CHAPTER 68Derek's POV“Prince Derek! Prince Derek.. Over here..”I turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Clara, the maid, waving eagerly at me. I turned and walked over to her.“My parents live just two blocks away.” She spoke enthusiastically. “We'll give you shelter for as long as it takes to figure out all this mess.” She began to lead the way, and I followed.“Thank you,” I muttered.“You don't need to.” She replied. “The moment you left the pack house, the Luna Queen…” She paused as if she'd just realized she made a mistake. “I mean your stepmother…”“Just call her Evelyn.” I cut in.“Well, Evelyn summoned all the councilors. They had a really long meeting, and at the end of it, she came out and announced herself as the ruler of the Bloodwood Pack and beyond. But I hear this decision really wasn't what the council wanted, but I hear lives were threatened and loved ones were kidnapped too!”“You hear a lot of things, Clara,” I remarked.“It's what we maids do.” She re
CHAPTER 67Derek's POVThere was no way I'd risk her falling back under the control of the death goddess again, so I did what I had to keep her safe. To make sure that the death goddess doesn't use her. The realization of what she had done had shaken her out of Malkin's control, and based on her shock, I knew she had realized the horror of what she had done.I carried Layla over my shoulder and continued the return journey, going as fast as I could and not too fast to avoid exhaustion. But as I traveled, one thing kept repeating over and over in my head.She had said it, the moon goddess had asked me not to let Layla out of my sight, and I intended to do just that. But then again, the moon goddess talked about a ritual and a mating within the next five days.The ritual, no doubt, was the Alpha King's ritual, marking my ascension to the throne, but the mating… I knew that was still referring to me and Layla, but at the moment I didn't know if she had a flicker of a feeling for me.At l
CHAPTER 66Daven's POVIt really sucked, the time freeze was almost the most painful thing I had experienced that day! It was really agonizing to see Derek and Amy right before me and within my grasp, but I did nothing!I saw them escape through my window, and even then, the time freeze took a while before it finally broke, and we all gained control of our bodies. What witchcraft were they using now?! This was something never heard of!“They're gone! They've escaped!” Daisy wailed with frustration. She had reverted to her human form now, but was holding her side, the same place where that bastard Lycan had slammed into her!“I'll go after them!” I told her. “I'll make them pay for what they've done!”I was made to go forward, but then she grabbed my hand, and I stopped abruptly and turned to look at her. She seemed weak and so fragile at the moment, and her whole body trembled violently.“I'm.. I'm scared..” She whispered. “Stay with me.”“I wish I could,” I replied. “I really wish I
CHAPTER 65Layla's POVI guess I wasn't as tough as I thought I was, after all. Maybe I wasn't really ready for the whole revenge stuff because the moment my eyes met the mangled corpse on the bed, my heart suddenly froze and the little will I had within me took over Malkin's control.“MOM! DAD!” Daisy's scream threatened to pull the walls of the whole pack house down. “You bitch! You stinking bitch!”“NO!” Daven gasped. “What have you done?!”“Kill the Bitch!” Daisy yelled with spit flying from her mouth like a wounded beast. She didn't wait for any guards to carry out her orders but flung herself suddenly at me, transforming into her wolf mid-air.I was momentarily paralyzed and couldn't even move a muscle as Daisy's wolf bore down on me and then…Out of nowhere and in a blur, another form from nowhere slammed into Daisy, sending her off course and crashing into the wall with a painful whelp. In front of me crouched Derek bare bare-chested, with his claws extracted, his face on Dav
CHAPTER 64Layla's POVThe forest stretched before me in an endless sea of blackened trees with their skeletal fingers clawing at the bruised sky. I moved like a wraith in the night with my breaths shallow and my steps soundless. The dark force of Malkin, the death goddess, pulsed through me, whispering promises of revenge, of blood, of sweet, delicious retribution. All I wanted. It was my sole purpose for being alive now.Daven. Daisy. Their names slithered through my mind like serpents, venomous and biting. They would pay. Tonight. Their final reckoning had come!I crept closer to the pack house with my senses sharpened by the goddess’s power, which coursed through my veins. The warm glow of lanterns flickered in the distance, and the occasional murmur of patrolling guards reached my ears. My lips curled into a twisted grin. I slowly smacked my lips to the anticipation of what was surely going to come. They thought themselves safe behind their walls and behind their warriors. But
CHAPTER 63Derek's POVThe growls were the very first thing I heard, even before I perceived their smell. There was an outpost just ahead and a handful of sentries on patrol north side. I stopped and reverted to my human form. It would be best to continue in human form from there.I hadn't taken up to five steps when the smell of something else wafted into my nostrils, an unforgettable smell I could tell at any time at all. I smelled blood…I quickened my pace, and my strides became even longer as I walked towards the group of soldiers.“Someone is approaching!”My sharp ears picked up the voice amongst the soldiers.“Rogues?” I heard another person ask.“No. He's alone. In human form.” The first person answered.I recognized the second voice as belonging to Beta Rowan.“Hold your men, Beta Rowan. It is I, Derek.” I spoke not too loudly but loud enough for the men to hear me. They were werewolves after all.I noticed the atmosphere change immediately as people began to talk animatedl