I woke up feeling dizzy. My head hurt, and my throat felt so sore.And there stood Jake.“She’s awake,” he says to himself; the sadness I had once seen in his eyes was gone, and all that was left was rage.“Yeah, I am awake." I manage to say, “What next?, kill me?. He would find me and then kill you.” I threatened.“Just like he killed my sister?” Jake questioned, the single tear slipping down his eyes; he wiped it away, angry at himself for letting me see that. The guilt I’d carried along since Nelly’s death felt more oppressive than ever.Coming to think of it this must have been what he had been referring to earlier when he spoke about taking the ‘little things’ for granted, he was referring to the times he had spent with his sister.“You know why she was killed” I tried explaining, “I wish it never happened, and it still haunts me... but she...” I trailed off, I couldn’t lie to his face, so I remained silent.“What is it you wanted to say?” Jake inquired, those sorrowful eyes on
“She did nothing. The one responsible had been killed,” I said, my voice cold. I couldn’t give any detail away, it was no longer a game, not with my mother involved.“A woman was killed, yes. But the one responsible wasn’t. Your mother had been in my room. How couldn’t I tell? I can never forget that scent,” he says with a smirk. “My son is either growing weak or trying to spite me.” "Is it a shame you couldn’t ask my mother this question yourself?”“I would have, but she is under Thane’s protections, so it could be quite... difficult,” he says, and I snort. His gaze trailed down my body, and I held back the shiver of pure disgust.“It hadn’t been difficult for her to get to you,” I retorted only to spite him.“Hell hath no fury like a woman seeking revenge,” he says. And the resentment I felt threatened to break through my calm facade.“You should be ashamed of yourself” I hissed out. “If you hoped to get anything from me then apologies your royal highness, I know nothing, so whatev
“Tell me Riley, Who did this?” Thane questioned.“I don’t know,” I say.“I need a name, and you can either tell me or I’ll find out myself,” he says, his hands trailing down the white bandage wrapped around my head, one I wasn’t sure I needed since my wolf was already accelerating the healing process. This was one of the many pecks of getting my wolf back.“Would you force a name out of me with your Alpha... ‘thingy’?” I asked with a smile and he stared at me like he thought I was crazy.“Is not called the Alpha ‘thingy’ is called an ‘aura’. And no. I won’t use that, I do not need that to get what I want”“I just... It was Alpha Slade,” I said finally. I didn’t want Thane getting in trouble with his father and ending up punished. I was not covering up for Slade, but ‘trying’ to keep Thane safe.“The bastard,” he cursed, his eyes as dark as coal. “Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?”“I already told you, I am fine.”“But your wrist isn't,” he said. Staring down at my wrist, which was al
It had been so long since I was alone in a room with Axel; I needed to talk to him; he couldn’t just drop a bombshell on me and walk away like that. But he was rather more interested in speaking about ‘the incident’.“So this random guy just pops out of nowhere; you’ve never seen him before, and he’s like, Let’s go to the creepy safe house, and you go with him?” Axel asked, his voice disapproving.“No... I mean, yes. But it didn’t happen that way; you made me look so foolish in that theory of yours.”“So what did happen?”“I was out for a run... but I had hoped to see you,” I admitted, and his eyes softened. “But when I didn’t, I figured I could just go... alone, and that was what I did. I had gone through with it, but then ‘he’ showed up; he seemed so sad. I thought he was one of us—a member of this pack—and I had been so bored, he offered to escort me anywhere I wanted to go, but then he brought up the idea; he made it seem like it had just occurred to him; I never knew it was all p
Reservations were cast aside.Axels’ fingers brushed against the lace of my panties before moving it to the side. He gently stroked me in there, and I moaned, leaning against him. In slow movement, his fingers when round my clit, the pleasure almost unbearable. Finally, he dipped the single finger into me, pumping in and out."I'll add a second," he informs before his second finger sinks in. I rode his fingers fast; his chest vibrated with a deep rumble of satisfaction; I could almost feel his wants, yet he held it down, intent on just satisfying me. His fingers curled in me, hitting the 'spot' and I moaned out his name.I claimed his lips, and he kissed me back hungrily, his fingers still thrusting deeper into me."Can you take one more? he asked, and I nodded. He eased out the two fingers and then slammed back in with a third added, and that had almost brought me to the edge. His thumb stroked my clit as his fingers pounded into me, and I came hard. He cradled me against his chest,
"You seem lost in thoughts; what are you thinking about?" Thane enquired. It was late at night, but my mind was very much awake, and of course, Thane noticed that."Nothing," I lied."Are you by any means thinking about Axels’ proclamation?" He asked, and I was silenced. I always thought Thane was very good at reading people, but what if... it was more than that? There was no way he could have read that off my face alone."Thane, I think you can read minds.""Does that mean I guessed correct?""Yes, and how... how did you do that?""I am a really good guesser, I think?""No, it is more than that; I feel like there is something more, something you aren't telling me.""Riley, look at me," he says, and I do just that. "I am not a mind reader; that would be cool but it only happens in books and movies, I cannot do that. Axel told me about it earlier; when you had been kidnapped, he thought it was his fault, and so I guessed.""Because I am an open book?" I questioned"No, I find you myste
All I wanted to do was get back to my room, but that seemed impossible.The news about me being kidnapped in my own pack had spread like wildfire; although many showed genuine concerns, there were still those few who were only looking for fresh rumours and juicy gossips to circulate."Luna,” someone called from behind me, and I had to school my face into a smile before I turned back. I anticipated another concerned pack member but I had been wrong. It was Jake.Maybe I had forgiven him and let him go, but that didn’t make us friends, so what exactly gave him the right to come speak with me after what he had done?“Stay away, Jake,” I warned before walking on, but he ran to my side.“Please, I really need to speak with you...”“Why? So you could tell me some shitty story about your life and deceive me? Not thank you,” I said, walking on.“Please...”“If you keep following me, I’ll have a change of heart and maybe place you in the dungeons where you belong.”“I am not here for that... is
I didn’t want to believe her. I didn’t. But then, he had told me that night we met for the first time that he needed to convince his father into believing I was his mate; his father was the Alpha King, and he had also told me how he planned to challenge his father... for the Alpha King Title that should have been ‘his’ by now. I also recalled that one time Thane spoke about his father’s unwillingness to let go of the Title due to the benefits he enjoyed as the Alpha King. As much as I didn’t want to believe her, I knew more than anything that she was saying the truth.Thane had never told me he loved me, not once; he had said it the night before that love wasn’t supposed to be a part of ‘this’. Could all these be a game to him?, Could that be the reason he had kept my mother alive, why he saved me?It made so much sense now; Slade had abducted me because he knew Thane without his mate, would never be the Alpha King, and all along I was just a pawn in his master game. The contract was t
SIX MONTHS LATERThane lifted me up from the bed, carrying me bridal style to the bathroom."You know I can walk on my own right?""You are pregnant Riley, you should be treated like a princess, so now stop arguing and let me take care of you."I let Thane bathe me, after that he wrapped a towel around me."I'll get your clothes." he said, walking to the dressing room, he returned with a grey shirt and a pair of his sweatpants."This are your clothes.""Well I don't think anything in there would fit, I need to get more clothes your size.""Are you calling me fat?""No." he said with a smile. "You are beautiful and those breats keep getting deliciously bigger.""Thane!""What, I'm a guy i can't help it."I got dressed and Thane returned me back to the bed. "I am enjoying this more than I should." I admitted."Then enjoy it while it last.""No work today?" I asked him."I've covered all the urgent business, now I can spend more time with you and my baby.""Thane... I wonder if you are
I watched the soldiers as they paid tribute to one of their own, Axel. The pack members weren't the only ones present. Many from other packs came to honor Axel's burial, and despite how I had promised myself I wouldn't cry, I couldn't hold it in.I stared up at Thane, the sadness clear in his eyes, but never once did he shed a single tear."How do you do it?" I questioned him, "How could you be so strong even in a time like this?""If only you know how much I want even a few minutes of weakness, but look around you, everyone is mourning; in times like this we need to stand strong because it gives others hope." He said, and he was right.I spotted Alpha Zack, Alpha Cain, Alpha Pius, Alpha Trent, and Gabriel—the new Alpha of the Raven Clan pack. My mother had to stay behind to oversee the affairs of the Raven Clan.Nina, Axel's cousin's sister, who was rarely ever around was also present; her eyes swollen and red. I walked to her and stood by her side."He was a brave man." I said to he
Thane needed some time to digest everything I had told him; I could understand that.After I had explained to him everything that happened, he walked to me and drew me in for a warm embrace, but the moment ended too quickly, and then he... left.I didn't assume that the fact that he knew the truth meant I was forgiven, but at least I was able to tell him everything and it was a huge relief, now it was all up to him.There was a knock on the door and I headed to answer it, letting Daisy, one of the head healers in."The result is out," she says, a bright smile on her face.After the dream I had about Axel, I felt like he had been trying to tell me something when he said, 'If you go through the sacrifice, it wouldn't just be your life you would be sacrificing.Call me paranoid, but I noticed how weak and tired I had been feeling recently. I blamed it on everything that had been going on, but after the discussion I had with Thane, I went straight to Daisy and told her I needed a pregnanc
I walked into Axel's room; I hadn't been here since he... passed.I would have broken down in tears if I had any more tears left to cry. The longing in my heart grew worse. I pulled open his drawer, and a small smile stretched on my lips when I saw the book 'Barbara's fantasies'. He did find it in the end, but he never kept it in the library. I guess I wasn't the only one who found this book quiet... interesting.I took out his clothes from the dressing room, and I inhaled them deeply. I closed my eyes, and in that moment I could pretend he was still here; I could pretend that everything that happened was just a very bad dream.I couldn't let go of his clothes. I laid on his bed, his clothes fisted in my hand, and I fell asleep.Twelve hours more was all the time I had to make my decision, and still I hadn't changed my mind; Axel deserved to live....I knew I was dreaming, but yet it felt so real. Axel lay on the green grass, shirtless. I stared at him, and he smiled."Take a pictur
Axel lived on in my dreams but waking up to the painful reminder always left me in tears. There was this hole Axel had left behind, one that I feared even time couldn't heal.I didn't know exactly why I was paying the sorceress a visit, but I knew I needed to right my wrongs. This place was exactly how it had been when I and Nick arrived here for the very first time. I knew I shouldn't be here and yet... yet here I was. I pushed aside the tendrils, which came together to form a curtain. The sorceress sat as still as a statue on the moss-covered altar. "Welcome back, Queen." She said, turning to me. I stared into those ancient-looking eyes that seemed to know everything."You know why I am here," I said to her. "Yes, I do, but I am afraid I cannot help you.""Please...""You seek to fight fate, to fight nature itself. You cannot revive one that is already dead.""You can't or… you won't?""I can't give life, Queen.""But there is something you can do, isn't there? I will pay handsom
I sat in front of Thane's door the whole night, pleading and begging, but he never did come, and finally I rose.I had lost him, and it took me this long to see that. I hadn't only lost Axel; I had lost Thane's love too.How did my life turn into this? One moment it all felt like a fairy tale, one I didn't want to wake up from, and now it was a complete nightmare.Some days I questioned the point of my own existence; I had no use remaining here, and yet, I didn't want to leave, maybe because I still had hope that one day Thane would forgive me.I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, ignoring the knock on the door. I didn't want to see anyone right now, and I knew for a fact that it wasn't Thane. Whoever was behind the door persisted and it got annoying. I rose from the bead, heading for the door. I pulled it open, the frown on my face that disappeared the moment I saw my mother.She hugged me, knowing exactly what I needed. I couldn't help but be a child again and cry in her arms. "
I stared at the mirror; I looked like a mess. I sprayed some cold water on my face; a knock drew my attention.It was a maid."Can I help you?" I questioned."The Alpha sent me to pick up a file he left here. It must be that one." She said, pointing to the file on the table. She walked in, picking it up."You know what? I'll hand it to him." I said, taking the file from her hand. She seemed unsure."As you wish Luna," she said."Uhmm, where is he now?""The third room on the fifth floor," she said, and I nodded."Got it.".I knocked on the door to his ‘new’ room, and after a minute the door was pulled opened. Thane stared at me."What are you doing here?" He asked like I was some complete stranger, an intruder, but I couldn't blame him."I brought your files."He collected it, about to slam the door, but I placed a foot in the threshold. I pushed the door open and walked in."You've been avoiding me lately." I said to him, but he gave no response. He took a seat, opening the file and
The next few days I spent them with Thane; he was still in coma. The healers had to extract all of the toxin the elders had passed into his bloodstream; only then would the healing process begin, and from their report, he was doing well, but he still had a few more days to recover.I wiped his face with a wet towel; next, I gently brushed through his hair. I placed a kiss on his forehead and then his lips. I knew that when he awoke, things wouldn't be like they used to. I returned back to my room to take a bath before joining him once again.I couldn't bear the solitude of my room; I always ended up breaking into tears. I hadn't realized I was sleeping until the sharp intake of breathe jolted me awake. Thane was awake.The healers had said he would be down for a few more days, but he woke earlier than they had predicted; my heart pounded for the first time in excitement; I was so scared, I couldn't lose him too. "Thane!" I cried out, running to him to embrace him, but his cold star
A rock fell inches away from me, and I only managed to dodge it. Axel was losing a lot of blood. I knew what was about to happen, but I didn't want to think about it. It just couldn't."Riley, please listen to me." he said, and I turned to him; sweat coated his face and his breathing was laboured. "I can't make it, Riley. You know that, but if you go, you can save yourself and save Thane.""Please, Axel, we can make it alive, the both of us.""Look at me, Riley," he pleaded, and I did. "Kiss me."Tears rolled down my eyes as I leaned to him and kissed him. I wouldn't let him go; I just can't. "I love you, from the very first time I met..." he took a long breath. "But you were never mine, and yet that didn't stop me from wanting you. Don't blame yourself for this; you, Riley, were the best thing that had ever happened to me.""But Thane... he hates me.""No, he doesn't; reason with him; make him... make him understand." Axel coughed out blood. "Go now, get him, and leave this place.""