Zedex POV Strangely, my heart missed a beat as I snapped my neck, turning around. I felt a hard string pulled deep down my soul when I couldn't catch a glimpse of her. I haven't paid much attention to her, ever since we left Vermilion Pack. All through the ride, Grandpa and Mogan’s words kept clashing through my mind constantly, as I tried as hard to suppress them, not let them get to me. Unexpectedly, "Camila." Her name rolled out of my lips, as my eyes widened in terror, darting back and forth in search of her. My heart began beating rapidly, my breath almost choking me. I hastily turned around and began walking back, amidst the guards. "Where is she?" My voice came out in a low groan. Instantly, Piro knelt to the ground, bowing. "She-she mistakenly slipped off the cliff and fell." He sputtered, avoiding my gaze. His words were like a dagger stabbing my heart, as my chest tightened. Zov, my wolf, let out a roar deep within, and my eyes flickered colors - amber, gold, an
Zedex POV They all stood up and walked behind me. However, Mogan hastened up and caught up with me as we walked side to side deep into Full Mountain Pack. Mogan was silent but kept stealing glances at me, trying so hard to suppress what he had in mind to say. I tilted my head at him, “Speak.” I muttered, increasing my walking pace. Everything was already getting dark, and we needed to get to the heart of the Pack before night fell. There was no sign of birds chirping or the Owls who-whooping on trees. However, it wasn't surprising since the Pack was more careful and well-organized because of the wolf hunter. And about birds and other bush animals, this pack wasn't even a conductive habitat for them because of the Miasma hovering around, which was likewise harmful to their health. “No doubt, Piro was the one that pushed Camila off the cliff, however—“ “You finally joined the missing pieces, goddess right?” I glanced at him and asked. No wonder, I got no reaction from him whe
Zedex My lips curved into a soft smirk, as I scoffed loudly, rolling my eyes. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the rage bubbling within me, as I seethed, almost regretting why I had come to Full Mountain Pack myself. I could have asked Mogan to handle the transfer, hence Max wouldn't have had this chance to provoke me. However, I shoved it off, like always. As long as he doesn’t involve my Grandpa, I’m cool. Ever since he had left Vermilion Pack after he rebelled, I hadn't seen or heard from him. But who cared? He was no longer my brother because he ceased to be the moment he plotted against me and the Pack. Right now, I only saw him as my enemy, because he was also a friend to Troy, which made them both my enemies. All the Alphas present had their jaws dropped in shock, while the guests' faces flushed, as the tension in the room charged. "I can't believe brothers can hold such hostility towards each other." "The courage Max has to challenge his brother needs to be s
Zedex POV “Hayaah…” I exhaled softly and tapped on the tip of the cup, requesting more tea. Mogan stared at me, hesitating again, pleading with his eyes for me not to take any more tea. I nodded, smiling, staring at the guests' faces, which looked like their eyes would pop out from their sockets. "Mogan, more tea," I voiced out, urging him with my eyes to do as he was told. "Alpha, please don't hurt yourself by taking the poisoned tea," Sally and the rest of my guards pleaded behind me. Mogan sighed as his shoulders dropped; however, this time, he bent the kettle sideways, like the first time, and filled my small cup again. I picked it up and gulped it down again. The Alphas couldn't believe their eyes, like what was unfolding in front of them. Their once shocked expression was now replaced with confusion as they stared at each other. Troy quickly regained his composure, as he seethed, "Alpha Zedex! Are we a joke to you? How dare you accuse my Pack of poisoning your tea?" h
Zedex "Three... I—" I couldn't finish what I had to say, suddenly Emery and Madison slumped to the ground. They let out a raspy, guttural sound, as they clung to their chests, with blood gushing from their mouths and noses. 'Even the cake was poisoned?' My gaze was fixed on Madison, as he was already struggling to breathe, his chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. My gaze averted to the variety of food on my table. 'That means everything here was poisoned.' Troy rushed to Elder Emery and held him in his arms while screaming his name. "Elder Emery! You can't just die... hold on, I will get the pack physician this minute." His voice was breaking down, as a few drops of tears flipped out of his eyes. Elder Emery shook his head, struggling to say a word; however, he uttered a harsh, hacking sound, coughing out more blood. "Guards! Bring in the Pack Physician this instant!" His voice raged out in fear and desperation. It was said that Elder Emery was the beta of Troy's fa
Alpha Zedex Mogan turned and glanced at me. I nodded at him as approval to go on and speak up. He turned around and faced the hall members, whose gaze was fixed on him with rapid attention. He grasped his hands behind his back and walked back and forth in front of my table. "The moment we stepped into this hall... we found everything odd but chose to ignore and watch how things unfold," Mogan began, while staring at everyone's face as he spoke. Alpha Alphine strode closer to Mogan. "It was quite impressive to know how wary you were." He chimed in, while the other members nodded in support, except for the Full Mountain Pack members, who were feeling sobered. Mogan flashed them a dry smile before he continued. "We all know that Nameless has only two colors in the world: white and grey... and the white kills faster, which was the one added in the cupcakes." He turned to face me. "My Alpha's tea wasn't poisoned." He dropped a bombshell, as he stared into my eyes. "What?!" The
Camila I felt a rough, strong hand resting on my wrist, and like a flash, I sprang up to my feet and stumbled backward until my back hit against a gigantic tree behind me. My eyes fluttered open and the darkness of the night enveloped me. I narrowed my eyes to adjust, as the thick smoke wavered in the air like a living creature. For a few seconds, I thought I’d reunited with Miss Abigail and Sis in the Afterlife-–but the throbbing pain I was feeling in my head made me see otherwise. I instinctively raised my hand to my head, and a painful moan escaped my lips as a sharp pain shot through my whole body. I removed my hand to see it was sticky with blood and I took a deep breath to shake off the dizziness while ignoring the dull ache in my arms, and knees. After a while, I tried to recall how I got here. ‘I felt a hand push me down the mountain… who could that be?’ My mind reeled, thinking who would be my potential suspect, instantly it clicked in my mind… “Piro! Yes, it was Piro.” I
Camila I grasped my voice, barely above a whisper. “I…can’t breathe. The Miasma is cho…..” I trailed off, pretending that my chest was heaving as I struggled to speak. Without hesitation, he opened the bag hanging loosely on his neck and began searching thoroughly, and soon he brought out something molded like a ball in a black form. He used his hands and forced my mouth open inserted the black molded ball into my mouth and shut it. “Don't talk, chew on it slowly.” He instructed and quickly helped me raise my upper body. I sat down on the floor and chewed on the molded ball softly like he said. It tasted salty and bitter. I almost regretted why I had to lie, hence, could’ve escaped these, however, this was the only way to prevent further trouble, so I had to endure the bitterness. He leaned closer and examined my head, “Your head is bleeding, let me stop it for you” He muttered and reached out to his bag again and brought out an anointment. He slowly applied it for me while I
Camila The moment Dixie and Bianca left the room and closed the door behind them, Madam Gabby leaned closer and began examining my body. My jaw dropped in awe, and I wondered why she was doing so. “You aren’t feeling any pain, are you?” she asked, concern lingering in her voice. Tears clouded her eyes as she held my hands, smoothing them gently. Her personality and reactions were exactly like Miss Abigail’s when she was still alive. Just like a mother, she had always looked out for me, wanted me to be safe, and dreaded the thought of me getting hurt. I shook my head. “I’m fine. Your secret weapons were helpful,” I muttered, flashing her a smile. She tried to smile back, but her clouded eyes blinked away tears. I leaned forward and wiped them with the back of my hands. “I’m glad they did,” Madam Gabby said, her shoulders dropping in relief. “I’m also relieved that Alpha Zedex paid them back in their own coin,” she added, smiling. I smiled back. After a silent moment betwe
Camila POVI’d known Lan hated me from the moment he first saw me in the icy dungeons. He despised how I fearlessly talked back to him, how I stood my ground against him—but wanting me dead? Nah. That was something I wouldn’t bet on—though maybe it just hadn’t crossed my mind yet. But come to think of it, now I see why there was so much disdain and hate in Piro’s eyes. The words that came out of his mouth, down to the venom in his glare and dreadful threats—now it’s all coming together in one piece. Bianca shook her head. “So sad that he always pretends to be so naive and clueless in front of the Alpha. Trust me, the Alpha would be disheartened to learn that Lan turned out worse than his brother.” Dixie nodded. “I knew Lan was up to something when he chose his half-brother over his blood brother. Deadlier than a snake—now I wish Alpha Zedex had known this sooner to avoid future trouble,” she voiced in concern. Bianca hastily held my hand. “From now on, you need to stay away fr
Camila “Trust me, Mogan,” I whispered, pulling away from him to sit on the edge of the bed. His gaze burned into my back as I walked, heavy and unyielding. When I lifted my eyes to meet his, he released a heavy sigh of relief, as though my closeness had been suffocating him all along. Mogan’s stare snapped toward me. Even in the dim light, I could see the doubt flickering behind his hardened expression—how he blinked rapidly, his eyes darting to the walls, the floor, anywhere but me. Convincing him would be difficult, I knew. But I couldn’t force him. If I pushed too hard, he’d only grow more wary, suspecting some hidden scheme. Yet, deep down, I clung to one certainty, he didn’t hate me. Since my arrival in this strange, shadowed world, he’d saved me countless times. Even when I feared he’d betray me for asking Madam Gabby about Zedex’s past, he’d stayed silent. That small mercy had spared me harsher punishments. “I’ll give you time to think, Mogan,” I said softly, climbing o
CAMILA POVIn a flash, he closed the distance between us. His palm struck my chin like lightning, pain jolting through me like electricity. My hand flew to my face as tears spilled over. He gripped my jaw, forcing me to meet his burning gaze. A shiver raced down my spine. The fury in his eyes made me wish the ground would swallow me whole. ‘I should’ve stayed silent. Let him walk away.’ “Trust?” Zedex’s voice dripped venom as his fingers dug into my flesh. Blood trickled down my neck. “Who the fuck are you to speak of trust? You stole from me. Gave my ring to the enemy.” He snarled like a feral beast, then drove his fist into my stomach. I crumpled to the floor, waist slamming against the wooden table. A sharp cry tore from my throat. “Ugh!” I lifted tear-blurred eyes to him. He scoffed, “I'd rather trust a snake than a human. He stalked toward me, a predator circling prey. “You want to flee, don’t you?” he whispered before erupting into manic laughter. “N-no—” I shook my hea
Camila POV My eyelashes fluttered open as my gaze landed on the ceiling. The faint scent of Zedex’s sandalwood cologne lingered in the air, grounding me in his space. It was familiar, and I slowly raised my upper body to sit upright on the bed. My eyes wandered around the room, and I instantly recognized Zedex’s chambers. I stretched my arms and twisted slightly, surprised to feel no pain in my body or joints—not even a headache. The usual ache in my ribs from past beatings was gone, replaced by an unnatural vigor. I felt renewed and strong as if energized from within. ‘When did we return to the Vermillion Pack?’ My thoughts raced, scrambling to recall what had happened. In a flash, memories flooded my mind: Max and Troy harassing me, Zedex intervening by severing their hands. Their snarls echoed in my skull, followed by the metallic tang of blood. My face fell with sadness. The rivalry between the brothers showed no sign of ending, and it pained me to know it was all because o
Alpha Zedex.I turned around and walked further into my room, sitting at my dining table. I then untied my mask from my face, showing my scar, before pouring myself a cup of tea. After some time, Mogan didn’t hear a word from me, which made him lift his head. At that moment, I turned and our eyes met. I waved my hand, inviting him to come closer. “Come, sit,” I said softly, sipping my tea. The warmth of the drink going down my throat couldn’t compare to the sorrow in my heart. Mogan stood up and walked over to me, sitting across from where I sat. I picked up the small kettle and poured tea into both of our cups. “Zedex…” he hesitated, studying my face as I looked at him calmly. He expected me to be upset for him using my name, but my steady gaze encouraged him to continue. “I know Grandpa took it out on you,” he said quietly, understanding my pain. I would say Mogan is the only one who truly gets me. He sees right through my attempts to hide my feelings. He has witnessed me at my
Alpha Zedex.The intense pain on my bare chin made me look at him, feeling as if I had been punched in the stomach. The hurt glimmered in my eyes, making them shiny with tears. The shock and pain from Grandpa’s slap crashed over me like a wave, and my mouth fell open because I couldn’t understand why he was defending Max, even though he had planned to hurt me. “Grandpa!” I shouted, my voice trembling. The anger and frustration I held back spilled out like a dam breaking. Tears welled in my eyes, and I felt my face flush with rage. I balled my hands into fists to keep my emotions in check. “Enough, Zedex!” he responded, his eyes filled with disappointment and sadness as he looked into mine. “Why did you hurt your brother?” His expression suddenly softened, and he began to cry. “Hmph!” I scoffed, unable to stop a hurtful laugh from escaping as I stood up from the floor. I wasn't surprised by what he said; it was always the first question he asked whenever Max and I fought. But what
Alpha Zedex Lan kept a steady smile on his face, but his clenched fist revealed his inner turmoil. The sadness in his eyes was unmistakable, though he did his best to hide his sorrow. “Just tell me, did you see Max? How is he?” Lan pressed again, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. No matter what had transpired, as I mentioned earlier, family ties run deep, but betrayal leaves wounds that no relationship can mend. I turned to Grandpa, who stepped closer, his intense gaze fixed on me. I could tell he was anxious—eager for any news about his grandson. There was no escaping this moment; it would come out eventually. Mogan noticed the tension between us and moved forward. The sound of his boots echoed in the quiet hall as he clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace slowly, drawing everyone’s attention. “The Full Mountain Pack deceived us,” he declared loudly. “It was all a lie. There was no human attack. There were no killings. Alpha Troy and Max lured our Alpha there t
Alpha ZedexAmore pulled his finger away from her pulse and let out a sharp breath, rubbing his temple. "If I'm right, I've only heard of one bloodline like this—the—" "I forbid you, Amore," I interrupted, my eyes darkening. This was a forbidden topic because the name was a curse. It was part of old horror stories that scare pops and young wolves. The Oswaldo Howlers had vanished long before my father was born; they were eliminated during the blood purge due to their terrifying abilities. They were the most powerful with the strongest gifts, which made them seen as evil. If Camila had even a trace of their cursed bloodline… “Give her more poison.” My voice was dangerously calm as I moved closer to get a better look. Amore was taken aback by my command, his body tensing. “B-but Alpha, the poison didn’t—” “Then use silver.” I interrupted sharply. At this point, I needed proof, and I was willing to go to any lengths. Amore’s fingers trembled slightly as he took a deep breath. “Alph