Serana POV.I stand rooted to the spot as I watch Joel, who I thought was my friend, looking at me with a panicked expression. Well, I’m so fucking glad I never told him who I am. The fucking traitor!“Rana, what are you doing here?” he looks behind him and I smile as I point to the cart behind me.“Was just about to start cleaning. Why? Are you hiding something? Oh my god, is it a unicorn? Let me see.” I say with a chuckle, and he gulps and looks nervous as fuck. Good, I will keep an eye on him.“A unicorn. No, it’s not. Anyway, I thought you cleaned here yesterday?” he asks as the dark fae walks in the opposite direction, and I watch them leave before I turn my gaze to him.“Oh, did I?” I roll my eyes and hit my forehead with the heel of my palm.“You’re right. I did. I’m losing my mind. All the hallways look the same.” I say with a chuckle as I turn and scowl with my back turned.“Rana, are you ok?” He steps loser to me and I stiffen.“Yeah, I’m ok. Are you?” I turn to face him and

Vilkas POV.The time I was away, my mind kept going back to Serana. I can’t believe I nearly raped her. If Queen Marcia were here, she would have killed me for that. After all, she was the one who placed me as guardian to humanity and the protector of the Bastian royal bloodline. However, the Bastian blood line died out.“Or so we think.” I sigh as I look out of the window of the office. I know he is right, but still they are gone and I failed them.Queen Marcia tried to save me and so I will be forever grateful to her for doing what she did. What I don’t understand is how she died. A phoenix can’t be killed easily, they hold more power and magic than any other.I never met her mate, and that is my fault for not listening to her warnings about the bitch, Starci. If I did, then humanity wouldn’t have fallen and Queen Marcia and King Ronan would be alive and well, no doubt with plenty of children, and I would have loved and protected them like they were my own.My chest aches and I rub

Serana POV.The pain in my chest makes it difficult to breathe. He has just claimed someone else in front of me. How? Who the fuck is she? She, she. Oh my God. That is her, the one that Joel was speaking to.The witch, Starci.“Serana, wait.” I run towards the bedroom and grab the bundle and place it in a trash bag and leave the room to head to god only knows where. I need to get away. She will kill me if she finds out who I am.“Rana, stop.” I stop in my tracks as Wesley grabs my arm and pushes me into a vacant room.“He has claimed her. She isn’t his mate. She is the witch, the storm that is coming. She is here, and she has just claimed him.” I sob as my chest hurts more as I drop to the floor in a heap. I hyperventilate as my vision tunnels when Wesley lifts me and takes the bag.“Breathe, Serana. Slow breaths. I need to get you out of here.” He runs from the room as I jiggle about in his hold. Tears leave my eyes. I didn’t fucking survive for sixteen years to be killed by some fuc

Serana POV.“Ahhh, make it stop.” I scream as I clutch my stomach. My skin heats as I feel like I’m being stabbed in my stomach. My heart is burning too when it stops and I lay back down. Sweating trickling down my face.“It’s over, it’s ok. You are OK,” Pascha says as she wipes the sweat with a wet washcloth.“My … heart …” I gasp as she rips my top open, and she gasps, looking at me and back to my chest.“Lara,” I pant like I’ve run a marathon when Lara squats at my side.“It’s the heart scale. The betrayal will be stronger because of it.” I whimper as I feel it happen again. Why won’t he stop? It has been days, or maybe hours I can’t tell. I had to tell Lara and Pascha who I was when the shot hit the fan. They have promised like before to keep it secret.“Give her something.” Lara looks at me with worry in her eyes.“Do it.” I groan as my back arches off the makeshift bed as I pull at my hair. My nails scrape down my face to my neck as I claw at my heart to make it stop.“She will

Stacey/Starci POV.Well, Serana is good. I will give her that. Now I know where the heart scale is thanks to her phoenix losing control.“You need to play it cool Star, she knows who and what you are,” Lexa my Lycan grumbles in my head.I turn my gaze away from Serana and look up at Vilkas. He looks confused, the dumb brute. Who in their right mind invites the enemy into their home? Oh, wait, that would be Vilkas. Classic.“Vilky, what does she mean? How can she be your mate when I am?” I ask with fake tears in my eyes as I cast a glance at Serana, who rolls her eyes but has a smug look on her face. Bravo Serana. I can use this to my advantage to get what I want. I give the side eye to Joel. He is the vampire I have been sleeping with for a while now. He is a good lay, so is Vilkas, but Vilkas’s touch makes me feel sick, but Joel, well, he makes my black soul sing.“Tell me Stacey, how did you know you are his?” the way she says Stacey is so sarcastic. I’m not panicked though, but I n