I hated the fact that Axel simply accepted it all. It was my fault, not his, yet he still wanted to protect me."Thane I am at fault," I say to him, and that gave him a pause. "He had wanted you to know, but I didn't. I begged him not to tell you, and despite knowing I was doing the wrong thing, I forced him to do just that too.” I had never seen Thane this so angry."I'd expect him to know better.""I forced him into this; this is not his fault.""You would have been killed a few hours ago if we had a way to prevent that and didn't...""But I wasn't," I said, cutting him off."Riley, he is right; I did the wrong thing, and I do not appreciate you trying to defend me," Axel says."No. I am wrong; I am to be blamed; you keep making me feel like some kind of baby; I could be at fault too, and I am now, so if you are going to punish him for what was totally not his fault, then you would have to do the same to me too."That was it. He had been holding back the furry, and I knew it; his e
There was a long silence before Thane finally spoke up."You don't look like a member of this pack," Thane states."I am not, but I and the other had managed to camouflage as one of your soldiers; the security was tight— tighter than we anticipated, so we had to change the initial plan; the direct order had been to wait till dawn before attacking.""And who gave you these orders?" Thane questioned, seemingly satisfied by his answer."We don't know who this person is; he always sends his messenger to deliver the message.""You risked your lives for a man who you've never even seen,” Thane commented, clearly amused by their stupidity “What is the name of his messenger?" "I don't know," the man said. Thane wasn't satisfied with that answer. He unsheathed his dagger, "Thorin—the messenger's name was... Thorin." The man stuttered out."Good”, Thane says, retreating. “When was the last time you spoke to him?""Three days ago, that had been before we got into this pack.""Thane?" Axel calle
A party?I might not be good at handling situations like these, but I didn't think throwing a party was the way to go about it."A party?" Axel questioned, asking the exact question that had been on my mind. I was glad to see that I wasn't the only one who saw this as strange."Yes, a party," Thane responded."Alpha, I mean no disrespect but have you gone nuts?" Axel questioned"Offense taken. I would prefer it if you could start up the preparations.""That isn't a wise choice; a party is the last thing we need. I am your beta, and I have every right to advise you if you go wrong, and this is very wrong.""Perhaps you should have considered this when you decided to keep Beatrix's deeds secret."Axel was immediately silenced."Stop this now, the both of you. Thane, I had asked Axel—begged him to keep that a secret. Are you telling me you wouldn't do the same?" I questioned, but he gave no answer. I spoke on, "A party is not a wise choice, but if you have other reasons behind this then
Thane lay beside me, seemingly satisfied by watching me."You know you need to sleep; you didn't get any last night." I advised, though I did love his gaze on me, it made me feel… special."I can't waste this time I have to spend with you; every second is worth treasuring," he says, but I felt the sadness in his voice. I shrugged it off because I was always that paranoid.~~~~~~There were so many rumors about the party, literally everyone believed there was going to be some kind of big news, how disappointed they would be. Other pack members had been invited, and according to Axel, the party would be packed up with people from all over the world. It was strange that people could leave their homes just for a one-night party.I picked out an elegant, silver shimmering dress; sparkling beads decorated the neckline, the dress was simply breathtakingly beautiful. I had been patiently waiting for the day I would wear the dress, and I felt like this was the day. Honesty speaking, I felt li
There were gasps from every corner of the hall."The woman standing before you was not chosen by the moon goddess but by me. I had chosen her because I thought she complimented me, but I was wrong," he says, turning to me, a sick smirk on his face, and I... I was silenced by the shock I felt. "She is nothing like a queen should be, and I had made a mistake. A mistake I would correct tonight."Thane's smirk widened to a smile."From today, Riley Kaidon seizes to be my Luna and Queen."Ryker had left my heart bruised, but Thane had mended it up only to rip it apart, over and over and again.I felt like the wind had been zapped right out of me as the tears streamed down my eyes.Thane wasn't moved by my tears; he never was, and he never would be.‘He made me love him, he made me fall for his petty lies, he made me hope, and then he shattered the glimmer of hope, leaving me a shell of the person I once was.’ My mother had explained to me how Slade had broken her, and right before my eyes,
Thane passed me a piece of paper."What is this?""A cheque""I don't want it.""Riley, please don't make this hard.""No. I will not leave this place; I refuse to.""You will""Or what, would you make me?"Thane gave no response, but I could see it clearly in his eyes; this was actually happening; he was going to throw me out if he had to."I hope it doesn't come to that," he says.I rose, walking towards him. "You know what? I don't believe you.""This is as real as reality gets; you are getting your pay and you are going to leave; if you attempt to return back to this pack, you would be seen and treated like an intruder," Thane said; he didn't flinch —not once. With each word he uttered, my heart, which I thought was already broken, shattered even more."I gave you my body; I gave you my heart; what didn't I give?" I questioned, tears streaming down my eyes; his gaze shifted, and I thought I saw something change in those eyes; I was wrong, they were just… empty."It is not my fault
Is this how painless death felt like?Regret. That was the first emotion I felt, and then I forced my eyes open.I stare at the gun in my hands.I wasn't dead.It hadn't been Thane sweeping in to save me this time; the gun was out of bullets.I tossed the gun away with shaky hands. What the hell was wrong with me?I had wanted to give up; just like that, I could have died. If that gun did contain silver bullets, those bullets would have gone through my skull, and then that would be the end.I had given up.Ryker had put me through hell and back, never once did I stop fighting, but with Thane I had given up, all for what? For a man that didn't see my worth?Something changed in me that instant. I rose from the bare ground and resumed packing. I had once thought about how expensive the jewelry Thane bought for me would be. I would find out soon because I was going to take each and everyone of them. I wiped my tears before walking out of my room. Thane waited outside, leaning against the
**THANE'S POV**I had never viewed myself as a good person. Never. Right and wrong were just two words to me. Riley brought out a part of me even I hadn't realized existed. She was the best thing that happened to me, but I never did deserve her. I knew that, yet I wanted her.I should have done the right thing a long time ago; I should have let her go the very first time I lost control, but selfishly, I didn't. It only got worse. I hurt her once again; we had been alone in the woods; gods, I could have killed her. I had never hated myself more; I had spent two days in the woods because I couldn't bear to see her in the pain I'd inflicted, but there I made a decision: I had to let her go. I had promised myself that this time I wouldn't let myself be weak; I was going to do what was right, but then I saw her.It felt like I was seeing her all over for the very first time; she had been so happy to see me. I didn't deserve her love, and yet I wanted it so desperately. I tried to say those
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.""
EARLIERBailey was still in here somewhere. I walked cautiously down the passage ways and I spotted yet another room. I pushed open the door and walked in. The room was similar to the one I had been kept in earlier, but she wasn't in here either.I needed a weapon; the sword alone wouldn't do to kill an elder as powerful as she was so I searched through the room. I pulled open a cabinet, and there I found more syringes filled with black serum, the very same ones used on Thane. I was almost certain of it. I would have to take a gamble with this. From what Bailey told me, this was created by the elders as a bane for Lycans, I could only hope it had some effect on her too, if it didn't work on her, then I was doomed.I strode out of the room, and there she was, standing at the very end of the passageway."So you've come to kill me." Bailey said with a smile on her face. "You know, Nyaos has been killed by your mate" She said to me.I couldn't exactly say I felt bad for that.I chose to r
THANE'S POVThe door opened, and Caleb walked in, his hands up as if in surrender. My beta, Axel followed, a gun pointed to his head."Free him," Axel said.Caleb walked to me, taking out the pipes. "The chains too." Axel said, and I could tell Caleb was not going to do that.Axel shot at his leg, but Caleb was strong—maybe even the strongest of all the elders. In the next second, Axel's gun was in his hands, and the table turned."Let him go, Caleb; it's me you want." I warned."You are right." Caleb says, "But I want him dead too."He shot at Axel. I growled, pulling at the chains; they burned my skin. He aimed for me next, pulling the trigger, but the gun was empty of bullets, and he tossed it to the ground."In every single room, I had planted a bomb; all I need to do is press the button, and everything would go 'boom'; everyone in this building would die, and I alone would be left. After a while, you will be forgotten, but for me, I'll take over from you; I will be known and fea
Axel unsheathed his sword before striding towards Nick.Nick let out his wing, flying right over us, but Axel leaped into the air, bringing him down by his wing. Axel pinned Nick down, holding both wings. I watched in amazement as Axel sliced them off, and Nick roared in pain, the bones where his wings had been attached prodded out of his back.Axel passed the blood stained sword to me. I limped to where Nick lay groaning in agony."Didn't I tell you, I will kill you?" Now kneel." I said, and he rose, falling on his knees. "Riley I..."I didn't let him say more; in a clean swipe, I incapacitated his head from the rest of his body.Axel took off his leather jacket and helped me put it on."I know a way out." Axel says, leading me out of the room, we walked down the hallways to an open space."Going somewhere?" A voice called from behind us. Bailey.She held a crossbow in her hands. "Nyaos is dead. Thane killed him. I guess this means our deal is… off."She shot the crossbow at me, bu
RILEY"It's girls time, Nick; you should leave." Bailey said to him, and he gave me a long look before leaving both of us alone. "I didn't remember telling you to stop with the dagger," she said."It fell." I lied.I didn't know if she bought that, but she spoke no more about it, taking a seat beside me."I'm going to tell you a story, one I had never told anyone before. Well, you would die in the end, so it makes no difference.I was in love once. I don't mean the casual crushes and those little feelings girls have. I was in love with Nyaos; he had always been there for me when I needed him; he helped me so many times; I can't even count the number of times he had saved my life. But Nyaos loved another; I was the ‘other woman’, and I knew that. Katara believed we were good friends; she trusted me; she trusted the both of us, and I knew what we did behind her back was very wrong, but I couldn't help myself. Nyaos said he loved us both, and though I always wanted more, I could settle
CAUTION: THERE WOULD BE VIOLENT SCENES IN THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS; PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION.THANE.I could do it; I knew I could break through the chains. Rage is one powerful thing. I pulled hard, and the chains broke off. I ripped out the pipes that had been used to pass the fluids into my bloodstream, and I staggered to my feet. I heard footsteps approaching, and I positioned myself beside the door. Nyaos walked in; he noticed the empty chair, I could smell his fear; he should be afraid. I shut the door behind him, and only then did he notice me; he turned, his eyes widening in terror as I plunged my hand into his chest, past the crunch of his ribcage, and deep into his heart. His mouth opened, frozen in a silent scream."The cursed weapon isn't the only way to kill an elder." I whispered before I pulled his heart out. The sight of blood was so intoxicating it ignited a lust for blood in me, I wanted to spill more blood. An elder had been brought to nothing in a matter of minutes