Rafael's POV"Do you think it will be like the last time?""Why would the goddess make us suffer all over again?""Isn't the alpha supposed to be our redemption?"Many voices swirled inside my head, making it hard for me to concentrate. Clutching my hands tightly in front of me, I stared into the void before my gaze flickered to the woman in front of me.She was gazing at me expectantly as if she wanted me to affirm something. Yet, she remained silent, and I must add, she had been staring at me like that for quite some time now.We were currently in the dining room. Dinner had long been over, and Winter and Naomi had gone about their business in the clinic. The woman with strong features who had arrived today was left alone with me.She flashed me a bright smile as our eyes met, and then she shook her head before saying, "Slade... Sorry, Rafael, is it?"Raising an eyebrow, she continued to assess me, and I sighed. "Do you have something else in mind besides what we discussed?"Our dis
Rafael's POVAfter the meeting ended, I assumed everyone would retreat to their respective abodes for the night, but it seemed they had other plans in mind. It was surprising to find everyone gathered in the hall, engaging in conversation as if it were a regular occurrence. Some were equipped with sleeping bags, while others reclined on the vacant sofas.The hall was packed, and I couldn't blame them. Most of the people present had already lost their homes. Furthermore, the rain showed no sign of letting up; if anything, it intensified. I approached the window as the crashing sounds filled my ears, straining to catch a glimpse of what was happening outside. With a sigh and a shake of my head, I realised that I could barely see anything. Even with the assistance of my secondary eyes, the darkness prevailed.This flood was unlike anything I had ever witnessed, and it showed no signs of abating. The pervasive scent of fear in the room confirmed that this was an unexpected event for all of
WINTER POVMy eyes kept darting to the wall clock, counting the minutes I had to wait while Rafael spoke with Naomi. I knew their conversation would mostly revolve around me, given the irritation I had heard in his voice.In fact, all he ever did was talk about me. It had never been any different. I wondered if he would tell me to leave tonight, even amidst the storm, which I believed would be the cruellest thing he could do.I could forgive him for marrying me and serving me divorce papers less than twenty-four hours later. The reason I would consider forgiveness is that neither of us genuinely wanted the other. However, I had hoped we would at least try to make it work for a little longer.I could even forgive him for sleeping with Vivian on the bed I was currently forced to sleep on. But if he were to make me leave at this time and forcefully throw me out, that would be unforgivable.And I hoped he wouldn't do that. Not only would it make me hate him, but it would also make me hate
Winter's POV:My back ached, so I did a little stretch before letting out a groan. All I needed at that moment was a warm bath and a good night's rest. I was relieved to finish what I was doing, including my shift in the infirmary.Naomi arrived once again to take over from me. Although she didn't explain what had happened, I didn't ask her either. I believed that when the time was right, she would tell me.Using my elbow to turn the doorknob, I nudged the door with my hip. Even though I had nothing in my hands to prevent me from using them, I was too lazy to do so.As I stripped out of the dress I was wearing, I stepped toward the bathroom and came to a halt as soon as I noticed I wasn't alone in the room.My eyes widened, and I quickly darted back towards where I had dropped my gown, bent down, and wrapped it around me."Jess?" I mumbled as soon as I saw her. I placed my hand on my beating heart and exhaled a breath."Yes, my lady. I am only preparing a bath for you. Miss Naomi told
WINTER POV"We are here again," I muttered, my eyes scanning the area for the source of the feminine voice.It was the field of asphodel. The last time I had been here, it had been a near-death experience, but now I couldn't recall why I had been brought back. The field appeared as depressing as ever, and I dare say it felt even more disheartening since I couldn't comprehend the purpose behind my presence."Why do we keep meeting in this place? It seems we might be stuck in a repetitive cycle, and I can't say I enjoy it one bit," I complained, my gaze gliding away from the slender stem of the asphodel flowers closed by; they narrowed as I caught sight of the person I was addressing.She was a young woman, slightly older than me, perhaps in her late twenties or even early thirties. It was hard to pinpoint her age in this form; at times, she appeared as a teenager, while at others, she exuded an air of maturity. I didn't need anyone to tell me who she was; I knew it was Goddess Selene.
Winter's POV:The morning had finally arrived, and I was grateful for it. I had grown tired of staring at the ceiling, although I couldn't say I spent the entire day doing so. At some point, I must have slept, only to wake up again and resume my contemplation.The nightmare I had been trying to escape didn't return, but my mind was filled with thoughts of what the goddess had said and what it meant. No matter how much I pondered over it, I couldn't come up with any answers. Yet, I knew it all revolved around Rafael. Perhaps he might have some insight, and asking him wouldn't cause any harm. Or maybe it would.I climbed out of bed and slipped my feet into the fuzzy slippers before me. A groan escaped my lips as the warmth enveloped me, and I trudged towards the windows. Parting the curtains, I exhaled, creating moisture on the window pane. However, that wasn't what caught my attention.The storm had subsided, but the water levels hadn't receded. It could take up to two days for the wat
WINTER POVAfter eating with Denise, I had second thoughts about discussing the issues with Rafael. Although there was no harm in trying to see if he would snap at me or act reasonably, I couldn't help but feel afraid because I knew it would be the latter. It always was. Yet, I wanted to try it.As I approached the room's door where he had moved in since my arrival here, I rubbed my sweaty palms on the dress I was wearing and took two deep breaths. Then another one, closing my eyes and counting to ten mentally.I did that for a few more seconds before grasping the doorknob. I mumbled, "There's no going back. If I perish, I perish. I need to get this over with."Twisting the doorknob, I pushed the door open and stepped inside the room slowly.I had imagined seeing Rafael in his room, either in a foul mood or assuming one of his sarcastic moods while staying in the shadows.However, the curtains were parted, and what lay before me—I wouldn't say I couldn't comprehend it. I could, but I
RAFAEL'S POV"What did you do to her?" Naomi asked as soon as I stepped into the room. My initial thought was to look for Winter, as I was sure she had run off and come here. However, I never expected to see Naomi. Had Winter told her what had happened? Was she here to berate me? I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.Although I didn't like that Winter had seen me with Vivian, I couldn't help myself. Even though I wanted nothing to do with Vivian, I still needed to distract myself from thoughts of Winter. Last night was something else. I heard her scream while I was thinking about her inappropriately.At first, I thought she was being attacked, and I wanted to kill whoever had tried to harm her under my roof. But when I saw her wide eyes filled with fear as I entered the room, I realised she had been trapped in a nightmare, and my presence had frightened her.Without asking her what had happened, as that might be mistaken for kindness or showing some emotion towards her, I had le