LYRA'S POV"Where did I drop my phone?" I muttered under my breath, flipping the bedsheets over in search of it. "Arhh...!" I groaned in frustration as I reached for my bedside drawer pulling it open. "I was just with it a few minutes ago. Where could I have dropped it?" I asked myself, searching through my brain to remember where I dropped it.Just then, I felt a sharp pull in my pelvic area. Was it pregnancy or my bladder had just refused to hold urine for a minute? I thought to myself. It was the umpteenth time I had gone to the bathroom today. Às though called upon, a beep message from my phone rang from the toilet. "Right!" I blurted out. Why wouldn't it be in there, I live in the toilet more than I live in this room these days. Rolling my eyes, I stepped into the restroom to ease myself before picking it up from the automatic hand dryer where I had dropped it earlier.I sighed in relief the moment I crawled back into bed. I swiped my phone, flipping through my contacts for Lisa
LYRA’S POV “My neighbor just called. There’s been a gas leak at my house,” Lisa’s eyes bulged, Her voice shaking as she spoke. I could tell she was exasperated, it showed in every word she spoke, but nonetheless, she tried to hide her worry."What!" I screamed, swallowing in a quick gasp. I’ll go with you. What if you need my help?” I managed to say, my voice showing concern.She shook her head, already stepping backward toward the pack house. “No, It's fine, Lyra. It might likely be nothing serious, but I have to check it out. Don’t worry. Ella can keep you company. Besides, I don’t want to ruin your walk.” she insisted.“But—” “No buts,” she punctuated my statement. “I’ll call you once I get there. Just... enjoy your walk, okay?” she was already moving backward, as the words left her lips. I could only nod, as I watched her sprint away till her silhouette disappeared beyond the trees.“Guess it’s just us now,” Ella said, her voice softer than usual. I turned around and sighed, pu
ELLA’S POV“Take her away!” I ordered, watching one of Alpha Leo’s men, pick up what was left of Lyra’s body, heaping her over his shoulder. Her weak hands flung side to side as they disappeared into the trees. I bent over picking up her cell phone. Jake was calling. I felt a pang of jealousy in my chest causing me to slam her phone hard on the coal tar. “To hell with the both of you!” I spat, my chest heaving in anger as I stomped several times on her cell phone before sending it flying in the opposite direction the men had gone.I sat by a huge tree trunk, trying to catch my breath. The sun had set and in no time everyone would be on the lookout for the both of us. What was I going to do? I hadn’t thought of an excuse. Why did she have to call Lisa? I grunted.If Lisa hadn’t known I was with Lyra, it would have been easy to deny her whereabouts, now I have to think of something to take me off the suspect radar. I slammed my palm into my forehead in frustration. “Think Ella, think!”
JAKE'S POVI could hear my heartbeat roaring in my ears as I walked out of the room, banging the door close behind me. Who could have wanted Lyra? Why would anyone think of kidnapping her? Selene had warned of someone or a force after her but the news of who she was had barely left the walls of the pack house. Somehow, something deep inside me pointed to Ella. She had begun to feel threatened by the discovery of Lyra's true identity. What if? “No! Ella wouldn't dare to hurt her.” I involuntarily muttered aloud. I mean, she can't match up to Lyra's strength. I shook my head as different thoughts clashed in my head. I marched to my room, picking up my cell phone from the bed where I had dropped it after the maid broke the news of Lyra's disappearance."Siri, call Damon," I instructed my virtual assistant. Time was of the essence at this point and we cannot afford to waste not even a second. My eyes involuntarily moved to my vintage wall clock hanging over my bed frame. "6pm," I mutte
ELLA’S POVI winced in pain as I dabbed the open cut on my arm with cotton wool soaked with methylated spirit. The distant howl of the trackers echoed through the night making my chest beat faster. I had been looking out through the window all night, fear gripping me. What if they find something? Though I had instructed Leo's men to apply mint so as to mask their scent but either ways my heart still skipped.“Do you mind explaining to me why your scent is all over Lyra’s phone?” Alpha Jake barked, his voice thundering as he crashed through my door."What?" I muttered under my breath, my eyes shifting to the broken cellphone he held in his hands. It was at this point I knew I was in trouble. How could I be this careless? His face darkened in anger as his bloodshot eyes glued on me, I feared he was going to smack me right in the face.My hands tightened around the cotton wool as I stared down at his hand with my lips slightly apart. “What—” I managed to say, my voice shaky, buying myse
AEMOND'S POV“Good morning sir,” Two voices chorused behind me in unison.I turned to the direction of the voices, It was Grayson and Waller; two of the men I had sent to capture Alpha Jake’s Luna. They leaned in a bow, but I couldn’t help but notice the cuts on their skin. My expression changed to that of disgust as I stared at them from head to toe. “Why do you both look like you were involved in a fight with a bear?,” I asked, my tone etched with distaste.“Arrh…” Grayson stammered, both glaring at themselves in embarrassment, making them rather tense.“Hold on!” I said, my voice low and calculating. “Do not tell me you and the others messed up the mission,” I growled, anger slowly creeping into my tone.Alpha Leo had made it clear he didn’t want to hear stories and I wasn’t ready to go tell him one. “You both start talking or else, you would have wished you got torn apart by whatever it is that gave you these bruises,” I hissed at them, my chest already rising and falling in ang
LYRA'S POVThe squeaky sound of the rusty iron gate followed by approaching footsteps pulled me up from my slumber. I slowly peeled my eyes open trying to figure out where I was, but my vision was still foggy. A load of sharp pain shot throughout my body from the back of my head. I tried to massage my neck region where the pain aches more when I heard the rattling of the chain and my hand couldn’t reach it, that was when I realized I was chained. Too weak to struggle, I fell back to the floor, my hair covering my face.“Turn the nozzle on!” I faintly heard a man's order, followed by another affirming the instruction. In an instant, the power of the running water hit my head, shifting me from the spot I laid. I struggled to breathe as the water continually splashed against my face and chest, choking me with every breath I took.“Please!” I begged, throwing my arm across my face to protect my already burning eyes from the impact of the water. I tried to shout for help but almost got ch
LYRA'S POV“What the hell just happened.” I queried, turning my head to see where I was.Sitting up from the soft bed I laid on, pain throbbed at the back of my skull making me groan. “Where is it?” I muttered almost inaudibly. I felt something different about my body. It wasn't reeking with sweat and dirt anymore, it felt somehow refreshed. I looked down and my heart twisted. How…How did I get into this outfit? I pondered in my mind. The last thing I remembered was three men standing with me in my cell, I tried to escape only to be knocked out cold. “Did they? No no no,” I held my hand over my chest in embarrassment. I couldn't wait to set my eyes on them so I could smack them right in the face. “Get her! The Alpha would be in his court in no time. We don't want him to be there before us,” a deep voice came from the passage outside the room. Seconds after, the door pushed open.I could never forget his face! The guard who seized me as I tried to escape. “You perv! How dare you?” I
DON CARLITO'S POVI stood at my usual spot- The rooftop of my estate overlooking the city. It was past mid-afternoon, but today the weather wasn't harsh. It was windy, though not storm-like, but I couldn't sense it brewing, making me uncomfortable.Today seemed quiet, too damn quiet for a man like me. In my world, silence does not mean peace; it meant tension. It meant something was about to snap and I hated not being ahead of events.I viewed the city through my massive periscope, swaying it left and right, observing the street, which was the breeding site of chaos. "Any news from the head of the shadow boys?" I asked in a carefree tone, still looking through the periscope."Nothing, Sir. The last time I heard from Perez, he informed me the shipments are yet to arrive at the port," my assistant, Quavo, responded sharply. Quavo had been my eyes and ears around the city, sometimes I wonder why I hadn't given him the task of getting me the girl and the damn pendant."We are expecting
AEMOND'S POVWalking through the halls of the pack house felt different this time. I could hear the whispers of my name through every wall I walked past. No one dared to look me in the eyes. Everyone scrambles off at the sight of me.I was headed to the cell when one of the guards ran up to me, hastening his steps to meet up with my pace.“I was informed you called for me Beta Aemond!” He said, gasping for breath.Did he just address me as Beta? What insolence! I stopped abruptly, clenching my fist with a twisted face and slowly turning around with my jaw twisting.“I am going to forgive your ignorance,” I said slowly, raising my eyes to meet that of the guard. “Next time!” I continued with a slow, dragged tone. “You don't address me as Beta! I am Alpha Aemond! And you, along with everyone else, will address me as that!” I hissed.The guard trembled as he bowed his head, apologizing for the misconception. “I am sorry, Alpha Aemond!” He pleaded.I scoffed, waving it off. “I need you to
AEMOND'S POVI paced up and down what remained of the temple, my mind racing with words Valkyrie had told me in the trance. I had to get everything from that little bi**h. I never thought things would go south and now I have to go an extra length to get her. I growled in frustration, turning to Zephyr who stood motionless staring at me.“He offered me everything, Zephyr,” I muttered, sitting on the stone ledge beside the large window, staring into the dying twilight. “All, I have to do is get the damn bond broken and everything...I mean everything will be mine!" I voiced out with every sense of certainty.Zephyr shook his head in what seemed like disbelief.“You are totally out of your damn mind!” he barked, clawing his head in frustration. “No one strikes a deal with Valkyrie and walks out whole! That’s like shaking hands with the goddamn devil. You will lose everything and I mean every single thing!” he growled in a low tone, cautious not to have anyone hear him.A low growl rumbled
LYRA’S POVJake's face twisted in anger as he sprang from his seat, pointing towards Alpha Benson. Veins, lining the side of his forehead. His eyes, once filled with warmth, now brimmed with something heavier; rage, hurt, and betrayal. I could feel it roll off him like a tidal wave. Every person in that hall instinctively held their breath.Hauling Alpha Benson in what seemed like an arm drag, Jake stepped forward slowly, his voice deep and controlled, echoing through the grand hall. “Alpha Benson of the Arrakis Pack,” he began, eyes locked with Alpha Benson. “You were once considered an ally, a partner, and a friend," he growled with a low, yet steady tone. "A father figure in diplomacy. A man I once trusted to walk beside me in strength and wisdom,” he said, holding up his chin.Alpha Benson looked up from where he knelt, sweat pooling on his forehead. He didn't dare speak. Nobody dared intervene at this moment, not even me.“But instead,” Jake continued, squeezing hard on Benson's
LYRA'S POVMy sight blurred, I could feel something dripping down my nose but I barely paid attention to it. I bent down over Ella, my hands gripping her neck. She squirmed beneath me, making gurgling sounds, her hands feebly hitting my wrists. I didn't mind I had just gone through a painful evacuation process, I damned every sting of pain I felt in my body. All I sensed was the fire within my soul, the sting of betrayal seeping through my fury."LYRA! STOP!"Selene's voice struck through the thick rage in my head like a clap of thunder. My head jerked up, hair tousled around my face, nostrils widening. I turned towards the direction of the voice and noticed her sprinting towards me. Her face was drained with fear of what I might do to Ella."Stop Lyra, You're bleeding!" she yelled, pointing down.Bleeding? The words got to me. I must have stressed my healing body with magic. I noticed my body has been slow to heal likely due to the fact Aemond was wielding part of my powers and the
LYRA'S POVI watched Jake snatch the medical reports from Selene, frantically. His eyes scanned through each line and paragraph. As soon as his hands and shoulders dropped, I realized this was not a joke.“No, No!,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. "This is not true," my voice broke as I spoke. "Nothing is wrong with my child. He's healthy and fine," I stuttered, placing my hand over my stomach, hoping to protect my baby from the unbelievable news I was hearing.My vision gradually began to blur as warm fluid rushed into my eyes. I pressed down on my lip trying to stop it from rolling off my eyes but my lip trembled. I felt a string in my heart snap, as my chest constricted. The weight of Selene's announcement pressed on me, sinking me into an abyss.“Wh…What did you just say?” I asked in a low tone, my voice shaking. Somehow I hoped Selene was mistaken, maybe the scan results weren't for me.I slowly turned my attention to Jake, staring into his eyes. For the first time, n
ELLA’S POVThe sun hadn’t yet made an appearance when I exited my room, the morning chill gnawing at my skin through my cloak. I could barely see the person approaching me due to the thick morning dew. My boots lightly struck the marble floor of the corridors, each step resonating a bit more than I wanted it to. I glided like mist, sneaking by guards still on their morning duty, and past maids who wiped the sleep from their eyes and didn’t question my unusual movement this morning.I barely closed my eyes to sleep all through the night. I knew the moment Lyra woke up I would be doomed. Aemond had turned on me, I had no ally. While my mind roamed, an idea clicked in my head. Tasha, my friend from college. Maybe she could help. She owed me a favor after I helped her set up her fiance's former girlfriend so he could date her.I made my way quietly into the infirmary which was still enveloped in the silence of early morning. The scent of disinfectants filled the atmosphere, reaching my n
LYRA'S POV“Um, I think this is my cue to leave now,” Lisa chuckled nervously, making me break off from the intense lip greeting Jake and I were having. “I'd get myself hooked up with an activity around the house, probably come back to check up on you later,” she said, holding on to little Jayden who wanted to break loose from her grip and play around.“It's alright,” I nodded with a smile, biting softly on my lower lip, my face flushed with embarrassment. We both watched her step out of the room, shutting the door behind her.I heaved a deep sigh, shifting my attention back to Jake who never took his enchanting gray eyes off of my face. The deafening silence stretched for about a minute before we broke it off.“So, tell me…,” we both chorused in unison. One would think it was a rehearsed moment. “You go ahead,” I said to him. My voice was barely above a whisper with my face growing warm as I smiled softly, shifting my gaze away from his face.“I know you have a ton of questions to a
LYRA'S POVI jerked up from the bed, the heart monitors beeping faster than normal. There was chaos at the instant. Voices and chatter of people sounded muffled. My eyeballs rolled behind my head and out.“Charge! Apply pressure!” I heard a voice yell in the background, followed by a charge sent through my chest.I jerked up a couple of times before I felt calm in my body. Everything returned back to normal.“Lyra? Lyra, can you hear me?” A familiar voice rang in my ear. I groaned, slowly opened my eyes, squinting until everything shifted into focus. Turning to the right, a weak, yet soft smile curved on my lip.“Selene?” I called out faintly, heaving, weak, and slow breathing. “What happened?” I asked faintly.“You were having a heart attack. You almost drew mine into an episode too,” she teased with a smile. “Jake would have had my head on a spike.” I frowned at the mention of his name. “How did I get here? How did you find me? I made sure not to inform anyone where or how to find