LOUISA.News of Dominic and I being mates quickly spread across the pack and the general atmosphere is that of shock and tension.Shock, because who would ever think that Dominic would be mated to me?Tension because they know who he is and are wary of how he would act.Hell, I am wary of his reaction but I don't plan on staying to find out.I hear it in the quiet whispers of those who pass by Harriet's door and in how they try to look inside.I see it in the tailor’s look as she takes my measurements for the ceremonial gown.I feel it in the sudden silence that envelops a place when Dominic walks by.And through it all, there is just one resounding thought in my head.Leave.Leave before it is too late.“This is a beautiful gown,” Harriet comments as she takes an admiring look at me, standing on a podium.I turn to look at my reflection and I will give it to her, it is a stunning dress.The gown is made from smooth, pure white silk, adorned with intricate silver stitching that sparkl
ROWAN.“Going somewhere? Mate,” he asks, his voice cold and his eyes even colder.“Dominic-”THWACK.My head hit the floor at the force of the slap and I tasted blood in my mouth from my split lip.“I told you never to call me that! It is Alpha to you!”“I am sorry…” I say, only to notice my vision going blurry.Something he seems to notice as I try to look up at him.“Good, it is working,” he remarks as he gets to his feet.“I told you it would,” a voice says.Clarisse.She is here…She drugged me.And he knew about it.Why?“You must be wondering what is happening right now,” he says. “So am I. Tell me, where are you going?”I don't answer him.He is not stupid, he can clearly see what I was planning to do.“Wow, she really has grown some guts,” Clarisse croons as she walks towards him, her vicious voice spitting poison at me. “She must think she is something special because she was mated to you.”“Quiet Clarisse, can't you see I am talking to your Luna,” he asks.“Luna my foot! How
ROWAN.It is the voices that lull me to consciousness.At first, they are just murmurs, indecipherable sounds that just hover over me and then they become clearer.“I think she is coming around.”“What? How do you know that?”“I saw her hand just twitch. There! It did it again. Did you see it?”“Really? hi! Hello, can you bear me? Can you try and open your eyes? Hello?”Several gentle taps on my face later and I manage to squint my eyes open.The first thing I notice is that I can see.Whatever it was that Dominic had Clarisse put in my food must have worn off. My eyes are so clear that I have to turn away from the shining rays of the sun.The second thing I notice is the pain.Turning my head from the direction of the sun causes shafts of immense pain to run through my body, ripping out a strangled groan from me.“Ugh,” I groan as I try to take in a deep but measured breath.“Hey, hey, hey. I wouldn't move if I were you,” one of the two voices cautions. “You have some pretty rough br
ROWAN“Well, who is talking?” the man demands.We are going to die.I am going to die.I may not know much about the outside world, but I do know this, the Vale pack are ruthless to outsiders.“Seize them!” The man orders and the wolves begin advancing on us.“Wait! Wait!” Lisa says as she gets to her feet. “There has been a misunderstanding and we can explain…”“When I say run you run,” Rina whispers to me .“What?”“Shh. Lisa is stalling for time, enough for us to get a moment. How do you feel about getting into the river again?”“A preferable choice to dying in the Vale pack,” I respond.“I knew I liked you.”We tune back to Lisa’s conversation, and even then I can't make sense of what she is saying.“...and then there were rabid wolves coming out of everywhere and Now!”My body reacts before my brain catches up, throwing myself back into the water and I begin swimming for dear life.I hear two other splashes join me in the water as well as the echoing screams of the wolves on th
ROWAN EIGHT MONTHS LATER.“I am telling you, she is about to pop!” “And I am telling you to be quiet! You are making her more nervous.”“She can't hear me, we are outside.”“You underestimate how annoyingly loud and irritating your voice is!”I can't help but chuckle at their banter, only for another lance of pain to cut it short.“Damn it!” I curse, wincing as another contraction rips through my body.This is hell.“Ro!” Rina exclaims as they both rush in. “Are you okay?”“Not really, where were you two?” I ask. “You weren't here when I woke up.”Here is a wooden cottage that we had come across a few weeks ago during our roaming.The girls as well as I, had been worried as to where we could stay, especially with what looks like my due date coming up.It was a well furnished home with all necessary appliances required for a comfortable living.Lisa had theorized that it belonged to some human who had probably migrated to the city for the winter.Either way, we thanked the goddess
ROWAN.FOUR YEARS AFTER.“Mama!”The shrieking voice of my daughter, Jhnelle, as she bursts into my office, a dazzling smile on her face followed by Lisa brings a fuzzy feeling over me.“Mama, save me. Aunty Lisa is going to eat me,” she shrieks as she heads for me only to be swept off her feet by Lisa.“Got you,” she crows as she lifts her up into the air. “Your mama can't save you now!” she announces before proceeding to pretend munch on her tummy.More shrieks of laughter fills the room, bringing a wide smile to my face and a respite from the documents before me.“Lisa, please don't eat my daughter,” I say as I get to my feet, heading over to them and placing a kiss on Jhnelle’s hair. “She is the only one I have.”“Very well,” she says mournfully before turning to the girl. “I will set you free on account of your mother who is working so hard for all of us here.”The all of us that she refers to are known as the Winter Wolf Coalition.It is a… large group of rogues who while not wi
ROWAN.It is a massacre.Limbs thrown all over the place ,blood soaking the ground, the trees.There is no sound.Not even the tweeting of the birds.“What the hell happened here?” I ask in horror.“It looks like some demon mauled all these wolves,” George, one of the permanent residents and fighters of our camp says.“They are not rogues,” Lisa says as she walks through the corpses. “But they are not from the same pack either.”“My question is how they managed to get this close to us without us knowing or hearing anything?” I growl out.There is no answer to that, and that in itself is worrying.We know how shaky our peace is.A bunch of rogues attacked a pack and won, taking over their territory .We are not friends to anyone.Still, it gave them pause and as long as we kept to ourselves, they left us alone.Mostly.So, who are these people and why are their corpses so close to us?“Spread out,” I command, my voice carrying in the silence and across the vast space. “Look for survivo
ROWAN.“Mate?” Lisa asks in confusion. “You are sure that is what she said. Mate?”“You repeating the word over and over again, is not going to change what I heard,” I drolly reply as I recline on the pillow. “She said mate.”“And did she say anything else?” she asks as she continues pacing the length of my bedroom.“No,” I answer as I close my eyes. “And can you stop pacing, you are making me dizzy.”“I think this is wonderful,” Rina pipes up as she strokes Jhenelle’s hair.She is sleeping on her lap, as we gathered in my room, our unofficial meeting room as Lisa likes to say.It is… rustic in a way. Nothing too over the top.It is a simple, charming room but with a touch of elegance. At one end of the wall, there is a sturdy, dark wood dresser with a mirror above it, reflecting the room back to me. Its surface is neat, with just a few essentials like a hairbrush, some makeup and a small jewelry box.Directly facing it is the bed whose headboard is a classic piece, with intricate ca