Ethan was astonished to happen upon William that very afternoon. He had not expected his brother to be at home by that time, lounging near the balcony by the large French doors that overlooked the eastern part of the forest.“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” He asked his brother, who didn’t look at him, and he would have thought that William was asleep if not for the fact that his eyes were open. “I had no idea you knew the concept of rest, brother.”“I wasn’t aware my movements bothered you so much, Ethan.”William was, in fact, trying to get a much needed break. After the events of the previous day - where he was suddenly undated with the knowledge of his twin children - going to work to see that woman at her desk was not something he wanted to do today. So he had stayed back at the pack to see to some tasks. Now free for the rest of the day and no desire to go out and party, what harm was there in resting for a while?“It only makes me curious, dear brother,” Ethan huffed. “What
William was more than rightfully pissed off. He was just about ready to kill his brother then and there, despite his misgivings about Anna.She was still his mate, for fuck’s sake!That had to be it, because there were no other explanations for why he would be feeling this fury roiling inside of him like this.And on top of it, he had failed to stop reacting like this to all things concerning her.Why? Why did this woman who had done her best to trick him with her beauty, still cause this reaction in him?To his brother pinned powerlessly underneath his grip, William snarled. “Don’t worry, Ethan. I heard you loud and clear.” He leaned in, and Ethan’s green eyes widened. “But I have no intention of letting you ruin the one good secretary that I have.”With that, he released his brother and tossed him to the side. Ethan coughed raggedly, rubbing his hand on his throat.“Get out. My patience with you is far gone now,” Ethan smirked as William said that.“You’re very touchy for a man who
After a long morning run through the forest in his wolf form, William had gotten ready in record time and got to the office just a few minutes past 8am, ready for the work day. He had numerous meetings today, with clients and with his executives. Today was going to be full of activity. But it would be worth it, because after that, he would have time to attend the meeting with Alpha Drake Finnigan, scheduled for the next evening.He frowned as he passed by Anna’s desk. She wasn’t here.He paused, before turning to a man he recognized as one of the executives’ assistants. The man was busy making copies of what looked to be documents for the next meeting.“You,” William called the man who looked startled and greeted the CEO. “Has Miss Clandestine come in to work yet?”The man shook his head, his eyes drifting to Anna’s work table.“I haven’t seen her today, Sir.”William wasn’t pleased to hear that.In fact, it was close to stirring up his anger.She was more than a little late, he thoug
William had thought his troubles for the day were over and he could go home, when he heard another knock only a few minutes after he had sat down.Damn it, he thought furiously.Did everyone here wish to make his life difficult?!With a growl, he got up and opened the door with such force that the girl standing on the other side had to blink several times.“What is it?“ He asked as he regarded the executive’s assistant which he was temporarily making use of for the day.“Sir… it’s the police.” The girl - what was her name again, Anita or something? - replied shakily.William cocked a brow at her before looking over her shoulder to see the man in uniform standing right behind her.The girl stepped aside as William left his office and shut the door behind him, approaching the police officer with confusion.“Good day,” William greeted. “What seems to be the problem here?”The equally confused looking policeman looked mildly intimidated by William, who was already a head taller than most
“Anna–“ The regretful voice of her father made her even angrier, and she stonily regarded them without saying a thing. She didn’t want to say anything to them. Not when she had done so numerous times before.“–Can I leave now?” She asked Officer Richard instead of saying a word to her parents. “Is there anything else that needs signing?”“Give me a moment.” The officer nodded calmly before walking off.Then, she was left alone again with the parents she wished she could avoid right then.“Anna… we’re very sorry. You have no idea, I–“ Her father tried and failed to find the right words to console her.“–There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Anna spoke bitingly, glaring at the two of them. “After all, Sophie is your precious daughter, right? And she couldn’t have done anything to hurt me… right?”The looks on her parents faces gave her little satisfaction.“We were wrong, sweetheart.” Her mother simpered, wringing her hands. “If we had known, we wouldn’t have made such a mistake… you have t
Anna left the police station feeling nothing but hollow. As she entered the cab, pulling her sleepy children into it, she couldn’t help but think that she was cursed.After all, it seemed only bad things tended to happen to her one after the other.She felt like crying, but she couldn’t just get.Within minutes, they reached home, and she tried not to look pitiful as the cab driver glanced behind her at the house he had dropped her and her twins at. She had barely taken a look at it that morning, but she knew very well how it looked. The very image of her beautiful house she purchased with money she saved up for years, having the windows and doors damaged, was simply soul-crushing.Nevertheless, she tried to console herself.She had contacted the insurance company and they would be sending someone to look at it by tomorrow morning. And the police statement would help her claim get approved quicker, so perhaps she wasn’t so cursed after all.After making sure Andrew and Andrea had thei
Anna was in a bind and she couldn’t figure out what to do.The interview was in…She took a quick look at the wall clock in the otherwise destroyed living room. It was a few minutes past 9am.She had less than 3 hours!And she had no one to take care of her children!Without thinking much, she immediately went on social media browsing for daycares around her area. With every post she clicked on, her mood became worse and worse as time went on. High rates, needing to book appointments… too much work!Face palming, she began to brainstorm again. Perhaps a nanny would work.Off she went on her search once more, only to be sorely disappointed once she reached out to the few she had seen and gotten a refusal due to being booked solid.“Fudgesticks.” She muttered, thinking of how inconvenient the daycare system was during emergencies such as these.She let out a soft groan, sitting on the couch which she had dusted a lot of debris off during her deep cleaning this morning. She tried to coun
The office of the temp agency was small, dreary looking with its grey walls and white flickering lights on the ceiling. In the air, there seemed to be a slight musk that Anna couldn’t identify the source of for the life of her.She absolutely hated it but was resigned to sit at a corner and wait as the receptionist had told her to.‘I need this job,’ she told herself, her feet tapping ceaselessly on the worn red carpet.And if on autopilot, she picked up her phone and dialed her father’s number.It rang twice before the call was picked up.“Dad?” Anna called, sounding agitated. “How are the twins? Are they alright? Did they eat?” She asked him.“Relax, Anna.” Her father sighed. In the background, Anna could hear the faint sound of a cartoon on the other end of the call. “You can trust us,” he assured his daughter. “They are safe.”She refrained from letting slip that her father had actually given her reason not to trust them. The police officer, Richard, had informed her that Sophie w
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