It was dark in the cell, so I couldn't see Darius face where I sat.
I stood up slowly and made my way to the front, all the while I felt his eyes on me and I wanted to crawl out of my skin.I stopped a few feets away from the door and what I saw made my breath hitch.His black hair, thick and glossy, cascaded in waves past his shoulders, framing a face that was both striking and enigmatic.His nose, perfectly straight and sculpted, added to the sharp angles of his features.A smirk played on his lips.But it wasn't his sculpted features that made me pause, it was his eyes.His eyes were a captivating contradiction, a mesmerizing blend of emerald and sapphire. His left eye, a vibrant green, held a depth that seemed to draw you in, while his right eye, a piercing blue, radiated an intensity that was both alluring and unsettling.Darius was ridiculously good looking. And he's soon tall! Like a human walkingIn her hand, between two fingers, she held the serpent scale. It caught the dim light, shining faintly.Mia’s eyes widened. “You again? What… what do you want?”The seer gave a small and almost sad smile. “Yes, me again. And this time, Mia, I figured you will need the key.”“The key to what?” Mia asked, her heart pounding. She didn't really understand what the seer was saying.The seer’s eyes seemed to see straight through her. And this time, like she saw Mia's confusion, she dropped her voice, low and steady. “The Junajuz Stone. Child, it will be activated. It will release your protection spell, and nothing can stop its power—not even now. Except for one rare thing.” She leaned closer to Mia, her breath slightly brushing Mia's face. “You’ll need the hair of twins. Twins born from a Lupinarian mother.”Mia frowned, confused. “Twins? And a Lupinarian?” First of all, she wasn't sure what the Junajuz Stone was, and even if it was what she thought it was, then how did the seer know? She's
The loud, shattering sound of the magical barrier breaking was still echoing. The crackling and shattering sound had woken Mia up from her sleep.Mia, who was still shaking from the sudden shock, jumped up from Dalian’s empty bed.She could hear far-off howls of wolves now filling the air. Those weren't just any regular type of wolf cries; there were cries of victory. And with how much sound she was hearing already, it was obvious that there were too many of them. What had happened she didn't really know, but one thing was sure. The ward.“Dalian!” Mia gasped, but her voice was lost in the noise all around her.Her heart raced as she threw on clothes as quickly as she could. Then she ran into the hallway, chaos exploding everywhere. Wolves were scrambling out of their rooms, some barely dressed, their faces full of shock and growing fear. From the front entrance, she could hear the sounds of bodies fighting, loud snarls, and bones breaking.Mia ran toward the center of the house, lett
Hours later, the sun was already high in the sky, glowing brightly over the pack. Dalian lay next to Mia, listening to her soft breathing. It was the only thing keeping him calm. But he hadn’t really slept. His mind was restless. The weight of everything was on their shoulders. It was their duty to keep the pack firm. He could still hear the distant celebration buzz from the fifth-day feast. The blood moon was tomorrow, and it would be the last day of the feast. Nobody knew—none of the pack members knew—what was at stake.The image of the Junazus Stone stayed in his mind. It was almost like he could still feel its silent energy buzzing in his bones. He knew Mia hadn’t really rested either. She kept turning and sighing in her sleep. Even though she had been subtly rejected by the pack, even if she was always judged for her father's bad legacy, she still had the pack members’ safety at heart.He looked at her once more, leaned closer, and kissed her softly and shallowly on the lips. It
Fifth day of the celebration…The information from Nyx was cold and precise. It lingered in Darius' study. It was the fifth day of the Celebration.Darius let out a low, tense voice. “A Junazus Stone,” he said, sounding heavier than usual as he paced across his study with slow and deliberate steps. “It’s made to break magical protections, and that includes our ward.”Dalian felt a chill run through him, and he knew that it had nothing to do with the cool that surged through the window air. His eyes flashed to Mia, who was seated close to Ravenna, calm and peaceful like her eyes were looking at almost nothing. It was as if her mind was somewhere else.Ravenna’s face was pale, but her eyes were sharp as ever. “It all makes sense now,” she said. “That was why they were being secretive with it. They wanted to hide and catch us unaware. While everyone was at the feast, that was when they deemed it fit to bring in that statue.” She nodded her head as if trying to understand something.And t
Mia had been listening to the conversation silently, lost in her head, but when Dalian said he was going to see Nyx, she immediately perked up. "No," she said, very inaudibly—so soft, it was barely a breath, but Dalian heard. Her hand, which had been resting on her lap, unconsciously tightened into a fist. She didn't trust Nyx around Dalian. Not after everything. There was a raw, protective instinct that flared within her—an unspoken conviction that Nyx still harbored a lot for him.Dalian felt her subtle disagreement—the unspoken fear she held about him volunteering to meet Nyx. He wished he could reassure her fully, but he knew she had seen and heard enough to discourage her distrust of Nyx.He simply reached over and squeezed her arm—a silent plea for her understanding. It had to be him. Darius didn’t seem to hear Mia’s quiet protest. He studied Dalian carefully before speaking. He gave a sharp nod, making his decision."Alright. You two will approach Nyx. But be careful. Don’t m
Mia squirmed playfully, though her body was already responding, but she had other things in mind."Dalian, we can't stay like this all day, and you know that. Besides, I just remembered something..."Her voice paused, a sudden flicker of memory about the missing serpent scale.He groaned softly, his lips finding hers—a slow, searching kiss that slowly deepened, drawing her in. It was slow and tender, unlike the desperate urgency of the night before."Later, Wildstar. Let's just stay like this," he whispered, his voice hoarse, his gaze devouring her. "Whatever it is can wait. I just need you to be in my arms for a little longer."His hands began to roam her skin, pulling her closer, his hips nudging suggestively against hers.Mia gasped—a soft, breathless sound. The warmth, the intoxicating pleasure, threatened to drown out her fleeting thought. But the memory of the missing scale snapped her back."No, really, sleepyhead. I've got to check something out, and you've got to get up from