ATHAN’S POVI met Mitchell on the terrace on the second floor facing the valley. The sky was a golden yellow and the sun felt like a warm touch to the skin. She turned to look at me but turned back. it was evident she was still upset about last night.‘I am sorry, Mitchell.’I went to stand beside her. A car truck had just pulled into the courtyard below. Its noise drowned what I had said before.‘I am sorry, Mitchell.’ I repeated.‘Why are you sorry’? She said to me without looking at me. I tried to get close to her but she didn’t budge. I stretched my hands to touch but almost immediately, I withdrew my hands. However, I continued, determined to get my point across. ‘I am sorry because I didn’t consider your feelings before I asked Damien to your father’s house. I didn’t consider how it would offend you if I brought him here. I was selfish.’ I tried hard to avoid it but my voice trembled. I saw her flinch subtly, and look at me‘No you are not selfish, sir.’ Her voice was low and

DAMIEN’S POVWith the events of the night before, I felt confident that my plan was in place. Jubilant over my double achievements of winning myself over to Athan’s side and getting into the golden leaves pack, I decided to inform the master. After listening to my achievements, he will be proud of me.The phone only rang once, when the gruff voice picked up and answered answered. ‘From the blood of the pure.’That voice always sends chills down my spine. Can this man not be a little less frightening?‘For the sweat of the cause.’ I answered. ‘I have gotten into the enemy camp. Soon I will bring you victory.’I waited to hear something commendation or appreciation, but silence. Since my kidnap and rehabilitation at the camp, the master kept his distance from me. I was only to call him to make reports or ask for help. And to protect our identity we had to use a password, ‘from the blood of the pure, for the seat of the cause’, before we spoke. It was only invented right before I left c

MITCHELL’S POVToday is the day. I didn’t imagine this day would be like this. The flowers were more beautiful and the sun smiled dimly on us. Even the birds composed a little song for me and sang it endlessly from high up in the trees. Family and friends stood at the opposing sides of the aisle as I glided ceremoniously through it to meet the love of my life. He was standing at the other end, resplendent in all his manliness. His beta stood proudly beside him and Miranda watched at the head of the assembly. She was the ordaining minister. The floor was strewn with petals of Castilian roses. I have never seen that much in one place. And then, with a hot slap to my thigh, it vanished. My head felt as though it had been hit by a thousand bricks. I couldn’t see anything. Something seemed to press on my back. I tried to move, but it was not possible. I couldn’t move my hands and legs. They seemed to be held together by something rough and tight. I was on a cold surface. It felt like met

JISSA’S POVWhat had just happened?I could feel my legs shaking. Scenes from the incident flashed through my mind in quick succession: the peaceful ride, the times I fell in and out of sleep, and the moment the car stopped and our driver announced that Mitchell’s car was gone. Even with these scenes, my mind tried to find a logical reason for the disappearance or how it took place.‘I want to go and find her.’ I declared suddenly, loosening myself from Miranda’s embrace.‘Where do you know you are going to start? I have already called Golden Leaves. They should be here anytime soon.’I didn’t pay any attention to Miranda. Her voice grew faint by the minute.‘Where did you stop seeing the car?’ I directed at one of the drivers, Miranda’s driver, I guess.‘Over there.’ the stout man pointed at a distance not far from where I stood.‘Jissa, you can’t.’ Miranda drew close to me and tried to take my hand.I turned to her and fired.‘Miranda, our friend is missing. My friend of many years

MIRANDA’S POV I made a lot of mistakes on the afternoon of her abduction. That afternoon, the journey was going so well at first. After a night full of rain, the day was bright and sunny. We were on our way to the Athan’s palace. White clouds passed over greenery and white-peaked blue mountains stood stoically on the horizon. Mitchell wanted to visit and familiarize with her soon-to-be home. When the journey began, her car led our entourage. Consequently, our car seemed to overtake or her car slowed down, I don’t know how it happened. However, later that evening, one of the drivers said Damien had claimed that his car shouldn’t be in front because the Lycan Supreme’s Luna was in there. While we were on the journey, I felt a premonition but chose to ignore it; mistake number one. ‘What happened? I don’t see their car anymore.’ I was holding my hands over my eyebrows and scanning into the black monk's forest. ‘Something is wrong. I can feel it.’ Jissa said. Her car had stopped an