Anna couldn’t help the tears rushing out, her body giving in to the weariness she felt. But through that episode of weakness, the one thing a part of her couldn’t fathom was why William was still there comforting her. She had expected everything but that. If he had pushed her away, or said disparaging comments, maybe she wouldn’t have had the courage to let her tears fall.Maybe she would have wiped her tears furiously and rushed into the house in embarrassment. Instead, she felt exposed to a part of him she had never seen before, and she didn’t, for the life of her, know exactly how to react to that.William was silent, feeling so much hurt at the sight of his mate sobbing uncontrollably in his arms. It seemed, he mused silently, that despite his desire to stay away from her, all his instincts to protect her as his mate had overridden his decisions and will. It was like this woman was breaking down his walls one after the other, practically bulldozing through them without any regard
“Anna, where are you?” Her mother demanded to know, sounding exasperated and concerned. “Is the interview not finished yet?”Anna slowly processed those words while she turned to the wall clock whose numbers flowed in the dark. Her eyes widened once she saw the time: 5.03pm.Damn it.How had she not noticed the time?!“I’m on my way.” She promised her mother. “Are the twins okay? Have they eaten?“ She asked while picking up her purse and leaving her home to call a taxi.“They had a snack an hour ago.” Her mother said, sighing heavily. “Just get here, okay?”The call ended and Anna proceeded to do just as her mother had asked for the first time in a long time.…“Mommy,” Andrew sounded excited to see Anna as she entered the house, brushing past her father.“Baby.” She pressed a kiss on Andrew’s head and then on Andrea, hugging them tightly. “Did you have a good day?”They both nodded with smiles on their faces.“Anna,” her father caught her attention, and she turned around. “Why don’t
It was nearly midnight, and Ethan was bored. He growled under his breath as he watched the night sky from the front porch. The new moon phase was always his favorite because he could easily appreciate the beauty of the stars. The stars were twinkling in the sky and he enjoyed looking at them.Oh, who the fuck was he kidding?He hated being stuck inside the damned mansion all day.Unfortunately, he had spent nearly the entire day entertaining his mother.It was exhausting being the favorite sometimes; he didn’t know why William sometimes acted so envious of him.A smirk came onto his face as he remembered all the times when they were much younger and William was such a good brother. He cared enough to always bring Ethan along with him wherever he would go, and when their father - the previous Alpha - would want to take just William with him on business, William would put his foot down and insist that Ethan be brought along too.Those were truly good times.However, that all changed the
William opened his eyes to the insistent vibration of his phone. He let out a soft groan, turning his head away from the source and closing his eyes back. In his attempt to get some rest, he was not successful, as the vibration continued to force him back into the realm of reality. He let out a growl, cursing under his breath.“Fucking little…” he muttered as he picked up the phone roughly.It took him seeing the time and date in his phone as well as the multiple missed calls from Lily to remember how badly he had screwed up.How in the world had he forgotten the meeting with Alpha Drake yesterday?!He thought back to how his day had gone, and recalled his need to drink away his frustrations after seeing Anna break down and blame him for her problems. He had tried his best to calm down that guilt that was eating away at him, for the small, very insignificant price of his sobriety.Unfortunately now it was all catching up to him, and he didnt like that at all.Nevertheless, the day mus
William didn’t know what to say, but he was adept at denying until proven guilty.“Mother, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stated.“Don’t be smart with me.” She snapped. “You can’t try to fool me even if you tried! Who is Anna? I heard you mention that name.”“She’s nothing but an employee of this company.” He sounded measured even though what he wanted to do was demand his mother to stop asking so many questions. “Perhaps you should stop trying to eavesdrop on my conversations with my subordinates.”Her eyes flashed, although her son did have a point.“Hmmph! Perhaps you should be more responsible and pick up your phone when I call you.” She sounded miffed now. “Alpha or not, William, I am still your mother!”“That’s obvious.” He muttered to himself. “Regardless, I was busy last night.”“Busy?! Then you should have picked up the damn phone, William! Ethan’s wife-to-be came into the pack looking for you yesterday!”His head shot up as soon as he heard that, all thoughts
Lily regarded her uncle as his brows were furrowed, clearly confused about her words.“If you’re asking about whether he is a threat to our plans,” he eventually said. “I don’t think that he will be.”Finishing off the fruit and grabbing a napkin to clean off her hands, Lily simply asked her uncle the next question. “Does that mean you don’t know about him?”Alpha Drake could tell there was tension in her words now. As much as her words bruised his pride a little, he also didn’t like the implication that she thought he was brushing aside her feelings, knowing how temperamental she truly was.He had to assure her.“Lily, tell me,” he asked her. “Why are you thinking of Ethan being a threat to us? Have you seen anything?”Lily pursed her lips, stubbornly glancing away with her striking eyes.“It’s just a hunch, uncle.” She responded.She very well knew that she couldn’t tell her Uncle Drake about how Ethan had seemed to look through her mask, and truly seen her. And she had noticed he h
Ethan smirked at his brother. He didn’t believe a thing his brother was saying.“You mean to tell me,” he drawled. “That the little pretty redhead means nothing to you. She’s nothing?”“Exactly,” William growled, wondering how he could beat some sense into his brother. Calling Anna a little redhead? That just set him on edge and pissed him off even more. He had to fight to control himself lest he do something harsh. “That woman means nothing to me. And don’t you worry. I am going to take responsibility for my children.” He added. “There’s no need for you to blab about this, or I will make you suffer for it.”Ethan took the warning in stride. He knew how his brother could be after all.With a smirk, he boldly asked, “Does that mean then that I can have her?“Ethan! You overstep!” William stepped forward, and Ethan shut his mouth with a click. For someone who didn’t care about her, he was really pissed off when mentioning that.William glared down at his brother, knowing he couldn’t ris
Ethan was silently watching Anna and the children as she settled them into their seats from across the table. Already the twins were eating their meals paid for by him.He was pleasantly surprised that she would agree to go out for dinner even though he had sensed some hesitation over the phone. But it didn’t matter. He was going to have to convince her that he meant no harm and use this as a way to get something over William for once. Nothing else mattered but that.“Thanks,” Anna said to him and brought his mind back to reality. He smiled at her in a charming way. “For the meal. They really like it.” She remarked, trying not to look as awkward as she felt.“It’s my pleasure, Anna.” Ethan put on his patented look of innocent concern and leaned forward. “Actually I wanted to ask you a few questions. Don’t take it the wrong way.”So there was something he wanted, Anna thought, beginning to feel wary.She had made this decision to go out for dinner with him because she didn’t think it m
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