-RAINA'S POV- Hera? Silence. She was truly gone. There was nothing left. I was an empty shell. A soulless vessel. I was tired and about to jump off a limb into a lost world. Humanity. Without my Hera, that’s what I would become. Human. Sitting on the shower floor, hugging my knees, I was at my wit's end feeling powerless. The well of my tears had dried up to leave me with a hollowed heart, black and oooing like a ghost town. Whimpers escaped me. I felt so weak and numb. I could not feel the artificial rain that doused me in the shower. How much more will you take from me? Moon goddess, won't you give me my wolf back? Won't you help me overcome Snow? Every interaction with her brought me some form of misfortune. How much more will you make me bleed? Suddenly, my shower door slid open. My heart hitched. My breath caught in my throat. My eyes grew impossibly wide as I beheld the large malign figure. My puffy eyes traveled up his long legs that were packed tight with muscles
-VALEN’S POV- Someone left a peculiar gift on my office desk at Alpha Camp. After teleporting from Dark Wolverson, I took a shower and was militantly dressed to lead the team. Then I headed over here after mind-linking the guys for a short meeting. They were currently loading up the Black Hawk chopper. Desperately, I wanted to channel my wrath into some action before I did another stupid thing. I scratched my forehead as I looked down at the item. Undoubtedly, the guys thought that this was funny. It was not amusing. Someone had a death wish and I was in a foul mood. But I’ll soon find out which one of the guys did this. No worries. They would be here soon to discuss the search for Vaheed. We were going to infiltrate a few zones today. We’ve been busy with preparations. Now it was time to discuss strategies and location. In anger, I took up the pocket pussy. I examined the object, not with interest, but with the utmost revulsion. So, was I to use this fake toy in the interim unt
-VALEN’S POV- Heartbeats picked up. Fear germinated and flight set in their disingenuous features. All eyes averted from mine. Carson's eyeballs rolled up to the ceiling, flitting left to right. Wentz blocked his whistling mouth, aimlessly staring through the window. Theo cleared his throat shifting uncomfortably in his seat and scratched his forehead. Thaines with his permanent scowl, observed the three uneasy men to his right and folded his arms. “Don’t make me ask again.” I narrowed my gaze with intent. Three shaky fingers threw cowardly Theo under the bus. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he slowly raised his bowed head to meet the fire in my emeralds. “Go in the fucking corner and use it. Thaines, take a picture and send it to Azara. Now!” I commanded in my alpha voice as I turned the joke on them. Theo and Thaines' cognac eyes gorged from their sockets. They exchanged horrified glances. Ridiculous. They gave me the ‘are-you-serious’ look. “What are you waiting fo
-VALEN’S POV- “But I ―” Mercedes pressed. This was ruining my day. When will she get the picture that I was sickened of her and cease her dastardly deeds? “May I speak with you in private?” Her once-wide smile disappeared behind pinched lips and desperation filled her gaze, almost looking constipated. Devin scoffed with disgust, rubbing the scruff of his jaw and his austere blue eyes landed on me. She was still trying to get on the team. Her attire was battle-ready to match ours. Dense as lead, she stood behind the tub chairs, waiting for me to hear her jillion of petition. Nothing worked with Mercedes. Her shame tree was chopped down long ago. I might need an advanced degree in female decryption with a minor in how to get my rejection across effectively. She did not know that I found out that she was the one who set up Alpha Chapman to harass Raina when she was last here. She would avoid me if she knew what I had in store for her. Fuming with aggravation, I glanced at the time
-RAINA'S POV- Our eyes locked. His ominous red shot like a pointed edge blade at my flitting blue. Goosebumps peppered my pale skin with my heart racing and anxiety high. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Hands trembling with the mobile phone at my ear, I opened my mouth to speak. "V……" Calloused hands went over my mouth as he teleported behind me. Cardamom and amber swirled high, enveloping me. A pulsing rage of electrifying energy surged through my body. From top to bottom, the feel of his muscular frame scorched my skin like blue fire. He grabbed the phone, disconnected the call, and tossed it in the middle of the untidy bed. Then he released me. Despite the riveting waves that thrilled me, I whipped around to face him. The bulk of my burgundy hair mussed in a swing to rest on my left shoulder. Before I could land a hit, he swiped a palm in front of me and my fist froze in the air. I gave him the cruelest look as I realized that my body had frozen for a second ti
RAINA’S POV- The starkly Valen-look-alike male hesitated with the dagger in a throwing position. The silver blade glinted in his hand and the wretched silence became ferociously sullen. He froze with blazing eyes burning at me in a chilling hush. In slow motion, his head slightly tilted as one of his brows raised. If Dad tried to enter the room, he was going to kill him and I could not do anything about it. A thick icy bubble of dread sat in my throat as my heart rate accelerated. I swallowed my nerves and my mouth released a soundless ‘please.’ Dad perused my bed and was about to enter the bedroom to check on me. One foot stepped forward. I whimpered from the invisible lock on my body, fearful that the bad guy was going to hurt him wickedly. Dad wouldn’t have seen the harm coming at him. “No.” I croaked, feeling ashamed and useless as the worst daughter in the world who was subjecting her Dad to death. My eyes swung from him to them. Like invisible fingers running down my spine
-RAINA’S POV- "I am only interested in the white-haired woman. I must find her.” Valen-look-alike slowly prowled down the side of the bed to come around to me. Shit! He was really in my head. My throat tightened with my eyes never leaving him. "Yet you came here to harass me." My hands dropped to my side and I panicked breathlessly. Sweat spread between my breasts. "Because she was last here." He grated from the foot of the bed in a flat, emotionless voice, but his piercing eyes were the opposite. "Well, she's not here anymore. Leave!" Rattling, I recoiled as he got menacingly closer. “I am of no help to you and you won’t share what you know about that hussy.” He snarled. “Don’t you fucking call her that!” His deep baritone rattled my entire being. “Grrr!” Defensive much! Angry vermillion eyes sized me up. The ill-laden air stilled for three seconds. I hoped, wished, and begged for this face-stealing troll to disappear. Growling, he took up a pillow and ripped it in two. Fluffy
-RAINA'S POV- Great puffs of air blasted from his nostrils as his vision tunneled with black rage. Fangs peeked through his sinful lips like a hellhound. Stalled in all movements, my chest felt like it was splitting in two as his palm pressed hard into me. Clinching my teeth, I grunted in agony. The weight of his hand served as a reminder to me of his indomitable masculinity and my impotence to stop him from physically abusing me. "Since everything is out of hand, I need to do something with you.” He raised his thick eyebrows and spoke so sinisterly slow that I quivered with dreaded anticipation. "W-what?" I sputtered while trying to bore my body through the wall. Damn this careless tongue. I digested the pain, bearing it silently. With his face lowered so close to my breathless one that I thought I might faint, I turned my head sideways to avoid my mouth being in his direction. With the hand that rested on the wall, he dragged his sharp claws in a descent, digging into the conc
-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