/-RAVEN-/ “Mate!”The words escaped my mouth before I realized what I'd said. My wolf growled within me, excited, as the minty scent intoxicated me. No! No! No! This can't be real. There had to be a mix-up. The moon goddess couldn't possibly do this to me. It has to be a trick! Here I was, on top of my father's rival, hands clutched around a silver blade, raised in the air to gut him in the glory of our pack, the Bloodfang Tribe… But somehow he was my mate?My hands trembled as those silver eyes fluttered open.I had barely recovered from the shock when he flipped me over, trapping me underneath him. A dark smirk played on his lips, “Hello, little mate.” My body tensed at the electrifying contact. I could easily have performed a thousand counter moves to get back on top but my brain and my body betrayed me. He knocked the knife off my hands, pinning my hands above my head. “Lady Ariella of HallowClave or perhaps you prefer Raven Ampleton, Alpha princess of the Bloodfang Tribe
/-ALPHA DECLAN-/I woke up feeling like a king, or rather, an alpha. The memories of the previous night's encounter with Raven flooded my mind, and I couldn't help but grin. That woman was something. I'd had my fair share of crazy but Raven was different. Thought of her occupied my mind. After a refreshing shower, I made my way to Raven's cell, curious about her morning mood. She was ready to gut me last night. Who knows maybe she'll be willing to have tea this morning. As I approached, her angry voice echoed through the corridor."Let me out of here, you beast! I'll never submit to you!"That's a no to the tea then, I thought grinning.I chuckled, anticipating the sparks that would fly between us. The attraction we shared was the realest thing I've felt in a long time. "Good morning, sweetheart," I said, leaning against the cell door.Raven's eyes blazed with fury. "Don't call me that!""Ah, but it suits you perfectly," I teased, admiring her tangled hair and sleep-creased face. The
/-RAVEN-/I paced the back and forth in the cold cell, my mind racing with escape plans. Every plan I could think of had a blind spot that would definitely get my ass caught. I needed something extreme. As time went by, it was starting to feel like I'd been locked there forever. The guards' silence was deafening. I could hear them and smell them so I knew they were there. I'd asked them repeatedly about the letter, but they just ignored me."Any update on the letter?" I asked again, trying to keep my voice from showing my frustration.The guard, a big man with enough beard to make Santa Claus envious, grunted. "No questions. Just eat your food."I glared at the stale bread and watery soup. My stomach growled, but I refused to touch it. If they wanted to kill me, then a sword through the heart would have been preferable, not food poisoning. I refused to die shitting out my guts. Just as I was about to ask again, a hissing sound echoed outside the cell, followed by multiple thuds whic
/-RAVEN-/I paced my cell, convinced Declan was lying. Eric would never betray me like that. Never. Eric was the most incredible man I've ever met. He was noble and trustworthy. This kind of behaviour was beneath him. Determined, I scribbled another letter, pouring my heart onto the page. Declan must have torn up the first letter out of spite and had his people draw up the fake wedding invitation. He could have convinced me with the Ampleton seal but any moron could forge that with the right tools. "My dearest Eric,I'm trapped, but my love for you remains unshaken. There are some nasty rumours—never mind about that. I'll escape, and we'll reunite soon.Yours always,Raven"As I finished writing, Declan walked in with a smirk on his face. He eyed me then his eyes shifted to the letter. His expression changed but the annoying smirk stayed in place. "Another love letter?" he teased. “Who knew you were such a romantic?" I glared angrily at him. "Just take it." My eyes grew vicious as
-RAVEN-As Eric Ampleton often warned, my pride would inevitably lead to my ruin. Declan wasn't someone to be trifled with. Behind all that charisma and pleasant smiles lurked a ruthless, cold-hearted man.And here I was, practically serving myself up on a silver platter. My gaze shifted to the towering man in front of me.If I wasn’t shackled, I could have easily taken him down with something as small as a penknife. Though, his axe seemed designed for someone far beyond average.“So…” I attempted to break the silence. “Do I get to deliver a solitary speech, or are you just going to lop off my head?”There was a brief flash of amusement in his eyes, though curiosity was more dominant.“It’s not too late to reconsider,” his rough voice exuded such overwhelming masculinity that I momentarily questioned my decision.He had promised a quick, painless end, but was it really worth it?Without warning, he lifted the axe, and I flinched. Dying hadn’t seemed all that terrifying until this very
/-Raven-/On arrival at the slave chambers, I was met with three other women. I was tempted to walk back outside and ask Tiny Tim if they were all Declan's slaves, but I remained rooted to the spot. The hostile gazes they cast at me were already a huge clue pointing to the fact that they didn't want me here. Good thing, because I didn't want to be here either."That's her?" The blonde in a silky white dress asked."Definitely. Lisa said she had full, messy red hair and calculating green eyes," the brunette responded like I wasn't in the same room with them. The one with dark hair walked to me."I'm Othelia, nice of you to join us," she introduced warmly. I made to take her hand but she retracted it. "I'm sorry, I got tired," she smiled and the others giggled. My eyes narrowed at them. I wasn't here to play their childish games. "What's your name?""Raven," the blonde responded on my behalf. "Haven't you heard of her? The dreaded wolf assassin. The one who men fear across kingdoms."
/-Raven-/I sat in the garden, staring at the dark starless skies. The moon was nowhere to be found. Just plain cold darkness, like my sad miserable life. All my life, I have been caged. Lived by the rules and did all I was told. I trained hard and sought Ampleton's approval in everything, and this is what I got.I shut my eyes, fighting the tears that were stinging my eyes. ‘Have you seen her skin? As rough as a man's!’ Eric's words replayed in my head. I lifted my arms and the palace lights flashed on it. He was right. There were scars all over it, but only one of them stood out. I could still remember that day like it was yesterday. Eight-year-old me, frightened to the bones as he ordered me to jump.Flashback“Please don't kill me… I didn't do it, I swear,” I sobbed, trembling like a leaf before the huge men before me. Their expressions were stern and cruel. Besides them stood the scowling woman, hands on her hips as she glared at me. “You little shit! Are you calling me a li
/-Raven-/“No! No! Let go of me you assholes! I'll fucking kill you!” I growled, struggling against them. Lisa knew how to play the cards. She knew a guard or two wouldn't be able to stop me so she brought five of them. We got outside the palace and they shoved me to the ground. A big mistake on their part. It would have been easier for them to do whatever they wanted if they had me in their grip. Now, they just fucked up. I stood slowly, clenching my fists as I took in all their movements. “What are you waiting for? Seize her!” Lisa yelled and they came closer. In one swift motion, I kicked the sand in their faces, momentarily blinding two of them. I lunged forward, elbowing one in the git and twisting another's arm behind his back.For a moment I felt a flash of satisfaction. I'd rather die than let those bastards strip me. “What are you morons doing? Hold her down!” Lisa yelled in panic as more guards scrambled to suppress me. “Don't go for her one at a time, you fools. Gr
/-Skylar-/I barely had time to breathe before the next set of guards stormed in. Taylor didn’t even flinch as they surrounded me, his expression bored, like he already knew the outcome.I could still taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth from the last fight, but I squared my shoulders. If he thought I was going to roll over and play victim, he had another thing coming."Think carefully before you make your next move, Skylar," Taylor said smoothly, adjusting the cuffs of his suit like this was just another day at the office. "You're outnumbered, and I’d hate for you to break too soon.""Funny," I shot back, rolling my shoulders. "I was just thinking the same thing about your guys."Taylor chuckled. "Cocky. I like that. It will be fun to watch you eat your words.."I didn’t wait for them to strike first. The moment one of them stepped forward, I lunged.I caught him off guard, slamming my palm into his nose with a sickening crunch. Blood spurted as he staggered back, cursing. An
/-Skylar-/The morning came quicker than I imagined and I hated to leave Ava. She was so fun to be with and very… Well, let's just say her mind was competing with a mud puddle. I was on the streets, ready to hail a cab back to Kai's mansion when a car parked in front of me. I stepped back, a little confused as to why the car was stopping in front of me. The door opened and two guards stepped out of the car. They began matching for me and I took to my heels. I didn't know what they wanted but I sure as hell knew they were not Kai's guards. Geez, how many people have I offended already?I didn't know what they wanted from me or who they were from but I wasn't ready to find out. I bolted down the street, my heart hammering against my ribs. The early morning crowd barely spared me a glance as I weaved through them, my breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. Whoever these guys were, they had to be GM dangerous and I wasn't going to stick around to find out what they were capable of.
/-Skylar-/The situation was awkward so I did the only thing that made sense to me. I cleared my throat and they jerked away from each other. They were both shocked to see me. Khaid immediately pulled his member out of her mouth and fixed it in his pants. “Didn't you say she was locked away? What is she doing here?” Khaid shamelessly scolded Ava. I couldn't even be angry at her, instead, I felt sorry for her. Of all the men she had to go after, it had to be this useless one. Ava managed to rise to her feet and approached me. She took my hand but I didn't push her away. Khaid was not worth fighting for. “How… I thought he said you couldn't leave until we paid the full money. How come you're here?” She asked. “Well, he finally decided to let me to work for him and gave me permission to go home but then I come home to see this?” I crossed my arms. Shame washed through her. “I swear, it is not what you think, Sky,” she started.“Really? What is it then? I'm all ears,” I said.“I…
/-Skylar-/That jerkface!I should have known that he was going to pull something like this. But I couldn't even brimg myself to be pissed at him.For the first time since I took over this miserable body, I actually felt like myself again. Like Raven. To think that was such an easy kill to. I needed to learn about guns too. They seemed a lot more exciting than blades. I went to the kitchen to help myself with some water. The delicious smell of food caught my attention. I followed the scent, my stomach reminding me that I hadn’t eaten since this whole mess started.Anders was at the stove, stirring something in a pan. He glanced at me over his shoulder, then smirked. "Didn’t take you for the type to actually eat, Anderson."I rolled my eyes. "What, you think I run on pure spite?"He shrugged. "Wouldn’t be surprised."I grabbed a plate from the cabinet and leaned against the counter. "What’s for dinner?""Whatever I felt like making," he said, dumping a portion onto my plate. "You’r
/-Kai-/I watched from the security feed as Skylar walked out with Anders.She was too calm. Too confident.Most people, when given their first job, hesitated. Second-guessed.She didn’t.I leaned back in my chair, fingers tapping against the desk. She wasn’t just skilled. She was dangerous. The way she moved, the way she read through that file like it was nothing… she wasn’t new to this.She’d done it before. Many times.The question was, who had trained her? And why the hell was she in debt to me if she was this capable?Anders thought he was keeping an eye on her.I had a feeling she’d be the one keeping an eye on him.I smirked, lighting a cigarette as I watched them disappear from the cameras.She was… unexpected. I’d assumed she was all talk, that she’d freeze when the real test came. But she hadn’t hesitated once. Not when I threw her the knife. Not when I handed her the file.And now, not when she was walking into her first job under me like she already knew how it would end.
/-Skylar-/Kai thought I hesitated.He was wrong.I could’ve slit his throat without a second thought. The only reason I didn’t was because I wasn’t done figuring him out yet. I didn’t kill unless it benefited me. And right now, keeping him alive was more useful than watching him bleed out at my feet.But if he wanted to test me, fine.I’d play along.Kai smirked as he studied me, his sharp gaze searching for weakness. “Let’s see what you’re really made of,” he said.I leaned against the table, arms crossed. “Finally. So what’s the job?”His smile widened like I’d just amused him. “Eager, aren’t we?”“I like getting things done.”Kai turned to one of his men. “Bring the file.”A moment later, a thick manila folder was placed in front of me. I flipped it open, scanning the documents inside. A name. A face. Locations. Patterns.A politician. Low-level, but important enough to be a problem for someone.I smirked. “This it?”Kai tilted his head. “Disappointed?”“I was expecting something
/-Kai-/Her little chubby friend came back. I couldn't quite remember her name but she was here to pay off her friend's debt. She looked so frightened that I was afraid she would pass out. She was acting as though I was scary. I mean, I know I was, but her friend didn't seem to see that. “Is it complete?” I asked her. “No,” she mumbled. “But it's half of the amount.”“Then you shouldn't have bothered coming,” I told her. “It's a waste of both our time and time is very valuable to me.” She shivered, glancing warily at the armed men around her. “I… I just want to show that I am making an effort. I didn't want you to hurt her. I know I can raise everything if you give me a little more time,” she pleaded and I suddenly remembered that I did make a threat that delay would attract a pound of flesh. “Noted,” I said, aware that her gaze lingered on me a little too long. “Anything else?” She immediately shook her head. “Can I please see her? Even if it is for a few minutes?” I wanted t
/-Skylar-/There was a woman in the house.And she wasn't alone. There were children with her. Two of them. None about seven years if I was right. She was sitting in the living room, legs crossed with a drink in hand, watching tv, while her boys played around. The minute we stepped into the living room, the boys came running towards him. “Daddy! Daddy!” They squealed in excitement, running into his arms. I froze for several seconds. He was married?A wave of disgust hit me. So all the while he was busy flirting and sleeping around with different women, he had a wife who was probably at home, waiting everyday for him to come home. I was going to shoot him a look of disdain when I felt one on me already. I soon realized that his wife was glaring at me. I felt insulted. Of all the men in the world, she thought I'd settle for her husband just because of his food looks?“You didn't tell me you were coming, Gwen,” Kai said. There was no warmth in his voice, no remorse, no happiness,
/-Skylar-/A smirk played on his lips as I joined them. “I see you finally decided to stand up for yourself,” Sebastian said. I didn't say anything to him and just sat down. “Care for a drink?”I modded and he poured me a drink. I glanced back to see Kai standing metres away from me. His eyes were no longer playful or mischievous. He was pissed. I could feel his fucking gaze burn through me. I accepted the drink from Sebastian and downed it in one gulp. “Hey guys, this is Skylar, a new friend of mine and of course, our new drinking partner,” he introduced me. “Skylar, these are my friends. Sarah, Mykel and Anthony.” “Nice to meet you,” I said to them but they simply nodded and went back to minding their business. I didn't mind either. I wasn't ready for that much of a conversation either. Kai began walking towards me but before he could reach me, he was surrounded by his numerous bed mates. “Want to see something cool?” Sebastian asked me. “Yeah, why not?” I shrugged. “It's ou