I had been given thirty minutes to go shower and change out of my bloody clothes. Thirty minutes was done and I was now standing with Lilith, Joseph, Selena, Vera, and Lucian—the guy Joseph left the party with. He seems like the quiet kind. Only spoke when spoken to and said just a few words in response. He was the total opposite to Joseph. The room buzzed with anticipation as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting warm, golden light through the tall windows. Joseph stood at the front, his voice carrying over the excited chatter of the group. "Alright, everyone! Welcome to the scavenger hunt! This isn’t just a game; it’s a… while it's just a game. You’ll be working together to find a list of items hidden throughout the pack house. Remember, some items may require teamwork or clever thinking to uncover. Ready?" "He sounds old," said Lilith, crossing her arms. The girls giggled and Joseph just rolled his eyes. "We'll be divided into two groups," he continued. "Ravenna, Lucian
"What the hell?" Selena said with her eyes wild. The scream was so loud, so painful, we all stood in shock, eyes wild, mouth open. What kind of terror could cause such a scream? I'm not sure I want to find out. "It came from outside," Joseph said, the first to break out of the trance, his voice low and tense. "We need to check it out." We rushed toward the pack house, the weight of dread heavy in my chests. As we stepped outside, the once lively atmosphere shifted to one of alarm and panic. Pack members were gathering, their faces pale and anxious. I heard a some people whisper, "He's coming." And I felt dread pool at my stomach. Who was he? The scream had echoed from the edge of the territory.We pushed through the crowd, finally reaching the clearing, where a horrific sight awaited us. A gruesome display hung from a nearby tree—severed wolf heads, their fur matted with blood, eyes wide in eternal terror. Some wolves were skinned, some ears were cut off, some mouth were wi
I didn't have any weapons with me save for just a butter knife, but I picked it regardless as I walked to the door. If the knife didn't work out I would use my teeth and fingers, but I wouldn't go down without a fight.Common sense screamed at me to stay away from the door, to call for help. But common sense wasn't my strong suit. Lila, with her holier-than-thou attitude, had a way of reminding me of that. I looked down and the shadow was still there. What were they waiting for? Who could they be? From the shadow I could see it was only one person. I could take out one person. I placed my hand on the door knob and took a deep breath, preparing myself. I swinged open the door, and I lunged forward, knife poised, ready to strike. But then I saw who it was, and my attack faltered. I stumbled, losing my balance in my sudden halt, and braced for the inevitable fall. But it never came. Strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. Rowan held me before I could fall, his arms wrapped
The whole pack gathered at the common room. The children and the ones who couldn't fight were in a safe room in the basement where nobody could get in except it was open from the inside. And now we stood with weapons on our sides and armors fastened on our chest, arms and knees—honestly the armor part felt like we were transported to the eighties. But as long as it protects us, who was complaining? A sword—again, feel like the eighties—was stripped to my hip, two daggers on my boots, a gun at my side—I felt so badass. Rowan cleared his throat and the hall fell quiet. He was dressed in an all black leather, his hair pulled from his face and two swords, larger than mine, stripped to his back. He looked like a really hot assassin. Joseph was standing beside him. Also in all black but no weapon was on him. "Pack members!" Rowan started, his voice resonating in the hall. "Today, we stand on the brink of battle, united as one. Our home is
"Lilith, no!" I shouted for her to come back but she was already charging towards the gigantic figure at the center of the field, who was cutting down people as though they were sheeps. Goddess, he was huge. I lunged towards Lilith, desperate to pull her away from that man. There was no chance we could stand against him, let alone Lilith alone. But a wall of wolves and humans blocked my path, trapping me in a desperate helplessness. The more I kill, the more they keep coming. "You monster!" I heard Lilith shout as she got close to Darius who didn't even look in her direction. Yes, that's good. Ignore her. "Rowan! Joseph!" I shouted, trying to see if I could get their attention. I haven't gotten any luck with my own battle and Lilith was getting close to Darius. I was thrown off my feet, tumbling forward. I instinctively braced myself, but the impact still sent me sprawling face-first onto the cold earth. I tried t
In a softly lit room, I sat on a chair, my legs dangling off it, my mother standing behind me, gently combing through my long hair. The rhythmic sound of the brush gliding through strands filled the silence. "Sweetheart," my mother began, her voice calm yet tinged with sadness, "I need to tell you something important. Your future is going to be incredible, but it won’t always be easy." I looked at my reflection, curious but trusting. "What do you mean?" My mother paused, gathering her thoughts. "You’ll face challenges, times when you feel alone. And I’m afraid I won’t always be there to help you through it." My brow furrowed, the weight of my mother’s words sinking in. "But… I don’t want you to go." "I know, my love," my mother replied, her voice thick with emotion. "And I’m so sorry for that. But you are stronger than you think. You’ll find a way to rise above it all." I nodded slowly. "I
It was dark in the cell, so I couldn't see Darius face where I sat. I stood up slowly and made my way to the front, all the while I felt his eyes on me and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I stopped a few feets away from the door and what I saw made my breath hitch. His black hair, thick and glossy, cascaded in waves past his shoulders, framing a face that was both striking and enigmatic. His nose, perfectly straight and sculpted, added to the sharp angles of his features. A smirk played on his lips. But it wasn't his sculpted features that made me pause, it was his eyes. His eyes were a captivating contradiction, a mesmerizing blend of emerald and sapphire. His left eye, a vibrant green, held a depth that seemed to draw you in, while his right eye, a piercing blue, radiated an intensity that was both alluring and unsettling. Darius was ridiculously good looking. And he's soon tall! Like a human walking
RAVENNA POV I paced the small length of my cell, trying to figure out my next move. I had to find a way out of here, and soon. Goddess only knows what that monster has planned for me. So far he hasn't made any attempts to kill me and I haven't seen him since he showed himself yesterday. After he left I was brought food and water. I had been resistant at first to eat the food, fearing it might be poisoned, but Darius wouldn't just bring me here to kill me with poison. That would be too easy for him. And I needed my strength. So I ate the food. I used the remaining water to clean the blood out of my body. I had tried to talk to the servants when they came to take out the plates but they didn't respond. And that was yesterday. I hadn't gotten any visitors today. And now all I could do was think. Why did Darius bring me here? Why didn't he just kill me? What was he playing at? I had so many questions, and only the man could answer them. I just had to wait. He would come back aga
They talked about the plan and what it entails. About the marriage and how the pack was going to take it. They concluded that if they didn't take it well and didn't agree to it, then the plan wouldn't continue. They would think of something else that would get them allies. “That's enough for today,” Ravenna said, standing up and the others followed. “We’ll discuss this with the pack tomorrow and after that, we’ll know the next course of action and what we’re going to do next.”The room nodded. Darius held out his hand and Ravenna took it. He drew her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist as he whispered, “You okay, baby?”Ravenna sighed, resting her head on his chest. “Honestly? No. I'm scared, Darius. Mia was right; inviting our enemies into our territory might not be a good idea. It… Something could happen.”“Hey, I was just saying,” Mia rushed to say. “And that was before I heard your plan. We’re going to work with protections and warding. Nothing could go wrong with
The room was silent, even the twins who were usually noisy knew better than to disrupt this silence. Mia looked down at her feet; Lucian stared out the window; Dalian at the wall. Then, “That's a good idea,” Dalian said, looking back at Darius and Ravenna, who had been tense. They both released breaths at the same time. “I honestly wanted to talk about it with both of them, but I didn't know the best way to approach it. It's a lovely idea.”Ravenna smiled at him. “Thank you, Dalian.”“I don't—” Mia cleared her throat and all eyes turned to her. “I don't want to be the negative one here, but… but how do you go about this peace? What do we propose? And inviting our enemies into our territory? That is a problem.”Darius nodded. “We know that, Mia. But nothing is ever easy. We’re willing to do anything if it means securing peace for our future and our children.” He looked over at Juniper and Jasper who were making shapes with their fingers and giggling. “And how are we going to propose
Dalian was quiet after the shower, when they got dressed and went downstairs. And he looked lost in his head, distant. Mia didn't know what to do or say, so she just held his hand even when the pack looked at them. She didn't care. And she even held him tighter when she saw some of the girls eying her with jealousy. She felt smug. Because she knew they wanted him, but she was the only one he had eyes on.“In your faces,” those were the ones she wanted so badly to say to them, but she stayed silent, though her eyes said it all. They were about to go get something to eat when they came across Lucian. He looked down at their hands before he looked back at them as he said, “Alpha and Luna want to see the both of you.”“Is everything okay?” Dalian asked, the first words he had spoken for a while, his eyebrows pinched in worry. Lucian just waved at him and he walked past them. “Everything’s fine, relax. You wouldn't be scolded for fucking.”“Idiot,” Mia scoffed as they followed Lucian.
They stayed like that for long minutes, wrapped in each other, breathing in each other’s scent, and saying nothing, just content with each other. Then Dalian shifted, kissing her cheeks as he whispered, “You’re dangerous, Mia.”She smiled, eyes closed. “And you’re danger.”He chuckled, low and soft, the sound rumbling against her lips as he continued to kiss her. Her scent was thick in the air, wrapping around him like a spell, and he wanted to breathe it in until it filled every dark corner within him. She smelled like lilies in bloom—fresh, delicate, and subtly sweet—and like the earth after the first rainfall, rich and grounding. It was a scent he hadn’t known he craved until now, and it was all her. Addictive. Enchanting.Every breath he took only pulled him deeper under, until he wasn’t sure where she ended and he began. She was sweetness and strength, softness and storm, and everything about her called to something primal in him—and it wasn't his wolf. No, it was something else
Oh, if Mia thought she knew pleasure before, it was nothing compared to this. This was a whole different experience, a different feeling and she didn't want it to stop. Dalian settled between her thighs like he belonged there, and dragged his tongue up her center, groaning deep as he tasted her. Mia cried out, her fingers tangling in the sheets as her back arched off the bed. He licked again, slower this time, swirling his tongue before sucking her clit into his mouth. Mia’s body jerked and she gasped out his name, “Dalian,” one hand flying to his hair. Dalian hummed against her flesh, his tongue licking and swirling, doing things to her. He licked her folds before his tongue entered her and Mia moaned loudly, her other hand joining the first and she held his hair tight. Dalian raised his eyes, they landed on hers and held, his eyes hooded with lust. He curled his tongue inside her, tasting her from the inside. And when he slipped two fingers in, Mia screamed so loud that she was
Mia stood up, grumbling under her breath from the pain that shot from her neck. She moved to open the door but paused. What if it was Dalian?She breathed in and tried to fix her hair, but she stopped. What was she doing? She sighed as she opened the door, but it was another twin that greeted her. Ravenna smiled, holding up a paper bag. “I brought you cake,” she said softly. “You barely touched your breakfast, so I figured you'd be hungry.”Mia smiled back, taking the bag from her. “You're the best.”Ravenna’s smile widened. “I know.” But the smile dimmed a little. “I would really love to stay with you, but I got to go to the twin. I'll see you later?”Mia nodded. “Sure.”Ravenna pulled her into a gentle hug before she turned and left. Mia took the bag inside her room and set it down, taking off her clothes. She entered the bathroom and spent a good twenty minutes in there. Just as she came out from the bathroom, with only a towel wrapped around her, a knock came at her door. Was Ra
“Can you–” Mia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand. She didn't want to let go of Dalian’s hand. It felt like an… anchor. Even when members of the pack passed them and looked down on their joined hands, whispering behind their hands. If anything, she held his hand tighter. They could talk all they wanted, she didn't care. Pff, she cared. Goddamn it, she cared. She cares about what they think about her, how they see her. Because it hurts. Because they were supposed to be her family, but they're foes. She had done nothing except be a child of her father. And that was all they needed. Since she was a child of a betrayer, she was also a betrayer. But she wasn't. She loved this pack, even though they didn't love her back. And she wanted them to accept her. But she had stopped trying to gain their approval years ago. They hate her. Even when Darius had defended her all those years ago. She could still remember that day. He had just become alpha, and he was also fig
Dalian groaned so deep in his throat that anyone who passed by would think he was dying. Oh, if only they knew. He was in heaven. Mia swallowed his full length, her warm mouth like bliss around him. She stayed like that for a moment, breathing through her nose, her throat working around him. Then she swallowed and Dalian saw stars. “Fuck,” he groaned, his hands weaving themselves into her hair, but they just stayed there, giving her time. She started moving. She withdrew until only the tip remained in her mouth before she swallowed him again, hollowing her cheeks and swallowing. She did it slowly at first before she picked pace, her beautiful blue eyes never once looking away from him. He couldn't look away from her either. Looking at those eyes while watching his dick in her mouth was a sight he didn't want to miss. His hold tightened on her hair and he moved his hip slightly, wanting to thrust, but he stopped. He was going to take it at her own pace.But it seems Mia didn't mi
The kiss wasn't rough; it was slow, soft, and delicate, with only heat. Dalian kissed her like he was learning the language of her lips, like he was studying every inch of her mouth with his tongue, like he wanted them both to mesmerize it, like this wasn't about just lust anymore but every aching, torturing second they'd lost. Her hands slipped up his jacket and into his shirt, touching his bare smooth skin, up his back, fingers digging into his shoulders. He shivered against her, groaning into her mouth, and backed her up until her back was pressed against a tree, the bark rough against the fabric of her clothes. “I thought about you for three years,” he said against her lips. “And none of those thoughts were pure.”Mia grinned against his mouth. “Good.”He growled low in his throat, kissing her harder. His hand found the hem of her shirt, sliding under to feel the warmth of her skin. She arched her back, sighing his name. “I thought about how soft you felt,” he whispered as he b