Ciaran's Point of View
Alastair'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
Maverick's Point of View Ozias had disposed of the body in the backyard. Took photos of the man's face, or what was left of it, to see from where he came. Maybe some of our allies had made use of him before. Could tell us anything about where he came from. That type of information could help us narrow down who had hired him. Although, I could see in Ciaran's face that he had his suspicions. He barely spoke through breakfast. Got up and dressed without saying a word to even Alvara. Our mate watched him leave. Saw the tension in his shoulders and remained silent. He needed to brood. To figure things out inside himself before he opened up to any of us. Ozias had only joined later. His pajama bottoms were discarded in the trash. A fresh pair of slacks hung on him. Fixing a new cup of coffee he sat down at the table. Dargan was busy eating when Ozias finally spoke up. He looked at Alvara, a mix of sadness and anger on his face. "I
Dargan's Point of View Maverick had taken Alvara to the backyard. There was a determination on her face that none of us had seen before. The face of an Alpha ready to devour the world in hopes of sparing its people. It was a sight to behold. Something I had never thought possible with her. Ozias had gone back to his room to prep for the day. Businesses still needed running and Ciaran was too tired to do anything but scowl. I had mocked him, saying that if he kept looking that way his face would freeze. He had told me that was a story a child was told by their mother. It was still amusing to watch him. All of our batteries were running dangerously low. Critical levels. The past events had taken their toll on all of our bodies. Bruises had also started blossoming on Maverick's side and I knew the attacker had gotten in his fair share of blows. When I noticed it, Maverick had jumped up and got dressed. As if he wanted no one to know of
Ciaran's Point of View "Where the fuck is she?" I hollered through the house. The glass surrounding me vibrated from the force. Red bled into my vision. Blurred the lines of reality and fiction. Anger bubbled and boiled just beneath my throat. When Dargan's voice had popped into my mind with what he knew, I couldn't contain my rage. For years, I had pushed the girl away. Kept her at arm's length at all costs. The moment she crossed into the friend zone with my family and this is what she does. Sends an assassin after my mate. There was only one person who had the security schedule around them constantly. Knew where everyone was at the time of Alvara's attack. Sybil. But she wouldn't betray us. Not in the same way her daughter would. Adelia had been off the last couple of days and now I knew why. She had stolen her mother's plans and used them for whatever she wanted. "She is in your office," Harland called from the top of the
Alvara's Point of View I had never expected this from Adelia. The girl had her faults and problems but this was something that blindsided me. Our friendship was new. Fragile. Yet I had trusted her fully. Brought her into my life hoping that we were the same kind of person. Everyone made mistakes. No one was immune to it. She had just fallen into a bad pattern. Believed her father with her whole heart. Wanted to please him in every way. Or so I had assumed. But I wouldn't know until I spoke with her. I shook the heartbreak from my mind. Quieted the voices that screamed at me to run away. Dargan had moved forward and placed Sybil under arrest. The woman I had thought could be like a mother figure to me. But her betrayal hurt Ciaran more than anyone else. You could see it on his face. "I gave myself up so that she could stay here! And now you send me to death and her out to die!" Sybil screamed when Dargan moved her from the roo