Elliot.
There was nothing more heartbreaking than working on the anniversary of your fiancee’s death. I stood by the kitchen window, my eyes fixed on the mountain view bathed in the early morning mist. It was as cold and unyielding as the five years since Janice’s death. Every morning began the same... coffee, silence, and the ache of what I lost. Most days, that was exactly how I liked it. “Harper, where’s my damn article?” A voice rang through the phone sitting next to me, breaking the quiet. Shit. I grabbed it, already rolling my eyes as I saw my editor’s name on the screen. I pressed the answer button. “Good morning to you too, Frank.” “No time for pleasantries. I need that piece on the roadwork finished today. The mayor’s been breathing down my neck about public safety since the logging trucks started using the main street. And don’t even get me started on the wildfire complaints” Frank was always the sweet one. And I enjoyed talking to him. “Roadwork? Thrilling.” I said dryly, leaning against the counter. Frank hung up without another word, and I set the phone down, rubbing my temples. I could already feel the headache coming on. Small town life was predictable. Every story was the same, the infrastructures, town meetings, and local fairs. Absolutely nothing to stir the blood. I might as well get started with my work. I was barely a few minutes in when something caught my attention. Some kind of movement in the woods just beyond my house. Pause. And there it was again, a shadow darting between the trees. What was that? The movement was too big for a deer, and too fast for comfort. No. It was probably a coyote or one of those mangy mountain lions people kept reporting about. The wildlife had been coming closer to the town lately, and I was sure that was due to the logging. I rolled my eyes at myself. How could I let something so silly spook me. “Focus, Elliot.” By noon, the roadwork piece was done and sent off to Frank with a message that said. “Try not to fall asleep while reading.” I didn’t expect a reply. The next thing to do rather than mope around like a degenerate was to put on my jacket and take my usual afternoon walk around the town. The streets would be quiet, and most people inside or off in the woods would be trying to prepare for the hunting season. I waved back at Mrs Pritchard, a local who worked at the diner, and had her usual friendly smile plastered on her face. “Not coming in for your usual today, Elliot?” She called out through the open window. “Maybe later. Got some things to check on.” “You be careful, now,” she said, her voice dropping in concern. “Weird things have been happening around here. Saw a few more of those claw marks near the ridge this morning.” That made me take a pause. “Claw marks?” She nodded, her face losing its cheeriness. “Deep and wide. Too big for a bear. Too sharp for anything I've seen." “Mountain lions, maybe?” Mrs. Pritchard shook her head. “Aren't you listening to me, boy? Ain’t no lion that makes marks like that.” That sentence was enough to have my curiosity roaring. If this was not mountain lions….. “I’ll take a look. Thanks.” I continued down the road, my steps were a bit faster now. I had heard the stories before… the strange tracks, the missing pets, the eerie howls at night. But in a town like this where rumours spread faster than fact, I had learnt to keep most of my thoughts to myself. I was nearly back home when my phone rang again. Frank. Why was he calling again? “Harper, we’ve got a real story for you,” Frank said, sounding more animated than usual. “Claw marks, missing pets... locals are scared. Get on it." I couldn’t help the eyebrow raise, my interest more than raised. “Do you mean the weird animal sightings?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “That, and more. People are talking about seeing something big moving through the woods at night. Whatever it is, it’s scaring the hell out of everyone. I want you to get on this right away. Talk to the locals, take some pictures, see if you can find any solid evidence. We need something to calm the town down or get them worked up enough to sell papers.” “So, the usual ‘scare them senseless for the sake of a headline’ approach?” “You’re catching on,” Frank said. I could hear his grin through the phone.. “Think you can handle it?” And for the first time since this cursed day started, I smiled. “Yeah, I’m on it.” “Good. And Harper…. watch yourself. Don’t go poking around where you don’t belong. We don’t need another mess like last time.” My stomach twisted at the reminder. Last time. The accident. I swallowed the lump in my throat hard, shaking it off. “I’ll be fine.” “Sure you will. Keep me updated.” Frank hung up, leaving me alone in the silence of the streets. I looked toward the dark line of the woods that loomed at the edge of town. Whatever was out there, it had the town on edge, and if the locals were freaked out, then it had to be something huge. It wouldn’t be bad to check it out right now. I pocketed my phone and started toward the trail leading into the forest, following the tug that kept on pulling me in. This better not be one big prank. The deeper I went into the woods, the more unsettling the atmosphere was. The forest was unnervingly quiet, the usual hum of life replaced by a suffocating stillness. “Come on.” something in me kept on pulling at my gut, tugging me even deeper. I kept on walking, the sounds of the leaves crunching under my feet, my only companion, Then I saw it. Long, claw marks like the one Mrs Pritchard had mentioned. Deep gouges in the bark of a massive pine tree, easily over six feet high. I couldn’t stop the frown from forming on my face as I ran my fingers along the grooves. The gouges were the kind that spoke of raw power... and recent enough to make the hairs on my neck stand on end. The growl that followed nearly had me peeing in my pants. I froze, the growl cutting through the trees like a jagged blade. I turned around slowly, searching the shadows between the trees for the animal that was large enough to leave those claw marks. But I found… nothing. The growl came again, louder this time, closer. My breath quickened as my eyes darted around, trying to locate the source. Then I did. A figure.. Tall, broad, and shrouded in darkness. It stood just at the edge of my vision, its eyes gleaming a faint amber in the fading light. The thing was huge, bigger than any animal I had ever seen. I didn’t know when I took a step back, my heart hammering hard enough to escape out of my chest. “Holy shit..” I didn’t make it far before the figure lunged. A blur of motion... the snarl hit first, a guttural roar that sent the ground trembling beneath me. Then teeth, white and sharp, lunging toward my throat. Dying on the same day Janice died was just too poetic. I stumbled back, tripping over a root and falling hard onto the ground. The creature loomed over me, his rancid breath hot on my face as its growl vibrated in my chest. It was an animal, but also not. My mind screamed at me to move, to get out of here, but my body remained frozen in place, my muscles tensed as they were paralyzed by fear. The best I could do was scramble back, my fingers digging into the dirt as the beast crouched, ready to strike. My breath hitched, heart pounding as I scrambled back, dirt biting under my nails. I was about to die. And there it was again, a loud howl echoing through the forest, cutting through the air like a knife. The creature’s head snapped up, amber eyes flaring... not with rage, but fear. Something had unsettled it. It hesitated for just a moment before turning and bolting into the darkness, leaving me gasping for my breath on the forest floor. Fear. That thing could experience fear? I tried to trace the line of sight, heart still pounding, searching for what could terrify such a monster... only to find myself completely alone in the darkness.Elliot. I made it back to my cabin, breathless, every nerve in my body buzzing. My legs felt weak as I slammed the door shut behind me, leaning heavily against it. My hands were trembling, and my heart refused to slow its rapid pace. What the hell had I just seen? The growl, the marks, and that..thing that was more than just an animal. The way it stood, the way its eyes gleamed with an unnatural intelligence, was something far worse. I stumbled over to the kitchen table and collapsed into a chair, my body finally catching up to my brain. My pulse hammered in my ears, a drumming rhythm that drowned out everything else. The cool air coming from the window did nothing to touch the heat seeping through my skin, every muscle wound up tight like a coiled spring. Ready to snap. That thing could have killed me. I could have still been there, torn to shreds, if it wasn’t for what had scared it off. What was that howl? Like something out of a nightmare, both terrifying and oddly protec
Elliot.The early morning fog clung to the forest like a secret, the sun barely breaking through the thick canopy of trees.I stood at the edge of the woods, my breath misting in the cool air.It was now or never.Every fibre of my being screamed at me to turn back, to leave thus cursed place, and never look back. But something deeper... some kind of pull I couldn't explain drew me in.It wasn't just curiosity anymore.My boots crunched against the dried leaves and twigs as I took my first steps into the woods, the sound echoing unnaturally loud in the otherwise silent morning.The trail was faint, barely recognizable from the surrounding undergrowth, but I remembered the direction I had run the previous night. The glowing eyes, the sharp claws, and that howl... it seemed to plague my dreams now.If that creature was out there, I had nothing but an axe I had found in the garage of my house. It wouldn't kill him, but I had to know more.Figure out what was in these woods, not just for
Elliot.I had to keep moving, forcing my legs forward, even with each step heavier than the last.The man I was dragging through the woods felt like dead weight now, his body limp, bleeding, and barely conscious.I glanced over my shoulder, heart pounding in my chest. It was hard to see anything behind me, but I knew something was out there.Lurking."Come on, man. Stay with me," I muttered through clenched teeth. His weight dragged me down, each step slower than the last. "Just hold on a little longer."He groaned, his head rolling to the side in his barely conscious state. Blood seeped through his torn shirt, and I could feel the wetness of it on my hands as I tried to support him.It was everywhere.I glanced down at him, shaking him lightly. "Hey! Hey, can you hear me?"His eyelids fluttered, and a weak gasp escaped his lips. "Run," he managed to say, though the words were barely audible."I'm not leaving you," I said firmly, trying to ignore the panic clawing at the edges of my m
Elliot. The fire in the living room crackled softly as I knelt beside the unconscious man, cleaning the gashes on his chest with as much care as I could muster. My mind still raced as I tried to piece together what had happened in the woods. The creature behind us. How it suddenly disappeared the moment we were out of the woods. What was it? I glanced up at the man's face, pale and slick with sweat, as I worked on bandaging a particularly nasty cut on his side. Only something as horrible as what was in those woods could have done something like this. I was sure of it. As I finished wrapping the last bandage, his body stirred. His eyes fluttered open, bleary, and unfocused. “Hey, take it easy,” I murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder to keep him from moving too quickly. “You’re safe. Just… try to relax.” His gaze darted around the room, panic flashing in his eyes before they landed on me. He flinched, trying to sit up, but I gently pushed him back down. “Where am I?” he
Damien. The air in the woods had been heavy, thick with the scent of my blood and the howl of something I wished I'd never heard. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, urging me to go back, to get to him. To the nameless stranger that had rescued me. I never should have let my guard down. Should have kept running. That was what rogues do. We did not get involved. We did not stay. We survived. But him... I clenched my fists, the human side of me fighting the wolf, torn between instinct and reason. My legs were aching from the miles I'd covered since I'd heard the howl, but something kept pulling me back. Him. How on earth had that puny human run with an unconscious me through this woods? My wolf growled low in my chest. "He's our mate." He didn't understand why I was hesitating. It never did. Wolves weren't wired like humans, they didn't care about logic or consequences. And it knew the man was ours. Ours to protect. Ours to stay with. But we couldn’t stay. Not with what w
Elliot. It was hard to think yesterday had actually happened. But after giving him a room to use as his and watching him eat cereal from a bowl this morning, I couldn't deny it. Damien. His name echoed in my mind, an unwanted anchor tied to my thoughts. I'd spent the night pacing, replaying every moment from yesterday, every word spoken. But right now, I didn't need this. This tension which seemed to simmer under my skin. Not when the mayor had sent someone to track whatever was happening in these woods. And that person was Frank. By the time I walked into the newspaper office, I was already on edge, barely holding it together. The tiny bell above the door jingled, and I braced myself. But Frank was already there, leaning against my desk, a smug grin stretching across his face. His eyes scanned me, searching for something to arouse his suspicion again. "Rough night, Elliot?" He asked with a pointed tone. I forced a smile, dropping my bag onto my desk. "Nothing a little coff
Elliot. It took a few days for me to get used to seeing Damien in my cabin. To get used to his… presence. The crackling of the fireplace filled the quiet cabin as I glanced over at Damien, who lounged on the old leather armchair across from me. He had been staying with me for almost a week now, and we had settled into an unspoken truce, an odd but comfortable rhythm of shared meals, stolen glances, and late night conversations that never strayed close to the truth. Or the questions I wanted to ask. There was something comforting about him being here. The way he was always watching, always on edge, as if he were guarding something precious. "So," I started, breaking the silence. "When would you tell me about how your wounds disappeared within a day." Damien's lips rose in a half-smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I have really good genes." “Good genes,” I repeated, leaning forward. “First time I'm hearing of such a thing. Good genes don't usually lead to fast wound h
Elliot. Before I could ask again, my front door slammed open with a bang, yanking both Damien and me from the silence that had settled between us. I barely had time to react before Frank burst into the cabin, looking like he'd just unearthed a buried treasure... or worse, set a deadly trap. "Harper!" He practically shouted, his voice brimming with urgency. "You won't believe what I found!" Damien's sort of relaxed posture changed instantly, vanishing as he reclined deeper into the chair. His hazel eyes watched us, cold and calculating. "Frank," I snapped, struggling to keep my irritation in check. "What the hell are you doing barging in here?" Frank’s gaze darted to Damien, his frown deepening before snapping back to me. "I need to talk to you. Now." "About what?" I asked, glancing nervously at Damien, who just watched us, unnervingly still, his eyes locked on Frank. I wondered what was going through that mind of his. Frank hesitated, his tension evident when he finally spoke.
Damien.The bond between us burned, not with the faint flickers I'd felt earlier but with a consuming, relentless fire.It roared in my chest, growing sharper with every breath I took, every frantic beat of my heart.I didn't get all chummy with Elliot most of the time. Not because I didn't want to... if I was opportuned, I would kiss, touch, and fuck him every single day... but because he was still coming to terms with the fact that he was attracted to a male.Elliot was trembling in my arms, his nails digging into my skin as if he was trying to anchor himself. Or maybe trying to hurt me.I couldn't tell, and honestly, I didn't care.All that mattered was him."Elliot, look at me," I whispered, cupping his face, my thumbs brushing against his cheeks. "You're safe. You're with me now. Just tell what happened, and I'll fix it."His brown eyes, darkened with lust, locked onto mine. His lips parted, but no words came out... just a shaky exhale that sent a pang of helplessness straight t
Damien.I often prided myself in my ability not to lose my control.That all burned to ashes when I met Elliot and discovered he was my mate.The house loomed in front of me, silent and dark. Too silent. Too dark.I shifted back into my human form just outside the front door, the transformation leaving my skin pricking with leftover adrenaline. If anyone saw me, that would be a case I would handle some other time.My breaths came in sharp bursts, clouding the cold night air, but my chest still felt tight.This was wrong.This quietness was unusual.The scream... no matter how far I had been from the house... it belonged to Elliot. I was sure of it.I didn't waste time.I slammed my shoulder into the door, forcing it open with a loud crack. The frame splintered, but I barely noticed."Elliot!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty hallways.Nothing.No footsteps. No shuffling. No hurried explanations from his parents or questions about why the house was so dark or why I had de
Damien.The warehouse was cold. Damp. The perfect place for drowning in my own thoughts.I sat on the edge of a rusted steel beam, staring out at the sliver of moonlight that pierced through a crack in the roof. The city hummed faintly in the distance... alive, vibrant, and completely unaware of the chaos simmering inside me.Why couldn't I remember?What had I done years back that was so devious I couldn't even remember?My survival instincts were working overtime at this moment. Run. Run. Leave New York behind. Disappear again.Elliot knew I would leave eventually. We both knew I was just here for the time being.Wasn't that why I delayed everything that had to do with completing our mating process?Yet, every time I tried to make that move, my mind betrayed me with flickers of a certain past I couldn't fully remember. Faces. Voices. Shadows that felt too real to ignore.It was all in my fucking head. "Mate. Mate. Mine." Elliot’s voice replayed in my head like a broken record. "Whe
Elliot.And people blamed me for disappearing for five years.What the heck had just happened?The night felt heavier after Damien left. His silhouette disappeared into the darkness, and with it, any sense of normalcy I thought we still had.Something was wrong... terribly wrong... and if he wouldn't tell me, I'd figure it out myself."Elliot, honey, what's going on? Is Damien alright?"I hesitated, not wanting to alarm her. “I don’t know, Mom. He just… needs some time to himself.”She wanted to say more. The way she moved around and her lips purse together. But thankfully, she kept them to herself and just motioned for me to come inside."You too. It's late, and you shouldn't be out in the cold."Yeah, she was right.I nodded but didn't move. "Mom, who was that man? Ryan?"Her brown eyes narrowed slightly, the worry on her face deepening. Once upon a time, my mom was the prettiest woman in the land, now the stress of old age, a child who disappeared for years, and work had worn her d
Damien."We need to talk."It was one thing for someone to barge into someone's house, neighbour or not. It was another thing for said person to come after a person eating dinner and minding their own business.The tension in the dining room was suffocating. The burly man, Ryan, stood close to the doorway, his shoulders blocking out the light. His eyes were still locked on mine, and I felt the weight of it as though it could crush me where I sat.Elliot’s family watched warily, their smiles vanishing. I would have given a million bucks to know what was going on in their mind."I said," Ryan repeated, his tone low and deliberate. "We need to talk, Damien."Elliot bristled beside me, his chair scraping the floor as he stood. "What the hell is going on? Who are you?" His voice was like sharpened knives. Ryan didn't spare him a glance. His focus was entirely on me, his lips curling into something between a smirk and a sneer. "You know who I am, kid."My stomach twisted.I didn't know thi
Damien.I didn't feel much better the next morning.No matter how much I tried to convince myself that I was probably imagining things, and I couldn't probably have gutted a random girl in the street of New York.Not even a little.My stomach was a tangled mess of nerves, excitement, and uncertainty as Elliot drove us to his childhood home deeper in the city of New York.I had no idea what to expect from meeting his family... what kind of impression I would make, and whether they would accept me.But as much as I hated to be introduced as just a friend, part of me was eager to just see the life he had grown up in, to understand him a little better.Elliot tightened his hand on the wheel, his eyes focused on the road. He looked different today... a bit more casual, no more of the anxiety filled, heightened senses, intense persona he'd been wearing.He looked lighter, almost... happy.It made me want to reach out, slam my lips on those perfect lips, and continue our activity from yester
Damien.This probably wasn't the best time for this.I didn't kiss Elliot because I wanted to. Not that I didn't want to, but not when he was confessing his guts out about what happened to his dead fiancée five years ago.That wouldn't be fair. Not to him. Not to me. But he was so close.His lips trembling with each word, his breath ragged as if the weight of the past was too much to carry on his own.And his eyes... moon goddess, his eyes... they were darker than usual, filled with so much pain that I could feel it in my own chest.And yet... all I could think about was how much I wanted him.Maybe it wasn't the best time. Maybe it was a terrible idea.But the way he looked at me, the way he leaned into me when I touched his face, it felt like an invitation I couldn't turn away from.I cupped his jaw, brushing my thumb over the stubble on his chin, the action almost instinctive. This wasn't the first time we kissed. He had a whole mark on his neck from me.But it just felt right.
Elliot."You can't possibly know that."I pushed Damien's hand off my shoulder, barely sparing him a glance. "Leave me alone.""Elliot...""Just... please." I didn't wait for a response, ducking out of the restaurant and into the streets.I heard Damien's footsteps behind me at first, his steady, relentless presence tracking me, but I didn't turn around.He'd catch on eventually. I just needed space.My feet took me though blocks and alleys without thought, my mind whirling with everything Ethan had thrown at me, every accusation he'd nailed to my skin. I didn't care where I was going, as long as I was alone.Everything...The neon lights outside an old boutique caught my eye, and I stopped, hesitating. This was her boutique.The one she dragged me to whenever she could. One she loved.How did I make it here?I knew every inch of the store... each table, every display, the delicate scent of lavender that lingered on everything she’d brought back from it on the days she didn't drag m
Elliot."Ethan, enough!"The walls here felt like they were closing in on me the moment I heard Ethan’s voice. His eyes, so similar to mine in shade but hardened with something darker, held a glint of satisfaction at catching me off guard and making me lose my marbles.The asshole.I felt Damien's hand under the table, firm on my knee, grounding me. But my heart was already pounding so hard, and my grip on the glass of water tightened as I forced myself to meet my brother’s eyes."I'll meet them when I'm ready." I managed, voice barely above a whisper."When you're ready, huh?" Ethan laughed exactly like he did when we were younger. Mockingly. He drew curious glances from a few tables nearby. "That shouldn't surprise me. It also wouldn't surprise me if you never showed up. That's your specialty."The words sliced through me, unearthing memories I'd tried to bury. Damien's hand tightened on my knee, but it did nothing to soften the impact. My throat had closed up, my mind already spir