Coco felt cold as she lay helplessly in a place she could not recognize.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. A bitter taste lingered on her tongue. Groaning softly, she pushed herself upright, clutching her head as pain throbbed through her skull.
"What is this pain…" she whispered.
She was a Harmonia. Pain and emotions were not meant for her. She was neither human nor werewolf, she was above such weaknesses.
A voice echoed inside her mind.
"Who are you? What have you done to Valerie?, the voice asked.
"Valerie…" she murmured. Her brows furrowed. "Who the hell is Valerie?" she whispered to herself.
Her gaze shifted and landed on Nathan.
He stood by the window, staring outside as if waiting for someone to arrive.
Suddenly, memories that did not belong to her flooded her mind.
Valerie.
The wine.
The poison.
The man she trusted, the man she loved watching her die.
Nathan sensed movement and turned sharply.
His breath caught in his throat.
Valerie was standing there, staring straight at him.
Impossible.
He had watched her draw her last breath with his own eyes.
How is she alive? he wondered, fear tightening his chest.
Coco's anger surged. Her eyes blazed blue as the air around her shifted violently.
"How dare you." her voice was no longer singular, it echoed as if hundreds of voices spoke as one.
Nathan spun toward the door and ran.
Before he could reach it, the door slammed shut on its own. He grabbed the handle and yanked, panic rising.
"What kind of power is this?" he spoke to no one, as fear settled deep in his gut.
Behind him, Valerie stood glowing, her eyes radiant, the space around her bending unnaturally. Slowly, a small tornado formed around her feet.
She raised her hand towards Nathan. He was immediately lifted from the ground by an unknown force.
"What is happening?!" Vera cried in panic. "If you don't calm down, you'll kill him!"
"I don't care." her voice was cold. Final.
With a flick of her hand, Nathan was thrown across the room. His body slammed into the wall, his head striking hard before he fell unconscious to the floor.
She didn't pursue him.
There were more important matters. The sky outside had changed, darkened, twisted.
She understood immediately what it meant.
One by one, shadowy figures emerged around her.
Evil spirits.
Coco took a steady breath and reached forward, gripping something unseen. Suddenly, a blue light flared, and an invisible blade appeared in her hand. The glowing sword shimmered, reflecting the color of her eyes.
She charged.
Her movements were effortless, instinctive as if she had been waiting for this moment her entire life.
One fell.
Then another.
When she reached the last, she paused.
She had counted them before they entered the Harmon.
Seven.
Only six lay before her.
One had escaped.
Her head tilted slightly as she studied the final spirit.
Then she spoke her voice carrying the weight of centuries.
"I have protected the Harmon for a thousand years. I have watched humans and wolves grow, maintaining peace."
"This is not my life. This is not my world. But if I must do this again and again, I will."
"For a thousand more years, if that is the price to keep this place safe from spirits like you."
An eerie, echoing sound rose from the figure.
Coco did not falter.
They clashed fiercely, power against power, until she drove her glowing sword straight through it. It shattered into ashes, dissolving into the void.
Only then did her strength give out. She collapsed to the floor.
Strangely enough, she smiled. For the first time in all her existence, this had been thrilling.
Guarding the Harmon from the outside had always been quiet. Uneventful.
She had never truly used her powers before. Using it now, feeling it was exhilarating. She didn't realize when her body finally gave in, slipping into darkness as she fell fully to the floor.
Coco opened her eyes for the second time and tried to sit up, but dizziness forced her back.
"Valerie, relax," Alpha Timo said gently.
Valerie?
Why were they calling her that? she wondered.
From her position on the bed, she spotted Valerie's mate, Leonard, standing in the corner, his expression laced with worry.
Alpha Timo stepped forward and pulled her into a brief embrace. Coco didn't return it. She simply waited for him to let go.
"We found out from Nathan that Lumori tried to kill you," Alpha Timo said, his voice heavy with concern. "A search hunt has been launched, but we still haven't found her."
Lumori was the least of her problems. Just by snapping her fingers could end her life.
Alpha Timo cleared his throat and glanced at Leonard before excusing himself, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind.
Coco turned her head and froze. She caught her reflection in the mirror beside the bed. Her eyes widened in shock.
No wonder they had been calling her Valerie.
She stood up unsteadily and walked closer, scanning the unfamiliar body staring back at her. She raised her hands and tugged at her cheeks, as if the face would fall apart under her fingers.
"You'll hurt yourself if you keep doing that," Leonard warned.
She blinked and looked at him.
How was he this breathtaking? Unapologetically handsome.
Vera stirred inside her just as Coco's heart began to race. A strange, overwhelming sensation spread through her chest.
She pressed a hand against it. "Vera… why am I feeling like this?"
"Because you're standing in front of your mate," Vera cooed.
"Mate?" Coco repeated out loud.
Leonard's brows knitted together. "No," he said immediately. "I'm no longer your mate."
Her heart skipped.
"You rejected me in front of the entire council. Remember?"
"Huh?"
Of course she remembered or rather, Valerie did. Was Valerie insane? Or did she simply have terrible taste?
Why would anyone choose Nathan over Leonard?
He was more handsome, more caring and he clearly loved her.
Coco shook her head. "I made a bad decision."
Leonard stepped closer, gently holding her shoulders and guiding her back onto the bed. That single touch sent shivers racing down her spine.
How could something so simple feel this intense?
"I think you should rest," he said softly. "You haven't fully recovered yet."
She rolled her eyes.
Of course she was fine. He was only saying that because of the sudden attention she'd been giving him.
After saying that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Her head throbbed, and for reasons she couldn't explain, she didn't want him to leave. She swallowed hard, watching his back as he moved farther away.
What was she supposed to do with this strange, unbearable feeling tightening in her chest