Eliana POV My fingers tapped furiously on the keyboard, slipping through holes in Interpol's system before they tried to shut them. They were good, but I was better. I'd set enough diversions that I should be able to get in and save the file I needed to get before they figured out what my aim was, and then randomly take the others so that they wouldn't guess who sent their hacker. My headphones blared Blink182 into my ears and completely drowned out the outside world - not that the campus library needed much drowning out. I swear, even breathing seemed like a noise offence in that place. "Almost there, almost there…" I whispered to myself, code flying across the laptop screen. "And in!" I saved the numerous files onto my flash drive and exited the server, wiping away as much evidence of my presence as possible. Removing the flash drive and putting it securely on a lanyard around my neck, I closed my laptop with a triumphant grin - I'd told Enzo I'd get what he needed before the
Eliana POVMy eyes flew open yet I only saw darkness, pain pulsing throughout my body. I took a shaky breath, only to wince as it felt as if my lungs were on fire. Something was wrong. I could feel that something was definitely wrong. My eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and I could somewhat make out the bars of the cage in which I had been held, a thin blanket covering the floor. The place reeked of blood, sweat, urine and fear - but somehow I knew that it wasn’t just my own. The clothing on me felt tattered, strips of fabric hanging off my lean form. I groaned and lifted my hand, running it through the matted tufts of my hair. Someone had cut my hair? My hand moved on its own accord as it crossed my face, feeling the tender bump on my forehead where I had been hurt, and the scabbed cut across my eye.A noise to my left pulled me from my musing, and the sound of groaning echoed through the room as a flashlight illuminated the room. The light illuminated the many cages and their o
Eliana POV“Ah, you’re awake,” Nathan smiled at me from the doorway. “Sorry, I had to bring you to my place because I have no idea where you are staying.”Okay, that was fair enough. And at least I didn't imagine him too."I guess I must thank you for being my knight in shining armour," I smiled, only for the action to incite a knife-like pain in my temple, the smile quickly turning to a grimace of pain. Nathan frowned, then walked over to the nightstand and passed me the glass of water which sat there as well as the two tablets which lay in a shot glass."For the headache I know must be kicking your arse right now," he said softly, almost like he was trying not to make the headache worse. I could have kissed him, that's how grateful I was for the pills. I swallowed them and leant back against the headboard, peering up at Nathan. "So, what were you doing at my apartment building’s party?" I asked, breaking the silence which stretched out between us. He looked rather sheepish as h
Eliana POV"Alpha?" I asked, my eyes staring at Nathan as he set his phone back down onto the table. A blush crept across his cheeks and he smiled sheepishly. "Ummm… did I forget to mention that my dad is the alpha of this area?"I shook my head, not really knowing how to respond. As a lone wolf, alphas were feared. They usually either wanted us dead or they wanted us gone from their territory - both weren't exactly good options right now. "Yeah, I know. Rather risky having territory so close to the university, especially with wolves from other packs attending. There's even a werewolf lecturer - Professor Bianchi. There's not many who cross the territory though," he teased. "You were probably the first in a long time." I looked around the garden again, slightly uneasy. "And I take it that I'm in the territory again…" “Yeah, you are,” he winked and took my hand in his, his thumb rubbing small circles on my palm. “But at least you have permission this time.”I was about to defend my
Eliana POV"What!" The word erupted from my mouth as I leapt from the bed, pacing up and down across our apartment. "How is that even possible?"The last thing I wanted was to have Luca nearby, staking his claim on me even though he had no right to. "So, you know I told you about my father and the guy I'm meant to marry?" Cassie asked slowly, twirling her hair around her finger nervously."Yeah, you mentioned them.""My father is Georgio Papadopoulos, an enforcer for Vasilios Kythira of the Hellenes family." At my blank look she added, "the Greek Mafia."I had a bad feeling about this, but I needed to know what had happened so I urged her to continue. "My dad owed Mr. Castello a favour, so when Enzo Castello approached my father about you becoming my roommate, he jumped at it. I just needed to keep an eye on you - according to Mr. Castello, you attract trouble," she smiled slightly at me. "I guess he was onto something there." She sighed and grabbed her pillow, hugging it to her
Luca POVWhen my old friend, Vasilios Kythira, had called me to tell me that his human mate had lost Eliana I was furious. It's not as if she was a fucking house key! She was a woman, for fucks sakes. I had slammed my cellphone down on my desk so hard that I'd smashed the screen, inciting even more swearing. "Fai attenzione alla lingua," my mother chastised my bad language from the doorway before she headed off with her assistant in tow. I breathed in deeply and closed my eyes, knowing my mother was probably listening for more swearing. Breathe in, and breathe out. "Enzo! I need a flight," I shouted. When there was no response, I mindlinked him. "Really? Can't I see to my personal business without you hunting me down?" Enzo grumbled back in my head before I felt him shut the mindlinked, basically blocking my calls. Arsehole. I felt my wolf pacing up and down in my mind, anxious to be in England to look for the woman we had rejected. Bruno had never really forgiven me, I could t
Eliana POV "Where the hell have you been, and why do you smell like another wolf?" I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear Luca’s voice - after all, I knew that he was coming to Cambridge. It still shocked me to see him lounging on our couch as if he belonged there. He looked good. I had forgotten just how good looking he was, and his black v-neck shirt and jeans made Ayla yip excitedly. "I've been out," I said coldly, looking about the room. "Where is Cassie?" He stood up, towering over me, his breathing ragged as his muscular chest rose and fell. "Never mind where your hellion of a roommate is. Where have you been, and who have you been with?" I pushed past him, ignoring him and going into the bedroom, sitting on my bed so that I could remove my shoes. I wasn't used to such high heels. “Have you found my brother yet?” I asked seriously, the vision I had experienced nagging me at the back of my mind. “I have men searching high and low for your brother. If he is still alive, h
Eliana POVTwo weeks. It was two weeks before I saw Nathan again, too nervous that my presence would get him hurt. Enzo had rocked up at our door a few days after my date with Nathan to pick up the flash drive, telling me that Luca had moved into his friend's flat in London and would be working from there for the next few weeks. He also conveniently told me it would be wise to avoid Nathan since packs in the UK weren't as tolerant of lone wolves. I had nodded my head and pretended that I'd given a shit, but in reality I had no plans on being Luca's pawn. After Cassie and my lengthy chat, we decided that the best way to be free of the men who thought they could rule us was to become financially independent. And we knew just how we were going to do it. "We'll have to pull in someone to help with the legal side of things," Cassie said, tapping her chin in thought. We were sitting across from each other on her bed while I tapped away on my laptop, creating the prototype of the app we
Chapter 2Cassie POVI ignored the feeling of being watched, knowing that it was too late to run now. There was no running away from someone like Vasilios. Even the first time had been a bitch of a task, and I'd had Eliana and Yvonne's help to do it. Now, I was as good as alone and there was no fucking way I'd manage it. “Whiskey, neat,” I heard his voice like silk, as he gave his order to Jessie. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he leant casually against the bar, his eyes glued on a pair of ladies who were dancing seductively against each other. “Yes, sir,” Jessie replied, and I swear she used her arms to push her gigantic breasts together, trying to entice him. Only the Vasilios I remembered was impossible to entice. He was practically a walking, talking statue, trained from the moment he turned eighteen to be the alpha he was born to be. Not that he was alpha yet - although, a lot can happen in three years, so perhaps he had in fact become alpha in the time I was away.
Chapter 1Cassie POV“Show me your tits!”The creepy middle-aged guy shouted again at me as I swung around on the pole. He picked up a shot and downed it before he slammed the glass down on the table, running his hand over his shiny bald head. I ignored him, like I always did. The more wasted Gerald was, the more he'd shout and the quicker he'd get kicked out. “Come on, sexy! I came to see your tits!” He shouted again, and I hid a smile when I watched Ms. Ho summon the bouncer. Cue the shouting in three, two, one. I flipped upside-down into the “Russian Layback” pose and held it as Gerald started shouting about the lack of flesh in the club. “Third time this week. I don't know how many times the guy has to be told that he's got the wrong place,” Glitter said as she passed my podium with a tray of drinks for a corner table. She was right about that. What he was needing was a hooker, not a stripper - especially not a stripper in a bikini bar where flesh was served tastily clad in b
Eliana POVThe giggles of the little girl filtered through the house, bringing a smile to my face. It seemed as if it were yesterday when I had told Luca that we were expecting a baby, and now we were about to celebrate that little baby's second birthday.“Papà!” Gianna squealed just as the two of them burst into the kitchen, Luca holding the toddler on his shoulders. “You're wrinkling up her dress,” I warned him with a stern expression plastered on my face. He shrugged nonchalantly, eliciting more giggles from Gianna. “So? She's two, no one is going to expect a perfect outfit from a two year old. Just wait until she gets her hands on the cake.”I guess dressing her up in a satin white dress wasn't the smartest idea, but I had wanted her to look like the little princess she was - at least to her father and myself. “Are your parents coming?” Luca asked, lifting Gia from his shoulders and setting her firmly on the floor. “They will be late, as always,” I responded, handing him a tray
Cassie POVLong after Yvonne had gone to her hotel room, Vasilios had disappeared to his own apartment and Enzo had crashed in the spare room, Luca and I got a chance to finally be alone. “It seems like I cannot let you out of my sight without you getting into some sort of trouble,” he sighed as he fell back onto the bed and yawned.“It's not my fault I'm a magnet for weirdos and creeps,” I grumbled, wrapping my robe tightly around me. Luca raised himself up on his elbow and watched me through hooded eyes, “I'm hoping that my mere presence will be enough to chase those types away. I'm going to be the only man to touch that gorgeous body of yours until death do we part.” I giggled and joined him on the bed, fitting into his arms as if I belonged there - and I guess I did. “Who would have thought, that night when I messed coffee all over your table, that we would be where we are now?” I said softly, my fingers threading through his hair. He chuckled with a smirk on his face. “In my
Eliana POVLuca passed me a cup of tea as I curled up on the couch of his London flat, waiting for news from the hospital about Elijah’s surgery. Vasilios had made sure that the top surgeon on his payroll was part of the surgery, not trusting the council's doctors in the least. “He will be okay,” Luca said softly, reassuring me for probably the thousandth time.Vasilios grunted from the other side of the living room, as if disappointed that I didn't trust his man. Well, either that or he was still angry at me that I refused to tell him where Cassie had gone. Probably the second option.There was a knock on the door seconds before it was flung open and Enzo waltzed into the apartment as if he owned it, Yvonne close on his heels. “If you wanted to give up your alpha title, there are easier ways,” he told Luca with a whack on the back. Luca shoved him playfully, “I thought it would be more fun this way.”Yvonne rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the couch next to me, gripping my hand
Luca POVA scream ripped from Eliana's mouth the second we heard the explosion, before her screams turned to heart wrenching sobs. I pulled myself up and tried to move toward the door to see what had happened, but she grabbed my hand, fear shining brightly in her eyes.“I'm just going to check out what has happened,” I tried to tell her reassuringly. “I'll be right back.” “I'm coming with you,” she clambered to her feet. “I'm not staying behind in this house for another second longer than I have to.”Gripping my hand, she followed me outside, through the kitchen door and into the small, enclosed courtyard. I could smell the blood before I could see it, the metallic scent unmistakable. “Stay here,” I commanded Eliana, not entirely sure what I'd discover when I walked through the arched doorway into the garden a few metres away.She clung to my arm, seemingly not registering my words. Slowly, I pried her fingers from my arm and forced her to sit down on an ancient looking rocking chai
Eliana POVMy head pounded like I'd been beaten severely, and I struggled to pry my eyes open. There was laughter echoing in my head and making the headache a thousand times worse. With a groan, I pushed myself up into a seated position as my vision became more clear and I could see what seemed like an extremely old kitchen. Extremely old and extremely dirty.“Ah, look who has decided to join us,” I heard Marco laugh before he kicked out at Luca's outstretched legs. “Guess I'll be able to start my fun sooner than I thought.”Luca growled and launched himself forward, only to yank the table we were apparently tied to with him slightly. “Nah ah ah, alpha. I'd hate to have to waste more tranquilliser on you. Your little stunts at my warehouses have left my stocks rather low,” Marco huffed, folding his arms like a sulking child. “Why are you doing this, Marco?” I asked, desperate for answers.He laughed and shook his head. “Oh, dearest Eliana. You missed my big confession to my big brot
Luca POV The moment I felt the ground shudder under Bruno’s paws, I knew we had fucked up. The bastard knew we were coming and he was ready for us. And then I heard his laughter, that maniacal laughter that could only come from the mouth of a mad man. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he laughed, circling the cage cautiously. Elijah’s wolf was frantic, launching himself at the bars again and again until I was sure that blood would start to pour from his snout at any moment. He continued until Marco slammed his hand against the cage and shouted. “Enough, you mongrel. Didn’t you learn the last time you were in a cage that it is pointless to fight it?” It didn’t work though, and Elijah continued to launch himself at the bars until Marco went into a shed and returned with a gun, aiming it at the other wolf. Eliana’s wolf panicked and tried to grab Elijah’s wolf by the scruff of its neck, but he was too strong and threw her off of him with ease. Marco aimed the gun and pulled the trigger,
Eliana POV“I won't rat out my friend,” I said for probably the thousandth time in the last twenty-four hours. Luca raised his eyebrow at me in the rear view mirror before he sighed loudly and turned to my brother in the passenger seat.“Has she always been this stubborn?” He asked.Elijah chuckled and nodded, “pretty much so. She was the challenging child when we were growing up.”I huffed and folded my arms, ignoring the two in the front of the car. “Vasilios is going to find her one way or another, so all you'd be doing is reducing his anger at her when he does find her,” Luca said, changing tactics slightly. It didn't work. “He'll be angry either way, and if I said something she'd be angry with me instead,” I said boldly. “Now can we drop it? I'm not going to tell you where Cassie is and that's the end of the story. She's safe, she's happy and that's all you'll ever hear from my lips on the matter.” Luca shook his head in disbelief before he fixed his eyes on the road ahead a