LAUREL’s POVGrowing up, there would be times when I dreaded going home, simply because I knew what awaited me behind our front door. Mother's wrath. But I had never dreaded coming back to the pack after a long day of hunting or work that Alpha Helios assigned me to. Not even once.Until now. We approach the great iron portcullis. The lattice grilled vertical gate is closed and two guards stand erect in front, vigilantly guarding it. We could have used the shortcut through the Morningstar square to renter Helios’ land but he had deliberately brought us through the main gate. He is shrewd, sometimes, I simply cannot fathom his mind.Helios moves forward with Diego reluctantly following from behind. But my steps falter and I come to a stand still, watching the figures of the two men in front of me walk further and further away. I do not know how my parents and Jamie will react upon seeing me. Will they plot yet another scheme to get rid of me? I curl my fingers into a ball so har

LAUREL’s POV Death comes to everyone who is born. It is the natural order of things. But as my end nears, I have to ask myself this; knowing that death is inevitable, what is most precious to me today? The answer is painfully obvious. Helios. I wish to see him one last time. I wish to be able to tell him how I feel. I wish to let him know that the sun and moon rise in his eyes and that I have loved no one else but him throughout all these years. It matters not that he already knows about this; all I want is for him to tell me face to face how he truly feels about me. Because if Diego fails to come up with an antidote by tomorrow, I will never know. Is that too much for a dying girl to ask? “Okay, let’s try this one,” Diego’s voice breaks my train of thoughts and I turn to face the old man. He has his beard tied into a little braid, complete with a tiny bow at the end. I would have laughed out loud at how adorable his beard actually looks if it weren’t for the dire situation we a

LAUREL’s POVThere is movement at the corner of the cell and I suddenly freeze. My reaction surprises me. Probably because I have feared them for so long. It is difficult to approach them without hesitation even when they are both chained to the walls.A shadow speaks. “Jamie? My darling daughter…is that you?”It is mother and she cranes her neck to catch a glimpse of my face.“JAMIE!” she calls out again, the joy on her face is immeasurable.“It’s not her, Helen. It’s Laurel,” father’s tired voice fills the cell and mother’s jaw drops. For a moment, she merely stares at me, her eyes unblinking.Then suddenly, she lets out an ear-piercing howl. Her chains rattle and she kicks and screams, “Nooooooo! Damn you! Laurel! Where is Jamie? What did you do to your sister?! Did you hurt your poor little sister? You’ve got your life back, why can’t you spare her? You selfish girl, give me back my baby!” I step forward. “Mother, I-“She hisses and spits at my feet. “You’re evil, Laurel! You’re n

LAUREL’s POVI don’t know why they call this a heartbreak. It feels like every part of my body is broken too and it takes all of my might just to make it out of the valley. Physically, I trudge through the Morningstar square but my mind has long left my surroundings behind.And somehow, instead of walking back home, my feet bring me right to the doorsteps of the Blue House. It actually takes the meowing of a tabby cat nearby to bring me back to my senses.I stare at the front door and blink a few times in confusion. Strange, why are there only two guards at the door? Normally, the Blue House is a fortress but today, it is as empty as a haunted house.I frownDidn’t Ares say that Diego is still held captive? Perhaps I should go in and take a look. Maybe a chat with Diego will take my mind off all that had just happened. I haven’t asked him how my parents and Jamie got the poison from him. Even more curious is how he got into the Dark Forest in the first place. Members of our pack dread

LAUREL’s POV “There, you can open your eyes now,” Ares says, giving me a pat on the shoulder. My eyes peel open and I stare into the full-length mirror in Jamie’s old room. A young woman with wavy hazel curls styled in a loose coiffure stares back at me. I blink and so does she. “That’s me…” I whisper and the young woman in the mirror does the same. I am mesmerized by her ocean blue eyes and long eyelashes that flutter back at me. Her skin is clean and glowy without a hint of green on them and her makeup is kept minimal with a faint pink tint to her lips. “Of course it’s you. A better and upgraded version of course,” Ares says proudly, beaming from side to side. He twirls a few loose strands of hair near my chin and when I attempt to tuck it behind my ear, he slaps my hand away. “No,” he says like a disapproving teacher, “Let it hang loose, the curls accentuate your oval face.” Then he rests his chin on a hand and frowns as he looks me up and down. “Hmm…the dress looks wonderful