Novels by Habi

CHAPTER 80CHRISTINA"Can I have a moment alone with her?"Mera paused at the door and looked back at Esmeralda, then at me, she didn't ask why, shejust nodded and slipped out, pulling the door quietly behind her.The room settled into stillness.I found a chair near the wall and dragged it to the side of the bed, sat down, and looked ather.Without the bangles, without the easy laughter she'd carried so naturally, Esmeralda lookedsmaller and softer.Her hands were resting over the blanket and her breathing was slow and even, the kind ofdeep that isn't quite sleep and isn't quite anything else.I sat with the quiet for a moment, then I felt too alone in it, so I started talking."I know you probably can't hear me," I said softly.to right now, so.""But I don't really have anyone else to talkI folded my hands in my lap."Why did you want to know who my parents are?" I asked her.held my hand?""What did you feel when youShe didn't answer, the curtain near the window shifted fa

CHAPTER 79CHRISTINAThe door opened and Maxwell stepped out.He looked terrible.His jaw was tight, there were shadows under his eyes and the easy confidence he usuallywore like a second skin was completely gone.I stood up from where I'd been sitting in the hallway."How is she?"He looked at me with a slight crease on his forehead."What did you do to her?"The words hit me like a slap.For a second I just stood there, too stunned to respond, then the shock burned off andsomething hot replaced it."Why," I said, my voice coming out sharper than I intended,"is it always me? Every singletime something happens, why am I always the one who did something wrong?"Maxwell's face changed immediately."Christina….""No." I took a step back."I'm getting really tired of that.""I'm sorry." He moved toward me and pulled me into a hug before I could stop him, his armswrapping around me, his chin dropping toward my head."I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just scared for her

CHAPTER 78CHRISTINAThe loud sound made me jump in terror, the water from my glass spilling over my hand.A sharp crack followed by something rolling across the counter and hitting the floor, and Ispun around so fast I knocked my elbow against the cabinet behind me."Who's there?"For a second, nothing.Then a woman stepped out from the far side of the kitchen, near the pantry shelves, onehand pressed to her chest and the other still hovering in the air in front of her like she'd beencaught reaching for something.Middle-aged, brown-skinned, with the kind of face that looked like it had laughed often anddeeply over the years, she was wearing a loose wrap dress, her hair pinned up unevenly,and bangles on each wrist."I'm so sorry," she said immediately, her voice warm and a little flustered."I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you alright?""I'm fine," I said, pressing a hand to my chest where my heart was still hammering."You just startled me."She looked at me then, properl

CHAPTER 77MARCELWhen I stepped back into the living room, Davina and Bryan were talking quietly at the table,heads close together, sharing something that made Davina's shoulders shake with softlaughter.Bryan was smiling too, the tight guardedness he'd worn all morning loosened just slightly.I stood at the edge of the room for a moment, not wanting to interrupt.Davina looked up first and her smile stayed."Done?" she asked."Yes." I moved to the empty chair and sat."Thank you for the food and letting me use your bathroom"She waved it off."Don't thank me for feeding you. It's the least anyone could do."The lightness of the moment settled and then quietly faded, and Davina seemed to know it.She shifted in her seat, adjusting her position with the careful deliberateness of latepregnancy, and her expression became something more measured.She exhaled slowly."I can't tell you much," she said."I want to be honest about that before we start, they drugged me not long after th

CHAPTER 76 MARCEL The drive to Silvercrest pack took longer than Gabriel had estimated, a whole day had passed and we had yet to reach. We pushed hard, stopping only when we absolutely had to, and even then, I was back in the vehicle before the others had properly stretched their legs. Nobody complained, which was good cause right now I didn't need any from them. They could already feel it coming off me, the restlessness, and the urgency that wouldn't let me sit still or think straight. We arrived at the edge of Silvercrest territory sometime past midnight. The pack was quiet, houses dark, the whole place wrapped in that deep still silence that only happens in the hours when even the night animals had gone to sleep. Gabriel pulled up at the street Davis was giving towards Bryan's place and we drove through the empty streets until we found it. A modest house near the pack's eastern boundary, I was out of the car before it had fully stopped. "Marcel. " G

CHAPTER 75MARCELI opened my eyes to find myself back in my bedroom.For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece together what hadhappened.The transformation, the chains, the full moon.And then nothing.Blank darkness until now.I turned my head slowly, scanning the room.It was oddly empty.I'd spent years in this room alone, slept in this bed alone, lived my life alone before Christinacame into it.But now the emptiness felt wrong, more oppressive like something vital was missing, like itwas the wrong colour.Because she was missing.Christina.A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts."Come in," I called out, my voice rough.The door opened and Gabriel stepped inside, relief washing over his face when he saw meawake."You're okay," he said."I'm fine," I replied, sitting up slowly though my body ached but nothing felt broken ordamaged."What happened?""The transformation," Gabriel said."You shifted completely and we kept you contained

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…