A healer escorted us to the ward Ethan had been kept in. Thane and I walked in, hand in hand.All we could do was watch the baby through the incubator glass, but seeing him for the first time brought me to tears. He was so tiny and beautiful."That's our baby." I whispered. Thane held me close. "He is. And he's going to have the best childhood ever," he promised.I stepped closer to the glass and placed my hands against it. "Momma's here, Ethan."."He looks a lot like you, Thane." I said when we got back from the ward."I disagree; it's the same hair color, but he got your eyes and your very cute nose." Thinking about it, he was right; Ethan got his features from the both of us."I have a surprise for you," Thane says."You do?""Yes.""Where is it?""Close your eyes."I did, and he swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style."I can walk, you know." I protested but I secretly liked being carried around by Thane."I wouldn't want you walking into a pillar, and please, keep your
The barrier disappeared, and finally Thane could get to me."So much for a surprise," he muttered.I passed the pendant to him and he examined it. "For all we know, it could be a piece of junk.""And it could also be useful." I suggested."That too.""Do you trust him?" I asked Thane."No, I don't.".I spent the next week constantly visiting Ethan; I couldn't wait for the time I would finally hold him in my arms. Everything was back to normal—or at least as normal as my life could ever be."I'll be all yours for the evening." Thane says with a wide smile gracing those beautiful lips."What do you suggest we do? Perhaps we could play a game?" I suggested."I'm up for anything, as long as it involves the both of us naked and a whole lot of touching.""I had some other things in my mind, but that would work too."Thane picked me up, dropping me on the bed, I bounced. "Couldn't you be a bit more careful?" I asked jokingly.…..It was late at night when I awoke; Thane was panting in his
Isabella attempted pulling away from him, just for my benefit, but he wouldn't let her go; he held onto her, kissing her. His hands ran down her body, the want in his eyes evident— No, this wasn't him; it was his wolf, and I knew that, yet I couldn't stop the tears. I should leave; I shouldn't witness this, but I couldn't bring myself to move. I watched him rip her clothes off, and finally she pulled him back."Thane!" she called this time louder.She wanted it; I could see it in her eyes, and I could smell it in the air, but she was doing this because she wanted to be friends; the problem was... it couldn't work.Thane blinked. "Isabella?" he called."Guess I was wrong," she muttered, her breath still raspy. Thane's gaze met mine; I could see the silent apology and instant regret in his eyes. I took a step back, followed by another, and then I was running. I didn't know exactly where I was heading to, but all I knew was that I had to be far away, far away from Isabella and far away
RILEYAll the destroyed furniture in the room had already been replaced. I took only some of my clothes, a few other things I needed, and I was packed in no time. I didn't want to think too much about this; if I did, it would only result in me breaking down in tears. I also feared that if I paused to think about what I was doing, then maybe I would change my mind."What do you want, Isabella?" I asked. She remained by the door to ‘Thane's room’."Come on, don't do this."I turned to her. "You don't have to pretend like you don't want it.""I do, Riley. I want to sleep in the same room with him, but he doesn't; he wants to be with you.""This is the only way; how else would the pack be safe? It's not going to be permanent, and I'll still be a short walk away; it's just for the meantime." I said, and finally she gave in."I'm sorry, Riley.""Take care, Isabella, and take care of Thane too.""I will," she promised..I found a free room, a good distance away from Thane; it was a bit sma
ISABELLA"You know, she is right." I said to Thane, I knew he was considering staying in another room; that wouldn't be ideal, and I wasn't suggesting this only because I wanted to be in the same room with him.I settled on the bed in my nightgown, and maybe I had gone a little overboard with picking something sexy, but Thane didn't even seem to notice, and a part of me felt slightly... disappointed.I still believed this could work; Thane loved us both, and he could have us both. I wouldn't mind the time he spent with Riley as long as he was going to be with me too. It might seem pathetic, but I had already come to terms with the fact that she would always be a part of his life.She helped him recover from the state I left him in, and for that I was grateful.I watched Thane settle on the couch."What are you doing?" I questioned."Taking a nap," he responded as if that wasn't clear."You don't have to sleep on the couch; join me on the bed.""The fact that we share a room doesn't me
THANEI hadn't seen Riley in three days; she was avoiding me. I wanted to pay her a visit so badly; it took every last will in me not to. She wasn't ready to see me, and I should respect her decision.Kissing Isabella right before her was the worst move I've ever made and I did feel guilty even if it had been my wolf who was drawn to her. Surprisingly, living with Isabella wasn't exactly as complicated as I had thought it would be; since our last conversation, she had stayed away, barely speaking to me. I knew my words hurt her, but I wasn't going to lead her on; she deserved better."There's a man requesting an audience with you," a soldier reported to me."Does he have a name?""He had refused to say a thing till he saw you.""Well, if he isn't ready to share his name in the very least, then I don't think I'll be entertaining him.""Alpha... I think you should see him." The soldier said, a hint of concern in his eyes..The man waited outside the pack house, surrounded by my pack so
"What has life in the shadows been like?" I questioned Logan. "What do you think it would be like?" he threw the question back at me. "Perhaps sad, lonely, pitiful." "It was all of those things, but I had to be that, knowing you were the complete opposite." "So, about Isabella, had you been the one who awoke her?" "No, I wasn't — what do you think I am? I don't know how she awoke but strange things happen, brother. She told me she lost her memory, but I recognized her almost instantly, and I knew she was your mate. I believe it's all fate. I mean, she came in the time you needed her the most." "And what about you? Do you have a mate?" "I did; I killed her." "I just might have found a match." I mused with a smile on my face as I took another sip of the whisky. "It had been a mistake; just like you, I had no idea about the Lycan's curse, and then all of a sudden it happened. It had been an accident, but, well, I wouldn't let you go through what I did." "So let me get
"Slade." I called again, but there was no response. Of course, when I needed him the most, he chose to play a disappearing scheme on me. I was not going to have that. "Would you prefer I beg?"This felt stupid; I was alone in my office, calling for my dead father's ghost, but of course anyone stumbling upon this scene would find it very...unsettling."I can tell you need something." The voice called. Slade was finally here. "I thought I had finally lost you.""You don't say that like it is a bad thing.""I mean, I need answers, but if I could stop seeing your ghost, then that is even better.""I should feel sad, but I've gotten accustomed to your manner of caring."I watched my father, once I feared this man; the whole world feared him. He was a walking, breathing terror, and now he was...nothing. I couldn't help but feel a little pity for him, even if he had been the one digging his own grave from the very beginning."Do you by any means know a man called Logan Dimintri?" I question
I tried to keep it from her because I didn’t want her to worry about me, but as the days passed, it became harder to conceal.The withdrawal symptoms had kicked in hard. Kaida was only aware of the progress I was making, but I didn’t let her know what I had to endure. I wiped away the blood trickling from my nose. It had been five days since I stopped taking the doses of wolfsbane, and every moment had been pure torment. Breaking free from my ‘addiction’ was easier said than done.I rarely got any work done. The withdrawal symptoms were impossible to ignore— involuntary shaking, random bleeding, a relentless pounding in my head, dizziness, irritability, and the tiny lapses in time that seemed to stretch wider with each passing day without my doses.I stared at the bottle of aged bourbon spiked with wolfsbane, sitting on the wooden cabinet. all I had to do was reach out, take a drink, and it would be all over; the pain would disappear. I hadn’t realized when I rose from my chair and ma
ALEXANDER’S POV“You really are that pathetic, aren’t you, Commander Aric?” I questioned. Aric didn’t deserve the title—we both knew that.Just when I thought the man couldn’t get any more stupid, he proved me wrong. I had found him before he could reach Kaida. When I’d said I would keep him away from her, I meant it. I had installed high-tech cameras, monitoring nearly every corner of this pack. I had spotted him heading to her room— our room. The pack soldiers had brought him straight to me.“You don’t understand; I have to see her right now.” he said, there was an edge to his voice, but he was in no place to make demands."Well, you don’t get that privilege anymore. You lost it the moment you drugged her, remember?" I reminded him."I—I shouldn’t have lied. I shouldn’t have told you all those things about her not wanting you. You’re all she ever talks about. She cares about you—a lot. And it… it made me jealous. I’ve been by her side for years, yet she never looked at me the way sh
"What?" I exclaimed. "No, you can't stop—I don't mind...""You will," he repeated, seemingly sure of himself."You told me you’ve formed a kind of... addiction to wolfsbane," I said, "You would suffer without it.""Yes. I would face withdrawal symptoms, but not until this incident did I realize how reckless and selfish I had been. Wolfsbane is dangerous—I risked my life taking it, but I did it because I didn’t care about living a long life. I lived for the moment, and at that moment, it had been what I needed to do. But then you came into my life, and I realized I can’t be reckless anymore. I can’t keep living for the moment, not when I have a future with you. I know the pain you would be in if..." He paused, unable to finish. "I don’t want to leave you alone. Ever. And so I have to stop and let my body heal. It might take months, even years, but I will learn. And when I do... maybe then, we’ll have a chance to have a baby."I only realized I was crying when he wiped away a tear with
Alexander led me back to our room, and of course I missed the warm, elegant space.“Are you sure you are alright?” Alexander questioned for the second time, as he studied me.“Of course, I had told you before. I am completely fine.”“You look very pale, and your skin is cold—” He took off his coat and helped me into it, his scent enveloping me. “And you’re a bit… jumpy,” he added. How had he managed to notice all that in just a few minutes?“I’m fine, just… curious.”“Curious about what?”“Back in the healing room, I had a lot of time to think… and I was wondering—do you know anyone with the ability to compel others?”The question sounded even more stupid than I thought it would, and from the amused smile on Alexander’s lips, he thought the same. I expected him to laugh at my curiosity and brush it off, but he didn’t."That ability is completely unnatural. A few sorceresses and witches possess it, but even for them, it's difficult and wears off after some time. The only ones who could
KAIDA’S POV“Luna, are you alright?” Sarah asked.I had zoned out again. Cynthia’s visit had only been a few hours ago; I still recalled how it felt like being ‘drowned.’ My throat felt sore, but it wasn’t the pain that bothered me. Until now, I had no idea how powerful she was; I couldn’t believe that I thought I could take her. If I had waited even a little longer and gathered more information about her—if I hadn’t rushed into this—things would have been much better. I mean, I know she’d never really let me off, not after what my parents did to her, but I wouldn’t be at the top of her list of priorities.Another surprise was the news that someone had taken the girl. I think her name was... Aliya. I still remembered Alexander telling me about her—how ‘important’ she was to the empresses, and their entire city. Could it really be pure coincidence that she was taken on the same day I attacked the Empress? Or had someone known about my plan, waiting for me to make my move so they could
"I doubt there's anyone worse than the Demon Overlord himself."“Maybe there aren’t. I am not a good person; I am the villain of the story, and yet… I would kill for you. Strange that all it takes is one woman to knock me off course, history repeating itself.”I didn’t know what exactly he meant by that, and I didn’t really care.“You had no right to drug me.”“You are right, I didn’t, nor did I have any right to tie you up, but it had to be done.”For a moment I could close my eyes and pretend that he was still Trian Valtor, the man I fell in love with, but he wasn’t.“I want to be alone.”“You don’t want that.”“So you’ll tell me what I want now?”“I’m trying to keep you safe, but you aren’t making things easy for me, Aliya.”“That’s the plan; I don’t intend to make things easy for you. I hate you, Daemon. I hate you for deceiving me, and I wish you died.”A dark look crossed his eyes. “I am still the same man you fell for.”“No, you’re not.”“You say that, yet I can see the relief
ALIYA’S POVWhat the hell was I thinking?After years of studying and reading through half the books in the library, you’d think I would know that common weapons can’t harm demons—let alone the Demon Overlord himself. Even the human girl Daemon had locked away knew that. Yet somehow, I thought I had killed him.What surprised me more than my own foolishness was the fact that I actually cried for him when I thought he was dead—when I thought I had killed him. I didn’t feel accomplished; instead, a part of me regretted it. That very part of me was glad that Daemon still lived. The other reasonable part knew that I was in big trouble; I had angered him, and I would pay for that.The last thing I remember was a cloth being placed over my nose, and then I awoke in his room, on his bed, but this time, my hands had been cuffed to the bedpost, and my legs had been tied with a thick and itchy brown rope. For the past two hours since waking, I had tried to free myself—but I couldn’t. The Empres
I pulled away when I realized choking her wasn’t really affecting her.I was raging, tears streamed down my eyes. My father might have made mistakes, but he was a good man; God knows he dodged a bullet when he went for Lydia instead of the crazy bitch. I kicked her hard in the stomach, and she only chuckled, rising to her feet. I kicked her again, and she lost balance; this time she only looked annoyed. I sent a punch to her face, but my wrist met with thin air; she was no longer there but at the other corner of the room.“I didn’t come here to kill anyone, but make one more move, Kaida, and I will make you watch as I kill another innocent from your pack.” She said, Despite my anger, I had to calm down. She was an Empress; it was clear brute force didn’t work on her. As if reading my thoughts, she spoke.“You can’t kill me. Many tried; they all failed.” She said, wiping the blood from her nose. “This is not the reason I am here. You came into our city uninvited; you shot me thrice; cl
Lydia went with him, and the whole village celebrated— even those who knew of her wickedness, the ones who were aware that the Alpha was never her mate. They were all happy for her, and no one cared about how that made me feel; no one cared about me, and when I ran away from the village, no one bothered to check, but it was alright. I went to the one person who wanted me, the god of light. She was willing to give me a chance and also grant me the vengeance my soul desperately seeks; she was the only one who truly loved me, the love that never leaves.She granted me the power to wield flames, but that wasn’t the only gift she bestowed upon me. She gave me something far greater—an ability unlike any other, the power to push into a person’s mind and take full control, the Gift of Compulsion. The rarest of all gifts—she granted it to me; she made me powerful; she made me into a weapon for her own use, but her gifts came with a price. When my walk with her was over, every gift she gave wou