StaceyI make my way down my front garden filled with vibrant flowers and twisting vines, Taylor by my side as a wall of guards surround me. I can just see a barricade of black jackets that swallow them whole with broad shoulders as I reach the end of the driveway. There is a sweet fragrance from the flowers and damp earth from the nighttime due. I turn to look at Taylor, who gives me a nod, gesturing for us to go left. I can hear so much chatter and noise from all the guests that it’s a little overwhelming and I’m glad for the formidable line of bodyguards.We make our way through the woods up towards the pumpkin patch field. A blur of dark greens and browns, the trees tall and imposing, like sentinels guarding their domain. The moonlight filters through the thick branches, casting eerie shadows on the ground. I can see the sharp blades of grass and twigs scattered on the forest floor, unmoving, as we walk forward. I can’t even hear the birds or the twigs snapping beneath my heels as
JadenThe ground begins to rumble violently, splitting apart beneath our feet as a deafening roar echoes through the air. Chaos erupts in the crowd as people scream and scramble to escape, knocking over chairs and trampling one another. I watch in horror as the crack widens, hurtling towards the stage with unstoppable force. The sound of tearing earth fills my ears as dirt sprays into the air, blinding me momentarily. Suddenly, the stage gives way and snaps in half, sending me tumbling backwards. Frantically, I search for Stacey in the chaos, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Panic sets in as I realise the crack is growing wider and deeper, swallowing everything in its path. “STACEY!” I shout desperately, hoping she can hear me over the chaos.My heart races as I strain to hear any response from Stacey amidst the squawks of party guests. “STACEY!” But she’s gone, disappeared into thin air. In her place, a gaping chasm has opened up, swallowing everything in its wake. Dirt and debris tumbl
AuroraI wiped the tear away, seeing my brother and best friend mark each other, their eyes locked on one another. There is something about a public declaration of love that just gets me. I have barely wiped the tear away, not wanting to ruin my makeup before I hear the excruciating screams and the commotion as Jaden and Stacey stare off into the distance. I swallow, rising from my seat as the ground quakes Jaden and Stacey stumbling apart.The moon’s poignant glow beams down on me as I frantically summon a protective bubble. The icy night air prickles my skin, but I barely register the chill as I grab onto Stacey’s hand and pull her along towards the tree line. The ground beneath us shifts and slides, dirt spraying in our wake as we desperately try to escape. With all my strength, I push the shield towards Stacey, watching as it shimmers and glimmers into existence around her body. “Where are we going?” she gasps, struggling to keep up with me. I have no answer for her, only followin
HunterThe ceremony is chaos. Despite so many of the guests fleeing, many are injured. I frantically search for Pax, my eyes settling on his limp form at the bottom of the cannon. Fuck, I jump down after him because that’s what he would do for me. I find his body laying at an odd angle thankfully he didn’t fall the entire way to the bottom or I may not have found him through the darkness. His head is caked in blood, a deep gash oozing down his face. His arms and body are covered in cuts, some so deep that bone is visible. He is also out cold.“Wake up, you fucker!” I growl at him, slapping his face with a force that makes his nose crinkle and groan. Good, he’s awake. “I don’t have time to deal with your useless ass right now. Just hold on to my back and try not to weigh me down.” I grunt as he complies. The screams from above echo in my ears as I desperately search for a way out. The cannon is deep, but as I look down, seeing nothing but darkness, I suspect where it will lead.I dig m
JadenMy heart races as I see her charging towards us like a raging bull. Fear grips my entire body, paralysing me for a moment. No. “Pumpkin, turn around I’ve got this,” I urge through the mind link, but Felicity notices my line of sight and changes her direction seeing Stacey come towards us. I see her eyes widen in fear as she swallows, but still charging towards us. Shit. “Where are you going!” I yell after Felicity, seeing her crack the whip as she turns the Arachne around and they charge towards my pumpkin. I sprint, running after them. “STACEY!” I yell, scream, my heart beating wildly in my chest.I dart towards the towering Arachne, heart hammering in my chest as I calculate my chances. A reckless plan forms in my mind - if I can just get close enough, I can use its bristly hairs like a ladder to scale up and face Felicity head on. With adrenaline coursing through me, I spring into action, claws at the ready as I launch myself towards the monstrous creature. My claws scrap agai
JadenStruggling and panting, I fight to push Claxton off of me. Suddenly, he pauses and I twist my head to see the Arachne charging towards Hunter, Kara, and Elio. In the midst of the chaos, other members of Claxton’s pack and alphas are locked in battle. Taking advantage of the distraction, I manage to knock Claxton’s wolf form off of me before kicking up a cloud of dirt to temporarily blind him. Adrenaline pumping through my veins, I sprint towards where Stacey and Felicity are fighting for their lives. “Hunter, subdue Claxton now!” I order through the link. Turning my attention back to Stacey, I can see her hair has come loose from her braid. Sweat on her brow makes the few strands stick to her skin. She has several cuts on her arm as she blocks Felicite’s blade to stop her from shredding her dress.I race to catch up to them, my heart pounding in my chest as I knock Felicity, forcing her to stumble to the ground, her body rolling in the dirt before she springs back up like a cat.
FelicityA victorious smirk curls my lips as I watch my mate with cold, dead eyes. His hands claw at his neck where I had sunk my teeth in, blood gushing out between his fingers. My tongue darts out to taste the metallic liquid and I savour the delicious flavour of his life force. The bond between us crackles and burns inside my chest as he stares up at me in confusion and terror. “That’s right babe, you're mine,” I taunt as I turn to see that pathetic that little whore scream out as she crashes to ground holding her neck where he marked her. But soon enough, that mark will be on MY neck, and she will learn her place as nothing but a discarded plaything.A twisted smirk spreads across my face as I glance her way as I straddle Jaden to the ground, pinning him beneath me. Why on earth they picked this gross pumpkin patch for their ceremony, I have no idea. When we have ours, it will be at the pack house or somewhere grand. “How about I give you a few pointers, babe, so you can see how I
Jaden“Mark me!” Felicity roars, her voice echoing off the walls of the cavern. My head throbs with pain as I shake my head, unable to comply. The searing agony in my neck spreads through my entire body, making it difficult to breathe. But I keep my eyes fixed on Stacey, watching for any signs of danger. Despite the agony, I can’t tear my eyes away from Stacey, watching her every move to ensure her safety from the deadly Arachne. But even as Aurora slips in to protect her using her shield, the sharp lines of pain etched on her face still break my heart and crush my chest.It’s an odd feeling I can still feel the bond to Stacey, but it just feels dimmed. I cling to it knowing the bond is still there and we can salvage it.Felicity claws at my sides, her needy scent filling the space between us as she begs for my mark. She even goes as far as baring her neck and rubbing against me. At one point, she even peels my lips back and rubs her neck against me, hoping I will mark her by accident