AURELIA~~For the umpteenth time, I tossed in my bed, ignoring the sun rays on my face. Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I knew I should be up and getting ready for the games but I remained in my bed, dreading the reality that would slam into me the second I stepped out of bed. He was here, after all.The man who did everything he could to kill me was here in the same pack with me. The pain and hatred that the sight of him arose in me yesterday at the guesthouse kept me up all night even though Inara tried to talk me into relaxing and preparing my mind for the duel I would be participating in today. “I can’t believe you wasted your energy worrying about that prick, Relia. You could have had a good night's sleep and saved your energy for whoever you would be up against in today’s challenge.” Inara complained, stirring in the back of my mind. “You think I want to be like this?” I asked my wolf, hiding my face in my pillow. “I loathe that man, Ina and he tried to kill Katie and
ALPHA RAIDEN~~My senses intensified when her gaze burned holes into my head and lingered. I knew it was her and my eyes quickly shifted to have a glimpse of her. There she was, walking confidently towards the warriors' section and dressed like one as well. Her black leather pants fitted her beautifully but it also made her appear stronger than I could remember. Heck! I couldn’t remember Aurelia as strong. She used to be everything but strong.But clearly, Andrew was right again. Aurelia was different. She has changed physically as well. The subtle curves that only I used to see in our sex room were much more visible and something inside me twisted when I realized that I wasn’t the only one looking at her right now. She used to wear her hair long and free but now, the black long hair I used to pull each time I push myself into her sweetness has been cut short, defining Aurelia’s jawline. Fuck! “Funny how you’re pissed yet horny. You want her badly but you can’t have her.” Lex
AURELIA~~My eyes locked on my opponent, a female from Crescent Glow Pack. She was clearly one of their strongest and It was obvious that If I let her, she would break me within a minute and end the opening duel.My legs were used to the hard floor of the arena as Jessica and I had trained here in preparation for the games. Alpha Tristan made sure I trained regularly because the pairing of warriors wasn’t something he could predict. “You might be called upon at any time and paired with the deadliest of them all so I need you to be ready unless you want to sit this year’s game out.” Alpha Tristan explained this to me last week. Although I knew about the Pack Games even before I became a warrior, I didn’t know enough to participate in a duel. I blamed that on my previous pack.“You can defeat her as long as you maintain your speed, stamina, and smartness.” Jessica stated the three S before I stepped into the arena to face my opponent and when I stood before her, I heard my sassy li
AURELIA~~After four days of wins and losses for every pack that attended the Pack Games, it was time to announce the result and know the packs that would be going head to head in the semi-finals. The celebration has been going on for four days and while some packs already know they wouldn’t qualify for the next rounds, some of us were simply dreading what the next rounds would bring into our lives. I mean, Black Fur would qualify as we were one of the best and I would be foolish to think that Dark Moon Pack wouldn’t qualify. That saddened me because even though I had found a way to put distance between Alpha Raiden and me these past few days, I wanted nothing more than to see him leave the pack with his men… and never run into him. Ever again. That would keep my kids safe and I would be less worried about breaking before him. But of course, the universe ignored my desires and cry for help. “Black Fur Pack, Crescent Glow Pack, Dark Moon Pack, Moon Stone, and Howling Wolves Pack
AURELIA~~“We’ve crossed the border, Relia.” Inara’s worry was etched into each of those words as the car moved slowly along the bumpy road that connected Dark Moon Pack's borders to its civilization.My guts twisted and I felt my heart beating rapidly as my eyes shifted from side to side, taking in the less familiar landscape of a place I once called home. Clearly, a lot has changed since I left. For one, I had to travel for almost nine months on foot before I made it to Black Fur Pack five years ago but with the luxury of cars, it only took four days to make it back to where I started.Just four days!“But you aren’t alone this time. You’ve me, friends, lovely kids and I bet Alpha Tristan would kill anyone to keep you safe. That man adores you so you’ll be just fine–” Inara began to fill my head with encouraging words as we drew closer and closer to my past.But I’d to cut her off, “Adores me? Don’t start spewing nonsense about him, Ina. He’s simply being my Alpha.” An Alpha I ha
ALPHA RAIDEN~~Although there was a car behind Aurelia as she stumbled, Tristan dashed to her side, holding her as she regained her balance. An unknown feeling swelled in my heart… or maybe the feeling was known after all. I just didn't want to admit to myself that what I felt was jealousy.“Are you alright, Lia?” He asked softly, his grip firm on her lower back while Larisa inhaled sharply beside me, her face oddly pale.Aurelia voiced in response, “Yes. Just a little bit dizzy. I’m sorry–” Alpha Tristan faced me before she could finish speaking and he asked rhetorically, “Can she be led to her room? We’re all tired from the trip and I was told we wouldn’t be staying with other visiting Alphas.” Fuck that!If I could have my way, I would have kicked Tristan out of my pack the minute he got to the border but to take Aurelia back, I must tolerate his presence and keep him close.“Yes. We’ve prepared this building for you and your entourage, Alpha Tristan.” Andrew answered Tristan,
AURELIA~~I dunked my face in a bowl of water, hoping to kill the anxiety that had settled in the center of my mind. No, I wasn’t scared of Raiden neither was I bothered about the killer glare that Larisa sent my way before Alpha Tristan led me away from the couple. However, I was scared I’d break down before them like I almost did earlier. I felt weak. I felt trapped, in fact. And it was all because of the traumatizing memories that had been flooding my brain ever since I stepped out of the car. Inhaling the almost familiar air of the pack that broke me, had me gasping for my breath, and seeing Raiden with Larisa reminded me of the cruel things those two did to me.My memories were fighting against the composure I was dying to keep up because I’d rather die than break before any member of this pack.A sharp knock on the restroom door had me jumping back to reality. I took a few seconds to inspect my appearance in the bathroom mirror, noticing that I was as pale as a ghost. Perh
AURELIA~~Dishes shattered on the floor and I gritted, jolting to my feet, hot pain burned into my skin as hot liquid trickled down my arm. Nina who had been shocked to see me, gasped, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Oh, was she sorry now?She was never sorry when she treated me like I was a piece of trash back then. She was never sorry when she disrespected me even when I was her Luna but now she was sorry? And I could sense that her apology had something to do with the fact that Alpha Tristan was towering over us both, snarling at her. “Such unprofesssionalism!” Alpha Tristan barked ferociously, holding my burning arm. Nina dropped a plate of hot soup right on my arm when she saw me. I’d have thought she already got a whiff of my presence in the pack but she seemed genuinely surprised to see me. The mighty Nina trembled before me and apologized repeatedly.But her apology didn't change the fact that my skin was burning and to my surprise, Larisa walked over to where Nina wa
AURELIA~~I knew I screamed. I felt my lips parting and my lungs pushing out air as my mouth widened. I knew I screamed but I heard nothing. The world went still while Raiden kept falling. Faster than my brain could register. Faster than my body could react. Although I was still standing, I fell with him. Although my eyes were still open, they closed the second his eyes did. I saw the same darkness he saw when he closed his eyes. I felt the same pain he felt when his heart was engulfed by a strong force and maybe I screamed because I knew there would be no going back as that force crushed his heart before I could even blink. “No!” Inara’s cry burst through my crushed soul as she exclaimed, “Do something, Relia.” But what could I have done? After draining Larisa as my wolf suggested, I didn’t expect any sudden movement from her. Heck, she was as good as dead and when Louis screamed those warning words, I was too tired to react quickly. Converting Larisa’s dark energy to pur
ALPHA RAIDEN~~It took seeing Larisa and Aurelia in a fight for me to realize that I was wrong to assume that I could take down Larisa just because I was the most powerful Alpha in the realm… Physical strength was no use against Larisa because she had soaked my soul in dark energy. She wasn’t even touching me and I was feeling pain despite floating in the air like gravity had decided to take a break.Sadly I realized that I was of no use in this war. In fact, I was merely a weak link that Larisa wanted to use to defeat Aurelia and have her way in the realm. I was trying so hard not to scream and came off as a powerless puny before my exhausted mate and my warriors but this pain was eating me alive. It was everywhere. Digging deep into me. I have been trying to block the pain from getting to Aurelia as I could tell that she didn’t need that right now. If I couldn’t contribute power, I shouldn’t add pain either.But of course, that wasn’t easy to achieve. I could feel the pain sli
AURELIA~~Raiden’s scream was heard by every warrior. I could feel every one of our friends and pack members freezing for a moment as we all understood that for an Alpha; in fact, the strongest Alpha in the realm; to scream like that, hell was coursing through him. We all understood. I, as his mate and Luna, knew even better because the second the hell burst out within him, I felt it burning me from within and it was only a matter of time before I let out a scream of my own. “You dare not, Relia.” Inara’s voice echoed, breaking through whatever Larisa was doing to Raiden which was affecting me greatly as I tried to keep the spiritual link between me and the warriors open. If those links should close, they would all die as they would be no match for Larisa’s fortified warriors. “It hurt. I’m burning from within and–” I cried to my wolf even though Phoebe was still right behind me, healing me and Otis keeping me out of sight.“Do you know why she is coming at you hard?” Inara as
ALPHA RAIDEN~~My feet couldn’t carry my body weight fast enough as I ran through the forest, noticing how deserted my pack was. Those pack members who were not in the hall with Mia Lu were with Aurelia on the battlefront where my body was literally yanking me toward.I was on high alert and if I was being honest with myself, I would admit that I wasn’t in my right senses but how do I even think when all I felt was the urgent and dying need to be with Aurelia? It was like a pull.The kind of pull a mate should feel only when his mate is in grave danger. The kind that makes a man’s heart bleed and every nerve in his body go out of control.Yes, I was losing it. I had lost it from the second I regained consciousness and felt the strange burn on Aurelia’s mark which was sitting on my neck.I woke up with the need to get out. To break free and get to Aurelia even though my kids were in the hall and beside me. The second I saw Mia Lu stagger due to exhaustion, I ran and hadn't stopped
AURELIA~~“You did it, Alpha.” Jeremy’s words echoed in my mind. He was satisfied. I could tell, even though I wasn’t looking at his face, that he was smiling. Together we have extended our spiritual energy and every warrior with his now has enough to fight against Larisa’s warriors. I have been trying to study their behavior and movement since we arrived. They seemed strange and I had also reported everything I noticed to Tamia and Lori through the mind link. The duo promised to start working on breaking Larisa’s hold on the warriors of Black Fur who might still decide to fight us afterward but when we get to that bridge we will cross it.“Stay with me, Alpha. You can’t be distracted now that you have announced yourself to the witch.” Jeremy warned me, becoming a friend faster than I could ever imagine. He had my back.I felt safe with him.“For how long can we keep this going?” I asked Jeremy through the mind link, my eyes on Andrew who has his hand on one of our opponent’s hea
LARISA’S POV ~~That bastard Jake!He couldn’t do anything right!He failed to save my parents and now he even failed to kill this bitch…I didn’t see this coming and I hated the sight of her. I felt like pulling all my hair out just because she was standing there and wasn’t an illusion. And did that warrior just refer to her as the Luna of Dark Moon Pack? This has to be wrong. I was hallucinating–“Oh, I’m very real, Larisa,” Aurelia said to me like she could hear my thoughts. Yes, I was screaming them in my head but still, she…Argh! Aurelia chuckled, fueling my rage as she said, “For me, it’s good to see you again, Larisa because not only have I taken my rightful place as Raiden’s mate and Luna of this pack but I’m also his wife and the mother of his kids.” Her words ripped me apart, limb by limb. That was my biggest dream. To be everything to Raiden but she had always been in the way and now? Now she was living my dreams–“And of course, that’s the least of my achievements
AURELIA~~I heard him scream. I heard him plead. I heard him lose his cool. Scratch that, I felt it more, his emotions pushing through our bond in a way that had me standing outside the shield for what seemed like forever even though I had no time to waste. I just couldn’t bring myself to move away from the house even though it was hidden perfectly within Tamia’s shield. I could see beyond the shield if I wanted to but I was scared I would change my mind if I was to see Raiden again. I was afraid I would let him out because he doesn't deserve to be locked up against his will–“We have to move now, Luna Aurelia,” Seth said to me, without asking questions about why I had to lock Raiden up. Even Andrew who was standing on my other side didn’t question me. It was as if they knew. I also didn’t ask them any questions as my feet failed to move away from the shield. I didn’t realize Andrew was experiencing the same until I heard him groan in pain. Susanna was also beyond his reach a
ALPHA RAIDEN~~Without hesitation, I agreed with Lex because I couldn’t imagine my family without me even though they lived well without me in the past…I couldn’t imagine living in the Great Beyond without them– if there was a Great Beyond. Heck, nothing would be great about a place where my family wouldn’t be–Katie etched, calling me back to reality, “Can I go with you? I can fight too.” Truly, she could fight. She has been training with Seth and Tara, the strongest female warrior if Aurelia isn’t in the group. My daughter was a little warrior but she was one I wouldn’t want on the battlefield.Her innocence was to be protected for as long as possible so I answered, “You will fight right here beside Mia Lu and every others that will be staying behind. They need you to protect them.” Katie didn’t seem convinced but she nodded regardless while Kyle just looked at us. He didn’t utter a word, not until I asked him, “Everything okay, buddy?” My son held my gaze for a second before
ALPHA RAIDEN~~The war was here. The same one that would claim my life and make my kids fatherless. The same one that would make the woman I love a widow– mateless. The same one I have been dreading since Aurelia started falling in love with me again. The same one–“Snap out of it, Raiden. Death or not we still have to fight!” My wolf barked at me as I mindlessly stood beside Aurelia in the same hall where we married. “Aurelia is right. You gave up even before the war. It’s like you are willing to die–” “If that will keep them safe, then yes, I’ll die.” I cut my wolf off. “You can’t keep them safe by being a living dead!” Lex seethed. “Look at her taking over and leading alone even though you are still here. Wake up, Raiden or Aurelia will die before the so-called predicted death gets to you!” My wolf’s words hit me hard.I tried to pull myself together just as Aurelia started addressing the people in the hall. When I built the hall and had some of my pack engineers work on it