Emma.The wooden floor creaked under me as I followed Regina down the narrow path toward the docks. The salty sea air was colder than I’d anticipated. I hadn't picked a thing from Benny's house and even if I did, it was lost in the car or in the sea where I'd just managed to survive. Regina walked ahead of me quietly. She was a very beautiful woman and even from behind, I couldn't help but admire her. “This way,” she called over her shoulder with a kind voice. I stayed close and followed her quickly. The little settlement by the sea was very quiet. It was unlike the town. I could see a few huts here and there and some women washing linens just by the sea side. We stopped outside a small hut. The door was old and weathered, completely bleached, no doubt from years of exposure to salt and the sun. “You’ll stay here for the night,” Regina said, pushing the door open. The room inside was sparsely furnished, a single bed, a rickety chair, and a small table with a candle. “It’s no
Emma.The night wasn't any better. It seemed my terror followed me right into the dreamland. I was walking through a dense forest, the ground underneath my feet was damp and I could smell moss and clay around me. Kael was beside me, his presence was comforting, calming. He looked down at me occasionally, his lips twitching into a seductive smile. “We’re almost out,” he said, his voice deep and reassuring. I nodded, relieved, but the forest seemed to stretch endlessly ahead of us. Then, without warning, his demeanor changed. Kael stopped abruptly and turned to me, his expression was suddenly dark and full of anger. Before I could ask what was wrong, he shoved me hard and I stumbled backward. “Kael?” I gasped. He didn’t answer. Instead, Selene suddenly stepped out and slid her delicate hand into his. She looked radiant as she leaned toward him. Kael didn’t hesitate, he passionately kissed her, right in front of me. I felt my heart shatter, the pain as real as if it had ph
Emma.My limbs felt as heavy as stone as they wrestled me down on the creaking bed. I was losing my strength. First from the poison and then shock and I was famished. Their hands clamped around my arms and legs tightly and no matter how much I twisted and squirmed, it wasn’t enough. I began to scream with what was left of my hoarse voice but the men seemed amused by my panic. “Hold her still,” one of them growled. I watched in horror as another pulled out a thick rope and his rough hands began to knot it quickly. My heart sank as he began binding my wrists to the wooden headboard. “You can’t do this!” I sobbed, my voice cracking with desperation. “Please, let me go!” “You’ll calm down eventually. They always do.” When my wrists were secured, one of them leaned down so close I could feel his disgusting breath on my face. It reeked of tobacco. “Pretty little thing like you shouldn’t waste energy struggling,” he sneered. “It’s not going to help.” I turned my head away, tea
Emma.The car door shut with a heavy thud and I sat stiffly beside lord Roger. The leather seat beneath me was cold, and the silence inside the car made my ear ring. I was sold. I was now a property. I was a thing. Roger didn’t look at me, he didn't even act like I was beside him. His face turned to the window. A woman came closer, she was clearly his servant. She reached across me and threw a thick shawl over my shoulders. “Cover yourself up,” she said. “The master doesn’t like seeing too much skin.” Her words made me blink. I could almost hear Regina's voice in my head. About Roger. A man that bought slaves and pets. He was a monster. “I know all about you,” I said, my voice shaking as I turned to face him. “You buy women like they’re objects. Pets. Slaves. I will never be one of them.” Roger didn’t even flinch. He didn’t so much as glance in my direction. Instead, his face remained impassive. The only slight change was that I noticed his jaw clenched slightly. “Drive,” he
Emma.The car door shut with a heavy thud and I sat stiffly beside lord Roger. The leather seat beneath me was cold, and the silence inside the car made my ear ring. I was sold. I was now a property. I was a thing. Roger didn’t look at me, he didn't even act like I was beside him. His face turned to the window. A woman came closer, she was clearly his servant. She reached across me and threw a thick shawl over my shoulders. “Cover yourself up,” she said. “The master doesn’t like seeing too much skin.” Her words made me blink. I could almost hear Regina's voice in my head. About Roger. A man that bought slaves and pets. He was a monster. “I know all about you,” I said, my voice shaking as I turned to face him. “You buy women like they’re objects. Pets. Slaves. I will never be one of them.” Roger didn’t even flinch. He didn’t so much as glance in my direction. Instead, his face remained impassive. The only slight change was that I noticed his jaw clenched slightly. “Drive,” he
Emma.I woke to the sound of Deborah’s voice again, coming into the tiny room I now called my quarters. “Emma! Get up! You’ve got work to do, girl!” I groaned, rubbing my eyes, feeling every muscle in my body protest as I sat up. The stuffy air and thin bedding hadn’t done much to ease my exhaustion. Before I could even form a coherent thought, Deborah had already opened the door and stepped in, standing over me, arms folded and lips pressed into a thin line. She looked as stern as she had yesterday and Emma wished she'd been sold anywhere else and not here. “Get up! lord Roger needs his breakfast served early. You were expected in the kitchen five minutes ago,” she barked. “And make sure his tea is brewed just right, black, strong, no sugar. His eggs are soft but not runny. You mess it up, and you're in for a scolding.” I nodded, biting back the urge to tell her I wasn’t some seasoned cook or maid. Instead, I dragged myself up, threw on the most presentable thing I could fi
Kael. The snow stretched endlessly across the Crescent pack grounds, already covering everything with its chill. It was winter and the pack was at its coldest. From the tower, I stared out at everything below, my breath coming out as wisps of warm air in the cold. The silence of the place mocked me. It felt as if the world had frozen in time, like everything was different. But maybe it really was. Emma was gone. I gripped the stone edge of the balcony looking down below. My knuckles white against the gray stone. Every moment she was away gnawed at me, a reminder of my failure to protect her. To keep her where she belonged. Here, beside me, with me. I was still deep in thought when the sound of hesitant footsteps behind me shattered the quiet. I didn’t need to turn to know who it was. “Alpha,” Williams said, his voice cautious, almost apologetic. “King Drag, your father, wants to speak with you.” I closed my eyes and exhaled through clenched teeth before spi
Emma. The dining room was pretty loud as the alphas carried on with their dinner. They chatted about pack politics, war tactics and the price of slaves in the auction market. I sat on a bench near the wall, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, trying to make myself invisible. The sting of the slap still lingered on my cheek. But I knew that I couldn't do anything about it. I was a slave. And I wasn’t allowed to leave, not yet. Not until the evening ended and the decision to hand me over was finalized. Every passing minute dragged on like an eternity. "Wait here," one of the guards had grunted, his tone devoid of any form of sympathy. "And don’t move unless you’re told." So I waited, fighting back the urge to cry, as I patiently let my new master finish his dinner and take me for the night. When the alphas finally began to rise from their seats, their chairs scraping against the floor, I tensed. The man who had demanded me, Stanley, they’d called him, sauntered over t
Emma.I would rather be anywhere than here. Yet, I found myself walking closer to him. Seeking his touch, his warmth, his eyes. . My fingers trembled as I toyed with the fabric of my dress, my gaze fixed on the ground. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. Derek was there, just a few feet away, and yet it felt as though an ocean stretched between us. My stomach felt hollow with doubt and fear, and I hated myself for even being here. “Emma," he called out to me again and I blinked. “Alpha Derek," I replied meekly. “Why are you here?” His voice was cold, distant, “Is there something wrong with your room?” I flinched at his tone. It was dismissive and I looked down. “No, the room is fine,” I stammered. My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat quickly. “That’s not why I’m here.” Derek's eyes bore into mine. “Then why?” My breath hitched as tears pricked my eyes. I hated this feeling. I felt small, exposed, and foolish. “I’m sorry,” I muttered, backing toward the door. “I s
Derek.Madrid’s voice was like background noise as I sat in my study just across the throne room. We had to restrategize for the attack against Jonathan's pack. It was getting out of hand and I was losing patience. But still, something else played out in my mind. A memory I didn't want to relive and yet it was stuck in my head. I had my hands splayed out in front of me, but my mind wasn’t there. It hadn’t been for a while now. Madrid night as well have been speaking with himself. “Alpha?” I heard him still, he sounded like a fly disturbing my thoughts. “Alpha Derek?” Madrid repeated, his voice sharper this time. I blinked and turned to him, nodding absently. “Did you hear anything I just said, Alpha?” He sounded bothered at my being distracted. I gave another small nod, though the truth was, I’d caught only fragments of his plan. Something about baiting the enemy and making them attack first. “You said we should bait them in,” I replied, hoping it was close enough. Madr
Emma.I froze. The massive wolf stood before me, its green eyes glowing wildly. My breath hitched, and I instinctively removed my hands from my breast and crossed my arms over my chest, shielding myself as best I could. But the wolf suddenly snarled and stepped closer intimidatingly. I was lost. I was trapped. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. I tried to turn away but at this time, the wolf growled and moved towards me, each step made me back away until I was now completely immersed in her shrub. “I'm sorry," I mumbled helplessly. I didn't know what I was apologizing for. Seeing him naked? Or being so moved by it that I couldn't help myself? The wolf didn't stop, it moved even closer and its eyes remained firmly on my breast, staring intensely. “Please,” I whispered, my voice trembling. The wolf moved even closer until the space between us was a few inches. I stumbled back, my foot catching on the uneven ground. It followed. My back hit the rough bark of a
Emma.I hadn't slept well. No, I was plagued with visions of Cathy trying to hunt me down and finish me off. The thought of the poison still lingered in my mind and I couldn't help but wonder how much the hybrid from her past had hurt her. I was a hybrid. But I'd never transformed. I didn't want to see the monster I'll be. Or were the doctors even right? Could I ever transform? My head was filled with these questions as I swung my heavy legs off the bed and padded to the door. I was a little hungry and Derek had warned me against starving. The knock at my door startled me as I reached for the handle. Pausing, I moved away a little. “Come in,” I called softly. The door creaked open, and Daniella stepped in, balancing a tray with a cup of latte and a plate of pancakes. Her face lit up with a shy smile at the sight of me. “Good morning, Miss Emma, you look beautiful as always.” My cheeks flushed. I felt heavy, like a bear or something. But I guess the pregnancy glow was still a
Emma.Cathy sprang to her feet, looking at me guiltily. I started, transfixed. Cathy. Cathy poisoned me. “You," I caught myself saying before I could stop myself. “What? Emma, how could you say something like that?" Her face went pale, her hands trembling slightly as she held them up in surrender. “Why would you?” I started, but my voice broke. Cathy had been my only friend in the whole pack. She was my stronghold. Why would she poison me? Why would she want me dead? Was she trying to save her pack from me? Did she think I was a spy? Words failed me. I looked at Cathy and tears poured down my face freely. “Wait,” Derek stepped between us. His voice was calm. “Cathy, did you give her the tea?” “Yes, but—” Cathy stammered, shaking her head. “I didn’t know! I swear, I didn’t know anything was wrong with it. I just made it the way I always do!” “Nightshade doesn’t accidentally end up in a cup of latte,” Derek said, his tone hardening.“I didn’t do anything!” Cathy cried out
Emma. When I woke up, I could hear the soft beeping beside me and I knew I was at the clinic again. The smell of antiseptic hit me and for a second, I heaved dryly. I had an aching temple and I wanted nothing more than to just sleep. “Hey, are you okay?" I heard a voice say softly and touch my face as I blinked my eyes open. The doctor’s face was scrunched into a slight frown as he scanned the clipboard in his hands. When he finally looked up at me, he sighed. “I’ve made a rather shocking discovery,” he said, his voice low, as if trying to soften the blow. Cathy shifted beside me, and for the first time, I saw Derek was standing in the clinic too and he crossed his arms but didn’t say a word. “What is it?” I asked, my voice shaky. The doctor glanced at Cathy briefly before looking up at me. “Emma, your body is being weakened by the hybrid nature of your child. It’s wearing your system out and your body just isn’t strong enough to sustain the pregnancy in its curr
Emma.I stayed behind the pillar, barely breathing as Tristan and Regina exchanged pleasantries with Derek. My eyes wasn't playing tricks on me. Tristan was really there and Regina was right beside him. Regina. What did she want with Tristan? Did they know each other? Did she have something to do with Roger's death? Most likely. Tristan’s presence alone was enough to unsettle me, but Regina's fake smile made it even worse. I shifted slightly to get a better view, my fingers gripping the cool stone of the pillar for support.For a second, his eyes darted in my direction and it narrowed. Had he seen me? My heart thundered as I quickly stepped back behind the house and fled the lakeside, hurrying into my room. The rest of the day became a game of avoidance. Every creak of a door, every approaching footstep sent waves of anxiety through me. I practically stayed in my room, avoiding any room I thought Tristan or Regina might enter. I was still in my room, a little too absorbed
Emma.The morning light trickled through the curtains, warming my face and waking me before I was even ready to wake. My body ached, not from physical exertion but from the discomfort of being in a place that wasn’t home. I stretched, shaking off the fog of sleep, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I had to take a warm bath and perhaps a little stroll to ease the tension I felt within. A soft knock startled me and Cathy walked in. She was already dressed in her usual tight leather with her hair pulled pack into a neat bun. "Morning," she said, her lips stretching into an easy smile. “How are you feeling today?” I hesitated. Was there a correct answer to that? “Fine, I guess.” I lied fluidly. I was anything but fine. I wanted to be somewhere else. I wanted to be with Roger. I wanted to be home. She frowned slightly. “If you need anything, nything at all, just let me know, okay?” “Thanks,” I murmured, sincerely appreciating her concern. But now I was wary of peo
Derek.The sight of Emma standing there, naked and startled, with water dripping down her shoulders, was enough to root me in place. The basin was too small for her frame. I could see every inch of her no matter how much she tried to fold into herself. She crossed an arm over her chest, cheeks flushing a deep crimson as she tried to shield herself. Alpha," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "What... what are you doing here?" I snapped out of my stupor and cleared my throat as I bent down to retrieve the dagger. "I knocked. Twice. You didn’t answer." My voice came out more hoarse han I intended, but I couldn’t help it. Was I pissed off at her or was my husky voice a sign of something else entirely? I couldn't dwell on that. She averted her eyes, reaching for a towel on the stool beside her. "I didn’t hear you," She trailed off, pulling the towel around herself hastily. "Why are you bathing in here?" I asked, gesturing to the cramped basin. The question sounded s