"Haven't you done enough, Don? Not only have you betrayed us but now you're reopening old wounds and trying to plant false hope in madam's heart. Have you no shame? No heart?!""Audrey!" Rebekah's voice was louder than she intended, "Who let you in here?! And why would you come in here without my permission to interrupt my conversation?""Forgive me, madam, but I was let in by the guards. I wanted to come see how you were doing after I told you about Lily's fate only for me to walk into this - Don trying to rub salt on your fresh wounds. I couldn't just stand and watch him without doing anything!" Audrey was thrilled in her mind. Her acting skills were getting off the charts!"But why would you accuse him of giving me false hope when you yourself told me you weren't sure that…" Rebekah's eyes started to fill with tears.Audrey walked closer to them. "I only said so because I didn't want it to hurt so badly, madam. I'm sorry, I could've told you the bitter and sad truth. I saw what I s

~LILY'S POV~Leo paced back and forth in front of me, his eyes burning with curiosity and something more sinister. The room felt stifling, the air heavy with tension as I knew he was preparing to interrogate me about the power I had just unleashed. My wrists were still bound, and I could feel the cool metal of the chains digging into my skin."So, Lily," Leo began with a voice filled with false sweetness, "care to explain that little display of power? I must admit, I'm rather intrigued."I refused to let fear seep into me. I met his gaze with a defiant glare, "I don't owe you any explanations, Leo. You have no right to question me."Leo chuckled darkly and narrowed his eyes at me. "Ah, but you see, my dear Lily, I have every right. As your captor, it is my duty to unmask the depths of your abilities. Your power is far greater than I had imagined. I really have underestimated you."I clenched my fists, the chains rattling against my skin. "What do you want from me, Leo? Why the fuck ar

~NARRATOR'S POV~Aunt Belinda and Sarah continued to walk deep into the forest, searching for clues about Lily and Adrian's disappearance. They followed a path that seemed to show where they were taken and the last one anyone remembered they last passed through. Aunt Belinda looked around then spoke to Sarah in a concerned voice, "Sarah, we need to focus and be alert. Look for anything that seems strange or different—footprints, signs of a fight, anything that might give us an idea of what happened.Sarah nodded, her gaze fixed as she knelt down to examine the disturbed ground. "I'm searching."Aunt Belinda crouched beside Sarah, her voice tinged with worry. "It's crucial that we remain calm and attentive. We can't afford to miss anything."Sarah's brow furrowed in concentration as she carefully examined a patch of dirt. "Look at these markings. They're deep, as if someone was dragged here."Aunt Belinda's eyes widened, realization dawning upon her. "You're right. It seems there was

~ADRIAN'S POV~My eyes fluttered open. The memories of the past flooded my mind. I found myself lying in a dark room, and as my gaze focused, I saw Lily's father, but a much younger version, standing before him. The air was thick with tension as we locked eyes. Our past and conflicting desires hanged between us.Henry's grip tightened around the journal in his hands. He sounded so bitter as he spoke, "You thought you could betray us and get away with it, Adrian? You were a brother to me, and yet you sided with our enemies."I looked down shamefully then back at him, "Henry, you must understand. It wasn't betrayal; it was a choice born out of love. I couldn't sit by and watch as the violence escalated. I had to find a different way."His eyes narrowed, "Different way? You turned your back on your own kind, on your own family. And now you expect forgiveness?"My gaze softened as my voice filled with sincerity. "Henry, I never wanted to cause harm to anyone. I stood by your side because

The dry leaves of the oak trees blew by the empty canals. The atmosphere was chiller than usual. All the members of the grove and pack gathered together to say their final goodbyes to Rex, their respected and beloved Alpha. As everyone in the main pack commuted in sadness, the air felt heavy with grief, and the only sounds were the soft movement of leaves and occasional sniffling from people crying.Tyler was there too, but he looked very resolute and calm, which was unusual for him in that situation. He lost his mom 3 years prior, and he was unable to stop crying when her burial rights were being performed.Why didn't he cry now? Is it because he just realized he lost two parents in the span of 4 years?He couldn't cry; it was as if he couldn't believe what had happened, what he had done and couldn't permit his feelings from being shown to the pack members.Henry and Rebekah stood next to each other, their faces filled with sadness, as they watched what was happening. They held hand