Prologue

I stand in front of the room we used to meet up in. The cool shade of blue that made it different from the other doors in this hotel. How odd that I never asked him why he painted this door blue when it stands out more by doing so.

The knob touches flat cold on my palm as I twist to enter. I sniff the rustic smell as it settles in my nostrils. It is a little fainter than the first time I went here.

"Are you sure you're leaving?"

"Do I have a choice?" Her red eyes sparkle as they stare at me with agony. I know she will be the one who will take the crowd when they start questioning my absence.

She's my closest cousin, after all.

But I appreciate that she did not stop me when I told her my plans. I needed this. I needed to escape from this hell if I wanted to save myself from the hell hole that night brought me.

Louise holds my hand and rubs it on her cheek. "Did he really not listen to you? How could he—"

"It was a mistake from the start, Louise," I smiled at her. It is true. 

I should have never entered this relationship. I should have never met him.

"It was—" my eyes widen when I hear footsteps from the door. Louise pulls me and pushes me inside the cabinet before I can tell her.

She felt it too.

Someone is here.

And... those footsteps. They could only belong to him.

The creaking sound fills the room as Louise pants nervously.

"Louise?" His deep voice puts shivers down my spine. It had been a while since I last heard his voice. My eyes start to heat up as my heart beats in alarm for his presence.

"Your highness," Louise stepped back. "Alpha, what are you doing here?"

"Should I not be the one asking that? What are you doing here?" He asks, emphasizing each word with anger. So it's true. He also takes out his fury on my blood. Louise did nothing wrong to him.

"I-I, I, ahm, I lost something. I thought it was here," Louise reasons. I glance at Adhler.

Adhler looks like he did not buy her excuse. His eyes roam around the room, and I can only lean back to the cabinet walls, holding my breath as I pray that he will not notice my presence.

"Something? Here? You lost something in this room, Louise?" I knew he would not accept that nonsense defense. Louise steps back as she chuckles.

"I thought I lost it here. I lost my way. Why? Is there any reason why I should never lose something here? What is this room, anyway?" Louise asks him. Adhler looks like he was taken aback. He clenches his jaw and sits on the couch.

"No. There's nothing. This is just a regular room," he replies, looking at the floor where we last saw that woman.

Where we last saw his Luna draping in her own blood. 

Adhler left after his butler, Daimon, whispered something. He retired in a hurry.

"You should leave," Louise tells me as soon as the door opens. I know that. Any moment from now, his pack will rush inside this room.

I don't know what game they are playing. Daimon is a careful man. What was he thinking?

I nod at Louise and take what I originally went here for.

I went to the secret passage that Adhler specifically built for emergencies like this. I know it is stupid to use this when we both agreed to go this way when things go awry.

"Charlene, what are you waiting for?" Louise pulled me. Tears started falling from my eyes. Everything is finally settling in my system. His anger when our eyes met that night.

His nails engraved wounds on my arms. Even Lexus, his wolf, recognized me as his enemy. 

I rode the carriage where Louise led me. I was surprised that there was no one waiting outside the secret passage, which caused me more anxiety. What are they thinking? Is this a trap to a deeper hell hole? Why are we riding free from the Lycans, which are supposed to be gathering about now to kill me?

"Charlene!" I was back to reality when Louise shouted my name. I cannot explain how mixed my emotions are now. My heart is beating fast, as if it would explode any minute from now. 

I hold my chest tight. It is happening again.

It hurts. "Hey? What is happening? Are you alright? Charlene!" Louise held me gently as I gasped for air. It had been months since I experienced this phenomenon, and I could not explain what it was. 

It happened after the Moon Goddess, Selene, visited one of my dreams— or was it real? It all happened so vaguely that I don't recall anything but her face and the words she repeatedly uttered.

"Run, run away,"

"Charlene?" 

"I'm f-fine," I told Louise. "I'm just wondering why there is no one chasing behind us,"

"It's because of your brother,"

"What?"

"Harry went with his pack to get the head of the king—"

"What?" I exclaimed when I heard her. What the hell is happening now? Why is Harry getting involved with all of these? I thought he was at war with the vampires. Why is he back? Why here in the Lycans'?

"What do you mean 'what'? Charlene, the Alpha betrayed you! Can't you see that? He titled you a murderer!" Louise roared as she tried to explain to me why my brother was getting in between Adhler and me.

But this is not enough reason for him to get involved. He's a noble from a neighboring country, not a king that could stand on equal grounds with Adhler. This will not end with just him hurting— Harry will surely die along with his army. His pack will not withstand the power of the Lycans.

I know Harry is powerful, but I know the Lycans too. I have seen them. They were way more powerful than ordinary werewolves like Harry and I.

I know what Adhler could do. I know how powerful he is. And I know what he'll do once someone gets on his nerves. It will not end with just the person losing his head.

"We have to go back,"

"What? Are you hearing yourself, Charlene? No. We will go to Salvador and start anew. Think of yourself and your son!"

I wish I had listened to Louise's cries that night. 

I wish I was not so stubborn.

I wish I had turned a blind eye to all the what-ifs that bombarded my mind.

Nothing of this would have happened.

Everything was my mistake.

It was all because I continued falling into the dark well, lying to myself that the coldness of the water was a comfort. He doesn't love me.

He did not love me at all.

So why? Why is he in front of me with those eyes? Why?

"Samarah," his cold voice echoed in my ears. 

"Let the gun down," he stepped cautiously in my direction but stopped when I tightened my grip on the trigger.

"Samarah,"

"Stop calling my name,"

"Listen to me, Samarah,"

"I said stop calling my name with that mouth of yours!" his eyes widened when I pulled the trigger. A loud shout from him and a deafening silence from his army filled the night.

I saw him running in my direction as I let my body fall coldly onto the ground.

This is the end, isn't it? 

My tears fell from my eyes. I can't believe this is the thought I still have when all you did to me was pain.

I love you, Adhler.