Novel & Cerita The Power Behind Her Mask

"Train with me. Learn what you’re truly capable of." She scoffed. "And why would I do that?" "Because I can give you what they never did," I said, stepping into her space again. "I can give you power, I can give you respect! I can give you a place where you don’t have to fight just to be seen." For a heartbeat, she hesitated. Then her eyes narrowed. "And what do you get out of it?" I grinned, all teeth. "The pleasure of watching you without this mask of pride and arrogance. Of watching you suffer until your spirit breaks and you give in to my command–”

Her skin was warm beneath my touch, soft as sin. “Listen to me,” I said, each word deliberate. “Masks are for people afraid of being seen. I don’t fear them. They fear me.” Her breath hitched, just slightly, the sound subtle but unmistakable. She didn’t say anything, but I felt her shift—just enough to lean into me, into the danger. She slipped the mask on, the black satin molding to her face like it had been made for her. It framed her eyes perfectly—those dark, knowing eyes that undid me with a single glance—and left her mouth bare, parted in silent invitation.

“I care about you, Ames . We’ ve been in this trench together from day one. You need a shield . Let me be it.” She stood and paced toward the window, arms crossed tight across her chest. The city buzzed below. Everything about this felt fast, reckless , fake.. and yet, the way Bruce was watching her wasn ’t fake at all. “Do you realize what this would look like?” she asked. “To everyone? That I jumped from one man to another.. like this was all about romance instead of survival?” Bruce walked over slowly. “No. It’ ll look like you rebuilt . That you didn ’t let Liam break you. That you found something stronger after the storm.”

She smiled at him, grabbing his hands, “Oh, honey the moment you let yourself be bare-faced and let your guard down last night, it was enough.” Duke Raziel sighed in relief, smiling too. An idea popped into her mind. She raised her hand and trailed it on his mask while staring right at him. Duke Raziel gulped, waiting for her to say. Smiling, she asked, “Can I wear your mask?” Instantly, he shook his head. “No.” She snorted, “Please?” Looking at him long enough, Duke Raziel sighed and had no choice, “Fine.” Removing his mask, he put it on her face and Lady Vienna stood still, letting it all happen.

“Yes. She’s the one that turned all of us. She’s really powerful.” I roll my eyes at the last bit of the sentence. Of course, she would be powerful. I wouldn’t expect her to be weak, not when she can create a whole new species. The scoffs around me let me know that I’m not the only one that found the last bit stupid. “Can you describe how she looks?” Alec joins in, asking the questions. Brian, shakes his head. “No. She always wears a mask.” Now, why would this powerful being hide her face? Why would she wear a mask? Thinking about it, my mind goes to the woman Calvin told us about. Didn’t she also hide her face? Raven turns to me. At the same time, I turn to face her.

When his lifeless body hit the ground, silence filled the air. The masked woman tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes flickering with interest. “Impressive… you’ve unlocked about seventy percent of your power. That’s higher than I expected.” She looked down at her fallen men, sighing dramatically. “How disappointing. You’re all useless.” Then, with a smirk, she raised her glowing hand. “I suppose I’ll have to play myself.”

She raised her hand gently, and the hall became silent. Her voice filled the room. Strong. Calm. Steady. “Good evening, queens.” The crowd responded, “Good evening!” She smiled beneath the mask. “Today is not about pain,” she continued. “It’s about power. It’s about choosing yourself when the world tries to break you.” Prisca swallowed. Gabriel stared. The voice. The tone. The pauses. It was familiar. Too familiar. “I was once a woman who thought love was enough,” the Mask Queen said.

“Here open it” Alison raised an eyebrow and opened the box. Inside lay a porcelain-white mask, engraved with faint silver runes. “The mask you told me about?” she asked, confused. “Yes but not just any mask,” Herald explained. “Place it by your bathtub. Fill it with water, and then bathe. It’ll hide your powers for now. You’re… too strong, even for us. We don’t want unnecessary attention.” Alison blinked. “Is it too strong? But I haven't done anything ever since the day they attacked my home.”

He stared at me for a long while, processing what I had just said. “She wears a mask,” he finally said, sighing in defeat. “What?” I asked, raising my brows. “What do you mean she wears a mask?” “When they meet up; she never reveals her face. She wears a mask, so he doesn’t know who she is. But she’s an incredibly powerful woman and—” “She can’t be more powerful than Gavin,” I interrupted. “She has far more connections around the world. Not just the werewolf world… all the worlds. She’s an incredibly powerful ally and she has eyes and ears everywhere. Everybody works for her…”

Shia recognized it as the half metal mask she saw inside his pouch when they were stuck in the cave the night before. “My father commissioned this mask for me, and as long as I wear it, I could control my power, and no one’s life will be put in danger. But it got broken a while back in the woods. I think I could still use it for a few minutes, but as soon as my eye turns red, it will mean danger to everyone else around me... except for you it seems.”