NORA'S POV
I paced nervously around my living room, waiting for Griffin to arrive. My heart raced. No matter hoe hard I tried to focus on something else, my mind kept going back to the thoughts I was running away from.The doorbell rang, bringing me back to reality. I sighed as I headed towards the door and opened it. Griffin was standing out there, noth hands in his pocket."May I come in?" he asked, his voice low.I stepped aside. "Sure.""We can talk in the kitchen."Griffin followed behind as I led him into the kitchen. He grabbed a stool and sat on it."Where's Carlos?" He asked as he looked around the kitchen."Out," I replied simply."Do you think this place is quiet enough?""You think someone could be listening?" I asked, suddenly chilled."I think we can't be too careful." Griffin leaned forward. "Have you found anything else since we last spoke?""Just moreNORA'S POV "I can't just leave," I told Griffin, my voice steadier than I felt. "Carlos is my not just my mate. We are married with kids, Griffin. With kids." Griffin moved closer to me. He did it like a reflex, and each time he got close enough, he pause before getting too close for comfort. "Nora, think about it. If Carlos truly cared for you as a mate should, why keep so much from you? Why let you stumble blindly through life, never knowing who or what you truly are?"I knew that Carlos would not just lie to me. He must have his reasons for doing so. I could not just leave him because of that. I hoped to be able to convince Griffin, even though his offer was tempting. "Maybe he was afraid," I countered, though doubt was beginning to creep in. "Afraid of losing me if I knew the truth. Afraid of something else. Perhaps, just trying to protect me." Griffin shook his head. "It goes deeper than that. Carlos has been actively w
NORA'S POV The world seemed sharper somehow, colours more vivid, scents more distinct. And there was something else— a pull, like an invisible thread tugging at my consciousness. I shut my eyes, thinking I could ignore it at that point. While my eyes was closed,I saw myself in another world. I was surrounded with books. I opened my eyes quickly, hoping to have been teleported, but found myself still standing at the same spot. Nothing had returned to normal yet. Leaves rustled loudly, and the sound of distant voices came with the air that kept sweeping across me. Voices that I could not male anything out of. I could hear, but I could not even understand. Something suddenly began to pull me forward against my wish. My legs moved even when I didn't put in any effort to lift my legs or carry myself. I stood shakily, my hand instinctively clutching my head. The pull strengthened, drawing me toward the library."What is this?" I whispered, but
THIRD POV (Memories 1)As Nora lay unconscious on the bare floor of the hidden chamber, her mind was floating in a sea of recovered memories. The first memory came in vivid detail. A warm summer evening, stars scattered across the sky like diamonds. A younger Nora stood before Carlos in an opening, her heart pounding with anticipation and filled with love. In her outstretched hands lay the pendant, its opal gleaming in the moonlight.Nora was smiling sheepishly. Although, she was shy... she still managed to do what she wanted to do. "I want you to have this," she told him, her voice trembling slightly. "I brought it for you. It's to show how deeply I love you." Carlos's face— younger, but with the same features, looked down at the pendant with an expression Nora couldn't quite read. She slightly lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling shy. "The moon goddess sees all true connections," Nora continued, hope evident in her voice. "Wi
THIRD POV (Memories 2)The flood of memories continued filling Nora's unconscious form, each revelation more shocking than the last.A new face emerged from the swirling memories. The same face she had seen countless times in her dreams. The man she had always called Karen in her dreams stood before her in the palace training grounds, wooden practice sword in hand."Again," Karen commanded, circling Nora on the packed dirt of the training arena. "Your enemies won't give you time to catch your breath, Princess."Nora's younger self lunged forward, sweat dripping down her face as she executed a complex series of moves with her own practice sword. Though her muscles trembled with exhaustion, determination blazed in her eyes."Better," Karen said with a slight nod. "But your left side is still vulnerable. You have to put in more effort if you want to get it right."Nora thought that she had put in all the effort she could access and
NORAI heard a voice calling my name, pulling me out of the swirling vortex of memories. The sound seemed to come from very far away at first, then gradually grew closer."Nora! Nora, can you hear me? Wake up!"My eyes fluttered open, struggling to regain focus. The room seemed dark at first, but gradually my eyes began to adjust. Not the secret chamber where I had passed, but our bedroom—familiar walls. I was lying in our bed. Carlos sat beside me, his face filled with worry and concern. "Thank god. You're finally awake Nora." Finally, relieve displayed on his features and he sighed deeply. I stared at him, trying to reconcile the man before me with the one in my memories—the one who had rejected me, sent wolves to push me off a cliff, the one who had nearly ended my life because I wasn't the right kind of wolf he wanted. I wondered if that was another dream? Waking up in the bedroom meant that I was dreaming
CARLOS POVI felt it without warning—a sudden rush of power surging through the walls of our home, the unmistakable energy signature of the pendant. It was the same overwhelming sensation I'd experienced during the war when the pendant's power had first manifested. My heart raced as I bolted upright from my desk, papers scattering to the floor unnoticed."Nora," I whispered, already running.I sprinted down the corridor towards the room. When I flung the door open, the room was empty, windows closed. I cursed under my breath. There was only one place she could be."The secret room," I muttered, increasing my steps. I feared for what was happening. I hoped that it was not what I was thinking, even though I was trying to prevent myself from thinking about it. I avoidedthe thoughts because it would only make me panic even more. As I raced through the winding passages of the house Elder Silvarum's warning echoed in my mind... "Keep
CARLOS POVI stared at Nora across the room. Her eyes, once warm and trusting, now held nothing but suspicion and anger. She had been questioning me for hours now without stopping. "The pendant," she said, her voice steady despite the emotion in her eyes. "The pendant I gave you. You rejected it, right?"I swallowed hard, choosing my words carefully. "The pendant? The same pendant you gave me? Come on Nora. None of those matters right now.""That's not what I asked." Her fingers tightened around the glass of water she held. "In my vision, I saw you reject it. I saw the look on your face. The look of disgust abd disdain. Why?"I remembered how I rejected Nora and her pendant. But telling her that now would only lead to more questions, questions that would inevitably reveal the worst of my past actions. It would only make her hate me even more. "I never rejected the pendant," I lied, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "You're remem
CARLOS' POVBlood dripped from my split lip, and my ribs ached where Griffin landed a solid punch. But physical pain was nothing compared to the rage burning inside me."What have you done to Nora's memories?" I demanded.Griffin's smile was wolfish. "I simply helped her remember what you really are."Something changed in the air suddenly. A shift in energy that raised the hair on the back of my neck. Griffin rolled his shoulders, and I recognized the telltale signs of what was coming."You!" I accused. His only response was a low chuckle as his body began to change.The change took him quickly—bones cracking and reforming, skin stretching over growing muscle, human cries morphing into bestial growls. Where Griffin had stood moments ago, a massive wolf now crouched, teeth bared in challenge.I had no choice. I let my own transformation take me, embracing the pain as my body shifted forms. Within seconds, I sto
NORA'S POVI gasped as I looked at their faces. They appeared human at first glance, but something was off about their skin. It was too pale, their features too perfect. And their eyes... their eyes were just like mine.Each of them had those strange volcanic eyes I had seen in my own reflection. It was amber irises with touches of gold and red that seemed to glow from within, even in human form. I'd always thought my eyes were unique, strange. Now I was surrounded by people who shared this trait."You're like me," I whispered, the realization hitting me like a blow.The tallest of them stepped forward. Unlike the others who wore identical black robes, his was trimmed with silver symbols. His face was ageless. He could have been twenty or one hundred with high cheekbones and a strong jaw."We are the Ancients," he said, his voice the same one that had commanded me to enter. "And you, Nora, are one of us. Or at least, partly."My
Nora's POVMy heartbeat was faster, my mind wondering what was about to happen next. Even from afar, I could feel her hurt. I could understand her hurting, yet I was the one she intended to kill. The world came back to me in pieces. First sound, then feeling, then sight. I heard her voice, Sorceress Elena, cold with fury. She was going to take revenge, for Elara, her daughter.Who almost killed me. "Starting with these children." Her voice cut through my thoughts.My eyes flew open. Through the haze of pain still in my head, I saw Elena moving toward the building entrance where my kids were trapped in prison. Her hands were filled with dark energy, her face squeezed with grief and rage."No!" I screamed, pushing away from Carlos with strength I didn't know I had. My children. She was going to kill my children.Elena turned, her hair whipping around her face, her eyes glowing with power. "You've taken my daug
THIRD POVNora walked away from them, her mind spinning with the sorceress's demand. Give herself up to save her children? The choice seemed both impossible and inevitable. She wandered through the trees, needing space to breathe, and to think.She found a fallen log a short distance from the cave entrance and sank down onto it. The forest around her was very quiet, as if even the birds and insects sensed the dark magic nearby. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against her face, trying to hold back tears."They're discussing whether your life is worth saving the twins," a soft voice said from behind her.Nora looked up to find Elara standing there, her face partially shadowed by the trees."Elara," Nora said, quickly wiping her eyes. "I didn't hear you approach.""I move quietly," Elara replied with a slight smile. "It's a useful skill for a lady's maid."Nora nodded absently, her thoughts still with her children. "
THIRD POVElder Silvarum continued to talk about the sorceress and her relationship with Carlos and the twins, after everyone had slowly recovered from the shock. "The sorceress has powerful magic, but I believe we can track her.""How?" Griffin pushed off from the wall, suddenly interested."With blood," the elder replied simply. He turned to Carlos. "Alpha, although I don't possess sorcerer abilities myself, my bloodline carries ancient knowledge. And your blood will be the compass.""Whatever it takes to get my children back." "I can perform the tracking spell. I've done similar workings before," Katherine offered. "It's dangerous," Elder Silvarum warned. "The sorceress will have safeguards.""I don't care," Katherine replied dismissively. "Those are my niece's cubs."Carlos rolled up his sleeve and extended his arm. "Take what you need."Katherine glanced at Elder Silvarum, who nodded an
THIRD POV Two hours later, they gathered in the twins' bedroom. Nora had laid out their favorite possessions: Zack's toy sword, Zoe's stuffed wolf, their hair brushes still containing strands of dark hair. Her hands trembled as she arranged the items in the circle Kathryn had drawn on the floor."This should be enough," Kathryn said, kneeling beside the circle. She looked exhausted, dark circles prominent beneath her eyes. "But I need to warn you all. My powers have limits. Especially against someone like the sorceress.""Just try," Nora whispered.Griffin stood back near the doorway, watching the proceedings with a heavy heart. He knew better than anyone what the sorceress was capable of. The years he'd spent in her thrall had shown him the depths of her cruelty, and her power.Kathryn began to chant, her hands moving in intricate patterns above the circle. The air in the room grew heavy with magic, pressing against their skin like
THIRD PovNora fought, earnestly, not knowing which powers controlled her. Was this her hidden heritage or something new? As the fight became even more fierce, she struggled to keep watch over the kids.Not until, she smelled them and the danger around. Nora looked up sharply, her gaze fixed on two Ancients emerging, dragging small, struggling forms between them. Her blood ran cold as she recognized Zack and Zoe, their faces pale with terror as they fought against their captors' grip."Mom! Dad!" Zack shouted, his voice filled with fear."Let them go!" Nora screamed, light flaring around so fiercely that several nearby wolves whimpered and backed away. How dare these people touch her babies!As her anger filled the air, Nora heard the evil laughter of the sorceress. "Now, that's interesting. You've grown stronger than I anticipated. Perhaps those meddling fools didn't suppress your power as thoroughly as they thought."
Griffin Her questions were becoming annoying. I wished I could just ignore it. That perhaps you hope to earn her gratitude. Her affection." Kathryn's voice was gentle but firm. "If so, you should know it's unlikely. She loves Carlos, whatever problems they may have." "I'm not a fool," I snapped, then immediately regretted my tone. "I know she loves him. I'm not doing this to win her over." "Then why?" I stared at the floor, struggling to articulate what drove me. "Because I failed her once before. I won't make that mistake again." Kathryn seemed satisfied with this answer. "Very well. I'll need time to prepare properly." I rose to leave, but paused at the door. "Kathryn... thank you." She shook her head. "Don't thank me yet. This may kill you more quickly than the sorceress's curse. Plus, I'm not assuring you that it is going to work." "At least it will be my choice," I said quietly. "For once." As I left the room, I felt the hunger gnawing at me again, stronger
GRIFFIN POVI felt it the moment it happened—a pulse of energy so distinct it nearly knocked me off my feet. I steadied myself against a tree, drawing in a sharp breath as recognition dawned.Nora had connected with her wolf.After all these years, after everything that had happened. She had found Reika again. Although it was a good thing, the implications were staggering—and terrifying. Those hungry powerful beings probably felt it too and their quest for Nora's blood would intensify. "Damn it," I muttered, pushing away from the tree and striding toward the pack house. Elder Silvarum needed to know immediately. Carlos too, though I doubted he'd take the news well.I'd barely made it halfway across the grounds when the first wave of pain hit. It started as a burning in my chest, then spread outward like wildfire through my veins. I stumbled, falling to my knees as my vision blurred."Griffin."The voice echoed in my mind, sickeningly familiar. The sorceress. My mistress. My curse."
NORA POVThe next one week flew by very peacefully. More peaceful than I ever expected. "Focus, Nora," Kathryn instructed, circling me as I struggled to maintain the small flame hovering above my palm. "You're letting your wolf nature interfere again."I gritted my teeth. "I don't have a wolf nature. That's the problem."Kathryn exchanged a glance with Elara, that same look they always shared when they thought I wasn't paying attention. It was infuriating."Your lycan blood is still part of you," she said carefully. "Even if you do not have a wolf. She looked down, busying herself with arranging crystals on the floor around me. I'd touched a nerve, I was sure of it."Whatever the case," Kathryn continued smoothly, "you need to separate your magical energy from your lycan energy. They conflict with each other."I'd been trying for days without success. The moment I called forth fire or water, I felt a resistance within me, as if something was fighting against the magic. My head would