"I was only fifteen when our pack was attacked by the Night Shade pack. Slade had been the Alpha; I would never forget watching my parents die before my eyes, but that wasn't the worst part. Alpha Slade wanted to do a clean sweep; he didn't want any of the pack members left alive, and so he went along with his soldiers, house by house, making sure everyone was dead. I don't know if any survived, but they might have escaped into the woods, yet it would only be a few who’d managed to escape.When Alpha Slade walked into our house, my mother had hidden me beneath the bed, but when I heard the screams—my mother's screams—I went for her rescue. I couldn't let her die, but maybe that was the biggest mistake I made; she was killed but I wasn't.Alpha Slade had wanted to kill me, but for some reasons he didn't; he brought me back to his pack.That night..." my mother closed her eyes as if the memory was too much to bear and I didn't need to hear more, but she spoke on, "He was the first—my fi
"I don't need his money, Riley," my mother says."I know, but we need to start up afresh, and so we need this; after it is all over, I promise you we will leave and never return.""Why you?" she questions."I don't know....""There are so many females; he is an Alpha, the most known; any she-wolf would want him; why did he pick you, and what is he going to gain from this? Because I don't think your companion for six months is all he wants," my mother says, hatred in her eyes."I've asked, but I don't know what he gains from this either, but we shouldn't care about that; we would be gone soon.""I know why he picked you," mother says."You do?""Yes. It's some kind of payback. I ran away from this pack many years ago as a... sex slave, and my daughter is taken for the same purpose.""I am not a sex slave!," I say, lying through my teeth."Tell me he hadn't bedded you more than once? This is what he wants; they want to ruin us, and it started with me," she says.I stood silent, because
When I walked into our room, he wasn’t there.The sobs racked my whole frame, the guilt felt too much to bear. What if mom was right? What if this had been while Thane wanted me back here? I had to be strong when I was with her; I had to be the stronger one, but now back in my room, I could be weak.I hated the fact that I could no longer see a light at the end of the tunnel.This room, despite being so wide, felt so suffocating all of a sudden. I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my breathing, but that didn't work this time.I paced round the room, my heart slamming against my chest. What if Thane wanted me locked in here for the rest of my life, in this pack, never able to escape? , what if I could never leave?The thought alone builds a strange claustrophobic feeling in me. I walked to the dressing room, pulling the door open. I pulled down all the clothes there, threw down the desk and chairs. I picked up the broken leg from one of the table, and I slammed it against the other glas
Dinners... Parties.... events.Two weeks pass by and I am completely numb. I might be alive but not exactly living; everything seems to move in a blur. I do as Thane says, not once going against him; my mother is worried, but I didn't know how to explain to her that her little girl had been so ready to leave her all on her own. The equipment I destroyed had been replaced that very day. Thane never brought it up, but it would always remain an unanswered question.Why? Why did I think taking my own life would solve anything? I still couldn't give an answer to that because at that moment it felt so right, but when I was finally calm, reflecting on it, I knew it had been so wrong.We were both in the room. Thane was saying something, but I couldn't make out the words."Riley?" he calls, finally noticing that I wasn't following at all."Yes Thane?""What's wrong with you?" he asks."I'm sorry, I'll try...""You don't have to be sorry for anything; you did nothing wrong," he says sounding sl
Axel’s touch was different; so gentle and light it was almost inexistent.He thrust into me again, and I bit my lips not to make a sound. My legs circled around his waist, the hunger in me building up, and in some way he knew—he knew exactly what I wanted.He turned over so I was on top, letting me take the lead. I rode him, going faster, our breaths coming out laboured, my hands trailing his body; he seemed to like my touch. I moved faster, and his hands circled around my waist, guiding me so I wouldn't fall over."Axel..." I called out, pausing, but he wouldn't have that. He led me by the waist, and I let out a loud moan. I cummed, taking him along. I felt the warm liquid in me.I fell over his body, wanting to remain in this position. I didn't want to think about anything else, and Axel gave me a few minutes to settle before placing me on the bed, besides him. He didn't leave though; he stayed, watching me as I lapsed into a deep sleep..Axel was gone by the time I awoke.I wonder
"Yes. It would only make me a creep if I told you that I know everything about you; I knew you would get to that” Thane explains"My mother said something." I paused. I didn't want to say anything to annoy him, not now when he was finally ready to talk."Go on," he prompts."She says you want me here... as some kind of punishment for her running away," I said, looking away from Thane."Do ‘you’ think that's why I want you here?" he questioned"I don't know; you've never given me any reason exactly, and her perspective seems quite logical.""After I took over as the Alpha, I ended the slave trades; now our captives have a choice. Do you know why?" he asked"Why?""Because I never wanted another woman to be treated the way your mother was, ever again. Riley I'm not trying to get back at her.""I feel like a fool for blaming her; if only she told me earlier..." I trailed off, wiping the tears. "I know she would be disappointed if she knew the mistake I had been about to make.""Hush, Ril
"I hate the fact that I can't transform into my wolf form like the rest; in some ways, it makes me feel incomplete, like I am missing something. I feel like a mere human," I said to him."Maybe something could be done to retrieve your wolf?" He asks, but I shake my head; nothing could be done. I knew that, and I had accepted it."Now I want to know something about you," I say. There are many things he keeps to himself, things he keeps hidden, and if only he could open up—but then I remembered what had happened the last time he did open up. I took that for granted; I used it against him. Would he ever be willing to do that again?"What do you want to know?""Anything," I say."That's pretty wide," he says. I didn't really think he would give out anything private, but then he began. "You've always wanted to know why I had never gone to my mother's aid, why I left her to Slade.I believed that my father wasn't as bad in the past; maybe I could be wrong, but I do believe my mother had a p
"I had planned to cover up the trails when we were done, and this time she wouldn't be found by my father. I was ready to die protecting her even if she didn't deserve it. We agreed to meet by midnight; Slade would be gone by then. I had a few soldiers loyal to me and not to my father by then.But when I got there, I met Slade waiting in her stead. She had betrayed me again; she had told him about the plan just to get on his good side. She never once stepped in, never once helped; she was grateful to have him furious at someone else rather than her. If only she knew that Slade will never forgive her infidelity and she still pays for it. I had sworn that day to never step in or try to save her; she did make it clear that she did not want to be saved.My father couldn't control me anymore; I rebelled against every single thing he did, and he hated me for that. That's the reason the pack had to be split into two; he wouldn't let go of power even when his reign was over, and I wouldn't le
Despite making it clear that I wanted him gone, he easily pushed past me and walked into my room. I slammed the door a bit too hard.“What! What is it you want to talk about?”“Would you listen?”“Well, you didn’t give me an option now, did you?”“Once you spoke about the both of us, leaving the pack behind and going far away… I couldn’t do that because of Vox, but with him gone…”“No.”“What do you mean, ‘no’?”“It is exactly what you think. I will not go anywhere with you.”“So you had said that only to… fool me?” he asked, the hurt clear in his eyes.“That had been why you didn’t aid Vox, hadn’t it? Because you believed that if he was dead, then there would be nothing in the way.” I asked, and his silence confirmed it.“I should have known. As long as Thane lives, there will be no space for another.” He said, and his eyes… They held a promise. He turned, heading for the door, but I blocked him.“You will not harm Thane.”“Of course.” He said, a smirk on his face. “I won’t.”I slamm
Bruce watched Jade; her eyes trailed to the amulet in his hands.“So what will it be now, Jade?”“I’ll have the Jewel back.”“I can’t give it to you; I have made a bargain with Vox. The life of my daughter, the queen, will be at risk if I do not have this at the time of Vox's return.” “There has to be another way.”“There is no other way.”“Then I’m sorry.” Jade says. It wasn’t wise to make an enemy of the sorceress, but he had made a promise to Riley; she would be disappointed if he failed her.He closed his eyes and muttered a spell. He didn’t want to hurt the sorceress, but he wanted her out of the way. The spell would only make her fall into a deep slumber; the moment this was over, she would awaken.He opened his eyes, only to see Jade unfazed. “I came prepared; I knew you wouldn’t be willing to give it up so easily.”The warlock didn’t expect the kick Jade had sent at him; she was never a physical person. She got him hard in the kneecap, and he had let go of the amulet, she us
“You must have thought me stupid. Do you for one moment think I didn’t have a backup?I might have had high hopes that you didn’t kill Ralph, but I was no fool; I know who you are and what you are good at. You don’t keep to your words, and so I made sure I was protected. There is a reason I have lived for so many years.” Jade says, the smile remained on her face, “I know how to stay alive.”Her eyes glowed.“I will send you to the otherworld, where you belong.”“No! Daemon, kill them all!” he commanded, but Daemon didn’t move an inch.“I did warn you; you are setting yourself up for destruction. You didn’t listen; you brought it upon yourself.”“I will return, I promise you… and when I do, every one of you will pay!” His words held a promise.“And how long will that take?” Daemon asked. “A century? Two? Three?” “The tendrils… They stop him from using any of his powers.” Jade explains, “Even Nexus herself has her favorites, and it turns out… you aren't one of her favorites.”Jade’s ey
RILEY’S POVBruce had pleaded with me to trust him. I wish I could; I wish his words were enough. But Seeing was believing. Still, I had no other choice; there was no way around it. It was either I play along, or I let Vox know that the amulet wasn’t in my keep—that would lead to my death or a punishment ‘much worse than death.’We had only a few hours left.A few hours, and Vox would be here, right outside Bruce's house. This decision was going to determine ‘everything.’. I tried to keep calm; I had to put on my big girl’s panties. Fear was no good in times like this; it didn’t let people think straight. I was a queen; it was time I showed it.Too soon, the time was up. Three days was spent.Vox was right on time, with Daemon by his side.I and Bruce stood by the doorway of his building.“We meet again, young warlock.” Vox says to Bruce.“Has the Demon Overlord decided that I have suffered enough for my crimes?”“No punishment would ever be adequate for the atrocities you committed.
I finally snapped back to my senses and joined him, placing my feet over Logan's chest to keep him from moving. Axel thrust the sword into his heart and twisted. “Now look who won’t be seeing the light of day.” I said to him as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.I turned to Axel, still astonished.“The warlock had opened the portal. I don’t know how I managed to get here, but I don’t have much time. I can feel it—the portal is about to shut.” Axel said.“Thank you.” I said to him, accepting the sword from his hands.“I can’t believe even in death, I’m still saving your ass; you need to give me a raise or something.” He demanded. The smile faded from his face almost instantly. “Riley—what about Riley? Did she survive?”“Yes, she did, and we have a child… His name is Ethan.”“Let me guess, you came up with the name?”“It was a joint contribution, but… yeah, I did.” “Make sense; Ethan is clearly a rewrite of your name, Thane.”“I didn’t have that in mind.”“Yeah, yeah.” I could
I picked up the sword and staggered to my feet.“I have dreamt of this day.” He began. “You were the brother who got everything he wanted; even the moon goddess was on your side, but I… I never got those things. Don’t you think I wanted them to? Don’t you think I wanted to stay away from the shadows and rule? Don’t you think I wanted my name spread abroad?”“It is not my fault you chose to be a coward; no one forced you into hiding, but you were afraid of your own shadow. I will always be willing to take the risk—because that’s what living means.”I was right; he knew it, and that maddened him. I watch the frown curve on his lips.His sword came at me, but I blocked it. He didn’t stop with the attack; he came at me again and again. I hated the feeling of weakness; I hated the fact that we were unmatched and I was lacking. I wasn’t as fast as I used to be, nor was I as strong, but I wasn’t giving up either.I managed to give him a nick in the shoulders.He growled, coming at me harder
THANE POVMy system slowly got accustomed to the pain the Lycan’s bane brought, or maybe I was just getting numb.I barely heard the footsteps approaching. It was Flynn; Slade followed next.“This is almost too sad to watch.” Slade began. “Watching a powerful man fall from grace is indeed sad; it reminds me of what I had to suffer.”I gave no response.“The time has come.” Flynn said, “He is weak enough; the ritual can be completed.”He placed down the brown bag he had brought along with him. He took out some bottles from the bag; I could only recognize one, the smaller bottle in the middle filled with a blackish liquid. I recognized it because that was the very same thing which had been continually administered to me from time to time. Lycan's Bane.“For Slade to take over your body, you will have to be killed. I will give you a minute. Do you have any last words?” He asked, eyebrows cocked at me.What was he expecting me to say? Perhaps I could make promises that I will get back at
“So… Do you have the amulet?” Daemon asked me as I got dressed.“Not exactly.”He was right in front of me in the next second, forcing me to take a step back. “You know you have to stop doing that.”“Riley, you don’t play games with Vox. He will have you killed, and for leading him on, he might exact a punishment worse than death on you.”“I know that.” I admitted, running my hands through my hair — something I had seen Thane do when he is agitated. “He says he has it.”“Who?”“Bruce.”“And you believe him?”“I don’t have an option.”“Stop saying that; you do—or at least you ‘did.’. You didn’t have to play hero; if you remained at the pack, Vox wouldn’t have any wish to kill you; you would have been safe.”“You are right; I did have an option.” I agreed. “Just not one I was willing to take.”He took a step back. “Have it your way then. You’ve always been stubborn.”I took a deep inhale. “I need your help.”“You need my help?” he asked, surprised by my statement.“Yes. Vox only gave
“Did you for one moment think about what would happen if things had gone the other way? – I mean, Vox could have killed you even before you had the chance to place a bargain.” Daemon said to me, and his worry for me still caught me by surprise.“Believe me, that did cross my mind more than once.”“And yet you were willing to risk it all for… him.”"Yes, I was," I answered, making myself comfortable in one of the office chairs. “Things are going to change, Daemon, and it will happen really, really fast.”“You seem so confident now; it looks like you’ve forgotten what I can do to you.”“No, I haven’t, but you see, Vox would want me alive now more than ever, so you can’t really kill me.”“I don’t have to kill you to have my fun.” He reminded me, a smile curved on his lips, exposing his fangs. I held back a shiver as the memory of how it felt when he bit me flashed past my mind. I had hated it because my body loved it; I hated it because I had no control, and he... Daemon was in full cont