Tammy's POV "Where is it?" I mutter, rummaging through the pile of books on the ground, hoping to find the book with the symbol. I woke up at the crack of dawn, with finding the book as the first thing on my mind, and it's been hours since I started searching, but to no avail. If anything, I managed to find that papa had a large collection of books, and he also stored my books from fourth grade. I had shed a few tears upon discovering them, and went back to my missionI groan in frustration, tugging at my hair. I could have sworn I kept it among these ones. How is it that every other book - relevant or irrelevant - is here, save for the one I actually need? Or maybe papa threw it away?Closing my eyes, I think back to the time when we were gathering our things from the old house, to move into this one. I try recalling if papa had burned any books, but nothing of that sort comes to memory. The only thing that comes to mind is him burning my nana's old diary, which he claimed was u
Tammy's POV I tried thinking up reasons why my grandad would have such a cryptic book, and none of them seemed to make any sense to me. And if that was the book he used to read me, why aren't there any proper wordings on it? How was he able to read it. The only person I was able to think of who can provide even a few answers to my questions, is Grandma Shannon, Papa's old friend. Which is why I'm taking a walk to her bookstore, in hopes that she would provide me with some answers. I walk into the dimly lit store, and the musty scent of dry wood and old books envelopes me immediately, making me feel a bit at home. I smile to myself as I move to the front desk, my mind flooded with the memories of the afternoons I spent here as a child. This place used to be my haven, as I did not have friends back then. I used to help Grandma Shannon organize the books, and sometimes she let me go home with a book or two. "Tammy!" Grandma Shannon greets as I approach her, rising from her
Tammy's POV The warm sunlight on my skin does little to calm my racing nerves as I walk the streets of the city of New Orleans. The aftereffects of the bizarre experience I had barely an hour ago still linger, leaving goosebumps lining my skin. The gentle breeze carries hushed whispers of that haunting name, sending shivers down my spine. I quicken my pace, weaving through the crowded streets, but a tingling sensation persists at the back of my neck, accompanied by the unsettling feeling of being watched. I pause, scanning the sea of faces around me, and that's when I see her - a red-haired woman with piercing green eyes, her gaze fixed intently on me. Our eyes lock, and she swiftly turns away, disappearing into the crowd. Despite her departure, the sensation of being watched lingers. I brush it off as mere paranoia and continue walking, but the bustling sounds and blurred faces only heighten my anxiety. A droplet of moisture on the back of my neck startles me, but when
Adam's POV I watch the slumbering form of my mate as she stirs in my arms while mumbling incoherent words.Ever since I brought her here, she's been clinging to me. She regained control briefly and wrapped her hands around me; she's been like that since then.Her long lashes caress her cheeks softly, and a little droplet of liquid rolls out of the corner of her mouth. A smile spreads across my lips at the sight. I wonder how anyone can look so beautiful, even in their sleep. It's a good thing she has been able to sleep so well. When I saw her walking on the street earlier, and the conditions that led me to bring her here, I wouldn't have thought that she would be able to sleep so soundly. As I continue to watch her, a faint frown appears on her forehead. She seems troubled even in her dreams. I reach out and gently stroke her hair, hoping to provide some form of comfort to her and ease the worries that haunt her even in slumber. My heart aches at the thought of what she must be g
Tammy's POV. The stinging sensation in my lower abdomen is the first thing I notice on opening my eyes. I should have suspected that my period is approaching, given my mood swings over the past few days.I try to sit up, but a heavy weight on my chest region stops me. I look at the source of the weight, and realize that a stranger's arm that's draped across my chest. I follow the arm to the rest of the body, and on seeing the sleeping face of the stranger, memories from yesterday flood my mind. My face heats up as I recall the confessions and the way I confided in him. I should have known better, from the way my emotions are always heightened before my period. Despite the initial shock, I can't deny the swelling in my heart as I remember the way he took care of me, even after I accused him of kidnapping me. Maybe he's trustworthy after all, and the way he comforted me, I felt at home in that moment. My body felt relaxed in his presence. This just adds more points to why I shoul
Tammy's POV "Do you mind if I go in with you?" He asks, pointing at the shower. I shake my head. "I don't mind," respond meekly, still not recovered fully from my earlier shock.He smiles. "Good, because I was gonna go in with you anyway," he says."I'm on my period," I inform him, as I feel the need to."I know," he says, a smirk playing on his lips. "How did you-"I gape at him as he moves ahead of me to prepare the tub. 'And to think I was starting to like this man.' He still remains mysterious, after all. "You're really annoying," I mumble under my breath. He chooses that moment to glance back at me. "You coming?" he questions, reaching his hand out for me to take. Wanting to give him a show, I leave his hand hanging mid air and I walk past him into the tub, with a swing to my hips. I revel in the way his eyes roam my body, and in the obvious bulge in his pants. Repeating his words from earlier, I turn to face him with a raised brow. "You coming?"He swallows, regaining h
Adam's POV Two weeks. She's given me two weeks. To her it's just a time frame where she gets to decide if she wants to stay or not. But to me, it's the length of time I have to make my mate stay. And I plan on making sure she does. Luckily, she agreed to extend the time. I was already a nervous wreck internally when she proposed just a week, and if she hadn't agreed to extend it, I might have been led to kidnap her then. I'd rather have her hate me and still close to me, that not have her at all. Some may call it being selfish, some may call it being toxic, but I say it's just me being possessive and taking who I've waited so long for. We arrived at her house about thirty minutes ago, and now I'm sat in her dainty, simply decorated living room, while she grabs her belongings that she thinks would be enough for two weeks. If only she knew that fourteen days wouldn't be enough to satisfy my hunger for her companionship. I am now tasked with making her reciprocate - even to the ti
Adam's POV "We're here," I tell my mate as I park my car and turn off the ignition. I'm parked in a region where my car isn't too far from our settlement, but not close to the roadside either. That way, I'll always be ready when the need to flee arrives. She awakes from her sleepy state with a yawn, stretching her arms out. She turns around, taking in the environment, because she was asleep during more than half of our journey. "Huh?" she asks. "We're in my village," I inform her. "Where's that?" She glances behind her, rubbing her eyes. "Where's here? The only thing I can see here is the thick spread of trees. Do you live in a forest?" I chuckle at her question. "No. Well, not exactly. Like I said, it's a remote village and it's not developed." "Okay." She looks around again. "Where's everyone though? There ought to be people around at least, shouldn't there?" "There are, but we have to get to the settlement first." My mate nods. "So shall we go now?" She opens the
Alexander's POV A muffled groan escapes me as I pull at the chains binding my wrists, the cold metal biting into my skin. It's futile. No one has heard me in twenty years - I doubt today will be any different. Footsteps echo through the cave. Then, a familiar sound. "Tch tch tch." My captor clicks his tongue as he steps into the dim light. "What have I told you about making noise, Alex?" I don't respond. How can I, when I've lost my voice? He chuckles, low and cruel. "Oh, that's right. You can't speak."He moves closer, stretching out his hand. The moment his fingers hover near my skin, the searing pain begins. I should be used to it by now, but the agony never dulls. My mouth opens in a silent scream. "You know, I should have grown bored of this by now," he muses, watching me writhe. "But it still pleases me. Why is that, Alexan?" I glare at him, hatred burning in my eyes. It only amuses him. "How pitiful. The mighty Alpha of skyline pack... reduced to this. And yo
Third person's POV "Arabella!" Freya's voice cut through the stillness of the woods.'Where has she gone now?' her mother thought, pushing into the forest, searching for her daughter. Her eyes darted between the towering trees, searching for her daughter. The girl always wandered off, and Freya always had to go looking for her. A sharp squeal rang out behind her, followed by the sound of laughter. Freya spun around, heart lurching. "Arabella, come back! It’s just a bug; it won’t hurt you!""No, go away! You're gross!" The voice was closer now, high-pitched and teasing.A second later, Arabella came barreling through the trees, her black curls bouncing with each step. She crashed into Freya’s legs, giggling, until she glanced up and saw the stern set of her mother’s jaw. Freya folded her arms. "What have I said about you running off into the woods?"Arabella’s laughter died. She clasped her hands in front of her, eyes cast downward. "Not to go too far."A rustling came from the
Unknown person's POV I have been observing the girl Adam brought here - Tammy - for a while now, and none of them even suspect a thing. She isn't just a normal girl, no matter how much she tries to deny it. That night in the meeting, when she first arrived, I sensed something off about her. Something different. Her scent burned hot in my nose, too intense, too unnatural. At first, I thought it was just my heightened senses playing tricks on me. But when I saw her up close again, I knew it wasn’t. Even the people who woke up from the curse-induced sleep testified that they had seen her doing something to them. I can't believe that even when Adam was there to witness it firsthand, he still didn't try to investigate her properly. And when he eventually did, he convinced himself she was a Wanderer. He proves to be a fool at times. I'm incredibly glad that I've gotten somewhat close to them and I was able to get access to the book on Wanderers. And I'm also relieved that he wa
Tammy's POV I sit up, intrigued by what he has to say. "It happened when I was seven," Adam begins, his voice quieter now. "Around the time the curse started and my mom died. I can't seem to remember the details, but I remember thinking about the ashes on every tree. I decided I liked the color grey that day. I couldn't like the color of the ashes because of the sad memories attached to it... so I picked the color closest to it.""Shouldn't that have been white?" I tease, a soft laugh escaping me. He chuckles. "Grey's probably felt more like me. A dull, heavy nothingness."His words settle between us, and I frown. Something about his story doesn’t sit right with me. "All those things happened at once?" I ask, my brows furrowing. "That's three questions, Tammy," he points out, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "And to answer your illegal question - I don't know. My memories from that time are a blur. I only remember what came after.""That seems odd, don't you think?"He ex
Tammy's POV "What do you mean you can't find the key, Ophelia?" Adam's voice booms, vibrating through the thick, wooden door. He's asked her that, for might be the hundredth time, this morning. I'd woken to the sound of Adam's escalating shouts. Ophelia had so conveniently misplaced the key - my room key! And of course, there's no spare one around, because the keys were in a bundle.I fight to hold in a laugh as Adam's face flushes red, his frustration radiating off him. He's definitely tired of being trapped with me for so long. I don't blame him. After hours of forced proximity and a pretense of casual conversations, due to Ophelia's ingenious plan. We tried our best to make things less tense between us, but that has worn thin. And now, it's either Adam leaves, or we see how long we can ignore the obvious tension lingering between us. "Ophelia!" Adam roars, his fist slamming against the door again. "Find that key right now, or I swear you won't like what happens when I get out
Tammy's POV We've watched two more movies - romance and action - and I'm already starting to feel sleepy. Like she read my mind, Ophelia stands up with a yawn. "I think I'm gonna sleep now." She comes over and gives me a brief hug. "Good night, Tammy. It was so nice that you could join us." I wonder if I even had a choice.Eric, who had fallen asleep in the middle of the second movie, stirs awake. "Has the movie ended already?" He asks, and we both laugh. "Yeah," Ophelia answers. "I was just about to head back to my room.""I'll come with you," Eric says, rubbing his eyes as he stands. "Good night Tammy. Adam," he nods at his brother before they both leave the room. This movie night was more relaxing than I expected - well, if I ignore the uncomfortable moments with Adam. At some point during the movie, I’d unintentionally leaned into him, and the brief eye contact we shared felt like it lasted too long. He didn't seem to mind. But I, on the other hand, was freaking out inside.
Tammy's POV The chill of the night air seems to seep into my bones, a contrast to the heat that was pulsing through me moments before. "Forget we've ever been together," my words to Adam echo in my mind, leaving a bitter aftertaste. I watch Adam's retreating back, the broad line of his shoulders disappearing into the darkness, and a hollow ache settles in my chest. His kiss still lingers on my lips. I didn't intend to make him leave like that. Well, I did, but not in that way. I had expected things to go... smoother, to say the least.I almost regret telling him to pretend. Almost.'Liar.'The word claws its way up my throat, but I swallow it down. I know I'm not fooling anyone, especially not myself. The kiss, the way my body had responded on its own accord, even the way I’d melted into him, was a betrayal of my carefully constructed walls, of my determination to leave, and of my fear. I knew that after having a night together, he would begin to think that he had finally gotten
Adam's POV "Forget that we had sex." Her skin becomes darker, and it's noticeable even in the dim light. She clears her throat. "And uhm... also forget what happened after."I don't have to ask her what she means, understanding that she is referring to her loss of consciousness. I don't think it's something she should be ashamed of, though. But I don't tell her this, knowing that she wouldn't care to hear it. After all, she just demanded I forget everything, like it didn't mean anything to her. "Why?" I ask her. If I'm to do as she says - although it is impossible - I would have to get a good reason. It isn't just her experience; it is mine too. And it's like she's taking away my right to feel happy about being with my mate. She turns, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Why do you need an explanation?"I stand, like the seat suddenly became too hot for me. "Don't you think I deserve one? After all, you are my-" I stop myself, the word "mate" catching in my throat. I know that she
Adam's POVThe sound of Eric's booming laughter resonates through the woods. "It's not funny, Eric," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck. His laughing fit dies down, but a glint of amusement remains in his eyes. "Wait," he chuckles. "Come again. You mean she slept off while having sex with you?" "Yes," I breathe. My response sends him into another wave of laughter, and I instantly regret telling him. "Wow. I knew you sucked, but this is a whole new level."I ignore his jests. I know what happened to Tammy wasn't normal, I just know it. "She came into my room, begging me to have sex with her, and when it happened, she fainted." I pause. "Do you think that's normal?"The grin on Eric's lips vanishes, an unreadable look taking its place. "She came to you? I thought you went to her. I mean, isn't that the werewolf thing to do? Especially with the full moon's heat?"I sigh. "I know, and that's why I'm worried. Why would she do that, and then lose consciousness?""Do you think it's