HUNTER Hudson’s room is accessible but empty when I arrived. After the rare chat with Linda, I came straight to his room to inform him of my health and also thank him for the help in the woods since I’m strong enough. I decide to wait, he shouldn't be out for long, knowing that he has no other obligation than tend to Jim and Jay who are now out of the picture, he should be with the Beta, considering we just returned empty from the quest.The door opens, and Hudson walks in, surprised to see me, but not completely hiding his stern face. He pulls out his chair and slumps on it."I can see you're well.”I nod with a smile. "I feel new, it's almost two days since I was in a coma. Thanks for conveying me home.”"I had to, even though I didn't want to.” He shrugs.“Still, stop playing too hard to get. We've all had to go against our will, but this is different.”"Don't collapse on me next time, I may be uncanny and walk away.” “Great sense of humour. I haven't seen Hector or Aaliyah.”"H
AALIYAH A fine blend of anxiety of meeting with Beta Nicholas and the anticipation of finally having my piece of cake intoxicates me, its effect makes me feel nauseous.I try to suppress the urge to give in to the will of reflex, swallowing hard the taste of bile overwhelming my defiance. Hurriedly, I rush to the window, throwing up the content of my stomach. A coarse palm rubs my back gently, soothing my nerves and offering me water with the other. I take it, rinsing my mouth and my face, not feeling better, just different. "What troubles my Luna?" “Normal pregnancy syndrome.” I don't indulge him, walking out of reach."You know I can always help you out if you don't feel like it.”"Hector? Stop treating me like a child or worst still a handicap, I’m not any.”"Clearly you are anxious. I could do you the favour and...” “Stop! At one point in time, it has happened to everyone, you can't make me feel less for being anxious.” I defend. "So you know, they are almost here, you still
AALIYAH The revealing of Beta Nicholas’ true identity came as a rude shock to me, all these years of trust, relationship, and respect, were built on pure lies. To think that my papa trusted him with his life and placed the welfare of Wild Crest Pack on his palms.When it is daybreak, we set the carriage to leave for Orlando, Hector ties a cloth around the mouth of Beta Nicholas, firmly to prevent him from calling for help, and drags him into the carriage, all set to embark on the endless journey. "Please take care of Wild Crest Pack, if my papa were alive, he would do the same.” I pat Chris’ shoulder.“I can't, I’m only trained to fight and defend the pack, not lead it.” "Then defend the pack. Wild Crest needs a saviour, they need you. I can't do that, not even if I’m not pregnant. I watch you daily keep me safe, and provide my needs at your detriment, you risked it all.”"It's you, just you, not thousands of people.”"And these thousands of people are first an individual. Daily, I
HUNTER “Hudson, you need to think this through.” I race after angry Hudson who's a few meters away from the general chamber."I have and thoroughly at that. His ceremony is in three freaking days and no one is stopping him.”"Hector may want to."“And Hector is yet to arrive. What if he doesn't before the ceremony or even arrives at all? And what if he has no issue whatsoever objecting to Beta Arlo’s madness?”"Lots of what ifs. This is not a response from someone who has thought about it worse still, thoroughly.”"Rant on Hunter, I've always known you're a princess.” He keeps walking haphazardly, and others are saddled with the duty of getting off his way as I chase after him."You're just being inappropriate besides it has nothing to do with this.”"Surely, you can't connect dots.”"Beta Arlo does deserve to be up there, even though I don't approve of his means "“Oh really? Because?” he stops to face me for the first time.Two men walk past us, they are members of the neighbouri
HECTOR The carriage arrive at Orlando later than envisaged.I am mentally stressed and pissed. The discovery during the journey is a lot to take in. The possibility of the child not being mine was there all along, but being told outright is a different ball game.The guards open the gate after scrutiny, allowing the rider entrance into the pack. He gets in and stops the carriage close to the main door.I signal the guards to come, nothing the unrest in their features, being away for weeks, I do have a lot to catch up and more than ever, one needs any gossip going around."Serve the rider food and tend to his needs.” I say to one of them. "When you get to your pack, greet your alpha on my behalf and let him know I’m truly appreciative.” I say to the rider.“What's the uneasiness about? And don't you utter a lie.” I demand from the second guard once the rider is out of sight with the first guard."Beta Arlo’s ceremony is in three days and the council elders approve of it.” He responds.
AALIYAH Immediately after the revelation from Beta Nicholas, I walked out of their midst not providing any response because, to be honest, I should be the one demanding an explanation and an apology and not the other way around.The triple alphas, especially Hunter has been trying to make it hurt less, they surprised me with a truckload of nice meals and offered me the nicest room as damage control, but I wasn't ready to let go. It hurts knowing the offender and still falling madly in love with them regardless. I promised my papa their heads, and Beta Nicholas was right, I ended up giving them heads. The feeling of guilt haunts me every damn minute.It's been almost four minutes since I am banging on the door of Lady Sasha, wanting to be done and over with everything and everyone. I assured them I would remember them fondly and here I am, making do my promise.Linda had filled me in on every wrong Lady Sasha did to Nikki on my behalf, she has for sure bitten more than she can chew.
HECTOR My mood is sober as I continually drown myself in the strongest of booze. Despite the in-depth revealing by Beta Nicholas, I’m still not content. I need answers to calm the numerous turbulence in my mind. When our parents passed away, he stood in as our guardian. If he wanted to be a leader, he could have, we respected him so much that every one of his decisions was not opposed even when it didn't settle well with us.He could have watched us lead and be a strong guide. I smash the bottle of alcohol on the floor, frustrated that it can't take away my reality or lessen the heavy weight on my shoulders. Its powerful smell diffuses in the air.The door opens without a knock and Hudson strolls in, his mood is more gloomy than I've seen for ages."Hudson, you must be courteous at all times. You can't just barge in here like you own the place.” I scold him."Brother, I just want to have a word.”“It changes nothing.” I exhale. "You can sit down there.” I point to the edge of the b
HECTOR The chaos in the pack is ear deafening when I learned of the somewhat impossible news. It can't be possible except for someone to let him out and it can't be Lady Sasha, she was jailed long hours before the incident.It's insinuating that Beta Arlo has men everywhere, down to the guards. The whole pack will be cleansed of thorns after he's caught and beheaded."He mustn't have gone far, soldiers of Orlando!” I begin to prep them, prepping them for the course at hand. They deserve a little heads-up concerning the Beta they adore so much if I should demand their full compliance.“Beta Arlo is a traitor to this pack, for now, we will hunt him down and all of his soldiers. And let him know we're no weaklings.”They chant in unison, and their swords in the air, concurring with my statement. "Keep moving!" I order as they run out of the open gate in vigour.“Let's go, brother.” Hudson pats my back.I’m about to move when I catch a glimpse of Hunter and I pause automatically on my t
THIRD PERSON’S POV. By nightfall, the alphas, Aaliyah and Nikki ride in a carriage, while the warriors of Orlando match quietly to the border of Moon Howlers pack. It takes them long hours to arrive at the spot and the place is as quiet and deserted as can be. The only presumptive sign was the sacks of sand heaped on themselves to form a shield. Nikki takes the lead and directs them to the shelter at the secluded spot, very well hidden from the border. The three alphas replace her, with Aaliyah by the side, ready to rescue her baby once they burst in. Fortunately, the door is made of ancient wood that's already rotting away and the hinges are half gone. In a silent count of three, they kick the door down in unison and rush in. The noise sends Shelly and Chris flying and baby Hendrix crying from a disrupted sleep. Shelly instantly rushes towards the baby, to use him as bait and protect herself. But before she gets to him, Hudson is swift to throw a pocket knife in her directi
THIRD PERSON’S POV Nikki arrives at the pack house tired and weak. Her dress is torn in some places, with her skin bruised from falls and scratches from wild plants. Her feet are the worst, it look so dirty like she trekked in gutters and pits. The door opens with the guards signalling the others to call Lady Aaliyah and the alphas. “Welcome, lady Nikki.” The guard by the hate greets as Nikki walks in, heading towards the house. He looks out for insiders and satisfied none is forthcoming, he jams the door and closes it. Aaliyah rushes down and meets Nikki dragging her feet like a child, with her muddy footsteps evidence of her traces. "Nikki darling, what happened to you?” she holds her firm, not minding that she both looks and smells horrible. Rather, Nikki begins to sob. Hot tears burn her cheeks as she keeps sobbing. "Go ready her bath." Aaliyah orders a maid who takes to her heels immediately. When they arrive in Nikki's room, Aaliyah dismisses the maids, strips her frien
AALIYAH. The night has me rolling recklessly on the bed. I keep counting every second, down to noon. With each passing minute, the promise of having my baby by my side becomes clearer, and the risk of dragging the three alpha there more scary. Curiosity eats me deep, the need to know the location burns hotter than any desire. And somehow, I'm glad that Nikki is away, for reasons best known to herself. It's barely 11:45 pm, and the night draws on, much longer than expected. Frustrated, I sit up, still lost in my thoughts. Unable to sleep, I wear my robe and go to the gate. The servants are half asleep and one gasps when he finally wakes up to see me before him.“Good evening, my lady.” He wipes the last of sleep off his eyes. “Evening. I'm expecting a letter tomorrow, I don’t know when it's coming, but please, stay off the gate to not scare anyone away.” I want. I'm scared of the consequences if we nab one of them. “Alright, ma.” He assures. I go up, and happy that nothing would
NIKKI. I remain quiet for a while, and totally immobile. "I bet I heard something.” Shelly insists. My breath is almost on hold, as I struggle to fathom what is behind me. At this point, I didn't care much about being busted or punished or yelled at... I just didn't care at all. It's more like life is playing a trick on me. All along, he has something to do with Shelly. Why then was he always riled up when I mentioned her name or went to seek for her welfare? Why then did he make it seem like she is the monster? Not like right now she is any short of it. How low Chris has reduced me to. Hot tears burn my cheeks and I let it flow slowly as I remain numb for the longest. Footsteps approach, and I find myself creeping like a child away from the window, crawling and crying and praying I don't meet one of them. This is indeed a risk, and I honestly can't tell how much it's worth, because it leaves me mentally insane. The window opens, and I’m already on the other side, crying my lun
NIKKI. The box I am in lifts from the ground halfway and then drops. I hear the faint grunting of a lady, I suppose it's the maid. It stops soon after the box returns to the ground. It goes up again, and then levels flat on the ground. "Is it that heavy? Try harder, Alpha Chris will soon be on our necks.” A male voice pleads. Seeing what Chris did to the poor driver, I feel sorry for him, hoping he doesn't take the fall yet again. "It surely is heavy, I bet you know. Please, you would need to seek the help of your fellow. This is the best I can go.” "Jeez, you ladies, and bailing out on the slightest hardship.” He sighs. Somehow, I'm silently laughing inside, thinking to myself that these two have some chemistry. Because this argument can't be about my weight, a petite lady like myself that Chris scoops at will. “I don't know what you mean, but I can't do this. Even if I did, I wouldn't go beyond the corridor, and I would end up breaking my back.” "So?" He lifts up his
NIKKI We ride pass the market, with very few people and it's almost as quiet as a graveyard. It's quite early, and I won't fault them for being in bed, either sleeping to their death or cuddling in the arms of their lover. And I don't have the luxury to afford any, so yeah, I’m busy studying their lives and praying mine doesn't fall apart. Down from the central areas to the outskirts, we journey quietly and it takes long hours to get out of Orlando pack. Such a powerful pack, Aaliyah is lucky. I sigh. It's still very early in the morning, the sun is yet to rise fully and I can barely appreciate the landscape, my little way of freeing my mind and not exploding. It takes very long hours before we arrive at Wild Crest pack’s border. When we get closer to the main house, I ask the rider to stop. I take out a pair of black pants from my bag, bathed in a random servant’s perfume, to go undetected by Chris. Taking off his hoodie, I sniff it for the last time and throw on a baggy polo. I
NIKKI.Still in shock and unsure of what to believe, I decide to confront Chris, and doing it over a letter, would mean him denying it or nothing to him at all. Of a truth, I’m done with this sham of a union, but for the longest that he received me, I desperately need an explanation. And if she's wrong, there's a high possibility that I would give him a second chance to be a better mate. Either way, it's a win for me. I proceed to pack my back, not all of it, just a few things I would need if I decide to remain in Wild Crest pack for a few more days. Ready, I walk out of my room, tightly clad in a big hoodie, to prevent the cold. Chris’ hoodie. It's one of the possession I stole, sniffing it every damn minute I think of him. I'm almost at the hate when I halt. I'm yet to tell Aaliyah. Do I still want to make it a secret? Yes. But she would make a big fuss if I didn't tell her a good reason for my sudden departure. She only needs to be briefly informed. Besides, the second letter
SHELLY. He went on and on until I had no more strength to continue. I simply quake in beneath him and moan for mercy, the same mercy I asked him to never grant me. And as he promised from the onset, he remains firm in his words. He bends me over, switching positions like a messed-up child and bringing me to tears. After a while, he lets me be, but I’m certain it isn't because he's exhausted. He settles on the floor and levels my naked skin on himself, skin to skin, providing the best warmth and tender touches. I sniff his masculine scent that's now mixed with a fine blend of our juices in the cold night’s air. His sudor that's sweet smelling rather than a stench to me. Weak and satisfied but greedy regardless, I nestle like a baby in his arms. Just cuddling and mild romance would do, so long as I feel him on myself. His warmth is enough to keep me from the cold, and his muscles, were my shield from the wild. I rub on the bare of his arm, stroking my fingers along its length. Inde
SHELLY.Bored, I take a stroll around the premises, careful enough not to wander too far. Lady Agnes has gone home with Petian, leaving me alone with baby Hendrix like it's always been for almost two weeks now. The night is cold, and so is the weather, as a cool breeze kisses my skin, awakening goosebumps on my bare flesh. This isn't the safest place, but I've not dismissed Lady Agnes’ offer to send guards down here. I believe it shouldn't be a bother, because it would mean drawing much attention to what needed to be as discreet as imagined and you can't guarantee they won't spill. Plus, I've not seen a reason to want their help, besides, the plan is yet to ripen, and two days before the said date, I would accept her offer. Ready to retire for the night, I turn around to retrace my steps, when I see a huge frame in the dark, the dim night light is of little help. I take a step backward, two and then three, until I’m out of count. The huge frame keeps walking towards me, at the sam