LOGIN-THIRD PERSON’S POV-
“What is this hustler’s name?” Seff engaged Jarvaldo with the business card in his hand. He rose from the chair and his foot knocked over the empty communion wine bottle. It clinked and rolled on the floor.
“He goes by the pseudonym of Shekel Moneta,” Jarvaldo divulged. “Give him a call. Tell him that you’re my guy.”
Seff stopped the bottle with his foot and bent over to steady it on the floor. When he straightened, he took out his new Android phone to make the call. He wasn’t in the bullshit today with Jarvaldo. He assessed the business card and whispered the contact details:
1 000 EZE BUCKS
Looking back at his phone, Seff procrastinated at the dialpad section. Doubtfully, he punched the digits. He knew he got the first part right but where was the rest of the numbers to complete the standardized ten-digit contact.
Seff grimaced, pursing his lips. “E. Z. E. ―” His crimson eyes narrowed as he searched the number keypad for the words to press. “Where are you ‘eze’ and ‘bucks’?”
Jarvaldo snickered, holding down his laugh. He knew well that Seff was absolutely clueless about what to do and enjoyed his misery.
“Are you playing with me?” Seff fussed, darting a mad gaze at his comrade, feeling frustrated because he was stuck and Jarvaldo’s behavior meant that he was up to something. “Is this phone defective?”
“No.” Jarvaldo shook his short, shaggy, brush-cut pearly-white head, folding his lips under to conceal his amusement.
Seff resumed his efforts on the phone, grinding his teeth because he could not figure it out. Steaming with impatience, he shouted after a minute of trying to solve how to make that phone call. “Telephone numbers aren’t supposed to have words! That’s what the fucking technician taught me.”
Jarvaldo burst out a deep, snort-filled laugh. He slumped backward in his chair with his upper body jerking from his humor.
The entire time, Seff’s anger was boiling. Irately, he scratched his cotton puffs of white hair. He remembered when Jarvaldo had tricked him into tasting some white powdery stuff that got him as high as a kite. His high ass tripped on the stairs, and as he was going down, he farted loudly and crash-landed onto the mother superior.
Seff practically began humping the petrified, screaming nun. When Jarvaldo got him off her, Seff sat there a minute at the bottom of the stairs, giggling, before shifting into his large blue-black wolf and running off to do some other stupid shit that would make even the devil laugh. His wolf had never been more doped.
“If you don’t shut up and tell me how this works, I’ll wrap this communion tray around your neck.” Seff erupted, threatening to use his metal-bending power in a loathing tone.
Jarvaldo's laughter died down. He blew Seff off with a hand and rose to stand by him to explain how to substitute the letters with numbers. Finally, Seff made the call, cursing under his breath while the phone rang at his ear.
Once the call ended, Seff alerted his boss, “Dymian, I’m off.”
Dymian nodded curtly and Jarvaldo followed him out.
"Rovell, let's go and visit Mrs. Bumpkin. We’ll also put in our order to the pirates of the Vale." Dymian stepped from his desk.
Farrah mutely gazed out the window.
His second-in-command arched his full white brows, wondering why make the requisition from the underworld when the money ought to be present first. Nonetheless, Rovell repelled raising his objections because of the finality in Dymian’s tone. He settled down with a nod.
"Farrah, go and monitor the portals. Do not leave the chapel," Dymian ordered.
She bowed and in two strides his husky voice warned, "I hope that I don't have to tell you to stay away from the alpha prince while I’m gone."
Farrah groused internally that she had no intention of seeing Vaheed. Outwardly she responded politely, "Of course not.”
Priest Ramcrook entered the study, meeting Dymian and Rovell before they got to the doorway.
“Father Dymian, you have a visitor.” Father Ramcrook informed him with hands behind his back. “He claims to be Alpha Rowling.”
Dymian smirked evilly. “By all means, I’ll meet him in the auditorium.”
“I’ll go and receive him,” Rovell went off, immediately.
Dymian exited with the priest, talking.
Farrah watched them leave and sighed. She had been busy using whatever power boost she stole from the red wolf to create portals at the two sinkholes they left in Bolivia and Uganda.
Fucking Selene closed all their past entry points into the realms. Now they had no old connections to count on for the war they would wage. That was why they relied on the pirates of the Vale in the underworld to secure a passageway to a particular realm.
While buried in her thoughts, she made her way to the roof.
Ever since she met Vaheed, something inside her twisted. It tied her gut into knots of conflicting emotions. While Dymian had a past mate whom he killed, Vaheed was her first mate. The irrepressible experience nagged her. The uncontrollable bond pulled at her so hard that she could barely avoid him.
She was miserable.
Lust, desire, and hunger mauled her daily. Something fervid swirled inside of her for the low-down prince. Something not even Dymian could give her. Right now, the thought of continuously being in Dymian’s bed was starting to make her sick to the stomach. She hid it well.
Indeed, it was hard not to go to the basement to see him. Her wolf yearned for his scent. Dymian could certainly sense the change, yet he told her not to reject him. He planned to use the mate bond to an advantage. To what extent? She didn't know. Apparently, he was keeping things from her. It was unusual of him to act in this way.
These erotic feelings were alien.
Farrah knew only purpose. Fighting for a reason. Fucking for an objective. She knew not love.
Nothing in her life had ever been just because. Together with her comrades and Selene, they fought many battles and won. Their last feud was against the moon goddess and the other four Worgens, which they failed back then. Though it was the same fight that landed them in a perennial slumber with their powers sealed.
Farrah ended up on the flat concreted roof of the chapel standing in the center of two domes. The sun was setting. A coolness descended on the land. The faraway street had a busy line of traffic. It was the end of the day and people were trying to get home.
Home.
She had no home.
A hollow sensation tore at her chest with the desire for one.
A whispering breeze flowed around her, whisking up her long, white strands in a slow, swaying dance in the air. She closed her eyes as it caressed her face, driving her distressing thoughts away. She drew a large intake of its freshness, feeling peace.
"Don't walk away from what I’ve given you." A voice softly whispered as the wind whirled around her.
Farrah's eyes flicked open. They scanned the surroundings but she was alone. Both of her hands threaded through her flying wavy strands to keep them away from her face.
"Do not defy your destiny." The breathy female voice graced her ears once more. "You know the right course."
Was it Dymian getting into her head to test her? Or was it a direct message from Selene?
Peace deserted Farrah, leaving an awry sensation in her stomach and muddled mind.
-
VALEN’S POV“Wicked liar!” My razor-blade vermilions clashed with his Prussian ones.Rejection? Break my bond? Never.“That's crazy. Come up with something else.” With seething breaths, I pressed my Beta with crushing pressure against the steel pillar. “You expect me to believe she has to reject me to gain the full power of the sword? What the hell is wrong with you?”Devin’s sad confusion gave way to anger as he gripped my wrist, struggling to push my hand off his throat. He strained out. “It’s the truth, Val.”Zeus roared and raged inside me, his emotions swelling like the rolling thunder above us.“It’s not!” I bellowed, shooting an alpha-fast fist to his jaw. “You’ve been plotting behind my back.”Devin staggered sideways, slipping out of my grasp. He caught himself against a pillar and swung back.I blocked it and snarled coldly, “What did I ever do to you? Of all the excuses to come up with, why this one, Devin?”Why hit me with the one thing that could crush me? He knew my weakn
RAINA’S POVCharred. Their dangerous aura suddenly made the atmosphere suffocatingly lethal. The tension tightened around us like a noose.“Ha!” Androkles' furious, bitter laugh cut the silence. “Are you being a kid right now?”“Stick a pin,” Theo addressed him like a lecturer. “Actually, it’s…” He turned to Devin. His expression hardened. He hissed, “...you've got to be fucking kidding me.""All this time?" Gustav’s voice was tight with disbelief. "You knew how to destroy the damn thing while we were out here fighting for our lives?"Penn slipped behind the Beta in fear, clinging to his arm as she peered over his shoulder.“You bloody fool!” Devin retorted at Jason, shielding his mate.“Look at her!” Jason fired back, pointing angrily at him. “She's bending her neck over mission impossible, and you want me to stay silent?”“It's fucking complicated, and you know it,” Devin chided, still refusing to spill.Valen, Gustav, Androkles, and Figaro's eyes flashed red, their wolves barely re
VALEN’S POV“Rauk!” Zuzu swooped down out of nowhere. Her feathers turned to savage red flames, and she attacked the third tendril before it could ever slam into me.Fueled by rage, I tensed my body and forced the churning power in my core to build to its breaking point. A turbulent growl resonated at the base of my throat as the power inside me roared outward in one vicious explosion, billowing the black, smoky binds away and tearing me free.I scrambled to my feet as Zuzu expanded in phoenix form. She spread herself over me, coating my body in her flames like a second skin, and all my lacerations began to heal.Amplified power coursed inside me. Her fiery head rose above mine with a sharp screech while I worked fast.I raised my hands, palms facing each other, and a whirling sphere of violet mana formed between them. I pulled my hands back to my chest, then thrust them forward at the rift.The sphere ripped away from my palms into a violent streak of violet power and slammed into th
VALEN’S POVThe presaging rift pulsed with a hot haze. Each time it contracted, it thrummed, then expanded, stretching itself wider.“I’m sorry I didn’t wake you, but I couldn't sleep.” Raina hyperventilated, rushing her words. “I came here to try at the medallion again, and it just started acting up.”Her hands pressed against my chest as I kept her flushed against me.The way she shook in fear grated against my beast, provoking Zeus. We disliked that the rift had frightened her.My gaze snapped back to her, and I raised my hand to caress the side of her head, trying to calm her as Zeus demanded retaliation.Her face tightened, her eyes horror-struck. “When I struck it with the sword, a backlash wave burst from it. Then that appeared. It was tiny at first, but it's growing, Valen.”“Get behind me. Now!” I shoved her behind my back and spread my hands wide. Instantly, power surged through me, lighting up my palms in a spinning sphere of violet mana. “Stay back.”I approached the rift,
VALEN’S POVGustav, Androkles, and Figaro were standing around the messy island, picking from several food items that they had sprawled across the counter. They were stacking their plates like they were having an eating contest.Agitated, I stood in the entry archway and crossed my arms. I clenched my jaw as I surveyed the disaster. They were worse than rats, and if I left my kitchen up to them, I would soon have cockroaches.I inhaled slowly through my nose."Hey, you three, my counter isn't your feeding trough.” I kept my voice low and controlled. “If you can't eat like a decent person, don't come here at all."They turned their heads my way and exchanged mocking glances before going back to their food fest.Cupboards were unnecessarily left open. Even the pantry door was left ajar. There were open jars and containers, and cookie bags, and worst of all, the pizza I got specifically for Raina was missing slices.Drawing in a long breath, I pressed my lips into a hard line and forced t
VALEN’S POVUnder the moonless night sky, I found Raina in the middle of an intense sword session.I plodded across the grassy ground and went up behind her. I grasped the blade of the sword. She swung around, and I stared down at her with a frown.Raina’s electric blues locked on mine, rounding in surprise, her chest heaving.A growl rose in my chest. I locked my jaw and forced it down before I said something I’d later regret.Look at what she’s been doing to herself again, pushing herself too hard when her body can’t handle the stress. Her sweat-drenched clothes and heavy breathing rang alarms in my head. She’d been relentlessly at it, out here in the dark trying to smash the medallion.“She hurt herself,” Zeus cut in.‘Well aware,’ I grumbled.Raina’s parted lips loosened a startled breath. Then her eyes sparkled with joy, and her face lit up. “You’re back!”“Don’t ‘you’re back’ me, Raina,” I chided, my voice trembling with both fury and worry. My fingers squeezed around the blade







