ONE-MONTH INTERVAL. JADE POV.I was the ruler of the empire I had always wanted. The world was at the tip of my fingers so why did I feel miserable all the time? Miserable and angry. It was an everyday battle not to bite the head off of everyone I came in contact with. But I was careful, they couldn't know that I was not as stable as I presented myself to be. Cleaning up Ryland's mess had not been easy, but after all the years that I had used to build up their trust In me, I had won them back in no time, of course, I also used some of my new strength and the power of persuasion I found out I possessed. It came in very handy on some occasions and others, I just used force. It still made me see red that Ryland had gotten away, that too using dark magic. I did not believe in anything supernatural before, but I wasn't even human anymore, so I was more open to the option, and his conniving with a witch did not seat well with me. I had watched the videotape of their encounter over and o
RYLAND POVLiving with the witch for a month was both heaven and hell. Hell, because every second that went by I kept hearing of all Jade's achievements just on the eve of her return, and heaven because, despite Skye being a witch, she treated me like she saw me. She treated me as an equal, and never used her divine power on me to do her bidding after that first time that she had intruded on my life. It was just the both of us against the world, and as the days rolled by, I found myself falling into a routine that I was starting to enjoy. We woke up, went into the woods to gather whatever it was she needed for a potion, came back, made breakfasts, ate together, and talked while she shared her stories of conquest.Those alone time made me notice things about her that I never noticed in other Human beings. There was also a darkness that lurked within her, a darkness born out of pain and it coated every action she took, even her smile.And the knowledge of that pain made me want to do e
JADE POV The casino was crowded, which showed that the business was going well, and as I did a sweep of the building, I could make out the numbers of the high players that were in the establishment. It was our busiest season and as I walked in, accompanied by two of my most trusted guards, looks were thrown my way, some in fear, some in awe. My eyes raked over the faces of each of the high rollers in the casino, and at the pretty women who were draped over their arms, almost like a part of their accessories.They acknowledge me as I passed by each of them and I offered a small smile that I was sure looked more like a scowl. It was a hassle to show emotions that I didn't really mean, especially if it was at lots of them, but they were a major piece of my money-making enterprise, hence the courtesy. The security here was top-notch because I wanted all the players to feel safe while they played to their heart's content.The bouncers I employed all looked sturdy and I reveled in the kn
DEARIL POV I wanted to devour her. Her pulse seemed to drum loudly in my ears and as my eyes raked over her form, then settled on her face, the scent of her pheromones assaulting my very being and driving me crazy, I fisted my hands by my side, and mentally wared with myself from closing the space that stood between us.I had thought she wouldn't be able to survive without me, without her mate for such a long period but it turned out I was wrong and from the looks of things, I was the only one who was suffering.The scent of blood permeating the air drew my gaze to those of the man she had just killed. I looked back at her, at the cold dark gaze in her emotionless eyes.She looked ethereal. The sight of blood streaking over her dainty fingers, mesmerizing. I stared at her Hands which looked like they couldn't do harm and yet held so much wreckage in them. I could sense a danger akin to mine flowing through her vein and it drew me like a moth to the flame. The vivid memory of our las
LEXIS POVHayden groaned as I placed the ice pack against his back, his shoulder tensing and rippling with the effort of trying to hold in the amount of pain he was truly in. The cuts and bruises that littered his back were deep and ugly, and the little movement he made caused some of those that had closed up to get torn again, blood escaping the cuts. I alternated between wiping them off and applying the pack to ease his pain. The doctor said he would be fine in a weak if he didn't do any strenuous activities, and if he took his medication, but some of the cuts were so deep that he could guarantee that they were going to leave scars.My heart clenched violently. Jade was a monster. I could not believe she would hurt Hayden this way since he was the most loyal person I knew, but what was worse was the fact that Hayden always kept going back to her, no matter how cruel she got. It was like a fucking rollercoaster. It was as if I was invisible to him and only Jade seemed to exist in h
JADE POV.I burned. That was the only way I could describe what his touch had done to me.Gathering enough water into my hand, I splashed it against my face as if the sting of the ice-cold water would douse the fire that raged through my blood.His scent lingered around me, making me feel even more needy and horny than I had been. His touch had been heaven, and I did not realize how starved I was or how much I needed it until that very moment. I could still feel every ridge of his muscles pressing against me, the scent of his arousal and the feel-good pheromones that had flooded my system as he'd held me close still filling the emptiness in my chest. His voice was freaking divine and reassuring, and I wanted to listen to it over and over again, I wanted to feel his hands against my throat, and I wanted him to do all the filthy things that he thought about in his head to me. It was all shades of fucked up. "Snap the fuck out of it" I snapped, my hands smacking against my cheeks sharp
RYLAND POV"I got Lexis to agree to our plan and now everything is set in motion"."Good" Skye replied from where she stood, her gaze fixed on the beautiful patterns forming in the sky as the sunset. "I met your stepsister today at the casino" Skye informed, her gaze still fixed on the same spot. "Imagine my surprise to see Dearil there too".My eyes widened. "They are together already".Skye turned to face me, a haunting look on her face. "I am not quite sure what their relationship status is, especially since your step-sister...""Jade," I said, hating to be reminded in every sentence about my relationship with my number one enemy."Jade doesn't seem to be so enthralled by him as he is by her".I scoffed, not surprised at all. The only thing that Jade truly cared about was to acquire power, and be feared, just like we had been thought to do from a young age, and Jade had had it worse since our father let the psychopathic ones train her. There was never room for the sentiment called
JADE POV.Infiltrating the Graco fortress was easier than I thought it would be, and as I slipped between the building, I could already tell that I was going to be able to get Ares out before they even found out that I had been there.Using my heightened sense of smell, I could navigate the compound more easily. Dearil was not around and that was because it was a full moon and he was probably on the run, or back at Etral. I wasn't a full wolf so I didn't get the urge to transform or run under the glare of the full moon, all I felt was the urge to howl, and that was because I was so horny, every little move I made caused zaps of tingling up my spine. And I was so hot, it was almost a chore to concentrate. I'd scented the belongings of Ares so I knew exactly what I was searching for and once I got a lead, I immediately went after it.His scent led down a basement that gave way to a dark retro-looking dungeon filled with different sexual playthings.There were no guards stationed anywh
A WEEK LATER Jade sighed as she stared at the man chained up in her dungeon. She wiped his blood off her knuckles, then took two steps back to study the damage she had done.The man looked up at her, a pleading look in his eyes, his whole face covered in blood. He looked pathetic. She had thought he would spill the truth before she even had to torture him, but he'd surprised her by holding on for so long.Simone stayed behind him, his gaze on Jade as he waited for the next course of action. "I'm giving you the last chance to talk Pedro Infante, and maybe if you confess everything you know this moment, I might not kill you, but if you keep on refusing, I am going to make you talk by using my rumored infamous method, and once I get what I want, then it would be off with that pretty head of yours" she grinned, holding his gaze so that all he saw was her.He whimpered low in his throat, his eyes darting towards all the torture devices that were in the room before his gaze refocused on J
The house was eerily quiet, and the items on the wall made my skin crawl. I kept my steps light as I dragged Ryland who seemed relieved that Skye was not in the building, deeper into the house.I felt her before I sensed her, and I barely managed to avoid the object she sent hurtling at me while still keeping a tight grip on Ryland.She seemed to vanish into space before appearing once more, this time behind me, and she managed to cut me deeply with the dagger she held. The cut burned like a motherfucker, and I swung out in anger. My fist hit its mark and the force of it threw her until she crashed against the wall."Don't hurt her!" Ryland yelled and struggled with renewed vigor in my hold. I let go of him and head-butt him hard. The sound of it was like a Canon ball breaking through the wall. I was surprised his skull didn't crack. He staggered to the floor, a dazed-out look on her face.Skye's gaze followed his fall, the fury in her eyes overwhelming. My heart pounded, as adrenali
DEARIL POV.I could feel the bond I shared with Jade, it had grown stronger due to the amount of time we spent together, and that alone kept me calm and collected. Jade bore my mark, and my scent, every other Alpha or wolf would know she belonged to me. They would know that she was all mine, so they'll know to stay away from her.I had returned to Etral to fulfill some of my duty as the new head of the clan, but the truth was I just needed a distraction, because every second that passed, I had to fight the urge of going to find out who the Hayden guy was, and probably bashing his head in out of spite. The pen I held in my hand disintegrated in my hold as I applied pressure. I sighed, tossing the remnants of the pen into the trash can before grabbing the wipes to clean up the ink stain.I wanted Jade to rule beside me- because I and my wolf got agitated whenever she wasn't near us, but I could see how suffocating it would be for her to stay forever in Etral when she had a whole empire
RYLAND POV."I'm going to pick my sister up. She already got her part done in this whole mess. I'm sure Dearil is already in pain at the moment, so you can get ready to take the next step. Make sure you get that potion into Dearil before nightfall," I said avoiding her gaze as I put on my leather jacket. I hesitated a bit before I walked towards the door. "I am sorry for earlier" her voice reached me quietly, and I struggled not to turn to face her. "I just freaked out all of a sudden because of everything that has been going on so far. I was losing my mind a bit. I didn't mean to hurt you, Ryland".My hand tightened on the door knob. "You didn't hurt me. It was just as you said anyway, I only want one thing from you and that is sex. Did you think that I was fucking in love with you or what"I got out, my intention to hurt her clear as day in the tone of voice I used, but she just stared at me with an unfazed expression on her face? "I am a witch, Ryland, and that title entails that
JADE POV Lexis' struggle grew weaker, and I watched without an ounce of mercy as I choked the life out of her. She had known what to expect if she ever betrayed me, and that was exactly what she was getting."Stop!" Hayden's voice reached me, and I turned to take in the look of horror in his gaze."What are you doing?" He yelled, his eyes lingering on Lexis' pale face. "You are going to kill her!" That was the plan, but on second thought, I let go and lexis fell to the floor. She spluttered loudly as the oxygen I had deprived her of rushed into her lungs, a fitful cough followed and she lay on the floor, unable to pick herself up even after a full minute."Where is Ryland?" I asked, and she managed to look at me, ugly tears leaving stain marks on her cheeks, and her eyes were bloodshot as if she'd gotten scratched by cats directly on her irises. "I don't..." She started when I raised a hand to silence her."I would think really well about how I would answer that question if I were y
JADE POV.I'd spent almost four days at Dearil's before Lexis finally called to remind me of what she termed my obligation to Hayden. But the truth was I didn't want to leave Dearil, being away from him, even if it was just to get a glass of water made me feel as if there was a part of me that was missing. It was jarring, totally unexpected but I didn't question it, not while I was tangled in the sheets with Dearil. It was as if everything was finally perfect in my life. Dearil was everything I wanted. A bit dark, a bit light, and a whole lot possessive. Even his domination put mine to shame. It was something I didn't think I would like, but it turned out, I was a masochist for Dearil Vaughn Lyall.So the decision of leaving him and going to see Hayden was really hard to make, there was also the thought of seeing the damage I had done to Hayden, and still going ahead to hurt him by rejecting him. I had to admit, it made me feel a bit horrible. He was wrong to have trusted me. I was a
Vaughn smashed the glass In his hand against the wall, a roar tearing out of his throat as his whole body shimmered in rage. Detinos stared at him from the corner, knowing not to get involved except he wanted to be a target of his anger. He had gotten more frustrating to live with and it kept getting worse the longer he stayed under surveillance. "Has he really gone to look for his Mate, is he going to bring her back to the pack?" he asked once he calmed down enough."Yes Father" Detinos answered quietly, his hands rubbing against his arms as if he was getting chills all of a sudden. He didn't know how long he could endure the aggressive pheromones that his father kept pumping out in measures. "And if he succeeds, do you know what will happen?" He asked rhetorically, so Detinos knew not to answer him. "He would establish his position as the head Alpha with his Luna right by his side and then everyone will eat at his hand, and worship the very ground he stands on" he got out, his ha
DEARIL POVI woke up to her heat, her body pressing into mine and fitting perfectly as if it was made for her. We had spent all night, getting acquainted with every part of our bodies, and she reeked so much of me, that it made my wolf feel a little bit high as our mate bond strengthened.I'd allowed her to dominate me and her taking control and exerting such strength had been such a turn-on that I still got hard just thinking about it. I'd known she would come for Ares, hence why I had left the vicinity for a while until I was sure she was right where I wanted her. Ares had probably escaped by now, but I didn't care, I never did but I would have killed him if I ran into him last night, especially since his disgusting scent was all over Jade.I was usually possessive of things or people I considered mine, but what I felt for Jade was on a whole other level, and I wondered how it was going to work out between us. I could not be selfish and ask her to leave her life behind, especially
JADE POV.Infiltrating the Graco fortress was easier than I thought it would be, and as I slipped between the building, I could already tell that I was going to be able to get Ares out before they even found out that I had been there.Using my heightened sense of smell, I could navigate the compound more easily. Dearil was not around and that was because it was a full moon and he was probably on the run, or back at Etral. I wasn't a full wolf so I didn't get the urge to transform or run under the glare of the full moon, all I felt was the urge to howl, and that was because I was so horny, every little move I made caused zaps of tingling up my spine. And I was so hot, it was almost a chore to concentrate. I'd scented the belongings of Ares so I knew exactly what I was searching for and once I got a lead, I immediately went after it.His scent led down a basement that gave way to a dark retro-looking dungeon filled with different sexual playthings.There were no guards stationed anywh