"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.“I can’t tell you on the phone. Let’s meet up immediately. And come alone.”My heart raced with questions as I heard his words. I took a peek at Travis who was still talking to the security guard. “Okay. I’m on my way.” I said to chad before hanging up. He texted me a location and I considered for a quick second. “Hey,” Travis said to get my attention and I didn’t even know when he got back from speaking with the guards. “I’ve spoken to them to know the exact time Amelia had left. He said she had gone out to meet someone. Do you know anyone she might have gone out to see?” I tried to recall, but I literally do not know anything about my sister. If she went out to see someone, it’s definitely not her fiance, maybe his parents? “I think she must have gone to see her soon to be in laws. Maybe she’s there.” I said as I immediately started dialing their numbers but it was unreachable. “Let me try... in fact let’s go over t
~ Leigh’s POV ~I had brought Iris back to the house. Dr Eli had secretly told me that something was awfully wrong and I should keep Iris with me by all means. I didn’t exactly know what was wrong, but I knew I had to protect her. She was so worried and I tried to console her as I held her firmly in my arms. Suddenly my phone rang and I frowned a little. It was Archie. I excused myself to go pick up.“What?” I said curtly.“I think we have our guy.” He said from the other end of the line. They have found the culprit? “Who is it?” I asked. “Its better you come here yourself. It’s not something I can say on the phone.” I don’t know why but I just had a really bad feeling. "I'll be there soon," I said finally, before hanging up the phone."What's wrong, Leigh?" Iris asked and I could sense the worry in her voice.I tried to keep my expression neutral. "Nothing Iris, Just pack business.""Tell me Leigh, what's going on?" She said unconvinced.I sighed and rubbed my temples. "I
I sat in the passenger seat of the car, my eyes fixed on the GPS screen as we navigated through the winding streets. Archie was driving, his hands moving deftly over the wheel as he expertly maneuvered the vehicle. He surprisingly impressed me with his driving skills, makes me hate him less for being such a jerk to Iris in the past. Just kidding. Still hate him just the same, but I have to work with him for now. And he’s actually been working pretty hard."Come on, come on," I muttered under my breath, my frustration growing. We had been tracking Gina for hours, but she was proving to be a slippery target. More slippery than anyone I had ever had to chase. Even Alaric."I know," Archie said, his voice calm and reassuring. "We will get her. She definitely can't keep running forever. Besides we are the good guys.” He said composed with his eyes still on the road as he expertly turned the stirring wheel.I nodded, but my doubts lingered. Gina was sly, observant, and clearly resourceful.
"I know. But we need to be careful. The rogues are getting desperate, and we don't know what they're capable of. We still don’t even know exactly what they want.”“We would get them soon.” I said trying to reassure Nicolas but mostly trying to reassure myself.“Okay then. Have you guys gotten the girl?” he asked.I hissed. “Not yet Nick. She’s been avoiding us like a plague and it’s becoming so annoying.” I hissed the words out. “This really is going not how I had expected. Anyway, I’ll get Amelia to a shelter. She’s still so shaken so I’ll have her stay there for a while.” He informed and I nodded.“Okay. Thanks man. I’ll see you back at the meeting point.”“Okay Leigh.” He said before hanging up. As he hung up the phone, Archie turned to me, his expression concerned. "What's wrong? I heard something about Dr Eli. Is he okay?" He asked concerned and I studied his expression before deciding to reply."Dr Eli's been taken," I said, my voice firm. "We need to get him back."Arc
I woke up as quickly as I fell asleep. Felt like I didn’t even sleep a wink because of how drained I was. I took a quick bath and headed downstairs, searching for Nicolas so I could borrow his phone and call Iris. I really needed to check on her. "Good morning Master Leigh," a servant greeted. “Hmm, where’s Nicolas?” I asked curtly as I descended the stairs. "Master Nicolas is still asleep sir. He returned very late last night." She informed politely. I nodded, slightly disappointed. "Breakfast is served sir." “I’ll pass.” I waved my arms in the air but my stomach protested with a loud growl, betraying my initial reluctance to eat. The servants exchanged knowing glances, their faces hinting at amusement and my faced flushed in embarrassment. "Ah, I suppose I'll have some," I conceded. “Okay sir.” She smiled. I ended up joining Archie and others who were already seated having their breakfast. "Morning Master Leigh," Archie said, his voice polite but distant. I nod
~ Iris POV ~I woke to a splitting headache, groaning as throbbing pain spread through my temples. My whole body was aching and every muscle hurt. My neck and arms seemed heavier than usual and I was also in an unusual position. I tried to move, then I realized my body was stiff and unresponsive. Slowly, I opened my eyes and I was met with a harsh reality. Chains was bound to my neck, wrists, waist, and ankles. And they hurt like hell.Memories of the previous night flooded back into my mind. How Chad's hands was around my neck and squeezing the life from me, then he knocked me unconscious with some hard and that was the last thing i remembered. I groaned as I tried to touch the spot hurting on my head and neck, but the cold chains restricted me.A cold sweat broke out as I took in my surroundings. The room was a sterile lab, walls, floor, and ceiling a blinding white colour, and for some reason it made me feel so sick in the stomach. The air reeked of disinfectant and faintly of.
“You are pitiful Chad.” I spat on his face. “I can’t believe I trusted and had faith in you. But you did all these evil things just because you are jealous of your brot.... Ack!” I groaned in pain as he punched me in my guts and the pain sent a shiver to my brain. I gasped as I was running out of air. “Don’t you ever call me jealous. I have everything.” He shrugged. “And the only thing that loser has is his pure blood. I should be Pack master, not a motherless freak like Leigh.” He sneered. I struggled for air as I tried to speak. “You claim you have everything, but you also want the one thing he has. You are selfi... selfish.. I know... you would never be as good as Leigh. Nothing can beat the goddess’s gift. Your so called pills will fail you.” I sneered as I looked him straight into his eyes. He smirked and grabbed my hair again before banging my head hard on the iron wall behind me. I felt my consciousness leaving my body as blood dripped down from my the back of my head.
"No...please...stop," I whispered, my voice barely audible.Chad's laughter echoed through the room as he leaned in close to my ears. "You'll be my greatest experiment Iris. You should feel very honoured," he whispered softly as his eyes held a vicious gaze. My world darkened slowly, my thoughts dissolving into despair."Chad...why?" I struggled to utter, my voice barely audible."Science," he replied, his voice distant and cold. "Progress. Humanity's advancement requires sacrifice. I have sacrificed a lot. My time, my energy, a lot I have given.” He said as if in pain. “Surely, a little sacrifice from your path is not comparable to the time I have had to spend on each failed experiment. I’m the best researcher in the land, but all those drugs....they are nothing compared to the discovery of your blood.” He laughed hysterically. My gaze locked onto Chad's, “Your humanity...where's your heart?"Chad's smile twisted. "My heart beats for innovation. I simply want to make my kind bett
~ Iris POV ~Three years had passed since the blood and chaos of that night in Luka’s mansion, three years since I had looked into the cold, dead eyes of Luka Lane. In those three years, Leigh and I had built a life together, a sanctuary away from the shadows of the past. Our own mansion was where we lived now, far away from the main Troy mansion. Two years ago, under the glow of the full moon, we had finally become one, our souls bound together in a love forged in fire and tempered by time. He had made me his mate and we were blessed by the moon goddess. Leigh had sworn not to return to the old Troy mansion until the old Alpha breathed his last and he had kept to his words, it was a heart breaking but necessary severing of ties. We had found our own happiness, clinging to each other as we navigated our own future together.Today also, was a day for celebration. Nicolas and Clarisse were finally tying the knot. The air in our bedroom was thick with the pleasant chaos of getting rea
~ Leigh’s POV ~My lungs burned, each ragged breath shot pain through my entire body. But I knew I had to forget this pain I was feeling, I knew the ceremony was fast approaching, and Travis was unreachable this whole time too so we did not know whether he had arrived Lane’s pack or not. There was no time. No time to rest, no time to fully heal. Iris was in danger and I must save her.Every fibre of my being screamed at me to move faster, to bridge the impossible distance that separated us. Every mile felt like a lifetime, every rustle of leaves a potential delay. Clarisse was so worried. “I can’t reach Travis… we don’t know if he made it.” She said on the way. Nicolas’s updated us not too long after. “Travis just called… they encountered heavy resistance. It is clear that Luka anticipated them.” I clenched my jaw. That bastard. He is indeed an old weasel. “No matter what,” I snarled, “we break through and defeat him. We have to.”And we did. The fight was brutal. When we arrive
What I felt inside wasn’t just a power. It was an understanding. An understanding that made me feel ancient, yet utterly present, as if the moon goddess and I were two halves of a perfect whole. My vision were sharpened, and I could see everything. Every sin, every judgement. Every weakness and strength. I could see it all. With a roar that echoed through the hall, I launched myself at Luka, and flinged him far, sending him crashing against the wall. He hadn’t even fully regained his footing before I slammed into him again, sending his hulking form sprawling again once more. My eyes, I could feel, burned with an otherworldly light, fixed on Luka with an intensity that made him flinch.“Your opponent is me, Luka Lane!” I stated, my voice resonating with a newfound authority, a power that was both mine and something far more greater.Luka snarled, pushing himself up, his grey fur bristling. “So, the little moonflower has finally found her thorns, huh! Too bad for little one, you shoul
Travis’s strength was visibly slipping away but I could only watch. Each blow, each snarl, seemed to cost him more. Then, the unthinkable happened. Luka, with a brutal swiftness, plunged his massive claws deep into Travis’s chest. An agonizing shout ripped through the air, a sound that tore at my soul.Luka ripped his claws out, and Travis’s powerful wolf form faltered. He crashed to the ground, as a dark stain of blood spread rapidly under him. His gaze was filled with pain and exhaustion, flickered towards me. In his eyes, I saw a heart breaking message. “I’m tired. I tried.” That’s all I could see in his eyes. He was tired and I was powerless. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the horrific scene before me.Luka with his eyes gleaming with a cruel triumph, loomed over Travis. “Insect!” he sneered as he opened his massive jaws, ready to deliver the killing blow, aiming for Travis’s throat.“NO!” The shriek tore from my own throat, it was a desperate shout, hoping it could somehow
“What was that sound?” Archie demanded of the guards turned towards the door.They all looked confused as their eyes darted nervously around “We… do not know Alpha,” one stammered, “but it sounds… it sounds like someone is blowing the place up.”My heart leaped into my throat. Could it be? Could it possibly be him? A flicker of desperate hope ignited in me, chasing away the fear in my heart. Leigh was here. It had to be Leigh. He wouldn’t let them keep me here.Archie’s jaw tightened, his gaze locking onto mine, then a cruel smirk twisted on his lips. “Keep her contained,” he snarled at the servants who stood. “Do not let her escape. I will go and see what this… disturbance… is.” He shot me one last venomous look before turning and striding out of the room, the guards hurrying after him.My mind was a whirlwind of possibilities. Explosions? Fighting? It had to be Leigh. My eyes felt hot with unshed tears of relief and anticipation. He was here. He was really here to save me.“Come my
Sleep. That word felt foreign. After what I had heard from Ethel, how could I possibly fall asleep. The locked door was a solid testament to my captivity, and the high, narrow window offered no solace at all or a route of escape. I was trapped, and those guards were outside watching. I paced back and forth in the confines of the room. My mind was running like a hamster on a wheel with no way to stop. As I turned sharply, my foot caught on the edge of the bed, sending me sprawling on the ground hard. The back of my head slammed against the marble floor, as a sharp blinding pain shot through me. A loud groan escaped my lips, and for a dizzying moment, darkness threatened to take me again. But then, as the pain subsided, a torrent of memories, sharp and vivid, began to flood my consciousness wildly. The fragmented dreams, the unsettling whispers, the faces I couldn’t quite grasp, they all snapped into place with startling clarity. I could remember everything all of a sudden. I wasn’t
This was supposed to be my escape, but it wasn’t anymore as there were about two dozens of imposing figures, their faces grim and unyielding, lined in the corridor, their presence suffocating the last grasp of hope Ethel had built in me. And Luka Lane just stood there watching us, his very stillness radiating an icy authority. His grey eyes were as sharp as shards of glass.Ethel, who had moments ago been very courageous was now visibly trembling beside me. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand clutched my own tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. Luka’s lips peeled back into a slow, cruel sneer. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his voice a violent threat that sent shivers and sweat running down my temples. “I guess you are playing hide and seek in the dead of night, my little runaway? And you, Ethel? Playing accomplice are you?” he sneered.Ethel’s voice, when she finally managed to speak, was full of tremor. “Father… we were just… she wasn’t feeling well. I was only ta
~ Iris POV ~From the moment I woke up, I felt uneasy. It was like there was something pressing against my chest. It was because I knew tomorrow was fast approaching. Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to become Luka Lane’s mate. The thought felt like air was being sucked out of my lungs. This morning, my gown had also arrived and I was made to come test it out. It was truly beautiful and a perfect fit. Perfect for my discomfort actually, because there is no way I would be happy wearing that knowing who my groom is.I got confined to my room afterwards, under the guise of pre wedding pampering, felt more like imprisonment, like they have been doing since I got here. On the brief walk back from the gown testing room, I saw how everyone was busy with activity. Servants scurried with floral arrangements, and trying to get things arranged. I sighed heavily as I jumped on my bed with a thud. My gaze drifted to the window, and I yearned to feel the cool night air on my face, to run until
“Nicolas,” I repeated, my voice rough, “What happened to Iris?” The silence that followed stretched longer than I thought necessary. It was so thick and suffocating, and this silence just seemed to amplify the frantic thumping of my heart.Nicolas shifted his weight uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the hard cold floor. He finally sighed, a sound heavy with reluctance. “Leigh please. You need to focus on getting better. This isn’t something you should be worrying about right now.” He tried to reason. It was not a reasonable thing for him to say though. At least to me.I hissed harshly. The dismissive tone ignited a spark of fury within me, overriding the weakness that still clung to my limbs. I pushed myself up against the pillows, the sudden movement causing a sharp tug on the IV drip in my wrist, sending a jolt of pain through my arm and to my brain. “I cannot relax Nicolas! Iris is out there, in Luka Lane’s clutches. What do you think he wants with her? It’s not a good thing obvious