The air in the room was thick with tension as I processed everything Rina had just told us. The Black Hand. It was as if the very mention of them had cast a shadow over the room, a foreboding sense of doom creeping in. But in the midst of that darkness, there was something else—something burning deep within me. It wasn’t just fear. It was anger.I couldn’t let them destroy everything I’d fought for. My life. My freedom. My family. Not after everything.“We need to act now,” I said, my voice sharper than before. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to close in on us. We can’t afford to be passive. We have to hit them first."Rina nodded, though there was a caution in her eyes. “It won’t be easy. The Black Hand doesn’t make mistakes, and they don’t let their enemies live long enough to fight back.”I turned to Dante and Creed. “We’ll need to gather intel—everything we can about them. Who their allies are, their operations, weaknesses. We have to find out how deep they’ve infiltr
The next day, we were ready. The warehouse near the docks wasn’t far from where we were operating, so we had the advantage of familiarity with the area. Rina had briefed us on the specifics of the meeting—Asher’s conditions, the layout of the location, and the timing. We weren’t taking any chances. Every route had been mapped out, every angle covered. Dante had a few men placed on lookout, just in case. Creed had already checked the finances and made sure the Black Hand's accounts were less secure than they thought. I had prepared a few words, though I wasn’t sure what would happen once we walked into that room. It all hinged on Asher.We made our way to the warehouse at dusk, the sun barely touching the horizon as we pulled up in a black SUV, the city skyline just visible in the distance. The docks were eerily quiet, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of wind against the ocean and the distant hum of machinery. The perfect place for a secret meeting. Or an ambush.I stayed f
The sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed down the corridor, sharp and frantic. Creed’s movements were precise, each shot calculated to neutralize our pursuers, but the growing number of guards meant we couldn’t stay and fight for long."Exit’s ahead," I shouted to Creed, my voice low and urgent. We had to push through—there was no other option.We barreled forward, ducking behind pillars and crates, our every step echoing in the cold, concrete halls. The weight of the files we’d grabbed felt like lead in my hands, but I couldn’t afford to drop them. This intel was everything. It was our leverage against the Director, our ticket to shutting down whatever operation he was running.Creed fired another round, hitting a guard square in the chest, but even that wasn’t enough to slow down the reinforcements pouring in from every side."Keep moving!" I yelled, taking point as we rounded another corner. We were close to the exit now. Just a few more yards and we could get out into the open. B
As the car roared to life, the tension between Dominic and me was thick enough to cut with a knife. He sat in the back, silent and brooding, his eyes flicking between the road ahead and the small stack of documents in my hands. I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. This wasn’t the time for distractions, not when we were heading straight into enemy territory.We drove in silence for what felt like hours, the city lights blinking past in a blur. I was processing Dominic’s words, the weight of the trap we were walking into pressing down on me. But even as I tried to focus, his presence in the backseat kept nagging at me, pulling at my thoughts.Creed was driving with determination, his jaw clenched as he muttered low under his breath. "This place better be worth it."I had half a mind to reply, but instead, I found myself stealing glances at Dominic through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, his face shrouded in shadows, but there was a quiet inte
“Happy Birthday, my dearest Harold,” I whispered to myself, practicing the line I would say as I clutched the gift tighter. A luxury watch, engraved with my hubby’s name. Today was the birthday of my husband, Harold Gutcheri, the alpha of the Clawstone pack, a famous pack here in Nebraska. I remembered the time when I was told by my beta father that I would become the next Luna of the pack once Harold ascends the position of the Alpha.It was a quick wedding that took off between our families, and even our mating ceremony happened not before long. It was just that, every single time we make love, nothing passionate ever comes out of it. Harold always ends up reaching his climax quickly before I could even cum. There are moments when I question myself if I was even good enough for my husband, which was why right now, I want to try and persuade him to make love with me again after I give him his birthday gift.Elation came within me as I returned to our house with the small box in my
A day after I walked out of that house, leaving Harold and his bitch mistress in their elicit affair. The sting of Harold’s rejection still lingered within me, but the weight that had lifted from my chest was undeniable. I realized that I was finally free despite how the pain from his rejection still simmered just below the surface. And it was that kind of hurt that led me straight to my bestfriend’s place, Wella, with a bottle of vodka in my hand and I was all ready to drown my sorrows with the only person in the world who would certainly understand what I was going through.“He did fucking what?” Wella practically screeched as her eyes grew exaggeratingly wide. I could see the disbelief in her expression as I told her all about what I saw earlier. “I can’t believe that motherfucker was using you this whole time for his own gain?”I quickly nodded while I felt the burn of embarrassment crept up my cheek. "Yep, I was too naive to realize that earlier, Harold had just used me like a
As Wella went to take a morning shower, I was left at the living area having some headache on what I should do. My phone rested in my trembling hand, its screen black, as I paced the room while my heart kept pounding in my chest. The weight of Dominic’s last message hung over me like a dark cloud. ‘The lingerie looks good. Even more good if I show it to Alpha Harold.’My breath hitched at the memory of the message. I just made a terrible and most dumbest mistake—a drunken, foolish mistake to be exact—and now I was at the mercy of a beta who clearly knew how to exploit my fear with just one respond. Panic quickly clawed my throat, and the gnawing dread that my husband learn of what I did, of how I sent those pictures to Dominic by mistake made me scared to the bones. My thoughts raced, scrambling for a way out, but every option seemed to collapse under the weight of Dominic’s simple but dreadful threat.While I was deep in my thought, my phone suddenly rang, snapping me back to the r
The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air, as I was surprised to see him already standing before me when I turned around around.“I want an answer, Elisse. You can’t leave this room without agreeing with me.” Dominic replied.I tried to back away from him but he quickly curled his arms around my waist and blocking my attempt to keep some distance between us.“Why are you doing this? Huh? Why are you hitting on me, Dominic?” I pushed him away, feeling a mix of anger and confusion. “You know I’m Harold’s mate. Your alpha! What kind of loyalty is that?” I had to lie despite the fact that Harold had already rejected me.His lips twisted into a smirk, and I could see a challenge flicker in his eyes. “Loyalty? Is that what you call it? You think he deserves you?”I folded my arms, frustrated. “Harold has his flaws, but he’s still my mate.” I lied again.“Flaws? The Alpha’s a complete idiot to make you feel like you’re not wanted and compelled you to do such things,” Dominic shot back
As the car roared to life, the tension between Dominic and me was thick enough to cut with a knife. He sat in the back, silent and brooding, his eyes flicking between the road ahead and the small stack of documents in my hands. I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. This wasn’t the time for distractions, not when we were heading straight into enemy territory.We drove in silence for what felt like hours, the city lights blinking past in a blur. I was processing Dominic’s words, the weight of the trap we were walking into pressing down on me. But even as I tried to focus, his presence in the backseat kept nagging at me, pulling at my thoughts.Creed was driving with determination, his jaw clenched as he muttered low under his breath. "This place better be worth it."I had half a mind to reply, but instead, I found myself stealing glances at Dominic through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, his face shrouded in shadows, but there was a quiet inte
The sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed down the corridor, sharp and frantic. Creed’s movements were precise, each shot calculated to neutralize our pursuers, but the growing number of guards meant we couldn’t stay and fight for long."Exit’s ahead," I shouted to Creed, my voice low and urgent. We had to push through—there was no other option.We barreled forward, ducking behind pillars and crates, our every step echoing in the cold, concrete halls. The weight of the files we’d grabbed felt like lead in my hands, but I couldn’t afford to drop them. This intel was everything. It was our leverage against the Director, our ticket to shutting down whatever operation he was running.Creed fired another round, hitting a guard square in the chest, but even that wasn’t enough to slow down the reinforcements pouring in from every side."Keep moving!" I yelled, taking point as we rounded another corner. We were close to the exit now. Just a few more yards and we could get out into the open. B
The next day, we were ready. The warehouse near the docks wasn’t far from where we were operating, so we had the advantage of familiarity with the area. Rina had briefed us on the specifics of the meeting—Asher’s conditions, the layout of the location, and the timing. We weren’t taking any chances. Every route had been mapped out, every angle covered. Dante had a few men placed on lookout, just in case. Creed had already checked the finances and made sure the Black Hand's accounts were less secure than they thought. I had prepared a few words, though I wasn’t sure what would happen once we walked into that room. It all hinged on Asher.We made our way to the warehouse at dusk, the sun barely touching the horizon as we pulled up in a black SUV, the city skyline just visible in the distance. The docks were eerily quiet, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of wind against the ocean and the distant hum of machinery. The perfect place for a secret meeting. Or an ambush.I stayed f
The air in the room was thick with tension as I processed everything Rina had just told us. The Black Hand. It was as if the very mention of them had cast a shadow over the room, a foreboding sense of doom creeping in. But in the midst of that darkness, there was something else—something burning deep within me. It wasn’t just fear. It was anger.I couldn’t let them destroy everything I’d fought for. My life. My freedom. My family. Not after everything.“We need to act now,” I said, my voice sharper than before. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to close in on us. We can’t afford to be passive. We have to hit them first."Rina nodded, though there was a caution in her eyes. “It won’t be easy. The Black Hand doesn’t make mistakes, and they don’t let their enemies live long enough to fight back.”I turned to Dante and Creed. “We’ll need to gather intel—everything we can about them. Who their allies are, their operations, weaknesses. We have to find out how deep they’ve infiltr
The cold air hit me like a slap when I stepped outside the safehouse, but it did nothing to chill the heat still burning in my chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about Rina’s words. There’s someone else after you, Elise. And they’re not going to stop.The rain had stopped, but it still felt like the storm hadn’t passed inside me. The weight of it all—the death of Callum, the betrayal, the bloodshed—was suffocating. And now, Rina had shown up. I should have felt relief. I should have welcomed her with open arms. But all I felt was a sense of foreboding, the sense that the past wasn’t done with me. That the worst was yet to come.I walked to the edge of the cabin’s porch, my boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. The night was eerily quiet, save for the rustle of leaves in the distance, whispering secrets I couldn’t hear. The storm had passed, but the silence lingered like an omen.Dante’s voice broke through the stillness. “You should come back inside.”I turned toward him, his silho
The rain hadn’t stopped by the time we reached the safehouse. It clung to me, soaking through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. My fingers were numb, but it wasn’t from the cold—it was from what I had done.Callum was dead.I kept replaying it over and over, the way my knife slid into his chest, the way his breath had caught in his throat. The look in his eyes—shock, then fear, then nothing. I should have felt relief, triumph even, but all I felt was an eerie silence settling inside me.Dante pushed the door open, his grip firm on my wrist. Creed entered first, gun still in hand, sweeping the room in one last precautionary check. It was a small, run-down cabin on the outskirts of the city, nestled between overgrown trees and shadows. The perfect place to disappear.“Clear,” Creed muttered, shaking off the rain. He glanced at me, his sharp eyes assessing, but he said nothing. He never did unless necessary.Dante let go of me, stripping off his soaked jacket before tossing it onto th
Callum lunged at me again, his knife flashing in the storm’s light. I twisted, barely dodging his attack, feeling the rush of air as his blade sliced past my cheek. The sting came a second later, warm blood mixing with the rain. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.Dante fired another shot, taking down one of Callum’s men who had been closing in on us. Creed had disappeared into the trees, picking them off one by one, silent and efficient. But Callum was mine.I ducked under his next strike, driving my knee up into his gut. He grunted, stumbling back. I pressed forward, slashing at his arm, drawing another line of crimson. His face twisted in fury, but there was something else there—something I hadn’t seen before.Fear.“Not so confident now, are you?” I taunted, circling him.Callum let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You think you’ve won?” he sneered. “You’re still that scared little girl, Elise. And deep down, you know it.”I ignored his words. He was trying to get inside my head, to make
The storm howled in my ears, but it couldn't drown out the pounding of my heart. There was no going back now. The wind whipped around us, cold and biting, but the warmth of Dante’s presence beside me grounded me. The rifle in his hands was steady, his eyes sharp as they scanned the shadows. Creed was to the side, his every move calculated, waiting for the right moment.We were surrounded.I could hear their footsteps on the wet earth, the crunch of leaves and dirt under their boots. Six figures, maybe more, closing in with a purpose. Callum was at the center of it all, standing tall with that sickening grin on his face. It made my blood boil.I couldn’t let them take me again. Not after everything I had fought for.Dante’s hand brushed against mine, a quick reassurance. "Stay behind me," he whispered, but there was no fear in his voice—only resolve.But I couldn’t hide behind him forever."I’m done running," I said, my voice barely audible over the storm. My grip tightened on the knif
Dante stepped closer, his dark eyes searching mine. The weight of unspoken words pressed between us, thick as the storm outside. I could feel the tension in his grip, the demand for answers."Tell me the truth, Elise," he said, voice low but firm. "Who are they? What do they want?"I exhaled, dragging a trembling hand through my damp hair. The truth was a wound I had kept stitched shut for too long, but now the stitches were unraveling."They’re the ones I escaped from," I admitted. "I thought I was free. I thought I could start over." I looked away, swallowing hard. "But no one ever really escapes them."Creed leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with an expression I couldn’t decipher."They were never going to stop looking for you," he muttered. "I warned you."Dante’s jaw tightened. "You knew?""I suspected," Creed admitted. "Didn’t have proof until now."Dante turned to me, his hands gripping my arms, grounding me. "Why didn’t you tell me?"My throat tightened. "Beca