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 intPaul wanted to strangle Cecily. His jaws clenched, his fingers clutching the edge of his couch's armrest as anger gripped him. Not very long ago, he'd specifically warned his little sister not to disturb his meeting with the other alphas. But it appeared that she'd so easily forgotten that, like she always forgot his other warnings. This time, however, she hadn't just stuck her nose where it didn't belong. She'd started a new conversation... and had made things considerably worse. The first to react to Cecily's rude interruption was Edward. He couldn't care less about anything she had to say—it was a well-known fact across the werewolf community that Cecily Knight was an idiot—but her smug smile and confident pose were something he couldn't ignore. It seemed this one truly believed throwing out a huge sum of money could actually solve her problems. Poor thing. Maybe it had worked in the past, but her insolence had only made him more determined to see her banished.
“Target: Lord Draven De Lacey, Lycan of the American WerewolvesRegion: North America and South America As werewolves, packs are the symbols that represent our unity and strength. They signify that together and only together, we live, hunt, and survive. Why? Because once we are divided, our borders weaken and outsiders take over. The duty of protecting this principle falls on the alphas of our packs. By living as examples themselves, they uphold the ideals that bind us as a society. On that note, we strongly request that the Lycan demote the Knight family from the alpha status. One of their own has crossed the line by murdering the wolf of an important personality, and has done nothing to compensate for that. Their actions have disturbed the unity we so cherish, and is slap to us as a community. We, the subjects of Lycan Draven, are more than convinced the Knight family is unfit to lead anyone. If you agree with us, this is a call to arms
Mary couldn't decide whether she should go. It had all started yesterday evening, after she'd returned from the outing with Belinda and her friend. She'd received a very surprising text from Cecily saying nothing but hello. The message had made her skeptical, considering their shared past and the fact they hadn't contacted each other for nearly a decade. However, curiosity took the lead, for Mary replied to Cecily's text. It had gone like that for a while—Cecily texting and Mary replying. Cecily had asked if Mary was in Chicago, and on receiving a confirmation, she'd proceeded to ask why. All Mary had revealed was that she was visiting a friend. That was when Cecily suggested they meet up. In her exact words, a lot was going on between them and it wouldn't hurt to straighten it out. That couldn't be done over the phone. Sitting on her bed in her VIP hotel suite, Mary wondered if the invitation was a trap. Cecily had sounded genuine, but many people were good at p
"What are you doing, Cecily?" Mary didn't allow herself to show fear. Her back straight and her head held high, she narrowed her eyes at her opponent. Cecily easily saw through Mary's act. Pushing back her seat, she slowly stood up, the smile on her lips growing arrogant. "Me? I'm doing exactly what it looks like." The men closed in on Mary. She could sense their hostility—they truly intended to hurt her. On the outside, she was able to maintain her cool, but within, her mind was running at a hundred miles per hour, trying to come up with a plan to escape this setup. At last, Mary aggressively kicked the table in front of her, allowing her space to jump to her feet. "I'm done with this." She marched towards the door, but was easily blocked by the men encircling her. Her unfazed expression flickered then, as she unconsciously took a step back. Swerving to face Cecily, Mary glared. "Tell your men to get out of my way." Frown lines formed on Cecily's forehead, her bottom lip
Marcus took a look around at the setting in the shop. Two extremely attractive women, and seven—no, eight—viral men. If he hadn't been pre-informed of the situation he was walking into, he would have figured it was one big happy gang bang. Shame it wasn't. Pulling a cigarette out of his stash and placing it between his lips, he lit it with a lighter. Smoke filled his lungs, and he puffed it out with the finesse of a professional. Someone was going to start talking in five... four... three... two... one. "Who are you people?" Cecily screeched, finally regaining her senses. "What do you think you're doing here?" "We're friends of Mary." Marcus drawled lazily, seemingly more interested in the cigar he was rolling round his fingers than the one he was speaking to. "I got a report that the little sister of this territory's alpha was planning to attack a Luna of another pack, and I was like—y'all just tripping. But hey, turns out the report was right."
"Miss Belinda is here!" "Miss Belinda! Miss Belinda!" The children chanted, all abandoning the papers and glue they had been working with. They rushed to Belinda, screaming and jumping as they surrounded her. Belinda laughed at their enthusiasm. None was older than 8 years old, and their smiling faces managed to put a smile on her own. Whenever she was down or felt depressed, she was assured that a trip to the Peach Valley Orphanage could uplift her spirits. "Hey guys!" Belinda knelt on one knee to hug the children.They giggled as they hugged back, those who couldn't directly touch her embracing those who could. Closing her eyes, Belinda enjoyed the feel of their soft skin on hers. They smelled of soap and milkshakes, like they usually did. The familiar scent comforted her, filling her heart with tenderness she rarely felt. Lifting her eyelids back up, Belinda let out a short laugh. "That's enough, guys." She said, dr
Draven could smell Belinda; she was in the house. He was surprised, however, that her scent was coming from his bedroom. She never went there unless he was in it, so what could have interested her about the room today? He was in no hurry to find out. Taking off his coat and unbuttoning his shirt halfway, he proceeded to his office, where he looked over documents that needed his signature. Over half an hour later, he sniffed out Belinda's scent once more, only to discover she was still in his room. Now, he was curious. Abandoning his paperwork, Draven headed to the master bedroom of the penthouse apartment. As he neared, a strong feminine fragrance assaulted his nose. It was a completely different smell from the one that had dominated his home for the past few weeks, which could only mean one thing... Belinda had gotten herself a new perfume. The pieces of the puzzle quickly put themselves together, causing a corner of Draven's lips to lift. He now had a good idea of what his sex slav
Panic gripped Belinda, widening her eyes and quickening her breath. Although she was aware she could never escape from the Lycan unless he let her, she struggled against her bonds, because she couldn't help herself. The words he'd said earlier echoed in her head... I would kill you... motivating her to struggle harder. She wasn't thinking straight, she wasn't listening to reason, and all she desired at that point in time was to be free. The rough fibers of rope chafed the delicate skin of her wrist, and only the dull ache it brought could make her stop squirming. "What will you do to me?" It dawned on Belinda then that she was completely at the mercy of the Lycan. He had always done whatever he pleased with her, but this time, she would have absolutely no way of fighting back. "What I do to you does not matter." Draven snapped, his tone harsh and commanding. "What matters is what you will do for me. Firstly, you must not speak unless spoken to, and when you do, you must refer to
Gazing at the racks in front of him, Derek buried his nose in the crook of his arm, to protect himself from the stench of silver. Just as he'd suspected, the number of boxes had reduced by approximately half, but that still left many. Being surrounded by the one element that could permanently harm him rattled his nerves, but he'd come here on important business. As the charity gala had been a dead end, he now needed to find new clues. Regrettably, that meant coming back here. With a disgruntled sigh, Derek lowered his hand from his face and reached into his pockets. He brought out a pair of leather gloves, which he wore over each hand. Protected and equipped, he began searching through the boxes. If there was one thing that was certain, it was that the weapons weren't made in the Knight family villa. That meant the Knights were only middlemen. If he could find who the producers were, then maybe he could find the final consumers. That was easier said than done, though. In the boxes w
Lila Salvador sat in her fiancé's study, her naked right foot insolently propped on his desk, and her fingers painting her pretty toenails red. Her silky black hair had been left to flow down her back, and a corner of her gown had slid down one shoulder. She was on the phone, and held the device to her ear with her shoulder. If Paul had been there, he would have killed her for getting so comfortable in his space, but that was the thing... He wasn't there. "I still can't believe it, Erika!" Lila whined into the phone. "They came to the house as late as evening. I'm sure they could have waited till morning, I mean he wasn't going anywhere. Yet, they disrupted my dinner. Couldn't find the appetite to eat again." "The arrest is trending everywhere. Making quite a buzz too." The female voice at the opposite end of the line said. "How are you faring?" "How else? Terribly." Lila was quick to reply. She slabbed a dash of red on her big toe, then leaned back to examine it. Once
The news of the arrest of Paul Knight took Chicago by storm. Apparently, their youngest, richest, and most handsome billionaire wasn't a saint. Some didn't mind his crimes. So he hid his money away from the government, who didn't? Then there were those who criticized him mercilessly for it. They were mostly those who were spiteful towards the rich, who felt it was unfair a select few lived in such luxury and extravagance, while they couldn't afford rent. He already had so much, they said, would it kill him to pay his dues to the government? It all should have ended with this simple argument, but then one random reporter from an unknown news outlet published an article reminding people of the Knight Tower scandal. The piece was derogatory, highlighting the rich's habit of trampling on the more unfortunate populace. However, the fire that had lighted the torch was the part where he'd speculated that something terrible had happened to the righteous Fleming couple, especially as they'd m
"Maddox Hawkmore. Who is he?" Georgina felt the color drain from her cheeks, her complexion dropping several shades. Every muscle in her body went taut, straining as her pupils dilated and her parted lips trembled. Belinda's eyebrows shot up at the intense response her mother had to the mention of a mere name. She looked terrified, and that brought to question why. A second later though, Georgina Knight had re-coordinated herself, but it was too late. Belinda had clearly caught her reaction. "You do know him," Belinda stated what she already knew was true. "Who is he?"Georgina had clearly heard Belinda, but she had questions of her own. Her lips thinning, she stared attentively at her daughter. "How do you know that name?" Belinda crossed her arms over her chest. "I asked first. Shouldn't you answer before interrogating me?"Leaning from her seat, Georgina clamped a fist around Belinda's wrist. "Answer me!" Her loud voice was earnest. "How do you know that name?" The tigh
Her phone rang, and Belinda dropped her fork and knife to check who was calling. She was at the restaurant at the Lycan's building, enjoying a meal alone because she needed the peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it was being disturbed. Her eyes on the screen, she lifted an eyebrow at the caller ID. "Hello, Derek." Belinda put the device to her ear. After their less-than-amicable parting at the gala, she'd half expected to not get a call from her ex-mate for a while. Turned out she'd underestimated his maturity. But then again, they had important business together, business more important than any petty quarrel they had. "Belinda." Derek's collected voice came from the other end of the line. "What are you doing right now?" He seemed to ask casually. "Nothing." She briefly glanced down at her almost empty plate. "Just having lunch." "With who?" The reason behind his query wasn't missed, and it made Belinda stiffen, her fingers clutching her phone tighter. Derek must hav
Paul was in his office when his secretary came rushing in, his eyes wide and his voice shaky. "Sir, we have a situation." Raising his head from the documents he'd been proofreading, the alpha of the Chicago Pack raised an annoyed eyebrow at the skinny young man. "I have people I pay to handle these ‘situations’." He stated the obvious. "This one is a bit out of hand, sir." The man insisted. The terror in the boy's demeanor and the way his entire body shook was what got Paul's attention. He dropped everything he was doing and exited from behind his desk. As he followed behind his secretary, he wished he hadn't hired someone so young, so inexperienced, and so easily flustered, for such a crucial office as his secretary. However, the boy was the son of an important member of his pack, and employing him had been a favor to his father. The things an alpha did for the sake of his pack. On arriving at the ground floor of the Knights & Co. company building, Paul quickly saw what
Sparks flew the instant the two lips touched. Draven devoured her hungrily, his tongue pushing her lips apart to dive into her mouth. Fire lit her nerve endings as they kissed, their mutual passion burning everything else away. Belinda straddled him on the chair, each of her legs gripping his thighs. Her arms went up his shoulders, crossing at the back of his neck as she pressed her breast to him. Instinctively, her hips rocked against his erection, creating the friction she desired. Her bare nipple grazed against his chest as she moved, drawing a strangled moan from her. Draven had never been so hard before. It was as though every blood cell in his body had pooled at his groin. His erection strained against his trousers, thick and literally painful. His mind roared with desire for his mistress, the beautiful woman who had fallen upon him by chance. Every fiber of his being wanted to be inside her, to bury himself deep within her. A strong possessiveness gripped him then. He wanted t
What had she done? Belinda's arm remained suspended in the air, as though it was too afraid to come down. The skin of her palm stung, undeniable proof that she had indeed hit the Lycan. She reeled from the thought. She, a low-ranking omega, had hit a man feared by alphas. Belinda could see that he hadn't moved since she'd slapped him, like he too couldn't believe what she'd just done. If only he knew—she was far more shocked than he was. At that moment, a part of her was screaming for her to apologize, to plead that she'd acted rashly and hadn't known what she was doing. The greater part—the part of her that was still possessed by nerve-numbing anger—refused to do that. "I really don't get you." Belinda glared up at Draven with every bit of venom she felt. "You seem to hate me. No," She corrected herself. "you definitely hate me. Yet, you keep me close. Why? You can have any woman on earth, so why choose me? Do you really feel that I deserve to be treated the way you treat me? W
Draven heard the footsteps approach long before he heard the knock. He didn't turn as the door swung open, instead focusing on unbuttoning the front of his white cotton shirt. He didn't need to, because even under the thick floral perfume, he could smell the scent of the woman at the doorway. Belinda Knight stood with her arms folded, her hips leaning on the doorpost. She looked ethereal in her seductive royal blue nightwear, her silky hair left to fall about her shoulders, its black shade gleaming in the moonlight. Draven heard her breath hitch as he turned to her, saw her pupils dilate despite the darkness. She gazed hungrily at the patch of bare chest she could see through his parted shirt, her eyes then quickly running down his muscular form. He too, looked her over. The flimsy excuse of a gown she was wearing loosely draped over her curves, leaving little to the imagination. It exposed most of her thighs and dipped at the neckline so her breasts were barely covered. As the dress