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#Chapter 173: Target Practice
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 174: Losing a Tail
MattI stocked up on clothes for Celeste, making sure to grab multiple of everything, just in case she wolfed out again. I picked up a few things for myself as well, but I didn’t need as much. While my clothes were slightly baggy, they didn’t bother me if I had a belt on. Celeste, on the other hand, was swimming in fabric.It was one of those combat stores, run-down and off-putting from the outside. The sort of place respectable people didn’t shop. It was perfect for what I needed.I put the clothes in my car and walked down the street, heading for a corner store at the end. Ted sent me out with a few bills and a plea for a carton of cigarettes. We weren’t supposed to leave the compound if we could help it, and Ted was getting desperate for nicotine. His boyfriend, Andrew, called it a nasty habit, but Ted didn’t seem to care.“I need it,” he’d insisted. I was taking pity on him.I was halfway down the road when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I reached the corner but didn’t
His Secret Princess #Chapter 175: Jack’s Betrayal
Jack and I were just leaving the main cabin after lunch when Matt’s car came squealing to a stop, its tires skidding in the mud. We exchanged a glance as Matt jumped out of the car. I barely had time to step back before he was there, tackling Jack to the ground.“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Matt growled, pushing Jack’s face into the mud.Jack punched him in the side and gasped for air. “Get off me, asshole.”“Um…” I started, not sure if I should intervene or not. The cabin doors opened, and people came streaming out–Fiona, Ted, his boyfriend Andrew. A minute later, Enzo and Nina followed, trialed by Seth, Jenna, and a boy from the team named Brodie. Soon everyone was gathered around to watch the fight.“I’m going to kill you,” Matt snarled, punching Jack in the side of the head.Jack hit him in the ribs again. “Get the fuck off.”“Should someone maybe stop them?” Seth asked, his brows pulling together.“We need to contain Jack,” someone said. Everyone turned, noticing the man for
His Secret Princess #Chapter 176: Unexpected Allies
JackHe sighed and tilted his head back against the wall. It was almost a relief to have the truth out in the open. To not have to sneak around and lie anymore. If he was being honest with himself, the subterfuge was really getting to him.Now, at least, everyone knew what he’d done. He’d told Matt everything, down to the last detail. Whatever they did to him now was out of his hands.Still, the fact that the truth came out because of Henry Schreiber was a hard pill to swallow. His father, if he could even call him that, threw him right under the bus. Jack shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d already abandoned him. Why not get him killed, too? Then he could take the newly minted Maiden all for himself.Jack didn’t believe that Henry actually cared for his sister. How could he? He’d abandoned her just as much as he’d abandoned Jack. It was an unforgivable offense, and it hurt him to see Celeste talking to him, being somewhat friendly. They went off together, Fiona trailing after them wi
His Secret Princess #Chapter 177: Brothers in Arms
The sound of gunfire split the night, and I sat up, my heart racing. I didn’t give myself time to think as more shots sounded in the distance. I ran to the dresser and pulled on the cargo pants and jacket Matt had bought me the day before. I laced up my boots and did up my belt.I grabbed a handgun and loaded my pockets with mags. I also put a knife in my boot and added one to my belt. Before I left, I double-checked that my gun was loaded, and that the safety was off. Then I was out the door, running toward the noise.I had to find Matt. When I fell asleep, he was still guarding Jack.I headed into the forest where the noise was loudest. Silver moonlight washed over the trees, illuminating the ground. Growls split the night, followed by a few gunshots. Someone grabbed me from behind and I yelped, fumbling with my gun.“It’s me,” Jack hissed. He was holding the back of my jacket.I released a breath and turned to him. He was crouched in the undergrowth, a splatter of blood on his face
His Secret Princess #Chapter 178: Mourning
MattI reached for Celeste’s hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. She returned the gesture, her eyes locked on the pyre in front of us. We’d buried the dead Schreibers out in the woods, our own we planned to honor in the old way.Brodie succumbed to his injuries the night of the attack, his healing powers unable to contend with the silver powder the Schreibers used to tip their blades.We found James’s body in the woods, a bullet hole through his head. His siblings, Andrew, and Kelly stood together, tears streaming down their faces. Ted hovered near them, his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. I could barely bring myself to look at them. I kept seeing the triplets together in that motel room, laughing over their pizza.Seth and Jenna stood together. He’d taken a silver bullet to the leg, and he leaned on a makeshift crutch Enzo had found him. It was basically just a large stick, but it did the job. Despite the bullet being removed, it was the sort of wound that took a while to heal.Th
His Secret Princess #Chapter 179: Ghost Town
We arrived in Huntsville just as the sun was beginning to set.Golden light illuminated the desolate street–weeds working up through the concrete, bordered up buildings sloping ever more sideways, and graffiti painted across almost every available surface.Matt parked beside the others, in what was one a parking lot for a grocery store. The windows of the store itself were broken, and the shelves looted. The town had been abandoned for almost thirty years, yet cars still sat against the curbs and the church at the end of the road remained untouched, its stained-glass windows still in place.“This is nice,” Fiona said as she climbed out of the car. We all got out and surveyed the town.“Why did people abandon it?” Jack asked.“Economy failed,” Nina answered, coming around the side of the car. The rest of the group followed. “People just started leaving in droves.”“Also, the ghosts,” Ted pointed out.“Oh, so now you’re a believer?” Fiona taunted. “Feeling the supernatural energy now th
His Secret Princess #Chapter 180: This Isn’t the End
The reinforcements arrived just after midnight. We were sitting in the church when Andrew tore into the room, breathing heavily. He’d been on patrol with Jenna when they caught the scent. A few minutes later, a broad, middle-aged man walked to the church. He was dressed in black fatigues, with several guns at his belt and a long sword strapped to his back.“General Bukowski,” Nina said, jumping up to meet him.He shook her hand. “We’ve set up a perimeter around the town, and we’re going to camp out in the woods tonight.” His gaze roved over the small group. His eyes lingered on me and Matt for a moment before flitting away. “We encountered no signs of any Crescent wolves on the way in.”Nina nodded. “Alright. We should speak.” She gestured for Enzo to follow, then the three of them disappeared into the night.“Well, it’s bedtime for me,” Fiona said with a yawn.Everyone else seemed to agree, and we all wandered downstairs.We had our sleeping bags spread out across the floor of the ba
His Secret Princess #Chapter 181: The Message
We woke to the sound of screaming. More than just one person. Their voices were filled with such horror that it set my heart racing. The screams cut off abruptly, but Matt and I were already awake and alert. We’d slept in the back of his car, naked and tucked under a blanket he kept in the trunk for emergencies.“What was that?” I asked, reaching for my clothes.Matt was struggling to get his jeans over his hips in the narrow space. “I don’t know, but we’d better find out.”We stumbled out of the car, shrugging our coats on over our shoulders. I tied my boots so fast it was almost a record for me, then we were running toward the sound of the screams, Matt with a gun in his hand. We weren’t the only ones. A crowd was gathering outside what had once been a library.Dawn had just broken, and golden light spilled across the street. Figures in black rushed toward the building, their guns drawn. They must have been the reinforcements Nina’s father sent. I didn’t recognize a single one of th
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His Secret Princess #Chapter 200: The Mask
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
His Secret Princess #Chapter 197: Family Reunion
“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
