LeviI tighten my hands around Lauren’s throat, feeling it pulse under my touch. There’s the level of satisfaction to that that I can’t explain.It's dark and it's something that I don't even want to acknowledge, but I would be lying if I say that it doesn't feel good.As I watch her eyes grow bigger with alarm, I feel more and more determined to end it this way. With her right under my hands, trying to fight off the force of my strength around her neck.I hate her, I realize as I try my best to finish her off and get this over with forever. She might just be an accomplice to her shitty brother, but she knows what she's doing.And if tonight is proof, I would say that she's not as innocent as she pretends to be. She's perfectly capable of making choices that would fuck other people up even more. She knows what she's doing.I still want to know so many things, like how she got to copy the scent of Arya and why she needed it anyway, when I can just tell completely that she's not my mate
Arya“You look wonderful, my dear.”Dad’s sudden compliment as he meets my gaze through my reflection in the mirror makes me smile. My hair is up in elaborate braids, and my makeup is done immaculately, even though I have to say that it’s my first time doing it.Happiness is radiating off me, and my blue eyes are sparkling with joy.He was right. I do look perfect.And why would I not be? Tonight is my eighteenth birthday party. Everyone outside our house are already setting up outside. My excitement is through the roof, especially when I remember what was promised to me.Tonight, my boyfriend Levi, the Alpha heir of the Shadow Moon Pack, will claim me as his Luna.“Are you ready now?” Dad asks, sitting next to me and watching me.“Not yet,” I tell him gently, and as if on cue, Mom comes in with my shoes. I put it on excitedly, facing them. “So what do you think?”Dad gets up to survey me, standing next to my Mom. Tears both brim their eyes, but I can see nothing but pride in their ga
LeviIt was the right thing to do, rejecting Arya. But why does it feel like I made a huge mistake?I begin to second-guess myself the moment I step out of her room. A part of me wants to go back and apologize more, but a bigger part of me is relieved that the job is done. I’ve been dreading this night since I found out, but I can’t have it hovering above me any longer, so I just walk back to our palace.“Master Levi,” our maids greet as I enter the doors, and I really wish they didn’t do that because that alerts my dad.My dad. The great Alpha Mathias.“Levi,” he calls out to me, appearing at the hallway. He’s also in his suit but his hair looks undone yet. The scar on his left eyebrow is shining under the light. “Where have you been? I was looking for you.”“What for?” I ask. “I was just out to check how the birthday party is being set.”He and I always had a strained relationship. He wants a strong heir, and a strong Luna to come with it. That is exactly why I had to break it off w
LeviNo. This can't be.I blink a couple of times to make sure I'm seeing the fabric correctly. My pulse is racing so fast that I have to pant just to catch my breath. I want to reach down and take the strip of fabric, but it's too far down.Which only means one thing.Arya jumped off this cliff.My hands start to shake. I fall to my knees, the pain in my chest too much to bear.This is all my fault. She jumped because I didn't take it easy. Because I didn't bother to explain. I just told her what I thought she needed to hear, with no regard to her feelings. Even though she's been my friend for the longest time. Even though she's my mate.But maybe I'm mistaken. Maybe she's still here somewhere and my human form isn't doing its best in tracking her scent.I step away from the cliff and take a deep breath, channeling my wolf, Thunder. Slowly, he takes over, transforming my body into a majestic black wolf with golden eyes.We can track scents better as wolves, and we have the ability to
Arya“So she’s finally back?”“I guess so. The Lycan King says it’s her, and who are we to question him?”“She does look like the girl in the pictures. . . .”The voices of the two women talking pierce my consciousness. I can’t recognize the voices and I know I should be in a state of panic right now, but my body is too weak to respond. I relax and try to allow myself to fall back asleep, but then I remember the man who called me his daughter.I lie there, trying to remember something beyond that. Where I was from, how I ended up here. But I got nothing. Blank. My mind is empty.Panic floods my chest. I try to open my eyes, but they feel glued together. I want to sit up and move, but I can only feel the soft mattress under my body. I feel paralyzed. Helpless. I struggle to get out of this haze, but then I feel two pairs of hands on my shoulders.I shudder awake, gasping for air and grasping my chest.The first thing I see is white. All white. The walls, the sheets, the floor. . . .Ev
AryaMy heart flutters are Queen Helena’s kind words and the softness in her eyes. Right then I’m starting to believe that this woman is indeed my true mother, but the reality turns me away once again.“But Queen Helena,” I begin, but she waves me off.“Call me mom,” she says.I swallow hard. I don’t think I have it in me to call her that just yet. “You have to know something.” I look up at the King too. “I remember that I’m a wolf. A weak wolf. That’s the only thing I can recall about myself, so that must mean that that has big significance to who I am. Therefore, I can’t be your daughter.”He smiles. “You don’t know what you’re capable of, Arya. But you will find out soon.”I try to be enthusiastic about that, but I only feel bad for them. They really have no clue. “You’re mistaken. I don’t have capabilities.”“Oh, dearest,” Queen Helena whispers, touching my face again. “You are not a weak werewolf. You see, we Lycans have different abilities. I can tell that your Lycan is just the
Levi“I will try to find Arya,” I tell Alpha Mathias. “No need to halt my coronation. I will find her.”This is exactly what I have feared, my father delaying passing on the title to me because of certain issues. That’s why I had to tell Arya what I knew. But it really seems that everything is just backfiring. By rejecting her, I condemned us both to a fate where we don’t get what we want.“You better get on to finding her, then,” he says sternly.I nod, and then I peek down the cliff. The currents are high, and the rush of the waters could be heard from above.Behind me, Arya’s brother Daniel says, “We should get down and see if her body . . . if she’s still there.”“Let’s go,” I say, but the mention of ‘her body’ sends chills down my spine. “This way.”With Daniel and our friend Theo, we scale the flatter side of the cliff to get to the shore of the river. The currents are almost deafening, and we find ourselves getting sprayed by the crash of the water.Still, we keep our eyes peel
AryaKing Samuel and Queen Helena look at each other as though they can’t quite believe what I just said, but I meant it. I want to train with them as soon as possible.“When can I start?” I ask eagerly. “Can I start tomorrow?”“Well, not yet.” King Samuel put his hand on my shoulder. “You need to heal first. I know you feel good now, but you need to be in peak condition when you fight with them.”He gestures at the warriors, who are still sparring with each other, but now with weapons. They’re moving so seamlessly and gracefully, but I can hear the weapons making strong impacts. Those elegant-looking moves are strong.I want so bad to be like them.I want to show everyone that I’m not some kind of weakling, like the people in my dreams tell me.But I look at the Queen and see her disapproving face. “Why don’t you come and meditate with me first?”* * *A few days pass, and things in the palace are going pretty well. I’m not allowed to roam on my own, and it’s because the King and Qu