Chapter: Chapter One Hundred FourRoseOne moment I was floating in my bathtub daydreaming about Orion, and then the next thing I knew, I was lying on a bed of damp earth, twigs, and fallen leaves on the forest floor. The sweet aroma of honeysuckle and moss tickled my nose.
Last Updated: 2021-08-17
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred ThreeRosePru sat across from me at the breakfast nook table. She gently shook her leg as she wrapped her fingernails on the table. We had been sitting like this for an hour. I was scared her leg was going to fall off.“What time is it?” Pru broke the silence.“Only a quarter past five.” I sighed. “You are going to be fine.”Pru wasn’t precisely scared to join the pack, but she was a ball of nerves. She was so calm that night with the Fallen Moon rogues. I found her fascinating; she was almost the complete opposite of Harriet.“I know, I know.” Pru offered a halfhearted smile. Matt was in a meeting with Orion, Alastor, and Damian. Orion had told me I could join in, but my heart told me to keep Pru company.“I think you are overthinking it.” I reached across the table and placed my hand on top of hers. I hope I was able to offer her some shred of comfort.“I know.” I heard that response way too many times in the past hour. She was just focu
Last Updated: 2021-08-16
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred TwoRoseBeams of late morning sun danced across the hardwood floors. I snuggled deep into Orion's chest as if he could make the morning go away.Last night after the 'bonfire,' Orion had carried me on his back to the packhouse. I never thought I would get used to being carried around on someone's back so much. Now it was second nature.I pulled the duvet up over my shoulder, trying to fight off the slight chill in our room. I guess it was time to either start wearing more clothes to bed or either crank up the heat more."I suggest the heat. I would hate for Orion to have to wear more clothes. I prefer him naked myself." A voice echoed in my head. She was there; Delilah was back. I felt my breath catch in my throat."You are back!" I squealed at my wolf."I am.""I missed you." I really had. I was lonely without her. Everyone else had been trying to prevent it, but it couldn't be helped. I saw through the movie afternoon with my girls. No
Last Updated: 2021-08-13
Chapter: Chapter One Hundred OneRoseAfter a couple of hours of blanket forts and cuddles, a knock on the door sounded, reminded us that there was a world outside of this room. I peaked over the top of the couch to see Orion and Alastor lingering in the doorway.“Okay, ladies, you have stolen my mate for long enough. It’s time to get ready to go.” Orion walked over and gently poked my nose. I stuck my tongue out at Orion as I crawled out from under my blanket.“We did not even have her that long!” Harriet whined, and she dramatically clutched my blanket to her chest.“You are going to see her again in ten minutes,” Alastor mumbled as he leaned up against the back of the couch and ruffled Harriet’s curls.I gently stretched my arms up and out as I stood up. My muscles ached, and I silently prayed that Delilah came back soon. I hadn’t felt this bad since I had the premonition when I was Pru ran in the woods.I let my fingers intertwine with Or
Last Updated: 2021-08-12
Chapter: Chapter One HundredRose“Anyways, we have gathered to discuss Alaric and Pru.” Orion cleared his throat.“What’s there to discuss?” I almost jumped to my feet; my heart frantically hammered in my chest. I couldn’t live with myself if they were punished or turned away from our pack. I turned to look at Alaric, Pru, and Matt. Pru and Matt had their fingers interlocked. Alaric had his head tilted to the side; his curiosity had been tantalized. I could see the cogs turning behind those gray eyes. Why were they so calm?“Luna,” Alastor spoke up. I whipped my head to face him. The sudden movement made my neck muscles scream in pain. I winced but tried my best to hold my composure.“Pru saved me. Pru saved Matt. It’s not like Pru asked to be there. They kidnapped her, too! She was taken; they stole her life and her grimoire. Alaric undermined his Uncle, his Father, and all those rogues whenever he could! He put his neck on the line for us when he didn’t have to. If it wasn’t for P
Last Updated: 2021-08-10
Chapter: Chapter Ninety NineRoseOrion and I didn’t get back to Black Moon until past sunrise. Orion wanted to stay and help dispose of the bodies, but Alastor and Harriet wouldn’t have it. They took care of the bodies and the fire, erasing the presence of the war the best they could. I rode on Orion’s back during the journey home. Clutching Pru’s jacket for warmth and some sense of modesty. I didn’t really want to have a Lady Godiva moment after the night I had.I honestly didn’t remember much of the trip back home. Once I was on Orion’s back, I knew I was safe and didn’t have to worry about anything. I do remember my parents smothering me, though. My father checked me over at least twice, and my mom almost threw me into the bathroom. After they were satisfied I was clean and not going to die, they went home. I knew that they would be back as soon as they had a catnap.Orion had asked me if I wanted to stay in the guest room, but it was time to go back to our room. Kroll couldn’t touch us
Last Updated: 2021-08-08
Chapter: Chapter Sixty-sevenRose"It was like watching a bad car crash; you couldn't look away, but instead of a gory blood bath, nothing happened. Not even a spark or unusual noise. It took a minute for everyone to realize what happened or what didn't happen." I sighed out into the cup of coffee Iris handed me. My head throbbed, trying to put the past few hours into factual words.We were in the woods, in the unclaimed land between the packs. We had made a temporary meet-up place here after the anti-climatic scene. We were checking in with Iris and giving our minds a break from the heavy atmosphere surrounding the Alpha's family.Iris sat down on the fallen tree beside me. She poured herself some coffee out of the thermos she had brought with her. "I don't even know what to say.""You could tell Luna Emma was relieved, and honestly, I would have been more concerned if she hadn't been." My head hung down, staring down at the ground. "I could never hold it against someone who was relieved that their child did not
Last Updated: 2024-01-09
Chapter: Chapter Sixity-sixRoseWe swept the Red Spruce territory, checking every home and piece of land we could imagine, but we needed help finding Luna Emma or Colton. We knew where Alpha Daughtry was. Surprisingly, he acted like an Alpha should; he was shepherding his pack, ensuring they were alright and keeping the bubbling emotions of fear at bay. I may not have thought much of the man, but in those moments of evacuating his pack, he had a glimmer of redemption, but I knew it wouldn't be enough at the end of this ordeal."Where have we not looked?" Orion groaned as he shoved a handful of hair out of his face. Sweat was starting to drip from his nose because of our widespread search. His eyes scanned the horizon as if the answer would magically appear."What about the graveyard?" Matt questioned with concern in his eyes. I gave him a slight nod in reassurance. "We haven't checked there. There's no shelter, so it wouldn't be an ideal place to go, but then again, nothing about this place is ideal." Orion gr
Last Updated: 2023-12-13
Chapter: Chapter Sixty-fiveRose The seconds that ticked by felt like an eternity as I watched Pru; her body was frozen in place like a statue forgotten by time. The only slight movement I could detect was her chest's slight rise and fall as she breathed. Matt was going to kill me. I paced around Pru and the demonic crystal; the only noises were the distant water drip and my footsteps. Round and round, I went circling Pru and that crystal. I felt like a vulture circling a dead carcass and shivered at the thought. I stopped before Pru and dropped to my knees, "Pru? Are you okay?" Of course, she wasn't answering me. I don't know what I expected or secretly hoped for. Dread started to claw at the edges of my mind. I felt a brush of warmth caress my mind. It was Delilah. Even though we had not been in sync recently, she was letting me know she was there and that I wasn't alone. "Thanks," I humbly whispered out loud as I stood up and stepped back. Delilah did not answer me, but I felt her warmth as she stayed nea
Last Updated: 2023-12-07
Chapter: Chapter Sixty-fourPru Air hissed by me as I focused on the fluffy tail of Maera. Before I knew what was happening, my body collided with something so hard my breath from my lungs escaped, as it felt like I had burst through a glass wall. I squinted my eyes shut and threw my arms over my head, trying to protect myself from the impact. When I pried, my eyes opened Maera had vanished. I scrambled to my feet and brushed myself off. No longer was I in the town; I did not know where I had ended up this time. I looked around, finding myself in what looked like a dark cavern. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked along the wall of the cave. I reached my hand up and casually grazed fingers across the border. It wasn’t rock; it was cool to the touch and as smooth as glass. It was crystal; I had finally found my way to the heart. I let out a sigh of relief as I peeled my hand from the wall. I was getting closer. The sooner I was done here, the sooner I could get back to Rose, and the sooner I could get back t
Last Updated: 2022-05-22
Chapter: Chapter Sixty-threePru A flash of powerful lightning licked the air around me as I fell into the abysses. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a scorching breeze whizzed past me. The temperature cranked up the further I descended. Sweat rolled off my brow and evaporated instantly, leaving only the whisper of its presence. I couldn’t tell you how long I was falling; it could have been seconds, minutes, or hours. The further I plunged, the quicker I lost track of time. It was just me and the darkness, but this wasn’t the darkness I knew. With every inhale, the air was sharp and painful, almost as if venom was seeping into my veins. Each breath was more brutal than the last; it was like an elephant was stomping on my lungs. Abruptly, dozens of tiny red orbs rained down on me with a crack of irate lightning, the souls. In my freefall, I reached out and touched one of the wisps. It burst into violent flames, and a cloud of thick black smoke poured. I coughed as I tried to wave the smog away, bu
Last Updated: 2022-05-01
Chapter: Chapter Sixity-twoRose“What do you mean, Pru?” I asked with a shaky voice. I trusted Pru with my life, but my stomach knotted at her words. Why was it best the guys weren’t here?“Do you trust me, Rose?” Pru’s eyes reflect the soft glow of the crystal.“Of course I do, but what are you going to do?”“Promise you won’t tell Matt.” Pru’s eyes fell to the stone floor.“I-I promise.” I gulped and nodded. As soon as the words left my lips, Pru turned to face the crystal.Pru fell to her knees in front of the pedestal and lifted her hands to the crystal. It was only then did it hit me what she was going to do.*************************************************************PruAfter I officially joined the Black Moon pack, Matthew and I had some growing pains. I was introduced to a new place, a new lif
Last Updated: 2022-04-20
Chapter: Epilogue Oliver Time flew like it never had before. Was this what it was like to be truly happy? Shit, if this was happiness, then I never knew it before. It had been five years since Jules went after Elsie. Five years that had gone by as quick as a cricket. Five blissful years that were a dream compared to all my years before. The first thing we did was weed out all of Jules's cronies after that night. As a whole, we decided it was best if we left them in the hands of the Sundrop pack. They caused unnecessary bloodshed in their pack territory. It was only fitting that they could decide their fates. It also saved us a heap of trouble, making it a win-win for all parties involved. Cirque du Lune officially went belly up the night Jules died in Lousianna—some of the performers and lackeys packed up and left soon after. Without Jules, everyone was free to do what they wanted, without his shadow of tyranny looming over them. Everyone could finally breathe without the threat of poison engulfing t
Last Updated: 2023-11-16
Chapter: Chapter Fifty-threeElsieA flood of familiar scents washed over me as blurs of browns, creams, grays, reds, and blacks lept through the gaps in the trees like a mighty rushing river. There they were, my chosen family, the rogues who banned with each other, searching for a safe glimmer in this dark world of ours. I felt my throat contract as I caught sight of Carl clinging to Shirley's fur while he whipped a rusted metal pipe through the air. There was a fire in his eyes, which was more potent than any flame he breathed.Jules's whole body stiffened from the crown of his greasy hair down to his toes. It seemed he hadn't prepared for the potential of the entire circus following him into the woods. The reassuring sight of Carl and Shirley proved that the pack of wolves wasn't coming to help him; they were coming to aid me. Jules was no longer in control of all these rogues, and I knew that simple fact had to scare the living shit out of him. I saw the irritation flick across his face as his skin tightened
Last Updated: 2023-06-24
Chapter: Chapter Fifty-twoOliverAs the last wolf disappeared into the thickets, I waited as the last snaps of twigs and crunch of leaves faded. I expected a cold crash of fear to overtake me as I looked at Eddie. Unexpectantly nothing even remotely resembling fear licked at my belly. There was an eerie calm seeping out of the earth and weaving through the trees. I swiped my tongue across my cracked lips, dampening them to ensure we were still operating.I let my eyes fall back on Eddie; I only felt a wave of anger for every second, every minute, every day his existence had plagued me. From that wave, adrenaline raced through my whole being. He had to be stopped now, and it didn’t matter what he did to me; he just had to be stopped.“What’s it like to know you weren’t good enough for that bitch of a broad?” Eddie flashed his teeth, stained with a grimy yellow film from years of smoking and drinking. I knew that cold, cruel smile plastered on Eddie’s face was only to get a rise out of me. From Eddie’s eyes, I k
Last Updated: 2022-10-26
Chapter: Chapter Fifty-oneElsie The blood in my veins turned into rivers of deathly ice. The color in the world around me disappeared, leaving an unforgiving coldness closing in on me, threatening to stifle the raging of my heartbeat ticking away in my chest. This couldn’t be happening; he couldn’t be here. How far would I have to run to be able to escape his blood-drenched muzzle? Would I ever be free to enjoy the babble of a brook or the sweet aroma of fresh spring flowers? I should have known better. When did Jules ever give up? I knew the answer from the first time I saw him snap someone’s neck. Jules was a demon used to getting what he wanted, and if it weren’t willingly given to him, he would take it by force. Everyone around him were his personal puppets; every single one of us was dangling by weathered strings from Jules’s fingers. Every movement and every shadow Jules’s minions cast were calculated. At any second, Jules would decide it was time to sacrifice one of his pawns, and their lines would sev
Last Updated: 2022-08-23
Chapter: Chapter FiftyElsieI had never been in a pack like this. Even my original pack was nothing compared to this. There was warmth in the air and a sense of peace that seemed to flow out of everyone I encountered. Compared to the years under Jules’s thumb or when I was in Delbert’s pack, this place was a pure ray of light.My mind was on overdrive as I met the members of my new pack. Their faces and hair colors blended into nothing but a muddled blur of a beige rainbow. I wish I could have slowed down time to take my time to memorize every person.They were all so happy and eager to see me, and I felt like an imposter; I was nothing that special. They were expecting someone they could rely on and who could lead them, and I was just a glorified performer. I could show them how to dangle from a ribbon if they wanted, but if you wanted someone who could be something of value to the pack, it sure as hell wasn’t me.Warmth crackled like electricity as Everett’s hand snaked around the small of my back. I loo
Last Updated: 2022-05-17
Chapter: Chapter Forty-nineOliverBirdie climbed up on an old crate that creaked underneath her; she looked like a bloody queen perched up there. There was something different about Birdie tonight. The timid girl who avoided holding eye contact with people was gone, and now a fierce woman stood before me. Roustabouts, performers, werewolves, humans, and everybody in between crept out of the shadows. Even Rosemary and Thomas slipped into view.“What’s going on?” Rosemary jutted her hip out to the side as she threw her arms across her chest. “What do you think you are doing calling us here like this?”“Attention, everyone! We have a situation!” Birdie’s voice rang out in the night air. “Earlier today, one of our troupe members found their mate.&rdquo
Last Updated: 2022-04-26
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