Ethan could see how Anna’s expression morph from a pained one to a stoic one. He knew she must be feeling numb by now, as all the hits he had verbally dealt her would affect her psyche.He didn’t care; if there was one thing Ethan did care about, it was his ties to one of the strongest packs in the country. And he would rather his pack succeed than William find happiness with her. If his brother was going to be a good Alpha, Anna shouldn’t exist beside him, mate or not.“I know what you must be thinking. That I am trying to scare the shit out of you,” Ethan ventured to which Anna pressed her lips together.“You’ve tried that before, haven’t you? I know your type by now. You use people just to get what you want, however much you can. You might not be telling me the truth,” Anna replied slowly, letting her feelings be known about him.“Listen, Anna. I may be a lot of things, but a fucking liar isn’t one of them. At least when it comes to things like this,” he sighed, shaking his head at
Revving up her engine, Aléa tilted her head towards the passenger seat beside her, waiting for her younger cousin to hop in. True to his playful disposition, he didn’t even bother opening the door and jumped in with the elegance of a gazelle, shifting this way and that as he settled into the leather cushions.Ah, what a treat. You really have a thing for comfort, Aunty,” Victor used the nickname he and many of their extended family used for her.Rolling her eyes inwardly, she pressed the accelerator without remorse and they went speeding off through the open metal gates of the estate.Woah!Your seatbelt, Victor. We wouldn’t want you to fall over,” Aléa said in a teasing tone, far from her stoic expression. She increased the speed as the car moved through hilly slopes of the Italian countryside, passing through fields that went as far as the eye could see, and even further.She was using this as a method to let off some steam, which was very much needed for her.The meeting had left a
The next afternoon, Anna held the phone in her hands. It was a newer model too, to her surprise.“Thanks,” she told Ethan, still staring down at the phone in her hands. “At least now I have something to hold onto,” she added softly.“Don’t forget, Damon could still be keeping an eye out for you. You should be at least be a little careful not to lead the Hunters to your location,” he stated brusquely, and she couldn’t help but shiver at the thought.It was still surreal how things had changed for her.The man she thought was an okay, if not a little eccentric boss, turned out to be her worst nightmare.And yet, Damon Erikson was the only person that could help her now, to undo whatever was done to her by that injection he gave her.However, she didn’t tell Ethan that and merely nodded in response to the werewolf. The less he knew about her plans, the better. Anna still didn’t trust Ethan, no matter how right he was about her staying in the pack to be a disaster.“Where’s William?” She
William’s concern made guilt run through her, and she gently extricated herself from his arms. Her heart couldn’t take it.“I’m fine,” she said with a small smile. “I have to get some rest, okay?”William was confused by his mate’s behavior and didn’t know what to do about it. However, he thought, she must have even been really tired, and so he nodded.“We can talk tomorrow morning,” he said before turning to the twins to spend time with his children before he too slept.Anna was glad to leave the twins’ bedroom and her lips trembled as she returned to her room. As soon as she locked the door, she covered her face in her hands and began to sniffle.“Oh God, what can I do?” She whimpered.She stayed in that position for hours, mourning the loss of the peaceful life she wanted for her family and the feelings she had for William amounting to nothing.It was when she heard a small knock on the door that she finally realized it was midnight. Opening her eyes, Anna slowly stood, her limbs f
The car ride was going so smoothly that Anna’s mind had settled into a lull, pulling her to sleep.It was only the fact that she hadn’t yet gotten to her destination that stopped her.Her thoughts went to her children, and how they might react to her absence. Would they be okay?And William?Her fingers clenched into tightly balled up fists. Already she was missing them, but she knew she had no other way to stay.This was something she could only do by herself.“Uh-oh,” her attention was caught as soon as the man said that.That was when she noticed the checkpoint which made her brows raise as the driver slowed down. A couple of cars were lined up before them and Anna spied men checking each one.She wondered when a checkpoint had existed on this road. To her memory, it hadn’t.Was this Damon’s doing?As one of the men began to walk down the rows of cars walked towards their vehicle, Anna didn’t waste time in making the connection that this could be the work of the Hunters.What coul
An hour later, and Anna was driven to the building where Damon supposedly lived. As she walked, she was flanked by two Hunters, each of whom looked more like hit men with the way they all looked extremely muscular and full of an intimidating aura. Surprisingly to the redhead, she didn’t feel intimidated at all by them, only a little amused.Whether it was the fact that she had given up all reasons to be afraid of the Hunters, or that she was bo longer just a mere human, either way, she didn’t mind the company, as they entered the elevator. The quiet gave her space to think and formulate a plan of action.If she could get to convince Damon that she would stay away from this fight between the werewolves and Hunters, then perhaps he would agree to help her.If he didn’t…Anna didn’t want to think about the possibility of Damon dismissing her. She didn’t believe he was incapable of being reasonable just yet. He was a Hunter, bot a psychopath, right?As the elevator doors opened, Anna took
Anna’s heart sank as soon as he said those words and her mind began to whirl as she looked back over her shoulder and glared at him.Damon looked incredibly unbothered as he continued to peel almonds and pop them into his mouth, with his sleeves rolled up and like this was a friendly hangout.“What is that supposed to mean?” She asked him, her voice coming out shaky, a result from the compounded frustration, anger and fear that shot up in her at the mention of her children. What kind of games was Damon Erikson playing this time?It took everything in her to not flinch when he finally looked up at her, gazing through her and shattering the facade of calm she had with his cold, dead eyes.“I already know where all the packs in this city are located, Anna,” he stated without hesitation. “It’s only a small obstacle that prevents me from going into it right now and burning everyone and everything in it to the ground. If I want, I can have it searched soon and the packs will be found and ki
After Ethan finished explaining, the Alpha was left at a loss, speechless for a couple of seconds.“So that’s what happened, brother. She couldn’t stay here even if you wanted her to,” Ethan folded his arms across his chest. The blow to his cheek had mostly healed but there was still a faint twinge every time he moved his jaw, and he longed to get his lick in with William.William scowled as soon as he heard his younger brother’s words. He was still processing what Ethan had said - about Anna’s experience being injected by a strange substance, and how s had changed. He still was reeling from it, but he couldn’t let Ethan win.“Was that your fucking decision to make, Ethan? Or mine?” William growled at his brother. They were alone in the study, having moved to avoid their mother as she had awoken. He slammed his hand in the desk and it shook. “You took this decision without my fucking permission. Forcing my mate to leave?!”“Do you expect her to stay regardless?” Ethan raised his hands
Lily couldn’t contain her smirk as she saw Anna’s wide-eyed stare aimed at her. It had taken the work of a couple of her connections for her to figure out William’s whereabouts.It had just been her luck that she had a standing reservation here.The Alpha growled lowly under his breath as she turned to look at him. “What a surprise,” Lily remarked with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Then she turned to Anna, the redhead whom she glared venomously at. She blamed the formerly human woman for ruining her life, and her future with William. “Don’t tell me you two are on a little date.“What are you doing here, Lily?” The emerald eyed Alpha demanded.“What? You didn’t think you’re the only one that can step out on a nice night like this?” She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “You know, I was just wondering how you two could be here having a good time when you both have caused so much chaos. You, especially, Anna.” She spat out the redhead’s name with such venom that Anna coul
It was an hour later when Anna arrived at her parent’s place.She knocked meekly on the door, and was startled when the door was flung open.“Anna?” Her father was the one who answered it and she could have nearly cried at the relief in his eyes. He pulled her close into a hug and she closed her eyes briefly from the warmth.“Where have you been?” He asked her, curiosity in his voice. “And how are the twins?”“I had to travel for a bit. For work,” she clarified, the lie that she had come up with left her lips so easily. “The kids are okay as well.”She stepped into the house that she had lived in all her childhood.…Anna woke up from the bed of her childhood room early the next morning. Sleep hadn’t come easily but she eventually drifted off. After an hour of tossing and turning, she got up for a jog and had breakfast.“Good morning mum, dad,” she greeted her parents as she returned for breakfast.Her mother eyed her in silence, and Anna could sense questions on her mind. Having lied
“Of course,” William said in an imperious voice. “My brother saw fit to take his anger out on human girls and murdered ten of them in one night. There is even news to prove that, and he has confessed it to me.”Gasps left the lips of all who had no idea, and Camille’s face turned pale as she processed that.“T-this cant be true-““It is the truth,” William turned to say to his mother unabashedly. His eyes pierced hers with a look of certainty on his face. “And it will always be the truth. That is why,” he continued, turning to his brother. “From now henceforth, I cut all our ties to him.”There was a wave of confusion in the air and Alpha Drake seethed silently.“You are banishing him from your pack?” The Alpha of the Eclipse pack asked and William nodded in the affirmative.“Now that you have seen the truth of what caused the Hunters to come into the city, you have no right to hold these charges over my mate’s head. And you will release her at once. Council, your decision?”The Elder
The next morning, as sunlight streamed in through the windows and bathed the room with a warm glow, William stirred first.Anna slept soundly in his arms, both of them half-naked. The memories of the full moon the previous night made him smile. It had been better than he had expected. Luckily his Beta had fulfilled most of the duties William delegated to him, so the Aloha was free to enjoy the night with his family.“Hey,” Anna woke up with a small whisper leaving her lips. She felt his warmth all around her and she felt safe.It had been a long time coming, she thought, and she didn’t want to leave the bed anytime soon.“Sleep well?” He smirked down at her as she pressed her body against his.“Too well,” her voice was akin to a purr as she spoke. “Anyway, I think it’s nearly last breakfast. I’ll have to get ready to go into the city soon.”Ah yes, that.William’s mood soured and she noticed it quickly.“Will,” she sighed and leaned into him. “Please. You know this is necessary.”“I k
Anna was surprised to find Ethan approaching them.“Ethan?” Camille also sounded stunned to see her younger son there, and coming to Anna’s defense.“Mother, enough of this,” Ethan said in a calm tone, not showing any signs of anger.“B-but-“ Camille’s face reddened, out of anger or embarrassment or both… she didn’t know.“Focus on the festival. Stop with this,” he told her. “Focus on the festival.”“Focus on the festival? What about the Eclipse pack, and our relations with them? What about Alpha Drake?”“Everything is being taken care of,” Was all Ethan said before turning to glance at a stupefied Anna.She looked away, not wanting to show emotion to him of all people.She noticed the twins were staring at them from afar with curiosity in their faces.Camille was shocked at her younger son.“Ethan, I had never expected you of all people to defend her after all she has done,” she vehemently said.“And I am not,” Ethan sighed; his mother was hard to dissuade when she fixated on certain
“This is so cool!” Andrew jumped atop the picnic blanket in an excited manner that Anna couldn’t help but smile.There was a buzz of excitement in the air.As Anna played the snacks and fruits out for the twins to eat, there was the sound of a throat clearing that made her and William turn to see who it was.“Alpha,” it was a guard who bowed deeply. “There are some delegates from the Grey Hills Pack and the Moonlight Pack here. They wish to see you.”William refrained from giving into the urge to pinch his nose and only let oit a small sigh, and nodded.“Very well. I will be there in a bit. Have them wait for me in the study,” he ordered the guard and dismissed him with a wave. The guard bowed and left, before William turned to his mate, meeting her gaze.Before he could say anything, she spoke, “It’s alright, Will. I’ll handle things here for the time being.After William left - but not before giving her and the twins kisses each - she sat and enjoyed the snacks while they watched m
Ethan wasn’t surprised about his brother wanting to spend time with his family, and he kept his opinions on that to himself - being the one who never saw the point in all that, he wouldn’t even touch that topic with a fucking ten foot pole.However, he did have a point to make.“It’s easy to forget your duties if you focus too much on your family, brother,” he crossed his arms as William’s glare increased. “Alpha Drake will come for blood soon enough. I don’t think we’re ready for that in any way.”“Let me worry about that, Ethan. And focus on enjoying the rest of the day. The festival is just starting, you wouldn’t want to miss it. And afterward, Ethan, then we will have much to discuss.”William’s words made Ethan’s brows furrowed in confusion. Why did his brother have that tone, as if he had some plan he had kept under his sleeve? It couldn’t be could it? The Alpha had never shown any indication in the past day of strategizing.However he couldn’t outright question the Alpha now.“
Anna didn’t know what to say after William was done talking. She had not expected to hear that sort of thing coming from him. He used to be so stone cold towards her, at least on the surface… and now things had changed. For the better or for worse, she didn't know just yet, but she was pleased and warmed by it.“Will…” she began to say only for him to continue.“Anna, all you have to do is promise me that, and I won't have a problem with anything else. No matter what, don’t forget you're my mate and you are my top priority. You and our children, and our family. It matters more to me than anything.”The honesty wasn’t one thing he expected either to come from himself, especially with her. He had once prided himself on being unruffled by shows of love and affection that most other 5 men his age seemed to fall under the thrall of. William particularly recalled an occasion in which a VIP client spoke fondly of his wife and daughters and asked William if he had any himself to which the Alp
The sight of her two children writhing in pain on their beds made her heart beat faster and she rushed towards them, frantic.“Andrea? Andrew?” She pressed her hand atop their foreheads to check their temperatures and found, to her dismay, they were feverish.The sight of their pale, withdrawn faces even in their sleep was heart wrenching. Anna felt helpless. What could have been wrong with them? They were fine yesterday!As though some supreme power had read her mind, the door opened and William walked in, his lips moving.“Good morning-” his words were cut off as he took in the look on his mate’s face. She looked incredible, her hair down to the blue dress she wore, but it was the display of terror in her eyes that stopped him in his tracks.“What’s going on?” he asked, and she rushed to him, tugging him to their children’s beds.“They were like this when I found them. Will, what could have happened? Maybe they ate something or… or-”The emerald-eyed Alpha grabbed his mate’s hands a