Thank you for reading drop a gem if you enjoyed this chapter. xxx
Jaden“Where did she fucking go?” someone cries, but all I can focus on is the lip of the cavern, waiting for Stacey to emerge. My pumpkin. My stomach twists as I feel her fear ratchet up another notch through the bond. I’d promised her I would always protect her from spiders. I’d promised her a lot of things, and in my anger and spite, I had used everything I knew about her against her.Would she ever forgive me?My hands grip the worn leather seat in the observatory. The scent of sweat fills the air the tension palpable in the room. My eyes strain for a hand, a face, something to tell me she will make it out. The dim light casts eerie shadows on the red walls, and the cool, musty air feels thick as it fills my lungs. I can feel both Hunter and Paxton’s stares as I try to remain calm, my body rigid and face expressionless.“What’s down there?”“Are there any cameras?”“Can we see what’s going on?”Voices blur as I wait, my heartbeat loud in my ears, each thud sending shivers down my s
StaceyBright lights burst behind my eyelids, blindingly white and relentless, as I hear an earsplitting beeping noise. Wherever I’m laying, it feels like it’s moving, swaying slightly beneath me. The smell of antiseptic fills the air, sharp and medicinal, mingling with the faint, metallic scent of blood. I can hear muffled voices, tense and frantic, their tone heavy with urgency. None of them sound happy. Do they have to scream so loud?I slip back inside my mind where it’s quiet and nothing hurts. Even with my shifter healing, my body aches as if I’ve been hit by a bus. Every muscle throbs, and there’s a deep, lingering pain in my leg. Then, images worse than my nightmares flash between my eyes—shards of horror that make my stomach churn. With a jolt, I sit upright, my heart racing as the images fade away, leaving me breathless and disoriented. Only they weren’t nightmares, they were real.I blink, still bleary-eyed, as I scan the room around me. It isn’t my bedroom at home or at th
JadenIt was one of those moments where everything went by in slow motion but in the blink of an eye. By the time I had dropped Gemma off at the underground hospital and rushed back to help Hunter, the arachne was already down, its massive, hairy legs twitching in defeat, and Pax had lifted Felicity out of the arena. She was conscious and screaming, her voice raw and piercing. The look she gave me—a mix of terror, betrayal, and pain—was one I wouldn’t forget in a hurry.Then, after the pack doctor came down and allowed us to give the three girls some meds to help stabilise them, they were brought to the pack hospital. The antiseptic smell of the hospital filled my nostrils, and the sound of beeping monitors created a constant, unnerving backdrop. One of the pack guards let me know Aurora and Kara had arrived with their mates, and Gabriel had been sent in to check on them. I had notified both Gemma and Stacey’s parents that there had been an incident and that their daughters were curre
JadenAfter Stacey all but kicked me out of her hospital room, I waited outside, keeping her in my sights. The antiseptic smell of the hospital clung to my nostrils, mingling with the faint scent of fear and uncertainty that hung in the air. I kept seeing her eyes find mine from time to time through the glass window. Was she checking if I was still here? Did she want me to leave? My wolf and the bond wouldn’t let me, even if wanted to - which I didn’t. Every cell in my body was screaming to stay close to her, a desperate ache pulsing through my veins. Did she feel it too?I lit up another cigarette, the flicker of the lighter briefly illuminating my face. The smoke billowed around me, curling and twisting like my thoughts. The acrid taste filled my mouth, offering a bitter comfort. I could see Todd hovering close by, his presence an annoying itch at the edge of my consciousness. He didn’t dare go in to see her while I was here. I caught his eye, seeing him blanch as I gave him a cruel
JadenI glance at the doctor, checking her over as he looks between us before making some excuse before escaping. I don’t enter her room as I turn to look at her, raising a brow, masking my expressions as I watch her. I really can’t stand her.“Won’t you come in?” she asks, her voice all sweet like candy. I hear laughter down the hall, no doubt coming from Stacey’s room. My heart squeezes as I turn away and step into Felicity’s room. I scratch the back of my neck, seeing her own leg bandaged. “I’m sorry you got injured,” I tell her after a beat of uncomfortable silence. She smiles, patting the bed, a space next to her, but I just tap my boots on the floor.Her smile falters when I don’t go to her. I see those pale blue eyes narrow at me, her sharp features looking bitter. “I have somewhere to be,” I answer, although I don’t see why I should have to. Her lips curl before she nods in understanding. “Of course, an alpha is always busy… good thing you will have a luna to help you,” she ba
JadenAs I left the sterile, fluorescent-lit halls of the hospital, I quickened my pace to meet with the two families waiting for me. The rain was relentless, stinging my face with each drop. But I couldn’t bring myself to care as I lit another cigarette, desperately trying to calm my nerves before coming face to face with them. Part of me wanted to run and hide, but another part wanted to confront the situation head on. The conflicting emotions made it hard to think clearly as I stood there in the pouring rain.My clothes were soaked through by the time I finally arrived at my office, despite the protection of my trusty leather jacket. My once sturdy boots now felt heavy and waterlogged, matching the weight in my heart as I approached the door. As I opened it, eight pairs of eyes turned to look at me, all filled with anticipation. Standing before me were Stacey and Gemma’s parents, their expressions expectant and hopeful.The door let out a loud creak, breaking the eerie silence of t
JadenI took a deep breath and closed my eyes, steeling myself for what was to come. Just rip off the band aid and get it over with … how bad can it be?“During the games there was an incident which caused injuries to both your daughters. They have been taken to the pack hospital and been given the best medical care possible. Gabriel Reynolds is even here to ensure they both make a full recovery,” As Gabriel's name is uttered, a tumultuous storm of emotions washes over their faces. Relief floods in, quickly followed by concern they know what having someone like Gabriel here means. His healing skills are known throughout the packs as someone who can heal anything. But in order for him to come things must be pretty dire in the first place.“How badly injured are they if Gabriel needs to be here? What is going on?” As Rhys speaks, his face turns a deep shade of red, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrow in frustration and anger. A small spray of spit escapes his lips, as he struggles to c
JadenI see the white walls and sterile floors of the hospital, the bright fluorescent lights, and the worried faces of the people around me. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait outside Stacey’s hospital room whilst her parents were in there. I can hear Gemma’s parents wailing and sobbing from inside the room, their pain and fear tangible even through the thick walls. Although the poison had been treated before we were able to get to her, the venom had begun shutting down her organs.Gabriel was confident he could fix her, but I wasn’t so sure. Despite her werewolf healing abilities, I couldn’t shake the fear that she may not recover from the venom that had reached her heart and lungs as her blood helped pump it around her body. I wanted to hold on to hope, but I couldn’t ignore the stark reality of the situation.I was itching for a cigarette. My nerves were on edge, exacerbated by the lingering chill from my damp clothes. Todd’s departure left me unsure of where Stacey and I stood