Lupa reached Verdant with Clary and Damien and Mrs. Tara Wolf was already at the gate waiting for them. The moment she saw Clary and Damien, she grabbed them both and enclosed them in a deep hug.“Grandma, I’m finding it hard to breathe.”“Oh sorry. I keep forgetting that I have super strength.” Tara apologized. “Come on let me take you my house and help you get settled in.”Tara and the kids got into her car while Lupa remained outside.“Are you not coming?” Tara asked Lupa. “Nope. I just got a month off. I’m going to do anything other than watch these kids.” Lupa said. “They’re your problem now.”“Don’t worry I understand.” Tara laughed. “I was always looking for spaces to get away from Claud when he was younger too. He was a handful. Enjoy your month off from your parenting duties. I’ll take care of the little ones.”“Little ‘ONE’.” Damien corrected. “I’m a man now.” As he said that Tara and Lupa burst into loud, annoying laughter. “Whatever you say sport.” Lupa said as she ente
The MissionThere was a knock at the door so Claud went to answer it. “Zakaria. How are you doing? I didn’t know you would be coming here.”“I wasn’t planning to.” Zakaria said. “I just came to grab the kids before their dad gets them killed.”“So you’re the mom…” Claud said. “Damn bro. How did it happen? I thought you guys weren’t bound anymore.”“We aren’t.” Zakaria said. “When we left together, we developed feelings for each other, the normal way and then a thing led to another and here we are.”“Since you’re here. Why don’t you stay and help us out. It’ll be like old times.”“In case you forgot, I’m no longer a vampire. I can’t really help you guys out. I just came to grab my boys.”“Our boys you mean.” Lycidas corrected. “They’re my kids too, you know I won’t let anything bad happen to them.”“Some things are beyond your control.” Zakaria said. “Just let me take them home with me. There are safer ways to spend a holiday.”“I think you should let them decide.” Lycidas said. “They
** ** **Damien had finally managed to escape from his grandmother’s relentless training. What had started as an exciting opportunity quickly turned into a grueling ordeal. Every muscle in his body ached, and his mind was clouded with fatigue. The training, meant to sharpen his instincts, had become unbearable. Using the excuse that he needed a break to relieve himself, he slipped away from the house, intent on stealing a moment of peace. As soon as he was clear of the property, Damien broke into a brisk walk, letting the cool air ease some of the tension from his body.The winding path led him toward the forest just beyond the estate, its towering trees swaying gently in the late afternoon breeze. At first, the walk was calming, the soft crunch of leaves beneath his feet a welcome distraction from the weight of the day. But as he wandered further, something odd tugged at his senses. A strange, almost magnetic pull drew him deeper into the woods. It was subtle at first, like a whi
The mission IIThe moon hung high in the night sky, a glowing orb surrounded by a sea of inky darkness, casting a silvery light across the deserted quarry they had chosen for the trap. The place was secluded, far from the city’s edge, where the sounds of life faded into the quiet hum of nature. Jagged rocks jutted up from the ground like broken teeth, and the air was cool, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and pine. Sparse trees lined the perimeter, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, casting shifting shadows that danced across the uneven terrain.Claud stood in the center of the clearing, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight, his senses heightened by the full moon’s pull. His sharp gaze scanned the quarry as he stretched, feeling the energy coursing through him. His muscles tensed in anticipation, ready to pounce at the first sign of movement.Beside him, Lycidas stood, the eldershard crystal hanging from a silver chain around his neck. The amulet itself pulsed with a f
“We know you’re already here.” Claud's voice boomed out. His muscles were already pulled taut with tension.“Jeez, If you’re going to yell, at least give us warning so we can take off the earpiece.” Zakaria complained with a wince. “A new eardrum is not easy to come by.”“Shut up. I’m trying to concentrate.” Claud whispered into his earpiece before continuing. “Come out let’s settle this like men.”The boss turned to her right man, the one who suspected this whole setup to be a trap. “Go on then.” She started. “Find out what they want.”He grumbled before stepping out.“You’re the boss?” Claud asked. “I believe I am.”“I was actually expecting someone more powerful.” Claud said. “What are you? An ogre too?”He was surprised that Claud knew about the ogres but he kept his cool. “I’m a changeling.”“Sure whatever.”“I assume you called out to us because you wanted to return the crystal you stole?”“I don’t think it’s considered stealing if it was taken from someone who also stole it.”
The mission IIIDamien’s consciousness returned in waves, his mind sluggishly emerging from the thick veil of darkness. At first, he was aware of the ground beneath him—soft, earthy, and uneven. The smell of damp leaves and the faint, mossy scent of the forest filled his nose. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open, groaning as his body protested every movement.He was lying In a clearing, the towering trees forming a natural wall around him. Sunlight trickled through the canopy, casting long shadows that danced on the ground. For a moment, Damien just lay there, disoriented, trying to piece together how he’d gotten there. The last thing he remembered was being overrun by trolls and then… those figures. They weren’t human, that much he knew.His heart skipped a beat. Where were they now? Where was he? Panic surged through him, and he sat up quickly, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The clearing was eerily quiet. There was no sign of the people who had saved him, nor any indication of th
Damien got back home to an annoyed grandmother and a worried Clary. “Where have you been?”“Oh, grandma. I didn’t expect to see you there.”“Answer me. Did you run out on your training?”“No... No. Well actually yes but hear me out first. I met a man in the woods.”“What exactly were you looking for in the woods?”“Nothing really, I kind of felt a pull there and when I got there, I got ambushed by big strong creatures…”“…trolls.”“Then I was saved by some people. They said they were forest werewolves. The name of their leader was Wul… Wul.. Wul something Wolf.”“Wulfric Wolf.”“How do you know who he is?”“He was my husband and your grandfather. I haven’t seen him since… since the war.” Tara said. “If I ever lay my eyes on him I’m going to tear him limb from limb.”“What happened?”“He chose his pack over me and his son, that’s what. A war between Forest and mountain werewolves broke out and your dad abandoned us to side with his Forest werewolf pack. Family means sacrifices, making
SecretsLycidas surged forward, his fists glowing with raw energy as he slammed into the girl. She barely had time to react as the first blow connected, sending her spiraling through the air. Her body twisted violently, but she recovered mid-flight, summoning a barrier of energy around herself. Lycidas was relentless, smashing through her defenses with a brutal series of punches.He struck her midsection, his fist landing with a thunderous impact that folded her body in half. A shockwave rippled outward, and the girl gasped, winded from the force of the hit. She retaliated with a swift kick aimed at his head, but Lycidas caught her leg with a swift motion, twisting her limb before flinging her into the ground. The earth trembled beneath her as she crashed, leaving a crater in her wake.Grimacing in pain, the girl pushed herself up, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes blazed with fury, but Lycidas didn’t give her time to recover. He was upon her again in an insta