Aeron Leaving Jasmine was very hard. I wished the trip to Woodland could have waited till morning, but it seemed pretty urgent. If, indeed, people from Pictoria had washed up on the shore, then we had a cause for alarm. Jasmine had held her tears and tried to seem as if she was okay with my trip. My hope was to return as soon as possible. I had never felt so light and wanted in my entire life. Throughout my day with Jasmine, memories of my haunted past did not flood my mind. I was free and alive. A feeling I would always crave. It was as if her presence quieted the noise. As I walked away from her room, I knew we had opened a new chapter. The fear of disproval from her folks and mine gnawed at me, but I had tried long enough and resisted her long enough, but not anymore. She was meant for me, and I had tried to fight it, but who was I kidding? It was always going to come to this. It was best I embraced it now. "Told you you wouldn't win," Razor growled in my head, satisfied by
Aeron There was a silence in the room. Laila stared at me as if she had seen a ghost. Monsoor, her brother, kept his eyes on me. They had dark circles around their eye. They looked malnourished. I could not tell if it was their time at sea that had caused it or if it was the way they grew up in Pictoria, but something was wrong with their health. Laila was crying. "You said you would come back for us," She said, weeping. I didn't want to remember those days, but her tears were forcing me down memory lane. The pain, the trauma, the promises. We promised each other many things back then, but who was I to keep them? I was just seven years old. "Laila, behave," Monsoor warned her sternly, and she wiped away her tears and composed herself, but the sadness in her eyes remained. "How did you find your way here?" I asked them, trying to feel for a lie. Moonsoor widened his eyes. "An alpha?" He said, recognising my command, and I nodded. Being an Alpha in Pictoria was a big deal. T
Jasmine.Returning to sleep was difficult after that vivid dream, so I opted to wash the stench of smoke from my skin. The dream lingered in the recesses of my mind, refusing to fade like a haunting melody. I stumbled to the bathroom, half-awake and disoriented, the remnants of the dream casting a surreal haze over my reality.The water felt refreshing as it cascaded over me, a feeble attempt to wash away not only the physical residue of smoke but also the unsettling images that clung to my thoughts. I didn't know if it would be wise to discuss this with anyone or keep it to myself. The dream was a vivid tapestry woven with emotions and details that felt too personal, too intimate to share.As the water swirled down the drain, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Dark circles clung beneath my eyes, testament to the restless night and the disquieting dreams that had plagued my sleep. I had experienced vivid dreams time and time again, but this was the first instance where I would wa
JasmineJulia and I decided to divert our plans and pay the girls a visit instead. The mere thought of encountering Trevor left a bitter taste in my mouth. While I had initially consented, it was solely for a make-out session with him, not his friend. My frustration with Aeron fueled my decision to distance myself, to move on from the complicated emotions that lingered between us.Reflecting on my actions, I could now see how they might be perceived as foolish. In that moment, it had felt like a desperate attempt to escape the clutches of Aeron's influence. However, I was grateful for my failure because, deep down, I knew that even if Trevor had been sincere, I wouldn't have been able to reciprocate genuine feelings.As we strolled toward the cells, Julia glanced at me, a knowing expression in her eyes."I can understand why you'll pass on Trevor. I would do the same, really. Just so you know, Aeron took care of him and his friends quite thoroughly," she shared with a mischievous grin,
JasmineI could not believe that my brother and parents were home. It was surreal. Breaking away from my father's embrace, I hugged my mother. She looked a bit pale, but I knew she was okay. Staying long in the sun-deprived kingdom of Snow could do that to you. Hopefully, she will get some sunlight and tan now that she is back."You look very happy, Jasmine," my mother said, touching my cheeks. We moved towards the staircase and ascended."Where is Ivory?" My father asked."At grandma and grandpa's house. I was going to check on her," I said."Aeron?" Mathias said, looking at me."On assignment in Woodland. He and Qusack left yesterday. Khalid and Yusuf joined them today. No one told me what was happening," I said, and there was a silence. It seemed my father already knew what was happening. Of course, he would know. I am sure Qusack called him in Snow. Maybe that is why they returned early.The atmosphere in the house was a mix of joy and unspoken tension. The warmth of my family's pr
Aeron The call to Jasmine put me at ease. I was apprehensive when I realised that I would have to linger in Woodland; hearing her voice over the phone had chased away all the fog my past had brought to my life. I still couldn't shake the uneasiness I felt about Monsoor and Laila, but only time would tell.Qusack entered the living room and sat opposite me. We were still waiting for my father and uncle to arrive. The moment they come, I would excuse myself. I didn't mind driving through the night to get back to Riverhead. Somehow, I felt my date with Jasmine was interrupted, and waking up beside her was something I was looking forward to. Qusack sighed and looked at me."Miss the princess?" he asked me, and I looked at him, making sure I had no expression on my face."Nikolas and Mathias are on their way back to Forest," he said, and I didn't know why that was news."I see it doesn't bother you. Anyway, once your father and Uncle arrive, you can return to Riverhead tomorrow. I hate to
~Jasmine~ Frozen was the best word to describe my state after my parents had dropped the bomb on me. An arranged marriage? "Jasmine?" I heard my mother say, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked at her and tried to smile, but I couldn't. "I see you are spooked," She said, making a smart observation. This is one time I wasn't ashamed of showing my emotions. "Little one," My father said, and I looked at him too. He looked a bit worried. He better be. They had somehow turned what was supposed to be a happy homecoming into a nightmare. "When did you two come up with this arrangement?" I asked. I needed to know. "Well, we went to check on Mathias's progress in Peakland, and Natasha and I got discussing," My mother said with a smile. "And you decided pairing me with Cyprian would be fun," I said with a curt tone, and she froze. "Jasmine," My father said with a warning tone. "No, Father, I have to say something. Did anyone tell you who to marry? Don't you trust me to make a decis
Jasmine The mark on my upper arm made me afraid to fall asleep. Ivory joined me in my bed, and she was silent, too. She had done something that I didn't know she was capable of. She had created a venue in my mind and used it to calm me enough to pull me out of my dream. This was beyond knowing people's feelings and seeing their thoughts. What was happening to my sister, and what was happening to me? The fact that I did not know who I could discuss this with troubled my soul. "Maybe Aeron would have an idea," Xia said, just as clueless as I was. I doubted Aeron could help me, but I would need to share with someone before I go crazy. I wondered if Mathias was experiencing the same thing or if it was just me. Ivory and I stayed up until it was dawn. We prepared for the morning, and when it was seven-thirty, we headed to the private dining room to have breakfast with our parents. Aunty Ania and Lisa were there with our mother. Our father wasn't there. Our mother said he was attendin