***It was the break of dawn and the sun was beginning to start its daily and punctual rise from the horizon. It was that hour of the morning that felt cold yet warm, and one’s bed seemed to be made of clouds.Avril turned gently, her hair fallen all over her face and her arms under her head as she snuggled with herself. Slowly, she yawned and turned to face the ceiling, her eyes open but still sleepy. She kept flapping her eyelashes until she no longer had the early morning blurry vision. Using her fingers, she gently brushed off her hair from her face and yawned again before setting the hand on her belly.“You yawn like a baby,” the most soothing voice pronounced from across the bed. Avril raised her head up and supported her frame with her two elbows propped backwards against the bed. Dakar was seated on a chair, in the middle of the room and directly in front of the bed. His leg was crossed over the other that was on the floor, and he was leaning sideways on the chair. His hair… l

Avril still had the sleeping mask on.“You’re back?” she asked.“Yeah. But—” he looked at the terrible mess in front of the huge gates created by the protesters “don’t open your eyes yet,” he said. He did not want to explain what created the mess.Dakar drove into the open gates of the Palace and did not stop in front of the huge Palace but drove straight to his own quarters. He stopped in front of his palace and looked over at his side.“You can remove the mask now,” he whispered.She took it off her head gently and immediately looked around only to see everywhere quiet and empty.“What were you expecting?” he asked with an amused laugh.“I don’t know. I thought I heard some commotion with you throwing a tantrum,” she answered with a shrug.“The car is soundproof. You didn’t hear a thing. Also, I did not throw a tantrum. Come on, let’s head inside.”He stepped out of the car and waited for her to do so without being a gentleman. That kind of pissed Avril off.“Be a gentleman, Dakar,”

Again, Dakar did not seem to notice what had happened. His eyes were sharp and clear as he stared at Camper.“Do you feel... fine?” Camper asked and took a step forward. Dakar heaved a sigh and crossed his arms.“No,” he gave an honest answer. He looked behind him at the massive grey palace, then shook his head.“I need to go see Fiorella,” he stated and walked past Camper.“You are not going to tell her about the new—”“I can't. Alpha ordered not to. I can't break it or stop it from happening.”It was obvious he did not like the idea at all with how he was trying to hide his agitation as he spoke.“Do you sincerely trust this girl? I mean, do you?” Camper inquired.Dakar stared at his best friend for long seconds.“I don't know,” he answered and began to walk away. Camper ran after him.“You don't know what happened or what she truly got into those two years. Maybe she's not...I don't know. Maybe not who you really knew back on the island.”Dakar ran a finger through his har. He had

Dakar frowned deeply.“And why are you just telling me now?”“What matters is that I let you know. Now, what is going on with you?”Dakar kept silent.“We are going to the facility today. You have to fix those people before word spreads abroad. And secondly, I'm doubling the watch over the human girl.”Dakar's eyes flared.“Why?” he thundered across the room.“I have word that the aura around you is spreading to her. More trained guards from the Academy are being dispatched to her as I speak.”“You don't have to do this. Fiorella is...innocent.”“I would have believed you if you yourself was even sure of what you spoke.”Dakar ran a hand through his hair and nodded.“But this better be over with soon. If you don't find anything with her in a few more days, back down.” His own voice was more of an order than a request to his father and he gulped down after realizing it. But his father did not say anything regarding that.“We are going to the facility now,” the Alpha said and stepped do

Nana wiped a face towel over her face as she finished preparing the muffins and slid them into the oven. She stepped out of the small kitchen in the cottage she lived with one other human girl, and entered the courtyard. The cottage was of stone, and had flower vines creeping by the sides and disturbing the opening of windows.It was a cloudy afternoon, and the cold was unbearable. Nana never knew the importance of the sun until she got to this side of the world where the sun would hide under a few clouds and the god of cold would breathe over the the land.“Ah, remdangit!” she exclaimed the way Remusians always said it. She was supposed to mow the lawn this week, and despite how small their lawn was, she hated mowing it. But nevertheless, Nana did. Afterwards, she returned to the kitchen and removed the muffins from the oven. She would have set her lunch already to eat without her cottage mate, but she needed a shower after all that work. Just as she was about to turn to her room, Ch