LOGINLuluThe baby was still red and scrunched up when Sandra placed him in my arms. He cried loudly, tiny fingers spreading as if reaching for my chest.He was so small. But the gratitude I felt for bringing him into the world was enormous.His little hand moved slowly, searching. Reflex. I stared at him without blinking. My heart hammered hard in my chest, and this strange fear crept in—like he might stop breathing if I stopped watching him.“Feed him, Lulu,” Sandra said softly. “He needs to bond with you.”I nodded. My hands trembled as I adjusted my clothes. The moment his tiny lips touched my skin, my whole body tensed. Then something shifted.He sucked weakly at first. Then stronger.The warmth in my chest didn’t hurt. It felt like energy flowing from me into him. I held my breath, feeling the soft movement of his tongue.His fingers gripped my clothes. My eyes filled with tears.“He’s hungry,” Sandra whispered. “That’s a good sign.”Caspian stood beside the bed, watching us. For onc
LuluThe heat in my stomach didn’t ease after Sandra channelled her healing energy into me. If anything, it got worse. The contractions came faster, tighter. I bit my lip, swallowing the cry that almost tore out of my throat.“It can’t be stabilised here,” Sandra said quickly, her face tight with strain. “The after-effect of the Pyromancer’s magic is still active in Lulu’s body. My healing energy is only buying us time.”Caspian stood in front of me, his jaw clenched. The Pyromancer’s blood still stained his arm. Thin smoke drifted through the air, leftovers from the fire he’d just put out. The forest around us was scorched, the ground slick with water he’d pulled from the earth.“Evacuate. Now,” he ordered the Gammas. “Front and rear formation.”I looked up at him. “Caspian, I don’t think I can handle being shaken around like this.”Another contraction slammed into me. My breath hitched. My body locked up. My hand clutched his arm on instinct.[I’ll carry you. Choose my form.]His vo
LuluThe fire spread along the side of the tent. The heat hit my skin so suddenly my heart nearly stopped. I still managed to scream before Caspian shoved me to the ground, his body shielding me from the flying sparks.[Are you alright?] His voice sounded heavy in my head through the mind link.“I’m fine.”[I’m here. Don’t move yet.]Outside, shouts rang out. I heard Gamma Oliver giving orders to our warriors, the roar of the wind and the hiss of fire shooting out again from between the trees. The edge of the tent was turning black, the fabric slowly burning.[Lulu, get out. Now!] Caspian’s voice was firm.I crawled out of the tent. The ground burned against my palms. My breathing was short, my chest rising and falling fast. The moment I got out, the Gammas and warriors formed a circle around me. Their bodies fully shifted into wolves.Behind their line, I saw figures in black robes raising their hands. Fire gathered in their palms. Two more figures appeared on the other side, while t
LuluWe left Elaria’s place while the sky was still clear. The morning air was bloody cold, but we moved fast because Caspian wanted to cross the valley before the sun climbed too high.Maelis walked us to the western border. I swear to the Moon Goddess, I saw her wiping tears as she touched my stomach. She was way more motherly than I’d expected.“Safe travels, Sapphire Water,” she said, waving as we passed through the water gate of Luminara Coast.I walked beside Caspian, the black cloak Elaria gave me covering me down to my ankles. Sandra said our hybrid scent wouldn’t be picked up by the wolves’ noses with this on.Up front, two Gammas led the way. Timothy glanced back every now and then, making sure I wasn’t falling behind. Two warriors walked at the rear, eyes sharp, tracking every bloody movement in the valley.The valley was dead quiet. Dry yellow grass. Cracked earth here and there. A light wind followed our steps, carrying fallen leaves across the ground. The silence made my
LuluI didn’t bother with Elaria’s jabs. Her words just slid past me without meaning anything. My focus was completely locked on Caspian.Pyrrha was restless inside me, and my own feelings got dragged along with her. My heartbeat went uneven the moment that ozone scent filled the narrow corridor.Caspian stood a few steps in front of me, his back tense, his breathing heavy. The water energy rolling off him made the air cold, but the heat inside me only burned hotter.I was sure he felt it too.It made no sense. My body was on fire with desire, even though it wasn’t wolf mating season.[Tell him, Lulu], Pyrrha urged.“Caspian, wait.” I swallowed, not knowing where to start because the timing felt all wrong. “I… I feel this heat. Pyrrha says I should…”“Lulu…” Caspian turned slowly. His eyes were still glowing. His face looked unfamiliar—harder, colder, and at the same time more honest. “I’m not trying to reject you, but this isn’t mating season.”I stepped closer, my chest rising and f
LuluElaria stood frozen, the frown on her brow deepening the age lines on her pale face. My confession just now was probably the one thing that hadn’t been part of her meticulous calculations.“A few months?” Elaria repeated, her voice jumping an octave. “Mary Ann never said the implanted heart had an expiry date.”I could see a flash of panic in her eyes. She wasn’t worried about my life being in danger. I’d expected that. She was obsessed with my blood as the main stock for her ‘weapons’.To her, I was nothing more than a vessel for Ignith fire. If that vessel broke, all her decades of experiments would turn to ash—just like the pile of monsters on the floor.“That’s the truth,” I went on with a faint snort. “For an alchemist like you, I’m sure there are plenty of ways to extend a lifespan, yeah? My time’s running thin, Elaria.”Caspian stepped up beside me. “You need Lulu’s blood to fight the Dark Sorcerers, don’t you? But you won’t get anything if Lulu drops dead tomorrow.”Elari
LuluI drank the Identity Flux before we left the chamber, the liquid faintly iridescent and cold against my tongue. My body reacted almost immediately—bones adjusting, muscles tightening, skin warming as my reflection shifted into someone taller, more refined.Someone who looked like my mother.Ca
LuluI did what I was told.It was the least me decision I’d ever made, but for once, I actually listened to Dr Allen. One full day of rest. No stubborn Lulu. No sneaking off anywhere.He said I needed my strength. And, honestly, it made sense—I had to be healthy if I wanted to go with Caspian to t
LuluWe left before sunrise.The Sapphire Water Pack convoy moved through the sleeping city in silence—three black vehicles carrying Alpha Caspian, several Elders, and me. I watched the faint lights blur past the window, one hand resting instinctively over my stomach.For once, I wasn’t running awa
LuluI drank the Identity Flux again before dinner, slower this time, making sure my body settled fully into the borrowed form. The change came smoother than earlier, my balance steady, my reflection composed enough to pass as someone who belonged here.I chose a simple gown suitable for a formal g







