"We may be his siblings, but she is his mate. Have you given how she must be feeling right now any thought?"
"But, I want to stay with him too. I can't leave...""Adriana, please, just go home. You heard the Doctor; they will inform us immediately if his condition improves."They were right outside the door, speaking in hushed tones that weren't so silent.Their conversation drifted to my ear and I took my gaze off Travis for a few seconds to glance at the door.Cameron was being so considerate, although I understood Adriana too.I was unable to keep calm, too, and I had wondered about this very same thing they were arguing about.As soon as my gaze shifted, the door opened, and the both of them walked in, looking natural as if they were not just embroiled in an argument just now."Maya, I have to head back to assist Jay in strengthening our defence; with the hybrids on the loose and so close to us, too, we canTRAVIS' POV A torrent of pain flooded my head and voices roared in the distance. I tried to move my hand to grab my aching head but found it too heavy to lift. The roaring voices gradually lowered until I could make it out as agitated cries. "His hand just moved; you saw it move, too, right?" I tried to make out who the voice belonged to and recognized it to be Adriana's. Who was she talking to? My brows scrunched together as a bolt of pain surged through my chest and I pressed my eyes together and gritted my teeth to stop myself from groaning out loud. After the pain subsided, which was a matter of seconds, I slowly opened my eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust them to the sudden brightness. "Travis, can you hear me? It's me, Adriana," She cried out, and I felt her hands grab mine, her voice choking with sobs. My eyes opened fully and the first person that came into
AUTHOR'S POV"Brother, how could you be so hasty? All of our years of hard work have been jeopardized by you. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to gain their trust? You are ruining everything." "Enough! Don't lecture me on what is right or wrong. How could I have passed on such a good opportunity...""But you could not even kill him," She interrupted with a distressed voice. "He is going to wake up and start hunting us. Do you think any of us will be safe then? Alpha Travis will kill us all.""Julian, this was not what Father wanted," She shook her head dejectedly. "We have always looked at the bigger picture before taking any actions, until today, you were shortsighted.""Killing our enemy, that's shortsighted?" Julian threw his head back and let out a belt of laughter and she frowned in confusion."They are not our enemies, Julian. They just don't understand us, and that's what I'm trying to do; make them see that w
I stared at Travis in silence, wanting to voice out my opinion amidst the tense atmosphere that had ensued once Adriana went out, an atmosphere he had created."What is it?" He asked, a little too harshly after he noticed me looking at him.Reflexively, I flinched, and the look in his eyes intensified, "Why are you even here if you are still so scared of me?""Until when will you be such a scaredy cat?" It was just a question but it hit me like a ton of bricks and made my heart feel like there was a needle plunged in it that was beginning to rotate itself.I stared back at him, feeling my eyes mist with tears and asked, "You don't want me here?" I hoped he would reply and not keep quiet like he usually would.More than wanting an answer, I needed to know how he was feeling. His words to me were an unspoken judgment, it was clear he detested me for being weak.Why had he not mentioned it before then? Why did he make me believe he
His hands softly caressed my face, and my heart momentarily faltered, and I smiled wryly in frustration at myself.When and how exactly had I grown to care about this man so much that every one of his words now affected my emotions?It was a jarring, uncontrollable feeling, and the thought of it made me even more upset."Let me go, Travis," I mumbled, gritting my teeth to strengthen my resolve as I snatched his hand away from my face and made to move, but my body refused to budge.'Lia, what the hell are you doing?' My face darkened with a frown.'Stopping you from making a mistake you will regret," She was in control now, and was going to do things her way.'I blocked you, how did you even get rid of that?' My expression now was a mix of curiosity and frustration.Could everyone else's wolf do this, or was this an exclusive punishment? Why did I have a wolf who could not only take control of my body but the existing bar
"Proceed," I said to Cameron who in turn nodded to Kyle who took that as a signal to start the investigation.Kyle was the wolf in charge of the scouts as well as all of the sentinel bases all across the city. The Female sentinels were also under his jurisdiction and he had been heading our investigation into the hybrids for months.I first noticed the unusual influx of hybrids into our city about a few month ago. It would have skipped my notice or I would have let them be had they not attacked my people, forcing me to create a team of scouts that would scour the city and hunt them down."Bring him in," Kyle gestured to two scouts who were positioned by the entrance and they walked out and returned after a few minutes, with an Hybrid in tow.He was one of the ones we had captured recently and brought back to hold in captive.As I watched them bring him, I silently applauded Maya for thinking up this idea even though we did not know how c
TRAVIS' POV"Do you know what this is," I asked, raising the small glass above my head. "It's the bane of our existence." The Hybrid's step faltered backwards while the others in the room looked completely unbothered. "Just a drop and it'll only take a few seconds before your insides start to burn. Would you like to find out what happens when I increase the dosage?" I posed a question for effect and watched his pupil dilate in fear. "Alpha Travis, may I do the honour," Kyle came forward subserviently, watching the hybrid with a predatory look in his eyes. "I will give you one last chance," I said to the hybrid instead, "Tell me all you know about the white-haired hybrid, and I will spare you a fate worse than death." "I will talk," He spoke with trembling urgency, eyeing the bottle in my hand fearfully, his quaking voice betraying his inner agitation. "Good, now save yourself," I nodde
All eyes turned to Sylvia who had pushed her chair back, scrambling to pick up her fork, "I'm so sorry," She said, pulling back her seat. "Are you okay?" Cameron leaned in to ask her, concern etched in his tone. "I'm fine," Sylvia replied but I could not help but notice that she seemed a little bit disoriented as the conversation between Adriana and Cameron went on. The latter kept passing concerned glances at his mate, making me sigh at his obvious show of affection while looking at my mate who was watching everyone with a faint detachment. "This Julian, was he the one that hurt Travis?" Adriana asked with a faint show of anger. "He is, we guess that he's gathering all hybrids across the northern lands. Their number was way more than I would expect and if there's one thing I know about hybrids, it's that they don't dwell together, unlike this population. It was suspicious and our suspicion was confirmed by o
"It does not matter to me how strong or weak you are, just stay next to me," He added.I honestly did not know how or what to feel after these next words of his."He's saying he is going to protect you," Lia chipped in excitedly.Of course, she would choose this moment to interfere.That was her interpretation, which was quite similar to mine, except I did not trust those words.With my hands pushing lightly against his chest, I took a step back from him to say, "I care." then headed over to the bed to wrap myself up like a piece of sausage while he watched me with hollow eyes.Did they just turn hollow, or was it like that from the start? It was hard to say.Relying on others used to be a trait of mine, one that I now realized was considered a weakness thanks to Travis' words.First my Father, then Shawn, I relied on everyone to protect me.Would there ever come a day when I could protect the people I
"Alright, I agree to a ceasefire. You will stay off my land, and I will keep from yours as well; you can have the Gold Moon Pack territory. Based on Maya's proposition, Sylvia will act as a middleman and handle any business we might have with you. However, as compensation for the loss of lives you have caused me, we will deal with you at a much lesser rate than the others." I exhaled a breath of relief, and Travis dropped his words of concession quietly, taking a step back by agreeing to my suggestion once again.It gave the illusion that I was the only one present capable of making him change his mind.Julian grunted, and Alex leaned closer to mumble something to him quietly and instantly; his expression eased. As for him as well, this was the first time I had seen him have any expression that resembled calm.Both he and Travis had gotten really angry earlier and had a violent faceoff. The broken table in between us and Julian's bruised face was evidence
"Alpha Travis," the blond-haired man seated on the other end of the large table, directly facing Travis said, his voice dripping with distasteThis was Julian, Sylvia's half-brother, and true to her description of him, he was a man consumed by rage and hatred and had a permanent scowl on his face as if anger was his default state of being. Travis, on the other hand, seemed more at ease, as if he were a mere observer and not an active participant in the tension that filled the room."Julian," Sylvia called, her anxiety written all over her face as she switched glances between both men."I was told you had plans to eradicate not only myself but my people. I did not think you could be so cruel, Alpha Travis," Alex inputted, his frame of mind much calmer than Julian's and for a minute; I was grateful for his presence.At least he was guaranteed to keep Julian in check before an explosion of anger occurred between him and Travis.Tra
Hard to believe that this was happening but it was.The jolting movement of the carriage as the horses moved confirmed it, and so did the overwhelming scent of the man next to me and the faint smells of the wolves following behind us I could pick up on.Cameron and Sylvia were in the carriage behind us, accompanied by some of Travis' trusted guards, and I could very well imagine the situation within. It was surely no different from ours.I was seated with my hands clasped between my thighs, regretting my decision to throw a regular tank top over a brown bootcut trouser and as the name implied, I was on a pair of boots.Travis was dressed in warmer clothes, cosy even with a thick outer jacket casually draped over his lap.Oh, how I so wish I could snatch it right off and put it on.In actuality, knowing Travis, he would have handed it right over to me but I guess he was still angry. Still unable to accept all that I had done despi
The air in the room seemed to freeze, going several degrees lower as Travis's presence filled the room overbearingly.His eyes were cold and sharp, like the edge of a blade, and his muscles were filled with tension as his eyes scanned both of me and Sylvia with demanding scrutiny.Sylvia's breath caught in her throat, all the colour draining from her face as she swallowed, her wide eyes flicking from me to him.I was sure my expression mirrored hers; my throat felt constricted and dry, and I could not formulate a quick response, gaping instead at him as his face hardened even further, "I asked you a question.""Travis," I pushed past the lump in my throat to say, my growing fear a chasm that passed between us.How should I begin to explain that Sylvia had come to seek my help to disrupt or at least stall his plans, and I, on the other hand, had made an instant decision not to tell him in favour of her? I had even hidden the fact that I ha
"What do you mean by that? What problem?" I asked, my brows knotting into a frown as I stared at her face searchingly.We had parted just a few minutes ago, so I wasn't expecting to see her so soon or that she would suddenly grab me.Her face was lined with worry, fear reflected in her wide-open stare, "Alpha Travis, he's planning a hunt.""A hunt? Why is that a problem? Isn't a hunt normal?" I questioned in bewilderment. Most werewolf Packs I knew frequently organised hunts to hone their skills and survival instincts so I could not understand why she was so anxious about that."No, no, you don't understand," She shook her head vehemently, "He's planning to hunt down the hybrids, he's going to kill them all."The realization of what she meant finally dawned on me and my eyes widened in shock, "Kill them all? How?"."Their trip to Chantel Ridge wasn't so simple; their true intention was to purchase Nightshade.""Nightshad
"Please do not mention a word of this to anyone," Sylvia paused by the threshold to say to me, her eyes pleading for secrecy. "Of course, my lips are sealed," I made a motion with my finger then smiled softly. "You don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone unless you ask me to." She nodded appreciatively, turning to head in when I called out to her, "Sylvia," Stopping her in her tracks once again. "Thank you for sharing this part of your life with me," I mumbled softly. It was a hefty decision she had made when she wasn't even sure about my intention and if I would rat her out to Travis but, she had still done so because she trusted me and, I was thankful to be made out as someone reliable, even if it was just for a few minutes. "I did that majorly because I wanted your help, thank you for not judging like the others." After that, we came to a tacit agreement to stop discussing our trip to the h
"Please do not mention a word of this to anyone," Sylvia paused by the threshold to say to me, her eyes pleading for secrecy."Of course, my lips are sealed," I made a motion with my finger then smiled softly. "You don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone unless you ask me to."She nodded appreciatively, turning to head in when I called out to her, "Sylvia," Stopping her in her tracks once again."Thank you for sharing this part of your life with me," I mumbled softly.It was a hefty decision she had made when she wasn't even sure about my intention and if I would rat her out to Travis but, she had still done so because she trusted me and, I was thankful to be made out as someone reliable, even if it was just for a few minutes."I did that majorly because I wanted your help, thank you for not judging like the others."After that, we came to a tacit agreement to stop discussing our trip to the hybrid Pack, lest the others caught o
"That's Alex, right there," Sylvia pointed towards a young man with dark brown hair in the distance who was heaving a squealing child above his head while the other children gathered around him tried to douse him with the water from the pond their feet up to their abdomen were submerged in.They were all hybrids; I could tell even though we were still some distance away from them."Alex, look who is here," Ava shouted, waving her hands towards the man who slowly turned and set the child in his arms down.The children all gave squeals of excitement, rushing out of the water to run towards Sylvia the minute they recognized her.They surrounded her, their cheery voices filling the air while giving me curious glances just like Ava had done earlier."She's just like Sylvia and those other big wolves we've seen," Ava chattered to them excitedly, looking back at me with the belief that I was oblivious to what she was saying because of how low he
I took in a deep breath, mulling over her words. You know what, maybe she was right; maybe we had never given the hybrids a chance to show that we could live harmoniously together."I know, I shouldn't have brought you here; I just wanted to show you a world different from what we know. To show you that the hybrids our kind detest are not so bad after all." She said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder with the knowledge that I was already giving in to her words.I grabbed her hands and let out a long sigh then smiled softly, "Alright, I guess I should get to know them. You are a kind and sweet person, Sylvia, and if these people are really what you say they are, then I trust you." I nodded firmly.It was about time to stop letting my past cloud my decisions; not all people would betray me, and I needed to understand that.Sylvia had been nothing but kind to me since I arrived and this was a time for me to reciprocate her goodwill towards me.