Zelene Sallow:"Try some of the seared scallops," Lady Jewel urged, her finger directed at me. I understood that her concern was hardly genuine, whether I ate or went hungry wasn't her priority. It was merely a display of her superiority. I comprehended her game. I had never encountered such lavish feasts before, but that had never been a concern for me. I was grateful for whatever food I received, thanking the Moon Goddess for her provision.I was growing somewhat weary of her constant scheming. There was no reason she would have invited me to lunch purely for self-satisfaction.Ray had chosen to abstain from the meal, completely avoiding anyone's gaze by not joining. Now that I considered it, I hadn't actually laid eyes on him since last night."I heard you visited the private strip club last night," Lady Jewel remarked nonchalantly, her focus seemingly fixed on her food.I observed the brothers gradually halting their consumption of various dishes and shifting their focus towards m
Zelene Sallow:His quiet gaze held a plethora of emotions, compelling me to meet his eyes once more. However, I hesitated, recalling the overwhelming sense of confusion from our last eye contact.With a deep sigh, I attempted to walk past him, but my steps came to an abrupt halt as his soft words reached my ears. "Can we talk?" he murmured.It was a challenge to fathom that the same man who had forsaken me, who had spurned me and consistently instilled a sense of unworthiness and mistrust, now sought a conversation in a tone of defeat."Pardon me?" I had to turn towards him to verify I wasn't concocting illusions. Having once deluded myself into believing in his love, I had come to accept that anything was conceivable."Could we talk for a moment?" he inquired once more, and this time, a shift occurred within me. How could he employ that tone with me? Did he genuinely believe that speaking softly would convince me to comply with his desires?"I don't have the time for a conversation t
Vera Rudd:"Please, take a seat," I invited Jessica, her disturbed demeanor catching my attention. I had extended the invitation after receiving distressing messages from her. Her plea for assistance seemed desperate."Did you have any inkling?" she inquired as she settled onto the couch."I presume you've encountered Zelene," I replied, the mere mention of her name invoking memories of her radiant smile while holding Ray's hand in my presence.That relentless omega acted like a parasite, not content with merely siphoning off my happiness but seemingly intent on depleting everyone's vitality."Why is it that I'm the last person to be informed?" Jessica's voice carried a hiss, her eyes reflecting the fear of losing Axel."I hadn't realized I was meant to be your information source," I retorted with a nonchalant shrug, sweeping my hair back."Vera! She singled me out and directly accused me, asserting to everyone that I had drugged her that night," Jessica elucidated the reason for her
Zelene Sallow:"Why did you bring us here?" I inquired, my voice filled with curiosity as I settled into the car's seat, Yuna cradled in my arms."I heard the pack recently opened a new ice cream parlor, and everyone's been raving about it," Oscar responded, briefly glancing at me before signaling the server to approach for his order.
Zelene Sallow:"We're back home, and Oscar appeared quite agitated.He practically rushed inside before me, and I followed behind with Yuna."Where were you two?" Instead of asking her son, Lady Jewel fixed her gaze on me, her expression tense.
Shane Cage:After Oscar introduced Zelene as his mate and the mother of his baby, I found it hard to focus on anything else.He held Zelene's hand and escorted her upstairs, leaving us with numerous thoughts swirling in our heads.While Axel could simply leave the mansion and put it all behind him, I didn't have that luxury.
Zelene Sallow:"Thank you," Oscar murmured, his attention momentarily shifting away from me as he arranged his trophies and certificates."No problem. I suppose I've figured out what job I could pursue," I quipped, maintaining a hint of seriousness in my tone.His gaze shifted to me, a curious expression on his face.I elaborated, "Promotional work.I think I could be good at advertising someone effectively." After a brief pause, he burst into laughter."No, seriously. What you did today, it's something nobody has ever done for me.You know, I don't want everyone constantly singing praises about my accomplishments, but I do hope they don't dismiss them either," he articulated,and I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with his sentiment.The way Lady Jewel had been speaking about him almost sounded like she was mocking him.However, ever since I stood up for him, he had thanked me a surprising twenty times.&
Zelene Sallow:The tenderness of his lips left me momentarily paralyzed. His hands were firmly holding my face, making any attempt to free myself futile. Not that I tried to resist.I didn't.I simply stood there, allowing him to draw me deeper into the kiss. His lips moved with an unrestrained fervor against mine, the sensation of them pressing, rubbing, and sucking ignited a storm within my chest.The faint click of the bathroom door acted as a sudden awakening. I placed my palms against his chest and gently pushed him away, though he didn't resist. We both recognized that Oscar must have emerged from the bathroom. I locked my gaze onto Shane's face, finding his eyes reflecting my own surprise.I couldn't believe he had just kissed me like that, and I hadn't even resisted. The impending awkwardness felt like a weight hanging over us, ready to drop at any moment. Thankfully, Oscar's sudden appearance from the bathroom broke the tension."Shane?" Oscar's voice snapped Shane back to re
Zelene Sallow:Life had been treating us very well. I didn't want a grand public ceremony, so we waited for the next full moon to perform the markings. They had organized days to spend with me. While I would be on a date with one brother, the others would take care of Yuna."Hey! Is everyone ready?" Shane came looking for us as I dressed Yuna in a sweet pink dress. She looked like an angel. It was her first birthday, and I couldn't have been happier watching her being adored and cared for by her fathers."Oh, look at you!" Oscar rushed into the room, gasping in awe at the sight of Yuna. Shane scooped her up, and she giggled in his arms."Let me hold her," Oscar insisted, and Shane passed her over. Ray and Axel entered the room after getting ready, and their expressions mirrored those of the others."Don't think we forgot about you. We'll compliment you once we've showered our daughter with enough praise," Axel teased me, making me laugh at him before he turned his attention back to Yun
Zelene Sallow:My heart sank as Ray tightened his arms around me, pulling me closer to his body while he reached his other hand out freely behind me. I couldn't see what was happening behind my back, but a sudden sensation of something splashing against my bare neck made me shudder and broke Ray's embrace."AHHH!" Vera's painful cry echoed through the air as Ray's knife slashed her throat before she could stab me. Ray shielded me, pushing me behind his back even though Vera could no longer pose a threat to me.Vera dropped to her knees and gurgled, her eyes blinking with difficulty but fixed on Ray's face."You------," she whispered, "for her---," her voice began to fade.As she face-planted, her body started to shudder. I shook my head as I contemplated what her death would mean for Ray."No!" I exclaimed in a shaky tone, rushing in front of Ray to hastily unbutton his shirt while he gazed at me with an astonished expression."You shouldn't have killed her," I protested, struggling t
Zelene Sallow:"Finish her!" Vera shouted. I saw Ray narrow his eyes and raise the knife blade, ready to strike me with force. He pressed it down hard, and just as he was about to slice my neck, I managed to utter through my broken sobs, "I love you."All of a sudden, everything went quiet. Ray paused for a moment, and the hardness in his expression softened."I never stopped loving you," I whispered once more, closing my eyes, ready to meet my fate."Do it, what are you waiting for?" Vera screamed, and I braced myself for the end. But then, nothing happened. I felt the cold blade being lifted from my neck."I guess I've been waiting for her to admit her love to me," he said in his usual, soothing tone. My eyes opened in shock as I saw Vera looking at Ray with utter surprise."Ray! Baby! What are you saying? Remember what we talked about?" she said with a broken smile, trying to get closer to him while secretly cutting her palms.I didn't understand what she was doing until I remember
Zelene Sallow:I watched as he tied my hands to the tree and then walked back to Vera. He had brought me to the woods and waited for me to regain consciousness. Now that I was awake, I was back to facing horrors.The two of them stood in front of me, Ray with a blank expression on his face and Vera with a proud smirk. The rain had blurred my vision, preventing me from seeing the disdain in their eyes as they looked at me."This is not going to help you get him," I voiced, shivering from the cold but filled with anger at the same time."He's already mine," she shrugged, showing me her bloody palms.I didn't understand the meaning behind her gesture until she clarified, "Every time my blood penetrates his mark, he becomes more and more mine.""Then what do you want from me?" I yelled, struggling to make her hear me through the heavy wind and pouring rain."Huh! Because you're never truly gone. Every time I have him, you crawl back into his life. This time, you almost made him break the
Ray Steele:I sat her down before the council, and they signed the papers for her punishment. She hadn't really said anything but kept staring into the distance, silent tears rolling down her eyes.I didn't bother talking to her the entire time, but I did plan to give her a piece of my mind. After the council cleared the charges from Zelene's name and signed Jessica's punishment, I handcuffed her in silver and made her walk behind me to the vehicle outside.In a few days, the full moon would consume me again, and I would forget about my love for Zelene. I would once again be upset with her and dismiss any love and affection for my daughter. It was just so unfair, but I was stuck in this mess.After I sat Jessica down in the back of the vehicle, I asked her, "What did you get out of it?" She had her head tilted, and big tears were forming in her eyes."You would have ended up with Axel if you hadn't caused all this mess," I knew sooner or later Zelene would have felt the mate bond with
Zelene Sallow:We began our journey back home in two different cars. Shane and Axel were in one car, and Axel had asked to carry Yuna, while Oscar and I were in the other.Oscar and I were the first to reach home. The rain had become so heavy that we had to rush inside instead of waiting outside for Shane and Axel's car.Once we were in the foyer, I began to pace around, glancing at the entrance for Shane and Axel and around the mansion for Ray."Ray!" Oscar called out for him, preparing to search for him, but before that could happen, Ray himself walked out."Oh my!" Oscar sighed in relief, and I echoed the sentiment."Where is Vera?" I asked instead of allowing Oscar to speak.Ray turned to look at me with a blank expression and then muttered, "she's resting in the guestroom.""I heard about Lady Jewel," Ray said with a shrug of his shoulders, "karma catches up with bad people sooner or later." Clearly, he was devoid of emotions because he wasn't himself. I couldn't even imagine how
Zelene Sallow:"Yuna isn't here!" I screamed when I rushed into the room and found her crib empty. This was my worst nightmare coming true. We had been so preoccupied with everything else that no one had thought she would come for Yuna."We need to find her," Oscar grabbed my arm, trying to snap me out of it before I got overwhelmed by tears and despair."How could she do this to me?" I screamed, sobbing as I followed behind Oscar, who was pulling me along with him."Right now is not the time to lose our composure; we need to find her. She wouldn't have gone too far," Axel ran behind us after making a call to Shane, who was already searching for her."What did Shane say?" I asked him, stopping near the car."He said some people saw her heading towards the mountains," Axel replied, helping me get into the car without any delay.Ray didn't come with us because, clearly, Vera wouldn't allow it. Moreover, he seemed to have lost his rationality to the point of becoming Vera's puppet.We dr
Zelene Sallow:"Where's Mom?" Shane and I rushed upstairs to find the cellphone Hans had mentioned. The things Hans had told us were devastating for Shane.Oscar looked up from his phone while he sat in the room where she was supposed to be resting. Ray was in his room with Axel, who was trying to stay close to him to prevent any further interaction with Vera.After learning what her father had done, they were now cautious of Vera and what she might be capable of."She went to use the restroom, why?" Oscar frowned, noticing our breathlessness. Shane was visibly upset, and Oscar couldn't help but see it."Where is it?" Shane avoided Oscar and began searching the room. I had to get closer to Oscar to update him on what was happening."Hans claimed that Lady Jewel was in a consensual relationship with him," I whispered, observing Oscar's eye roll as he doubted the man. "But there's more."I watched him slowly stand up and move closer to me as Shane continued to make a mess in the room."
Zelene Sallow:"Shane, stop it!" I yelled as I pushed him away from Hans, who couldn't even stand on his feet now.Shane was enraged, and so was Axel. Both of them were struggling hard not to let their wolves take over, but it was clear they were failing miserably."I'm going to kill this jerk!" Shane yelled again when he saw Hans trying to get to his feet. I had to push Shane once more to prevent him from harming Hans any further."Do you even know who you're defending?" Axel shouted in frustration, his eyes turning red from anger."What's going on here?" Oscar stood between the brothers and me and posed the crucial question."He... he was in our mother's room... he was assaulting her," Shane yelled, exposing Hans's crime, and even I couldn't hold back a gasp."What?" I yelped, covering my mouth in shock."That's not true--" Before Hans could say another word, Oscar turned around and punched him, knocking him to the ground and rendering him unconscious."I'm so glad you guys arrived.