CELESTE“Celeste!”I jerked awake at the sound of my name. My eyes snapped open. They were wide and clear. Gone were the tiny dots or the dimness that had once surrounded them.Everything seemed brighter and smelled nicer. Likewise, where I was. I couldn't recall the cell smelling this way, and the air inside had been stale, but this was fresh.I looked around me. The first thing I noticed was the rustling curtains as the wind glided into the room, then the artistry and the figure standing before me.I gasped, jumping out of bed, racing to the door, ignoring the fact that I was almost at death’s door a few seconds ago.I touched the door’s handle and was about to yank open the door when his voice stopped me.“Am I that much of a monster for you to jet out of bed that way? I thought you'd miss me very much the minute you came awake.”“Damon,” I breathed out, turning slowly. I didn't think so. I didn't ask him any questions.I rushed over to him, into his arms, catching him off guard.
CELESTEI groaned, coming awake for the umpteenth time. I couldn't tell what day it was or the time…but it felt like eternity had passed here.Hanna and I were arrested the night of the event at the infirmary and have not been released since. We were locked up and promised a trial when the alpha arrived. Damon arrived.Since I could barely tell the day, there was no way I'd know when he'd return to the pack house, even if he returned.I sat on the cold concrete floor, caressing my palms on my arms to ward off the cold. Evening was starting to set in.Because, in my opinion, that was the time of day when it got extremely cold. The temperature of the concrete floor wasn't helping my situation, and neither of us had been given a blanket to at least use to keep ourselves warm.I looked towards where Hanna was curled up in her cell. We had been separated from Hanna’s cell, where a magical barrier surrounded her. That was to stop her from escaping.While I was inside a normal cell, they und
DAMONI helped Seth up from the ground. He grimaced, pushing his hand into his hair.“I feel weird and strangely energised.” He murmured, looking around the room. “I asked if the goddess had been here. I can feel her presence.”“She was,” I murmured, my thoughts still reeling from what she said.“Really? I wanted to meet with her!” Seth grumbled. “Why the hell did I fall unconscious at the wrong time?”I didn't respond to him. It was because he hadn't been called unconscious by himself. The goddess had made it happen since she was only interested in speaking to me and not him.I backed away from the altar, my hands clenched into fists.My thoughts wandered to Celeste. She was going to be my ruin. I didn't trust her words even as the goddess had said it.It wasn't because she could possibly be lying—well, definitely not—but because I didn't trust that what she had said was completely true.I had learned to follow my instinct. Like the others before her, I naturally gravitated towards C
CELESTEJust as I was done tying up Sabrina to contain her, the door went ajar and Elder Zara, John, and Sabrina’s father—I was sure that he was the one, because Hanna had pointed him out once to me.They entered the room, their gaze moving as if searching for someone.And when their eyes locked on mine, Sabrina burst into tears.“Father,” she sobbed, trembling and trying to struggle out of the rope. But I had done it too tightly, and it would be almost impossible for her to set herself free from it due to the magical spell that Hanna had placed.“What's the meaning of this?” Sabrina's father took two long strides towards her.His eyes narrowed on mine. I held his gaze, refusing to look away.“I asked a question. Can anyone tell me what's going on and why my daughter is tied up like a sacrificial lamb?!”I said nothing. Well, Sabrina wasn't offering any explanation either. She was the one to be blamed here. If she hadn't tried to attack me, maybe she wouldn't be seen as the sacrificia
CELESTEI guess I didn't need to wait longer for me to see how Sabrina would end. The others had given up and were now resting while Sabrina kept pushing on. I didn't know who she was trying to impress, definitely not me because she hated my gut.She kept snapping at anyone that got in her way and had even resorted to shoving them if they didn't comply or were stalling too much.I sat with Hanna on the sofa nearby while we tried to regain our strength, at the same time ready to help anyone who showed signs of distress.“Do you think I need to speak to her?” Hanna asked. She looked worried. For Sabrina who had been mean to her several times and had even resorted to violence on some occasion, I do not think she was worth the trouble. I'd rather stay away if I was the one.Besides, it was the same Sabrina who had been mean when she found out she was pregnant. At least, the least could have done was protect her and pretend like she cared rather than be a witch and give her the cold shoul
CELESTE I didn't leave the clinic, not when it seemed like my life was threatened. For instance, one of the patients had decided it was the best time to play with me by holding my neck and squeezing it until I was breathless.Mind you, I didn't watch that happen. I had struggled myself, trying to pry his hand off, even with the assistance of someone like Sabrina, who could have ignored me and gone on with her business. She hadn't.I caressed my throat, which was still sore from the squeeze. I turned to Hanna as I felt her eyes on me.I wasn't giving up yet. I believed she was waiting for me to run away as fast as I could in the direction of home, but I couldn't bring myself to do so.“I'll be fine,” I mouthed, stopping her as she moved towards me.Hanna still looked concerned, but she didn't move further after I reassured her. She went on to attend to the patient in front of her.Sabrina sighed, stumbling slightly. I caught her hand to steady her. “You should take a rest. There are s
CELESTEEverything was spiraling out of control.One minute I was in the infirmary helping out, the workload was mostly on Sabrina and some of the medical team were as well down with illness that was still unknown.Even though Sabrina hadn't admitted she needed help, I had offered to.The next minute, a loud bang resounded, almost deafening me. Followed by cries from pack members.At first, I had thought the sound was to announce the arrival of the alpha because that was how it was done in the blood moon pack house, especially when the alpha had been away.But this didn't bring any joyful tidings. And no one should be crying when something like that was done except it was during the mourning festival which I hadn't seen happen here.Hanna rushed into the infirmary, breathless. She strode towards me, fear clearly etched on her face.The door to the infirmary wasn't closed and people weren't running inside further, that meant we weren't getting attacked. At least, that was what I wanted
DAMONWhat is this place?The room pulsed with an otherworldly energy. I turned around as I felt thousands of eyes on me.I turned around, looking at the walls, that seemed to be closing in on me each seconds, the spiral staircase that had just appeared out of nowhere, and the raised altar in the room’s centre, which had a candle whose flame flickered like the wind on it.I could see no one. Nothing. Just the feelings of being stared at. I turned to look at Seth. He was behind me.His expression was one of awe, just like it had been on my face earlier. I wondered if he could feel what I felt. Or perhaps I was the only one having such feelings because, unlike me, he didn't look the least disturbed.“Where is this place?” He echoed the questions in my thoughts.That was what I wanted to know, too. In all my years of going on hunts, I had never encountered this cave until now. I mean, if I had known its existence, this would have been our refuge rather than us roaming around the forest l
CELESTEToday was another lazy day for me around the pack house. Since Damon had left for the hunt, there was nothing much for me to do, except follow Hanna while she gave me a tour.It was a never-ending one because the pack house was huge. I never realized how big it was until we began to explore. Also, something would come up when I believed I knew everything I should know.For instance, I learned how Damon had taken over as the pack house alpha, although it wasn't something that was spoken about and was only a snippet that Hanna had been able to reveal to me.I couldn't tell if she was hiding more from me because I was still very new to the pack house, or if she didn't know everything herself.Damon was once mated. No, had intended to mate until his lover betrayed him. The Betrayal, which was what I didn't know, because Hanna said nothing. She had only said Damon was brainwashed and betrayed by his ex-lover, who was a witch.And she had been killed after a verdict had been placed