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
StaceyAttempting to stretch, I find the blanket clinging to me like a cocoon of stifling warmth and unease, hindering my movements. A faint scent of disinfectant fills the air, causing my nose to wrinkle in response. Overwhelming heat and discomfort engulf me, while one side of my body remains oddly numb. As I slowly open my eyes, the incessant beeping of machines fills my ears, accompanied by the gentle sound of someone snoring beside me.Oh … I’m about to shove him off me, staring at the man lying next to me, but something about him looks so peaceful, so vulnerable, I can’t bring myself to disturb him. How can I refuse? I watch him sleep, noticing the dark shadows under his eyes, the way his tousled dark wavy hair falls in front of his face, and how his lips part in his sleep. He is beautiful, god damn.Still, it doesn’t change what he did … he marked me and then tossed me back into the brutal games. Gemma is - and his mate is still here. I saw her come past my room earlier in a whe
StaceyAs I lay in my hospital bed, staring at the plain white ceiling, there was a knock on the door. My parents and younger sister, Libby, walked in with worried expressions on their faces. I couldn’t help but think about Jaden’s words from last night and wonder if our relationship was truly past repair. The room fell silent as we all tried to process the situation, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of uncertainty that consumed me. My head was spinning with conflicting feelings. Did I even want to try to work through this?Libby had a mischievous look in her eyes as she playfully patted Gretchen’s head, causing her ears to stick out in comical angles. You could see the whites of her eyes, her playful giggle filling the silence. I tried not to interfere Gretchen is rather good natured when it comes to my little sister but I could also feel the slight pull on my wrist as she caught it in my wires, causing a sharp pain to shooting up my arm almost ripping the wire out. I was less pat
Jaden“Give me some good news.” I ran my fingers through my hair for the hundredth time, nerves knotting in my stomach. Hunter, with his gruff demeanour and dishevelled appearance, gave me a nonchalant shrug. His expression turned serious as he rewound the tape from the last round of our games. “I tried to warn you,” he remarked, pausing the video before meeting my scowl with a knowing look. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?” My fists clenched at my sides, anger boiling inside me. “These are my fucking games. I make the rules and decide who wins!” things didn’t go according to plan, and I was bracing myself for the news that would ruin everything I had worked for.His fingers flew across the keyboard as Hunter watched multiple screens replaying the footage, one displaying the games in the arena and another showing a recorded feed of the alphas watching from the observatory. All my guests had seen what had happened. I didn’t even know how I was going to spin that one.
Jaden“Can we even afford to this?” I ask Hunter. His face is lit up by the glow of his computer screen, his brows furrowed in deep thought. “Depends what your freedom is worth to you … do you want to make Felicity our luna?” he suggests, arching a brow as I scowl at him, tapping my fingers to the soft humming of the computer. “No!” I answer immediately as he shrugs his shoulders, looking rather pleased with himself.“I don’t know why I keep you around,” I grumble as he laughs, getting up from his screens and clapping me on the shoulder. “Because you love me!” he teases, giving me a smirk before waggling his brows as I roll my eyes, shoving him away. “God, you're annoying!” he snickers, returning to his computer tapping a few keys, so the screen goes blank.“Right, I best get this over with,” the idea leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Fuck, sometimes it’s no fun being me. Hunter nods, packing up his stuff as I leave the hospital room heading back up to the next floor. I don’t go near
StaceyAurora’s concerned eyes met mine, as she asked, “So we have a plan then?” I nodded, but inside I knew it was ridiculous. What else could I do? Gabriel had just come in to check on my leg, and there was still a glimmer of hope that with the venom out of my system, I might be able to heal myself. At least that was the hope, I was ready to get out of here.Gabriels white lab coat was neatly pressed, and a stethoscope hung around his neck. “Your vitals look good are you ready to take this off?” he questions flashing a warm smile that put me at ease. I let out a sigh of relief and nodded eagerly. “Yes please,” Aurora chuckles as she looks at her mate I can see those emerald green eyes of hers sparkle alighting with love and lust. It made my heart ache for someone to look at me with such intensity instead of the usual pained expressions and growling I get from Jaden … even Todd has never looked at me like that.Gabriel gently guided my leg down from the hoist, his fingers tapping ligh