But before its eyes changed colors it lay in a clump of blood, white flesh, and bodily fluids. One of their own had shot it. That bullet grazed Riyas because his skills were previously busy discerning the grotesque creation it had seen. The jaguar hissed at the audacity and hid behind the rock. Oh, he’d get the bastard, and he’d enjoy it. ‘Calm down. Regroup.’ Noah’s indifferent voice put him at ease. Yes. Regrouping was good. But now the remaining five intruders were alerted of their presence. And none of them seemed to back down. ‘Mikhail, take the right.’ Noah instructed. There was one with guns strapped across his chest, likely filled with mercury. The other four looked disturbed and they were an easy kill. He’d leave them to Evan and Riyas. Mikhail would be a distraction. A good distraction because they’d think the wolves wouldn’t know how to attack like a cat. Silent tread, Evan turned into his human form. Padding barefoot and softly where Riyas was shot, the jaguar licking
Noah was dressed by the time he returned home. He had spent the day being treated for his ghastly wound at Mikhail's. And Mikhail’s father was pleasantly surprised. He and Mikhail both had a solid alibi-Evan. Evan Ryder was trusted in the house not because he had a golden halo about him. No. It's because they considered him too stupid to hold a secret. He was an extension of a machine good for execution. Evan had spread a perfect rumor among the higher ranks in their hierarchy, of rogue attack and how even adjacent territories were haunted by them. Noah felt sorry for him more times than he could count. And he loved him like a brother would. Which is why his friendship with Vanessa was immensely important for stupid jealousy to wipe away to turn it sour. He was aware of his limp, a sheet of sweat on his forehead. Another reason he didn't want to be here was his fair maiden. He laughed at that, and winced. The words they had exchanged had been far from pretty. But to his surprise, sh
Hands, strong, confident and persisting glided over her skin, to slowly coax her back to the land of living. Vanessa struggled to listen to it. If she could stay where she was, she would've found a whole new world. But they were bordering on shaking her now and despite her desire to stay here, she knew a warm body was waiting for her. One she, even in the state of chaos, can't turn down. Noah drew her to him. Her pale skin had been a thing of fascination, but now it haunted him. She looked ghostly. He knew of her nightmares. He had reduced them to stress or a childhood trauma along with her sleepwalking. But this has unruly written all over it. Now that he'd seen the extent of it, he worried. And his wolf agitated. Something wasn't right and he didn't think she had any idea about it. Vanessa was sweating with multiplied frenzy. The nightmares began slowly, this one was violent and crushing. Her body temperature rose but she sought respite in his arms and didn't want to push away. No
"You need to clean up. I am not running you baths anymore." She sauntered to the door. The sway of her hips exaggerated. He knew it was for him. "Do I have to say please for a coffee?" The smug smile confused her. And she always made his coffee. "Why are you smiling?" She was the one alluring him this time. Wasn't she? "On a scale of one to ten, kitten. How wet are you?" He smirked. His sense of smell was a seduction arsenal now."Besides," he made a show of stretching his arms, "I am content with my mark on you." She harrumphed and walked away, his laugh making her smile all the way to her own room. Moments later Gregory Flynn was sitting across from Noah Abel, expecting to lose a surmountable time locked in battle of wills. The one that started with staring into eyes to intimidate and then some uncomfortable information spread on the distance between them to show who knew what about the other person. Apparently, Noah didn't like to waste time. Gregory's only relief was Noah d
Noah got up, rounded his table to sit on the corner near Gregory Flynn."So he isn't the one behind driving clans to inhospitable forests?" When he was this close to figuring it out, things slipped away. But he could see Gregory was positively green in the face now. "I didn't think it was repetitive enough to become a sequence. Rudiger believes someone blamed his clan members for something they didn't do and he hasn't figured out who?" "Yes. I told him I could find out. And I will." Caustic certainty coated Noah's words. He continued,"But until I do. I need him to cast his doubt on Desmond." "Yes. That can be done. About the deals. Communion is investing a lot in studying DNA and mapping it to genes, inheritance. That sort of thing." Gregory paused to let them soak it in but it was a no shocker to either boy. Well then."They have announced it as a way to treat illnesses. Mental or otherwise." Rehabilitation and treatment was a well endowed farce. All the mercenaries were promis
Vanessa recoiled into herself at his stare. He was her parent, her support system, that had crashed and burned. They were close for two and half years when she was a toddler. If she hadn’t been privy to his kind, nurturing self, she wouldn’t long for it now. Instead of shutting him up, she asserted the same politeness. “I work here.” “That's the best you can do?”, his snide was ugly.“If you had taught me how to become a pathological liar, I could lie. But this is the truth. You forget, we have a debt to pay.”Gregory drew back as if she had slapped him. He didn’t want to think of the debt, he was working his way to even more powerful creatures, way up in the food chain by whose mercy, the debt would’ve been wiped off entirely. No debt to begin with. Vanessa thought the debt was monetary. It was his fault for keeping things from her. He himself was unaware of the nature or the extent of it but his instincts told him money stood no chance against the demands of repayment. ‘Noah us
“Vanessa has never mind linked with anyone except three people in her life. Me, Carmen, and Silas. She was just six, an innocent child when I decided we were better off as rogues. I don’t wish to rehash history you both know so well,’’ Noah was quiet, “and she saw some things on the run. I… it was difficult. When we came here, we weren’t part of this pack. For a long time, she refused to speak to anyone. By the time she was twelve, she had other problems, and from there on stayed isolated. She can cut off links with ease because she isn’t used to them. She never allows herself to be vulnerable with them.”Noah’s abhorrence alone would've strangled the man sitting there, accepting defeat like he couldn’t have changed things. All wolves knew linking left the chambers of the brain wide open, it was the ultimate form of trust put on a pedestal by the patience, understanding, and care it required to form into a full-fledged bond. Be it family or other pack members, which is why rogues did
"Lost? As in lost in the jungle?" The kid shrugged his soldiers, and started biting his nails again. A habit born of anxiety. "Stop that." Evan regretted saying anything when he saw the tears well up in his eyes. Shit. He didn't have experience with kids, none at all. And his reprimand came off more harshly than necessary."Okay Ian. I'll find her okay? I promise. She won't be lost. Between you and me, we are not going to fail her, are we?" Ian shook his head, bouncing the curls all over which a minute later were in between Evan's fingers. He thought of one person who'd know where she always was. 'Noah''Evan. What do you need?' He didn't mind Noah's curt tone. 'Do you know where Vanessa is?' 'She went for a run. Why?' An arctic chill overrode Evan's sensory inputs. Did Noah not like that he was asking about Vanessa or he was worried about her because something had happened?'Why do you ask Evan?' This time, it was a command. 'She is not okay. She is not in danger but she shoul