Adelia's Point of View"That wasn't what we had talked about last night, Adelia, and you know it," Michael growled and led me back into the room by my elbow.The sparks that came from his touch were undeniable. Nearly stifling. But his lies bubbled to the front of my mind, leaving an acrid taste in my mouth.I yanked my arm away before he could touch me more. Before he could get a hold of my head and my heart.When I turned to stare at him, fear seemed embedded in his face. Stern lines dotted his forehead. I only pursed my lips and tapped my foot listlessly against the tiles. "What do you mean this isn't what we spoke about last night? I told you I wanted to go back to get my mother. Or at best just to free her of them and plant her somewhere safe." I retorted.He shook his head, dropping his voice to a whisper so that whoever else might be lingering couldn't hear the full conversation. "You told me you were going to ask them for help. To send some men with you, in case shit went sou
Adelia's Point of ViewIt was the middle of the night when I jerked awake. Bleary-eyed and confused, I shrugged my blanket off of me. Shivered as the first tendrils of cold touched my spine. The aircon still raced above my head as I slipped out of the warmth of my covers.The lingering feeling of an unwanted dream swayed inside my mind. Although I couldn't recall it, I knew it wasn't something I wanted to remember. Something that would only spark another sour mood.Making my way downstairs, I switched on the lights one by one as I went. Cast the house in a glow until I reached the kitchen.Only to find Michael bent over the counter with a glass of his own in hand. A yelp broke my lips at the sight of him. Haggard-faced with a thin sheen of stubble that dotted his lower face. His eyes, on the other hand, were as alert as ever.They settled on me with a weight I didn't want anywhere near me."You're awake," He mumbled and rubbed a hand over his face."And you are in my house," I replied
Adelia's Point of ViewHe was actually going with me. Had dressed in his combat gear, despite me telling him it would be uncomfortable on the plane. Luckily, Nadia never deigned to show up. Was whisked away by Dargan and taken to where they were setting up all of their IT things. According to Michael, the parting hadn't been the best, seeing as she didn't agree with him about helping me.But it was a start. Now all I had to do-"You have got to be fucking kidding me, Adelia. We just broke out of that place and now you want to stroll right back in? Have you lost your last few brain cells?" Nessa screeched, pacing up and down the living room whilst she did.All of her things had left me with a giant 250-grand hole in my bank account. I never even knew someone could pay 600 bucks for a damned pillow but the girl had bought 4 of them.And when she showed me the receipt, I just smiled at her and asked if she was satisfied with everything she had bought. Apparently, some were still being
Adelia’s Point of ViewI was right. I was entirely fucking right and I hated every second of being right. The plane wanted to murder us and I was sure of it. I was petrified once we hit turbulence. Petrified when the pilot fell asleep behind the fucking steering. Petrified when we stopped in the middle of nowhere to refuel.And went back up into the air by the grace of the goddess herself, seeing as we took off from a dirt road that had a fucking cliff at the end of it.All the while, Michael looked thrilled. Trilled with laughter every time I let go of a scream or yelp. Seemed amused when I needed to throw up whatever was in my stomach, which was mainly bile by the end of the trip.I missed Ciaran’s private jet that I so detested when used for willy-nilly travel. Missed the champagne and the fact that a few pieces of duct tape didn’t fucking fall off the side of it.By the time we landed I was shaken up. Like a Chihuahua in a damned thunder storm.Throwing our bags out of the damned
Adelia’s Point of ViewThe market was lively to say the least. With various spices flavoring the air and tons of colors all around us, it nearly made the heat bearable.The later into the day it became, the more the heat seemed to suffocate us. Drew us into the shadows and under the covers of various vendors.Michael had emptied one of our bags, dragging it behind him as he went. With no shopping carts in sight, it was the best solution we could come up with to get our groceries and get the fuck out. But every stall offered something different. Had some or other nicety that he just had to see or buy.By the tenth stall that didn’t contain any food, I was swaying from foot to foot, already irritated with the entire process. Which wasn’t entirely a process to begin with, seeing as he trotted into anything that seemed somewhat interesting.“I saw a café on the other side of the market. I think I’m going to go and wait for you there.” I explained and dodged out of the spice shop we had fo
Adelia’s Point of ViewAs night fell, the pack became even more vibrant. Street performers came out in droves. Danced across the markets with joy I hadn’t seen in a while. Revellers swayed from one bar to the next, alcohol clinging to the air like a second skin.And with all of the new commotion came guards. They tried their best to disguise themselves as normal people but the way they stood gave them away immediately. Stiff postures and snide remarks to each other whenever someone came too close.Clearly, the pack was used to them by now.Most people gave them wide berths, sensing the malice behind their presence.Michael, on the other hand, tried his best at befriending two of them. Clung to their side with a sloshing beer mug that spilled the foamy liquid all over himself and them.Despite the scent of alcohol on his breath, he hadn’t drunk a damned drop.We were out here in the dead of night to scan where we needed to go. To speak to drunk people who could give us any details abou
Adelia’s Point of ViewBy dawn I was well aware of where I was. Knew that somewhere in this pack Siya now roamed with my mother. Or would be roaming with my mother soon enough.Both outcomes tugged at my heart strings. Played on the most fearful part of my mind until I was tossing and turning.At night, at least, the pack cooled down considerably. Swallowed the hot air of the day whole and spat out a sheen of cold that came as a reprieve, seeing as the fan above my bed did little to combat the heat.Dreams and thoughts about my mother seemed to haunt me. With a nightmare of how they could hurt her lingering well past my waking hours. Falling back asleep had seemed futile enough that I crawled out of bed well before the sun was up.Outside, I could hear the last of the people mulling about from last night’s festivities. Some were screaming for friends whilst others laughed and danced all the way home.It reminded me of a much simpler time. About three weeks ago when life was still norm
Siya’s Point of ViewCatching the man who had shot Adelia had brought a new thrill to my blood. Made me feel like the world was mine for the taking and anyone in it.I had protected my own by dispatching a threat to her life. And the pleasure I got from it was directly linked to the mating bond I now nurtured like kindling inside my chest.No one would harm her again. Not whilst I lived an breathed.He had been a rookie sniper in one of the lower ranking units. Green as they could come and had only gotten in a lucky shot. Or it was lucky until he found out what the hostage meant to me. Figured out he had made a grave error in shooting her.Of course he tried to explain it away. Said that it was his duty to the cause to shoot anyone who looked like a threat to me or mine. But it all fell on deaf ears when I cornered him eventually.The fear on his face when I told him his days were numbered sent pleasure tingling down my spine. Reminded me of just what I was capable of when the people
Adelia's Point of ViewThey both cleaned up well. Looked dashing in their suits. But the scene in front of me was obscenely strange. Two fully grown men hiding behind a bush. One with an empty glass of some type of alcohol in hand. The other laughing maniacally into the dark If it hadn't been for me noticing their scents nearby, we wouldn't have found them at all.With their vantage, they could see the entire party perfectly. Still, they chose to hide away. Watched from the outside.And the moment they turned around to look at us, both of their jaws dropped to the floor.I knew Nessa had done a good job of styling me. Knew I looked better than I had ever done before. But their reactions were priceless. Worth every single burn Nessa had given me when she tried to curl my hair for the updo."Close your mouths, boys, it's fly season." Nessa joked from beside me. Chortled when all Michael could do was curse again, eyes digging up my flesh inch by inch. Siya wasn't far behind. Let his ey
Siya's Point of ViewI was a mated male.For one, I couldn't believe I wasn't dead yet. At the end of my twenties and I was still alive and well. Or as well as I could be, given that my body was a royal fuck up at the moment.But not dead. Not yet. And not anytime soon. Second, I was mated and in a new pack. Watched now as my old pack members streamed into a lush and vibrant garden made up for them and only them. To welcome them into a new and more stable home.If only the rest of my pack could have followed as well. Could have escaped the hell that was now Noha Khoeli.My mother would have been proud to see me now. Would have loved to know that her son was not only living but thriving. Saddened by the fact that her daughter had turned into such a cruel monster, yes, but glad to know her son had escaped that reality."Well, don't you clean up well," Michael crooned as he approached me from behind.I was standing in the shadows. Avoided anyone looking at me yet. Speaking to me. Mainly
Adelia's Point of View"Stop fussing! Everything has been sorted outside. It is two hours before the ceremony starts, we need to get ready!" I screeched at Nessa, hand clamped around her wrist and pulling her furiously into my walk-in closet.She was finding every reason in the book not to go inside and look at all of her options. From the decor to the food and everything in between. "Shit needs to be perfect and that fucking florist put one too many fucking roses in the centerpieces," She argued back whilst pulling away from me.A child with a new toy, that's what she was acting like right now."One too many roses isn't going to kill anyone, Nessa! But we can't be late for our own party," I hissed again and finally dragged her the rest of the way into the closet.The overhead lights flickered on the second they detected us. Flooded the small but packed space with light. And shimmers and sparkles from the clothes around us. This was where I kept most of my fancy clothes. The kind t
Adelia's Point of ViewI left Michael at the pack house with Aiden.Both men were walking around the place, making sure that every security measure under the sun was well in place. Nukes weren't the only threat we had to face. If Phaedra wanted to she could send an entire army to come and eviscerate us for what we had done to her pack. A tit for tat kind of thing. So the men peacocked around, trying to figure out every single weak point within the pack house grounds."I'm back," I called into the house and closed the door behind me.Groans sounded throughout the house, coming from upstairs. Groans. Moans. A few curses every once in a while. This was followed by a shrill voice that I couldn't make out the words from.Making my way up the stairs, I felt my teeth grind together as the groans intensified. Nessa was doing a number on her brother and showed zero remorse.When I walked in, she was straddling his ass, working her hands up and down the length of his spine. Siya's face was tw
Adelia's Point of ViewHis lips were as soft as I had remembered them. As intoxicating as well. But this time, his hands roamed my body freely. Hungrily. Claiming every inch as if he would never have the chance again. As if he needed to feel me to believe that we were doing this.Settling my own hands in his hair, I pulled his face away and smiled at him softly. Felt my heart still beating a mile a minute as he stared down at me. Blue eyes were half-lidded and twinkling when he looked down at me. Smiling like a damned fool.Ever so slowly he brushed a hand down the side of my face. Swept some of my baby hair back behind my ear. "You are so utterly beautiful that I might just die from looking at you too long." He whispered, breathing fanning my face in a minty puff. I rolled my eyes and shook his head for him. "That was maybe the cheesiest thing you have ever said to me," I bemoaned, unable to look even a tad bit disgusted by it.Because he could say those things to me my entire lif
Adelia's Point of ViewFor the first night where both of my mates were with me, we all collectively decided to sleep on our own. Not because I wouldn't have loved it to be the filling between both men but rather because neither of them felt very comfortable with that yet.Which was to be understood.I wouldn't know how to feel sleeping with my mate and his other mate.But Nessa's couches slept like utter shit! The girl had really said 'fashion and fuck the rest'. They were lovely to look at. Wonderful to curl up on. Horrendous for the back. So, when I finally woke up, I felt like an old woman climbing out of her coffin. My spine was shot to hell. Knees creaked from having had to curl them to my chest for the entire night.And if I felt this way, I didn't even want to know how Michael must have felt."We really should have brought another mattress," I groaned and stretched. Some of my limbs popped in their sockets, making me wince.Siya grumbled something into his pillow on the mattre
Adelia's Point of View"And you made sure to ask him that everything was disabled? Thrown away? Burned?" Nessa screeched, hands on her hips as she paced the length of the living room.Every time she passed Aiden, he reached for her but she was having none of it. Dodged his efforts every single time with a dip of her shoulder. Or a sneer when he got too close to calming her down."Ozias asked Dargan to check everything. He even sent over a plan of the house and where Ciaran placed everything," Michael explained and let his eyes dance over to mine. "He also apologized profusely for what his Alpha has done." "In what regard? Because everything he has done has been more than fucked up from what I hear." Nessa seethed again.Aiden made a last lunge towards her and when she dodged out of his way, he threw his hands up in exasperation. Looked done with trying. Hell, with living at this point.It was funny to witness them together.Him, the pragmatic planner who thought shit through. Her, wh
Michael's Point of ViewShe was fine. More than fine, actually, from the looks of things. Adelia was joking and laughing. Kidding around with Siya and his lack of cooking skills. Made fun of the fact that a carrot nearly took him out. And her with him, if she hadn't stopped healing him when she had. But she was bubbly and happy. Looked relaxed, even when I tried to tickle her feet. Or got her to snort coffee through her nose by accident.This felt comfortable. Easy. Like this was the place I had always been destined to find. A home I always needed to occupy.Logically she had tried several times to get back to planning. Or tried to sneak away with her phone, just to make a few calls, she had assured us. Neither of us let her, on orders of the Beta of the pack.Your first healing was as taxing on the body as your first shift. Something I had to keep in mind once I won her over and got her to turn me. The process and changes of it all were grueling enough that even Alpha pups were
Adelia's Point of ViewI was helped down the stairs. Helped, like a damned invalid. All because my body had decided healing a gash on an arm was one too much.Sure, give it a kidnapping. Nearly being killed. Being held captive by your deranged mother. Escaping said Mother. Organizing one large ass ceremony. And everything in between. But goddess forbid I tried healing someone. That was just fucking unacceptable.At first, both had offered to help me down. Neither wanted the other to help. A few glares had been exchanfged. Maybe a profanity or two, said through their eyes and luckily not their mouths.By the time they were done with their pissing contest, I was already at the door, tired of their bullshit. Scolded them for handling me like I was broken and not just tired. That had been the final straw for them to back off. Michael had been the winner in the end, to my utter dismay.His hand around my waist and my arm around his shoulders caused us to touch all up my side. Forced so m