KELEIGH’S POVMy father’s claws gleamed in the light of the overhead lamp of the room as he raised his hand in the air, preparing to swipe. My breath caught in my throat as I pressed against the wall he had roughly pushed me into in a rage after he had caught I and Jake in the act of canoodling. He roared in fury as he bore down on Jake.I could understand why he was so enraged. Jake was the Alpha of the Moonlight pack, and my father was the Alpha of our pack, the Wesselton Pack. Both our packs have been in a bloody feud for so long that no one even remembered how it started in the first place. Countless wolves from both packs had died for generations over this feud.And Jake was about to be the next person.“My daughter!” My father growled at him. "How dare you!"My heart galloped with panic as I stared at the scene in front of me. My father in a state of half-shift, his clothes already partly torn from it. Jake, pinned below him, his eyes filled with so much fear and shock as he st
KELEIGH’S POV“Jake,” I said softly, pain lancing through my chest as I stared at this man, the man that I loved, now turned a monster overnight. I looked into those hazel eyes flecked with blood to know if this was all an act, if there was some other motive behind him killing my father and part of my pack.I saw nothing but darkness and hate. I could barely see through my tears as I stumbled over the several bodies on the floor and out into the night. I took a moment to take one last look back at the warehouse, the last memory that I will have of my time in the pack, the memory that would overshadow the others and haunt my dreams for the rest of my life. Then I turned and sprang into the woods, brushes and thorny shrubs tearing at me in my haste to get far, far away.The woods had never scared me before. I had practically grown up in the woods all my life, like the rest of the wolves in my pack. They were as familiar to me as my own skin, and how I had loved to revel in it. The fre
ARNOLD’S POVI stared at the girl, my eyes widened. I was stunned by her audacity, if not for the fact that things were normal one minute and the next everything began to spiral. I had been in bed, finally getting ready to get some sleep after working hard all night and then Ryker had come in like the kill joy that he was and told me that there was something that needed attending to.And that ‘thing’ that needed attending to was this girl, apparently. “The fuck is going on here?” I muttered to my twin after the girl had just rejected the two of us in front of the entire park.Ryker looked at me, his eyes gleaming. “Can’t you feel it? The mate bond is strong between us. We’ve found our mate, brother.”I understood that. But what I didn’t understand was her rejecting us, humiliating us in front of the entire pack by just taking one look at us. Who did she think she is, as tattered and dirty as she was, that we would want her in the first place?“Yeah, I know that,” I replied to Ryker,
KELEIGH’S POVI stared at the brothers, and they stared back at me. One face welcoming and pleasant, the other scowling and hateful. Two faces so identical, and yet so different. I wiped my cheeks and thought through my decision.If I rejected the pleasant brother’s offer, I would be out on my own with nothing to my name, and no property of mine. Not to mention the risks of running into Jake and his henchmen out in the wild was very high. But if I stayed, then I could be protected—for six months, at least. I had no intention of accepting either of them as my mate, but at least I could use these months to plan out my next line of action, gather enough resources to take me even farther away from Jake than I already am. I would be free of all my shackles then. “I accept,” I said, my voice hoarse from disuse. “I’ll stay here for six months.”“Motherfucker,” muttered the unpleasant twin. He banged his hand on the table again, but this time I wasn’t caught off guard. I noticed that his bro
KELEIGH’S POVI couldn’t leave the hall fast enough. Any more time spent in the dining hall and I would have broken down. Even now, I found myself hyperventilating. My head felt light and my brain was fuzzy. It was all too much. Everything was happening all at once and I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed to get away from it all before I exploded.I had planned on going back to the room that Kara had assigned to me, but I couldn’t stay there. The room would feel too stifling for me and I needed space, I needed to breathe, I needed solitude. “Keleigh!” I turned back. It was Ryker calling out to me from the doorway of the hall. “Stay away from me!” I shouted back. “I need space.”I moved about the compound on instinct, avoiding places where people were gathered in. Eventually, I found myself in an orchard. It was far away from the rest of the buildings and was quiet. Just what I needed. I spread my arms out and took in a deep breath, the deep aroma of fruit refreshing me, calming me
KEIGEIGH’S POV:Blood. It was everywhere my eyes landed on. On the floor, splattered on the walls, and even on the ceiling.I saw my father’s corpse before me and my heightened tastebuds could taste the copper in the air, lingering like a reminder.Then I saw him.Alpha Jake, his face morphed into the semblance of a monster I didn’t know before.His face had been carved into with the dagger of darkness, revealing a hateful expression.He had found me..! How?!HOW?!I jerked awake, pressing my hand to my chest as I tried hard to take in breaths and exhale. It was such a hard thing to do that my chest hurt. My vision blurred and I reached up to touch my face. Tears.“Even in my sleep,” I whispered out hoarsely, my voice thick. “Even then, can’t you let me rest? Do I not deserve some reprieve from my mistakes?”I didn’t care for the darkness of the room, or if a monster hid beneath its depths. Memories flooded me, pushing through all my defenses that it felt like I would drown in them.I
SELENE’S POV:Her face alone pissed me off, and though I tried to contain myself and keep my pleasantness on my face, Ryker’s reprimands as the girl had left made me furious.I remembered what happened only minutes before I left the dining hall fuming.After my comment on the girl’s disrespect, I didn’t expect Ryker to lash out in the way he did.‘Be quiet. You have no right to treat Keileigh that way, much less act like you’re better than her. She has a higher rank than you, Selene. Don’t forget that,’ Ryker had said. I was dumbfounded then. Ryker, of all people, who was so slow to anger had become that new girl’s greatest defender. His warnings had bite to it, for unlike Arnold’s anger that could be easily soothed, his was like a hurricane that swallowed everything in its path when he lost it. And very rarely did he do so.Arnold came to my defense, rising up from his seat, and pointing his fork in his twin brother’s direction.‘You’re too hung up on this girl already, huh,’ he rema
KEILEIGH’S POV:Sounds of it’s chirping and the peaceful atmosphere didn’t deceive me or stop me from feeling stifled. Not even the sight of the pleasant sun’s rays streaming in through large windows could pacify me. My mood was spoilt since I had woken up, and the breakfast I couldn’t stomach, combined with Selene’s confrontation had soured my prospects for the day.My heels clicked on the floor as I walked forward, not having a destination in mind.This place was just as perilous as a lion’s den, I thought broodingly.If only I could find some rest. I paced around the halls of the large mansion, avoiding the eyes of people as much as I could. No matter how hard I may try to find some semblance of peace in this place, all it reminded me of was how much I did not belong in here, in this pack.The only one I knew and trusted inside this place was Roman.And he wasn’t close by. Where was he? Perhaps he was busy?I tried my best to not think about how lonely I was. Or how I was a strange
KeleighI looked at Arnold and even though he was injured, I felt little to no pity for him, I stared at him with no remorse in my eyes, eyeing him disdain my. Jake was arrested and we headed back home. Jake was beyond shocked that things would take a turn like that in such short time.A couple of minutes ago, I was doubting if I would live again and he was acting all powerful, just like the same way he did in the beginning, making everyone asides him look like a weakling only to end up as one. A few hours ago, my life was in his hands but in such a short time, his life ended up in my hands. How sweet it was for the tables to be turned!Arnold was not comfortable throughout the journey and Ryker did try to ask what was going on with him. I wished I could expose him but I wanted him to confess his own sins himself.The whole pack jubilated the moment we returned. We had left sorrowfully, not on our own accord but now, we were returning victoriously and happily.Arnold barely smiled as e
KeleighI was not myself anymore. I wished death would embrace me with its cold arms but I also wished to see Ryker one last time. I had gone through so much in just a short time of being there.I had been ill-treated and locked away from everyone else. Alpha Jake did confess to me that the only purpose why he tried to come back for me was because he knew the type of power that was in me and had come for it. I was dazed.I guess Ryker was the only one who genuinely cared about me. I had continually wait each day for death when I suddenly got to know that the pack was being attacked. I had no idea what was going on but my heart raced so hard as I feared something could have happened to me.All the guards that watched over the prisoners had gone out as well to check what was going on and had begun to battle just like everyone else. We were however able to release ourselves.My joy knew no bounds the moment I got to know that Alpha Ryker was up and healthy once again. To my greater surpr
~KeleighEverything did seem off and strange. First, it was Arnold’s confession down to his actions and now, Roman's speech?I was confused and I was beginning to lose my mind. I had no idea of what was going on but I sure did know that I was not going insane.They were trying so hard to make me feel like I was losing my sanity and I knew I was not. I was heartbroken at the fact that everyone had decided to make me feel miserable.I wanted to thank Roman for advising me the first time about the brothers even though I had turned deaf ears to him but again, I remembered he had played a great role in making everything complicated.My whole world was spinning and it felt like I was not going to survive it. I was just not myself. I did not feel so good. I looked up at Roman. How could he betray me once again? I guess I had been such a fool to trust him that much. I should not have listened to him. I had no idea what the arrangement between him and Arnold was but seeing Arnold on the floor,
~KeleighMy whole seemed to be coming to an end the moment I got to know that he had been abducted. I had never felt so scared and worried in my entire life like I did over the few days that passed. First, it was Selene trying to hurt me and kill me.My soul had left my body the moment the knife was placed on my neck. I was even more shocked or perhaps, startled when I got to know that she was the one. She was the last person I expected to see. How had she escaped? How had she come into my room? How had she know where I was staying? How had she been able to access me?I had so many questions ringing through my head at the same time but the one that yelled at me the most was if I was going to die without seeing Ryker ever again. I would be so hurt and so shattered never to see him again.That had however given me the strength to fight her back and it had turned into a wrestle. I would rather die trying than not attempting at all. That would hurt me the most.Thankfully, Arnold and Ryke
~ArnoldI had not been happy with the development that was happening at the pack.“Alpha Arnold….” Roman had called out to me one night. I had begun to contemplate on what to do but nothing seemed to cross my mind. I just could not let her go so easily. I had to do something about it.“What do you want?” I questioned, turning my back to him. I expected him to leave but he was hell bent on coming to me even further.“I do not want you here. You should leave now while you have the chance. I just want you to…”“I can help you.” He suddenly spoke, causing me to arch my brows. I did not expect to hear any of what he had just said.“Help me? For what?”There was definitely no way he would have an idea of what was going on with me so what help was he talking about?“I know everything. I know you want Kaleigh to yourself. Not because you like or love her but….” He looked around suspiciously. “only because you are interested in her power.” He whispered. I feigned ignorance at first. I could no
KeleighHis words were quite surprising but I decided not to take it to heart. I tried so hard to not think of all he had said but the words kept coming and resounding over and over and over again. He could not be kept behind bars no matter what he did?My mind drifted off to the day I asked Ryker to put him behind bars and how much he had defended him. Could it be true? I shook the thoughts out of my mind immediately. It was not possible. I could tell Ryker cared for me more than Arnold did or was it the other way round?Perhaps, because I liked Ryker even more, I believed he cared for me more? No, not at all. I shook my head. I wasn’t going to let him manipulate me. I knew he was quite manipulative but what could be his gain at that point?He claimed he was no longer interested in me. Being with Arnold would not be of any help to him neither would me being with Ryker be of any disadvantage to him. Was he really acting that way because he cared about me as a friend?Roman was quite d
~KeleighI missed him so much. I hated the fact that I could not see him when I wanted to. I had no idea why he suddenly became so busy but I was quite hurt that he was away from me. Arnold did try to make me feel better numerous times but it just could not compare.I didn’t feel the connection I felt with Ryker. The bond just wasn’t there. He did try to send me gifts to perhaps, make me feel better but it just wasn’t working. I missed Ryker so much. I would constantly stay close to the court even though the guards would sometimes try to stop me from going any closer. If they hadn’t stopped me most times, I could have gone in there to meet him most of the times. I wasn’t comfortable with his absence anymore.“Ryker is trying to get his mind off you.” Roman suddenly walked up to me one afternoon while I was all alone in the garden. I rolled my eyes, immediately disgusted by his presence. Why was it so hard for him to understand that I did not want to have anything to do with him? Why c
~ArnoldI had been quite busy with all that was going on in the pack yet all I was doing was in the interest of the pack. Ryker had been unresponsive like before and had left all the major tasks of the pack to me. All he did was stayed with Keleigh while leaving me with all other important things.Keleigh on the other hand was no longer interested in me. She paid even more attention to Ryker and treated me like I did not exist. I tried so hard to make her see me even more but she seemed to be very busy to not care about me, not even for once.“The necklace sure does look quite good on me, does it not?” Keleigh questioned, a smile on her face. She seemed quite excited but it did shatter my heart. With excitement, she zoomed off.I watched in silence as she walked away and Ryker did have a smile on his face as he watched her walk away.“She is very beautiful, is she not?” he questioned, probably still daydreaming. I was not in the mood for all that so I crossed my hands behind him and w
~RomanI was quite disappointed in the fact that things were not going my way. I could not get Keleigh out of the pack. The security had been quite tighter and I could not get close to her.Every of the maids and guards were being monitored. No one was allowed to go out of the pack neither was anyone allowed to move freely. A lot of thoughts crossed my mind all at the same time.I had to get her out no matter how hard I tried. Keleigh had tried to keep an eye on me and I could tell I was being monitored by her hence I tried everything within my power to make sure I stayed out of her reach. My appearance in public had reduced. I knew I had to do something to get out of the whole mess I had gotten into.When she was attacked and claimed I knew about the attack, I was quite surprised. Of course, I had the intentions to get her out but I had not done anything. I just wanted her to be safe as well. I had to do everything within my power to make sure I got her out.At first, I believed Jake