LOGIN~Derek~Once Logan ran off, I was already sprinting after him. Ivy was beside me, her presence sharp and focused. The deeper we went, the heavier the air became, dark magic pressing in, thick enough to choke on. Every breath felt wrong, like the lair itself was alive and resisting us.‘Closer,’ Noah growled, restless inside my mind. I felt it too. That pull. That thread tightening in my chest. Celina. I pushed harder at the thought. Logan disappeared ahead and then I hit it. An invisible force slammed into me, throwing me back a step as something solid and impenetrable blocked the path.“What-”I reached out again, power surging through my palm but it held. Didn’t even flicker.“Damn it!”I slammed my fist against it, pummeling it, trying to break it with brute strength. The impact shot up my arm, but the barrier didn’t react. It just… existed. Unyielding.Ivy shifted beside me, her form low, eyes blazing as she circled, testing different points. She lunged and the barrier threw her b
~Celina~I stared at Clara as I tried to process her words but my mind simply turned blank for a moment. The shock didn’t hit me all at once. It came to me in waves.“What do you mean… I’m the last sacrifice?” I asked, my voice sounding distant. Like it belonged to someone else.Clara blinked at me for a moment, looking taken aback and then she laughed.“Did you lose your brain somewhere along the way?” she asked mockingly. “You were doing so well until now. Figuring out patterns, decoding everything. And now you couldn't understand a simple sentence? What a pity!” she taunted me but I didn’t react. I just stared at her. Her smile faded slightly and she sighed. Like she actually pitied me.“Celina, it means exactly what it sounds like,” she said. My chest tightened at her words.“The first two sacrifices are already done,” she continued casually. “The next five… will be completed soon.”My gaze flicked to the girls around me. Then back to her.“All five are here,” she added. My pulse
~Celina~The bindings burned. They weren't made of rope or chains but magic that felt alive. It had wrapped around my wrists, my arms, and my chest, tightening every time I tested it, like it was aware of me. Like it was listening. The ground beneath my feet had pulsed in rhythm with it, dark energy feeding into the circle carved around us. I wasn’t alone though. I could feel them. The girls. All of them. Two were already sacrificed and if our guess was right, they were supposed to sacrifice five more girls tonight. But there were only four here, and they hadn’t brought a fifth one yet. But why?Antoinette stood to Clara’s right, still and composed, like none of it was unusual. Her men were positioned around us, silent, watchful, ready.I lifted my head slowly and met Clara’s eyes.“You don’t have to do this,” I said, my voice sounding so steady that it surprised even me.Clara smiled in response. Like she had expected that.“Oh, I absolutely do,” she replied.I shook my head slightly
~Derek~The fight began suddenly as everyone moved at once. Steel, claws, everything collided at once, the impact tearing through the lair and rattling the very ground beneath our feet.I didn’t hold back. I couldn’t. Logan met me head-on, his power slamming into mine with brutal intensity. It was heavier than before. Denser, darker, like something unnatural had rooted itself deep inside him and was feeding him strength. For a moment, it pushed me back. My feet dragged against the stone, but I braced, forcing myself to hold ground instead of giving it.Logan smiled as he saw me stumble, his eyes glinting with smug satisfaction. “You feel that, Your Highness?” he drawled, circling me like a predator that thought it had already won. “That’s what real power feels like.”I straightened, rolling my shoulders as I steadied my stance. My muscles burned from the impact, but I forced it down, locking my focus entirely on him.“You’re mistaking control for power,” I said coldly.His grin wide
~Celina~Days passed by. Not in a blur but in a slow, suffocating stretch where every moment dragged, heavy with waiting. The tension in the air felt sharp with each passing day, the threat of impending death looming in the air. The girls no longer cried like before but I could feel the hopelessness rising inside them with each day that passed without us escaping from here. But I wasn’t ready to give up though. I spent my time counting every shift in the air, every tremor beneath the ground, every subtle change in the rhythm of the lair.And I knew it was coming. I didn't need Clara to say it again. And I didn’t need Logan’s presence to confirm it. I could feel it. The ritual was close. Too close. No more time left to hesitate.I sat with my back against the cold stone, my fingers curled into my palms, grounding myself in the only way I could. Panic wouldn’t help me. Fear wouldn’t break these chains. Only focus would. And I was going to break them no matter what ‘Move.’ Mia’s voice c
~Derek~As we continued walking through the forest, I noticed how it had gone too quiet. Unnaturally quiet. I slow, raising a hand. The team behind me stopped instantly. Beside me, Ivy went still too. She lowers to the ground, ears angled forward, tail frozen mid-sway. Her amber eyes glow faintly in the dim light. She was tracking.I exhaled slowly as I stared at her. “You feel it too,” I said, staring at her uneasy expression. It was not a question, just a fact.She stared at me and gave a nod in response. Footsteps approached behind us and I turned to look.“Your Highness.”Amanda stood a few steps back, her expression focused, her eyes distant in a way that tells me she’s not just seeing the forest anymore. James and Fiona flanked her.“What do you sense?” I asked without beating around the bush.Amanda didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she lifted a hand slightly, fingers tightening as if testing the air itself.“Dark magic,” she said finally. “Old and layered. Not stable yet bu
~Celina~Days passed by in a blur as the entire Royal pack buzzed about in preparation for the Alpha Summit, and finally the day was here. As I stood in front of the mirror wearing the exquisite gown that made me feel like a warrior princess, Fiona fussed around me like a mother hen. I couldn’t hel
As I stared at Derek and Fiona in confusion, Derek just stared at me nonchalantly. Meanwhile, Fiona practically vibrated with excitement. Will someone tell me what is going on here?Seeing my baffled look, Fiona let out a laugh before taking my hand.“Don’t look so panicked. We are not going to bit
~Logan~“I think this blue gown makes my eyes look bluish rather than gray. But then again, this red one is stunning and goes well with my dark hair. Logan! Which one do you think I should wear to the Alpha Summit?” Clara asked excitedly, raising two gowns, and I gritted my teeth as I stared at her
~Celina ~I stared at James, my mind full of confusion. Derek had been so busy these days that I hadn’t even gotten a glimpse of him. Now that I knew the Alpha Summit was coming, I knew he was probably dealing with its preparations. After all, a meeting where all sorts of Alphas, probably even those







