LYKOS' POV There was a dispersal, silence ensued thereafter and I was left alone to my thoughts. For the first time since we embarked on this dangerous journey, it seemed as though the good goddess was beginning to smile down upon us.Marcello followed Sapphira right on her tail, moments after she left to get the book. Axel and Annabella slipped out as well. For a while, they both seemed to be at odds with each other.Whatever the issue with them could be, they better have it resolved before the main war comes. We needed all hands not only on deck but in sync.I dialed my aunt's number, pausing for it to ring. She picked up on the second dial, her voice filled with bubbly excitement filtering through."Is there something else you need, Lykos? It's so hectic here in the pack with trying hard to locate the triplets. Everyone wants nothing more than for the triplets to be found and brought back. Fear not however, I've gotten a new spell to handle that. Now, you were saying?" I held ba
RYLAN'S POV Hours after the short trip to Neilla, I grew too restless, my mind buzzing about with different things including the ones that did not matter.Like the look of adoration Lykos never failed to brand Neilla with anytime she came into his view.It ate at me to see that she had moved on from the mate bond that once existed between us. It ate at me that she found an even worthy Alpha who, at least, did not make impulsive decisions and gave her the treatment she deserved.He was succeeding where I'd failed horribly at.Then came the feeling of jealousy that crawled through my skin, trickling out each pore like bad liquid. So potent was it that it threatened to choke me."For goddess sakes!" I swore all of a sudden, sending a swift kick to the wooden post of the bed, only to retract my foot with a pained hiss.It took me all the self restraint to not smash things when the thought of my lost wolf came to mind.That unsettling emotion had me pacing back and forth within the space
NEILLA'S POVMinutes ago..."That'll be all." I said to Lady Justina as I concluded. "Alright, Darling. So, I'll just go back to sorting things out. Do not be dismayed, we shall get the kids home. The palace is a little lonely without the sounds of their mischief." She confessed with a sigh.Not wanting to dampen the mood further than it had, I opted for another topic, one that was even long overdue. "I haven't heard from Nia in a while, is everything okay with her?" Something clattered to the ground on Lady Justina's end. She swore sharply in Greek before she replied, "Oh yeah, after what she did to you, she felt so ashamed about it and decided to stay out of your hair. I'm sure she's running about finding clues as well even if she won't admit it."I kept mute, not for lack of things to say but but not trusting the way I would put it. I opted for listening."She thought she was doing Lykos a favor by telling him about you even when we know that it was your place and your story to t
NEILLA'S POVAt first, I strained to see through the thick blanket of darkness blotting out any form of light.There I stood, clueless and vulnerable, waiting on some miracle to spring up from nowhere.No sounds, no smell. I knew I was being transported somewhere, but there was no air around me to at least tell in what direction. I waited in the darkness, praying for a flicker of hope or light to drive away the hopelessness I was feeling inside. "Why did the book bother taking me only to drop me at the edge of nothing?" I whispered to myself, blindly reaching out and withdrawing my hands in the same dejection.Just as I began to let the frustrations hit, I imagined a fickle light. It went off as soon as I tried to focus on it in the distance. That was new. It was something at least. I waited again with bated breath, hoping for it to happen even if by sheer luck so I could fumble my way out of this empty void.The silence that re-echoed was deafening. It enabled me hear my heartbea
NEILLA'S POV"Now, let's go back to your roots."Thena barely waited an extra second before she set off towards the castle. The place was unfamiliar grounds, yet it called to me, drawing me in like the calming waves of the sea."Wait up, Thena!" I called out, increasing my pace quickly in order to catch up. There was one thing I noticed as we weaved our way between the playful pups and the adult werewolves who were in their human forms watching over them:They barely spared a glance in our direction. All of them seemed to be so immersed in their individual pleasures that they refused to take note of us. Almost like we were invisible."Because we are, Neilla. We are invisible right now." I noticed Thena had fallen back into step with me. We moved side by side, me dependent on her sense of direction to move. It suddenly felt wrong to be there. We were invading their privacy without due consent, about to explore their lands unrestricted all because of the cloak of invisibility we som
NEILLA'S POVLooking around the room with a matching wicked gleam in their gazes, they stepped over the bodies in a crumbled heap in the doorway as they left the room.I stared at Napthena and in the fraction of a second, made up my mind to follow them."Neilla!"I heard her call out in a panicked voice from behind me. I skidded to a halt, throwing her an impatient look. "What?""Did you hear that?"I waited, listened for it, heard nothing. "There's no time for games, Thena. If we delay for too long, they'll be too far gone to catch up with them.""You have to put your ears to the ground, dammit!" She swore so vehemently, I flinched."B-But, there's no one else here. They killed every single person. We should see where else they are headed. Perhaps we could--"I continued on my way but she was quick to intercept, her footfalls too light for me to even notice her move."Listen, you dumbo, whatever is happening now has happened in the past. The book is doing us both a favor by letting
NEILLA'S POVI was floating on air, weightless, unable to feel my bearing. Soon, I was lowered down to solid ground once again. Eyes closed in half panic, I struggled to listen for sounds in hopes that I was back in Moonstone pack, back with the others in my room.In fact, the only sound I needed to hear in the midst of the madness was just one.The sound of Lykos's voice. Surely, I hadn't been gone a long time. He was still waiting for my arrival, wasn't he?The pounding of feet against the ground had me second guessing my decision to keep my eyes closed. In the fraction of another second, they flew open just in time to see a woman dash past with inhumane speed.My eyes captured what seemed like a wooly swaddle blanket wrapped by both of her arms as she fled deeper into the forest. Quickly thinking on my feet, I realized what that might be.It didn't take long for me to follow after her and looking behind me to find Napthena also hot on my heels, I knew I was doing the right thin
NEILLA'S POV"This baby is you!" Napthena exclaimed, taking it upon herself to spell out the obvious. We watched Mana Sylveon crouch low, doing her best to make no noise that would stir the baby awake. It was right there on her face; the look of adoration she had for the baby, like a mother who just put to bed of a baby after several hours of labor. She was proud to have me in her arms. Even though she barely let her emotions cross her face, she never failed to tell me how much she loved me.I felt the telltale burn in the back of my eyes as I watched the scene before me. With the back of my hand, I wiped the tears before they were fully formed."Shh, shh. I'm here now. The goddess did well to bring me to you." Mana Sylveon cooed in a soothing tone. "Neilla!" I turned to Napthena, blinking quickly to keep back more tears threatening to spill over from my eyelids. My lips trembled slightly in sadness.She was quietly observing Mana Sylveon hold the baby close to her with a croon i