The car is silent for a few minutes, an oppressive weight hanging in the air. Maya bites her lip, the taste of salt mingling with the remnants of her sweat.Images of her three children flood her mind: Eli, Aiden, and Rose, their small faces twisted with fear, their little bodies trembling as they clutch one another. She swallows shakily, the lump in her throat refusing to budge. Finally, she turns to Jackson, her heart racing.“What about the kids?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. The words feel like needles piercing her throat as she stumbles over them, fear clawing at her insides. Jackson’s expression remains unreadable, a mask of indifference that chills her to the bone.Jackson glances at her, his eyes sharp and cold. “What about them?” he replies, his tone devoid of empathy. The question hangs in the air, heavy and suffocating. Maya’s heart sinks deeper into despair, the terror for her children growing like a shadow in the back of her mind.“Are they—are they okay?
Jackson smirks, a cold, humorless expression that sends a shiver down her spine. “I’ll be back,” he replies, his tone dripping with cool certainty. “You can count on that.”It's a promise.Lily tilts her head slightly, a challenge in her eyes. “You should know,” she interjects, her voice steady and confident, “I’m one of the best in the city. Maybe even the best in the world. You won’t get far.”Jackson’s expression shifts, irritation flaring in his eyes. “You think you can protect her?” he scoffs, turning on his heel. “Good luck with that.” He strides away, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the tense silence.Maya watches as he gets back into his car, the engine roaring to life. The dark van behind him shifts gears, following him down the street. As the car disappears from view, Maya feels her knees weaken, the adrenaline of the confrontation leaving her shaky and vulnerable.“Whoa, easy there,” Lily says, reaching out to grab Maya’s shoulder, steadying her. “Let’s get somewhere
They arrive at a high-end jewelry store, and the man steps inside, the bell jingling as the door swings open. The sales staff immediately perks up, recognizing him. The man frowns a little. Maybe he should have worn a baseball hat too with his sunglasses. Maybe then he wouldn't be so easy to spot."Hello." He greets politely all the same.“Oh My God! Welcome, sir! How can I assist you today?” one eager attendant asks, a giddy smile on her face.“I’m looking for something special for my girlfriend,” he replies, his tone casual but his eyes focused. “Something that says I’m back.”“Of course! Right this way.” She leads him through the store, showcasing various exquisite pieces. After browsing for a few moments, he spots a delicate necklace adorned with a sparkling pendant that catches his eye.“This one,” he says decisively. “Wrap it up nicely.”As the attendant prepares the necklace, he turns to another section filled with toys. He selects several colorful items that he knows will d
Later that evening, the house settles into a comfortable hush. The triplets are finally asleep, their small bodies nestled under colourful blankets, the remnants of their earlier excitement still visible in the way they clutch their new toys. Yuri stands at the door, peeking in to see the peaceful scene. “They really wore themselves out today,” he remarks, closing the door softly behind him.Maya nods, a smile lingering on her lips. “They always do that when you're here. It’s nice to see them so happy.”Yuri walks over to the couch, where he sinks into the plush cushions. “You did a great job with them,” he says, his voice sincere. “They’re amazing kids.”“Thanks,” Maya replies, her heart fluttering at the compliment. She heads into the kitchen, preparing two mugs of hot cocoa, the rich aroma filling the air. “Do you want marshmallows?” she calls over her shoulder.“Absolutely!” he replies, a playful tone in his voice.Maya chuckles softly as she adds a generous handful of marshmal
The Manor is alive with a sense of unease as the nine o clock news broadcast blares through the grand living room. The large flat-screen television blazes with the flickering light of a breaking news report. “Popular actor Yuri Thorne – seen with a woman late at night as they were making their way away from a building with three children. Our sources say this could be the secret family he’s talked about during interviews…” The words hang in the air, heavy with implication.Fear hangs thicker than the scent of expensive incense. Jackson, the Alpha, sits rigidly on a chaise lounge, his face a mask of barely controlled fury. His hands, usually meticulously groomed, are clenched into fists, the knuckles bone-white. The veins in his neck throb, a visible testament to the rage simmering beneath his controlled exterior. He hasn’t spoken a word since the news report began, his silence more terrifying than any outburst. His body radiates an aura of simmering violence, a palpable tensi
After a moment of silence, Jackson lifts his head, his eyes distant and haunted. "Leave me," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.The others quickly file out of the room, leaving the Alpha alone with his thoughts.Once he's certain he's alone, Jackson leans back in his chair, closing his eyes as he tries to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. The news of maya has shaken him to the core, dredging up memories and feelings he's worked so hard to bury.He thinks back to the countless hours he spent searching for Maya since the night they spent together. After that night…… Jackson couldn't stop thinking about her. And she had hid herself so well.And now, after all these years, it seems that his quest has been for naught – that she has someone else.Jackson clenches his fists, the familiar ache of betrayal and regret gnawing at his heart. He never wanted things to turn out this way, never intended to let it get to this point.His mind drifts to those preci
Maya feels frozen, her heart racing as she faces Jackson in the safehouse, her children huddled behind her. She feels a sense of helplessness wash over her, and she curses herself for growing complacent. Yuri and Lily had brought her and the children to this house to hide after they fled from town, until they could get their passports ready for them to leave the country. Earlier that day, Yuri and Lily had gone to check on the progress of the passports, so they weren't around when the men suddenly barged in, Jackson following after."What do you want, Jackson?" Maya grits out, trying to keep her voice steady."I'll do it …… just please. Don't take them."Jackson's expression is unreadable, his eyes fixed on her. "You know exactly what I want, Maya.""Please, Jackson," she keeps begging, her voice trembling. "Leave us alone. You don't have to do this."Jackson frowns, his gaze shifting to the children cowering behind Maya. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he says sternly. Turning to hi
Just then, she hears the sound of muffled but distinctive speaking and one word manages to capture her attention."Mama!"She looks up, gaping. Her children….. but how?And then she sees them. They are inside the car, little hands placed against the glass as they call out to her."Mama!" "Over here, mama!"Before she knows what she's doing, she shoves off Jackson's suddenly loose grip on her arm and rushes to the car, throwing open the door and pulling her three little ones into a tight embrace."My babies," Maya whispers, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." She peppers their faces with kisses, relishing in the feel of their warm bodies against her own.The triplets cling to their mother, their own eyes shimmering with tears. "We were so scared, Mama," Rose says, voice trembling.Maya looks up at Jackson, her expression hardening into one of pure hatred. "What have you done to them?" she demands, her voice dripping with venom.Jackson simply shakes his head
The study remains silent, thick with emotions. Maya stands in the centre of the room, the golf club resting against her shoulder like a battle-worn sword. The air is sharp with the scent of sweat and fear, broken only by the ragged breathing of the two tutors groaning on the floor. The triplets remain seated at their desks but slowly inch towards each other in the aftermath, seeming to derive comfort from each other. The sight of it ignites something primal in Maya’s chest. Then— The door creaks open. The sound is almost hesitant as if whoever is entering already senses something is wrong. Maya turns slowly, her grip tightening on the club. The tall third tutor steps inside, tall and wiry with a neatly pressed suit and round spectacles. His brow furrows at the eerie stillness of the room. Then his gaze sweeps over the scene— The toppled chairs. The tutors sprawled on the floor, clutching their injuries. The triplets were eerily composed. And finally— Maya. Hi
Jackson drives with one hand on the wheel, the other resting against the car door. His gaze flickers toward Maya every few seconds, but she remains eerily silent, her posture stiff, her expression unreadable. That alone is enough to put him on edge. He’s used to Maya being many things—angry, defiant, impulsive. But this? This composed stillness? It’s unsettling. She stares straight ahead, her fingers lightly tapping against her knee in a slow, methodical rhythm. It’s not a nervous tic—it’s calculated, almost as if she’s counting the seconds. Jackson exhales through his nose. “Are you going to tell me what this is about?” Maya doesn’t respond. His grip on the wheel tightens slightly. “You storm into my office like you own the place, demand that I follow you, and now you won’t even tell me why?” Nothing. Jackson’s jaw tics. “You’re being dramatic.” Maya finally shifts, just slightly, but her eyes remain focused on the road. “You’ll see soon enough.” Her voice is
Maya returns to the manor, bracing herself for another painful encounter with her sons. But what she doesn’t expect— Is to find them diligently attending class.Maya lingers outside the study where they are, pressing her ear to the door. The children’s voices are faint—too faint. She inhales, schooling her expression before stepping inside. The triplets sit at a long wooden table, their hands folded neatly atop their desks. Three tutors stand at the front of the room, their presence suffocating in its rigid formality. Maya barely suppresses a scowl. She doesn’t trust them. But she needs proof before she can get rid of them.Jackson won't listen if she doesn't have it and she knows mentioning her visit to his grandmother would just lead to more tension.She steps forward, folding her arms. “I’d like to sit in on the lesson.” One of the tutors, a woman with sharp cheekbones and sleek black hair, turns. “That won’t be necessary.” Maya stiffens. “Excuse me?” “The ch
Two days pass. And nothing changes. The boys remain distant, their eyes dull and their words clipped. They only speak when spoken to. They only interact with her at meal times, and even then, they keep their answers short. Rose is torn. She clings to Maya whenever she can, seeking comfort, but she also keeps looking at her brothers—unsure whether to follow their lead or stay by her mother’s side. Maya tries. She really tries.She sits with them at breakfast and attempts to engage them in conversation. Nothing. She invites them to play, to read, to go outside. Nothing. She even bakes their favorite cookies—warm, gooey chocolate chip, the ones they always fight over. They eat them in silence. No smiles. No laughter. No, ‘Mama, can I have more?’ Maya breaks. The third night, after another failed attempt to reach them, she snaps. “Enough,” she says, slamming her hands onto the dinner table. The triplets flinch. Maya’s voice trembles. “I don’t care what’s
Maya had stopped struggling against Jackson's grip long ago, resigning herself to the humiliation of being slung over his broad shoulder like a sack of rice. The rhythmic sway of his strides does nothing to ease her seething anger. Her arms are tightly crossed, her nails digging into her skin as she glared daggers at the back of his head. She’d already tried pounding against his back, wiggling like a fish out of water, and even whispering threats in his ear—all to no avail. The man was a walking fortress, unshaken by her tantrum. Her blood boils as they near the sleek black car waiting for them. The moment he sets her down on the pavement, she wrenches herself from his hold, her feet hitting the ground with force. Maya huffs in exasperation, flipping her messy hair over her shoulder as she shoots him a look of pure venom. “You are insufferable,” she spits, stomping toward the car before he could drag her again. Jackson says nothing, merely opens the door and gestures for h
Suddenly, jacksons brow furrows as his phone rings, looking away from the woman to pull out the device and pick up the call.Maya barely hears him. Her mind is still trapped in the echo of the grandmother’s words, malicious glee laced into every syllable, wrapping around her like thorns. Jackson killed them….Jackson murdered four women in his life.What did that mean for maya?What did that mean for the children? God…. Her children. Her babies. Her breath shudders out, unsteady, and for a moment, the world around her fades—too sharp and too dull at the same time. The warmth of the room bleeds into a suffocating chill, the air thick with something unseen but heavy, like storm clouds before a downpour. Somewhere on the edge of her spiraling mind, Jackson's voice cuts through the haze. "I was right," he says into the phone, his tone unreadable, the low timbre vibrating against the silence in the room. “They had them.” Maya blinks, barely processing the words. Then, reali
Maya's consciousness returns slowly, like wading through thick molasses. Her head pounds with a dull, insistent ache that makes even the soft morning light filtering through her curtains feel like needles in her eyes. She groans, trying to piece together fragments of memory through the fog of sedation.Then it hits her - flashes of desperate screaming, of fighting against strong hands holding her back, of threatening to throw herself from windows if they didn't let her find her sons. The memories crash over her like ice water.Flashback"Let me out!" Maya's voice is hoarse from hours of screaming, her fists pounding against the locked door until her knuckles bleed. "I'll kill myself if you don't let me find them! Do you hear me?"Mrs. Henderson's voice comes through the wood, trembling but firm. "Please, Miss Maya, think of Miss Rose. She needs her mother.""Then let me go!" Maya turns, wild-eyed, scanning the room for options. The window catches her attention - three stories up
Chapter: RunJackson moves quickly, pulling on his clothes and grabbing his coat. His mind races with possibilities, none of them good. His grandmother has always been ruthlessly traditional, obsessed with maintaining the purity of the carter bloodline. The boys - his sons - would be seen as both a threat and an opportunity in her eyes.Bursting through the hotel's exit doors, Jackson finds Marcus already waiting with the car."Sir, the airport-" David begins."Check the weather reports," Jackson snaps, already sliding into the back seat.Marcus' face is grim as he consults his tablet. "All flights are grounded, sir. The storm system is moving back in. They're saying it could be hours before-"Jackson doesn't wait to hear the rest. He's already out of the car, striding toward the tree line that borders the hotel property. His wolf is clawing at the surface, demanding release."Sir?" His beta calls after him. "What should I tell-""Handle it," Jackson growls, his voice already deep
The abandoned warehouse looms against the stormy sky, its rusted metal walls groaning under the increasing wind. Jackson stands at the entrance, his expensive suit a stark contrast to the decrepit surroundings. Behind him, Marcus shifts nervously."Sir, this could be a trap," Marcus whispers, his hand resting on his concealed weapon.Jackson's face remains impassive, though his nostrils flare slightly as he scents the air. "Twenty-three wolves inside. Heavily armed." His voice is cold and calculated. "Keep the perimeter secured."Inside, the warehouse is a maze of shadows and rusted machinery. Water drips somewhere in the darkness, creating an irregular rhythm that sets Jackson's teeth on edge. Industrial lights flicker overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow that does little to dispel the gloom.The rouge alpha's pack members line the catwalks above, their faces hidden behind identical black masks. They're positioned strategically, hands resting on visible weapons. A show of forc