ElitaSilence becomes the only refuge as we move in the darkness of the night. I don’t ask him any questions, just glance behind to notice a few horses following.We are not…on that kind of secret mission where we have to leave the warriors behind, I guess.“ I had relocated them to the Pack that was nearest to the Wolveshire Citadel. ” Dustin breaks the uncomfortable silence. His lips brush against the shell of my ear with each word. I shudder and instinctively curl my hands into fists. “ You said it was not about my family… ”“ That’s right. It’s because he doesn’t know what I am hiding yet. ” Dustin leans closer and breathes into my ear.I swallow and stop myself from trembling. He is so close—too close, and it reminds me of what we were about to do just a little time ago.The heat of his mouth is still fresh on my skin. And I can feel my lips tingling with his minty taste. “ What…are you…hiding? ” I murmur in a trance.“ I am hiding a lot. If I tell you about everything I am hid
ElitaA long time ago, when the Moon Goddess bestowed the gift of turning into a wolf on some chosen humans…she thought she chose everyone carefully.Five houses received that blessing after worshipping her for centuries. House Skoldofr was the House of the protector Lycan—a Lycan who could control fire. People thought it was the first House that received that blessing from the Moon Goddess.House Murdoch followed with a Lycan who vowed to be kind and calm—A Lycan who could control the Earth’s elements. He could move things that resided deep underground and everything that connected to the soil. House Anasazi was the third house that gained the powers and blessings of turning into a Lycan. The Lycan of that House was the protector of the night. He could control minds, shadows, and the dead. Everything about him was connected to the dark, to the shadows that spoke to him.Then came House Landric. An arrogant Lycan who was given the power to heal others—to do the only thing he didn’t
ElitaI snap out of my thoughts when we enter the Wolveshire Citadel again. The night has darkened, and it seems like a thick fog has started surrounding us.“ I don’t understand… ” I whisper as Dustin grabs my waist.“ What is so hard to understand? ” He shrugs, hoisting me up and putting me on my feet on the ground effortlessly.I stagger, still dazed about what I saw and now know. My neck cranes, my eyes meeting his calm face.“ Why did you keep him in plain sight? Does he know who he is? How—why…I don’t understand anything, Dustin. How did Levian know to take him? ” I blurt, my breaths growing ragged.Panic is beginning to settle in my bones. I don’t want to, but I am beginning to shake. A sense of urgency, or more like a sense of crisis, overtakes my mind. I have to come up with a way to change the direction in which things are heading right now.Dustin jumps and stands before me. Our eyes meet, and my breath catches in my throat. I didn’t notice it before.He has curled back in
ElitaSometimes…You just don’t understand what you are feeling, thinking, or supposed to be doing.At a moment like that…It all feels like a joke.That’s right.“ I didn’t think you were someone who liked to pull such pranks. ” I mumble, looking down at the open diary.A cold breeze coming from the open window sways the pages, making them flip and display several other drawings of the same girl.A girl who has my face.It’s surreal.How do you recognize yourself from a faded drawing? But…these are no ordinary drawings. It feels like someone has drawn the sharp lines of my face with perfection, carefully outlining everything to match my features. My eyes—a dark, sparkling blue color is the only color that has not faded and turned yellow or brown. The contrast of that bright color against the old, dead papers…does something to my heart. Without realizing it, I touch my chest. A light pain starts deep inside somewhere.“ This is…not funny, Dustin. ” I whisper under my breath, trying
Elita“ Do you want to know something…Dustin? ” I look down at my hand, silently acknowledging that something has changed inside me. I am not the same girl who came to this world with a single goal and an unwavering determination.I have fallen weak and allowed emotions to take hold of my dead heart again.“ Levian watched me die and didn’t do anything. He wouldn’t do that to me if I had anything to do with his mate, right? ” I whisper.“ It couldn’t have been the first time for him. He must have sensed your desire for death and let you have it. Again. ” Dustin clears the remaining doubt with a single answer.My hold tightens over the knob, and the cold metal bites into my skin. I grit my jaw, stopping myself from trembling.The distant memory comes haunting me again. After I ruined Levian’s plan to revive his son…He came to see me. For the last time.For the first time since I met him and believed in his lie that we were mates, he grabbed my arms and shook me, yelled at me, kept rep
ElitaDustin’s eyes darken, his expression hard, almost as if he is holding back.As he stands behind me, towering over my frame in the mirror, his fingers tug the zipper of my dress all the way down. The fabric slips from my shoulders, pooling at my feet.Cold air brushes against my bare skin, but I don’t dare look down. Dustin’s eyes flash a dangerous blue before his gaze lowers, tracing my still chest, my tight stomach, my clenched thighs.I didn’t wear anything underneath, and now, he can see everything. I hold my breath, waiting for him to say something, to show something in his eyes. And it’s there—an appreciative gleam that makes my lips quiver. “ I hate everything that threatens my control, Elita. ” His voice is rough. “ And you are on top of that list. ”Dustin grabs my waist and pulls me back. His calloused fingers dig into my bare skin, earning a harsh intake of breath from me.I feel his fingers tracing a path to the middle of my stomach. He rests his palm over there, his
ElitaSex has always been a blur for me. I don’t remember much of my sexual encounters in life because…They were not exactly…wanted.But sex with Dustin was not a blur. I felt every thrust, every harsh strike of his palm against my ass, and every breath against my ear as he leaned down and kept ramming inside me. It couldn’t have been a blur, even if I wanted it to. But when my walls finally clenched into an earth-shattering orgasm, and he pulled out of me to shoot his cum all over my back, it felt like we were at it for a long time.I felt drained and fell on the bed, completely exhausted. He removed the belt from around my wrists and left the bed.I kept repeating inside my head—this time, it was not just some blurred moments.But as I breathed against his sheets and closed my eyes…memories flashed through my mind. All blurry and unfocused.I couldn’t remember the details.Right now, I can’t recall the details either. It felt like Dustin and I were like some wild animals in a rut—
ElitaMy chin wobbles before I can catch myself slipping. I squint my eyes, fighting the blurriness, the building pressure. My heart feels heavy in my chest.“ Who— ”“ I—I don’t remember. ” I utter. The dam is so close to breaking, but I hold on, refusing to let go.A moment passes between us. He stares at me, and it feels like the time slows down. He is studying me, observing the unnecessary moisture in my eyes, or maybe he can see deeper and notice the pain. It feels like I am in a trance, not mesmerized by his beauty this time but by his silent presence, his deep eyes, and his gentle fingers. Unconsciously, my hand reaches for his face in an attempt to brush his soft, slightly wavy hair away and look into his eyes from close. “ The black veins have spread to your heart. ” But he mumbles before I can reach him and pulls away, putting distance between us. Without saying a word, he lays down on the other side of the bed and places his arm above his eyes, hiding the look in them.
ElitaI am back here again. The fire is consuming me, licking at my skin, searing through my lungs. And water seeps from the statue’s cold stone eyes, inching toward me as if trying to free me from the flames.Why do I always end up here? What does this even mean?Before I can make sense of anything, I jolt awake. My heart pounds against my ribcages as my wide eyes land on the plain, dirty ceiling. My breathing is uneven, and my body is still caught somewhere between the dream and reality.“ Did I scare you? ” Dustin’s soft voice sounds from beside me. I stiffen, and turn my head in his direction. He is standing beside the bed, his warm hand placed over my shoulder. His dark eyes hold something unreadable, but his face remains impassive.I blink, once, twice. Trying to gather my thoughts.“ I would have let you rest longer, but it’s urgent… ” Dustin says, straightening to his height. “ Get up and get ready. We need to leave. Now. ”Dread tightens a knot in my stomach. “ What happene
ElitaIt will always remain this way. I will never register sex. I try to claw at his shoulder to ground my mind to this moment, to continue to look into his beautiful eyes, but everything is already blank before my gaze.Just when I think I am going to slip away from him, my body is flipped again. My heart misses a beat in my chest as everything clears in my view.I am above him, straddling his hips, with his length still inside me, filling me deeper now. My hands drop to his stomach, and my back arches when I register the burn in my core. He is stretching me so good.“ You are not…forgetting about this again. ” His deep, restrained voice echoes in my ears as he commands. Confused, I look down at our joined bodies, and then up at his clenched jaw, dark eyes, and hands that are clasped together, raised above his head. It takes me a moment to register what’s happening. But when I do, everything inside me turns warm and melts into a puddle.Dustin Landric, the man who can’t bear to l
Elita“ I got a little taste of you, Ms. Folke… ” Dustin says, his voice low, husky. “ I need more now. ”My breath catches in my throat, the tension between us thick and suffocating.“ Still need more? ” I ask, my voice barely a whisper. “ Even after I acted like an ungrateful bitch and hurt you every time I opened my mouth? ”His hands slide down my sides with a precision that sends shivers down my spine. There is no hesitation in his touch, only certainty as if every move is part of a calculated plan. He grips my thighs firmly, lifting me with ease and wrapping my legs around his torso. His body feels like steel against mine—so hard, yet so warm. “ Those words meant nothing to me. I knew you were trying to push me away… ” He says, his tone devoid of softness. His eyes trail to my parted lips before snapping back to meet my gaze. “ You can try to push me away, but it won’t work. Because I always get what I want. And what I want right now is to have this… ”He leans down, so close
Elita“You destroyed me, Dustin! Don't you understand?! ”Dustin’s jaw tightens. He watches as I storm to the door and step outside. The cold mountain air bites into my skin, but I do not care. I need space. I need air that does not smell like him. Just as I take a few steps forth and pick up my head, I see similar small huts surrounding me.Several warriors turn towards me and watch me standing there like a dummy. I take in a deep breath and start walking towards the right.Did Alpha King Striker have to trick me like this? What was he even hoping to achieve?I scoff, stomping forward to find a silent, lonely corner. I stop only when I reach the ditch again.It’s so visible even in the night. Why did I miss earlier then? I narrow my eyes on it, glaring at if I can blame it for everything going wrong. I don’t know how long I do it, but I know that my legs start feeling heavy.I crouch down and wrap my arms around my knees. I always knew what to do, but now, I feel like a fool.May
ElitaThe quiet of the night almost stings my ears as I see myself back in that place—the first time I saw the Lycan King up close, a decade ago.His hand wraps around my wrist just as I try to turn and retreat. My heart races, a drumbeat of panic. I have already lured him into the trap. Death looms close, waiting to claim him in the form of a vampire king—the same monster who made me into this.It feels surreal. The memory had turned foggy after so many years among vampires and humans. I could no longer remember the sharpness of his features, the exact look in his eyes. But now, it is painfully clear.He is not glaring at me. There is no hatred in his gaze, not even blame.Maybe he already knew it was a trap. Dustin always knows everything.And still, he came.I pull, trying to wrench free, but it is no use. Levian stalks closer from behind. Yet Dustin does not shift his focus. His eyes never leave mine.“You will regret it.” His thumb brushes my pulse point, lingering just long enoug
ElitaI lie awake, staring at the ceiling above my head, my mind too full to let sleep take me. Tonight, it feels so cold in here. I feel this itch under my skin to go find that Lycan King and snuggle into his arms but I hold still. He is warm when his limbs are entangled with mine, but I am still angry at him.That’s not all. There is an ache between my legs, a constant, needy ache that demands his touch. It’s driving me crazy. Suddenly, someone knocks at the door. My heart misses a beat.Dustin. It has to be him. He knocked on my door hours ago and I just pretended to be asleep.The thought of him sends a rush through me—anger, longing, something that twists low in my belly—but I force myself to stay put. I won’t answer. I won’t let him in.“ Elita. ” The voice from the other side of the door calls out, and it’s not him. It’s Striker. “ Come out. ”I sigh and move my legs over the side of the bed, bare feet touching the cold floor. When I open the door, he stands there in the dim
DustinI reach for the handle of her door, but it doesn’t budge. She locked it.Releasing a breath, I let my hand fall to my side and stand there, listening. Her movements are light on the other side. Every shift of her feet, every rustle of the bed sheets, fills my ears. But it’s her heartbeat that holds me in place—too fast, too loud, a constant drum reminding me that she is still alive.I saved her. I press my palm against the wood. It’s cool beneath my skin. “ Open the door, Elita… ” I murmur.She doesn’t answer. My lips twitch. She is pretending to be sleeping. I know it. Her breathing pattern is not right—it’s too shallow, too aware.I smirk. What a weird tactic to ignore me. For a brief second, I consider breaking the door down. One sharp kick and it will go down. What will she do then, I wonder? Will she continue to pretend to sleep so she doesn’t have to face me? As the thoughts linger, something warm trickles down my lip. Again.I step back, wiping the blood away with
ElitaI struggle free from his hold and rush towards the lounge. But he is hot on my tail, like a predator set on hunting a prey down.When I enter, the Kings and Kalix are already seated, leaving only a double couch vacant. Reluctantly, I walk towards it and perch on the corner.But the Northern King doesn’t take the hint at all. He comes to sit beside me, leaving no distance between our bodies. His arm brushes mine, and I feel the warmth seeping through my skin. Kalix clears his throat, looking right at us. “ Karlias is on house arrest. Some of the warriors are heading to the mountains to get the witch. ”My heart misses a beat. “ Matiana? ”He sighs, giving a slow nod. “ Yes. She was the one who told us all about the prophecy of a woman and man coming—The one you talked about when you first came here.”I lean back but stiffen when his arm presses more into my side. Why does he have to make it so hard for me? Kalix eyes me curiously. “ I am still wondering about the same thing Eli
ElitaKalix’s grip tightens on my wrist, his wide eyes filled with something I can’t quite understand—desperation? Relief? Maybe both. He stares at me as if I am a ghost returned to haunt him. “ It worked… ” He breathes, his voice rough with disbelief. “ It actually worked. ”His fingers tremble against my skin, the intensity of his hold making my heartbeat quicken. I take a cautious step back, my voice low. “ What are you talking about, Kalix? ”He doesn’t answer right away. His gaze travels over me, his eyes scanning every inch like he is trying to piece together an impossible puzzle. “ I don’t understand. It worked. Then…how are you still alive? ”Before I can respond, the air shifts. It’s subtle at first—a faint chill that deepens until the entire room is gripped by an icy stillness. My breath turns to mist. A blur moves through the space beside me. Kalix’s hand is ripped away from my wrist with a brutal jerk.I gasp, just in time to see Dustin slam Kalix into the wall. The en