Ciaran's Point of View
The party went on swimmingly. Everyone was having a good time. Drinking and laughing. Phaedra had taken an interest in what Dargan was doing concerning the consoles and games he was developing. Farren had looked entranced by Maverick and his wild adventures. Nerezza had a certain hunger in her eyes when she looked at Alvara. Those glances she stole of our mate had gone unnoticed by Alvara but tightened something inside my heart.
Then Maverick had stood abruptly. Walked out of the dining room with Dargan and Alvara in tow. I hadn't the slightest idea why until I had looked at Alvara. Her cheeks were stained red. Her eyes swam with lustful intent. There was no doubt inside my mind that she had sent images to Maverick. Pushed him far over the edge.
Covering my smirk when they left, I averted my attention back to Nerezza. She was speaking about her latest investment. Had pulled Ozias into the conversation as
Ozias' Point of View"Will you please just eat your fucking food?" I growled at Alvara. She sat with her arms crossed over her chest. Glared at the rest of us as if we had killed her dog. Maverick cursed and stood up to walk towards her."No. Leave her be. I want to see how long this tantrum will last. Responding physically now would only make our hand weaker." Ciaran murmured, sipping from his coffee. His empty breakfast plate was in front of him. Along with migraine pills. Dargan remained on the other side of the kitchen. Took inventory of all the things still left in the fridge.Alvara had been on a hunger strike since last night. She had refused her dessert. Refused any snacks. Kept looking over at Maverick and Dargan. Nerezza and they had left not long after Alvara had joined us again. By the look on Nerezza's face, she knew what had happened.From the sex smell coming from Alvara, Dargan, and Maverick, we could all fucking
Alvara's Point of View Sybil had done a wonderful job at organizing the event. The mood lights were set to a blue. Smoke machines lined the backside of the dais. Fog swooped in from behind us, casting the five of us in a moody atmosphere. The bar was fully stocked and this time, completely free. Each room was set up differently. The one we had occupied the other night had new covers and a new color scheme altogether. Memories of that night still repeated in my mind. Got me wet the moment I had stepped into the room. The dais now looked full compared to the last time we had been here. Five black chairs sat on it. Just in front, there was another raised platform. Our playpen for the evening. We were waiting for the guests to walk in. Sitting on our thrones and watching for any signs of life. Outside, people screamed at their favorite celebrities. Photographers snapped photos left and right. We had snuck in. Avoided the paparazzi
Ciaran's Point of ViewAlvara had come undone before us. Squirted onto the platform. I had to resist licking it up. Savor her one last time. When I looked up again, I noticed people watching us keenly whilst their partners played with them. Others were deeply busy with their own sexual acts. Moans and groans echoed beneath the music. The scent of sex lingered everywhere. Nerezza's eyes were plastered to Alvara. Hunger danced in her eyes and I smiled at the lustful woman.Nerezza would never have her and it drove Nerezza wild. She always got what she wanted in the end but this wasn't something I would share. Not with her or anyone outside of my family.Alvara shuddered one last time, eyes glassy. Ozias grabbed his suit jacket and carefully got her into a more comfortable sitting position. As he draped the jacket over her, Maverick kneeled at her side. Pressed a kiss to her temple. I couldn't ignore his bulge. Or the way he got closer to
Ciaran's Point of ViewAlastair's hazel eyes scanned the crowd. looked for the woman who had fled as if she would be burned alive. Amadeus smiled at me. A cruel warped thing with hidden malice behind it. Our eyes locked and I felt my rage boil and bubble beneath my skin.Behind me, Alvara was still on Maverick's lap. Still coiled into him whilst they spoke softly. She would giggle at whatever he said every once in a while. I could hear them exchange a kiss or two, then continue talking. Amadeus looked at them fully. Took them in. Something like the devil crossed his face.Unadulterated amusement toyed in his eyes and I balled my hands into fists at that look. At the hidden intention there. He took Alvara in one last time before smiling back at me again. To gauge my reaction. See how far he could push me before I snapped at him.Alastair was oblivious to this. Kept looking for Nerezza. If I knew the woman well enough, I knew
Alvara's Point of ViewCiaran was livid once we got home. Dargan had stayed behind to make sure our two uninvited guests weren't causing trouble. But the Alpha was beyond rattled. His body shook from his rage building up. Whatever had happened between those three wasn't good. It was as if Ciaran had wanted nothing more than to murder them. Which could happen in the future but not tonight.It had been the perfect night. The most pleasure I had ever received in my life. Ruining the mood with bloodshed would have been a travesty. So when we entered the house, I draped myself over Ciaran. Pressed my chest flush against his back. His body responded instantly. Softened up as he sighed. The tension left his shoulders, slumping him forward.Maverick passed us and headed straight for the kitchen. Ozias went upstairs to take a shower. But I refused to leave Ciaran's side. He needed me at this moment. Even without the news of them looking fo
Alvara's Point of ViewIn my dimly lit room, I could see the man's canines as he smiled. Gripped the knife in his hand until I swore it turned white. There was a thickness to the room. Stifling and hot. Every fiber in my body yelled out to me. Demanded that I jumped up and run away. But I couldn't bring myself to even move a toe, much less my leg.All Eugene's beatings rambled into my mind. Spilled over one another in a cascade of fear. The man inhaled deeply and growled in pleasure. My scent had no doubt changed. MAde itself putrid in the face of danger. I was done before I had even fully lived.The man took a step to the side of the bed. I recoiled, sitting up in bed. He sniffed the air again and I whimpered as he walked closer. Pulling my legs to my chest, I watched him with wide eyes. The knife he held was larger than I had first thought. More intimidating.The rest of the house was silent. Slumbering. I wanted to let go of m
Ciaran's Point of ViewWhen I woke up on the couch, I could feel something wrong. Felt another presence in the house that had never been there before. Then the sound of growling and snarls had broken loose. Pounding against the floor above me. My heart had dropped. Shattered into pieces beyond repair. Alvara's room was above me.Fear laced with rage as I stormed up. Barely noticed that I wasn't wearing a thing. Whatever happened in those moments was lost to me. Blood ran thickly over the floor. Carpet. Drenched the curtains and bedding. And then there was Alvara. Small and fragile, curled up on the floor looking as if she had died a million times over. That small yelp of hers was enough to send me to hell.I came back. Noticed the body in front of me. Noticed how much I had brutalized it in front of her. Guilt swallowed me whole. Refused to spit me up. I drowned in shame. Maverick had tried stopping me, but couldn't. I had shoved
Maverick's Point of View Alvara had come to me after cleaning Ciaran up. There were tears in her eyes. She held up a finger to her mouth, telling me not to acknowledge it. I chuckled, trying not to sound fake about it. Had let her in and tightly wrapped her into my arms. The shower in her room went on and that was when the waterworks broke free. Her sobs rocked her body. Wettened my chest with tears. I held her close. Comforted her wordlessly. Once she got a grip on her emotions, she walked to my bathroom. Rummaged in the cupboards until she came back with my medkit. I frowned at her. "I am fine. I am more worried about you." I whispered at her. She shook her head and pushed me to the bed. Alvara straddled my leg, medkit in hand. "You look like shit." She mumbled through the tears and opened up the kit. Bandages and alcohol wipes spilled out. All my ointment was gone. Sparring sometimes went a little too far and I hated
Alvara’s Point of View “Aunty Adelia!” Aurelia screeched and ran to the front door. Adelia leaned against the frame, arms crossed over her chest, until she saw my daughter. Her face lit up like a thousand little lights. Her arms unfolded and reached forward. The little girl jumped full force into her. Nearly knocked her inside the house. Dargan came in behind me carrying the diaper bag. As he passed me, he kissed the side of my face. His wedding ring glinted in the afternoon sunlight. I swelled at the sight, still transfixed at the thought that I was a married woman. Married to the loves of my life. “My sweet girl!” Adelia exclaimed and threw Aurelia into the air. A giggle escaped the two-year old. Her dress puffed out around her. Hair fluttered in the wind. Dark golden blonde. Curly, like mine. The trees were a bright green. The grass neatly trimmed. Flowers bloomed all around us. Maverick was next to walk up. His hand settl
Alvara’s Point of ViewJessebelle stood at the edge of the fighting. Kept a close eye on all of her men. Guns fired in rapid succession. Wolves tore men limb from limb. Blood coated the grass. Between it all, Ciaran had a standoff with Eugene.Both sides landed blows. Bones crunched beneath their combined strength. Ozias had run after the Beta. Maverick shot whoever got closest and Dargan was still passed out cold.For a moment before Ciaran had arrived, I was sure I would be dead by the end of this. I was sure that I wouldn’t see the morning. Yet, Jessebelle had pulled through. Made sure that the odds were fatly stacked against Eugene. With however many reinforcements he called, he still wouldn’t win. Money drove him. Drove his pack, which wasn’t a good motivator. Love and freedom drove ours.Mason had gotten away in the chaos Harland caused. Got hold of Jessebelle and convinced her that we needed h
Maverick’s Point of ViewThe truck collided with the first of their cars. I lurched forward, gripping tightly onto the dashboard. My driver floored it. Scraped the road with their scrap metal. I braced as we hit another one. Men darted from their positions. Drew their guns and fired rapidly at the sides of the truck. Bullets peppered the steel but refused to go through. Thousands and thousands of rands were spent securing my people.The border patrol was thin tonight. Almost lax. According to Mason, we would have a hard time getting through, but this seemed almost too easy. Some of my men jumped from the rear. I heard their feet hit tar. Saw them run beside us. They opened fire. Some of Eugene’s men held up small flags with a diamond on it. I opened my window and craned my neck outside.“Don’t hurt the ones with the flags! They are on our side!” I screamed to my men. All of them nodded and proceeded to atta
Dargan's Point of ViewMy feet ached from the pace I was setting. I dodged trees. Cleared ditches. Lungs screamed for me to slow down. Air came in short supply. I had to take it easier. But I refused. It had been years since I ran with such ferocity. With so much intent and purpose, it nearly drove me mad.Alvara sounded far beyond distressed. Her voice had pitched and fallen. The fear was tangible in my mind still. She needed us and she needed us now. Everything we had endured led up to this moment. I would not let her have the same fate as Savanah. Let her die in a pack that hated her deeply. Die beside a man that had used her all her life.Those revelations set my mind blazing. My legs pumped harder. Drove me further. I could see the lights of houses in the distance. Slowing down, I sniffed the air. Picked up the scent of several enemies. I lightened my steps and avoided the trail where the scent was strongest.Two secon
Ciaran's Point of ViewMaverick nearly crawled out of his skin the moment Alvara left. Her mind link had shut between us. Locked us out of her thoughts. But I could feel every tremor of fear. Every quickening of her pulse. The panic she felt. Her small feeling of pride. Like she was still with us. Yet, none of us could reach her. Speak to her mentally. It drove us insane. Made us bite our nails and down glasses of whiskey. This was hell.Our minds remained open at all times. We had a plan but plans could change at any moment. Alvara had to be able to reach us at a moment's notice. Thus, we played riddles and made jokes through the mind link. To keep it sharp and make sure it was open even whilst we were sleeping.Ozias wouldn't stop pacing. Dargan smoked more than he had ever before. We weren't far from her. Maybe 80 kilometers, tops. Maverick and Dargan were closer. Harland camped out on a farm close to the edge of Half-Moon. We were w
Alvara's Point of View All the lights in the house were off when I woke up. Glowing moonlight sifted in from the open curtains. A cool breeze drifted over my bed. Yet I had woken up. No nightmares plagued me. No monsters hidden in shadows. My body had made peace with my surroundings, even if my mind was a bit slow to adjust. There wasn't a sound to be heard. Barely a cricket chirping. But I was awake and it was hell. Maybe two in the morning. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes once more. Sleep danced at the edge of my mind and I rolled back onto my back. Then I heard it. The near-silent struggle in the room beside mine. Soft groans. Scraping of nails across flesh. Grunts of satisfaction. I covered my ears with a pillow. Eugene had a lady visitor over. As I had told Angelique, he would never change. I willed myself to sleep until I realized that Teagan's room was beside mine. Cold dread settled into my spine. Blind panic
Alvara's Point of ViewAs I had thought, Eugene never came to dinner. He had made paint swatches with Mariposa. We could all hear them laughing and bantering above us. Then, she had insisted they go out to eat. Something about having a craving met. So, that was exactly what they had done. Without so much as a whisper about spending too much money, they were off.If she had arrived before any of this had happened, I would have believed it when he told me she was just some woman he was helping. Clung to the idea that some part of him was still good inside instead of rotten and foul. Now, I knew better. Knew that she was his mate and I had been used for my money all these years.Stolen from my pack. Kept under lock and key because they couldn't find the keys to my family's kingdom. Somehow, after spending so much time with my own mates, I understood why he was so excited. Happy. She brought out the best in him as all mates would. But she w
Alvara's Point of View"You asked for me?" I said from the door. Eugene lifted his head, looking at me with a soft smile. He nodded and I stepped inside."Did you find everything you were looking for today?" A vague question. Very vague. It set me on edge enough that I lowered my gaze. Made my eyes appear larger than they actually were. Eugene put a hand out towards me and I took it when I got closer."I forgot how expensive everything was. I am sorry you had to spend money on me." I whispered back. Eugene kept that soft smile on his lips. Gently, he tugged me into his lap. I nuzzled into his neck, draping my legs over his.This was wrong. Utterly wrong. Being close to another man in such an intimate way hurt my heart. Every memory I had of my mates flashed into my mind, making my soul hurt even more. They were far away and I was inside the monster den with only Teagan to help me."Anything for you. I hate how we left thin
Alvara’s Point of ViewMason met us at the house. Unlike when I had first met him, he had a suit on. Sunglasses. Polished shoes. As if he had changed overnight. The young man I had come to know was gone. When Eugene greeted him, he simply gave a curt ‘Alpha’ and a bow of the head. Everything felt formal. Stuffy. As if the air had thickened in just a few seconds. Teagan looked between the two men and shrugged when I looked at her.I had personally asked for Mason, but it still didn’t mean that we were completely safe to wander around. The rest of the pack was still on Eugene’s side, and I had returned. Once an outsider, always an outsider. At least now I knew why they had stayed away.As for Lover’s Quarrel members, they had stayed away because Eugene had threatened them. Told them that if they interfered with me, they would lose their jobs or their lives. None of them would risk that. Until now.