They both alighted from the car. The night was pitch black, but a few street lights helped them see their way into the greenery by the side of the road. Soon, the foliage gave way to the woods. Titan asked Olivia to stop, before running forward, leaping high at a tree and transforming into his wolf, in mid-air. Then he landed on all fours and walked back towards her. There was no roar this time, just a few low growls. Olivia was amazed at how calm and collected she was, even though it was the dead of the night, and she was standing in the midst of nowhere with a werewolf - a living, walking, breathing paranormal creature engineered to kill as an instinct. The old Olivia would have fled, screaming. Instead, she inched closer to him until they were face to face. The deathly intimidation in those green eyes nearly made her flinch especially as she recalled her dream. But this was Titan Black - her mate, who would never hurt her. And who had killed just so she could be protected and r
Titan's eyes roamed past the gatekeepers and the guard in disgust. They all stood now, in front of the bouffant desk inside his study, trembling and shaking, cowering under Titan's fixed angry stare. Titan himself was seated, exuding calm, but his eyes radiated cold fury. He was livid. "You're all nothing but a bunch of dissolute slobbering cowards, and I should kill you all," Titan said with disdain. The men started pleading, gesticulating, and making desperate movements with their hands. "Alpha please…" "Your Highness…" "Shut up!" Titan thundered, leaning forward. "How dare you interrupt me when I speak?!" They all quietened, but the fear was still palpable, encapsulating the atmosphere and stretching the tension, making it almost impossible for them to breathe. "Olivia has managed to fool you twice. A young girl like that, pulling the wool over your eyes two times! And you're supposed to be professionals. Isn't that why I hired you? Isn't that why I pay you so much? Isn't tha
It was six-thirty in the morning. Olivia Carter was up and dressed in a warm floral dress appropriate for spring. She was going to see Leo this morning, and nothing or no one was going to stop her. Not Titan's edgy and paranoia-filled warnings, not the guards and gatekeepers who were on extremely high alert because a third slip-up meant losing their jobs - if Titan was even that merciful. She took her phone and started at the texts again. Olivia: Titan suspects something Leo: He was always a smart cat, but don't worry we'll figure out how to beat him over and over. Remember the plan? Olivia: Sure, you'll be posing as a fortune teller and I'll be posing as your customer. Leo: You got it, so if they are going to follow you, then let them come. But don't let them take that action. Walk up to your guard, and let him know that you are going out for the day, and he needs to accompany you. I mean that's what he's getting paid for, right? Olivia: Yeah, damn right. Darius was stationed
She did as he said but turned to him with a big smile. "Why on earth are you smiling?" "Today was a good day," Titan narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah," "Tell me about it," "Well, I went to see a fortune teller who made an almost accurate prediction about me," "Almost?" "Well, he couldn't predict properly because he was some kind of crook," She had to get her stories straight. Outright lying to both Titan and Maya was the fastest way to get caught. "A crook? Why are you so happy you saw one?" "Because it was just fun okay?" She came to sit beside him. "You know, it was really nice getting to go around the whole neighborhood again." "Reminiscing about your old life?" Titan asked. "Well, not reminiscing exactly and no it's not like I miss it or anything. It was just nice to be out there," "You seem to be happier whenever you go on one of your famous solitary moments." "Yeah, because I am at heart, an old solitary soul," "Well, I guess I should let you be then, and not b
The cockcrows reached into her sleep. Dawn was just breaking, and the automated curtains opened up on both sides of the room, unveiling a gorgeous and picturesque sunrise. Olivia sat up with her knees drawn up, resting her head on them watching the breathtaking beauty of nature. The sunrise was a precious performance - a reminder that today was a performance for her as well. Somehow, someway, she had to make Titan decrease his suspicions of her. After the events of the last few days, extracting his teeth would be easier. Or maybe his werewolf fangs. Do I look like I was born yesterday? The statement rang over and over in her head. Titan Black was a lot of things but stupid was not one of them. He was admirably smart and analytical. A trait great for kingship perhaps but was too much of a risk for her. He went through situations and people with a fine tooth comb. If he caught Leo and subjected him to endless analysis, he would come back wanting or lacking in a way that would ju
Olivia walked as fast as she could without looking over her shoulder, once. The earlier she met up with Leo, the better for her, and the faster she could get home, and deceive Titan all over again. If he started to believe all was fine, he would let her be, and she and Leo could thrive. The morning darkness was still thick and she could hear the sounds of owls, buzzing insects, and fireflies in the thick greenery, trees, and foliage that surrounded her. Her mind turned to Titan again. She hoped he would understand her, but it was almost impossible. It was too dangerous to parade Leo in front of him. And as long as Leo remained a secret, he was still an enemy. And as an enemy, he was too close to a Titan-style kind of death. No, she had to protect him. She reached the boundaries and stopped. "Leo?" she called. The figure following her lurked a few meters away, standing close to a tree. Leo emerged from the shadows and they embraced tightly. "I missed you!" he said, kissing her ha
Titan looked up hopefully as Asher walked into the study. "Any luck?" Asher shook his head. "No man, see it's easier to fight four highly trained US Marines and win than get that phone from her iron-fisted grip." Titan knocked his table with his knuckles as he spoke, looking outside his windows from his swivel chair. "That phone is the key to everything," "I know man, but when it's not in her hands, it's in her line of sight. She doesn't let go of the damned thing. It's like an aggravating addiction." Asher paced the office for several minutes before he looked up at his friend, and made an observation that made him smile. "Well look at you, you're calmer this morning, yesterday, you were ready to go to war," "Oh, a war will come when I get my hands on Olivia and her lover, I just need to bide my time and plan strategically," Titan said. "You can't wage a war with them until you know her motivations Titan, for Olivia to do this, something huge must have happened to her," "Whose
It was past midnight when Asher made his way back to Titan's study. "What did you get?" Titan asked eagerly. Asher shook his head. "Not much to be honest, I went into town trying to dig up anything I could find online, but he's a digital ghost. I found a deactivated email though," Asher said, handing a printout to Titan. "Took a bit of digging but the sucker's name is Leonardo, and he's some kind of military deserter. There's nothing else on his early life, education, or career. Whoever he is, he's keeping himself off the radar." "That's because he has something to hide," Titan said reasonably. "Could be a criminal," "We can't jump to conclusions," "Ryan texted me that Olivia was dressed when he went over to her bedroom, which means they have plans to meet up tonight," "Well, there's no way that's happening as long as Ryan is with her right?" "Right," Titan confirmed with a curt nod, trying to conceal his anger. "The only thing is that Ryan is not a bloody robot, and he's goin
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