AQUAWhen I abandoned Gunnar and River back in the forest, I had no idea where I was going. All I could think about at that moment was the overwhelming need to run away from the situation I had been facing. Gunnar had no freaking idea how panicked and hurt I was when he told me he wanted to check if River was my mate.The truth was that I was scared that it was true. After all, the irresistible pull I felt towards the pack healer was real, and we seemed to have very good chemistry. But no one in the world could make me feel the way I felt when I was with Gunnar.I knew he kept implying that my feelings were only because of the mate bond, but I knew deep in my heart it wasn't true. I was in love with him, and I needed him to fall for me too. But I didn't know how to compete with someone already dead, someone who I had never met or seen in my entire life.Tia, his true mate.I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I failed to notice an oncoming truck honking desperately in my direction.
AQUA“Me?” I asked, my voice quavering. From the moment I met Tristan during my introduction ceremony, I decided to stay away from all the dominant males in the pack. The guy gave me and my wolf the creeps when he first introduced himself to me. And there was the fact that he was Gladys's mate, so I wished to avoid him as much as possible. Tristan turned his head slightly, as if to check the room, then fixed his sharp gaze on me with a smile that made my stomach churn. “Is there anyone else here named Aqua?”My words caught in my throat when I caught Kianna shaking her head subtly. She was trying to warn me not to offend him, and from my previous interaction with him, I could tell he was someone who was not used to being rejected. “I'll get going now,” Kianna announced, her voice light but deliberate. Once she walked past me, her fingers brushed mine for a second, quietly reassuring me. I released a sigh once she was gone and perfunctorily lowered my gaze onto the floor. I hoped h
GUNNARThey must be fucking crazy. Once some of the pack witnessed what happened in the valley, the elders immediately summoned me for a mediation meeting. That's what they told me, but I knew they were here to demand an explanation from me. So I went to the meeting hall and waited for River to finish healing Tristan's leg. But unfortunately, River appeared a few seconds later with a grim expression. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do,” River explained. “His tibia was crushed to pieces, so even if I do heal him right now, he will be...”“What would happen to him?” one of the elders questioned, his voice filled with anxiety.River grimaced. “Well, he'll be a cripple for the rest of his life. I'm sorry, I really tried my best, but—”“Do you see what you've done, Gunnar?!” The elder slammed the table as she faced me. Her face was livid with rage as she spoke. “Tell us, why the hell did you deform my grandson?! You better have a good reason for this, or else—”“Or else what?” I r
AQUAI had no idea how it happened. As soon as the object fell, it struck my head with a sharp crack, and pain immediately exploded across my skull. I stumbled backwards from the impact, and then a fresh wave of dizziness washed over me, causing me to sway until I felt a large, solid chest behind me. “Don't worry, Aqua. I've got you,” River murmured, wrapping his arms around me. I knew he was trying to steady me, but a low growl suddenly rumbled in the room, making me freeze. Gunnar. The sound was low and menacing, vibrating like the warning snarl of a wolf before it pounces. He rose abruptly from his seat, his movements sharp and precise, and without hesitation, he hurled another wooden statue across the room.The female elder didn’t stand a chance. The statue struck her squarely, and she crumpled to the ground, motionless.Everyone in the room watched in shocked silence and then turned to Gunnar, who looked completely furious. Even the man with grey hair didn't dare speak as he
AQUA“What the hell, Gladys?” River snarled as he pulled me behind him. When Gladys tried to lunge at me again, he released a low growl rumbling through his chest. It was enough to stop her mid-way, so he continued. “Is that what Tristan told you? Because it's not true! He's one who tried to force himself on Aqua!”Gladys asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “And is there any witness to prove this claim? We both know that this bitch here has a knack for going after mated men!”Her words hit me like a blow, knocking the air out of me. Shame curled in my chest as I stood there, watching her attack me with the words that hurt me the most.Everyone was so quick to judge me for one stupid mistake, but they had all forgotten how young I was. I was barely 16 when Leon wooed me with his sweet words and actions. No one had any idea how much I regretted meeting that man, but I didn't want to regret the feelings I once had for him. “...you better watch your fucking mouth when you speak, Glad
AQUA“I accept!”My words echoed in the room, eliciting gasps of shock as people stared at me. At this time, Kianna and her friends had already reached the parking lot when they heard me. I noticed a lot of them were looking at me like I was crazy, but I wasn't. Maybe I was just getting desperate in forcing Gunnar to publicly recognize me as his mate. “You accept?” Gladys repeated, her eyes slightly narrowed. It was obvious that she simply wanted to intimidate me with her so-called challenge. But then, she never expected that we would be at the same level. If she knew the truth, I figured she would never have said such a thing, but it was too late. I wanted to fight her too. “Yes,” I said firmly, ignoring the weight of the crowd’s stares. My wolf stirred within me, sensing my determination. “Why don’t you choose a date and time so we can settle this once and for all?”“You really think you can beat me?” Gladys asked, her voice dripping with disdain. I guessed everyone thought the
AQUAAdmit defeat?!Never!“I can't,” I murmured, fear gripping my chest. I didn't want to. This was my chance to prove myself to Gunnar and the rest of the pack that I wasn't worthless, but she wanted me to embarrass myself in front of the pack?I was never going to let that happen. “What did you just say?” Hannah asked, taking a step towards me. I could sense her intimidating aura directed towards me, causing me to flinch. But Gunnar's secretary immediately shot to her feet and shielded herself with her body. Hannah's glare shifted to her as she spoke. “What the hell do you think you are doing, Violet?”“I'm sorry for the interruption, Miss Christensen, but His Majesty has repeatedly decreed that no one is allowed to harass a submissive wolf—” “Who told you such nonsense, Violet?” Hannah smiled, her voice sugary sweet. “Aqua and I are just having a small talk. Aren't we, Aqua?”I bit my lower lip to stop myself from playing along with her sick games. Her eyes clearly warned me no
GUNNARMy fists balled into fists as I walked out of the meeting hall. The image of Aqua's tear-streaked face, when she stood outside my office, was etched on my brain like an oil stain. It was so fucking difficult to get rid of it, especially when those pretty blue eyes which used to look at me with adoration suddenly held disappointment and pain in them.I was overwhelmed by the burden of her pain, the memory of her quivering lip, and the way her shoulders had slumped as if the weight of the world had pressed down upon them. In her eyes, I was the one who abandoned her when she needed me the most, and I knew she would never forgive me for it.“Damn it!” I cursed, my claws unsheathing from my skin as I paused mid-step. Hannah, who had been by my side, immediately flinched at my growl. Her wide eyes darted from me to my claws, her hands clutching her chest. When she spotted a few onlookers frozen in place, their curiosity piqued, she quickly pasted a practiced smile across her lips a
AQUAI knew I was making a foolish decision to enter the heart of the pack once again, but I had no choice since that was where Gunnar had chosen to stay for the time being. Thinking about Fawn, I couldn't help but worry how she was faring without her father watching over her. Although she was a spoiled, selfish brat who had caused me problems so many times, I couldn't forget that she was just a child. That's why I intended to speak to Gunnar about these matters once and for all. When the cab pulled up in front of the meeting hall, I paid the driver with the spare change I’d grabbed from the counter and stepped inside. The moment I crossed the threshold, I froze. The interior was unrecognizable, transformed into something cold and unsettling. A shiver ran down my spine.Who in their right mind would request an audience with the Alpha King in this place?“Excuse me!” a voice called out. As I continued to examine the place, a hand suddenly tapped my shoulder, causing me to turn around
AQUAA week later..."Excuse me, may I book a reservation for massage therapy next week?"I suppressed a smile when Kinna replied to the customer in her soft, demure voice. I had already told her the minimum number of customers we should take daily for our new business, but it seemed she also had a difficult time refusing the people who requested our services.Our business was only a week old, yet we were already having more customers than expected. After taking a stroll through the pack, I realized Kianna had been underestimating the degree of hatred the people there had for me. I still didn't know what rumors Hannah had spread against me, but everyone I saw kept giving me hostile looks, so I quickly abandoned the plan I had in mind.I knew I needed to find a job after leaving Gunnar's house and returning his credit card. The problem was that no one was willing to hire me, and I couldn't risk venturing out of the Storm Fire pack since submissive wolves were often victims of rape and
AQUAAfter meeting Gunnar last night, he took me to another house in the center of the pack and left me there. It was a house that was once occupied by the previous alpha of the Storm Fire pack, but Gunnar refused to stay there after he was appointed. I guess it was because of Tia, who had been hiding her identity as a rogue wolf, and now his daughter, whom the pack wasn't aware of.I waited patiently for him to return, but he never returned that night. The next morning, Gunnar finally returned to the house during the early hours when I was sleeping. I felt light taps on my body, causing me to open my eyes to see a young woman staring at me."Hello!" she greeted me with a bright smile. "I see you are finally awake. Gunnar is waiting for you in the living room."When I heard her words, I stopped rubbing my eyes and darted towards the door. But the lady appeared again, blocking my path with her arms spread wide."I think it would be best if you freshen up first," she advised, her tone l
AQUAAfter hearing the entire situation of the pack, I was so speechless and shocked that I turned speechless. According to what I heard from Kianna, Gunnar had transformed into the incarnation of a demon king. He now meted out his punishments with a cold, precise practicality and the news of his sudden change of behavior was spreading fast across the other packs. “So where is he now?” I asked, nervousness sinking into my chest. If I could just locate him, I was sure that I would be able to talk some sense into him. Kianna replied. “He's on a royal tour right now. From what I heard the ladies speaking, a total of five alphas have died recently after his visit.”I buried my face into my hands, my eyes closing from despair. “Oh, dear goddess.”After hearing everything, I couldn't help but think that's it was my fault. Gunnar's wolf must have panicked about my condition and gone crazy. My biggest fear was pushing him into a rogue state that would ultimately lead to his death.And then,
AQUAI felt like I woke up from a dream. A very bad dream. When I finally woke up, I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dead before I tried out other subtle movements to check if I was still able to move. My muscles felt tight and sore, making me wince from the actions. I summoned the strength to sit up and placed my feet on the cold, tiled floor. The moment I tried to stand, a wave of dizziness enveloped me, forcing me to collapse back onto the bed with a soft thud. As I lay there, my eyes began to wander around the room, searching for information about my surroundings. It felt both strange and oddly familiar. The decor was minimalist, yet it held a certain warmth. The walls were occupied by the presence of luxurious furs that adorned the space. Rich fur mats covered the floor, plush fur blankets draped gracefully over the furniture, and the bedsheets were a soft, inviting layer that promised warmth and comfort. From what I could tell, this was Gunnar's room. My he
GUNNARNathaniel and his sons knelt down in front of me, their faces scrunched in pain. They must have all forgotten about their beasts' instinct to submit to the most powerful wolf in the pack. I reveled in their unwilling deposition, their human minds warring against the undeniable law of nature.Pathetic creatures.With slow, measured steps, I stood before Nathaniel, observing him. His entire forehead was covered with large beads of sweat, yet he still managed the calm deposition of a head elder. “Now that your third son is out of the way, let's talk about the important matters we need to discuss...” I said, staring down at him. “...the first one being the question about what audacity you had to arrive after me. Did you hit your head somewhere today?”Nathaniel's lips remained shut even though his entire body was trembling from head to toe. I commanded him. “Speak.”“N-No, Your Majesty,” he sputtered. I narrowed my eyes at him, my voice growing darker. “Do I look like your fuckin
GUNNARAs I parked my car near the meeting hall, I stopped to check if the people I had been waiting for had arrived. However, their absence could already be sensed by the lack of cars in the parking lot. But I reined in my anger and entered the building, my boots hitting the asphalt with purpose. Once my secretary saw me, she immediately shot to her feet, her posture rigid as she paid her respects. “Y-Your Majesty,” she greeted, her voice trembling. “Y-You are finally here. I have been waiting—”I cut her off, my patience reaching its limits. “Announce me.” My secretary blinked once to process my orders fully, and then she walked towards the door to announce me. “His Majesty is here!”As I walked into the room, a sudden hush fell over the entire place, expelling the previous noise. The people present were mostly elders who had nothing to do with the case and the pack priestess who was here to make sure the chaos happened to a minimal degree. They bowed their heads towards me as
GUNNAR Two hours later, I called for a pack meeting, summoning only the elders and the other high-ranking members of the pack.I stated the time of the meeting clearly, but it seemed that most of them barely managed to arrive in time, while the rest were nowhere to be seen. Nathaniel and his son were absent, along with the elders who were loyal to him. I observed the meeting hall through the eyes of my wolves standing at strategic positions surrounding the building. Leaving Aqua in her state was difficult for me, but since I promised her that I was going to give her an explanation, then that's exactly what I was going to do.After waiting for another thirty minutes, I placed Aqua in my bedroom and left some instructions for my daughter before I left the house. Just as I was about to get into my car, another car suddenly arrived in front of my house. My jaw tightened when I saw Hannah stepping out of the car and walking towards me with fast, hurried steps. Before I could say anythi
GUNNARAqua... just confessed her feelings to me. I was struck with complex emotions as I watched her lose consciousness in my arms. I immediately pulled her close, trusting my wolf to reach deep in the mate bond that was so muted I could barely sense its low, thrumming presence. In that moment, all I wanted to do was open the mate bond. I knew I could do it. I could heal her and wake her from her unconscious state. The thought of not seeing her beautiful blue eyes or her adorable smile almost drove me to madness. I couldn't bear to lose her. I didn't want to. “Everyone, leave.” I ordered, my wolf climbing to the surface. With the state of my emotions, I knew it was only a matter of time before he overpowered me, pushing me to the backseat of our consciousness. “Guard the area. Make sure that no one comes within the mile radius.”The sentinels instantly chorused. “Yes, Your Majesty!”I barely held on a little longer to watch them live before giving up to my wolf. The transformati