JUSTINI had told her to keep her phone close but she hadn't listened. Even after telling her to be careful and make sure to pick up as soon as I tried to reach her, Astrid was no where in sight. I searched for her everywhere, yielding no result. I went to all her classes and even searched the library since I knew that was somewhere she usually frequented but she could have disappeared or even never existed due to how I never found anyone who had seen her. I asked the boys if anyone had seen her but they all came up empty, mentioning that they hadn't seen her all day. I hoped she would turn up before the end of practice but she hadn't. What was even more strange was Alden not coming for practice too. He had made up an excuse stating that he had to go home earlier which was odd since Alden almost never backed out of a plan, especially not one of this much importance. Backing out last minute was something Alden never does but due to the urgency in his voice, I let him go, reminding m
JUSTINI saw red. Everything that happened next was almost instantaneous and seemed to drag out at the same time.A roar I couldn't believe came from me ripped through my throat as I charged at Alden. I caught him unawares and when he turned to look at who had interrupted him, I held him by his shirt, making him let go of the rope before slamming him against the wall. I heard Astrid fall to the floor and I yelled over my shoulder to Jonah, without loosening my grip on Alden. “Check on Astrid.”Vaguely aware of Jonah answering to my request, I pulled Alden to the floor before sitting on him and punching the hell out of him. Every punch was fueled by anger and hurt. The fact that my best friend could do something like this to me made me even more angry than I ever have been. “How could you do this to me?” I yelled at him as I punched him. It made me even more angry that he wasn't looking remorseful. He looked to the side and smiled. He kept smiling until I looked in the direction he
JUSTINFor the second time in only a short while, I was staying by Astrid's side in the hospital but this time, everything was different. For one, I was holding her hand without a care as to whether anyone saw me or not. I was beyond thinking about what others would say when I only want to know what she would say. As I gazed upon her face, I knew I had to tell her how I felt. It would be hard to explain how my feelings underwent a turn around so soon, even after a had been a total jerk to her a few weeks back, but she needed to know the truth. I'm going to tell her everything. And the world needs to fucking know she's mine too. Just the thought of it would have sent me into a state of panic and disgust but somehow, I found myself welcoming the idea of everyone knowing she belonged to me. I was still deliberating on this when the doctor came in. He had checked everything with her earlier before he allowed me to stay here but he hadn't exactly told me the results of the tests he ran
JUSTINIt's been two weeks since Astrid fell into a coma and there's been no improvement. Although, as I had earlier resolved, I had stayed at the hospital all through, it was taking a toll on me. For the duration I had been in the hospital, I hadn't been to school and word had gone out in school about Astrid being my wife. Jonah came by regularly to fill me in on everything everyone was saying but I didn't care. I couldn't be bothered with that, not now that Astrid's life was on the line and I didn't know when she would wake. I told Jonah to shut them up since I didn't owe anyone any explanations. Despite being the Alpha, I wasn't allowed to see Astrid. Even when I tried to use the title card, I was strongly told off and even the doctor insisted that I shouldn't be allowed to see her. It made me recall the conversation I had with her parents two weeks ago. TWO WEEKS AGOI came back into the ward after I spoke to Jonah to see her parents by her side. They turned to see who came in
ASTRIDKrisI saw Kris again. I wanted to stay with her in the dream I knew I was having. It was better to be here with her than to go back to reality where everyone hated me. I could at least stay here with someone whom I know loved me. “You have to go back, Astrid.”Kris's mouth was moving but the words dropped into my mind. I couldn't hear her but she spoke to me in my thought. “No, Kris. Let me stay here with you.”She shook her head and smiled at me. “You can't. You have to live your life well, Tri. You have so much to look forward to.”Her use of her nickname for me made me cry and I screamed at her. “I don't want to go back. Everyone hates me, Kris. I want to stay here with you, forever.”“That's where you're wrong, love. There's someone who loves you so much and he cried because he thought he lost you. You have to go back, for him.” I am now awake and her words keep ringing in my ears. There was no way that was true. It had to be her way of trying to make me feel better an
JUSTINEven if she wanted to, there was no way I was going to let her leave me. I tucked her into bed and I knew she was on the brink of saying something, the very thing I dreaded having a conversation on. And I did try to avoid anything that would bring up the divorce again. I couldn't tell her why I didn't want the divorce anymore and there was no way I could tell her about my feelings just yet.I needed to be sure if what I was feeling wasn't just pity or guilt over the fact that her getting hurt was my fault. These feelings were new and totally foreign. What I had with Audrey was something similar. I figured telling Astrid about my feelings only to find out they weren't true later would be awkward. I sat down on the chair next to my bed and reached out to Jonah through my mind. Astrid was resting at the moment and that made it the best time to plan out the trial. As much as I wanted to be there through the “Have everyone know about the mandatory meeting and trial. The sooner Ast
ASTRID My mind screamed at me, telling me just how wrong this was, but I shut the words out. It was wrong, yet, I couldn't stop. It felt so good. I wondered if this was something I could allow myself to indulge in and enjoy even if it was once. I have the right to enjoy my husband, right? I asked myself and I knew what my answer was, which was exactly why I had said no in my mind when he asked me to stop him. I made sure I didn't say it out loud and he couldn't tell from my expression but my silence was more than enough for him because he kissed me again. This time, he picked me up from the floor and on their own accord, my legs wrapped around his waist, locking me tighter against him. He paused again. “Tell me to stop before you regret this because I know I won't.” He looked at me, as if searching my eyes for the answer.Would I regret this? Is this a good idea? I had several questions running through my mind and I knew I was supposed to run from the bond we had and not strength
JUSTINThis just changed everything. How was this possible? In a flash, I saw everything and I finally made sense of a lot of things. I felt a connection greater than anything I've never felt with anyone, nor even with Audrey but maybe that had to do with the fact that Audrey was never my mate, Astrid was. Astrid is my mate. The thought kept ringing in my head over and over. But how was that possible? How had I not known all these while?I recalled the conversation I had with my father concerning the mate bond. I told him about the disappointment I had felt when I didn't feel overwhelmed by the fact that I had my mate but I loved her, Audrey. With Astrid, however, it felt right. Overwhelmingly right. I felt everything my father had explained I would feel and even more. It felt like it was always meant to be this way. I could only imagine just how much Astrid had suffered every time I made love to Audrey. The mate bond would have ensured she felt everything. Why hadn't she said som
JUSTINMy heart was pounding against my chest widely and a strange feeling settled over me as my eyes drifted from my father to my mother . I had never seen my parents so- tense like that before, the seemed so bothered about something I couldn’t understand why it was. My father’s jaw was tight and my mother’s lips were pressed together in a tight line as if she was trying to hold back her words. For the first time in my entire life, it seemed like there was an unresolved issue lingering between them, something neither of them wanted to talk about.My mother sat down and my father sat beside her, he held her hands tightly as if to anchor him. Then with a small sigh, he started talking. “There’s something I haven’t told you before and I guess this is the time for you to know, Justin,” he let out, his voice firm but I could tell the tension underneath it. “Years before I met your mother or even began dating her… I used to date a witch.”I frowned at what he said, refusing to believe his
JUSTINI knew something was off about that girl right from the start. And right here, she proved me right the moment she disappeared. Of course, she was a witch but why had she come here only to disappear? Why show herself now if it wasn’t a part of some plan?I turned around and saw Astrid with wide and startled eyes, a million thoughts were swirling in her head. I could hear her thoughts and she was back to thinking about her wolf, back to believing she needed a witch to fix whatever was wrong with her wolf. But not this witch. Raina, Sasha, or whatever she called herself. She was the wrong person for that. A very wrong one and I had this feeling she was dangerous too. It was clear too.I walked to Astrid and placed my hand on her arm, but her mind was too preoccupied with what she was thinking she knew about Raina. “Astrid,” I whispered through our link. “Look at me. She is not the witch you're looking for, snap out of it, baby. Raina is a liar and a friend of Hunter’s. She can’t
ASTRIDI was sure it was him- or at least, I thought I was. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, spinning my fears into shadows outside the window. I didn’t feel safe. Not anywhere. Not anymore. The only place I felt safe was in Justin’s arms. But what are we going to do now?I was trembling and crying quietly into his chest as he held me tight, his hands rubbing my back up and down soothingly. The only thing that comforted me was his presence and the warmth of his body. Not even a minute later, the room was filled with everyone else. The door burst open, and my parents and Justin’s came inside. I could feel their eyes on me, I could see the worry in their eyes and I started feeling overwhelmed. “What happened?” Justin’s mother asked, her voice laced with concern. “The fucker was here,” Justin replied her, his voice was strained and I could tell he was trying to control his anger. “Astrid saw him.”They all let out a low gasp immediately the words came out of Justin’s m
JUSTINI was torn between staying with Astrid to protect her and the baby and going over to where Hunter was to confront him. I felt that familiar feeling of fear and all my body became tense as my mind started racing, calculating the risks. Under no circumstances must Hunter find out about the baby. If he found out, his games could get dirtier, more dangerous, and I could not afford that. Not now. Not ever. I pressed a kiss to Astrid’s temple, she was too focused on her ice cream, completely unaware of anything happening while mine was melting in my hand, dripping down my fingers. So, I got to eating it and took my eyes back to where Hunter was, but he was gone like he had never been there. I turned Astrid and tried to get her walking so we could get out of there but she wasn’t budging. “I want another one,” she whined, holding out her empty cone. I forced a smile, trying to keep my fear out of my eyes and our link. “We have to leave sweetheart,” I said, my voice steady despite th
JUSTINWith an opponent hot on my heels, I ran across the pitch, the wind whipping over my hair. I didn't care that running had scorched my lungs and pushed my legs to the breaking point. There was only one thing on my mind- reaching the goal post. I focused, dodged an opponent and narrowed my eyes. And Immediately I got to the goal post, I swung the pusher against the ball straight into the net. The stadium exploded in cheers as soon as the ball got past the goalkeeper and into the net.Victory. I turned immediately to the stands, my eyes searching for the one face that made this whole moment worth it. Astrid was there, her eyes shining with pride and a big smile playing at the corners of her lips. I blew her a kiss, grinning like a fool. I could barely hear my teammates rushing towards me, to celebrate with me. The championship game had just started and this was our third win. I ran to where she was in the crowd in the stand as soon as the game ended. I immediately lifted her int
HUNTERI stared at Raina and her mother, Celeste, with a bored expression plastered across my face. The room felt suffocating with their presence, their very existence was dripping with deceit. If there was one thing I had learnt from dealing with these two, it was that they were up to something. The fact that they had the audacity to show up at my pack unannounced only confirmed my suspicions. Whatever they were planning, I needed to figure it out- and fast. I had zoned out for a moment, allowing the dull hum of their voices fade to become background noise, but then, Celeste called my name, snapping me back to the conversation. I blinked, trying to focus on her as she spoke. “Hunter, we heard what happened,” she said with sympathy in her voice and I rolled my eyes. “So, what are your plans now?” She asked, her voice smooth and practiced. It was as if she was trying to sound genuinely concerned, but I knew better. I could see the calculation in her eyes, the way her lips curled into
ASTRID "It was- I…” I opened my mouth to respond, but then it hit me. It has actually been a while. I stared up at her, my eyes widening as a wave of terror and bewilderment passed over me. With my heart pounding, I muttered, "It can't be." “We have… well- it can’t be what I’m thinking right? I mean yes, we have done it a few times. Well a lot since that day but could I really be?” My heart was beating fast against my chest and the room bounced a little in my eyes. Goddess.She nodded knowingly. “There is a high chance,” she replied. “I have a few pregnancy test strips in the pack’s first aid kit downstairs. You stay put, I'll go and grab one for you.” I nodded in response.As she left the room, I felt my mind waving. This was exciting, but also terrifying. This was not the right time at all. A lot was still going on. Hunter was still out there. What if he found out? And school- oh my God, I still had two years left. How was I supposed to manage being pregnant and finishing school? I
ASTRIDA few weeks has passed since I found out about my adoption, Hunter’s intentions and Justin getting hurt. My relationship with Justin had gotten even better and it was flourishing. Even now, I was still in shock at how much had changed so quickly. I no longer felt the weight surrounding me, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I fit somewhere. My relationship with my parents was… progressing. Slowly. But, we were getting there. The hardest part, though, was trying to get used to Justin’s mother change in attitude and how she was so sweet to me now. I was finding it hard to accommodate her but I was sure I’d get there eventually. Justin had helped me pack my things back into the Alpha’s home after everything had settled down and it felt good to be back, surrounded by people that cared about me. And I could always see Justin and not wait or count down until time I would get to see him. Everything was going well. All was well. But there was a nagging feeling at the back
ASTRIDBest news of the year. Hell, best news of my life. She loves me.Astrid, the girl who always made my heart race, who kept me awake at night, and haunted my thoughts whether she was around or not, had finally confessed to loving me back. I felt a raw, powerful feeling go through my veins as soon as she finished speaking. A high I hadn't felt in years. It was taking up all of my mental space, making the physical anguish I was experiencing seem unreal and distant. I forced myself up, scowling at the way the stitches were pulling at my flesh, ignoring the pulsating pain in my ribs. Astrid, always the worrier, immediately moved to get me to lay back down. She attempted to gently lead me back to the bed by saying, "Justin, you're still hurt." But I would have none of it. Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her in until she was inches from my face. I could smell her skin, that subtle aroma that always made me crazy, and I could feel the warmth of her breath. She made an effort to make me