Sandra’s POVThere’s a kind of silence that doesn’t ask for attention—but it fills the room anyway. The kind that drapes over your shoulders like an invisible shawl. Not loud, not eerie… just present. That was the quiet that wrapped around me the morning of the broadcast.I stood in front of my mirror, hands stilled mid-air over a little scatter of earrings. Gold hoops. Tiny pearls. A statement piece I wasn’t brave enough to wear. They looked like options, but really, they felt like little decisions about who I was going to be today.It had taken me too long to choose the dress.The neckline sat just high enough to keep things modest, but the cut made it clear I wasn’t here to blend in. It was the kind of dress you wear when you know you’re walking into a room that might try to shrink you.My hair was pinned in a loose twist at the back.I was smoothing my sleeve when I heard little footsteps thump down the hallway.“Mummy!”Haley’s voice rang out, and I turned just in time to see her
Sandra’s POVThere are moments that don’t feel real until the silence hits.That’s exactly how it felt when I closed the door behind me after the broadcast. The weight of the lights, the pointed smiles, Tiffany Cole’s smug gaze—all of it lingered like smoke in my lungs. But now, back in the car with the door sealed shut, it all started to dissolve. Eric had insisted on picking me up himself, and as I sank into the passenger seat."You, okay?" he asked, reaching over to squeeze my hand.I nodded, though it took me a moment to find my voice. “I think I held my own.”Eric chuckled, that warm, slow laugh that always made me feel safe. “You didn’t just hold your own, Sandra. You flipped the script.”He wasn’t exaggerating. I could feel it. The atmosphere inside the broadcast room had shifted the moment I stopped trying to sound like someone I wasn’t. I had spoken from my truth—about building my brand from scratch, about failing, learning, and still daring to dream. And surprisingly, peopl
Sandra’s POVClaire and I sat at the workspace table littered with fabric designs, sketches, and unfinished designs we had created over the past day. Music played in the background loud enough to blend into the silence while we worked our asses off.The sun shone brightly, entering the room through the curtains. Making the room feel warm and peaceful.We worked together as always, sharing ideas and brainstorming for hours about our next collection of designs and dresses while sipping coffee. Sometimes we didn't even have to speak before we knew what the other was thinking; a glance would do.The silence was comfortable as always.I looked at Claire; she was still sketching, adding some finishing colors to the ball gown she was drawing. Just some months ago, all that we have now was adream. We worked our asses through thick and thin to get to where we are now.Wishes do come true, I guess.My phone rang bringing me out of my thoughts.I picked it up, smiling at the caller ID; it was Er
Sandra’s POVThe car ride to Lycan Groove was extremely quiet except for the occasional whispers of the twins and the screech of the tires.Eric drove; he had one hand on the steering wheel while the other occasionally brushed mine as if he were telling me he would always be here. The kids had their buds on, watching cartoons while curling up against each other.And me?I was staring out the window at the stretch of road ahead, the one that curved like memory—familiar, worn, and a little painful.Lycan Groove.If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be headed back there with Eric at my side and our children singing along to music in the backseat, I would have laughed. Not the soft kind, either. The kind of laugh that cuts your throat, the one born out of disbelief and bitterness.But here we were. Driving toward the place where it all started.Where I fell in love.Where I got hurt.Where I left.And now… maybe, just maybe, where I could begin again.We arrived late in the evening
Sandra’s POVIt’s the littlest that matters most, right?Like the way the women of Lycan Groove carry themselves with grace and elegance because they know their worth. It's not the confidence I expected to see, at least not in Lycan Groove. Not that I was looking down on them, but it just felt kind of weird, maybe, just to me.I used to think of Lycan Groove like a wild animal zoo, kind of. I laughed at the thought; that was so stupid of me. A place where werewolves hunt each other. A wild Groove but I was totally wrong.I see community.I see strength.And I see the women who have become the heart of it all.The first few days after we arrived back in Lycan Groove were strange. Not uncomfortable, but unfamiliar. It’s like stepping back into a book you read a long time ago, flipping through pages that felt worn but still had the same weight. The people, the land, the energy—it was all the same. But I had changed. I wasn’t the woman who left; I had been sculpted by time and experience
Sandra’s POVI never thought a sewing machine humming in the middle of a forest would sound like freedom.But it did.The rhythm of the needle punching through fabric, the voices of women sharing stories over laughter, the occasional bark of a pup playing near the pop-up tent—it all wove into a strange symphony. One I hadn’t realized I’d been missing.It was the night before our first ever Moonlit Pop-Up, and the clearing just outside the Lycan Groove town square was a buzzing hive of activity. Fabric swatches were being sorted. Dresses were being steamed over open firepots. Someone had even baked honey bread for the team—still warm, still soft, and it disappeared faster than I could say “slow down.”Claire stood by a rack of earthy-toned dresses, pinning final touches on a leather corset. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, her curls tied in a messy bun. She looked wild and radiant—like she belonged here just as much as I did.“You know,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at
Sandra’s POVThe sun shone brightly into the guest room where Claire, and I had slept. Today was the day, and I was somehow nervous about it. I lay on the bed still thinking about the event we were invited to.Claire was already up, sitting on the edge of the bed."You sleep well?” Claire asked without looking up.I stretched her limbs and let out a breath that had been tucked under her ribs all night. “Barely. You?”Claire finally turned and grinned. “I slept like someone who knows we’re about to change the game.”I smiled faintly, letting the quiet confidence in Claire’s tone settle over me like armor. I sat up, pulling the covers around my waist. “Do you think we’ll even be taken seriously?”Claire walked over with a warm mug of coffee. “They’ll take us seriously when they realize we’re not asking for permission.”I took the cup and held it close to her lips, letting the steam wash over my face. The scent of freshly brewed beans mixed with the grounding notes of lavender oil Claire
Sandra’s POVThe sun shone brightly over Lycan Groove as I and Claire’s car drove to a stop. The gate opened, and I could see Hayley and Hayden smiling widely at me. They burst forth, their laughter echoing through the clearing. "Mama!" Hayley cried; her arms outstretched. I barely had time to open the car door before both children enveloped me in a tight embrace. Tears welled up in her eyes as she held them close, their warmth grounding her amidst the whirlwind of emotions. Eric approached, his presence steady and reassuring. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, whispering, "Welcome home." Tension Simmering Despite the joyous reunion, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. As we walked through the streets, people smiled at me, and I smiled back, but I could notice a hint of reservation on their faces. Conversations hushed as I passed, and laughter seemed to fade into the background. At dinner, the atmosphere was subdued. I looked at Eric as if something was w
Susan's POVI was sitting in my room, doing my nails when a call came in. I checked the caller ID of the number. It was Luke. I wondered why he was calling. After our last meeting, I didn't expect any calls from him for a while so I was surprised when I saw the call. I picked it up. “ You were supposed to lay low for the time being and not cause any problems no matter how pained you are. You were supposed to sit down in your freaking house and do nothing. You were supposed to work on the future plans. There were better plans which when well developed would cause more destruction than the little stones you throw daily". I could tell he was very angry. Anger was an understatement though. He was furious. For what reason though ? I couldn't tell. He had just called and started ranting about what I didn't know about.“ Woah, woah, woah. Calm down big guy. What's making you so mad because I literally have no idea what you're talking about". “ You have no idea, really ?",he asked.“Yeah, I
Sandra's POVI had woken up exactly thirty minutes after I had fallen asleep. I went to the bathroom and had a quick shower and cleaned up. Afterwards, I wore a simple sundress, fixed my hair in a ponytail and wore the hospital flip flops. I sat on the bed waiting for Eric. The discharge process wouldn't take much time and in a little while, I would be on my way home to see my little bundles of joy...I had waited for almost an hour and Eric had not yet come. I decided to take a walk. I picked up a piece of paper and wrote a short note telling him I was going to take a walk and where I would be. I placed the note on my bags and left the room. The hospital was very quiet unlike it's usual noisy atmosphere. I decided to take the stairs instead of the usual lift. Walking a little wouldn't hurt. I realized I had made the wrong decision choosing to go down using the stairs. I laughed at myself as I sat on the stairs to take a rest. I continued my journey a few minutes after and it didn't
Sandra's POVI was getting discharged today. The doctors had confirmed that I was healing quickly and very well. It had been three weeks since the incident. I hadn't seen Hayden and Hadley for these three weeks. Claire couldn't also come because she was staying with the kids. Eric had told her to not let the kids out of her sight. She was also with Mrs Axel. They were not in the palace though. Eric thought it was safer to keep everyone away from the house in case of any other attacks. Eric had not let me out of his sight ever since I woke up. He was keeping a close eye on me. He would follow me even when I went to take a bath or take a walk. It was like he was suspicious of me. But why though? I was very sure I didn't leave any clues when executing my plans and I had made Claire swear that she would not let anyone know about the plan. Not even Eric.I could not tell Eric of the plan. He would never allow me do it and it would be worse if I told him now, after taking action already.
Susan's POVI was sitting in my room, doing my nails when a call came in. I checked the caller ID of the number. It was Luke. I wondered why he was calling. After our last meeting, I didn't expect any calls from him for a while so I was surprised when I saw the call. I picked it up. “ You were supposed to lay low for the time being and not cause any problems no matter how pained you are. You were supposed to sit down in your freaking house and do nothing. You were supposed to work on the future plans. There were better plans which when well developed would cause more destruction than the little stones you throw daily". I could tell he was very angry. Anger was an understatement though. He was furious. For what reason though ? I couldn't tell. He had just called and started ranting about what I didn't know about.“ Woah, woah, woah. Calm down big guy. What's making you so mad because I literally have no idea what you're talking about". “ You have no idea, really ?",he asked.“Yeah, I
Sandra's POVI opened my eyes and shut it immediately as I adjusted to the bright light in the room. I tried sitting up but I felt trapped, like something was holding me down. I kept trying to no avail. I got tired and started slipping into the darkness again. I struggled to stay awake but it was just too much. I gave in and let the darkness take me.I was drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness. Sometimes I'd hear voices around me and sometimes, it was just silent. I'd try to sit up each time but I never succeeded. It was getting frustrating each time. I was worried, my mind kept going to my kids, Eric and Claire. I tried remembering what had happened but each time I tried, my head ached so badly and I'd force myself to go back to sleep. It was pure torture. Sometimes, the memories of what happened came in blue and by the time I woke up, I couldn't remember a thing.* * * * * * * * I opened my eyes and this time, the lighting in the room was just perfect. I moved my legs
Eric's POV I rushed home to meet the citizens of Lycan Groove outside the palace. Sandra was on a makeshift podium and Claire stood beside her. I hurried to meet her to stop her from doing what she planned. “Never", I heard her say in a very firm voice. “Talk all you want"......Her voice was drowned out by murmurs around me. I surged forward, my eyes still on her. She noticed me and gave me a small smile. I felt more at ease but I continued moving towards her. She ended her speech and waited for any comments from the citizens. No comment. Better, they had better not make any derogatory remarks else I'd make sure whoever made such remark paid dearly either with their lives or more. She swayed a little and Claire hurriedly handed her a bottle of water which she drank quickly. There were still no comments from anyone, they all stood like they were frozen in place. She had started leaving when someone called her attention “Excuse me", a voice called out from the crowd. She turned around
Eric's POV I was still very angry when I got to my office. How could they? How dare they think so little of her ? After everything she'd done. I was very disappointed in every single member of the Council, from the ones who brought up the idea, the ones who had let the enemy mess with their reasoning, the ones who had been silent throughout, not supporting, playing neutral, afraid they'd offend whoever was backing the opposers. Once this was over, I'd make sure to change each and every single member of my Council. Maybe the elders weren't needed to make decisions anymore since they'd the devil mess with them so easily. * * * * * * * * * “Sir, there's a problem. The Luna, she's gathering everyone", one of my guards reported.I wondered what Sandra was up to this time as I hurriedly packed up my things. I had this eerie feeling that everything was going to fall apart soon. My head throbbed as I tried calming myself. It'd better not be what I'm thinking. Sandra wouldn't take such dras
Susan's POVI had been in this room for almost a week, never stepping foot out even once. I looked around me, empty beer and wine bottles strewn around. I walked to the light switch and flicked it on, shielding my eyes as bright light flooded the room. My head was pounding fiercely thanks to all the alcohol. I opened the window curtains and looked out the glass window. I stumbled to the mirror and took a good look at myself. I was a mess, my hair looked like a bird's nest, dark circles were underneath my eye and old smudged make-up was still on my face. My face screamed for help as dark spots and acne that hadn't been on my face took up significant space on my face. I reeked of alcohol and so did the room. I picked up my phone and tried turning it on. Shit. It was off. How would I get to my sources now!!I opened my room door as fresh air streamed in.. I walked to the kitchen to find the cook preparing breakfast. “Get someone to prepare my bath ASAP", I ordered. He nodded and hurried
Eric's POVI had gone to the my office after talking to Sandra this morning. I could see that she was badly hurting but she didn't want to accept the fact. She kept saying that I shouldn't help but I couldn't just sit still and watch them tear her down. I knew that she was very strong but this was too much for her. The pain in her eyes, the way she trembled whenever I talked about helping, like she was scared I'd get hurt in the process. Although I didn't know what way Susan would strike, I talked with my Beta on strengthening the security around the castle. I also made arrangements for secret guards for my kids, Sandra and my mother. My mother was supposed to be supportive of Sandra, helping her out and giving her solutions to most of the problems but she kept acting nonchalant and I didn't appreciate that at all. She was the one who chose Sandra for me, so she was supposed to have a soft spot for her at least. She had no right to compare her to that sly snake, Susan. She knew what S