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
GUNNARAfter I dropped Hannah at her house, I decided to go home to keep my mind busy. For the first time in a long while, my best friend actually cried in the car after I told her off. My wolf was slightly irritated by her insistent sniffs because he thought she was only pretending to get my attention. But I couldn't help feeling like an ass. After all, it wasn't every day I made two women cry in the span of an hour. Both women wanted my attention and love, but the only thing I could think about was how to spend some time with my daughter. It wasn't that I didn't value them. The problem was that I just wanted to clear my mind a bit. So I returned home and met my daughter in her room, drawing on her bed. I wanted to surprise her, so I instantly slowed my speed. I dropped to my knees and crawled towards the bed, my knees scraping against the rug as I approached my prey. My daughter was happily humming to a song on her phone, her legs swinging as she painted on the bed. Once I was p
GUNNARAfter I dropped Hannah at her house, I decided to go home to keep my mind busy. For the first time in a long while, my best friend actually cried in the car after I told her off. My wolf was slightly irritated by her insistent sniffs because he thought she was only pretending to get my attention. But I couldn't help feeling like an ass. After all, it wasn't every day I made two women cry in the span of an hour. Both women wanted my attention and love, but the only thing I could think about was how to spend some time with my daughter. It wasn't that I didn't value them. The problem was that I just wanted to clear my mind a bit. So I returned home and met my daughter in her room, drawing on her bed. I wanted to surprise her, so I instantly slowed my speed. I dropped to my knees and crawled towards the bed, my knees scraping against the rug as I approached my prey. My daughter was happily humming to a song on her phone, her legs swinging as she painted on the bed. Once I was p
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.