JAX:I drove to the palace myself, heading down to my mother's chambers.My mother’s throne room exuded refined splendor, simple yet commanding. Stone walls were draped in deep blue and silver tapestries bearing the pack’s crest. A black silk rug led to the elevated mahogany throne, carved with wolves and traced with silver accents. She had created the space for herself since my father passed away. The main throne room belonged to me now.An arched window behind it let in sunlight, blending with the warm glow of gold candle holders. Greenery softened the corners with trailing vines.She sat on the throne, her black dress flowing like liquid shadow, catching the light with each subtle movement, along with two female maid servants by her side who left the room as soon as I entered. Her presence was powerful, every breath filled with poised authority, very much like my mother's personality."Mother," I greeted her."Son," she looked at me with disdain, her honey brown eyes holding rage.
SCARLETT :No matter how much I tried to deny it, the truth was that I wanted to spend everyday like that laying in Alpha Jax's arms.I felt it in my heart, my wolf did too. He had finally warmed up to me. Was he in love? That I couldn't answer. My time was running up, and he hadn't told me he loved me yet.I teased him whenever I had the chance to by talking about other men like Sophie advised me to, he reacted similarly to what she said he'd act like.Time went by too fast with him making me upset, making me wish time would freeze or slow down. Nothing compared to the way he touched me recently, I had never orgasmed just as I did with him in all the years I began to touch myself. He roamed his hands, and mouth around my body like a thirsty man lost in spring who finally found a clean lake.I was losing my mind over him that it made me wonder who was the one falling in love. The way he caressed my body made me feel beautiful in ways I was unable to comprehend.And oh, the painting he
SCARLETT :I did what any normal person would do in that situation. Got up from the bed, freaked out, panicked and yelled. "And you didn't think to inform me before thinking about sleeping with me again?!""I was going to tell you." He explained, getting up from the bed as well, leaving us at opposite ends. "What? You wanted me to wake you by saying. Hey, wake up Scarlett, my mother proposed I sign another alliance with another pack to gather as many resources as possible to protect the pack. That means I'll have to leave for two weeks and by the time I'm back, your deadline’s up. Is that what you want?""Of course, not." I fumed pacing back and forth on my side like a lecturer. "But it would be nice to know you'd be away for that long before touching me like that. Is that something you enjoy? Having me till you're satisfied then discarding me?!""I wasn't discarding you.""Oh, sure you weren't." I spoke sarcastically."Calm down.""Don't tell a woman to calm down! I'm calm, okay?" I
SCARLETT :His chauffeur drove me home as Alpha Jax refused to let me go on my own. I hid my crying face behind his seat."We've arrived, Miss," he informed me."Thank you, Henry," I mustered a smile, wiping my tears before getting out of the car.When he was out of sight, I practiced what my smile would look like. I had to appear fine before my parents.The door opened even before I rang the doorbell."Scarlett?" My mother called my name."Mama," I smiled."It is you," her voice softened. Judging by the grocery bag in her hand, she probably wanted to go get some stuff. "My baby," she raised her hands to cup my face. "I was going to give you a good beating till I heard you were working overtime. Look at you. You look drained."Well, I was until two hours ago.Thank goodness he sent word to my family; my parents weren't one to toy with my whereabouts."Who's that?" I heard Sophie's voice from inside. She peeked through the door expressing her shock. "Scar? I thought you were going to s
SCARLETT :My leave was still on, everyone had left the house for work while I remained alone with my thoughts.It sucked to have nothing to do. I was watching new recipes I could try online when I heard the doorbell ring.We weren't expecting any visitors, and that set me on edge. I checked who it was through the tiny hole in the door. I saw a tall, huge bald man wearing a shirt with the pack's seal at the door.Seeing the pack's seal made me feel a little safer. I opened the door slowly to see if he'd attack, but he didn't."Good day, Miss," he greeted me with a brute expression, which I didn't mind. He looked like a man who never smiled."Good day," I replied."I was told to get you to come to the Royal pack house," he informed me."Me?" I questioned."Yes, Alpha Jax requests your presence immediately," he informed me.'Something doesn't feel right,' my wolf warned me."What would he possibly want to see me for?" I pretended. "The Alpha and I have no connection."He pulled out an e
SCARLETT :"Wait outside the door," he commanded his cohorts, who complied, leaving just the two of us in the room."S-stop," I mustered all my energy to speak."This isn't fun," he sighed. "I want you to scream for help."Standing behind me, he wrapped my ponytail around his fist before yanking it down with an insane level of force, causing my head to throb even harder.My mouth opened widely to scream, but it came out hoarse and low as the tears poured even harder. It also didn't help that my body remained confined to the wooden chair I was trapped in."Still can't scream?" He sounded disappointed. "This won't do." He tsked. "I need to hear you beg for mercy."My body stayed limp, but I was able to speak a little. "W-why are you d-doing this?""What an insolent question," he said, increasing the brightness of the light to reveal his bruised face. "See this?" He pointed to his swollen eye. "You turned my brother against me.""You turned him against yourself. This isn't about me," I r
JAX:If it were ever possible, I wanted to change the present. I wanted to make Scarlett happier. The argument we had was another clue that we weren't meant to last.I left for the Blood Oath Pack the next day, but before my departure, I made sure to show my brother what happens when he messes with what's mine."The banquet will last for seven days, Alpha Jax. We must plan a different outfit for each day. There's a popular designer at the Blood Oath Pack who can personally design yours to stand out. Shall I book an appointment?" Hensley went through my schedule. He was lucky that he had nothing to do with my mother finding out about Scarlett. I appreciated his presence in my life, but I wouldn't hesitate to punish him if he did."Do that," I replied, looking out the window. Scarlett would be sleeping peacefully in a breezy car ride like this one.A sharp pain in my head interrupted my thoughts. It was so intense that I clenched my teeth."Alpha Jax!" Hensley called out to the chauffe
JAX:"What's going on?! You're supposed to be in the blood oath pack," my mother raised her voice at the commotion."I'm not in the mood to argue with you, mother. Where is your other son?" I questioned.The form I took whenever there was foreboding or imminent danger was enough to make anyone fear me.It was the power that came with being an Alpha."Change back," my mother told me. "I've warned you several times not to speak to me in this manner.""I will speak to you however the fuck I want to. You are not above me in every way," I seethed, making her flinch."Alpha Jax!" one of my men called out to me."I've found the man."Zharn dragged the man behind him. He had already beaten him to a pulp. When my best friend wants to get involved, he'll walk through hell to make everyone who deserves it suffer.My guess was that he was doing it for Sophie; else, he wouldn't have hit the man so badly.I recognized him when he was brought to me."You hit him too hard," I told Zharn. "I needed hi
SCARLETT :"Breathe, Scar, I'm begging you," Sophie said tearfully, covering me with more clothing than I had on earlier.I wanted to reach for the anxiety pills Lucinda recommended to me, but I couldn't let Sophie know how much I was affected. It would kill her, I just knew it. My sister's sanity was important. If she knew everything, she'd go berserk, perhaps even more than my father would.On second thought, my father would try to bring down the whole world. Nonetheless, it was something I had to hide for good measure.I focused on what my therapist taught me."It's not real. It's not real.""Water," I called out, my throat dry and scratchy from all the tension."What's going on?" Cage barged into the locker/dressing room."She needs water," my twin replied frantically. Cage bolted in and out, returning with a bottle of room temperature water that I gulped down instantly.When I calmed down, questions set in like some paparazzi invasion."Did he hurt you?""What did he say?""I'm s
HARRISON CAGE :I was on my way to make a report to the Alpha, my old friend, when I collided with a woman who caught my attention by simply being there. Those who had known me since before I was born, or at least since my birth, would say that I fell for her because she reminded me of a certain person. Scarlett De Luca.After our brief encounter, I longed to see her again, to hear her voice at least. I had never cared much for another being until her. Words cannot describe the way she made me feel.Subtly, yet desperately, I would pass by the Alpha's chambers just to see if she would come out or something. I wanted to step in to catch a glimpse of her, but the Alpha's glare deterred me at first.I was content with seeing her leave work. I was content with Sophie rambling loudly about how cool Scarlett was to the Beta. I was fine until Logan captured her. That was when all my morale disappeared. I, a man who was said to never glance at another woman, not even once, was filled with rag
SCARLETT :The kiss awakened feelings I thought were dead within me, emotions I believed I would never experience again after what Logan did to me. The touch of his lips elicited soft gasps from me, which he took advantage of by slipping his tongue into my mouth, intertwining us completely. There was tenderness and urgency in his movements.I clutched his shirt at the sides to steady myself. We broke the kiss to catch our breath, our foreheads touching as I stood on my toes to add a bit to my height."See? You want me too," his voice was gruff, deep, and filled with lust. He whispered in my ear, "And I bet even if you try to deny it, the scent of your arousal won't lie."If we were in a different situation, I might have reacted differently, but his words made my chest tighten. The heat between us dissipated, memories resurfaced like an abyss I couldn't escape. My heart raced, but this time it wasn't with pleasure or desire; it was with terror."Look at how wet you are for me. Do you d
SCARLETT :The noise outside the door grew rowdier. I stepped out of the water, grabbed a towel, and my phone to text Sophie.Scar: Hey!I texted her, waiting so long that my lower teeth dug into my lower lip, thinking it might bleed. I would have called, but I was too scared to speak in case the boys realized there was a girl in the bathroom.Soph: ... Sup.Scar: I'm trapped in the steam bathroom for trainees.Soph: I'll get help.Scar: No, wait. Just come, there's a bunch of dudes outside, and I need you to distract them so I can get my clothes and leave.Soph: On it.I waited on the bench opposite the steam bath, hoping my twin would arrive in time. Suddenly, the murmurs increased, quieted down, and I heard footsteps fading away.I could finally breathe. The doorknob moved, and I proceeded to open the door."Soph—" I looked up and found whiskey eyes looking down on me, literally because the Alpha towered over me in size and height. "What are you doing here?" I seethed."Saving you
SCARLETT :"Fine," he groaned."Thank you," I breathed out. "See, it wasn't that hard.""Let's start over tomorrow," he suggested.I refuted, "I want back in today. I'll get some rest, handle my work, ask Sophie to get me a protein bar or something, and I'll take it from the beginning again.""I'm just starting to realize how stubborn you are," a small grin appeared at the corner of his lips, more like a smirk."I do hope you do not think that I stand here before you today by being meek and agreeing with everybody," I told him."Certainly not! I like my people fiery like fireballs," he smiled fully, making me return the same energy."Then get ready because I come in blazing flames.""I'm always ready," he groaned and stretched. "Alright, enough chit and chatter. Go back to getting some rest, I'll give the boys a day off, that way, I can focus on you.""Alright, captain," I mockingly saluted. "I'll get to texting Sophie for a protein bar and an energy drink.""Make that a protein bar,"
SCARLETT :My head was blank for a while, and I felt like I was back in the hellhole I was in weeks ago. My head stung bitterly from the migraine threatening to cut my thought process to smithereens.I opened my eyes to the familiar ambiance of the Alpha's office.No, Cage wouldn't have brought me here after telling me to stay away from the Alpha. Although my entire body ached with the need for rest, I got to my feet and made my way out of his chambers. It was still early, but the guards were outside his door with their usual grunting expressions. I'd give anything to see them smile or get mad. They were like programmed machineries.It was only a matter of time before Reyes and the rest of the staff resumed, and the Alpha, who rarely came to work that early, was obviously at the pack house.My heart thumped at the prospect of seeing him again after what happened between us the previous day. I didn't want to react to that man in any way. I just needed my freaking heart to understand me
SCARLETT :I braced myself for the next warm-up.Jogging through tires couldn't be as hard as push-ups.I stumbled at first, my foot catching on the rubber, nearly sending me sprawling.Cage's barked laugh echoed behind me. "Coordination isn’t your strong suit, is it?""Shut up!" I shouted, fuming. "I barely caught a break, that's why." I retorted before hopping through the tires with renewed determination.Next came stability drills. He balanced a heavy sandbag on my shoulders while I stood on one leg atop a wobbly wooden platform."This is ridiculous," I groaned, the bag threatening to topple me."This is survival," he corrected, circling me like a predator. "If you can hold steady under pressure here, you won’t falter in the field.""What field?" I almost yelled. "I'm doing this for self-protection!""Just saying. Who knows, you might sign up for war if it comes down to it.""Never." I nearly fell but caught myself, shooting him a triumphant glare before he could mock me. "Still st
SCARLETT :Today marked my official turning point, the day where I leave all my physical weaknesses behind to embrace strength. I was out in the cold morning; summer was fading, and winter was here.It had been more than three months since the Alpha and the bond walked into my life.I was clad in a warm hoodie, flexible thick leggings, and combat boots Cage gifted me. Relying on finding training clothing in a dressing room mostly designed for men because, of course, ninety-five percent of the pack's army was made up of men.Cage walked me to the training ground, and I was amused.It stretched out under the mid-morning growing sun with racks of training weapons lined up in their tracks: swords, knives, arrows, and guns. Oh my goodness. The only weapon I had ever held in my life was a knife for cooking, and those knives could even be called daggers; they looked so pointy and sharp that I bet they'd kill in an instant.Goosebumps covered my skin at the thought; I hoped to never have a re
SCARLETT :"Wait, Scarlett," Cage followed behind me. "You just looked so cute with your dimples I wanted to capture the moment," he explained, walking behind me, ignoring the fact that the pack house was busy and staff could see what was going on."I don't look cute," I spun around, lowering my voice. "Don't speak too loudly; I don't want people getting any funny ideas.""Okay," he spoke in a whisper. "But I'm not deleting the picture.""Cage," I whined. "I mean, Sir Cage.""It's Sir Cage now?""There are people around.""Sophie would agree with me," he defended himself."Too bad she's not here," I retorted."Yo! Bestie and twin."Speak of the devil. My sister ran to meet us, leaving the Beta's side, who stood waiting like a bodyguard. I forgot how close Cage's office was to the Beta's. The buildings weren't so distant like the Alpha's place. Sophie and I rarely saw each other at work. I was glad I'd be able to see her more often.I re-registered her words. When did she and Cage beco