AURELIA~~My daughter wailed out loud, failing to hide her feelings like she would have done on any other day. Seeing Katie like that broke me even more. My heart tightened as I forgot how to breathe and soon enough, Kyle broke into tears as well. “Shush, babies. Shush.” I said amidst tears. I crouched to the level, pulling Kyle and a muddy Katie into my arms. “Enough of the tears, babies.” Kyle spoke up, his voice shaky and muffled, “Yo-you and Katie s-st-tarted it.” Katie countered, pulling away from my hug and wiping her muddy face, “Mom s-started it. I came in and s-saw her c-crying in Auntie Hazel’s a-arms.” My heart tightened even more as I watched them both argue about me instead of telling me what the hell happened to Katie. Her lower lip was busted for crying out loud. I cried bitterly, realizing how bad of a mother I’ve been these past few days. What has gotten into me!Hazel came to my rescue when she asked, sniffing back her own share of tears, “What happened to yo
ALPHA RAIDEN~~My efforts to keep Aurelia in my pack were proving to be futile. Despite shifting the final rounds of the games so I could have more days with her and also figure out how to make sure she never returned to the Black Fur pack with Tristan, I have failed. In three days, the final round of this year’s pack games will come to an end and the next day, Tristan will take Aurelia away forever. Fuck! “You’re giving up? So soon?” Lex snorted within me. I retorted sharply, “What else would you have me do? It's not like I can tie her down when it's time for her to leave.” “I don’t expect that but you could at least try to find out who tried to kill her after she escaped the pack. You know she isn’t lying and finding the culprit might help to lessen the hatred she bore for you.” Lex said, forgetting that I had just three days left. There was no way I could trace down the assassins from six years ago in three days. Especially not when I had to oversee my warriors and other re
LARISA’S POV (2)~~I knew he was coming home to ask me questions. Although I didn’t know why he was coming home to question me after he had spent the last four nights and days away from me, treating me like I was one of his home servants. However, I was told he was on his way to me and I laid out a trap for him. Yes, my body. Raiden has always been weak to his bones when it comes to my body and even though he hasn’t touched me or made love to me in years, I knew just how to make him crumble… how to make him say, “Stay with me, Larisa. Please.” Raiden stepped closer to the bed and I smiled, stretching my hand out to pull in flat over my body. I just knew he would make love to me today and maybe mark me. The dinner with my parent failed to push him to take the final step but this would.“I’ve missed the feeling of your hands on me, Raid. Please–” I started, staring at him with lust in my eyes. But rather than take my hand, Raiden picked up the thick black duvet I had kicked off
ALPHA RAIDEN~~Larisa didn’t return to my mansion that day and while a part of me felt relieved that she had gone back to her dad’s home, a bigger part of me felt like I was the asshole Aurelia and Lex had been calling me. I shouldn’t have treated Larisa like that and while it was a good choice to reject her body because I didn’t want her, perhaps I could have found a better and less insulting way to do it. And Aurelia? Nothing could ever make up for the way I treated her in the past. She made me realize I wasn’t as perfect as I thought I was. I said I hated bullies but I bullied Aurelia emotionally for the three years she stayed married to me…. Until I literally slapped her with divorce papers, running into the arms of Larisa… who I had been treating poorly as well. Maybe I was under a curse– To never love any woman like they deserved to be loved. “Curse? Hell no! You’re just plain stupid.” Lex countered my thought even though I was already feeling like shit. He added, “You
AURELIA~~It gladdens my heart and blessed my soul to see my kids having a good time after sulking around the room throughout yesterday. I’ve also created time to spend with them. Alpha Tristan decided to join us for our family play date after his training session with the representatives who would be taking part in tomorrow’s finals.And here we all are, in a small garden close to the apartment building and a bit private. “I’d love to read with you, Alpha Tristan,” Kyle replied respectfully and with a wide grin. Alpha Tristan muttered to him, adjusting Katie’s weight in his arms, “You know you are allowed to call me just Tristan like Katie does, right, Kyle? You both are my favorite twins in the whole world.” Kyle’s smile widened as he nodded eagerly. What I would give to have a stable family with my kids… Hell, what I would give to have a father figure in our little family. The way Alpha Tristan relates with them makes me want that for my babies. As If Katie could read my tho
AURELIA~~I chuckled, shaking my head while still maintaining eye contact with the woman who had made my life a living hell even when I was the Luna of this pack.“Did you say you are here to warn me, Nina? Are you kidding me?” I asked, seizing her up with my eyes. She pushed herself off the edge of the bed and took a step closer to where I was standing with my kids. I didn’t even bother to ask her how she made it into the room without getting questioned by Black Fur warriors scattered around and within the building. “I’m dead serious, Aurelia. I know you don’t trust me but you need to… just this once–”“Stop shitting yourself, Nina, and get the hell out of my room before I make you regret sneaking around.” I spat at her. I was damn sure she already planted something dark and evil in the room or perhaps a spy camera. I would be damned to trust her. I did save her from Larisa in the dining hall but I wouldn’t hesitate to stab her in the heart if she posed a threat to my babies’ l
Alpha Tristan’s POV ~~ Everything was unfolding according to my plan. I felt at peace knowing that I had put Raiden in his place after he witnessed the picnic yesterday. Yes, the picnic with the kids was part of my elaborate plan to ensure Lia returned to my pack with me. But I enjoyed the fun time with Lia and the kids. It was heart– “It’s time for the final duel!” The funny-looking guy who almost never leaves Raiden's side announced on the podium, smiling as if his park had already won the cup. “The result determines which pack would claim the cup. Are we ready for this!” The crowd cheered, causing my ears to hurt. Noise. I hated that shit- “But not Katie’s high-pitched shrieks and whatever the annoying sound swords make is called.” Dolf chimed, calling out my bluff. I couldn’t help but smile. How could anyone not like Katie’s melodious screams? She’s a bundle of joy– “Yet you feel comfortable using her in your ridiculous plan. What’s wrong with you!” My wolf
AURELIA~~Did he just ask me to be his mate and wife? “Yes, girl!” Inara shrieked within me. “I told you he wants you. I just didn’t know he needed you as well! This is so romantic.”Romantic? KindaBut terrifying? Absolutely. Alpha Tristan shouldn’t be doing this doing this–“Doing what? Asking you to marry him and mate with him?” I could feel my wolf rolling her eyes as she asked me sarcastically. “This is exactly what he should be doing. Think about it, Relia. The kids love him, he’s powerful and he’ll be able to protect you and the kids from Raiden for the rest of your lives.”“Seems like you’re forgetting that Raiden is known to be the most powerful of all Alphas in the realm. If he decides to come for me, I’d be putting Alpha Tristan and the Black Fur members at risk. I shouldn’t marry him, Ina. I shouldn’t be his mate when I’ll only be a burden–” Alpha Tristan cut my line of thoughts when he went down on one knee, holding my hands and gaze while everyone in the arena gas
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