ALPHA KING XALEN~~I would be a fool to think the next few hours wouldn’t be dangerous as hell. Yes, Richard was in captivity, begging for death, but I knew better than to let my guard down. That’s why Wyatt had been instructed to keep his eyes open and ears sharp.“When Haylee’s heart stops, I will be vulnerable, Wyatt. I need you to stay alert,” I said to my Gamma as I watched Hyakee step onto the podium in the center of the hall.My Gamma responded immediately and began instructing the warriors to take up different positions around the hall and to secure the borders of the pack. My heart was pounding like crazy with every second that passed—not because of the imminent danger, but because I was painfully aware of the weight of this ritual.Gosh, I just wanted to hide somewhere until it was over.“We can’t do that. We have to be beside her,” Theo grumbled inside my mind, even though I knew he felt the same way.I looked to my right and saw Roy, who was already staring at me. My co
Princess Allison’s POV (40)~~The entire pack had heard about the ritual Haylee would perform later today—a ritual that demanded her blood and her life.When I first heard about the Crimson Curse and the Crimson Sacrifice, I dismissed it as nonsense. I believed Haylee wouldn’t sacrifice herself just to lift a cursed burden from a handful of people. But once again, she proved me wrong.“The Queen is incredible. I can’t believe she’s actually going through with this,” one of the servants murmured to the others, awe clear in her voice.“She’s making the ultimate sacrifice,” another added, smiling softly, her eyes filled with admiration. It was obvious they revered Haylee, and I could see the fear lurking behind their respect—the fear that her revival might fail, that she might be lost to them forever.They’re afraid of losing her...There’s no way I can compete with that. No one can. Not even Lexie, despite my attempts over the past few weeks to reach out to her. I still can’t underst
HAYLEE~~My heart was pounding, relentless and deafening.It raced uncontrollably, each beat echoing in my ears like a relentless drum. The faster it soared, the louder the sound became, drowning out everything else. Every piece of bad news I received—from people I trusted, people I thought wouldn’t give up on me—caused it to thud harder, as if my chest itself were breaking apart.When I heard that there was no other way, it shattered me more profoundly than words can express.But when my mom muttered to me with the softest voice and eyes, the cool hands of peace gripped my burning heart, putting it to rest in a way that made me sigh out with relief.“... But we will revive you, Nerina. I will revive you—even if I have to die to make your heart beat again.”I didn’t know when I burst into tears or when I began to fall. I didn’t know when my mate got to me and gathered the shattered pieces of me into his arms. I didn’t know when I became a wailing mess, but I did know that relief wa
ALPHA KING XALEN~~“We have searched books and reached out to everyone we know who is spiritually inclined and knowledgeable, Queen Haylee,” Gladys started, explaining to Haylee, whose face was as blank as a white sheet.I couldn’t do the explaining because I feared I would communicate nothing but the horrors eating away at my heart and soul, and from what I could tell, Aradia wasn’t interested in breaking the news to Haylee either.Same with Flavia and Lexie, who had both gone mute behind Haylee.“Fuck! We failed her,” Theo cried out within me, letting fear get the best of him even though Gladys wasn’t done explaining.Rather than respond to him and let fear consume me, I remained still and quiet, listening as Gladys continued, “We have done our best, but sadly, we can’t find a different way to break the Crimson Curse.”“W-what?” Haylee stuttered, her emotions breaking past the walls she had put up. Her eyes flickered to me briefly before she looked back at Gladys and said, “But X
HAYLEE~~“We came up with something!”Over the past month, I've heard those words more times than I can count—so many, in fact, that "a couple" no longer feels accurate. Along with it, I've also heard, “We found something!” or “There’s another way!”It has been exactly one month since my loved ones started desperately searching for ways to save me. And in that time, I’ve ridden a rollercoaster of emotions—hope, fear, frustration, and everything in between.This month initially brought a glimmer of hope, but after many unfruitful attempts suggested by my mom, Xalen, and even the Healers, I’ve begun to feel that hope fading. It now seems as though I am destined to remain trapped in this terrifying fate, with no way out in sight.It’s crucial to mention that it has been confirmed that the Crimson sacrifice is real, and yes, since my mom has another child like me, either Lexie or I have to be the sacrificial wolf. Even Aradia, who had made the healers’ building her permanent home, has
HAYLEE~~“Hell no!”I didn’t know how long it took me to say those two words and break the silence that had settled over the room.I noticed how Sophia and Asher looked my way with sad eyes. To them, Lexie taking my place sounded pleasing because it was no big deal as long as I was safe. However, it was a different case for me.Kaylee took my place, and I would be damned if I let another sister, whether I knew her or not, do the same and die on me.“Haylee, please. Don’t be emotional now—” Lexie began.But I cut her off by raising my finger. I let my eyes shift to Sophia and Asher before my trembling lips stretched to form a convincing smile. “You guys have nothing to worry about, okay? I’m not leaving or dying because I know I have to be here for you.”“You promise?” Asher asked breathlessly, his red, teary eyes piercing into my soul.“I promise, Ash,” I responded, even though I didn’t know what the future held for me. “So stay calm and go play with your friends in the lounge.”“I