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Chapter 24
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
J. N. SteinHappy Saturday! Back-to-back updates! Hope you all are enjoying the book so far- please let me know by leaving comments and gems. Thank you for reading! -JNS <3
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DAYA POV After our embarrassing, pseudo-sex talk, the three of us prepared ourselves for the day. Saph was on her way to check on Mara’s status at the clinic. Emmy and I were meeting Darius, Tobias and Lucas for a strategy plan. Even if Darius is telling the truth about us being mates, I cannot afford to think about it now. There is too much going on here that requires my attention. The mate bond isn’t going anywhere. Emmy and I arrive at the packhouse, and walking there, I could sense the energy amongst the pack was tense. It’s clear the members of this pack have been through a lot, and now, danger is looming in the air again. These may not be my pack members, but in this brief time of being here, I’ve come to care about them. My presence here is no longer about reclaiming this territory. Technically, this territory was my family’s, but we have been far-removed from here, and nobody even seems to remember our father, Alpha Bronson. So why put these people, this pack, through mor
Fearing Fate Chapter 26
DARIUS POV I’m going to kill Mara. First, she behaves like a clingy ex-girlfriend, who is hell-bent on being my chosen mate and Luna. Then she’s attacked by Justin and his crew. Now she’s somehow missing. Where the fuck could she have gone? Is she involved with Justin somehow? To top it all off, me and Daya were finally getting closer, and we had to stop because of Mara. I’m going to rip her heart out. Daya may be in denial about the mate bond with me, but I know she feels it. She feels those sparks and tingles. I can tell her wolf likes being around me. She just needs time. Hopefully, all this craziness can be dealt with before the next full moon. Daya and I arrive at the medical clinic, and I can sense the unruliness in the air. I see Tobias rushing down a hallway, shouting orders to a few warriors. “Comb sections 20-30. That’s where we last tracked Justin and his crew. She can’t have gone far. Send a couple people to scout her home and check for anything that can lead
Fearing Fate Chapter 27
DAYA POV Okay, I lied. I told Darius and the others that Sage would get here the day after I called her. It took her three days to get here. Amy and Pearl also needed a few days to get their lives in order and make their way here. But they should all be arriving today! It is difficult for me to contain my excitement. This is much needed good news after this week. We have had no leads, or signs, of Mara or Justin. I haven’t seen much of Darius. He has been securing all the pack’s resources and helping with border patrol every day too. I still haven’t joined the pack. Since that day in the medical clinic, I’ve been second-guessing things. Darius told me I cannot join border patrol until I join the pack. That is what sparked the idea of running multiple training sessions each day. We decided to do two different training sessions each day, to ensure the borders always have people on patrol. This also makes the group sizes easier for me to manage by myself. I clap my hands toge
Fearing Fate Chapter 28
DARIUS POV Tobias wouldn’t shut up about Sage. He’s used to hooking up with the occasional pack member. They are drawn to his position and title and enjoy being submissive for him. He’s never complained about that before. “I’m telling you, Dare, I’ve never been put on my ass like that. And the fact that it was done by that little vixen. Fuck dude. I had to stay on the ground for a minute just to give my dick time to calm down. I don’t know what that girl has done to me, but I like it.” He kept talking about her like this for the entire morning. He wanted to go back to the afternoon training session in hopes that Sage would ask him to help demonstrate more maneuvers. I had to burst his bubble though. I needed him to help me conduct perimeter checks. There have been no leads in a few days and the quiet makes me nervous. We checked in with the warriors on patrol. We ran by Logan and Carlo; they were our most senior warriors now. They help out extra at their training sessions a
Fearing Fate Chapter 29
DARIUS POV The three of us spent the rest of the night coming up with a plan and trying to figure out who this Stone-person could be. I didn’t have anyone in my pack that went by that name. Justin’s last name is Toller and Mara’s is Blakenship. I could barely sleep. It was early the next morning and I figured I’d check out the morning training session. Of course, once I said that, Tobias perked up from his spot on my couch and said he’d come with me. Lucas rolled over in his spot on my living room floor. He was covered in a couple of throw blankets, and he used his hoodie as a makeshift pillow. He wasn’t much of a morning person. He usually trained on his own, and now that there were two training sessions, he started joining in the afternoon session with the warriors the last few days. Tobias was practically sprinting over to the training field. It was still early- 5:15 AM. I couldn’t help but shake my head and laugh at him. I’ve never seen him this smitten. If he’s not c
Fearing Fate Chapter 30
DAYA POV “You want me to pledge to your pack?” I ask him. Suddenly feeling my throat dry up and my stomach twist into knots. There have been a couple of reasons why I decided not to join Darius’ pack. One, with all this fated mate stuff, I just don’t want to take the risk of either of us being hurt or falling victim to the plague. I may not show it well, but I do care about Darius, even if he hurt me. I know he didn’t know he was hurting me. Second, I can’t stay here knowing I was planning on challenging him. If I stay, whether we accept the bond, or not, he will find out and hate me. And who knows what he would do to me and my sisters if he found out. Third, in order to join his pack, he has to learn my full name- my real name. He still thinks my last name is Tannerman. When he realized me, Emmy, and Saph were sisters, he didn’t ask us what our real names are. If he learns my last name, it won’t take him long to put the pieces together that my father was the original Alpha of this
Fearing Fate Chapter 31
DARIUS POV Confusion. Betrayal. Rage. That only begins to describe how I’m feeling in this moment. I have been walking around like an idiot. I have been giving her space, when I should have been getting to know more about her. I can’t believe I never asked her what her real last name was. I just assumed that since she and her sisters were separated so young, they all changed their names. I guess, technically, they did change their names. Stone. She is a Stone. And an Alpha! Everything makes so much sense now. I’ve never heard of her father, Alpha Bronson Stone. At least I don’t think so. I know he wasn’t in this territory when we moved here. I wonder if Calvin kept any records of who owned this territory before we moved here. I’ll have to check our archives. This still doesn’t explain why I shouldn’t trust her. That note said not to trust a Stone. That means somebody from outside my pack knew about Daya. Is there more about her she still hasn’t told me? Like I told her, she is cl
Fearing Fate Chapter 32
DAYA POV Darius and I run into the woods, and I can already here the sounds of wolves fighting, tearing into each other’s bodies. I notice a lot of our warriors begin to separate and take on the rogues individually. We have been training for them to fight together. I feel for my newly established connection to the pack and mindlink all the warriors. ‘Warriors, do your best to stay with your teams. Strength in numbers!’ I shout out. I hear many confirmations, and they all begin to shift closer to each other, forcing the rogues to rethink their strategies and fighting styles. Of course, Tobias calls out through the link, even in the heat of battle, he manages to get a quick jab in. ‘Welcome to Running River, Daya! Now help us tear this group of shitheads apart.’ Even if he is a giant goofball, he is clearly a fierce fighter. He is fending off two rogues. I notice Sage is close to him and she is easily handling a gross grey wolf with matted fur. I continue to scan the field; I h
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Fearing Fate Epilogue
Sage POV I wake up with a throbbing headache again. I’ve been running through the forest for several days now. Part of me regrets leaving that small hospital. I never asked anyone where I was or how I got there. I assume that I was kidnapped since I didn’t recognize anything. Everything is a jumbled mess. I try to sleep at night, but flashes of what I can only assume are my memories, flicker through my mind. The sun is beginning to rise over the trees. As much as I’m afraid about being out in the forest all alone, there is a sense of calm from being in nature. I vaguely remember being younger and running through the woods. Why can’t I remember anything? Do I have family looking for me? No. Obviously not. Or else they would have been in that hospital room waiting for me to wake up. A part of me keeps saying to turn back, that there is something, or maybe someone, waiting for me. I just have to accept that I’m alone. I continue walking, enjoying the sound
Fearing Fate Chapter 71
DAYA POV I am speechless. I have no words. Not only is the ring gorgeous, but his words are extraordinary. Alpha Luna? Is that even a thing? Nobody has ever shared an Alpha title before. Just when I thought that Darius couldn’t be more perfect, he proves me wrong again. He is truly willing to share his title with me. I feel a little guilty for shoving him before, but what did he expect me to do? I thought he was making a mockery of me and our bond in front of the entire pack. What a sneaky guy. I’m going to have to teach him a lesson later for that. I realize that I have not said anything in some time and Darius is still down on one knee, waiting for my response. “It would be my honor, Alpha,” I say without hesitation. I extend my fingers on my left hand for him and, without taking his eyes off mine, he slides the beautiful ring onto my finger. A black diamond- he knows me well. Darius places a kiss on my ring finger and rises to his feet. The entire pack is cheering and sc
Fearing Fate Chapter 70
DARIUS POV I’m standing on the platform, overlooking the entire party. My pack members are all so happy and enjoying the evening. Lucas and Aurelian are standing next to me. I’m wringing my hands together, feeling them getting clammy. I try shaking them out to dry them. I don’t want Daya to touch my hands and feel how gross they are. “Relax, Alpha. Your mate is coming,” Lucas says reassuringly. I never asked him what his views are on finding a mate. I have seen him talking with some she-wolves here and there, but nothing serious. He and Emmy have been spending a lot of time together. I’ll have to ask him if there is anything going on there. They’re so similar, they would probably be a good fit. The chattering amongst the pack members quiets down and I look up and see her- my warrior goddess. The woman who slowly broke down my walls and has become a new pillar of strength for me. She is flanked by her sisters as they make their way through the crowd. She stops and greets diff
Fearing Fate Chapter 69
DARIUS POV Two Weeks Later The full moon came and went. We never celebrated with a festival. Too many of my pack members were fearful that the full moon has become a bad omen. Following the attack from the Forza Pack, and Lyle’s death, nobody wanted to celebrate. I was disappointed, but I understood everyone’s concern. We had a funeral for Lyle. Logan and Leslie were distraught. Especially Logan. He is filled with so much guilt. I wasn’t there, but Daya told me Logan snapped at Lyle before the Forza Pack attacked. He feels responsible for his brother’s death. As does Leslie. Lyle died saving her. I understand that guilt, having lost Calvin in the same way. Richard recommended a grief counselor, or even instating a pack therapist. We all have been through significant trauma. It’s werewolf nature to deal with pain and keep your head up and drive on. We forget that we are also part human. It makes sense that having someone to talk to during difficult times would be beneficial. Ri
Fearing Fate Chapter 68
DAYA POV The rest of us spring into action and shift, joining Lyle by the tree line. ‘I’m on my way! How many?’ Darius’ voice comes through the link. ‘I can’t tell! At least twenty! They don’t smell like rogues!’ I tell him. The attacking wolves don’t hesitate. They leap out from the trees and come at us. Logan and Leslie are the first to defend their brother. The rest of us are not far behind. Darius’ orders come through the mindlink. ‘Do your best not to kill! We take as many prisoners as we can!’ Fearing for my sisters’ safety, I focus on keeping them away from harm. ‘Amy get back!’ I yell to her through the link. ‘I can fight! Let me help!’ She shouts back angrily, her small, brown wolf shaking out her fur. It’s not helping her seem intimidating. ‘No! Go help bring silver chains so we can keep these wolves subdued!’ I order her. Her wolf storms off in the other direction. She is just not a skilled enough fighter. I refuse to put her a
Fearing Fate Chapter 67
DAYA POV One minute, I’m hitting a punching bag, imagining it’s Darius’ face. The next, I’m letting him mark me. I have no regrets. The moment Darius’ teeth connected with my skin I felt our bond snap together. I saw his entire life flash before my eyes. I saw all that he has lost. I felt all his pain. I finally understand why my parents never resented the Moon Goddess for the plague. I can feel every emotion Darius has. I know him. He knows me. Being this connected to another person is scary, and exhilarating. I haven’t heard anyone talk about these things with a chosen mate bond. Nobody has mentioned the sparks and tingles every time their chosen mate touches them…kisses them. And I’ve never heard anyone talk about absorbing their chosen mate’s memories when they complete their bond. I used to think werewolves were superior to humans because of our enhanced senses, our strength, and speed. And, yea, obviously, the whole shifting into a majestic animal is in
Fearing Fate Chapter 66
DARIUS POV As my pack members’ voices filled the outdoor space with cheers and applause, I could feel through the bond that Daya was not sharing in their feelings of excitement. I sensed her emotions were pinging between shock, annoyance, hesitation, uncertainty, and anger. Yea. I should have spoken to her about this beforehand. There wasn’t time. A few young kids ran up to us. One small girl took Daya’s hand. Little Phoebe is only five years old, with wavy black hair and big brown eyes that are almost too big for her head. She looks like a cartoon character. Daya looks down at this small girl. “I can’t wait to have a Luna. Especially one as pretty and brave as you. I’m going to be a warrior when I get older too!” Phoebe flexes her small arms, which are void of any muscle tone. And she grits her teeth together and lets out a growl, or what I think was supposed to be a growl. I can’t help but smile at her cuteness. I feel Daya’s emotions change through the bond. Gratitude
Fearing Fate Chapter 65
DAYA POV Justin’s trial created a ripple effect of change over the next week. Darius meant it when he told his pack things needed to change. He took a suggestion from me and Aurelian that all pack members should receive basic training in the event of future attacks. Of course, not everyone will be on the warrior squad, but Darius agreed that every pack member should have basic fighting skills for whenever Bram, or rogues, attack again. But that’s not all that has changed, Darius announced that he wants to increase security measures. He wants to create a tech team to bring Running River Pack into the twenty-first century. This pack is definitely more of a blue-collar, get-your-hands-dirty, type of pack. Which is great and all. But there is so much technology available that can better protect everyone and alleviate the strain on the warriors who run patrols. Warrior training has just wrapped up for the day and we are all making our way over to the packhouse for another all-p
Fearing Fate Chapter 64
DARIUS POV I’m buttoning up a black dress shirt as I hear the shower turn off. I peer into the bathroom and see Daya’s reflection in the mirror as she steps out of the shower. Her tan and muscular body is still wet. I catch a glimpse of her perfect ass before she wraps a towel around her naked form. Damn it! I look down and I’m already hard just from looking at her. I haven’t admitted this to Daya, but since she marked me, my desire to have sex, and bury myself deep inside her, has skyrocketed. We have been having plenty of sex now that she moved in, but I’m always hungry for more. It feels so good to have her next to me every night. It seems so natural for us. I don’t know what changed for Daya, but she has been more open with me. I’m hesitant to bring up the conversation of marking her. I don’t want to scare her and risk all the progress our relationship has made. She steps out of the bathroom and rakes her eyes over me. I don’t know if she did it on purpose, but she li
