Lenora Moping like a ghost, I felt isolated, with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. A few hours had passed since CJ's announcement, and ever since, I felt like I'd just swallowed a gallon of lemons. I perched on a chair in the inner part of the living room, listening to the sound of laughter filling the air, and watched women swirl and dance gracefully, all dressed in colorful dresses.Laughing, they swayed with jubilant energy to an Oriental beat, the chorus of the lyrics was The sun will rise in the morning. Their energy was beautiful. The kind that made you forget about everything bad for a little while. The women were all gorgeous. Not one was ugly or unattractive.The kitchen was packed with women and piles of delicious food. The women served themselves a couple of glasses of wine and tea. CJ and the men had headed out while the women continued their form of entertainment, dancing and playing charades, while the elder ones sat near the fireplace telling stories.I didn't
Lenora My eyelids fluttered open, adjusting to the soft morning light. I blinked, finding myself in this unfamiliar bed with a floral-patterned ceiling above my head.Then I relaxed, settling back onto the bed, remembering that I was in CJ's bedroom, a human now living among werewolves who didn't like me. Hurrah! Turning my head, I expected to find CJ beside me, but he was nowhere to be found, and the side of his bed was cold, which meant that he had been gone for quite some time. I wondered if CJ was even going to have time for me, considering the activities that were cut out for him.Rising, I stretched my arms above my head and yawned, entering the bathroom and squeezing a dollop of minty toothpaste onto my brush.After brushing my teeth, I splashed my face with cool water from a crystal glass bowl and returned to the bedroom. It was time to call my dad. Making excuses to postpone the call, my subconscious warned me to go ahead and place the call. My stomach rolled and my fing
CJAfter Harrison and I stepped out of the dining room, we had a meeting with the pack's financial team. They laid out a series of documents arranged to showcase the pack's financial health, including the income statement that showed how much the pack earned and spent.I yawned, feeling overwhelmed as they forwarded the balance sheet. Accounting has never been my strong suit. I was more concerned about defeating Giovanni. The bastard had taken a portion of our land and financial investments. If we didn't do anything about it, we would go into debt."We need to go to war," I said with a soft, warning tone. Harrison scratched the back of his head to hide his confusion, looking unconvinced."Isn't there another way we can get rid of him? Like sending secret assassins?" he suggested."I'll never do that," I snapped, my tone chilly. "I'm no coward. I must make him pay for his wrongs by rising and taking what rightfully belongs to me in the presence of the whole world."Blood rushed into
LenoraI stood out of sight, overhearing CJ cautioning Mariselle about accepting me. His tone had become chilly and my mind fluttered away in anxiety.My emotions hung in the balance, and as much as I was happy that CJ was putting his daughter in her place, I didn't want them fighting because of me. That was going to complicate the already difficult situation we were in. "Mariselle, you have to accept her, whether you like it or not," CJ insisted, wagging a finger at her. "There are so many people in our world that would never accept her because she's human. Don't forget that werewolf society can be unforgiving. Don't you fear for her safety? India said she would make a very terrible Luna.""To hell with India and her stupid analogy. Does she think she's that good?" CJ snapped, making Mariselle's eyes widen."Dad, she's downstairs and can hear you.""Read my lips," CJ stated firmly. "I don't care. With or without your consent, I'm going to be with Lenora for the rest of my life. And
Lenora I stood at the edge of the clearing, feeling left out and a pang of loneliness. I was the odd one out and a huge part of my brain registered that things weren't going to change anytime soon. Despite how I pretended that this wasn't affecting me, I felt hollow inside. I missed home and my dad, but I couldn't go back without CJ. My selfish side wished he'd stayed in Eldridge. I wanted that part of our lives where all that mattered was giving and receiving love. This place was complicating things and making my energy level dangerously low. Watching them, I admired their communal synergy. The young ones were playing with sand, and girls my age were throwing subtle winks at the men to get their attention.I craned my neck, scanning the clearing in search of CJ. I spotted him walking past with his usual confident swagger. Our eyes met, and a warm smile spread across his face, instantly turning me into a mess.He stopped in his tracks and blew me a kiss, causing me to flush. I fe
LenoraThank you so much, Magda. My heart is full," I spoke with eagerness to the healer hours later. We had such a great time today and spent the whole time talking like we had known each other forever. The woman was old and lonely, needing someone to listen to her. I wasn't a nosey person but from the snippets I gathered, her husband died a long time ago, leaving her with a daughter who had died ten years ago. Her grandkids didn't belong to CJ's pack, so they stayed with their dad. The gold in her eyes flickered with excitement. "You're welcome, dear. I'm glad you enjoyed our time together. Remember, you don't have to be a stranger. If you have any issues or need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.""Of course I do, but it's getting late. I should head back home now so CJ doesn't worry too much about me." She smiled with a beautiful candor. Despite her age, she looked good. It made me wonder how beautiful she must have been in her yesteryears. "Of course. Let me walk
CJ⚠️Warning! This scene contains graphic details and violence. I felt nothing but unexplainable joy in the gnashing of teeth and tearing of flesh. Roaring with primal fury, a mad giggle escaped my lips as I watched life drain through one of Giovannie's most powerful warriors who lay on the floor with reeking guts. The idiot was strong and tall – almost as tall as me, but he never knew tonight would be his last. My heart pounded with delight at my victory. I would have been lying if I said that I had not enjoyed killing these men.The war grew intense as bloodied warriors fought for each other’s lives. The air was heavy with the scent of sweat, blood, and silver bullets; and my nostrils got clogged with the smoke of burning torches. It felt so good to be in a battle. This was my home. This was where I belonged, where I needed to be, unlike the lecture hall in Eldridge. Only this world mattered. I was in my human form, but most of my men were fighting in their wolf form. Their cl
Lenora Many hours had passed, yet there was no sign of CJ and his men. Worry seeped into my veins like a fog. Although I knew CJ was strong and would defeat Giovanni and his men, I couldn't stop pacing back and forth in the bedroom or sitting still. I had no idea of how werewolves fought their wars, but from the flashbacks I had of CJ and Kilian's fight, they fought dirty, so brutal that the image haunted me whenever I remembered, leaving behind a horrible taste in my mouth and heart. I became antsy, afraid that something bad had happened to CJ. Mariselle leaned against the door frame, her facial expression also mirroring mine."Any updates?" She shook her head, sipping a cup of hot cocoa and staring at the wall behind me. "He'll be fine," I said, trying to ease some of my anxiousness and convince myself as much as Mariselle. "They are six hours late, and we're not allowed to leave the damn house. The war between our pack and Killian's is far from over because his dad is a blood