Ash shielded me from the wolves, pushing me back into the corridor. "Baltazar, walk away and take your wolves with you before I take it as an act of treason," Ash hissed, his nails turning into sharp blades."Ashtar, I am here because I'm loyal," the old wolf claimed, lowering his head."Loyal to who?!" Ash growled."To your family!" Baltazar roared but then bowed and took a deep breath. "Give her to us; that's all we want. You know that it has to be done, and either we do it or the King's men will. At least we can grant her a seemingly painless death."I clamped my hand over my mouth. The fear, the anger, the confusion—all those emotions violently rose inside me, and I had to restrain them before they burst out in a scream that was already building in my throat.Ash glanced at me over his shoulder and quickly returned his gaze to Baltazar. "She is NOT a threat!" He stood on the threshold, blocking the way into the house as he spread his arms, armed with sharp claws.There was a momen

After some time, I could finally walk without Ash's help. I was regenerating faster than before, although I was still a little lightheaded and walked rather wobbly on my feet. Ash constantly asked me how I felt, even though it was his condition that I was more worried about. Some of his wounds were still bleeding, and that was one of the things that made me anxious. What if Baltazar knew about the tunnels? What if we encountered his warriors again? If that happened, I would have to rely on Ash's strength, but how could I do that if he wasn't even properly healing?! I had yet to fully understand and control my inner power, and my fighting skills hardly allowed me to fight against the weaker wolves. My energy could be enough for a single blast that could take down several wolves, but then what? I tried to stay positive, hoping that Calvel and others would come to our aid, but I couldn't stop the panic from rising. "Why are your wounds not healing?" I asked softly. Ash sighed and gave

A few servants saw me as I walked back to my chamber, but they simply passed me by. I felt as if something had changed. Except for a few, no one here treated me with the utmost respect, but they had never openly shown their hostility either. Now I saw their lips curve downward as they sent me glances filled with disdain and sometimes... pity. That only helped my anxieties grow stronger.I wondered if any of those servants were going to inform Ash about my midnight stroll. I was almost certain that someone would. I hoped that it would make him come to my room and ask about it. I expected him to come as soon as I returned to my chamber, but that didn't happen…I started finding it frighteningly disturbing. No one checked up on me. Neither Ash, Amanda, nor Calvel came to see if I was still alive as if it no longer mattered. Not even Hunter stayed around my room for my safety; no guards did. Thinking about it caused another crack in my aching heart because it only made everything I heard

I exhaled slowly, staring at the person, or rather, a ghost, in front of me. A few months ago, I would have screamed my lungs out if a spirit—or whatever supernatural being Estelle was—had appeared in front of me. Now, I simply stood warily, looking at the seemingly solid shape of her body, and wondered if she was a threat to me…According to Silas, Estelle was an angry spirit, and since I was currently in a form of a relationship with the one who was the reason she killed herself, I knew that her hatred could be easily aimed at me."What do you want from me, Estelle?" I strained through my teeth.Her dark grin widened. "Do you think I want to harm you, Nala? All this time, I've only been trying to help you. I wanted you to see the truth, even if you may not like it."My brows rose. "All this time?" I repeated her words with rising curiosity."From the moment you found my picture," she explained, and chills ran down my spine. "Don't be so surprised. I'm a witch. When I was alive, I wa

I didn't know how I got out of that cave, but suddenly I was in the middle of the forest. A single high-pitched tone rang in my ears. My legs were folding under me. Everything within me resonated. I felt my anger and sadness like physical pain, flooding my bones and muscles. I thought that I was prepared to hear the truth in all its ugliness, but I wasn't.God, I might have been in love with Ash already. I couldn't even think of what would have happened if I had confessed to him. Would he thank me for giving him my heart before taking my life? A dumb, naïve part of me still held to the tiny bit of a chance that killing me was never a part of Ash's plan, that I was never just a tool for him, that I should confront him before deciding that everything he did and said was nothing but a lie. But then wouldn't only a fool do that? Would a prey ask the predator if he was going to kill it?Whatever was happening inside me, it was getting stronger. My chest heaved and fell rapidly. I greedily