LIONEL
I was still embracing the stillness of the night with just a couple out on the beach when I noticed a familiar silhouette of a woman walking through the dark. The man beside her was also strikingly familiar. I had seen just the same two silhouettes last night. “Is that…” I murmured to myself. Regina and Ray? Yes. I heard Lucius affirm within me. I wasn’t imagining this. Regina was out with the same man I had threatened just some hours ago? The same man that had stopped me from preventing the accident that took place? And after everything, here he was, gliding through the night with my wife. This was beginning to look like something else. Was Regina cheating on me with Ray? I gritted my teeth, trying to control the anger but I couldn’t. I instantly dove straight into the room and headed for the door. Where are you going? Lucius asked. “I need to teach that piece of shitLIONEL I joined the bus as I met the driver. “Hey, good morning.” The driver greeted me in the most absurdly friendly manner ever. “Good morning,” I replied. “Looks like you’d be joining us today.” He mentioned. I got into the bus now and took my usual position at the back. There were new faces of tourists in the new bus. In fact, I recognized none. And Regina was not present. Neither was Ray. Where the fuck were they? “Yes, I’d be joining you.” I replied. “That means your wife’s all good?” I scanned again for Regina. She truly wasn’t in the goddamned bus. “Yeah.” I replied. “Wait, she’s not here yet. I assume she’s yet to come.” “I guess she’s joined another rider.” “Another rider?” “Yeah, there was a bus that came earlier for tourists that wanted to start their journey much earlier today.” He repl
LIONEL The suspense was killing me. I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around what Regina could have been doing to not be present in neither the hotel nor the bus. Had she gone back? No, she hadn’t. If she had, at least the girls would have seen her. They sounded honest enough. They had not set eyes on neither the woman nor Ray. Ray! The name sent pangs of anger firing through my head. What had they both been up to? Now, this was beginning to look scary. After all, she just met the guy. What if Ray had done something terrible to Regina? What if Ray had... You need to remain calm. I heard Lucius instruct from within me. Regina could be in trouble. I replied within my thoughts. No, Lionel. Look at it more clearly. After all, Regina never loved you, and she knew very well that you didn’t love her. This could just be her plot to make you panic. Lucius re
REGINA I was alive, I was safe, and I was just wondering whether Lionel was even thinking about me. It began with the night of the accident when the car had slid down the hill and Lionel had come just in time to rescue me. That same night, I had struck a new deal with him and saved myself from having to be blackmailed each time I set my eyes upon him—I was not going to bother Grandpa with news of the accident and he was not going to ever bring it up as me being indebted to him. It had gone perfectly well with him in his room, and at this point, all I wanted to do was return to my room and allow myself to fall deeply asleep. It was just after I had a shower that I got a knock. The first idea I had was that Lionel was back again with something to rule out my little threat against him. On the contrary, it was my good new friend. It was Ray. “Hey, Ray.” I made to shake him as I extended my hand to him. He shrugg
REGINA “Don’t worry, Ray. There’s nothing you should worry about.” “Regina, your husband was a werewolf and you didn’t even, at least, warn me that he was something of such, not to talk about even telling me about this. In all, I should have just stayed away from you!” “To hell with that, Ray!” I shot back. “Whatever Lionel is cannot stop me from living my life the way I want!” He shook his head. “Regina… Regina… You’re not listening. Your so-called husband could have killed me. That easy, Regina!” “He wouldn’t hurt you. He could threaten you but he wouldn’t hurt you.” “What is wrong with you? I mean, you sound so sure of something so abnormal.” I shrugged. “What can I say? He’s my husband.” Ray suddenly paused and I could see a new curiosity on his face. It was like he had read another new discovery in my words. “Regina… if you could marry the werewolf. Are you al
REGINA “Such is life. I need help here, Ray, and from your knowledge, only you can help me in this desperate time.” I convinced him further. He nodded now, apparently more energized and ready for the trip. “Alright, are we going to walk there or take a vehicle?” “I don’t want us drawing attention. It’s a tourist center so eyes could be on us. I think we should walk the way.” Ray made a face but shrugged nevertheless. “Alright, we move then.” He replied. I headed for the door slowly and hesitated when I felt his arm on my shoulder. “Regina, are you sure about this?” He asked. I smiled. “Believe me, no sane person wants to embark on this journey. If it wasn’t that important, I wouldn’t be doing this.” He nodded. “Then let’s do what had to be done.’ I left the room, happy to have met someone as helpful and supportive as Ray. As we made our way out of the room, I locke
REGINA After a good while, all we found was nothing but large mountains, a couple of trees sticking out around cooler areas and endless piles of dusty stones. “We can’t be sure we’re making any headway.” Ray stated now beneath one of the shades we found with trees around. “Neither can we be sure we’re safe, right?” I mentioned. Ray gave me an inquisitive glance. “You feel it could be dangerous finding the Mountain Men?” I shrugged. “Well, we can’t exactly tell what is going on yet, can we?” “So what is your plan B? What would happen if we found these Mountain Men and we couldn’t seem to find our way back?” “Lionel would definitely come to look for us.” I replied. Ray seemed panicked. “Look, I need us to get this straight. You said Lionel would not be here to find us.” “Yes, that’s if, of course, I make it back in a day plus and not more than that
LIONEL What harm could be in a little moment of sex, just a little time to enjoy myself and forgetting the shit of a wife I married? That was what I was experiencing now. I was Lionel Williams. I had my way with whatever I wanted. Imagine having two girls go head over heels to have this moment with me, and yet, there was a wife I had who dared to leave me sight and go out fucking another man. Fuck you, Regina! The good thing is there was something to put all that anger on now. As I cursed at Regina, I squeezed Lydia’s boobs and spanked Jemma’s butts. Both women were already sliding out of their dresses, both stark naked as they moaned and panted, struggling for who could kiss me first. I was still in my clothes even though Lydia’s hand slipped underneath my shirt and rubbed my breasts till it hardened. Jemma was faster. She instantly slid her palm over the bulge of my pants, struggling to grab my crotch as
LIONEL They would only find their casualties and of course, they should be wiser next time. I heard them from inside and then they were out in the dark again, by the shores of the beach with their guns poised as they scouted the dark, searching for something that may point towards me. Then they started advancing towards the forest, splitting up. The next instinct in my mind now was to play their game, of course. All I needed to do was follow them into the forest—my domain and territory—and there I would kill them one after the other. But then I remembered the casualties in my room. Not only were two men dead—two men whose colleagues had taken their bodies out just before me and most definitely cleared out the evidence of them ever being there. There were also the two ladies I was just having a good time with lying death in my room, both shot in the head. Why was it that anytime I decided to have a little bi
REGINA The light surrounded me, warm and pulsing, almost alive. I stepped forward, drawn to the glow as if it was calling my name. My heart thudded in my chest as I looked around. And then I saw him. “Lionel,” I breathed, my voice trembling. He stood a few feet away, but he wasn’t the Lionel I was used to seeing. His form shimmered, like a reflection ghostly. He looked... tired. Not the kind of tired that sleep could cure, but something deeper, something etched into his very being. His shoulders were slumped, his once-commanding figure diminished, and his eyes, usually piercing and alive, seemed muted. “Regina,” he said softly, his voice so quiet I almost didn’t hear it. I took a step toward him, my hand outstretched, but something stopped me. It wasn’t physical—no wall or barrier—but it was there, keeping me from reaching him. “Lio
REGINAThe hospital corridors felt endless, each step carrying me closer to an unbearable truth I couldn’t accept. Lionel was dying. The words echoed in my mind, hollow and cruel, like a bell tolling for the inevitable. My chest tightened as I approached the room where they had taken him, my legs trembling with the weight of my emotions. The door loomed ahead, a barrier between me and the man I had fought so hard to hate—and, perhaps, the man I had unknowingly come to love. With a shaky breath, I pushed it open. The sight before me nearly brought me to my knees. Lionel lay motionless on the bed, his once powerful frame fragile and pale. Machines beeped softly around him. His chest rose and fell faintly. I stepped closer, my footsteps hesitant. My heart screamed at me to run to him, to hold him, to do something—but I felt frozen. As I stood there, my mind flooded with memories, the weight of our history crashing over me.
REGINA The silver glow of the moon illuminated the forest outside, casting eerie shadows that danced with the wind. My gaze remained fixed on the treetops swaying in the distance. There was something strange about tonight—something I couldn’t quite explain. It wasn’t just the news of Lionel’s disappearance. It was more than worry or guilt. It was a deep, wolf-like instinct that tugged at my chest, refusing to let go. Ruby stirred within me, her presence restless. Do you feel that? she asked, her voice a low growl. I nodded absently, still staring out into the darkness. “It’s like he’s calling out... but not with words.”We need to move. Ruby urged. Now.Without hesitation, I left my room, moving with purpose through the mansion. Ryker was just stepping inside, his expression grim, when I found him. “Ryker,” I called out, my voice sharper than I intended. He looked up, startled by the urgency in my tone. “What is
REGINA The sun’s warm rays kissed my skin as I stepped onto the set of Springwood Entertainment’s newest project. I’d been dreaming of this moment for as long as I could remember. The cameras, the buzz of the crew, the hum of creativity in the air—it was everything I had ever wanted. I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, reminding myself that this was my fresh start. No Lionel. No heartbreak. Just me, chasing my dreams. “Regina,” Victor Ashford’s deep voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to see him approaching. He exuded power and charisma, his dark eyes gleaming with confidence as he offered me a small smile. “Ready for your big day?” “Yes,” I said, mustering up a confident smile of my own. I was struggling with my focus, averting his piercing eyes and the strange aura surrounding him.I remembered Lionel’s words from the night before. He’s dangerous; I want you to stay away from him. Something leapt in my heart. R
LIONEL Grandpa’s silence was louder than anything he could have said. His usually unshakable expression faltered, his brow creased with worry and disbelief as he absorbed my words. I stood there, trying to steady my breath, my chest tight as the enormity of my decision settled between us. “You’re serious.” He finally said. “How did it happen?”I shrugged. “I don’t think I want to go into the details. What can I say? I was trying to save someone; I drew on my energy too early and that was it. My inner wolf warned me, but I didn’t listen.”Grandpa shook with discomfort. “Lionel, there is danger when your energy source is broken! It’s like…”“Yeah, I’m aware. I’m dying slowly.” Just like Regina. I couldn’t tell if Grandpa knew about Regina.“Does Regina know?”“About this? No. Why should she?” I saw no reasons to tell her.“That’s the hope of getting the energy source fixed, Lionel.”“What?”“Y
LIONEL The silence in my study was oppressive. I sat behind my desk, staring at the stack of papers that required my attention. Pack reports, business accounts, contracts—all of them stared back at me, demanding focus I couldn’t give. My mind was elsewhere, swirling with thoughts of Regina and Victor Ashford. I glanced at my phone for the tenth time that hour. Still no word from Ryker. Running a hand through my hair, I exhaled sharply. Ryker’s reluctance earlier was understandable. He wasn’t wrong to feel uneasy about tailing Regina, especially after what had happened between him, Gwen, and Regina in the past. Yet, I needed to know. Not because of distrust—at least, that’s what I told myself—but because the name Victor Ashford carried weight, and none of it was good. The door creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. My heart leapt, expecting Ryker, but it was Regina. Her presence was electric, commanding my attention immediately.
REGINAThe ringtone of my phone jolted me from my thoughts. It was just a day after the interview with Victor Ashford and I was about to go to sleep that very night. I glanced at the screen, Victor Ashford’s name flashing across it. My heart raced as I hesitated before picking up. “Hello?” I said, my voice cautious yet curious. “Regina,” Victor’s smooth, deep voice filled the line. “I trust you’re doing well. I wanted to let you know that we’ve decided to offer you the role in our upcoming project. Congratulations.” A mix of excitement and apprehension surged through me. “Really? Thank you so much, Mr. Ashford!” “Victor,” he corrected, his tone warm yet commanding. “You earned this, Regina. We start shooting next week, but I’d like you to come by the studio tomorrow to meet the cast and crew. It’s important for everyone to feel comfortable as a team.” “Of course,” I replied, trying to mask the nervousness in my voice.
LIONELMy mind repeatedly replayed the argument with Regina, with each word piercing deeper than the previous one. Her anger, her defiance, the pain in her voice—it all clawed at me, but I pushed it aside. Lucius, my wolf spirit, growled in the recesses of my mind. You should have seen this coming, Lionel. Let her go. She’s only bringing us down. “I know,” I muttered, my tone bitter. Then act like it. You’re the Alpha. Harden your heart. Forget her. I clenched my fists, staring out the wide window of my office. The moonlight bathed the forest in silver, its beauty taunting me with memories of better times. “It’s not that simple, Lucius.” It is. Lucius snarled. Penelope, Regina—all of them. They’ve done nothing but distract you from what matters: the pack. Focus on your duty. It’s the only thing that won’t betray you. Remember, everything you feel for Regina is only a product of the guilt that you carry in your heart, th
REGINAThe early morning sunlight streamed through my curtains, golden and warm. For the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel the heavy weight of despair pressing down on my chest. Instead, there was a flicker of something unfamiliar but welcome—hope. Today was the day I would take the first step toward reclaiming my life. The message from Springwood Entertainment had been on my mind since I’d read it. I’d spent the night tossing and turning, going over every possible scenario in my head. The movie from Sun Entertainment was definitely cancelled, thanks to Lionel. Plus, I wasn’t playing a major role back then since Lionel had so foolishly turned the spotlight to Beatrice. How then had the company known about me. By morning though, I knew what I had to do. I was going to that interview. As I stood in front of my closet, Ruby’s voice whispered in my mind. Are you sure about this?“Yes,” I said aloud, picking out a simp