Tammy's POV I stare at him, waiting for a reply. He seems short of words, his mouth opening but no sound coming out. "Well?" I prompt, my voice cool."Tammy..." He rubs the back of his neck. I raise a brow, waiting for him to speak. "I don't know how to make this sound right to you."I cross my arms. "Try. We don't have all day.""The sickness is the other reason why I brought you here. And like I told you before, there's nothing that can be done to help them out. They are all under the influence of a curse."A curse? "If I'm not capable of helping them out, that isn't a valid reason for bringing me out here, Adam. Everything just borders on one fact, that you only brought me here because you think we would end up together.""Tammy," he begins, but I hold out a hand, stopping him. "Even if I could help them out, and let's say they recover by some chance, what would you do afterward? Will you keep me here against my will? huh, Adam?" My eyes bore into his, searching for answers.He
Adam's POV Seething, I storm out of Tammy's room and down the stairs to my father's office, where I know he will be. How dare he interfere in my relationship with my mate? He tried to fill her up with doubts about me, and he was successful. Now I understand why Tammy left. His meddling is slowly starting to get on my nerves. He couldn't force me to leave her, so he tried to get her to leave me. I must say, that was a clever move on his part, but it would be the last time he meddles in my business that way. Without knocking, I barge into the office, not caring if my action is disrespectful or not. Luckily, I find him on his seat, his back to me. He glances over his shoulder as he hears the sound of the door crashing open, but other than that, he doesn't acknowledge my presence. "Father," I say, my voice low and measured. "Adam," he responds, "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asks, still not facing me. "Why did you say that to Tammy?""Who?" he feigns ignorance, but I notice
Adam's POV I quietly shut the door quietly behind me, leaving my Father's office. I struggle to wrap my head around everything that happened just now. Of all the ways I expected my confrontation to go, none of them involved him admitting his mistakes so easily. It felt too sudden.A prickle of suspicion runs down my spine. What must have triggered it? Was he being sincere? Regardless of him claiming it was because of my mother's death anniversary coming up, I don't think that is the main reason. She died years ago, so that can't surely be enough to trigger a change of heart on his part. Tammy might just be this pack's good luck charm, after all. I walk briskly down the hallway, not knowing exactly where I'm headed as my mind is filled with questions from the conversation."Adam," Eric's voice breaks through my thoughts. He falls into step beside me. "I saw you leave Father's office. Is everything okay?"I give a curt nod, offering nothing else.Eric eyes me silently, his brows rai
Adam's POV I carefully lift Tammy into my arms, her body limp and unresponsive. "Thank you," I say to Father, the words feeling adequate. After all, he was the one who found her first. A small smile stretches on his lips. "It's no problem, son," he pats my arm and walks away. I carry Tammy down the hall, bypassing her room and heading straight for mine. I don't want her to be alone tonight. Not after this. The scent of her – a delicate mix of roses and something else, something hot – fills my senses as I walk. It is a stark contrast to the familiar scent of sandalwood and old leather that permeates my own room.She might not be too happy with my decision when she wakes up, but it's what's best for her at the moment.I gently place her on the bed, her white hair spilled across the pillow, framing her face. In her present state, she looks so fragile, different from the feisty woman she usually is. I gather some supplies from my bathroom, dropping them on the bed. Then, I go to fin
Tammy's POV The silence is the first thing I notice after stepping out of the house. Not just the absence of any sound, but a heavy stillness that presses against my skin, making my ears prickle. The air feels thick and charged, like a storm about to break. A knot of unease tightens in my stomach. Something feels wrong. Ignoring the growing sense of dread, I start my walk towards the infirmary, hoping to find someone there. After Adam left, I went back to sleep, although it didn't last. My mind was unable to rest easy. My dreams were a mix of unsettling images - flashes of people I don't recognize, my appearance in places I have never known of. I finally gave up trying to rest, so I took a bath and came outside, deciding that I needed to do something. Anything. And working at the infirmary seems like the best option. I know Adam said that there's nothing I can do to help, but hopefully, I will find something to keep me busy. I don't want to be consumed by the feeling that I'm
Tammy's POV A loud voice slices through the air. "If you don't want to do it, then we will!" Fear pierces through me as I look around the chanting crowd, scared of what may happen to me if I stay here any longer. I immediately start to regret my decision to come back. I had made a terrible mistake.As I turn to flee, a man stumbles into my path, his face flushed and contorted in anger. He is occupied with his agitation and doesn't notice me, so I slip around him and walk away, desperate to escape."Where do we search?!" The same man asks again. "No need," Amanda's voice cuts through the noise. "She is right here with us."A cold chill runs down my spine, and I bring my steps to a halt as I hear her words, wondering how she knew I was here all along. 'Did she see when I walked in?'I turn, my gaze locking onto hers. She stares at me directly, her finger pointing in my direction. "There she is," she announces, her voice carrying an undertone of triumph.The crowd's roar dies down,
Tammy's POV The world swims back into focus. One moment, I'm falling, the hard ground rushing up to meet me, and the next, I'm standing here, in the place I stood before the events. The echoes of the crowd's laughter still ring in my ears. 'Had it been some kind of dream? A hallucination?I gingerly touch the back of my head, where I had taken the hit, but I don't feel any soreness. "Tammy," I vaguely hear someone call out to me before I feel a gentle hand land on my shoulder. "Tammy." Realizing it's Adam, I flinch, pulling away instinctively.He frowns, his brows drawing together. "I noticed you standing here for a while. Are you okay?""Y-yeah," I stammer, still shaken by fear. "I'm fine."Fine isn't even close to what I feel at the moment. I still feel troubled by the memory of Adam's betrayal, the man's screams, and the crowd's accusations. He pins me with a searching gaze. "Did you plan on going somewhere?""Somewhere?" I echo, my mind still reeling."Yes. You've been standi
Eric's POVI have been trying to figure out what's odd about Tammy, but I've been unable to come up with anything helpful. Every time I think I have figured it out, something else happens, that throws me off. And her being completely clueless about everything, makes it even worse. A knot of unease tightens in my chest. She's not just my brother's mate, she's becoming like family too. Ever since she came into the pack, some things have shifted around here. Though subtle, but undeniable. Especially after the incident at the infirmary. I know there's no proof that those people regained consciousness because of her, but I firmly believe that she was responsible for it. It would have been easy to brush it off as a mere coincidence, but after Adam reported her being able to smell things that he couldn't, even with his strong sense of smell, I knew it wasn't normal.I spent the morning at the library, searching for books that have something to do with our world, hoping I could find someth
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