SCARLETTAbsentmindedly, I took down a customer’s coffee and pastry order and passed it to the chef’s assistant before letting my mind drift back to the one thought that’d been on a loop in my head.It’s been a little over a week, yet, Ken’s death hasn’t stopped weighing on my fragile heart.No matter how much I thought of it, Ken’s punishment wasn’t worth his offense. In fact, no one should be that quick to kill anyone else, not even a powerful hybrid that thinks he can strut around with the world in his palms.It’s baffling and frankly unnerving that he would kill a man over gossip that died out in hours.But at the same time, it made sense that he’d be capable of doing something like that and seeing no wrong in it. Besides, he’d ruined hundreds of lives when he closed down countless businesses and didn’t feel a tad bit apologetic about it.That bastard ruined my life and acted like it was a normal day in the office and I’d overreacted about it.Well, good riddance to bad rubbish. N
SCARLETTThey shouldn’t be, but my eyes are glued to Alex’s body. Every enticing inch of him seems to be appealing to a side of me that’s much stronger than my sanity.He has the body of a god, every inch of him sculpted to perfection, jaw-dropping perfection to be exact.Any normal person, any person whose brain was screwed on correctly would turn around and leave before he notices, but apparently I’m abnormal. Because I don’t move, I just drool over how his muscles flex beautifully as he runs a strong hand through his luscious hair.Christ, he’s fucking hot. So hot that every part of my body has been set aflame.Suddenly, he turned around and my eyes traveled to his humongous dick first, and I felt a tingle in my core begging to feel every inch of it. I bet he’d stretch me wonderful lengths beyond my imagination if he was inside me.“You know, you must be really desperate in your gold digging ploy,” his voice made my eyes snap to his face, “seeing as you followed me outside just to
SCARLETTShame flooded my entire being in an unforgiving way as I changed to fresh clothes in the cabin.I felt like there was a stench of the godforsaken act I’d just engaged in hovering and clinging to every inch of my skin as I hurried out of the cabin and into the house. I practically ran up the stairs as several voices in my head pointed accusing fingers at me.Immediately I was in the privacy of my room, I slammed the door shut, peeled my clothes off quickly and stormed into the bathroom.I turned on the shower to the hottest temperature and used all my might to scrub off the shame lingering all over me. No matter how much I tried, it seemed impossible to wash off the fact that I’d let my step-brother fuck the living daylight out of me at seven fucking a.m and I’d enjoyed every single moment of it.Again, I scrubbed and scrubbed until my skin was sore, but the memories were too fresh and I kept failing to get rid of the shame snowballing in my head.My alarm went off signifying
LOGANAll the questionable, merciless, and distasteful things I’d done over the years had never left me feeling guilty. Not one act had stirred guilt or pity in me, no matter how many people it’d affected because I saw the world through morally gray lenses that no one could clean up.Well, until over a week ago when I ravaged that whore’s body until my erection felt hard enough to poke a hole in my pants.Fucking hell.What on earth possessed me to touch her? All I’d gone there to do was feed on her—for my satisfaction, since she had mindlessly amazing blood—and make her scream in pain the entire time.You thought that was a good plan despite knowing she was a blood whore? the guilt gnawing at my insides mocked me.Of course, it was a foolish plan from the get-go, but I’d tried my hardest to cause her real pain when I realized that feeding from her neck wasn't enough. However, she seemed to be made from something the gods forged in the pits of doom because as the pain intensified, so
SCARLETT“This doesn't affect your pay per hour, missy,” Blake said while locking up the Cafe.I charged in defense. “Who says I was worried about that? You're the best boss ever, I’m sure you've got us covered.”He laughed as he walked towards his car.“Well, I peeked at you through the corner of my eye while locking up and I thought that's the reason you had a frown on,” he opened the passenger’s door for me as usual.Oh, that frown.That was the result of bubbles of nervousness in the pit of my stomach. The moxie fundraiser was today and I had no idea what to wear, I also felt like I’d stick out like a sore thumb in the midst of the filthy rich people attending.“Well, what was the frown for?” Blake probed as he started the engine.“I’m just a bit nervous about tonight, that's all,” I said playfully but I knew he could pick up on the hints that it wasn't a joke.“Put your mind at ease love, I promise to make sure everything’s just right,” he assured me.***And man, did Blake alway
SCARLETTBlake’s arm remained roped through mine when we finally made it past the sea of paparazzi and into the main hall.The live streaming shows I’d watched of the Moxie fundraiser did it no justice. It was the same venue every year, but some of the places I’d just spotted have never been shown on camera, the entire place was exquisite and flowing with rich people and celebrities I’d never dreamed of seeing this close.“Blake Vaughn? Who would’ve thought!” A woman in her thirties that could pass as a teenager because of her skimpy dress greeted Blake, ogling him openly.“Mrs. Chauncey, what a lovely surprise,” he shook her hand then turned to me, “this is Scarlett, a new addition to our family and my esteemed date for the night.”I reached out to shake her and she scrutinized me with a razor gaze while only shaking the tip of my red manicured nails.She talked Blake’s ear off, touching his chest at intervals and laughing like he was a stage clown when he barely said anything funny.
SCARLETTMy initial shock morphed into mind numbing panic when he remained quiet.I had to get out of the restroom before he got any closer to me, but I didn't know how that’d be possible. Still, I took a few cautious steps back, and summoned all my courage to challenge him.“What're you doing here? Last time I checked, it's the ladies restroom,” I put on a bold face despite the chill turning my spine into ice.He ran a hand through his sleek hair and some strands covered his brow making him look like a model straight of a vogue magazine.“You should know the answer to that,” he looked me over like a piece of meat, but the anger that was always in his eyes was present, “seeing as you came in looking a slut begging to be fucked.”It shouldn't have, but his words sent a spark right to my core.“What's it with you and thinking that everything I do revolves around you?” I hissed, I couldn't let him catch on to the fact that his dirty words stirred me.He didn't answer, he just watched me
SCARLETTShame became anger, and my eyes suddenly darted at the person whose fault my current predicament was.Alex.“I can’t go back in because your scent is all over me, thank you,” I blurted angrily, my teeth gritted in annoyance.An amused look danced in his eyes as he unlocked the latch, looking sinfully handsome and put together despite having turned me into a whimpering mess mere seconds ago.“Why’re you so scared of people finding out about your true self? Don't you get sick of playing pretend?” his only pleasure was derived from taunting me, I hated it, “you're not fooling anyone, anyways.”I was so pissed that I could feel smoke coming out of my ears as I glared at him. But before I could think up a retort, he’d walked out the door and slammed it shut like he didn't care for my response.“Ugh!!!” I groaned angrily as I thought of a way out.There was no way I could return to the event reeking of Alex like we’d been merged, flesh and blood. Yeah, no fucking way!I dragged in
SCARLETT “How many minutes apart are your contractions?” “Can you feel the pups crowning already?” “Should I get the midwives?” My husbands circled around me like vultures readying their prey, asking me a million and one questions like I was not as clueless about childbirth as they were. They’d read a library worth of childbirth and parenting books from the moment I found out I was pregnant and yet they were as nervous as a completely ignorant parent would be. “Stop hovering over her, please,” Hyacinth sighed and rolled her eyes as she walked into the birthing room, “the birthing process will begin any moment and I’ll need you all to either be quiet and or absent so I can get to work.” They all murmured amongst each other before finally falling quiet. “I’m going to give you a mild anesthetic so you don’t feel a thing and sleep through it, alright?” she turned to me with a kind smile and I nodded. I felt nerves already wrecking my body upon hearing that, I was reminded of the c
LOGANThree long yet amazing months went by and the D-day finally arrived. I couldn’t believe that I was about to be married to Scarlett and it seemed that neither Blake nor Alex could believe it seeing how nervous they were while getting dressed for the ceremony. We’d watched her become the best version of herself in the last three months and judging from all the power and potential she radiated, even three Vaughn men might not be enough of a match for her. Still, I was beyond elated to see what a marriage as unique as ours had in store for us in the coming years. And for the rest of our lives. “I still can’t figure this shit out!” Blake whined as he wrongly knotted his tie for the hundredth time and Alex and I laughed at him. “If you’re too nervous to knot your tie, maybe you should just sit out the wedding ceremony,” Alex teased him. “Yeah, it’s a small wedding anyways. We’ll just add your name to the marriage certificate and crop you into the pictures for the wedding album,” I
SCARLETTWe did it? “Yeah, we fucking did it,” Logan’s excited response made me realize that I’d asked that question out loud instead of in my head as I’d assumed. “And that’s only because you had the balls to put yourself on the line when we weren’t willing to take that risk,” Alex added, flipping a pancake effortlessly with a slight tilt of the pan. Inwardly, I rolled my eyes at his stellar skills, wondering how he was able to pull that off when I couldn’t even do it while carefully using a frying spoon. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you’re no longer focused on our victory over the Shahato and you’re now hating on everyone that can make a proper pancake unlike you,” Blake said through a chuckle. I narrowed my eyes at him, picking a grape off my plate and throwing it at his head for teasing me. “Ow!” he exclaimed when it hit his forehead. “Serves you right,” I grinned before taking a generous bite of my sandwich. That led to back and forth banter, and as much a
SCARLETTAgain, they’d come to my rescue at the perfect moment.Unlike the last time, I refused to lose faith in them, so seeing them was more than an answered prayer, it was the confirmation of a truth I’d been steadfastly holding unto.I felt relief course through my entire body as the army pounced on the Shahato warriors, shifting to their wolf form and ripping our enemies apart before they had the chance to rejoice over my burnt corpse.Suddenly, the regret I felt when I was thrown into the portal that brought me here washed away and I was pleased with myself for following through with the baiting plan that brought us this far. I had a feeling that after this battle, we’d finally know peace and harmony instead of the chaos and despair we’d had to endure for months now.I was so lost in imagining a time of calm and quiet that I even forgot that fire was slowly creeping towards me as the altar behind me burnt away. It was when I smelt thick fumes suffocating me that I looked behind
LOGANI still felt shitty and stupid for how immature I’d acted when Scarlett disappeared behind that godforsaken portal.Blake didn’t deserve to be choked so heartlessly when all he did was keep me from breaking my foot to pieces—because believe me, that was my intention when I started kicking that rock. Yet, he’d stopped me from hurting myself foolishly and I repaid him like an absolute asshole.I knew I’d apologized, but it didn’t seem enough so I made a mental note in the back of my mind to make it up to him somehow after we rescued Scarlett.“Guys! Over here! Quickly!” Hyacinth called out to me and my brothers and we rushed to where she was bent over on the floor and holding a glass shard.“What did you find? Please give us some good news,” Alex practically begged as he crouched beside her.“Their sorcerer must’ve mistakenly dropped this while closing the portal in a hurry, and now I know exactly where those bastards took her,” she jumped to her feet and Alex followed suit.“Wher
ALEXFan–fucking–tastic!This bloody plan blew up in our faces just like I’d predicted it would. Those cunning bastards just zapped our mate through a portal and I couldn’t feel her through the bond from the moment they disappeared into it.I guessed that neither Blake nor Logan could feel her either because they equally seemed like they were going mad.“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck this!” Logan yelled on the top of his voice while kicking a rock repeatedly until I heard a toe snap and blood started to ooze from his boot.That didn’t stop him though, he kept spitting profanities and angrily kicking the rock until Blake ran towards him and dragged him away from the rock and set him on the floor.“What the hell is wrong with you, Logan? How the hell does that fix shit!?” Blake leaned forward, placing his hands on both knees while screaming right into Logan’s face.Instead od answering, Logan reached out and gripped Blake’s neck and started to twist it with rage burning in his eyes. I immediat
SCARLETTThe morning of the full moon had finally arrived, and just like everyone else, I hoped that things went according to plans.None of us could handle any surprises because the chances of the plan going smoothly hinged on us being in complete control. To ensure that nothing went wrong, Hyacinth got a team of sorcerers to cast truth spells on the army in a bid to uncover any hidden spies from the Shahatos.Once we confirmed that every warrior was loyal to us, we finally let them in on the plan for the first time since we’d hatched it.Afterwards, Blake and Alex guided them through morning drills and helped them memorize the parts of the plan they were instrumental to, Logan and I kept Hyacinth company while she and her group of sorcerers did a location spell.Unlike the former location spells they’d casted to locate me when I was captured, this was much more likely to work because she’d used the blood of the prisoners that were recently executed. She assured us that with a team o
SCARLETTOnce again, Hyacinth had to come to our aid.We rushed Alex home and called her to come by the house as soon as possible. After ten minutes that felt like an eternity, she finally arrived and got to work on speeding up his healing. She explained that he invested wolfsbane and that’s why he wasn’t healing even after Blake and Logan cleaned and bandaged his wounds properly as soon as we got home.Hyacinth fed him some potions, but when they didn’t work, she told us that the wolfsbane had been in his system for far too long so she would need a powerful spell to magically detox him of it so his wolf could heal.While she convened with the powers that be on the required spell for such a crucial procedure, I paced the entire room worriedly while saying prayers to the moon goddess and ignoring the words of comfort being thrown my way from Logan and Blake.For some reason, I still felt fractions of the fear and pain I felt when I thought he was going to take his life just to prove a
SCARLETTAn hour passed and I immediately rallied Logan and Blake into the car to go in search of Alex. The longer we went without being able to contact or find him, the more I regretted listening to Logan and Blake instead of my wolf.And now because of my negligence, we were all worried out of our minds for Alex.It was almost nightfall and neither of us could reach or find him still. And believe me, we’d tried everything we could possibly think of. Logan tried to track his phone but his men found it dumped in a roadside bin and had no other means of tracing where he went from there because the traffic cams in that area were all busted.After that dead end, we’d all gone around the city in search of him but we couldn’t pick up his scent talk less of find his car.Normally, we’d have assumed that he was just somewhere blowing off steam and stayed home to wait on him. But ever since the marking ritual, we had a much stronger bond and could feel each other’s emotions and a while ago we