Archie stood in the middle of the group, holding a broken wood in one hand and a broken metal ball in the other. The wolves kept their distance as the scent of wolfsbane floated in the air. Archie turned it around for everyone to see the royal seal on the front. "That's the Pruvaria's seal," Serif gasped. "So it's true," Lottie said. "These weapons are made by the human kingdom." "This seal is part of the armory," Cristobal said with disbelief, "but this contraption is something I've never seen before." "We have seen it," Laurie stated. "It's the same weapon we saw at burnt settlements we passed before. A way to try to eliminate the werewolf species. Like genocide so one species can rule all." "That is not true," Archie yelled at her, causing the others to converge to their location. "We don't believe one species should rule. We are here to try to keep the peace." Laurie laughed harshly. "Is that what we saw back there in those towns? Keeping the peace!" Laurie flicked he
Everyone took a minute to scan the area. It was Cristobal who answered first. "There are multiple indications of a battle here," Cristobal said, pointing to the marks on the trees and the ground. "Exactly. I saw no indication that werewolves attacked the other locations. We might be trained, but even my wolf is inclined to leave a mark or two," Micah finished. "So now I ask the difficult question. If we both want to find my brother, why is your brother leading us farther away from him?" All eyes fell onto Archie, who was struggling to find an answer. After a resigned sigh, he dropped the plank on the ground. "I don't have an answer. If, and this is a big if, my brother had something to do with this, then it is without my knowledge." Micah placed a comforting hand on Archie's shoulder. "Believe me, Archie. I know a thing or two about brothers making decisions behind your back. Right now, I just need to find out why and what Xenia has to do with this?" Archie offered a small s
The sun seeping through the window cast a shadow of a claw over Xenia's face. Lillian stretched before walking over to the bed. She traced a finger down the side of Xenia's face, over her cheekbones, round nose, and full plush lips. She was careful not to leave a mark on Xenia's pretty face, knowing Mason or, rather, Rodin would have a fit. "I'm bored," Lillian sighed, propping herself beside Xenia. "Mason's away, and my mate is resting from our late-night activities. That means we had sex last night. Do you understand sex," Lillian whispered in Xenia's ear before taking the tip of it between her teeth and letting go as she laughed. "Sex between mates is... indescribable. Apologies if you could hear us. Werewolves are not shy from being loud. It doesn't help that we're just below this room either," Lillian giggled before propping herself over Xenia's body. "I guess sooner or later, you'll find that out yourself. How lucky you are to be Mason's mate." "I wonder if you can hear me
Delilah spat obscenities towards Lillian, and still, Xenia didn't move. "I know you're awake. Stop playing games," Lillian yelled, tightening her grip on Delilah's throat. "What the hell is going on!" Lillian turned to see Mason standing in the doorway. His eyes accessed the situation, moving from Jane to Lillian to Delilah and finally Xenia. He noticed the cut on Xenia's face, and a growl rumbled low in his chest as his eyes bled red. "Rodin..." Lillian whispered as she let go of Delilah and slowly backed away from the bed. "Did you touch her," Rodin growled, each word coming out as painful as the next. "It..it...was an accid..." Before Lillian could finish, Rodin lunged for her. Lillian successfully dodged his hands and ran for the door. However, Rodin was quicker and grabbed her leg to swing her towards the wall. Lillian hit the wall hard enough to hear a crack. She crumpled to the floor, holding her hands out to protect herself. Rodin stalked towards her, and she painfully b
"She looks so peaceful. Like a magnolia in May." Frieda stared at Xenia's body. "It's strange she's still human?" Lacey leaned over Xenia's body, sniffing it before stepping back. "She doesn't smell like a werewolf to me. Maybe it didn't work." "Let me see." Frieda pushed Lacey out of the way and sniffed Xenia. She shook her head and did it again in different places. "Well, at least she smells good," Frieda purred while twirling a strand of Xenia's hair around her finger. "Has she always looked this pretty? Look at how her hair frames her face." "Get off of her, you horn dog," Lacey said, pushing Frieda away from Xenia. "Don't make me get the hose." Frieda pouted. "I can't help it. The moon is callin' to me." Frieda throws her hands in the air with a small twirl. "Can't you feel it callin', Lacey?" "No, so hang up." Lacey glared at Frieda before rubbing lotion on Xenia's skin. "Let's just hurry before he comes back." Alpha Mason finally allowed them into the room to cle
Lacey held the key out in front of her. "Celia found it underneath Xenia's pillow. She made a weird look and put it in her pocket when she thought no one was looking. I thought the whole thing was weird, so I stole it from her." Frieda looked aghast. "A key, Lacey? Really? Do you know how many doors this place has?" "I do," Lacey said defensively, putting the key back into her pocket, "but how many use actual keys? And besides, look at it." The jagged key had a carved-out seal on one end with a jewel in the middle. "Maybe it's a key to the dungeon's cells or something important. It looks all fancy." "Well, how are we gonna test it," Frieda asked. "Celia is the one that delivers the food down there. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I want to go down there. It's so…dark." "Just come on," Lacey said, pulling Frieda out of the room. "We should go now while everyone else is getting ready for tonight's bonfire. This is the last night of the Blue Moon." Not long after, they stood near
Jane's hands shook as she carefully skimmed to the chocolate bar's top. She ignored the sweat and clumps of wet flour caked on her face. She wanted to imitate how Xenia made the swirly chocolates for the banoffee pie. So far, in the last ten minutes, she has gone through two bars of chocolate and made four perfect toppings. "I have no idea how you can do this with such ease, Xenia." After ten more minutes, Jane gave up and decided to go with what she had. She had been slaving all day in the kitchen and between her other duties to make this, and she prayed it worked. "If there's one way to get back in your good graces, it will be with this pie," Jane muttered as she placed the last chocolate curl on top of the pie. "Done. This should be perfect." Jane stepped back to admire her work. She planned to put it up for when Xenia woke up, but no one knew when. The fact that she growled earlier indicated it might be any day now. "Hopefully, it's soon," she muttered. "I would hate for thi
Lacey panicked only a little before seeing it was Frieda, who didn't look so happy. Lacey took in a shaky breath, but Frieda placed a finger over her lips before she could speak. Frieda looked down at the basket, searching for something, and her eyes lit up when she found it. "What's taking so long?" the guard asked. His voice came out in short pants. "Oh, don't worry. I found exactly what you need." Frieda took the cast iron out of the basket and walked back around the corner. Lacey was stuck in her stupor for a moment before she started to freak out again. She heard the sound of the cast iron hitting flesh, and the guard's scream came immediately after. She's going to get us in trouble. Lacey thought before the guard's scream turned into a soft whimpering. What the hell? Against her better judgment, Lacey peeked around the corner and covered the gasp from her mouth with her hand. The guard was naked from the waist down in a missionary position with his ass in the air. Fr
As the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, Xenia slowly opened her eyes to find herself lying in her room. She quickly sat up in bed, looking around. Was she dreaming? She had to be. That was the only explanation. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror. She was the same as she was before. She pinched herself thinking she was dreaming but she felt pain.What the hell?She absentmindedly touched her face, arms, and hair. Unable to believe where she was. She tried remembering where she was before. Melania. The fight. Nova. She had to get back and…“Xeni?”Xenia’s inner thoughts stopped and she froze. She looked towards the doorway, willing herself to move but her body was shaking with emotions.“Mother?”As if on cue, Delilah appeared in the doorway with a smile on her face. “There you are? What is taking you so long? Put on some clothes and come to breakfast.”Delilah turned to leave but Xenia grabbed her and pulled
Delilah caught Jane before she fell to the floor. Jane gazed over Rick’s lifeless body, her body trembling of what had just happened before. before letting out a heavy sigh.“I knew this was going to hurt, but damn,” Jane laughed. “You would think I would be used to pain.”“Jane, what’s going on?” Delilah asked.“Later,”Jane said with one last look at Rick before shaking her head. “We have to get to the others.”“Agreed,” Archie said, gripping the hilt of his sword. “No delays. Where are the others?”Jane pointed in the direction of the dungeon cells. “Cells are down that way, but we’re not the only ones down here.”On cue, a loud crash could be heard through the tunnels. The group raced forward, coming to a scene of pure chaos. Lacey, Friend, and Danny were in the middle of an all-out brawl against several guards. Lacey was throwing punches like a rabid beast, while Frieda and Danny–both laughing wildly–used each other to break through. Danny swung Frieda around like a rag doll while
The saturated color of the surrounding trees and landscape looked all too familiar when Xenia woke up in the spirit realm. Yet, something felt off. The hues were darker and the shadow loomed over the entire space. Mist swirled around her ankles, and the air carried an otherworldly hum that seemed to resonate in her chest. For a brief moment, the feeling frightened her.“You are finally awake,” a voice called out.Xenia turned to see Nova, moving towards her. Nova’s white fur shimmered like freshly fallen snow under the moonlight and darkness.“Nova,” Xenia breathed, relief washing over her. “I forgot how this felt. Though, it looks different.”“Dark forces are involved here, Xenia,” Nova said, lowering her head slightly, her ears twitching in agitation. “Melania’s presence is growing stronger.”Xenia’s stomach tightened. The name alone sent a chill through her body. Her hands curled into fists, looking around the area for a sign. “Where is she?”“Close,” Nova growled. “Be on guard.”“
The clash of metal against metal echoed through the kitchen as Jane ducked, barely dodging the swing of the spiked chain now wielded by Rick.Rick grinned as he twirled the chain like a predator with a toy. “You thought you were clever. Wielding this chain like you had a chance against me. Haven’t you had enough today?”Jane was breathing hard, her muscles aching from the fight, but still she laughed, shaking her head. “Obviously not, if I’m defying you again, but you know what Rick. I don't care what you do to me anymore. I will be free from you whether you like it or not.”“Don’t test me, Jane.”He swung the chain and Jane ducked as it hit the plates just above her. The glass sprayed everywhere causing a few cuts on her arms. She moved back against the counter, and her hand grazed the surface, feeling for anything useful. Her fingers brushed against something cold and metal–a pie tin. Her heart leaped as she remembered its contents. The silver and wolfsbane pie she’d baked earlier,
The path they took wasn’t going to the dungeons but through the Alpha’s secret hideaway in his office. The sudden change as they entered the small cave made Xenia’s stomach tighten. “Where are we going?” Xenia asked, her voice more high-pitched than she liked. The warriors remained silent, their faces unreadable as they waded through the icy water to reach the other side. Xenia’s heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears. The dim, suffocating tunnel brought back the memories of her escape with her mother. Her breath hitched, and her legs faltered as the faint echoes of her mother’s screams mingled with the falling of debris.“Xenia,” Nova’s voice rumbled in the back of her mind, firm but soothing. “They did this on purpose. Fight through it. Breathe.”Xenia gritted her teeth, drawing strength from Nova’s presence as she struggled to keep moving. The warriors exchanged glances but said nothing, their grip tightening to keep her moving. Nova’s presence swirled protectively around he
Jane waited until all the warriors had left for the ritual before making her way through the halls of the packhouse. Her fist tightened around the key wrapped in a note she received from one of the guards–a man with a creepy obsession with Frieda. Jane thought it was a trap set by Lillian, but at the moment, she didn’t have any other option. “They locked Lacey and Frieda in the west wing, the room with the black doors. After the feast.”Jane cursed under her breath again. The west wing was desolate, but she knew there would be a guard or two stationed there. As she approached the main staircase, she slowed her pace, her ears catching the faint murmurs of voices below. She peeked over the railing and spotted two warriors stationed at the bottom of the steps. Sneaking past them was impossible. She needed a distraction. She looked around and noticed a small statue perched on a pedestal. Quietly, she slipped toward it, her heart pounding. With much more effort than she anticipated, she
This worked way better than expected. Lillian thought as she strode into the room where Mason lay, his muscular arms wrapped protectively around a trembling Xenia. She twirled the little pouch to break the spell, seeing the control Melania had over him was still in effect. Though if it was up to her, Lillian would let the effect last as long as she could. She approached the side of the bed where Xenia was looking straight ahead, her eyes wide with unshed tears. Lillian crouched down, her face level with Xenia’s. When Lillian’s hand reached out to brush a strand of Xenia’s hair back, Xenia flinched, but Mason’s grip kept her in place.“You brought this on yourself, you know,” Lillian mused. “All you had to do was cooperate.”“Fuck… you,” Xenia stuttered.Lillian laughed. “I think we both know who just got fuck. What? You can’t handle a bit of rough play?”Xenia wanted to reach out and claw Lillian’s face but Mason had her locked down. Lillian crouched, meeting Xenia’s angry gaze with
**TRIGGER: ASSAULT**Xenia’s fingers brushed the cold windowpane as she gazed out into the night, the Red Moon hung ominously in the sky. Its crimson glow bathed the landscape in an unsettling light, a reminder of the ritual to come. Tonight, everything will change. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her. No matter how much Nova tried to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.“Do you feel that?” Nova asked. Xenia knew what she was talking about. There was power in the air. Something that seemed to call to the both of them. Or more like someone.“Mason?” Xenia asked.“No. Micah.”Xenia closed her eyes, searching in the darkness for something to hold on to. Was he really here? Was she really saved? A hand on her shoulder shook her from her thoughts as Tammy stood behind her with her dress.“Everything is safely tucked in, Luna,” Tammy said, laying the dress on the nook bench. Xenia exhaled slowly, gripping the towel wrapped around her as if she was cold, but
Mason stood in the dimly lit chamber, the flickering light from the torches casting shadows on the stone walls. In front of him, chained to opposite walls, were Micah, with bruises all over his body, and Cristobal, bound and barely conscious, yet still seething with defiance.Rick stood silently by the door, arms crossed, his eyes flicking between the three of them, awaiting orders.Mason tapped his fingers on the hilt of the knife he held, lazily spinning it in his grip as if it were a mere toy. He paced back and forth in front of his captives, stopping occasionally to inspect them with a twisted sense of amusement. "So, plans, dear brother. Let's discuss those. I’m sure you didn’t crash my little party just for a scenic tour of the dungeon." He stopped abruptly, crouching in front of Micah, his smirk twisting into something crueler. “Or are you going to let our brave soldier boy here spill his guts for you?”Micah didn’t respond. His breathing was labored, but his eyes—those damn e