Adelia's Point of ViewThe phone call clicked dead against my ear as Alvara's words faded into the back of my mind."Well?" Michael probed.We had moved into the shadows as well. Out of the sight of any prying eyes who might report two strangers lingering around in the slums of the pack. I turned to look at him. Scowled at how accurate he had been before I had demanded the phone from him."She sent Ozias to personally man the plane this time, to make sure everything went according to plan. Then she patched me through to him and... Well..." I swallowed hard, averting my gaze from his. "You were right. They are at the more remote landing location." Michael's face split into two as he grinned at me. Raised a single brow at my antics, amusement swirling in his eyes. "And why didn't you listen to me when I wanted to tell you exactly that?" He asked.Beside myself, I flicked my tongue out of my mouth at him. Crossed my arms over my chest. Like a scolded child who couldn't get her way. "Be
Michael's Point of ViewAs we drove, I constantly flicked my eyes to the rearview mirror. Stole glance upon glance of Adelia in the back.She never noticed. Kept staring out at the sprawling desert around us as we went.Her worried frown was now permanently etched onto her features. Her lips trembled slightly when she dared to look down at the man in her lap. With her hand on his hair and the other tucked firmly beneath her chin, she looked more troubled than the first time I had met her.She knew something about what was wrong with him. Knew something that was too uncomfortable to share.And for a moment, I had wanted to pry it from her lips, if only to ease her racing thoughts a bit. But I had let it go. Stood back. Because it wasn't my place.At the end of this line, we were going to part ways.I would return to Eiecrunt with Nadia, where we would help Ciaran disassemble this whole mess we were in. I would also be reporting back to the board with all my findings. There was no time
Adelia's Point of ViewThe families of the guards made a bed for Siya at the front of the plane with whatever they had on hand. Looked at him with more reverence than fear. Handled him like he was the most delicate flower on this planet.And throughout it all, I kept staring at him. Kept making sure he was breathing.By the time he was settled in, Ozias had made himself home in the cockpit of the plane. Locked the door behind him and the pilot. Which left me with a lot of people staring at me as I sat in the front, hand on Siya's hair.Aiden at least sat with me. Although his mother, father, and three other siblings were also here, the man refused to leave my side. Instead, he opted to get comfortable on the floor.Michael had vanished into the large crowd. Most likely chose the most desolate spot and hunkered down for the rest of the flight. His mission was done. His body was spent. And after this flight, there was nothing left to say to him except thank you for helping me when no
Adelia's Point of ViewWe were standing dangerously close. With my nose pressed against his chest, and hands tightly by my sides, the world felt too small right then. Suffocating, almost.From our proximity also came a crackling sensation that made the air around us feel alive. Untamed.It took all of my concentration just to breathe properly."Happy now? No one can hear," Michael said above me.I had to pivot my head back just to be able to stare into his eyes."No. Not happy. I'm stuck in this small ass fucking room with you," I hissed.But if he was a wolf, my heartbeat would have betrayed me almost instantly. Because it made blood roar in my ears. Had the palms of my hands sweating involuntarily.At the back of my mind, I could feel the tug between us. That insatiable pull that mates had. "What happened to him, Adelia? And why the hell won't you tell me?" Michael demanded, the edges of his eyes growing larger with each word spoken. Nostrils flaring a bit.I tried to look away but
Michael's Point of ViewToo close. She was too fucking close and I felt like my entire body was on fire. The air seemed to stifling. And when she looked up at me with those green-riddled blue eyes of hers, it was like my entire world zoomed in right on her and refused to let go.She spoke her heart out. Explained and tried to blame herself for everything. And I did my best to make sure she understood not everything was her fault. That the cards she had been dealt were shit. But god only knows how I didn't touch her more. Just brushing away the stray strands of hair from her face had been enough to undo me. Made my hands tremble and knees weak. And just like that, she slipped out of the bathroom, wholly unbothered by what had just happened. By the way my heart was racing in my chest. When the door clicked shut again, I let go of a shaky breath. Turned around and clasped the miniature sink with both hands. Above the small sink was a mirror I refused to look into, already knowing I
Adelia's Point of ViewWe were met on the tarmac of Lover's Quarrel by several vans. Other SUVs stood close as well with people pouring out of them, most carrying blankets or food. It was Christmas day. Or night, however you wanted to see it.Normally, my guards and staff had today off. But with our arrival I guess they-"Adelia!" A familiar voice called from the outside of the plane.Ozias was helping the more elderly people off of the plane. Had been joined by several of my staff to help as well. Although most of their family members seemed skeptical to let these strange people near them. But through the throngs of people now moving into the crisp night air, I spotted the tightly curled hair and caramel skin easily.Nessa came charging at me like a bull in a china shop. By the time I reached the bottom of the platform of the plane, she was there, gripping me in a crushing embrace that sucked the wind from my lungs. Her breath fanned the side of my neck for a brief moment.Slender
Adelia's Point of View"I forgot about him. I'm so sorry, Adelia. I was just so overwhelmed by seeing her again-" Aiden ranted, dread settling into his voice like a stone settling into water.I waved him off as we marched into the plane. Everyone was off like Ozias had said they were. Except for the figure still lying crumpled on the makeshift bed we had concocted. Or rather the one his people had concocted."Don't worry about it. I get it. But right now, I need you to make sure there remains one SUV for us. I don't want to take him back to the pack house right now. Not with Ciaran lingering so close," I said and knelt down beside my groaning mate.His forehead was a mess of sweat. His upper lip trembled every now and again. Whatever Killian had done to him had left his body weak. Left it exposed to anything that might want to come in and harm it. "He has a horrible fever," Nessa said, voice shaking a bit as she spoke. "What happened to him?" She nearly demanded, her eyes flashing
Adelia's Point of ViewAfter explaining to Nessa that I knew about the horrid trait she had spoken about and that I possessed it as well, she went on a tangent about how we couldn't know from one simple test that I was also a killer.That the odds of me having the trait were slim to none, considering only the Alpha bloodline has it.That's when I had to finally tell someone about what my mother had called Killian. Nephew.For a moment, Nessa looked stunned. Aiden looked stunned, mostly drained but a bit taken aback as well."Well, my mom never had siblings, so it isn't from her side," She breathed, rocking back onto the first bed in the room. Stunned. I threw her a you-don't-say look, effectively pulling up my knees to my chest in the process. Alpha blood possessed it. My mother must have been the daughter of a previous Alpha, then. It also explained why she had spoken about Killian as her nephew.Up until now, I had also not mentioned anything about his death. Yet."Do you know ab
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