"How is that healing up?" Axel asked as he shrugged off his jacket."It's only a bruise now; that ointment must be really good," I responded.I had informed him earlier that I needed to speak to him, so I waited for him in his room. "So what do you want to talk about?" he asked radiantly. He was doing this purposely; he was acting like nothing had happened last night."I want to talk about last night.""What about last night?" he questions."You know what happened last night; why are you pretending like nothing happened?""Am I?""Yes, you are.""So, would you prefer I go announcing last night's incident to the whole pack to prove that something did happen?""No, the problem is you don't even seem worried about it."Axel turned to me. "Not everyone shows emotions like you do. I am worried about him, and I spent the whole day researching to find out what must have gone wrong with him, and I came up empty. Thane feels guilty about last night, I am supposed to help you take your mind of
Thane walked past me, and I followed after him, "Are you drunk?" I questioned again."No," he finally answers, "It would take more than a few bottles to get me drunk." "You are late and I was worried.""I'm sorry, I just..." he broke off his sentence, saying no more.“For fuck's sake it was only a scratch, it's no big deal!""It could have been more Riley, and you know that; what would I have done to myself then?"'"It wasn't your fault?""Then who's fault was it?""Whatever hellish thing that possessed you that night, that's what we should be worrying about." "Axel told me about your... theories, so you do think I'm different?" he questioned."Different in a good way, yeah," I added quickly."Maybe I've noticed a few changes myself; I wanted to believe it was all as a result of the crowing," Thane explains, and I nod. That makes sense; with the crown comes power. "But maybe I was wrong; maybe there is something more; I would have to find out."I settled on the bed, waiting for Than
I turned around, trying to trace back the route to the pack house, but we had gone so deep into the woods I would never make it. Of course he caught up with me. I couldn't fight free of his hold."Thane let me go." I begged just as I did that dreadful night. But once again he wasn't listening; his hold on me was unbreakable. I struggled, harder than ever before, but that didn't deter him; he seem to know every of my moves even before I made them. I kicked him in the groin, and that only pissed him off. He tossed me into the air like I weighed nothing, and my back slammed against the hard trunk of the tree. I dropped to the ground, a wave of pain washed through me. I rose slowly to my feet, but he was no longer in sight."Thane!" I called out, but no one answered.I called out his name over and over, trying to find him, but all I succeeded in doing was getting myself lost. I had never come this far on my own; my back hurt, and there would be more bruises on my body, but that I didn't c
Bailey was the last person I wanted to see right now, but I knew I had to swallow my annoyance. She had been the first to pinpoint Thane's abnormalities; she told me earlier that being with him would be dangerous; she had tried explaining to me that things would only get worse and soon I wouldn't be safe with him, but I hadn't been willing to listen; I had believed that she said all those things to scare me into passing the title to her.She knew more about this than she was letting out.Bailey was still in the healing room, still injured, but at least she looked quite better."So you are back; I didn't think I would be seeing you at all anytime soon," she commented."Trust me, I do not want to be here either, but I needed to talk to you about Thane.""And why do you think I would care for such conversation?" she asks, her voice blank, just like her eyes."Maybe because I would have left you to die but I didn't, this one thing I ask of you, and I hope you would try to be less of a bit
Lycans.That should have been another myth, and yet I knew she was not lying.Thane was a Lycan; loving him was a risk and yet, I returned back to the room I shared with him; I needed to be reminded of his scent. Maybe I was indeed obsessed.I should stay away; all the warning signs were there; the bruise on my back proved how harmful he could be when he loses control, and yet... yet I was still craving him; yet I still craved his scent; my sole purpose of visiting our room was because I needed a reminder that the six months I spent here hadn't all been a dream.I walked into our room, and that's when I noticed something.The floor was littered with flowers—red roses—and the lights had been turned off, the room only illuminated by candles. This place felt so surreal, reminding me of the date Thane took me on—that day he had helped me switch into my wolf form for the first time.On the table was a bottle of wine and two glass cups.His scent... I could feel it, stronger now.There was
I could feel Thane's gaze burning against my skin. Then, he placed a gentle kiss on the bruise at the upper part of my back . We were both in bed together. Moments like these I would forever treasure.Some time late into the night, he edged back to the end of the bed, as if afraid he would hurt me if he came too close. I also didn't miss how tense he was; I doubt he let himself get a glimpse of sleep all through the night. I had wanted to say something to him, but nothing I said would make him less cautious when around me.I worried for him; perhaps if I were stronger, if I could fight him off, he wouldn't have to be so worried about hurting me.."How was your night?" Thane asks, and it hit me that he didn't realize that I knew he hadn't been sleeping. I was finally getting to know him better, better than he thought I did, and that was... something."It was refreshing because I had you by my side, but it would have been more refreshing if you were closer to me rather than laying on t
It had been so long since I spoke with my mother; the distance between the two of us—I noticed—would forever be present, and maybe a part of me was afraid.It felt like every time I went to her, she always had a secret to reveal, but some secrets are meant to be kept hidden. I had forgiven her after the promise she made to me, yet I still felt the need to keep my distance.Things were different now than they had been in the past. I hid a lot of things from her as she did from me too. With so many secrets between the two of us, our relationship could never be the same, but at least I was making an effort; I was going to visit her.My thoughts were cut off; was that a knock on the door? I listened in but heard nothing—maybe it was all in my head.Tap, tap, tap.Okay, maybe not my head; that came from the window.I walked to the window. It felt strange that someone would be out here. I pulled open the window, doubtful. I looked down, but just as I thought, there was nothing out here. I
My wolf struggled to the surface, forcing a partial transformation; my claws extended, and I slashed wildy at the face of the man who had his arms locked around my throat. Black dots clouded my vision, I was getting weaker, but I summoned every last ounce of strength for the final strike, and I knew I got him on the throat. Blood sprayed on my face as he let me go.I inhaled deeply; my throat hurt. Just then the door burst open. Thane and Axel walked in, followed by a swarm of guards."Wait outside," Thane said to the soldiers before slamming the door. He rushed to me."Riley, are you alright?"Panic.I could sense that now, it was clear in his eyes; it was clear in his voice.Axel had his eyes at the injured men."I am fine," I said, trying to rise up, only to feel the sharp pain in my ankle. I let out a whimper. I lost my footing, but Thane caught me easily before I could fall back to the ground. His eyes darkened, switching to that scary pure black before switching back, he was tr
THE LYCAN’S CURSE (BOOK 2)CHAPTER ONE"Hello... mother." The creature called. The mist gave way, forming legs.This 'man’ looked nothing like me; he was tall and slender, with short black hair; those blue eyes would have been the only thing we had in common but his was a darker shade of blue; thick lashes framed his eyes. I felt this growing sense of unease and I slowly backed away.“I am not your mother.”“You lie.” He states, seeing through my deception; the thing was that even if he looked nothing like me, there was this connection I felt just by staring at him. “As soon as I could, I came to you.” He says, and though he bears the form of a human, there is nothing human about him.“What did you do to the sorceress?” I questioned, still keeping my distance.“She trapped me, mother; I was all alone.”“You killed her.” I whispered.“No, I locked Jade far away, where no one can ever find her, just as she did to me.”Jade. Was that the sorceress name?He approached me, and I took ye
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