AVERY POVWhen I arrived at the dinner hall which was only a few distance from my room, I saw Alpha Leslie. Eileen was right about him being there already, but he wasn't as impatient as she had said he would be.Also, I didn't see my father in the room. I wondered why. He wanted me to have dinner with Alpha Leslie, and I didn't think he had dinner already himself.But I didn't think he cared about that. He wanted me to be with Alpha Leslie. That was all that mattered to him. Hopefully, Alpha Leslie would see how incompatible we were after the dinner."Hi," Alpha Leslie stood to his feet; his face broke into a smile, and his sea-blue eyes twinkled."You came," he said, the surprise in his voice barely unnoticed.I guessed it was common sense I heeded my father's wish, the alpha. Even though I wouldn't be going through with whatever he wanted me to do, I believed obeying him and making an appearance mattered the most."You thought I wouldn't?" I asked him with an eyebrow raised.Alpha L
A WEEK LATERARGENT PACKHOUSEJULIAN POV"We need more beds, disinfectant, and even more drugs!" Emily yelled as she hurried into the room, pushing one of the gurneys with a member down with the illness.It had been a week now since a mysterious illness struck the pack house. Not even the seer had been able to do a thing about it.The medical teams had tried their best to help everyone, but I knew it was only a matter of time before fatality came in because they weren't getting any better.The patients were even more sickly as the hours went by.And I, as the Alpha, could only watch helplessly how everything unfolds."Are you alright?" Emily came to me; she cupped my face, staring into my eyes with concern etched on hers, before placing the back of her palm on my forehead."You're running a fever!" she exclaimed, gripping my hand and leading me to an empty bed. Pushing me to it gently, she questioned, "Are you certain you didn't catch the illness as well? I told you to stay away from
JULIAN POVMy lashes fluttered against my cheeks, and my eyes opened slowly to the bright light from the chandelier. Wincing, I shut them only to open them again.For a brief seconds, I stared at the ceiling, trying to decipher where exactly I was because I was certain I wasn't in the infirmary. I could remember leaving after speaking with James a few minutes ago.Also, the infirmary smelled of antiseptic, bleach, and body odors. The walls were painted white but had different colors, and the room was unusually spacious."Where am I?" I groaned, sitting up on the bed.Grasping my head as it pounded, I furrowed my brows as I noticed people walking here and there.It was only when I concentrated harder I saw who they really were."Mother?" I murmured, calling unto the oldest of the three females present.My mother jumped, releasing her grip on Sophia, then turned slowly towards me."Julian," her eyes rounded as if she didn't believe what she was staring at. Before she darted towards me.
JULIAN POVHow?I stared at myself longer than I intended to. I didn't know exactly what I was trying to bring out, but I knew the man I was staring at, with the two large horns from both sides of his head and reddish face, with eyes that blazed like a molten magma, was me.Of course, I was the one, but how and what had happened to me?Slowly, my hand lifted, and I touched my face, feeling the roughness of the skin that was riddled with scars.I slowly turned as I sensed Sophia behind me. My eyes widened as I caught the movement of an object in her hand.She raised it towards me and snarled, "I won't let you an abomination to live!"Reflexively, I gripped her hand as she neared, shoving her into the nearest wall and yanked the object, which was a knife in her hand."Let me go, monster!" She growled in my face."What the hell is wrong with you?!" I hissed."You, your appearance, and everything about you. I hate you. I do not even know who you are anymore. What have you done to my broth
JULIAN POVI wanted to ask Nile what that meant, but it had gone silent, and I didn't think it would respond to me anyone until it desired to."Hey."I turned around to see Emily behind me.Stepping closer, she raised her hand to touch me; I recoiled, wrinkling my nose to push out her scent.Emily stopped midway, noticing my reaction, and she let her hand fall by her side."I'm sorry; I just wanted to make sure you are well," she said."I'm well," I said to her. It was Nile's fault. I wasn't the one who was revolted by her presence. I didn't care about her, but Nile didn't want me close to her.I wondered if the other side would resurface if I at least tried to be accommodating. But I didn't want to risk it now that I seemed the most normal.Emily nodded, "I see that." she flashed me a sad smile before turning to where my mother and Sophia were. They were sitting on the bed and looking at me."I'll be at the clinic to check on James; he should be waking up soon," Emily said."What hap
AVERY POVI thought speaking to Alpha Leslie that night would end every interaction between us, but then it seemed like that pulled us together to each other.He had been coming for the past few days now, and my father was very much okay with it. Even as I had confronted him, saying I had no intention of mating with anyone, it seemed I had been speaking to thin air.He had aired my thoughts and proceeded to tell me or instead threaten me to mate with him and provide more heir as he never had the opportunity to.Now he was here, staring at me as if he was only seeing me for the first time. A wide smile was spread on his face, and he leaned forward, his hands clasped in front of him."Do I have something on my face?" I asked him.Alpha Leslie shook his head, "You're easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen,""You've said that a few seconds ago," I said."Oh, I did?" Alpha Leslie asked a smile still on his face."Fine," I let out. "What are we doing here?"I looked around the area
AVERY POVThe atmosphere had darkened. Despite the covering of the trees, I could still feel the warmth of the sunlight, but now everything had turned dark and cold.I was still pinned to the ground by a crazed Alpha Leslie and the words he had said wandered about in my head."What do you mean?" I whispered as soon as I found my voice. "And get off me.""You need to die, Avery; you don't have a place in this world just like your mother," He snarled in my face once more."My mother," I whispered. "You know na out her?""Everyone knows about your mother and how kind of a peacemaker she is despite being human," He said.I let out a breath while concentrating on reserving my strength. The more Alpha Leslie spoke, the more he pressed me down and took my strength from me."You killed her," I said. "You were part of the people who killed her."Even though I wasn't certain about what I was saying, I wanted him to assure me he wasn't exactly part of it but knew the people who did. Since three
AVERY POVWho was I really? I didn't understand what Eileen was saying, but she seemed to know so much, whereas the only information currently in my mind at the moment was what I had gotten from my father.I also did a little bit of research myself."Come on," Eileen held her hand out, and I gripped it, standing to my feet."What about him?" I nodded towards Alpha Leslie, who was still on the floor."He'll be fine," Eileen said. Then she shrugged a little, "I do not think my blow is that hard for him to remain unconscious for long. He should come awake anytime soon."I nodded, breathing out. Even as I didn't want to leave him here to himself, I think it was for the best.I couldn't let him see me here as well."Where are we going?" I asked Eileen as she began to walk away from Alpha Leslie."Somewhere, we both can have a decent discussion. Maybe in your room," she turned to stare at me meaningfully."The door is soundproof," she added."Right," I affirmed with a nod, at least, that I
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