~Liam~ I had never been so uncomfortable in my life. Normally, I should have been overjoyed that we were finally going to investigate the matter, and I should have been grateful for Uncle Leo's determination to explore the islands in the east. However, an unsettling thought lingered in my mind—I would be spending more time with Josephine than I had expected. Being away from her would certainly make dealing with the bond a lot easier. I couldn't trust myself to behave appropriately with her close by. As our parents assigned roles for the investigation, I stood there silently, unable to voice my concerns. I knew I should simply be thankful because they were all going above and beyond for my sake. When my father dismissed the rest of us and asked Justin to stay, I wanted to remain too, but it seemed I wasn't meant to be privy to their private conversation. Justin, being the oldest, would be responsible for all of us, and I assumed there would be additional instructions that we wouldn't
~Liam~As the time approached for our picnic on the mountain, Miles and Marvin had already gone ahead to help Noah and Sebastien with the preparations, leaving Oliver and me in our room. We were planning to catch up with them soon. I watched as Oliver meticulously tried on three different shirts, putting in a lot of effort to look good for Elaine. His fashion dilemma amused me, and he joined in on the laughter when he noticed me chuckling.Out of the blue, Oliver asked, "What's going on between you and Josephine? Did you guys have some kind of disagreement?" I was taken aback by the question."Not really; why do you ask?" I responded, trying to hide any unease in my tone."I've noticed that she usually keeps her distance now. She used to be friendly—giving a little hi or hello and laughing at our jokes. However, she's been rather cold this week," Oliver explained, expressing his observations.I couldn't hide the truth and told him, "She mentioned that we made fun of her two years ago
~Liam~Josephine appeared mildly taken aback by my gesture, and I could empathise with her reaction. Going from a nervous and somewhat distant demeanour to intertwining our fingers was a stark contrast. Even I would have questioned my own behaviour. However, I wanted her to understand that I was perfectly fine, just trying to sort out my thoughts.Gracefully, she withdrew her hand from mine, which brought a small chuckle to Alex. The way she did it was rather endearing, and it brought a smile to my face. Looking ahead, I noticed that Elaine and Oliver were giving me curious looks, as if sensing something was amiss.Oliver couldn't resist asking, "What's going on between you and Joe?" I was at a loss for words, unsure of how to explain the situation to him."Why do you want to know?" I replied, and he averted his gaze. Glancing over to where the triplets were seated, I caught Jewels smiling at me, as though she had some insight. I hoped she hadn't figured anything out, as she was the l
~Liam~The run felt like pure magic. I had never experienced anything quite like it before. Instead of hunting creatures, we simply revelled in the soft glow of the moon and listened to the sounds of the woodland creatures around us, shielded by the protective canopy of trees. It was a truly beautiful and serene experience. At that moment, all my troubles seemed to fade away, and I found myself no longer consumed with worry about Sophia. Somehow, I had discovered a sense of peace.We spent a good while embracing this tranquil moment, but eventually, we decided to make our way back to the settlement rather than return to the picnic.A week passed. Josephine and I were getting along remarkably well, and no one seemed to suspect anything. I wondered if I was exceptionally skilled at hiding my feelings, or perhaps people were simply oblivious to it since they only ever saw me with Sophia. Regardless, I knew it wouldn't remain hidden for long, especially with how Alex was always eager to b
~Liam~The next day, I rose early, my bags already packed and ready for our journey to Grizlo. Miles was also awake, and it struck me that this was the first time we would be separated like this. I couldn't help but wonder why our parents had chosen to send our team ahead of the others. The idea of reuniting in four months seemed puzzling as well. I knew I would miss them all, and it was evident that they were already feeling our absence.Miles attempted to conceal his emotions, but I could sense that he would keenly feel Oliver's absence. Marvin had no twin, so he was fine. Josephine and Charlotte would undoubtedly experience the same separation from their siblings. Even I would feel it because in tough times, Harper was always there to support me. Now, I had to carry on without my twin. Although four months might appear to be a brief period, it was certain to feel like an eternity.Despite my eagerness to strengthen my bond with Josephine, the thought of finding Sophia and ensuring
~Sophia~The sun and moon became a precious luxury, as I only caught fleeting glimpses of the moon and felt the warm rays of the sun through a tiny window in the room where we were being held captive.In this confined space, my mother and I lived in fear, desperately holding onto hope for a miracle. Since the video my father had recorded, showcasing our plight, I hadn't seen him again.My mother worried that something terrible had befallen him, but deep down, I couldn't believe it. Somehow, I had an inexplicable sense that as long as he was alive, they would keep us alive as well.I had lost track of time, but it was evident that several weeks had flown by quickly. The phone I used to communicate with Liam had died, and I had no means to charge it, leaving me anxious about what might be happening on his end. Was he still searching for me, or had he given up and moved on?The way the people around us handled our captivity gave me a strong inkling that Liam had indeed used his influence
~Josephine~Arriving at Grizlo filled me with excitement. While the purpose of our visit wasn't joyous, the prospect of putting our abilities to the test filled me with enthusiasm. I secretly hoped to stay in Liam’s wing, but I didn't want to impose or ask for it. So, when he eventually invited me to stay with him, it thrilled me beyond words.Naturally, I had to hide my excitement, as Charlotte, with her keen eye, would never let me live it down. The fact that Liam chose a room next to his own made me feel incredibly valued and significant.We had made remarkable progress in such a short time, but the recent turn of events left me wondering what could have possibly transpired."Sophia isn't around," Onyx's voice echoed in my mind, instantly dampening my spirits. My wolf had a way of being a killjoy at times.Curious, I probed further, asking Onyx what she meant by that. However, she remained silent, leaving me to ponder her words as I stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. The stat
~Liam~The siren's blare rudely shattered a significant moment for me, leaving me grappling with the urge to utter curses. As we reluctantly emerged from the water and hastily dressed, I couldn't help but feel that the interruption had robbed us of what could have been a magical kiss with Josephine. I stole a few glances at her, trying to gauge her feelings, but her face remained stoic, revealing nothing.I longed to linger in the water with Josephine, as she fit perfectly in my arms, and everything felt right when we were together. Inhaling her scent, I couldn't help but be captivated by her sheer beauty, knowing deep down that she was meant to be mine. The way she responded to me was simply enchanting, reinforcing the belief that we were destined to be together.Josephine adored the surprise I had prepared for her. I had worried that she might not appreciate the simplicity of a food truck or the location I chose, but it turned out we shared more in common than I had realised.The ex