JULIAN POVARGENT PACKHOUSEIt was the harvest moon hunt and should be one of the most exciting events in all of the pack house. However, the reverse was the case.The pack members were gloomy as though they were in mourning; fog covered everywhere, making it even worse, and the once happy atmosphere wasn't forthcoming."As far as I can tell, you are the only one gloomy here."I turned to see Emily by the doorway, so much for wanting to be alone.Turning back, I heaved a breath, staring out the window again. I guess she was right about me being the only one who was gloomy.I was right about the fog, though; every harvest had always been this way. It would only vanish when the harvest was done.The happy chattering of the members filtered the air. They were enthused about how the event was going to go and how victorious we would be.I was the only one who didn't seem happy. Why? I had seen her. Avery.I had seen her in my dream. She was being tortured and left to die. I tried my best t
AVERY POVSTORMHAVEN PACK HOUSEI groaned, turning on the bed for the hundredth time. I had been awake for a while but didn't want to stand up. The feeling of being inside the duvet, the warmth spreading through me, and the relaxing of my aching muscles were everything I needed at the moment.Yesterday's walk was strenuous. At the moment, I could barely recall all the parts of the pack house that Jack had taken me to because I became exhausted after we passed by the seer's cave.Even in my weakened state, we didn't stop to catch our breath and kept waking until Jack himself called it a quit. I guessed he saw I couldn't go further; hence, he stopped and gave me a piggyback ride back to the pack house."What now?" I grimace, shutting my ears as the buzzing sound from outside filters into them.It was part of what had woke me up. It was too early to be this active, but then this was Jack's pack house, and they were a little bit weird and different from the other pack house.A knock sound
JACK POVARGENT PACKHOUSEI saw Julian's eyes on me. Even though he wouldn't admit he had been staring at me since I stepped into his office, I knew he was. Somehow, the air around us felt a little awkward.It was my first awkward feeling around him, and I wouldn't lie; it was strange. I wondered if it was because of what I was hiding from him or perhaps because of how he was staring at me, trying to decipher what I was hiding."It's been a while," Julian said after a while. He set the pen with him down and pushed a hand through his hair."Yeah, yeah," I muttered before letting out a chuckle. "It's been only a few days.""Right," he murmured."You seem worked up. Besides, it's the harvest. Shouldn't you be out overlooking all that's happening?" I asked."Not interested," Julian waved his hand dismissively, "But I don't have a choice in this.""Of course, you don't. You're the alpha, and you should be overseeing all that is happening," I pointed out.Julian shook his head, "No, I do no
JACK POVI was still in the Argent pack house. I couldn't leave despite Julian sending me out of his office earlier.It wasn't every time Julian and I had a disagreement, but whenever we do, we say mean things to each other.We had even threatened to kill each other before, but at the end of the day, we'd be forced to make up with each other by his mother.I knew this wasn't like one of those fights as it involved a missing woman whom I was keeping, but I didn't think Julian's mother was going to help us settle things.I doubted he was on talking terms with his family. I had seen James earlier, and the way he stared at me as if he pitied that I was still friends with Julian when I should have run away from him. Maybe it was the logical thing to do.Run away from Julian while I still could, but I knew doing that would only prove whatever sick thoughts he had in his mind."Here Alpha, have this."My eyes locked on Aisha as she extended a white fabric towards me."It's an ice. It'll help
JACK POV"What is he doing here?" I heard Julian mutter as I sat two chairs away from him.I rolled my eyes and was about to retort that I could hear him, but I shrugged and let my focus move to the members currently trooping in.This arena was the most prominent place in the Argent pack house because there were over a thousand members, and a large place was needed to fit everyone.Unlike my pack house. I didn't have as much population as Julian; I was okay with the things I had, and I had learned to manage my resources wisely.The arena slowly filled, and I realized that most men were available at the event.Well, it was a belief that men could withstand many things, and they were most often chosen to take part in events, whereas the women were seen as weak and allowed to stay home to watch the kids and do the chores.But I didn't believe in that. I think any gender could be strong. It was possible for a woman who was seen as the weaker gender to be stronger than the strongest gender
AVERY POVSTORMHAVEN PACK HOUSEWhat do I do in a pack house as large as this? Since Jack left, I had slept, came awake, slept again, and I was awake for the second time, staring at the white ceiling."Going to the event?" I mused. But was that a good idea? I didn't think so. Considering the fact that Jack wasn't here to walk me around the area where I wouldn't be seen.Although he had told me to do whatever I desired, I didn't think revealing myself in that manner made any sense, putting myself in danger and him too.My scent was too strong not to be noticed by anyone. No matter how hard I tried to mingle around people, they would surely know I was a different breed, and maybe they would scorn me or pretend not to care like the members in the Argent pack house.What about the council members? I could get traced with my scent. If they saw me in Jack's pack house this time, they would surely arrest me. Previously, they had only let me go because it was Julian.Julian had told them off
THE FOLLOWING DAYAVERY POVMy head pounded as I sat up on the bed, my eyes narrowed, and I squinted as the sun drifted into the room through a crack in the curtain.I felt like shit.My stomach churned, and vomit surged up my throat at intervals. My temperature spiked higher than expected, and my head, aside from the pounding in it, reeled.I let out a grimace, swinging my legs across the bed, and climbed down."Oh, wow," I gripped the nearest wall to me as everything spun.Shit. Smelling my breath, I winced before falling back to the bed and staring at the ceiling. How much liquor had I taken last night?I wasn't a drunk. It was weird; I had taken more liquor than I could handle, and this never happened all the time. In fact, I could count the number of times I had gotten drunk.Yesterday, it wasn't something I could avoid as soon as I stepped into the crowd for the event with Rose beside me. All fear in me had evaporated.I had been welcomed wholeheartedly as if I had been a part o
AVERY POVI shook my head frantically, ignoring the pain that unfurled inside."I can't accept that, Jack. I said what I shouldn't, but I didn't want any protection. I don't want any pity from people.""They choose to...""They'd get killed!" I yelled. "Don't you know how he can be? He's cruel Jack. He doesn't care if he kills everyone. He won't even feel any remorse. I don't want anyone to die for me.""You didn't ask them to pity you, Avery. You didn't ask for their support. They choose to...""My mother chose to protect me, yet she died doing so. My father did the same; only the goddess knows if he's still living. I can't even feel him, so I don't think he lives anymore." tasting salt, I wiped at my cheek, sniffing.I didn't realize I was crying."Aisha chose to be my protector, but she died while doing so. Many more people will die. I am a curse to everyone around me, Jack. I don't want more bloodshed. I don't want to be responsible for more people dying because they choose to be
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