HAZEL
I've never yearned for death, but today, my very soul screams for it. The wolf within me thirsts for our demise.
She's a fuvking psychopath, and clearly unstable. She seems intent on getting us killed today. Why would she make such a reckless decision as to sleep in the Alpha's bed, especially considering the Brute wolves' reputation for aggression?
His low menacing growl from the doorway is enough warning I feel to my very core. But all it does is draw a little whine of irritation from my suicidal wolf.
She picks up her head, yawns dramatically at him, and proceeds to flop over to her other side.
Fuck, and she closes her eyes.
I scream at her to move, to get up, to bow or to run. Anything but she just relax in the Alpha's bed as though she belongs there.
“I see,” he says, his tone holding a lethal note that makes me shiver inside.
I’m a dead meat, Moon Goddess please help me this once because I know this is not going to end well.
“I think we need to have a conversation about etiquette and common decency, little Wolfie.” He sounds calm now. Too calm. And because my wolf’s eyes are closed. I can't even see his face. But I hear him growling towards me, his presence a darkness threatening to suffocate me from the inside out.
Thaddeus, S called him.
That name, I know that name very well.
That name, I have feared for so many years.
The Brute Wolves is known for its ruthlessness, with its wolves being among the most fearsome in the region. In contrast, the Shadow Moon Pack is more strategic, often using the Brute Wolves to intimidate smaller, nearby packs. This practice demonstrates the Shadow Moon Pack's cunning and its ability to leverage the Brute Wolves fearsome reputation for its own gain.
Thaddeus isn't just the Brute wolves Alpha but he's the former Shadow moon Alphas son too. The same Thaddeus who had slaughtered Alpha Declan's daughter. That's why he's been pushed to the Brute Wolves-not for being rejected but for slaughtering his mate.
And now my wolf had decided to take a nap on his bed. ‘Fuck, we would be getting slaughtered soon.’
Now she's ignoring him, content to relax in his presence, utterly unaware of the growing tension in the room.
I really am broken, shattered, and trashed. It's the only explanation for her relaxing state and my inability to wake her the fuck up.
His palm comes down on my rump, making my wolf suddenly yelp in surprise. “Get off,” he demands.
She snarls in response.
And he snarls back at her in response, the angry sound loud and reverberating through my ears.
My heart actually stops. I feel it stutter. Just as I sense my wolf’s inability to breathe right now.
She's terrified.
Damn it, finally.
But rather than fight or run, she just freezes, like she's forgotten how to move.
“I know that you understand me,”
“Get off,” he repeats, his tone one that would bring me to my knees if I were in human form. His Alpha energy is intoxicating and overwhelming and so damn thick that I can't see straight.
Or maybe that's my wolf losing her sight right now because she hasn't taken a breath in a long time. Our lungs are aching, yet she just remains frozen.
His snarl having rendered her incapable of functioning.
He reaches for us and I beg her to run, I beg her to fight for us so we can live, I beg her to do anything other than sit here like a disobedient pet on his bed. But she refuses to listen to me.
She merely shivers as his giant soft hands take a hold of her scruff to guide us off his bed.
He’s not rough, but he's not gentle either.
And he curses at whatever he sees in his sheets.
“Alright, I have had enough of you, little brat,” he says, lifting me effortlessly into his arms. “I think I know what you need.”
My vision is starting to blur with black spots.
My wolf is feeling unbalanced.
My lungs are burning.
She's lost all control of her motor functions and has obviously forgotten our will to survive. Because my wolf is still frozen, just in his arms now.
At least inhale, I beg her, my heart splintering at this helpless sensation. I felt really shattered. So utterly useless and weak. I felt so…so…lost.
I’m not this girl right here.
I’m not weak, not meek or unintelligent.”
I should have control of this situation, I should have control over everything.
But I… I just don't. And I have no idea what to do right now.
The room is so dark now__it’s black.
And my damn wolf refuses to—
Before I could think, water splashes to my face unexpectedly, drawing a sharp intake of air from my wolf that she releases on a low whine of disapproval.
“If you want to sleep in my bed, then you're atleast going to be clean,” Thaddeus says as he sets me gradually in a space bigger than my bedroom back home.
A shower, I realize, noting the marble and various heads. Who the hell needs a shower this big?
“Sits,” he wasn't asking, he was demanding and talking to me like a dog.
Which I would normally be pissed about, but my wolf is behaving like an untamed canine, so his treatment is probably deserved.
My wolf buffs, ignoring his command.
And tried to leave the shower instead.
He grabs me by the scruff to pull me back.
“Oh no, you can't do that. You're filthy from that cage from the ocean. And since you have refused to let your human take over, I'm bathing you.” he uses his grip to force my eyes to his. “And if you're a good girl, I may even offer to brush you.”
I shiver inside uncontrollably.
Something about that promise feels so… fucking intimate.
He releases my scruff to stroke a hand down my neck to my throat. “I see you in there, little Wolfie,” he whispers, his intense eyes holding mine. “I know your wolf has already taken over but we will help you regain control.”
Finally, his soft voice soothes some aches deep inside me.
Untill I remember his name.
Thaddeus Munster.
The monster who slaughtered his mate.
His eyes narrow as though he can read my mind.
Or maybe he can smell my fear.
Rather than comment on it, he guided my wolf beneath the water again and proceed to bath her. She yelps and growls a few times, but he doesn't snarl back like before. He just runs his finger through my fur, massaging a woody scent into my coat.
It reminds me of the mango trees in the wood.
All I want to do is just inhale it, to bathe in it, but my wolf is too busy sputtering as the water touches her snout. She is not a fan of this experience at all, not understanding the intimacy of having an Alpha take care of her, or respecting his patience as he rinses away the suds.
She just keeps yipping at him.
Which earns her a rap on the nose. “Quiet, errant one.”
I almost snort. Because I have called her that once or twice already.
“I will never understand why the Silver Wolves choose to suppress their females for so long,” he mutters, making me freeze inside.
'You know what I am.'
“If you were raised in my pack, you would have started shifting around age four. We consider our forms sacred, and we embrace them at a young age to avoid the possibility of disassociation.” He turns off the water to grab a towel. “But I suspect your males do this as a way to control you. To make sure you have to rely on them to be one with your beast.”
“What kind of stupidity is that? You've got to be kidding me," he roared, his face flushed with anger.
At last, someone who understands my perspective so completely.
I've felt so alone in my thinking, but now I know I'm not the only one.
‘You think they’re bad? You haven’t seen anything yet, They are even dumber than you think,’ I said, rolling my eyes.
HAZELA term rolls around in my head as I study Thaddeus's profile, his long eyelashes fluttering as he blinks. Thaddeus looked big, he seemed to take up a lot of space. His muscles rippled beneath his shirt, and every step he took screamed of ‘power’ But his dark eyes were sharp and intelligent as ever. Thea, Thaddeus, and…What was the last Alphas name? They haven't actually confirmed their names or even really introduced themselves to me. But I have gathered their names through their conversation with each other. ‘Kiera,’ I thought, my mind wandering back to the distant memory of the night at the mating ball. We hadn't spoken since the mating ball.Kiera, my lifelong friend, is the only one I trust in my pack right now. We've been through a lot together, including a time when I helped her out after her family was unjustly banished, but I never told her that her father was still killed.Her mother was the sole survivor.I had to retreat fast to contact her; I needed her help immed
KARARage was a familiar companion, a constant hum in the background of my life. I'd felt its fiery grip many times—directed at my mother, at my worthless mate for his vile betrayal, and at the cruel injustice of the world. But nothing, nothing, could compare to the white hot fury that gripped me as I watched Thaddeus laugh with the little wolf. The little wolf seemed so free and unguarded, her beautiful eyes alight with happiness. Then Thaddeus wrapped a casual arm around the little wolf, and I saw red. Thea and Sparrow had burst into my path, their downward journey interrupted by my sudden appearance in the den. Now, Thea stood frozen, his expression a chilling blend of concern and guilt.Appropriate. I now understood why they didn't want me to tag along with them, they didn't want me to see this. The little wolf's snarl was a low, menacing growl, her eyes burning with a feral intensity. "She can't shift Kara, and we need to do something about it," Thea hissed, his fingers nervou
THADDEUSHazel. The name echoed in my mind, a relentless drumbeat for days nowI had woken up thinking about Hazel again, just like every day for the last three days. The night of her transformation, it wasn't just me who'd whispered "Mate." Sparrow and Thea had too. Their voices, raw and charged, had echoed the truth we all didn't know.‘She isn't my mate’ I tell myself. ‘She is just like any other mate the moon goddess has given you, she means nothing,’ I assure myself.I know that there are more important things at stake here. Pack security mission, meetings, workload and so many tasks that needed to be handled. Other reasonable items I needed to focus on right now. But yet…I can't seem to shake the vision of that dark haired beauty from my head ever since she transformed into her human form. Her stunning face had been engraved in my memory and I loathed it. Fuck.I pulled my duvet over my face, determined to forget her but that only made the craving even far worse than before.
HAZELMy head pounded, and my eyes throbbed. My body felt like it had been crushed under a heavy weight. Groaning, I forced my eyelids open, relieved to find myself in human form and resting on a comfortable bed.My vision was blurry, and the room was dimly lit. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my body, forcing me back down. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I tried to recall what had happened.'How did I even get up here?'I snapped my eyes open again, heart pounding. Someone was sitting beside me. Disorientation washed over me as I realised I was in a strange bedroom from the one I could recognize from the Alphas private den.The man beside me stared at me, his gaze piercing through me as I jolted upright, pulling away. He was one of the Alpha's, dishevelled as if he'd just risen from a tumultuous sleep. His eyes, an almost ethereal hue, were so pale they seemed to shimmer. If not for my heightened vision, I might have mistaken them for orbs of pure white until his eye
SPARROW"She's a creature of the night, isn't she?" Thea mused, his voice low. "A wild thing, trying to slip through our fingers."I simply shrugged, a wry smile playing on my lips. A silent sip of my own beer was all the response I could muster.I honestly wasn't in the mood to drink right now. My wolf was giving me another headache about our mate. I was tempted to shut him off, but that would probably make him angrier.Peter nodded, stuffing his face, and asked, “So who do you think will win today's welcome party game? Who'll be the first to find the prey and claim her?”"We can't share mates.”“Mate is ours.” My wolf purred out while I tried to ignore him. My wolf growled deep in my chest, a rumble that echoed through my veins. His eyes burned with possessive hunger, a possessive hunger that clawed at my sanity. The scent of her, like a siren's song, filled the air that I breathe, driving me to the brink of madness. Thirty wolves, each a formidable predator, wanted her like vultu
HAZELWhile our mate carried us away, my wolf was grumbling. ‘Mate is so weird. He always wants to be in control.’She glanced back to find him panting heavily, his tongue hanging out like a faithful old dog.‘How can I resist when my mate is so adorable.’ she purred proudly.I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway. My wolf went back and forth so many times. One minutes she would be complaining about him, the next minute she would be gushing over him. I just couldn't blame her though. The mate bond was working its magic and it was hard to resist. I just wish that Thaddeus' would accept it,My heart felt like someone had crushed it everytime I thought about it. I didn't think that he understood the value of a mate after he lost his very first mate – he had lost the feeling of how no one can love you more than your mate can and make you feel the way you do. I had learned my lesson about mate the hard way. My parents and Cosmo had set a clear example, and I, too, had made a grave mistake
THADDEUSVictory was mine at yesterday's welcome party, but I just couldn't claim the prize which was ‘HER’.I had avoided Hazel the next day as much as I could. I just didn't want her to think that just because my wolf is smitten with her meant that I was too. She seemed to have noticed my actions, but didn't say a word. I just felt her eyes follow me around and study me yesterday.It sincerely made me wonder if she actually wanted me. Most of the wolves would have tried talking to me by now and seducing me or even gotten closer to me but she acted like she didn't actually feel the pull and that kind of bothered me- a lot more than I liked to admit, thanks to my fucking wolf’s constant murmuring. ‘It has gotten her thought under my skin.’ I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts.There was no point in doubting whether she wanted me or not. Of course, she wanted me. She was probably one of those mates who clung to their mate as much as they could and practically worshipped their fe
THADDEUSI was Doomed,I was Ruined,And equally screwed Right now.My wolf wouldn't stop begging to be let out and I was struggling to keep him inside. he was being insistent with his whining and pawing at the door made it nearly impossible to ignore his demands for freedom.‘You can't act this way, you have to calm down right now!’ I growled at him. ‘Go to Mate! Mark mate! Claim mate! Mate is ours!’‘She is not ours alone to claim,’ I told him.My breathing became harsh as my wolf got stronger with every moment that passed. The scent of her was making his urge and desire to be a lot more stronger. My fingers gripped the edge of the desk tightly causing my knuckles to instantly turn white. A loud roar escaped me as my wolf started to emerge. Shit.‘Stay the fuck down! You are not allowed to come out.’ ‘Mate! Go to mate now!” He growled back in my head.He obviously didn't care about anyone or anything except for Hazel right now. He didn't care if she was mated to two or ten of us
HAZELMollsy was still digging through her bag, so I leaned closer to Thaddeus. “Does she always act... well, you know, this way? Is she always this... creepy?”He pursed his lips, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Then, a slow nod followed, and a quiet chuckle escaped. "You won't believe this, but the last time I was here, she tried to propose to me. She thought I was the cutest thing she had ever seen!" he whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice.I bit my lip, a frown creasing my forehead. It wasn't the usual reason for my furrowed brow. No, this time, it was the sight of that tiny witch, barely half Thaddeus's size, trying so desperately to capture his attention. It was a sight so unexpected, so absurd, that it left me utterly perplexed."Ah, yes, here it is!" She slammed a book down onto the table with a force that made me jump. The book landed with a loud thud, startling me from my reverie. She flipped open the cover, her fingers dancing across the pages as she skimmed thr
HAZELSparrow and Thea, whispering and pointing at a map, emerged from the woods. I was still struggling with my backpack, oblivious to their approach. As they noticed me, Thea flashed a friendly smile, while Sparrow gave a subtle nod that made me blush slightly."Good morning, Soni. Where did everyone go?” Thea questioned while they both looked around.“Morning Thea, they went hunting.”They both nodded, understanding dawning on their faces. I chuckled softly to myself. "Your pack members," I mused, "they really need to get out more often. A little fresh air and sunshine wouldn't hurt.”“Why, what makes you say that?" Sparrow asked, his face creased with curiosity.“Alright, I told them that Thaddeus went to go beat down his meat and they had the weirdest looks on their faces.”Suddenly, Thea bursted out into laughter, his laughter echoing in the air and Sparrow just stared at me weirdly. “You told the pack warriors that Thaddeus' was… beating his meat down?” Sparrow asked, staring a
HAZELThe next hour and a half flew by in a whirlwind of activity. Everyone was simultaneously sitting, cutting, cooking, and eating, all in an effort to finish early and get a good night's sleep. Sparrow had warned us that we needed to start at three in the morning to make up for any potential delays.By the time it was completely dark and the stars were out, the pack warriors on duty were circling the small camp and everyone else was either spreading there blanket to sleep or already fast asleep. I snuggled deeper into the thin throw, Thea's gift, but it offered little warmth against the biting cold. The chill seeped through the blanket, sending shivers down my spine. I tried to pull the blanket tighter, but it was like trying to hold onto a wisp of smoke. The cold air seemed to find every crevice, every exposed inch of my skin. I couldn't believe how much colder it had gotten.My head snapped up, curious to see how everyone else was doing. They all looked so cosy and warm, wrapped
HAZELThe half hour I'd spent sitting in the grassy part of the woods felt like an eternity. The silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds, was starting to get to me. I was waiting for them to return from their little hunting but as the minutes ticked by, a sense of unease began to creep in.Suddenly, a low rustle sounded from behind me, startling me out of my fearful thoughts. My heart pounded as I slowly turned my head around, my eyes scanning the line of trees. The noise seemed to have come from somewhere deep within the woods, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact source.A chill ran down my spine as I tightened my grip on the tennis racket I had brought with me. It was a simple weapon, but it was all I had to defend myself with. I tried to calm my racing thoughts, reminding myself that it was probably just an animal. But the more I thought about it, the less convinced I became.Suddenly, a large, black wolf appeared in the dim light. It
HAZELThaddeus kept his steady pace, an unusual sight after four hours of carrying me. I wasn't sure if I should comment on his surprising stamina or just wait for a bathroom break, which seemed imminent judging by Thea's expression.As if he read my thoughts, Thea looked at Thaddeus and shook his head."I need to step away for a moment," he explained, his voice low. "Just a quick break.”Thaddeus sighed and called for a break loudly. Thea and a few other warriors from the group decided to step away from the main trail to find a private spot to relieve themselves. Seeing this as an opportunity, I leaned in closer to Thaddeus and whispered, "Hey, I think it's time you put me down. You've carried me for four long hours now. Your back must be aching terribly.” "No," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "You'll just slow us down. And you're not even heavy.”“I'm not?” I asked incredulously.As if to prove his point, he let go of my legs and yanked my right arm so I was leaning to the
HAZELBefore I could respond to Sparrow's accusing question, Thaddeus's father showed up with another man. They had sent Sparrow off on an urgent errand, so we agreed to continue our conversation later.Thaddeus's dad stared at Farrow, his eyes wide with disbelief. He glanced at the strange creature on the floor, then back at Farrow. "You've got to be joking, Farrow," he said, his voice thick with disbelief. "We all know we haven't seen a rogue like this in ages. It's just… it's not possible.”"The stench of these scoundrels is unmistakable," Farrow growled, his eyes fixed on the fallen rogues. "Even in my old age, I'd recognize their foul odor anywhere. They are the most despised breed of villains, and I will never forget the mark they leave.”I stood there, utterly bewildered, as the conversation unfolded. I'd never laid eyes on a rogue, never smelled their supposed stench. All I knew was what others described, vague notions and fearful whispers. With a growing sense of unease, I ed
THADDEUSI couldn't believe what was happening. This was the third time we'd argued, and it all started over those rodent creatures. While I was still fuming, my wolf was in a completely different mood. He couldn't stop gushing about how adorable Hazel looked, comparing her to a cute little angry puppy. I rolled my eyes at his silly thoughts.She was cute, I would admit, but that wasn't important right now. We had more pressing issues to deal with. 'Would you stop? We have to deal with more serious and pressing issues right now and her cuteness isn't supposed to be one of them.'He froze and shook his fur out as the seriousness of the situation hit him once again. I was lucky that my wolf knew when to stop acting like a pup and start acting like an Alpha. I took his silence as a good-to-go signal and headed towards the dungeon where my father was dealing with the dead rogues."Father," I called out, my voice echoing softly in the dim, stone corridor. The heavy silence that followed
HAZEL Noah, with his piercing blue eyes and a mischievous glint, stood there, a contrast to the sombre wolves of the Shadow Moon Pack. I couldn't fathom how he had ended up in their midst. Was he, like me, a Brute? A creature of darkness like they call it, was he forced to live among the shadows? Or was there something more to his story, a secret yet to be revealed?Noah's face lit up like a thousand suns. "I never expected to see you again," he said, his voice barely a whisper.Thaddeus growled, a low rumble that made me jump. I hadn't even noticed he was standing right behind me. His big, furry body pressed against my back, and I could feel the vibrations of his growl through my shirt. It was like a tiny earthquake."I really wasn't looking forward to this, I thought I had escaped you, what do you want now?” I scoffed, crossing my arms defiantly. After our breakup, Noah was determined to rekindle our relationship. He tried every trick in the book to win me back but it was over bet
HAZELThe steam from my tea curled upwards, mirroring the sigh that escaped my lips. I took a long, slow sip, savoring the warmth that spread through me. Only then did I find the strength to speak. “I honestly do not know, my mother had always said I had this gift. This gift only works on werewolves only. You see, several years ago, my grandmother decided to perform a ceremony in honour of the Moon Goddess.”“The kind of one where they make ceremonial fires and chant old scriptures?” Sparrow asked in surprise. As easy as it sounded, the ceremony was very elaborate and had to be perfect. From what my parents told me if something went wrong during the ceremony, the moon goddess would punish the entire pack. It was why several wolves were hesitant to perform such ceremony, but my grandmother wanted to take this risk. “They hit jackpot with that because the moon goddess was very pleased with their effort so she decided to bless them. She told them that the first child inside my mother's