Danika’s POV.-Taren and Emma? Wow, will you look at that? Although it might seem as if Emma’s so smitten as she fusses endlessly, running her trembling lips, blinking her eyes, nervously fiddling with her hair, and unable to tone down the heat resplendent on her face...Taren is keeping cool about it but, it’s evident that he enjoys the reaction he’s eliciting from her.I don’t want to be privy to what they’re talking about. I muster a small smile, watching them a little longer as I feel a familiar presence close in on me. When her trembling fingers try to touch her hair, Taren beats her to it, sleekly sliding his fingers against hers to tuck it behind her steaming ear. At that stunning action, their gazes meet and hold for a moment before Taren averts his to smirk a little while Emma palms her face.“She’d never let Lian hear the end of it. But here she is, acting so silly like a girl experiencing her first love.”I raise a brow at Elaine who grins at me, only to have me deb
Danika’s POV.-I’m nervous. This is the most I’ve been in years. I can’t even breathe properly. Clutching my mate’s arm, I lean against him, trembling as I try to stabilize my breath. The Faeries who’ve helped me into my bedazzling nature-enchanted gown stare at me with confidence, trying to restore my timid brave spirit as I shut my eyes for a moment.I feel his soothing palm brush over mine and his tender voice speaks to me, “Do you want to sit down for a minute and pull yourself together?” Then he takes on a sarcastic edge, “Or I can just go out there and let them know you’re not up for it.”I growl and snap my eyes open to glare at him who smirks at me, poking between my brows as he says, “Yeah, that’s it. We can start from there.”Thanks to his tease, I’m a bit annoyed and I use that emotion to shake myself out of it. Ridding the unwanted anxiety and uncertainties that latch onto my frame and heart. Grabbing the bodice of my shimmering gown, I step forward.“I’ve kept
Danika’s POV. - Three Years Later. ~ “Ludis did what?” I gasp, pulling a chair to sit while Kashira grins deeply to affirm what he just said. I settle down and look between him and Mao before lowly asking again, “He fought with them?” “It’s not uncommon among us, you know,” Mao starts to say in a rather calm tone. “Especially among Alpha families. If there are sons and daughters, or even just a son, it’s a test the son has to carry out to determine if his sister’s mate is worthy of her.” I bite down my protest and frown. “Ludis isn’t just any wolf, he’s an Alpha male and of the heterochromatic bloodline,” I argue defensively and Kashira shrugs, “I admit all four of them were powerful and Ludis didn’t make it out without a few bruises.” “But the kid won, and the princess is his,” He cheers, munching his dish of Chow Mein. Doing well to quell my argument as I growl stubbornly and Mao smiles at me. “This is great! I haven’t been to a Chinese restaurant in ages.” “Eat up and leave,
Elizabeth’s POV - Haunted once more, by the flames of that insidious nightmare, I’m thrown into the dangerous streets of Ewon City. A place that’s no home to a lone orphan like me, wandering without a soul, without a direction in the dead of a cold night. Choosing to loiter on the empty streets will only be to my detriment as I come to a pause, the stings beneath my feet reminding me of how freezing the gravel road is. To think my life would end up like this…after coming to discover that the orphanage had segregated a group of children into the restricted wing of the building I was staying with the others, only to have the Matron cuffing them in shackles and having them taken away by shady men in business suits nearly every night…. The children had revolted against being taken. The Matron had been spooked herself after both explosions went off and as they all got caught up trying to resolve the spiraling matter at hand, a little boy had crept away, crouching over the pool of gasol
Elizabeth’s POV - That wasn’t aunt’s voice, it was her husband’s and he sounded so repulsed as he says it. I clench my fist and amble closer to the door that’s slightly been left ajar and hear her voice up next. “She has no place else to go if we suddenly kick her out. She could still stay with us until she finds something to do-” “Don’t try to get all sentimental on me, Sue. It was your idea to send her off to the orphanage in the first place and you never dropped by to check up on her even once! And now what, your conscience’s suddenly biting back at you after seeing her again?” It shouldn’t surprise me to hear them saying these hurtful things, not at all. Behind those sympathetic expressions and words of compassion, I could see it clearly, no matter the layers they hid beneath...everyone deeply pitied me. I was the unlucky child, stigmatized with that misfortune. Attention drew to me like bugs to light, people wanted to use me to express their selfish goodwill so they could jus
Elizabeth’s POV - ‘What?’ Instinctively, my neck twists around to see someone over at the other side of the bus terminal waving her arm in the air energetically. A girl around my age, clad in a peach coat and skinny black jeans with rectangular-rimmed glasses sitting on her small face. But her voice...why does it remind me of someone? She begins to run over after seeing I’m no longer getting on. “Hey miss, the doors are closing,” Someone says behind me but I’m too taken by this person that’s running up to me so excitedly to care. “Thank goodness! I ran over to the orphanage as soon as I saw the news, but no one accounted they saw you.” And she continues to ramble on, now closing the distance between us- ‘Wait a sec, oh my gosh! It’s her’. Now my eyes widen with utter disbelief as she slows into steps, her features becoming much clearer to me as my legs bring my body forward to meet her. “Angie?” I call tentatively and watch as her eyes go wide with joy, and crease with pain, an
Elizabeth’s POV - I blink at Chris’ sudden suggestion, meeting his unwavering solid gaze with my baffled ones and staying with him until I huff. Ripping my gaze to look at Angie, she looks just as shocked and he presses on with our silence. “It’s only an impulsive suggestion and besides, you keep refuting Angie’s help so I jumped in without thinking” He explains, attracting my eyes to see him still staring at me with those unreadable fixated orbs. “...you should hear her out too, try to understand her concern”. I gulp quietly, his words guilt-tripping me as I lean back against the backrest without saying a word. Here I am, thinking she’s being pushy and not trying to see things from my angle but it’s not like I tried doing the same myself. I shift in position, “I know what you mean...” Looking straight into his observant orbs, “...however, I can’t impose my problem on you either. I don’t know who you are but I can only accept your concern and nothing more”. “Beth” Angie raises h
Elizabeth’s POV - The desperate plea in Angie’s low voice has me itching with discomfort. I might not know who they are but, seeing how Angie’s bedroom looks, how she looks and the clothes she wears...I know she’s living a privileged life as I had prayed. So why, what’s with this mulling unease inside of me? “Angie” My lips move a crack, my attitude turning dismal and wary but Angie shakes her head and attempts to pull me to my feet as she frowns disapprovingly. “You were the one who had made them promise to look after me. Like it or not, I’m dragging you down with me. Quit building walls around yourself, when you keep hiding in there like a coward, how can you ever come to learn of the good hearts out there?” And she succeeds when her words puncture me like an onslaught of small rocks. ‘Oh Beth, how many times has Angie scolded you today?’ At this rate, doesn’t she seem to be the mature one between us? I bite the corner of my mouth with guilt and remorse as I’m taken away by the