“The Lionel, you know, doesn’t have much time; protect the new Lionel with all you have. He needs you, and you have to believe him, no matter what.”Zera stood before the window, looking out at the settling moon in the quiet room. Aaron had gone ahead to check on Ivan to know the progress of the unmarking ritual while she stayed back. Somehow, the anticipation she had for the unmarking decreased with every hour that passed. She would like to say it had nothing to do with what Quincy told her a week ago and today, but it did. What did he mean by the old and new Lionel? What does protecting him with all she has meant? Wasn’t she protecting him as it was?She didn’t want to think about what he said; it only brought her confusion. But having repeated it twice now made her understand she couldn’t ignore it.What if things go bad tonight? What if something terrible happens? What then?Could Quincy see the future? Why did he speak with his mouth closed? Did he even speak, or was this all in
The shift was slowly reaching its end for today, and Aaron made Ivana take the lead. He and Zera took a detour to a quieter part of the woods, where they would get the privacy they needed.At first, Zera didn’t know what Aaron was doing but followed, regardless. Soon she did, and her heart beat peaked. It wasn’t her first time with him—far from it—but there was something about the full moon mating that she could never wrap her head around. It always heightened the feeling and made it all appear to be like the first time, even when it wasn’t. The rush, the thrill, the emotions, the need, and the desire.It was something else, and she didn’t tire of experiencing it.“Aren’t we going too far away?” She asked, her tone a little curious.“I know, but I do not want to be interrupted, do you?”She shook her head. “No, I do not,” she replied, and she followed behind without another word.Aaron soon came to a stop in a clear path and turned to her with a smile on his face.“Here’s okay,” he sai
After Ivan brought Lionel to his quarters at the estate, he laid him on his bed. He did so to watch him and see if he would return to consciousness.She asked Ivan what Lionel’s chances were and if he would die. Ivan stayed silent because he didn’t seem to have the answer she was desperately looking for. It broke her heart, and she didn’t know what to do now.She spent the entire day with him, not leaving when Aaron tried to take her away. She couldn’t fathom the thought of leaving him all alone in this fight. By his side, she wanted to stay, so she didn’t leave.It was a few minutes past noon when Aaron returned and informed her that he had gone to pick Zion up from Greg and Diya’s place. He asked if she wanted to see him.She didn’t want him coming in here and seeing her this way. She didn’t want him to see his uncle in this state, either. He would ask many questions, many of which she wouldn’t be able to answer. She rose from beside Lionel’s bedside with a heavy heart and left the
It didn’t add up; if Quincy didn’t see the future about Lionel, it meant he didn’t see into the future, and if he didn’t see into the future, then he didn’t know Lionel would undergo any unmarking; hence, his words to her had nothing to do with his unmarking, but the pattern he had noticed with Lionel.It meant Lionel’s state wasn’t a result of the unmarking but rather a result of himself. It made sense why Ivan couldn’t tell what had happened.What could Lionel have done to himself to bring him to the place he is now? She had come here hoping for an answer, and now that answer had thrown her into a sea of further confusion.“That means he wouldn’t be able to help with Lionel’s condition,” she mumbled to herself.“I am sorry; I wish I could have been of much help, but this is all I can do.”She smiled and shook her head. He had helped more than she expected.He picked up his pen when she spoke up. “If Quincy is a watcher, has he seen anything about me and Zion?” He paused, dropped the
Aaron was way into reviewing the documents on his desk when the door to his office opened and Damor stepped in. He didn't have to look up to know. He knew his brother's scent from miles away. It was something he could do, even in his sleep. He knew all his siblings' scents even when they were younger, and though Damor and Ivan smelled almost the same, he learnt to distinguish them. The older he got, the more mastery he had, and he could never be surprised by them. Ivan, with his ability over the years, has masked his scent so that it is almost untraceable and undetectable. Sesi and Damor couldn't do that, so he could still tell.A smile came onto his face at the awareness of his brother's presence, and he dropped the pen in his hand on the document on the desk and looked up."It was about time you showed your face," Aaron said, rising from his seat and approaching Damor."Well, better late than never, right?" He raised a brow, and his hand stretched out for a shake.Aaron rolled his e
The Hart Laboratory was the project Aaron had embarked on in the last two years; it was geared towards creating better lives for everyone. He shared his plans with Zera first, then his siblings, then the board members of the company. They all thought it was an excellent idea and gave their support. The purpose of the lab wasn’t to support humans alone but also their kinds. The machines and equipment were two times stronger and could withstand their strengths and differences. Using this lab, they could create effective herbs and medical aids for their kind in multiple ways. Since many of them couldn’t go to the human labs to get themselves tested and treated, the lab would help a lot.“I need you to tell the hard truth about all your findings on our progress so far. The truth hurts, but now that’s what we need.”“You’re so right; the truth hurts, but it is what we all need, and that’s why I’m here.” Aaron heard a voice say something from the side of the door, and he sprang to his feet.
After Viktor took his leave, Aaron and Damor got into a heated argument. Damor couldn’t understand why Aaron didn’t kill Viktor, especially after his direct, infuriating words. Aaron told him there was more to the confrontation than meets the eye, and Damor told him taking Viktor out would have reduced the number of those against him. He understood Damor’s point, but his brother didn’t see things from his perspective. Zera had been a sage for almost two years, and many in the supernatural world knew about her existence. So it made no sense that Viktor appeared now to spew threats at her. He felt there was more to this threat than they knew.“And I still can’t believe we let him leave in one piece after he said that,” Damor said. He has been pacing around the office since Viktor and his men left over ten minutes ago.“I know you love to attack before asking questions, but violence does not resolve everything.” Aaron tried to tell him.Damor’s hands clenched into tight fists. “Viktor de
Zera dropped by Zion’s school to pick him up, as it was her day to bring him home from school. She came thirty minutes after closing, which meant there would be fewer kids in the class than if she had come earlier. Among the kids still waiting for their parents to pick them up was Quincy, which meant that Davine had yet to pick him up. He and Zion seemed to have a rather interesting discussion before she made herself known in the waiting room, and Zion ran up to meet her.The thought of taking Zion away and leaving Quincy with no one to talk to didn’t feel right, yet she didn’t know if she could wait until his father came to pick him up. The day’s stress had dawned on her, and all she wanted now was food and rest. She didn’t know Davine’s house and wasn’t that close to him yet, or she would have suggested taking Quincy home to him and then proceeding to take Zion home.After his revelation to her over a week ago, they had kept their relationship somewhat civil. They had shared more th
Eight months later,“I know you’re there; you can come out of hiding now.” Zera said before turning to the mirror she stood in front of.Diya came out of the spot where she had hidden herself beside the door since her arrival a minute ago.“Zera. Hey.”“This baby might have robbed my other senses, but I still have a strong sense of smell. I sniffed you out the minute you stepped into the hallway.” She said this and turned to Diya in her white dress, which stopped over her knees.Diya looked ready for the day, and here she was, not even recognising herself in her dress. She had chased Aaron out of the room because he kept complimenting her overgrown bump and calling her beautiful. She didn’t feel beautiful, and she felt he only said it to make her feel better. That infuriated her and made her send him to Zion’s room.Davine told her eight months ago at the Hart Lab opening that she was a few weeks pregnant. Of course, she didn’t believe him because she was a sage and also because her bo
The Dominio pack has experienced peace like none other since the rest of the packs that survived the war moved back and continued their lives on their own. “Do I look presentable for the night?” Zera asked, turning away from the mirror to face Aaron.He glanced at her from head to toe, and there was satisfaction on his face. “You know, you always look presentable.”She rolled her eyes, giving her silver sweetheart dress one last glance before stepping away from the mirror. “I think you might be talking about yourself, Mr.”He smiled cockily. “I will take it as a compliment,” he said as he brushed over his grey suit. “Shall we go?” he asked, extending an arm to her.“Yes, we shall.” She accepted his hand, and together they stepped out of the room.The opening of Hart’s lab was a small ceremony, but many dignitaries from all over the world welcomed it. After the war, Damor began his work of testing the lab and going through the final reviews. It took him three months, and though he had
Aaron, just like Damor, had moved to attack Lucius, but his minions were willing to put themselves in the way. He had taken down three werewolves, one sage, and is currently battling another sage. It was easier said than done because, unlike the first sage he fought, this one seemed stronger, if there was such a thing. His healing abilities were kicking in to repair the damage to the broken bones and ribs, but they were not fast enough for the assault his body was taking. The sage had kicked the golden dagger away, and he was forced to fight with his hands, which wasn’t a fair fight.“You’re the alpha Aaron from the strongest line?” The sage, who had told him his name before the battle but didn’t care to keep it in mind, spoke. “This is a joke. You do not pose any threat to our alpha.” He spat on the floor.Aaron laughs, and this made the sage raise a brow. “What is so funny?”Aaron pulled himself to his feet and asked, “If I pose no threat, why does your so-called alpha want me dead
The entire pack was already outside as the night came along. Many had already been training for hours and didn’t see the point of going inside. A lot took it as their last day and just trained, regardless. They had a point; they didn’t know the numbers of those coming against them. It would be safe to consider giving it all, even though they wouldn’t make it out alive. That would be the right way to go.They noticed the presence of Aaron, and those training out in the open field paused and stepped back from each other.“The enemy will be here any minute. They will come with forces stronger than ours, probably more savage than ours; however, there is something they don’t have. The zeal we have.” They mumbled their agreement with his words.“They are coming with the sole aim of taking control, and we will fight with the sole aim of living. They do not get to decide our lives. I know many of you are scared, but so am I. I am afraid, but with that fear, I will use it to fight this battle,
Four nights later,Agitation grew within the pack after the fourth night came, and no attack from the Legion of Sages followed. It created doubt in the hearts of many, as they wondered if Lucius was even going to attack. No one slept as they anticipated the attack throughout the night, only to be proven wrong twice.Aaron had nothing to tell the pack; he had known that Lucius was not a man of his word, and this was to be expected. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t attack, but he wanted to play with them first, stretch their patience, and see how far it would go.Zera didn’t care that Lucius didn’t attack; she saw it as an opportunity to train Lionel. She had seen him battle Aaron days ago and thought he could do better with a little training. Though she didn’t get the chance immediately, she got it the next day and has trained with him since. She set out as soon as the day broke and has been at it since. She didn’t see them losing to Lucius despite his advantage, and he also wanted to think
Lionel took it better than Zera had initially anticipated because he just nodded and said he was fine with it. She didn’t want to believe his words, but she had to trust that he was telling the truth.When Manon finally arrived, Lionel was one of those to welcome him, as he had no prior visit to this one. There was no bad blood or grudge held, or at least she couldn’t see it.He shook hands with Manon and told him he was the luckiest man alive to have Sesi as his mate. Then he told him to take care of her, or he would hunt him down and kill him. It was a threat, and from the sound of his voice, he was dead serious. That should have been Aaron’s line, but Lionel didn’t care; he said it. He obviously still cared about Sesi and wanted only the best for her.Manon nodded and told him he would not forget his words in case he ever did something to hurt Sesi. Lionel tapped his shoulder and walked away.Zera turned to Aaron and asked him if he had any threats left for Manon, and he shook his h
Aaron was barely awake when he felt a hand on his body, and it wasn’t just any hand, but an arousing one. His skin tingled at the contact, and he squirmed and moved to continue the sleep, assuming it was just a dream. The touch came again, and this hand knew his body well. It knew all the right places it needed to touch and how softly and firmly he wanted each part held. A moan erupted from his mouth, and his eyes opened to find Zera between his legs. He drew a sharp breath at the realisation of what was happening.“You’re awake,” she said, grinning at him, and then stroked him at a medium pace.“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”“I hoped you would stay asleep a little longer; bite me,” she said.His hand reached out to stroke her face lazily. “With that mouth of yours, I will do whatever you tell me to.”She chuckled and took his head into her mouth. “Fuck! Oh my, Zera, that feels so good.” He moaned, and his head fell back into the pillow, and his eyes fluttered.“Do we have time for thi
With Alpha Kol’s permission, Aaron sent the members of his pack along with the members of the Dominio pack later that day. They went out in threes following his instructions. The reason was because he knew the packs outside might not want to follow the words of the members of the Domino pack to join forces; however, with the presence of the members of the retribution pack among them, their messages would be accepted in a different light. The retribution pack members will help convince the other pack Alpha to join forces in the coming war once they learn about the enemy from them.While at home, he tried to prepare himself.“Am I overthinking this, or is Ivan an even bigger dick than I am on my dick days recently?” Damor asked, stepping into the study and shutting the door behind him. His presence and words moved Aaron’s attention to him. “Ivan had changed a lot, ever since he had ventured into the past of the wise ones, just moments of their execution. It was sure to happen. Whatever
Getting a letter from Alpha Lucius was the last thing Aaron expected the next day, but it came in the morning. No one knew how it came, as Nigo and Lawrence, the betas on watch, had seen no one drop it and only saw the letter much later into the dawn of the day.Greeting Alpha of the Dominio Pack, I would use this as a formal announcement since you already know and there is no point in hiding and seeking anymore. We are coming for your blood first, and then your head next. You have these last four days to put all your houses together. Because the cleansing is coming. You had luck taking out my favourite sage girl, but I will attack with a legion of sages, and I would love to see you die trying to take them down. I wish you all the best, but cleansing is a natural order of things, so there are no hard feelings.Your friend, LuciusAaron squeezed the letter after reading it and tossed it to the ground.The arrival of the retribution pack as well as the presence of Alpha Viktor over the