Minutes pass. Elizabeth simply lay on the floor her eyes were blurry, and her gold-colored hair spread on the floor messily. Her eyes gain consciousness when she hears someone talking outside the door."Well, hello there," a voice says from right outside the door, presumably to the guard stationed right outside.Elizabeth immediately sits up alertly. She cranes her head to look at the door.The guards outside declare, "Miss you don't have access to this room. I suggest that you turn around."A chuckle could be heard, then a voice talks "Oh, goodness no. I have authorization," the first voice says happily. There's the momentary sound of rustling fabric. "See?"A beat of quiet ensues, and then the guard makes a noise of confusion. "This is a two-for-one coupon. What the fuck is the "Vampires d-"The guard is quickly cut off by what sounds like someone choking the throat if the strange gurgling sound he makes is any indication. Elizabeth goes ram-rod straight as she listens to the sound
โDid Christian send you? Have you seen him recently? Is he alright?โ Elizabeth asks the desperate curiosity tingeing her tone.Jenny is shocked as well, she stands still looking at Elizabeth with what looks like awe and disbelief. Elizabethโs eyes glow in the dim room brightly like Pantherโs. Her pitch-black hair is now turned into auricomous. Elizabethโs questions snap her out of the trance.โI- No, I didnโt, I donโt know I think itโs bad,โ Jenny says with a sigh. She clicks her fingers once more, and the chains tying Elizabethโs ankles fall apart.Elizabeth winces in relief as the blood flows back into her swollen ankle and bruised wrists. โWhat do you mean?โ she asks as soon as the tingling pain starts to subside.โHe- Itโs just beenโฆ bad since you left,โ Jenny says quietly. She shakes her hair and looks over at Elizabeth, who bares her teeth at her. Jenny jumps instinctively, hands up in defense.On unsteady legs, Elizabeth pulls herself to her feet. She firmly ignores the way the
โElizabethโฆโ Jenny says, clearly reading the determination in Elizabethโs eyes. โIโm sorry. We need you back at the manor. We will try again, please bear with the pain.โJenny steals her heart and forces herself to hurt Elizabeth again. Elizabeth looks over at her in shock, but a mask of determined resignation coats her face.A wave of nausea spills into Elizabethโs chest. She canโt stop her voice from trembling as she asks, โAreโฆ are you sure?โโWe donโt have a choice right nowโฆโItโs silent in the room for a moment, the drape of quiet only periodically interrupted by the slow drip drip drip of the water. โHow are we going to do this?โ Elizabeth asks after a second.Donโt think about it donโt think about it donโt think about itโI- โ Jenny darts around the room for anything that could help them remove the chain and something falls into her eyes. She moves to pick it up from the ground.โI- we have a knife.โ Jenny swallows hard and palms an angry-looking blade where it rests in her ha
A heartbeat of time passes; and then all at once, each of them-- Elizabeth, and Jenny-- come to the same decision at the exact same time, completely independent of one another.Adrenaline passes through Elizabeth, blazing hot and sparkling bright like lightning. Move, her brain tells her. Elizabeth doesnโt even have time to think about what sheโs doing. One second, sheโs standing stock still in shock, and in the next, Elizabeth grips Jennyโs hands, dips at the waist, and gets ready to sprint.Elizabeth doesnโt have a second to fully process that before Tina opens her mouth to say with a snort, โAnd where do you think y-โJenny points out a determined finger, and a dagger comes booming out of her hand. It hits Austin square in the chest, sending him catapulting backward out of the door to smash into the tree on the opposite side of the door.In the millisecond of silence immediately after, Jenny screams. โRun!โAnd Elizabeth takes off.Her ankle shrieks at her to stop as she vaults ove
And apparently, in that particular moment, each and every god seems to be on their side. Elizabeth's sure sheโs run through every ounce of good luck sheโs ever been given in her century-long life, because the footsteps donโt stop in front of their hiding place. In fact, they continue down the path, further and further deep into the forest until they fade into the distance.โHoly shit,โ Jenny breathes out, voice trembling slightly. โHoly shit .โโOk. Ok,โ Elizabeth says almost deliriously. โWhere do we have to go to get to the bank of the river?โJenny runs a hand through her sweaty golden hair, pushing it back and off of her face. โSomewhere to the west, I think.โElizabeth takes a deep breath and resists the urge to groan in frustration. โYou think? Weโre in a life-or-death, run-for-our-lives situation, and thatโs the best you can come up with?โโI donโt walk around in this forest like it is my home!โ Jenny exclaims. She fumes up momentarily in irritation. โIโve only been to this for
Jennyโs heart thunders in her chest, her breaths sharp and shallow. The moment Tina and Austin step out from the side path, her instincts scream danger. Her eyes dart to Elizabeth, who, despite her weakened state, narrows her gaze with pure hatred. Blood trickles down Elizabethโs arm, her pallor more ashen than before, but her eyes โ sharp, calculating eyes โ are still full of fire.โWell, well, look at you two,โ Tinaโs voice is laced with smug satisfaction as she steps forward, her smile as sharp as a wolfโs grin. Her eyes, once so familiar, now seem foreign, darkened by envy and betrayal. โRunning away like rats. Did you really think you could escape us, Elizabeth?โ"Still acting like a queen, huh, Tina?" Elizabeth sneers, though her words are weaker than she would have liked. She grips Jenny's arm for support, her legs wobbling like a newborn fawn. "Guess betrayal suits you better than humility."Austin growls low in his throat, his eyes glowing amber. He cracks his neck, flexing h
The icy river water clings to Elizabethโs clothes, seeping into every fiber. She feels weightless but not in a good way. Her limbs are heavy, her body numb, and her vision blurs in and out like a flickering candle. But even through the haze, one thing remains clear โ Christian's face.โStay with me, Elizabeth,โ Christian's voice is low, controlled, but thereโs a crack of urgency beneath it. His crimson eyes burn with intensity, never once leaving hers as he cradles her like sheโs the most fragile, precious thing in the world.Her lips twitch into a faint smile. โYou look mad,โ she whispers, her voice hoarse and barely audible. โDid I scare you?โโTerrified,โ he admits, brushing a thumb over her cheek. His jaw tightens as he takes in the state sheโs in โ blood-soaked clothes, bruises along her neck, her breath uneven. His gaze shifts to Jenny, his eyes hardening into something colder. โWho did this to her?โJenny, still panting and soaked from the river, glares back toward the forest.
The rhythmic thud of boots against the old wooden bridge echoes in the quiet night. Each step feels like a heartbeat, steady but loud, as if the entire world is holding its breath. Elizabeth's eyes remain half-closed, her head resting against Christianโs shoulder. Sheโs conscious, but barely. The chill of the night air bites at her wet clothes, but Christianโs warmth seeps into her, a living furnace of protection.Jenny walks just a step behind, her gaze flicking nervously over her shoulder. The forest behind them is a sea of shadowy figures and distant howls. None of the werewolves follow โ not yet. But she knows better than to relax. โTheyโll be back,โ she mutters.โTheyโll try,โ Christian replies calmly, his eyes fixed on the far end of the bridge. His grip on Elizabeth tightens, just a fraction, as if the mere idea of someone threatening her again sends an unspoken fury through him. โBut it wonโt end well for them.โThe other side of the bridge comes into view โ a soft glow of lan
When the war ended and the blood dried into the earth, Elizabeth stood beneath the great moonlit boughs of the forest where her soul had endured its greatest trialsโand also where it had found love.The Greenwood mansionโancestral home of her maternal lineageโhad stood untouched for generations on the other side of the continent, isolated on a forgotten cliff, surrounded by old magic.But that place no longer felt like home. It hadnโt for a long time.Her home was here now, in the forest where Christian had first held her while she bled, where her children had laughed for the first time, where the bond of peace had been born from sacrifice.She approached the council of eldersโthe newly formed Circle of Peace that included fae, vampire, and human envoys from the Greenwood family eldersโand made a humble request:โLet the Greenwood Mansion be movedโnot in stone or brick, but in name and spiritโto the forest where this peace was forged.""Let this land, where the ritual was completed an
The first wave of wolves charges straight for the ritual site. Fangs glisten under the eerie light of the ritual fire, claws slash through the air with lethal precision. Elizabeth barely has time to react before Christian yanks her behind him, his crimson eyes blazing.โProtect the ritual at all costs!โ Christian below, his voice cutting through the battlefield.The vampires move first, their speed a blur as they intercept the oncoming attack. Blades clash, fangs sink into flesh, and the sharp scent of blood fills the air. The fairies unleash their magic, shimmering bursts of golden light forming barriers and attacks against the werewolves.The first werewolf lunged. It was fast, a blur of muscle and fur, but Christian was faster. His blade met its mark, slicing through flesh with lethal precision. A strangled yelp, then silence as the body crumpled. Then came the others. Like a tidal wave of rage and fury, the werewolves attacked. They tore through the clearing, their howls fillin
The air at the ritual site was thick with unspoken words, with the weight of fate pressing down on the gathered supernatural beings.The stone circle, carved from the bones of the earth itself, hummed with dormant power.At its center, the ritual fire flickered with an unnatural emerald glow, waiting for the final blood to be spilled to awaken the ancient bond between creatures.Elizabeth tightened her grip around the ceremonial dagger in her hand, feeling the magic coil around her fingers like a whisper of fate.This ritual had to succeedโthere was no other option. Without it, the balance between supernatural beings and humans would shatter, and the world would descend into chaos.But something was wrong.She could feel it in the way the wind shifted suddenly, in the way the fire flickered erratically as if sensing the unease in the hearts of those gathered.A low, guttural growl rippled through the clearing, sending a shiver of tension through the gathered ritual participants.The w
Deep within the heart of the forest, where the canopy of leaves allowed only slivers of moonlight to pierce through, two figures stood in the shadow of ancient trees. The air was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the distant howl of wolves and the occasional rustle of leaves.Alpha Brannon's eyes glowed a sharp amber, his gaze fixed on the bloodied body of his son, Austin. His hands clenched into fists so tight that his claws pierced his own palms, drawing blood. Rage seethed through every vein in his body, his wolf howling for vengeance. His broad shoulders trembled with barely restrained fury."Look at him, Alpha," Tinaโs voice slithered into his ears, soft and poisonous like the hiss of a snake. She crouched beside Austin's lifeless form, her hand gently brushing his blood-soaked hair. "Your son... your heir... gone. And who did this to him?" She tilted her head, her eyes glinting with malice.Brannon didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on Austinโs lifeless face, ea
The forest stretched out in an endless sea of green, but his path was clear. Each step he took felt heavier than the last, like the weight of unseen chains dragging him back. The crisp scent of damp earth and pine needles filled his senses, but it wasnโt enough to quiet the storm in his mind.Liam Black โ Alpha of the Black Panther Pack โ moved with predatory grace, his golden eyes sharp as a blade in the dim twilight. His sleek black coat, faintly visible through the open flaps of his cloak, shone faintly under the dying red light of the setting sun. His muscles coiled and uncoiled with each step as his internal battle raged on.Every instinct told him to turn around. To go back. To keep his distance from her.Elizabeth.Her name lingered in his mind like a stubborn thorn. The half-sister he didnโt ask for. The girl who had everything he didnโt.โShe had a mother,โ he thought bitterly, his jaw tightening. โI had him.โHis father's face flashed in his mind โ sharp eyes, a voice like t
The air hums with quiet tension as the group moves deeper into the heart of the forest. Shadows stretch long beneath the canopy, and the fading sunlight filters through in jagged beams, cutting through the mist that curls along the ground. Each step forward feels heavier than the last, as though the earth itself knows the gravity of whatโs to come.The Ritual Stone stands at the center of a wide clearing, a massive slab of ancient rock with deep etchings carved by hands long gone. The sigils glow faintly as if they can already sense the magic in the air. Itโs a sacred place โ one that has seen countless rituals over the centuries. It will see another today.It is surrounded by small stone basins symbolizing different races of creatures. All the stone basins are connected to the Ritual Stone my magic.Elizabeth stands at the edge of the clearing, her fingers brushing the rough bark of a nearby tree. Her gaze is distant, eyes narrowed on the horizon where the sun slowly dips lower and l
The rhythmic thud of boots against the old wooden bridge echoes in the quiet night. Each step feels like a heartbeat, steady but loud, as if the entire world is holding its breath. Elizabeth's eyes remain half-closed, her head resting against Christianโs shoulder. Sheโs conscious, but barely. The chill of the night air bites at her wet clothes, but Christianโs warmth seeps into her, a living furnace of protection.Jenny walks just a step behind, her gaze flicking nervously over her shoulder. The forest behind them is a sea of shadowy figures and distant howls. None of the werewolves follow โ not yet. But she knows better than to relax. โTheyโll be back,โ she mutters.โTheyโll try,โ Christian replies calmly, his eyes fixed on the far end of the bridge. His grip on Elizabeth tightens, just a fraction, as if the mere idea of someone threatening her again sends an unspoken fury through him. โBut it wonโt end well for them.โThe other side of the bridge comes into view โ a soft glow of lan
The icy river water clings to Elizabethโs clothes, seeping into every fiber. She feels weightless but not in a good way. Her limbs are heavy, her body numb, and her vision blurs in and out like a flickering candle. But even through the haze, one thing remains clear โ Christian's face.โStay with me, Elizabeth,โ Christian's voice is low, controlled, but thereโs a crack of urgency beneath it. His crimson eyes burn with intensity, never once leaving hers as he cradles her like sheโs the most fragile, precious thing in the world.Her lips twitch into a faint smile. โYou look mad,โ she whispers, her voice hoarse and barely audible. โDid I scare you?โโTerrified,โ he admits, brushing a thumb over her cheek. His jaw tightens as he takes in the state sheโs in โ blood-soaked clothes, bruises along her neck, her breath uneven. His gaze shifts to Jenny, his eyes hardening into something colder. โWho did this to her?โJenny, still panting and soaked from the river, glares back toward the forest.
Jennyโs heart thunders in her chest, her breaths sharp and shallow. The moment Tina and Austin step out from the side path, her instincts scream danger. Her eyes dart to Elizabeth, who, despite her weakened state, narrows her gaze with pure hatred. Blood trickles down Elizabethโs arm, her pallor more ashen than before, but her eyes โ sharp, calculating eyes โ are still full of fire.โWell, well, look at you two,โ Tinaโs voice is laced with smug satisfaction as she steps forward, her smile as sharp as a wolfโs grin. Her eyes, once so familiar, now seem foreign, darkened by envy and betrayal. โRunning away like rats. Did you really think you could escape us, Elizabeth?โ"Still acting like a queen, huh, Tina?" Elizabeth sneers, though her words are weaker than she would have liked. She grips Jenny's arm for support, her legs wobbling like a newborn fawn. "Guess betrayal suits you better than humility."Austin growls low in his throat, his eyes glowing amber. He cracks his neck, flexing h