ANNALISE
Dante’s mouth meets mine and a surge of energy courses through me. Fireworks exploded beyond my shuttered eyes. I’m as light as a cloud. Nothing could separate me from Dante. My soul could explode any second, and I relish the sensation.
He teases my lips, and I succumb to him. I find it hard to catch my breath because he kisses me with such intensity, but I don’t mind. I never desire this to cease. I shove my fingers through his locks, yanking the strands as I pull him closer to me, gyrating my clit along his erection. Thank goodness, I'm donning a dress. Moaning, I deepen the kiss as Dante massages my glutes. I'm certain to come if we keep this up. A fierce flame courses through my body and sweat breaks out on my skin. This is all far beyond remarkable to be true.
A sound of throat clearing emanates from near us. He withdraws and we gasp for air.
“I had greater expectations, Annalise. Join me before the Alpha catches you. Take a hike, Dante. You plastered your scent all over Alpha’s daughter. He will have your head on a pike.” Cadance commanded, grabbing my hand and yanking me away.
I grin while placing my fingertips on my mouth. “My first kiss, Cadance, and it was epic.”
"I’m ecstatic for you, Annalise, but you need to be more cautious. Particularly concerning Dante. Maximilian wouldn’t hesitate, ripping his heart from his chest.”
What Cadance says is true. Daddy would kill Dante if he learned he had touched me. Cadance was unaware that Dante’s smell was already strong from the journey Titan took me on before. She’s most likely detecting his wolf, more so than his human smell. I'm amazed Jarek failed to notice it.
“I want you to go in through the back entrance. Rush up and have a shower. Promptly now, before anyone else notices,” she commands, pushing me in the opposite direction of where she was going.
XILLON
“Bring him to my place that I may observe him overnight. Alpha, I suggest you take a sleeping aid. I know you want to stay with your son, but you need ’t worry. I don’t require any outside interference. I demand quiet so I might pull Jarek out of his comatose state. He is breathing and has a strong pulse. I am certain he’ll be back to terrorizing Annalise by tomorrow. I’ll prepare a room for him,” Cadance states and walks off before Maximilian could protest.
“You heard her boys. Look after my boy,” Maximilian insists, and marches away.
Once he’s out of earshot, Zane and I kneel to lift Jarek from the ground.
“Damn, dude. I think we broke her to the point of no return. Did you see how swiftly she snapped? I warned him this afternoon to step away. He better pay attention.”
“I believed for a second there we were next. It scared me shitless. Damn, he’s heavy. Silver’s dominance turned me on, though.”
Zane grunts as we tug Jarek’s comatose body from the ground.
“Annalise straight up, whooped his ass good. He had it coming. Don't keep up with your mischief, Zane, or you'll be sorry."
“Funny, you say so, Xillon. You're a far cry from a Saint. The abuse inflicted by you is comparable to that of myself and Jarek. Maybe not as harsh as we dish it out, but still.”
“Trex has deserted Jarek. Or he would have woken by now. You’re right, the fuckers heavy. We are launching dead weight. You better remain silent talking about Annalise. I’ll admit her kicking his ass was hot, but you’ll end up like Jarek if you don’t keep your mouth shut. Alpha will beat your ass.”
“Should we apologize to Silver? Clear the air, so to speak. Training is going to be brutal tomorrow if we bypass it."
“Fuck, no. She was drenched in Dante’s scent. Like they fucked or something. Xavier was clawing at me to take over and kill his ass. Oh, look. There’s the fucker now, fleeing.”
Dante sprints around the corner, jumps in his car, and hauls ass, once the doors to his vehicle have closed.
If we weren’t holding Jarek’s life in our hands, I would kill the mother fucker. Annalise is like a sister to me. I protect my sisters with all my being. Dante will not escape unscathed after touching her. I will make his life hell for the next couple of years. Silver will be placed near me from this point forward. I won’t allow a single man near her. Not even Jarek or Zane. I’m tired of all the bullshit. It all has to be over.
“I’ll tell you just once. If you and Jarek don't stop your harsh treatment of Annalise, you'll have to face Xavier's wrath. She merits security from the likes of you. Trex often abandons Jarek, if you haven’t noticed. Our wolves cherish and try their hardest to shield her from us. That should be a sign that what we’re doing is wrong.”
“Get off your high horse, Xillon. You’ve been such an ass since you gained Xavier. News flash, Xillon. Jarek and I will persist as we desire. He’s right, you know. Silver doesn’t belong here. It is up to us to make her comprehend that, so she'll depart the pack once she becomes an adult. This is what will be most favorable for her, and all the others in the pack. She’s a deformed human stuck in the largest den of wolves in the country. She will be the pack’s destruction."
“I hope she gains her wolf, so she can whoop your ass and have you eating your own shit with that mouth of yours.”
“Fat chance man. I say we let Dante have his way with her. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll take her off our hands. I mean, she’s fine as hell, but that’s all she has going for her.”
“You better be glad we’re bringing Jarek to Cadance’s, or I would knock you into next week.”
“I’d like to see you try, man.”
ANNALISE
I sprint up the two flights of stairs, relieved that it’s late and everyone in the pack house is asleep. My core is throbbing, in need of release. Encountering a male wolf shifter right now would leave me exposed to incurring punishment for having Dante’s odor all over me. Jarek, being incapacitated, saved me from being scolded by my father. So at least one good thing came from him being a jerk tonight.
I slam the door shut and rush to the bathroom. After that, I activate the shower and then move to the basin. I concoct a plan to eliminate Dante’s scent by filling the sink with water and body wash. As soon as the liquid gets to the required level, I take off all my clothing and hand-wash them, then leave them in the fluid. If my strategy fails, I’m screwed. Without my shifter powers, I'm merely able to detect the body wash. I’ll need to take a load of laundry with the dirty garments I wore tonight and start a load after I know that my mother and father have returned to slumber.
Under the pounding spray, I reflect on mine and Dante’s kiss. It was as if my body was being electrified. Never have I ever felt anything like it. My heart beat erratically to the point I thought it would burst from my chest. Arousal was clear in my panties when I stripped.
Could Dante be my mate? Unfathomable; we are too young. I can’t shake this feeling coming over me. Is this how it feels to be infatuated with someone? I need to keep my distance from Dante. No good could come from us being together. I'm uncertain if I can, though. Maybe I have these emotions because he is the only guy who has shown me kindness. As well as accepting me for who I am and not punishing me for my deformities. All I comprehend is I miss him, all the while fearing my affections for him.
ANNALISECuddling my body pillow, I lay my head down and do my best to shut my mind off. We filled this evening with excitement and wonder. I can’t help but presume I am so close to connecting with my wolf. For, three months I’ve sweat and toiled. If Larissa would join me in this struggle against Jarek, my life would be so much simpler.It’s crazy. I shouldn’t be, but beyond everything. I am concerned about Jarek. I don’t believe I’ll be able to relax until I confirm he is okay. He deserved every bit of what I gave him tonight. Wouldn’t feel bad doing it all over again if the opportunity presented itself. Nevertheless, I am aware Trex has left him, as he often does. I need to reach out to him and convince him to heal Jarek. Otherwise, there could be irreversible damage. I wasn't in my right mind when I booted him in the temple. His trachea was shattered. I have faith in Cadance, but still.Sitting up with a groan, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and jump down. Putting on a pa
DANTE“Father.”“Hello, son. It's late, what's wrong?”“I believe I have found her.”“The princess.”“Yes, sir. However, it’s hard to tell with the limited information we have gotten. She is unaware of who or what she is. She cannot bond with her wolf. Despite that, I put her under a hypnotic trance and Titan linked with her wolf, Larissa.”“Hum. Good job, son. You must bring her to me as soon as possible. You are not strong enough to help her. She's doomed if her wolf fails to manifest soon. Her human nature will oppose being three entities in one. I hope we are not too late.”“I apologize, sir. I gave it my best shot. As you said, I'm not powerful enough. An ancient Alpha like yourself is the only person who could assist her. ““Bring her to me promptly. There’s no time to waste.”“That might be hard for me to accomplish. One entity within her took over tonight, and she attacked the Alpha’s son. I have no knowledge of his condition, but he didn't appear to be in good shape when I wa
ZANEI said it before and I'll repeat it; Silver will be the Pack’s downfall. Our future alpha will remain confined to bed for a while because of her. It’s my job to get rid of the problem. If it weren’t for her, Jarek would have brothers and sisters to strengthen his line of succession. Like me, I have seven siblings, and Xillon has five. Silver came along and Luna Celestia became barren.Jarek has always pussy footed around the fact that we should torture her, so when she turns eighteen she’ll leave on her own. Now I’m leaning towards removing her in the present. Two years is much too long. I’ll be head over military tactics and guard. Protecting the Pack is in my blood, and that I will do. Disposing of Silver is of the utmost priority.‘You are insane. If you think for a second, I would let you touch her.’‘You’ve stayed loyal for the past twelve months. What’s changed now?’‘If you want to call not healing broken bones and not coming to your aid when a human virus attacks you, sta
XILLONI’m struggling to make sense of the little information I have. But I’m baffled by what I know so far. Selene’s daughter dwells inside Annalise’s subconscious. Jarek’s dream he had seemed to unfold before our very eyes. Just not in the way he described. Honestly, I’m afraid of what we are about to uncover once Gabriel and I tear down the walls that have her bound in darkness.“Annalise?” I yell into the dark abyss of Annalise’s mind. I can’t sense her, or anything, within the darkness.“She’s no longer here. Her soul has left her body. Quickly, we must go back,” Gabriel commands, and suddenly we are transported back to our bodies.ANNALISEFloating aimlessly above the scene unfolding before me, I feel a sense of peace and serenity. Which is something I’ve never felt from the day I was born. I would rather remain here than return to a life where I have been tortured and never loved. Not by whom I hoped to be loved by, anyway.I watch as Xillon and Gabriel fuss over my body. I hea
ANNALISE“You, my child, are the daughter born of my father, creator of all things, and my mother, creator of shifters. At one time, put in human terms, they knew you as the goddess Aphrodite. In time, you will recollect where your soul originates from. You hold the power of three powerful beings in one. Which is why my twin sister Zadrial inhabited you. You were the only one who could withstand her power and not perish before she could carry out her plan to seek her Twin Flame. I must go back and let mother know where Zadrial is located. I could only tap into her via our twin bond. Being inside her consciousness, I can see and feel everything she has planned.”“So what am I exactly? Has Zadrial always been inside me? Is that why I was born as a freak? My life has been hell because of her. I haven’t been able to manifest my wolf Larrisa because of her meddling with my life. And what exactly is a Twin Flame?”“No. Zadrial inhabited you just before you came of age to shift into your wol
XILLONStriding to the vacant space adjoining Annalise’s, I draw my mobile phone from my back pocket and send a brief message to Alpha Maxamillian. He and Luna Celestia are in meetings with the neighboring pack-leaders, so I know better than to call.I send a mind link to Jarek and Zane, then walk back to Annalise’s room. ‘Annalise is awake.’Upon arriving at Annalise’s room, I see Cadance was gone and Annalise appears to have fallen asleep once again. Sitting down, I caress her cheek and grip her hand in mine, hoping she would wake, but she didn’t.“Did you contact the Alpha?” Cadance asked as she walked into the room.“Yeah, but it appears Annalise has drifted off. Should I contact him and tell him it was a false alarm?”“Let me check her vitals and pupils first.”Cadance goes about her usual routine of checking Annalise’s vitals and gasps sadly when she looks into her eyes.“Her eyes are glazed over and her pupils are dilated. Message the Alpha and tell him she appears to have slip
JAREK“Everyone shift and fight for your lives,” Alpha Gabriel commands as he transforms into a massive midnight black wolf with grey streaks. I’ve never seen a werewolf so huge in my life. My father is an alpha, but still pales compared to Alpha Gabriel’s wolf. What the hell?‘Shift, damn it! Don’t just stand there!’ Alpha Gabriel commands me, his superior alpha tone making me shift on the spot without hesitation.The massive being from my dream has manifested itself into reality and is standing tall and proud before me. She’s yanking wolves up and throwing them around as if they were rag dolls. No one can get close to her.Sending a mind link to Alpha Gabriel, Trex and I round up children, elderly and other pack members who can’t fight and start escorting them to the emergency bunker. ‘This won’t do. We need to call in the heavy artillery. Xillon, take the alpha to the weapons shed.’I transform back into human skin so I can converse with Zane. “Get these people to the bunker. Guard
ANNALISE“Rise and shine, sweetheart. Today marks your sixteenth birthday and you know what that means.”“That I should be able to stay in bed for once, so I can conserve my energy for my transformation into my wolf.” I grumble.“It’s almost noon. We have much to do to get you ready for your party.”“News flash mom, I don’t have many friends, so it won't be a big gathering. On my end, anyway.”Groaning, I clutch my pillow and bury my head underneath it. Hoping my mother would leave me alone.“You aren’t the only one expected to shift tonight, sweetheart. Several families are coming to celebrate their children’s first shift. It is of the utmost importance that you assist me in prepareing for tonight.”“Jarek didn’t help you get ready for his, Xillon’s and Zane’s shift. In fact, they all disappeared until the moment arrived for them to shift. So why should my transformation party be any different?”“You caught me red-handed. You’re my daughter. I have already prepared everything. I want