Affectionately

The full moon hangs high in the night sky at 1:00 am. My mate, Alpha Chris Dalton of the Southern Gray Wolf pack has just returned from a patrol around the border. It has been three days since he last slept. He still smells of blood and rust from the times he had fought against packs of Rogues. When we're about to rest, Chris hears Emily Gibson's cries coming from his mind-link. "Alpha Chris, I think I smell a Rogue near my house. I'm so scared…" Chris shifts into a huge wolf and dashes out of our home without hesitation. He only returns the next day at dawnbreak, his exhaustion evident on his face. "Emily suffered from a fright last night, so I had to keep her company the whole night." When Chris notices the way I sit on the edge of the bed quietly without moving in to kiss him as usual, he approaches me in exasperation. Then, he wraps an arm around my shoulders before nuzzling his head against my neck affectionately, as though he were a huge dog who had made a mistake. "Emily is the mate of a Beta who has sacrificed himself for the pack, Selena. Not to mention, she's with pup at the moment. As the pack's Alpha, I'm obligated to take care of her. But I promise that I'll reduce the visitation times in the future, so please stop being unhappy with me, okay?" With red-rimmed eyes, I push Chris' arm away. "Alpha Chris, let's sever our mate bond."

“I want blood,” Rowan said, and suddenly his fingers pierced deep into my chest. The feeling of pain was almost non-existent but I could feel life slipping away from me. Blood gurgled in my mouth and it flowed from the corner of my mouth. “Why Rowan?” I asked, but the answer to the question became even more obvious to me. My face was poise, graceful even at the face of death. “Why did you do this? Why did you betray me?” I asked him, my hands reaching up to cup his face and he leaned into my hand, snuggling his face. Then affectionately, like he hadn't just betrayed me, he leaned down to kiss my lips. “I love you, my queen, but I'm tired of your benevolent rule, tired of drinking that disgusting artificial blood. I want a killing spree, I want suck my fangs into human's warm blood vessels! Slave them!” Rowan said, his face suddenly tainted with anger, one that also left as quickly as it came. “I'm surprised you think you would succeed,” I said, trying to laugh but it only made the blood flow faster. I was getting drained of blood really quickly. “You won't succeed,” I said, laughing disdainfully, “I will take revenge on you, tear you to pieces!” Rowan grinned, saying mockingly, “I look forward to your return, your majesty!” As soon as his words fell off his mouth, his arm swiftly and accurately pierced my chest, precisely digging out my heart. Blooms of blood appeared on the bed sheet, like some kind of cruel artwork. “Moon Goddess, please give me a chance to be reborn!” I silently pleaded, just before my heart was harvested. At this moment, the dazzling full moon suddenly emitted a blinding white light.

My sister and I were promised in marriage by our father, Eses, the God of Skies. She was to wed Dexaldir, the Keeper of Fate, the one who recorded the destinies of gods and mortals. I was to wed Guerrian, the God of War. But on the day of our wedding, their beloved woman, Seraphine, leapt from the Starfall Spire, the ancient tower where even immortals would die if they fell. After that, the four of us lived together in harmony. We were praised as the most devoted divine couples in the Celestial Skies. A hundred years later, during the war between the Celestial Skies and the Phlegethon Legion, Guerrian and Dexaldir betrayed us. They lured us into a trap and handed us over to the Phlegethon Demons. My husband, Guerrian, smirked at me. "Seraphine, it must have hurt when you fell from the Starfall Spire. I have finally avenged you today!" Next to him, Dexaldir held up an emerald pendant that was given to him by Seraphine. He murmured affectionately, "Seraphine, this day has finally come. They will pay the price! Wait for me. I'll soon find you a way to regain your body." Only then did my sister and I understand. They believed that we forced Seraphine to jump. The Phlegethon Demons kept us alive for 16 days. 16 days of torture. They tore the divine core from my sister's chest, destroying both her body and soul. As for me, due to my innate beauty, I was humiliated to death by the demon leader. When I opened my eyes once more, we were back to the day when our father promised us our marriages. I turned my head and saw my sister looking back at me. I knew she had been reborn too. We both smiled. Before our father could finish speaking, I stepped forward and interrupted him, "Father, I have a different idea."