I trudged along the hills, my every breath getting labored after the next.I pulled out my cell phone and tried powering it on but the screen stayed blank, I sighed.No battery life left, my backpack felt heavy on my back, and for a moment I considered dropping it but I breathed in deep and tried gathering strength. ‘Come on Reyna, you can do this ‘ I said to myself and took a step forward and grinned when I saw civilization.I put more spring to my steps and hurried down the hills shouldering my backpack carefully not to let it slip off my tired shoulder.The sky rumbled and lightning flashed in the sky. ‘Please don’t rain’ I begged the universe, but it seemed the universe was in no mood for prayers because as soon as I said that in my head, the rain poured heavily without warning, and in seconds I was as drenched as a sewage pipe rat.I managed to reach the restaurant and I rushed in soaking wet, the restaurant was devoid of customers and I thanked the universe again.A w
“You’re okay?” John asked. I nodded and sipped the hot tea nearly sighing as it warmed my body, John sat at a respectful distance beside me and I noticed him watching me keenly at a far corner. Jake stared at a fire sipping from a glass of liquor looking lost in his own world. “What happened” John asked and I sighed, his dark eyes roamed my face and I noticed how handsome he was. “My father, chased me away” I said and his eye darkened even further, he looked annoyed. “That’s wickedness” he said and I nodded, the tears I have been holding and promising myself not to shed started pooling in the corner of her eyes. “I am so sorry” John said and I nodded. The tears dropped and he tentatively wiped them away and I stared at him in surprise. “Thank you” I said and he smiled. Jake stood and dropped the book he was holding “I am outta here before you two kiss and talk in love” he said and I reddened, John looked embarrassed and he shot his
“Where is Jake?” I asked and John shook his head,“He doesn’t like parties,” he said loudly over the loud music, around us werewolves danced to loud hip-hop music, John twirled me around and I danced coming close enough to stare into his eyes and kissed him, ever since the day we kissed, we had become more exclusive and I learned werewolves males were very jealous with their woman and John certainly was, his hand held my waist possessively as if afraid I would wander off. “I won’t wander off,” I said and John grinned and kissed my cheek. “Never trust when a lady says that,” he said and I gasped playfully. “John! Ouch! So you don’t trust me” I said and he grinned. “One bit,” he said and I punched him playfully in the shoulder. “Kidding,” he said and we walked to a bar and he poured wine for me. “Cheers,” I said and he smiled at me. “To what?” He asked and I shrugged. I flunked my glass with him and we drank while staring at each other. He finished his quickly and grinned.
“Come on you dumb ass shit” Jake yelled, “One more,” he said and with every one of my strength, I pushed myself up and then collapsed onto the grass.Jake made no move to help me up, instead he circled me and scowled.“You are fucking weak,” he said and I scowled at him, he grabbed my arms and roughly force me to sit. I smacked away his hand and he growled angrily. “Don’t ever touch me” I snapped and he nodded. “Good, I want you to be angry.Now channel that rage at me, think of everything you hate about me.Our power is mostly at its peak when we are in a rage now punch me” he said and I hesitated, even though I probably detested him, for some reason I didn’t want to punch him. “Come on, don’t be such a wimp you idiot,” he said and I scowled and charged for him.I punched him right in the face, and he stood there and took it without blinking, bleeding from the mouth. He threw back his head and laughed then he grinned at me. “That isn’t
I opened my eyes slowly and sat up, I suddenly remembered yesterday peeled back my shirt, and stared at my shoulder. It was perfectly fine and with no trace that I had been stabbed there. “You are good as new” came Jake’s voice and I turned to see him in the doorway, looking handsome, his long dark hair fell to his forehead enhancing those roguish good looks of his. I scowled at him and he smiled.“You stabbed me,” I said and he grinned as if he enjoyed the moment. “You asked dear,” he said with mock sweetness and I rolled my eyes. “And you still stabbed me,” I said and he grinned and grabbed my hairbrush and swung it like a sword. “I couldn’t miss that opportunity,” he said and plopped on the bed beside me.“You’re a beast,” I said and he smiled. He extended a claw and grabbed my teddy and stabbed it in the heart. “Hey” I complained and he grinned and tossed me the teddy. I hid the teddy behind the bed and he chuckled. “What happened yesterday,” I asked and he stood and star
“What do we do?” I asked and Jake eyes darkened like he didn’t like the situation he was in, I didn’t either. He shook his head like he couldn’t believe I was asking that question. “What do you want us to do? have sex?” He asked and my cheeks reddened and I glared at him. “Do you have to say that?” I asked and he shrugged and grabbed a bottle of tequila and drank I watched as his throat bobbed as the drink went down his throat. “Yes” he said. He regarded me and smiled like he had an evil plan. “We should tell John” he said and my eyes widened. I still liked John and didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “What? No” I don’t exclaimed and he grinned like that was the reaction he was waiting for. He offered me a glass and I shook my head he frowned. “Take the damned drink from me or I’ll tell dear brother that you are my one true soulmate the one I get to bang” he said with a mock smile and I scowled. “I a
Jake didn’t say anything of course, he had been bluffing and I had forgotten that John wasn’t around. We had spent the last few days training intensely, for some reason Jake had been so focused on training that it had me wondering. No snide remarks or cocky talks, just fixed and hell bent on making me improve. He didn’t say anything funny or rude, just professional and while I was practicing it had me wondering if I had done anything wrong or he was regretting something. Jake was a reserved person, that I knew but over the last few days he had been quite free with me. It wasn’t that he was avoiding me but being unusually calm with me even when I was making mistakes was—new. “Everything alright?” I asked when he decided I could take a break. Jake turned to me, his eyes bore into my face. “Problem?” He asked, not dismissively but as if he wanted to know something. “No, it’s just that you are unusual…….” “Aloof?” He finished for me and I sighed again pushing away my hair from my
When I wake Jake is asleep on the couch, or so I thought because as I try to see how he looks when sleeping, he growls and opens his eyes.“What are you looking at?” He asked with a scowl and I grinned at him.“You look like a little baby when you are asleep” I said and he shrugged and stretched before standing up and walking to the window, something I now noticed was his habit.“That’s not true” he said finally and I flashed a smile that said I wasn’t convinced. I slung my legs and got into a sitting position, my head pounded and I remembered how he had made me do laps that were meant to kill.I tried to find anything to say or joke about just to keep the vibe. One thing I learnt about Jake was he kept quiet easily and wouldn’t talk much except spoken to.“Jake” I finally called and he tensed. He didn’t turn to face me.“Thank you for watching over me,” I added. He turned at that. His green eyes bore into face as if trying to decipher what was going through my head. He turned away ag
Reyna’s POV“We’re close,” Marcus murmured, his voice barely louder than the wind that whispered through the branches.I nodded, though my heart pounded harder with each step. The bond I shared with John pulsed like a living thing, tugging at my chest with a force that was almost painful. He was near—closer than he’d been in days. But the bond didn’t feel like the comforting thread it usually was. It felt strained, frayed, as if warning me that something was terribly wrong. Although, we weren't fated mates, so our bond was only temporary until I openly rejected him.Jake moved ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the gloom like a shield. His protective instincts had been on high alert since we’d crossed into rogue territory, and it showed in the way he scanned the surroundings, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his blade.“You’re too quiet,” Jake muttered, glancing over his shoulder at me.“I’m focusing,” I replied, keeping my voice even.His eyes narrowed. “Focus on
Reyna’s POVThe forest seemed alive, a breathing, humming entity that stretched infinitely around us. Each step felt heavier, not because of exhaustion but because the air itself carried a weight of anticipation. Somewhere in this vast, suffocating jungle was John, and with every passing hour, I felt the invisible thread connecting us tugging harder.“We’re close,” I murmured to myself, though I wasn’t sure if Jake caught it.Jake walked ahead of me, his broad shoulders cutting through the dense foliage. His movements were calculated, graceful even, as though the forest itself bent to his will. I hated how he made it all look so easy.“We’ll find him,” Jake said suddenly, his voice steady and calm. He didn’t look back, but I knew he could sense my anxiety.It was complicated. Everything about this journey—this mission—was tangled in emotions I didn’t know how to unravel. John was my boyfriend. I cared for him, truly. But Jake? Jake was my fated mate, the one the universe had chosen fo
Reyna’s POVThe jungle seemed darker here, the dense canopy swallowing the moonlight entirely. The sound of Jake’s shallow breathing was my only anchor to reality, his steady presence keeping the rising panic at bay.“Stay close,” he growled, his voice low, commanding. His hand gripped mine tightly, but not unkindly, pulling me behind him like a lifeline.I wanted to snap at him, tell him I wasn’t some helpless damsel, but the way his muscles tensed as he scanned the shadows made me bite back the words. Whatever this thing was, it wasn’t ordinary, and neither was Jake.A sudden rustle from the underbrush sent my heart racing. A blur of motion surged toward us, and Jake pushed me back instinctively, his broad frame acting as a shield.“Jake, what—”Before I could finish, the creature leapt out—a hulking mass of fur, claws, and glowing crimson eyes. Its guttural snarl sent a chill down my spine.Jake didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, meeting the beast head-on, the clash of claw agains
Reyna's POVThe first thing I noticed was the cold. It crept over my skin like icy fingers, seeping into my bones and leaving me shivering. My head pounded, each throb like a drumbeat inside my skull, and when I tried to move, a sharp pain shot through my side.Where am I?The last thing I remembered was Jake shouting my name, his voice raw and panicked. And then… darkness.I forced my eyes open, blinking against the dim light that barely illuminated the space around me. Thick vines and twisted roots surrounded me like a cage, their jagged edges covered in some kind of sticky, glowing moss. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of earth and decay.I tried to sit up, only to realize my hands were bound—thick, rough ropes cutting into my wrists. A curse slipped from my lips, and I tugged at the bindings, ignoring the sting.Stay calm. Focus.But calm wasn’t exactly an option when every instinct screamed that I wasn’t alone.“Ah, you’re awake.”The voice came from the shadows, low and g
Jake's POVThe air in the mansion felt stifling, suffocating me as I stood near the window, watching the dim light of dawn creep over the horizon. My fists clenched at my sides, and my jaw ached from grinding my teeth. I needed to calm down, to focus, but every second I spent here felt like poison coursing through my veins.Reyna.Her name burned in my mind, over and over, like a cruel mantra. The kiss wasn’t just a mistake—it was a reminder of what I could never have. She was still clinging to John, still holding on to whatever fragile idea of love she thought they had.Pathetic.I let out a low growl, pressing my forehead against the cool glass. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, as if trying to express my frustration. It wanted to claim her, to make her ours, but Reyna’s words had cut through me like a blade.“I’m still in love with your brother.”The memory of her voice echoed in my head, sharp and unforgiving. No matter how much she denied it, the bond between us was real. She
Reyna's POV His lips brushed against mine, soft at first, testing, as if he wasn’t sure I’d let him. But when I didn’t pull away, more like when I couldn’t pull away, his initial hesitation vanished. And God was I grateful for it. The kiss deepened, stealing the breath from my lungs and replacing it with the fire that radiated off him.I gripped the edge of the desk behind me, as my legs trembled, threatening to give out. Jake’s hand slid from my cheek to the back of my neck. He pulled me closer, his other hand pressing on the desk beside me. The warmth of his touch, the way his lips moved against mine, was overwhelming and intoxicating, like I was diving headfirst into something I’d never recover from. A low man escaped my throat at the same time I heard a groan rising from within his chest.I should have stopped him. The rational part of me screamed that this was a mistake, that Jake was dangerous in more ways than one. We were true mates, yes, but I was still with John, and I d
Reyna's POV The car rolled to a stop, and I leaned forward, peering out the windshield. My jaw dropped.The house—or rather, the mansion—was something straight out of a movie. It stood tall and elegant, nestled in the middle of lush greenery. Ivory walls gleamed in the sunlight, and wide glass windows reflected the golden rays. A sprawling balcony wrapped around the second floor, dotted with potted plants and sleek outdoor furniture. The driveway was lined with perfectly trimmed hedges, and a fountain sat at the center, water cascading in delicate arcs.“Holy… this is where we’re staying?” I breathed, my gaze sweeping over the manicured gardens and stone pathway leading to the grand entrance.Jake smirked from the driver’s seat. “Surprised, Princess? Thought I’d throw you in a shack?”“Honestly, yeah,” I said, still staring. The house practically oozed luxury, and I half-expected someone to walk out and ask if we
Reyna's POVI bit my lower lip, trying to restrain myself. Jake’s grip tightened on my chin, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. His voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the tension.“Princess, what did I say about interrupting me?”“You...you said not to do it again,” I muttered breathily. My voice wavered despite my efforts to sound defiant. Damn him and his unnerving dominance. He had this way of making me feel small, not in a bad way, but in a way that made my wolf whimper in submission.A slow smirk spread across his lips, and my chest tightened. The sheer confidence he exuded sent a rush of heat to my face.Before I could protest or think of a witty comeback, he leaned forward. His hand slid from my chin to the small of my back. My breath hitched, and the next thing I knew, I was in his arms.“What the—? Jake!” I yelped, instinctively wrapping my arms around his neck for balance. My heart pounded as his scent hit me, earthy and raw, like pine trees after a rainstorm. My wol
Jake's POVI had never been the good son. It was either I did something stupid, out of anger, or I was called a coward for not going for it. And out of the three, I preferred being angry to ease the pain that ate away at my insides. But this woman. This...wolf had a way of upsetting the perfect life I crafted for myself.I shouldn't have saved her that day at that bar. But I couldn't help myself either. I killed for fun, killed for the thrill. I could snap her in half with a flick of my fingers. She was so fragile, so innocent. But she was mine from the second I laid my eyes on her. From the moment that I realized that she was going to be a problem to my sanity. If those rogues wanted to kill her, then she was also mine to kill. And I hated it as much I loved it. I hated that I wanted to be calmer around her.I hated that I liked myself a bit more when she was around.I hated that her smile made me