NIYA'S POV:-
As I descended the stairs for breakfast, my heart sank at the sight of Liam and my sister entangled in a passionate embrace. Despite his admirable qualities, Liam was a married man and I couldn't help but lament my sister's poor judgement.
How could she disrespect his wife, Lexi, and their children like this? It was a situation I couldn't interfere with, for Lexi already knew.
As I approached the breakfast table, I was taken aback by the sight in front of me. The devil himself was seated there with his bitch and herher hands were shamelessly caressing his thighs.
It was too much PDA for my liking. Just then, my attention was diverted when I saw my friends, Blake and Samantha, entering the house walking towards us.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Blake asked, a concerned look on his face as he surveyed the scene.
"Just another day in paradise," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite my discomfort.
Then Samantha greeted me with a warm hug, and I reciprocated.
"Hey, why did you leave early yesterday?" Samantha inquired.
"I wasn't feeling well, so I had to leave," I replied with a smile.
But the truth was, I couldn't remember anything from the previous night. All I could recollect was drinking whiskey and dancing with Samantha on the dance floor. After that, everything was a blur.
I noticed Cedric was acting strangely and avoided making eye contact with me. In the morning, I woke up to find myself in bed, while he was sitting on the couch staring at me, which made me uneasy.
Is everything okay, Cedric?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence.
He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yeah, everything's fine. I just...had a lot on my mind."
"Hey, why are you blushing? What brings you here so early in the morning?" I asked Sam, wiggling my eyebrows mischievously.
Sam blushed even deeper and hesitated for a moment before finally replying, "I didn't go home last night. I was with Blake."
I coughed to hide my smirk, knowing full well what Sam meant by that. Blake, on the other hand, shot me a sharp look.
"Anyway," Sam said, trying to change the subject, "let's go say hi to Amanda and the others." As she walked away, Blake grabbed my hand and pulled me aside, looking serious.
"Hey, slow down, buddy," I gently pulled my hand away from Blake's tight grip.
He looked at me with a mixture of worry and anger, and I knew I was in trouble. "Where did you go last night?" he asked again.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I told you, I wasn't feeling well, so I left early," I replied, my voice shaking slightly.
Blake's eyes narrowed as he continued to scrutinize me. "But why didn't you answer my calls?" he pressed.
"I don't know, Blake," I said, feeling the frustration building inside me. "Maybe I didn't hear the phone ringing."
"Niya" I know he won't stop pestering me until I tell him the truth.
I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as I tried to recall the events of the previous night. "I don't remember," I admitted, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.
"Nothing at all?" Blake's eyebrows furrowed.
"Nothing," I shook my head.
"I saw you dancing with Matt, and you guys were quite close. I was making my way towards you when I saw Cedric pull you away from Matt. After that, I lost sight of you. I called you, but you didn't answer," Blake recounted, his concern etched on his face.
My eyes widened in shock. "I can't be that drunk to not remember all of this. I just had a glass of whiskey," I whispered, feeling uneasy.
"Something doesn't feel right," Blake said, his tone serious.
"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.
"Nothing, let's talk about this later," Blake said as he pondered over what I had told him. We headed towards the breakfast table, where everyone was enjoying their food.
After finishing my breakfast, I headed towards the training ground and climbed up a nearby tree to observe Blake and the others as they trained. The early morning sun was already beginning to make its presence felt, casting a golden hue on everything around.
As I watched, I couldn't help but smile at the improvements Blake had made since taking my advice. His movements were more fluid and confident now, and he seemed to be in complete control of his actions.
Lost in the training session, I didn't notice Amanda, Cedric and the rest of the group approaching until they were right below my tree. My heart skipped a beat when Amanda pointed up at me and laughed.
"Hey, look! There's a monkey on the tree," Amanda laughed, pointing in my direction.
"No, it's Niya," she corrected her, but her laughter continued, making me feel like I was being mocked.
But Amanda just kept laughing. "Oh come on, Niya! You're not fooling anyone with that act. We all know you're just a human."
Feeling insulted, I decided to retaliate. "Oh, look! I spotted a bitch," I yelled, causing the group to snicker.
Amanda stomped her feet in anger and Cedric growled, "What the hell are you doing up there?"
Ignoring him, I focused on Blake, who had made his way towards us. "She's reviewing my fighting techniques," he said, coming to my defense.
Amanda laughed sarcastically, "Who? Her? This mere human, reviewing techniques of the gamma? Does she even know what the word 'fight' means?"
I could feel my blood beginning to boil at Amanda's words. But before I could say anything, Blake intervened.
"Yes, Amanda. Niya does know what the word 'fight' means," he said firmly, looking straight at her. "And she's been helping me improve my techniques. So if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me."
Amanda's smirk disappeared as Blake's words sunk in. She looked around at the others, as if seeking their support, but they all remained silent.
I jumped off the tree and landed on my feet, dusting off my trousers. "Wanna try?" I challenged Amanda, my eyes locked on hers.
"Why not?" she accepted my challenge, her smirk growing wider as the others watched with bated breath.
Blake held my hand, and I felt a small jolt of electricity pass through me at his touch. I turned to look at Cedric, who was staring at Blake's hand on mine with a growl on his lips.
"Have you gone mad?" Blake whispered to me, but I could barely hear him over the sound of my own heartbeat as Cedric kept throwing daggers at Blake.
"I can handle her, Blake," I reassured him, placing my hand on top of his.
"Okay, just don't get killed," he joked, giving me a small smile before letting go of my hand.
As I stood there facing Amanda, the crowd gathered around us, eager to witness the confrontation. Amanda smirked at me, but I refused to let my smile falter. I knew she was a werewolf and much stronger than me, so I had to rely on my defense skills.
Without a second thought, Amanda charged towards me, but I swiftly dodged her attack. As she tried to punch me, I blocked her and countered with an elbow to her face, sending her staggering back a few steps.
She growled in frustration and rushed at me again, but I managed to dodge once more and hit her in the gut. She groaned and stumbled, falling to the ground in pain.
I could hear her growling as she dusted herself off and stood up. She was seething with anger and stalked towards me with her fist clenched. I knew exactly what she was going to do; she was so predictable.
As she went in for the punch, I caught her fist before it could make contact with me. This only seemed to make her even more furious. I twisted her arms behind her back and bent her slightly, so I could whisper in her ear.
"Are you done embarrassing yourself by challenging me?" I taunted her.
"Bitch, I'm just getting started. I was being lenient with you because you're only human," she spat back, her voice laced with pain.
I couldn't help but smirk. "Great, because I'm just getting warmed up. Don't underestimate a human." With that, I pushed her away from me.
She turned to face me, glaring daggers. I knew that I was boring her with this fight, but I couldn't resist embarrassing her in front of everyone. I noticed Cedric looking at Amanda with love and concern, and she seemed to notice it too.
Suddenly, I was hit with a barrage of flashes and memories, and I felt like a wall inside my head was about to shatter. My head felt fuzzy, and my vision was going out of focus, consumed by a red haze.
As I blocked another punch from Amanda, I lashed out and hit her with one of my own. She was on the ground before she could even react. I continued to pummel her, not able to hear anything except the sound of my fists hitting her body.
Then, Cedric's voice boomed out, "Enough!" and my mind cleared. I saw Amanda lying on the ground, covered in her own blood. I felt a surge of fear and confusion, and looked around to see everyone staring at me in shock and bewilderment
My arm was throbbing, and tears were starting to sting my eyes. It was an intense pain, and I knew that it would take a while for it to subside. It would be a lie if I said punching Amanda didn't hurt. It did hurt, it felt like I was punching a rock over and over again. My vision was still having a tint of red in it, and I could feel my blood pumping with adrenaline.
'What's happening to me?' I kept asking myself, as I tugged on my hair, trying to steady my breathing. I was feeling a mix of emotions, confusion, and fear. But, at the same time, I knew that I had to stay focused.
I was walking away from Amanda when I heard her growl. Everyone's face held horrified expressions. I turned around to see Amanda was shifting into her wolf form. It happened so fast that no one dared to come in between us, as if they wanted to see what will happen. Will this human survive? Will she get killed today?
Amanda's brown wolf charged towards me with bared teeth. All I was able to do was run. I started running, but the wolf was fast and was catching up with me. I saw a tree in front of me, and my instincts kicked in.
As I kicked my feet on the ground harder to increase my speed, I placed my one foot on the trunk of the tree and did a backflip. It was a risky move, but I had no other choice.
Amanda's wolf was so focused on me that she didn't notice the tree. She ran straight into the tree and hit the ground with the same amount of force that she was running in. I successfully landed on my feet after the backflip.
"Uff! So close to my death," I sighed, and sat down on the ground, panting like a dog. My heart was racing, and I could feel the adrenaline slowly leaving my body.
Amanda's wolf was unconscious, and I heard footsteps approaching me. But I had my head in between my legs and didn't have the energy to look up. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was Blake.
"What the fuck did you do to her?" he yelled as he charged towards me. I flinched when I saw his fisted hand, but then he stopped and took a deep breath.
"Cedric, it was a challenge given by Amanda. It was a fair fight until Amanda shifted," Blake explained as he stepped forward.
"Beta, she's hurt very badly," an old woman walked near us to inform Cedric.
Cedric gently scooped Amanda up into his arms, his eyes piercing through me. My legs were weak and wobbly, so I asked Blake to go ahead without me and promised to catch up soon.
However, true to his nature, Blake picked me up in his strong arms, and I nestled my head into his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat as we made our way back.
But as we walked, I sensed something off. A low growl rumbled through the air, and I felt Blake's hold on me tighten. Soon after, I drifted off to sleep, completely exhausted from the day's events.
When I finally woke up, I felt as though I'd been hit by a freight train. Pain pulsed through my entire body, causing me to groan in discomfort. I opened my eyes, realizing that I was lying in bed.
"You're awake," a voice called from the wardrobe.
I sat up and rubbed my temples, trying to ease the dull ache in my head. "Yeah, what happened?" I asked.
Cedric walked out of the wardrobe, still fixing his shirt. "We need to go to Matt's ceremony," he said, matter-of-factly.
I looked at him incredulously. "I don't feel well. Can I skip this one?"
"No," Cedric replied firmly. "I don't trust you to stay here alone. I'm not interested in coming back to find you screwing some guy in my bed."
I felt a lump form in my throat, trying hard to hold back tears. I couldn't believe he would think so little of me. "Fine," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
After a warm bath and a change into a beautiful gown, I emerged from the bathroom, holding onto the door for support as the dizziness washed over me again. I couldn't help but wonder what was happening to me?
"Goddess you're such a drama queen," Cedric scoffed, his words stinging like a slap to my face. I couldn't believe he was saying that to me, especially when I was feeling so vulnerable.
I tried to shrug it off and walk away, but Cedric grabbed my hand and pulled me back to face him. "What's wrong with you? No sneaky comments?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
I looked away, not wanting to let him see the hurt in my eyes. "It's nothing," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "Leave it."
I got ready in silence, while Cedric watched me with a strange expression on his face. "Anything wrong?" I finally asked him, hoping to break the tension.
"No," he replied shortly, getting up from the couch and heading towards the door. I followed behind him, feeling more confused than ever.
The ride to the pack house was tense and quiet, with neither of us saying a word. As we pulled up to the massive building, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of people around us. Most of them were werewolves, and I couldn't help but feel like an outsider.
I learned that the ceremony was for Matt, who was adopted and therefore unaffected by the curse that prevented most of the pack from finding their mates. He had found his mate, a human girl, and they were getting married today.
"Niya!" Matt's voice called out to me from across the room. I smiled at him politely, even though I didn't feel like celebrating.
"How are you doing?" he asked me, holding out a glass of champagne.
"I'm fine," I replied, declining the drink. "Congratulations, Matt," I added, trying to sound sincere.
Cedric's hand snaked around my waist, I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. His touch was electrifying, sending waves of warmth throughout my body.
"I've been searching for you everywhere, Niya," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear, his grip tight on my waist.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his sudden change in demeanor. "Weren't you the one who left me alone in this crowd?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.
But as I turned to face him, I couldn't help but notice how handsome Cedric looked in his suit. His eyes twinkled in the dim light, and I felt a sudden warmth spread through my body. Despite my annoyance, I couldn't deny the flutter of butterflies in my stomach as he held me close.
"You're my wife," he replied, smiling down at me. "And you being away from me is the hardest thing for me. I couldn't resist the urge to hold you close." Cedric whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
I couldn't help but wonder if he was bipolar. His emotions seemed to be all over the place, and I didn't know how to deal with it.
"Huh?" I managed to say, still feeling confused.
"I guess I should leave you two alone," Matt said awkwardly, sensing the tension between Cedric and me.
"That would be great, buddy," Cedric said, grinning at Matt and patting him on the back.
As Matt walked away, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Cedric. Did he really care about me, or was he just toying with my emotions.
"What was that?" I questioned, his eyes flashing.
"I didn't want you to spoil his relationship with his mate," Cedric said, his hand retreating from my waist as if I had burned him.
"I..." I sighed, feeling vulnerable and unable to answer him. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to compose myself, and when I opened them, Cedric was staring at me. Tears had gathered in my eyes.
"Niy..." Cedric started to say, but I cut him off as I turned around and started walking away from him.
"Niyaaaa."
"What?" I snapped at the person who had spoken. It was my sister Riya who was scowling at me.
"Where are you going?" she asked, folding her arms
"Just somewhere quiet," I shrugged, my voice thick with unshed tears.
"You're not going anywhere," she said, her voice stern.
"Sorry?" I narrowed my eyes at her. "You're my sister, not my mother, Riya."
"Yes, I'm not your mother, but I'm your sister. And being the elder one, it's my job to keep you in control," she said, her tone stern.
"I don't need controlling, especially not from you," I mocked, feeling hurt by her words.
"You have to stay with me, Niya," Riya folded her arms across her chest.
"And why is that?" I asked, curious.
"I don't want you to slut around here," she said bluntly, her words hitting me like a punch in the gut.
"I think you're confusing me with yourself," I scoffed, feeling the tears prickling at the corner of my eyes.
"Enough, Niya," Riya fisted her hands, looking angry now.
"Why should I?"
"Niya, these are Steve's orders," Blake interjected, his voice solemn.
My heart clenched. Steve was my biological father, and I had only just begun to get to know him. "You're lying," I protested, not wanting to believe that my father would say something like that.
"She's not," Blake said firmly, his expression sympathetic.
"Why?" I asked him, feeling lost and confused.
"Steve received a video this afternoon of Matt and you. All the background noise was canceled, and the conversation between you two was heard clearly," Blake explained.
"I don't remember anything. What was the conversation?" I asked, feeling scared.
Blake played the video, and as I heard our conversation, my heart sank. "It can't be. I don't remember this. I don't remember anything, Blake. Trust me," I cried, feeling disgusted with myself.
"I trust you, Niya," Blake said, enfolding me in a comforting embrace as I sobbed.
"Hey, guys, am I interrupting something?" Matt's voice startled us.
Riya smiled and shook her head. "No, not at all. What's up?"
"I want you all to meet my mate," he said, his smile beaming with joy.
"We'd love to," Riya replied, and I nodded in agreement, trying to keep my expression neutral.
"Hey, babe, come here," Matt called out to a girl in a stunning red gown. I turned around to compose myself.
Riya quickly whispered in my ear, reminding me to behave myself and not make any unwanted comments.
Matt introduced us one by one. "This is Blake, the gamma of the Golden Moon pack. That girl over there is Riya, and this one is Niya, the female Beta who's married to Cedric."
As I turned to face the girl in the red gown, I froze. It was her. Why was she here? My shock must have shown on my face.
"You're alive?"
***UNKNOWN POV***
Sarah burst into the room, her face creased with worry as Adiya sat on her couch deep in thought. She looked up at Sarah, her violet eyes reflecting concern.
"Did you feel it?" Sarah asked, pacing back and forth.
Adiya sighed. "Yes, I did."
"It's not good Adiya, her being in a vulnerable state is not good," Sarah said, wringing her hands.
"We can't do anything about it, Sarah. We took every precaution to keep the creatures safe," Adiya said, thinking about how to protect everyone.
"We need to do something! We can't let her be in danger," Sarah exclaimed.
Adiya stood up, her long, dark hair falling around her shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her. I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe," she said firmly, her voice radiating confidence.
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Author's Note:-
Dear readers,
I just wanted to let you know that this chapter has been edited since its original posting.
I hope the changes have improved your reading experience and made the story more enjoyable.
As always, thank you for your support and for taking the time to read my work
If any mistakes please let me know
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❣️🕊️PEACE🕊️❣️