AQUA After his deep words of wisdom, Gunnar and I chatted a bit before I fell asleep. He told me a little about his true mate, Tia, who was a rogue wolf and the pack priestess's granddaughter. She died giving birth to Fawn a long time ago, but the pack priestess still missed her a lot. When I discovered how far the Wind Ridge Pack was from the Storm Fire Pack, I was grateful to Gunnar for getting a vehicle. Otherwise, I would have never been able to reach there for days, even in my wolf form. A few hours later, some gentle taps on my shoulder woke me up. “Wake up, Aqua.”“Huh?” I rubbed my eyes, a bit disoriented. “Have we reached the Storm Fire Pack?”“Yes, we have,” he replied. I leaned into his touch as he ran his hands through my hair. My heartbeat quickened when he closed the distance between us and brushed his lips against mine. A soft moan escaped my lips as I parted my lips, letting his tongue slip into my mouth and chase my sleep away. His manly scent wrapped around my se
AQUAA few minutes later, I entered the meeting hall quietly. As soon as I stepped past the wooden, carved doors, I was a bit awestruck by the grandeur of the place. The room was large and well-furnished, but what really caught my attention was the large table made of dark, polished wood. Each seat had the pack's emblem engraved on the seat, but the alpha's chair was bigger than the rest, adorned with leather padding around the head and arms. A large fireplace was set into the far wall, its flames crackling warmly and casting a golden glow across the room. The heat from the fireplace provided a stark contrast to the chill outside, adding a layer of warmth and comfort to the imposing space.As Gunnar and the rest walked around the table, my legs gave way, causing me to sit. A low growl from someone in the room sent shivers down my spine as soon as I touched the chair. Hannah shot me a scathing glare. Realizing that Gunnar and the rest were still standing, I immediately shot up to m
GUNNARI felt it a bit later than I would have expected. The smile on my face vanished when pain exploded in my chest. I instantly searched for my mate in the room, but she was nowhere to be seen. She said she was going to the restroom, so I wondered what was taking her so long to return. Unless she decided to escape my pack. But that was impossible, right? We were good this morning until we reached the Storm Fire Pack. While I was aware that she low-key hated this place, I was assured of her willingness to cooperate in breaking this bond until now. Something must have happened when I had gone to change my shirt. “Gunnar, are you okay?” Hannah asked, her face filled with concern. “You look kinda pale and angry right now. Did something happen?”I ignored her and focused on the mate bond, trying to use it to track down Aqua's location. It shouldn't have been hard since female wolves were more susceptible to males' mating calls, especially alpha ones. But for some unknown reason, I
GUNNAR The next hour...I was pacing back and forth outside the pack healer's house. After I brought Aqua to him, Wilder immediately pushed me out of the place, leaving me with no choice but to leave. Now that she was out of danger, my wolf retreated and remained quiet. I couldn't tell if he was appeased or ridden with guilt concerning Aqua's condition, but I was grateful for his decision to yield my body back to me. “Now's the time for you to tell me the truth, Gunnar,” Wilder said, crossing his arms as he stared at me. “Who the fuck is that girl?”“What are you talking about? I told you she's my daughter's nanny.” I replied. Hannah suddenly laughed. The shrill sound stopped me in my tracks, forcing me to face her. “It didn't look that way a few minutes, Gunnar. You were so protective and worried about her that you nearly bit my head off for suggesting that we ask the driver to take her to the hospital. Tell me the truth, is something going on between you and that girl?”Panic set
AQUAGunnar was such a jerk!I was here with the pack healer receiving treatment, yet he growled at me like I was in the amusement park having fun. Everything that happened in the forest suddenly felt like a dream, one that I wished that I would never wake up from.I missed his tender touches, his warm eyes, and his faint smile when he looked at me. Now I couldn't tell if I had truly done something to piss him off this time or if he had always been this way. Tears prickled at the back of my eyes as I nodded obediently, walking past him after I bade River good-bye. Since we arrived at the Storm Fire Pack, he had become more moody and dictatorial, and I couldn't stand it. When I reached the car, I grabbed the door handle to open the door when a hand suddenly slammed it shut again. The next thing I knew, Gunnar turned me around and trapped me with his body. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Aqua?” Gunnar's handsome face twisted with anger as he faced me. “How dare you mute the mate bo
AQUAWhen Gunnar told me he was going to take me to his daughter, I almost didn't believe him. After all, we had left the populated area of the pack and were now driving along a secluded road in the middle of a thick forest. Yet, I stubbornly held onto the bond, believing that he needed me more than I did for him. Gunnar didn't want a submissive Luna Queen, and from what I heard from the other wolves in the pack healer's house, he didn't have much time left. That's why I didn't want to deceive myself any longer. After spending some time with him in that forest, I found myself falling for him, and the knowledge alone scared me.I wasn't his type, and I knew I would never be. Men like him preferred strong and independent women like Hannah. He wanted someone who would contribute to his cause, not someone who always hid behind me and asked for his help. “Fawn is a very sensible child, but she can be quite hostile towards strangers.” Gunnar said. “Just don't take anything she says to h
AQUAAfter we told Fawn the truth about our relationship, Gunnar gave me a small tour inside the house and showed me my room. The interior was indeed nice, giving a warm yet sophisticated and modern vibe that blended well with nature. However, the only thing that displeased me was the location of my room. “Why is it at the end of the hall?” I asked him. It's not like I wanted to sleep with him in his room because I didn't want to desecrate the lovely memory of his true mate, but there were several guest rooms between us, and that didn't sit well with me. Gunnar patiently explained. “Because Fawn's room is directly opposite mine. She's a bit sensitive towards sounds and always has a hard time falling asleep once she wakes up.”I bit my lips, wondering how to say the words that were on my mind. I didn't want to appear too forward since it might put him off, but it was the only reason why I was here in the first place. “But how would we be able to do it?”“Do what?” Gunnar's eyebrows
AQUAAfter waiting for so long, I finally fell asleep while waiting for Gunnar. I had no qualms about his lateness since I had grown accustomed to it when I was seeing Leon. Most dominant males handled important tasks for the pack, like security, hunting, and even killing sometimes. When it was midnight, I woke up again feeling a bit hungry. Although I was reluctant to come out of my room because of Fawn, I remembered that I hadn't eaten anything since that pack healer's house. River was kind enough to feed me some croissants and coffee before healing me, but the food wasn't enough to keep me going for a whole day. After much deliberation, I decided to leave the room and search for some food. Fawn's room was closer to the end of the hallway, heading towards the living room and kitchen, but I figured she would be deep asleep by now. So I opened the door as quietly as I could and tiptoed along the hallway. The moon hanging over me illuminated the place, shining through the glass roof
AQUAWhen we finally reached the theater, River asked me to go to the entrance first before he steered the car towards the parking lot. After his failed attempt to kiss me, River became more subdued and quiet, only responding to my questions when asked. Eventually, his stunted silence also affected my mood, causing me to fall silent. As I stood at the large entrance of the theater, my mind wandered to Gunnar once again. I wondered what he was doing and where he had suddenly gone, but obviously, he didn't deem it important to share any information with me. My wolf yearned to be her stubborn mate, but after hearing that his desire was to get rid of me, I suppressed myself so I wouldn't be a burden. Gunnar was someone with great responsibilities, so I didn't dare delude myself about him caring about me. Still, it would have been nice if he had told me about where he was going. As I was engrossed with my thoughts, I didn't notice when River appeared by my side. He bumped his shoulders
AQUA A week later...I walked to the full-length mirror with two dresses, each one in my hand. I compared each one against my skin, contemplating what I should wear this evening. Because tonight was finally the night River would be taking me out to the movies. A swirl of anxiety and anticipation churned in my stomach. I sighed, letting both dresses fall onto the bed in a soft heap. My eyes drifted toward the other outfit I had laid out. Although I had Gunnar's card to cover all my expenses, it didn't feel right for me to use when I was going out with another man. Fortunately, I still had some savings I kept before I left the Wind Ridge Pack. The door creaked open without warning.Fawn stepped inside, her small hand gripping the doorknob while the other leaned heavily on her walking cane. She paused at the doorway, and an uneasy flicker crossed my face as I moved toward her."Fawn," I murmured gently, announcing myself before reaching out to her. "What are you doing here? I though
GUNNARThe following days passed, each one worse than the previous, according to my wolf. He was in a terrible mood after Aqua's rejection, which also affected my mood too. To cope, I focused all my attention on the affairs of the pack. On the first day, I concentrated on strengthening security by conducting intensive training for the sentries guarding our territory. On the second day, I decided to watch over the young wolves in the pack and supervise their activities. On the third day, the elders summoned me. "I think you should go on a retreat," Nathaniel, my head elder, suggested after a morning pack run. "It will do you and your wolf good to spend some time alone. Just leave the work to your Beta for now." I struggled not to smile at his crafty suggestion, probably out of a desire to spare him some embarrassment. Leaning back in my seat, I replied, "I take it that your son has not yet told you the truth." "What do you mean?" Nathaniel questioned, his brow furrowing in confus
AQUA I quickly sprang to my feet when I saw Fawn and chased after her quickly disappearing figure, leaving River behind. He called out to me, his voice laced with confusion, but I paid him no attention as I pursued my mate's daughter.For a blind kid, she was remarkably swift and agile, maneuvering through the forest with ease. It was clear that she had the advantage of knowing the landscape, but her speed was still inferior to mine. I eventually caught up to her and blocked her path. Fawn instantly skidded to a stop when she sensed my sudden arrival. "We need to talk," I panted, my chest rising and falling rapidly. Looking at Fawn, I quickly straightened my back upon noticing how composed she appeared after such a long run. I guessed she was right about calling me weak because my lungs felt like they were on fire, despite the short chase.Fawn folded her arms defiantly and replied, "We have nothing to talk about." "What you saw is nothing," I explained, desperation creeping into m
AQUAWhen River offered to take me somewhere, the last place I expected him to go was to the forest behind my mate's house. My feet refused to move the moment we reached the tree line, refusing to move any farther. River stopped a few steps ahead, turning back to me, a flicker of concern softening his features.“Is something wrong?” he asked, concern glazing over his features. I gulped nervously, wondering what I should say. Gunnar had repeatedly warned me not to expose Fawn's identity, and the last thing I wanted was to get on his bad side today. I didn't know if his daughter left the house often, but I could only imagine that she would sneak out at least once in a while to avoid suffocating in there.I lowered my gaze, focusing on the steady ground underneath my feet. “C-Can I ask what we’re doing here?” I stammered. “T-This is the Alpha King’s property… y-you know that, right?”River nodded casually. “Yeah, I know.” His soft chuckle faded when he noticed how tense I was. His expr
AQUAI woke up feeling refreshed, but the memories that lingered in my mind left me feeling depressed and sad. My wolf kept scolding me for rejecting Gunnar the night before, but I refused to listen until morning.She was right. What was I thinking, rejecting the Alpha King in such a crude manner? What if he got angry and decided to kill me?With that thought in mind, I locked the door and stayed indoors, knowing that no one would check on me anyway. By noon, I decided to sneak out of the house and visit the pack healer.When River saw me, his face lit up with pleasant surprise. "Aqua, what are you doing here?" He scanned me from head to toe, as if making sure I was okay, then removed his gloves and tossed them into the trash can."I just wanted to see you for a bit," I admitted, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly. This had seemed like a good idea when I formulated my plan, but now that I was here, I felt uncertain. I came here because of the comforting aura he possessed to calm
GUNNARAfter convincing Fawn to keep my secret about Aqua, I realized it was time to address the issue with River once and for all. At this rate, she was going to get all of us in trouble, so I needed to stop her before she did something stupid like getting cozy with my pack healer. My wolf had been on edge since we arrived in the pack, largely because we hadn't initiated any physical contact with our mate. Deep down, I almost wished we hadn't left that damn forest because everything between us had felt good back there. Now, it felt like we were back to square one. In fact, we were even worse than strangers, and I hated it. She had her issues, and I had mine. In the past, I hadn't been willing to work on our relationship, but now I was ready to try if it meant getting my life back in order.I didn't notice she had returned to the house until I reached the stairs with Fawn. Her scent lingered there, suggesting she had been there for quite some time, and that made me panic for some un
AQUAI returned to Gunnar's house in the evening, completely exhausted by the day's activities. My feet were sore, and my brain was screaming for rest, as I stepped into the house barefoot. The cab driver refused to take me to the forest once he heard my destination, claiming that no one was allowed to venture there without Gunnar's permission, so I had to walk through the forest all alone.Once I was in, I went straight to the stairs, eager to lay on my bed when I heard a pair of voices arguing with each other.It was Gunnar and his daughter, Fawn.I should have probably minded my business and walked away. After all, they made it very clear that I was simply a guest living in their house so I didn't want to get into trouble by butting into their private affairs.But then, Fawn screamed, her voice piercing through the air."I'm not the one at fault! All I did was say the truth!" she cried, half-defiant, half-pained. "Aqua is not my mother, and she can never replace her!"I froze at th
AQUAHannah wanted to...meet with me?After parting ways with Kianna, I took a taxi to the café where Kianna told me she would be waiting. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears when the vehicle finally stopped in front of the café.But it was just a meeting. So why were my legs trembling?I paid the taxi driver and faced the café. I felt like I had run a marathon to get here, yet there was a cold chill running down my back. I wondered if I should make up some excuse and return but I knew from experience that it wasn't the best solution.I took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of courage I had, and pushed open the door to the bustling café. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee surrounded me, mingling with the chatter of lively conversations. Despite the vibrant atmosphere, I found it difficult to spot Hannah among the customers.Just as I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, a familiar voice called out to me from above, cutting through the noise. "Hey, Aqua! Over here!" she wave