THANEThe first thing I noticed was the sheets on the floor, slightly stained with blood. Riley sat on the floor, her back against the wall; she held a gun in her shaky hand, and tears streamed down her eyes."Riley." I called, and she pointed the gun at me. "Don't come any closer," she warned."Riley, lower the gun and tell me what the hell is going on." I said to her, and she finally let go of the gun, slowly rising to her feet."It's really you?""Yes, it is.""Where were you?""I'll tell you everything, but first I want to know what happened here.""All these?" she threw her hands in the air. "It wouldn't have happened if you were here; it wouldn't have happened if you could stay away from Isabella."How did she know that? I didn't plan on her figuring this out before I told her the truth."I'm sorry, but I can explain; hear me out." "No, you hear me out. Why you were there doing goddess knows what with Isabella, Daemon was here..." she paused, letting out a sob. "What did he d
RILEY "I will fix this, Riley, but I need more time." "No, do you know what you are going to do? You will send Isabella away; things would go on just as they used to." "I can't do that. I still need her. Next full moon, there is every possibility that I would lose control. I don't want anyone hurt, so until I figure out a way to get through this without her, she has to stay." "You love her, don't you?" "Riley, I..." "Don't lie to me; you've always loved her. Earlier you were absent from the pack; where had you been Thane?" I asked him; his silence told me all I needed to know. "I was back at Bella's cottage; I had visited her grave just to be sure." "Just to be sure Isabella was really ‘bella’, right?" "Yes." "And she is the very same one, isn't she?" "You want to know the truth? Yes, I care about Isabella; the fact that she had been dead for years doesn't stop me from caring because she had been my mate, the first woman I ever loved, but that doesn't mean I've
For the next few days, Daemon didn't visited. I assumed he was severely injured, though a part of me wondered if he had actually... died.I was heading to Daisy's; she might be the pack's healer, but she was the only one I could talk to, and I needed a distraction now more than ever. "Riley," the melodious voice called, and I stopped.Anger, That was all I felt at that moment; I turned around slowly. Isabella had a smile on her face which disappeared the moment her gaze met mine; I guess I wasn't doing a very good job hiding what I was feeling at the moment."How do you feel, Isabella, knowing you've won?""What are you trying to say?" she asked; she was going to play the fool.I moved towards her, pulling her dress slightly to the side. "The mark.""He told you; I told him not to.""And why did you think Thane would keep secrets from me?""It's not what it seems.""It is exactly that, and see, this little talk about friendship and all, it really wouldn't work.""I know that. I had m
I took out my gun. This would only buy me time; I hid it properly at the back of my pants. I sprayed some water on my face as it seemed pale. He was here; I could feel it. I returned to the living space, but there was no one here. Maybe I was wrong; but then I felt the presence right behind me. I let out a scream, but his hands around my mouth muffled my cries. "Act stupid, and dear Daisy would pay for it." He warned, and I gave a nod. He finally let me go, but not before slipping out the weapon from where I hid it. "I'll hold onto this.” "Stay away from Daisy," I warned him. "Why? Could it be because you are jealous?" "You disgust me." "I don't think I do. I can read you, and I know you wanted to be in Daisy's place; you wanted to abandon caution, norms and surrender to me, but you will never admit that." "What do you want?" "Simple. You." "You cannot have me, I am not a toy." "If I can't, then he shouldn't either; perhaps I will kill you, just as you attempted to do to m
RILEY…"Daisy!" I called; the smile on my face felt a bit forced."Is something wrong?" she asked, a look of concern in her eyes."Not really. I'm not here to talk to you as the ‘pack healer’ but as a friend.""Oh. Come in then, Luna." She invited me, and I followed her into her apartment. "If this is about your child, then know that this evening would be the perfect time for the visit we previously discussed.""Thank you, that is good news, and I can't wait to see him, but that's not the reason I am here. I wanted to apologize for walking in on you the last time."I knew she must have seen me."No worries, it's fine."“It is not. I shouldn't have come in without your consent.""I forgive you. Daemon said it was no big deal."Again with Daemon, it was like Daisy had been hypnotized; this reminded me how I felt when I had been under Bailey's control, but the only difference was Daisy was a willing participant."That's exactly what I want to talk about; I wanted to talk about you and D
A healer escorted us to the ward Ethan had been kept in. Thane and I walked in, hand in hand.All we could do was watch the baby through the incubator glass, but seeing him for the first time brought me to tears. He was so tiny and beautiful."That's our baby." I whispered. Thane held me close. "He is. And he's going to have the best childhood ever," he promised.I stepped closer to the glass and placed my hands against it. "Momma's here, Ethan."."He looks a lot like you, Thane." I said when we got back from the ward."I disagree; it's the same hair color, but he got your eyes and your very cute nose." Thinking about it, he was right; Ethan got his features from the both of us."I have a surprise for you," Thane says."You do?""Yes.""Where is it?""Close your eyes."I did, and he swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style."I can walk, you know." I protested but I secretly liked being carried around by Thane."I wouldn't want you walking into a pillar, and please, keep your
The barrier disappeared, and finally Thane could get to me."So much for a surprise," he muttered.I passed the pendant to him and he examined it. "For all we know, it could be a piece of junk.""And it could also be useful." I suggested."That too.""Do you trust him?" I asked Thane."No, I don't.".I spent the next week constantly visiting Ethan; I couldn't wait for the time I would finally hold him in my arms. Everything was back to normal—or at least as normal as my life could ever be."I'll be all yours for the evening." Thane says with a wide smile gracing those beautiful lips."What do you suggest we do? Perhaps we could play a game?" I suggested."I'm up for anything, as long as it involves the both of us naked and a whole lot of touching.""I had some other things in my mind, but that would work too."Thane picked me up, dropping me on the bed, I bounced. "Couldn't you be a bit more careful?" I asked jokingly.…..It was late at night when I awoke; Thane was panting in his
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
Maybe Thane was right; I didn't have to push him away. Isabella could stick around, but that didn't mean I would have to leave just so she could be with him. I made a decision. I was going to fight for what belonged to me..When I returned back to Thane's room, I was met with the sight of Thane on the floor, unconscious; claw marks marred his body, and a few more identical marks on Isabella."What's wrong?" I asked her."It happened again, and it's getting worse.""You need a healer.""No, I will heal, and so will he.""How can I help? Just tell me what to do.""Nothing. There is nothing you can do Riley, and it's not safe for you to be around him anymore.""I'll be the one to decide that.""Riley. You need to listen to me. I thought this would work, but it won't. You cannot be around him.""But you can?""Do you know what happened to Logan's mate?""He told you about Logan?" I asked, feeling a bit betrayed."No, he didn't. I've been getting some fragments of my memory back. Logan ha
RILEY"Finally you show up." I muttered, letting Thane in."Are you mad at me?" he asked; of course he sensed that almost immediately."No, I'm not.""You sound mad, Riley.""How did you think I would feel? I hate the fact that you have to be with her.""You said this was what you wanted. I wanted none of this, but I did it for you, and now you are going to put it all on me?""I didn't know what I was thinking.""So does that mean you'll return back to the room and stop all these?"I shook my head but said nothing."When I brought up the idea of both of you in one room, it didn't occur to me that you will both have to share a bed.""You saw that, didn't you?""Yes, I did.""Nothing went on between the both of us.""I know that, but I couldn't help but see how perfectly matched the both of you were. She had her legs wrapped around you, and you seem to enjoy her company. I don't know what to think anymore.""I love you.""Where is it? I keep hearing those words, but I can't see it; I ca
Once again, the bed was empty by the time I awoke. I felt a hollow in my chest; once more, I would have to hold onto the memories he had left, until his next visit. I was sore, but I managed to get out of bed. I took my pills."Good morning," the voice called, and there Daemon sat, still looking through my notebook."You stayed." "Yes, I did.""Why? I mean, I am happy—you know what? Don't answer that."He gave me a small smile, and it might just be the most human thing I had ever seen him do."You don't have to be uncomfortable around me; I won't harm you." he assured. I couldn't come up with anything to say. "It occurred to me that I don't know anything about you — except that you are the pack healer. I didn't know you drew. This drawing is really nice.""Thank you. I have been drawing and painting for years now; it’s something I do to keep calm."This was the most he had said since I knew him, and I wanted to keep the conversation going, but I didn't want to say the wrong words."W
DAISY'S POVIt wasn't the same.When Daemon made love to me, when he bit me, all I felt was pleasure. Maybe I didn't realize it at the beginning, but he had become like an addictive drug, the more I got, the more I wanted. I thought it had just been the bites, and so I had tried getting that from Riley, but it wasn't the same.The Luna knew where he was. Why wouldn't she tell me?Each day, it got worse. I scrolled through my notebook; he occupied every single page.I had drawn him about a hundred times, and yet, I picked up a pen, ready to make another image. This was the only way I could keep myself from losing my mind thinking about him.Twenty minutes later, I was done with a perfect drawing of him. In this drawing he was shirtless, those locks of shiny black hair fell over his eyes. Damn, was he sexy."Hello, Daisy," the voice called.For a moment, I had thought it was all in my mind. It sounded so real. Slowly I turned, and there he stood, yet I couldn't be sure, this could jus
**DAEMON** "I have every reason to kill you." Bruce said to me as he tended to my wound. I should have kept an eye out for Thane; maybe I did underestimate him."I know.""No, you don't. You are a fool if you think you have a chance with my daughter; you don't. Many have tried; she has eyes for only one man.""I've learned from my mistakes; I won't repeat them.""Of course you won't; I will not let you," he says.We were back in Bruce's home. I hated this place; for some reason it made me feel powerless, totally helpless.Bruce had helped me escape from Jade; together we locked her away, but I always felt like I escaped from one prison only to fall into another. Just like Jade, Bruce wanted to control me, but unlike her, he made me feel like I had an option even if I didn't."You gave them the pendant; why?""Why else do you think? I know about what you did to my daughter, against her will.""You don't really care, so stop the pretense.""Is that what you think? That I don't care?Ju
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
"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
"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
"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