Bruce's hand remained at the small of Amelia's back the entire time they were walking, a gesture that felt strangely intimate and protective at the same time. She ignored the perplexing notions, telling herself that their relationship amounted to nothing more than a business deal. When Amelia woke up the following morning, there was an envelope under her door. One sheet of paper with the brief, menacing words, "Leave now, or suffer the consequences," was discovered inside. The only caution I have for you is this. Amelia brought the note to Bruce, her hands trembling. As he read it, a low growl reverberated in his chest and his expression darkened. He crumpled the paper in his fist and remarked, "This has gone too far." "With immediate effect, I am assigning you a personal security detail." Amelia's gaze expanded. Is that really what is needed? I desire to not be a burden. Bruce interrupted, his voice gentler than she had ever heard, "You are not a burden, Amelia." "You a
The moon was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the pack area. In a peaceful clearing, Ema strolled away from prying eyes and perceptive werewolf ears. Her blonde hair glittered silver in the moonlight, her eyes flashing with barely controllable wrath. She snarled. "This is taking far too long," the nearby shrouded figure said. "It is an insult to our kind every day that a human being like Luna exists." The apparition stepped forward, and under its hood emerged a man with sharp features and icy, analytical eyes. He said, "Ema, please be patient," in a quiet, smooth voice. "Everything we have worked for could be ruined by hurrying now." Ema turned to face him, looking visibly annoyed. And exactly what have we accomplished, Damien? That which, by Bruce's side even now, taints our heritage by mere existence." A cunning smirk wrapped around Damien's mouth. "We have planted the seeds of mistrust, my dear. The group is divided, and the complaints get louder every day. They'll be
Amelia got a shiver from something in her expression. --- Amelia ended up spending the rest of the evening studying old books in the pack's vast library to get ready for the Rite of Unity. Stories of hardships whirled around her head, each one more terrifying than the last. She was so focused on her research that she didn't even realize Ema was getting close until the werewolf was standing next to her. "It's a shame, isn't it?" With a phony sympathy flowing from her voice, Ema spoke. "To be thrust into a world you know so little about, forced to prove yourself over and over again." Closing the book in front of her, Amelia tensed. "What do you want, Ema?" Ema had a wicked sparkle in her eyes. "I want what's best for Bruce and this group. You must be able to see that you're not it. Amelia shot back, "That's not for you to decide," and got up to walk away. Ema took hold of her arm, her hold bordering on unpleasant. "Amelia, you're not going to pass this Rite. And everyone will recog
Bruce took a seat beside his study window and fixed his gaze on the sky's low moon. There was no indication of the internal battle he was going through from his look, which was neutral. That had been handled by the curse, therefore he shouldn't be going through anything at all. However, even so... He was startled out of his thoughts by a soft knock on the door. He cried out, "Enter," his voice devoid of passion. Bruce sensed it the moment Amelia walked into the room—that strange, inexplicable emotion that seemed to accompany her each time. He experienced tingling along his skin and an unexplainable warmth in his chest. "I hope I am not disturbing you," Amelia remarked, her voice tinged with worry. Bruce forced a neutral smile on his face as he glanced up at her. Not at all. Are there any requirements at all?" Bruce recognized Amelia's fiddling at the hem of her blouse as a telltale sign of anxiety. "I just wanted to talk about what happened at the Rite of Unity. Things have cha
There were many stars in the sky. giving a surreal radiance on the pack grounds. Amelia stood on the balcony of her room and traced with her fingertips the outline of the crescent moon mark on her chest, a continual reminder of the Rite of Unity that she and Bruce had undertaken. Her heart continued to race despite the quiet nighttime atmosphere. Behind her, she heard the door slowly click open. She recognized that it was Bruce immediately; a familiar shudder went down her spine. His deep voice rumbled "Amelia," surprisingly close to what she had expected. "We must have a conversation." Amelia turned to face him, her gaze menacing. She spotted Bruce, his muscular frame silhouetted against the moonlight, and her heart raced. She forced a neutral expression on her face, telling herself to keep her heart safe as she had promised and that this arrangement was just temporary. "What is it, Bruce?" she asked, her voice sounding confident. Bruce moved forward and looked directly into her
The bedroom was filled with a warm glow as the early morning sun filtered through the curtains. Bruce's firm chest against her back and his strong arm around her waist were the first things Amelia noticed as she slowly stirred. Recollections of the night before filled her mind, causing a smile to tug at her lips.She moved a little, making an effort to look up at Bruce without waking him. His eyes were already open, watching her with a tenderness that made her heart skip a beat, so it was a pointless attempt.Bruce grumbled, his voice still husky from sleep, "Good morning."Amelia grinned more broadly. "Good morning," she said, tracing the firm contour of his jaw with her hand. "Are you sleeping well?"In response, Bruce drew her in closer and nuzzled into the nape of her neck. "More than I have felt in years," he whispered against her flesh.The touch sent a shiver down Amelia's spine. She was still in awe of how swiftly their relationship had transformed after they had finally share
Throughout the meeting, she was acutely aware of Bruce's presence beside her. His hand would occasionally brush against hers under the table, or he would shoot her a proud smile when she made a particularly good point. These small gestures of affection and support meant the world to her.As the meeting drew to a close, Elder Thorne addressed them both. "Alpha, Luna, if I may speak freely?"Bruce nodded, his expression curious. "Of course, Elder. What's on your mind?"The old werewolf's eyes twinkled as he looked between them. "I just wanted to say how pleased we all are to see the two of you so... in harmony. Your bond has brought a new energy to the pack, a sense of hope and progress that we haven't seen in many years."Amelia felt a blush creep up her cheeks at the praise. Bruce squeezed her hand gently, a small smile playing on his lips."Thank you, Elder Thorne," Bruce replied. "Amelia has indeed brought many positive changes to our pack. We are fortunate to have her as our Luna."
As dusk settled in, Bruce and Elijah retreated to the Alpha's private study, leaving the pack grounds covered in lengthy shadows. The room, usually an oasis of calm and order, felt strained at this moment. Elijah knew there was going to be a lot of conflict seething beneath the surface, but Bruce moved slowly and deliberately to seal the door behind them. Bruce said, "All right, Elijah," and he sat down in the high-backed leather chair behind his desk. He spoke in a quiet, collected tone. "Tell me everything, please. from the beginning." Elijah took a long breath and collected his thoughts. He'd replayed this discussion a hundred times in his head ever since he learned this, but now that the moment had arrived, he had no idea what to say. "It started about a week ago," he stated, expressing how long the investigation would take. "I was searching through some of the earlier pack records to find the lineage of that new family that wants to join us. Remember the Hendersons? Bruce nod
The chilly, silvery light of the moon cast a ghostly appearance on the forest combat. The trees cast thick shadows on the ground below, as if they were quiet guardians from long ago, keeping watch over the clearing. Like the quiet before a storm, there was a great deal of tension in the air. The pack members were aware of everything that was happening in the woods and were prepared. In the front row was Bruce. His hazel eyes searched the dark treeline as he stood there, his muscles tight. As the vampires drew nearer, it was obvious what they wanted: to capture Amelia, which would permanently break the magical equilibrium.His mind raced at the scent of invaders in the air. My pack was prepared to fight, but this was not a back-to-back fight. This altercation started because of the woman next to me. Amelia stood with her heart racing, her gaze fixed on the woods. She was instinctively aware that the vampires desired her for her inherent power rather than her hybridity. Her res
The situation was tense, and neither Bruce nor Elijah seemed to be persuaded by Ema's remarks. They exchanged skeptical glances. In a display of barely controlled anger, Bruce tightened his jaw and drummed his fingers softly against the chair's armrest. Elijah broke the stillness with the first words. "Ema, you were always close to him." Why the sudden shift in opinion? "Why now?" Uncomfortably, Ema moved under their gaze. "I am aware of your lack of faith in me, and I doubt I would anticipate any other behavior from you. However, I lost everything when I saw Amelia in her cage. In addition to opposing the status quo, the Black Hooded Wolf is working to destroy everything, including your organization, Bruce. That includes you, Elijah. Relationships between vampires and werewolves are not concerns for him. He is adamant on gaining power, even if it means losing everyone. Deep in his throat, Bruce's wolf growled, and his eyes darkened. "Do you think we would accept it if your l
The Black Hooded Wolf then turned to face her, the whites of his eyes filled with an electric concentration in the blackness of his hood. "Now, my dear Ema, we go to the next level," he added, smiling sarcastically, recalling how Bruce and Elijah drove him into this corner, compelling him to act, raise the stakes, and ensure everyone recognized what a threat this woman was.He stood up and began walking all over the place, his steps precise and nervous. 'They believe they have triumphed, that by saving the girl, they have brought the situation to a close. Instead, they've just produced a symbol for their dumb crusade. Something more must be done immediately to prevent the girl from being induced to go through the motions of motivating the warriors.Ema simply nodded, with a puzzled expression on her face. But how? The hybrid is gone, and the majority of our comrades were captured or killed during the assault.When the Black Hooded Wolf spoke again, his lips twisted into a vicious s
The Black Hooded Wolf clenched his fists in anger as he perched atop one of the hills, looking down at the property below. He could hear the noises of sirens and yells in the night—the clamor of failure and missed opportunities. The only thing left for him was his prize, the half-breed monster he had been hunting for days, but the freak had fled. The wrath that aliens were going to consume him along with nostalgic thoughts of a different existence filled him up. He closed his eyes and let the stream of memories transport him back to a time when he saw retribution as a life goal rather than a continual obsession. Nathaniel Blackwood, a proud Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack thirty years ago, has transformed into this. They were formerly affluent people living in a picturesque region with lush trees and clear streams. It is a lovely area for one kind of creature, werewolves, or at least the ones who live in this den—a paradise as described by the cheerful souls in the wilds. Nathanie
They encountered some small opposition in the concrete corridors and walks, which took the form of hit and run, but they were able to overcome it. As Bruce and his dementor swooped on their adversaries, they were like twin forces of nature, tearing through everything dumb enough to stand in their path. As they descended to the bottom level of the property, the stink of terror turned to despair. They glided past corridors of cells, the bulk of which were deserted; the few others had shadows that moved away as soon as Bruce and company approached. "We'll be back for them," Elijah whispered to Bruce, his gaze scouring the room for any trace of Amelia. After wandering along a long corridor, they eventually found her. Amelia was spread out in a fetal position within a cage that could barely fit her, with an IV drip connecting her arm to a vile-looking purple liquid. The girl appeared quite unwell; her skin was pale and sweaty, and she had difficulty breathing. The man jumped up and d
It was a full moon night, and the moon was practically reaching the treetops. The forest was dense, as was the pack territory. Two people stood behind a convenient thicket, breathing with regard and suppressing wrath, their muscles tensed in anticipation. Alpha Bruce, with his muscular build, remained rigid as a coiled spring became increasingly agitated as he hurried across the compound, while Beta Elijah sat against a tree, eyes closed as if in deep meditation. Three days had gone since Amelia's kidnapping, three days that could be described as torture for both men. When Ema attacked them, they were overwhelmed and motionless, allowing the traitor to seize Amelia and go. Even after so many years had passed since the incident that had instilled so much hatred in Bruce, he still remembered it, which caused him to remain full of anger." Have you heard anything from our scouts?" Bruce demanded, hissing, and stopped walking to glare at Elijah. Elijah blinked and glanced at
It was as if someone had ripped her heart into pieces; she was in so much pain. Not only was she imprisoned and made powerless, but she also lost her friend, and the pain of that loss was as deep as a flesh wound. ‘What are you going to do to me?’ she began to say, dreading that she sounded all too small and afraid." Amelia asked.In minutes, the light failed, and only the figure of the stranger in a hood was clearly seen, his smile reflecting the only living light as he said, ‘My dear, you are free to go’, and that chill ran right through Amelia’s body. ‘Of course,’ the first one sneered, ‘we’ll conduct a detailed examination of your special physiology, and when we get all the information we want, we will kill you.’ Amelia felt herself panic, and it seemed to give her a boost in energy in a desperate move. She stood up and rushed to the structure with the bars of the cage, and she grabbed the bars with her shaky hands. You cannot do that! I have rights; I have a family that will co
When Amelia started to fully wake up, the first thing that came to mind was the severe, long-lasting pain she was feeling all over her body. For a moment, she tried to open her eyes but couldn't because their lids were so swollen. The air around her was charged, and it smelled like mold, dirt, and general disuse. Before Amelia could get too comfortable, the guards heard her trying to wake up. That's when she realized she wasn't in her bed at home. She finally got them open after a lot of trouble. That's when she realized she was in the middle of a nightmare. It felt like hell. There was a cold, cruel, and temporary iron wall around her, making it hard for her to move her arms. Along the sides of the bars, there were thick, rough walls that were almost always damp and covered in different shades of green mold. Fear filled Amelia's heart, and she began to think very quickly about what could have brought her to this terrible situation. The last thing she recollects to have don
The conflict continued on the training field, with animals, claws, and energy blasts clashing with one another. Amelia got puzzled about what was going on, looking like a haze from the rush of adrenaline and terror. She watched Bruce and Elijah fight, and despite her best efforts to remain calm, she was fascinated by their prowess and strength. But for every assailant they eliminated, two more appeared to emerge from the woodwork. Even though it is difficult to believe, Ema's numerical advantage was overwhelming. Amelia could feel herself becoming not just exhausted but also languid and less quick-witted as her precious reservoirs of power dwindled. A piercing hiss of anguish blended with the sound of battling. Amelia looked back and saw Bruce struggling, hurt, and bleeding. Three enormous wolves surrounded him and the Alpha, one of whom went for a bite on his throat, knocking him to the ground. Bruce! Amelia began to struggle with the Guardsmen in an attempt to reach him, sho