QUINN POV I took a deep breath and stared her down, determination settling in my gut. This is it. No turning back now. My lips parted, and I let the words spill out before I could second-guess myself. “I am absolutely not stripping.” The words came out controlled, but my heart was pounding. I didn’t care what happened next. Honestly, what was the worst they could do?Lashings? Please.“You can beat me senseless if you want,” I shot back, feeling the fire in my veins, “but I would rather die than strip for your... hungry men.”I could practically see the disappointment forming in her eyes. Gianna didn’t say a word, just studied me like I was some kind of bug she was deciding whether or not to crush. Her lips tugged up into a lazy, almost pitying smile. Oh great, here we go, I thought, bracing for whatever was coming next.“Really?” she said, her eyebrow arching so high it might have touched her hairline. “Is that how you want to play this?”I clenched my fists at my sides, keeping my
QUINN POVSeventeen? Really? My heart sank as I realized there was no escape.Before I could even react, strong, brutal hands grabbed me, pinning me against the table with so much force. I couldn’t move. My breath stopped in my chest as I felt just how horrible the entire situation was getting.And that damn dress... I could feel every single pair of eyes on me. The hem was so short, my ass was practically on display for all of them. Great, just what I needed. It was like I wasn’t even fully clothed anymore, llike I was exposed in the worst way possible. The worst part? The pain was about to make everything feel worse than it already was. I could feel it coming, that intense, burning sting, and I couldn’t escape itAt this point it was like I was stripping anyway but this time around it was with extra pain This is hell. And there is no way out.Lash after lash hit my back, and with each one, it felt like my skin was being set on fire. Why is this happening to me?For the next ten
QUINN POV Quinn povThe air smelled… off. Not in a bad way, just, different. It wasn’t that usual damp, musty dungeon air I had grown used to. I mean, seriously, you spend a few days in a place like that, and your nose starts accepting things you never thought you would.But this? This felt... softer. The floor wasn’t hard and unforgiving, like the cold stone i had been lying on for who knows how long. No, this was soft. Soft like I was on some kind of memory foam mattress, which hello, was a major upgrade.Okay, wait. Where am I? I thought, blinking into the fuzzy half-state between sleep and reality.My brain was sluggish, and my body was even worse. It was like my muscles were hitting the snooze button, like, nah, we are good, just a few more minutes. But my mind? It was slowly starting to wake up.I knew I needed to pull myself together. As much as I wanted to stay in this weird, comfy dream-like state, I knew life wasn’t going to pause for me to nap forever. Trust me, though, I
QUINN POV He has been locked up somewhere else,” she said quietly, her voice almost like she didn’t want to say it. “And he is in a life-or-death situation.”What? My jaw literally dropped. No way. This wasn’t happening. Adler, in danger? It does make sense that he was in danger. I couldn’t wrap my head around What they could be doing to him right now.“Where did she lock him?” The words slipped out before I even thought. The moment I asked, I felt this crushing feeling in my chest, tears somehow started to fall before I could stop them. It felt like someone had given me a punch in the gut. This was all my fault.Adler was going to die, and I had dragged him into this mess. All because of me.“I shouldn’t have pulled him into this,” I muttered, the guilt eating away at me. “It is all my fault. I am just… bad luck. Everything I touch turns to crap.” I hated how weak I sounded, but the guilt of it was too much to ignore.Sophia put a hand on my shoulder, like she was trying to gr
QUINN POV My struggles. My fight.Totally pointless. I was no match for these guys. They were hell-bent on taking me out, and I was just... out of my depth.They were pros, like next-level warriors or something, while I was just trying not to trip over my own feet. Eventually, they got me out of the house and shoved me into the open field like some kind of animal.Tears were falling, no shame, just ugly sobbing as I tried to make sense of everything. The panic was real. But then, I did this thing, I lifted my head, and boomwhat I saw shocked.For a solid few seconds, I just stood there, blinking like I was in some kind of dream. “No way. Am I seriously seeing this? No, this is definitely a hallucination.”I wiped my face with the back of my hand like that would magically fix everything, but no. It was still the same. And I was still stuck.“Adler!!” I screamed out loud. It felt like the whole world just came crashing down on me. My heart? It shattered into a million pieces as I to
QUINN POVKnowing Gianna, I knew she wasn’t one to bluff. I tried to keep my cool, but fear had already wrapped its icy fingers around me."Why wait until nightfall? If you are going to do it, just get it over with now."She smirked, tilting her head. "Aww, eager to die, are we? But where is the fun in that? No drama, no suspense? That would be so boring."The air felt heavy, my heartbeat pounding like a war drum. The thought of dying sent chills down my spine. No. I couldn’t die. No matter what."Well," she continued, her voice filled with amusement. "I am feeling generous today. So, I am giving you another option. Think of it as my way of being merciful to you and that pathetic excuse of a man, Adler."I rolled my eyes. "Can you just get to the point? I’m tired of listening to your whining."Her smile faltered for a second before she scoffed. "Fine. Let’s fight. A real fight."I blinked. "You want to fight me? Seriously? That’s the best you have got? How childish.""Call it chil
QUINN'S POV My eyes blinked rapidly, my brain still trying to catch up with what had just happened. Did I really just do that? How?I glanced around, searching for answers in the sea of stunned faces. The crowd was buzzing, murmurs rippling through them. Even they couldn’t believe it.I looked down at my hands still trying to figure out what happened before looking at the witch’s direction.Gianna groaned as she pushed herself up from the ground, her body swaying slightly. Yeah, that hit did some serious damage. She looked wrecked, nothing like the cocky, untouchable fighter she had been just minutes ago.She dragged herself toward me, her face filled with fury. Oh, she was mad.“You pathetic little pest,” she hissed, biting down on her lower lip, probably to stop herself from screaming in frustration.Her whole body trembled, her anger barely contained. But no matter how much she tried to look tough, the truth was all over her. she was losing.“How the fuck did you do that?” She as
QUINN'S POV They did manage to take me off after beating Adler to a pulp. He wouldn't let go no matter how hard they beat him up, and even when he was completely weak and exhausted, he still didn't.With tears dropping from my eyes, I whispered, “Let me go this time. It hurts to see you hurting so much because of me.”“No!! I'm not leaving you here. We're not sure what they would do to you. No, I cannot risk it.”More tears cascaded down my face. “I'll be back. Soon enough, I'll return to you.”He looked into my eyes and only then did he let go of me. As the men dragged me off, I did nothing but stare at Adler.He was broken and at the verge of giving it up. My heart was shattered, and even more because I didn't know where I was being taken to and what would be done to me.“Where are you taking me? What's this about?” My voice rang in protest as I fought on. They didn't utter a word and only pulled me off.We went, eventually halting in front of a house still within Perrin’s property
Theodore‘s.Black valley in Black moon pack.I had to leave my villa at the Crescent Lane pack. It doesn't feel safe anymore especially when Perrin wouldn't stop acting weird and suspicious.Black Valley reminded me of my birthright; I gained a membership of the Crescent Lane pack, and Perrin’s Dad gave me the privilege, but deep down, the black blood of my pack can never turn to water nor change.While Perrin had it rough growing up, especially after his parents were murdered, I had it well, but it couldn't last. My dad wasn't an Alpha but a normal warrior obsessed about power- The legacy I would be honored to carry the cross.I stared into the space of my balcony as I wallowed in my thoughts. I had been expecting news from my spy at Crescent Lane, but they've decided to stay low for now, going by Perrin's suspense.My wine filled to the half of the glass while I dangled it rhyming with the rhythm of my silence.“I wonder how far he can go searching for her. I am in control now- I a
Perrin's.It came as a shock and it all happened too fast. It had been two days since Quinn had been abducted, two days of consistent searching and spying yet to no avail.I had my Beta, Gamma, and also one of my trusted allies amongst the pack show up in my study room. Gianna was the only one who knew I was going in search of Quinn, she speculated but I was so sure I didn't confirm her presumption; My Gamma was out of town and he just resumed then to my trusted ally, he knew me more than enough to do what I have done, it was obvious to him and I was a little shocked when he didn't mention or tried to question my authority.My mind was set up in chaos, stewing in rage as curiosity devoured my demeanor, leaving me battling with questions flooding my mind.I set back my head to the office chair I was sitting on while I anticipated the arrival of my knights I called upon. Different knots to be entangled yet left with no idea where to start, everything seemed fishy. I clenched my fist in
QUINNI slowly opened my eyes only for my gaze to meet with an unfamiliar environment.I rubbed my eyes, confused. "Where is this place? What am I doing here?" I kept asking, still confused, but my vision was still so blurry that I couldn't even name the things around me yet."Hmm..." I growled, realizing that I couldn't move my body as well as I wanted to.After some seconds, I was finally feeling a bit better and sane, at least sane enough to know that I was in a cage in an unknown environment.The last few things that I could recall were going to the safe place in the pack house with an omega who was asked to watch over me.I'm certain something happened after that. I couldn't point a finger at anything in particular until my eyes fell on the back of someone outside the age I was in."Wait... You're that omega, right?" I asked, trying to see her face well, but I couldn't. I knew she was the one, and she must have had something to do with this.Logically, if we were both invaded, th
~Chapter~Perrin's.It all happened like lightning, I thought I got it under control, I thought my assumption was correct until he showed up looking worried.The silent support I had turned against me. They all kept muted when I told them my assumption and now that Theodore showed up shattered and disoriented, I realized the silence has been impregnated with unsaid words.Theodore left in rage, turning the table against me and pinning me as the villian. He got the upper hand since she was his mate and I couldn't counter his opinion even though deep down,I know he had a lot of role and ploy to play in this game.His rage, his action, his words…they all displayed the authenticity he wanted the pack to see but to me it was nothing but another lawn in his game.My back facing the door while I dipped my hands in my sides pocket staring through the ceiling to floor window of my study into the space, my gaze affixed as changes in the climate took into action from broad to dusk. It has been s
Perrin I was not just in search of Theodore, but I needed to find Quinn too. I ran my hand through my hair, thinking of where Quinn must have gone to.At this point, I needed to find a way to stop the killing and help my pack members."Hey!" I called the second my eyes fell on Theodore in the crowd, trying to escape the circle of conflict."Theodore!" I called again, and then he turned to me; his gaze was so passive that if it were any other day, I would have demanded an apology for his rudeness."They're leaving, if that's what you came to talk to me about. I don't know how you were able to make Quinn feel so attracted to you that even with the mate bond pulling us together, she ignores it!""She keeps on acting like she's not seeing me, and when we were little, we were so close that I would say that we were never apart from each other!" Theodore said, but none of what he said made sense. I wanted him to leave, or, in other words, I didn't want him around."Where's Quinn?" I asked.
~Chapter ~Perrin's.I wasn't expecting Quinn to turn to them and asked for their help but this is something we would have to talk about.Their bloodlust was all over the air, the fangs gnawing against each other ready to devour anyone who comes their way.There glared affixed on me like a predator studying its prey.“This is not about a rival pack, this is not just a fight breaking down because they want the pack…..This is clearly more like an assassin and the only difference I could point out was they came through in a day and didn't seem to care about other beings.” I thought.I checked around to see if others were still where they are, this seems to look more like my fight as it was so obvious that their mission was to terminate me, the pack was just an additional bonus to their goals.They set aback almost in their four, leaning backward, their claws all set out while their bloodlust eyes scaled through me sending a shiver through my spine, a shiver that came with nostalgia. I co
QUINNIn the days that followed, everything was a blur of repairs, funerals, and silence. The pack had suffered trials by bond-smithing and sheer treachery, and trust was the first victim. Worse, no one had any idea how the Bloodfangs could strike so accurately, at least officially. Perrin had not told them. He would not until he proved it. I saw it in the way he looked at me.He did not blame me; he knew it was because of my foolishness that Theodore had gotten so close.And I couldn't fault him for that.Because, if I were to delve deep, I would have wanted to believe in Theodore.I would have wanted to believe someone from my past could still be this same boy I had once trusted.But Theodore was never going to save me.He was after my claim.---The letter showed up late on the night of the fourth day.A single folded note left at the gates, sealed with wax and stamped with a familiar crest-a wolf wrapped in thorns.Quinn,You deserve better than a cage dressed up as a home.I ga
PERRIN The stench of blood permeated the walls, long after the battlefield had gone silent.Even days later, it seemed to be seeping into everything - soil, stone, air. It brought back terrible memories of an earlier time, another night when I was too young and far too innocent.When I had believed in the word "alliance."When I had believed in mercy.---Seventeen was the age at which, one dark night, my parents were murdered.It was a violent attack, completely without reason- the rogues had come easy in the storm, covered from rain and wind; when the alarms were sounded from our warriors, the packhouse was already alight.I had already fought. I was too young to be Alpha but was old enough to know what bleeding for your people meant.I held my mother while the last of her life slipped away. The waning light in her eyes: the message came from my father, torn throat whispering:"Protect them."I did what I could: the youngest, the eldest, the too wounded to stand - huddled them toge
QUINNShall I say they felt extraordinarily long? Indeed, they did.Waking every morning with a wish for peace inside, it was but a wish-I would never find it. Though Perrin lay beside me, holding me as if nothing else mattered, whispering false, insincere promises that I was safe now, worry would not leave my heart leaden and mind restless. I should be happy. I had Perrin. I had returned to the pack. Freedom.Deep inside, I felt that something was amiss. It kept gnawing away at me — all that had happened. About Theodore. About the lies. About the danger I didn’t see coming.And always, the voice in my head said:What if it happens again?That day, Perrin had gone out on pack business, and I sat alone on the wall-less bed, gazing into the empty expanse around me. Only the old, relentless ticking of the clock could be heard that day throughout the unusual quietness in the house. My heart felt tight in my chest.I couldn't take it anymore.It was answers I longed for. I needed help. I