The door clicked open with an echoing thud at half past 1 in the morning. Benji's dinner had turned cold hours ago, waiting in front of his seat for him to arrive. The noise from the door startled me, tearing my gaze away from his empty seat. I hadn't realized I had zoned out again, silently waiting at the kitchen table for him to arrive for the last couple of hours. He didn't notice me at first, still caught in a haze of wherever he just arrived from. Benji grumbled underneath his breath, kicking off his boots and silently moving around the foyer in the dark of the living room. It took him a moment to register the glow of the kitchen light, snapping his head up to face me. A gasp tore through my lips. "Oh my god!" I scrambled to my feet, tripping over my own clumsy strides as I closed the distance between us. "Your face, oh my god," I had to press onto my tippy-toes to make a grab at his blood-splattered face. "You're hurt...your face...the blood -" He cut me off, grabbing
The room was painfully silent as my question festered in the air. For a moment, all I could hear was Benji's labored breathing as he tried, and failed, to control his reaction. A snarl ripped through his chest, breaking the noise. "That's enough." He snapped, standing up from his seat so suddenly it screeched against the floor. "We're leaving." I hesitated, frozen in my seat. I had expected him to get mad, sure, but I didn't expect this level. When I didn't get up right away, he pulled on the back of my chair, startling me. "I said, we're leaving." He repeated through clenched teeth.Dotty got up before I did, thrusting herself between us. "Aria may be too nice, but I won't hesitate to rip your throat out if you keep this attitude with her." "Attitude?" He scoffed, clenching and unclenching his fists at his side. "Go back to playing dress-up or whatever you do with your free time. I don't need you to lecture me on how to talk to my mate.""Are you in heat or something? Your
♛ THIRD PERSON P.O.V ♛ The night before... The mildew scent clings to the cell walls, making the air thick and hard to swallow. There are so many different scents lingering underground: unfamiliar wolves, sweat, piss, and blood. So much blood. The iron aroma is so potent - so raw - that it makes the pack guards choke on their own saliva. They can taste it when they gulp, as if it's their own blood their smelling. But it's not their blood. It's Devin Berkshire's. A twenty-four year old wolf from the Sapphire pack. He's a prisoner who's always had a smart mouth on him, but never tested his luck. A sharp gaze that tracked your every move as he lurked in the back of his cell. He never went out of his way to make the new people feel welcomed. If anything, he was the first person to shove them to the front of the crowd when it came down to selecting for Cleaning Day. His philosophy was survival of the fittest. He wasn't down here to make friends. He had plenty of friends on the outside
══════════════════ The morning air was sharp against my cheeks as I pushed open the back door. Like I expected, Dotty sat perched in the backyard, sitting criss-cross on the grass floor. She perked up as I got closer, turning to smile at me, waving enthusiastically. "Aria! Nine a.m sharp, wow. I would say I'm impressed by how prompt you are, but that seems pretty fitting for you." Her gaze flickered to the now shut back door before bouncing back to my approaching figure. "Is Alpha Dumbass coming out to say hello?" I cringed at her comment, knowing fully-well that she was still in ear shoot of Benji who had only left a few minutes before me. "I thought you said you weren't mad at him anymore." I shook my head slightly, offering her hand to help her up. A few days had passed since the breakfast incident, yet Dotty's anger still lingered. She promised me she would let it go, but it didn't seem that likely with her constant need to jab at him for it any chance she got. It was situati
The gravel path turned to worn down grass as we got further and further away from Benji's property. The first thing I noticed was the noise - grunts, growls, and a chorus of commands. My strides stalled for a moment as Dotty continued to tug us towards the commotion. "Dotty..." I warned, eyeing her carefully. "I'm not sure I like whatever you have in mind for inspiration. Maybe we should just go back to you beating me up in Benji's backyard." "I do not beat you up!" She looked mildly offended, rolling her eyes. "And besides, we're already almost here. It'll be fun." A thunderous growl followed her words, echoing off the forest walls. Where I saw it as a warning sign, it only fueled Dotty's eagerness to stride forward. Dotty immediately noticed my hesitation, my heels digging into the earth, kicking up dirt in our path. "Don't worry. It's just the warriors." Dotty quickly explained, pulling on our arms again. "They're training today. I thought you might like to watch." This c
( THIRD P.O.V ) Benji didn't like her spending so much time with his sister. It irked him more then he would care to admit. Was he jealous of her? It was a foreign concept to him, to be envious of his childish sister. But, a nasty territorial side of him surely was. He would rather it be him with her. Training her. Teaching her. But he couldn't. He didn't trust himself around her like that, in his wolf form. It had been getting harder to reason with his wolf as the promise of a threat grew by each day. They were both desperate to protect her, but had different ideas on how to. Where as Benji would prefer to keep her locked away in a guarded home, his wolf was needy to claim her. To warn people in his path that she was his, and anyone that hurt her would face the consequences. He was fighting an uphill battle with himself, and the growing threat wasn't helping. Devin Berkshire was just the beginning of a rebellion Benji was interested in humoring. There had been talk of escaped r
♕ Aria ♕ "Well, well...look who we have here. I was starting to think one of the pups scared you away." Elise smiles from her spot in the center of the daycare. The echoing noise of the door gave my arrival away, announcing to not only Elise, but Noah, that I was back. With Dotty's 'training', it had pulled me away from the daycare center. While I had missed Elise's warm energy and the constant changing day with the pups, I welcomed the break. Ever since my unsettling encounter with Noah, I had been finding it harder to shake my unresolved nerves. I thought Dotty teaching me how to defend myself would help, but that didn't work out as well as I had planned. "And let them win? Never." I smile. Elise was quickly distracted by the arrival of the pups, deserting me with a simple wave. Noah stood rooted in his spot, leaning against the wall with a box full of crafts in his hands. He was dressed more professionally today, wearing slacks and a button down. From the corner of my eye,
I'm not sure exactly what I'm expecting when I open the door. But, one thing I definitely wasn't expecting, was a shirtless Benji to be greeting me. Standing in the middle of the entryway leaning against the back of the couch is Benji, shirtless in all his glory. He's clad in only black athletic shorts hanging almost dangerously too low on his hips and a pair of running sneakers. His head is downturned, distracted by whatever message he's furiously responding to on his phone. Always busy with pack business. He types away for a few moments before carelessly tossing his phone to the couch, looking up to finally acknowledge my presence. "Is that what you're wearing?"The heat that spreads quickly throughout my cheeks is humiliating at his simple comment. I shift the weight on my feet, glancing down at the simple outfit I had worn to the daycare. It was almost identical to every outfit I wore, yet he never complained before."You want me to change for dinner?" I ask incredulously,
Benji flanked my side the entire way to the pack house. He slowed his strides, trailing closely next to me as we abandoned the silent sanctuary we inhabited to enter the main portion of the pack. I had gotten used to the heated stares, quick but curious, whenever I walked in the pack with one of their superiors. The stares were always worse with Benji, but he paid no mind. All he had to do was send one lazy sideway glance to a peeping pack member, and they would all scatter in fear. He was quick to leave me, mumbling something about having to get this conversation over with. His hands skimmed along the length of my arm for a fleeting moment as a goodbye, before turning on his heel to leave me with two wolves following my shadow. I stood in front of the familiar door he had left me at, knowing I was in good company, even if it wasn't him. I didn't bother to knock, retching the door open. Gwen didn't seem that surprised, not having many people to expect as a visitor. Her lips curled
I stare at him for a moment, gulping. Was he being serious? He wants me to attack him? I had asked for basic self defense skills, not to become a sparring warrior. Even if Dotty had trained me well, which she hadn't, I still wouldn't pose an ounce of a threat to Benji, of all people. "I, uh, um – I think Dotty may have exaggerated just a bit, about my..."His sudden laugh interrupts me, catching me off guard. Benji's nonchalant expression morphs to one of mildamusement, eyeing me. He interjects, "Stop, relax. I'm just joking." I furrow my eyebrows, clearly not getting his sense of humor. He continues, "Dotty told me your training sessions haven't been that fruitful. I was just joking.""Joking, huh...that's a new one." I take a deep breath to laugh off my previous indication, taking advantage of his good mood to tease him. "Yeah? Want to hear another joke?" Benji scoffs, gesturing to the floor. "Fifty push-ups. Now." "Oh, stop being such a grouch.""Now." Something is telli
I'm not sure exactly what I'm expecting when I open the door. But, one thing I definitely wasn't expecting, was a shirtless Benji to be greeting me. Standing in the middle of the entryway leaning against the back of the couch is Benji, shirtless in all his glory. He's clad in only black athletic shorts hanging almost dangerously too low on his hips and a pair of running sneakers. His head is downturned, distracted by whatever message he's furiously responding to on his phone. Always busy with pack business. He types away for a few moments before carelessly tossing his phone to the couch, looking up to finally acknowledge my presence. "Is that what you're wearing?"The heat that spreads quickly throughout my cheeks is humiliating at his simple comment. I shift the weight on my feet, glancing down at the simple outfit I had worn to the daycare. It was almost identical to every outfit I wore, yet he never complained before."You want me to change for dinner?" I ask incredulously,
♕ Aria ♕ "Well, well...look who we have here. I was starting to think one of the pups scared you away." Elise smiles from her spot in the center of the daycare. The echoing noise of the door gave my arrival away, announcing to not only Elise, but Noah, that I was back. With Dotty's 'training', it had pulled me away from the daycare center. While I had missed Elise's warm energy and the constant changing day with the pups, I welcomed the break. Ever since my unsettling encounter with Noah, I had been finding it harder to shake my unresolved nerves. I thought Dotty teaching me how to defend myself would help, but that didn't work out as well as I had planned. "And let them win? Never." I smile. Elise was quickly distracted by the arrival of the pups, deserting me with a simple wave. Noah stood rooted in his spot, leaning against the wall with a box full of crafts in his hands. He was dressed more professionally today, wearing slacks and a button down. From the corner of my eye,
( THIRD P.O.V ) Benji didn't like her spending so much time with his sister. It irked him more then he would care to admit. Was he jealous of her? It was a foreign concept to him, to be envious of his childish sister. But, a nasty territorial side of him surely was. He would rather it be him with her. Training her. Teaching her. But he couldn't. He didn't trust himself around her like that, in his wolf form. It had been getting harder to reason with his wolf as the promise of a threat grew by each day. They were both desperate to protect her, but had different ideas on how to. Where as Benji would prefer to keep her locked away in a guarded home, his wolf was needy to claim her. To warn people in his path that she was his, and anyone that hurt her would face the consequences. He was fighting an uphill battle with himself, and the growing threat wasn't helping. Devin Berkshire was just the beginning of a rebellion Benji was interested in humoring. There had been talk of escaped r
The gravel path turned to worn down grass as we got further and further away from Benji's property. The first thing I noticed was the noise - grunts, growls, and a chorus of commands. My strides stalled for a moment as Dotty continued to tug us towards the commotion. "Dotty..." I warned, eyeing her carefully. "I'm not sure I like whatever you have in mind for inspiration. Maybe we should just go back to you beating me up in Benji's backyard." "I do not beat you up!" She looked mildly offended, rolling her eyes. "And besides, we're already almost here. It'll be fun." A thunderous growl followed her words, echoing off the forest walls. Where I saw it as a warning sign, it only fueled Dotty's eagerness to stride forward. Dotty immediately noticed my hesitation, my heels digging into the earth, kicking up dirt in our path. "Don't worry. It's just the warriors." Dotty quickly explained, pulling on our arms again. "They're training today. I thought you might like to watch." This c
══════════════════ The morning air was sharp against my cheeks as I pushed open the back door. Like I expected, Dotty sat perched in the backyard, sitting criss-cross on the grass floor. She perked up as I got closer, turning to smile at me, waving enthusiastically. "Aria! Nine a.m sharp, wow. I would say I'm impressed by how prompt you are, but that seems pretty fitting for you." Her gaze flickered to the now shut back door before bouncing back to my approaching figure. "Is Alpha Dumbass coming out to say hello?" I cringed at her comment, knowing fully-well that she was still in ear shoot of Benji who had only left a few minutes before me. "I thought you said you weren't mad at him anymore." I shook my head slightly, offering her hand to help her up. A few days had passed since the breakfast incident, yet Dotty's anger still lingered. She promised me she would let it go, but it didn't seem that likely with her constant need to jab at him for it any chance she got. It was situati
♛ THIRD PERSON P.O.V ♛ The night before... The mildew scent clings to the cell walls, making the air thick and hard to swallow. There are so many different scents lingering underground: unfamiliar wolves, sweat, piss, and blood. So much blood. The iron aroma is so potent - so raw - that it makes the pack guards choke on their own saliva. They can taste it when they gulp, as if it's their own blood their smelling. But it's not their blood. It's Devin Berkshire's. A twenty-four year old wolf from the Sapphire pack. He's a prisoner who's always had a smart mouth on him, but never tested his luck. A sharp gaze that tracked your every move as he lurked in the back of his cell. He never went out of his way to make the new people feel welcomed. If anything, he was the first person to shove them to the front of the crowd when it came down to selecting for Cleaning Day. His philosophy was survival of the fittest. He wasn't down here to make friends. He had plenty of friends on the outside
The room was painfully silent as my question festered in the air. For a moment, all I could hear was Benji's labored breathing as he tried, and failed, to control his reaction. A snarl ripped through his chest, breaking the noise. "That's enough." He snapped, standing up from his seat so suddenly it screeched against the floor. "We're leaving." I hesitated, frozen in my seat. I had expected him to get mad, sure, but I didn't expect this level. When I didn't get up right away, he pulled on the back of my chair, startling me. "I said, we're leaving." He repeated through clenched teeth.Dotty got up before I did, thrusting herself between us. "Aria may be too nice, but I won't hesitate to rip your throat out if you keep this attitude with her." "Attitude?" He scoffed, clenching and unclenching his fists at his side. "Go back to playing dress-up or whatever you do with your free time. I don't need you to lecture me on how to talk to my mate.""Are you in heat or something? Your