-RAINA’S POV- “Is that why you came here?” Valen asked, roaming his emerald eyes on me, which flickered into black for a moment, letting me know that Zeus wanted to come out. They crudely undress me. Hera was lured enough to attempt to push open the doors of my mind. “No. I came here to see you.” I frowned that he had the wrong impression all this time. “But it seemed like you’d rather be around Mercedes than me.” A fierce jealousy gnawed at me. I turned and walked down the pathway, passing two recreational buildings. The voice from the brief phone call that we had yesterday replayed in my head. It was definitely Mercedes. “Don’t listen to rumors,” Valen said, trailing me. “You ran away from me. You always avoid me. Why?” I kicked up a fuss with my hands gesticulating my frustration in the air. “Some things are hard to explain, Raina.” It was a painful whisper that aggravated me. “I’m your mate. Try me.” I stopped at an intersection where the utility structure and maintenance an
-RAINA'S POV- Having a late lunch, Dad and Alpha Vance sat in the Captains’ Lounge on the second floor, which was reserved only for them. It was a fine day for sure, ambient and kind to the eyes as the sun's rays lit up the entire area in a crisp brightness that complemented the spacious seating arrangements and beautifully decorated tables and utensils sparkled in its glare. Pissed and heartbroken, my dour mood ruined the day for me. I stormed to an empty table and pulled a mink-gray bergère chair from it to theirs. Its gold metal legs rumple the moss-green carpet that covers the complete floor. Plopping down like an overworked woman who has had a bad day, the gloominess aired out with a prominent scowl on my face. "What's with the attitude?" Dad curiously asked while chewing, fixing his chestnut-brown eyes on me. When my eyes landed on Valen who entered the room and slid the triple sliding glass doors closed, I rolled my eyes and frowned deeper. His scent intoxicated me to no end
-RAINA'S POV- Tears. Only my heat made me cry. Other than that, I've never bawled like this. Well, there was that time at the hospital when I thought I would lose Valen because we were unfortunate soulmates, and right now that familiar despair dwelled like a house filled with rodents in my gut. Unwanted but hard to get rid of. Hyperventilate-crying, I sniveled miserably, wiping my face countless times with the back of my hand. Surrounded by various trees and the noisy inhabitants of the forest, I blocked the mind-link. I'll lay my back on the green grassy floor of nature for about five minutes to stop the flow of tears and recompose myself. Wispy clouds in the sky produced a soft golden filter. As though rooted to heaven's ether, the sun grounds itself in the blue. Around me, the world was vibrant due to the light of the sun, which accentuated the forest's most vivid hues. Like the pink carnation, the typically large, spectacular, and brightly colored tulips, and the elderberry sh
- RAINA’S POV- As much as my lower half was shielded by my dark gray jeans, his fondling fingers on my pussy delivered a sweet sensation. I could not help but moan with pleasure. He smirked deviously as though he intended to swallow me whole. Like I was the juiciest woman in existence. Raw and intense sex appeal seeped out of him, affecting the normalcy of my heartbeat. Those spellbinding eyes lost their green, totally submerged in a sphere of blackness and ardour. His deft thumb seemed to have found where my clitoris was and massaged the area over and over. Spasms of pleasure crept upon me. A compulsion to rip the jeans off and give him full access took over. "S-stop," I breathlessly whispered, but he kept doing it. Slightly raising, I grabbed his hand on my stomach to cease his ministrations. Unfortunately, I had to let go due to the piercing burning impact that my palms endured. I hissed from the pain which evaporated due to the pleasure in my lower regions and the healing eleme
- RAINA’S POV- Modestly, I gripped the waistline of my jeans. “We’re in the open and it’s daylight.” Hope festered that he would abdicate and let me get up from the grassy ground. Valen quickly reined in his wolf and shrugged. Regarding my flushed face, he whispered breathlessly in awe, "Beautifully mine," as he parted my legs to his heart’s content. His impression was completely altered by the earlier fear in my flitting eyes. His piercing eyes grew smaller, wonderfully curved, and his hard lips softened, making him look like an innocent boy. Though his lewd intentions corrupted that image in seconds. A curiosity surged about how it would feel to have his expertly enticing mouth sucking on my lips with his calloused hands on my hips. Although, I was not sure what exactly he was going to do with me trapped on the ground. “Do not fight me, mate.” His raw thick tenor surprised me and his hand pressed my body down. I swallowed hard and looked at him in perplexity. I desired him wit
- RAINA’S POV- When I expected him to help me up so that I could put myself together, he remained motionless. Enjoying me in this wanton position with his hand at the hem of my black top, on my abdomen. He was too animalistic to care about the public forest around us and the chances of anyone going on a run who might intrude. When I get up, I could imagine the amount of florets that I would toil to remove from my tangled burgundy hair. I was convinced that my hair was so messy that I probably looked like I was electrocuted. “Do you want this mate bond? Am I the man that you want to spend the rest of your life with?” His fingers tapped my knees, while his eyes searched my face. “Yes, I do.” Though I was a shameless disarray, I eagerly expressed, “I lov……” No. It was not the time to admit my feelings or how smitten I was, so I sealed my mouth. I couldn’t tell him when I was congested with many insecurities. Additionally, I was sweaty and feeling very dirty from previously writhing
-RAINA’S POV- Valen bit into the spongy upper inside part of my breast, then grated, “Do you think that is something you can get away with?” Pain replaced pleasure, then pain again. The cycle repeated as his ministrations continued with the sharp edges of his teeth leaving bite marks on my skin. Bitter tears streamed down my cheeks. I clamped my lips together to prevent a scream. Canines bit my perked nipple. Tightly closing my eyes, my hands dug into his shoulder blades. “Open your eyes, mate!” He growled. Rage red. I had threatened to let another touch what was his. Now his wolf would make sure that I patently understood not to cross that line by taking it out on my body. Cracking one eye open, I was afraid that seeing him nibbling on my rosy bud would sap even more of my volition, including my flurry brain’s receptors and my will to be a resolute, uncompromising woman. My body stiffened and then shook. His lips closed around my areola and roughly suckled my tit for four second
-RAINA’S POV- I was riding my high and feeling drained of all energy. One more orgasm and I might lose consciousness. Today's experience will give me wet dreams for a lifetime. "You are the most gorgeous woman on the planet but I'm pissed at you." Valen changed the mood although his voice was sexy. His mouth twisted into a sensual smile, confident and virile as he combed the sprawled strands of my hair. "Why?" My eyelids drooped with molten desire. I managed to ask through my mushed mind. I thought that I was the one who was angry at him. How did this turn around on me? "Did I reject you, Raina?" His hard glare studied me. "No." Truthfully, he might not have said the specific words, but I felt shunned, which had me assuming maybe soon he would do the rejection. "Did I tell you that I was leaving you?" I shook my head. Technically, he didn't. I do, however, firmly believe that one's actions speak louder than words. He flicked his tongue over my nipple, keeping the contact longe
VALEN’S POVEighty-four hours.Three and a half days.It’s been that long since I’ve been home and without my precious Luna. Precious time was being wasted when I should have been able to go after her. That knowledge and helplessness weighed heavy on my chest, obstructing every labored inhale.Detached from everything, I wallowed in heart-shattering misery.With a deep scowl, I ran my thumb over the inscriptions of the golden bracelet as my mind worked overtime. My brain felt like it was on a treadmill, unable to stop.At this point, my eyes were hooded and void and my brain wasn't far from becoming the same. Frazzled and throbbing.“You’re the reason she disappeared.” Zeus snarled in my head, castigating me for putting Vaheed over our mate. He rambled, “If we weren’t away, we would have been here to stop her. I told you to leave him alone, but no, you had to go and bring him back. Are you trying to make us mateless?”My throat was too parched to argue with him.The worst had happened
VALEN’S POVAll their heartbeats rose, thundering against their chests. Devin quickly scurried over to the witch’s side.My eyebrows met. My face scrunched up and I pointed at Penn. My voice was incensed, and my teeth clashed together. “You let her go?”They visibly sagged under the weight of my temper. Anger pulsed through my chest, the upcoming headache didn't help his bitch fit either.“Well, I—um, I, er,” Pennelope stuttered and Devin frowned, spinning around to cup her face before facing me again.Letting out a breath of disbelief, I felt like my whole world was caving in. My vision went spotty as I pictured Raina lost and on her own in an unfamiliar world, and this witch did nothing to help her when she had the means.“It’s not that simple. I tried to stop her…” Penn explained, shaking her head, and went into more detail, stumbling over her words. “...once she saw Snow, she decided to go AWOL.”"Slow down, Penn." Devin guided me because at this point she was mumbling, and I didn
VALEN’S POV “Beta?” I scowled in the witch's basement after descending the last step of the stairs.Thick tension greeted me. One built on apprehension and fear.They were as scared as a kitten that had just noticed the shadow of a dog’s tail lashing against a white wall. I could feel the weight of their trepidatious stares pressing against me. Their fretting, whispering thoughts practically radiated off them like static.Zeus growled low and ferociously in my chest, unsettled by the hangdog silence. The implication of guilt hung heavily in the air.My anxious eyes roamed every inch of the space, skipping through the bookshelves, futons, chairs, and stone tables seeking the one woman that my soul ached for. Seeing no trace of her, my longing hammered our bond with impatience.An outburst climbed up my throat to be lashed out, only to be hindered when Venus flew at me. I swallowed the impending words. She gripped the front of my black shirt and tugged it repeatedly. Immense anxiety fu
VALEN’S POVThaines brushed the rubble off Theo’s body as the cloud of dust around them slowly cleared. Footsteps of the emancipated clergy pattered behind us. I held up a hand to stop them from drawing closer. Alarmed, they muttered some prayer and made the holy sign across their bodies, watching the scene.“Damn. How bad is it?” I growled, fixing my eyes on my roguishly lightheaded brother, on guard if he decided to attack anyone else.“Alpha,” Theo gaped and gasped. He struggled to swallow and stuttered his speech, “I appreciate all you’ve done.” His voice wavered. “We had some good times.”“What are you doing?” Devin asked angrily, jolting up to stand and looking down at the Gamma’s supine body.“I’m dying,” Theo choked out and sucked in a shuddering breath. “M-my soul—”Devin shrugged dismissively and growled, “It was a blank blast. Quit it, Theo!”Highly annoyed, the guys hissed their teeth and cleared the wall. I rolled my eyes at his inappropriate antics and rubbed my forehead
RAINA’S POV“It was so easy for you to bail on us,” I muttered cynically, training my eyes on his emerald-eyed scrutiny. “You’ve broken your promises to me, remember?” I pointed at myself, getting worked up. “You refuse to help me with the sword, and you intentionally withhold information that could fix everything. So tell me, what went wrong? What was the problem? I have a right to know.”Mate bonds are hard to switch off and forget that they ever existed.Fated mates are next to impossible to elude.So, it was nerve-racking and upsetting that Future Valen’s muted, desaturated green eyes were soulless towards me. This heartless man had no problem crushing my fragile heart. I suppressed a sob, focusing on knowing that my Valen was back home and he loved me. I reminded myself to bounce back into some positivity.Future Valen bit his lip, staring hard into my desperate pleading eyes. He remonstrated gruff and tightly, “Whatever it was, I fixed it. I’ve kept Snow here while you were supp
RAINA’S POVTo dampen my fear, I swallowed tightly.“You should have listened to your witch,” Valen’s doppelgänger hissed, emeralds glittering with ire. “Did you think coming here would impress me?”From ground level, he resembled a mighty hunter with hands ready to draw…to snipe and shoot me when I was down.Well, I rose to my feet with striking resilience like a forest fire ready to scorch and burn. “I’m here for two things.” I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin defiantly. “To open this damn globe and to get Hera.” I eyed him steely and added bitterness to my tone. “Don’t stand in my way.”Since he’s not nice, I won’t be nice either.“Is that so?” He did not move, didn’t blink, only held my rigid gaze.“Yeah.” I stepped towards him, straightening my spine and hardening my expression. I stopped shy of his chest. “I couldn’t care less about who you’re shagging up here.”“Hmm.” He folded his lips and nodded his head repeatedly in a sarcastic manner.“Because this cozy little life
THIRD PERSON’S POVThunderstruck.Several aspects of what the Worgens saw were unexpected. The fighting scene between the Alpha Princes had them tight-lipped and uneasy.On a cauliflower-shaped cumulus cloud in the hot, blue sky, Seff, Jarvaldo, Rovell, Farrah, and Dymian watched keenly at the brawl on the concrete roof below. Rovell navigated his clouds with stealth in order to conceal their location from the irritating eagle guardian."What the fuck?" Rovell exclaimed, forgetting that they were covertly hanging around to evaluate their enemy's power and skills.Observing Valen would inform them of the level of power that protected the werewolf kingdom. A chain was as strong as its weakest link. Sadly for them, Valen appeared strong."OMG!" Jarvaldo muttered, half astounded and half pissed.Seff snapped his quizzical eyes at him. "OMG? Is that a new weapon? Show it to me!” He said, peering down at the brawl and earnestly searching them with his eyes for some shiny new weapon. “Show i
VALEN'S POVA dark, menacing harlequin flooded each iris. There he was, grunting, thick with scorn. “Well, if it isn’t the realm’s treasure.”Scanning over his appearance, the dirty pants that he wore were threadbare. The afternoon's cool breeze blew open his unbuttoned shirt, billowing at the sooty material to expose his bare torso. The hems of which were jagged. He expelled an offensive odor, which intensified by the minute and seemed to go up to the little hairs in my nose to stick to them.Vaheed’s putrid stench nauseated me from a distance and the sun's rays were evidently kicking his ass. He perspired like he'd been beaten in a marathon he had just run in the sun's barraging beams.Finding him at last, provided minor relief. The search was over. Now I had to ensure that he did not slip away from me.Cautiously, I assessed his aura. Zeus shifted within me. He brooded with impatience. We knew something was off because we felt a darkness within him."Zuzu, what do you read?" I aske
-RAINA'S POV“I can't stop. I won’t stop. Not until I get my wolf.” I replied with all seriousness, showing my determination. Then sadness overcame me when I thought of everything that crashed into my life. My voice dropped, softening. “I'm scared, Valen.”This doppelgänger was as impassive as the first time I met him. This was the Valen who was incandescently in love with Villainess Snow, also known as the nefarious Mercedes.Scanning his features, his edgy mohawk had gotten a lot whiter with a sleek shine. From this angle, the loose black strands were barely noticeable with the bulk of his long hair combed over to the right. This time a thicker, short beard covered his sharp jawline, and he pinned me with a hateful glare. Strapped and overpowered.“Then find your mate.” He simply said, annoyance still palpable in his demeanor.I shook my head stubbornly. “I need some answers, or I'm stepping through.”His eyes hardened at me. Anger, like stone, set in his features.“Why did you try