MasukShare
Open Your Eyes
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-08 14:25:12
Bab terkait
Alpha of Smoke Fiery Spirit
*Chet*Mrs. Mackenzie looks like she’s about to blow my head off with the shotgun she grasps in her trembling hands as I kneel next to Unega. With no pressure on her wound, the fabric I was pressing against the gash turns a brighter shade of red by the moment.“Get back.” She swings the muzzle of the rifle toward the water.“We mean you and your daughter no harm,” I assure her, my voice calm, and hopefully, reassuring. “She hit her head on a rock. It needs–”“I’m a nurse, I know what it needs!” she shouts. “Get away from her.” She looks toward the river. “Where’s Mac?”“He’s looking for the other missing woman,” I tell her as I do what she asked and scoot further away from my bleeding mate.“You spoke to my husband?”I nod. “He checked on Une–Isabella–before he went to look for the other woman.”She tilts her head to the side and narrows her left eye at me. I see now where Unega gets her fiery spirit. “How do you
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-09Alpha of Smoke You Gotta Pay the Toll
*Isabella*A train has hit me in the skull and splintered my bones into a thousand tiny pieces that wiggle and squirm their way deep into the crevices of my brain.At least, that’s what it feels like to me. I take a deep breath and lift a hand to try and make the pain go away as I blink a thousand times. When I touch my noggin’ I feel a bandage, and a flood of memories comes back to me.I sit up way too quick, and the world spins. I’m in the back of the wagon, wearin’ a different dress than I had on before. Outside, the sun is settin’, paintin’ the sky in pink and gold, and my head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.Off in the distance, I hear the soft murmur of prayers and cryin’--in French. “Genevieve,” I murmur, my stomach dropping like a rock.I should be dead, but I’m here.She must not have made it.The cloth in the back of the wagon is open so I can
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-10Alpha of Smoke Her Fighter
*Isabella*“What the actual fuck?”Billy leaps back so fast, I’m sittin’ there with my lips puckered not touchin’ nothin’. Not that I’m complainin’, but it seems a little odd. But then my eyes lock on the dark pair peering at me from the shore of the river, and an excited smile lights my face. Even though Chet looks angry as a bear bein’ attacked by a swarm of bees.“I do not think she wanted to kiss you,” he says, walkin’ over to where Billy is standin’. I don’t know what he done until he pulls a tomahawk out of the back of the wagon and slips it into his belt.Now, I bust out laughin’ because I realize Chet threw a weapon at Billy’s privates to get him to leave me alone. How he knew I didn’t wanna kiss the cowboy, I’m not sure, but he ain’t wrong.“Who the hell do you think you are?” Billy asks.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-11Alpha of Smoke Speak the Truth
*Chet*The stares from the people whose group we’ve infiltrated grow more intense as the sun begins to set, like they are afraid we are really here to rob and butcher them in the middle of the night. Mr. Mackenzie, who insists I call him Mac, but I can’t wrap that amount of informality around my mind yet, has told them all we are there to help. Some of them seem to believe him. Others not so much. After all, they just met him not long ago, and while I’m certain he’s proven himself trustworthy, these people have left oppression from Alphas in foreign lands to come here, so they are a bit skeptical.I look at Kan and Mo and know that they are skeptical, too. They do not want to be here, but they are here because they are my friends.Takoda, on the other hand, has a different problem. He’s so love sick and worried about the girl, Ginny, as they call her, that he has hardly blinked for the last hour. He sits near the fire, staring at the flickering flames as if he might see a premonition
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-12Alpha of Smoke Mates
*Isabella*Ma’s voice is shoutin’ in my head. She’s a yellin’ at me to head back to the wagon. She don’t want me out here with these “wild men,” not because she’s afraid they’ll hurt me. Hell, Chet already done saved my life. No, she’s afraid of what the others will say.Well, to hell with them.I ignore her and hone in on what Chet has just told me. I feel my stomach tighten up in a knot and a funny feelin’ lower than that, like parts of me are alive and on fire I ain’t never paid much attention to before.“Are you going to say anything?” he asks in that quiet, even voice that always makes me feel so calm.“I would, but I reckon I ain’t sure what to say,” I admit. “And my ma’s screamin’ at me in the mind-link to get my ass back to the wagon.”He chuckles softly, shaking his head enough to make his long
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13Alpha of Smoke Rolling Out
*Chet*The sound of my friends moving around what’s left of the campfire rouses me, though I’m not yet ready to open my eyes. I spent too many hours speaking to Unega through the mind-link last night. Even though I’ll be exhausted today, it was worth it. A smile spreads across my face before I even open my eyes.In our language, Kan says, “You’ve got it bad, Alpha.”He calls me that sometimes, even though I’m not the Alpha yet. It’s just another way he can try to get a reaction out of me. But not today. I blink a few times and look into his face as he hovers near me. “I know.”“Well, at least you admit it.” He laughs and finishes putting out the smoldering embers.“Her mother was very angry last night,” Mo reminds me. “Are you going to speak to her today?”“Her mother? No.” I don’t have any plans to. I sit up and lo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-14Alpha of Smoke We Can’t Go On
*Isabella*On the second day of our traveling separate from the majority of the wagons, I’m growing restless. Ma made me sleep most of the day before, or try to, anyhow. It wasn’t easy to sleep in the back of the wagon with all the ruts and whatnot. I have no idea how my brother does it so well.Today, I’m sittin’ right next to her in the wagon as the sun is startin’ to go down. We should be seein’ the others soon enough. I know we’re in mind-link range because Ma’s been talking to Pa, and I’ve checked in with Chet a few times. I don’t wanna be a distraction. He’s got an important job to do, makin’ sure everyone goes the right direction. Still, I’ll be excited to see him again soon.“We should be just about to where they’re gonna cross, once they reach this spot,” Ma says, lookin’ way ahead of us. “Yer pa said they’ve cut back to the we
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-15Alpha of Smoke Floating Baby
*Chet*Getting the wagons across the river at the place I’ve shown to Mac is no trouble whatsoever. It’s the second day of our journey away from the smaller group of wagons when we hit the shallowest point, and I tell him, “This is where they should cross,” through the mind-link.He nods and looks to the sky. “We’ve got a couple more hours of daylight. Reckon we can get everyone across?”Before I answer I take a few steps into the water. It barely covers my paws, so I wade deeper. The river is wider here than it was at the point where Sanders had the other wagons cross, but it’s not deep, and by the time I’m in the center of the body of water, I’m able to stand on the bottom of the riverbend and keep my head above water. “Yes.”I come back to meet Kan and Mo on the shore while Mac steps behind a tree to shift and get dressed. When I am close enough to my friends, I shake
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-16
Bab terbaru
Alpha of Smoke Journey's End
*One year later**Unega* A cool autumn breeze rustles through the valley as I step out onto the porch of our cabin, wrapping my shawl tighter around my shoulders. The sun is setting, casting the land in golden hues, the sky streaked with soft pinks and purples. Smoke curls from chimneys, the scent of roasted venison and fresh bread filling the crisp evening air.We made it.One year ago, this place was nothing more than an idea—a hope, a dream, a distant possibility. Now, it is home.Chet steps up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. I lean into him, breathing in his scent—woodsmoke, leather, and something uniquely him. His warmth seeps into my skin, grounding me.“How’s he doin’?” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple.I glance down at the bundle nestled against my chest, our son wrapped snug in a soft wool blanket. His tiny body rises and falls with each peaceful breath, his little hands curled into fists. Takola.He is everything good in this world.“He’s finall
Alpha of Smoke All That Matters
*Chet*The fire rages, turning the sky into a hellish inferno. Smoke burns my throat, and searing heat licks at my fur as I weave through the battlefield. I can barely see through the chaos—wolves locked in combat, blood staining the dirt, rogues moving like shadows in the haze.And then, through it all, I see her.Unega.She lies on the ground, her white fur streaked with crimson, barely moving. The rogues have surrounded her."No. No, no, no!" My heart pounds like war drums in my chest.I lunge forward, tearing through the wolves in my way, my fangs finding flesh, my claws ripping through fur and muscle. A rogue snaps at my flank, but I don’t feel the pain. I can only think of her."Hold on, Unega! I'm coming!" I send through the mind-link.Nothing.Dread sinks its claws into me. The world blurs into a storm of blood and fire. I kill anything that gets between us, but the rogues are relentless. They seem to know what she means to me.I push forward, my vision narrowing to only her.
Alpha of Smoke Gone
*Isabella*October 1885 For nearly a month now, two Chyara warriors, Avoon and Hotoa, have been livin’ among us, huntin’ with our pack, teachin’ us new tracking techniques, and sharing stories around our fire. Their presence has been a comfort, but also a constant reminder of the warning their elders gave us—the fire wolves are near.I think back to the first time I heard the name spoken among the Chyara. When we traveled east to visit our friends, they did not hesitate to tell us of the rogue packs who use fire as a weapon against their enemies. The same wolves that Chet saw once before, burnin’ an entire village to the ground."They do not fight like normal wolves," the Chyara elder had said. "They hunt not just for food, but for destruction. They leave nothing but ashes behind."That alone was enough to make my stomach twist, but then the elder looked directly at Chet. "You have seen them before, have you not?"Chet’s jaw had clenched, his hands curled into fists at his sides. "I
Alpha of Smoke Thank the Moon Goddess
*Chet*Mo’s breathing is shallow. His once-powerful body lies limp on the ground, his dark fur matted with blood. The wound on his throat is deep—too deep. Unega’s mother, Reba, and my Luna are working frantically to stop the bleeding, but the life is draining from him too fast.I kneel beside him, my hands clenched into fists, helplessness clawing at my gut. He has been my brother in all but blood since childhood. I cannot lose him now."Mo, stay with us," I urge through the mind-link, but his eyes barely flicker.Unega’s hands are steady, her expression calm but focused as she applies pressure with a clean strip of cloth from Reba’s satchel. Her mother mixes a poultice from herbs she gathered weeks ago—yarrow, comfrey, and goldenrod. The scent is strong, bitter, but it will help."His pulse is weak," Reba murmurs, her brows furrowed. "We need to get the bleeding under control before we do anything else.""He’s lost too much blood," I say, my voice hoarse. "He needs time to heal, but
Alpha of Smoke The First Strike
*Chet* The alliance with the Chyara has been a blessing to our pack. Over the past several months, we have learned valuable lessons from them—about the land, the migration of game, and the dangers that lurk beyond our borders. The knowledge they have shared has made us stronger, but it has also opened our eyes to the reality that we are not alone in this vast wilderness.Tonight, we have invited them to join us around our fire. One of the elders, a small woman with long white braids, sits behind Alice, weaving her hair into a similar braid while sharing wisdom about the land.“You have settled well here,” she says, her voice calm but firm. “But danger still circles like a wolf on the hunt.”I glance at Unega, who stiffens beside me. “What does she mean?” Unega asks through the mind-link.The elder gestures westward, her dark eyes sharp. “There are others,” she says. “Wolves who have no home, no honor. They take what they want, destroy what they cannot. They do not fight for survival,
Alpha of Smoke Neighbors
September 1885*Isabella*Wyoming’s harsh land has slowly shaped itself into a home. It has been several months since we first staked our claim, and the settlement has transformed. The cabins, once just rough-cut logs stacked in hopeful piles, now stand strong, their stone chimneys curling with the smoke of warm fires. The scent of cedar and fresh-cut wood hangs thick in the air as the final few homes are being built.Autumn’s chill is creeping into the evenings, hinting at the winter to come. The fields we cleared in the summer now hold the first true crops—corn, beans, squash—thrivin’ under the wide Wyoming sky. What once was dry, cracked land now bursts with golden hues, swayin’ tall in the breeze. The hunters have done their part too, bringin’ in plenty of meat, dryin’ strips of venison and buffalo to last through the cold months.Everything is changin’—for the better.But despite all we’ve built, Chet and I know we need more than just strong walls and full stores to keep our peop
Alpha of Smoke Buffalo Hunt
*Chet*The rain has finally passed, leaving the land damp and rich with the scent of earth and renewal. The morning sun peeks through the dissipating clouds, casting golden light over our encampment. It is a welcome sight, one that signals a shift—a new beginning.As I step out of our wagon, the air is crisp, carrying with it the promise of hard work and progress. The storm may have disrupted our scouting efforts last night, but it also left behind the perfect conditions to resume building.I find Unega already awake, speaking with her father and a few of the men about the cabins we have begun constructing.“The soil’s soft now,” Pa notes, inspecting the ground. “It’ll be easier to get these cedar trees cut and the foundation set.”“We got lucky with that rain,” I remark, and Unega nods.“Lucky or blessed,” she says with a small smile. “Either way, I’m just glad it let up when it did.”“We should thank the Moon Goddess,” I agree. “She has watched over us since we left Tennessee.”The
Alpha of Smoke Bad Neighbors
*Isabella*The scent of sweat, dust, and blood thickens in the air, settlin’ heavy in my lungs. My paws press into the damp earth, muscles coiled tight as I follow Chet’s lead through the darkened forest. We are nearly done checkin’ our perimeters, but somethin’ feels off.Then I hear it—the distant clash of weapons, the guttural war cries of men locked in battle.Chet slows beside me, his massive black wolf blendin’ into the shadows. “Do you hear that?” he asks through the mind-link.“Yeah. And I smell ‘em, too.” The metallic tang of blood, the musk of too many bodies movin’ at once—it all comes together now.Takoda and Ginny, just behind us, tense at the same time.“Two groups. Both human,” Takoda confirms, his wolf’s ears twitchin’ forward.I peer through the trees, eyes lockin’ onto the scene just beyond the ridge. Firelight flickers against the wet bark of the trees, castin’ eerie shadows over the battlefield below. Warriors, fierce and determined, clash in the open space, their
Alpha of Smoke Escape
*Isabella*The scent of fresh-cut cedar fills the air as axes swing and saws cut through the sturdy trunks. The rhythmic thunk of wood hittin’ the ground echoes through the trees, minglin’ with the voices of our packmates workin’ together to build our new homes.It feels real now—this land, this future we’re claimin’ as our own.Chet stands beside me, sleeves rolled up, sweat glistenin’ on his skin as he directs the men on how to lay the foundation beams. The strength in his arms, the way his muscles move beneath his tanned skin, sends warmth spreadin’ through my chest. My Alpha. My mate. My future.“We’ll have the first cabins framed before nightfall,” he says, his tone full of certainty. “Once we have a few homes built, we can start work on a meeting hall and a proper cookhouse.”I nod, feelin’ the weight of what we’re creatin’ here. “It’s gonna be a beautiful place, Chet.”His eyes soften as he glances at me. “It already is.”I smile, restin’ my palm against a newly stripped log, b
