Twice Fated のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

Her words echoed in my mind, sending a chill down my spine."Kill her," she had spoken, matter-of-factly, as if she had asked for a plate of food rather than my demise.The two men advanced, their faces impassive but their purpose unmistakable. I panicked. My body acted instinctively. I whirled around and ran headlong into the woods, my bare feet thumping against the earth as the smell of pine and earth rushed into my lungs.Branches scraped against my arms, and the cold night air nipped at my skin, but I didn't slow down. Their footsteps were mere inches behind, the thud growing louder by the second."You can't keep running, Bella!" one of them yelled.But I had no plans on slowing down.The woods were thick, and the moonlight struggled to penetrate the cover above. My wolf, weakened by the emotional shock of Cole's rejection, fought to emerge.I pleaded silently, Come on. I need you now.But there was no response. Rejection had broken our connection, leaving me exposed and alone.A

Bella POVAfter Rick is gone, I pause to look around. The guest room is something I've never experienced. It's huge, with a high ceiling and an ornate chandelier hanging from it that sends a golden, warm light throughout the room. The walls are a soft cream and gold, and the furniture is sophisticated, with carvings and rich fabrics. A four-post bed draped in white, gauzy curtains dominates the space, and a plush carpet covers the hardwood floor. A comfortable sitting area by the window looks out over the forest, the view as lovely as a work of art.I've never been anywhere so lovely. It feels almost as though it's a dream, one into which I don't quite fit.My mind is interrupted by the entrance of Lily into the room. She has a tray of food in her hand, but her face is unfriendly. She is hostile as she places the tray of food on a table beside the bed."Why are you in our pack?" she asks harshly and accusingly.Her question surprises me. I step back involuntarily, not knowing what to

The words lingered in the air, heavy and unshakeable.Rick's face changed, anger melting into something much more complicated—shock, disbelief, and something else I couldn't quite read. For a moment, the world stood still. He remained frozen in position, looking at me as if I'd just turned everything he believed on its head.The weight of my confession hung over us both like a choking mist. I tightened my shaking hands into fists, trying to ground myself, but it was no good. My body shook with fear and anticipation. At last, without a word, Rick turned and left the bedroom.The closing of the door behind him sounded louder than it should have, ringing out through the quiet. My chest constricted, and my legs weakened beneath me. I collapsed onto the chilly bathroom floor, huddling in on myself as if that would shield me from the tempest I knew to be building.Drawing my knees in close to my chest, I hid my face in my hands. The tile under me was cold, but I hardly noticed. All I could

Bella sat silently on the balcony of Rick's room, gazing out over the sea of trees that seemed to go on forever into the horizon. The cool evening breeze swept across her skin, and for an instant, she allowed herself to be swept away by the memories of her childhood.Her parents had never kept anything from her. They'd discovered her as a baby, left in the forest. Her father had never known who her real parents were or why she'd been abandoned, but he'd loved her like she was his own. Her mother had been a different story—cold and distant, as though Bella herself was a painful reminder of something her mother couldn't articulate.Regardless of that, Bella had been raised near Georgina, the pack's Beta's biological daughter. They had been sisters, once, best friends who shared giggles and secrets. The daughters of the pack's Beta, they had grown up most of their lives in the company of Cole, the Alpha's sole son and Luna's son. The three had been best buddies, their friendship cemented d

Five years later. The sun rose in the morning, shining through the curtains and creating warm rays of light within our abode. I heard the birds singing outside, the soft chirping of crickets, and the quiet current of the river in the background. It passed a cozy and serene feeling within me. Rick was not with me. He had already risen to join the warriors in patrolling the border. The door slowly creaked open, and my children rushed in into my room, their voices together as they chorused, "Good morning, Mom!" My four-year-old eldest son, Edsel, yawned and regarded me with energy-filled eyes. My two-year-old little boy, Gian, rubbed his eyes in a playful way. "Mommy, I want pancakes!" he barked. I grinned, bending to kiss their foreheads. "Well then, let's have some pancakes now," I said, winking at them. They laughed and ran into the kitchen. "It's all mine! I won't share with brother!" Gian announced. A chuckle burst forth from my mouth. I turned to gaze at my oldest son, Edse