Astraea groaned in her wake; she ached all over, particularly in her wrists and thighs.
“Good morning, love,” she heard Caelum say and turned on her side to face him.
He had his jet-black hair neatly combed to the back and he smelled pleasantly of soap and cologne, his smile stirring an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
“Stay here,” he said getting up and leaving the room.
She pushed the sheets aside and headed to the bathroom. Her throat felt scratchy, she badly needed water. Rubbing her hands on her wrists, she tried to recall what happened last night but as always, nothing came up.
Caelum told her she’d been having nightmares, but he never divulged what it was about. All she knew was that when she slipped off the bed in the middle of the night to sleep on the f
“They’re waiting for you,” said Luca as he joined Caelum on the way to the office.“What do they want?”“Don’t know. Kaide said they wanted to talk to you.”“They got guts coming all the way here, I’ll give them that,” Caelum mused.Luca pushed the door open and Caelum walked in, instantly filling the room with his dominating presence. His guests tensed before him, there was no mistaking it, he imposed upon them a powerful Alpha aura.A woman who looked to be in her early twenties forced a shaky smile at him, but her gaze shifted to his Beta, who was behind him. Her auburn hair was neatly tied on a bun atop her head and freckles scattered across her face, just beneath her eyes. Her light brown eyes reflected Luca’s shoc
Clusters of blood red tiny roses thoroughly covered the arches that lead to the roses portion of the garden. Nina and Astraea walked under them, stepping on the bright petals, scattered along the footpath decorated with rounded white stones to a white bench that overlooked the scenery.Roses of different varieties bloomed all around them, a beautiful sight to behold. Red, white, yellow amidst the thick foliage. There were other flowers added in between, most of which Astraea couldn’t name, but found them beautiful nonetheless. It was her favorite spot in the wide garden, the area provided a sense of privacy and serenity.Astraea sat beside her grandmother, and rested her head on her shoulder. She held her wrinkled hand, slipping her fingers between her Nana’s.They gazed at the roses in comfortable silence, each lost in their own t
Nina glanced back to see her granddaughter holding hands with Caelum as they strolled past the greenery and disappear into the mansion. Astraea would be well-taken care of, she didn’t have to worry about her anymore.The day she hoped for had finally come, and though she wished she could walk her down the aisle to give her away, she was losing strength by the day. She had fulfilled her duties to the best that she could. She failed to protect her family and to save Astraea from the clutches of a madman, but it would be alright now.Hoping her family would accept her when she meets them again – will the Moon Goddess grant her mercy?Astraea had found her mate and she knew it won’t be long before she opens herself to the bond. And though she could sense the hesitation in Caelum, he wouldn’t let harm befall her child. She h
Caelum hugged her sleeping figure close to him, resting her head on his chest. She cried herself to sleep and all he could do was watch her. He caressed her tear-streaked cheek, rolling his thumb over the supple flesh, and closed his eyes.She was mourning, and he had to leave for a mission. Having accepted Clarissa’s proposal, he had an obligation to fulfill. His thoughts drifted to the new information gathered during the meeting and he couldn’t help the anger that rose within him.“Wolfsbane poisoning,” Clarissa said. “Wolfsbane can harm us physically if it touches our skin. In worse cases, we could get burns. In ancient practices, it was also used as a means of assassination.”Caelum nodded to indicate that he was listening.“We tend to avoid it, as w
A little girl dipped her legs in the clear water of the river, and playfully raised them, letting an arch of droplets rise before falling back into the flow. Her face showed a gleeful smile as she watched the fluffy clouds laze about in the orange-tinted sky.“Astraea, come over here and help me with dinner,” someone called from behind her.She glanced back to see a woman with a slender frame, her long black hair reaching the small of her back, carrying a basket of produce from their small vegetable garden, enter the small log cabin. Smoke came from the chimney, which meant her grandmother already got the fire going. She pulled her legs out of the water and hurriedly got to her feet, smoothing the old thin dress she wore.She skipped barefoot on the grass and scrubbed her feet with the doormat before entering. The inside wasn&rsquo
She observed Caelum who was peacefully asleep then slipped out of bed. The cold gave her goosebumps as she tiptoed her way towards the door. She gripped the door handle and slowly turned it; afraid it would make a sharp noise.Feeling the cylinder slide, her grip tightened as she pulled it open at a snail’s pace until it was wide enough for her. She held the handle on the other side and slipped through the opening. Then she closed the door but left a small crack, light spilling inside the bedroom, for the sound of the door closing might wake him.With the lights still on in the corridors, she ran at full speed, passing by the paintings without giving any a glance, except for the image of the red-eyed black wolf that somehow always caught her attention.She reached the top of the stairs and looked around. The opposite wing was empty with
The storm had passed. The smell of fresh rain oddly soothing as his steel-grey eyes surveyed the puddles on the front lawn of his cabin. He wore a soft-shell vest over a classic button-down long-sleeve shirt and cargo pants, his overall apparel camouflage-themed.His thin lips curved into a wide smile but with a massive frame of a bodybuilder and a height of 6’5’, he was nothing short of handsome yet intimidating. Swinging a knapsack over his shoulder, he stepped down from the porch in his rubber boots. It was a good day to hunt.Dawn was breaking, and he entertained the thought of letting his wolf run free. It had been a while since they enjoyed a good run. Humming to himself, he entered the woods with no specific destination in mind.After what seemed like hours, he managed to capture two rabbits. He held one on each hand by thei
“What was she doing there?” he questioned as he sank on the couch while pinching at his glabella. “How is she even alive? We felt the bond break, didn’t we?”“Something’s off,” his wolf said.“No shit, Gin. A lot of things don’t make sense. We felt the bond with…” he trailed, then stayed silent. “With Mom.”“They were alive all this time,” Gin agreed.“Damn it, Gin! How could you get it wrong!”Gin growled at him and he punched thin air in annoyance as he cursed. “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”“Quiet down or you’ll wake her!” scolded Gin.“I need a run,” he said.&