LOGINNICHOLAS POV:I stepped inside and stopped walking for a second. The inside of the mansion was something else entirely. The ceilings were high, dark wood, everything was clean and expensive. The place looked like it had been built around one person's taste.Draven walked ahead of me to a cabinet against the far wall and poured into a glass and I walked over and stretched my hand out to collect it.He walked right past me like my hand wasn't there. He moved to the other side of the room and pulled his ring off his finger and set it inside a small drawer and pushed it shut. Then he turned back and took a slow sip from the glass himself.I looked at my own empty hand for a second then walked to the cabinet and poured myself a drink."Did he put up a fight?" Draven asked.I looked at him. "Who?""Paul," he said.I smirked. "He couldn't," I said. "Morveth didn't give him that chance."Draven stopped and looked at me."So that jerk finally found someone dumb enough to fall for his trap," he
IRIS POV:We had been driving for a long time when the border checkpoint came into view ahead. Two men were standing at the gate and as we slowed down they both moved toward the car. One of them leaned down toward the window and then stopped.He straightened up immediately and saluted."Sir," he said. "I didn't expect you to be moving through here by road.""I'm keeping it quiet," Aurelian said."Of course," the man said. He stood there for a second like he wanted to say something else. "Actually, funny enough, you're not the first one we've said that to today."Aurelian looked at him. "What do you mean?""The Alpha of the Dark Moon Pack," the man said. "He passed through this same checkpoint earlier. Said the same thing, keeping a low profile." He almost smiled. "I don't know what it is about this road today."Aurelian went very still beside me."He passed through here," he said."Yes sir," the man said. "About four hours ago. Had a woman with him in the front seat."Aurelian nodded
NICHOLAS POV:"How will he know?"'He may feel it,' Morveth said. 'After all, I was once in him before the curse was passed to Aurelian.'"Hmm."We'd been driving for hours when at last the borders came into view.The border checkpoint was quiet when we pulled up. Two men were standing at the gate and the moment one of them leaned down to the window his eyes moved to my face. And the moment he saw my face, recognition hit his face. He straightened up slightly."Alpha Nicholas," he said. "We weren't expecting you through here. Shouldn't you be on a private flight?""I'm keeping a low profile," I said.He looked at the car for a second then nodded and stepped back. The gate opened and I drove through.'Ask for the Draven mansion,' Morveth whispered inside my head."I'll find it," I said quietly.'Don't waste time, Nicholas. Aurelian is already on our trail, we have to get there fast. Draven is the final meal.'I kept driving.We moved deeper into the territory and the roads got busier a
SERAH POV:I was standing at the window when the car pulled in. I almost didn't believe it at first. I leaned closer to the glass and watched the door open and when I saw who stepped out my heart jumped into my throat."Stephen."I turned and ran. I took the stairs immediately, gripping the railing on the turn, and when I hit the bottom he was already pushing through the front door and I didn't slow down at all. I ran straight into him and wrapped my arms around him and held on."You're back," I said into his chest.He laughed and his arms came around me tight."I'm back," he said.I pulled back and looked at his face and then I hit his arm."You kept me waiting," I said."I know," he said, smiling."Don't do that again," I said."Okay," he said.Then he kissed me and I stopped talking.He pulled back slightly and looked at me and then without warning he bent down and picked me up and I grabbed his shoulders as he started walking toward the stairs."Stephen," I laughed.He didn't answ
IRIS POV:The gates were already open when we pulled in. Men dressed in black were standing around the entrance of the mansion and my eyes moved past them toward the grounds and I stopped walking."What the hell," I said.Bodies were everywhere. But they weren't fresh bodies and that was the thing that made my stomach drop. They were dried. Every single one of them lying on the ground looked like they had been dead for a hundred years, their skin pulled tight over their bones, their faces sunken, their clothes were still fresh but the people inside them completely hollow.I looked at Aurelian. His jaw was tight and he kept walking forward.We moved closer and the men in black were gathered around one spot near the entrance steps where a man was sitting on the ground wrapped in a blanket, shaking so hard it was visible from a distance.One of the men in black stepped toward Aurelian."He was left alive on purpose," he said quietly. "The killer spared him to pass a message to you."Aure
IRIS POV:It's been over two days since the death of the Lycan lady and Aurelian has been in anguish.He's refused to eat anything ever since.“But why not talk to him?” Rowe suggested, looking uncertain.“He's been quiet since we left the mountain, I mean what more can I tell him?”“At least you tried,” Serah said softly.I stood up from the couch, walking towards the stairs.Standing behind the door, I placed my palm on it before moving to the handle slowly.But suddenly, the sound of a ringing phone came from behind the door.I pressed my ear against the door, trying to hear.“Yes, it's me,” Aurelian's voice came from behind the door, filled with grief.I tried to hear what the person on the phone was saying but the voice wasn't audible.Suddenly, Aurelian’s voice thundered from behind the door.“What the fuck do you mean by that?!” he shouted.Then a loud crash followed instantly, like something had been hurled violently across the room. The sound of glass shattering against the w
IRIS POV:I didn’t get to answer.Aurelian’s mouth was on mine before the last word left his lips, no hesitation. His hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me into him as he walked me backward through the quiet corridor. My spine hit the cool marble edge of the wide sink counter, the white porc
IRIS POV:My mother was dressed neatly, bag on her arm, her good shoes on.She looked at me properly, then crossed the room and kissed me once on the cheek."Hold your head up in there," she said quietly.Then she picked up her keys and walked out the door, and I heard her car start and pull away f
IRIS POV:We were still upstairs going through my wardrobe when I heard the front door open downstairs.My mother's voice called out from the hallway."Iris? Sarah's car is outside, are you both home?""Upstairs, Mum," I called back.Her footsteps came up the stairs, and she appeared at the bedroom
IRIS POV:I walked down the porch steps slowly.Fiona watched me come toward her with an expression I recognized because I had seen it in my own mirror. My face. But the way she was wearing it was nothing like me.She looked almost amused."What is this?" she said.I stopped a few feet from her.Sh







