Novel-novel oleh Habi

My eyes have been shut this whole time that when I open them I realize none of this makes sense but I don’t even care. I get off him and kiss him so hard I’m sure I left a bruise somewhere. I finally allow us to breathe. “I’m so sorry baby.” I whisper whilst hugging him. “Shh..” he says and rubs my back. I step away and he wipes my tears. “I know you have many questions.” He says whilst holding my waist. I nod with snot probably coming out of my nose. “Ask.” He says. He’s trying to distract me. “How are you here.. the letter! Your silence on the phone? London?” I speak without thinking . “Michale called yesterday. He told me he didn’t want to tell me about your wedding but I told him we already met and you told me about it. He then told me it’s happening today but I still didn’t want to bother. I had concluded that I’d kill myslef the day you get married. So I was prepared until he told me the kind of danger you might be in and I immediately got on the plane. The only

“I’m so sorry Leo.” I say but he ignores me and I can see his heart shattering. I know how much he loved his sister even though he loved to pretend otherwise. I then look at Luca who seems to be staring at Isabel like he’s in a trance. He’s not even crying. There’s not even tears. He’s just staring at her. I sit flat on the floor between the two dead bodies whilst the war outside is still happening so it’s not like I can go anywhere. Elena suddenly calls my name but I’m too shocked to look at her. She shows up in front of me and hands me the same envelope that mom gave her. I take it from her and open it. I look down first because I want to see who it’s from, this is not the time. I see the name Kane there and I immediately start to get the most painful headache ever. I close my eyes and I could swear I’m in a trance where all I’m seeing are memories. They're all coming back. Rune was my stepbrother. Leonard killed him. I loved Kane alot and I also loved Rune a lot. Emaine

I sigh when I realize Michael and I have walked past half of the aisle and look up. I finally have eye contact with Leonard and the way he looks at me makes me want to drop my gaze back down. He looks amazing in his black suit. His hair is slicked back as well and he’s carved his beard. He’s staring at me like I’m the best thing he’s ever seen and that makes me smile. We finally reach the small stairs and Michael untangles his hand from mine. I see him glare at Leonard before he lets me go and I walk up the stairs. I stand right in front of Leonard. He's on the right side whilst I’m on the left. The priest is in the middle. My girls are behind me and vice versa with Leonard’s men. I so badly want to ask Shannon where Emaine is but I don’t think it’s appropriate. I hear some whispers whilst I’m up here but I can’t hear what their saying. Everyone sits down and I finally hear someone say that it’s not right for my mom to be here but the king's mother isn't. I snort and Leonard rai

One week later I’ve been thinking about Kane and I’s conversation all day and my heart feels like it's exploding every time. I don’t know whether it’s the memories of my past that have been coming back lately but they are affecting the way I feel about this entire situation. Leonard decided to rush our wedding because he felt like something bad would happen in between. Apparently the rebels are angry at me for betraying them. they’ve started to riot again. I didn’t betray them but it sure as hell looks like I am now that I’m getting married to one of the revolution's enemies. They must be feeling the same way Michael feels. I would definitely try to find who is commanding them now that me, Michael and Luca are no longer there just so that I could talk to them and try to find a reasonable understanding or come to an agreement between one another to stop the violence and just let the wicked leaders lead. The people will handle it during the elections when they are choosing their own l

I lean back in the seat, tracing the edge of the invitation card in my lap. It’s still strange, seeing my name next to Leonard’s in elegant, golden script. I went to see them today, to invite Michael, Elena, Shannon, and the others to the wedding. A part of me hoped they’d all be there, that maybe they’d want to share this with me. But every single one of them declined. Their rejections feel like tiny, sharp pinpricks, pressing deeper the more I think about it. As we slow at a red light, I glance out the window, watching people hurry across the street, faces blending into each other. Then I freeze. In the car beside me, a familiar face leans against the window, lost in thought—Kane. My heart skips. Without thinking, I lean forward and tap the driver’s shoulder. “Please, pull over. Right here.” He raises his eyebrows at me through the rearview mirror but nods, steering us to the curb. I roll down my window, sticking my hand out to catch Kane’s attention. “Kane!” I call softly, hop

Everyone keeps congratulating me but for some reason I don’t even feel like this is real. Leonard told me he doesn’t want to waste much time on our wedding and I agreed so we’re getting married in a week. I decided to go to kanes place to tell Michael and the others. For some reason I can’t get Kane out of my mind….ever since he helped me that day by getting me away from that weird ass man in the library stuck with me and I haven't been able to thank him. I didn’t even thank him for trying to get to me the time that Leonard had kidnapped me. Leonard invited his hateful relatives for our engagement. Apparently the tradition is that they have to all come and dine with me, I refused to do so.. they came regardless but I wasn’t there to see them. Leonard had understood that I needed to leave so he let me go to kanes place which is where I’m heading now. He insisted that I take some of his guards so I did. I don’t know how Shannon, Michael, Elena, Luca and even Kane will take this news…

Chapter 50I was running.My feet pounded against cold stone, my breath coming in ragged gasps that burned mythroat.The hallways of the pack house stretched out endlessly in front of me, twisting and turninglike a maze with no exit.Behind me, I could hear him.Footsteps, steady and unhurried, like he had all the time in the world because he knew, heknew, that I had nowhere to go."Christina," Maxwell's voice called out, sing-song and playful."You can't run forever."I pushed myself harder, my legs screaming with effort, but the hallway just kept going, doorafter door flew past me, all of them locked, all of them useless."I always catch what I'm chasing," he said, closer now, much closer that it felt like he wasright behind me.I risked a glance over my shoulder and immediately wished I hadn't.He was right there, just a few feet behind me, that knife in his hand, spinning it casually like itwas a toy, and that smile.That terrible, twisted smile.I turned back around and

Chapter 49I moved backward without thinking, my feet stumbling over themselves as my heart kickedinto a rhythm that felt too fast, too hard."What are you doing?" The words came out breathless, shaky, nothing like the strong voice Iwanted to have.Maxwell laughed.It wasn't a normal laugh, it was the kind of sound that made your skin want to crawl off yourbones and hide somewhere safe.Light and airy on the surface, but underneath it was something twisted, something wrong."You know," he said, taking one slow step toward me,human with no real wolf.""you're actually very powerful for aI took another step back."What?""I watched you out here." He gestured vaguely toward where Sandra had been standingmoments ago."Watched you stand up to Sandra like you had every right to tell her off, most wolves twiceyour size wouldn't dare speak to her that way." Another step forward."But you did. You looked her right in the eye and put her on her toes."My back hit something solid.Th

Chapter 48The moment Gabriel left, the air in the room changed.It became heavier, thicker, like the kind of pressure you feel right before a storm breaks openthe sky. Marcel went completely still beneath me, and that stillness was somehow worsethan if he had shouted or slammed his fist on the desk.Still water runs deep, I'd headed once.And Marcel right now was very, very still."Stand up," he said quietly.His voice had no warmth in it anymore. It was flat, empty, like someone had reached insidehim and switched off a light. I slid off his lap slowly, watching his face, searching for the manwho had just fed me cookies and kissed my forehead and whispered that he missed me.That man was gone.The person sitting in that chair now had eyes like two pieces of cold stone."Marcel," I started."I need to go." He stood, straightening his shirt with precise, controlled movements. Everybutton, every fold, like he was putting on an armor."Let me come with you."He looked at me then

Chapter 47 The flour slipped through my fingers, dusting the counter in white powder that I barelyregistered.My hands moved automatically, measuring, mixing, stirring, but my mind was elsewhere,replaying that moment over and over.Those cold, calculating eyes, that dark smirk."Christina? Hello? Earth to Christina?"I blinked, finding Priscilla waving a hand in front of my face, concern etched across herfeatures."Sorry, what?""I asked if you wanted to add the chocolate chips now or later." She was studying mecarefully, her brow furrowed."Are you okay? You've been acting strange ever since Maxwellleft.""I'm fine," I lied, forcing my attention back to the cookie dough in front of me."Just tired, I guess."But I wasn't fine. Not even close.That prickling sensation hadn't left the back of my neck, the crawling awareness that mademe want to look over my shoulder every few seconds, I felt exposed, vulnerable, like preybeing stalked by something I couldn't see.*He's watch

Chapter 46 "Christina, may I speak with you alone?"Tremy's voice cut through the heavy silence that had settled over the room after herrevelation. I glanced at Marcel, whose face had gone pale, his jaw clenched tight. He gaveme a small nod, and I reluctantly released his hand, feeling the loss of contact like a physicalache.I followed Tremy out into the hallway, closing the door softly behind us. The corridor feltcolder somehow, or maybe it was just the dread coiling in my stomach.Tremy reached into the folds of her cloak and produced a small vial filled with dark amberliquid. It seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, pulsing with an energy I could almost feelagainst my skin."Give him this," she said, pressing it into my palm "One drop on his tongue each morningbefore sunrise, It will slow the corruption's spread, buy him more time.""Thank you," I whispered, clutching the vial like it was the most precious thing in the world,because right now, it was.Tremy's eyes s

Chapter 45The pale morning dim light filtered through Priscilla's curtains, painting delicate patternsacross the hardwood floor. I blinked awake slowly, my body stiff from sleeping in anunfamiliar position on her guest bed.For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was or why my chest felt so impossibly heavy,as though someone had placed stones upon my ribs while I slept.Then it all came rushing back.The full moon. Marcel. Gabriel. last night.I sat up too quickly, my head spinning with the sudden movement. Beside me, Priscillaremained fast asleep, her brown curls splayed across her pillow, one arm flung dramaticallyover her eyes. Her breathing was deep and even, undisturbed by the anxiety that clawed atmy insides like a living thing.I carefully extracted myself from the tangled sheets, trying not to wake her.My bare feet touched the cool floor, and I had to bite back a gasp at the temperature.Everything felt too sharp this morning, too real.The wood grain beneath my toes