POV: LYA
I could not fathom what I had done to elicit such a response from this esteemed and noble heir to the alpha position.
"I said you're disgusting," Miguel repeated, still maintaining his stance of denial.
My voice caught with sorrow as I pleaded, "I don't recall doing anything that would make you feel sick. Can you please tell me why you're speaking of me in this manner?"
What could be more heartbreaking for an adolescent girl than to be deemed repulsive by her long-time crush? Yet, even in the face of his words, I had to suppress my distress and ask for an explanation.
"Twelve years ago, a damn little girl claimed she was being abused by her adoptive parents," Miguel averted his gaze as though looking at me made him nauseous. "I believed her and did everything in my power to help her. But three days later, she admitted to fabricating everything just to gain my attention. Do I need to continue?"
Each word from Miguel pierced my heart like a sharp arrow, inflicting unimaginable pain. I felt an overwhelming sense of heartbreak that left me almost speechless. In Miguel's eyes, I was nothing more than a despicable liar who had been willing to slander my adoptive parents to achieve my own ends.
Amidst the anguish, my priority was to convince Miguel to help me escape the clutches of having to be with Nicholas. Mustering all the strength I had left, I forced myself to speak, my voice laden with sorrow. "Please listen to me, I can explain..."
"That's enough, Miss Liar," Miguel interrupted, still refusing to meet my gaze. His impatience was evident on his face. "What excuse will you use this time to deceive me? Is it that your sister Kendall has been bullying you? Or perhaps your adoptive parents, the supposedly kind couple Aurora and Damon, are planning to sell you?"
How could I convince him that his suspicions were accurate?
"The truth is... what you said is true," I admitted, feeling an even deeper ache in my heart, my hand instinctively covering my chest.
Miguel wore a look of understanding. "I see," he responded. "Just now, your sister Kendall informed me that you've been restless lately because Aurora and Damon purchased the same dress for both you and Kendall, instead of getting a better one. You truly are a vain and malicious person."
I glanced up in disbelief, shocked by Kendall's cunningness. It seemed that the family had already spread their version of the story among the guests, ensuring that my words would fall on deaf ears.
"Miguel, please believe me. We're meant to be mates, aren't we?" The pain in my heart intensified, wave after wave, threatening to shatter it completely.
Miguel finally met my gaze, his eyes narrowing as he spoke in a low, firm voice, "Did you really think I would accept you? Do you truly believe you're worthy of being my mate, the future Luna of the GreyStone Pack?"
He paused, his tone dripping with disdain. "You're an eighteen-year-old orphan who hasn't even awakened her wolf. And let us not forget your character. I need a deserving mate, someone who can be a strong Luna for the pack. Lya, I reject you as my mate."
In an instant, the bond between us shattered. Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head in agony, unable to find the words to respond.
But Miguel did not wait for me to explain. Instead, he forcefully struck my shoulder, causing me to collapse onto the ground. "Save your lies for the fools, Miss Liar," he spat.
I lay there on the floor, my vision blurred by tears, as Miguel walked away without a backward glance.
Desperation overwhelmed me, and I cried out, "No, please, don't leave..." I reached out, trying to grab onto his pants, but he easily evaded my grasp.
Through my tear-filled eyes, I watched as Miguel disappeared around the corner, leaving me behind. The pain of rejection and humiliation surged within me, filling my heart with an insurmountable emptiness and sorrow.
Overwhelmed, I sobbed silently, struggling to breathe, until darkness consumed me, and I lost consciousness.
**
When I woke up again, I was lying on the bed in Kendall's dollhouse, surrounded by those damned dolls with their creepy smiles.
"Nicholas, Lya was raised by our couple as our own daughter, I think you understand how much she means to us." Damon's voice came from the doorway, "I mean, you need to add a little more chips."
"Dear Damon, if you and Aurora really consider Lya as your own daughter, you wouldn't have made this deal with me." It was the old Nicholas, "We're both adults, there's no need to play such childish game with me. I will not pay a penny more than the price already agreed upon. The choice is yours, to do as you agreed at the beginning, or I will leave now and tell everyone what you and Aurora really are under the mask of the kind couple."
Overwhelmed by despair, tears streamed down my face as I listened to the two men haggling over my "price."
In that moment, I turned my head to the side, only to catch sight of the open window with the moon hanging in the night sky.
A sudden thought crossed my mind — should I escape? Would it be better to risk my life out there than endure the torment of Nicholas?
Before I could gather the strength to sit up from the bed, I heard the creaking sound of the door opening. Panic surged through me, and I quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be unconscious.
"My dear, beautiful Lya," Nicholas's voice filled the room, dripping with sickening excitement. "Blame your parents for selling you to me."
Desperately searching for something to defend myself with, my hand brushed against a cold object—a wine bottle. Clutching the top half of the bottle tightly, I prepared to strike Nicholas with all my might as he approached.
In the next moment, Nicholas's decaying body pressed against mine, and he forcefully kissed my face with his repulsive, foul-smelling mouth.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the horror, while carefully avoiding the nauseating stench. With the bottle held high, I brought it down with all my strength just as his lips were about to touch mine.
The blow knocked Nicholas unconscious, and the bottle shattered into shards, some of them piercing my skin. Pushing his limp body away, I spat in his face, disgusted by his presence. Without hesitation, I ripped off my shirt and made my way to the windowsill.
Knowing that someone must be guarding the door, I realized that escaping through it would be futile. Although I was on the second floor, the risk of jumping seemed preferable to the danger I was in. Even without awakening my wolf, I still possessed the agility and strength of a werewolf.
Determined, I braced myself against the windowsill and leaped into the darkness. My judgment proved correct — aside from a few scrapes caused by the stones and gravel, I sustained only minor injuries.
But before I could celebrate my escape, Kendall's piercing screams echoed from upstairs. "Dad! Mom! Lya's gone!"
Damn it!
Had Kendall overheard Nicholas and Damon discussing the transaction? How else could she have discovered my absence so quickly?
There was no time to dwell on it — I needed to flee. Fueled by anxiety, I hastily chose a path I had never taken before, relying solely on my intuition.
As I continued running, I had lost all sense of time. My face was scratched by the unforgiving branches of the dense jungle, but still, there was no sign of anyone pursuing me.
Had I managed to escape? I could not be sure, yet fear kept urging me to push forward, causing me to almost stumble straight into the gaping mouth of a waterfall.
The deafening roar of cascading water filled my ears, a sight both magnificent and daunting. There seemed to be no way out ahead, leaving me with no choice but to retrace my steps.
Just as I was about to turn back, a distant commotion of footsteps and muffled voices reached my ears.
"They must have gone this way! Look at these broken branches, there is fresh blood on them. It couldn't have been long ago."
Those relentless pursuers were closing in on me. I quickly scanned the surroundings, my gaze darting between the oncoming path and the cascading waterfall.
In that moment, a thought crystallized in my mind — I would rather face death in the unknown depths beyond the waterfall than return and endure Nicholas's torment.
It was a desperate and harrowing decision, one I never expected to confront so soon.
With determination, I closed my eyes and took a leap of faith, plunging headfirst into the thundering embrace of the waterfall.
POV: MIGUEL"Miguel, there's something I need to talk to you about," Kendall said, her eyes shining with nervousness as she stood before me."Go ahead," I replied, signaling that I was ready to listen."Miguel, my dear friend, I think you should consider what I'm about to say. I don't believe Lya is as terrible as you believe her to be," spoke Kai, my inner wolf, his voice resonating in my mind."Kai, you've been advocating for her ever since I rejected her yesterday. As the future Alpha, are you afraid of not finding a suitable mate?" I shot a pointed glance at Kendall, shortly distracted from my internal argument. "Furthermore, I've already explained the events from twelve years ago. I believe you should support my decision."Before Kai could interject once more, Kendall's words abruptly cut through our exchange. "So, Lya jumped into the waterfall, presumably resulting in her death.""Wait, what did you say? Who's dead?" I halted my argument with Kai, focusing my gaze on Kendall. I
POV: LYAAs my eyelids fluttered open, my gaze met a pristine white ceiling adorned with an intricate totem. Painted upon it was a regal figure—a pure white wolf — radiating an aura of majesty and grace.A sharp pain came from my head, causing me to let out a controlled huff."You're awake?" A voice rang out in my head, "I'm Lyssa, your wolf, I'm sorry I didn't fully awaken until the moment you jumped off the waterfall, I didn't protect you."A pair of green wolf eyes came to my mind and were staring at me apologetically.My wolf? So, not only did I not die when I jumped off the waterfall, but I awakened my wolf!No longer caring about the painful signals my mind was sending me, I tried to talk to Lyssa with my mind, "You don't need to feel sorry for that, if it wasn't for you, I would probably be dead already, wouldn't I?"Lyssa's voice finally stopped sounding so sad, "Yes, our first transformation went very well.""So... where am I now?" I asked Lyssa, after all, this did not look
Allora's emerald green eyes, akin to the color of my own, brimmed with an overwhelming sadness that seemed to penetrate the depths of her soul. Every word she uttered was laced with immense effort, as though speaking required an extraordinary expenditure of her energy.As I observed her distraught state, I could not help but feel a sense of bewilderment. When I had undergone similar experiences in the past, my emotional turmoil had not seemed as profound as what she was currently enduring. Was this the true essence of motherhood? Did the role of a mother encompass such a profound empathy that witnessing her child's suffering became unbearable to the point of suffocation?Moved by her pain, I instinctively reached out and embraced Allora, seeking solace in the familiar warmth of her presence. I pressed my face against her neck, finding comfort in the scent that was uniquely hers. "It's alright," I whispered softly, my voice trembling with compassion. "I am finally back with you now,
On that fateful day of training, the air crackled with intensity as Joseph launched his relentless assault. My reflexes kicked into high gear, evading his strikes with calculated precision. The tempo of the sparring session escalated, Joseph's attacks growing swifter, and the heat coursing through my veins intensified, hinting at a transformation about to unfold.In the midst of the heightened chaos, an inexplicable surge surged through my entire being. The familiar emotions welled up within me, swirling with a potent mix of excitement and trepidation. It was as if an ancient force long dormant within me had awakened, stirring every fiber of my being.As the world seemed to shift around me, my body underwent a profound metamorphosis. A strange sensation rippled through my limbs, as if my very joints were undergoing a mystical realignment. Time itself seemed to warp, stretching languidly as every passing second felt like an eternity.The deceleration of time unveiled a surreal panorama
Miguel's POVDriven by an unwavering determination, I assumed the role of a leader, guiding a dedicated search team through the treacherous terrain surrounding the falls. For thirty-five grueling days, we combed every nook and cranny, leaving no stone unturned in our relentless pursuit of Lya's whereabouts. Despite the passage of time, a lingering sense of hope coursed through my veins, refusing to let go of the belief that she may still be alive.However, as the days turned into weeks and exhaustion weighed heavily on our weary bodies, a chilling realization began to take hold. The absence of any trace of Lya's body cast a haunting shadow of doubt upon our search efforts. Could it be possible that she had eluded our grasp, escaping a fate we had feared?Driven by a desperate need for answers, I turned my attention towards MoonWar, a nearby haven that teemed with life and secrets. Its very presence whispered of enigmatic possibilities, offering a glimmer of hope in my relentless que
I cannot stop thinking about Lya's cold gaze when she said the word "stranger" just now.On the way back to GreyStone Pack, Kai suddenly spoke up."Miguel, did you hear what Lya just said?""Yes, yes, of course I heard that," I mimicked Lya's voice, "Miguel, we are the most ordinary strangers."Damn, how dared she call us strangers when I thought at least we used to be mates."No, Miguel," Kai sounded a little bemused, "I mean, Lya said you had no idea what was going on, remember?"Kai's voice poured cold water on my anger, reminding me to pay attention to something I had not noticed earlier."You mean ... Lya did not jump into the waterfall herself?" I asked Kai with a frown."Who knows? Do you remember, the day after Lya jumped off the waterfall, the Kendall family was acting rather strangely."I thought through all the events of that day and really caught something that did not quite make sense, "Yes! You are right! When Kendall took me to her house, she made me wait at the door fo
I gave up trying to communicate with Miguel, he did not even listen to what I had to say and just thought about how well we were getting along.As I pivoted on my heel, fully prepared to depart from the enigmatic confines of the Deep Forest, an unforeseen misfortune befell me. A treacherous slip occurred beneath my feet, obliterating my delicate equilibrium, and I found myself hurtling towards the ominous depths of the Deep Forest Lake. The recent downpour, merely a day prior, had saturated the forest floor, rendering it a mire of muddy entanglement.Time seemed to slow as I descended, gravity's relentless pull guiding me towards the unknown waters below. The air rushed past my ears with an ethereal sigh, as if whispering ancient secrets that were lost to the depths of the forest. Panic mingled with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, heightening my senses to the impending impact that awaited me.With an abrupt splash, I plunged into the murky depths of the Deep Forest Lake, th
Seeing me draped in Joseph's clothes, a strange smile appeared on Allora's face, "You and Joseph get along quite well, do not you?"I nodded, wondering why Allora would ask that, but she is clearly not prepared to tell me."Where's Miguel?" Allora asked me again."How do you know?" I was even more surprised."An Alpha would of course be very aware of everything that happens in her territory." Allora watched me blush and changed the subject, "Well, to hell with Miguel. The triennial wolf fighting tournament is coming up, do you want to participate?"I knew what the wolf fighting tournament is, it is a good opportunity for the wolves to prove their strength and for each wolf pack heir to exercise themselves. In every wolf fighting tournament in the past, I would sit in the audience and envy those wolves who could compete on the field. Then I watched Miguel holding the trophy and smiling happily.For as long as I could remember, this award had belonged to GreyStone Pack and always to Mig