BLAISE It hits home. I feel the crunch of bone underneath my blow. It is the strongest blow that I have ever dealt anyone in my entire life, and I’m certain that I’ve done it. That the plan I’d thought would have zero chances of working had actually worked. The Rouge Alpha goes slack. He collapses heavily onto the cave floor, and Noel looks up at me with a surprised look in his amber eyes. The rock slips from my fingertips and lands with a heavy thud on the ground. I see the blood wetting his fur. “Noel!” “I’m fine.” He laughs, as I kneel over his wolven form. He licks my cheek, pretending like I hadn’t seen the way his expression had squeezed together with the pain when he had tried to get himself up. I throw both arms around him, burying my face into his chestnut fur. He coughs. “Are you sure—Are you sure he’s dead?” I look back. Damian Rouge is a cold, motionless figure on the ground. Blood slowly pools around where his head is. I wait a few heartstopping seconds, but
BLAISE “Shh.” He eases my hands back away from the collar of my shirt. But I’m so conscious of the marks that has been etched into my skin, for life. Where Damian Rouge had ravaged me and had left nothing behind. They are so horribly ugly, a flaw that I’d carry forever. I wouldn’t be a single bit surprised if he never wanted to look at me again, with that permanent reminder branded onto my throat and collarbone. Yet he can’t keep himself an inch away from me. He lifts me onto his lap. The warmth that surrounds me is so gentle that I feel the corners of my eyes sting with tears. A part of me still doesn’t believe that I’m safely back here again, away from the Rouge Alpha and his violence. “Sh.” He murmurs when I open my lips. “Don’t say a word, love.” “Your voice is still recovering.” Then he kisses a line down the scar on my face, his fingertips clasped around my chin. His lips press against mine then break. He shifts downwards, and I can barely hold down the wince when I
NOEL Save your breath. We’ll talk once we’re back at Shadow. His words revolve in my mind in an unending film. He’d told me to come to his room the moment that the Pack Healer had finished with me. Now I’m trudging down the halls, my steps even heavier than my heart slowly sinking down my chest. He had sounded mad. No, furious. He hadn’t said a single word to me the entire time he had brought me back to Shadow. I quickly touch my throat, wincing at the white bandages that climbed high up to my chin and covered the entire mass of my right shoulder underneath the loose folds of my shirt. I looked like I was trying to camouflage myself into the snow. I breathe, then come to a stop in front of a window. His room would be just around the corner. Taking a deep breath, I turn to the window and give myself a sharp scan. The glass reflects a weak, malnourished wolf, limbs a bit too lanky and amber eyes glowing hauntingly against pale cheeks. I quickly give my cheeks a couple of
BLAISE His lips are hot. I don’t know how that can be even possible. His tongue runs over my skin, and it takes all of me to press down a moan as I arch into him. He kisses the exact spots that he had kissed and marked me against my will. He reaches for the neckline of my dress, slipping it lower on the curve of my shoulder to expose my entire neck and the top curves of my breasts. “Tell me if it hurts.” He marks me. And a deep moan bursts from my lips before I can even stop it. His touch feels like fire against my skin, yet it feels so pleasant that I want more. My breaths run wild as he marks me a second time. Then a third. A fourth. The air itself burns. The pain and humiliation that I had felt while Damian Rouge had forced himself onto me slowly fades away in the back of my mind, replaced by pure lust and pleasure. I can’t believe how different it feels. Nothing is the same. “Command me when to stop, Blaise.” “Because I will not.” The sound of him undoing the but
Of how Ezra met Noel EZRA"I'll help."My eyes flicker down from the balcony towards the ground three stories below, at the sound of a delicate voice. It's the distinct voice of an Omega, soft and weak in the winter wind. An Omega, still out and wandering like a fool when there were only ten minutes left until the start of the Blood Hunt.He smiles at one of the lower-ranking, elderly wolves in the Shadow Pack, reaching out with both hands to slip the heavy load she carries onto his own arms.Nine minutes, now.Does he not understand that—"I have to go really soon, because of the Hunt." The golden-haired omega whispers, and my brows furrow as he quickly asks her where she stays. She points at the edge of the small houses near the Center Palace.I expect him to make an uncertain expression. There would be no chance that he would make it to the Forests in time for the brutal warriors to not find him."...okay!"My eyes ripple as I watch him hurry ahead. Even still, he continues to lo
Special Spinoff: Blaise and Christian OneShot"Perhaps I am the oasis.""You come to find sanctuary in me, but I am really the mirage who tears you apart."________________________________BLAISEI do not know the time.The seconds fall through my mind, like sand pouring through a torn cloth. Hours and days mean nothing to me.All I know is the sun.It tears down at me, filling up the skies with its light and heat. The sand glows a deadly gold, the shade of the eyes of a cobra before it lunges at its prey.I'd run out of food a long time ago.My canteen of water is down to its last drop.I'm going to die here.The cloth around my mouth and nose is already full with sand. I taste it everywhere— on my lips and in the air I breathe. I feel as if I'm losing my ability to speak, with each step I take.Every step I take.I just want to give up.For what was I doing this for? It was painful, more than words could ever describe. I wanted to rest. Give up, and let the sands bury me in their ar
BLAISE The dress makes me feel unlike the Omega that I really am. The Gathering is massive. It feels even larger than the year before, and even the year before that. Held on the Peaks of Azareth, the Gathering included thousands of wolves from all the Packs that were scattered across the Mountains and Forests of Ilea. Even the Packs who lived secluded, holed up in the most reclusive of places showed themselves at this time, once a year during the Gathering. The Peaks of Azareth was a gorgeous clearing that stretched out for miles on end, covered with grasses that stayed dark evergreen throughout the entire year. A thin sheen of white snow covers the grass, frosting it with a layer of ice. In the center, there lays a ring of tall stone pillars rooted into the ground. Ancient figures and characters mark indecipherable lines down the rock. Circlatrix. The Alphas are already there, with their mates. All the other members of the Pack are forbidden to come in, between the tight
BLAISE A small part of me had hoped that maybe the Alphas and their mates would be somehow different. That maybe they would act the regal positions they were at, that they would be somehow different than the maids back at the Packhouse that had once threw curses straight in front of my face. That maybe they would at least have the courtesy to not show it so directly in front of me. But Christian had warned me for a reason. And I realize that they are not above it in the slightest. The moment I enter the Circlatrix with Christian next to me, I feel the atmosphere tighten up like a noose. The silence deepens into ice. Several sharp gazes are thrown around. Corners of lips upturn, in displeasure, surprise, and scorn. I keep my head high. I scan the small crowd, comprised of the most powerful wolves in all of Ilea. There are multiple Packs. However, only the most powerful Five are chosen to attend the Gathering every year. We are the last ones that had arrived. Christian lead
________________________________BLAISEAfter that day, I hadn't seen a trace of Christian. Now it had almost been a full week, and I had lost most of the confusing thoughts with what had happened. The first three days I hadn't been able to get him out of my mind. But by now I'd convinced myself that he'd probably realized he didn't feel that way about me. We hadn't had contact for years. There was just no way he could have fallen in love with me. My fingertips hover above the keyboard of my laptop. Great. I was thinking about him again, wasn't I? Leaning back into the chair, I take a sip of iced coffee and start typing again. Half of my mind is still occupied with Christian. It wasn't good to think about him. He did this, to me. Always. He made me wonder. He would always leave me so confused and lost, always leave my head so full of him. Then he'd leave for years and not come back. A bitter expression passes by my lips. It was better to just forget it entirely. "Miss?" "M
__________________________________Great.This was just all fucking great, dammit.The moon is already high up in the sky. And I'm wandering in the dark, empty streets of Seoul, my stomach turning with the guilt of having said all that to him.I'd just run. I'd run away from him, without even thinking where I'd go.Would he still be there, at my apartment?I had no idea.And the regret is just growing by the second, slowly pressing down on my chest.I'd acted so childish just now. Like a childish little brat, out to get revenge. I could've just held it all in. Held it in, like I'd always done.I don't know why I'd gotten so emotional when I'd seen Christian's face.I'd just completely lost my composure. I'd just lost it in front of him, not even thinking what was going to happen next.And I'm so deep in my own thoughts I don't even look where I'm walking.My shoulder crashes into someone."Ah!"A surprised yelp bursts from my lips as I tumble backwards onto the sidewalk. And I complet
_______________________________BLAISE"Ow."My eyes slowly flicker open. And I'm surprised to see that I'm in my own kitchen, my head tucked between my hands and chest leaning against the island table. I'm seated on the high chair, but in the opposite way so I'm practically hugging the back of the chair.How in the world had I gotten into this—"Don't move."Christian?!I twist around in surprise. But the moment I do, pain streaks up my spine and I nearly tumble off the chair."Ah!"Strong hands wrap around my shoulders, righting me back on the chair again. Christian sounds absolutely pissed."I told you not to move.""What are you even—"I look down to see that he's wrapping bandages around my stomach. My shirt, soaked completely in blood, is thrown in a messy pile on the wooden floor.I'm only in my bra.My face goes paler than before."Christian!""Relax." He says, and I can practically hear him roll his eyes even when I can't see him. "Should I have let you bleed to death then?"
________________________________"So you see— the sign changes, because the variable comes over to this side. And then you would flip this, too." I say, tapping at the paper with the eraser of my tipped pencil."Do you unders—Christian!"He's examining a strand of ramen, holding the chopsticks over his head. His eyes flicker to me."Yeah?""Put that in your mouth. Right now." I snap, grabbing a napkin and wiping the corner of his lips. He immediately pulls back, his expression tense."What are you doing?!""I should be asking you that." I fire back, crossing my arms. "Did you listen to anything that I said for the last ten minutes?""...I did.""Tell me one thing."He frowns, looking thoughtful for a second. Then he looks up at me with a pointed look."The variable changes, because the sign comes over to the other side of the equation. Okay? I've been listening, Ms. Ara."I raise a brow. Does he really think he's outsmarted me or something?"More like the sign changes because the vari
________________________________"Browse around." I suggest as I start picking books out for my next class. "I might take a while. There are a lot of books here.""I don't read.""Well, you can." I raise my eyebrow when I see him brooding at me from the corner. "What are you interested in? What kinds of topics?"He breathes. "How should I know?""No hobbies or anything?" I ask, tapping my finger on the cover of a book. "What about stories, then?""Here."I hold out a copy of one of my favorites."I don't want—""No. I'm giving you something to do as your punishment. Just wait until I finish checking out some books, alright?" I say firmly, making his expression steel. He rips the book from my hands.Then he walks briskly over to the reading corner, dropping into a plush chair with a stormy look.I laugh.He really was an interesting one._______________________________I finally pick out the last book, piling on top of all the others in the checkout box. That had taken over an half hou
"Christian."“Get to the blackboards, will you?”______________________________BLAISEI go through the list of names, one by one."Amana.""Yes, Ms. Ara.""Yousef?""Here.""Skylar.""Here."Finally, my pen stops at a name."Christian."No answer. I look up. And the boy is sitting in the far side of the window, his eyes fixed on me with a dark, haughty stare.I look back down at the clipboard, a smirk tugging on my lips."Christian Shadow. Is Christian here today?"Still no answer."Alright. Christian marked absent." I say loudly, crossing off the box next to his name. He gives me a disinterested expression, like he doesn't really believe that I actually had done what I said.Christian Shadow. It was my first day teaching the junior class, and all the teachers at school had talked so much about this single boy that caused so much trouble.According to them, he skipped classes for days on end. Got into fights, on the rare days that he did attend school.And apparently, he was the son
I hadn't been in a Striker apartment ever since Alen's death. But now with Ezra as my Shield, I step into our very own space, a place where I'd be safe to come back to every night.I would never have to step foot into my father's house again. For the rest of my life.The bruises are still fresh.And I'd tried to remember. I'd really tried, to recall what exactly he'd done to me that night. It was like someone had completely wiped out all of my memories, and I had no idea how I'd ended up that day.I knew it was my father, but I could not remember.My feet light and silent against the floor, I find a book and sink into one of the soft couches in the living room.The Firstblade was out, so that I was alone in the apartment.He'd said that he wouldn't be back until an hour later.Halfway through the book, I find my eyes slowly drooping. I let myself drift into half-sleep when all of a sudden, a heavy noise echoes through the room.My eyes flash back open.Someone was knocking.Leaving th
NOEL (2)How dare he.I'd heard him. How dare he insult Ezra like that, when he was nothing compared to the Firstblade? He hadn't been there— hadn't been there when I'd been pleading, watching him fight for his life that day in the blood-covered snow.He knew nothing.For the first time, the anger feels like it might consume me alive."Father.""You will not touch the Firstblade." I hiss, the point of my knife gleaming in the winter sun. And my father snatches his hand back, the surprise in his eyes turning into a flash of fear.Then rage, when he recognizes his own son.But for the first time I'm not trembling. Instead I'm looking him straight in the eyes, my knife a flicker of silver as I sheathe it again.My voice is steel."You can do anything you want with me.""But I won't let you mock him like this."Not when you don't even know what he's been through.My father looks furious, his face burning red. Of course— I'd humiliated him in front of all the other councilors, people who h
EZRA (1)I could only hope that he'd listened to me. Most Strikers had returned to their apartments by this time, shared with their Shields. Only a few actually went home to their own Houses.Their Shields.My expression turns bitter.Before I leave, my eyes flicker down the dark hallway. There's a little bit of light coming from the endmost room, where Noel should be. Because we didn't have Shields, both of us had rooms in the compound itself.It was late, nearly midnight.And my features stay flat as I turn my feet towards his room. The beam of light is streaming through the slight crack of his door— and I see that he'd listened to me.He's collapsed asleep in the middle of the bed, a candle flickering on the nightstand. There's a book fallen open right next to his head.The door doesn't make a sound when I shift it further open.My steps are silent as I take the book and close it, placing it by the candle. Then I pull the covers back over his slender figure.I was certain he'd kick