Patricia
I've never been powerful or memorable.
When I was younger, my pack members laughed and bullied me and called me fat Patty, but their menacing voices made my skin thicker even as their words burned me.
Tears were replaced with resolution. I became a lone wolf and someone convinced I didn't need any helping hand to survive. The lines around my eyes grew darker, and my inner poison and resentment for the alpha who treated me like shit turned me into a bitter woman.
But when Dior touched me, my barriers collapsed. My flesh shone like the skies and heavens. He kissed me, pressed me up against the tiled wall while my soul begged to be seen and held in his arms. And he gave it to me, everything that I ever wanted—for the first time in my life, I was lost and found.
I clench my fists as I pass the walls where my name is written in red blood. Some letters are small, whereas others are capitalized. The entire house reeks of magic and darkness.
AliceWilliam transforms back into a human. He seems weak and uses a nearby tree for support. I shudder at the view. William looks so different from how I remember him at Dior's birthday party. The surrounding aura is darker, sadder and his face is wrung with anger."You shouldn't be here, Alice!"The fury aimed at me doesn't change that I find William hot and alluring. The man is naked, for goodness' sake, and it's hard as hell not to let my eyes drift further south!"I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be!" I snap at him.William approaches me, eyeing the door with apparent fury, making me step in front of him. He lifts an eyebrow when I spread my arms, and a wintry smile spreads over those lips."Let me pass.""No!" I hold up my chin fiercely, not afraid of challenging the imposing alpha, even if he is twice my size. "Patricia is inside, and I won't let you enter the mansion! I will guard my best friend with my life, and I'm sorry, b
PatriciaMerging with Finn is like opening my eyes for the very first time and realizing there are so many things in the world that I've missed. I've been staring at a black-and-white photograph my entire life, and now there are sudden colors I've never noticed.When I run, the winds are whispering in my ears, snickering and dancing around my feet. They sink into my skin and touch my bones, letting me know they have accepted me as their new master.Finn hums inside my head with a smile in his tone. 'Oh, it feels so good to use our feet... Ehem, paws!''Our paws?' I question.Finn speaks in an almost flirtatious voice. 'Your paws are my paws. Right now, we are one, Patricia.''I'm not sure how to feel about that! Please don't tell me your voice will haunt me in the shower and in other inappropriate places!' I shudder at the thought of Finn seeing me naked.'To be honest, you're not my type—I like older women,' Finn chuckles. 'And
DiorEndless darkness surrounds me. It circles my throat and licks my skin as I'm searching for an exit. I want to run, but there is nowhere to flee. Voices are snickering in my ears, telling me to tread carefully or they will tear me apart.They overestimate me—I've already succumbed and given up. My soul has been ripped in the middle, and my hope has been blown out like a candle. I'm unable to sort my thoughts in the dark and remember who I am.And where the hell am I?!I flail around, entirely blind, until I see a flickering light. Without thinking, I approach it, desperate to get away from the everlasting night. Someone might be there—fires don't go igniting themselves."Hello?" I call out into the dark. "Anybody there?"There isn't a reply as I walk through what feels like sand underneath my naked feet. I'm not sure how long I mooch, but a bubble of hope lifts from my chest the moment I near a crackling fire. At first, I thi
Patricia I wake up on the couch inside of the house I share with Alice. Finn is sitting on the floor, engaged in a silent, staring competition with Elijah, who has taken a chair across from us. Wesley is standing behind him, and so are Riley and Brad. My initial reaction is to sit straight and prepare for battle, but Finn places a hand on my leg, shaking his head. "These people aren't here to fight you. I believe they want you to rejoin their pack," Finn says and turns his attention back to Elijah, who is glancing between us with curious cat-eyes. I remind myself to stay on my guard even as I part my lips. Elijah and Wesley might be friends of mine, but I don't the other two standing in the room to be my friends. "Where is Alice?" I ask. Elijah speaks. "Upstairs with William, he is in poor condition, and she is tending to his wounds." I nod. "I see." Elijah interlocks his fingers and bends forward to scan me. His eyes a
Patricia As I'm chewing, a hundred thoughts are racing through my mind. I see images of myself using Finn's wind magic and the beastly Dior being hefted off the ground and thrown into a car. Did I end up killing him? "I have a question." Everyone who is gathered around the table gives me their attention. Riley glances between Elijah and me, and I observe the vampire wipe his mouth with a tissue, readying himself to speak. Wesley might be the beta, but it seems Elijah is the one running the operations. I don't blame Wesley for letting his mate be in charge, though. Elijah is intelligent and has lived for so long that he also has enough life experience to make hard decisions. Elijah takes a deep breath, calm and gathered like royalty. "I know what you're going to ask, and we locked him up in your basement." I drop my taco shell. "You did what?" Everyone gives me questioning looks—Wesley raises his eyebrows, and I facepalm. I'm be
Alice "Quit being such a baby!" I exclaim, highly frustrated by the stubborn, cream-colored wolf taking up my entire bed. William refuses to change back into a human, determined to make this a hundred times more complicated. His paws are dangling from the king-sized bed, and the poor mattress creaks underneath his monstrous weight, telling me I need to visit IKEA if I ever want to sleep comfortably again. I growl in frustration. "You have to let me clean your wounds no matter how much it stings!" Wiliam growls right back at me, causing me to sigh. I squeeze the saline solution in my hand, and the wolf observes me with vivid suspicion, showing me his white teeth. "Actually, why am I even afraid of you?" I question and throw caution to the wind as I near the angry wolf. "You will not hurt me since you seem willing to throw yourself at monsters for my sake!" William's expression turns grumpy, even for a wolf. A low growl starts in his thr
Patricia I open the fridge to take out some milk while my bread is in the toaster. Light is dancing in through the window, and Finn is happily eating a burnt toasted sandwich. It was his first attempt using the toaster, and he insisted he didn't need to try making another one. The bread turned black, but his eyes glittered with happiness the moment he realized he had 'cooked' his first meal. I observe Finn from the kitchen counter in secret. My heart might belong to a particular alpha, but that doesn't mean that I'm blind—Finn is cute. He is way bigger and taller than the type I usually ogle at the bar, but then again, so is Dior. "This is so tasty!" Finn licks his fingers before turning to face me, wide-eyed and on the prowl for more toast. I honestly don't understand where the food is disappearing—I've never seen him use the toilet. I sigh and hand him the plate with my luxurious toast. "Fine! You can have my Patricia special with cheese and tomato.
Patricia Two weeks later. Five minutes ago, I held a speech in front of the entire Winterbite pack, telling them that June and the Summerburst pack had threatened to unleash war upon us. I also informed them that William, the other pack's former alpha, is now on our side and my new bodyguard. Not that the news about William surprises anybody since the werewolf has been fighting with us against the zombie creatures every night since they started appearing more frequently. I take a deep breath and change back into a human to let the chilly rain land on my burning skin. We are out in a flower field, where most Winterbite members joined in howling at the moon and officially accepted me as their new luna. But while there are primarily smiles and people loving the idea of letting me lead, there are also those who are unhappy. For example, Riley and Brad are standing under a tree together with a group of young werewolves from school. They are
Maya Epilogue A few years later. "What is it?" I tilt my head and smile down at my daughter. It's Christmas, and Finn is busy cooking our grand feast with Kyra and my mother. Elijah is drinking wine with Alice and my father. The pack is happy, and while I'm not friends with Bianca anymore, it finally feels as if I'm home. Everything is as it should be. "You need to open it." I stand up from the couch and sit down on the floor next to Elvira. "Here, let me help you!" Elvira beams and laughs as I help her open the enormous package. She has Finn's pointed ears, but she can already shape-shift into a wolf—one with gorgeous wings. It seems she has inherited a lot from us both. "A unicorn!" Her eyes are radiating joy. "I got my own unicorn!" I laugh. "Yes, you do!" "I'm so amazed!" I sit back and smile at Elvira, who is on top of the world and holding up her XXL stuffed toy for the world to see
Maya I throw myself at Lily, snapping and biting while the people looking at our duel are shouting and whistling. Kyra is rooting for me, but I can't face my friends—I'm too invested in the fight. Finn must be worried, but seeing his expression might throw me off my game, so I continue my battle without distractions. I can't lose. Lily fights with anger, and darkness follows her with every attempted bite at my neck. Her shadow is growing, and half the sky turns black. Our fight suddenly turns into a battle of day and night. Darkness threatens to conquer the sky, but I force out light since I have to win. My blood is boiling and my frustration from all the years Lily spent harassing me offers me motivation. I bite at her shoulder, headbutt her stomach, and slash her face. Lily whimpers and falls to the ground, where I bend down to maul her. Blood splashes everywhere, and I know I've officially won the battle. Lily is still breat
Maya Lily is already waiting for us when we step out of the car. The entire block is emptied of ordinary people, and the skies above us are dark and eerie as if set for a battle. Werewolves from the Winterbite pack surround us; countless of them bare their teeth and growl viciously. They all seem ready to slaughter us if their alpha, Lily, decides to snap her fingers. Elijah glances around, baring his teeth to hiss at the wolves. Veins appear on his face, and Kyra widens her eyes at the sight of her vampire mate. I'm guessing she has never seen Elijah's true colors; regardless, newfound respect shines in her eyes. It seems even she understands that the vampire isn't to be underestimated. "I don't like this," Finn says as he takes in our surroundings. His wings spread out from his back, although the only reason for him to fight is if I lose against Lily. "Me neither," Kyra agrees. "Why are they all staring at us?" Lily chuckles.
Maya The sky is cloudy, and rain is patting against the window as my new pack members, and I drive through a sleepy village. I'm tired of the view, and my head won't stop spinning and thinking about the upcoming fight taking place tomorrow. I'm about to challenge my sister, Lily. I shudder at the thought, knowing it won't be easy to win against her since she isn't a weakling. My sister controls the darkness while the light listens to my command—we are opposites of each other, yet I intend to win. Or more like I have to win. Lily is keeping everyone a prisoner. She has turned the Winterbite pack into something not to be proud of—the female alpha doesn't allow anyone to have a different opinion, and if you stand up against her, she will throw you to the sharks. She isn't a good alpha. 'You will be a better one,' Lumi says in a calm tone. 'Hard times breed strong women, and you've gone through hell and survived—the storm h
Maya I splash cold water up at my face, meeting my angry, determined eyes in the mirror. It's soon time to face my fate. Lily has plagued me with her nasty words from the first day in high school. She looked down upon me and laughed at me for not having an inner wolf. Even though we are sisters, she spat in my face and bullied me until I saw no other option than escape from my hometown. I left my old town behind. I abandoned my pack. I cut off the ties I had with my family, and now, I'm taking it all back. I'm angry, pissed off because Lily thinks she can do whatever the fuck she wants without consequences. But she is wrong. She killed Elijah's mate. She hurt our father, kidnapped Bianca, and I will make her pay. 'We will make her pay,' Lumi corrects me. 'Remember that I want in on this too. We will take our rightful place as the alpha of the Winterbite clan, and then NO ONE will laugh at us again.' 'I will become the a
Kyra I wake up to Elijah pulling the curtain to the side. The sunlight streams inside of the room like an unwelcome guest, and the vampire laughs when I hiss. I drag the bedsheet over my head, and the vampire sits down at the edge of the bed. "Please pull back the curtain..." I beg. Elijah chuckles in amusement. "If I didn't know better, I would say you're acting more than a vampire than I do." I speak from under the bedsheet. "Don't your kind like the sun?" "Usually not," he exhales, seeming to drag his hands over his thighs."I love the sun, but the light burns my skin unless I wear a daylight ring. I'm an original vampire, one of the first. I won't die, but the sun still hurts." Slowly, I uncover my face, meeting his red eyes. My mate smiles at me, and it hits me that Elijah must be bored. He watched me sleep for the entire duration of the night and probably can't wait to leave the bed behind. Embarrassingly enough, I vaguely
Maya I'm stirring my milkshake while walking in the park together with Finn after sunset. The future concerns me, and I sigh. "No offense, but how am I supposed to beat Lily? Last time I checked, I don't possess any offensive abilities." Finn glances down at me, smiling. "Because only the light can defeat the darkness. It doesn't matter what you throw at the shadow creepers—sticks and stones, fire, water, earth, or even lightning can't beat them." 'Finn is right,' Lumi says. 'You're the only person who can put an end to your sister's dictatorship. She wasn't made for the role of alpha. No matter what, we have to defeat her.' I grimace. "I don't even remember how to shape-shift." Finn laughs, tapping my shoulder. "That's why we are here in the park at night. You can transform here, and..." he shrugs. "Pretend to be my oversized dog if someone sees you." My lips twitch. "You haven't seen my wolf's form when you're a human—are you
Kyra Elijah is bouncing me up and down on his cock. It's fantastic, his cock is so thick, but his piercing gaze is hard to swallow. I've been avoiding his eyes for the entire duration, embarrassed by the sounds leaving my lips. What if he is embarrassed by me? "Kyra...?" I suppress the urge to moan when he lifts his ass from the ground, thrusting deeply into me. Oh-my-fucking-god. Elijah is a beast. I see stars and grow weak in my limbs. "Kyra, look at me." I don't listen. "Kyra..." Elijah slows his speed, and the building pleasure stops growing, forcing me to bounce faster. But Elijah stills my legs, holding me in place as he speaks. "If you want my cock, then you need to look at me." The authoritative tone in his voice got me peering down at him. Elijah smiles in satisfaction. He looks downright delicious, with his captivating abs and mischievous eyes. I squeeze my legs, knowing I'm about a hundred times wetter. How t
Kyra I might die from a heart attack any second now. I'm standing in the shower booth and finding it harder to stand straight as Elijah enters through the door. When my mate offered to get me cleaned up and took me to a human hotel, I didn't expect him to have hidden motives—I was wrong. As warm water pours over my head, I stand there, jaw slacking to the floor as I take in the adonis closing the door behind him. Elijah looks like he just stepped out of every woman's wet dream. He is entirely naked, making it impossible not to drool over his bulging biceps, muscular chest, and flat, washboard abs. I count the ridges and lose all breath of air. Perhaps I am more into men than I initially thought? Piercing red eyes that are even more intense now that we are both naked meet mine. Elijah smiles at me, a crooked half-smile that makes my heart seize in my chest and my belly tighten in suspense. He looks keen to eat me alive, and I'm horrifie