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Unsettling Shadows
Last Updated:
2024-12-11 19:35:23Related chapters
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Hazel eyes
"I need some help in here!" Lucille called out, her voice urgent as she cradled Serena’s frail body, searching her friend’s face for any sign of injury. Despite Serena's fragile appearance, Lucille couldn't see a single mark that explained her collapse.Zach appeared in the doorway within seconds, his expression turning grim as he took in the scene. Without a word, he knelt beside them, lifting Serena effortlessly from Lucille’s arms and placing her carefully on the bed. "What happened?" he asked, his tone low but firm."I–I don’t know. I came to talk with her and... found her on the floor," Lucille replied, struggling to keep her voice steady."I’ve already linked with the doctor. She’ll be here as soon as she can." Zach glanced at her, a hint of concern crossing his face. "Head to the lounge. I’ll stay with Serena until Doctor Lana arrives.""You’re joking if you think I’m leaving her," Lucille shot back, folding her arms defiantly."Lucille, I need you to go. Until we know what’s h
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate More Questions
"In order for this to work, you're going to have to relax and open up your mind," Rita instructed gently, sitting across from Lucille in the garden. The two sat cross-legged on the cool grass, their hands clasped together. Rita had suggested scanning Lucille’s mind to experience her dreams firsthand and help decipher what they might mean.“That’s a lot easier said than done,” Lucille huffed, closing her eyes and trying to loosen the tension coiling in her shoulders and neck. But even as she tried to relax, an unsettling pressure built within her head. She fought against the instinct to pull away as she felt the strange, invasive sensation of Rita’s presence—like fingers gently scraping at the edges of her mind. It felt personal, exposing parts of herself she rarely touched. It was...wrong, somehow, like opening a door she preferred to keep shut.“Try to distract yourself,” Rita said softly, sensing Lucille’s resistance. “Think of something that calms you. I need your mind open, not te
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Calm
The pack house was eerily quiet as Lucille stepped inside. Her home. The thought nearly made her laugh. How absurd it felt to think of this place as home when she had only been here for a matter of weeks. Yet, somehow, the word fit—like an ill-worn glove she wasn’t quite ready to claim. The stillness of the house, empty save for those out tending to their daily tasks, gave it an unfamiliar air. It was almost comforting, and yet a pang of loneliness followed close behind.Lucille sighed as she closed the door softly behind her. She made her way straight to Serena’s room, her steps cautious, her heart heavy with guilt and concern. She cracked the bedroom door open and peeked inside. There, her friend lay sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Relief bloomed in Lucille’s chest, soothing the tightness she hadn’t realised had been lingering there. Satisfied Serena seemed to be recovering, Lucille quietly pulled the door shut and turned away, heading towards the
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate No Aid
"So, you’re telling me no one is willing to help because they think I stole Joseph’s mate?” Zach growled through the video call, his anger barely contained. His sharp features were tense as he leaned closer to the camera, his dark brows furrowed in frustration.On the other end of the call, Bo stood beside an older man seated in front of the camera. The man’s stern countenance was framed by a weathered face, his bushy grey eyebrows drawn together in thought as he considered Zach’s words.“I’m sorry, Alpha Zach,” the man said at last, his voice gravelly and deliberate. “From what Bo has shared with us, it does appear that Joseph is becoming a problem. However, no one will band together against him when he has a claim to move against your pack. The mate bond is sacred and protected. To the eyes of the other packs, you’ve stolen another Alpha’s mate, and without sufficient evidence, the claims of abuse you’ve made are just that—claims. The only witness you have is this female, and as you
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Attack
Zach tore through his once humble town, now a battlefield drenched in destruction and mayhem. The acrid scent of smoke and blood hung heavy in the air as screams of panic mingled with the guttural growls of combat. Untrained pack members and those too weak to fight fled frantically towards the pack house, their terror palpable. Meanwhile, the strong and able surged forward, following the scent of blood and the sound of battle.He had hoped this attack might be manageable, but that hope withered as he approached the gates to the perimeter. Rogues—dozens of them—pressed forward with unrelenting ferocity. They came in all forms, some in their monstrous wolf shapes and others in their scarred, bloodied human skins. There was no method to their madness, only an unholy wrath that drove them to slaughter everything in their path.Ahead, Zach spotted Cole locked in combat, holding his ground against two rabid rogues while still in human form. One wolf, filthy and scarred, leapt at his throat,
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Rescue
"Into the packhouse! You’ll be safe there," Lucille called out to an elderly woman hobbling as quickly as her frail legs could manage, her gnarled hand tightly clutching that of a young boy no older than five. The old lady nodded gratefully at Lucille’s urging. Lucille gestured towards the open doors of the packhouse, where Nora stood in the doorway, ushering people inside to safety.As the pair hurried past her, Lucille turned her gaze back towards the town. Her sharp eyes scanned for any stragglers in need of help. Smoke billowed in thick, choking clouds from several homes now ablaze in the distance, the acrid stench mingling with the metallic tang of blood saturating the air.She was about to retreat to the packhouse when a flicker of movement caught her eye through the smoky haze. Lucille froze, muscles taut, and narrowed her eyes, hoping it was more pack members seeking refuge. But as the shapes became clearer, her heart sank. Three shadowy figures emerged, their movements predat
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Ultimatum
“Where’s Lucille?” Zach demanded, his voice sharp as he approached Bo and Nora outside his home. He had just finished securing the perimeter, ensuring the wounded were being seen to, and giving orders for the bodies of the fallen to be cleared. The exhaustion from the fight was beginning to weigh on him, but when Bo linked him to say Lucille had wandered off, a new wave of tension crashed over him.“I don’t know,” Bo admitted, his tone steady despite the Alpha’s obvious irritation. “One minute she was here—she’d just taken down one of the rogues—and the next, after I checked on Nora, I turned around and she was gone.”“That woman is my mate and the future Luna of this pack if she’d have me. And you just left her unguarded?” Zach snapped, his irritation flaring. His eyes burned with anger as he bore down on his beta.Bo didn’t flinch, but his jaw tightened. “She was safe one moment, and then she was gone. You know how unpredictable Lucille can be—”“That’s not the point!” Zach’s voice
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate What must be done
"Lucille, stop!" Zach’s voice carried after her, harsher and angrier than she had ever heard before. Yet she didn’t slow down. Her feet propelled her forward, carrying her swiftly into the bedroom. She yanked open the wardrobe, her movements sharp and mechanical, and grabbed some clean clothes from the items provided to her—a gesture meant to make her feel at home. The irony didn’t escape her as she tossed a plain T-shirt onto the bed and swapped out her bloodstained vest for it. Shrugging it on, she rifled through for a clean pair of leggings. Casual wasn’t her style, but she needed comfort for what she was about to do."Lucille, don’t ignore me!" Zach growled as he stormed into the room. His footsteps were heavy, and his frustration rippled through the air. Before she could react, his hand shot out, gripping her arm and spinning her to face him. "You don’t get to pull some disappearing act, come back looking the way you do, and then be pissed at me because you overheard a conversati
Last Updated : 2024-12-11
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Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Epilogue
"You need to shave," Nora remarked, raising an eyebrow as her brother wandered into the dining room.Zach grunted in response, sinking into a chair and helping himself to the already-served breakfast in the centre of the table. "It's fine. Bo still avoiding me?"After Zach had returned from arranging plans with the other Alphas at Owen’s, he’d had a long-overdue sit-down with Bo. The man had little to say, other than admitting that his talk of giving up on Lucille had been fuelled by anger—anger at having his own mate placed in danger. He regretted not stopping her, and Zach believed him. As punishment, Bo had been temporarily demoted to Gamma, with Cole stepping up as Beta in his place. Zach had needed someone he could trust to help enact the plan to rescue Lucille, and Cole, despite his usual grumbling, had proven himself reliable.Now that Joseph was gone, Bo had been reinstated, much to Cole's relief—he'd never enjoyed the added workload—but things still weren’t the same.It had b
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate You Found Me
“Lucille!” Zach yelled, rushing over and gathering her into his arms, ignoring the pool of blood spreading across the floor beneath her. His heart thundered as he cradled her fragile form, her skin alarmingly cold against his.Lucille looked up at him, her eyes heavy-lidded, and reached a trembling hand to cup his cheek. He leaned into her touch, her warmth—faint though it was—sending a storm of conflicting emotions through him. Relief at finally holding her again clashed with a paralysing fear as he realised something was wrong. She wasn’t healing fast enough.His gaze fell to the silver choker still clasped around her neck. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he tore the jewellery away, the clasp snapping beneath his claws. The instant it was gone, Lucille’s body sagged in his arms, a soft sigh of relief escaping her lips.“Oh, Lucy,” Cole muttered, his voice breaking as he took in the extent of her injuries.“What are you doing just standing there?” Zach barked, his panic spilling
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Mate Bond
All she could do was sit there, paralysed, as she watched flesh collide with flesh, Zach and Joseph a blur of relentless movement. Punches were thrown, claws slashed through the air, and each strike narrowly evaded the other. Neither of them had shifted—yet. They had opted to stay in their human forms, testing their endurance, trying to wear the other out.Lucille didn’t even notice Cole approaching until he was at her side, a bloodied figure emerging from the chaos. He crouched next to her, hauling her up with surprising gentleness. She gasped, her eyes widening at the blood covering him.“Relax. It’s not all mine,” Cole quipped, a dry chuckle escaping him as he steadied her. “Well, most of it isn’t. Can you walk?”Lucille nodded weakly, her gaze sliding past him back to the fight. Zach had just landed a brutal blow to Joseph, sending the man doubling over. For a moment, blood gushed from Joseph’s side, but his Alpha healing kicked in almost immediately, sealing the wound. Alphas wer
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Challenge
Lucille thought she would feel different. As Joseph’s summons pulled her towards the great hall—a place that had only ever been the backdrop of her despair—her heart felt heavier with every step. The first thing she noticed was his scent, the one she’d once found intoxicating. Pine and earth, steady and grounding. But now, it seemed muted, distant, like a memory that no longer belonged to her.And then she saw him.Zach stood at the centre of the hall, his back to her, surrounded by a sea of shifters. His presence was as commanding as ever, but there was an edge of desperation in the way he carried himself. Her steps faltered, uncertainty gripping her. Was she a lost cause to him now? Did she disgust him, her body now claimed by another?She couldn't blame him if he did. She wasn't fond of herself, either.Since Cacey's attack, something inside her had broken. She'd clung to Joseph's protection, knowing it was wrong, hating herself for relying on the man who had destroyed so much of h
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate It All Comes Down To This
Zach had to fight the urge to chuckle as the guards closed in around him. Their movements were swift and practised, forcing him onto his knees as they restrained his hands behind his back. He let them; their display of authority was almost amusing.The man standing in front of him—clearly the leader of the patrol—was linking back to his Alpha, the tell-tale glaze in his eyes betraying the silent telepathic exchange. Zach tilted his head slightly, watching the man’s expression shift from stern focus to something closer to unease as the link ended.“Untie him,” the commander ordered sharply.“What? But he’s an intruder!” one of the guards, a smaller man with a wiry frame, protested.“We are under strict instructions to escort Alpha Zachary Lochwood of the Crescent Moon Pack to the hall,” the commander replied, his tone leaving no room for debate.“How do we know he really is who he says he is?” the smaller man piped up again, suspicion flickering in his narrowed eyes.“That’s not for us
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Joseph
The sound of footsteps echoed faintly from the hall outside, these ones heavier and more clunky despite an obvious attempt at stealth. There was a brief scuffle at the door—muffled shuffling and the faint scrape of metal—before it creaked open with deliberate slowness.Lucille didn’t lift her head to greet her uninvited guest. She couldn’t. The scent that drifted into the room was enough to churn her stomach, making her glad she wasn’t facing whoever it was.Cacey.The name settled in her mind like a heavy stone. He stood above her, his lips curling into a cruel grin that stretched ear to ear, the menace behind it palpable. The way he had entered—unannounced and without caution—told her everything she needed to know. Joseph hadn’t sent him.“Look at the state of you,” Cacey sneered, his voice dripping with mockery as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. “Not so pretty now, are you?”“I suggest you leave,” Lucille said, her voice low but firm as she shifted towards the far side of th
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Be Strong
Zach took a deep breath as he made his way back down to the medical floor. He could only hope Serena would be in a more receptive mood this time, though her resistance so far didn’t give him much confidence. Still, this was about Lucille, and whatever Serena’s feelings towards him, Zach knew she would want to hear that they had a plan.The meeting with the other alphas had dragged on for hours. Many had been reluctant to act, but after hearing testimonies from Zach, Rita, and a handful of former rogue pack members, they had finally been convinced to take action. With that step behind him, Zach’s next task loomed: returning home with Cole to prepare his pack for the battles to come. He’d also need to sit down with Bo, explain everything, and address the rift his Beta’s actions had caused. But before all that, he had one more conversation to finish here—one Lucille would have expected of him.The sterile scent of disinfectant filled his nostrils as he walked across the pristine white fl
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate Numb
She felt numb. How long had it been since she’d arrived? Days blurred into weeks, time losing all meaning in the suffocating fog of her existence. Back in this wretched excuse of a pack, Lucille was little more than a shadow of herself. Stripped of purpose, she was forbidden from resuming the duties she’d once taken pride in. Instead, she remained tethered to Joseph, either kept by his side or confined to their room. She wasn’t his mate—she was his possession. The collar and leash that bound her were tangible proof of that cruel reality.Yet, no matter how much she loathed him, Lucille couldn’t entirely shut out the insidious warmth of adoration seeping through the mate bond. It crawled into her mind like a disease, threading its way through her thoughts, weakening her resolve. She fought it with every ounce of strength she had, desperate not to yield, but each day the pull grew stronger. The untamed bond between them solidified, like chains tightening around her soul.Though Joseph t
Bound by Loyalty, Torn by Fate We Need a Plan
The sky was a canvas of grey, thick with overcast clouds, and the waves below crashed and roared against the cliffs with relentless ferocity. The once serene view of the ocean had turned hostile, its surface churning a dirtied, turbulent brown as the harsh wind whipped the water into chaos. Zach stood by the window, his sharp blue eyes scanning the angry seascape. The scene mirrored his inner turmoil, his restlessness growing with each passing moment.The Alpha meeting was set to take place today, and Zach had remained at Alpha Owen’s home, waiting for the arrival of the other Alphas. He knew many had travelled long distances, but he hoped they were prepared to sit down and hear him out immediately. At the very least, he wanted them to listen to his side of the story before they sought rest, giving them the night to mull over his words and begin to form a plan.Zach had spent much of his stay checking on Tristan, despite Serena’s visible discomfort with his presence. Though she allowe
