Torn Between Alpha And His Brother

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV It continued, "I've been waiting for you, and I know that you wouldn’t believe me. You won't believe anyone, but I have been watching you for a long time." I kept on attempting to speak, but no words came out of my mouth. The only thing that I was capable of doing was to think as I listen to this person blabbering. "But you will believe me now. I've waited a couple of years for this moment to come." The stranger stared directly into my eyes. Then, it reached out a glowing hand and placed it in my chest. I gasped at the shock of electricity that ran along the hand, making me shiver. "I can't say when I'll be able to visit you again. So please forgive me, I wish for your safety and a magnificent life. Though, it would be best for the both of us to forget each other." Before I knew it, the stranger vanished into the darkness. He was replaced by a shining portal that emitted an aura that contained the same color as the sky, as if it was the pathway for me to go to heaven. Even if I didn’t want to cross over the portal, it was as if there’s some sort of gravitational force which was pulling me in. A few seconds later, I couldn’t see anything anymore. None of my senses were working, I couldn’t even hear any sound nor feel anything touching me. As I stood there wondering what the heck just happened, the same voice spoke once more, whispering into my ears. "Welcome to the Realm of Xenon!" The Realm of Xenon, huh… That's a rather interesting name. Everything around me turned white, I covered my eyes with one of my palms to block the light. Even if it felt warm and welcoming. I turned my head and noticed I was surrounded by people, they didn't seem to notice me though. They had all different shapes and colors of hair. I didn't recognize most of them at all, as if it was the first time that I have ever seen them in my entire life. I felt confused at first, but then I realized I hadn't moved at all since I came here. The only thing I saw were these people, each one of them had significant appearances. Some had sharp teeth, others looked soft like a puppy, most of them wore clothes that resembled mine. They were chatting with each other like they knew each other quite well. "Where is this place? Where am I?" I asked in a loud voice but no one answered me. I walked through the crowd, trying to find my way. I ended up near a fountain where a beautiful lady dressed in a black robe with gold accessories, a white cloak and black leggings, with long, flowing red hair and pale lips stood in front of a tall building made of stone bricks. As she watched me, she smiled. When I walked up to her, she nodded and motioned for me to follow her. When we arrived in front of the door of what seemed to be a castle that belonged to the royalties, it opened and she entered. Inside the castle I was greeted by rows of silver chairs facing a stage that faced me. There, sitting on one of them was a boy wearing red clothes with black stripes. He was staring directly at me, and somehow it felt as if we met before, although I wasn't sure if I'd ever seen him before. He looked familiar. Did I know him from somewhere? He also seemed lost at what to say. After a few seconds, he simply stood up and walked slowly over towards me. "Your face is unexpectedly identical to someone…" I froze, unsure if I wanted to hear his answer. "Who are you pertaining to?" He hesitated for a second, but still, he continued, "your parents." His words rang clear in my mind. His expression showed his sadness, as if he was reliving memories that we have left forgotten long ago. Suddenly, I was taken aback by the fact that I don’t even recall having anyone to call as mom or dad. It sent an aching sensation to my heart as the veins on my brain somehow pumped. "Do you remember them?" I didn't answer. I had no idea who he was referring to, if I did, I definitely wouldn't have ignored him. When both of us no longer spoke, the woman who guided me in earlier intervened. “It seems like there’s still a connection between the two of you,” she said with a cheeky smile. My eyes winced, wondering what they know about me. The suspicious woman held her golden necklace as tight as she could before showing it to me. “This is the symbol of our realm. I’m the only one who has this version, but I am giving this to you until the day comes wherein you would be in need of my presence,” she explained. Just as she said, she removed her necklace and gave it to me, which I unconsciously wore without any rebuttals. The golden necklace was somehow heavy for me to hold, but it felt like it wasn’t there at all when I wore it. “Before anything else, I would like to tell you that I am the creator of the Realm of Xenon and also the Moon Goddess, Sarina. I’ll be more than willing to teach you the basic knowledge about this realm,” Sarina introduced herself as she bowed in front of me while holding onto both sides of her black robe. To be honest, I don’t feel good about this. It seems to me like I was just born today, I don’t even have any memories of what happened yesterday or from a year ago. My mind’s all fuzzy as if I have just woken up from a deep slumber. “I also want to tell you in advance that you should be careful. The ‘people’ that you see aren’t really humans. Most of them are what you call werewolves, ferocious beasts that wouldn’t give you any mercy once you get on their nerves,” Sarina warned me and from that point onwards, I knew that I really was in huge trouble.

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV Quite a lot of hours were spent in Sarina’s explanation about the existence of this realm and everything else that I needed to be aware of. As much as possible, I really didn’t want to believe what Sarina mentioned earlier. But now that I am stuck in a dim forest after letting my feet bring me anywhere it desired, I had no other choice but to believe her. Even from afar, I caught a glimpse of the body shape of a werewolf that seemed to be feasting on a person or an animal. It might even be of the same kind as it. I immediately covered my mouth with both of my hands and attempted to step backwards to start dashing out from the woods, but my feet were completely frozen and there was nowhere else that I could possibly go to at this point. “Somebody, please help me…” I begged within the depths of my mind and soul, knowing that no one would be able to hear me. Even so, I had a faint hope that I’d be saved. My shoulders were continuously raising as I was literally gasping for air. The wolf roared which echoed throughout the entire place. There were crows which rampaged out from the branches of those trees and flew away together, heading over to the direction where the wolf was. It’s like they were able to communicate with one another with just a simple roar. My conscience has been telling me to get out of this place right away, but my body betrayed me. I instantly lost focus on the crows, and the next second that I blinked, all of it was coming at me. “A-ah!” I blocked those with my arms as I crouched in my position. “Who are you?” An unfamiliar voice asked, which is most probably a man based on the tone of his voice. I didn’t have time to answer. I simply tilted my head upwards to glance at him, but he was already gripping onto my cheeks with just his left hand. Our faces were only a few centimeters apart from one another, I could even feel his cold breath touching the tip of my nose. “Don’t make me repeat my question.” He taunted me with his deadly gaze. “C-Celestina Villarama…” I unconsciously told him my name. He let go of my cheeks as harshly as he could. I almost had my head banging on the ground, fortunately I was able to control the weight of my body. “There’s no one named Celestina among my pack. Who sent you here?” “I-I wasn’t sent by anyone… I have just arrived in this realm a few hours ago,” I replied with pure honesty, I even raised my right hand just to show my sincerity. It wasn’t difficult to notice the change in his facial expression because of his unnatural paleness. It was as if he’s dehydrated. “A-are you thirsty..?” I bit my lower lip due to utter humiliation of myself. A smirk appeared on his lips. “You’re quite an amusing woman,” he commented. Just like the clock ticking its hand, he stepped forth in a heartbeat. He knelt one of his knees as he stepped one foot on the ground. Raising my face with the usage of holding my chin, he stopped moving closer when our lips were a millimeter away. Despite that, I was able to get a grasp of his tongue as he playfully wet his lips. I couldn’t maintain my eye contact with him, he was way too daring and I felt like my bones were about to collapse if I stared any longer. “Look at me, Celeste.” He ordered me with a nickname. His words were absolute. I couldn’t defy him. He was beyond superior to me and there wasn’t anything that I could do to get out of this situation. “Didn’t you know that I can seriously drink your blood until its last drop?” he inquired. Before I could even shake my head as a response, he was able to secure my lips. In that spur of the moment, my eyes widened due to shock as he immediately moved away from me. The man wiped off his lips and I noticed how his forehead was filled with sweat. “W-what’s wrong?” He pointed at my face, though I have no idea specifically which part of my face he was trying to point out. “That necklace… It couldn’t be…” he mumbled. I grabbed on the golden necklace which I got from the moon goddess herself. “Do you…” I was about to ask him another query, but he was already nowhere in sight. That man didn’t even bother to introduce himself to me. He freaking stole my first kiss and now, I don’t even know where I should go just to search for him. The darkness of my surroundings wasn’t enough to hide his emotion. I know for sure that there was a hint of rage and sadness that was hidden in his eyes. There wasn’t any need for him to explain himself, I can read his expression just like an open book. I glanced over the golden necklace. “I should head back to the castle and ask Sarina about this.” It was supposed to be my plan, but I failed once more. There were no castles nor was there any evidence left that the kingdom of Sarina existed. I frowned in confusion as I clenched both of my fists. I tried to call Sarina out from the golden necklace, but it was no use. “Excuse me.” A child approached me. “You’re being summoned by the beta of the Crimson Moon Pack, and I was ordered to look for you. You’re Miss Celestina Villarama, right?” I nodded. “Yes, you’re correct. But, I don’t remember having a scheduled appointment with the beta of your pack. I don’t even know who you are, why should I trust a child?” “Even as a child, I knew much better than the rest of the pack wolves. You’re not from this realm, that’s the only thing that I can give as a reason for you to trust me.” I was completely speechless, I haven’t even told anyone yet that I wasn’t really born in this place.

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV This pack house is located in the same forest where I was unconsciously brought to a while ago. It’s at the foot of mountains where the clouds almost cover the entire sky. There is a castle built atop the mountain overlooking the city below. The main entrance and hallway is lit with warm light, illuminating all corners of the house. There is even a staircase on the side of the hall that is built into the wall, leading up to an upper level, though it may also lead to an underground facility. The child has given me a lot of stories regarding the wolves who reside in this castle. He told me that the Crimson Moon Pack used to be extremely proud wolves. They pride themselves on being the best hunters as well, even though they’re striving to avoid any hunters out there who are out to treat them as prey. They’ve begun to get weaker because of the fact that their alpha didn’t have any wife, or what they call as luna. He hasn’t found his mate for years and they have already lost hope in him, to the point that they have challenged the alpha to duels, which no one ever managed to achieve and be victorious against the current alpha. On my way here, I noticed that there wasn’t any path that'd lead me out from where I came in. As if I’d basically be trapped inside this castle for as long as they want. “Master Kristoffer Wong, Miss Celestina Villarama has arrived,” he announced in front of the oak door. He didn’t need to knock on it to be noticed. As if on cue, he opened the door without waiting for the beta’s response, giving me a way to enter through his room which seemed to be more like an office. It felt as if time stopped on purpose the moment that I made direct eye contact with the man who was called Master Kristoffer Wong, the Beta of Crimson Moon Pack. His black hair was still fixed in the same style as the last time that I saw him, though his eyes no longer showed the shade of blue. “Y-you’re…” I raised my index finger as I pointed at him. “I was worried that you might be taken by the Silver Moon Pack after leaving you alone. Please accept my sincere apologies for I have not been able to introduce myself formally to you, but I’m pretty much sure that this child has told you about me already,” Kristoffer mumbled as he bowed his head at me. From the insides of my body, I knew that my blood rose to my face as I got embarrassed with what he’s doing. “R-raise your head,” I muttered in pure confusion on what I was supposed to address him. “You can call me whatever you like. I’m also sorry for stealing a kiss from you. If only I knew that you’re… then I wouldn’t have dared to lay a finger on you.” The way that he delivered his message was way too convincing for me to have doubts with his words. I gritted my teeth as the thought that he’s still hiding something from me entered my mind. I am aware that he has his own reasons, but it would be better if he can tell me about it if it concerns me. ‘You should avoid this man at all costs, Celestina.’ Words that I didn’t think about flashed through my brain. I roamed my eyes around Kristoffer’s room to check if there was someone else inside other than the three of us, but there was nobody else. ‘I’ll soon bring out the best in you, but it’d hinder my plans for you if you get too close with this filthy wolf. I don’t want to put your life at risk, Celestina.’ There it is again. “Who are you?” I asked out loud. “Didn’t you already know my identity?” Kristoffer butted in, which made me gaze upon him for the second time. I shook my head repetitively. “S-sorry. I’m not feeling well, can we talk again some other time? I’d like to rest.” My hands were trembling in fear of uncertainty of what’s happening to me. I wasn’t familiar with this feeling and neither was I aware of who this voice belongs to. It wasn’t from Sarina and it wasn’t from the child that I met in the castle either. Kristoffer nodded twice and motioned the child to show me the way out. “Bring Celeste to her room.” I no longer protested since I didn’t have a house to return to anyway. As the beta ordered him, he brought me upstairs. Using the master’s key, he opened the door and crossed its threshold as he switched the lights on. “You can rest here in the meantime, Miss Celestina Villarama.” No matter where I lay my eyes upon, all of the things that surround me are dazzling like the stars in the night sky. The moment that I was left alone in the room, my heartbeat became abnormal. It kept on skipping countless beats to the point that I was unable to stand on the ground. I held tightly on my chest as if it would help ease away the pain. ‘You have to accept me once the clock strikes twelve midnight, Celestina. You’re officially going to be known as Siege Wong’s mate. His scent will lead you to him, his aura will make you go crazy, and his body will heat you up until the bits of your luscious desires.’ I was getting dizzy, my eyesight was slowly fading away until I could no longer see anything other than pitchblack. I felt myself falling to the ground, but it didn’t hurt me at all. My hearing seemed to grow when I heard several footsteps that were approaching where I was located, it kept on thudding louder. ‘You were supposed to be Siege Wong’s mate, but I guess… the moon goddess wants to play with you for a while.’

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV The brightness that emitted from the chandelier on the ceiling made me wince as soon as I opened my eyes. I tried my best to get up from the bed that I was lying on, only to be assisted by a man who I didn’t notice. His spiky, pushed back, gray hair looked perfect on the suit that he wore. I don’t know the exact reason but I somehow felt scared of him, though there’s something inside me that is getting thrilled just by being near him. The man was staring blankly on my neck, I knew that he was eyeing my golden necklace just like Kristoffer. “Seriously, what’s with this necklace that makes the both of you lose control of yourselves?” I unconsciously mumbled a query which should have just remained within my mind. “Know your place, Celestina Villarama.” Those were simply five words, but it already sent an aching sensation to my heart. His words seemed to cut through me like a knife. “That crimson hair of yours reminds me of someone I hated. Even that necklace that you have was similar to what she possessed,” he muttered as he closed the book that he was reading. “Everyone here talks to me with respect. No one dared to look me in the eye. Never have I received a word from anyone without my permission. Don’t you have any idea who I am?” “I would have done the same if I knew who you were,” I replied in a straightforward manner, and there’s no explanation how I was able to speak without stuttering. ‘Mate. Mate. Mate.’ The same word kept on repeating in my mind every single time that I gaze upon this man beside the bed. “Should I show you what I can do for you to personally determine who I am? I’m not fond of introducing myself…” he said, pulling me out of the bed. His strength was sufficient for me to be carried over to the other direction as my back slammed through the walls. Fear instilled within my soul. I noticed how his eye color changed from black to a slight shade of blue, but it was only for a second. “I’m Siege Wong, and I’m the Crimson Moon Pack’s alpha, and I wasn’t really pleased with how you talked to me.” The exact minute that I heard his name, I pushed him away. “Siege Wong? My mate?” I whispered, slightly parting my lips. Siege’s eyebrows furrowed as his fangs sharpened. “The f*ck are you saying? If you’re scheming something, you should know that the consequence wouldn’t be that feasible for you to escape.” My heart was thumping loud. There was something inside me that made me want to touch him. From others’ perspective, I may look crazy how I was raising my dress right in front of a man. I just had to show him the scratches that were embedded on my thigh. I have no idea since when it was there, but I know that it was a mark from no other than Siege. “With your silence, I was able to confirm that you’re really my mate,” I concluded with a bright smile on my lips, as if I have been proclaimed as a queen of a kingdom. He hissed instead of reciprocating the same energy that I gave. “I, Siege Wong, reject you, Celestina Villarama, to be my mate,” he declared with a cold, death glare. "I would never give my mark to someone like you." His voice had become rough and growled as I stood here, staring at him with no emotions to feel, completely taken aback by his words. My eyes glazed over as tears slowly rolled down my cheeks. I know nothing about this mating process, but one thing is for sure, I have been declined to be the luna of the Crimson Moon Pack’s alpha. Doomed with the sensation of anger, I clicked my tongue as I rushed out of the castle through the room’s window, since there was no main exit. The power of rejection was beyond what I could have handled. I couldn’t release my wolf and I couldn’t even communicate with it. What’s wrong with me? Do I even own any wolf? Am I going to be this helpless until I rot in this realm? Both of my knees and shoulders were bleeding because of the impact of my fall from the third floor of the castle, down to the mountain hill. I was planning to head over to the nearby lake, but before I could have started to walk, I saw how it immediately regenerated. It was as if the scars never existed, only the droplets of blood remained. If I had this sort of ability, then there must still be a chance that I’d find my wolf soon enough. I have already turned eighteen. I would surely be taken for granted until I’m able to turn myself into a wolf. “Sarina, where are you?” I asked as I gazed upon the illumination of the moonlight that was striking on me. “I have a lot of questions for you. If you don’t come out, I’ll destroy this necklace of yours.” It may sound redundant, but this golden necklace seems to play a vital role within the Crimson Moon Pack and the moon goddess. And I guess I wasn’t mistaken. The moon goddess descended to the ground with her wings visible to my eyes. “Was there a need for you to summon me out of the blue?” Sarina rolled her eyes as if she was disturbed. “Aren’t you the one who decides who gets to be our mates?” I asked, and she simply hummed in agreement. “Then, you know that Alpha Wong was my mate, right?” “Bingo!” She raised her thumb with a cheeky smile, as if she was trying to provoke me. “Then how the hell will you explain the reason why he rejected me as his mate?” I frustratingly questioned as I stomped my foot. Sarina smirked as she walked closer. She held a few strands of my hair and rolled it around before she glanced at me. “Why would anyone bother being mates with someone who doesn’t possess a wolf?”

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV Sarina was literally someone who I surely wouldn’t get along with that smoothly. From the very first start, I already knew that there was something about her that would ridicule the hell out of my life, and I wasn’t even mistaken. I shouldn’t have gotten myself involved with someone like her, but there’s nothing that I can do about it. She was the one who approached me first. “And exactly why would you bother making me Alpha Wong’s mate if you know that?” I asked her with my eyebrows furrowed. A soft laughter came out from her mouth. It frustrates me how each and every action of her just seemed to be flawless. “If you’re really bound to be mates with him, then, there shouldn’t be any hindrance, right? I can assure you that you’re his mate, mark my words. However, you also have a duty as his mate—” “I have no interest with this sh*t anymore,” I interrupted her statement and attempted to walk out from where I came, but she stopped me in a split second without even touching me physically. “You have to prove to me that you’re going to be worthy as Siege Wong’s mate.” Sarina’s words were deemed to be absolute; I had no means for rebuttal. “Until then, I wouldn’t revoke the curse that I have bestowed upon you.” As graceful as she could, Sarina flew away from my vision, leaving me completely clueless. “What am I supposed to do now?” I whispered to myself like a loser, realizing that I have to go back to the packhouse where my mate resided. *** As planned, I’m back inside the castle where the same boy greeted me. “Miss Celestina Villarama, you’re back!” he cheerfully said as he ran towards my direction. “W-woah…” The boy held both of my hands. He was seriously freezing and it was as if he wasn’t even living. If only I believed in ghosts, I would have assumed that he was one. “Master Kristoffer Wong has been looking for you. You should pay him a visit tomorrow morning. For now, I think you need to rest…” He let go of my hands, leading the way upstairs where my room was. “What are you?” I asked out of pure curiosity. “I’m just a simple pup, nothing more than that.” “That’s not what I meant…” “Are you talking about how I knew that you weren’t born from this realm?” My eyes widened in surprise as I heard what I’ve been meaning to ask. “Yeah.” We stopped in front of the door of my room as we faced one another. “Time will be the only one that can answer that, Miss Celestina Villarama. I’m not allowed to say anything else to you as it may…” He glanced on his own feet. “...lead to my death,” he continued, then raised his head once more to meet my gaze. “It would also be best for you to shut your mouth regarding where you came from, especially now that you don’t even remember a single thing about your past life before you came here.” “Are you possibly undergoing the same experience as what’s bound to happen to me?” He shook his head. “No, Miss Celestina Villarama. We’re all given different purposes and roles to fulfill in the Realm of Xenon. Although, one thing’s for sure…” The boy glanced around the hallway to check whether there was someone eavesdropping before he continued to speak. “You wouldn’t have the chance to meet your family or friends from your original dimension. There’s little to zero chance that you’d actually be granted the opportunity to return to your past life. So as much as possible, just stay put and obey our royalties.” “Why didn’t you notify me that Celeste has already returned to our premises, little one?” An authoritative tone echoed all throughout the castle. “M-Master Kristoffer Wong!” The boy flinched, unaware of the beta’s presence. “F-forgive me… I have intended for Miss Celestina Villarama to have a good night’s rest before meeting with you early in the morning,” he explained while rubbing both of his hands in front of his chest as fast as he could. “Mhm…” Kristoffer hummed, slowly approaching us. “Celeste… Come with me, there’s something that we have to discuss urgently and it could not wait any longer until the sun shines,” he muttered with a tender smile as he gestured to the boy that he must get out of his sight. ‘Run away while you still can, Celestina!’ I held the edge of my head when I heard the same voice bugging me. It’s sending buzzing sounds to my ear, hence, making me unable to perceive whatever it was that the beta was talking about. “Celeste…” ‘This wolf is dangerous, you mustn't give him your full trust no matter what happens, Celestina. He knows my identity despite the reality that I am still cursed by the moon goddess.’ “Hey, Celeste… Are you still with me?” Kristoffer waved in front of my eyes. And by the time that I still haven’t given him any sort of response, he immediately closed the distance between our faces. “W-woah…” “I knew that you wouldn’t be able to ignore my charm.” He smirked before stepping back. “As I was saying, my brother, Alpha Siege… is he really your mate?” I winced when I heard his question. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, or he really sounded like he was in pain as he muttered those words out of his own mouth, as if he hesitated a couple times before finally mustering up the courage to ask me. ‘There’s no need for you to answer him truthfully, Celestina.’ I heaved out an exhausting sigh as I seemed to be battling with myself. “I’m not sure about that, M-Master… Kristoffer?” I stuttered as I called him by his name as I literally felt goosebumps on my whole body when he gazed upon me. “You know how I’ve been rejected by the Alpha. There’s no way that I am his mate if he couldn’t sense me or my wolf,” I added, thinking that the alpha may be right, I must be getting my hopes high just because I have stepped foot on their pack house. Right after I gave him my reply, his eyes turned blue just like from the first time that I saw him. Kristoffer caught me off guard when he rushed to my side and locked me with both of his hands pinned on the wall from the opposite sides of my shoulders. “Celestina Villarama, you’re under divine punishment with me for the rest of the week. You would not be able to stay away from me unless I say so,” he firmly said with a straight face. “D-divine punishment..?!”

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV There must have been some kind of misunderstanding. There’s no way that I’d actually be under divine punishment by the beta of Crimson Moon Pack himself. If there wasn’t, then in that case, was the proclamation of divine punishment required to be said before the sunrise? “Master Kristoffer!” I yelled out loud as I covered myself with the blanket of my bed. “Damn this place!” “What seems to be the trouble, Lady Villarama?” one of the maids approached me. I quickly shook my head even though she couldn’t see me at all. I didn’t even think that there was someone inside my room since I couldn’t sense anyone else other than myself. “Excuse me…” I called the maid, then she instantly moved over to my direction and patiently waited for what I wanted to say. “Wouldn’t Master Siege be frustrated to see that I am still inside the pack house?” She held the temple of her head, hesitating what answer she would give me. “Lady Villarama, I’m afraid that I can’t give a proper response to your query. It would be best if you’d talk this out with the alpha himself.” I heaved out a loud sigh as I attempted to walk out of my room. “What is it?” I muttered when the maid held my wrist to stop me from going out. She hurriedly removed her grip from my wrist, frightened that she’d be seen by someone else. “Both Master Siege and Master Kristoffer have the same thing in common… You must pay close attention to the color of their eyes. It changes to blue whenever they see, hear, and feel something that they dislike,” she informed me. I smiled at her as I crossed the threshold, proceeding over to the training facility where I’ve been told to head over directly as soon as I wake up. “Some random woman who doesn’t own a wolf dared to say that I’m her mate,” uttered by a faint voice that shouted authority. “You’re late!” Kristoffer yelled before I stepped foot on the red mat. “Kris… I don’t remember asking you to call her here,” Siege said as he hissed, not even bothering to give me a glance. Their sensing capabilities really are on a different level. Both of them knew that I was on their range without batting an eye on me. “Master Kristoffer, what did you want to—” “Shut your filthy mouth.” Siege pressed his palm onto my mouth. The impact was too strong for me to handle, making it completely impossible for me to control my balance. “I can’t sense anything from you other than the desire to take your soul away. You’re actually fortunate enough that you’re still standing inside my territory.” His hand traveled down to my neck, strangling me as if he really had the intent to kill me right here and right now. Just like what the maid told me earlier, Siege eyes really did change its color to blue. He’s most probably not bluffing about what he’s saying. I can’t breathe… As I was about to kick him in between his legs, Kristoffer pulled his brother away from me. I continuously coughed as he was forced to let me go. “Keep your hands off of Celeste, Siege.” The way that he said those words weren’t enough to give me the butterflies. It only made me tremble as I fell to the ground with both of my thighs shaking. The tension between them seemed to get worse when Kristoffer stood in front of me with one of his arms extended to protect me from harm. “What a sight to see that you’re suddenly interested in a stranger, Kris,” he scoffed. “But what can you do against me?” Kristoffer quickly held my hand and made sure that I wouldn’t be able to escape, forcing me to get up. “Can you run?” he whispered to me and I gave him a simple nod before he returned his attention to his alpha brother. “As of the record, I have never won against you in a duel. Not even once, since you never showed me any mercy as a brother. You only cared about your reputation and what the others would say if they see that you’ve been defeated by someone else… Surely, they wouldn’t want an alpha that can easily be beaten, right?” He seemed to be stalling some time for me to gather up my remaining strength. As if on cue, Kris let go of me and gave me a gesture to run away. If one of them tried to stop me, I know that I wouldn’t even be able to get out of the training facility safely. Less than half an hour passed by, I was leaning my back on the wall outside the mansion when Kristoffer popped out of nowhere. “Seriously, what’s your deal, Master Kristoffer?” I could no longer suppress the confusion that I had stored within myself. He held both of my shoulders as he stared at my eyes directly. “Listen, Celeste… You have to get out of the pack house and as much as possible, you shouldn’t return here unless you’ve been trained to the bones. Siege isn’t an ordinary wolf, he’s the alpha. Even if I’m his brother, I wouldn’t stand a chance against him, which is why I chose to run away rather than initiate a fight back there.” He stepped back as I noticed the slight change in his breathing pattern. “Why are you doing this for me?” “I’m not doing this for your sake, Celeste. I’m doing this for the sake of Siege. I don’t want to see him killing any innocent women anymore.” I repetitively blinked after hearing what he said. “W-what do you mean? Does Master Siege kill any woman that he doesn’t like?” Kristoffer shook his head twice. “Whether it be men or women, as long as you irritate him, he wouldn’t spare a second to take your life away.” He lent me some sort of map which provided a detailed pathway of the Dark Valley’s Territory. “You can think that I’m protecting you, and being locked up under my protection is your divine punishment.”

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV I lost count just how long has it been since the last time that I was thrown out of the pack house which I believed would completely accept me, despite having the loss of the presence of my wolf. It’s really devastating how I can hear the voice of Celeste, my wolf, but am still unable to transform myself to its form. There must be some kind of missing formula. Before Kristoffer and I parted ways, he gave me a warning that I shouldn’t cross paths with the alpha even though we’re not in his territories. The scene back at the first time that I stumbled upon Siege flashbacked through my mind as I held tightly on the necklace that I wore. “Does Goddess Sarina have a connection with the alpha of Crimson Moon Pack?” I murmured to myself, knowing that no one other than either one of them would be able to give me an answer. “If we’re really mates, then I guess that I’d soon figure out their relationship.” My brain received a static shock at some point as I tried to recall the image of my parents. Their faces were kind of blurred and I couldn’t even properly see what their physical appearance was like. It’s like they never existed and I was born without them right from the start. “Are you alright?” a tiny voice of a boy asked from behind. Turning around, I saw a kid who seemed to be concerned with me as I was about to pass out. He was wearing a checkered polo shirt. He wore eyeglasses that made him appear like a genius one, adding up the fact that he’s holding onto his books. This kid might have been lost in the woods after going back from his academy or having self-study somewhere. “Y-yeah, thanks.” If I didn’t hear him speak, I would’ve totally lost my conscience back there. “It’s a miracle how you’re not using honorifics this time. Is it because we’re outside the Crimson Moon Pack’s territories?” I asked him, removing my grip on the necklace. The boy raised one of his eyebrows to give me a confused look. “What are you talking about? I have no connection with that pack, I live on the opposite side of this country,” he replied. “Aren’t you the same kid who kept on entertaining me back at the mansion?” I asked again, trying to gain the assurance that I needed. However, I saw that he was about to turn to the other side so I immediately changed the topic. “Can you bring me over to your place? I don’t have a home that I can go back to…” I stretched out my arm to his side and waited for him to take hold of my hand. Anyone would be hesitant if they would actually trust someone they recently met, but for this guy… He hurriedly curled his pinky finger onto mine without any second thoughts. *** For some unknown reason, the aura of this boy was glowing red in a manner that wasn’t related with the intention to kill. It was rather pleasant and it’s somehow similar to an aura of a person who emits romantic behaviors with their loved ones. It would actually be kind of weird if this boy were to have a lovey-dovey feeling towards me, right? “I can sense how wary you are of me, lady,” he suddenly spoke, which terribly disrupted my inner thoughts. “How can you have doubts while walking beside me, knowing that I have trust in you even though this was our first meeting?” he continued, adding more salt to the open wound of mine. I let out a soft laughter. “Sorry. We just kind of possess opposite traits — I’m not that fond of strangers.” Silence lurked our surroundings as we finally entered his pack house. “Shall I set a schedule of your appointment with the alpha?” he questioned, then placed all of his belongings on top of the closest desk. I shook my head twice, same with both of my hands. “That’s a bit… overboard. I don’t have anything to offer your pack’s alpha. And besides, I’m just a mere wolf who was thrown away by the Crimson Moon Pack’s almighty alpha; I’m a rogue,” I muttered with a soft voice. The fact that I’m a rogue still doesn’t sink in. I still can’t believe how fast the days have gone by. “Your rank doesn’t matter here though,” he whispered to himself before facing me up front. “I’m Ice, the Delta of the Silver Moon Pack… and you seemed to gaze upon me like I was a child who knew nothing of this realm.” He smirked to tease me and to lighten up the mood. He might have noticed that I was getting a bit too emotional based on the recent statement that I said. “If you’re not comfortable with meeting our alpha, then, I’d be the one who’s going to be responsible for taking care of you — from your personal necessities, your desires, and everything else that you might want to pursue and accomplish.” Ice’s words were the exact opposite of his name. The way that he spoke so dearly to me made me think if he’s an actual adult in disguise of a child’s body. I played with my fingers as I observed how sincere Ice was. Even in a split second, there wasn’t any sign that he was only doing this to me for simple entertainment. His actions were appealing. As soon as Ice headed over to the kitchen, a dashing knife flew towards my direction, which was able to land a scratch on my cheek. “W-what was that for?” I exclaimed out of frustration. Ice leaned on the fridge with one of his hands holding onto the same knife that scraped my skin. “You… are unbelievably weak,” he responded with his chest up to boast that he was undeniably stronger. “That goes without saying that you’re a woman. All wolves should at least be able to sense that they’re in possible risk of danger, no matter what their gender or age was,” he explained, only to imply that I was unworthy of being recognized as one of their kinds. “You do know how to provoke me well, seriously…” I argued. The mansion which used to be lit up with thousands of chandeliers began to get dark all of a sudden. “I wonder if you could see, hear, and feel my presence in the midst of this dim territory of ours,” Ice spoke, echoing all throughout our spot, making it more difficult for me to detect his exact location.

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV For the first time in forever, I felt the urge that I should take Ice's challenge seriously… believing that this would decide what my fate or destiny would be in the hands and supervision of the Silver Moon Pack's Delta. I remained standing on the same spot even though I knew that there's the possibility that he might be the one on the offensive, despite sounding like he's the one on defense mode. Focus. Focus would be my number one priority right now. I let my senses roam free and made my system facilitate how I should avoid all of his incoming attacks. "Not bad," he whispered directly to my ear, sending vibrations and a buzzy sound inside. "You're quite easy to read," I commented. "I've already gotten used to your movements and I noticed each pattern that you plan to commence," I proudly uttered. Thanks to Ice, I was able to realize the fact that I don't have the capability to see the aura of anyone as long as I'm succumbed to the darkness. It also doesn't matter if I know their whereabouts. No source of light is equivalent to having ultimately no vision of their aura. Even if it was faint, I knew that a hardened nail was aimed again at me, so I jumped backwards in a swift motion. I clenched my fists when I began to be instilled with fear. I'm not quite sure if it was a mere coincidence or was Ice really trying to aim directly at the position of my heart, since this was the second time. "Are you possibly trying to kill me?" I asked in the middle of the darkness. "Could it be that you're just pretending not to know who I am?" "The f*ck are you blabbering about? I already told you that I'm the delta here and I know nothing about the rival territory on the other side of this country. Is there anything special about you that's worth taking your precious life away?" Ice replied, and he doesn't sound like he has the time to be kidding around at all. The image of Kristoffer popped up inside my head, as if he was calling for me. I attempted to communicate with him in that sense, but it was kind of useless, knowing that we don’t have any reason to have the power to use mind link. Speaking of that beta, I remembered how he warned me not to show up unless my skills are already enhanced. “Hey, Ice…” I called out to him at the same time that I halted my feet from trying to avoid the consecutive blowing of the nails. I didn’t hear him respond but I sensed how his attacks had stopped heading over to me, so I continued to speak. “Is it possible for you to train me?” There was a sudden brushing of the serene breeze of the wind before I heard his voice. “If you’re eager to be my apprentice, then I don’t see why not?” Ice answered. A few seconds after he spoke, the chandeliers lit up once again that made me close my eyes slightly for a while. Ice was standing in front of me with a cheeky smile, his aura was still the same. “Why did you suddenly think of having me as your mentor? Did you sense the grim reaper coming your way earlier while I was threatening you with my nails?” Even though I knew that Ice was simply curious, I couldn’t help but to feel like he was teasing me. “The beta of my previous pack wanted me to train myself before I returned to them. I got rejected by my mate just because of the fact that I have no—” “You still haven’t switched over with your wolf?” he loudly interrupted. “I guess so,” I mumbled as I shrugged my shoulders. “My wolf is active and she’s been invading my thoughts lately, but I don’t know the exact reason why I can’t seem to bring her out.” Ice raised one of his hands and held my cheek which was scraped a while ago. The way that he touched me made me feel like I’ve met him somewhere before. Although, no matter how hard I try to recall where and when it was, I couldn’t see any sign that we’ve already encountered one another. “How warm…” I thought to myself, unintentionally saying it out loud. Ice’s eyes widened. “Do we have some sort of connection? I was thinking the same just now.” He let out a soft chuckle before finally letting go of my cheek. “You’re a weird one. You might have noticed how I continuously attempted to annihilate you, right? Despite that, I’m also the one who kept on misleading those nails so that it wouldn’t reach you at all even if you didn’t move back then… There’s something about you that’s preventing me from harming you at all cost…” He turned around and raised both of his arms upwards. “And the reason behind that is what I’d be trying to figure out as we proceed on with our daily, weekly, and monthly training.” From this point onwards, I was finally able to feel relieved even if it would just be for tonight. I never thought that I would actually be able to meet someone from this pack, moreso, the delta. I thought that I would be stuck up and would just be scattering around the Dark Valley. I smiled sincerely even though Ice wasn’t even looking at me. “Thanks, really. I appreciate you.” “You should rest up for now. We’d start with our official training by tomorrow morning after having our breakfast,” Ice said as he was walking away from the lobby. “Oh, and by the way, don’t be too shocked if the wolves here keep on staring at each and every movement that you make. Our doors are mostly not open to strangers, especially from those who belonged to our rival. It just so happens that my heart was literally soft at the exact moment that I saw you,” he added before totally getting out of my sight.

CELESTINA VILLARAMA’s POV Nothing could have been more rewarding than a good night’s rest after an exhausting day. There wasn’t anyone else inside the room where Ice appointed me into, unlike back at the Crimson Moon’s pack house wherein there would always be some maids who would be standing by the door and waiting for the time that I open my eyes and wake up. There’s considerably a lot of differences between the two packs, and it might also be one of the main reasons why they consider themselves as rivals. The thought of being mortal enemies flashed through my mind. I wonder if the alpha here would actually stand a chance against the alpha who was supposedly my mate. If the two of them would have a duel against one another, then I guess that the two packs would be forced to merge and the one who survives the duel would be the one to lead all of us. “Why’d you bring a commoner inside our pack house, Ice? Care to explain yourself before I cut one of your legs?” a terrifying voice of a man asked the delta who was with me last night. “Don’t be like this, Lucas. She’s not dangerous at all,” Ice answered the query of the living creature that he called Lucas. “You don’t need to worry about a single thing. I’m the one who brought her here, I would also be the one to be held responsible if she causes trouble inside our territories. I’d place my whole life at risk for her,” he further said to support his first statement. Based on what I can hear, it seems like the one that Ice was talking to held more power than he does— it might have been the alpha or the beta of their pack. “Just because you know that my faith in you is unbreakable doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want with my pack. Don’t forget that I was the one who brought you inside this realm, Ice.” “I know, Lucas. There’s no way that I’d forget something that important — if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be able to live here up to this point,” Ice said, which confirmed my guess that he was talking to their leader. “Come out, lady. You could at least realize by now that we could sense you eavesdropping,” he added that was soon followed by a soft laughter. The exact moment that I went out of the room, I caught a glimpse of the man who was in front of Ice. His eyes are kind of different from the ones that I have encountered before. Lucas had a purple aura and even his eyes were of the same color, both were sparkling not with joyous sensation, but rather filled with hatred. I don’t know if it was due to my appearance inside their territories or if he normally possesses that kind of aura. If I were to compare him with Siege, I believe that Siege would be the best candidate to be the overall leader of everyone in the Realm of Xenon. I’m getting the feeling that Lucas isn’t serious in dealing with any business matters that has a concern with the rest of his pack members, and is just protecting the image of him being the Silver Moon Pack’s alpha. “Ice… Don’t you remember her?” Lucas asked the delta without removing his eye contact with mine. “I only met her yesterday, Lucas. There’s nothing to recall between the two of us since we’ve never met each other before,” Ice answered with a bit of confusion mixed within the tone of his voice. Even if I was the one to be asked, I would have said the same thing that he did. I stepped one foot forward, in an attempt to get in between them, but was instantly taken aback when I saw how Ice glared at me from my peripheral vision. “Alpha Lucas, do you have any idea about—” “No one ordered you to speak, Celestina Villarama,” Lucas abruptly interrupted my words. “Bring her to whichever place you desire, Ice. Just get her out of my f*cking sight.” “As you wish, Lucas.” The delta grabbed my hand in a haste and as what the alpha commanded, he brought me out of the palace. “What were you even thinking back there, lady… Celestina?” he asked while his eyes were shouting how much he was worried about what could have possibly happened, at the same time that he hesitated in calling me by my name. I rubbed the back of my head after he released his grip on my hand. “He sounded like he knew something that both of us didn’t know about. I was just curious—” “Curiosity can kill you, Celestina!” Frustration was written all over his face when he yelled at me. “H-hey… There’s no need for you to raise your voice like that,” I softly said when I felt some heat forming in the corner of my eyes. “I-I w-was the one who was about to get in trouble there, not you…” My shoulders began to shake as I quietly sobbed. I know that I was about to get selfish that time and I could have placed Ice in danger since he holds great responsibility as he was the one who led me here. And that guilt was eating me alive. Ice hardly slapped his face out of nowhere which made me widen my eyes in shock as I gasped. “Sorry, Celestina. I didn’t mean to shout at you, I was just anxious… There’s this feeling inside me that makes me want to protect you that keeps on bugging me. I had the thought of killing the alpha if Lucas laid his hand on you even if it’s totally impossible.” “Why does everyone keep on saying that they have to protect me?” I muttered what should have just been inside my head. “Everyone? Is there someone else who’s protecting you other than me?” It was only a single question, but the impact that Ice gave me as he said those words made me tremble in fear. The aura that he used to have was altered into dark intentions.