ROSALINE’S POV:The window was down, and the warm afternoon wind slapped my skin as Damien stepped on the gas. We have been driving to God knows where for the past three hours. Ariana was fast asleep at the back, and I was so close to joining her. but of course, my PTSD wouldn’t let me. The slightest sharp turn or bump we came across had my eyelids flying apart faster than they ever had.A groan escaped my lips, and my head hit the window. “Are we almost there?” I asked him, not bothering to hide my fatigue and discomfort. Did I forget to mention that we have been driving on an open road, meaning that there have been no people, buildings, or even trees for miles? just plainlands and mountains for miles.which also means we were not protected.I wanted to be scared and scold Damien for not bringing guards with us, but I have learned to trust him; he would not willingly bring us out here in the open if he did not believe that we were safe. And, to be honest, I felt safe.“We should be a

ROSALINE’S POV:The sun’s warm gaze kissed my skin, and the sifting crashing of waves filled my ears, sending a cool and relaxing sensation through my body. I can hear the seagulls from afar and my daughter’s giggles as well. I opened my eyes to find her with Damien; they appeared to be building some sort of sandcastle. The sight brought a smile to my lips. These are things I have always wanted Ariana to experience—the love of a family.After Courtney and William had most definitely attempted to scare us yesterday, we had ordered takeout, or our appetite and zeal to eat outside were no longer within us. Somehow, we still managed to have fun. By the time we had gotten home, the sun had completely set and the full moon was out to play.We had spent the evening in the living room watching an Eddie Murphy comedy. It was by far one of the best nights of my life. I did not care what Courtney and William had said about the New Spirits Festival; none of us did. It was most likely a fairytale

ROSALINE’S POV:The night was cold and wild. The moon lit the earth with a cool light that brought an odd sense of tranquillity littered the dark sky, looking like diamonds. His arms wrapped around me protectively, while the blanket served as a second layer of warmth. The fire served as another as we all circled it.I felt myself sink deeper and deeper into his touch, and for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace. Ariana and Ben sat beside us, chowing down on the roasted chicken and shrimp.“Alright, so what are we doing first?” William asked, tossing the bottle in the air.“How about we get to know each other better by telling stories? Maybe one of the happiest or saddest moments of our lives? Then we can tell stories,” Courtney suggested, and I thought that was a pretty good idea.“Then we play truth or dare!” Ariana suggested, throwing her hands in the air as Damien's and my eyes snapped in her direction.“You are too young to be playing truth or dare Ariana,” Damien state

ROSALINE’S POV:“Long ago, in this very village, there lived a man who was thought to be heartless. The elders believed that he was incapable of feeling any form of emotion because, when he was born, unlike most babies, he did not cry. But his mother did not look much into it and thought of it as nothing, but as time went on, it became concerning. He could not cry, he could not laugh, he did not smile, and he did not frown either. He was just stoic all the time. He was stigmatized and called all sorts of names. No one wanted to play with him while he was growing up. Everyone thought he was weird, and some thought he was cursed. He tried so hard to feel something; he thought that maybe something was wrong with his heart. He even soon believed that he was indeed cursed. One day, during the time of his early twenties, He found a girl crying and asked why she was. She said that her father refused to buy her the dress she wanted—a very trivial thing for someone who is in their twenties

ROSALINE’S POV: He was feral.I watched with absolute horror as Damien held the barrel of the gun in his hand. The metallic scent of blood filled the air as I watched it drip down his arm. His eyes had taken on a hellish shade of black, and his canines were so long they nearly reached his chin. He snarled at Courtney, and I knew that the sight of seeing someone holding a gun to our daughter had driven him insane.Courtney whimpered with fear, but she did not back down.“I knew it; you were all monsters. I got that scent of wolves from all three of you the second I set my eyes on you, and when I found out you were the owners of this property, it could not only be a coincidence,” she said with a shaky voice. She sniffled, and her eyes grew redder from both tears and rage. “It’s animals like you that killed my parents and took my sisters from me; I must avenge them!"She takes out a stake from her pocket and attempts to stab Damien in the heart with it, but he is faster than her and cat