LOGINShare
13. Something's Off
Last Updated:
2024-07-10 23:32:08
J. TarrI've got a new laptop!
Related chapters
Alpha Nero 14. You Lied To Me
CamelliaI open my eyes and I feel the start of a piercing headache behind them. My mouth feels dry and my throat hurts, and when my vision swims into focus, along with my memories, my heart stops.I have no idea where I am. The last thing I remember was that man from the cafe with his hands around my throat. I’m about to leap from the bed when a moan next to me stops me dead and I see a mess of dark curls curled up at my side.Nereo.My relief is only momentary because I still don’t know where I am. Did that man decide to take us both? And what is that droning sound?I get to my feet and decide to walk towards the bedroom door, but the door opens before I can get to it. Terror seizes me, but the person who walks through the door is not who I expected. Gray eyes warily regard me as I step back, confused.“Nero?” I ask with a hoarse voice. “What… where am I? Why are you here?”He slowly walks toward me and his eyes flicker to Nereo, who is still fast asleep, then back to me. “How are y
Last Updated : 2024-07-11Alpha Nero 15. A Wedge Between Us
NeroI fucked up spectacularly.I knew things wouldn’t be easy with her after she woke up, but I didn’t think they’d be this strained. Fuck, I probably should have explained myself better and not been so clinical, but what could I have said at that point? I’m sorry for lying to you. I’m sorry for fucking up, drugging and kidnapping you so I could take you home and keep you safe. Someone wants to take whatever little bit of happiness I have and I had to get you out of the line of fire.No. She wouldn’t have appreciated that, either. I just have to own up to just how majorly I fucked up and beg her to forgive me. I’ll fucking grovel if that’s what it takes, especially now that I know she’ll be at the pack house.Nereo is chatting with her animatedly in the backseat as I drive. She opted to sit in the back with him, and my gaze keeps flickering toward them. I watch her eyes widen as the gate to our pack house opens and Nereo gasps loudly.“Woah, is this your home, Nero?”“Yeah, buddy,”
Last Updated : 2024-07-11Alpha Nero 16. Morana
Camellia“Can we? Please, Mamma!”I pinch the bridge of my nose and plaster a tight smile on my face before getting to my feet and holding out my hand. “Okay, baby,” I say and lead my son out of what I see as a pretty prison cell.It’s been a week since we’ve been here, and although Nereo loves it, I can’t get myself to relax. He’s been annoyed because I refuse to leave the bedroom, but I know I can’t keep him in here forever.So now we’re heading to the garden out the back. The last time Nero and I spoke we stood and watched Nereo play, and ever since then he has kept his distance. My anger has dimmed somewhat, but I still feel betrayed at the fact that he lied to me.Yes, I know he saved us and he got us out of Italy to protect us, but there had to have been an easier way to do it. He didn’t need to lie to me and chose to do it anyway, even after I asked who he was the first time.I wish I could hear my wolf, or at least feel her, but there’s nothing. I don’t even remember her name
Last Updated : 2024-07-12Alpha Nero 17. First Steps To Closure
CamelliaOh, Gods, what have I gotten myself into?Nero is keeping Nereo occupied while I’m busy in the kitchen, but now I also have too much to think about. Like the fact that I’m not even angry at Nero anymore, and how I want to give him another chance but my pride is stopping me.This used to be my home, his family used to be mine but now it feels like I’ve run them all off.It shouldn’t be like this. They should be free to walk around their home and not tiptoe around me. I get that he’s trying not to overwhelm me, but trying not to overwhelm me is the reason I don’t trust him right now.I think I’ll speak to him about this later.A smile spreads across my face when I hear how much Nereo is laughing outside, then the guilt hits me again. I have to tell him Nero is his real father, so they can start bonding properly. It took him only an evening to gain Nereo’s trust the way he did, and I know it’s because of their link.“Looks like you have a lot on your mind.”A shiver runs up my s
Last Updated : 2024-07-13Alpha Nero 18. Loyalty Can Be Faked
NeroI lean back in my chair, bracing my elbow on the armrest and resting my chin on my fingers. I have all my siblings in my office right now to give them feedback on what’s been happening with Camellia.After our dinner together the other day, we’ve started talking more. She’s told me about the flashbacks she gets sometimes and about her feelings toward certain people she’s met here.“She wants to remember more about her life here, but I don’t want to overwhelm her,” I say, looking at each of them. “I’ve noticed that when she starts to remember something, she gets these headaches—”“Witchcraft,” Osiris says, crossing his arms.I nod. “Cecelia is coming back from Russia tomorrow and she’ll be able to see Camellia and what could have happened. Right now witchcraft is the only thing that makes sense, but we can’t rule out anything else.”This seems to get them riled up. The fact that it may not be witchcraft and something else entirely is scary as hell. With witchcraft you can reverse
Last Updated : 2024-07-14Alpha Nero 19. Revealing The Truth
Camellia“Need some help?”I look up from my chopping board and see Nero approaching me with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He’s wearing a coy, lopsided smirk and my stupid heart starts beating faster. “You want to help me cook?” I ask, raising an eyebrow and he shrugs.“I don’t mind. Morana and Aeron are keeping Nereo busy and it gives me an excuse to spend more time with you,” he says, leaning against the marble counter and crossing his arms. “So, put me to work, Lupina.”“Okay, but don’t grumble when it’s too hard for you, Leonetti.” Somehow it feels natural to call him by his last name, and I wonder if it’s something I used to do a lot. “Peel those potatoes and carrots over there. I had a feeling that I needed to cook for an army tonight, so I started early.”He chuckles and walks over to me and kisses my cheek before going to the sink to wash the vegetables. Somehow that feels natural, too.“You invited my brothers?”I nod. “I saw Orion earlier and asked him to join us.
Last Updated : 2024-07-15Alpha Nero 20. What Does That Mean?
NeroI watch Camellia sitting on the sofa opposite my desk and fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. She’s nervous right now and honestly, I don’t blame her. Cecelia should be here within the next few minutes, and she’ll be able to tell us what’s going on with Camellia’s memories.I walk over to the sofa and sit down next to her before taking her hand in mine. She looks up at me, her brown eyes wide. “Wanna talk about it?” I ask as I rub my thumb over her fingers.She looks down at our hands and sighs. “I don’t know what to feel right now. On one hand, I could get answers to questions that have plagued me for five years. On the other hand, I’m terrified of not getting any answers, or even worse, having even more questions.”Not getting any answers would be the worst thing, but I don’t mention it to her. Her memories can’t simply be gone. There has to be a way to restore them. I still love her even if she doesn’t remember our life together; she’s still my Luna and mate. However, I can’
Last Updated : 2024-07-17Alpha Nero 21. Osiris Is Missing
CamelliaI watch Nereo eating breakfast while talking excitedly about how many friends he’s made and how they’re so much better than his old friends. The mind of a child, I suppose. But then again, they were treating him better before it became known that he’s the Alpha’s son.The looks I get from everyone are something I wouldn’t wish on anyone else, though. Morbid curiosity doesn’t even cover it. When Nero said he broadcasted the news about me over the mind link, I had thought it was a bit too soon. But I didn’t count on so many people knowing me (which was to be expected, since I was Luna) or people asking me where I was all this time. Camellia with the memories had so many friends and people who missed her, while I feel like I’m an outsider. It makes things even worse that I won’t be getting my memories back. I’ve decided not to dwell on it, though. This is my life now and I have to get used to it. I found my family again after five years; I just need to make the best of it now
Last Updated : 2024-07-18
Latest chapter
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Epilogue
OrionNero’s office has the kind of quiet tension you can feel in your bones, the kind that comes after months of chasing shadows and uprooting every twisted part of that ring. Osiris and I are settled across from him, listening intently as he wraps up the conference call with Arkyn and Creed. My brother’s voice is steady as he discusses the last few details. It’s taken months to dismantle, but here we are, finally piecing everything back together.“Look,” Creed’s voice crackles over the line, blunt as ever, “everyone’s been dealt with. But Legacy’s name hasn’t come up in any interrogation or confession, not even once. He’s protected. Everyone’s too fucking scared to name him.”Nero sighs, fingers rubbing at his temples. “He’s the one wild card. Every single person higher up has been captured, but Legacy? Silence. And we all know silence from someone that powerful isn’t accidental.”“Leave Legacy to me,” Arkyn’s voice cuts in, dark and simmering with barely contained fury. “He’s still
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 30
OrionThe cool earth beneath us grounds me as I lay there, my arm draped over Zane, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. His scent—apples and something inherently him—fills the air around us, mingling with the sharp, raw scent of our freshly marked bond. The ache of his mark on my nape throbs in time with my heartbeat, a constant reminder that he’s real, that he’s here.I trail my fingers down his arm, feeling the warmth of his skin, the familiar shape of him that I thought I’d lost forever. Everything about this feels surreal, like I’ve stepped into a dream I can’t bear to wake from.“We should probably… head back,” I murmur, though the thought of leaving this spot, leaving him even for a second, feels impossible. But there’s a part of me that knows we can’t hide here forever, that we owe it to my family, to everyone who believed Zane was gone, to know the truth. “They’ll want to know what happened.”Zane chuckles, a low, familiar sound that makes something tighten in my c
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 29
OrionI hold him, my arms wrapped so tightly around him I’m half-worried I’ll break him. But I can’t let go. My mind’s struggling to process this, and I keep expecting to blink and find the empty forest around me, cold and alone again. But he’s here, solid and warm in my arms, and his scent fills the air—apples, fresh and grounding, just like it always was. Just like home.“Ri,” he murmurs, his hand moving to rest against my chest, fingers splayed over my heart like he’s memorizing the feel of me. “You look like you’re seeing a ghost.”“Maybe I am,” I admit, my voice low, rough. “I don’t know if I’m going to wake up any second and realize this is all just… wishful thinking.”I pull back slightly, my eyes searching his face, taking in every detail, every line and scar I’d memorized so long ago. My fingers tremble as they brush over his jaw, his cheek, his lips, as if I’m trying to convince myself this isn’t some twisted trick. “You’re… you’re really here,” I murmur, my voice catching
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 28
ZaneMy eyes flutter open, and I find myself surrounded by mirrors, an endless maze of reflections that stretch in every direction. I blink, disoriented, confusion settling in as I try to make sense of where I am. The last thing I remember is Orion’s hand tightening around my neck, the darkness closing in as everything faded away. So why am I here? Why am I … still here?A soft voice, melodic and soothing, echoes behind me. “Welcome, Zane.”I turn slowly, my eyes widening as I see her. She’s walking toward me, an ethereal glow surrounding her, golden light radiating from every step. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and a beautiful gown drapes around her in waves, moving as if it’s part of the light itself. Her eyes are a shade of gold that feels ancient, otherworldly, yet warm. A black teardrop pendant hangs from her neck, glinting softly in the glow that envelops her.My heart skips a beat as realization dawns, and my knees buckle, pulling me to the floor.
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 27
OrionThe path to Natasha’s hideout is a blur, every step a pulse of barely controlled rage. The air hums with the charge of dark magic, a twisted energy that beckons me, taunting me. My hands tremble with the beast’s fury, simmering just beneath my skin, but I haven’t let it loose yet. Not fully. There’s a strange clarity to my anger—a focus that makes every sense sharper, every movement precise.The moment I reach the edge of the hideout, I don’t stop to think. I kick down the door, wood splintering under the force of my boot, and I step inside, feeling every ounce of anger, every piece of heartbreak, flood through me like a dam breaking. The witches turn, eyes wide with shock, but I don’t give them a chance to scream.The first one goes down without a sound, my hand gripping her neck as I lift her off the ground. She thrashes, her mouth opening in a silent plea, but I don’t hesitate. I twist, the snap echoing through the room, and drop her to the floor like the insignificant piece
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 26
OrionI’m trapped, locked inside my own body as I watch my fists swing, my legs move, every calculated hit landing with ruthless precision. But it’s not me—not really. I can’t stop it. Can’t control it. All I can do is watch from somewhere deep inside, helpless as I fight against the people I swore to protect.Nero’s face twists in pain as my fist connects with his ribs. Osiris tries to grab me from the side, but I counter, landing a brutal blow to his shoulder, hearing the sickening crunch. They’re all holding back—I can feel it in their strikes, in the way they hesitate just before their fists meet flesh. They’re trying to save me, trying to fight me without hurting me. But I don’t feel that same mercy. Whoever is controlling my body… they’re enjoying this.Two Alphas should have me on my knees by now, but Natasha planned this perfectly. She knew they wouldn’t give it everything; she counted on it. And the part of me that’s still here, watching, feels every bit of the twisted ple
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 25
ZaneThe past three days have been a hell I can barely stomach. I’ve been confined to Nero’s territory, shackled by suspicion, and only allowed out of the locked room to help strategize. And I am trying—I’m trying everything I can think of. But it’s never enough. No matter what I say or how much I beg them to let me help, they’re always watching me, waiting for some slip that proves them right.Today, it’s worse. Nero had used his Alpha Sight on me, sifting through memories and thoughts, and I didn’t fight him. I let him dig, let him see everything, hoping he’d find something that could give us an edge. But there was nothing—nothing useful, anyway. Just more dead ends.Nova’s been working nonstop, her face growing more exhausted with each passing hour, trying spell after spell, looking for anything that could point us to Orion’s location. The tension is mounting, everyone on edge, barely able to look at each other without a fight breaking out.I’m pacing the war room, barely hearing
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 24
ZaneThe sound of heavy footsteps echoes in the hallway outside my locked room, and I know it’s Nero before he even steps inside. There’s a weight to his presence, a dark edge that fills the space long before he even opens the door. When the lock clicks and the door swings open, he’s standing there, arms crossed, his expression a storm of anger and something I can’t quite read.He doesn’t say anything at first, just stares at me, and I feel the hostility radiating off him like heat. He’s still angry—hell, probably furious—and I know exactly why. This isn’t just about what’s happening now. It’s about everything I did to Orion, every lie, every betrayal.“Start talking,” he finally says, his voice low and controlled, but I can tell it’s taking every ounce of his restraint not to rip into me right here and now.I take a breath, trying to steady myself, and meet his gaze. There’s no use in holding anything back now. It’s time for him to know the truth—the whole, brutal truth.“She’s goin
Alpha Nero Orion: Shattered Bond - Chapter 23
ZaneThe jet touches down with a low rumble, and I can already feel the tension in the air as we approach Nero’s territory. This is Leonetti land, and stepping onto it feels like walking into the lion’s den. I know the reception I’m about to get isn’t going to be friendly.As soon as the door opens and I step out, the familiar scent of pine and earth fills my senses. But that sense of home is quickly overshadowed by the heavy tension that hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break. Nero is already waiting for us at the landing site, and the second he lays eyes on me, his expression darkens.Before I can react, he’s moving toward me, his eyes blazing with fury. Every muscle in his body is tensed, ready to tear me apart, and for a second, I wonder if I’ll even survive the next few minutes.“Zane!” he snarls, his voice echoing across the open space. “You’ve got some fucking nerve showing your face here.”I don’t move. I can’t. I’ve expected this, and part of me knows I deserve it. Bu
