~Harper~ I wasn't feeling patient, but I knew I needed to exercise patience. What we were doing was already illegal and could get us in trouble. "I think Rachael needs some motivation," Josephine said and stood behind Rachael. She grabbed her hair in a fist and yanked it, making the woman scream and look up. Elaine held the scalpel to her face and touched it gently. "You are such a beautiful woman. I would hate to see that face marred. People bound with silver when injured do not heal well. They always end up with scars," She teased, and Racheal began to panic. "Now, last time," Charlotte said. "What happened that night?" She asked her, and Racheal opened her mouth. "We were at the party, and Adrian was sitting with Alpha Jacob. Adrian did not seem to be in a good mood. He had just lost his father, so he was still in mourning," She said, rushing her words, completely afraid. Josephine and Elaine left her and stepped away from her to allow her to speak. There was shame in Rach
~Harper~ We patiently awaited Rachael's recovery. I'd be dishonest if I claimed not to feel relief, but this wasn't the time to let my emotions break through. The urge to grab my phone and call Adrian to share my recent discovery crept in, but the memory of our last conversation held me back. His departure had left me deeply wounded, especially when he mentioned regretting coming to Grizlo. I knew he hadn't intended to hurt me, but his decision not to return had been a painful blow. He hadn't even called me since he left, and doubted he would any time soon. It seemed like I was pleading for our relationship to work, and at this moment, I resolved not to call him. Adrian's peace of mind was assured with this news, knowing he wasn't guilty. However, his unwavering love for his cousin and reluctance to reclaim the Alpha position weighed on my mind. I wasn't going to leave the decision to him. I was determined to do whatever it took: report to Justin, inform Lord Newton and reveal the t
~Harper~ We waited a bit. No one said anything. We were giving her time to respond to the question. "No, it wasn't," She finally confessed. "The man called me and ordered me to go to the airport. He told me Alpha Justin Pavlishchev will be at the airport, and I must ensure that I catch his attention," She said, and I laughed, knowing I was right to suspect her all along. "It took a long time before Alpha Justin called me, and I was given hell for it. They put me under a lot of pressure for not being able to catch his attention. They expected me to find my way to Alpha Jacob's house. They wanted me to force my way into Justin's life. I was a whore, after all, and they needed me to be a whore, but I couldn't. I couldn't. I dreaded that place. I hadn't been around the Alpha since I returned. I avoided him. He was kind and accommodating, and the people had direct access to him, but I never used that access. I guess they wanted me to use it so that Justin would see me the second tim
~Justin~ There was a glint in my cousin's eyes that I found unsettling. Somehow, I felt it was wrong to allow Racheal to go shopping with Harper and Charlotte. Josephine and Elaine were neutral people, but how neutral could they be if Harper had found a way to convince them that Rachael was responsible for her predicament? They would support her. When Sebastien and Noah told me they would be going with the girls, I just knew they weren't going shopping. My cousins were not children anymore, and they knew what would happen should they engage in illegal activities. If getting Racheal comfortable enough to spill her guts was what they wanted to do, then it was fine, but hurting her would get all of us in trouble, especially me because whether I liked it or not, I was in charge. I could not miss the look in Racheal's eyes when she sat in my office before Josephine came to whisk her away. I had told her I wanted to discuss something with her, and she tensed up. There was fear
~Liam~ "Li, where are you?" I heard Harper's voice in my head. I wondered why they had returned two in the afternoon. Josephine had told me that they would be spending the entire day outside. I knew what they planned to do was suspicious. I just hoped they hadn't done something to Rachael because I knew Justin would be mad. They might not notice, but Justin seems to like her. Of all the women that had made passes on Justin, Rachael was the only one he called. "In the common room with Oliver, what is it?" I asked, putting down the document in my hand. "Where is Justin?" She asked, and I knew it definitely had a lot to do with Racheal. She could have as well just linked Justin directly. This whole thing with Adrian would get Harper and maybe the rest of us in trouble. I understood her pain, but I expected her to be wise about it. "If he isn't in his office, then he is somewhere. Why don't you link him and stop bothering me," I said, and she was silent. Soon, Noah and Sebastian en
~Justin~ I was highly disappointed in my cousins and family friends. They did not bother to think of the repercussions of their actions. Should anything go wrong, it would be my cross to bear. I will be the one held responsible. Their parents would fault me and question my leadership. It was selfish and inconsiderate of Harper to do this. If indeed Adrian cared enough, he would have sort to exonerate himself. Although Caspian and Liam were trying to calm the situation down, I knew exactly what to do. Standing in the common room looking at all of them, I figured they believed they were old enough to decide and do what they liked. They had somehow come to the conclusion that they were enough, and I commend them for their strength. It seemed I would no longer be needed in Grizlo anymore. I did not say anything. I left the common room and went up the stairs to check on Racheal. When I got to the Delta's floor, Sophia was there looking a bit worried. "What is the matter?" I asked her
~Justin~ Taking everything into account, I made the decision to confide in my father so that he could offer his guidance and assist me in handling the situation judiciously. "Adrian is Harper's fated," I disclosed to my father, and he expressed surprise. "Racheal falsely accused him of rape six years years ago. The public reacted vehemently, and to appease them, they prevented him from ascending. Instead, they bestowed the position upon his cousin, Jacob Whyte, who had no business in that role. Adrian was made Jacob's Beta and has remained in that capacity ever since. Adrian is unwilling to fully embrace his connection with Harper because his reputation is tarnished, and Harper is determined to clear his name so they can be together," I summarised. "Ah, puppy love, I understand," my father responded, and I couldn't help but smile. "Harper, Harper. She's always had a penchant for acting on impulse, much like her mother. She wanted to rectify the situation, and Charlotte, along with
~Josephine~ I had never seen Liam so angry as he was when Justin left us in the common room and went upstairs to check on Racheal. I felt a bit nervous and wondered what we did wrong. Rachael wasn't the good guy in all these. She lied and ruined a life. She would have maintained the lie had we not intervened. So, our methods were not desirable, but has anyone solved anything by being pleasant? People like Rachael were like nuts, and they needed to be cracked. Everyone left the common room quietly, so I did the same. I dreaded returning to our bedroom, but Liam and I needed some privacy. I could see he had a lot to say and wanted to voice it out instead of linking me. I followed him quietly, and Harper followed behind. I felt sorry for Harper the most. She honestly had no choice. It was either that or hope that Rachael would come clean. Rachael wouldn't have. She tried to maintain her lie and would have told us the same story if we were nicer. No matter what her story is, the fact
Thank you all for supporting this story and helping me to bring the characters to Life. It was an amazing journey, mainly because of the overwhelming support I got from all of you. I truly appreciate it. I am grateful for every comment, vote, review and purchase. It kept the book alive.Wild Hearts will be released next week, and Dark Obsession will be released this week. As much as I would love to please everyone, I can only write one book at a time So I planned to go with Wild Hearts, but since some of you have already started Dark Obsession, I will release it and continue to write it gradually. I have decided to run with both books. Once my schedule is better, the update days will improve. For those who are wondering about Dark Obsession, It is a standalone, and you do not need to read Forged in the Flames to enjoy the story. I would love feedback and hope the energy will be the same in that book. I am counting on your support and encouragement. Thank you. 🙏 😊 🤗
~Sophia~ Justin's kiss was sweeter than the last I remembered. He had stayed away from me for a while, and I was mad at him for it, but I knew he would make it for my eighteenth birthday. I knew he would come, and I anticipated it. He stayed away mainly because he didn’t want to cross the line, but tonight, fate told us it was okay, and we embraced it. My tears could not stop flowing. They were tears of joy and relief. I was grateful. So grateful. Justin lifted me in his arms and carried me inside; my eyes remained fixed on him, not caring about the surroundings. I knew he had put a lot of work into it, but we had to finish our unfinished business before we attended to the other stuff. His gaze remained on mine, making me giggle. “You look so beautiful tonight, Sophia,” he said, and I was glad he liked the effort. It was for him. Laying me on the bed, he kissed me and travelled from my neck to my sweet spot. Justin was a guy who liked to make out a bit rough and overwhelming, b
~Justin~ I stayed away after we had solved the case and made all the arrests. Things had not ended well for many people who were on the wrong side of the law. For the rest of us, we had moved on. Rachael ended up with her mate, who happened to be a Stepanov from one of the ten Ruling houses in the west. It was as if she knew she was meant to be with a great man all along, and fate had answered her prayers. As much as I did not want to discuss the punishment for the criminals, I just have to say most of them had been killed. There were scheduled executions for most of them, as there were many. The King wanted everyone involved to pay, no matter how small their part was. Fortunately, Uncle Vino had pushed for Jessica, something I knew Jewelles had everything to do with. She got fifteen years of sentencing, not after they asked Adrian and Rachael if they were okay with it. They both had moved on and didn't care what happened to her, so she was lucky there. At least she will get to see
~Liam~ One week passed, and Adrian Jacob, Harper and Jewelles returned to Lumas. Our parents had made a series of arrests. The activities were all over. Underground warehouses were found, crime lords were arrested, and factories were shut down. Unknown to my father, this operation started shortly after they defeated Yuri, and it was started by none other than Walter Armstrong, Nelson's lab technician, who messed up the D3 formula and destroyed Cones Village. The real reason behind the ban. Apparently, the defective D3 did not come from Nelson's lab but from one of Walter's makeshift labs that he tried to pass off as Nelson's goods when he was building his crime Network. Unfortunately for him, he was apprehended and locked up. His mate, Natasha Armstrong, being his partner in crime, feared that the law would catch up with them, so she faked her death, abandoning her children with lots of unpaid debts and an uncertain future. The cold-hearted bitch did not bother to look back. Nata
~Jewelles~ A week had passed since we discovered the truth, and our parents worked tirelessly to arrest all implicated. During the arrest, we discovered an underground recruitment for warriors. We might never know what the sick bastards planned, but I was glad we could trump their plan before it was in motion. The biggest mistake they made was to take Sophia. If that parcel hadn’t been delivered to Luna Glenda, the traitor and murderer, we wouldn't have been the wiser, and they would have gotten away with their crimes unnoticed. As much as Jacob hid his pain, I could see it. His mother was one of the people who would receive a long sentence. She would have been executed, but I had pleaded with my father to put in a word for her for Jacob's sake. Jacob didn’t ask me to do it, but I knew it was eating him inside. He found out what I did this morning, flipped and hasn't spoken to me. It has been a long, agonising day. Jacob was also yet to seal the deal. He was mad at me for taking m
~Charlotte~ After spending time with everyone in the garden, Caspian and I decided to retire. Our parents were so busy with arrests and judgements that we did not have a general dinner, but it was okay. Snuggled in Caspian's Arms in our room. Aunty Tamia planned to give Jewelles, Harper and me permanent rooms in the estate. They wanted us to always have a reason to come home with our mates. I could understand, and I appreciated it. Our rooms were still being renovated; they were in the Delta wing of the mansion. Many rooms were unoccupied there, and since our family was expanding, we would be given rooms there. All of us, including the guys. That way, we will all be in one wing when we are around. I could not believe everything was finally over. Although there had not been any sentencing yet, our part of the investigation was over. Our parents had dreaded it leading to war, but it didn’t this time. It might have if they had successfully mass-produced their Agk32 to create an army.
~Justin~ While Sophia was with her father. I decided to make some plans. The case seemed closed on our side. We had finished the initial assignment, which was figuring out what happened that night. Uncle Sylvester had also explained that only people with jurisdiction can interfere with the case onward. There wasn't much to do but pick up the people mentioned. It was over, meaning an alpha would be appointed for Grizlo. It meant we would have to get to our normal lives, and I could not see a normal life without Sophia. I was nervous now that her father had been found and he would be free. I wondered if she would feel the same. I hoped to drag the case a bit longer, but it was impossible. I decided to call the staff at my house in Lucland to fix the place up. I wasn’t sure why, but I knew that once Sophia turned eighteen, I would not hesitate. She had asked me about where I lived in Lucland. I planned to spend time with her there and live with her in the near future if she would hav
~Justin~ It was time to question Mike, and Noah was the first to link me. Of course, he would be eager. He had a theory, and Mike’s account would help him fit the pieces together. His reasons differed from Liam's and mine. Mike was a puzzle Noah and Sebastien wanted to solve, while we wanted to find a way to save Sophia and exonerate Mike if he was innocent. Jellewes came with Lily to get Sophia. My entire team would have to be present at the questioning, so Harper and Jo would not be available. I needed Lily and Jewelles to help take her mind off what was happening. Jewelles and Lilly planned to keep her occupied until after the questioning. I thanked them for their kindness. Although Lisa's team were not invited, Lisa insisted to be a part of it. My sister was overzealous like that. I couldn't wait for her to settle down and get on with her life. Tanya had returned home to her mate. The entire ordeal with Harper had shaken her completely. I doubted she would be volunteering for a
~Justin~ After planning our questioning strategy with my team, I spent time with Sophia. We planned to question Mike in the evening to avoid dragging the investigation too long. Adrian wanted to take Harper back to Lumas in two days. Likewise, Jacob and Jewelles, so I knew we had to move quickly. Although I hoped they would stay a bit longer. It was fun having them around. I didn't feel so old. Usually, I was forced to act like an uncle to my cousins, and that made them uncomfortable around me, and they saw me as boring, but with Caspian, Adrian, and Jacob in our team, I was more comfortable now. I had also made new friends who were now part of my family. Caspian wasn't leaving until the case was done, but I hoped Adrian and Jacob would stay a bit. Not that I will tell them. Sophia had spent the morning with the ladies. Harper had come to get her, and I think it helped her a lot because she felt a lot better knowing Harper and Lily were fine and weren’t traumatised by the inciden