PEONY CRIMSON'S POVEverything around the packmansion burned as the fire spread wildly through the building, destroying plants, furniture, and anything else in its path. Dark plumes of smoke soared up to meet the gray, gloomy clouds. Thunder rang out in the distance, mixed with grieving screams and cries from all directions.The thick scent of blood and death assaulted my senses; my stomach was all knotted up. I did my best to balance myself so I could stand. as far as my eyes could see. My heart ripped out of my chest when, in the middle of the clearing area, I saw my eldest daughter gasping for air.Violet's breath formed a white mist. Her body was bent at an odd angle, as if it were weighed down by something. I stared in horror at a pair of huge black feathery wings glued to her back.Quietly, Violet rotated her body to face me. Blood and dirt covered her bone-dry face. Her feet and hands looked more like a beast’s than a human’s, complete with sharp, pointy claws. The tang of bloo
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV"Any word from Xavier?" I asked Chadwick when we passed each other in the dining hall the morning after.He eyed me for a second, adjusted his glasses, and shook his head."It's only been a few hours since they left." Chadwick frowned. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"Maybe he saw the dark moon under my eyes. Although Fey had covered them with concealer, my droopy eyelids were the final proof. I took a long breath.Yeah, last night I could only wriggle in discomfort. The bed felt wider, and the void next to me gave me an uncomfortable feeling. I had hesitated to close my eyes, worried that the nightmare about Violet and her two lifeless sisters would come back as soon as I fell asleep. And if that happened, Xavier wasn’t there to reassure me with his gentle touch.Plus, thousands of negative thoughts about Rose, Violet, and Jasmine were already haunting me. Lazarus couldn't have been lying. My triplets were alive, but that didn't mean they weren't hurt. Such
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVThe clearing area on the border of Springwood Forest was the place I chose to train with Gloria. Earlier, Chadwick had offered access to the warriors' training grounds, but I avoided being exposed to anyone.Before me, Gloria wore a sleeveless tank top and long black leather pants. She clenched and released her fists several times to ease the tension in her muscles.Without her usual style, Gloria now looked like a real witch. As long as I knew her, I never really saw how much magic power she had. She only showed me a few tricks, and even our battle with the guards back then was a surprise to me.Maybe she could turn into a dragon? Who knows."Have you ever fought a magic user?" she asked. Gloria looked more anxious than I was."No." I grinned, "But I did spar with John Willick a few times when I was at Blue Moon. He taught me to fight in both human and wolf form."He was a beta for Xander, one of the few people who looked out for me during my time as Luna of Blue
PEONY CRIMSON'S POV"Miss?" The call echoed through like a scream beneath the water. Despite knowing that the call was from Fey, my eyes stubbornly resisted opening, opting instead to stay hidden in the uncomfortable depths of darkness. I wasn't sure if this was a dream, if I was awake, or if I was still alive, everything blurred in a stomach-turning obscurity.A gentle touch graced my shoulder. "Miss, it's about time you woke up,” Fey's voice grew sharper and more distinct. I gained control over my limbs even though every movement I made was excruciating."Just a moment," I groaned, my voice echoing like the raspy whispers of the desert wind.Another touch. I jolted awake, but my body anchored to the mattress. My eyes widened as Fey's figure came into view, her innocent eyes filled with a mixture of panic "Miss! Are you alright?" she asked, quickly pulling back the covers. The sight of my physique seemed to hold the key to my constant exhaustion and weariness. It was as if all th
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVThe hours slipped through my fingers, evading my attempts to keep track. I was lost in the depths of the subconscious realm that brought me together with Emily. The wolf dropped to the ground with her gaze averted from mine.Her ears were flattened, and her tail was tucked between her legs. I found her in that state, and she emitted whimpers that stirred a deep pity within me."Emily." I sidled up to her, my voice filled with anticipation. I reached out, my fingers rubbing against her soft, silky gray coat. She remained perfectly still."Emily, look at me!""Leave me alone." She let out a whimper. Two paws on top of her muzzle."I can't; you know that. I'm stuck here until... my body finds its consciousness." I didn't know why I had to explain that when we both knew it.A dry wind caressed the meadow, calling for a boisterous rustle to break the stillness. Emily's physical appearance appeared unscathed, while her pride lay shattered and in ruins. I couldn't blame h
XAVIER ASHERIUS' POVTwo days ago.Peony's sweet floral scent vanished quickly as a blinding magic light enveloped my surroundings. Peony's figure and her worried gaze gradually faded from sight into tiny flickers. My hands balled into tight fists until my knuckles turned white.In the blink of an eye, I found myself standing on the dusty floor of a dimly lit basement in an abandoned building. Lazarus, with his ruby eyes, stood three feet away from me.“You arrived earlier than I had anticipated.” With a stride toward the door, Lazarus remarked, "I expected you to arrive at dawn at the earliest."As I was about to follow him, I suddenly caught a whiff of a foul scent of black blood, which stung my nose. I followed a trail and discovered a vampire who was restrained in a chair.There was a big hole in his left chest, from which thick black blood gushed like a spring. At the same time, a lifeless heart, which should have been inside, was now resting on the floor next to the chair.The v
XAVIER ASHERIUS'S POVAfter a long night, the darkness transformed into a radiant morning. Lazarus called his assistant to bathe the triplets, dress them in their finest clothes, and prepare breakfast for them.I made the most of this moment by choosing to sit with them and eat together. Xander's disapproving snarl passed me by, but what did I care? Upon seeing his shitty face, the triplets could have easily gone into panic. Sparkling with enthusiasm and hope, their clear, round eyes looked at me."Really? We're going to meet Mama." Jasmine beamed. The youngest was much more adorable than in the picture; she even had round cheeks like her mother."Yes, but we need to wait a few more hours. So please finish your food," I said as I poured milk into three glasses. I explained everything they needed to know in simple language. To my credit, they believed me right away."Do you remember how you ended up in that cave?" I asked gently.Rose, Jasmine, and Violet stopped eating their turkey s
PEONY CRIMSON'S POVThe airway to my lungs closed up. I had a momentary lapse in breathing technique. It seemed like a tube in my arm was sucking my blood away from my body rather than delivering it.At the moment when my eyes locked on the pair of blood-red eyes in the doorway, I felt every single bullet of terror flying back at me. Xavier caught a glimpse of me to understand and he was quick to shield me from his brother's gaze. As the door slammed shut, they vanished.I put a hand on my chest, feeling every pulse racing as if it were about to explode. My eyes didn’t deceive me. Xander's figure was real, and he stared at me with a faint smirk at the corner of his lips.He was here.He was here. In a place I thought was safe.He was freaking here. Ready to throw me into nightmares I'd never want to experience again. I felt a dull ache in my brain all of a sudden.The door opened once more before the confusion and panic whipped up into a maelstrom that sucked me under. My heart skippe