Cecily marched up the stairs of the Knight family villa, the sound of her heels carrying across the anger she was feeling. She headed straight to the attic, which served as the servant's quarters, pushing the door open with far more strength than necessary. Martha and Mrs Brown jerked up from their beds, the sound of the door slamming on the wall awakening them. They wondered why the young mistress was here this early in the morning, but Cecily didn't bother to explain herself. Marching straight to Martha, she grabbed the girl's hair and pulled her off the bed.
"You thought I wouldn't find out, didn't you?" Cecily raged. "Who else would have the balls to do something so stupid?" Writhing on the floor, Martha attempted to pull her hair out of Cecily's grip, but the werewolf was much too strong for her. Cecily yanked her hair more forcefully, causing her to scream out in pain. "I always knew you couldn't be trusted. It'As early as 10 in the morning, Lexie met with Cecily, sitting across her at a table in the Knight villa's garden. Cecily seemed to be at ease, casually sipping her tea without a care in the world, but Lexie just couldn't calm herself down. A meeting with the alpha's sister was not at all a regular occurrence, and a thousand and one reasons were running through her head as to what had brought about this special occasion. Had all her efforts last night been a waste? She'd taken extra care to disguise herself, sneaking into the party wearing a blond wig and a dress she would have never worn otherwise. Had Cecily somehow found out she'd been the one to share that offensive video to the guests? Lexie couldn't tell. So, for the time being, she pasted a smile on her face and pretended all was well. "Did you call me here to book a photoshoot session?" She chirped giddily. "I mostly work as a paparazzi, but I can pull off amazing photogra
On ending the call with Lexie, Belinda sighed, pushing her phone into her shorts pocket. Really, she was tired, but matters that needed her attention just kept popping up. The unreasonable argument earlier this morning had drained her, the same as the many rounds of sex they'd had after that. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to sleep, but there was yet another issue she had to attend to. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to the Lycan's study. Draven sat at his cushioned office chair, deeply focused on a book spread open on his desk. Belinda had to knock on the already open door for him to look up at her. She didn't hold his attention for long though, as his gaze immediately dropped back to the desk. "Yes?" Draven asked while he read his book. "A friend of mine is in a bit of a fix. I was wondering if there was any work for her to do around here. A place to sleep, maybe?" "It's a skyscraper. There's always
Marcus hurried the corridor, dragging along Lexie who struggled to keep up. His legs were much longer than hers, so she had to take two steps at a time or risk stumbling. He finally stopped at the end of the hallway, right in front of the entrance to the restroom. "Don't move a muscle." He ordered sternly before rushing away. Lexie tried to obey his command, but her facial muscles wouldn't stop twitching. She was weighing the pros and cons of making a run for it. If she moved quickly enough, she could make it to the ground floor in about two minutes, and be out of the main doors in an instant. Before she could put her plan into motion, however, Marcus returned, a toilet brush in one hand, and a bucket in the other. He pushed both cleaning apparatuses into her hands. "Scrub every toilet. Wipe every surface. Mop every floor." As though he was speaking to a child, Marcus listed out the instructions slowly. He then pointe
“Good day, all. I am Mary Vaughn-Hamilton, daughter of Gerald Vaughn, Alpha of the Phoenix Pack, but some may know me as the Luna of the San Francisco Pack. Before drafting this message, I battled with myself, because I was unsure if it was the best thing to do. It is now clear to me that I should never have allowed myself to be silenced. My story deserves to be heard. On the 24th of August, 2014, at Camp PineGrove for Female Werewolves, I was assaulted by Cecily Knight and poisoned with wolfsbane. The end result was the death of my wolf. Granted, the incident may have been intended to be a harmless prank among children, but it is the Chicago Pack's attitude towards the matter that is truly appalling. They have failed to take responsibility for the action of one of their own, neither apologizing nor attempting to set things right. I have come to terms with the fact I will never be a full werewolf again, but how can we function as a society if one pack believe
“Hello, I'm someone who attended high school with Cecily Knight. She was beautiful, fashionable, and bossy, so of course she was popular. And that popularity she used to bully others. Rather than study for exams and do her homework like everybody else, she intimidated others into doing everything for her. Those who refused had to endure her wrath till they graduated. I wasn't personally bullied by Cecily, but I know people who were unjustly punished, suffered depression, or even had to transfer, all because of her. She truly is a horrible person. —RedBurritoGirl” Pulling the rubber gloves off her hands, Lexie threw them into the bucket, where she'd deposited other cleaning tools. Standing akimbo, she looked around at the female's restroom, nodding proudly at her work. She was done for the day. Humming a tune she'd heard on the radio, she carried the bucket into the janitor's closet. On coming out, she met Marcus waiting for her. Ever since t
In the back seat of the black Lamborghini limousine, Cecily sat beside her mother, dressed in a red evening dress exclusively ordered from Dolce&Gabbana. This was not her first time attending the Summer Solstice Convention, as she'd been going since she was 18. This time, however, she was nervous. Sucking in a deep breath, she clasped her fingers to stop it from shaking. There was no need to fear, she told herself. She was beautiful, expensively dressed, and part of the alpha family of the Chicago Pack. The convention would go like always—with other alpha daughters fawning over her. "Now listen up." Paul, who sat across her, leaned forward to wag a warning finger. "Once we arrive at the hotel, you will be on your best behavior. There will be no whining, no rudeness, and definitely no causing a scene. Understood?" Cecily shot daggers at her brother and he doubled down on her. "Understood?" Folding her arms below her breasts, Cecily her narr
“This didn't happen to me but to a friend from the Chicago Pack. About 2 years ago, she and Cecily were interested in the same guy, but he chose my friend over her. Apparently, Cecily held a grudge. The guy and my friend eventually broke up. She went clubbing with her girls one night and met this human dude. He was handsome, he was hot, so she spent the night with him, only for Cecily to send her a sex tape of both of them a few days later. Turns out your dear alpha daughter paid the human to seduce her, then take a video of them in bed without her permission. My friend was devastated, especially as Cecily was threatening her with the video. At a point, she gave up trying to protect herself, and Cecily proceeded to release the sex tape. This occurred only six months ago, so all those saying Cecily was a kid when she made all those ‘mistakes’, can shove their defense theory right up their asses. -Rachel Rodriguez”Throwing the last piece of cosmetics i
Her body and palms pressed to the wall, Cecily flattened her ear on the cold, painted concrete. Inside the living room were her brother, Derek, the San Francisco and Phoenix Packs' alphas, and their betas. They had all gathered to discuss her, yet she'd been told she wasn't allowed to join them. Paul had growled, warning that if she did anything to disturb the meeting, he would stop trying to save her ass. Well, he couldn't prevent her from at least listening in. Everything that was going on in that room was her business, and she would be a part of it no matter what anyone said. Six couches were arranged in the spacious living room, so that two faced the other four. Paul Knight and Derek Wren sat across Gerald Vaughn and Edward Hamilton, who in turn sat with their betas at their side. A mere day after the disastrous Summer Solstice Convention, a message had come in that the alphas had accepted the invitation to the Knight family villa, and the very next day, they flew int
The moment was nothing like Belinda expected. She knew how death worked. She'd fully understood what it meant to kill her own blood. Yet, the experience itself was more... empty than she'd expected. Sitting on one of the chairs at the dining table, she stared across at the lifeless body of her parents. Even in death, her father still managed to appear handsome and proud. Somehow, he still managed to look down on her, with just the right amount of spite to show he never cared about her. As for her mother, she'd died more hideously. It was obvious she'd struggled against what was happening to her. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, her expression was twisted, and in her open eyes was the shock and anger she'd felt while dying. The sight of those two was supposed to stir something deep in Belinda, but all she felt was a large void. No pain, no sadness, no anger. Not even a hint of guilt for the atrocity she'd just committed. Had her parents meant that little to her?Rather than br
Georgina turned at the sound of footsteps approaching, in time to watch Maddox enter the dining room. She searched his face for information, but his mood was unreadable. Her attention shifted one other person followed behind him. "Did it work?" Georgina asked the sorcerer. Before replying, Maddox pulled back the chair at the head of the rectangular table, relaxing into it as he sat down. "Was there any doubt it would?" There was a clear arrogance in his tone.Georgina ignored him, moving to the woman who stood stiffly at a place with a dazed expression. "How are you feeling, Belinda?" She placed a hand on each of her daughter's arms. In the past, Belinda would have flinched at her mother's touch, but now, she did nothing. As though her body was present, but her mind was not. "Just a slight headache." She replied. "And my skin still aches from the silver chain." Tenderly, Georgina rubbed her daughter's upper arm, although that was not nearly the part of her body that ached
The pain woke Belinda up, the intense sensation tormenting every nerve in her body. Her skin felt like it was getting scorched, yet she couldn't feel any heat from the supposed fire. It all made sense when the sharp odor of silver hit her nose a second later. Opening her eyes, Belinda saw that she lay on her side an old and rather disgusting bed. A long and large silver chain wrapped around her body, ensuring she had minimal movement. As her ankles were pressed together and her arms were at her sides, her only option was to roll, and with much difficulty. The action allowed her to view the rest of her surroundings. Short stone stairs led up to a rather small door, making her believe she was in some sort of basement. The brick floor was dewy, and the walls were covered with moss.Where was she? And how had she gotten here? The last thing Belinda remembered was confronting her parents and being knocked out. What had her father done to her? Suppressing the pain she was under, she focuse
Sneaking out of the Lycan's residence had not been an easy task, especially when there were at least fifty wolves who had their nose locked in on your scent. Basically, Belinda had had to distract her watchdogs—mostly by setting a fire to a storage closet. The tiny room had been nearly empty and barely used. No one would miss it. No one got hurt. The closet did serve its purpose, however. In those next few minutes, the fire alarm blared through the skyscraper, creating a booth of panic. Everyone had been momentarily occupied with the not-so-small fire, allowing Belinda to fade into the background. She made her escape, running through a rarely used service exit while everybody else was fully occupied. Once free, stopping a cab had been easy, and soon, she'd been zooming off to infinity. Actually, infinity was a cemetery behind a small cathedral at the opposite end of town. The place was old and in dire need of tending to, with weeds overgrowing on most headstones and dead leaves and
"No." Draven sighed, not because he was annoyed, but because he knew the task before him was not going to be an easy task. Calming an angry woman, especially one like his spitfire mate, was something he was beginning to dread. And he never dreaded anything. "No. You can't be serious!" Belinda cried, not very nicely. "I go out of my to find out what my brother is scheming, and your plan is to let him... scheme?" "You are intentionally excluding the most crucial part of what I told you. I said I would allow him to make the first strike. First off, you didn't exactly bring me the location of our culprit. Even if you did, going to them first would mean fighting them in their own territory. The Sorcerer Clan can not be underestimated. On the other hand, letting them come to me ensures I retain the advantage of location, and gives me enough time to arrange a defense. The fact that the sorcerers were bold enough to make such a move means that they intend to end this once and for
Paul was feeling nervous, and that was something new. Ever since losing everything nearly two weeks ago, his confidence had been practically nonexistent. And now, a meeting with a bunch of old magicians was making him anxious. Ridiculous! He was standing in an empty hallway in front of wooden double doors, waiting for the people inside to decide it was time to let him in. When he was alpha, no one would have dared keep him waiting, but there was nothing he could do about it now. It pained him to admit it, but he needed their damn help. At last, the door opened and a woman in a plain black suit stepped out. "The High Council will see you now." She nodded curtly at him. The door was widened more, making space for him to enter. Paul was ushered into a very dimly lit room, dominated by a crescent-shaped table and chairs arranged around it. There were 11 in total, and a man or woman sat in those seats, all who turned to him once he walked in. Their gazes were eerie and unsettling, but h
Just as the phone call from one of Draven's men had specified, a woman who wished to see the Lycan's Luna, waited at the base floor. Usually, this kind of visitors were turned away—random people who thought they could reach the higher-ups just by asking. However, this particular woman had been damn persuasive, even going as far as to say that she possessed exclusive info that could determine the fate of the world. So, they'd let the Luna decide whether she wanted to see this wacko herself or not. Belinda spotted Lila the instant she stepped into the restaurant, and so did the latter, who couldn't stop waving. Her features icing over, Belinda walked over to the table, making sure to keep her pace slow. Lila waited patiently, the widest smile on her face as she watched the other woman approach. "Phew!" She blew out a dramatic breath as Belinda took the seat opposite her, wiping off imaginary sweat from her forehead. "I was almost afraid I wouldn't get to see you. Do you know how
Two days later, Belinda stood at the door of Lexie's apartment. As the latter had told her to just enter on arriving, she bunched the entry code on the keypad and went in. She caught Lexie bent over a table in the kitchen, sticking two candles in the shape of “2” and “5” into a cake covered by pink icing and colorful sprinkles. On noticing the presence behind her, Lexie turned. Her lips spreading into a broad smile, she carried the cake and presented it to her friend. "I know you aren't a huge fan of cakes, but I thought you should have one this year. Happy 25th birthday, bestie." Despite its small scale, the gesture warmed Belinda's heart. It was true that she wasn't particularly fond of birthday cakes, or cakes in general. As children, no one had ever bothered to mark her and Baron's birth. After he'd died, it had simply felt wrong to celebrate a day they had once shared. She no longer felt that way. Now, she understood that loss did not mean she couldn't accept happiness. "
The next morning, Belinda waited till the twins were done eating before approaching them. Nearly a day later, they were still the center of attraction at Mrs. Sutar's Home. The other children marveled at the fairy-like pair with the pale eyes, and the dark hair that contrasted drastically with their light skin. Lin Lin basked in the glory, completely comfortable with being in the spotlight. Baron on the other hand—the poor boy—looked like he didn't know what to do with all that attention. Lin Lin was the first to notice Belinda standing at a corner of the dining room, and she skipped over, a bright smile on her face. "Good morning, Miss Belinda!" She greeted as her brother joined at her side. Their joy was contagious, and Belinda couldn't help smiling back. "Good morning to you too. How was breakfast?" "It was delicious." Baron nodded his approval. Lin Lin had more enthusiastic opinions about their meal that morning. "Peanut butter sandwich has never tasted better!" She s