Ryan chuckled.‘’Is this a joke?’’ ‘’Does it sound like I am joking?’’ Asher who, unknowingly to both men, was standing at the entrance, spoke up. ‘’Oh, you had better be joking Titan, because that is the most stupid thing I have heard in a while,’’ Titan turned around, eyes blazing with fury. ‘’There is nothing stupid about it and the both of you can keep your silly opinions to yourselves because I do not give a damn about your twisted moral ethics’’ ‘’There is nothing twisted about it,’’ Ryan said. ‘’Killing Penelope for the sins of Cyrus is not just wrong, it makes absolutely no sense. Cyrus paid for his crimes so anything else you are doing Titan, is born out of a lust for revenge. Now I know you are upset but two wrongs do not make a right!’’ ‘’Two wrongs don’t make a right,’’ Titan repeated in the perfect mimicry of Ryan’s voice. ‘’Thank you for that very insightful and unnecessary speech, Ryan,’’ he mocked. ‘’Titan, we have said it time after time that you do not think stra
"What do you gain by tying me up like this?" Olivia asked. "Peace," he responded. "Or more like satisfaction from your domination?" "Think whatever the hell you like," he retorted as he tightened the rope on her hands and legs. She didn't stop trying to wriggle free not just because being tied up was immensely uncomfortable, but because she hated how her body was reacting to his touch. Anytime he made contact with her bare skin, she felt her body aroused to a surprising wetness, and her nipples hardened due to the sexual excitement. Titan stood up from above her and proceeded to unbutton his shirt. The sight of him shirtless, unveiling to her once again how his body was a unique male specimen pulsating with masculine power did nothing to repress her arousal. She wanted him to touch her, explore her savagely until she could take no more. After stepping out of his clothes, he turned to observe her for a moment, stark naked, before stepping into the bathroom. Olivia felt the we
"That is none of your business," Titan responded evasively. "Yeah, the hell it isn't! It's got my family name as the inscription. It's got pictures of people I know inside of it and it's none of my business? Where did you even get this?" "Like I said, Olivia, it's none of your goddamn business." he snapped. First, he had rejected her in bed -a rare occurrence- next, he planned an assassination on the phone, and now this? Not forgetting the heavy destruction done earlier today in his study. The one place of solitude and trust. Something was definitely up with him. Or maybe it wasn't even just one thing. "What is wrong with you?" she asked. "In the last few days, you have changed considerably. I mean where is the man who took me on a fun date to his restaurant? And showed that he cared wholeheartedly about me?" "You broke his trust by sneaking out, remember?" "Don't pin this on me, this has nothing to do with me going out whenever I want," Titan chuckled. "Wait, going out? Is tha
The screams wouldn't stop. Olivia backed away in shock from the gory sight, hitting a tree with her back and sliding down, unable to tear her eyes away from the dead, limp form of Penelope. Penelope who had always thrummed with life. Flashes of her all came flooding back. The angry veins in her neck, the exasperation in her eyes, the tight smile she gave when she did not feel like dishing out honest compliments. A man she didn't know was the first one at the scene, then another followed and soon, a group of people had surrounded Penelope's lifeless form. In death, her eyes were wide open, but still and accepting of her gruesome fate. As though she had stopped fighting her killer and just succumbed to the inevitable. The people around her were trying to ask her questions, but all she heard were the sounds of her endless screams. Her screams drowned out the cacophony of voices, turning everything into senseless noise. The faces around her blurred, and she was unable to get a gras
She had never been more ready in her life for a confrontation in her whole life. "Did you do it?" she asked in a surprisingly calm tone. "Do what?" he asked, closing the door behind him. "Did you kill Penelope? "She's dead?" Rage climbed up her spine. "Don't you play dumb with me. I heard you planning a murder on the phone the other night, and yesterday she turned up dead! Dead Titan, at the borders. And just like you wanted, everyone thinks it's a rogue spy! Oh, I have to admire your craftiness." she clapped. "Bravo, Titan!" "If you came into my study to hallucinate, you might as well just get the hell out," Titan ordered. He moved fluidly past her to his seat and switched on his laptop. "How? How can you be so cold and heartless?" Olivia asked, turning to face him as he settled behind his desk. "How could you murder her for something that happened more than two decades ago? Are you that vindictive and unforgiving you heartless bastard?" "I'm losing my patience, Olivia," "An
"I finally convinced her to come home, but honestly it's going to take a while before she starts seeing this place as home anymore," Maya said. Titan nodded. "Thanks for helping me out and keeping your end of the deal." "So did you get it?" He held out a package for her. "The latest Christian Dior bag. Only ten people in the world have it." He said with a smile. Maya squealed in delight. "The shoes are a bonus, plus the extra million in your account." "Thanks, big brother, that's why I love you," "Yeah right, I only hear that when material things are involved. So is she upstairs in her bedroom?" "Yeah, but Titan, are you ever going to tell me what you did or said to her that was so bad, she didn't want you at the funeral, and neither did she want to come back here?" "Well, I guess you'll learn in due time, for now, you can mind your business, now I've got to work." "Well, goodnight then," Titan went downstairs to the kitchen, to get some fruits from the fridge only to see Oliv
Olivia felt chills run through her spine. Ten family heads dead? Just like that? "What? Where? Why? How?" Marcus shook his head. "We wish we had more answers," was all he said. The rest of the morning was all a blur. Hurried goodbyes were exchanged in sour tones, the silent long drive, and the imposition of a strict house arrest. Before the day came to an end, news of widespread multiple attacks was reported, forcing the house arrest verdict to be implemented throughout the territory. Titan, Ryan, and several others Olivia did not know or recognize were locked up in the study for hours, planning, brainstorming, and arguing until Olivia thought their heads would explode. The whole day could redefine the conceptual nature of tragedy in her opinion. She wondered whether what Leo had to discuss with her had anything to do with this. With strict house arrest orders, it was impossible to sneak out and go see him. Or maybe it was just difficult but not entirely impossible. The problem w
Vindictively, Olivia stepped hard on his foot. Titan grunted with gritted teeth, feeling the fury rise in him like a tide. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to retaliate by punching her in the face. With his wolfish strength, he might break her bone structures so badly, no plastic surgeon on earth would be capable of damage control. ‘’I told you never to touch me for the rest of your miserable existence!’’ Olivia yelled. "Now, let me go!" "You're going to regret that for sure," Titan swore. He clamped his hand around her arm and dragged her away from the entrance. "Where are you taking me?" she demanded, but if he heard her, he gave no indication. When she saw them moving in the direction of the woods, she wondered if he was going to shapeshift and take her on one of their famous piggyback rides. The thought almost made her laugh out loud. Did he think that was all he took to get her forgiveness? A piggyback ride? Surprisingly he steered her away from the gate at the
EPILOGUE(Three years later)"Stop spilling that all over my painting!" Arielle cried for the third time. She turned to Olivia and commanded. "Tell him!" And just like that she began to cry.Olivia looked up wearily. "Nate, would you be kind enough to leave Arielle's paintings alone please, don't you have yours?"Nate, a cherubic, vibrant bubbly kid with dark hair and his father's gray eyes piped up. "It's fun mom!""There's nothing funny about destroying your cousin's painting Nathaniel. You're ruining her hardwork." Olivia reprimanded."What's with all the noise?" Maya asked as she walked in. "Oh thank goodness!" Olivia said with relief throwing her eyes towards the heavens. "These kids are driving me insane!"Maya smiled. "Well, they are kids it's their job,""Mom, please tell Nate to back off my painting," Arielle reported. Nathaniel who had gone to sit in front of the television, was now studiously staring at the cartoonish figures with intense concentration when Maya glanced a
Rumours were rife throughout the house that Titan and Miriel were both talking privately in his home office. The omega maid he'd directed to go and fetch her had told all the others in the kitchen, and when Asher had gone to help himself to some snacks, he heard them talking about it with so much excitement that he had to inform Maya. Maya had suggested they keep it away from Olivia, but Olivia had found out anyway. She had retreated to the orchard, where there was a swing meant for kids, but she sat down on it, thinking of Miriel and Titan all alone in the office. Logically she knew they had to talk and iron out the intricate issues of the past. Emotionally, this logic was hard to swallow. Like the brain explaining endlessly to the heart. "There you are," Asher said out of the blue.She looked up. "I was hoping not to be found,""It's a big ginormous house but there is only a number of places you can hide,""So what are you hiding from?" she asked."Me? Nothing, you?""I'm not hidi
Asher led Olivia away. Miriel watched them from the foyer noting the bulge of the other woman's stomach. She'd heard rumors about her and about how smitten Titan was with her. Back in her bedroom, Olivia sat down on the couch in her balcony. Her Olive eyes stared up the ceiling looking at nothing. Asher watched her for a while. "Are you okay?""My husband's ex-girlfriend just made an appearance from the grave and you're asking me if I'm okay?""It's a lot to take in," he agreed. "But I don't think she's a threat,""Why not?" "Because she called me herself, told me she wanted to see Titan and talk to him.""I'm not sure I can agree she's not a threat Asher. Why appear now? If she's been in the Kingdom, she heard of our wedding. Of my coronation. Why is she just coming now when she has been alive all this time if she doesn't have ulterior motives?""I don't want you to worry your head about this Olivia, mental anxiety is one of the things Harley warned us about. Just take your mind of
"Better leave here to go check on my wife. Does anyone know how she's feeling by the way?" He asked, eyes darting between both of them.Titan and Olivia tried to talk at once, but only ended up stuttering. "You haven't checked on her have you?" Leo asked accusingly."Hey she's asleep, and Harley gave explicit instructions not to disturb her," Olivia said."Yeah, what she said," Titan added unnecessarily. "More like you have both been too busy playing sex games to check on her,""Hey don't act all moralistic pretending you and Maya don't schedule booty calls in weird parts of the house. Did you think my chief guard didn't see you when you guys were doing it at the back of the dungeons? I'm surprised you guys didn't even care about the captives." Titan said.Olivia turned to Leo looking pleasantly surprised. "Wow brother, you're into kinks like that?"Leo glared at both of them before stomping out. Olivia and Titan fell over each other in fits of laughter."Hey bro don't worry you can
Summer was converging at it's end. The skies were no longer encumbered with the beautiful western sunrise, and propitious rainfall meant to usher in the winter had been falling continuously. Titan Black was lost in thought as his chauffeured Rolls Royce cruised on the highway.Troubled thunderheads had sprung up and were already erasing the early sun from the skies, but he barely noticed. He was just coming back from his final meeting with the other packs who had been pressuring him to release the captives and give the members of the golden truce pack back their lives. Finally, after months of tension, back and forth accusations and counter accusations, coaxing, and cajoling, the captives and his opposers were finally on the same page. The Golden truce pack and Silver Crest pack would be merged into one, under Titan's hegemonic control as their sole leader. There was equally signed documentation by each party that gave him the authority to not just annex their territory, but to pres
"Olivia!"His hysterical shouts caused Maya, Celine and Ryan to rush into the room at breakneck speed. "What's going on?" someone asked. Titan didn't turn to see who it was. "S…She's not waking up," He managed to respond."Someone get Harley!" Ryan shouted."Harley is out," Maya said."Out? Out to where?" Titan demanded roughly. "She's getting some things for me from the market,""Goddamnit!" Titan swore."Titan, why not take a deep breath and check if she still has a pulse?" Celine suggested.In his paranoia and destability, Titan had forgotten completely. He checked her pulse and heartbeat. "It's all there but it's weak," he announced."Oh no," "Maya I need you to get Harley on the phone right now," Titan ordered. "Tell her to rush down here at once. It's an emergency,""Sure, of course," Maya said, scurrying out of the room.Ten minutes later, Harley came in. Yet for Titan, the waiting had felt like an age. And he had not been able to stay calm. Fear constricted his chest. What i
Leo slept beside Maya on the bed where she had birthed their child. Olivia sat in the far corner, rocking the child silently. The doctors had all gone to sleep in freshly prepared quarters. Olivia sat alone with the baby rocking her gently."Arielle, Crystal Black, welcome," she said gently. "And just like your name connotes, you are as bright as the moon."The following morning, Olivia called Titan while everyone else was having breakfast. "You'll never guess who came into the world last night," she said with a smile."I can't believe I missed her birth because of partisan politics," Titan said with a tone of regret. "How are they?""Mother and baby are just fine. Oh, you should see her Titan, her features are unbelievable. She's going to grow up to be such a beauty.""Well, she's got good genes," Titan said."Hold up, is that an indirect compliment towards my brother?" He chuckled. "I don't know what you are talking about but I'll be home tomorrow sweetheart,""You better be," she c
One week later, Titan was still not back. But Olivia had made sure she spoke with him on the phone each day, ending each call with how much she loved and missed him. She told him about her lessons with Mellor, animating her stories with everything she had and not skipping out on any anecdotes. Titan felt the meetings were getting more protracted, but he did his best to hide his displeasure. He was on the opposing side and he needed to prove his point and himself. The captives as free men were a threat to his kingdom.Surely they had to see that. But the other packs did not see it. They insisted that if any attacks were launched at him after he freed the captives, they would come together as one and fight by his side. A great suggestion, except that Titan Black didn't get where he was by putting his fate in the hands of others. And that was his main argument. Everyday, he discussed this with Olivia and Asher, who was in the heart of Gaza fighting alongside the Israelis. "You all hav
The party stayed on till dawn. But Olivia and Titan sneaked out early, simply to have their first intimate copulation as royals. It was still surreal and still hard for her to believe and accept that in the space of a year, she had gone from the depths of slavery to the heights of royalty. The lovemaking between them was orgasmic and heated as always. So intense that it was hard to tell when time passed and how much time had passed. The following morning when she opened her eyes, Titan was gone, and she kept her hands on his side of the bed for awhile to savour his warmth, before getting out of the bed to prepare for the day. No doubt, Mellor would eagerly make an appearance today to start his lessons and she had to appear as a sharp, incisive and inquisitive student with the most brilliant of minds. Downstairs, she found Harley and Maya seated behind the massive kitchen counter, drinking fresh orange juice from the pitcher between them."No breakfast?" Olivia asked pouring herself