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 must have worn a frightful expression in that moment because Kendall took a couple of steps back, terror etched across her face.
"Lya, my sister," Kendall whispered, avoiding eye contact and lowering her head. "I don't know what happened yesterday, but Lya has been incredibly despondent since the party ended. She sneaked out in the middle of the night, and we all went searching for her. Just as we were about to catch her, she leaped straight into the waterfall."
Emotionally distraught?
My brow furrowed deeper. If my memory served me correctly, Lya had cried out after my rejection yesterday. Could it have been because of me?
"See, I told you rejecting her was a mistake," Kai persisted, his voice resounding within me.
Curiously, I did not sense any grief emanating from Kendall. Instead, I detected only a profound sense of fear.
"Kendall, show me your house." I put down the pen in my hand and stood up. If Lya really died because I rejected her, I certainly was not going to just pretend that nothing had happened.
Seemingly not expecting me to make such a request, Kendall's face took on a few more nervous moments, "Yes, but why?"
I lowered my head and thought about it, but decided to tell her the truth, after all, Lya was dead, "Yesterday, I refused Lya to become my mate."
"Lya is your mate?" Kendall's voice suddenly became shrill and her face began to flush.
Noticing the look I gave her took on a hint of inquiry, she dropped her head again, "Well, in that case, you should certainly visit my house."
**
I followed Kendall to her house, but she asked me to stand at the door and wait for a while, and then walked in first.
I respected Kendall's request and stood in the doorway crossing my arms over my chest as I remembered again what happened last night, Lya's red hair and green eyes repeatedly popping into my head, one moment the pitiful look she had when she was seven years old, the next the way she had almost choked on her tears last night.
"Kai, do you think, did I really do something wrong?" My eyes casually looked around the house, "But GreyStone Pack's Luna can't be a teenage girl who doesn't even have a wolf, and my mate has to be strong."
"What's the use of talking about this now? What's more, I can't hear your guilt at all in your utterances, you don't feel at all at fault, do you?"
I must admit that Kai was right; I did not feel that I did wrong, and I was wise to refuse a woman like Lya to become the Luna of the GreyStone Pack.
However, if I had known that she would kill herself because of it, I probably would not have put it so harshly; I would have refused in a way that she would have accepted.
"You should think about how to make it up to that poor young girl's family before the future Alpha of the GreyStone Pack is seen as irresponsible right now." Kai did not have time to worry about what I am thinking.
"Of course I know, I'm thinking about it." I impatiently reply to Kai.
Kai was a smart wolf, but sometimes he was so proud that he did not even think of me. And the rejection of Lya seemed to have become one of the reasons why he despised me.
If Lya was still alive, perhaps in time Kai would have understood that I made the right choice and that Lya was simply not fit to be the Luna of the GreyStone Pack.
But she is dead, and I thought its best that I kept all our grudges completely buried in my heart.
After a while, Kendall finally came out and invited me in.
As soon as I crossed the threshold, sorrowful sobs reached my ears from upstairs. I turned to Kendall, who wore an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Miguel. My mother has been inconsolable and crying all day long."
An entire day of constant weeping?
I had not realized Ms. Aurora possessed such a powerful voice, still resonating so loudly and clearly even after prolonged crying.
A crash resounded from the kitchen, and I grabbed Kendall by the arm, urgently questioning, "Is Damon losing control and breaking things because of Lya's death?"
A glimmer of admiration flickered in Kendall's eyes. "Yes, Miguel. Not bad for a future Alpha. You're perceptive."
I graciously accepted Kendall's praise, only to be met with a disgruntled remark from Kai within my mind. "Things aren't as straightforward as they seem."
"Come on, Kai. It is as simple as that. A kind-hearted couple blaming themselves for the loss of their impulsive adopted daughter, overwhelmed with sadness to the brink of collapse. I fail to comprehend what cold heart you possess that allows you to suspect them in such circumstances."
After dismissing Kai's doubts, I turned my attention back to Kendall. "Could you please summon both Ms. Aurora and Mr. Damon?"
Kendall's eyebrows arched, her satisfaction evident. "Yes, yes, I'll go right away."
Observing Kendall rush upstairs, holding her skirt, Kai interjected once more. "Don't you find Kendall's enthusiasm rather peculiar?"
"Or what? Do you expect her to be utterly grief-stricken by Lya's demise, unable to regain composure? I simply aim to offer them solace and bring smiles back to their family. It's that straightforward." I was growing weary of Kai's persistent skepticism. After all, Lya didn't even possess her own wolf, so why was Kai fixated on her?
Suddenly, something caught my eye—Nicholas's glasses lay on the carpet, partially concealed within its fibers. The lenses bore multiple cracks, as if they had been forcefully shattered. Could it be that Nicholas had a conflict with someone during yesterday's party? Furrowing my brow, I retrieved Nicholas's glasses from the carpet, pondering over the peculiar discovery. I placed them in my pocket and turned my attention to the family portrait, now illuminated by the sun's reflection.
Above was Aurora, Damon, Lya and Kendall family. Lya pursed her lips and looked at the camera with very sad eyes, the sadness in her eyes directly made me also a little hard to get up.
I really did not know why she would show such an expression in a family photo, looking at how sweet the other three people's smiles were, which should be the expression when taking a family photo.
I thought again of what Kendall had told me, that Lya often had tantrums over grabbing things with Kendall, so maybe Lya was the one who had just made a scene when the family photo was taken. Such speculation made me even more convinced that I had made the right choice.
"See Kai, Lya is just a grumpy little girl." I tried to convince Kai to think like me.
"Lya died because of you, and now you're actually looking at her picture and finding reasons to denigrate her. Is that your character as a future Alpha, Miguel?"
I did not expect Kai's attitude to be so bad and got a little angry, "Yes, she died because I rejected her, but doesn't that make it even clearer that she wasn't fit to be Luna? A Luna of a wolf pack can't be such a weak person, she should have used her ability to tell me that my choice was wrong, and then maybe I would have respected her more."
Kai did not say anything more, seemingly because she thought I was a bit impulsive.
Luckily, by this time, Kendall had come to me with her kind parents, eliminating the awkward atmosphere between Kai and me.
"Miguel, I heard you wanted to see us, what can I do for you?" Poor Aurora still had tears on her face.
"I am sorry that Lya is dead... because of me," I said with difficulty, "I am now officially making amends to you, I invite you to live near the pack house, what do you think?"
Pack house was only for the Alpha of the Wolf, Alpha's family and subordinates to live in, and it is a great honor for them to have such a plain family living nearby.
Sure enough, surprise and disbelief appeared on Aurora's face, and although she reverted to sadness and grief the next second, I am still sure they were all happy with this compensation.
"Yes, we all feel fine." Damon stepped forward and nodded at me.
Kendall reached out and gave Damon a hand, then turned to me and said, "Miguel, could you please go and send someone to find Lya's body? We all want to give her a warm funeral."
Hearing Kendall's words, Aurora and Damon nodded in agreement, "Yes, compensation for us is not important; resting Lya's soul is the most important thing."
A picture flashed through my mind - In the cold lake, the fish with sharp teeth were gnawing at Lya's body, bloodied Lya suddenly opened her eyes and stared straight at me, "You rejected me, you rejected me!"
I cringed at the image in my own mind.
"Yes, I will send someone to look for her, please don't worry." I agreed to the request of these three poor people.
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
The once familiar face contorted with uncontrollable anger, distorted by the primal instincts of her wolf form. She lunged forward, her razor-sharp teeth bared in a menacing display of aggression.Unbeknownst to Kendall, she faced a transformed Lya, one who had tapped into the depths of her newfound power. The past Lya, weak and unawakened, had long been left behind, replaced by Lyssa, a force to be reckoned with. "Lyssa, are you ready?" I asked Lyssa in my head, "It's game time."With a surge of determination, I unleashed my true form, my body morphing into a majestic wolf. The seamless transition showcased my strength and agility, as I harnessed the power that had lain dormant within me. As Kendall's wolf teeth sought their mark, my instincts kicked in, enabling me to swiftly evade the incoming attack.Seeing my wolf form, Kendall was so shocked that she even forgot to continue her attack.The exchange between Kendall and me, now in our formidable wolf forms, epitomized the battl