JASMINEWhat? Is he insane?I stood dumbfounded, staring at Caine as he looked back at me. This had to be a joke! Yes, a joke, but I found myself wanting it all to be an actual training.“I’m just kidding Jasmine,” he chuckled, sending a wave of relief down my nerves. I swallowed so hard that I feared he heard it. “Really, Caine?” I blurted. “So much of “he’s a changed boy,” I mimicked my fathers tone with a voice below a whisper. I corked a brow as he lifted his face, hanging his belt on his shoulder. “There are rules. First…” he said, his tone firm. “You’ll show up on time. No excuses. Second…you’ll do exactly as I say. When I say run, you run. When I tell you to fight, you fight. Thirdly, every wolf in our age bracket is to get a job. For you..” he delayed, leaving me in suspense. “For me?” “I’ll come up with a job to be assigned to you. Currently there are about thirty-nine trainees with their sub-coaches and head coaches. You’re making them thirty. And tomorrow night, you a
“Answer the question, Imani,” Jojo fired. It wasn’t a scene I enjoyed—watching Jojo being so “alpha-male ish” before Imani. I saw the way she was fidgeting. It was obvious she feared jojo. It was something more than his physical appearance which made him look like a Greek god. “Why would you believe the words of jasmine?” Imani asked. Her courage was building up, and you couldn't help but stare and enjoy the show. The rest of the group joined us at the pool after hearing Jojo's voice. They knew better than to interfere with whatever it was. “I have to get back home,” I muttered , breaking the silence growing at the pool as my work there was gone. “You’re going nowhere until you explain what you said to Imani,” Jojo hurried to my front and stood in my way. I sighed, rolling my eyes away from him. “Go on!” “Don’t…speak to me in that manner, Jojo. You might perceive me to be weak but I am nothing compared to Imani, your…” I didn’t complete my sentence the moment my eyes rested
CAINES POV I wandered around the pack house to ensure everyone was in before I returned to my room. Lucy was out again, without leaving information on her whereabouts. It had become a usual occurrence. Leaving the pack house and returning whenever she liked. I went into my room, ready to have my rest when my phone rang. It was Harper. I answered the call but took the phone off my ear immediately. “Dude, where are you?” I asked, gently placing the phone back. “Jojo is coming to get you. You’ve been too serious these days and you need to have a time to chill,” he answered and ended the call. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, Spencer was right. I’d let the pack duties get to me. I was trying to be that perfect example my father had described my younger brother as. It felt like an insult, being compared to a fifteen year old teenager. It wasn’t easy however, switching sides from being the high school’s bad boy to becoming the pack's watchman. But if that’s what it’ll take fo
CAINES POV The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter, whispers and dares. I was careful enough not to get drunk, despite how many times I was made to drink after refusing so many dares. By the time I rested my head on Lucy’s shoulder, I was already feeling light headed. Even in that state, my mind still tethered to the dare Lucy had given to me. That was the only dare which stretched over weeks, and it was one the group wouldn’t forget in a hurry. To me, that dare wasn't just about Jasmine. It was Lucy’s way of treating my loyalty to her. I noticed the way she always stared at jasmine whenever she was looking away. Everyone had taken in the new her, but I knew how difficult it was for Lucy. Just when I thought the night was over, drunk Jojo pulled my hands, dragging me out of the chair. “Down to the club!” He sang, parading and jumping like a child. The club? “We’re not going into club 9. We shouldn’t be seen in there,” I tried to warn them as they marched forwar
CAINES POV A sharp throbbing pain shot at the back of my head as I stirred awake, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth. My ears buzzed with the distant echoes of screams and shattering glasses. It took me a while to realize where I was—the men’s restroom, sprawled on the cold floor with my blood smeared around. I helped myself up, first meeting with my reflection on the mirror above the sink that was cracked. Blood trickled down my forehead, dripping onto the floor with steady beats. My wolf growled low within me, snapping me out of my pain and urging me to find her. The last thing I remembered was Lucy’s scream. I had no idea how long I’d laid on the floor, but I wasn’t going to let them leave the club with her. Dragging myself out of the restroom, I staggered down the stairs, holding my head in pain. I could still feel a piece of glass hiding beneath my head. I wiped the blood from my face with the back of my hand, forcing my vision to focus on the stairs which looked
CAINES POV The metallic scents of Jojo’s blood filled the air as I placed him on the table, applying pressure on the wound by his side. His breaths were shallow, his face pale and the blood gushing out from his torso wasn’t slowing down. Imani hovered around us, her hands wringing in the air. “What do we do? He’s losing so much blood! I don’t want to lose him,” she cried, sounding like she was about to have a panic attack. “Harper, get towels, Imani, boil some water!” I barked, my alpha instincts kicking in. For once, they didn’t question me or argue. They rushed off, doing as I instructed. Jojo groaned, his head tilting to the side. “It’s okay…I’ve seen worse. Just let me…” “Shut up!” I pressed harder on the wound, causing him to scream in pain. He ended with a chuckle, grabbing my hand as he shone his blood-stained teeth in a smile. “It’s too late,” he whizzed, coughing more blood on me. “No, it’s not,” I whispered. Not like I knew what I was doing, these were things I
JASMINES POVThe crackling of flames and the distant hum of laughter pulled me out of my haze of unconsciousness. My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself sprawled on the cold forest floor. The sharp scent of burning wood mingled with the aroma of the trees. Shadows danced across my vision, and for a moment, I thought I was alone. But I wasn’t. “Rise and shine, beauty,” a masculine mocking voice called out, followed by a chorused laughter. I winced in pain, holding my head as I sat on the ground. “Who are you?” I asked the most relevant question. It was obvious we were in the woods. But doing what? Caine has mentioned how unsafe the pack was. So why would I be in the woods with strangers who stole me from bed?One of the boys walked up to me and offered to help me stand. I hesitated, but took his hand in the end, “You abducted me from my bed…” I queried, glaring at them one after the other. But they were unfazed. The once distant laughter and chants were now audible. I recognize
JASMINES POVSnarls and growls echoed through the dark woods, a primal battle unfolding before my eyes. Eric’s wolf was nothing compared to Caine’s. My heart hammered as I watched the two wolves clash, their sharp teeth snapping and claws tearing into each other. For a second, they vanished from my sight. Moments later, I heard the don’t rustle of leaves ahead of me. Caine emerged from the down part of the hill. His clothes were torn, body was covered in black smoke and sand. “Let’s go,” he said to me. I was numb until we arrived at the car. The glimpse of his chest which I caught before he walked past me registered in my head, refusing to accommodate any other thought. The journey back to the pack house was a silent one. I kept reeling through the thoughts of what happened back in the woods when Caine broke the silence. “Did anyone harm you?” He asked, stealing a glance at me. “No, I’m fine,” I answered. I had questions for him too. Like how he knew I was in the woods and that I
JASMINES POVI stood before the mirror, staring at my reflection. Time had passed since the last servant came to inform us that the car was waiting. I’d completely lost myself in my reflection. The woman staring back at me was different. Someone I’d long admired to be. I let out a sigh, taking the veil off my face. “Are we ready?” I asked Alyssa who was still gathering a few things from her bag. “Yes…just these little things I have to get them we’ll move,’ he said.I didn’t mind, because I felt like I had all the time in the world. I was willing to stand before the mirror, simply staring at myself and the baby bump that was evident from the white gown I had on. Two knocks landed on the door, and it creaked open. From the mirror, I saw my mother. “Mum,” I called under my breath. She told me that she wasn’t going to make it because she was still taking care of her husband. Seeing her here sent chills down my spine. I strode hurriedly across the room, but she covered more space tha
JASMINES POVI walked into the cemetery where Lucy’s body was buried. Carrying my flowers in one hand and holding Caine in the other. It was a month after her death, and as much as I tried to deny it, I could feel the void in my heart. She occupied somewhere in my heart, despite the betrayal and hatred, and I just couldn’t bring myself to deny that fact. Caine wasn’t in support of my going to visit the cemetery, but I insisted. I had to remind him of Lucy’s parents whom they locked up and weren’t able to pay their daughter a visit at her grave, nor did they have a chance to see them lower her into the ground. She was a villain, yes—but also a human being. “I’ll wait out here,” Caine said. I didn’t argue. We disconnected our hands, and he kissed me before letting me off. Caine was still a work in progress. He was taking on a new personality, one that was completely in contrast to who he was before the accident. His memories were not completely back, but each day, with my presenc
CAINES POVThe next time I woke up, I couldn’t move my hands or legs. I scanned the room area after getting a clearer vision. The smell of wolf’s bane was strong in the air, and that explained why I felt weak. “You’re finally up, welcome to the party,” Lucy drew my attention to her. She was crouched beside Jasmine, and something about that position upset my wolf. He wanted to defend Jasmine, to stand up for her. But our strength was sealed. “Get away from her. Who are you?” I gritted.“It’s so sad that it had to be your memory that was lost. A part of me wished you died that night,” she blurted. “What?” I asked. Then I understood what she was talking about. My accident. “That girl…Elara right?” She chuckled. “She was this close to figuring out. If only she’d been smart,”I groaned, pulling against my restraints. “You killed her!” I yelled. But only a sinister smile played on her face as she moved from Jasmine to me. “You can’t do anything, Caine, not even now. You couldn’t even
CAINES POVThe call dropped.I yanked the phone from my ear, staring at the screen as static hummed in my ears. The connection had been lost.Jasmine’s voice still rang in my head, breathless and desperate.I’m pregnant—with your child.I shot up from my chair so fast it clattered against the floor. My wolf was raging beneath my skin, demanding action, demanding I find her.Just then, a car drove in. I moved to the window to see who it was. Lucy. My eyes drifted to the clock, and it was a few minutes past twelve. The sky was completely dark, and the moon was hanging with a moonlight under the cloud. “She sounded scared…and urgent…” I thought. All of a sudden, my wolf was full of rage. The fragment of memory that I had tried to remember felt like it was fighting its way up. But distractions. Lucy was coming up, and I had to confirm my suspicions. I reached for my phone and sent a text to Beta Joseph, telling him to track my phone and find me if anything happened. I sent the same
JASMINE’S POVThe moment the door shut behind them, I let out a shaky breath, my body sagging against the chair. My arms ached from the restraints, my head pounding from exhaustion, but none of it compared to the sharp pain radiating through my stomach. The warmth of my blood soaked into my dress was a terrifying reminder of just how much danger I was in.I glanced at the table where Lucy had tossed her phone. It was my only chance.My eyes drifted back to the door after I heard a sound. I thought they were coming back, so I curled back into my tears. After a few seconds of waiting, and no one came through the door, I let out a heavy sigh, staring at the phone. Desperation fueled me as I forced my body forward. I fell from the chair and crashed my face on the floor. Shock coursed through my face, sending my head and my brain pulsing with the taste of blood that circulated in my mouth. I ignored the pain, keeping my eyes focused on the phone that lay on the table. I started crawlin
LUCY'S POVI slammed the brakes, drifting the car out of the garage. I saw Caine standing at the edge of the hallway through the rear mirror. His gaze was fixed on the car, his body still as I drove off. I knew he was getting suspicious, and it was only a matter of time before he came searching or digging for answers. I drove into the silence that filled the night, a clear contrast to the storm of thoughts that raged in my mind. I’d asked for dinner with them because I started noticing the low murmuring when I wasn’t looking. They were getting suspicious, questioning my whereabouts and my lateness to the events and important meetings. I also noticed how distant I had become due to the plans Bryan had and the hitches we experienced over the month. Recently, a few days back or so, Adrian went on a hunting spree, killing tons of humans and werewolves. According to my parents, he was facing the likelihood of the breakout of another disease all because he hadn’t found someone who was
CAINE’S POVThe silence that filled the room was suffocating. The way all eyes drifted to me, I knew I shouldn’t have uttered those words. I took a little drift away from Lucy’s stare, traveling my eyes around the room. The eyes of others carried a heavy weight, like a secret, lurking behind them. I made sure I observed all before returning my gaze to Lucy. Unlike others, and unlike the first time the question was asked, she was smiling. What changed?Wasn’t she curious to know what changed?”“Go on, Caine. Why don’t you tell us? Are we supposed to be expecting someone else,” she asked again. The rest returned to their meal, the forks clanging softly against their plates. Even their eyes were buried into their plates, and it felt like they were expecting some kind of outburst of something—a quarrel perhaps. “Are you okay mate?” Harper nudged me, Snapping me out of my zone. I forced a smile, nodding hurriedly.“Of course. I just didn’t spot Joanne in time. My sight I guess.” lie
JASMINES POVThe light shuffling of feet and the muffled voices stirred me up from my sleep. Standing at the edge of the room Bryan, talking with Adrian. They were discussing in lie tones, but Bryan seemed to be angrier. “You led them here!” He yelled, pushing Adrian. For reasons best known to Adrian, he wasn’t getting angry just like Bryan. He maintained his cool, taking the blows and the blame. “Deal with it,” Bryan snapped. “It’s already been dealt with,” Adrian said finally. My vision blurred for a few seconds, and I blinked several times to get a clearer view. Silence fell in the room after Adrain spoke, safe for Bryan’s heavy breathing. “You what?”“They’ve been dealt with. And Lucy drove off with their bodies to bury them somewhere far,” he explained. With the I saw things, Bryan wasn’t in support of that. He took two steps forward, and the third step placed him directly in front of Adrian.“You killed the cops?” My breath hitched after hearing what the offense was.
CAINES POVIt was the second month since the arrest of Lilian. My father has been silent on the progress being made by my uncle and the rest of the investigation team—that’s if progress was being made. On the other hand, Natasha has been nothing but helpful. For reasons best known to her, she only let me discuss things I’d planned for and my father eventually left. She stood in as my therapist. On the other hand, Lucy is awkwardly absent from the house. She leaves so early and comes back really late at night. When I asked, she attributed the return of her parents and her brother whom the police department was after. I walked out of bed, moved to the mirror, and ran my fingers through the bandage on my head. Two months had come, and gone, yet I still couldn’t get an answer to the most bothersome question in my mind.Why Jasmine?A few days ago, I asked my father. I wanted to know why she was the only name that kept recurring in my head. I noticed the way he tried to avoid the qu