"Joshua doesn't know how to operate the motorboat, Jasper. And it so happened that I know the basics of operating one. So, I'm coming with him to the island." I insisted. Joshua dragged his gaze to Jasper as if he was waiting for his response. Not that I don't want to, but Joshua needs to get back to his family as soon as possible. Even if I haven't met his parents yet, I know the feeling of being worried about someone important to you. Just like what happened to my dad. Mum was supposed to invite me to head back to New York City but I refused. If I only know my decision will affect something important. I should have followed mum to the airport. And I am always carrying that regret for the rest of my life no matter where I go and no matter what I do. Even on those nights that I was about to close my eyes, dad's face always popped up in my brain. "Then I'm coming with you. It's better if you have an extra hand on operating the boat, right?" Jasper insisted. "For
I don't know if the kid was a kid or just acting like one when he talks too decent compared to Josh. But I seem to like him already. His overflowing cuteness was too much to handle. "I don't plan to stay the night in the boat alone, kiddo. It's too scary." I said back. "Then I guess we need to hop out of the boat, my Lady." In just a blink of an eye, Justine disappeared from his spot and found him five meters from me. Holy shit! Joshua's little brother knows how to use his wolf better than I. He moves at the speed of light. Fast enough that my human eyes did not get the chance to follow his unbelievable speed. Leaving no choice, I grabbed my purse and phone back in the cabin before I jumped and followed Justine shortly. "I highly suggest you need to take off your sandal, my Lady. It's more convenient and relaxing when you walk on foot on these wide landscapes of white sands." Justine added. There go his tiny giggles again making him even cuter. I want to p
"At first, when you howl, part of me wanted not to believe it. It's utterly ridiculous. Josh, they told me you did not make it out alive against the rogues." Mama said back. "What? Why would they do that?" I breathed out shortly in utter disbelief. But then, their hatred against me first popped out into my brain. Aside from that, they don't like me to lead, one of them threatened me before I hopped out of the boat to search for Nathalie. "I don't know, Josh. I don't know what exactly happened in your mission. But they all shared the same answer when Marcos asked them." Mum retorted, still scepticism about my sudden appearance. "Uncle Marcos also said we have to stay in their house because I am still a kid and Mama was all alone. I don't want to live with them, Brother Josh." Justine immediately wrapped his arms around me, sobbing. "I don't want to live our house. You and dad built it for our future. Please, don't leave us anymore, brother Josh." Justine's beg squee
Mama immediately smiled at Nathalie when we stepped foot inside the house. She even bent half of her body in front of Nathalie, consecutively, to extend her warmth greetings even if it was completely unnecessary. "I'm so sorry for the mess, my Lady. Please, have a sit." Mama smiled at her. "Just call me Nathalie, aunty." Nathalie smiled back. "Don't worry about me. We're born wolves. We can even drop our bodies on a barn." Nathalie then deliberately lifted and dragged her gaze throughout the four corners of the house before she grabbed her seat on the personalized log papa built to serve our chairs. "I'm so sorry, we can't offer you anything else aside from these apples, bananas, mango, and grilled meat of the tiger, my Lady. It's already late at night." Mum retorted. I ordered Justine to head back to his room since it is not advisable for him to join us, adults, that late. He already did something for me. And I'd be indebted to him for watching over Nathalie
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lord. My name is Nathalie Fisher. Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. And I am here to send back to you someone valuable compared to those hundreds." I don't know if I should be mad at Nathalie for not following my strict orders. The plan was loud and clear. She even promised me in front of mum that she should follow my orders. Nevertheless, I hate being lied to, especially to those wolves who matter to me. Those hundreds of wolves already lied and almost ruined my life. But it seems that I have missed something from Mama's and Nathalie's discussion earlier. I had a plan. But I guessed they have too behind my back. "Alpha blood indeed runs through your veins. We can't talk about this matter here while standing. Please, come to our house, my Lady." Marcos respectfully said back. Several indistinct chit-chats from the wolves in the background echoed in my ears right after following Marcos' lead. But I ignored them when it was expected
While waiting for the wolf to open his mouth, I could not help but gulp a bulk of water down to my throat while thinking of all the possibilities. Possibilities that I might fall from my own trap, thinking I was making things right. In the end, it will be Marcos' decision that matters no matter which side we were on; right or wrong. Even if mama, Justine, and Nathalie we're helping defend my case, their words still do not matter but Marcos. "Well. I can't accept answers by just staring at us. That's not part of the option. It's either you will lie or not defend either Denver or Joshua." Marco's added after getting none from the wolf. "And just so you know, I'm a busy man after Daniel's death. I don't have my entire day to wait for your answer." It was at this moment Denver suddenly elbowed the wolf and softly muttered something. Soft enough that I could barely see his lips moving. However, his body movements already tell me something. And pretty sure Marcos also notice
"However, they have to pay for what they did. You asked me for fair and just punishment for their crime. So, I decide to remove them from the pack. And I hope that will serve as their lessons in the future." I added. "What?" Denver asked. "Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know what would happen to us if we will have no pack?" "Do I need to know that?" I furiously pointed my gaze back to Denver. "For the record, it was you who decide to abandon me. What do you expect from me? Forgive you? Forget what you've done?" "Could you at least be considerate? We are a pack, remember? My werewolf blood also runs in your veins. A pack should protect each other." Denver insisted. Nathalie suddenly chuckled in disbelief. "You should have thought that before you left Joshua alone. Be thankful he spared your lives. Because if I was him, I would love to see your heads cut off and burned to death." Everyone was suddenly put into silence after Nathalie let out those words. But I
"Those bastards." Marcos gritted his teeth before he leapt to the doorway and ordered his werewolf guardians to gather around. Then he mandated everyone to search the entire island for Denver and his allies, dead or alive. But the priority is to get Nathalie alive as much as possible. Also, Marcos somehow believed that Denver or whoever his allies are might be seeking something for him. And that he is willing to bend rules for Nathalie's rescue. This time, Marcos and I lead the mission. He and I and a separate team to maximize our search operation. Mama and Justine, on the other hand, remained in the house surrounded by some of the werewolf guardians, especially when Mama was still in the middle of her healing process. Their lives might also be in danger when I believe Denver's main objective is to take revenge for what I did to them. I just did not consider that possibility so soon. So, Marcos left a few werewolf guardians to secure the perimeter of the house. Af
"Do you believe in what the news is saying? That's completely ridiculous, right?" The cab driver broke the bridge of silence between us in the car. "I mean... There were a lot of problems Chicago was facing these days - heavy traffic, death rates, and poverty. It's not that I am against their plan of eliminating those monsters, but, I've heard no such thing as werewolves." I dont know if I should be pleased or not with what the cab driver told me. He sounded like monsters such as werewolves are not the main problem to society but the government itself. However, the government was right. We are monsters. "... Now, we have on the other line of the phone, the man behind the list. And he wants the public to address him as the Benefactor of this werewolf hunting trip. However, his safety is our main concern. So, we secure his basic information such as name, address, and contact number." added the reporter on the news. "People of the United States. Recently, we, the people o
"Josh, wait up!" Nathaniel whispered as he removed his clothes and shifted into a big bad wolf before he jumped over the fence and followed me. As soon as we heard the sounds of the gunshots, I bumped my body into the door by force, especially when it was locked. When we got the chance to see the image of the house, a flood of fresh drops of blood greeted us. The worst part is that I could barely sense anyone's presence in the house anymore aside from the body lying on the floor with an axe dug in straight to the woman's heart. "We're late," I muttered to myself with much regret that pinched the deepest part of my conscience. I could barely sense the woman's breathing anymore. Neither was her heartbeat. "She's dead." Nathaniel roamed around shortly, checking every corner of the house. We sensed the murderer's scent ten seconds ago but it disappeared like thin air all of a sudden before we could get in. But the house was already deserted. So, he went back to the
{Joshua's POV} "Baby, always remember what I told you, okay?" I muttered to Justine as soon as we stepped foot in front of his classroom. Undeniably, an entire part of me was feeling skeptical of the idea that he will go to class despite the situation he was in. Justine doesn't know yet that someone has put a price on his head amounting to four million dollars. I mean, my little brother was just a grade-schooler. He hurts no one and barely knows about Chicago werewolves. He doesn't deserve to be part of this nonsense and unreasonable dilemma. I don't want him to worry about his life either. All I want for him is to continue his study to have a better future similar to most humans. "That I should reach out to you or Lady Nathalie in case of emergency? Are we in danger, brother Josh? I heard you guys back in Lady Nathalie's place talking about werewolves who are in danger. Are we included in the list?" Justine asked back. And he's started to worry. "No, we're not
And I know he somehow noticed our surprised expressions, especially his brother, Justine. He cared for his brother very much. His little decision, whatever it is, also matters to Joshua. "My entire week is available. But once the clinic gets back its operation, I'm gonna focus my undivided attention so Justine and I could save enough to get back to the island." Joshua said back, trying to ease off Justine's awful expression. "But I thought we are going to stay with Lady Nathalie, brother Josh. Does that mean you're lying to me?" Justine said back in an unhappy tone. My brain was frozen for a few seconds. They only have each other's back if Joshua will insist on ignoring my help. Breaking them apart would be the last thing I would do. So, I tried digging into my brain about how to convince Joshua to stay in Chicago instead of going back to the island knowing they are no longer welcome to live there as her mama told us. That's why she willingly entrusted her two sons
Every one of us, including Justine, exchanged glances, trying to read each other's minds to know which side of the choice we are on. But no matter which side Joshua chooses, I will forever be supporting him. "Then, we'll help them. But, for the record, this is not an assurance that we could protect all of them," had to point that out. I don't Joshua would blame not just me when things go south. My family may be that wealthy enough to have billions of dollars in my bank accounts but I'm not desperate enough to kill the wolves, including our pack members. What good could I get about that? Let alone paying millions of dollars to eliminate thousands of them. "Besides, we still don't know who's madman is behind all these. Putting millions of dollars in our heads requires a massive amount of money in their bank accounts." "So, does this mean my head was priced at a hundred million dollars? 'Cause that was the figure written parallel to my name." Joshua's confrontation ma
Despite Joshua's weakened wolf, he still has the strength to punch Nathaniel in the face. His rage exploded like a volcanic eruption. Aside from that his explosion was extremely hot, no one would dare block his way unless you were ready to get a punch from him too. "Wait... You told him?" Could not help but lush out my frustration to Nathaniel instead of taking his side. I pushed him by force when I could not believe he preceded me even if he knows there was no slight chance between us. And I thought of our sex as a huge mistake driven by the call of alcohol in our systems. "No. I didn't. But I thought you already told him since you heard it yourself, he was referring to our..." Nathaniel cut off his words before making things worse. "No. I haven't told him yet, you idiot. That was already part of my plan, but not now when all our lives are in great danger including the kid. I'm afraid my name was already included on the list." "What list are you talking about?" Jo
"Rescue was on their way, Nathalie. Please hold until we reached the road you're in, okay?" Those were the last words coming from Nathaniel from the other line of the phone before the call got ended. "Okay. Thank you so much, Mr Nathaniel. But, please, come quick. Brother Josh started not to look good." Justine's words made me stealth a glimpse at the rearview mirror and found out indeed, his brother doesn't look good. The colour of his skin started losing its normal glow and was soaked in profuse sweat. I could barely hear his heartbeat either. Neither was his breathing. "Joshua, can you talk? How are you feeling?" I asked and stayed focused on driving the car to avoid getting hit by those arrows and axes as much as possible. "Lady Nathalie, please, help Brother Josh. He's not breathing anymore." Justine's voice even increased my worries and fears, especially when Joshua is not responding to my inquiries. Justine suddenly screamed when Joshua's half of his bod
"Young man, is she your girlfriend?" the cab driver asked. "Are you dumping that kind of woman? Are you kidding me?" "First of all, she's someone's girlfriend. Next to that, I'm not talking to her. So, please, tell her that she needs to move away if she doesn't want to get hit by the car." Joshua said back. "You heard the man, Miss gorgeous. So, please, I'm not gonna say it again. There are a few cab drivers and passengers at the back who are more furious than you are. If I'm not gonna move away, they will put the blame me." Indeed there were a few cab drivers who just hopped out of their respective cars and some continued beeping their horns, making the entire waiting area into chaos. "I'm so sorry, Josh. What you see back there is not what you think it is. I tried to explain to you the reason but you were gone already. But, please, give me a chance to hear my reason. If you don't want to believe me afterwards, then I'm letting you go." "Hey, you? Will you mov
Nevertheless, the only face I see was Nathaniel who was heading in my direction, somewhat bothered. "Nathalie, you need to get back to the unit. Now. The guests are staring at you." "It's all your fucking fault he left." I made sure most guests on the ground floor heard it to make sure their sharp eyes were pointed at him. Then, I rushed back to the elevator and ascended to my unit alone. In a few minutes, Nathaniel followed with a blushing face and sharp eyes. He slid to the fridge and gulped a bottle of water in one go but I could sense the anger that was bothering him. "You know what, Nathalie? If you fucking want to blame it on me. Better say it in front of my face, not in front of the other people. And don't forget, it's also your fault since you've done nothing to make things right. Grow up." Nathaniel let go of the empty bottle of water and threw it into the trash bin. Then, he slid to the couch and switched on the television. And I just stood in front of