~Josephine~Justin vented his frustration towards Liam, who remained silent and took the blame even though I was the one who convinced him to go to the place in the first place. The guilt weighed heavily on me and I imagined what Justin must have endured when the King called, desperately trying to speak with Liam, and Justin having no idea how to reach him.The King's worry was entirely understandable. The circumstances had led to everyone being evacuated from Grizlo for a valid reason. It was only natural for him to be on high alert when something happened, especially since the incident took place at his mother's house. I recognised the legitimacy of his fear, and I felt awful for causing so much concern and putting Liam in a negative light with Justin.I couldn't shake off the feeling of blame, fearing that it might lead to problems between Liam and me. As I made my way to my room, I sternly reminded myself not to act impulsively in the future. Justin's concerns were entirely justif
~Liam~Holding Josephine in my arms felt right. I knew I needed to make a move because there would be no right time.We had been interrupted three times already. I doubted anytime would be right enough to show my intentions.I thought she would push me away or stop me, but when she responded, Alex and I were at peace immediately.There was hope that it would work out. Maybe she had feelings too. Only time will tell, but I chose to savour that moment with her in my arms to assure her that there was nothing between Sophia and me.As Josephine gracefully left the dining room, she appeared unfazed, yet Alex sensed a hint of unease. Observing her take the staircase turn instead of heading for the restroom, I knew something was amiss.I planned to address the Sophia teases with my cousins. Since it bothered Josephine so much, I could not let them continue.As I held Josephine's hand against my chest, I could see the bewilderment in her eyes. In that moment, words seemed insufficient to conv
~Liam~We followed Justin as he guided us to the visitor's room where the Gamma and Delta were waiting. Walking beside Josephine, I found comfort in her proximity, realising that being apart from her was becoming increasingly difficult.As we entered the room, the Gamma and Delta were seated on the couch, and we each saluted them in turn. They reciprocated the gesture by standing up and saluting back. Justin then asked us to take our seats so he could proceed with his inquiries."I want to extend my apologies for any inconvenience our presence may have caused all of you," Justin began. "This arrangement is only temporary. Our grandparents reside here, and their safety has become a top priority after the incident. The council and the royal family are also concerned about the recent crime, accident, and fire that occurred in our grandparent's home. I assure you that we are not here to take over your roles or positions."Upon hearing Justin's words, Gamma Lebedev leaned forward with a sm
~Liam~I felt uneasy about how to handle sharing and discussing the text message. I worried that mentioning Sophia might trouble Josephine, even though I knew she was resilient. But I also feared that it could set back the progress we had made so far. Instead of announcing the text to everyone, I decided to talk to Josephine first."Hey," I said, linking her, and she turned to face me, her brow furrowing. I expected this reaction, as linking in close proximity was reserved for private discussions."I want to show you something," I said, handing her my phone with the text message. She took the phone, read the message, and then returned it to me."The team should know," she linked back, and I observed her carefully."It wouldn't bother you?" I asked to be sure. I was still new to this relationship thing and didn't want to make any mistakes."Not at all, Liam. We had our discussion this morning, and I'm confident that Sophia's name won't bother me anymore. I promise," she said with a smi
~Liam~Upon arrival at the street, we noticed that everything remained undisturbed, just as we had left it. The crime scene was still cordoned off with tape."Does it look the same as last night?" Justin inquired, and Josephine confirmed with a nod as he parked the van."I instructed them to maintain the integrity of the scene. We can't be sure if the perpetrators tampered with it as well, so let's not give them any confidence that they followed my instructions," Justin warned, and we all understood the importance of preserving the evidence and the likelihood that the pack members were corrupt."Marvin, Charlotte, Sebastien, and Oliver, you'll investigate the exterior. Check the tire tracks from grandma's gate leading to the burnt van," Justin directed."The rest of us will head inside. Once you're done outside, join us indoors to discuss your findings," he continued, efficiently dividing us into two teams to make the most of our investigation.Josephine, Noah, and I accompanied Justi
~Liam~The hospital wait proved challenging as time seemed to drag while we remained motionless. Josephine and I took short strolls occasionally to stretch our legs. I permitted her to rest on the couch while I remained standing. Despite the unspoken nature of the situation, I anticipated that questions would arise soon.Seated on my lap, Josephine inquired, "Are we still planning to visit the food truck?" Justin observed us, prompting his interruption, "What food truck?""It's a little place we checked out yesterday before all of this happened," Josephine replied, intentionally vague about the location."I understand. However, you two shouldn't go anywhere without a couple more people at least," he remarked, his tone resembling that of a protective figure. I almost let out a chuckle at his statement."Point taken, Alpha," I replied, and he wasn't still smiling. Whatever he was seeing bothered him a lot, and I knew I was the bad guy in the eyes of those who did not know what was going
~Leo~ Going to the council meeting always sucked. There was no time I got used to it. Amelia often told me it would become a routine, but I saw it as a job. Twice I had asked Sylvester to nominate someone else as council leader so I won't have to go to all the meetings, and he refused. I could understand his reasons, but having to travel to the north every month sucked. It is fun when we visit, but when it becomes compulsory, it takes the fun out. This meeting would be fun compared to others, so it was something to look forward to. I wondered how Christian was going to table the matter. Vino was right when he said we would have fun handling this matter. I wondered how our children were doing in Grizlo, especially with Liam and Josephine being watched and the terrorist saying they would send us instructions. I wondered what their demands would be. I also wondered how Thompson's death tied into all this. Why will Mike murder Thompson and have his partners in crime follow Jo and
~Josephine~The kappas coming from Lucland didn't reach Grizlo Hospital until late, subjecting us all to a lengthy and tense wait. When they finally did arrive, Charlotte couldn't contain her joy. Meanwhile, I observed Justin issuing them instructions, my only thought being an earnest desire to depart from that place. Before long, we were on our way back to the packhouse, with hunger and fatigue weighing heavily on all of us."What comes next?" Marvin inquired, prompting a chuckle from Justin."Merely your first day, and exhaustion has already set in. Imagine if you had to work under an Alpha known for their workaholic tendencies. Would you feel similarly then?" he remarked, eliciting laughter from Liam."I must say our empty stomachs pose a predicament. Even the most industrious of Alphas must heed the call of hunger," Liam added with a grin, inciting amusement all around.Justin took a turn and branched at a diner to satiate our immediate needs.The moment we entered the place, the
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