~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
~Josephine~A rush of excitement coursed through me, and a smile tugged at Liam's lips as he stood by the doorway. Since there was nothing to grab in my room, I slipped on my slippers and made my way outside."Did your father get in touch?" Liam inquired as we descended the staircase, and I nodded.“Heard the Alpha of Cain is joining us,” I said.“My father thinks his case is linked with ours,” Liam said, and I was surprised.“Mine too,” I said.Moving downstairs, we encountered Oliver and Justin in the foyer. It was evident that they were engrossed in a conversation. As our gazes met, Justin's lips curved into a knowing smile, his eyes carrying a hint of understanding. Had Liam confided in him about our relationship? The notion made me feel bashful, yet I reined in my emotions."Make sure you stay on the premises, you two," Justin cautioned, and Liam affirmed his understanding with a nod. With that, we stepped out through the door, and under Liam's guidance, our journey began."What'
~Liam~ My heart beat so fast that I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Josephine in my arms as we explored her pleasure together, the pleasure that resonated with mine. The way her body moved and curled to my touch. The way she welcomed my kisses, my caresses. How she let me. There was no denying that this was indeed ordained, and I knew I might break before she turned eighteen. Laying on the mat under the velvet sky, staring at the sparkling diamonds that graced the night along with the moon. Everything was far away, and all that mattered was the two of us. Cuddled in my arms, I breathed her in. Her dill scent intoxicated me. There was no way I would have won should I have attempted to fight our bond. The moon knows precisely what I need. With her in my arms, I longed for the day when being this close would be permanent, and we wouldn't have to sleep in a separate bed or control ourselves anymore. I longed for the moment and wished upon the moon to grant me my hea
~Liam~ Breakfast ended, and it was time for us to head to Sam Street. While we walked out, I stylishly waited for everyone to move past us holding Josephine's hand. She had a mischievous grin on her face when they left. "Good morning," I said, pulling her close, tucking her hair behind her ear, and she giggled. "You should have let me in; I would have helped you in the shower," I teased, and she laughed. "be careful what you say, your highness; I might just let you," She teased, and I laughed. "I am thinking we go hunting when we return today," I said, and she shook her head, breaking my heart a bit. "I think we should watch a movie in your room or mine and maybe order spring rolls and sandwiches from Mrs Mirabel. I have her number now," she said, and I laughed. Of course, watching television in either of our rooms was more appealing than hunting. I made a mental note to let her pick the activities and venue henceforth. My choices might be a bit too boring for her. "Of course
~Josephine~ I did not need to know why Justin didn't pair me up with Liam, he wanted us actually doing our job, so I couldn't complain. "So, where do we start?" I asked Justin, and he looked around. Liam and Charlotte had entered the house closest to Brighton's mansion, and technically, that was the house that mattered the most because they would have seen something. "I guess that spot is taken," I pointed at the house, and Justin chuckled. "That is the easy angle to find out what happened to the housekeeper," He said, then pointed at the house on the bend. "We will be taking that one," he added, and I frowned. "That house is too far from the Brightons", I complained. There was no way anyone living in that house could see what transpired at the gate of the Brightons. It was bound to be a waste of time, but Justin was a brilliant Alpha, and I knew he must have a reason, so there was no point shutting it down. "And why is that spot crucial?" I asked Justin, hoping he would wow
~Liam~ We drove to the hospital in silence, and I could feel the grim in the air. Other than Charlotte that was excited about seeing her mother, the rest of us were in deep thought. Evidently, the people who made the video and sent it to our parents were those who blew up the van and the house. They were the people that were watching Josephine and me. I could understand why Justin freaked out. I wondered what their deal was and why they had to harm the housekeeper. How does she tie into all this? Although they said the housekeeper had been employed by my grandparents, I did not know who she was. Grandma had a lot of workers, but we always ended up doing most of the chores in the house, so they rarely came by. This housekeeper must have been unlucky to be the one sent to the house. We need to look into her life to understand what might have happened. We arrived at the hospital, and the number of guards we found there indicated that Aunty Claudia was truly in the building. Uncl
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