JULIAN POVI chuckled loudly, staring at Emily. She had to be kidding, right? She hated Avery and would do anything to get her out of the picture. So, she was doing one of the things she knew best by formulating a stupid story about her.Yet, she didn't seem like she was joking."Laugh all you want, Julian. I have been expecting the same reaction from you, but be aware that I am not lying. Why do you think the council members keep appearing in the pack house?"Emily snorted, raising her brows, "Do you think they enjoy coming there to see your face or inspect it? No, it's the distinct scent that makes them keep coming. They are there because of Avery."Emily stopped talking and the room was enveloped in silence. That was precisely what I needed to think.Avery was a Vukkor. She was my enemy. But how was I so attracted to her if she was? The level of attraction to her was different from anything I had ever felt before. It was real and, at the same time, surreal.Why do I feel the mate b
AVERY POVI couldn't tell how long I had been running, but I knew I needed to run more to save my life. As soon as the morning came, I dashed out of the room that Aisha made me stay in.It wasn't my intention to do so. I had heard voices—James' voice, to be precise. I was going to be killed. That was a fact; staying back in that room would have even made the process faster.Hence, I had done what I did.I swiped at the twigs curling towards me, glaring. Then, breaking my run, I rubbed at my hands in an attempt to keep myself warm, but no matter what I did, nothing seemed to be working.Panting, I glanced around the lonesome forest. I couldn't tell where I was or where exactly I was going, but all I knew was I needed to get to Julian.I needed to get to him before his brother, or I shall be done for.I shuddered, biting back a sob as the image of Aisha's lifeless body wandered into my mind. She had been killed. I had seen her body as soon as I opened the door.I believed they had force
AVERY POVI blinked once, then blinked again to ensure I wasn't seeing things, and I shook my head as well.Staying for a brief second to see if someone would burst into laughter at whatever was happening, but no one did.No one even showed any ounce of amusement which was strange.There was no way Julian had said that to me. He definitely wouldn't do that after all the promises he had made before leaving.Hell, we were going to get mated. What happened to that?!Also, I couldn't help but think back to what he had called me. A Vukkor.That was the term for hybrid werewolves, the tainted ones, the unwanted species living amongst the purebred community.How did he know I was a Vukkor? I had been keeping the secret away from him, and now he seemed to know everything.Letting out a deep breath, I continued to stare at him. He didn't look mad. He didn't even show any emotion on his face. He only stared back at me blankly as if he didn't know who I was."What did you do to him?" I hissed as
AVERY POVFor a brief seconds, Jack kept on holding onto my mouth, making me wonder when he would eventually release me so I could speak.It wasn't as if I had much to say to him after seeing him watch them drag me away without doing anything.I thought we were friends. Friends do not just stand by and watch their other friends get hurt."I can't defy Julian at that moment," Jack murmured, letting me go.He let in a deep breath before letting it out slowly."You can't defy Julian?" I glared at him, my voice was in a whisper."Where is my son? You are the last person I am willing to see right now." I said.Jack shook his head."What?" I snorted, folding my arms across my chest, and then I stood to my feet. Jack did the same."I am going to be killed, Jack. You heard Julian say that you saw it in his eyes that he would never let me live. Even from the tone he had used on me. You are aware. At least, let me see my son before my head gets chopped off. Or is it hanging? Whichever, I need t
AVERY POVTrue to his words, Jack returned. It was as quiet as ever, making me wonder if anyone was guarding the dungeon or if he had just made his way around.Staring at him as he fumbled with the keys in his hands, he opened the dungeon's cage and tossed the key on the floor before extending his hand to me.I took his hand without hesitation and he tugged me forward."Are you certain about this?" I asked as we stepped out of the dungeon and into the night, trying to avoid getting into the scene.It was somewhat difficult since many of the guards in the Argent pack house were on patrol.We could easily be seen, and my life would be ruined. Maybe I'd be killed immediately instead of them waiting until morning comes.Also, I would not be going down alone. Jack would be taken down with me. Maybe his sentence would be a lot lighter; he was Julian's friend and a purebred werewolf. He might be pardoned. But I didn't want us to result in that.I didn't want him to get hurt because of me."T
JULIAN POVIt was morning. This would be the first time I'd wish the morning didn't arrive sooner. At least, I preferred the darkness to the brightness I was seeing now, and it was all for a reason.It was because of her. I couldn't watch her be killed. I couldn't watch her die, but I needed to for the sake of Jason.Letting out a deep breath, I stared at the guards preparing the gallow in the arena where Avery would be hanged today. Then, I watched as everyone trooped into the arena in a bid to watch the event.I tried to imagine the state that Phoebe was currently in. Sad, disturbed, or was she crying? Perhaps she was having all those emotions while trying to stay in position.I couldn't forget the way she had stared at me the last time in the forest. Her expression had gone from shock to disbelief and then to betrayal. I didn't blame her for her.At least, I had promised her. I had promised to bring Jason to her and punish the perpetrators, yet I had failed.I had fucking failed he
JULIAN"I told you I should watch her before the execution started. Do you think she'd have escaped if I was in that room as her?" James said.I rolled my eyes internally but said nothing. My head was still reeling from the revelation about Avery's escape.Yes, every part of the pack house had been searched, but no trace of her was found. The weirdest thing was that her scent seemed almost non-existent. It was as if she was never in the pack house to begin with.Avery didn't strike me as someone who could freely mask her scent without the help of anyone. Although she had proof to me that she could be strong a month ago, I still find her somewhat weak, and she definitely couldn't have masked her scent.Someone helped her. But who did? The only person I could think of right now was Jack.He was the only one absent from the pack house. Even though he had bid farewell yesterday, I didn't believe he had left. He stayed to rescue her. But why would he do that without thinking of the consequ
JULIAN POVFour strong grips pulled me away from James. Ignoring my wailing mother, I wiped my knuckles, which were now coated with blood."You've killed him. You've killed him, you bastard!" my mother yelled as she darted towards James's almost lifeless body."He's still breathing, Mom, no need to exaggerate things," I said, staring at the guards that were still holding me."Let go," I shrugged their hands off me.Both of them stepped back, their heads bowed, "Sorry, Alpha." they said in unison.I rolled my eyes at them and stared back at my mother. She cradled James's bloodied face in her hands. It had always been like this.James would do the offending, and when I choose to fight back, I'd be the wicked person. I'd be the one who couldn't hold back. I'd be the one out of control!Flexing my knuckles as they ached, I gritted my teeth, turning away from both of them and towards the door.I stopped as I heard my mother's voice."I curse the day you were born," she said. Despite the fa
AVERY POVI knew it would come to this. The talk about the prophecy and using it against me. I knew all about the prophecy and what had been said because Eileen had told me all I needed to know. However, I wished they could have added why Julian had been a jerk to me.If the prophecy had been all that, why did the family treat me like dirt when they knew Julian and I were supposed to work together? Also, why had he allowed them to treat me in that manner?"And if I refuse to work together with him?" I asked her as if we were in a business together.Julian's mother shook her head. She rose to her feet, walked to the window side, and then returned to where she had been sitting.But she didn't sit. Instead, she stared at me."This isn't what you can agree on, Avery. It isn't a business transaction. You were in his life for a reason. I believe you were created for him—""Unbelievable," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Of course, the goddess is that jobless to create me so I'd satisfy the urge
AVERY POVI was pregnant; I knew that. I felt the same way I felt while with Jason. Somehow, during our back and forth, plus Jason's disappearance, I had managed to allow Julian access to my body again.Of course, I know that was stupid, but then he was Julian. I couldn't resist him when it came to that.With my Aversion to food and everything happening, I had wanted to believe it was the flu and it would all go down until I took a pregnancy test.Well, Aisha was the only one who knew about that because she had bought the test and secret and I had told her to keep the result a secret.I didn't want anyone to know, not even Jack.I groaned, rising from the bed.My eyes wandered around the room and stayed on Julian's mother.Since her return, she had been trying her best to get closer to me. Even as I had tried to avoid her, I never let her not have access to Jason.She was Jason's grandmother, and despite how much I loathed her, there was nothing I could do about her. She was the cause
JULLIAN POVAvery was still out, and I hadn't received any feedback on her health yet. I was not currently in the pack house; otherwise, I'd have known how she was doing.But James still kept me updated, even though I did not trust he was in the same place as Avery. Since his arrival here, he had the habit of moving around with the girls. I wondered if he wasn't affected by the fact that we were currently without a packhouse or on the verge of being at war since Emily had decided to wage one at us.Or maybe he was trying not to make our current situation affect him by not thinking about it. My mother was another thing. I hadn't heard about her since we arrived here.She had indulged herself in activities around Jack's pack house. Jack didn't have a problem with her. In fact, he was the one who even recommended that she help out if she wanted to.Jack didn't have a problem with James, either. He only had a problem with me, and that was due to Avery.I frowned as we arrived at what seem
JULLIAN POVI paced from the bed where Avery was lying down to the window and returned to the bed again. I had been doing that since she became unconscious.The doctor who was supposed to check her was yet to be here, and I wondered what was taking him that long. I couldn't believe he didn't have a reserve doctor for emergencies for a packhouse as big as Jack's.I had wanted the ones available to at least look at what was happening to Avery, but they seemed inexperienced. They could only stabilize her and ensure she was still living.I groaned, pushing a hand through my hair, tugging."You need to sit; my eyes are starting to spin because of you," James said, rubbing his eyes."I never asked you to be here," I stated, glaring at him."Aren't you a ray of sunshine, big brother?" James replied sarcastically, and I glared at him.Avery was in my room at the moment, even though Jack had been against it. Despite the fact that he had told me I didn't have a say over his pack house, I still
AVERY POVI shouldn't have said that, and I couldn't take my words back. Jullian's eyes darkened. They stayed on mine for a brief second.He said nothing to me. He just watched me. I couldn't exactly say what he was staring at, but if the look could kill, I should be dead by now because it felt like he would strangle me if he had the chance to do so."You've been sleeping with my best friend?" It was a simple question, yet it sounded overly dangerous to him."What does it have to do with you?" I retorted, holding his gaze.Jullian snarled; he clutched my chin, tilting it towards his. I stood on the ball of my feet due to how he was pulling me and our height difference."It has every fucking thing to do with me, Avery. Are you trying to test my patience? Are you lying to me now, and do you want to see what I can do for you?" he asked me."Avery!" Jack interrupted me before I could speak.Fuck! Why the hell was he here? Jullian was furious and looking for someone to pass the aggression
AVERY POVMy heart thumped wildly in my chest as I gazed around the room. Jason wasn't here. Aisha had left with him.His absence made my anxiety even skyrocketed. I didn't want to be alone with Jullian, and I didn't even want to speak to him. But now that he was inside my room, I doubted I could do anything.The lock clicked, and I bit on my lower, avoiding his gaze."Avery," he said. His voice was gruff.I shook my head, not responding to him directly because what could I say? I had nothing to say to him!"Avery," he said again. I took a step backward, hoping he wouldn't come closer, but he did anyway.Turning to face him sharply, I glared. What does he want with me? That was the question that kept swirling in my mind. Had he not done enough? No, he was definitely enjoying tormenting me!He enjoyed seeing me in pain and he had come back to torment me even more."Glare at me all you want, but you should speak to me, Avery," He said.I sucked in a deep breath. Then stared at him, poin
AVERY POVI had always been prepared for the unexpected. I believed that was how my life was set out. The goddess had created me and deposited me in the middle of chaos, so I wasn't often fazed when it came to things happening in my life, except for when Jason was taken.This wasn't the unexpected I had wanted to happen or be expecting.Biting my lower lip, I stole a glance at Jack. I noticed he was staring at me, and I saw Jullian staring at him from the corner of my eyes.Aside from the chattering from James and his mother, the tension in the dining room was as thick as steel.I could feel it and wondered if the rest were feeling it. The food I often enjoyed was barely enjoyable due to the silent communication going on between Jack and Jullian.Swallowing, I set my fork on my plate, still filled with food, and stood to my feet.Jack and Jullian did the same.I started from Jack to Jullian and then back to Jack."I volunteered to be in the field. They are short of workers," I said."
JULLIAN POV"That isn't good on you, brother," James said as he stepped into the room.What was he doing here? I believed Jack's pack house was large enough to accommodate my mother, James, and me in different rooms.Also, Jack had not said anything about me sharing rooms, although I wouldn't object to it if I were asked to. This wasn't my pack house, so I shouldn't be choosing what I do in it and whatnot."Tea, coffee? Whichever," James said, setting the glass tray with him on the table.I frowned staring at the steam coming from the cup, before letting my eyes wander to James.He undid the rope on the robe he was wearing to reveal a plaid blue t-shirt, and then he sat on the sofa in the room's center and crossed his legs. Taking one of the cups, which I believed to be the tea's Cups, he took a sip of the steaming liquid before wincing."Fuck, that's hot," He hissed. "I told that little shit to make it fit for drinking.""She probably did that to bring this shitty reaction from you,"
JULLIAN POVWhile coming here, I had prepared my mind for what I would see exactly but didn't think I prepared enough.I thought I didn't care about Avery. At least, I made myself believe that I didn't and wouldn't bat a lash where she was involved.But what was this weird feeling that kept surging into him? Also, her nearness, her scent. It had ignited all that I didn't want to feel anymore.Of course, my thoughts were also to be mad at her. She had escaped with my best friend, and only the goddess knew what they had been doing together. I wanted to demand she say everything that had happened between them, but I knew I wasn't in the proper position to do so as I had awfully failed her."My dear friend," Jack said, causing my attention to leave Avery.I searched his face. It was void of humor. Somehow, I could read every of the damned expression on his face.I saw fear, and another time, I saw anger. Then, I saw determination as well and fear again."To what pleasure do I owe you a vi