Orun and Matilda stood stiffly on the back porch as the group approached.
Matilda’s face was pained with concern, her brows creased in worry. But Orun—his hands on his hips and jaw locked tight—looked like he was about to explode.
Aria slowed her steps, offering an awkward smile, silently begging the heavens above: 'Please let Orun be too tired to yell.'
No such luck...
“Where have you two been?!” Orun thundered, his voice shaking the wooden planks beneath their feet.
Cecil, already back and towel-drying her hair, flinched but stayed quiet. Clearly, Orun had waited for the full cast to assemble before delivering his wrath
Mason didn’t waste another second.He bolted from the office, storming down the hall with the urgency of a man who just glimpsed the edge of something he couldn’t unsee. His footsteps echoed against the wooden floors as he rushed to the other villa where the shamans live.Orun sat cross-legged near a steaming cup of herbal tea, discussing something with the other shamans.“Orun,” Mason called, breathless and wild-eyed.The shaman turned slowly, eyes narrowing. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”“I need to talk to you. Now.”Orun stood with the grac
A small voice piped up from the doorway. “Why is everybody in here?” Nina asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes, her wild bed hair bouncing with every step as she padded into the office.Maria, slightly breathless, arrived a moment later. “I’m so sorry, Alpha. She ran off before I could stop her. That girl’s fast.”Mason turned, his expression softening instantly. “That’s alright, Maria. I think we’re just about done here anyway.”He glanced at Orun, silently asking for confirmation. The old shaman gave a nod, his stern demeanor finally relaxing.“Yes, we’re done,” Orun confirmed. “I’ll see you all at brunch.” With that, he gave
Orun and Matilda stood stiffly on the back porch as the group approached.Matilda’s face was pained with concern, her brows creased in worry. But Orun—his hands on his hips and jaw locked tight—looked like he was about to explode.Aria slowed her steps, offering an awkward smile, silently begging the heavens above: 'Please let Orun be too tired to yell.'No such luck...“Where have you two been?!” Orun thundered, his voice shaking the wooden planks beneath their feet.Cecil, already back and towel-drying her hair, flinched but stayed quiet. Clearly, Orun had waited for the full cast to assemble before delivering his wrath
Chaos erupted inside the estate. Staff ran in every direction, searching every corner, every room, every locked door and hidden passage. Matilda stood at the center of it all, commanding calm despite the tension that weighed heavy in the air.Per her strict rule, Mason never installed CCTV cameras inside the house—only along the perimeter, at entry and exit points. It was a matter of privacy for her.But now, it was proving to be a painful limitation.Mason stormed into the security outpost, a storm of fury and desperation cloaking him like a thundercloud. The monitors flickered, playing back footage from every angle.Nothing. No sign of Aria. No sign of Cecil. It was as if they had vanished into thin ai
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Cecil gasped, eyes wide as she stared at the photograph in Aria’s hand. “This is the same kid from the orphanage photo, isn’t it?!”“I know!” Aria nodded, still in disbelief herself. “That’s exactly what I thought when I first saw it. There was this weird sense of déjà vu… like, wait a second, I’ve seen this face before.”“Okay but hold up—where did this album even come from? I’ve never seen it in this house before,” Cecil asked, her brows furrowed as she reached for the old, worn album.“Nina brought it. She wanted to introduce me to her mom… and then started pointing out people in the pictures like she’d known them her whole life,” Aria said softly, a bit awestruck.“She knew them al
The room had grown so still that it felt like time had paused. Everyone stood frozen, eyes fixed on Aria’s sleeping form. Waiting, praying, hoping for the smallest sign.But nothing came.Not a stir. Not a blink. Not even a flicker of her fingers.Mason’s heart clenched. He couldn’t just stand there any longer.He leaned in, brushing a damp lock of hair from her forehead, and whispered gently, “Aria… wake up. Please, open your eyes. You’re safe now.”He lightly shook her hand, his thumb tracing slow circles over her skin. Her color had returned—no longer ghostly pale—but still, she lay motionless.