NORAHernandez is sitting over a table in Ophelia's room, and Rodriguez is sitting opposite him on the couch as Ophelia stands by the window, gazing at the moon.The sounds of the crickets and frogs made the night lively as the moon shined brightly, lighting up every corner of the castle.Rodriguez cocked his head as he jutted his jaw, staring at Ophelia, lost in thoughts."Your father is not the man you think he is... he was never there for you, nor was he there for me."Ophelia's words came running into his head as he sighed deeply."I was just a tool he could use. When I got pregnant for you, he could simply have made me one of his wives or rather a concubine, but no... he faked my death and sent me away," Ophelia's tone cracked up as the tears welled up in her eyes began to stream down her cheeks.Rubbing his face with his palm, he wondered how many years they had to survive before they got there.Ophelia never wasted any time... she always reminded them of their motive in life an

QUEEN SHIBA"My queen, you sent for me," Angelica said as she stood by the lampstand beside my bed.I finally decided to use her to get what I wanted. She might be useless to my son, but she will never be useless to me."Yes, I did."I could see her shivering in fear, and I loved that she was scared of me. I had promised her that I would ruin her family if my son didn't get what I wanted for him in the end."Where were you all this time?" I asked as my lips curled up.I had not seen her around the castle for a while, and I wondered what she was up to."I was with my family... they needed my help with something."It pissed me off to see that she still had guts and to have the audacity to tell me that her family needed her help.Meanwhile, she made herself stuck with my son and isn't helping him in any way.Standing up from my bed, I walked up to her as she took some steps backward. I closed the little space between us as my hand flew directly to her face.She gasped as she propped her

EARLIERStanding head straight in front of Rodriguez's chamber door, Candra knocked a couple of times.After a whole lot of contemplation, she decided to get what she wanted by any means.When she heard from the mouths of the members of the pack that a maiden who was assumed to be dead returned with her two sons, claiming they were the sons of the Alpha, and the eldest wanted Horace to step down from his position,She found it amusing that she would have been the one with Horace, and if a situation like this came, she would have stood by him and made sure his position was not stripped from him.But now he has abandoned her for a low and classless girl who knows nothing about royalty.Though she found Rodriguez's demand daring, she still needed to give it a shot.'He must be waiting for me right now,' she said to herself as she raised her arm, staring at her wrist as she checked the time.She didn't want her only backup plan to be Marcel, though she had no idea how she said yes to him—

MATTEOI stood by the edge of the truck as I watched Lilith supervise the warriors while they gathered the silver weapons. I couldn't believe these weapons were all in the pack, while we wasted our time searching for them.I was grateful. Lilith decided to help, even though what I asked was something she wouldn't have done.Turning around, she gazed at me for a while before walking up. "I think someone is playing some kind of game," she said as she stood in front of me.I had thought as much because if it weren't for her magical energy, we wouldn't have gotten to know about it, and I would have been dead.I still owe her my life."Why do you say so?" I asked.I had my assumptions, but I wanted to hear what she had in mind as well. I felt she had more experience than I do because of how close Nora is with her.There is something about her."Is there an event coming up?" She asked, cocking my head. I tried to remember if there was something like that.I was so messed up and my brain was

HORACEI couldn't believe what Matteo was speaking to me about right now—someone was bewitching things in my pack.And a witch helped him discover it... it was all so crazy."It might be connected to the upcoming fight between yourself and your brother," Matteo said as he scratched his head.All he was laying out was the point that Lilith had made to him. Matteo hopes I wasn't suspecting Lilith because she definitely wasn't the one."I've been trying my best to know what exactly is going on in this pack, yet I still do not know a thing," I said, shoving my hand into my hair."I have a suggestion," Matteo said as he closed the distance between us, turning around as he stared at the flowers.I wondered what it was he wanted to tell me. I have known Matteo for a very long time now, and I know that sound. When he sounds like that, I just know he wants to stop me from doing something."Go on, I'm all ears," I responded, my voice thinking with authority.I didn't want to sound harsh, but I