They get in their car with Miner in tow. "You're going to talk to me, or you're dead."
Miner swallows audibly. "I don't know anything."
Edward and Victor have the girl sandwiched between them.
Edward pulls a pocket knife out, pressing it against the smaller Omega's throat. "You're Arthur's new bitch, aren't you? Well, I'm the old bitch. I did his spy shit for him in the glory days. I already know you know."
Victor's eyes flicker dangerously. "You've been spying on us for him. You know who we are and what we're willing to do. I'm going to skin you alive, anyone who had anything to do with killing Ariadne."
"She's dead?" Miner says uncertainly.
"You killed her," Victor spits. "Just as much as that monster."
"We can't stay here," Nathan says. "We're drawing too much attention. Did you have to go all primal, Victor?"
"Then drive," Victor orders. "The Casino is near here. We'll get a nice, quiet room. Then this Miner here is going t
Ariadne watches as the two Alphas circle each other. Tremors run through Victor's body.His eyes are glowing coals. His claws are razor blades.As if to set the ambiance, Arthur's GT catches fire in the background. The explosion is so powerful that the car leaps off the ground in a blue ring of destruction before crashing down in a thunderous boom.From the ashes, plumes of thick gray smoke and burning debris.The Alphas remain unaffected. Both Victor and Arthur continue circling one another with pinpoint focus.All the while, Victor is profusely bleeding from a bullet graze on the top of his head. It looks terrible, a tar-black line coated in red, bits of hair, and skin torn right off.But as bad as Victor is, Arthur is even worse. His left arm is dislocated, hanging uselessly at his side. He has scratches everywhere. One along his eyes is so deep that he can't even open it.Ariadne sees everything in slow motion; all the molecules i
"- I think that Ariadne should do it," Dustin says in a small voice, visibly put out.Victor's eyes narrow. "What am I supposed to say to that? Who'd expect you to be reasonable of all people.""If she really is the White Wolf, then she's the only one who can do this," Dustin responds evenly."Yes," Victor whispers, and his voice commands attention. "This can only be settled with justice.""She's not the White Wolf. Sure, she's beautiful but-" Harry begins."I saw it with my own eyes-" Nathan interrupts, even though Anna shoots daggers in his direction.Ariadne can't breathe. There's a crushing weight settling on her chest.What is she to do?"-She is the White Wolf. I'm sure of it. I swear on my mother," Nathan continues.Another silence befalls the table that Ariadne doesn't understand.Edward and Dustin look equally quizzed, but everyone else is in on whatever it is."Then Ariadne is the only one," Harry
“You saved my life,” Victor whispers.Ariadne’s heart thuds in her chest. What is the Alpha talking about?“How can you explain that? Why didn’t you just let me die then?” Victor continues. “Then you could’ve had everything you wanted.”“It was a trick,” Arthur spat. “You think I could have the throne if I let you die?”“No one would have known. It would have only been your word,” Victor answers. “But you saved me anyway.”Arthur sounds like he’s crying. “What do you want from me, Vic? You have everything already. Do you want me to love you too? Just like everyone does, even Ariadne, and she-she doesn’t love anyone. Somehow you won her too. You win. Is that what you want?”“I just want to say goodbye,” Victor says.“I hate you. I hate you so much, you f*cking idiot. There’s nothing that
"Don't you want to know who's responsible for killing your family, your father, mother, and your older brother?" Arthur says quickly before Ariadne can light a second match.That's specific. Ariadne's never told anyone other than Victor about her family. She pauses, looking at Arthur with wide eyes."Oh, that got your attention," the man says with a disgusting, crooked grin. "So you do want to know who killed them."Ariadne's never been sure. She'd been so drugged up then. The details, they escaped her."You're lying," Ariadne hisses. "You bugged us somehow. That's the only way you'd know.""Don't stop fighting. Live, you have to live. We love you. Don't forget us, Snowflake," Arthur replies.
Digging graves by car light in the late hours of the evening is not exactly the most fulfilling task. Harry offered to, being the only other viable choice according to the Old Ways. But ultimately, it was his Beta Lisa, who Victor took the mud-covered gauntlet. So here he was at two at night, shoveling loose bits of dirt, making a hole deep and wide enough for a six-foot one-long body bag. Lisa, his First, helps wordlessly. She's surprisingly not bothered by the earthworms wriggling in the crust all around her or the dusting of brown on her cheeks. She works at a steady pace, tirelessly, hair tied up in a high ponytail. "Do you think he really did it?" Victor asks, tossing a shovel full over his shoulder. It could mean many things, but the Beta knows what he's talking about. Her eyes flicker in the dark, a glimmer of amber agitation before they settle dim again. The woman's expression tightens her lips, a thin line. "You don't
The Alpha loses grip on his spoon. "You-You're still up for that?"Ariadne sighs. "I'm not sure if-if I still want your pups. But I-I want the choice, the choice that your father took away from me."Victor has difficulty reconciling the family man his father was to the monster Arthur described.Is it possible? It is. Of course, it is."I- alright," Victor replies. "When do you have to be at the hospital?""The operation should take four hours," Ariadne says. "I have to be in there in two."Victor picks up his spoon again, getting a mouthful of rice in there. He eats as much as he can since they're pressed for time.Ariadne flushes again. "You act like you're starving."Victor slurps up the last of it unceremoniously. "I'm skin and bones."Ariadne folds her arms. "I'm still mad at you. Just because we're talking doesn't mean everything's okay.""But can it be?" Victor presses. "Is there anything I can do to make th
"Is she alright?" Victor says. "Spit it out." "S-she's calling for you, sir," the man responds. "Can you come with-" Victor's already on his feet. "Yes, now. Take me to her." "She's still high on the anesthesia, but she refuses to go down. The staff is- uh - they don't want to restrain her." "What about the operation? Why didn't you call me sooner?" Victor growls as the man hits the elevator button. "I'm so sorry, sir. I just found out myself," the man answers, eyes downcast, wringing his hands. "She's fine. The operation was successful. We'll send her home with birth control, but she's good to go as of now. I recommend you let her rest for a few days, let her recover properly before you- uh-" The way this receptionist is, how afraid he is, and what he's implying. It all makes Victor furious. "Shut up," Victor spits. "If you want to make it out of this f*cking elevator alive, you need to shut the f*ck up." The m
The Omega whimpers in her sleep, something soft that sounds like, "Why do I love you?"Coming to his senses, Victor gets up and cleans the space until it's passable, paying the most attention to Alcina. Victor wraps himself around the Omega when that's done, securing them both into a tight bundle.Then, blissful rest.It doesn't take much for Victor to convince himself that things are on the mend as the days pass. If there's still any chance that Alcina still wants a pup with him, Victor must be prepared.He knows nothing about Omega pregnancies, except that the best time for conception is during in-phase heats and ruts.With that limited knowledge in mind, Victor decides to pay Nathan and Anna a visit, leav
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