Novels by EphraStorm

Chapter 120: Fiona's POVDespite my determination, something had been eating away at the edges of my confidence. I wasn't scared of Mara. No, I had stared down danger before, had dealt with enemies trying to destroy me and my family, my pack. And I had always won out in the end. But this time… this time was different. This woman was not only powerful — she was primeval. Her magic felt like it infiltrated the soil beneath our feet, so that everything felt heavier, more oppressive.Tightening my fists as fiery rage pulsed in my veins, begging me to do something. I had to defend everything — my house, my family, people I loved. And then, just out of the corner of my eye, I saw him.My father.The patriarch of our family, Lucian Ashford, entered the courtyard. When I first saw him, my breath caught in my throat. He had this calming effect on me in the chaos, his presence an anchor in the storm. He was strong, he was powerful, and yet in that instant I was suddenly inundated with vulnerabi

Chapter 119: Author's POVMara cackled, her voice ricocheting off the cold, the courtyard as Fiona tried to fight through her magic. It was almost too hilarious — the belligerent young wolf, full of fire and fury, attempting to hold her ground. Mara had seen this all before — the resistance, the defiance, the faith that sheer will could do battle against centuries of power. But it was always the same. They never learned.“This is the best you can do little wolf? There was a note of mocking amusement in Mara’s voice. She watched Fiona struggle against the magic, and her age-old eyes sparkled with triumph. “Little flames of yours aren’t going to cut it. There is no fire that can kill me now."Fiona’s hands were still up, the flickering orange of fire dancing around her fingers, but Mara could feel the energy ebbing out of her. She was old—older than most of the men who crossed her path—but not old enough to beat Mara’s decades of practice. Fiona’s flames might roar for attention, but Ma

Chapter 118: Fiona's POV“She’s older than I thought,” I said, my voice steady in spite of the fear snaking up my spine. “Maybe 400 years or more. Her power is not merely about natural talent. It’s honed. Ancient.”Ethan’s gaze flickered to mine, the intensity in his eyes matching the weight of my words. “That’s how she’s been able to manipulate so much so quickly.” She has had time to hone it.”As the crowd began to disperse, the estate buzzing with uncomfortable whispers. My parents were still shaking, their faces looking pale, their eyes flicking to my direction, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. I wanted to comfort them, but there was no time.But before I took another step, the very atmosphere around me changed. It was subtle at first — a ripple, a hum in the air that raised the hairs on the back of my neck.And then she was back.Mara’s shape coalesced in the center of the courtyard, dark and imposing. This time, she didn’t bother with illusions. The real her wa

Chapter 117: Fiona’s POVI wasn’t surprised.As soon as I arrived at the estate I felt her—dark, intrusive energy that didn’t belong. It made me creast, and boiled my blood that Mara walked through my house pretending to be me.It didn’t surprise me that Maeve, standing next to me, noticed the obvious: “She’s going to tell Ethan she’s the real you.”I grinned grimly, clenching the enchanted stone in my fist. “Let her try. Ethan will see through it.”Maeve arched an eyebrow, her faith in Ethan not as solid as mine. “You have a remarkably steady disposition if you’re being impersonated.”“Calm?” I scoffed. “I’m furious. But this is not the moment to hit the panic button. I have to catch her something that nobody can dispute.”Maeve crossed her arms with a twinkle in her eyes. “What’s the plan?”I raised my hand, allowing a small flame to dance on my palm. Waves come in, back out, suck it all back down for another run. “I will call upon elemental fire and bring her true face to light. Ma

Chapter 116: Mara’s POVI sat in her chambers — no, my chambers now. It was strange how quickly I’d settled into this space, how easily I’d commandeered everything that once belonged to her. My fingers rapped in measured time on the armrest of her chair. Servants moved about the estate, oblivious to the storm I was about to unleash on these walls. They believed I was her. Her parents were convinced, as was she. They had all accepted me, no questions asked, no doubts raised. They didn’t know the truth, nor did they need to.But then there was Ethan.Ethan was the problem.He was in the courtyard, pacing, as I had expected. He was never gone, always looking, always hoping for a slip, for something to tell him the truth. His suspicion had been building for days, ever since I had set foot on the property, and I felt it whenever his eyes landed on me, scrutinizing me, as if I were a problem he was determined to solve. It was maddening, but exhilarating. He was a challenge. And I always lik

Chapter 115: Fiona’s POVThe call with Ethan played in a loop in my brain, like a record that had skipped and wouldn’t stop skipping. The more I thought about it, the louder every word got. Someone was out there, wandering through my life, wearing my name, my face — living as me. It was not only unsettling; it sent a chill deep, deep into my bones. That thought clung to me like a second skin, cold and suffocating.Mara. She’d gone too far this time. Way too far.I sat by the fire, gazing into the dancing flames, but the heat did not comfort me. It was a jumble of hazy thoughts and fears I was afraid to voice. Next to me, Maeve quietly packed our things with an efficiency that was almost reassuring. She always knew what to do when the rest of the world seemed to be spinning out of control. Her calm steadiness kept me grounded when I felt like I was falling apart.“Maeve,” I said suddenly, shattering the leaden silence. My voice sounded odd even to me — hoarse and choppy, like it didn’t

Chapter 68: Luca RomanoI am in my curriculum, carefully analyzing my next course of action. Vanessa has given me everything I requested - everything she knew about her whereabouts, and now I was about to plan a way to search the range of locations she had given me. Somehow, I felt like it wasn't worth it. She might as well have given me the entire outpost of SolarCity to search. But I knew that without the range to narrow it down, I would spend months and would wait to get anything.I am looking straight at the map now, wondering how I'm going to get this done as quickly as possible, how I'm going to get it done at all. I just think the place is riddled with criminals, and whether they would let me search throughout their territories without any form of issues. I would use a lot of men and manpower, but I don't know right now whether it would be worth it, whether I would be able to succeed even if I did everything possible.All of a sudden, I see my phone ringing and my eyes widen to

Chapter 67 - Luca RomanoI wait for her to say something. She is simply silent and I can tell that she is thinking about what she wants to do with me and what she wants in exchange."First of all, how much information do you have? Be honest with me Vanessa," I tell her, wishing I'm with her in person because if that's the case, I'll be able to judge more into her real thoughts and into the absolute truth just by looking into her eyes. I really miss anticipating her next words but that's only something I can do when we are in close proximity."I'll be honest with you," she says finally, her voice serious. I let out a sigh, happy that she is making that decision now and knowing that I can trust her to do exactly what she said."I don't know the exact location," she says, "but I have a range that you can search within for where she actually lives."I smile to myself. "Impressive," I tell her, nodding in admiration. If she claims that she can pinpoint Kira's exact location is application

Chapter 66 Luca Romano. I don't stay to blame Elena. She's probably rejoicing in her mind right now after everything that has taken place. She knows what the result might be in the end, that she has finally won what she wanted right from the very start.I'm more worried for Kira. To live as soon as possible with her name now known, telling what kind of dangers she can face. I try to reach her but she's just away somehow, as if she knows that I've done something but she doesn't want me to make amends. It's as if she doesn't even want to give me the chance to do so, with the way she suddenly vanishes and doesn't come back online and also doesn't pick up my calls.I'm going to do my best to get through to her. So that became my mission for the next couple of days. The funny thing is that I don't even know where to find her if I want to. It's not fair that way because if she wants to, she will easily get to me, even to the extent of taking me forcefully from my house if she wants to see

Chapter 65Luca Romano Vincenzo looks at me, his eyes questioning and his hair disheveled. He knows what he wants, and he is asking me questions with his eyes throughout as he searches for any form of honesty. While I answer, I don't know what to say anymore, how to put it in a way that will convince him.No is the answer. It has to be the answer. But looking at Elena, who seems to have proof, I decide that if I deny it, it will make matters worse. I question myself looking at him. In ten days, if he knows that I'm in a close relationship with her, he's definitely going to try something drastic, and I'm not sure where that's going to lead me. I'm well aware of how strategic he is in his thinking, how he can easily turn things around to his favor if he starts factoring her into his plans."Tell me the truth, yes or no - is what she's saying true?" he asked me, looking at me so intensely that I somehow feel as if I'm going to be swallowed up alive by his look alone. He knows that he's

Chapter 64: Luca RomanoI look at my sister in the hospital bed and smile when she opens her eyes. Somehow, I just knew that she was going to do that anytime from now, and now that she has done it, I can't help but feel overly happy and joyful. She smiles also, but just briefly before she winces in pain."Injury doesn't suit you," I tell her. She raises her eyebrow."Getting shot?" she asks me. In return, I laugh a little. And then she looks around us as if she's trying to find something."Relax," I tell her. "Just relax. The doctors will come around soon to check up on you. It's just a gunshot, and I think you've faced worse." She seems to think about it for a while before she laughs. "I guess so too," she tells me.I stay with her in silence. Somehow, I feel guilty for what has happened even though it's none of my fault and I couldn't have controlled it in any way at all. She's just unfortunate to go through so much pain and distress all of a sudden when there was initially nothing

Chapter 63: Elena RomanoI felt something was wrong when he came up with such a stupid excuse to leave. I'm pretty sure he must have done everything he needed to do previously when he had the chance to do so. He's now admitting this in his uncertain form somehow. The only thing that I didn't notice was when he checked his phone earlier - it was allowed, after all.Around then, I checked my phone too. When he came to him and he checked his phone, I knew, I know that it's not normal and it has to do with that particular girl. It just has to be her. I frowned a little about the last time I had been so far away, but I knew that it was killer when I saw her. It was just too impossible for me to miss, and I watched as she entered his car. As a letter in their friends - a self-destructive friendship that's going to boomerang on both of them. So yeah, I allowed it and didn't say anything, but now I started to wonder if they are not in some kind of league with each other.They will destroy us