Mag-log in~Valeria~Lysander had been quiet. Which should've been my first clue.While the vines were concentrated on the other three, while the stronghold was busy making its ultimatum, Lysander had been slowly moving to the side of the platform. Watching the way they moved, the pattern of them, where they were paying attention.He looked at me once. The one that meant I know what I'm doin
~Valeria~We were literally standing right in front of it. My mom's badge. The last piece of everything. And instead of, I don't know, having a plan, the four of them had turned into this."I should grab it," Alerion spoke up. "My Alpha power can suppress the vines long enough to pull it clean.""You’ll be humbled by this place in just a matter of seconds." Zane laughed. Not
~Valeria~Lysander moved first. Spun around the corner fast, dagger raised, and I saw the exact moment he recognized who it was because his arm was already swinging and he had to throw his whole body sideways to stop it.Zane.Limping, Caius's arm around his waist, both of them frozen in the doorway staring at the dagger that had stopped about four inches from Zane's face.
~Valeria~The stronghold was exactly as described, the entrance warning us to head back. Right above it there were these old carved words in some ancient language.We all stopped. Alerion pointed up. “Caius, what does that shit say?”
~Valeria~I couldn’t take it. “Stop! All of you! I don’t know who to trust anymore.”I glared at Dad. “You brush off everything like it’s nothing. Caius shows proof and you accuse him of working with Cassian? What the hell?”Then I looked at the guys. “And you, jumping to call him an incompetent? He’s my dad.”“And as for you, dad. So now you’re sending me on a suicide mission? Do you even love me at all? Mom hid this thing knowing it could kill me, and you’re standing here telling me I have to go?”“Why wasn’t you man enough to tell your people about your affair with the maid, my mom? Does that mean I’m illegitimate? That’s why the council members and everybody else keeps accusing my bloodline of being a fraud, and you just stayed quietly without telling me anything? You let them call me fake while you sat back and did nothing!”“I don’t even care about your explanations anymore because you are probably going to lie. So fuck this. I quit. I’m done with all of you.”I turned and storm
~Valeria~I was already on the couch with my legs up, heating pad stuck to my shoulder, scrolling through random reels to distract myself from the dull ache. I didn’t even look up. Alerion was already moving toward the door before the chime finished.I heard the low voices outside. Dad’s voice first, then Alerion second. “No. She’s not in the mood to see y
~Valeria~My bullies back at school had to remind me what a typical day in school felt like for me. The second I saw them waiting at my usual spot, I knew danger was dancing at a corner.But I chose to act blind. Maybe, they were out for someone else.Amanda was sitting on the bonnet of her car, s
~Lysander~The last person I expected to find bleeding outside our pack house was her. Yet, there she was, groaning in pain, half-conscious, blood spilling across her face. And the next thing I knew, I was out for blood too.I dropped to my knees, hands shaking like I’d just seen a ghost. “Vale
~Caius~Seeing Lysander standing up for Valeria should’ve made me proud. Happy, even. He was my youngest brother. A good kid, despite the drama that couldn’t seem to stay away. But instead of pride, I felt my inside burning. Like I was watching something that wasn’t mine get taken.Something I’d b
~Valeria~You ever feel like the goddess is just waiting for the perfect moment to ruin your day?Yeah. That was exactly what happened the second we spotted the finish line.We were so close, closer than I ever thought we could be.I knew Zane and Lysander were also dreaming of the moment they woul







