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
"Do you know Logan is also a Lycan, like me?" "I had no clue that any of you were lycans; believe me, I am proud of you, but if I had even a single clue that you were a lycan, then I would have killed you, then haunted him down and killed him too, just to remain in power.""What do you know about the Lycan's curse?" I questioned Slade."I thought you would never bring that up. I've been doing my homework, and I heard a thing or two about it.""By doing your homework, you mean 'snooping around?""Yes, that. It had been interesting watching your relationship with the Luna stumble. It's like history repeating itself; maybe this thing called 'love' was never meant for us.""Leave her out of this, will you?""But it is so much more fun talking about her. You know, If I were alive, I would have had a taste of her.""Just as you did to her mother?" I asked, holding back my anger because I couldn't hurt him, not when he was a ghost."Kate was such a sweetheart. You know, there came a time th
RILEYI paced in my room. What if he had something important to tell me?I shouldn't have slammed the door at him as I did earlier, it was wrong of me.He was right; I was pushing him away, and I feared he would go to the only one available and ready to give him a listening ear.You know what? Fuck it.He was right; I couldn't pull through with this; it was simply impossible. I headed back to the Thane room. Nothing has changed since I moved.I headed to the inner room, moving as silently as I could... I stopped short. Bella had her legs wrapped around Thane's waist. I stood there, watching them; it took everything in me to hold in the tears and turn around.It was too late. I had pushed him right into Isabella's waiting hand. If I had any tears left, I would have let them out. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think, and for the first time I wondered if I should have taken Isabella's offer while it was still on the table.I visited Ethan because I needed someone, anyone, to be with.Wa
“Walk with me,” Alexander said to me.Many curious gazes followed us.“Where to?” I inquired.“To the Dining Room.”“I’m not hungry.”“But I am, so come with me.”I clenched my teeth, following after him.“How do you feel?” he asked.“Really? You are going to ask me that question?”“Last night, you felt it, didn’t you?”“I’m sure you were so happy and satisfied knowing I was in pain.” He passed me a vial filled with a clear, thick liquid. “What is this?”“Something I should have given you earlier. You should take it; while it won’t completely take the pain away, you would barely feel it.” he explained.“I don’t need it.”“You don’t have to be stubborn, Kaida; it will do you no good. Tormenting yourself is not fearlessness; it’s stupidity.”“If I can endure being with you, then no amount of torment is too grave to endure.” With that I walked past him, heading back to my room. I had lost my appetite.…I stood at the balcony, all I could think about was my father. He was all alone—I sh
I hadn't realized when I had fallen asleep on the couch until something woke me— pain.My whole body seemed to be on fire. I knew what was happening; how the hell hadn’t I thought about it? We were fated mates; of course, if he was with his whores, I was going to know—I was going to feel it.After Alexander had marked me, he walked out of the room. I knew exactly what he was off to do, and I didn’t care; I was happy to have the room all to myself. I didn’t realize what I would have to endure while he was having fun, but I had been through worse. He knew what he was doing, and if he thought even for a second that this would make me change my mind about going to bed with him, then he was wrong; I’d rather endure it.I managed to draw myself a bath; I was hoping this would help ease the pain, but of course it didn’t. It went on for longer than I expected, but finally it came to an end.I got dressed, making sure I was fully clothed. I couldn’t sleep, and so I spent my time practicing wit
KAIDA’S POVAric brought me a few of my belongings—the little he had managed to pack on such short notice. I had refused to wear anything the Alpha King had selected for me, good thing I now had options."Thank you," I said to him, and he nodded, a slight smile on his face.“Some of the pack members have already been moved here; the rest will have to wait till there are more rooms to accommodate them.”“How is my father?” I asked, The smile on his face faded, replaced by a somber expression. “I guess that’s all the explanation I needed.”“How has the Alpha been to you?”"He has been very loving," I said sarcastically, motioning to the empty room. Alexander had instructed a soldier to lead me to ‘our’ room. And yes, I would be sharing a room with him, I wasn’t looking forward to that.“Kaida…”“No, don’t try comforting me, I don’t need that from you. I know what I have to do and why I am here, he is my mate so I guess it was… meant to be.” I said with a smile that was clearly false.“I
ALEXANDER'S POVKaida Dawn was different.She was different from any other woman I had ever had in my bed.I had discovered she was my mate four years ago, but unlike many other werewolves, the thought of having mates never did intrigue me. I didn’t want to be loyal to anyone; I didn’t want a family, and that’s why I stayed away.And then Alpha Trent Dawn had come to me with his proposal. He was one of the few people in my good books; I knew what he had done for this pack, and I was aware that we owed him a favor. But I did find it strange; He had a Beta, going by the name Aric. Since he had no male children, the Beta could've taken over, and Kaida could've mated him instead. But for some reason… he didn’t hand the pack to his Beta.I had spotted her the moment she walked into the feast. How couldn’t I? Her scent was all over the place. My wolf inside didn’t like the Beta being so close to her, or the fact that they had slept in the very same room, but I reined him in. What happened b
I’d heard other she-wolves talk about how it felt when they met their mates. The scent, the pull—I felt it all.“Do you feel it?” I asked him, and a small smirk spread on his face.“Feel what?” he asked. “The mate bond?”“You knew.” My tone was accusing.“I’ve known for a very long time now, Kaida. Even before I agreed to your father’s proposal.”“How long ago did you know?”“Your father and his beta made constant visits to this pack; your scent was all over them.”“And yet you made no move, why?”“I don’t say this to offend you, but you aren’t exactly my type.”“Oh, I know. I guess brunettes are your type, and maybe you'd have preferred a girl who would fall on her knees and worship the very ground you walk upon, a girl who would obey every single word you utter without questions.”“I would have liked that, but that wasn’t what I was referring to. You see only a few girls shut the doors to love and choose the parts of becoming ‘warriors’. Of course, most times there were reasons beh
It had taken every ounce of willpower in me to return here.But if I was going to be his Luna, then the rules would have to change; I didn’t care who the hell he was.The soldiers escorted me to his chambers. He wasn’t alone. There were about a dozen men seated there, many of whom were middle-aged; they should be the ones people refer to as the king's 'advisors.’Alpha Ethan’s eyes settled on me.The scent was even stronger now, but I was going to rein in my wolf; I was in control, not her, and it's time she knew that. I had expected to see a smirk on his face; after all, he won. I was here because I had no other options, but his face remained unreadable, and maybe that’s one of the many things I found unsettling about him. I couldn’t read his emotions, and I was very good at that. I didn’t like surprises, but the man seated before me had a bottle filled with surprises, waiting and ready for me.“Leave, every one of you.” He ordered, and all the men rose and walked away, leaving me a
My father had told me countless times the story of when I was just a child, and he thought he was going to lose me, he had done everything in his power but it all failed and then he discovered the ‘healer’s lilies’, it healed me. Words could never fully capture what it feels like to stand on the edge of losing a loved one.I didn’t miss my mother much—I never had the chance to know her. She died giving birth to me. All that was left of her were only her pictures. Alpha Trent was a strong man; not many Alphas carry on after the loss of their mates, and yet he did.Now, the very same man I once believed was invincible, laid on his deathbed. I held in the tears because they were of no use. Crying never changes anything.“Kaida, I want you to know that I love you so very much. I know you will take care of this pack, even in my absence.”“I will.” I promised.“You met with the Alpha… I know he might seem…”I cut him off. “He is my mate.”“That… is very convenient.” He said with a small smi
That was it.I was done.Aric had been waiting for me, and as soon as he saw me, he quickly took off his suit and wrapped it around me. I felt like a fool.The moment we were both in the room and alone, he finally spoke up.“What happened?”"There’s not much to explain; it’s all right here," I say, gesturing to my torn clothes.“If he laid a finger on you, I’ll—”“You will what? He is the Alpha King; he is also very strong, and so there isn’t much any of us could do to him.”“Where are you going?”“Packing my stuff and leaving.” “What are you going to say to your father?” he asked.“I wanted to do this—for him, for the pack, but I can’t. The man is a monster; I cannot imagine sharing the same bed with him and his many… whores.I stuffed my things into the bag. I hadn’t brought a lot of things, and so in a few minutes I was packed.“Kaida, I don’t think you should leave now.” Aric says.“Why shouldn’t I?”“At least wait till the feast is over.”“Well, to hell with the etiquette and mo
Despite all the warning bells ringing in my head, I walked in and took a seat, just as he had requested of me. I didn’t know many things about this man, but one thing I knew for sure was that he was used to having his command being obeyed.“A drink?” he offered. Pouring me a glass of whiskey.“From where I come from, a girl does not drink.”“This is your home now; soon the Dawn pack will be no more, so get used to it.” He says, passing me the glass, I took it, but I didn’t drink.“You know, it is wrong to refuse a drink from the King.”“I do not drink, and if I will, it won’t be because you told me to.” I said, placing the glass down on the table.Those ruthless eyes pinned me down once more; I felt for my dagger once more.“I’ve heard a thing or two about you. The girl who aspired for greatness, you fought your way into that; you’ve gone to battles and never failed a mission. I admire that, but in this pack, you are just another girl; all you’ve built, everything dies with your pack.