Francesca’s POVAs we approached mid-September, the Fall weather really began to set in. The unbearable heat of the previous month was abating with every second that passed. The leaves of the trees were changing color, losing their life force and vividness, and falling to the ground in a melancholic but beautiful display of the wonders of nature.Our summer vacation was still very much ongoing. Bianca, Patrick and I had at least another two weeks before we were due to return to campus so we were definitely making the most of our last days of leisure. Although to define our days as leisure was subjective. Our training sessions were more intense than ever. Alpha Ian has been present and running most of them. Ever since his therapy sessions came to a fruitful conclusion, he has been more determined than ever to push us to our limits. There was an obvious shift in how he now regarded Ezekiel and the imminent war between us. His hatred was less personal. It was no longer the kind of acidi
Francesca’s POVThe coronation of the Alpha King and his chosen Luna is one of the most sacred events for any Pack. It’s one that is celebrated in a grand affair, and remembered for months after the fact. Every Pack had its own special way of going about it, the rituals they always made sure took place and all the flurry of activity and prayers that happen, taking advantage of the full moon and asking the Moon Goddess to bless us and grant our heart’s deepest desires.“Mother, you look absolutely stunning,” I said, my tone dripping with admiration as I stared at Alpha Jessica Reginald, where she sat dressed in a lovely golden gown, about to be crowned the Luna of the Sangria-Crescent Pack.“Thank you, darling,” Jessica replied, smiling, her blonde hair framing her gorgeous face like a halo. “Come sit with me.”The other women who’d been helping my mother get ready for the coronation excused themselves and walked out of the drawing room.I threw them a discreet smile as they exited the
Francesca’s POVI have refused to step foot outside of my new bedroom since we arrived in Alpha Ian’s mansion. I was doing my best to ignore how stunning the room was, trying my best to hold onto my anger. I was justified in being angry, in being absolutely furious with my mother’s decision to remarry. She has chosen to give up her position as the head of our pack and was now going to be second in command to a man. And not just any man. Someone who was ten years younger than her. Just thinking about it made my blood boil.I’ve been uprooted from my beloved home and now I’d be forced to live in this soulless mansion. I couldn’t shake this feeling that something terrible was going to happen. There were times when I would feel a certain way, when the hairs at the back of my neck would stand on end and my heart would start racing for apparently no reason. And since my mother told me she has sought an alliance with Alpha Ian and he accepted, I’ve been getting that feeling more frequently.
Francesca’s POVAs soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted saying them. I had no intention of backtracking though. Hell, no, I wasn’t a coward.“What did you just me to me?” he snarled the words, eyes glinting like steel.“Would you like me to repeat myself, Dadd—”“Do not dare,” he cut me off sharply, his fingers tightening around my neck, slightly cutting off my air supply. I felt light-headed but I stood my ground. “I swear to the Moon Goddess if you ever call me that again, the consequences would be dire. Don’t you know your limits? Your insolence knows no bounds. I’m about to marry your mother. You can’t talk to me like that.”“But it’s okay for you to tell me, a grown adult that I would be spanked if I misbehave?” I shot back angrily. “Are we supposed to pretend a comment like that has no sexual connotations?”It seemed as though my words were the equivalent of an electric shock to him. He instantly released the grip he had around my neck and took several steps back. His fa
Alpha Ian’s POVControl.That was the one thing I cherished the most. I expect it from every soldier under my command. And I demand it of myself in the absolute, and yet, with a few select words from Francesca, I was completely unhinged. I eyed the punching bag before me as if it were the source of all my problems, taking the time to properly secure the wrappings around my fingers. I assumed a menacing stance and started throwing punches with all my might. I was like a man possessed, growling low in my throat as my fists pummeled the poor bag. I felt pent-up, and restless, as though my wolf was caught in a trap and was about to chew his leg off just to escape.Do not project your issues onto me“Very clever, Cassius,” I quipped in response to my wolf.I’m just saying as your wolf, I am zen about the situation“You are zen about the way that arrogant girl talked to us?”Well, her insults were directed at you, not me“She didn’t insult me, not really,” I protested, trying to defend my h
Francesca’s POVI learned that training in our new pack was done a little differently. The hours were longer. Dominic was brutal and relentless. After he’d had enough of seeing us at each other’s throats with the sparring, we were instructed to move to the training hall. This was where all the gym equipment was. He had us lifting weights and doing push-ups, not letting anyone slack off. We didn’t stop until he was satisfied with our progress.“That was good guys, well done,” he said to a room full of panting young wolves. “What’s with all the death glares? You know you’d have had it harder if Alpha Ian was here.”I was slumped against the wall, trying to recover my equilibrium. “If your elder brother would have done worse, then he’s a sadist,” I said to him.Dominic turned around and stared at me. He didn’t speak for a while. I thought he was this close to reprimanding me for saying something disrespectful about the Alpha. Instead, he walked over to where the chilled water bottles wer
Francesca’s POVAfter the training session, I spent the rest of the day in bed, cuddled up under the covers and listening to rock music. My mum has told me time and time again that my eardrums will burst because I always turn up the volume so loud. But this was how I liked to listen to music. It drowned out my thoughts. Nothing else existed in moments like these save the beat, the lyrics, and the vocals. It was like being transported into another world and the escape was very much needed.As the day crawled to an end, I forced myself to get out of bed and step out of my room. I found my mum in the sitting room. She was engrossed in a phone call. I waited until she was done talking to ask my question.“Where’s Alpha Ian?”“Why are you asking about Ian’s whereabouts?” There was genuine puzzlement in her tone.I slipped my hands into the pockets of my hoodie. “I need to talk to him.”Jessica arched an eyebrow. “Why? So you could be disrespectful some more?”“Ouch, I deserved that,” I sai
Francesca’s POV There is something to be said about being in denial and suppressing unwanted feelings. It might not be the healthiest way to live but there are times when it is needed, especially when facing the reality of said feelings is not an option. The next hour I spent in Alpha Ian’s presence at the shooting range brought out a plethora of mixed emotions in me. For one, he seemed genuinely interested in helping me improve my shooting skills. He kept guiding me, giving me tips and pointers in order to better my aim and this made me want to impress him. It came naturally to me, this need to please him, to have him praise me in any shape or form. When I finally hit the target, he gave me this nod accompanied with a blinding grin and I felt such pride bloom within me. There was an underlying excitement to being in the same space as him, breathing the same air. I didn’t know why exactly. I just felt it. There was a comedown after we returned to the house and went our separate ways
Francesca’s POVThe coronation of the Alpha King and his chosen Luna is one of the most sacred events for any Pack. It’s one that is celebrated in a grand affair, and remembered for months after the fact. Every Pack had its own special way of going about it, the rituals they always made sure took place and all the flurry of activity and prayers that happen, taking advantage of the full moon and asking the Moon Goddess to bless us and grant our heart’s deepest desires.“Mother, you look absolutely stunning,” I said, my tone dripping with admiration as I stared at Alpha Jessica Reginald, where she sat dressed in a lovely golden gown, about to be crowned the Luna of the Sangria-Crescent Pack.“Thank you, darling,” Jessica replied, smiling, her blonde hair framing her gorgeous face like a halo. “Come sit with me.”The other women who’d been helping my mother get ready for the coronation excused themselves and walked out of the drawing room.I threw them a discreet smile as they exited the
Francesca’s POVAs we approached mid-September, the Fall weather really began to set in. The unbearable heat of the previous month was abating with every second that passed. The leaves of the trees were changing color, losing their life force and vividness, and falling to the ground in a melancholic but beautiful display of the wonders of nature.Our summer vacation was still very much ongoing. Bianca, Patrick and I had at least another two weeks before we were due to return to campus so we were definitely making the most of our last days of leisure. Although to define our days as leisure was subjective. Our training sessions were more intense than ever. Alpha Ian has been present and running most of them. Ever since his therapy sessions came to a fruitful conclusion, he has been more determined than ever to push us to our limits. There was an obvious shift in how he now regarded Ezekiel and the imminent war between us. His hatred was less personal. It was no longer the kind of acidi
Ezekiel’s POVI was standing back a considerable distance as training went on. As much as I had said I wanted to oversee it, my intention was not to interrupt it in any way whatsoever. I also didn’t want our warriors to feel under pressure or act as though they had to do anything different simply because I was present. I wanted to observe them as they always were during each session. And of course, I had the utmost trust in their tutors that they would do a good job today as they’ve been doing for as long as they’ve had the responsibility.So far, I was mighty pleased with everything I was seeing. Our warriors seemed to be disciplined, determined, unceasingly strong, and above all, they all had a killer instinct. From what they were showing, they would absolutely have no qualms in striking down any enemy they came into contact with, and those were the kind of warriors I needed on my side when I made my first calculated attack against the Crescent-Sangria Pack.Alexander and Eve were m
Ezekiel’s POVGreat Aunt Elizabeth’s sprawling estate has long ceased being hers. Not since the day I snuffed the life out of the stubbornly staunch old woman right after making her sign over the deeds. That was another lifetime ago, way before I grew into myself. Sixteen-year-old me wasn’t exactly the brightest. I can’t believe he tried to have it all, tried to hold onto Ian even when he knew there was no way the other boy was going to be accepting of the inevitable path I was going to choose.The path I was already on when we were merely thirteen-year-olds and I decided on animal sacrifice to summon the Moon Goddess. I didn’t even think twice about killing those helpless bunnies that I’d spent weeks raising. That should have been Ian’s warning shot, and maybe it was but he definitely did not heed it.But what made me hope, that I could bring him over to my side, even if I had to use lies and manipulation to aid me was how he reacted after he watched me commit cold blooded murder for
Alpha Ian’s POVThe idea of going to some cold and lifeless office of a therapist was enough to make me want to puke. If I was going to cut my skin open and bleed for a complete stranger, I had to do in a place I felt safe and comfortable in. The sessions had to take place in my Study and nowhere else. And this was how the therapist that had been chosen for me by Jessica found herself sitting on my high-backed chair facing me, as I reclined on the sofa. Her name was Valentina. She was a beta wolf, and the energy she gave off was of someone kind and capable at the same time. She had honey blonde hair that was cut in a bob and it framed her oval face in a flattering way. She wore red lipstick, and had a nose-ring.It was the nose-ring that threw me off when she arrived. It didn’t match the image I had of the look of a therapist in my head. But somehow, that injected this chill vibe into the atmosphere. And I could almost delude myself into thinking I was about to have a conversation w
Alpha Ian’s POVIt was a different kind of torture, having to narrate practically everything I told Francesca and the others to my wife the next day. She listened to me with the same empathy and compassion that I received from everyone who was present in my Study the night before. She didn’t cut me off necessarily, only asked questions when she felt that I had mentioned something too important to skim over.By the time I was done with my narration, Jessica let out a loud sigh and said, “I’m afraid Francesca is right on this one, Ian. You do need therapy.”I nodded, she took my hand in hers and squeezed it in comfort. We were sitting side by side on a sofa in our bedroom. I’d alerted her we needed to talk about something right before she turned in for bed. Jessica wasn’t one to dwindle when her specific time to sleep arrived.“I know, darling,” I said to her. “I’ve already accepted that this is something I need. It’s high time I dealt with this unfinished business so I could move forwa
Francesca’s POV“So, what’s the verdict?” Alpha Ian asked after I hadn’t uttered a word after his vulnerable confession. “Am I still in love with a monster?”I fixed him with an intense stare then, really looking at him. There was a vacant look in his eyes, it seemed as though he was bracing himself for the worst. It was kind of tragic, the entire situation was, if I was being entirely honest.And I couldn’t bring myself to feel any sort of jealousy toward Ezekiel. Maybe, it would hit me later and I would hate him even more for being my fated mate’s first love. But now, I was more concerned with helping Alpha Ian sort through his emotions and any lingering feelings he might still harbor for the king of the rogues.“Well?” Alpha Ian prompted. “Will you say something?”“I don’t know,” I finally said.“Excuse me?” Alpha Ian sat up then, and fixed me with a disbelieving stare. “What don’t you know?”I shrugged, breaking eye contact. “I don’t know if you’re still in love with him or not.”
Francesca’s POV“What did you just ask me?” Alpha Ian said in a dangerously low tone, his eyes narrowing as they gazed into mine.“You heard me very well,” I said, “But I can still repeat myself: are you still in love with Ezekiel?”This time, he seemed unable to form words. He opened his mouth several times but ended up closing it again. I guess one can say, he wasn’t expecting that kind of question from me, or from anyone for that matter.Even I wasn’t completely sure why I asked it. Okay, I did know why. The root cause wasn’t jealousy. It was a true desire to help him sort through any lingering feelings he might have had where Ezekiel was concerned because a love that intense doesn’t just disappear altogether. I wasn’t even sure I could decipher all the different kind of feelings and emotions that I experienced while listening to him go into depth about his relationship with Ezekiel, the bond they shared, their subsequent honeymoon in the penthouse, and ultimate rupture.At some
Alpha Ian's POV"So that was how it went down," Dominic said, looking like someone who's entire world has been tilted on its axis. "Man, you kept all of that inside you when you returned, and pretended as though you merely failed in convincing Ezekiel to come back with you and plead his case.""Yeah... pretty much. that's what happened.""I bet he was impossible to be around when he returned," Francesca wondered."Oh yes, he was was," Denise replied to her. "It was worse than when Ezekiel had just been banished. The Ian who returned was a completely different person.""He seemed to have shoved all his emotions in a box, locked them away and and threw them in a raging volcano," Dominic said."Hey, I wasn't that bad," I said, tone defensive."You so were," Dominic and Denise said at the same time and then they started laughing as they stared at each other."You were worse than bad, big brother," Dominic said. "You were frighteningly cold. It seemed as though the only emotions you allowe