/-Melucia-/

Blood, fire, Iron. Arrows.

Screams disturbed the silent night as people ran helter-skelter, throwing balls of magic, in hopes of buying time.

I saw wolves rip my people apart with their canines and tear open their stomachs with their claws.

What would have been a peaceful night was adulterated with chaos.

I didn't even have the time to reason how the wolves had been able to find our coven. All I knew was the air was polluted with poison and we needed to get out as soon as possible.

“Enough!” I screamed, triggering a dune. The violent wave swept everyone within a ten-mile radius, and my body weakened momentarily.

I took a look around. There was no attacker or victim. Everyone was on the floor now, some wounded and a few dead.

I created a portal and hurried over to help a few of our people. I was hoping to buy us enough time for the remaining living witches to get out of there but then something struck me in the shoulder.

It was an arrow, made of pure iron and it sent crumbling weakly to the floor. The portal closed and my people gathered fiercely around me, ready to protect me.

“Stand down,” I ordered as they prepared balls of magic. “They are going to kill us all!”

“They will kill us anyway. We would rather die free than be enslaved to these mutts!”

“He is right, we have to fight!”

“No! No! Surrender now, all of you! I command you!” I yelled, and they exchanged glances before slowly seizing their magic. They dropped to their knees around me.

My breathing became heavy as blood trickled down my arm. I pulled the arrow out, knowing fully well I could bleed to death.

The wolves gradually surrounded us and he stepped out of the shadows. Those cruel crimson eyes rested on me.

“Wise choice,” his tone was devoid of emotions. “Chain them and set those miserable tents ablaze.”

Just like that, our home burned in flames, and we were bound. We were a whole lot more than I anticipated. About a hundred people while I assumed we were less than fifty left.

They were all bleeding, severely wounded but it didn't stop the wolves from whipping anyone who slacked.

It gave me some form of relief that they were also severely injured and limping.

They were a lot smaller than us, and it made me want to launch an attack on them, but I realised that magic didn't work in these chains.

The bastards had infused iron in it.

The journey to the BlackClaw pack was longer than expected, and it was getting increasingly harder for me to stay conscious, but the constant whipping didn't let me dare fall asleep.

On arrival at the pack, the people hurled stones, food items, sticks and everything they could reach on us.

“Burn the witches! Burn them all!” They chanted over and over again.

I felt deeply ashamed that this calamity had to befall us during my reign. I was going to watch my people suffer humiliation of all sorts.

Tears burned the sides of my eyes but I didn't dare let it fall. They needed me to be strong for them. Now wasn't the time for weakness.

We were thrown in an underground cell but our chains remained.

“We could have easily taken them down, Priestess. They have nothing but their fangs and claws. We can take them down!” Eli, my right hand said.

I smiled weakly at him.

“We didn't stand a chance against them back at home, what makes you think we can fight them in their homeland?”

“Do not let your faith in us waver, Priestess. We are stronger than you give us credit for,” he insisted. “You are too lenient on these people, that is why they think they can break into our home and take us captives!”

“If we prepared for them, of course. We were ambushed. It was impossible to beat them,” I said to him. “These chains are made of iron and unless we get out of it, we will remain vulnerable.”

His shoulders slouched.

“So what now? We await death?” He asked.

“I hope not. If only there is a chance for me to speak with their Alpha. I'm sure we can work something out. It doesn't always have to be war,” I said and all eyes snapped to me.

Eli shook his head, “You are just too naive, Priestess.”

The conversation died down and I shut my eyes to sleep.

Soon enough, the cell was opened.

“You!” The guard pointed at me. “The Alpha wishes to speak with you.”

Those words rekindled hope within me. I threw Eli a look but he looked away. I got off the floor and he unlinked my chains.

I followed him to see the crimson-eyed man. He pushed open a set of double doors.

“She’s here, Alpha,” he announced.

The tall, muscular man faced us, and my breath caught my throat. Those scary crimson eyes were gone now, and his appearance was entirely different from the blood-covered demon.

Those steel grey eyes were complimented by long curly brown hair. His features were so sharp and polished. Not to mention that jawline.

I blinked, willing myself to focus on the task at hand. I couldn't let myself drown in the masculine beauty while my people were on the verge of dying.

“You're the High Priestess?” The honey-like baritone was nothing like the cold, ruthless tone I heard back on the battlefield.

“Yes…” I answered. “Melucia is my name.”

“I really don't care what your name is. My Elders are deciding whether to burn or behead you lots. Personally, I'm not bothered by whichever they chose but I have cause to believe you would want them alive,” he said plainly.

“Yes, I want them alive please,” my tone was almost desperate. “I'll do anything, please spare them.”

He eyed me suspiciously. On a normal day, I would have glared at him or thrown fists even, but the lives of innocent people were on the line and if I had my way, I would just portal us out of here, but I couldn't. Not with these chains.

“There is no need for war, please. Our people have stayed out of your path for years…”

“So you call us trouble-makers then?” He raised one of those thick bushy brows.

“No, no… I mean we are after peace. Let's sort things out in a diplomatic way, please,” I pleaded, even though they were indeed troublemakers.

Our people have always stayed out of their way, yet they never stopped hunting us down. Because of them, thousands of covens were destroyed and we couldn't have a stable home anywhere.

He gave me a once-over.

“I have a proposition for you, Melucia. If you agree to it, you can earn your people freedom,” he said and my interest piqued on hearing that.

“What could that be?” I asked eagerly. I couldn't wait to see Eli's reaction when I informed them we were freed.

“A child,” he said. “Bear a child for me and you are free to leave with your people as soon as you give birth.”

Huh?

I couldn't be hearing right. He wanted a child with a witch? There were so many things wrong with that request. Wolves and witches didn't see eye to eye, not talk of interbreeding.

“Why? Why not your were-women?” I asked, suspiciously.

“Because only a pure white witch can carry my seed,” he stepped closer, eyes piercing deep into mine. “You have no idea how long I have been tracking you, little Priestess.”

I gulped hard.

I didn't want to believe he actually wanted to do this. If this got out, it could utterly destroy his people's confidence in him and turn my people against him.

It was a forbidden relationship that would doom us both.

“What do you say, little witch?” He asked and I moved away from him. His woody scent was starting to mess with my senses.

“I… I need to think about this… Why do you even need a witch to carry your child?” I trailed.

“I suppose you would know since it was a witch like you who put the curse on my father, desperate to save your kind from complete elimination. You don’t have time. In less than an hour, those elders are going to make their decision, and by then, it will be too late,” he stated. My eyes snapped to him.

“And the child?” I asked.

“You are not my only option, witch. There are hundreds of covens out there. I will just find another priestess who is willing to give into my offer without second thoughts,” he shrugged. His indifference was possibly his bait to pressure me into accepting his offer.

It would take him months or even years to track another coven, but my people and I would be long dead by then, so calling his bluff wasn’t even an option right now.

“Fine, I will do it.”

“The maids will prepare you. You will be taken to a room where you will stay until you conceive and deliver. Two of my most trusted maids will attend to your every need so don’t look forward to seeing anyone else for the next couple of months,” he said.

“What about my people? I need to see them at least. I can’t have them thinking I'm dead,” I said, and his expression hardened.

“It wouldn’t really matter anyway because they will be dead if you don’t conceive within a year. I don’t care how you do it but be well aware that for every month you fail to conceive, three witches will be beheaded. Don’t worry about me bluffing, you will get their heads as your monthly reward,” he said coldly.

Tears brewed in my eyes. How could someone be cruel enough to slaughter three people every month simply because I couldn't conceive?

“That is so cruel. I am not the goddess of fertility to produce children whenever you need it. If we continue this way, you would have slaughtered more than half of my people by the end of the year. I don’t see any reason why I should agree to such a condition," I said.

His lips twitched slightly.

“Quite rich of you to think you have any options left. You either have them killed in bits to give others the chance to survive or you have everyone, including you, killed at once. Choose wisely, witch!” He said.

I was caught between the devil and the blue sea. My eyes watered.

I didn't know if my people would ever forgive me for this but it was the only way I could save them.

“Fine, I'll do it, but please make it one or two. Three is a little overboard,” I pleaded.

“You don't get to make bargains, witch.”

/-Melucia-/

As scary as his terms were, I didn't really think he would do it. The first month went by and we were having nonstop sex. The doctors were sent in to carry out the pregnancy test and it came out negative.

Ezra said nothing, of course, and for a second I thought he was a cool person. Later that day, he returned with the maidservant who was in charge of looking after me.

My eyes flickered to the bowl in her hands. It was usually a big bowl, and it made me wonder what he was up to.

“Did you come with a special surprise for me?” I taunted.

“I did,” he said plainly and ordered the girl to drop it. She stepped aside almost immediately. “Go ahead and open it.”

I got off my bed and walked to the bowl. I lifted the lid and my heart stopped immediately as a chill ran down my spine.

The lid slid off my hand, crashing to the ground as my jaw dropped. My eyes widened so hard that they began to hurt.

Three severed heads…eyes gouged out.

My chest tightened so hard that I couldn't breathe. My knees dropped weakly to the floor.

“How could you?!” I screamed at him. “They were innocent! They had nothing to do with this! How could you do this?”

“It was the deal you made,” he said emotionlessly as tears streamed down my cheeks. “This is just the beginning. You might have thought I was kidding but I'm certain you can see that I wasn't.”

It was chilling how easily those cruel words rolled off his lips like they were nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as I glared at him.

He turned to the servant, “Dispose it when she's done weeping.”

I watched him with teary eyes as he exited the room and guilt clawed my chest heavily as I stared at the bodies. How did it come to this? Did I end up signing away more lives than I could save?

I sobbed until there were no more tears in my eyes.

The second month went by without any signs of pregnancy and I was panicking after he was given the test results.

“Ezra please…” I had pleaded desperately but he merely gave me a curt nod and walked out. I almost believed everything would be fine until I was presented with the second set of heads, and the same went for the third month.

Every single time I was presented with the bowl, I was tormented by nightmares throughout the week, but my traumatized state didn't stop Ezra from having his way with me any time he wanted.

In the fourth month, I had utterly resigned to my fate. Nine heads were already enough to crush whatever flicker of hope I had. However, the gods seemed to have seen my plight.

My eyes watered as I stared at the doctor’s smiling face. I was pregnant! Finally!

After three months of unending violation and annihilation, I was going to give the cruel man a son.

Just as he said, I was only allowed two maids. One was a doctor and the other a servant girl. The doctor came by every month to run a pregnancy test while the maid attended to my daily needs.

Locked up in a room surrounded by iron bars, my only connection to the outside world was the windows.

My people were turned into slaves and although it was good to see them alive, the nine heads I have been forced to see haunted my dreams.

It was a relief to see that all that was about to end.

“Are you certain?” Ezra walked into the room. I shot him a glare. She was a doctor, why on earth wouldn't she be certain?

He was just looking for a reason to kill more people.

“Yes, Alpha. She is indeed pregnant,” she affirmed. He didn't even smile to show if he was happy or not. His face remained expressionless as usual.

“Good. Any precautions?” He asked.

“You should let her out once in a while for fresh air. If she feels claustrophobic, it might trigger a lot of nauseous reactions. She needs to do some light exercise too and take lots of rest. Her diet is okay for now, although she might not have much of an appetite,” she said.

“Alright, you may leave,” He dismissed her.

Once she was gone, I stood.

“You heard her. You'll stop the killing now, right?” I asked.

“I gave you my word. Lucky for you, you get to leave with the majority of your people,” he shrugged. “Right now, I just want my baby to be safe and sound.”

“My back hurts; I need a massage,” I said, and those beautiful eyes narrowed at me.

It was quite a shame that such a beautiful man had such a dark heart. If he wasn't ruthlessly beheading my people, I might have fallen for him.

“So what?”

“So do it. I am carrying your seed, remember. I need to be as comfortable as possible,” I said.

His lips contorted in a deep frown.

“Don't think you will get this every day,” he scowled, walking to the bed. “Get on it.”

I smirked inwardly. It was a test to see if I could get to do whatever I wanted and now that I had gotten my answer, I was going to enslave and punish him for all the nights he made me cry.

The joy of punishing him, however, was short-lived.

Nine months had gone by and although they weren't the best days of my life, the thought of freedom was elevating.

Ezra made sure all my wishes were granted except for leaving the room. No matter how many times the doctors advised him and how many tantrums I threw, he kept me locked in.

No wolf or witch was to know I was pregnant and when the time for delivery came, the goddess blessed me with twins.

They had his beautiful eyes and hair. My heart tugged at the thought of leaving them.

“Our deal is done. You will be allowed to leave with your people at dawn,” Ezra said coldly to me.

“Already?” I asked. “I just gave birth, they need to be breastfed and…”

“That will be taken care of,” he cut me short, disregarding the fact that I was still weak from labour. He wanted me gone.

My heart ached. These last few months, I had grown attached to him even when it was bound to end in heartache.

He was cold and brooding but he made sure I didn't lack anything. Everything I wanted, be it care, attention, emotional support or physical contact, he was available for that.

It was mostly for his baby but still.

It hurt to think it was coming to an end already.

“You're right. A deal is a deal, but the deal was for a child not two…” I started when he cut me short.

“You are not leaving with any of my children. They belong to me. They are both mine!” The possessiveness in his voice startled me.

“But I carried them! I felt them kick! I went through the pain and discomfort. I am only asking for one, why can't I have that?” I asked weakly. Tears were already falling off my cheeks.

My heart was breaking and I didn't know how to stop it.

“You know what you were getting into. You picked your people over your children. You have no right to claim any of them! Leave now, while I am still willing to keep to my part of the bargain,” Ezra growled.

There was no use pleading any longer. He was right. It was me who chose to give up my child for my people. It was too late to take it back.

Yet, my heart refused to let go.

“What if I stay back? To nurture them as a slave or whatever. You can let my people go but please…”

“Melucia!” He thundered. “Get out!”

Tears streamed down my cheeks and I pushed myself weakly off the bed. I kissed my sons goodbye, caressing their faces softly as I memorised their small beautiful faces. The doctor came to support me as I walked to Ezra weakly.

“Take care of them, please,” I sniffled.

“I intend to.”

I took in his features as well. He was, after all, the man who took my virginity and my first fruits. I didn't want to forget him either.

He shifted his gaze to the nurse.

“Escort her to the pack borders. She will meet the rest of her people there. Make sure she never returns,” he instructed.

“Yes, Alpha.”

For the first time in a whole year, I stepped out of the room. The doctor led me into a secret passage that led outside the pack.

Just as Ezra said, my people were waiting for me.

“Priestess!” Eli exclaimed running to me. “You're alive!”

They gathered around me, all trying to support me at once. It was so heartwarming.

“I… I told you… diplomacy always works,” I said with a weak smile.

“What happened to you?” He asked worriedly. “You are covered in blood!”

“It was a little accident but I am fine, trust me,” I smile.

“But your stomach…” another muttered. There were so many questions, but I couldn't provide answers to any of them.

“Trust me, I am fine. We should leave now,” I told them. “Eli, can you portal us out of here?”

I was too weak to perform any magic.

“Yes, Priestess,” he got up and walked away from us a little but before he could do anything, an arrow struck him in the neck.

“Eli! No!!” I screamed but then, a giant iron net dropped on us, trapping everyone inside.

Screams of agony followed and before we knew it, wolves emerged from the shadows.

It was there and then I realised that I had been tricked.

Ezra Maverick used me and went back on his words.

Eli was right. I was just too naive to think he would let me go after I helped him.

I was nothing but a fool.

While I thought I was saving my baby, I had actually given up my babies for nothing.

Tears brewed in my eyes as more shoulders emerged with rubbers of fuel.

“For the glory of the BlackClaw! To honour our Alpha!” They chanted emptying the cans of fuel on us.

I looked at my suffering people. The pain in their eyes tore me apart.

He lied to me! He took my children from me and now he was going to take my coven away from me!

Ezra was a liar! A liar who didn't deserve to live!

Anger coursed through my veins. I will make him pay! For the agony he had caused me, I will make him suffer! For every blood he shed today, he will suffer in tenfolds.

“Join your hands, brethren,” I urged them, but they were too weak to move. “I know you are afraid, but I promise our pain will not be forgotten. Hold the hands of your brothers and sisters. Find strength in your pain!”

“Burn the witches! Burn the witches!” They chanted as we joined hands.

I felt a surge of energy through me, and grabbed the sands with my hands, eyes blazing with hatred and pain. They lit a wooden stick.

“Burn the witches!”

They threw in the burning wood and we went up in flames. With the fire burning through my veins, I screamed the spell.

"By the flames that take my flesh,

I rise anew from fire’s breath.

Your hate shall feed my wrath untamed,

In death, I live, your souls I claim.

As I burn, so shall you,

From this pyre, my power grew.

The smoke you breathe, the ash you tread,

I will return, the unforgiven dead.

My blood, my bones, your fuel to light,

But in your dreams, I shall ignite.

Curse your lands, your lives, your kin,

From my ash, the dark begins."

/-Ezra-/

I stood in my room, the twins crying in my arms when the bright blue sky suddenly went dark, and thunder clapped.

I moved away from the window with the twins as lightning struck. What is going on?

The doctor whom I had sent to escort Melucia to the borders came running in.

“Alpha! Alpha!” he panted, and I raised a brow. I tried to control my impatient self to give him enough time to catch his breath, but I was fast losing it.

“What happened? Answer me!” I demanded. “Where is she? Are we under attack?”

“The Beta… the guards… they set the witches ablaze as you instructed, but Melucia cast some spell and…’

“What do you mean by setting them ablaze as I instructed?” I cut him short. A puzzled expression crossed his face. “Stop staring and answer my goddamn question!”

“I… I thought you were the one who ordered the ambush. After I dropped her off at the borders, the guards suddenly surrounded her along with Beta Carden..”

“Oh my goodness!” I dropped the twins immediately on the bed. “Take care of them, and don’t leave until I return. If anything happens to them, I will have your head,” I warned, before hurrying out, but for some reason, I didn’t trust him, so I locked the door and took the key with me.

I hurried to the borders, but there was a strange calm, although the flames were still blazing. Carden was unscathed, along with the rest of the soldiers and Elders. He stood there, face cold as he watched the flames.

They bowed on noticing my presence.

“Greetings, Alpha,” they bowed, but I wasn’t in the mood for their greetings. Not when my heart was drumming wildly against my chest.

“What the hell happened here?” I asked Carden.

“The witches,” he answered with a victorious smile. “They tried to escape them but we caught them. They fell right into our trap! Did you know the one they call priestess, who escaped about a year ago, came back to free them!’

My fists clenched, guilt and anger weighing down on me. The fool unjustly killed the mother of my children right after I promised her freedom. I wasn’t one to feel pity or pain, especially over a woman, but my heart tugged.

I wanted to gut him and hit him until he took his final breath.

“On whose order did you burn them?” My fists clenched. “If you caught them, why didn’t you simply take them into custody or inform me?” I growled.

His smile faltered as fear took over his features, “I… I thought it was what you would have wanted, Alpha,” he said meekly.

“And who are you to speak for me?” I thundered. I couldn’t control the rage burning through me. My canines were already surfacing, and I was on the verge of attacking when the Elders stepped in.

“There is no need for you to get angry, Ezra. He was wrong not to inform you but he did NightClaw a favour. Besides, their evil Priestess already cast a dark reborn spell. She will certainly come back stronger and angrier, thirsty for revenge. We should be focusing on control measures to protect ourselves and the pack.”

I stepped back, running my hands through my hair. Although her return brought some sort of relief to me, I knew I was going to be the primary target. I could imagine the rage she felt in her fiery grave as she thought of her children and the fact that I betrayed her trust.

I didn’t sign up for this. I made a deal for her to give me a child and move on with her life, not come back to torment me. It made me even angrier.

I turned to Carden in fury.

“This is all your fault!” I spat. “Because of your stupidity, the entire pack is in jeopardy!”

“Please calm down, Alpha,” the Elders solicited on his behalf.

“I will have no part in this! Just the same way he managed to incur her wrath, he will lift it all by himself. I will not be involved in this!” I stated.

“We are talking about your people, Ezra, not just him!” One of the Elders chided.

“She is coming for us all. We do not know the time or the form she will take, but we must protect our people. A Priestess reborn of fire and blood is equal to a demon. She will bring chaos on not only us but every wolf pack in the East,” Another said.

I took one last glance at them before walking away. I was done with witches and packs, I had children to take care of.

TEN YEARS LATER

/-Melucia-/

“Priestess…” I heard an indistinct voice.

I was surrounded by total darkness. Even when my eyes were open, I was lost in the void. In complete nothingness.

“Priestess, it’s time…”

I felt empty. As light as a feather. There was no memory, no emotion, nothing.

“Wake up, Priestess..” the voice became clearer.

I tried to answer. Tell whoever was out there that I was up, but I couldn’t talk. It felt like my mouth was sewn together. I couldn’t talk no matter how much I tried. How much I struggled…

“Melucia, get up!” It snapped suddenly, and I jerked up, gasping for breath.

My head was heavy and the bright light almost blinded my eyes. Where am I? Who is Melucia?

I was suddenly aware of the pain in my stomach, and when I glanced down, my eyes widened in horror as I saw the knife stuck in my sides. I felt dizzy all over again.

“Princess! Princess!” I heard from a distance just as I blacked out.

Princess?

I woke up to see several people attending to me. I blinked rapidly to clear my hazy vision. I was certain that the dizziness was doubling all the images I was seeing, but even as it cleared up, their numbers were still the same.

Eight of them attended to just me.

“She’s awake!” One of them announced and eight pairs of eyes snapped to me.

“How are you doing, princess?” A man approached me.

Princess?

Is that what that voice was calling me? Princess, not Priestess? Princess Melucia? Was that me? I didn’t understand why I had no memories of who I was, not to talk of this intense pain in my head.

“Princess, can you tell what this is?” The man asked again, holding up two of his fingers.

“Two fingers,” I responded. “My head hurts.

“It must be from the fall,” he said.

“Fall?” I whispered.

“Yes, princess. You fell off the cliff after stabbing yourself with a knife,” he told me. I tried to think hard, to remember it but I ended up giving myself a headache.

Why would I stab myself?

I didn’t remember I spoke aloud until the doctor responded.

“Why you did that, we don't know yet. All we know is that you were trying to get away from your fiancé but you shouldn’t bother yourself about that now. You are suffering temporary amnesia. It will come back to you soon. Don’t worry,” he assured me.

I have a fiancé? Who is he? And why would I be so desperate to get away from him that I would stab myself?

Was he a bad person?

They conducted their tests and whatnot. Eventually, I fell back asleep with more questions than I woke up with.

By the time I woke up, I felt a lot better, but there were still no memories, and I was still greatly confused.

It felt like there was something important that I was missing. Like a crucial part of me was locked up somewhere and I just couldn't reach it.

Instead of the doctors, there was a strange man in my ward with stunning blue eyes and brown curly hair.

My mouth went slightly agape as I took in his beauty. He was the type of man who screamed danger, yet his effortless sexiness wouldn't let you go.

His unnatural beauty and masculinity had my mind spiralling for a second with dirty thoughts.

First, I tried to kill myself, but now I was harbouring lewd thoughts.

“You're awake.”

I found myself melting at the honey-like baritone.

I couldn't shake off the feeling of deja Vu. Like I had seen this man somewhere before and described his voice the exact same way.

“Hi,” I muttered and those thick bushy brows furrowed on me.

He stepped towards me, and something about his icy stare had the temperature of the room dropping by a hundred degrees.

I shuddered, aware that we were not about to have a pleasant conversation.

“You had one job. Take care of my children. Yet you let my son trip down the stairs and got pineapple juice for the other after I categorically stated he was allergic. Then you throw yourself off the cliff to escape me?” His dark darkened.

“Huh?” My eyes widened. Was I a princess or a babysitter?

“It would have been better if you slit your throat so there would be no possible way to bring you back, but since you are here, alive, unfortunately, you will have to bear the consequences of hurting my children.”

My blood ran cold.

I was going to suffer for something I didn't even remember doing.

“Our engagement is nothing but a formality that can be called off at any time, but involving my children in your dramatics is something I will not forgive.”

He was by bedside now, crouching over as I shrunk further into the bed in fright.

“Pray to your stars that nothing happens to my sons, Annabelle, or else I will give you a slow, miserable death and make your darling parents watch me dice their little princess into pieces,” he threatened.

Annabelle? Not Melucia? Who exactly am I? Why does everyone call me a different name?

“I'm…I'm sorry…” I stuttered. “I didn't mean to hurt anyone.”

“Maybe, but I hurt people and my actions are always intentional.”

With that, he left the room.