It should have made sense to Anna from the beginning, but it also didn’t.Seeing Damon Erikson’s face, as he prowled toward her on soundless, stealthy footsteps, was nothing short of intimidating. He wasn’t wearing his glasses now, and he was dressed in a hoodie and jeans, looking too entirely casual for this encounter, and totally different from the designer three pieces suit he tended to wear in the office.His golden eyes shone brightly even in the dark.The dark haired man stopped right in front of Anna, and then crouched down, meeting her wavering gaze.It was hard to look away; Damon’s expression was unreadable.Then, as though it were a fever dream, she heard a soft drawling voice. “You know, I’ve always liked redheads. Quite rare, especially with eyes like yours.”His fingernails, which Anna thought were always rather sharp even when she observed them in the office, trailed over her chin and lightly scratched at her cheek as he tucked strands of her hair out of her face.Her b
Desperation grew in Anna as the sharp point of the needle came closer and even closer to her.She began to sob. “Please don’t do this. Please.”She leaned away from Damon but the Hunter didn’t seem one bit sympathetic to her cause. He grabbed her hair and with a sharp tug, stopped her from being able to move.The needle went in, and Anna felt pins and needles on her neck where the unknown substance was injected.“You will either live or die, Anna,” Damon said to her, sounding very indifferent to her suffering. “Pray that you live.”As soon as he finished with the syringe, he removed it from her neck and released her. Tears rolled down her cheeks and Damon trailed the pads of his fingers gently over her cheeks where trails of tears were.Then he pressed his fingers into her skin and she let out a yelp, as his grip was hard and unforgiving.“That’s enough out of you now. No more tears, Anna. Or you will get a reason to cry.” He sounded like he was speaking about the weather. “Let me gu
The two men immediately fell silent. William and Ethan waited, listening for any more sounds. They had no doubts that the Hunters were outside, probably knowing that someone was back in the apartment.It only took a split second, and the door opened, and suddenly a dagger flew in from the dark outdoors. It was aimed directly at Ethan, who dodged neatly.In the next moment, three Hunters rushed in, and began to attack.William growled threateningly at them as they advanced.Finally, he thought, and his claws extended, and canines elongated as they charged at him and his brother.The Hunters were certainly well trained, and William and Ethan spent more time dodging their blows one after the other. The daggers the Hunters held glinted under the light.Ethan took on one of the Hunters while William faced the other two, parrying their blows and aiming some of his own at them.Adrenaline rushed through their veins. A predatory smile was on Ethan’s face as he disarmed the Hunter he faced. Th
The only reaction from Anna made in her unconscious state was a small grunt and her breaths becoming a little louder.Aiden hummed to himself as he capped the syringe and put it in his pocket. He would dispose of it once he left the room.The blonde Hunter was surprised to see that she was still alive. The substance (named Virax after the two Hunters that created it) that had been injected into the redhead rarely led to a favorable ending for most Hunters even with the first dose.Gillian had nearly died, if not for the quick response team that flushed the first dose of Virax out of her body. Aiden had barely been able to take a second dose, and had to wait a long time before he got it. He hadn’t gotten the third dose yet. And likely, he never would.Out of the entire Hunter population, only he, Damon and two others, had been the successful results with Virax. And now, Anna.He murmured to himself. “For a human with no combat skills, you are pretty resilient, aren’t you?”Did it have
An object clattered to the ground and instantly, smoke filled the area as the smoke bomb erupted. Sounds of footsteps filled the air as William and Ethan ducked immediately.The gas was thick enough to obscure werewolf senses (particularly vision), and William knew this had to be another of their specially formulated weapons.He quickly covered his nose, lest the gas be poisonous, but after a few seconds, he became more alarmed as he heard his brother’s pained growl.“Ethan?” William called for his younger brother. He could smell blood. What might have happened?However, before he could do anything more, he heard the tell-tale sounds of clothes ripping and muscles growing and reshaping.The smoke was slowly dissipating after only a couple of minutes and William’s claws elongated as soon as he saw the various weapons aimed at he and his brother - who had shifted into his wolf form. A bloodied arrow lay on the ground, a sign of the attempt to attack Ethan.The Alpha idly noticed that th
Within an hour since Aiden’s death, the city was on lockdown. No werewolf would be able to leave without Damon knowing, and his men went out into the city towards known rogue haunts and began to take each of them down.All of Damon’s men were active, no longer on standby. With Aiden gone, he would have to apply stronger measures.“Cousin, if you need us to come in, all you have to do is say so.”That was Victor Erikson (actually Victor the second, son of the scientist that had formulated Virax over two decades ago) on the phone with Damon.The golden eyes Hunter breathed out slowly, leaning his head in his fingers as he sat in his penthouse apartment. Aiden’s Hunter ring sat on the table in front of him, overlooking the skyline that glittered with bright lights from skyscrapers.If anyone looked upon the scene, they would have assumed Damon was in mourning, that he had just lost his friend and sister in one day. But that wasn’t why he was on edge.He was on edge because the two pawns h
William was glad he managed to return before his mother could figure out what was going on.“Mother.” He called her name.“William, what’s going on? Why is this girl here? In such a state of mess?” she asked, sounding panicked.Ethan could tell his mother was not going to rest easy without getting a proper answer and so he smoothly took Anna from William, acting the part of Anna’s boyfriend.William and Ethan’s gazes met as he did so and Ethan silently gestured up the stairs, and William understood.He may have not trusted his brother but now he had to rely on him to play this part and fill their mother.As Ethan went upstairs to take Anna to a bedroom, the Alpha wished he could have been the one holding his mate right then.Clearing his throat, William began the task of explaining a half-truth.“Ethan called me for help this evening mother,” he started with. “Anna had been caught by Hunters.”“Oh my!” She gasped and covered her mouth. “Is she okay?”William replied, “She’s unconscious
143.There were loud sirens in her head, different types, screaming at her one after the other like a ceaseless cacophony of sounds.She could hardly shut her ears to it, because there was no way to do so. She couldn’t feel her hands, her body.She was drowning, sinking deep into terrible nightmares that she couldn’t fight her way out of. A scream threatened to rip its way out of her throat.Anna jerked up, her eyes wide with terror as she panted. The first thing that caught her attention was how much her eyes hurt.Everywhere was so damn bright. What was going on?“Miss,” she heard an unfamiliar voice and her eyes snapped to the door, only to find that a girl was staring at her.What was going on? Where was she?Her mind whirled; the only thing she remembered before she was being trapped by the Hunters.Immediately, she stood up and her feet felt like jelly as she stumbled toward the girl.Grabbing the girl’s shoulders, she could barely fight the nausea that bloomed in her gut and wou
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