Ellie's POVThe thing about grand banquets is that they are grand, and full of lights and colour. It never misses that part of flamboyance. The moment I am out of the palace, I hail down a cab and stop a few blocks away from the hotel and walk the rest of the way.In my mind, I just cannot stop thinking of how Austin will react once he sees me at the banquet.Will he take me by the arm and announce to all who care to listen that I am his female companion for the night as well? Or will he get angry at me for playing a fast one on him and throw me out like a waif?If the latter happens, then this will get me thinking: did he have someone in mind he wanted to come with?I shake this thought from my mind as it has no benefit whatsoever to me.There is a red carpet at the Chevron Hotel and I decide that whoever is hosting this actually has a lot of doughs that he isn't using. I follow the train and there are blinding flashes of camera lights from the gist chasers and paparazzi.Yesus, shou
Third POV"Bail," someone grunts out in the dimness.The crashing of the door appears to be a telltale sign to these cabal of men that they have been compromised. But it's not just a werewolf that they are facing nor is it an Alpha.It's Austin. The Alpha King.And the odds will be less decent than their usual melee.Austin sets his sights on the first man close to him. He grabs him by the neck and smashes him into the wall, causing a dent in the building and showers of stones to rain down.Ellie hears a grunt at the impact and the next thing she sees is a flash, and the bulb hanging with just a stretch of coil dangles like a pendulum bob. The light moves, and shines in another spot and she sees a fast arm taking a swipe at something.There is no impact, but there is suddenly a break in the ceiling. The light moves again and Ellie sees someone hanging halfway from the top of the damn building, like a light bulb on a goddamn stretch of coil.______________________Austin moves with the
Third POV"You shouldn't have come here, Ellie," Austin tells her, as they enter the Range Rover Sport. "What were you even thinking?"Ellie looks at his face under the orange dome light. His countenance is still as it was when she had hurriedly left Jaden."You were not angry a while ago," Ellie says to him, putting her seatbelt on, and flattening her palms against her thighs.The night had not gone as she was expecting. The sudden turn of events began the moment she followed Timmy. If it had not been so, and she had just minded her business and stayed put like a sleeping dog, Austin would have met her in a different circumstance.Maybe they would have ended up in the backseat of the Range Rover, instead of here that looks like a war frontline. His hands should be on her thighs, not hers."Well, I am now," he says, as a matter of fact. "First of all, you stole from me, Ellie. Why did you do that?"Ellie swallows as the car is maneuvered into the lane and they are driving back to the
Austin's POV"I think," I say, slowly. "You have made a mistake, Beta.""What mistake, Your Majesty?" I hear him ask."Come look at this," I say.Beta squats beside me and I point a finger at the bite mark that is not a combination of purple and black. The crimson color is almost hidden."Here, those look like wolf's teeth marks to you?"He takes a moment to analyze what I have just shown him, cocking his head to one side like a Superstar about to pour himself a cup of Perod on the rocks.Beta shakes his head. "Anyone could have missed that, Your Majesty," he says, flustered that I could have found such a discrepancy in the manner of death."Takes a vampire hunter to know a vampire," I say, and stand on my feet.Beta follows suit. "So this war isn't just physical anymore. They are now taking it to the media. What the hell for?""That's not even what bothers me," I let out. "It's how he got access to my vicinity without being seen or even noticed. I don't want to think that these blood
Austin's POV"Had a fun time today, Your Majesty?" Beta asks, when I come down the underground and sit with him at the table. The Chessboard is on the table between us, like a boundary. The pieces are at home. He just sits with his hands folded across his chest, giving me a cursory look."You bet I did," I tell him, not mincing words.But he notices that anyway."Good for you, Your Majesty. How does she feel about it?""You should know Ellie. She's all out for fun, regardless in what form it is wrapped in.""Right.""And I told her that I would spend most my leisure time with her just to make up for the past two years that I was away on war.""You hardly make it up to anyone, Your Majesty," Beta says, too observatory for my liking.Well, that is just an excuse. Make up to her for being away at war that spanned two whole years? No way. Deep inside, I want to be with her. Give her some form of assurance that I won't be leaving her side.The way she had cried at The Crucifix, I was touch
Third POV"Is that blood on her backside?" Austin asks, when he notices the crimson stain. But it is more of a whisper and Ellie doesn't hear.Was it from the fall? It should be. Fuck him, he should not have left her hand at that moment. In fact, he should not have left it at all. What was he thinking? Now, she's injured somewhere, and bleeding out."Ellie, you are bleeding," Austin says, getting her attention. "From your backside. Are you injured?"Ellie looks at him. His face looks like something disturbance vomited on. Then she looks at her ass. Finally, he notices her butt, but it's when she's bleeding."Yeah. Looks like I am.""Why don't you sit down, Ellie? That could be a serious injury."Are you kidding me, Ellie thinks. She can't even laugh."What are you talking about?" she demands, somewhat taken aback by his sudden expression of panic."Sit the hell down, Ellie! You're not gonna bleed to death on me." And he lays both hands on her shoulders and begins to put pressure on th
Ellie's POV"We love to expand and explore other horizons. Would you guys be interested to join us?"The two boys exchange a look, with their eyes open wide. The taller one who is as thin as a saw blade looks at us."Say what?" His accent is cutting edge."It's a detective club, fella," I tell him. "And we are recruiting new members who would be interested in joining.""Ookay," he says, drawing the word out of his mouth like chewing gum. "Is there anything in for us?""You get to be detectives," Anna says. "Solve cases and earn yourselves a reputation."I look at the shorter boy. He is chubby and talks less. His eyes are brown and they look at me suspiciously, like there's something about me that does sit fine with him."That's not what he means," the shorter one says.When I look at his partner, he nods his head agreeably. "What?""Solving cases sounds boooring. How about we solve something in private?" And his stubby hand moves to touch Anna's hair.It doesn't get there anyway, and
Ellie's POV Hell yeah.It has to be. No one moves me like Austin does. And the sexual experience with that stranger in the hotel was only a mistake. Ran into a room while running from another stranger. Could have entered into another room that was empty, but no. Maybe my wolf had a hand in that.There is this intimacy that builds when you're with someone you have strong feelings for. And if you were to put it into action, then the sex would be prime and extreme.In short, it would be one memorable event.And it is what I always look forward to with Austin."For what it is worth, Ellie," Anna zooms into my thoughts like a ferris wheel. "I think you should take what you see and leave the obscure be.""I'm the one in the shoes here, Anna. Surely, I know where it pinches.""And some people do wear shoes the wrong way," she states.I look at her and she smirks. Yeah, detective protocol or whatever she is getting at. We only believe what we know. And this includes the facts. Laid down on t
Ellie’s POVI watch in horror as Jaden coughs up blood, his body convulsing with the effort. My body freezes for a few minutes as I realize what I have done. I know I had expected this, but planning it and seeing it happen are two different things. Plus, it’s too late to turn back now.Jaden glares at me, his eyes filled first with surprise and then with anger and betrayal. "Why?" he croaks out, his voice barely audible. “I thought you loved me.”I fall to my knees beside him, my hands shaking. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I have to protect Austin and my people. You and your vampires are a threat that I can’t let go free."Jaden's eyes widen in disbelief. "You set me up?" he gasps. "After all that we've been through, you would do this to me?"I stare unflinchingly into his eyes. "I had no choice," I say, my voice hard. "I had to do what was best for my people. Your death is what’s best, for all of us. I know your plans now, I know Cathy is on her way to the battle with the rest of your ar
Ellie’s POVJaden had gotten too dependent on my blood after the last few battles, and it was all I could wish for.The poisoned blood would be running its course now; I can feel it in my bones. I try to ignore it, and most of the time I am able to, but some nights I am hit with vicious fevers and cold sweats. I am always better in the morning, but my body, and my resolve, have gotten weaker and weaker.If I am this weak, that means Jaden will be too, even if he doesn’t show it. He would never suspect that I am responsible for the weakness, though. I overhear him once telling his subordinates to fetch him fresh humans for blood instead of refrigerated blood from their usual blood bank.Gross.Jaden pampers me, and Cathy shoots daggers my way each time she sees me, but their attention, extreme as it is, doesn’t matter. All I want is Austin, but I can’t contact him.Not yet. It will be too soon.But as the days go by, I start to realize that the vampires are planning something big. They
Ellie's POVI stare at Jaden, feeling my world shatter into a million pieces. I can't believe what I'm hearing.So he is a vampire, and not just any vampire but the vampire prince, the very one who has orchestrated the war between werewolves and vampires. The one who has caused so much bloodshed and chaos. And yet, here he is, standing in front of me, looking just like the friend I had come to know and care for.I feel a wave of emotions washing over me - shock, anger, betrayal - each one so intense I can hardly breathe. How can he have deceived me like this? How can he have been so callous as to use me, to manipulate me?My mind races with questions, but I struggle to form any coherent thoughts and I only manage to ask one."Why, Jaden? Why go through all this trouble?"Jaden says nothing, but he gives me a huge toothy grin that shows off his fangs. I try to muster a little anger, but all I can focus on is the fact that Jaden has been lying to us all this time. Was anything he said o
Third POVAustin growls internally as he barks orders at everyone around him. It was supposed to be a night of laughter, joy, and love. The guests had arrived early, and the festivities were in full swing. Ellie looked radiant in her red gown, and her laughter echoed through the trees as they danced. Austin had watched Ellie all night, unable to keep his eyes off her, feeling his chest swell with pride and something dangerously close to love.She was radiant, filling the space with her presence, and he wasn't the only one she trapped in her spell.The night would have been perfect, but the vampires just had to show their faces, and now he is needed. His Gamma Warriors have gathered at the first sign of trouble, and he needs to lead them into battle. He knows he has to abandon the party halfway through and rush to get rid of the vampires. It's not a decision to make; after all, the safety of his kingdom comes first.As he walks through the guests, he grabs Ellie's hand and gives her a
Ellie's POVAfter the day Cathy flees, I hear the rumors swirling around the pack for days before someone, Beta, finally says it out loud: Cathy has defected and escaped to somewhere unknown beyond the werewolf border.My heart sinks in my chest at the thought. Cathy is strong, more powerful than any one wolf has ever had the right to be other than the Alpha King himself. If she has left, it means something is seriously wrong.There's something significant coming. She has a plan.But nobody knows what it is.I can't stop thinking about Cathy as I walk through the forest, trying to clear my head. Knowing the things she was capable of in Austin's presence, I shudder to think of what she will now be capable of without the power of the Alpha King hanging over her.The sound of wood crackling fills the air around me, so I look up and see Jaden leaning against a tree, right where I asked him to wait.Jaden and I had been together for some time, but something inside me has shifted recently.
Austin’s POVI wake up to the sensation of someone's warm breath on my neck, and I realize that I have spent the night with Ellie. My body feels sated and content, and most of all completely healed, but my mind is restless. There is a nagging feeling that something is off.While we were together, after the first time in the tub when I carried her to my room, I had noticed something. There was no blood, and she was more willing than I could have ever imagined.As we lie there, basking in the afterglow, I notice a strange look in Ellie's eyes. It was almost as if she was feeling the same thing I was. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was a familiar feeling that was hard to shake.This situation with Ellie and me – the feeling of her arms wrapped around me and her moans in my ears, the fact that I could even take her over and over again – it triggers a sense of deja vu, but I ignore it.I notice Ellie’s deep breaths even out and I turn my face down to hers. There is one question
Third POVThe force of the explosion rocks the road itself, sending debris wide and other drivers running. A siren sounds from far away, but the firefighters would be too late. Ellie is knocked unconscious, unable to climb out of her burning car.Luckily, a few people who would be very familiar to Ellie if she is fully awake rush to the scene, and dazed Ellie coughs continuously as a pair of strong arms pull her from the wreckage.Free from the smoke and soot, Ellie gasps and shoots upright as fresh air fills her nostrils. She is disoriented at first, her eyes darting around her as she fights to bring her breathing under control, and a familiar voice sounds from behind her as a blanket is wrapped around her shoulders.“Don’t worry, El. You’re safe now.”Between gasps, Ellie manages to look behind her and is greeted by Beta’s worried face.“What… what are you doing here?”He scoops her up into his arms and signals for the people surrounding them in a tight circle to spread out. While t
Third POVPast events run through her head like a bullet train along a rail line. She remembers them all. Nonfiction. Because they all happened the way she planned. Coupled with the information in the letter in her hands, Cathy cannot be mistaken.Ellie is really her biggest enemy.She never saw the signs, never got too suspicious of the fact that there might be something going on between the benefactor and the beneficiary.So he cares about her. Really does. But why pretend? Why put on a facade that she is just his adopted daughter when she's obviously more than that?Or does he know about the sudden deaths that always befall his chosen mates and decide to protect Ellie by telling a public lie because he really cares about her?Cathy shakes her head and slowly sits down on the couch. She rereads the part where the letter says that Ellie has been investigating the real cause of her parents' death for the past two years.Markus and Rebecca Roze.A wicked smile breaks her face apart as
Third POVEllie knows that Austin is wrong about Jaden and her. He is always wrong about her personal life, but she doesn't even understand why he still tries so hard to get involved.Why come to the table if all you have to offer are condemning insinuations that make no sense nor convey any atom of truth?The look on Ellie's face is lost on the Alpha King. He watches as a tear crawls down her face like a gecko stalking an insect prey."Isn't that what you want?" he demands.When Ellie tries to vent her disapproval and disappointment, words choke in her throat like a knot has been tied around her voice box. She feels the hurt clench her throat, dissipates down and across her upper half that she begins to shake like a child whose brain has been taken over by jaundice.She sobs.And the quakes break her down. Piece by piece. When she cannot take it any longer, Ellie pushes forward and runs out of her room. She doesn't bother to shut the door this time."You can run all you like, but you