~Celine~Walking into the kitchen, I met Martina preparing breakfast, and when she saw me, her countenance dropped. “Celine, I’ve always told you not to come in here when I’m cooking. It’s dangerous.” She muttered, removing the pot mitt from her hands. “C’mon, Martina. I’m pregnant, not sick.” I answered with a smile as she squatted in front of me, staring at my protruding baby bump. “Good morning, Angel. How are you today?” She spoke to my belly, and I chuckled. I wasn’t surprised because she kept doing it every morning since she saw my bump. Ever since Alpha Jovan and the pack returned to New Orleans and Martina asked that she and one other Beta stay back to protect us, we have grown even closer. I must confess, she is the best female friend I have ever met. “I can’t wait to start feeling his little kicks.” She uttered, raising her head to look at me. “His?” I asked with furrowed brows. “You don’t even know if it’s a girl,” I added. “Oh, please. I want it to be a boy, so I
~Alpha Darius~“Let me go!” He yelled, struggling very hard to get free from the chains used to tie him to the pole. “Struggling with alloy anchor shackles is the stupidest thing you could ever do,” I muttered, moving my tobacco to the lighter on my right. “I told you… I… I had no idea it was your property. I swear!” He yelled in tears from beneath the black cloth bag on his head. “You had no idea? Or you just wanted to test my patience?” I asked with a smirk, taking slow steps towards him. I took a puff from my tobacco and smiled widely. I looked back at the men behind me and immediately, they rushed to the culprit and pulled the bag off his head. He shook his head aggressively and when our eyes met, I saw his eyes widen in terror. “What? You were not expecting to see me?” I cackled, burying my hands in my pockets as I walked even closer to him. “Please, Alpha Darius. I swear on my late mother’s grave, I had no idea the land was yours. I was just looking for means to feed my fa
~After Seven Months~ ~Celine~ “…one more time! One more push and the baby is out.” The midwife charged me, even though I could barely pay attention to what she was saying. My heart was pumping against my chest, threatening to burst out. The pain between my legs was unbearable and at some point, it felt like I was going to die. “I… I can’t do this.” I cried, shaking my head as I felt extreme heat. All my body was covered in sweat, and there was Ethan, holding my hand firmly as he tried to give me support. “You can do it, Celine. You can do it.” He uttered, planting kisses on my hand. I nodded and closed my eyes, gathering all the power I had left in me. “Hmm…” I pushed and instantly, I began to have flashbacks from months ago, when I was still in Alpha Kilhan’s house and when we were still a couple. “Kilhan!” I yelled, and as I heard the cry of my newborn fill my ears, I broke into tears. “Let me have him, please.” I stretched out my hands, not minding that the baby wasn’t cle
~Alpha Kilhan~ “It’s been seven months, Alpha Kilhan. Are we sure Ashley Grayson is still on our side?” Drex asked as we all gathered for another pack meeting. “If we have to go against Alpha Darius, then we have to take things slow. I still keep in contact with her from time to time, and the last time we spoke, this was what she gave me.” I answered, throwing the file in my hand on my desk. “She gave me full details of the formation of his guards and men. At the main gate, there are about thirty of them. And they are like this at the remaining three corners of the building. Fully armed, dressed in armor.” I further explained. “What? You’re joking, right?” Betty asked in shock, as she hastily picked one copy of the paper on the table. I saw her jaw drop as she read through the paper. “How the hell are we going to go against that?” Drex asked in shock, and the others nodded in agreement with it. “Well, we’ll have to find a way. That’s why I called this meeting. At least, now we k
~Celine~ Opening my eyes, I found myself tightly cuddled in Ethan’s arms. I heaved a sigh and stared into space for a few minutes, remembering what had happened the previous night. From the intense kiss I shared with Ethan, down to the flowers that a secret admirer left at the doorstep. A part of me keeps telling me it was from Kilhan, but then, there are so many unanswered questions. ‘How did he find out about where I am? How long has he known? Why didn’t he ever show up until now?’ Whatever was meant to happen between Ethan and me couldn’t happen because after getting that flower, we were both thrown into deep thought. Slowly moving his arms away from my body, I crept out of the bed so I wouldn’t wake him up. Next to our bed was my baby’s cradle. I tiptoed to his cradle and looked at his cute, sleeping face. I grinned widely as I caressed his cheeks with my thumb. “When am I going to come up with a name for you?” I muttered, heaving another deep sigh. “You’d have to come up
~Alpha Kilhan~ “According to Ashley, before Alpha Darius caught her on the phone, she said the men at the gate take shifts in guarding the building, and this takes ten minutes,” I said to Drex and Charles nodded, paying rapt attention. “This is 11:50 a.m. We have less than ten minutes to get into the compound.” Charles answered, and I nodded. I looked back at my members who laid low behind us, in the spot we hid. “Tell them to buckle up,” I whispered to Drex, and he crawled back to give them instructions. I looked at Charles and saw that his eyes were fixed on the building. “I swear I’m going to kill that man myself if he murdered my mother.” He mumbled with his jaws clenched. “It’s so easy to say, but when you get in front of him, I hope you'll be able to lift a finger,” I answered, taking a glance at my wristwatch. I raised my hand and pointed towards the gate. We all rushed to the gate, holding steadfastly to the weapons we had prepared. Summoning courage, I proceeded to o
~Celine ~ After these words fell out of my mouth, I looked to the side and saw Ethan standing in front of the door, with a betrayed look on his face. “What have you done, Celine?!” Kiara yelled in my head. “What are you even talking about?” My father asked, with his hand still hung in the air, ready to throw the punch anyway. “Just let him go, okay? We will talk about it in the house.” I answered, trying so hard to not look at Alpha Kilhan’s face. “You can’t just expect me to let go of someone that did this to my face!” He smacked, pushing Alpha Kilhan off. Immediately he was off his hand, I let out a relieved sigh. “Lock him up.” I heard my father say as he turned around. “And you, come with me. I want to hear what the hell you have to say.” I gulped hard as I watched him enter the house. I turned to look at Kilhan and saw my father’s men got a hold of him already and dragged him away, alongside his pack members. Letting out a deep breath, I walked to the door, where Ethan wa
~Alpha Kilhan~ Pulling my shirt off my body, I fell weakly to the ground of the cell I was locked in. My chest was bleeding and in severe pain. I tore a long part of my shirt and molded it into a thick fabric, which I pressed against my chest. I groaned loudly, grabbing onto the floor in agony.While I was nursing my wound, I heard footsteps approaching, and when I looked up to see who it was, it happened to be her. The last person I wanted to see. I looked away and continued to press the cloth against my bleeding chest. “Alpha Kilhan.” She called, but I refused to look at her anymore. The next thing I heard was the gate opening. I furrowed my brows and looked up to see that she had the key to the locks. “What the hell are you doing?” I asked as I tried to stand up, but she hurried into the cell and squatted in front of me. Just then, I noticed the box in her hand. “You shouldn’t move.” She uttered, staring at my chest. “Go away. Does your father know you’re here? I guess not.
~Celine~ After Two Years “Kendrick!” I called out as he ran out of the room. I sprang to my feet and ran out of the room to grab him, only for me to see that Kilhan had grabbed him already. “Haa.” I sighed. “He’s so fast for a two-year-old,” I muttered, shaking my head tiredly. “Well, he is my son, of course, he’s going to be faster and stronger than any other child. I can’t wait for him to start running faster than this.” Kilhan responded while Kendrick chuckled in his arms. “Time is all you need. Now, can you please get him away from me so I can rest?” I asked with a smile, planting a kiss on Kilhan and Kendrick’s cheeks. “Right,” Kilhan answered and turned to leave. “Mama,” Kendrick called, waving at me as Kilhan started to walk away. “I love you, baby,” I responded, blowing him a kiss before heading back into the room. I got into the room and slammed into the bed. I lay flat on my back as I stared at the ceiling. About a year ago, before Kendrick turned one, Kilhan and
~Charles~ The Next DayWe all stood under black umbrellas as the rain drizzled. In front of us was a priest conducting Mrs Anna’s funeral. Kilhan ordered that his late mother be buried in the compound so she’s always close to home. He needed that warmth. At my right stood Celine, holding onto Kilhan tightly. Sadness was evident on their faces. One of his men held up an umbrella for them. I kept a straight face, adjusting my black shirt and tie as I watched them put her casket into the ground. “Are you okay?” Caesar asked softly, and I nodded, keeping my eyes on the casket. “Yes, I am. Thank you.” I answered. He was the one holding up the umbrella for both of us. I wanted him to stay back at the house, but he insisted that he come with me. His exact words were “I am coming with you, Alpha Charles. I’ll be ready to protect you if anything happens.” Soon, Kilhan, Celine, and his pack members moved forward to pour sand on her casket before it was covered. All this while, I took g
~Alpha Kilhan~ Panting hard, I began to break into the rooms one after the other, leaving Charles and Drex to deal with the men who were watching and guarding the place. I stormed into the fifth room, and what I saw made my eyes widen in terror. Celine sat on a chair and behind her was a man, who had a knife placed against her ear. There was blood slowly flowing from her ear, letting me know he was starting to hurt her. Immediately he saw I was in the room, he moved the knife to her neck. “Take one more step and that is the end. Even though you kill me, I have nothing to lose.” He uttered, pressing the sharp part of the knife against her skin. He pressed it so hard that she winced in pain while she stared at me with her teary eyes. “Kilhan.” She called softly. “Don’t you dare speak, woman!” He yelled, pressing the knife against her skin ever harder. “Hey!” I put my hands forward, hoping he would stop. “Tell me what you want. I’ll give you anything. Just let them go.” I uttere
~Celine~ “Hmmm!” I groaned as my head felt too heavy for my neck to carry. “Hmm.” Though I opened my eyes, I saw total darkness. I tried to move, but I realized that I couldn’t move. I couldn’t move my hands and legs. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but there was a barrier in my mouth too. “Hmmmm!” I moaned loudly again as I remembered what happened before I blacked out. ‘Kendrick!’ I yelled in my head as I began to struggle with my restraints. “Struggling isn’t going to help you.” I heard a distant voice, and before I knew it, I felt someone pull the blindfold bag off my head. The barrier in my mouth was also loosened The bright light in the room stung my eyes, causing me to squint painfully. “Who the hell are you?! Where is my son??!” I yelled with my eyes still closed. The bright white light was directly set in front of me, so when I tried to open my eyes, I saw nothing behind the lights. “It’s so nice to see you again, Jessica.” The voice drew closer, and when then, a
~Alpha Kilhan~ “Thank you so much for coming,” I uttered with a wide smile, slightly bowing to my mother’s friends. “Please enjoy the party,” I added, before walking away. I raised my head and looked around, scanning the living room for Celine but she was nowhere to be found. While I moved further away from the guests, about to start a thorough search for Celine, I saw Charles running down the stairs, panting heavily. I creased my brows and took long strides toward the stairs. As soon as our eyes met, I watched him struggle with trying to keep his composure. “Come with me.” He whispered as soon as he got down the stairs. He turned a turn to the right and I followed after him, with the guards following closely. “What’s going on? Where is Celine and Kendrick?” I asked, taking a glance around to make sure people weren’t watching. “They are nowhere to be found.” He responded with gritted teeth. “What are you talking about?? She was here with you minutes ago!” “Lower your voice!
~Celine~ ~After Three Months~ “Oh no! Kendrick!” I yelled in frustration, staring at him in disbelief. “What? Why are you yelling at him like that?” Betty answered with a frown on her face, moving closer to me and taking him from me. “I just finished bathing and cleaning him up, only for him to poop and mess up his diapers again! The party had long started and I haven’t even shown my face because of him.” I muttered. “Hey, you can’t tell him not to poop when he wants, okay? If it’s about you showing your face to the party, then go. I’ll clean him up and bring him down.” Betty responded, smiling widely at Kendrick. She raised him in the air, still smiling widely at him, and he smiled back at her. I heaved a sigh and nodded. “Are you sure? You shouldn’t miss the fun too. I can quickly clean him up.” “Celine, I’m fine. I can take care of him. You should greet the guests. You're Luna, remember? Plus, I think Kendrick likes me more today.” She uttered, and Kendrick let out another
~Alpha Kilhan~“Alpha Kilhan!” I heard someone call my name from outside the door, causing me to look in its direction. “Who is there?” “It’s Drex. Your mother wants to see you and it’s pretty urgent. Told her you are trying to rest, but she insisted.” “Argh.” I groaned, heaving a sigh. “I’ll join her soon. Thank you.” I dragged myself out of the bed and sat up, letting out another tired sigh. I have been so busy with business these past few days that I hardly have time for myself, and to my greatest surprise, Celine seems to be cool with that. Right now, I believe she cares about Kendrick and her friendship with Betty more than us. I was happy everything was peaceful but I really miss her. Actually, I miss her every day. The very next minute she leaves my side, I’m missing her already. Feeling like a young man in love, I walked to my closet to get a casual outfit. I picked a green shirt and a pair of jeans, put them on, and headed out to see my mother. Walking down the hallwa
~Charles~ Sitting in front of the computer, my mouth parted in a wide yawn as I reached for the coffee cup next to my hand. If I counted correctly, I already spent three hours in the private room, with my eyes fixed on the screen non-stop. I just understood why my late father never left this room. After taking a large gulp from the coffee cup, I took a glance away from the screen to place the cup back on the table, only for me to look up and see that the computer had gone off. “What the hell is wrong with this thing?” I muttered in frustration. It was the second time in three hours that it had gone off and it was beginning to piss me off. I had to call Ceaser both times to make it start working again, but this time, I was going to do it myself. I watched him closely both times. ‘I can do this.’ I stood up and pushed my chair back. I stared at the wire and socket he touched and nodded, assuring myself. I knelt in front of the junction box and picked up the wires. Recalling how h
~Unknown~ Getting out of my towel, I lay flat on the bed fully naked. The breeze coming in from my windows and touching my skin was the best feeling ever. I let out a deep sigh and stared at the ceiling. ‘This would be the perfect time for Betty to be here, laying next to me.’ I thought with a wide smile on my face. It’s been almost two weeks since we last saw each other. After leaving here, she didn’t call or text. And I can’t do the same. She warned me several times not to reach out first as this could be dangerous for both of us. But now, I really want to text her and tell her how much I miss and love her. I can’t just wait for this whole plan to be over and then we can finally be together. While I fantasized about the perfect happily ever after ahead of us, a message popped into my phone, jolting me out of my thoughts. I hastily sprang to my feet to reach for my phone. I recognized that sound perfectly. Anytime it sounded, I knew it was Betty texting. I grabbed my phone an