only thing that gued my mind was mytest discovery and my need to know more about the one woman who hadn¡¯t stopped guing my mind since the first time she appeared in my dream. Alongside why my mind couldn¡¯t stop conjuring up images of Athaliah, torturing me in a ce I couldn¡¯t recognise.


    Shilhi the herbalist. I had decided to refer to her in that manner ever since dinner when Athaliah told me of her story. The thought of me seeing a dead, betraying herbalist didn¡¯t sit well with me but I held on for the day I had an opportunity to see Athaliah again.


    Which I hoped wouldn¡¯t be far from now.


    A knock on the door disrupted my thoughts. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I asked, gingerly getting up from my bed, hoping it wasn¡¯t another medical check-up.


    ¡°Scarlett.¡± She answered, and I felt life enter me.


    Before I could open the door, she stepped into my room, looking rough and carrying a dark cloud around her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, filled with concern but she countered me with another question.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    I nodded my head. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Why do you look so down? Are you sick?¡± I asked again, unsure if it was okay to hold her hand.


    She seemed like she was suffering. There were dark shadows under her eyes and she looked paler than usual. ¡°Has Cole seen you?¡± I threw again when she didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I am fine!¡± She snapped, and I was shocked at the anger behind her words. ¡°Just.. Get dressed and let¡¯s get out of here.¡± She said in a less snappy tone. ¡°We have a long day ahead of us.¡±


    I gauged her for a while and decided it was best to swallow and do as I was told. Thest thing I needed was another reason to put her in a terrible mood. I figured she woulde around soon.


    Without another word, I found my way to the closet and prepared for the outing with Scar. I hoped with all my heart that it didn¡¯t involve hanging with Cole because I didn¡¯t have the mental capacity to face him yet.


    I knew he would be curious about what was wrong with me and what I was seeing but I didn¡¯t feel like disclosing it to anyone, much less him.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked when we got out of my chambers.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Scar said and led the way with me falling a step behind her.


    I looked through the hallway windows and saw that the pack was more beautiful than usual. It reeked of festivities, and thest time such decorations were made was at the annual mating ceremony.


    I knew there was no such thing, so why were they decorating the entire ce?


    As we passed the pack members, I was greeted with a bow of the head and a mutter of my Luna title. It seemed like I was more visible than usual and every eye looked at me with reverence, love and to my surprise, jealousy.


    Scarlett was a dark tower, scaring children with the frown that marred her face. What was it with her? I wondered as we journeyed together.


    Soon enough, we got to a building that reeked of Cole. Scarlett answered my silent questions. ¡°Wee to the Alpha¡¯s chambers.¡±


    She led us through the double doors while I felt a bile in my throat. Why did she bring me here? I knew Cole had his building but never bothered to know where it was ¨C seeing he was always at my end.


    ¡°Tonight is the Alpha¡¯s birthday.¡± She continued and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. ¡°There would be an asion to celebrate tonight and you are attending as his bride.¡±


    I nodded my head, sensory overload.


    ¡°The Alpha has prepared a team to ready you for the event. He shall be joining you here at ater time.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I get dressed at my chambers? It was more convenient.¡± I said, unable to shake off the feeling of danger and unrest.


    ¡°The Alpha requested that you do it here.¡± She answered, and I heard footsteps walk down the stairs.


    ¡°Athaliah,¡± Scar said in an unfriendly tone.


    Was that a hiss I heard.?


    ¡°Luna!¡± Athaliah said with a smile. ¡°How are you doing?¡± She asked, her eyes wandered around my form.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. Seeing her reminded me of the memories of her torturing me.


    I got a bad feeling about her. Like there was something more to her ¨C Something she knew and I was in the dark.


    ¡°This is the Alpha¡¯s quarters.¡± Scar suddenly said, breathing fury. ¡°You have no right to be here.¡±


    Athaliah adjusted her cor and a ghastly bruise on her neck took the limelight. Was that¡­ a hickey?


    ¡°The Alpha sent for me.¡± She said, walking down with a tilt to her steps. ¡°I heard the Luna would be dressing here so I thought to prepare the room for her.¡± She added snidely and I could feel the malice in the air.


    If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think was something up between both women. I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to investigate further because Cole came down his stairs, bare-chested with his pants hanging dangerously low on his waist.


    ¡°What¡¯s the ruckus about?¡± He asked. When his eyes found me, it curved in delight, and he breezed down the stairs. ¡°Ca.¡± He breathed, taking my hand in his. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Everyone asked me that questiontely. It was getting tiring to answer.


    I nodded and he urged me up the stairs, ¡°Tonight I am going to make you my Luna.¡± he said as we climbed up.


    I prayed for both our sakes it wasn¡¯t what I thought it was. ¡°Happy birthday, Alpha,¡± I muttered, ncing back at the women downstairs.


    ¡°Happy birthday Alpha!¡± Athaliah said from the ground. ¡°I hope you enjoyed your gift!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    My brows scrunched in confusion. Gift? I didn¡¯t have a gift for him.


    My thoughts were shut off by a growl that belonged to Scar.


    What was it with that woman today?

 This is not the time and place.

    COLE¡¯S POV.


    The night wasing in hot.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked at my mate dressed in a wless blue crystal dress. The dress shimmered in the dark as the droopy diamonds gave the illusion of stars falling from the sky.


    Everything was perfect. My Ca was the perfect bride. Tonight, I would dere her the Luna and she would bear my mark. The workers exited the room, leaving me with a perfectly dressed Ca in my chambers.


    This was going to be our shared home after tonight. She just didn¡¯t know it yet.


    So far she had been in the best character. I didn¡¯t know if it was because it was my birthday or she¡¯d turned a new leaf. I hoped it was thetter because thest thing I wanted was to make her into the Luna I knew and deserved.


    ¡°You look so beautiful, my Ca,¡± I whispered into my ears.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± She said, and bowed her head, revealing the beautiful crown made out of braid.


    Tonight, I let them stretch her hair. It seemed like my Ca preferred her hair longer and I thought It¡¯d be good to have her hair in the way she chose tonight.


    She might as well take it as our wedding night. Afterwards, I would own herpletely and make her the woman she was destined to be. I opened my mouth to speak when a voice rang in my head.


    ¡°Alpha. We have a problem.¡± Came the voice of one of my trusted guards.


    I scrunched my nose in confusion, ¡°What is the matter?¡± I asked, finding my way to the home office in my bedroom.


    I didn¡¯t miss the slump of her shoulders when I backed away from her. Was she hurt by my retreat or relieved? I wondered as I waited for a response.


    I hoped it was the former because it would suck if she were already tired of me when we had forever to go. It was darn too early if you ask me.


    ¡°They are here.¡± A panicked voice said in my head and I felt irritated. ¡°The Alpha of the Blood Hound pack is here!¡±


    My eyes shot up at the information received. What in the world? I hastily left my office, and Ca gauged me with confusion.


    I approached her and dropped a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Someone wille and get you. I need to leave first.¡± I said, and without waiting for a response, I left my abode, sending instructions to Scarlett on my mate while I headed to the borders.


    Thanks to my wolf, I was before Zadok in minutes. And I wasn¡¯t pleased.


    ¡°Alpha Zadok,¡± I said, stepping forward. ¡°What an unpleasant surprise.¡±


    He smirked. He had the nerve to smirk at me.


    ¡°Alpha Cole!¡± If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think he was excited to see me. ¡°I heard it was your birthday and you were throwing a party. I couldn¡¯t miss it for the world.¡± Sarcasm dripped from his tone. ¡°I even brought gifts!¡±


    Zadok snapped his fingers and some wolves came forward, cing gifts on the floor. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. He came prepared.


    ¡°Oh thank you,¡± I said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°However, I don¡¯t recall inviting you to this asion.¡± I started, ¡°Not to be a bad sport, but you see, this event is strictly by invitation and although I appreciate your gesture, you can¡¯t attend.¡±


    Zadokughed, and I fought the urge to punch him in the face. ¡°Ohe on, Cole! One would think you are hiding something from me. Everyone else got an invite to the party. I didn¡¯t mind and shamelessly appeared here and you want to throw me out too?¡± He inquired and I felt my jaws tightened.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a party. There¡¯s nothing big about it. I¡¯d think you would be busy with pack matters. You needn¡¯t waste your time in frivolous activities like this.¡±


    ¡°Let me be the judge of that. All work and no y makes Jack a dull boy after all.¡± Zadok said with his head tilted.


    For a second, I contemted opening a battle with them and chopping his head off. But on second thought, I decided to let him in. What could go wrong?


    Everything was going wrong.


    Zadok and his entourage entered the venue,manding attention. I¡¯d received word that Scarlett was on her way with Ca. Thest thing I needed was a repeat of thest time.


    Hell, I didn¡¯t even want him anywhere close to my Ca ¨C Especially at a time like this. I was going to have to suck it up and make this as short as possible.


    Heads turned and I looked in the direction of the door. There she was. My Ca ¨C Shining brightly like she was meant to be.


    I scrunched my nose when I realised what was missing. I wasn¡¯t by her side. I needed to be by her side, to stake my im on her.


    I got up and made my way through to her with a smile on my face.


    With adoring eyes on us, I gave her my hand, and she took it without hesitation. A smirk stered on my face as I led her to my table, not too far from Zadoks.


    You know the saying. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.


    I ate up the attention that came with having Ca by my side. All eyes were on us, including Zadok who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a bad idea having him over.


    It would be great to have him witness my union with her tonight. You guessed it. She was going to bear my mark right in their presence. My wolf purred in delight. Hopefully, the third time¡¯s the charm.


    ¡°Happy birthday Alpha.¡± The people chorused and I raised my ss.


    It was indeed a beautiful day.


    Scar sat beside Ca, whose eyes couldn¡¯t leave Zadok¡¯s table. I wavered at the thought of her getting her memories back with their appearance.


    I dragged Scar to my side and ordered, ¡°Get the stage ready. I need to mark her in five minutes.¡± I said and she nodded, rying my orders to the people in charge.


    I thought it was over until I saw Athaliah, dressed like a slut and making her way into the hall.


    ¡°Stop her,¡± I ordered the guards via mind link and she was taken out of sight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few, My love,¡± I said to Ca as I got on my feet. Then to Scarlett, I ordered. ¡°She never leaves your sight.¡±


    With a hurried pace, I made my way out of the hall, looking for Athaliah. As I threaded the halls, a door suddenly opened and I was dragged in.


    My first instinct was to twist their neck but when I felt the familiar soft hands of Athaliah, groping me, I relented. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± I whispered angrily. ¡°I told you not to attend today¡¯s meeting.¡±


    ¡°I never agreed not toe.¡± She cooed, and I felt her cold hands touch my member, who stood inmand. ¡°He seems excited to see me.¡±


    I held her hands from touching me further. ¡°This is not the time and ce,¡± I said with gritted teeth.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t take you as one who yed by the rules, Alpha.¡± She bit her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be quick. It¡¯s your big day after all.¡± She got to her knees, batting her eyes as she licked the tip of my erection. ¡°You deserve it.¡±


    My eyes fluttered close and I let her do what she knew best. She was my slut after all.

 Scar! Calm down!

    CALLA¡¯S POV


    I could feel his gaze heavy on me ¨C Alpha Zadok¡¯s gaze.


    It was hard not to notice when his gaze burned like fire. I had forgotten how intense it was to be around him. How he managed tomand my attention without trying.


    Today was going to be different though. Because I choose not to indulge in that today. It was Cole¡¯s birthday. Thest thing I needed was a reason to make him angry at me.


    Besides, I felt paranoid and couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of foreboding that came with this event. It felt like something bad would happen, I didn¡¯t know why I was feeling such bad premonition but I couldn¡¯t shake it off.


    There were a lot of hushed rumours about today being a big night for Cole and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why this birthday took the crown from my three years of being in this pack.


    What made it so special and what part did I have to y in it?


    On my way here, I tried to get Scar to talk to me about what was happening tonight but she didn¡¯t give me anything to work with. It felt like everyone else knew something that I didn¡¯t.


    They were celebrating something I wasn¡¯t privy to, and I had a feeling it wasn¡¯t going to be a pleasant surprise. I gulped down my ss of Alcohol and Scar took it away from me with a reprimanding gaze.


    I wasn¡¯t even allowed to drink away my anxiety.


    Feeling fed up, I got up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Scar asked from my side, managing to keep her voice low and even.


    ¡°I need to use the restroom,¡± I shook my head when she wanted to follow me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy. I don¡¯t need you breathing down my neck. The guards are enough as is.¡± I didn¡¯t know when I snapped.


    I was feeling the pressure. ¡°I won¡¯t be long,¡± I added, and she nodded respectfully.


    I felt a twinge of guilt for talking to her in such a manner but I kept walking, feeling a gaze burning through my back. I needed a breathing space before Cole returned from wherever he was gone.


    I stepped into the restroom and eased myself. After finishing my business, I went to the mirror, and let out a deep breath, looking at my reflection. I looked perfect. Hair done, make-up, clothes, everything was in the right ce.


    And yet I felt like a part of me was missing. I felt like this was only a tiny part of me, and I was so much more than thedy looking back at me. But how do I find her?


    The door of the restroom opened and my head turned in the direction. The first thing I saw was a man and my first instinct was to say, ¡°upied.¡±


    My words trailed when the intruder closed the door, locked it behind him and looked at me. My breath hitched. It was him, Alpha Zadok.


    I looked at him, unable to speak. My first instinct led me to run back into my stall and attempt to lock the door but his leg wedged it. He easily pushed the door open and stepped inside the stall with me, locking us in together.


    I couldn¡¯t look at him. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at his face. He ced his hand on my jaw and pushed my head forward, forcing me to look into his eyes.


    The spot his hand connected shot sparks through my body. So much that I felt paralysed before him. His eyes looked tormented, the pain was so evident, that I wanted to reach out and console him.


    I wanted to kiss his pain away and put an end to all his worries. Everything in me screamed to touch him, to make him happy, to do something but I stood immobile, breathing heavily with slightly opened lips.


    ¡°Ithra..¡± He sounded tormented, and I shook my head in confusion.


    Why did he always call me that? My mind pulls up a result and I remember Cole saying something along the lines of him losing someone that looked like me.


    The thought of him thinking about someone else when his mere presence rid me of my sense of reasoning made my blood boil. How dare he think of another woman when my entire being burned for me.


    My face marred with a frown and I took his hands off my jaws. ¡°I am not Ithra!¡± I snapped, giving him a dirty look. ¡°Are you stalking me?¡±


    Zadok seemed surprised. He blinked like he wasing out of a reverie and I wondered if he thought I was her all this while. If he had chased me right to the restrooms for another woman who shared a resemnce to me.


    My fury burned as time proceeded with no words from him. He didn¡¯t even try to justify himself. I was right. This was another act of his deluded mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this once, so listen to me carefully.¡± I started in a hard tone. ¡°I am not your mate. You¡¯ve got the wrong person. Enough of these games and let this be thest time you appear in front of me or even touch me that hand of yours!¡±


    I took a deep breath with ring eyes. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.¡±


    With that, I opened the stall and walked out. As I headed towards the door of the restroom, I couldn¡¯t help the thought of how great it would feel if this Alpha got out of his befuddled mind, dragged me back and fucking had a conversation with me.


    All hopes went down the drain when I closed the door behind me and there was still no word from him. I was stupid to expect anything less.


    My walk back to the hall was slow. The thought of returning to Cole¡¯s side daunted me but I had no choice. I made to go downstairs when I heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself!¡± Scar roared and I turned around to find where it wasing from.


    ¡°Scar, I told you not to let Ca out of your eyes.¡± Came the breathy voice of Cole.


    A sadisticugh escapes the mouth of Scar. ¡°What? So she doesn¡¯t find out that you¡¯re fucking this bitch?!¡±


    ¡°Mind your words, Scarlett.¡± Cole gritted,


    ¡°What? Little beta having feelings for my Alpha?¡± Athaliah smirked, half-dressed and proud.


    ¡°Ca..¡± Cole said when he saw me, eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    I stood in front of them, waiting for the pain that shoulde at seeing my supposed mate with another but nothing came.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what she thinks! I can¡¯t believe you are so dumb to fall into the hands of this wench!¡± Scar spoke, exasperated. ¡°You barely even know her!¡±


    ¡°And yet I¡¯ve seen every part of him.¡± Athaliah taunted and Cole shot her a reprimanding look.


    ¡°Scar, take Ca away. I¡¯ll exin to herter.¡± Cole said and that took Scarlett over the edge.


    ¡°I should take Ca away? You would exin to her?!¡± She chuckled, ¡°You should be exining to me!¡±


    ¡°Scarlett!¡± Cole yelled, using his Alpha tone. ¡°I said take her away. Now!¡±


    That did it. Scar looked like a deranged woman as her eyes flickered between the fornicators. ¡°Not this time. I¡¯ve had enough! For twelve years! I¡¯ve been with you, doing everything for you, even gave myself to you, but the moment Caes, she¡¯s qualified to be your Luna?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Scarlett,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not DONE, I epted, seeing she wasn¡¯t interested in you and I figured she would get back her memories and leave at some point but no, you had to fall cheaply for this slut¡¯s tactics and once again, betrayed my trust and love for you!¡±


    I moved backwards as Scarlett spoke. She was breathing heavily, and smoke came out of her body holes. Something was wrong.


    ¡°Scar! Calm down!¡± Cole said he moved into the room, wary of her.


    ¡°I should calm down?¡± That only seemed to anger her the more. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the monster you¡¯ve made me to be.¡±


    Within one second, Scar jumped into the air and mid way, transformed into a big red dragon, spewing fire in her wake.


    The building shook, and the pirs broke. Stones fell like rain while I shifted to a corner breathing heavily and jittering.


    Dragon. She¡¯s a dragon. Scar is a dragon.


    My head suddenly felt like it wanted to explode. Memories, memories flooded in like an ocean. Everything forcing its way into my head. Memories of the Celts n, my journey to the dark forest, andstly, Zadok.


    ¡°We just yed a dragon, Amore.¡± I heard his voice and arge boulder hit me in the head.


    I lost consciousness.

 Ithra is dead!

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    ¡°I am not Ithra!¡±


    ¡°Are you stalking me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this once, so listen to me carefully.¡±


    ¡°I am not your mate. You¡¯ve got the wrong person. Enough of these games and let this be thest time you appear in front of me or even touch me that hand of yours!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.¡±


    Her words yed in my head in an endless loop.


    I returned to the party with a cold look and didn¡¯t bother to sit down. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I ordered and began my walk out of the darned ce.


    Coming here was a mistake. What did I expect? That she¡¯ll run into my arms like the mate I lost three years ago? Pfft. I needed to leave.


    I walked out of the party knowing all eyes were on me. Thest thing I wanted was to give Cole another thing to gloat about. In fact, he already had something to gloat about.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Zadok! What¡¯s going on?¡± That was Azriel.


    I would have given him shit for saying my name without an ounce of respect if I wasn¡¯t so upset. But I didn¡¯t have the strength. I had nothing. I was nothing. I needed to go.


    I didn¡¯t give him an answer. What was I supposed to say to him? How do I exin the pain in my heart? The rude awakening I¡¯d faced. I entered the car and we drove back to the pack in silence.


    Azriel started as soon as the office closed behind me. ¡°What happened? How did it go? Why would you leave like that?¡±


    There are many questions but not enough answers.


    ¡°Did you meet her? We didn¡¯t even get to see-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± I cut him off. ¡°We would not be pursuing the thought of Cole¡¯s mate being Ithra because Ithra is dead.¡±


    Saying it out loud hurt. The truth hurt. But it must be spoken, heard and epted.


    ¡°No-¡± Azriel started but I stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± I got up, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more of your theories or feelings about the darned woman.¡± I looked him in the eyes. ¡°She might look like her, speak like her, hell, even walk like her but I assure you, she is not her.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t Ithra. It¡¯s high time we epted it and moved forward. It¡¯s high time I epted it and moved forward.¡± I said, taking my seat.


    Azriel seemed distraught. ¡°Zadok..¡±


    ¡°I want to be alone, Azriel,¡± I said without looking at his face. ¡°I need to be alone.¡±


    Azriel stood for a while, contemting his obedience but finally submitted. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside if you need me.¡± He said and stepped out of the office.


    True to his words, he remained outside, standing guard as I mourned the loss of someone I never had.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, human.¡± Kir¡¯s voice reasoned and I rolled my eyes at his ster punchline.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that shit.¡± I said, ¡°I need time to think.¡±


    ¡°Think about what?¡± He questioned and I let out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°Now is not the time, Kir.¡± I gritted, hoping he would get the memo and give up bothering me but no such luck.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± He says, ¡°When¡¯s the time then? When we¡¯ve lost touch with our mate? Or when she¡¯s been imed by another? Don¡¯t be stupid, human!¡±


    ¡°You know what?¡± I stood. ¡°You are the stupid one! You can¡¯t seem to let go of a mate you lost in the dark forest! You refused to give her up and allowed the pack to suffer for your selfish desires! Would you continue this madness even after she had so clearly told you she wasn¡¯t our mate?¡± I asked, breathing fire.


    ¡°I understand your pain, Zadok.¡± It was the first time he called me by my name. ¡°It¡¯s our pain.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. We are over this. We¡¯ve moved on. We just need to continue on the right path. Ithra is gone and unless the moon goddess gives us another mate, we will have to choose someone to fill the gap.¡± I concluded. ¡°I¡¯m over this shit.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s a lie,¡± Kir said and I hated that he was right. ¡°As long as she is alive, we can never be over her. So quit trying to spiral and rationally think about why our mate is so hostile towards you.¡±


    ¡°Hostile towards me?¡± I scoffed, unable to believe the wolf. ¡°Ithra is dead. Ca is hostile because we have been nothing but stalkers who can¡¯t get over the idea of her being our mate!¡±


    ¡°Go to Azriel. Listen to what he has to say. You can¡¯t make any decision in this state.¡±


    I felt like the world was out for me. ¡°ITHRA IS DEAD! Do I have to yell it to the world before you understand there is nothing else to do but move forward?!¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop saying that rubbish, human.¡± I was losing my senses. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel the bond? It came alive the moment you touched her. I felt it too. But suddenly, she got angry. You must have done something wrong that made her walk away from us.¡±


    I shook my head, refusing to listen to any more of his bullshit. I needed my peace and Kir wasn¡¯t giving me that. I dug into my drawers, looking for the potions I¡¯d stashed there three years ago.


    I hoped for my sake that they were still as effective as I knew them to be. I found the potions, shilhi¡¯s potions and I took one out of the stash. This should do for tonight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t do that!¡± I heard Kir roar at me but it was toote. I gulped down the poisonous content of the potion and my mind was silenced.


    Hating the silence, I took more of the potions, drinking everything till I was out of the supply of poison. The silence gued me. I was all alone.


    I felt my heart prick in pain and my eyes watered. I needed to stop being selfish and truly let her go. I had lost my mate, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.


    I let myself mourn her onest time, crying myself to sleep. It would mark the beginning of a new season by the time I woke up.

 What did you do to me?

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    My eyes fluttered open and the first thing I see is a man hunched over me.


    ¡°Ca! My goodness, thank God you are awake.¡± The man said, while my vision blurred. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    A headache rammed my forehead. ¡°What in the world-¡± I said, sitting on my bed.


    An arm covered me, ¡°Thank God you are alive. I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through that! I promise you will never experience such again. Scarlett has been put away in the dungeons, never to disturb our lives again.¡±


    ¡°Scarlett?¡± I asked and suddenly, my thoughts cleared.


    I looked at Cole and felt a sudden urge to get away from his embrace. ¡°Are you alright, my love?¡± He asked when I suddenly left his hold with a disgruntled face.


    Zadok. I remembered how harshly I spoke to him and my heart split in halves. I needed to get to him.


    Athaliah walked in with a pretentious look of concern. ¡°Luna, how are you doing?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it. She was one hell of a betrayer. I saw through her acts, and my eyes boiled in rage. ¡°Is she okay?¡± She asked, noticing my gaze, and flickering between me and Cole.


    Her eyes widened when I said, ¡°Enough of your games, Athaliah Hezron,¡±


    She knew I had caught on to her, a smile appeared after a moment. ¡°I see you have regained your memories.¡± She said with a smirk. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Just when I was having a great time ying pretend.¡±


    Cole¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He asked, looking clueless.


    ¡°Exactly what you heard,¡± I answered in her stead. ¡°I have to go home,¡± I said, needing to see him. Zadok.


    ¡°Ca,¡± He trailed a finger on my face. ¡°What are you saying? This is your home.¡± His eyes were searching, hoping, waiting for me to believe.


    I shed his hopes to pieces. ¡°My name is Ithra. And this is not my home. I need to go-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Cole bellowed, sounding deranged, ¡°You are confused,¡± he looked at Athaliah. ¡°Call the doctors. She has a concussion. Something is wrong. I need them to fix her. Now.¡±


    ¡°Alpha.¡± Athaliah started, but he didn¡¯t let her speak.


    ¡°I said get the doctors! My mate needs help!¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am not your mate!¡± I growled, and he turned furious.


    ¡°You are my mate!¡± He held me painfully by the arm. ¡°You are mine and this is your pack!¡±


    ¡°You can never be my mate,¡± I said in his face. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    Cole shook his head and suddenly startedughing. ¡°You are my mate..¡± He said betweenughs. ¡°Do not force my hand.¡± His tone was threatening but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Let me go, Cole.¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± He turned to Athaliah, with his hand fast around me. ¡°lock her up and watch over her. By tomorrow, she will be marked and made luna.¡±


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± I growled, struggling to be free from his hold to no avail.


    ¡°Guards!¡± Athaliah said with a smirk, and some werewolves rushed into the room. ¡°Escort our Luna to her holding room.¡±


    I gasped as I was taken out of Cole¡¯s hands by a pair of two strong ones, and led out of the room, screaming my head off.


    **************


    I refused to eat anything. I¡¯d die before I got marked by that good-for-nothing beast.


    My defiance must have reached their ears because Athaliah stepped into my room ¨C or should I say, holding cell.


    ¡°Luna.¡± She said in a mocking tone, and I shot daggers at her.


    ¡°How could you do this to Zadok? Did he know you are here? How could you betray him in such a manner?¡± I asked, unable to wrap my head around her motive for such betrayal.


    ¡°Betray Zadok?¡± She scoffed, ¡°More like he betrayed me.¡± An evil smile graced her lips. ¡°I haven¡¯t even paid half the evil he did to me.¡±


    ¡°He spared your life.¡± I reminded her icily. ¡°He could have killed you for what you did to me, but he spared your life!¡±


    Her face turned sore. ¡°No darling. He didn¡¯t spare my life. He sent me off to be killed, and he was just lucky I was strong enough to defend myself ande back alive.¡± Her eyes burned with rage. ¡°I owe him nothing!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe she thought that. ¡°And what about me?¡± I asked and her eyes raised. ¡°I spared your life. I could have ordered your head and you wouldn¡¯t be alive. Is this how you pay back my kindness?¡±


    Athaliahughed. Not the fake one ¨C a full-blownugh. ¡°That has got to be the sickest joke I¡¯ve heard in a while.¡± She stated, and her face lost itsughter. ¡°If I had my way, you¡¯d be dead. Take your life as a gift.¡±


    The venom and hatred in her voice startled me. ¡°What did I ever do to you?¡± I didn¡¯t know when I said the thoughts that gued my mind. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    She stepped closer to me with a deathly gaze as she spoke. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± She smirked, ¡°Your existence in itself is the bane of my existence.¡±


    Athaliah walked around me, like a predator, circling its prey. ¡°The moment you appeared in front of Zadok, you destroyed everything I haveboured for. You took away Zadok, possessed what was not yours and even after you died, held him as your loyal captive. Did you ask what you did to me?¡±


    ¡°You made him banish me. You refused to die and save us all the agony of watching him mourn the loss of something that wasn¡¯t his.¡± she scoffed, ¡°And the worst of it all, you ended up making it out alive and just when he was getting over your witchcraft, you appeared in front of him and brought him back to square one!¡±


    ¡°You cause pain and havoc anywhere you go. You have been a thorn in my life, dead and alive. You just can¡¯t stay away!¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, to defend myself, but no words came out.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You ought to be quiet. You ought to be grateful for the life you have and silently ept what¡¯s in front of you, forget Zadok and embrace your new identity, Ca.¡±


    I shook my head, breathing heavily. ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your thoughts. You will be dressed and called for the asion in a little while. Goodbye, Luna.¡±

 Incompetent fools!

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    I was dressed in a mini ck ball gown and waiting to be dragged to the altar.


    Because that was the only way I¡¯d step my foot out of this prison.


    I heard the sound of the door click and I turned around to meet the face of the one who ruined my life ¨C Or was about to ruin my life.


    ¡°How dare you appear before me?¡± The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself.


    ¡°Ca.¡± He called softly, closing the door behind him and headed for me. ¡°Are you still being difficult?¡±


    Difficult? He thought I was being difficult? The hell?!


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I demanded with fiery eyes. ¡°I do not belong here.¡±


    A wave of rage passed through his eyes but he blinked it off. ¡°Are you ready to be mine ¨C body mind and soul?¡± He asked, tracing my face with his filthy hands.


    I fought the urge to spit in his face as I answered. ¡°Over my dead body.¡±


    That did it. My head swung back at the force of his p, and he dragged me to him, holding me tightly against him. ¡°You will be my Luna and serve me because it is your destiny.¡± He gritted, ¡°You should learn to live with that.¡±


    I shook my head in defiance and he ced a dirty kiss on my cheek, suddenly changing from the monster I knew him to be. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright love. I¡¯ll worship the feet you walk on. You just have to give yourself to me.¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait for a response, without another word, he dragged me out of the room, headed to God knows where. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, my Ca. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± He muttered, dragging me while I trashed my way to the altar.


    The atmosphere was calm and everyone¡¯s gaze was on me. My hands were tied to my back as I was led to the altar by two hefty men who dragged me with ease.


    I saw Cole standing on the portal with a smile while I struggled to be free. I saw Athaliah too, her gaze told me that she enjoyed my predicament and it took everything in me not to wipe that smirk off her face in the most painful way.


    Soon enough, I was in front of Cole, forced to my knees as a ve in front of her master. I felt humiliated, dirty and ripped apart. Cole was brimming with joy. His eyes glowed as the guards bared my neck to him, presenting me like a sacrifice.


    ¡°My beautiful Ca.¡± He murmured, lustfully eyeing me. His gaze went up and he addressed his people. ¡°Today, I present my Luna and beloved to my people.¡± They cheered and I wondered just how messed up in the head they were to cheer at the bullshit going on before them.


    This couldn¡¯t be normal. Luna? Couldn¡¯t they see what¡¯s right in front of them? I was a prisoner forced to the ughter and they thought it was alright?


    ¡°We all saw what happened two days ago.¡± He continued. ¡°How we were brutally attacked on my birthday by a fiery dragon that imed the lives of many and unfortunately wiped the memory of my beloved mate.¡±


    Sighs of mourning and sorrow filled the air but he continued. ¡°However, I have decided to mark her and journey through the process of getting her back in shape. Hence the reason for today¡¯s meeting.¡±


    He came down from the portal and my eyes widened. He wasing for me. His eyes smiled in victory. There was no stopping him now. He was going to take me, whether I liked it or not. He was going to mark me and forcefully dominate me.


    And there was nothing I could do about it.


    Cole reached me, shing his canines. ¡°I have waited for this day for three years, my Ca.¡± He said and lowered his head to my bare neck.


    My eyes snapped shut as I anticipated the pain of his bite. His mark. And his brand that will forever be imprinted in my soul.


    Zadok. A picture of him fluttered into my mind and I felt pain. I couldn¡¯t return to him.


    If Cole marked me, I would not be able to return to him. To my mate. It¡¯ll be over.


    I couldn¡¯t let him. I couldn¡¯t let him taint me. Over my dead body.


    Cole¡¯s fangs pierced into my neck and I suddenly felt hot. I opened my eyes and I met the panicked orbs of Cole. Azy smirk found its way to my lips and I felt hotter.


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± I heard a voice from the crowd but I didn¡¯t care.


    All I knew was that my body was hot and Cole was getting darker as the seconds trickled by. His fangs were halfway through my throat and he couldn¡¯t go further.


    He stared at me, shocked and unable to leave me. ¡°Save the Alpha!¡± Athaliah roared and the guards ran in ce, fruitlessly trying to detach him from my ming body.


    That¡¯s right. I was engulfed in mes, and burning him alive!


    ¡°Ipetent fools!¡± Athaliah roared and before I could make out her next action, she picked up a log and hit me in the head.


    I fell, and Cole was relieved from my hold and rushed to the hospital.


    ¡°Take her away! Lock her in the dungeons and ensure she can¡¯t use her powers!¡± Athaliah ordered and it was followed to the tee.


    I was picked up roughly from the floor and dragged out of the venue by two angry wolves, who threw me into a prison and shut the door.


    As soon as I got in there, I felt an odd oppressive feeling in my chest ¨C hindering me from using my powers and weakening me simultaneously. It was a witch¡¯s nightmare.


    A cell designed with witch¡¯s bane.


    I fell to the ground and my eyes blurred. Strength zapped out of me as the seconds trickled by. I didn¡¯t know how long I stayed there, breezing in and out of consciousness.


    Suddenly I felt pain. In all my joints and arteries. The pain was familiar. Way too familiar to be forgotten. I bit back the pain and my eyes watered. I couldn¡¯t allow them to see me if it was what I suspected.


    I couldn¡¯t give them such privilege.


    I failed. As time proceeded, the pain increased and I let out a howl of pain ¨C begging to be let loose as my bones bent in odd ces.


    Iy on the floor, begging for help. Calling on anyone, someone who could make it stop. But no one came.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    For hours and hours, I crawled around the cell, half-transformed. It was torture, in its deadliest and guttural form. I shouted, roared, and howled as I went through the transformation in my cell.


    It didn¡¯t hurt so bad before. Why did it hurt so much? Was it because I had Zadok around? Was it because I had been tainted? I didn¡¯t know.


    All I knew was that it hurt. And I wanted Zadok. Scratch that. I needed him.


    So I did what I knew best. I called out to him from within and fell unconscious while fur covered my body ¨C hoping and praying he¡¯d hear. ande to me.

 It was her wolf. Adira.

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    ¡°Zadok¡­¡± I heard her voice, pained and needy. ¡°I need you.¡±


    I jolted awake, covered in sweat and panicked. It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d been awakened by such dreams. Dreams of Ithra calling out to me, asking for help and waking up to reality.


    I got up from my bed with clenched teeth. My eyes drifted to the time and it was midnight. Which meant I¡¯d managed to get in a total of ten minutes of sleep. Just great.


    This has been the case since I returned from Cole¡¯s birthday party. Or should I say his mating event? I have been a shadow of myself, relegated to toxic patterns of digesting Shilhi¡¯s poison to evade Kir and my mind.


    It was doing a poor job of it. I still couldn¡¯t get her off my mind. I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she was in danger and I was making a big mistake by giving up on her.


    Azriel was right. I was one selfish prick who didn¡¯t know how to be anything else. I couldn¡¯t live a life without her. My every waking moment was filled with thoughts, desires and dreams of her.


    She has ruined me.


    I was barely scraping through with my wits intact. They said it would get better with time. They said I just had to live through it and a day woulde when I wouldn¡¯t feel this gut-wrenching pain in my heart that threatened to tear me apart.


    They lied. They lied because it¡¯s been three days and everying day was worse than thest. I lost taste, and will to live. Surely, a dead man was better off than myself. What exactly was I living for?


    I needed air. I pushed to my windows, throwing it open and natural air breezed into my chambers. The moon glow lit my face and I felt angry. The Moon Goddess had yed me.


    She had given me the best gift and snatched it right back.


    If I saw her, I promised to give her a long and torturous death. Who was she to design such a cruel fate for me? What right did she have to design such fate and make me live perpetually in agony?


    My life shed before my eyes and I cursed the day I was born.


    Why did I have to be born to suffer such heartache? Why did it have to be me? What sin did Imit to be charged with such a gruesome penalty? I had many questions but there was not a single answer.


    ¡°Zadok¡­¡±


    My ears perked and my heart skipped a bit. I¡¯d heard it again. Her voice. That was the most recent development with me. I was hearing the voice of my dead mate. How pathetic was that?


    I stepped away from my window and dug through the drawers at the side of my bed. I needed to shut it out. I needed an end to this madness. Or an escape.


    Shilhi¡¯s potions gave me that. A moment¡¯s relief from the darkness of my mind in exchange for a step closer to hell. My mind was messed up, but even I knew the potions were not doing me any favour.


    They were drawing me back to the depths of death for so little reward and I was okay with it. What was life without her? What was life without my mate? What was life without my Ithra?


    I blinked, refusing to proceed with that thought. She was dead. I grained it in my head, muttering it for the nth time. Ithra was dead and I needed to move forward. I walked out of my room and headed to my office.


    If I couldn¡¯t sleep, then I might as well get some work done. It always proved more efficient than the potions anyway. I entered my office and got to work. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much to do.


    I ended up finishing with more hours than I needed. I returned to my bed and woke up in ten minutes. She was still calling out for me.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Deciding to take a run, I went out of my chambers and Azriel was right in the hallways.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± He greeted me with a bow, eyeing me warily.


    ¡°Azriel.¡± My reply is curt, this has been our trajectory for the past few days.


    I jogged ahead, hoping he¡¯d get the memo and stay away but he followed ¨C getting to pace with me.


    Azriel was a good jog partner if he wasn¡¯t trying to eat my ears on why I was wrong with my assumptions ¨C as he so fondly called it.


    ¡°I heard some news from my spies at the Moon Light pack.¡± He started and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.


    ¡°You seem to be very interested in them,¡± I said tly, uninterested in whatever he had to say.


    Azriel was undeterred by myck of sport. He continued his gist without missing a beat. ¡°A dragon showed up at the events bare minutes after we left.¡±


    That got my attention. I hated that my first instinct was to know if she was fine. That lookalike. I swallowed my words and opted for something else. ¡°I can¡¯t understand how that is your concern.¡± I picked up my pace. ¡°Cole is more than capable of handling his darned pack.¡± My eyes sliced through him, ¡°I hope you invest this strength in the pack entrusted to you. My pack.¡± I stopped in my tracks, facing him. ¡°Enough of the pointless research, beta.¡± My jaws clenched. ¡°Focus on the business that pays you.¡±


    With that, I left him, standing in the cold. A part of me felt I had been harsh with my words but I silenced that part of me with the urgency of a woman in travail. Thest thing I needed was something else on my conscience.


    Azriel could handle himself.


    I returned to my chambers with more time than I¡¯d liked before the day and I was forced to wait it out. Sleep took me up in the process of waiting and I was taken in another dream involving her.


    This time around, it wasn¡¯t her voice. Neither did the dream feature her beautiful self. It was someone more precious. Someone I had the pleasure of seeing once before she was cruelly taken away from me.


    It was her wolf. Adira.

 How do you feel?

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    The sound of the metal door opening stirred me awake.


    ¡°Rise and shine, Luna,¡± Athaliah said with a smile.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I felt weak. Too weak to say a word to her.


    ¡°Thankfully, your mate is better and he has ordered to have you out of here.¡± She said with a sp and some men entered my cell. ¡°Seeing you can¡¯t help yourself, I thought to bring some guards to speed the transfer.¡± She added with a smirk and the guards picked me up roughly.


    I felt pathetic. I couldn¡¯t even fight back as they roughly dragged me through the concrete floor, leaving me with bruises and scratches.


    By the time I returned to my room, my once-fresh legs were littered with scars, dried blood and bruises. ¡°You should count yourself lucky to be alive. After that stunt you pulled out there, you should be happy Cole still fancies you enough to keep you.¡±


    She turned around and the guards followed her. ¡°One more thing.¡± She said, ¡°Don¡¯t lose that fire in you. Who knows, maybe that¡¯s what keeps theming back.¡± Augh escaped her throat. ¡°Just a friendly advice. Take it or leave it.¡±


    With that, Athaliah strutted out of the room and shut the door with a bang. Iy on the floor ¨C recovering my depleted strength. My body ached like a bitch as I crawled to the bed in the middle of the room ¨C painfully finding my way up.


    As soon as my body touched the bed, I felt relieved. I was alone, unmarked and alive. If that wasn¡¯t a miracle, I didn¡¯t know what was.


    I must have spoken too soon because Cole came to visit that night.


    He didn¡¯t knock. He pushed the door open, waking me up from my light slumber. I tasted horror as I saw the crazed look in his eyes. This was it. He was going to kill me, no questions asked.


    ¡°Ca.¡± He said softly, but I knew it was the calm before the storm.


    His tumultuous eyes were proof enough. ¡°My Luna.¡± He fawned,ing closer.


    I got down from the bed, putting some space between us. His words confirmed my thoughts. ¡°You think you can run away?¡± He said, shaking with unadulterated anger.


    ¡°You think you can do away with me?¡± He was dangerously close to me.


    I had run out of space as my back hit the walls. Nowhere to run now. His eyes said to me.


    ¡°Cole. Please.¡± I managed to say, ¡°Leave me alone. Please. Let me go.¡± My words must have been the gas that lit up the fire because he immediately lost every sense of coolness and went bat-shit crazy on me.


    He caught me by my neck and my breath supply seized. ¡°You are my Luna, Ca.¡± He growled. ¡°And you will be my ve until you learn to ept that.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. My face was puffy as I gasped for air. My poor body couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°C-Cole¡­¡± I said but it angered him further.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡± He said, shaking his head profusely. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you what it means to cross an Alpha.¡±


    Cole had recovered his strength. I could tell by the punch he sent to my guts, causing me to cough up blood. I fell on the floor, clutching my stomach in pain. ¡°You think you can kill me, huh?¡± He said with a deranged expression. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    Cole followed up with a series of kicks on my stomach. Each felt harder than thest. His kicks pummeled into my stomach, pushing me backwards and hindering me from breathing.


    My lungs felt like they were on fire and with his continued assault, I was tethered at the brink of death. For someone obsessed with me, I could see the death intent in his eyes, hell, I was minutes away from the death I coveted before he stopped, noticing my resignation to die.


    With onest kick, he spat on me, and angrily left me to die. No such luck because the next second, guards rushed to me, forcing something down my throat. If it was poison, I didn¡¯t know because I drifted out of consciousness.


    *******


    I wake up on my bed, feeling light in the head. I was still alive.


    I opened my eyes and took a look at my surroundings, I was still in the room.


    I noticed the little changes in the room. There was a change of sheets, I was wearing a change of cloth and an IV dripped in my arm.


    With one swab, I took it off and blood trickled out of my wrist. I didn¡¯t care much, I got down my bed and that¡¯s when I felt it.


    Intense abdominal pain. So much so that I couldn¡¯t take a step further. I winced and my ordeal with Cole shed before my eyes. He did this to me. Cole did this to me and I swore he would pay despite Athaliah¡¯s mockingugh in my head that said otherwise.


    Deciding to rest, I sat on my bed, taking a deep breath. That hurt too.


    The door flung open, and to my horror, there he was.


    Cole. Looking prim and proper. Like he hadn¡¯t beaten the shit out of me. His eyes softened as he took in my form and walked into the room.


    My first instinct is to run. To get as far away from him as possible but no such luck. Cole caught me by the neck and peppered kisses all over my face.


    ¡°My Ca, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± He said to my surprise. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t answer. I sat there moping at him, shocked beyond words.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I lost my temper.¡± He continued. ¡°I promise never to hurt you again my love. If you apologise to me and promise never to do or utter nonsense, then we can live together in harmony my love.¡± He petted my cheeks. ¡°What do you say, love? Am I forgiven?¡±


    Cole spoke like hemitted an offence synonymous with nothing. At some point, I wondered if I had mistaken the person who beat me without a second thought and to the brink of death.


    He stood before me with a smile, waiting for my answer like it was normal.


    ¡°Where is Scar?¡± I asked and his face turned dark.


    ¡°She is in prison. Put away to never bother us again.¡± He answered with a dark and faraway look. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother. She will never hurt you again.¡±


    Cole spoke like she was one to be wary of. A monster. Thankfully, I knew better. I knew exactly what a monster looked like and he was standing in front of me in sheep¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°I want to see her.¡± That was not the answer he¡¯d hoped for. It was clear from the sudden change in his countenance.


    He covered up with a faux smile. ¡°Of course not.¡± He said it like it was simple math, looking at me like I was his world.


    Spooked, I let myself ramble to fill up the painful silence. ¡°Can I go out?¡± His jaws clenched and I realised how wrong that sounded. ¡°I just want to go out of my room. I¡¯ve been holed up here for the longest time.¡± I added, shaking within me.


    This man scared me ¨C His silence, acts, thoughts, everything. I had no idea the lengths he could go and that unnerved me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t, my love.¡± His answer was expected. ¡°I can¡¯t trust that you are mentally stable to go out yet. However, Athaliah is at your beck and call. You can convey whatever you need to her and she will get it to me. You will remain here till I see valuable changes in you.¡±


    Cole finished with a smile, sealed it with a chaste kiss and left me in my room, wondering what the hell just happened.

 What’s the plan?

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    This madness ends today.


    I thought as I marched to Zadok¡¯s office with proof of why we must rescue Ithra.


    Yes, I was beyond convinced she was the one. My instinct had once again been proved right and if the Alpha refused to take action this time, I would do so myself.


    She was my half-sister after all.


    I knocked on the door and Zadok ordered me in. His face was a wreck as always. I didn¡¯t care. I was done doing things on his terms. If there would be any further proceeding with us, then he needed to get out of that self-depreciating slum or I would yank him out myself.


    Damn the consequences.


    ¡°What is it this time?¡± His tone was bored, uninterested.


    ¡°I have important news,¡± I said, walking inside his office and taking a seat.


    ¡°Go on.¡± He didn¡¯t spare me a nce as he signed off papers. Alpha duties.


    I was going to need his full attention for this one. ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± I said again, waiting for him to acknowledge me.


    Zadok knew to pick his battles with me. He dropped the pen and red at me, rxing on his chair. I could see the dark shadows underneath his eyes. He had not been sleeping. I had noticed since that day, he was slipping off my fingers and this was myst resort at saving him.


    Or should I say, saving what was left of him?


    ¡°This had better be worth it.¡± He said, with a corked eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    I cleared my throat, leaning closer to the table. I knew he wouldn¡¯t be pleased but I was done caring. ¡°It¡¯s Ithra,¡± I said and a dark cloud covered his face. ¡°Listen to me,¡± I said but that ship had sailed.


    ¡°I warned you, Azriel.¡± His tone was cold and angry. ¡°I told you to stay away from Cole and his darned pack!¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Zadok.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha to you!¡± He roared, using his alpha tone. ¡°I warned you to focus on the business that pays you. Did I have water in my mouth or did you decide to disobey me?¡±


    ¡°She is being molested! She is my sister and if you have no regard or love for her, that will not stop me from carrying out my responsibilities to her!¡± I roared back, sick of his insults.


    Zadokughed. It was short and faux. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind,¡± he said, looking at me like I had gone nuts. ¡°That woman is not your sister. She is merely a lookalike. A make-believe. Not the real deal. Do you want me to spell it out to you? Can¡¯t you read the darned wall?¡±


    I shook my head. He wasn¡¯t going to get to me this time. I had carefully done my due diligence. I could prove she was Ithra. My guts knew she was the one. I couldn¡¯t be wrong. I have gone through this a billion times in my head.


    I wasn¡¯t stupid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. If you decide to give up on her, then that¡¯s on you.¡± My tone was resolute. ¡°However, you do not have the right to shove that mindset on us all.¡±


    His reply was sharp. ¡°I am the fucking Alpha. I will do as I please.¡± He said but I could see the change in his eyes. He was relenting, hopeful. ¡°What¡¯s got you so convinced?¡± He finally asked and I resisted the smile that threatened to break my lips.


    ¡°I got news from one of my informants in the Moonlight pack.¡± His attention was arrested. ¡°He told me about the sudden marking ceremony that took ce and how-¡±


    ¡°Marking?¡± Zadok interrupted me with ming eyes. ¡°He marked her?!¡±


    ¡°Almost,¡± I said and watched as his worry eased. ¡°She didn¡¯t let him. ording to news, she engulfed in a fiery me and nearly burned him alive if not for Athaliah¡¯s intervention.¡±


    ¡°Athaliah?¡± His eyes perked with shock. I knew that feeling. I suffered the same when I got and confirmed the news of her new identity as a warrior of the Moonlight pack. ¡°How did that happen?¡± his eyes turned cold, and I knew what he was thinking.


    ¡°She pledged her life to Cole a few months after getting banished.¡± I supplied more information. ¡°Word has it that she is in charge of training warriors of the Moonlight pack. She is an asset after all.¡±


    ¡°She is a traitor.¡± Zadok growled, ¡°The next time I set my eyes on her will be the same day she dies.¡± He vowed and I could tell he meant it.


    I didn¡¯tbat his words. It was no use. Even I had lost hope in her when I got the information. I¡¯d done everything I could as a rejected mate. From the day she walked away with her life, I vowed she would never be my problem again.


    I had better things to do. ¡°ording to my source, she was detained and beaten by Cole after his recovery from the incident. Now, she is locked up in her room and under tight supervision.¡± I rounded up my story and Zadok had a deranged look in his eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. And in my books, that was a good sign.


    ¡°I wrote to Cole.¡± He said and I was surprised.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, wondering if the motherfucker did something else under my nose.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having these dreams.¡± That threw me off. Zadok¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°Dreams of my mate calling out to me for help.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. ¡°Alpha..¡±


    ¡°In a spur of the moment, I sent a letter.¡± He swallowed. ¡°I sent a letter asking permission to see her. I needed another opportunity to ascertain she wasn¡¯t real before I let it go.¡±


    My eyes went the size of saucers. ¡°You told him you wanted to meet her?¡± My tone was incredulous ¨C Exactly how I felt at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± He said coldly. ¡°I told him I needed to congratte him and apologize for my sudden disappearance.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I thought he brushed me off because his mate had said something to him, but now I see how it might havee off as me mocking his situation.¡± Zadok cleared his throat. ¡°He expressly stated he didn¡¯t want me in his pack, and disobedience would be a deration of war.¡±


    I watched the Alpha dig into his drawers as he handed me a piece of crumpled paper from the Moon Light pack. How had this gone past me?


    ¡°Even if there is a little chance you are right, there is no way of finding out. If we can¡¯t see her, there¡¯s no way of iming her.¡±


    My eyes burned through the paper. ¡°If you can¡¯t go in the right way. Then we are going to have to sneak you in.¡±


    Zadok gauged me with an expression that said I had lost my senses. And maybe I had.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡±

 Every drop of you is mine to take.

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    I returned to my room from dinner with Cole, escorted by two guards.


    Dinner with Cole was painful. Listening to him yap about how I needed to be good to enjoy more of these ¡®privileges¡¯ with him made my stomach churn.


    I sat there like a moron while he fussed over me like he didn¡¯t beat me a while ago. I could feel my sanity dwindling the more I remained here. Much more than anything, I craved freedom.


    Freedom that Cole has vowed never to give me. I was trapped in an insane nightmare that was my life. One would think I have suffered enough to experience peace but whoever wrote my story thought otherwise.


    We arrived in front of my door and they opened it, silently urging me inside the dark room. I walked in and the door was shut and locked.


    I sighed and felt the walls around me, looking for a light switch.


    Soon enough, light flooded my room, or should I say ¨C my prison and the first thing I saw was a dark shadow standing by my window. Startled, I blinked, grabbing amp by the side as I moved forward, ready to rid myself of any beast that thought I was up for grabs.


    The shadow suddenly turned around and I was shocked to see it was a man. My eyes shot up, and I moved back, unable to believe what I saw.


    ¡°Ithra¡­¡± He breathed and the voice was the same ¨C better even.


    I shook my head, this has got to be a dream. There was no way it was him. There was no way he was standing before me, right in my room.


    ¡°Ithra¡­¡± He said again and this time, it sounded painful, hopeful and praying. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t realise I had shut my eyes. He was mere inches away from me, his cold hands brushed my face and the sparks came alive. His eyes were a storm waiting to happen.


    ¡°Zadok?¡± I said, and when he swallowed, I felt everything within me breaking into a million pieces. ¡°Zadok,¡± I whispered, breathing heavily as my body shook. ¡°Is that you?¡± Tears dripped from my eyes as he covered my lips with his own in a slow, painful and torturous kiss.


    I didn¡¯t need any more proof. I let loose on him, feeling every inch of his body, as I kissed him like a woman starved. If this was a dream, then I never wanted to wake up.


    ¡°Ithra.¡± He repeated my name like a mantra like he couldn¡¯t believe it, kissing me over and over until kissing couldn¡¯t cut it.


    His hands roamed my body, and so did his lips. Kissing every inch of me and chanting my name like he was hypnotised. Sparks danced on my skin as I let loose and offered myself to him. I belonged to him. He was mine.


    My mate. My Zadok. Mine!


    ¡°Three years.¡± He said, kissing my neck so hard that it left a mark. ¡°Three years I have waited.¡± He went down to my chest. ¡°Mourned.¡± He tore my gown, revealing my undergarments. ¡°Sorrowed¡­¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I breathed, ¡°I lost my memory and I-¡± A tear dropped on my body and the tension was thick as thieves. ¡°Zadok..¡± I cried silently,tching to him, unable tomunicate using words.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± He said, stripping me naked with one powerful tear, and leaving me bare with my panties on. ¡°Let me show you.¡± His eyes met mine, ¡°Please¡­¡± I gave consent at the speed of light.


    Zadok pushed me to the wall with a demanding kiss, my body ached, burned and begged for him. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± His tone was determined, as he kissed a sweet spot at the side of my ears. ¡°How much you mean,¡±


    Blinded by desire, I stripped him of his clothes and his body against mine made perfect sense ¨C My perfect half. I felt wholesome as his hard member poked on my stomach. I made to touch but he ced my hands over his neck, pushed my panties to the side and slipped a finger into me.


    I moaned in delight, as he slowly worked me up, kissing every inch of me like an obsessed man. If I was dripping before, I was gushing now. Zadok teased and tortured me with his fingers ¨C refusing to let me over the edge.


    ¡°Zadok..¡± I begged, unable to say what I truly wanted.


    ¡°Wait..¡± He whispered into my ears. His words were a promise, an assurance.


    He quickened his pace, and I was disoriented. I held on to him for my dear life.


    I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. Just when I was close to climax, he stopped. My eyes flung open. I felt deprived and frustrated. I could tell he felt it too, because his eyes reassured me of paradise toe.


    ¡°The first time wouldn¡¯t be on my hands..¡± He whispered going down on his knees with a solemn expression. ¡°Every drop of you is mine to take.¡±


    Zadok tore thest piece of clothing and I was bare as the day I was born. My breath hitched as his face connected to my lower lips, kissing them like his life depended on it.


    I arched, a moan slipping out of my lips as he tortured me with his lips, sucking, biting, kissing and driving me to the brink of insanity.


    My hands moved to his hair, gripping him tight as my bnce faltered.


    Zadok must have noticed my legs were weak because he immediately carried me bridal style, and ced me on the bed, opening my legs wide.


    I watched him in ecstasy, barely managing to keep my eyes open. Just when I thought it couldn¡¯t go further, his tongue swatted over me, and I climaxed while he licked me up.


    My body shook, as waves of pleasure went through me, but he wasn¡¯t finished.


    He climbed the bed, his member stood erect, and without notice, pushed into me, filling me whole. ¡°Zadok..¡± I moaned, and his grit stretched me most satisfyingly.


    Zadok groaned above me, as he stilled inside of me. Theck of friction tore me insane, and I made to rock him but he held my hips, stopping me from moving.


    ¡°Zadok..¡±


    ¡°Just a little time, Amore.¡± He whisper-gritted, ¡°Move one bit and it¡¯ll be over.¡± His tone was tortured.


    I rxed, trying to control my breath, when he suddenly withdrew himself and shoved into me with the speed of light. There and then, I climaxed.


    Zadok had managed to do the job with one powerful shove.


    He continued, assaulting me in the sweetest ways while I cried in ecstasy, mumbling incoherent words. Zadok didn¡¯t stop, he continued at his pace until the third, fourth, and fifth climax caught on to me, reducing me to a mess of whimps and bones.


    All night long, he remained inside of me, hitting me in every possible way. And when I felt his seed explode inside me, a content smile rested on my face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± He promised, whispering into my ears as I drifted asleep. ¡°Wait a little moment, and I wille for you, Amore.¡±


    I suddenly felt bereft and a whip of cold air hit my naked form. I turned around the side of my window and it was open.


    He was gone.

 Who was it?

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    It¡¯s been three months.


    Three months since he visited me, promising to return and save me from this insanity.


    Every day I woke up with hope, waiting for him to save me like he promised ¨C only to be disappointed when night fell and there was no appearance of him in my room or the Moonlight pack.


    A lot happened this past few months. After my sizzling night with him, I decided to prepare. I woke up that morning, wore my clothes and pretended I couldn¡¯t feel the ache or hollow between my legs that yearned to be filled by him.


    I went about my life like a docile bride, doing everything within reason to convince Cole I had submitted to him. The first few weeks were tricky, seeing he didn¡¯t believe my act and thought I had something nned.


    However, as we approached the third month, Cole was convinced of my acts and took every opportunity to show me off as one whom he managed to bend to his standards. Kissing up to Cole had its ups and downs.


    For starters, I was no longer held captive in my room and freedom privileges to roam about with a personal guard was given to me ¨C A glorified prisoner if you ask me. The downside was that Cole was slowly and surely crossing his limits with me.


    The other day, he got drunk and thought it wise to attempt to force himself on me. I taught him a cruel lesson that brought him on his feet and temporarily got me back to my cell, after which a backhanded apology and promise never to cross the lines were tendered.


    Today was another day. I was dressed and led to the training ground by my guard to meet with Cole and Athaliah who managed to grab the Beta position of the pack. Other than that, she was significantly closer to Cole, so much so it was perceived they were an item.


    I knew they were fucking but I didn¡¯t care about that. As long as he kept his dick far away from me, I was good. In fact, I was d she was giving it to him in that regard, it gave me one less thing to worry about.


    For the past few weeks, there¡¯s been a change in my body. I felt bloating and sometimes felt so irritated and disgusted at the slightest things. Food, odours and everything else triggered me to puke, but I refused to let anyone notice as I masked everything I felt ¨C waiting for him toe.


    I got to the field, tired and drowsy, but kept my head up.


    ¡°Luna!¡± Cole said with an excited grin. These days, that was what he called me, including the entire pack. ¡°Wee, I was just thinking ofing to get you myself.¡± He said and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.


    He embraced me and I stood stiffly, holding myself from puking. His smell was one of my triggers and like the good woman I was, I endured it, pushing out of his hold after a solid three minutes.


    ¡°Luna.¡± I heard her voice before I saw her. Athaliah.


    She stood smug, eyes watching me with interest. She didn¡¯t buy my act. That bit was clear when she visited me, asking the reason for my turnaround.


    During the early times of my act, she watched me like a hawk, waiting for the other shoe to drop. With time, she reduced her strictness and watched me from afar. It was clear she was unconvinced  I had decided to live here, so she waited, lurking around me in a not-so-subtle manner.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    I knew she was not to be ignored and while I waited for Zadok, I didn¡¯t leave any stones unturned and covered my tracks and emotions expertly. ¡°Today you will officially begin training with Beta Athaliah,¡± Cole said to my horror.


    Athaliah¡¯s gaze was on me, waiting for a reaction that I refused to give. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you have enough people protecting me?¡± I asked softly, stroking his ego.


    ¡°Of course I do. But like the beta said, it is best to be a walking weapon. I have a lot of enemies and it will help me sleep better if I know you have the skills to defend yourself in time of need.¡±


    I knew pushing further would lead to suspicion and that was thest thing I needed. I nodded, feeling squeaky and praying to the gods above that I came out of this one unscathed.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Cole sped his hand. ¡°I will leave you both to it then.¡±  He said, stepping away from me.


    Athaliah stood in front of me with a smirk. She saw right through me, as she spoke. ¡°Wee back, Luna.¡± Her tone dripped sarcasm. ¡°Before we start, I¡¯ll just see how far off you are so we know what we need to work on.¡±


    I swallowed, nodding my head.


    ¡°Try to block this.¡± Without warning, Athaliah came at me with a series of kicks and blows which I blocked till I felt my eyes turn.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I said in the middle of her attacks but she didn¡¯t relent.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, Luna.¡± She said with a smile, continuing her assaults. ¡°Stronger than I thought.¡±


    I held back the urge to puke as I blocked herst hit, exhausted. ¡°You-¡± I swore with rageful eyes as my body shook. ¡°What are you trying to-¡± Before the words could finish, I felt weak and everywhere became dark.


    ¡°Luna?¡± I heard the concern in her tone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked but I couldn¡¯t answer.


    I slumped to the floor feeling drained and let the darkness consume me.


    *****************


    ¡°What do you mean she is pregnant?!¡± I heard the distant voice of Cole as I stirred awake.


    ¡°She¡¯sing around.¡± A voice said as I opened my eyes, seeing the rage on Cole¡¯s face.


    I was pregnant? My heart skipped at the thought.


    ¡°Tell me!¡± Cole roared, leaving no room for refusal. ¡°Who is the owner of that bastard growing inside of you?¡±


    I shut my eyes, unable to speak.


    My eyes were forced open by a p on my cheeks. ¡°Talk to me!¡± He roared, looking berserk. ¡°Was it the guards?¡± His eyes searched around the room I recognised to be mine. ¡°Who was it?!¡± He threw a punch in my face when I didn¡¯t speak and I spat out blood.


    ¡°Alpha.¡± That was Athaliah. ¡°Calm down. We would get to the bottom of it.¡± She said but I didn¡¯t care.


    I would breathe myst before I told them who it was. A bloodied smile graced my face as I realized it was not a dream. Zadok had truly been here and he left me a pleasant surprise as proof.


    My hands covered my stomach protectively and that only triggered Cole the more. With one punch, I felt my vision fade and darkness surrounded me.


    ¡°I want that baby out of her system. Take her to the dungeons. She gets neither food nor water until I know who dared to cross me.¡±

 Neutralize him!

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    ¡°This is useless!¡± I banged my fist on my office desk. ¡°I need to leave. I need to get her out.¡±


    Azriel, the ever voice of reason spoke first. ¡°I understand your reasons. But we need to cover all bases before we rescue her from Cole¡¯s hold. It¡¯s one thing to sneak you into the pack, but It¡¯s another to take her out in one clean try.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± I said, getting up on my feet. ¡°If it will take a war to get her out, then rally the warriors. Because I¡¯m done with this shit!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go to war.¡± Azriel¡¯s tone was levelled. ¡°That would be us sending people to their deaths with the risk ofing up empty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think. I need to go back and retrieve her. If you are unable toe up with a n, then rally up the warriors, we move in three days.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go to war.¡± He said and I saw red.


    ¡°And why the hell not?!¡±


    ¡°Athaliah.¡± He said and my anger rose to an all-time high. ¡°She is the new beta of the Moon Light pack and going to war with them will be delivering ourselves into her hands. She wrote every war n we have and it will take a lot more time toe up with new ns capable of granting us the needed results.¡±


    Frustration ebbed within me, ¡°We don¡¯t have time!¡±


    ¡°I aming up with a foolproof n. Please exercise restraint. The Luna would be in our hands in no time.¡±


    I didn¡¯t speak. I got up and headed towards the window in my office, desperate for air. The door shut and I was left alone. Azriel couldn¡¯t understand. He could never understand the feeling of waking up every day, without her by my side.


    He could never understand the nightmare that I lived in, knowing that she was out there but far from my reach. The beautiful night we spent together gued my every waking moment. I was desperate for more ¨C Another opportunity to feel.


    After my return, I stopped taking Shilhi¡¯s potions. It¡¯s been a while since Kir spoke to me, but I could feel his presence, anticipation, and anger towards me. I didn¡¯t know if it was from the months of silencing him or for the fact that I let Ithra remain in captivity all this while.


    For some reason, I felt her pain. With our explosive night, a part of our bond was revitalized and I could feel her emotions. The emotions that told me she was still waiting for me to make good on my promise.


    I stood in front of my window when I suddenly felt something different. Pain. So much that I was nearly paralysed, and it wasn¡¯t my own. My body froze and I tried to decipher what could be the reason for the sudden feeling of stroke.


    To my greatest surprise, I heard the distant voice of my wolf, his words were enough to spur me into action. I couldn¡¯t lose her. I¡¯d die before I lost her the second time.


    ¡°Mate is in danger!¡±


    ************


    I slipped out of my pack against Azriel¡¯s better judgement.


    If Ithra died, then the grand n to rescue her would be just that ¨C A n unattained.


    d in ck, I decided to get a head start, leaving a note to Azriel in case things went south. I arrived at Moon Light in the dead of the night, taking out the guards and warriors that blocked my path and leaving a trail of dead bodies in my wake.


    I rushed inside the pack grounds like a panther. I knew it was only a matter of time before they found out something was wrong, but I was determined to get to Ithra and verify she was fine and alive.


    I must have underestimated the security of this pack because I walked right into a trap. I jumped into Ithra¡¯s window like I did the first time, making sure it was dark beforemitting the act.


    As soon as my feet touched the ground. I saw a form lying on the bed and my heart skipped. Was she asleep? I wondered,ing close to her. If I could ascertain she was fine, I would return to my pack and follow through with Azriel¡¯s n.


    I just needed to be sure she was alright and that would be it. So I hoped.


    Just when I reached over to touch her, light flooded the room, and I was surrounded.


    ¡°Long time, no see Zadok.¡± Athaliah said in a sultry voice and before I could speak, she ordered. ¡°Neutralize him!¡±


    *********************


    I was jolted awake by the ssh of cold water on my naked body.


    ¡°You are such a fool.¡± Cole sneered, ¡°Coming here all alone. What did you aim to achieve?¡±


    I struggled behind the chains that held my hands tied in the air. ¡°Where is she?¡± I growled, seething. ¡°Where did you keep her?¡±


    ¡°Where did I keep who?¡± He asked and a deranged smile appeared on his face. ¡°Do you mean her?¡± He got out of my sight and that was when I saw her.


    My Ithra. Stripped naked, beaten to a pulp and hung like an animal for all to see. Anger ripped through me and I felt myself rescind. Kir was taking over.


    ¡°Not so fast big guy!¡± Cole said and in seconds, I felt syringes break through my skin and fluids pushed into my body.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I felt its effects instantly. ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± I asked shaking uncontrobly as all my body felt like they were on fire.


    ¡°Wolves bane.¡± He said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are familiar with it.¡±


    The wolfbane was the no 1 enemy of a wolf ¨C able to break us from within and if given a high dosage, it could be lethal. My odds were higher as I was an alpha wolf. Though my body¡¯s healing would be dyed, I knew it couldn¡¯t kill me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity you proved stubborn,¡± Cole resumed, ¡°Or should I say, stupid?¡± His gaze flickered to a slumped Ithra and his countenance grew poor. ¡°And for what?¡± He pointed at her naked form. ¡°This slut who can¡¯t keep it in her pants for one minute.¡±


    I felt anger at his unholy remarks about my mate. ¡°How dare you?¡± I growled. ¡°You will pay for this,¡± My eyes went to her forsaken state and my heart stopped. ¡°You will pay for everything you have done to her!¡±


    Cole circled me like a rabid dog. ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself. Look at you, captured and powerless.¡± He said, ¡°Did you think you would save her? Do you even know the abomination that she is?¡±


    I thrashed against the chains that held me. ¡°Do you think she would go with you if you came running?¡± Heughed me sore. ¡°She opened her legs for the willing male and now she is carrying a bastard!¡± He grew madder with every word. ¡°Do you still think she is your mate? Huh? Is she still worthy of being called your mate?¡±


    My eyes shot up at his words, ¡°She is p-pregnant?¡± I stuttered, unable to believe it.


    I must have given him the opposite reaction because his eyes flickered between us both and widened in realization. I let azy smirk confirm his thoughts and hell broke loose.


    Cole took up a whip made of thorns and whipped me till I could barely see. I didn¡¯t care. I was still reeling from the fact that my mate was carrying my child.


    ¡°I will kill you. I promise you will die a shameful and disgusting death.¡± He vowed, eyes aze. ¡°Both of you!¡±


    ¡°Alpha.¡± A feminine voice I knew too well spoke and Cole stopped his assault. Athaliah.


    I struggled to open my eyes, and they shot me up with more wolf¡¯s bane.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to soil your hands. The people are waiting for our coronation. Let¡¯s go.¡± She said with a seductive tone.


    ¡°My queen..¡± Cole purred, dragging her by the waist.


    ¡°Go get clean while I handle things over here.¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m your Luna after all.¡±


    My eyes open at her words. Luna?


    As soon as Cole stepped out, she wore a mocking smile. ¡°How does it feel? Being with the shorter end of the stick?¡± She said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were this stupid. Coming for her at night, sleeping with her and returning alone. I thought you were smarter than this.¡±


    ¡°I should have killed you.¡± I managed to say, and I meant every word. ¡°I should have killed you when I had the chance you traitor!¡±


    ¡°Toote to cry when the head is off.¡± She said, ¡°Thanks to both your stupidity, I have earned my ce as the luna of this pack.¡± She cackled. ¡°As much as I¡¯d loved to have you witness the union, It¡¯s in a few minutes and oops!¡± She looked at a nonexistent watch. ¡°I can¡¯t bete.¡±

 Are you for me or are you against me?

    ATHALIAH¡¯S POV


    I was one step closer to my goal.


    I walked down the aisle with a faux smile, while Cole stood in the portal with an impatient look on his face. He couldn¡¯t wait to get his hands on the prisoners and I could understand that.


    A sudden assembly had been called to wee me as the new Luna of the Moon Light pack. I heard the whispers. They couldn¡¯t believe that I had climbed my way up to snagging the position of Luna.


    Thanks to Ithra¡¯s sudden pregnancy, Cole decided she had been tainted and could not serve as his luna. However, he had every intention of making her his ve after killing the bastard that grew in her stomach.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    But of course, his crazy obsessive mind couldn¡¯t deal with the thought of killing Ithra with her baby, so he sought ways to kill the growing child while keeping its mother¡¯s life. Hence, her imprisonment in the dungeons, coupled with the timely administration of abortive potions.


    Live long enough and you will see a lot of things.


    In the thick of events, I was able to convince Cole of what a brilliant n it would be if I was made the Luna instead. It was quite easy when I narrated how much it would taint his name and make him look like a loser if Ithra were made Luna after her little hup.


    It took him a while to agree, and with the option of using her as a ve to satiate his longing for her, he was sold. I climbed the portal, and the pack was riddled with silence. Some wondered the reason for his sudden assembly, while others guessed with my appearance beside him.


    ¡°People of the Moon Light pack.¡± Cole started his address, ¡°I understand you might be confused and wondering the reason for this sudden call.¡± The people murmured in agreement. ¡°There has been a rumour going about the pack,¡± Cole said and every murmuring seized.


    ¡°And I havee to address your mind on the situation.¡± Cole took my hand, and you could hear a pin drop. ¡°There have been rumours on the state of the Luna of the pack and even the arrest of Zadok, whom you all know to be the Alpha of the Blood Hound pack.¡±


    ¡°I havee to officially inform you that the Luna, Ca, whom I have showered love and resources to, has regrettably returned my kindness with a p to the face.¡± Gasps ensued from the congregation but he continued. ¡°Despite the love and kindness shown to her, she opened her legs to my sworn enemy, the Alpha of the Blood Hound pack and took in of his child.¡±


    Chaos broke as the words left Cole¡¯s mouth. Everyone aired their grievances and anger at Luna¡¯s misconduct. I rolled my eyes, waiting for the announcement to be made.


    ¡°Thanks to the reliable beta standing by my side, we were able to catch the traitorous Alpha when he came to perform his evil and today he is our prisoner.¡± He said and cheers were heard from the people. His hands tightened around my own. ¡°Today, in ce of Ca, I have decided to crown her the Luna of this pack as a reward for her good works.¡±


    I smiled when the entire people of the pack got on their knees, and chorused the word, Luna in solidarity with the Alpha¡¯s pronouncement. ¡°Everyone is expected to ord her the same respect and honour, as you would to me. Failure to do that would lead to gruesome punishments.¡± His tone was threatening. ¡°Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    That did it. Cole turned to me with a fervour only an Alpha could get, and without warning, he grabbed me close to him, and tore my skin with his fangs, marking me as his. My eyes raged as I fought to get out of his hold. This was not part of our discussion.


    I never permitted him to mark me! After the deed, my eyes met his and I saw the smug in his face. ¡°You wanted this, didn¡¯t you? You wanted to be my woman all along.¡± He said, taking me by the arm.


    I felt pissed. I wanted to chop off his head. Sparks danced around the spot where our hands met, but it felt disgusting. He wasn¡¯t my mate. He was an imposter who forcefully took me without permission.


    He would pay. He would pay dearly ¨C That I promised.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go finish off the prisoners.¡± He said, and led the way back to the dungeons, holding me tight by his side.


    We got there and Zadok was bloodied, and barely alive. They had dealt terribly with him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at him!¡± Cole snapped when my eyes lingered in his direction. ¡°You belong to me now.¡±


    I nodded slowly, knowing he was crazy. Thest thing I needed was to get on his nerves before the n came full circle. If it meant me licking his feet before Azriel came knocking, I would do that without a moment¡¯s thought.


    Yes, I had sent word to Azriel on the state of things here and hoped he was on his way. If not, then we were doomed. We because I just made the biggest gamble of my life, hoping on his killer instinct to make it whole.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± Cole said, grabbing my attention, he was talking to Ithra.


    I didn¡¯t miss the lust in his eyes as he took in her naked body. Dirty piece of trash he was.


    ¡°I could have given you everything.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I gave you everything. But what did you do? You betrayed me and gave him what was rightfully mine!¡±


    Ithra was weak. With the pills in her system, killing the growing hybrid in her womb, her eyes were opened and the pain in her eyes tore at me. I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t be soft towards her. She had iting.


    Zadok on the other hand, I hoped woulde out of this unscathed. His only crime was meeting with that wench who caused havoc wherever she went.


    ¡°She gave it to the rightful owner.¡± Zadok joined the conversation, spewing blood. ¡°You and I both know your mate is dead. You killed her.¡±


    Cole¡¯s eyes widened, and he picked up a dagger made of silver. ¡°How dare you?¡± He seethed. ¡°How dare you make mention of my mate!¡± He roared, pushing the knife deep into Zadok¡¯s knee.


    ¡°No!¡± I couldn¡¯t help the scream that left my lips. Cole turned around with a morbid expression.


    ¡°Luna,¡± He said stalking towards me with a deranged look while I stepped back, wondering how to defend myself from his wrath. ¡°Are you for me or are you against me?¡± He seethed, knife in hand.


    I didn¡¯t need to answer. Because in that instant, the door flung open with the dead bodies of the guards that guarded the dungeons. Azriel was here!

 Is that you?

    AZRIEL¡¯S POV


    I figured out the best way to rescue the Luna that night.


    You can imagine my shock when I came to share my progress with the Alpha and found him gone with a note that he was taking a head-start.


    My shock grew when my spies in the Moon Light pack informed me of Zadok¡¯s arrest and his close execution. I was already on my way with the warriors when Athaliah¡¯s message of Zadok¡¯s impending death was delivered.


    We got to the pack at midnight, and ording to my three-month-old n, we infiltrated the borders, clearing the guards while keeping a low profile. The heavens must have smiled at us because the entire pack was gathered for an announcement, making our entrance, swift and painless.


    By the time they were done crowning Athaliah Luna, we were mixed in the crowd, and brushing the dungeons for signs of the Alpha and Luna. Soon enough, news of our arrival spread and warriors were dispatched to the dungeons, seeking us out.


    It soon became a warzone, and I killed everyone who dared to stop me from getting to my Alpha and Luna. I could feel the weakness of Zadok, being bound to him, his aura and hold withered as time passed.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I suspected wolf bane. Arge and insane amount of it to render the alpha useless. ¡°Set the prisoners free,¡± I ordered my trusted aides as we broke through the third tier of the Moon Light warriors. ¡°I¡¯ll look for the Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Beta.¡± They said and began their duties.


    I made to leave but felt drawn to thest cell in that tier ¨C so much so that I couldn¡¯t step away without finding who and what was inside. Split between saving the Alpha and satisfying my duty, I picked thetter.


    Rushing forward with some men, I searched the other parts of the dungeons, looking for the Alpha. Soon enough, I smelt him. Cole. His aura was so strong around a gated part of the dungeon that I knew I¡¯d hit the jackpot.


    ying any wolf that crossed my way, I entered the secluded prison and forced my way in. The first thing I saw was Athaliah, who heaved a sigh of relief at my presence. Cole¡¯s eyes flickered between us both and his countenance grew worse.


    ¡°Y-You-¡± He managed to say before I brought out the pistol reserved for him and shot him in the head with a lethal amount of Wolfsbane. It would be doing him a favour killing him when Zadok would do a better job of it.


    I rushed to where Zadok was tied and loosened him, averting my eyes at Ithra, who was hung naked, and barely alive. ¡°Save her¡­¡± Zadok said, falling to the floor. ¡°Save her and my baby..¡± He muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about but orders were orders. I took off my shirt, although spilled with blood, and covered her form, while the others cut off the chains that held her.


    Ithra fell limp in my hand, looking malnourished and feeling like a bag of bones.


    I covered her up with respect and handed her over to my trusted aides. ¡°Take her to the borders and have the medicals attend to her!¡± My orders were stern and absolute.


    They left and Zadok got up, looking like a menace. Gone was the Zadok I knew ¨C recing him was Kir, who took centre stage with murderous intent as he looked at Cole. I stopped him from killing him.


    ¡°Go to her! Your mate needs you.¡± I said, hoping he¡¯d see reason with me. ¡°She¡¯ll have a better chance of survival with you by her side.¡±


    Kir didn¡¯t joke with his mate as he immediately retreated from Cole¡¯s unconscious body and went the same way with Ithra. I was left alone with Athaliah, who stood by the side, wearing a mark on her neck.


    ¡°Azriel.¡± She saiding close to me. I felt nothing but disgust at the mark on her neck.


    ¡°You finally became Luna,¡± I stated, ¡°You must be happy.¡±


    She came close to me but I stopped her with the silver knife in my hand. ¡°I tipped you.¡± She said, ¡°You can¡¯t kill me after I sacrificed myself to be marked by that beast just to earn you more time to get here.¡±


    I shook my head, sporting a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t think I would fall for your shameless tactics. I was already on my way when your message came. Maybe you knew that and decided to save yourself. I mean, you ended up as Luna, and without Cole lording himself over you, You might as well be Alpha.¡±


    Athaliah seemed caught. Disoriented. I was right.


    ¡°I know how this looks, but I promise it¡¯s for a greater cause.¡± She came closer to me, ¡°You could be the Alpha. You are my real mate. I rejected you because I needed a partner with a powerful position. You could be the Alpha now. You have all it takes, Azriel. Rule with me.¡±


    Her tone was begging. I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. She was the devil.


    ¡°And what happens when I fall short?¡± I asked, with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Would you sell me off the moment I don¡¯t fit into your cruel ns to take over the world?¡±


    ¡°Azriel..¡± Now she was begging, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me. You can take Cole. Take anything but please, just don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    I held out my pistol, loaded with wolf bane. ¡°Your life is not mine to take,¡± I said and when she breathed in a sigh of relief, I pulled the trigger, knocking her out cold.


    I rushed out of the premises, fleeing the scene. As I descended the stairs, I saw a woman, walking with a limp. She must be one of the prisoners.


    My thoughts were affirmed when I saw a chain fastened on her leg, broken in a way that allowed her to walk. I made to pass but something stopped me, keeping me rooted to a spot.


    ¡°Scar?¡± I called and she stiffened. ¡°Is that you?¡±


    Thedy in question looked up at me, a burn scar on the right side of her face. She seemed out of it, lost but breathing fury. ¡°You.¡±


    Her tone was using and her eyes were wide. Within the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of me, growling.


    My heartbeat increased as soon as her hands touched mine. I felt a sizzling and familiar spark shock through my body and with utmost unbelief, I heard the chant of my wolf.


    ¡°Mate!¡±

 He didn’t deserve to have children

    ZADOK¡¯S POV


    I held Ithra¡¯s hand while they attended to her.


    ¡°How is she? And my baby?¡± I stuttered, unable to swallow.


    She looked too thin. Our baby bump was showing but she was yet to wake up.


    It¡¯s been three days already.


    ¡°Her body is weak, and the baby has been poisoned. We are trying to save their lives but the odds are not in our favour.¡±


    I got on my feet and held the shirt of the doctor. ¡°You will save both their lives!¡± I roared in his face and he looked scared out of his wits. ¡°You will save them both or I will have your head.¡±


    Azriel stepped in front of me, holding me back. ¡°Alpha. You need to let them do their job. Staying here and scaring them out of their wits will only hinder the smooth operation and speed recovery of the Luna.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± I asked, breathing heavily. ¡°What am I supposed to do when my mate is lying lifeless and I risk losing her and my baby?!¡±


    Azriel maintained silence. He knew I was at my wit¡¯s end and was capable of doing anything at this moment. ¡°You can punish the one who made her this way.¡± He replied and my brows arched. ¡°Instead of staying here, hindering their job, you can while away time, punishing the one who treated her in this manner.¡±


    His tone was absolute and I could see the hatred in his eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe it. I had forgotten that motherfucking cunt. I have not left Ithra¡¯s side for the past three days waiting for when she finally opened her eyes.


    Waiting to tell her it was all over, and we made it through alive with our child.


    I had waited so much that I forgot Cole was in the dungeons ¨C cooling off and awaiting my judgment. I ced a chaste kiss on her head and made my way to the dungeons. It¡¯s been a while since I visited the dungeons or made use of my toys.


    Soon enough, I was in the dungeons, looking at the bastard who wrecked my life and ced my mate in danger. Anger coursed through me as I saw his unrepentant face with a smirk on it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be seeing you soon.¡± He had the first word. I was determined to have thest. ¡°Is she dead?¡± He tutted, ¡°The mistake I made was sparing her life in the first ce. I should have killed her and-¡±


    He was shut up by the stab of a silver knife in his guts. ¡°If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d pick my words seeing I don¡¯t have much left,¡± I smirked. ¡°You should make thest words count.¡±


    Blood dripped from the knife wound, adding to his already bloodied body. ¡°I know I am going to die.¡± Cole spat, ¡°Except you make the mistake I did, sparing you and that wench- ah!¡±


    I stabbed him again, enjoying our little game. Why didn¡¯t Ie here earlier? ¡°I promise I won¡¯t make that mistake. You can¡¯t count on me.¡± I said in his ears. ¡°In retrospect, your death would be slow and painful. I hope you have a high tolerance for pain and the will to live. It will be boring otherwise.¡±


    I left my daggers in his body and made my way to the weaponry and stash of poison. He tried to poison my baby. He left them in grave danger and now, they were fighting for their lives. He was going to curse the day he came into this world.


    I picked up an axe from my weapon stash, touching its sharp edges. ¡°Those hands touched what was mine,¡± I said, facing Cole with an evil smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair they remain attached to your wrist.¡±


    ¡°Lose him!¡± I ordered and the guards brought Cole down, holding him tight as they presented him like a sacrifice. ¡°This might hurt,¡± I said and got to amputing his fingers.


    A guttural growl rocked the dungeons as I chopped off his right hand from the wrist. ¡°Oops!¡± I bit, ¡°My bad.¡±


    I watched in delight as his hand fell off the floor, shaking with life before dying a painful death. I was far from over. I looked at his body, there were so many things to work with.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    While Cole wept from the loss of his hand, I gestured for the guards to tie him up, and I noticed something odd. Cole was bare-chested and in his underpants. ¡°Undress him,¡± I ordered.


    Cole was naked as the day he was born in a matter of minutes. I looked at his hunk that hung untouched. The thought of him assaulting Ithra brought fresh waves of anger to my body.


    Just in case he did something brutal, I needed to get rid of it. Burn it and send it to the pit of hell. And I did just that. I started a dungeon furnace and roasted my dagger in the fiery fire.


    Ithra was always handy with a dagger. She would be d to have his dick cut off using her favourite weapon. Maybe she would wake up at his howls after I did the needful. I had to try.


    The knife roasted a solid thirty minutes before I felt it was good enough. With a little rag, I picked it up and headed for Cole who shook his head, horror in his eyes. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do it.¡±


    His pleas were music to my ears, as well as his screams of pain when I eventually cut it off. It¡¯s not like he had use for it anyway. I held my sizzled knife and ced it at the tip of his manhood.


    Cole¡¯s face morphed into that of an electrocuted animal, and he roared in pain, his entire face reddened at the impact. I wasn¡¯t through. With the knife, I sliced half of his meat and blood poured out. He didn¡¯t deserve to have children.


    Next, I cut off his sacks and he was a shadow of himself, screaming and whimpering while I enjoyed the sound of his torment. Azriel was right, this was a good way to blow off steam.


    Lastly, I sliced off the remnants of his dick and blood poured out of his body. I looked at the sliced meat on the floor and a brilliant idea came to mind. Coley on the floor, grunting and whimpering. Gone was the smug man that I met a few minutes ago.


    Suddenly, Azriel¡¯s voice wafted into my ears, shocking me. ¡°Alpha! The Luna is awake!¡±

 Epilogue

    ITHRA¡¯S POV


    I woke up with a moan. Zadok was between my legs.


    This has been the case since I was dered ready and fit to go home. I couldn¡¯t believe I survived. And that with Logan intact ¨C my little fighter.


    When I woke up, I was unable to use my body or legs properly, I remembered the relief I felt when the news broke that my baby had survived the poison given to me by Cole.


    They said he had a will to fight and three months down the line, he was still kicking and ready toe out ¨C our hybrid baby.


    Zadok licked me and I let out a soft moan, ¡°Baby¡­¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Amore.¡± He said with his face between my legs. His breath caused a vibrating feeling down my cooch and I bit my lips in ecstasy.


    ¡°Zadok,¡± I muttered, and his finger slipped into my core. A shiver passed through my body and I felt my baby kick.


    ¡°I want you.¡± He said, ¡°I want you in all the way possible.¡±


    I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of his hands on my body. His fingers went in and out of me, increasing their pace as time passed. My legs quivered and I could feel my climaxing.


    Zadok felt it too because he increased his pace, licking me as I dripped with pleasure. My senses were overwhelmed and with a loud moan, I let loose. Zadokpped every drop with his tongue and came up to me for a kiss afterwards.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± I blushed, loving every single moment with him. ¡°I loved that.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He smirked, ¡°How¡¯s my little hybriding along?¡±


    His hands covered my protruded stomach and at that moment, Logan kicked, alerting us of his healthy presence. ¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡± Zadok peppered my stomach with kisses that tickled.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I said betweenughs but he didn¡¯t stop. He continued his assault until he was on top of me, gazing at my neck with a look that burned with desire.


    ¡°I love you.¡± He said and captured my lips in a kiss. I returned it with fervour ¨C never tired of Zadok¡¯s intense kisses. ¡°I will love you for the rest of my life.¡± He said again, wearing an absolute look.


    I believed him. I loved him. I wanted to spend eternity with him. My eyes flickered on his neck, where my mark was supposed to be. For the longest time, Zadok had shied away from the idea of marking me.


    Every day, I saw how he looked at my neck, which held a scar of Cole¡¯s forced attempt to mark me and I knew he longed to imprint his mark on me. However, he was being very patient with me.


    In the first instance, I was relieved he was giving me the time to recover from my ordeal before he pressured me into fulfilling my obligations as his mate and Luna of this pack. However, as time proceeded and I regained my physical and mental health, I wondered if he hadn¡¯t marked me because he thought I was tainted.


    Cole thought the same. And maybe, I was.


    ¡°Ithra.¡± Zadok brought me out of my thoughts, and his eyes searched my face. ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    I shook my head, refusing to give him more reason to worry about me. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Zadok didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Talk to me, Amore.¡± He pushed, ¡°Do you feel pain anywhere?¡±


    I shook my head no but suddenly, it came. My stomach hurt so bad, I felt like I was getting a stroke. My face morphed into that of pain and he got off me with the speed of light.


    ¡°The baby-¡± I said biting back the pain, ¡°The baby ising!¡±


    *******


    That evening, there was a cry of a baby in the Blood Hound pack. Ithra remained inbour for twelve hours and just when they thought all hope was gone, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, the next Alpha of the Blood Hound pack, and the First Hybrid Alpha.


    To celebrate her sessful birth and coronation as the Luna of the Blood Hound Pack, a feast was thrown by Zadok, to celebrate the end of the dark years in his pack. That night, Azriel was stationed at his duty post, hostile and ready to attack if need be.


    Zadok lost hope trying to get him to rx during events in the pack as it was futile every single time. As much as he appreciated his devotion, Zadok hoped that one day, he would sit along with him and have the others handle the matters for a night.


    ¡°Congrattions, Alpha!¡± Azriel said to him, deciding to take a drink in honour of the newborn child.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zadok said and watched him leave the venue with confident strides.


    Azriel headed to the pack borders with his warriors who were stationed, ready for any unpleasant surprises. Suddenly, there was a sound in the bushes and a caped woman came forth, her smirk was visible and daunting.


    ¡°Who are you and what have youe for?¡± Azriel said, fangs bared and ready to attack.


    ¡°Surely you know who I am.¡± The woman said and her voice felt oddly familiar. ¡°I have heard that the hybrid has given birth to the most powerful being on earth.¡± She pulled down her cape and Azriel¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°I havee to collect my pound of flesh, but since it¡¯s a festive period, I will return at ater time.¡±


    Azriel¡¯s face turned determined. ¡°Kill her!¡± He ordered, and with his pack of warriors, they attacked the capeddy with their ws and fangs bared ¨C A mistake on their side.


    The woman stretched forth her hands and dark bolts shot out of them, killing every single one and turning them to stone, leaving behind Azriel who was shocked to a spot.


    ¡°I would have killed you, but I have something better for you.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°Send my regards to Zadok and Ithra. Tell them that Shilhi¡¯s back.¡±


    Azriel watched in shock as she disappeared right before his eyes. Just when he thought to leave, he heard a movement in the bushes and remained alert. His heartbeat increased as he felt whatever lived between the bushese closer.


    ¡°My fire. She took my fire.¡± A feminine voice said and crawled out of the bushes.


    Their eyes met and there and then, he knew he was doomed. Despite his attempts to evade her, she managed to find her way to him at such a dangerous time.


    Scar. His second chance mate.


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