Maverick’s Point of View
The 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
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
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
The first time I saw her I could see the cracks in her armor. I could see her eyes darting towards him as if seeking his constant approval. His small sneers her way told me that he noticed it too. But not because he was paying any attention to her. No, because he wanted her to obey. The tendrils of tenderness coming from her was cold, lacking. There was nothing welcoming about her when you searched deep enough. She wanted to flee more than I had ever seen in a person. Chainmail started slipping over her heart and I could see it all within her eyes. Internal wars were the ones fought hardest. But she was losing. A slip of her smile and another sneer her way had her picking up the corners of her mouth in that plastered-on kind of way. Hollowness flooded her being, almost vibrated off of her. Yet she wasn't hollow.Lowering my gaze, I took in her form. Took in every detail she so carefully constructed to keep others out. Or keep him at bay. Her eyes were turned do
Alvara's Point of ViewEugene had brought them here in hopes of trade. Alpha Stefan had dealt with them previously and only ever sang their praise. That was years ago, but nothing had prepared me for who had walked through our garden's gates. Four tall men, all with smiles that could seduce any woman. The Alpha radiated confidence, even more than Eugene. The other three, well they weren't far off. We needed this deal to go well, to see it through to the end. Angelique had given me the seventh degree. Nothing I hadn't heard already. Don't look at them too long. Keep your head down and your voice silent. Always stay close to Eugene and never question his authority. The words went down bitterly, but I had done just that. Until the Gamma had asked me how long Eugene and I were wed for.Dread had settled into me the moment the words had left his thin lips. But it was the statement he made afterwards that got to me the most. Women of lower class always wante
Ozias' Point of ViewYou couldn't miss the terror within Alvara when the head master had smiled at her. Or the vulgar look he gave her in return. Maverick had taken a step closer to her, to try and set her mind at ease. She had stiffened, but forced that fake smile to her lips. Savanah incarnate.I couldn't trust that Maverick wouldn't do something stupid. Couldn't trust that he had some self control. I barely had any control and that was before we had seen Alvara yesterday for the first time. Even Ciaran had paused long enough to take her in. Then last night we had heard Eugene preaching to her, telling her how dangerous we could be, then promptly gave her a list of things she shouldn't do around us. Dressing modestly was never mentioned, so I assumed that she always had to dress like she was in a convent.As I had predicted, Maverick couldn't contain himself. I had ushered the head master on, trying my best to distract him so that he didn't no
Alvara's Point of View As promised, I didn't tell Eugene about what had transpired at the primary school. Not out of fear for what the Beta and Gamma might do to me, oh no. I didn't tell him because I knew he would cause a scene. The Cilliers family was well off to no end, especially Eugene and his mother. They owned several mines in the area and lived better than ninety-nine percent of the pack. A select few shared the same wealth, but the rest of the pack was suffering under Eugene's rule. Finances were coming in short and more and more people went homeless each passing month. Eugene refused to help anyone until Eiecrunt had suggested lucrative trade. More than lucrative. Alpha Ciaran's contributions whilst Alpha Stefan was still alive brought in enough money to keep people off ot the streets. Now, the amount had doubled, as far as I could tell from the brief conversation I had had with Eugene about it. For the most part, I was just another figure
Ciaran's Point of ViewEugene was cheating on her. Belittling her. Not to mention what his mother had said to her. Alvara couldn't even meet my eyes when I had finally made my presence known. The drops of silver running down her cheeks was enough to send me into a rage. How dare he betray his mate in such an intimate way, but still demand pups from her? Demand anything from her.The former Luna's gaze settled heavily on me. Lust danced at the front of her face. It sickened me to witness, but I kept my smile firmly in place. Alvara needed me and there was something about her that made my mind spiral. Maybe it was because she looked so much like my lost love. Or maybe there was more to her than this pretty little submissive thing. Either way, I wanted her. Some dark part of me could only imagine what I would do to that mouth of hers. I always get what I want in the end."I am looking forward to it then, Luna." I purred and turned to leave, feeling
Alvara's Point of ViewSomething inside of me had stirred at the sight of him. Clothed in black from head to toe, his caramel eyes drinking in the outfit I had chosen. More risqué than my usual fashion as of late. Eugene would have a heart attack if he saw me dress so scandalously. Or what he deemed scandalous.Ciaran took me in one more time before we sped off, his eyes lingering on the tops of my breasts. Keeping the blush from my face, I put on my sunglasses and watched as the world whirred by in a blur. His knuckles grew white on the steering wheel and I caught his eyes drifting to me again. I smiled in reply, clenching my legs together tightly. Those eyes seemed to pierce me down to the bone, as if he could see all my past sins. And liked every single one of them.We stopped in front of the restaurant before I could fully comprehend what I was doing. I had agreed to show him the town, yet ended up coming to breakfast with him instead
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.