Ariadne sits all folded up in her seat, a tiny, plastic keychain clutched in her hands. There were no goodbyes. Harry had carried Kelly away without any tears, her head laying on his shoulder, fast asleep. The Alpha had given her this, saying that she wanted her to have it, a little glittery heart to remember her by. "We'll see her again in two days," Victor hums, steadying the boat on the unforgiving sea. "It feels like two lifetimes," Ariadne sighs. "You wouldn't understand." "You're right," Victor hums. "When my father would disappear on long trips, I was actually relieved. Mom and I were happier with him gone, and it was just two of us." "What about when she'd leave for long trips?" Ariadne asks curiously. "She never left me," Victor answers. "Except that last time." A chill runs through Ariadne's spine, and she realizes she's walking in the minefield. It's always dangerous talking about Victor's family. "I'm sorry," Ariadne manages. "I shouldn't have asked." "You probabl
Ariadne should have been ready for it, being doused in cold water. It’d been a beautiful, fevered dream, but it’s time to wake up now.The Omega slams the cover over the piano keys, a loud discordant noise rattling the floorboards, loose nails quaking in their sockets.“Talk.” Ariadne’s voice comes out like a blade of ice. “Now.”Victor sounds so distant, whole worlds away. “That crown is mine. I was always meant to rule this city. I’m sorry if I lead you otherwise.”He’s never planning on leaving.It was all a lie.“If?” Ariadne says acidly. “There’s no ‘if.’ It was intentional. You lied to get what you wanted from me.”“Baby, please—”“I was stupid enough to give myself to you,” Ariadne continues. “I’m not your baby. Don’t call me that.”“You can rule with me,” Victor says. “I need you.”“This life is what destroyed you,” Ariadne whispers. “Destroyed me, killed both our families.”Victor shakes his head. “It was me. I destroyed your life; my family ate yours up. I know.”Ariadne’s h
Ariadne eats her meager returns in the form of a burnt bagel while Victor sits on the counter, iced peas on his black eye. Harry stands there, cleaning his nails with the edge of a knife. Kelly Winford's finally getting the hang of the toaster oven, but not without casualties. "Sorry, I've never used a device like this before?" the pale Omega woman explains. "I can make you something else." Kelly reminds Ariadne so much of herself when she'd first been let out of the cage, still adjusting to her own autonomy. "It's nothing that a little cream cheese can't solve," Ariadne says encouragingly. "Just set the heat to low next time and watch it carefully." Victor sighs dramatically, placing his peas down in the sink to defrost further for tonight's last meal. The Alpha walks out of the kitchen without another word, leaving Ariadne with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Victor had lost the first three matches against Harry, and then he'd won the next seven, a prodigious fighter, an unfor
Ariadne had built it up in her mind, this night, the Wolf Moon. But legend hardly lives up to reality. In truth, it's just a moon, not impressive, nor larger than any other night. There's no storm in the sky, no wind battering against the side of the car. Instead, there is silence draped over them like a blanket as they drive to the church of dark desires. Harry's gloved hands maneuver the night's traffic with ease. "Say something, for f*ck's sake. We're going into battle without so much as a drum beat." the old Alpha says. Victor doesn't respond. He's hunched over, elbows resting on his knees, fingers pressed together, chin in the juncture of his thumb and index. His eyes are glowing scarlet, something that's pure and focused. He's an animal in the night, waiting very patiently for his kill, lest he starve to death. Ariadne shakes her head, exhaling a breath she's been holding for too long. "What do you want to hear? Try not to die, and we'll rendezvous back at HQ?" Harry sco
"W-Wait," Ariadne says, "Don't shoot."Miraculously, the guard doesn't."Who are you?" he spits, gun trained to Ariadne's chest."I was just going for a run," Ariadne explains, "Then you two Alpha's showed up. I'm sorry, I got scared and a bit overzealous with my defense training class. You probably want this back."The Omega tosses the other guard the extra gun. As he reaches for it, scrambling to catch it, Ariadne roundhouse kicks him in the face. Then they're down, disarmed, humiliated, covered in shoe prints. But Ariadne has no time to savor her victory; she runs down the block.Edward's already there, tense, crouched behind a fence. "What took you so long?"Ariadne couldn't have lost a minute on those guys, minute and a half tops. F*ck, she forgot how good the Silver Omega is."I went to check on a few more locations, but they're out," Edward continues. "I think Victor and Dustin are through. We should head straight for it, except there are three more guys blocking us.""So, what
Victor flickers on stage like a dying candle. Gordon smiles wide, face split in two with glee. With an enormous turn of his body, he spin-kicks Victor in the ribs, sending him flying off the stage and into the pews.Ariadne scrambles to pull him upright, checking his eyes for consciousness. He’s out of it, head dropping left and right. Waylon and Calvin run up and carry Victor to the losing corner.Gordon stands there victoriously, chest puffed up in pride. “Is there anyone else? Who wants to go next? I can keep fighting all night.”Ashley flashes Ariadne a quick glance, and it reads as, ‘Do something, quickly.’“Anyone?” Gordon hisses, “I didn’t think so. I—”“Wait,” Ariadne shouts, stepping forward, blood pounding in her ears. “Fight me, you f*cker.”It’s followed by dead silence, tense as piano wire.Gordon scoffs, body vibrating with delight. He tosses his head back and laughs, tears coming out of his good eye. “What? You want to fight me, little, pretty, Omega.”To Ariadne’s adva
“What are you?” Tracey sputters, taking a step back, gun falling to her side. “Two transformations in less than an hour with a f*cking bullet lodged in your ribs.”Ariadne’s about to faint, but she doesn’t let on, the legend fueling her. She’s the White Wolf; death wouldn’t dare to claim her. “You’re gonna help patch me up. So help me, if I have to take this bullet out with my bare hands, the next thing I’ll do is kill you.”“No, I won’t help you,” Tracey hisses. “I’m done with the Pack. I’m done with Gordon, and I’m definitely done with you guys. If I never see you again—”“Everything you hate,” Ariadne continues. “I hate it too. I didn’t kill Lisa; it was the Packs, all of this killed her. You want to blame Victor, but you know she never had a chance.”“You didn’t even take her body,” Tracey cries. “You just left her there. There was nothing left for me to bury by the time I found her.”“I’m the only one who can help you,” Ariadne spits, blood running down the corner of her lip. She
Ariadne hasn't taken a bus since she was eleven. She nervously clutches the transportation card she'd gotten from the convenience store across the street.She remembers once, a long time ago, when their family car had broken down, her Omega mother had to take the bus into town.Ariadne went along so she could help carry things. It turned out to be a wonderful day. They'd gotten lost and ended up at the park. They had ice cream on the benches and talked about the future.And Ariadne had told her mother that she wanted to open a restaurant."F*ck," she hisses under her breath. She's losing it.She doesn't know why her heart's about to burst, rapidly pounding in her chest. She's getting paranoid. What if someone recognizes her? What if someone realizes she doesn't belong with the rest of these ordinary, functioning people?"Ma'am, are you getting on?"The Omega looks up, startled to see a bus pulled up in front of her, the driver looking down at her curiously. Ariadne scrambles up the st
Then the adults are alone, an awkwardness washing over them, carrying with it their history. It goes all quiet, and all that's left is the sound of soldiers marching in the distance, carrying about their morning routines. "I-" Ariadne and Nathan say at the same time before pausing. The Alpha's cheeks go red, and his apple scent spikes high, taking on a sour note. He's nervous, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Y-You go ahead, Ariadne.” Ariadne doesn't even know what to say. It's been approximately one eternity since they've seen each other. "Thanks for taking care of- You brought them here, my babies." "Yea, no- it's cool," Nathan manages. "And thanks for- for not dying. I mean, I'm glad you're alive." Anna slaps Nathan on the shoulder. "What he's trying to say is, it's good to see you." Ariadne laughs, and then she cries. Then she launches herself forward and gives the pair a great big hug. She squeezes them tight, one in each arm. "F*ck," Ariadne says. "I thought I'd
“Are we there yet?” Ariadne asks despite herself.She doesn’t even know where they are, which is saying something. They’d promised to put Victor into one of their best hospitals, but there’s nothing that remotely resembles a hospital.There’s no town, barely a road to drive through. It’s miles of trees on both sides and a dirt road that looks like it might give way at any moment.“Fifteen minutes,” the Commissioner answers, hand steady on the wheel. “Take it easy, dear. We’re almost there.”Easy for him to say. Everyone he loves is alive and well. His son is literally getting a medal.Ariadne’s not sure about Victor. The alive part has been confirmed, yes. But, she doesn’t know who she’ll be seeing in a quarter hour’s time.Is it going to be Victor Erickson, father, and husband, or will it be the Black Wolf, Victor regressed to some other bizarre time frame? She has no idea.No. Ariadne takes a deep breath. She’d talked to Victor on the phone for a few minutes before he had to go. He
It's perfect timing. They're at the control panel that opens up to solitary confinement. Gordon's just through there, safe and tucked away.Felix uses his thumbprint to unlock the door. It's a pressure chamber. The thing hisses as the metal lid unseals from the wall.It's all lead up to this. They step inside and-It's empty."Where-"Gordon's not in the cell. Though it does look like he's been there, the space was modified to be more comfortable. Stolen seats from the guards' lounge, a big screen t.v that's leaning haphazardly against the wall, it's nice.But why isn't he here?He's supposed to be here.It's then that the screen turns on, and a very familiar face appears. It's a man wearing milk glass eyes, smiling wide. Ariadne's confusion turns into fury."I knew you would come, Ariadne. You're a mouse caught in a trap," Gordon speaks. "You want to kill me? You can't even find me. And now you never will."Trap? What trap?The metal door starts moving. It's shutting, pushed in by a
Felix is dressed from head to toe in swat gear. His face is blank, an assault rifle shoved under his armpit. He's hunched over in the locker room, eyes wide. He's not doing anything, long since dressed, shoelaces neatly tied. But he doesn't move. He hasn't moved for five minutes."You okay, kid?" Ariadne asks, tightening the velcro on her Kevlar vest, the fabric stiff under her fingers."I don't know," Felix hums, half a ghost. "My whole world has turned upside down in the last twelve hours."Ariadne has half a mind to slap the Alpha in the face. They have a mission, and if Felix dies, the Commissioner isn't going to be pleased.The older takes a seat on the opposite bench, resting her elbows on her knees. The situation is much too urgent for her to play the dad in a feel-good t.v. Show, as hard as she tries to.“How dramatic,” Ariadne hums."Monday morning," Felix says quietly. "I thought I understood everything. There was order, good guys, bad guys, policemen, and criminals. Now eve
Ariadne doesn’t know how long she’s been asleep for, an ache in her ancient bones, shedding tears over a dream she can’t remember. It’s light out, just barely dawn or dusk, Ariadne’s not sure. Blue casts over them, lines on the wall, setting divisions that aren’t truly there. Victor’s asleep, eyelids fluttering, every breath he takes is a strain, followed by a whistle. It hurts Ariadne to her core. He’s not recovering, that time has long since past. He needs medical attention. F*ck the costs. So what if he’s Victor Erickson, legendary mythos surrounding him, a ruthless and terrible criminal. He’s also a father and the love of Ariadne’s life. Doesn’t he deserve to live too? Hasn’t his life been about doing more good than harm? And one thing can be said for sure, when Victor was on the throne, there was order. “A-Ariadne?” A voice cuts into the night. “Baby?” Ariadne replies, cupping Victor’s face. It’s not Victor though, still asleep, eyes closed in eternal slumber. He forgets
Ariadne sees in shades of red, her wolf blood pulsing hot through her veins. It's hard to focus through the screams and the stampede of people trying to get through the two exits.The smell of fear in the air it's intoxicating and inviting. Ariadne wants to bite, sink her teeth into something, tear through it, and drink the red.Her enemy is in front of her, a great dark, eyeless specter. Gordon seems more like a shadow than a wolf, smoke rising off him, still hot from his transformation. His eyelids are sealed shut, and pink scar lines cut into his flesh.He raises his nose and tastes the air. It doesn't matter that he's blind; Ariadne knows. The man can still see them. He knows exactly where they are.Victor growls from the back of his throat, flashing rows of razor-sharp teeth, drool dribbling down his chin. His eyes are like glowing coals. Ariadne's not sure how much of her mate is in there and how much is the terrible beast he keeps prisoner.The three of them are giants. People
Fuck, this guy is really smart. Victor's glad that Felix isn't higher on the food chain. Sh*t could actually get done. "What do you mean?" Victor asks noncommittally. "You said it yourself that he was, just this morning." Felix flushes, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, no judgment, but... I was only saying that to impress Sansa. I didn't know you guys were dating. We don't get a lot of Omega security officers here. They're usually reserved for Omega prisons." A pang of worry twists in Victor's stomach. He hopes Ariadne is alright. "Oh," Victor replies, "No, it's alright." Felix smiles, patting him on the shoulder. "So, what do you think about my theory?" "Your theory?" Victor repeats. "That's not Victor Erickson," Felix says again. "If I had to guess, that's Victor's First Beta. He's taking the hit for him." Bingo. "Come on," Victor clicks his teeth. "That's crazy." Felix's eyes widen. "I think I'd know if I was looking at the Black Wolf! I told you, I did my whole dissert
Victor watches himself in the mirror, his skin crawling. His appearance it's out of an alternate universe. He's wearing the cop clown suit. It's tight at the neck, and there's barely any room for his—Someone squeezes his ass, causing him to jump. A soft gasp escapes his lips. It's Ariadne, sneaking behind him, a Cheshire grin on her face."Hey there, sexy," the Omega teases. "Are you gonna arrest me?"Victor's heart drums, cheeks turning pink. Ariadne's alarmingly good-looking in her uniform, blond locks, and pale skin contrasting the dark color of the material.The Alpha turns fully around, taking Ariadne's hands, using his fingers as makeshift handcuffs."I don't think this is the time for roleplaying," Victor chides. "But I promise I'll arrest you later, at least three times."Ariadne laughs, something effortless about the way she stands. It's happier than he's seen the Omega in a long time."I look forward to it," Ariadne answers, pulling him along to the living room so they can
They leave the helicopter on the beach, already half-buried by the sea. Ariadne knows they’re not coming back for it. The thing will probably be a home for the crabs before turning into rust and getting swallowed by the sea.Under the cover of night, the five of them set sail for the mainland. Ariadne watches with one eye open as the sea rocks them. All she’s thinking about is not throwing up. It’s not a calm night, storm clouds pouring on them, lightning lighting up the sky.“Are we there yet?”Victor pulls her close, pressing the Omega’s chest to his head. “Almost, baby.”Ariadne takes in deep, calming breaths, Victor’s coffee scent filling her lungs. It helps, allowing the Omega to focus on something else besides the churning of the sea. Edward plops down beside them with a smile.“Why do you look so happy?” Victor asks.The Silver Omega presses a finger to his lips. “Is a secret.”Ariadne sighs, turning ever so slightly so she can have a better view of the other. “How can you smi