ZEUS“Doesn’t me being here answer your question?”As those words left his lips, they pulled at something deep inside me. My heartbeat betrayed me, thundering in my chest as an unfamiliar warmth began to stir. He came when I had lost all hope of being saved. He came when I was on the brink of losing myself.For a fleeting moment, his presence felt like the most profound thing that could have ever happened to me…an unspoken promise of safety, of being wanted and cared for.But then vicious reality sank its claws into me. A bitter pain rose alongside that fleeting warmth, snuffing it out as quickly as it had appeared. It was stupid. How could I allow myself even a moment of such weakness?My hands, still wrapped around his n
ZEUSHis expression faltered, the rage dimming as something unreadable flickered in his eyes.“At that moment, I wasn’t a human being to you. I was Damon Darcy, the human that you wanted to break emotionally, a goal that succeeded at. I am broken now.” I continued, my voice breaking. “And yet, now you’ve come to save me, and all I can feel is fear. Fear of what comes next. Fear of how you’ll put me back in my place. Because I know whatever this is, it doesn’t end here.”He froze, as if the weight of my words struck something within him.“I’m scared,” I admitted, my voice barely audible now, trembling with raw emotion. “Scared that your kindness, your soft touch, your care…all of it comes with a price. And thi
Enemies to lovers?For a second, my mind went completely blank. He and I? But before I could process the thought, the wolves surrounding us sprang into action.One lunged at me, its jaws open wide, but Odin yanked me behind him at the last second. A powerful kick from him sent the wolf flying, its body slamming into a tree with such force that the sound of cracking wood echoed in the air. The wolf collapsed, lifeless, and the others froze, their growls faltering as they hesitated.I shivered in horror against him, my eyes glued to the unmoving body of the wolf. It was clear, they might never wake up.Odin leaned down, his warm breath brushing against my ear as he whispered, “Run straight ahead.”
ZEUS His lips found mine again, this time softer, lingering like he was trying to seal his promise with each breath. My heart felt like it might explode. I didn’t know whether to push him away or melt into him. His words, his touch…they overwhelmed me, filling the cracks of my shattered self with something dangerous. Something I couldn’t name. On top of that, he actually kissed a man, in front of so many men!Before I could respond, a low growl rumbled behind us. Mario’s voice interrupted the moment, his smugness gone, replaced by cold fury.“Romano,” Mario spat, his voice laced with venom, “you think you can walk out of here with him after that little show? You’re both dead. If you have any last wish, tell me now!”Odin turned slowly, almost lazily, to face him. His calmness was unnerving, like a predator playing with its prey. “Since you’re being so generous,” Odin drawled, taking a drag from his cigarette, “how could I not grant you the honor?”Reaching into his pocket, he pulled
Lex stormed through the pack’s grounds, his frustration boiling over as he barked at passing members. “Have you seen Ekim?!”Each response was the same. A shake of the head or a quick denial. His patience wore thin. Since the human had disappeared, she had been missing as well.Clenching his fists, Lex turned his gaze toward the only place he hadn’t checked: the seashore.And there she was.Ekim sat by the dock like a statue, unmoving, her hair disheveled, and the same clothes she wore the previous day clinging to her like shadows. It was clear she hadn’t moved from the spot all night.“What the actual hell are you doing, Ekim?!” Lex growled, roughly grabbing her arm. “I’v
ZEUSHad it been my imagination that I heard his wolf?The thought plagued me as I stole a glance at the black Alpha wolf walking beside me with the confidence of a king. I had climbed off his back earlier, once it seemed we were safe, but my head was still spinning. What I’d heard… it didn’t make sense. His mouth hadn’t moved, and there was no way I could have suddenly understood a wolf's language. So what was that voice?I glanced down to my hand. Had he said I touched him in a way no one ever had? He, an Alpha, a werewolf, was affected by my touch? His fur brushed against my skin, making me glance up at him. He had moved closer and would stop whenever I slowed down. He would keep me on the safe side to walk but… it somehow raised my anxiety.This was h
ODINI shifted back into my human form, cradling his head before it could hit the ground. He had fallen asleep mid-conversation, his words trailing off like a fleeting whisper. I lowered him gently, resting his head against my shoulder, and found myself staring at his closed eyes, the soft curve of his lashes casting faint shadows on his cheek.“What if there is a place like that?” I murmured to him, my voice barely audible above the rustle of the river nearby. The thought lingered in my mind, heavy and relentless. But even as I said it, my heart clenched with uncertainty. ‘As soon as I get the chance I will run away’ his declaration scratched my sanity in the wrong way. I knew he would run away. But could I accept that? Could I let him slip away from me, hide from me? Could I accept the idea of losing him, of truly letting him go? The mere thought of him even moving an inch away from me awoke the wrong side of my wolf. My fingers betrayed me, brushing against his cheek of their ow
“Mario is dead!” the Gamma announced breathlessly, his voice cracking under the weight of their dire circumstances.Cade didn’t spare a glance at Mario’s charred, lifeless body sprawled amidst the ashes. His entire focus was locked on the roaring waterfall below, where his Alpha and the human’s tracks had vanished. Fury burned in his veins, his jaw clenching hard enough to crack teeth.He was late. Too late.The hunter’s gun lying near Mario’s corpse told the story loud and clear. A shot had been fired. But who had been hit? The human? Or his Alpha?The implications sent a chill down Cade’s spine. Either way, this was a disaster.“They definitely fell over the waterfall,&r
ZEUSWhat… what did I just see?My eyes widened, as if they could stretch beyond their limits.Gary… was standing on his own two feet.Was I imagining things? Or was this some cruel dream—one where I’d wake up, only to have the cold walls laugh at me for daring to believe in something that was impossible?But then why—why did Gary’s face look so real? His fearful expression, his trembling lips—if this were just a dream, why did he seem so terrified?Why did the man who always held his composure now look like the one whose mask had been torn off?My throat tightened. "What is the meaning of this?" My voice wa
ZEUSThe doctor stepped out of the emergency room. His voice was steady, but the weight of his words pressed my chest like a vice.“We managed to save the patient, but his legs were completely crushed. At this moment, we can't say whether he’ll recover or not. We need to wait for him to regain consciousness and run further tests…”His voice faded into a distant hum as I walked past him, my legs moving on their own. My gaze locked onto the small window overlooking the room where Gary lay.He’s alive.The words echoed in my mind, drowning out everything else. Gary wasn’t dead. He had survived.If he hadn’t&h
ZEUSBarbecue? Don’t tell me…My grip tightened around my phone as Odin’s words from that day echoed in my mind—the day he had asked if I was hiding something."If I find something unsavory, I will erase its very existence from this world. But you wouldn’t like the old Odin."A wave of panic surged through me. It turned out that Gary was the "unsavory thing" Odin had been referring to. And this barbecue—it wasn’t just a casual gathering. It was Gary.My pulse thundered in terror. Gary was in danger. I had to save him. I had to act fast.I glanced at the door, then o
ODINSitting on the cold floor of my bedroom, I gripped the disconnected phone in my hand, my gaze locked onto the documents Cade had placed before me.“Alpha,” he began hesitantly, “this is the police report from twelve years ago.”My eyes flickered to the file as he continued.“The man named Harris and his gang were convicted of kidnapping, child abuse, and pedophilia. That man, Harris… he was Zeus’ father.” Cade pointed at the grainy photo stapled to the document.I studied the image, my pulse drumming in my ears. The man looked nothing like Zeus—except for the eyes. Those damn eyes.Rage burned through my veins. My fingers curled, claws scrapin
ZEUS“The wound is completely healed,” the doctor announced, his voice carrying a note of relief.It wasn’t surprising. Every time he came to change my bandage over the past week, Victor loomed over him like a silent executioner, making it painfully clear that any mistake would not be tolerated. The poor man had been under so much pressure that today, when he turned to Victor, his smile was more nervous than pleased.“There will be no scar,” he assured, quickly adding, “but please continue applying this gel until its gone.”Victor accepted the tube without a word, and the doctor wasted no time in making his exit—ignoring the fresh coffee the maid had just served him.I picked up my own cup and glance
ZEUS“Mr. Damon, we’re here,” Victor announced as he opened the car door for me.I remained motionless in the back seat, just as I had been the entire ride. More like a corpse than a living man.“Was it Susan who called you?” I asked without looking at him.Victor was silent for a moment before responding, “Yes.”Of course, it had to be Susan. She would do anything to save herself—even sell her soul. She kicked Gary out, knowing I would come back for him, and then called Victor to cover her tracks.Without another word, I stepped out of the car and back into the world I was accustomed to. The penthouse.I stoo
ZEUSI just wanted to help him. I just wanted to give him food and shelter. I just…But when I rolled over in my sleep, I woke up to a nightmare.I froze. My body frozen, my mind refusing to process the horror unfolding before me. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.For a long, paralyzing moment, all I could do was stare.Then something snapped inside me.I lunged forward, shoving my father away from Gary with all the strength I had.Gary had already passed out, his small body limp and motionless on the floor.I reached for him,
ZEUSMy fingers trembled at my sides. "Shut your mouth, Gary."He glanced at my shaking hand before his cold stare met mine once more. Then, his lips parted into a slow, wicked grin."So you really have found someone, huh? Someone that you think is more important than me?"Before I could react, he grabbed a brick from the ground and hurled it at me. "HOW DARE YOU!!!"I didn’t move.The brick struck my head, splitting my skin. Warm blood oozed down the side of my face, fast and thick. But the pain barely registered.Gary’s fury exploded as he screamed at me. "YOU FUCKING CRIMINAL! YOU MONSTER!
ZEUSThe day I came home from school and found my mother lying lifeless on the kitchen floor was still etched into my memory like a scar that never fades. My father, a drunk even then, barely acknowledged her death. From the funeral to the burial, he remained the same. A man drowning in alcohol and indifference. He already had a mistress outside our home, along with a daughter, so my mother’s death meant nothing to him. But for me, it changed everything. That was the day I became the new target of his abuse.By the age of thirteen, I had already grown accustomed to a life of servitude. Every day, I woke up early to cook, clean, and take care of the house before and after school. Every night, I braced myself for the beating that followed my father’s drunken return.That night was no different. I left the