Jasmine POV The luscious gardens of the pack house provided a beautiful view. Sitting on the bench, the sun setting, I admired the view and the peace that came with it. A well-manicured landscape, littered by rose bushes, gardenias and flowering wisterias bursting with pops of color and sensual smells, overlooking ponds where ducks and fish played were before me, like an image painted by a master. Squirrels roamed around, as did many birds and rabbits, although I did not know how any of them were safe in the wolf pack. As if he heard my thoughts, Alpha King Jonathan walked over, following my eyes, and sat on the bench giving me a tight hug. “We let them live, we have plenty of meat in this house, we do not eat our pets, Princess” he chuckled. “Little pups love seeing them and playing with those willing – of course in their human form. We even have set up feeders”, he motioned over, and indeed I saw several feeding boxes and bird hangers. I chuckled. A wolf pack, with wildlife pets. Se
Dragana POV “You did it, Dragana!! You did it!!!”, Cybela was splashing in the ocean like a little puppy, roaring in happy laughter, amused with my training. It was quite hilarious watching this huge dragon use the ocean as her pool and have the exuberance of a little child or a little pup. “I told you – you can do it!!! I told you” she purred, splashing water everywhere in sheer happiness, and I stood there feeling incredible. I was able to control the elements!!! In my hands I rotated the water, air, sand, and fire like a juggling ball, in a gentle concert, neither element colliding, floating simply on my command. “Well done child!! Well done!!” I heard Solomon clapping behind me, but I dared not take my eyes off my project. Ever since we came back from Alexandria, Cybele in tow, I have been training. Accepting Aisha and Vasilla was still a work in progress. I did not understand the Tribrid connection, nor what to do with it. Magic, however, came much easier, and my witch side was
Dragana POV “We have to stop meeting like this!”, I heard a familiar voice of Lady Jasmine, and nearly leapt up from the bed to give her a hug. However, I was still lightheaded somehow and simply fell back into the array of pillows on my bed. The sun was shining brightly through the large windows overlooking the ocean, hitting her beautiful blonde hair, almost forming a halo around her. “How are you here?”, I almost whispered. Another familial scent hit me. Turning around, I found Beta Artemis sitting on the other side, his dark sparkling eyes looking at me adoringly with a big smile on his face. “Solomon asked me to come”, she said simply. I looked at Art, who was speaking now: “And I tagged along with her to see you Dragana, could not miss the chance!! It is a reunion!”, he said excitedly. Lady Jasmine walked over and kissed me on the forehead. “What should I call you now?”, I blurted out. She was my grand-aunt after all. She laughed at me, moving my hair gently from my face. “W
Alice POV The castle where I met the Dark Lord was every bit the place of nightmares. Even though on the outside it looked beautiful and well-designed architecturally, the scent of blood and death hit me even before I stepped in. I am sure the dungeons hid the horrors I could not begin to imagine. A cold shiver went down my spine and Rina whimpered in my head. “We should not be here!”, she growled at me. We were not in the best of relationship as of now, in fact ever since my original agreement with the Dark Lord. “I could not refuse his summons, Rina, you know that! Besides, he needs us, we will be safe”, I retorted. “Yes, he needs us. For now. What happens to us when he no longer needs us??? What have you gotten us into?!!!” Before I could say anything, several Lycan knights – dressed in black head to toe, appeared. In the light, their armor glistened with SCALES???? What was that???. These looked like dragon scales. Is the Dark Lord working with dragons??? And if so, does First
Alice POV “My blood?? What do you mean??” Without a word, the Dark Lord pulled out a similar, albeit slightly larger dagger. It was adorned with red, black, and purple gems almost everywhere. “You hand little wolf”, he said authoritatively. As in a trance, I found myself unable to ask any questions or to refuse. I simply extended my hand, which he sliced down the middle of my palm, red liquid pooling in it. “Five drops, directly onto the tip of the dagger”, he instructed. I did as I was told, and when completed, the dagger glowed in bright light temporarily. “You can touch it now, but not use its full power yet. It still demands your blood!”, the Dark Lord continued. His dagger was next to him, and I was curious as to the multicolored gemstones on it, and if they had any significance. “Your dagger is different. It has all these colors in the stones”, I observed. “Good observation little wolf. Each stone corresponds to a life taken by this dagger!”, he said, obviously excited and prou
Dragana POV It was early in the morning and for some reason I could not sleep. I knew I had my training with Art soon, but I decided to get up and enjoy the morning sunrise first. Cybela did not leave my side, she had acted overprotective since the murder attempt. I did not blame her, however, found it comical that somebody her size moved around following me like a little dog. The sunrise over the ocean was simply spectacular. I noticed some servants in the garden tidying the place up, as I made my way to the training polygon. Solomon designed it himself. A hexagonal shaped space was further out from the main house, however, close enough for us to have a full view of it. Designed by magic, it stripped you of the shifting abilities. If I walked in in my human form, I could not shift to my wolf or my Lycan, and if I walked into it like my wolf of a Lycan, I could not shift back, if one was in the confines of it. It was designed to amplify my abilities from each of my perspectives. It a
Dragana POV After initial shock, I gathered my wits. I did not know what the future held, but I knew somebody who might. Aisha said that, as a white wolf, she had a gift of foresight. Perhaps she could help, I thought to myself. And at the end of the day, who better to know than Solomon??? His power knew no bounds to my knowledge, and based on everything I read about him, I knew that he, too, had a gift of foresight. I was still not sure how that worked, as I knew that our choices make or shape the future and that the future itself is not written in stone. Yet, I wanted some direction on this. However, for now, I need to train. Stepping into the polygon, I had to admire the beauty of Beta Art’s wolf. He was gorgeous! Massive, clear-gold eyed, and even in his ferocious wolf form, there was something comforting about him. “I am not going to go easy on you”, he snickered through the mind link. Stepping into the polygon, it started snowing. Oh great, just great, I thought to myself. Ho
Lady Asma POV I was elated to see Jasmine saved! I sensed the powerful spells and the Shadow which my father used to bind her, but neither Ivan nor myself were strong enough to break it. We came close once, but his power was just too much. I was shocked, but not surprised Dragana managed to break his enchantment. After all, she was a Tribrid, and we always knew that she would be even more powerful than Dzana. Father knew that too. It is likely why he wanted her, because I was still trying to piece together as to what his plan was for her. Jasmine and Beta Artemis had left for Ramil Palace to train Dragana. Nobody asked if she would be back, and perhaps that was for the best now. I did not feel it was safe here for her or any of us, quite frankly. Something was happening, the trees were speaking to me of the darkness moving across the land. I felt it in the rivers, in the soil too. I could not shake the sense and foreboding of something terrible happening, even after Jasmine woke. In