-VALEN’S POV- Raj, Dad, and Devin, in wolf form, approached us. Devin’s mustard yellow with grey ear tips was the first to come near us, while Raj’s fully oxblood wolf and Dad’s larger alpha-black wolf observed us. Hera spared them no any attention. Her intention was to get enough of me, as much as she could, before Raina snatched her time away. She began to swagger awkwardly, stumbled twice, and then steadied herself so she could pirouette around me. I happily indulged the thunderstorm of furry playfulness as she pranced joyfully and jumped up to lick different areas of my body. “Sweetheart, you look amazing,” Raj rejoiced with a laugh through the mind-link. His wolf strutted over to us and sat on his rear, commemorating his pup. “Congratulations, Raina,” Dad appraised, staying in the same spot with Devin at his side. "Mine," Hera purred. “I’ve got you, Hera.” I marveled at her flawless beauty and smiled at her while rubbing her mane and replied with love glinting in my eyes, "
-THIRD PERSON'S POV- "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." "Indeed, child." Dymian retorted in the confessional as he swiped the viewing slot to glare at her with his garnet-red eyes blazing. "You went against my wishes." Angrily, he glared at her on the other side of the booth. Farrah gulped nervously and pried her gaze from him. He wasn’t wearing the ceremonial mitre hat today. Instead, he managed to let his short curly pearl-white hair fall over his forehead to cover his guardian mark of three small purple squares that formed triangular vertices. "I had good reason. She was in my hands until another showed up." Farrah lowered her head in shame as she related the earlier events as a sacrament of penance. The sun was still up when she entered the Renaissance chapel. Briskly she rushed through the nave and bypassed the waiting line of five people. With urgency, she entered the reconciliation room to report to Dymian. Cruelly, she opened the door of the confessional and invaded t
-THIRD PERSON'S POV- Dymian fixed his eyes on Farrah, knowing her points were valid. The guardian cubes on his forehead glowed. He pursed his thin peach lips and uttered, "Then we'll have to get rid of her. No one will stand in the way of our plans." If that bitch was Selene, it made sense that she'd keep the red wolf away from us. She was a source of power for them to harness. Therefore, it made them remain weak, because that was the state that she left them, comatose and power-drained. On the other hand, there was the option to meet and have her reinstate their status. Dymian would not take the peaceful road. He was hellbent on revenge. A taste of the red wolf's blood surged so much power through Farrah's system. She had regained a power increase for a minute until the other white-haired bitch sucked it out of her. "Must we kill the moon goddess?" Farrah inaudibly inquired, testing him. She believed they ought to be merciful towards their creator, despite the grudge they had towa
-VALEN’S POV- Zeus didn't know how to handle Hera’s disobedience. We were still by the stream because Hera refused to shift back. He wasn't used to anyone telling us no. Not even our mate. He found himself getting angry. He didn't want to be dominated or challenged by his moon-blessed. He'd have to rein her in if she was adamant about remaining in her wolf form. Baring canines, her lengthened incisors punctured her bottom lip as a feral rumbling escaped her. Glowing fuchsia eyes looked up at Zeus. "Hera, shift!" His alpha tone radiated power. At heart, Zeus preferred to care for her instead of dispensing his aggressive side to his mate. She whimpered from the impact and covered her face with her paws. I let Zeus employ his dominant methods because he was right. I needed Raina back. She must have gone unconscious during the shift, which caused Hera to assume full control. Zeus felt the need to put her in her place and have her submit. Hera snarled, whipping her head to the side as
-VALEN’S POV- My jaws dropped in shock and perplexity. "No!" Disheartened, I shouted and began pounding on the dark walls of my windowless wolf's mind. This had to be some kind of a nightmare. All the motors in my mind were stuck in disbelief. The news was a bitter pill to swallow. "I know that it's the last thing that you want to do, but your mate bond has to be severed for the wolves’ endless heat to end." Dad pleaded earnestly. "If you can hear us, please understand that it's the right thing to do." "I won't!" I yelled with disapproval, gritting my teeth. I can't give up Raina. I loved her very much. It was unreasonable to request that of me. Anger streamed through my veins. This was the part where I would shift into my wolf and go running to blow the steam off. Or at least, rip something to pieces. In the darkness, I had no outlet. No way to vent. As a result, the fury mounted as the duress overburdened my mind. "Valen, please listen to me." Mom took a turn to speak to me, v
-RAINA’S POV- Funny how, in fairy tales, things may go horribly wrong. Nothing is ever accurately depicted since everything got twisted upside down and inside out. The thin line between love and hate was crossed. It was so much easier to hold on to the bitterness when the pain of rejection was a constant reminder. Humiliated. Shattered. Humbled. The rejected Luna Queen. All of these represented me and I made the headlines on social media as well as in the newspapers. It was three days later and the wound in my heart was fresh. She-wolves joyously commented on Valen’s bachelorhood. Many expected the elders to convene for a claiming ceremony to be held or at least issue letters of candidacy to Alphas, whose daughters they thought would be outstanding Luna Queen prospects. In a rapt buzz of togetherness, the werewolf realm sang their way through the summer haze. Their droning and raves saturated the air with a tincture of annoyance that understated a terrible bitterness. On the f
-RAINA’S POV- Not everything that contains sugar is sweet. Not everything that comes from above is a blessing. “It would put you in a better position if your mating was done immediately,” Alpha Vance stated in a calm tone. He was deflecting things to make it look like it was in my best interest. “I agree,” Mom consented, looking down at Dad, who nodded. I can’t believe that my parents were in on it too. I listened, thinking that it was unfair that they all kept deciding what was good for me. After our wolves had sex for four months, I should have been impregnated. I wasn’t sure if I was. The thought of carrying Valen’s pup would complicate the situation between us. What was the rush anyway? Valen knew that I needed space, but obviously, they didn’t take my breakup with him seriously. Valen was the deceptive wrapping of an artificially sweet bond. Devoured and bleeding. The barriers crumbled whenever I was around him as the walls kept caving in. My feelings were a smoky illusion
-VALEN’S POV-It’s over?Yesterday, Raina said it was over.What the fuck?Why should I accept that?My heaving chest was loaded with the uncontrollable rage my wolf discharged in me. It accompanied a persistent desire to take Raina, hold her close, and carry her far away from everyone. She'd be available just for me."Get your ass up, Theo!" I roared. My eyes swept the training ground at all the shirtless alphas at Wolkrane, I needed more of them to challenge me. "Carson, Delroy, Wentz, Lawrence, Santiago, Chen, and Pierre, join the ring."Red was the color of the day.Five naked and bloodied Alphas laid unconscious on the dirty ground and were being pulled away. I stood in the center of the sparring field to unleash every ounce of fury inside of me. I woke these suckers at three this morning since I couldn't sleep.Heaven’s fireball was high in the sky. Hafts of its rays drowned the island in heat. Everyone wore only shorts. Well, they've been training and now it was time to test th
-VALEN’S POV-“Gustav!” I roared, nakedly stomping through the circular pillars with Zuzu perched on my right shoulder. “Get out here!”Chasing him brought me to Pindus in Greece at the Temple of Zannos. It was an albescent-white, Doric-styled, pentagon-shaped building that lacked care and was covered with limestone dust. On the walls were featured engravings of weapons and symbols that I also recognized were identical to the ones that were inscribed on the Worgens' foreheads.“No need to be so loud, Alpha Prince.” Gustav groused with his back to me. The hem of his cream trench coat carpeted the ground, right next to his enormous sword. “Even the gods can hear you shouting.”Up ahead in the dusty grand hall, he was down on one knee with his white head bowed to the light blue, marble, fifty-foot statue of Selene. She was gracefully sitting on a crescent moon with a beige wolf around her shoulders as she glanced down at the queen of the night flower she was holding up in her left hand. T
-VALEN’S POV-“Holy fuck.” I panted out as the sweet sensations rocked me.Her pouty candy-pink lips began moving up and down my length. She started bobbing her head back and forth. My hand coiled a large bunch of burgundy strands on the top of her head, helping her with the pace.“Deep breaths—yeah, take it.” My lips parted, and I blew out invisible puffs of air.The pleasure was overwhelming, almost making me forget what we were fighting about before. She picked up the pace, fisting the bottom of my shaft with one hand while she sucked the top and repeated.“So good, baby,” I remarked huskily. “Show me how badly you want it.”Already my balls were tensing up and stars exploded behind my eyelids as my orgasm drew near. She hummed around my dick, licking it good as I drew it out of her mouth.I grunted and thrust my hip forward with more force this time, hitting the back of my throat. Her pretty mouth was driving me nuts. The way her tongue moved against the ridges was giving me a whi
-RAINA’S POV-Yellow flags billowed in my head as the mood shifted sourly. Hot, angry puffs of air expelled from Valen’s nostrils. His blazing emeralds locked with my subtle blues.“Hold on a sec.” I scrambled to the edge of the bed and sat up with a frown. “That’s not what I’m saying.”“Really, Raina?” Valen asked me with hidden anger in his voice. “That crab-louse took Vaheed, and you aren’t in a hurry to get my brother back, especially since that’s the only way for us to find out what happened to Devin.”“I know that,” I muttered in a casual tone, licking my dry lips.“Vaheed isn’t with us because of him.” Valen’s voice rose, and he raked back his black hair with a frustrated hand. He turned and walked towards the glass doors to the balcony, aggressively parted the green drapes, and looked out into the gray sky.“I want to summon Gustav, but I don’t know how,” I expressed, feeling crappy that he had a valid point. “Plus you have that murderous gleam that you are going to kill him w
-RAINA’S POV-Brewing with optimism, I watched in awe as the lavender glow disbursed, engulfing Devin's body in a gentle aura of shimmering energy. Like an X-ray, it lit up his skeleton, making it visibly orange with red veins.It was as if the very essence of magic itself was sieving through him, whirling new life into his motionless form. His body was healing, closing the gruesome wound on his chest and reconnecting the superior vena cava."Hang in there, Duke. Your boy is strong. He can make it." Alpha Vance tried to provide some solace.Uncle Duke began pacing while ruffling a hand through his blonde hair. “Come on Smithson, the moon can’t have you today.”Valen's expression was one of intense concentration. His features were set in determination as he exerted more streams of his magic into Devin.For a moment, time seemed to stand still as we held our collective breath, waiting with bated anticipation for any sign of change.And then, it happened.A faint ripple sifted through De
-RAINA’S POV-Sorrowed stalked us back to the witch’s cottage like a grim, black shadow. Unlike the sunset that spread a rainbow flame upon the evening's sky.On a magically conjured table floating ahead of us, courtesy of Valen, Devin's massacred body laid supine.The journey from the yacht to Petroside Grove felt longer than ever before, and Zeus’ sprints echoed with emptiness, silently knowing that things would be different now.As we approached the witch’s cottage, the scene on the off-white porch was one of heartbreak and despair. Miriam, Marlena, Alpha Vance, Uncle Duke, Luna Sianna, and Keisha stood waiting. Their faces were etched with grief as they watched us draw near.Zeus lowered his large, black, furry body so that I jumped from his back, and then Valen shifted. Keisha immediately rushed towards Devin. My heart ached for Keisha as I watched her crumble. With haste, Uncle Duke wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her off the ground."I'm so sorry," I whispered to them
-RAINA’S POV-“The plans they have for us are diabolic.” Vaheed grabbed my arm, startling me as he pulled me to his side.His aura had a scary quality—one that was sickening and could make me puke. He was not my mate, so my body rebelled, seething at being manhandled.Vaheed’s desperate gaze locked on mine, begging me to side with him. “I’m going to kill him, Raina. Tell whitey to leave. We don't want his kind here.”“If you back off, Vaheed, so will he,” I rasped out, which made him livid. His harlequin greens flickered like black coals about to catch fire.Gustav lifted his chin in opposition. “I would not be here if she was not in danger.”Vaheed grinned deviously. “A Worgen….protecting a human? Don't make me laugh. I know all about you and your horde.”“Yes, you do.” I highlighted, “You have a lot of information that we need to make better preparations against them. I suggest we get you to your Mom's for a check-up, and then we'll have a meeting to discuss all that you can tell us
-RAINA’S POV-“Gustav,” I breathed out, still very skeptical of his presence.This pivotal moment would test the guardian bond. With bated breath, I stared at his hand, contemplating taking it. He noticed the alarm on my face and put both of his hands up in a surrender pose.“I mean you no harm, Kókkino,” he said, cocking his head, slightly concerned.Ruffling and a dull creak of dry hinges sounded across the room. My eyes found Vaheed pinned to the decorative, backlit stone wall feature.Grunting with lips pulled over his teeth, his hands gripped and wrested against the formidable, six-foot, double-bladed sword that threatened to slash him in halves. One tip of its broad jagged blade screeched against the floorboard.Panicking, I glanced back at Gustav, in a terrified voice, “Do not kill him.”“He's dangerous.” Gustav furrowed his brows, confused as to why I'd want to spare him, but he relented with an exhalation. He held out his hand and the intimidating weapon whirred back to its o
-RAINA’S POV-“You killed him, you sick psycho!” I screamed at Vaheed with tears raining down my cheeks.“I didn’t do it. Don’t be rash.” Vaheed frowned, and he placed a finger on his lips to shush me. Where was his empathy? “But you knew he was attacked!” I shouted amidst my sobbing, pointing at Devin’s bloody body.“He didn't stand a chance and with loverboy sleeping, neither do you.” His brows knitted as he seemed to be listening for something.I shook my head wildly, beginning to panic. I glanced around frantically, “You brought the Worgens here? Where are they?”Releasing a distressful sigh, Vaheed held up his forefinger and swirled it in the air. “It's the other way around.” He dropped his hand, coming towards me.Smothering my weeping, I watched him cautiously. My heart thumped hard in my chest and I recoiled. I did not want him near me.His eyes widened. “They're coming.” His feet quickened towards me, bending and reaching out his hand under my knees to lift me. “I've got a p
-RAINA’S POV-“Devin, I thought you were going to keep me company.” I launched my voice through the mind-link, hoping for a response. “Dev?”Three seconds passed as I waited for a reply.Nothing.“You found it.” Vaheed’s voice snapped me out of the connection. His eyes softened and landed on the first aid kit in my hands.“Yes,” I answered with a smile, giving the kit a little shake. “Shouldn’t you be lying down?”He shrugged. “I’m feeling better.”How? I wondered. My eyes checked him over. With silver in his body, he would have fainted by now.“Well, you look like shit and smell like Swamp Thing.” I let out a tiny chuckle.Vaheed humphed, unamused. Bad joke, I guess.I stretched one hand out to him and bobbed my head to the side. “Come, let me clean you up in the dining room.”He stayed rooted and asked indifferently, “What's up with my brother? I thought he wasn't around.” He lifted his chin to look down his nose at me. “He’s unconscious. What happened to him?”“He, uh, er.” What sh