UNKNOWN They rushed in and knelt in front of my desk, their anxiety peaking. Grunting with displeasure, I leaned back on my seat idly tapping my fingers on the armchair."Speak" I said. Julian, one of my most trusted men rose to his feet. "The mutts are gone. The two werewolves whom we'd managed to capture apparently set them free before our arrival" he said. Pissed, I brought my glass of fresh blood to my lips. "What about the adults? Did they escape?" I asked calmly. Julian gulped, lowering his head. "My lord, please forgive us. We were careless," he stuttered."I am disappointed, Julian" I spat, slamming the glass on the table. "Forgive us, my lord!" My men cried as they bowed their heads. There was a frantic knock on the door. One that drew my attention. "Come in" I ordered. A short blond hurried in. In his hands was a small black box. He placed it on my table."My lord, we found this ring on the scene. We believe it belonged to the woman."With trembling fingers
KEEGAN Earlier that day, "I ...I...love her."Shade's eyes widened, tears crawling down her cheeks as her lower lip trembled. "W-what?"I sighed, my chest was already starting to hurt. It was an effect of Shade's venom. "Why are you telling me this only now?" she asked."All along, I was trying to run away from my reality. But, I've realized that it's nothing but a waste of time. I love her. I always have." Shade's eyes darkened, her face contorted with rage."What about me?! What about the years I've spent by your side?! Was it all a lie?!"My vision turned hazy and I leaned against the wall to steady myself."Let's face it, we were never in love with each other. Our relationship has been nothing but toxic." A tear crawled down her left cheek as she pinned an accusing gaze on me. "You bastard," she hissed. "You might not want to admit it, but it's true. You always want everything to happen in your own favor. You are too selfish to actually enjoy a relationship. Ev
AVA He approached us with a smile lingering on his face. His eyes had changed from crimson to gold, just like the first time I'd met him. "What's your name?" He said to Keegan who looked disoriented. When he didn't reply, the vampire snapped his fingers in front of Keegan's face. "You're a vampire" Keegan breathed.He hummed softly, his gaze resting on me. "Of course, I am. Isn't it obvious?" "I know... I just think you're different. You don't smell like typical vampires" Keegan rambled. The vampire's eyes lit up, a grin breaking out on his face. "So, do you like it?" He asked. Keegan scoffed and looked away. For a moment, a pink blush bloomed over Keegan's cheek. I gasped, surprised to see how flustered he was. "I guess it's not bad" he mumbled, refusing to look the vampire in his eyes. "You're no fun" our other mate mumbled. "Ava, what do you think?" My eyes widened when he said my name. "H-how do you know my name? I never told you" I breathed. His dimple popped out w
AVA "I don't understand...Why are you showing this to me?" I asked. Venom rubbed the back of his neck, a grimace on his face. "The moment I first saw you at the bar, I couldn't look away because you reminded me of her" he told me. "But, I'm not her" I said. Venom sighed. "I thought so at first. But, my wolf recognises you" I stared at him, flabbergasted. It didn't make a lot of sense. True, there was some undeniable sexual tension between us. But, he wasn't my mate. "How old are you exactly?" I asked. He snorted and looked away from me. "Three hundred and fourteen" My jaw dropped, my eyes growing wide. "No way. That's not possible. You're a mere werewolf. Werewolves don't live that long. What are you?" Just before he could respond, we heard the sound of an explosion. The smell of smoke invaded my nostrils.."Hayley..." Venom breathed. He took off running towards his sister's room.As I made my way towards Keegan's room, I reached out for him, using our mindlink. 'Whe
AVA "If it happens, I'd rather die than have you become my personal blood bank" Darian said, his golden gaze locked with mine. "But-" He placed a finger against my lips, his gaze soft. "Let's not dwell on it. I won't let things escalate to that point" he whispered. I stared at him, tears blurring my vision. There was a high chance that he would eventually get infected. Darian pressed a kiss to my forehead. When he pulled away, there was a smile on his face."You should get some rest. Today has been hectic. I'll walk you to your room, okay?" He said. I nodded once. He took my hand in his. Together, we left the art room. I couldn't help but wonder what our future had in stock for us. When I got to my assigned room, I laid down on the bed. Exhaustion hit me all at once. While I stared at the ceiling with heavy lidded eyes, I replayed everything that had happened earlier today, in my head. Only at this point did I realize that I'd broken the promise I'd made to Hayley. "She mus
Before Dinner,AVA I was comfortable, more at ease than I'd been in a while. The warmth of Keegan's body was soothing, so was his scent. I closed my eyes, listening to the rythm of his heartbeat. "Don't you want to return to your home?" Keegan asked. "I don't know... I'm starting to really like it here" I responded. Keegan's phone buzzed and he picked it up. I watched his reaction as he read the message. He suddenly sat up, moving me away from his body. "Is something wrong?" I asked. He forced out a smile and kissed me on the lips. "It's nothing. I'll be back. I need to use the bathroom" he said and left the room. I quietly eyed his phone. I didn't want to probe. But, I couldn't help my curiosity. So, I picked it up and peered at the message that had just popped up. My eyes widened when I realised who the message had come from. Clenching my fists, I returned the phone to it's former position. I frowned, wondering why Keegan was keeping it to himself. "He won't suddenly ret
KEEGAN "Look who's here," Shade drawled, her tone laced with mockery. I clenched my fists but kept my face blank. "Talk about such unyielding brotherly love. Who would have known that you would show up just because of your sister?" She continued, leaning back on her seat. I knew she would continue to rub it in my face if I let her, so I spoke. "That's enough. I'm here now. Where's my sister?" I droned. Shade snickered. She rose to her feet and walked towards the large window in the office. "Not so fast, Key. Let's strike a deal, why don't we?" "What deal?" "A deal that will favour the both of us."My patience was wearing thin. I didn't want to think because if I did, my regret and guilt would hit me hard. Handling Shade was something that required my concentration. Shade turned to look at me, her silver eyes gleaming."Become my soldier and I'll send your sister to you." I froze. "Your sister is close by, you know? Once you agree to this deal, I'll bring her in here."
AVA "Are you alright?"Hearing the sound of Darian's voice made me wipe away my falling tears in a hurry. I didn't want him to know how much my heart hurt. Keegan whom I hadn't seen in two months was tied up in the basement. Not only did he seem to be out of his senses, he seemed to have become an entirely different person. "I can feel it, you know? Your frustration and pain are obvious. You don't have to hide them from me," Darian whispered. Slowly, I turned around to face him. When I saw the soft expression on his face, my knees gave out. He grabbed me to steady me. Eventually, the tears began to flow. "What do I do, Darian? How do I handle this?" I cried. Darian stroked my hair and held me close to himself. He was my comfort. After Keegan's disappearance, he was the only person I could really lean on. I hadn't returned to my pack because I had been afraid that my pain would swallow me whole. "You can handle this. I know you can," Darian whispered. A servant approached us
DARIAN "What are you doing? Go ahead and answer the call," I said to Keegan, and he winced, rubbing the back of his neck. The call ended, and a message popped up. It read:'Pick up the damn call, Keegan. I know exactly where you are, I can always find you. And when I do, you're going to be in a lot of trouble.'"Does he always sound so scary?" I asked, and Keegan sighed."No. He used to be much worse," he replied, his voice laced with worry.Cracking a smile at him, I took the phone from him and dialled the number that had just called. Alpha Vincent picked up the call on the first ring, and when he spoke, I knew he was beyond pissed."Keegan, what did you do to my sister?" He demanded, and Keegan winced."I didn't do anything—""Where is she? Put her on the damn phone," Ava's brother hissed."She's asleep right now—"Again, Keegan was interrupted."You did something to her, didn't you? Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have let her go to you," the alpha said with a bitter tone.Unhappy
KEEGAN My mates stared at me with incredulity written all over their faces. It was quite understandable, especially since I'd gone off the grid without warning and returned a while later looking like I'd just fought with a group of ninjas. I'd refused to believe it either. My sister didn't know who I was anymore. "I don't understand. How did you find her?" Ava asked, her brows furrowed. "The list was very helpful," I replied and Darren wrinkled his nose at me."You should wash off all that blood," he said through gritted teeth. His eyes were starting to alternate between red and black.Ava cursed under breath, bringing a hand to Darren's chest. "Keegan, don't just stand there," she said and I grimaced."There's one more thing --" I started to say but was interrupted by the a loud thud which came from inside the apartment. "What was that?" Darren asked, his eyes narrowed. "I might've brought her along with me," I stated and my mates stared at me with puzzled expressions on
AVA Darian didn't answer my calls. I hadn't intended to stay away from him while he mourned. He was the heir apparent to the throne. Therefore, he had to stay in the palace to prepare for his coronation.Unable to keep myself away from him anymore, I'd decided to go to the palace to see him. It was risky business, but I needed to see him to make sure he was doing okay. Slipping past the royal guards was quite a complex task. And, while I managed to enter the palace halls unseen, my heart was thumping rapidly. My anxiety peaked, unease gnawing at my insides. Silence hung heavy in the air. The palace seemed more eerie than I'd expected. To make sure I didn't raise any suspicion among the guards, I ambushed one of the maids and quickly changed my clothes. Now dressed as a maid, I made my way to the inner court, and by chance, I saw the royal chamber. Written on the door in gold were the words, 'His Majesty's Chamber.'Two stoic guards were stationed along the passageway, swords in
DARIAN The moment I stepped into the palace, the pressure on my chest increased. I was way too tense for comfort. It had nothing to do with my poor health. I just couldn't recall the last time my father had asked to have dinner with me. "Welcome, your majesty," the guards stationed in front of the courtyard greeted. "Where's my father?" I asked."He's in the courtyard. Dinner preparations has been made," one of them responded, his head lowered. When I walked into the courtyard, my eyes widened at the sight of the unfamiliar setting. Warm fairy lights illuminated the yard, and arranged on the table was a whole feast of delicacies. My father, seated on a golden chair at the rear end of the table, gestured at the chair on the opposite end with a smile on his face. My father's smile was just as rare as his invitation.When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly gentle."What are you waiting for? Sit down." Quietly, I took my seat, my gaze meeting my father's again."We used to h
AVA Darian stirred as I dabbed his forehead with a damp towel. Four hours had slipped by since we returned home. Keegan had fallen silent. He was sitting by the window, staring at the sunlit afternoon sky. I knew he was taking his time to process his feelings about the whole thing that had happened a few hours before. "He's not dead yet, Keegan" Darian suddenly said, his eyes still closed. "You're awake" Keegan stated, rising to his feet. Darian opened his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly."I was never asleep. I couldn't. Especially not when your mind is unsettled" he said, his gaze trained on Keegan."How do you know that? I was sure I blocked-" Keegan started to say."You probably succeeded in hiding your feelings from Ava. However, you failed to completely block me out" Darian cut him off.Keegan sighed, running his fingers through the locks of his hair."How're you feeling? The poison must be lethal if you're still feeling the effects.""Don't change the topic " Darian brea
KEEGAN Terror seized me, it's suffocating grip unyielding. Darian was lying in my arms, gasping for air. Right before my eyes, Ava had just been abducted by Bloody Martyr. "No... what do I... what do I do?" I breathed, black dots swarming around the edges of my vision. "Fucking snap out of it, Creed!" a familiar voice yelled, grabbing me by the shoulder. My wide eyed gaze met Venom's. His brows were furrowed, his eyes darkened with fury. "My mates...I need to save them...I can't..."A slice of pain exploded on my cheek, my head jerking to the side with the impact of Venom's thunderous slap. I closed my eyes, tasting the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. "I said, snap out of it" he growled, his eyes glowing red. "We need to get the poison out of his Majesty's system." "How do we do that?" I breathed, staring down at Darian who was evidently in a lot of pain. Before I could process Venom's next action, he'd slashed across the inside of Darian's left wrist with his claws.
AVA I couldn't bring myself to succumb to my exhaustion no matter how many times my heavy lidded eyelids slipped close. Darian's fever had reduced a little, but it wasn't enough to make me feel relieved. His face was still much paler than it usually was and his skin was damp with a sheen of sweat. I turned to look at Keegan who was standing by the window, his arms folded across his chest. His brows were furrowed, his shoulders tense. Behind him, I could see the rising sun through the open window. "You can go to sleep. I'll watch over him" he said. I shook my head, rubbing my eyes. "I don't want to. I have to stay by his side" I mumbled. Keegan sighed and walked up to me. "He's no ordinary vampire, you know? He's going to be fine"Keegan didn't understand. I just couldn't shake off the feeling. It was a sickening feeling, one that felt like a wet blanket. "We've never seen him in this state, you know that too. Keegan, he could barely walk. What if..."He crouched in front of
DARIAN I felt physically sick. I couldn't help but notice everything. The wine, the lights, the decor, the fake smiles, the fancy dresses and suits...At this point, everything sickened me.Probing stares were constantly sent my way and every few minutes, a guest would approach me to whisper congratulatory words in my ear. My skin crawled and my stomach churned with discomfort. But, there I was, seated beside my fiancee in an impromptu engagement party which had more attendees than I'd hoped. The thought of actually marrying Astoria was consuming me. Even worse, I couldn't stop picturing the look on Ava's face when she would discover it. I'd assured Keegan that I was going to avoid my marriage with Astoria in whatever way possible. Nevertheless, it was easier said than done. "Is everything okay? You don't look so good" Astoria said to me, her brows furrowed. When I didn't give her a response, her frown was replaced by a big smile. "Is Darian the great already experiencing
Several years ago,KEEGAN Coughing into the palm of my hands, I doubled over as pain racked my skull, black spots dancing across my eyes. I stumbled forward, reaching out to rest my hand on the tree in front of me. My chest hurt. "Are you alright?"a masculine voice said. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut. At this rate, I would collapse soon. Shade's venom was tearing away at my defences, not even my healing abilities were helping. In her fit of rage, she had injured me with her claws. This was because I'd failed to complete my mission. Now, I had no choice but to find my targets and finish them off. Shade had given me two days to do this. "Do you need help?" the voice continued.I parted my lips to drag in air into my lungs but ended up choking on my blood. I gasped for air, coughing and sputtering as I fell to my knees. A large hand rubbed my back in small circles. I lifted my head to look at this person and found him staring at me with an eye full of concern. His left eye