My dream starts off innocently. There’s just me running through the woods. The wind rustles my fur and the mud scratches beneath my paws. I can feel Aurora within me.Her presence acts as a comforting guide.All of a sudden, the scene shifts. The trees that looked down upon me lovingly now warp and twist into something gruesome. It’s a labyrinth of shadows and whispers while the air grows thick with something I cant easily explain. My surroundings go hazy and before I can blink, I find myself in a dark room. Unfamiliar faces surround me. I can tell they’re rogues.Their eyes glint with hate but they surround a figure cloaked in darkness. The person radiates power but also menace.“The Alpha will fall, the pack will crumble. The mole has been planted and the Capitol will burn.”The man’s voice is cold and echoes through the room, cutting the silence in half. Cheers erupt and the rogues grow closer, almost as if they’re desperate to touch the person in front.Panic grips at my chest an
We quickly set to work on reinforcing the defences. Together, we concentrated on the weakest parts of the territory.Alpha Gabriel truly captures the essence of a leader. He barks out orders to the different guards and warriors. Although his presence is commanding, the man still radiates reassurance to everyone around us. I stayed close to the man, trying to assist as much as I could whenever possible.The pack members watch me with a mixture of suspicion as well as curiosity. Their eyes linger on me as I make my way through camp, following after Gabriel.I try my best to ignore their stares, instead focusing on trying to resolve this matter at hand. I can’t help it when the weight of their gaze causes my skin to prickle.The unspoken words in their eyes unsettling me greatly. It was clear that they knew who I was, how I wandered into their Alpha’s life. It was also clear that they haven’t accepted my presence.Despite the uncomfortable situation, I push on. The urgency of the situati
The air in Gabriel’s office feels stifling. The office is packed with tension and unspoken words. Gabriel himself walks back and forth, his face heavy with a frown and brows furrowed together. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for him to speak. The mate bond is very new but it’s still very raw. Every fibre within me is attuned to his emotions and attitude. “There’s something I really need to tell you, Avery.” The man stops in front of me. His eyes serious but sorrow filling them. “What is it?” My voice is hesitant and I brace myself for whatever he’s about to drop on me. Gabriel takes a deep breath, pausing before he drops the truth on me. “I’m betrothed. To someone else,” he adds as if that’s not clear enough. I nearly double over from the pain that radiates throughout me. It hurts like a physical blow, knocking all the air from my lungs. “I’m sorry, what?” I manage to get out. “It’s not what you think, Avery. I know it sounds wrong but it’s just a business th
Walking back to camp is no easy feat.My mind is a whirlwind of emotions. So hung up on Gabriel, I realized I never even asked that woman’s name.I doubt I’ll see her again. She belongs to this pack and I’m not sure what to do here now. Do I go back to my old pack? I don’t think Serena would appreciate that. I now belong to Alpha Gabriel’s pack. After the recent turn of events, that doesn’t seem as endearing as it did in the first place.The omission of her name now feels like a missed opportunity. It was a fleeting connection that might have helped me.It never hurts to have a friend in such times. Times like your heart being ripped out by your own soulmate.Oh well….I stumble my way back to the camp. The reality of the entire situation weighs heavy over me. Heavier than anything did before. The pressure from the impending rogue attack and my complex emotions makes each step heavier than the last.“Avery. Wait! Please.”The sudden sound has me stopping in my tracks.Turning around
My mind aches from the events of last night.My heart is resolute, unfortunately, and I know there’s much to do. Regardless of the turmoil coursing through me.I make my way to the main hall where I was informed that the pack usually gathered for their daily briefings. The air is thick with tension and it serves to remind me that the rogue attack had been averted albeit narrowly.Walking through the camp, I ignore the wary glances that follow me. As I approach the main hall, a familiar face pops out and grins back at me. A faint smile makes its way across my face, something that takes me by surprise.“Good morning,” She chirps while waving me over.I walk up to her, feeling relief at seeing such a friendly face. The woman from yesterday stands perched up against the door. A few pack members linger around her before dispersing.“Good morning. I just realized I never asked for your name last night.”The woman laughs and waves her hand.“Don’t worry about it. I go by Star. That’s what th
There’s pin drop silence. The air in the room is thick with tension. Gabriel and his beta work tirelessly to finalise a plan. One thing is certainly clear. I was not being delivered to the rogues, no matter what. There’s an urgency regarding the threat but I still couldn’t get rid of the way Gabriel held rage in his eyes.It was due to the mate bond. That’s all. But then why is the intensity of the bond shading ever more?There wasn’t much to discuss. Or maybe I couldn’t focus on any of the information that was being discussed. We soon leave the room and I followed after the beta and Gabriel. Although this wasn’t my pack that I had been born in, this was my pack now.I’d do anything to protect it.As the two made their rounds around the darkening pack grounds, I couldn’t help to notice the way my mate’s eyes kept hovering over me. We couldn’t ignore it, no matter how much we tried.Unfortunately, we just had to.The stars hung high in the sky and I just wish Gabriel and I could esc
*Gabriel’s P. O. V*I stand at the foot of the training grounds, entirely divided on Avery. The woman moved with a grace that compared to none. She was only a beginner but so talented, it took my breath away. Her eyes were sharp but determined and she made sure to take in every one else’s movements.I can’t help the regret that pangs through me every time I see her. She’s everything I need but our circumstances tear us apart. The bond between us is like a magnetic pull that only grows stronger with each touch.Stella flashes through my mind before I get carried away.It’s as if I had uttered the woman’s name out loud but a soft knock echoes from my door followed by the woman herself. She wore a bright smile but that only caused me to wince in pain.I can’t stand her.“Gabriel! I’ve been looking for you. I was wondering when I’d get some alone time with you,” her voice is sultry and full of familiarity.I force a polite smile and gesture for her to enter although she’s made herself co
“I hate this.”That’s all that goes through my mind as I wake up every day. The thought of going with the motions as I have been… plague my being with each second.I follow my usual routine of getting dressed before I head on my walk. It helps as I don’t have to mix with people but instead, take some time to myself and admire everyone from afar.I wander through the heart of the settlement with rustic cottages setting on the edges. The pack members were already up and bustling even though it’s very early in the morning. I nod at a few people before I turn back towards the outskirts of the pack. It’s then that I catch an elegant woman walking towards me. Her eyes are focused on me and authority follows her everywhere. I feel as if I’ve seen her somewhere.My eyes widen as I realize that’s Gabriel’s mother. She had been briefly pointed out by Star but we had never made contact.What am I supposed to do? Walk away? Introduce myself?“You must be Avery,” The woman begins before I get a c