Being kidnapped and locked in a dingy room is not exactly the best way to appreciate a town or a city. Hell, to properly have a good view of a place, one has to be unbound and free to move about from one attraction to the next. Now, Cinnia was free as a bird. Without the threat of an induced abortion and subsequent death in the event of disobedience, or the proclamation that she was more of a bargaining tool than a living, breathing, human being, Cinnia was able to breathe easier in the car with Sophie as they drove past a sign welcoming them to the picturesque town of Darah Haven. Before she focused on gazing at the beautiful and calming environment that they sped past, there was a question that had nagged at the back of her mind throughout their short flight from New Orleans to West Volken and she had to ask or risk it poking at her till madness set in. "They had a witch, didn't they? The blood demons?" The question broke Sophie out of her roaming thoughts. There was conf

"Where the fuck is Cinnia? Where is my mate?!" Denzel was on a rampage upon returning from New Orleans with no sign of Cinnia or Sophie. Neither of them had been seen around the pack house ever since they left for the mission. "Calm down, brother. Cinnia trusts the witch for whatever reason. I'm sure they must have gone somewhere and will return soon," Maverick said in a bid to calm Denzel. "I have left her a dozen messages and voice mails. They have been delivered but there is nothing from her. I swear upon the goddess if something has happened..." Denzel picked at his fingers in a rage. "She's fine. I am certain of that. There has to be a reasonable explanation for their combined absence, okay? In this state, you won't even be able to access her through your bond. Relax, Alpha," Mya pitched in. "The bond. Yes. Thank you, Mya." Denzel snapped his fingers and rushed off to the solarium on the south side of the pack house—one of the only places except for his room where Denzel c

When Cinnia's eyes fluttered open for the third time in a row, she was met with the sight of beauty. The full moon shone down at her as if inviting her into its embrace. For a moment, she was at peace as she gazed up at it. She made to sit up, to admire it fully but to her consternation, she was unable to move. Her body was tied down by heavy chains which were a bit loose around her baby bump. Her breathing quickened as she turned her head from side to side, trying to get her bearings and figure out where exactly she was. Cinnia caught sight of the stack of wood beneath her. An altar of some sort. She was in an open space but there were walls all around her so that meant she wasn't outside. Suddenly, she remembered. The guilty look on Sophie's face. The proud smirk on Esther's lips. They were responsible for this. "Sophie..." Cinnia's voice cracked. A wave of sadness washed over her. She had trusted Sophie with her life. 'Why must everyone I trust betray me? First him...and

Cinnia regained consciousness two days later with a massive headache and an incessant ringing in her ears. The sunlight hurt her eyes and the constant hovering and murmurs of people going in and out of her room caused her to wince and hold her head in her hands. Eventually, she managed to push herself into a sitting position and that was the moment the memories her brain had fought to suppress to allow her to sleep and recover, rose to the surface. Denzel's lies and corresponding betrayal. Sophie's treachery. Esther's attempts to kill her and her child so she can curse the werewolves. The memories tore through her. Slicing and cutting deep till she thought it would leave her in a stringy mess of meat and blood. She pulled her knees up as far as they would go without her belly getting in the way and bowed her head. Cinnia didn't notice the tears rolling down her cheeks at first. After all, crying was out of the question for her. She had done so much of it in such a short time an

The next day, Cinnia was gone before the crack of dawn using her cloaking spell to leave unnoticed. She had almost considered changing her mind when she saw Denzel sleeping on the floor outside her room but her goal ate at her. Cinnia couldn't risk him waking up before she could even escape so she cast a silencing charm to make him deaf to any sounds she might make at least till she left. "I'm sorry but I have to do this for me and them. If I could change fate, I would," She had said to his sleeping form before slipping into the cool darkness of the early morning. At the airport, her gaze ran across the many seats in the departure hall till it landed on a certain blonde. "What took you so long? You were thinking of backing out?" Sophie asked with a straight face when Cinnia sat beside her on the cold, hard airport seat. "No... I was a bit distracted by—" Cinnia started to clarify. "If you're going to mention any of them, please just don't. Unless you want to find another