LIANASophia was the first to respond. "This bond is sacred, Liana. It’s decided by the Moon Goddess. Who are we to deny it?"Her words hung in the air, a reverent silence following them. I could feel the weight of tradition pressing down on the room, but I wasn’t ready to back down."But what if someone falls in love with someone who isn't their mate?" I asked, my voice steady but insistent. "Are we to say that their love is less valid because it wasn’t preordained by the Moon Goddess? Should they be denied happiness because of a rule?"Sophia frowned slightly, considering my question. "The bond of mates is believed to be the strongest, the most unbreakable. It's a divine connection. Besides, the love between two werewolves who aren’t mates is not true love, Liana. Only mates can experience a love that will never fall apart."I took a sharp breath, steadying myself. "Okay, so what if someone's mate dies early on? Are they not allowed to find someone else again?"Sophia's eyes softene
LIANAThe next Sunday dawned with a clear sky and a gentle breeze, perfect for the full-day date I had meticulously planned. As the sun filtered through the curtains, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement. Today was about lifting Zaylen's spirits and showing him how much I appreciated and cared for him.We started with breakfast. I had grand ideas of making an elaborate meal, but my cooking skills were, to put it mildly, barely passable. I had grown up like a princess, with most things done for me, and only learned to cook out of necessity in university. Zaylen, on the other hand, was surprisingly adept in the kitchen.As we gathered the ingredients, Zaylen looked at me with a playful grin. "Ready to be my sous chef?" he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.I laughed, rolling up my sleeves. "As long as you promise not to judge my skills too harshly."We started with something simple: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Zaylen moved with practiced ease, cracking eggs with one
LIANAI tried to focus on the story, but the sudden jumps and creepy visuals were too much. I found myself squeezing my eyes shut, gripping Zaylen's hand for comfort.He noticed and leaned in, his voice soft and concerned. "Liana, you don't have to force yourself to watch this. We can leave if it's too much."I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "No, it's okay. I want you to enjoy the movie. I will just... take a small nap in the meantime." I offered him a reassuring smile, though I wasn't sure how convincing it was.Zaylen hesitated, his worry evident. "Are you sure? I don't want you to be uncomfortable."I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder. "I am sure. I want you to have fun. Besides, you are with me, so I will be fine."He sighed, wrapping an arm around me. "Alright, but if it gets too much, just tell me, okay?""Okay," I whispered, closing my eyes and trying to relax. The sound of his steady breathing and the warmth of his embrace were comforting, helping me to ca
LIANAOnce again, our date was cut short by an emergency. The relaxed, happy atmosphere we had been enjoying shattered instantly. Zaylen's expression was a mixture of shock and urgency."I have to go to the hospital," he said, his voice strained."I am coming with you," I replied immediately, standing up and grabbing my things.He shook his head, his eyes filled with concern. "Liana, you don't have to. This is—""I insist," I said firmly, cutting him off."You don’t have to come," he said, his voice strained, but I shook my head firmly."You shouldn't be alone right now. I am coming with you," I insisted, a bad feeling gnawing at my gut. There was something in his eyes that made me uneasy, a tension I couldn’t ignore.Finally, he relented with a sigh. "Alright, let’s go."As we rushed to the car, a sense of dread settled in my stomach. Something about this felt wrong. I couldn't shake the bad feeling engulfing me.Zaylen's hands shook as he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles
LIANA“Who is this girl you brought, huh? Your Luna?” Ryan spat, his eyes blazing with fury. “You think you can take over my pack by pushing me to the side? You can never do that! I will never let you take my place!”I averted my gaze, trying to block out his hateful words, and looked back at Zaylen. His eyes were filled with pain and resignation, his shoulders slumped. My heart ached for him.“Zaylen, we need to get your wound treated,” I said softly, my voice trembling with concern. “Come on, let’s go outside.”He nodded solemnly, and we turned to leave. But as we moved toward the door, Ryan’s voice rose again, filled with venomous rage. “That bastard doesn’t deserve treatment! He doesn’t even deserve to live! He thinks—”I slammed the door shut behind us, not bothering to hear the rest of his rant. The venom in his words echoed in my mind, but I pushed it away. Ryan was clearly not in his right mind. His accusations were wild and filled with a madness that seemed to consume him.W
LIANAZaylen’s face was ashen, his eyes wide and filled with a fear I had never seen before. He looked traumatized, his whole body trembling as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him. The usual confidence, the strength I admired, was gone, replaced by an overwhelming vulnerability.I took his hand, feeling the cold sweat on his palm, and guided him gently towards the elevator. The silence between us was heavy, laden with unspoken fears and questions. We needed privacy, a place where no one else could hear the conversation that was about to unfold. The rooftop would provide the solitude we needed.The elevator ride was agonizingly slow. I kept glancing at Zaylen, his blank stare fixed on the floor, his breathing shallow and erratic. When we finally reached the rooftop, I led him to a chair and gently pressed him to sit. His body seemed to collapse into the seat, as if all his strength had left him.I knelt in front of him, placing my hands on his knees, trying to ancho
ZAYLENAfter I had pushed my dad off the railings, I went into deep denial. I orchestrated the entire event to seem like a tragic accident, even though my intention was cold and calculated. The truth was too heavy, so I altered my own memories to the point I genuinely believed it was an accident. I convinced myself that I was innocent, allowing myself to live without the crushing weight of guilt.Once he fell into a coma, I had to step up as the alpha. My dreams of escaping this suffocating life evaporated. The university I longed to attend became a distant fantasy. Instead, I settled for one in the neighborhood, a compromise that kept me shackled to my responsibilities. It felt like a punishment, a self-inflicted sentence for my crime. Every lecture, every mundane day at that local university was a reminder of the future I had sacrificed. It wasn’t all bad. I managed to take care of Noelle and myself, proving that we could survive without our father.I finished recounting my conf
ZAYLENThe rain started as a light drizzle, tapping gently on the roof of the hospital where Liana and I had been sitting. The sky, once a dull gray, now seemed to weep, urging us back inside. As we moved inside, Liana's words sliced through the sound of raindrops pattering against the windows."Zaylen, your dad must have been awake for more than a few days now."I turned to her, shock flooding my system. "What? How can you say that?""Think about it," she said, her voice calm but insistent. "A long-term coma patient shouldn't have the strength to even stand up, let alone throw a vase at you"A chill ran down my spine as her logic sunk in. "That... makes sense," I admitted, my mind racing back to the celebratory party weeks ago. I recalled Edgar's cryptic words, the ones that had seemed odd at the time but now fell into place with an unsettling clarity."Edgar," I said, almost to myself. "At the party, he said something strange. Something that didn't quite fit. He knew about what I