My mind couldn’t comprehend anything.
It was only when my mother and father rushed out that I realized what was happening. It was all too much too fast.With a gasp, I rushed out the front door and was taken aback.No. No. No!What the hell is happening?It was as if the wolves were coming straight to our main house. The Alpha and Luna’s house was towards the back with the other buildings scattered on either side. It had been designed that way so that the warriors were the first to engage in battle and keep the rest of the pack protected. However, somehow the attackers had infiltrated our land and came to us directly.I watched on in alarm as my father shifted into his large wolf, acting the wolves head on.The sharp smell of rotting flesh and blood attacked my senses.They were rogues.Other pack members shifted and attacked and I stayed rooted in my spot.“Avery. Hide! You’re defenseless. Your father has more to worry about than his daughter that can’t even shift.”I wince at the harsh words and nod. I don’t know where I’m going but I stumble on shaky legs. My breathing is harsh and ragged and I’m trying not to take in the sight of all the blood and guts being ripped apart.“Dad!” I cry out in alarm as I rush to the back of the house, only now realizing my father is squaring off with a wolf.I decide to stay quiet and shuffle backwards, hiding in some bushes where I’ll be best protected.Taking my phone out of my pocket, it takes me a few tries to get my fingers to work to my command.Dialing a number I haven’t dialed in ages, I put the ear to my phone.“Serena! Where are you? Please, you have to come quickly.”I hated the fact that I had to resort to calling my sister. Unfortunately, I had no other choice. The woman was a great warrior. Even at an early age, she outranked a lot of our pack members and beat them without so much as breaking a sweat.“What’s up, stupid?” I ignore the snarky words and breathe into the mic.“You need to come back, Serena. Please. We’re in danger. I ca-”“You’re always so dramatic, Avery. Give it a rest.”“No. You don’t understand. Mom and dad are fighting for their lives right now. You need-”I take my phone away from my ear and peer down at my screen. Sure enough, my sister had hung up on me without another word.“Heath!”My mom’s voice snapped me out of my reverie as I watched her rush towards my father in human form. There were a multitude of rogues circling my father and my mother didn’t like those chances. She shifted into her gray wolf at the last second and ripped out a rogue's throat in mere seconds.I winced at the squelching sound but everything stopped in place when I heard a loud sound.Alarm went off in my head and I tried to place the sound. At first, I couldn’t understand what had happened but then it hit me.My father, surrounded by four rogues, slowly stumbled back. His hind legs give way as blood pours out of his chest. A rogue in human form cackles as he cocks his gun back and shoots him once more.No!Without giving anyone any more regard, I run straight to my father. Tears well in my eyes and my heart beats frantically in my chest. I don’t even realize the rogues turning away, heading into the tree line where they came from.Their task had been completed.I just manage to dive onto the ground as my father stumbles back. His wolf phases out and he’s left naked in his human form. Cradling his chest, I try to wipe the tears that drip down onto his face. His usually glowing tan skin is now a sickly pale. The color in his cheeks quickly left through the huge gunshot in his chest. The tell tale sounds of sizzling silver bullets cause the flesh to bubble away.“Avery. Please. Take good care of your sister.”“No. Listen to me. You can’t die like this.”“Dad!”There’s no point. No amount of words would bring my father back. I watch as his chest slows down and the last breath escapes his lungs.Tears cloud my eyes but a soft groan from my side has me acting quick.Gently laying my father down, I call for help and rush to my mother. The woman was bleeding profusely but I cou;dn’t tell if it was deep or not.“Help! Please. Someone!”******Sitting outside my mother’s room, I watch as the doctor steps out with a clipboard in hand. The man’s eyes are puffy and I can tell he’s holding back his own tears.“Your mother is resting. Luckily her wounds weren’t very deep. She’ll be awake soon but…”A sharp pang cuts through my chest.“Unfortunately your father’s passing might send her into a critical state.”I nod and clear my throat through the dryness of it.“Please do not tell anyone about the Alpha. We’re reeling from the attack as it is. If the pack finds out, chaos could ensue.”The doctor heeds my words and gently pats me.“You should go get some rest.”Rest is the last thing on my mind. I won’t be able to sleep even if I desperately want to.Getting up, I head towards the south. Jax’s house isn’t too far from the hospital and I reach it within a few minutes. I can’t even think clearly but my heart knows what’s best for me.He always soothes me and manages to calm me down.Unlocking the door, I wrap my arms around myself and try my best to keep my composure. Tears threaten to spill over but I hold them back.Entering the living room, I smile at a sleeping Jax. The man is passed out on the couch but I stop when I see he isn’t alone.Another woman is on top of him, half naked and dead asleep.The feud between Gabriel and I lurks behind me like a bad taste in my mouth. What do I do when I’m severely pissed off and need some fresh air to relax my inner-although very much dormant- wolf and me? Of course, I take a long walk in the creepiest part of the forest imaginable. THe forest even resembles different parts of my drated mate. From the thick gnarled root that matched his twisted soul to the warm light that filtered through the trees which matched the bubbling warmth I feel whenever Gabriel looks at me. I need space. A place to breathe and clear my head without the weight of the world weighing down on my two shoulders. Walking amongst the trees, a semblance of peace moves through me and relaxes the core of my being. Stretching out, I sit down on the soft earthy floor and lean back against a tree. I close my eyes and merely focus on the breeze against my skin and the dirt underneath my palms. It’s amazing that now my ears can pick up on the tiny critters scuttling a
Waking up the next morning was nothing short of bliss. The first thing I notice is the warmth beside me. I let myself relax, savoring Gabriel’s presence. I close my eyes as the memories of last night run through my mind. The heat. The intensity of the bond and how he stayed with me.I shift slightly, feeling the weight of Gabrial’s arms frapped over me. His even breathing let me know that he’s still sleeping and this causes me to hesitate. I want to bask in this feeling and moment but the frustration of the entirety of our situation drags me down.How can he be so close but so so far away from me?I turn my head and catch sight of Gabriel’s sleeping face. He looks peaceful with his usual stoic expression softened by sleep. There was one part of me that wanted to trace his features and just to feel that everything was okay. Another part of me still hurt from the fact that he rejected and pushed me away so easily.I’m not sure how long I stay looking at him as Garbeil finally stirs.“
Pain.I wake up as I gasp for air. My body is in flames from the inside out. My skin is hot to the touch and my heart pounds away in my chest. An unbearable ache blooms through me.Heat.That’s all that reverberates in my brain.The realization hits me square in the face as an overwhelming need courses through me. One that is impossible to ignore. It stirs Aurora to life, an infrequent occurrence but one that brings her instincts to the surface. The undeniable truth hits me flat in the face.I need Gabriel.A soft whimper tears past my lips. I clamp down onto my mouth. I’ll be mortified if someone hears me. I can’t let anyone know. A searing pain runs through me and this time, a loud sob escapes me that rings through the hallways. It doesn't take a second before the door to my room swings open.Gabriel steps inside, his eyes wild and locking with mine. His gaze is filled with concern as he rushes over to me. Even through the pain, I notice the way his eyes flicker from his worried l
“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
*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
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