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#Chapter 163: Acts of Desperation
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2024-10-29 19:42:56I trailed after Noah as he led me toward Ronan’s office. He was reserved, glancing back at me now and then to make sure I still followed him. He was the least talkative brother, even more so than Jeremy. Trying to get something out of him was like pulling teeth. That, coupled with his complete lack of interest in me, made him my favorite.
He stopped in the hall outside of Ronan’s office. Every day I had to sit and have lunch with the boss, filling him in on everything I did that day in training. What I’d accomplished, and, more often, what I hadn’t. His expression ranged from mild disappointment to sheer annoyance to outright hostility. The fact that I hadn’t been able to access my powers since that first day annoyed him to no end.
I'd been at their compound for almost six months. Six months of training. Six months of waking up in a cold sweat from my nightmares. Six months of struggling to prove myself to no avail. I spent every night sta
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The compound crashed to the ground, trapping people in the rubble. I didn’t let myself feel a twinge of guilt as I lost sight of Alyx and the guard. That was for later.I dragged myself to my feet and climbed over the ruins of the garden wall. On the other side, the compound was in chaos. People ran toward the house, their shouts cutting heavily through the winter silence. Others were sprawled across the ground, bleeding or crying.I ran past them, heading for the front gate. No one noticed me. Most of the people here didn’t know what I looked like, and the ones who did were too focused on helping the people trapped in the house.The guards at the gate hadn’t left their post, though.“I need to get out,” I said, panting as I ran up to them. “Ronan’s orders.”The taller one eyed me, a frown crossing his face. “I don’t know you.”“That’s not my problem.”
His Secret Princess #Chapter 165: Blame
I didn’t wake until the car shut off, and Ted carefully nudged my arm. I shot upright and lashed out. He winced as my punch landed hard on his shoulder.“Jesus, Celeste,” Jack said.The memories slowly trickled back in. I was in the car with my brother and Matt. I was safe.“Sorry.” I gave Ted a sheepish look.He waved me off. “Don’t worry about it. Good hit.”I nodded and peered through the front window. We were parked outside a motel. The neon sign gleamed blue and pink in the dim light. It wasn’t snowing anymore, but mounds of it covered the parking lot. A light was on in the office and in one room. Aside from a single red Toyota, we were the only ones here.“We’re going to stop here for the night,” Seth said.“Okay.”I got out of the car and stretched my arms over my head. Everything felt sore, and I rolled my neck. Using that much power too
His Secret Princess #Chapter 166: The Aftermath
AlyxHe groaned and clawed his way toward the light. A moment later, Alyx managed to shove the stones off him, and he breathed in the winter air. Around him, the house lay in ruins, and his heart rate spiked.What the hell?One moment he was standing in his room, and the next the house was shaking around him. If he hadn’t shifted then, he might have died. His arm was broken and a few of his ribs, but they snapped back into place with a loud crack. He yelped and forced the change to come over him.He had to find the rest of his family.The compound was in chaos, and people rushed toward the rubble, looking for survivors. Wolves could survive a lot, but a ton of concrete landing on you would kill anyone. He was lucky the way the stones fell, making a gap for him to cower in. That, and his room was on the top floor. All of theirs were, but he didn’t know where his brothers had been.He crawled over the rubble, calling out his brothe
His Secret Princess #Chapter 167: Creature Comforts
I woke with a gasp, my heart hammering in my chest. The terror of the nightmare lingered, and I sucked in air, trying desperately to calm down. Every night, it was the same. I was standing in the dark woods, and there across the clearing stood Matt. Only, I never got to him in time. I ran and screamed, begging him to get away, but Ronan always appeared to tear out his heart. I’d have to watch him fall to his knees, blood staining the snow.“Hey, are you okay?”The sound of his voice brought me back to myself. A heavy arm was draped across my hip, and I clutched his hand. He was here with me. He was okay. I forced a shuddering breath through my lips and let it out slowly.Matt leaned over me, and I looked over my shoulder at him. His eyes glowed in the dim light, and his hair was sleep-mussed. The other bed sat untouched.“It was just a dream,” he murmured. I nodded, never taking my eyes off him. It took a few more minutes, bu
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 169: Undercover
I lunged for Zoe, a growl ripping from my throat.“Holy shit. Holy shit,” someone was saying over and over. It sounded like Fiona, but I could barely register it. I was too far gone.I was going to tear Zoe to pieces. The rage was so strong, a red film fell over my eyes. She’d held me captive, watched me get tortured. She was working for the enemy, and I was going to kill her.Before I could reach her, a wolf barreled into me, knocking me to the floor. Zoe took a few rapid steps back as the wolf towered over me. It was large and black. It nuzzled me, and when I glanced at Zoe, it growled low. Then it nuzzled me again. It took a moment for me to register its scent through the anger, but the moment it did, my rage seeped away.Matt lay down beside me, his eyes on Zoe. His gaze promised death if she came any closer. Instead, she held up her hands, looking weary. I’d never seen Matt in his wolf form, but he was one of the biggest wolve
His Secret Princess #Chapter 170: Prejudice
JackHe snuck away from the cabin, taking a twisting path between the trees. When he was sure he was alone, and too far from the house to be overheard, he dialed the number and brought his phone to his ear. It rang only twice before a low voice drifted through the speaker.“Jack,” Freddy said, a slight sneer to his voice. “Camping, I see.”Jack sighed. He knew his cousin was probably tailing them, but he hadn’t been sure. He was hoping their roundabout drive managed to confuse him, but apparently not.“So, Celeste is home safe and sound.” Freddy chuckled. “For now, anyway. She caused quite the stir at the Crescent compound from what I hear.”“What do you want?” Jack growled.“You know what I want, Jack,” Freddy answered, his tone dangerous. “I want your sister.”Jack weighed his options. There was no way he was giving up his sister, but he couldn
His Secret Princess #Chapter 171: Lucky Ones
We didn’t move for hours, instead staying up to strategize well into the night. We took a few breaks to get food, but that was it. Everyone was reeling after Zoe’s message, long after she disappeared to rejoin the Crescent wolves.Eventually, Nina called it a night. “We can talk more tomorrow,” she said. Her skin was pale, and she looked exhausted. Everyone did. We all dispersed, and Matt led me to his cabin, Fiona trailing behind us.“I’m just there,” Fiona said, pointing to a cabin a few feet from Matt’s.“Okay.” I squeezed her hand. “We’ll talk soon. I promise.”She nodded, then walked over to her cabin. Matt unlocked the door of his with a key and stepped aside to let me in.“You can stay with her tonight,” Matt said as I walked past him. “If you want to catch up.”I just shook my head. I was much too tired to get into everything.
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EpilogueThe sounds of plates clinking together, and the low hum of chit-chat, merged into the background as I listened to Fiona describe her latest assignment. She was stuck in a geography class that she needed for distribution, and it was driving her nuts. Her professor was a mean, curmudgeonly old man, and a notoriously difficult marker.“He gave me a C–. A C–! That was not a C worthy paper.”Jack nodded. “I read it. It was pretty good.”She rounded on him. “Pretty good?”He put his hands up, a small smile on his lips. “Really pretty good?”She huffed but turned back to me. “Your brother is a pain in the ass.”I smiled. “You’re telling me.” They’d only been together for a few years, but they already bickered like an old married couple. Matt and I were actually married, but we didn’t even bicker like that. It was as endearing as it was exhausting.Matt sank into his seat beside me and slid me a cup of coffee. I threw him a grateful look. Our peacekeeping duties had kept us late the
His Secret Princess #Chapter 199: Ever After
MattThe nerves made me jittery, and I bounced my knee so hard it rattled the bench. Seth gave me a knowing look before bending over to finish tying his skates. I focused on taping my stick, letting muscle memory take over. All the guys knew what I planned to do tonight, and they kept throwing me knowing looks as I tried to stay calm.It was the last home game before playoffs started. A part of me kept thinking that I should wait, but an even greater part of me didn’t want to wait one more second. If life had taught me anything, it was that we didn’t know how much time we might have. I didn’t want to waste another second of it. I especially didn’t want to waste time just because I was afraid.“Dude, stop vibrating the bench,” our goalie James called. “I’m trying to focus.”“Sorry,” I answered. If there was one rule in hockey, it was to not mess with the goalie, especially right before a game. If he needed to focus, then I just needed to find a way to chill the fuck out.Enzo gave me a
His Secret Princess #Chapter 198: The Score
The arena was buzzing with energy as Matt got the puck and darted forward to take advantage of the breakaway. He sent the puck into the corner of the net, and I jumped to my feet. Beside me Fiona screamed so loud, heads turned in our direction. Jack cringed slightly, throwing her a bemused look.It was the first home game of the year, and Matt was giving everything he had to make sure the team got a win. Around us, the school cheered as he skated by, knocking fists with his teammates. It was his second goal of the night, his first a tricky tip in after Seth’s initial shot rebounded. It was 3-1 with only four minutes left in the third period.“He’s playing great,” Nina said from my other side as the cheering died down, and we took our seats again.“He is.” Over on the bench, Enzo stood in a dark suit, his head bent as he talked to one of his players.He and Nina were staying one more year. Even though Nina graduated in the spring, her father was giving her the year to clean up the town
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“Are you ready for this?” Jack asked, his eyes trailing over my face, looking for any signs of fear or hesitation. I schooled my features into a blank mask. Sure, I was nervous, but he didn’t need to see that. He already hated that he’d gotten me involved. Too bad I was the only one that could do this, and I’d do anything to get the Schreibers out of our town.I took a deep breath and gazed up at the towering mansion. It was on the outskirts of town, far enough away that I’d never seen it, but still close enough for the Schreibers to cause havoc. The house seemed quiet, but I knew our grandfather lurked inside. Him and whoever survived the fight.“I’m ready,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Matt and the rest of the Peacekeepers had already surrounded the house. They were keeping their distance but staying close enough just in case we needed them. It made me feel better knowing he was out there. I knew, without a doubt, that Matt would do anything to keep me safe. Just like I’d do any
His Secret Princess #Chapter 196: Looking Forward
Jack“Hey!” Jack called, running to catch up with Fiona. She stopped walking and turned to give him a curious look. “I’ll walk you home,” he said when he reached her side.She gave him a bemused look. Technically, her place was only five minutes from campus, but that didn’t mean she should walk alone at night. Plus, he hadn’t seen her since she moved back in with her roommate, and he wanted a moment alone with her.“Alright,” she said with a shrug. “If you insist.”He smiled. “Better safe than sorry.”“Bye,” Celeste called, waving at them. She gave him a knowing smile, and he glowered at her. She clearly knew something was going on, but it wasn’t her business. They needed to figure this out for themselves.She and Matt were headed in the opposite direction, back toward the house. Matt was still haunting the halls. Everywhere Jack went, there he was. In the bathroom, when he needed to piss. In the kitchen, when he was hungry. Even in the living room at night, making out with his sister
His Secret Princess #Chapter 195: The Oath
“I promise to protect this town,” Jack said, his hand over his heart. “I promise to fight for peace, and to not rest until it is achieved. I promise to treat all life as equal. I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath.”Nina dipped her head in acknowledgement, and Jack let his hand drop to his side. I stepped forward next and repeated the oath. It was the same words every person in this room had recited when they agreed to become a Peacekeeper. It wasn’t something to take lightly, and I didn’t plan to.“I devote myself to this cause from now until my last breath,” I said, stepping back beside my brother. Fiona stood at his other side. She took the oath first, saying the words with the utmost confidence.I locked eyes with Matt, and he gave me a proud smile, his eyes gleaming. Our friends sat around the room, and, as if given some invisible cue, they all began to hoot and clap. They stood up and slapped the three of us on the back. I got pulled into hugs, one after t
His Secret Princess #Chapter 194: Lovers
Matt closed my bedroom door behind us and leaned his crutches against the wall. He hobbled over to the bed and sank down onto the mattress with a soft groan. “Just as I remember it,” he said, jumping a little. “So soft.”Downstairs, Fiona, and Jack were rifling around in the kitchen. They offered to make us something, but neither of us were very hungry.Matt lay back and stretched his arms over his head, his shirt riding up just enough to reveal the smooth skin along his waistline. His hip bones dipped down into his cargo pants and I bit my lip, desperate to get my hands on him, but still worried about his wounds. Sure, he was up and moving around, but that didn’t mean he should be doing physical activity. I didn’t know a lot about werewolf healing, but I wasn’t willing to risk him.“I missed this room,” he continued, turning to look at me through hooded eyes.The purple bedspread brought back a flood of memories. I’d spent so much of my life in this room. I had so many memories, and
His Secret Princess #Chapter 193: Home
MattI held onto Celeste’s hand, leaning heavily on the two crutches I had propped under my opposite arm. A feeling of intense déjà vu swept through me as I watched Seth step forward and light the pyre. Around us, others did the same until dark smoke rose into the blue spring sky. I hoped this was the last funeral I ever had to go to, at least for a long while.Celeste had a blank expression on her face that worried me more than anything. Beside her, Jack and Fiona stood holding hands. Fiona was crying, and Jack had a stricken look on his face. As one, he and Celeste let go of our hands and stepped forward. They lit the last pyre.“Goodbye dad,” Celeste said, just loud enough for me to hear. My heart squeezed.Jack didn’t speak, he just lowered his gaze and stepped back beside Fiona. She immediately took his hand, but he didn’t look up from his shoes. I understood the warring emotions he was feeling. He hated his father for abandoning him, and he felt guilty that he got killed right i
His Secret Princess #Chapter 192: Shell Shock
Those of us still on our feet spent the rest of the day tending to the wounded. God, there were so many of them. Every wound I saw, every cry of pain I heard, felt like a knife to the gut. Everywhere I went, I saw pain, death, and gore.It was all too much.“Hey,” Jack said, giving me a concerned look. “Take a break if you need to.”He was still covered in blood, and I could barely stand to look at him. He’d taken a few minutes to wipe most of it off his face, but he hadn’t stopped to change his clothes. None of us had. There hadn’t been time.“I can’t.”I couldn’t get my father’s face out of my mind. Jack took me to his body shortly after the fight ended, tears in his eyes. I allowed myself to cry only for a minute before I helped him move the body to the small grassy area behind the church. That was where we were laying out the dead before we’d give them all proper funerals.There were already too many bodies out there. Seth had collapsed beside Jenna’s bloody form and hadn’t moved
