NATALIE.Willow.How could I have forgotten her name?Though I am not even sure that it is her real name.I climb back into the bed and hide my head in the blankets.I am so tired.Both physically and mentally.Nothing, literally nothing happened the way I thought it was going to happen.Instead of being delighted at finally finding his mate, Damien is resentful and reluctant.Did he blame me? For finding him and messing up his life?I have been trying to stay strong for so long and I am just exhausted now. I am just so tired.I can't stop the tears from falling out, it pours like rain, and for the first time since I got here, I am glad that I am alone.Nobody to see me like this.And before long, the darkness takes me away in a somewhat peaceful sleep.It has been a long day. ***************I am awoken by hands, gently shaking me. The tears of last night had dried on my lashes and I had to slowly pry them open, before pulling down the blanket.I blear

NATALIE.“Um, good morning,” I say into the intimidating silence. “I uh, I came to return the plates.”Nobody says anything in response to that. Even the man who had brought me in had abandoned me.Great. Just great.I stand there, fidgeting on my own, feeling the hostile stares burrowing deep into my skin for what feels like hours until someone, blessedly signals to me.“Over here,” a woman calls from the far back.I hurry over to her, plates outstretched when I suddenly crash to the floor, the tray falling with me and causing the ceramic plates to crash.I was tripped.I look over to see a group of people, three girls, and four boys, giggling at my debacle.“Oh, I am so sorry,” one of the boys speaks up. “I really didn't see you there.”The statement causes the entire group to break up into raucous laughter.What the hell is so funny about this? I am confused now, he did apologize but from their behavior, it seems intentional. What… What is going on?Damn that witch.I have had no

NATALIE.Knock knock.The sound is so firm and forceful, I instinctively know it is Damien.What does he want now?“Come in,” I call as I get off from the window pane.What? I already said I was going to leave.I hurry over to the bed and drop into it, just in time as his head appears in the frame of the door before his whole body enters.“Hi,” he says.“Hello.”“I was wondering how you were settling in?” he asks.I give him a wry smirk before answering.“As well as you can imagine. How do you think a person kept against their will and being ridiculed at every turn she takes would feel?” I ask.“Right, I heard about Pan. I am sorry about that, he will be punished.”“And you? Who would punish you?” He sighs before taking a step towards and then stopping. “Natalie… I know we got off on the wrong foot, that is mainly my fault. I apologize. How can I make it up to you?” he asks. “And please, don't tell me to let you go. I don't think I am physically capable of doing that or being able t

MAYA.“You took your sweet time, sister,” I greet.“Oh, you know me,” she responds with a flippant attitude. “People to terrorize, Intel to gather, the life of a rogue is so full, you know?”“No, I wouldn't. I am not a rogue,” I say as I raise my hand to signal a waiter. “It pisses me off that you chose this life.”“Hmm, and yet, you do not hesitate to make use of the resources I offer.”“Oh, it can't be helped,” I say.As the waiter arrives and we make our order, my mind goes through the reason as to why we are in this situation.Tanya is actually my twin sister. We are identical twins.Both of us were born in the Varon pack. And we were so connected. We did everything together, felt the same things, liked the same things, believed the same things.The only difference was in our characters.While I approached life with a sense of discipline and control and then chose to serve faithfully by Damien’s side, Tanya chose differently.She was- is wild. She loved adventure, parties, anythin

WILLOW.Ugh.What was I thinking?Waiting till ten? I am not that patient!Under normal circumstances, I would have flown off the edge and taken the girl myself.Fortunately -or unfortunately- depending on the perspective, the ingredients I would need for the ritual are in my house. The one where I had kept Lyra all these years.Which is why, I am now trekking around the moist forest floor, heading there.I wave away the weaved enchantment hiding my access and come into the clearing, only to stop dead in my tracks.There are people here.Wolves.I guess that answers my question. Lyra is in the Varon pack.Still, this is fast.I did not expect to manage to track me down this fast. There is no way she could have been able to direct them here. She doesn't know anywhere.This was somebody else.I fall back into the shadows, watching as they move around the place before walking into the house.This… is a complication.I know they are here for me and by all logic, I should just kill them a