Tammy's POV The smell gets stronger as we approach the rooms, but I try to control myself from reacting to it. Adam doesn't pay any more attention to me, which saddens me but also makes me feel relieved. "Where would you like to start?" he asks, his voice cutting through the uncomfortable silence that settled between us. I hesitate for a moment, considering the options. "I think I'll start with the ones who aren't too sick." That way, it would reduce the workload, and I can assess their condition effectively. Adam nods, changing his direction as he leads me there. I brace and comport myself, preparing to handle any situation I see. I won't be working with the help of anyone in my field, so I need to be able to handle everything with a clear mind and utmost maturity. We get to a door, and Adam pushes it open to give me access. I take a breath before entering, and as I do, the smell hits my nose again, but this time milder than when we just got here. In the medium-sized roo
Adam's POV I feel bad for lying to my mate. She's spending her time checking on patients who are as good as dead. She doesn't know that they're not just in an ordinary sleep, but it's the curse, and there's nothing she can do about it. I wish I could tell her everything that's going on, and it already looks like she's starting to get suspicious. I should have told her everything from the start, but I'm scared of losing her. She wouldn't have easily accepted the truth, and lying seemed to be the best option at that time. I'll tell her the truth when the time is right. 'But when would be the right time?' Thane chooses that moment to ask. I purse my lips, remaining silent, as I am unable to provide an answer to his question. 'We shouldn't keep lying to her.' 'I know. I'll tell her soon, I promise." Tammy has spent a lot more time in this room, I wonder why. It's been over thirty minutes since she went in, and she's still not out. For a simple check, she's spent enough
Tammy's POV A groan escapes my lips immediately after I wake up, my head pounding. The sun is already setting, which means I must have been out for a while. I try, but fail to remember what caused me to lose consciousness. All I am able to recall is going to the infirmary, but nothing after that, which is strange because I am sure I had done more than that. I stand up, but a the throbbing in my head increases, causing me to lose balance and fall back on the ground with a loud thud. I groan and try to pick myself from the ground. Adam comes to my aid at that moment, rushing into the room and helping me up. "Are you alright, Tammy?" Adam's voice is filled with concern as he helps me regain my footing. I nod weakly, still feeling disoriented from my sudden fall. "I don't know what happened," I mumble, rubbing my temples in an attempt to alleviate the persistent headache. "You fainted," Adam said carefully. Fainted? How did that happen? The pain in my head subsides
Tammy's POV "There's something I have to tell you."I sit up straighter, all my attention fixed on him. My heart thumps in anticipation of what he has to say. "I don't want to discuss anything in here, can we go for a walk instead?" I propose.I've been indoors all day - aside from the incident period - and I think some natural breeze on my skin would do me much good. "Alright then," he goes outside to wait for me, giving me privacy to change.I slip out of bed and put on a pair of slippers. I don't change my clothes, as I am shaking with anticipation and I don't want to delay things any further. We walk in silence, the tension palpable. He leads me to a clearing where a tree has been cut, and then takes a sit, encouraging me to do so too. "So, what did you bring me out here to talk about?" I ask, unable to control myself any longer. "There's something - a lot of things, actually - that I kept away from you," he takes a deep breath. "I know everything I'm about to say might soun
Tammy's POVHis words resound in my head, and I hold my hands against my ears to block it out. It can't be true. I didn't leave my job in the city, to come waste my time chasing an illusion. He's probably not telling the truth about this one. Yeah, that's it. "They are all under the influence of-" Adam starts, but Eric interrupts him."Adam!" Eric calls from a distance, cutting off Adam's statement. 'They are all under the influence of what?'Eric rushes over to us, sweat glistening on his skin. "Adam, Tammy! A few of the patients are awake!" he announces merrily. Adam stands up from his sitting position, his eyes wide with surprise. "Don't play with me, Eric."Eric holds up his hands. "I swear, they woke up this evening. It came as a surprise to everyone too.""But how?" Adam wonders aloud and glances at me briefly before they both go quiet. They seem to be engaged in a conversation, without uttering a word. I wonder how that's even possible. Eric shrugs before he speaks. "I do
Tammy's POV It's now the early hours of the morning, but I've been unable to rest, as my mind has been troubled by everything that's been going on since yesterday. My mind has been racing with questions and doubts, and I've finally come to a decision - I need to get out of here. Before anyone wakes up.I quickly pack my essentials into a duffel bag, trying to move as quietly as possible. I make my way down the staircase, my heart pounding in my chest. I reach the door, and to my relief, it's unlocked. I slip out into the cold morning air, shivering as the chill hits me.I take a deep breath and start to sprint through the woods, my bag bouncing against my side. I have no idea where I'm headed, but my sole aim is to put as much distance between myself and this place as possible. The place that's full of lies and deceit.As I run, the sound of twigs snapping under my feet echoes through the silent forest. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and I feel a rush of exhilaration. I haven't
Adam's POVThe cool evening breeze caresses my skin immediately I step out of the house, providing some calm to my racing nerves. My mind constantly replays the events of this evening to me. Of every reaction I expected from Tammy, her wanting to touch my wolf wasn't something I thought could happen. I was greatly pleased, even though she screamed at first. And everything that happened afterwards, her being aroused by me at such a time was also something I couldn't have imagined. If I didn't have some self control, I would have taken her there and then. Luckily, she changed the topic, saving me from adding more to the grudge I'm sure she already has against me.Tammy is upset with me now, and although I understand why, it still stings. She believes I lied to her about the patients condition again. But that wasn't the case. I was as shocked as she was, when Eric came and announced that they were awake. The fact that all these new developments are occuring after Tammy's introduction
Adam's POV At the same time, we all turn to the direction of the voice. He regards me for a brief moment. "Adam," Father says, a recognizable edge to his voice. Ophelia hugs him as he comes to stand by us. He hugs her back with a smile, his eyes crinkling in the corner. "Daddy!"I resist the urge to throw up. While Eric, on the other hand, rolls his eyes. I snicker quietly at his reaction. Ophelia breaks away from their father-daughter bonding moment, to address Eric. "I told you he'd be here soon."Eric scoffs, "Yeah, yeah," turning away from them, and Ophelia playfully sticks her tongue out at his back. Father looks between us, his expression unreadable, as always, before he settles his gaze on Eric. "Take your sister away from here. I'd like to have a word with Adam," he instructs. Eric begins to lead Ophelia out. She makes whiny noises in protest, but follows anyway.'Is there any issue?' He asks through the mind-link. I have no clue on what it's about, but there's a feelin
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