(Harry)The Red Moon Alpha was soon on his way home. However, his journey had taken triple the time allowed for, as he'd first had to take the dwarves' underground routes before reaching the nearest unblocked elven portal.Harry had kept his teeth clenched and systematically cracked his knuckles whenever his path had crossed that of a dwarf.Despite his affection for Marguerite and Ambroise, Harry now harbored a deep hatred for those of the dwarf race.What's more, the young Alpha was worried about his animal side. Indeed, the second they had moved away from their Mate, Till had withdrawn into a stony silence.There was nothing wrong with a wolf not communicating with its human side. But it was surprising that Till was so silent. He was usually a friendly wolf and always happy to speak with Harry.In fact, for a time, the red wolf had even taken Harry's place. Till had had complete control of their bodies for a whole week. Such had been the shock of losing their parents that the
Connor recoiled slightly at Harry's words. Then he shook his head as if seeking to physically refuse his pack leader's explanation."What? You did not bring her here because of a fucking lurker? You can't be serious," the Beta retorted in a whisper.Harry had kept his head down. His soul mate's words were still circling like a morbid melody in his mind."You can't understand," Harry growled in Connor's direction. Talking about his soul mate had brought to the surface the fears he had harbored since finding his Mate. As a result, his senses were heightened even more than usual.The Red Moon Alpha was already furious that his status was still questioned. The estrangement from his Mate greatly heightened his level of aggression. And, finally, the fact that his actions were being questioned was yet another insult."I can't understand if you do not put what is going on into words," Connor retorted, throwing up his arms in defeat.Connor was well aware of his Alpha's state of irritatio
The members of the Red Moon pack cried out in anger at the grotesque, wretched appearance of the rogue's wolf.But could one still speak of a wolf in the face of the mutilated and scarred body of the creature that stood before Harry?This wolf's fur must once have been gray. Now, where there should have been a thick, dense coat, there was only a mass of oozing, rotting flesh.The tip of his right ear had been torn off. Clearly, the wolf's gift of regeneration had failed him, as putrid juices leaked from it to form a foul crust along his neck.The creature's eyes were devoid of any light of life, and it gazed defiantly at the Alpha.The wolf's revolting smell was proof of its decay and lone wolf status.Harry felt bile rise to his throat at the appearance of this lurker who had dared to challenge him for dominance of his pack._ At least it'll be quick," growled Till in the young Alpha's mind.Harry cracked his neck, tilting his head quickly to either side. Then he let out a he
Unfortunately, the gray wolf's small stature, which had been an asset against such an imposing opponent, would be his undoing. His initial agility advantage had lasted only a brief moment.The rogue let out a pleading cry, but it was too late. He tried to sit up on his paws to reduce the pressure on his neck. But the difference in size between the two wolves was such that his efforts were in vain.Once the red wolf's fangs had closed in on his prey, the Alpha simply had to get back into position without bothering. Till placed his front paw heavily on the top of the gray wolf's shoulder. He only had to push lightly to separate the body from his rival's head.A loud crack mingled with the gray wolf's cry of pain to the cheers of the Red Moon pack. The Alpha released the head to the ground. His opponent's blood now lent a coppery hue to his red coat.The Red Moon pack loudly celebrated their Alpha's victory. Words of congratulations and cheers flooded Harry's
The opaque veil immediately withdrew from Connor's eyes, and he quickly positioned himself over his Alpha to protect him."Who?" Connor barely had time to articulate before he was grabbed by the throat and flung to the side.The Beta's body flew across the arena and crashed against the bottom of the bleachers. A thunderous boom rang out as the sound of shattering concrete and metal echoed.Only when the dust settled did those present see a man kneeling beside their Alpha.He had short-cropped raven-black hair and was wearing simple denim pants and a black shirt.When Connor emerged from the rubble to return to his Alpha, he stopped dead in his tracks and stared in horror at the man standing next to Harry."What... Why?" asked Connor as his skin closed where it had been cut.The man didn't answer and walked towards the rogue's head. Then, when he finally looked in the direction of the Red Moon Beta, his eyes revealed a glowing red color."Why hasn't anyone seen his silver-coated
Duncan merely chuckled, then exchanged a glance with his Alpha. They didn't need to speak, as Duncan knew perfectly well what he had to do. So he bent down and lifted Beta Connor's stunned body with ease. He'd tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes without the slightest effort."You want me to come back?" Duncan asked calmly.Black nodded before sitting cross-legged in the dust of the combat zone."The less the Red Moon sees of us, the better," Black replied, closing his eyes.Duncan raised an eyebrow at his Alpha. He had parted his lips and was staring at him."What?" growled Black at his Beta. On the other hand, he hadn't even bothered to open his eyes, so intense was the way his Beta stared at him. He literally felt as if Duncan was punching holes in his skin just with his eyes."You realize that just the fact that you're standing right here is enough of a way to announce to everyone that you've set foot in their pack, right?" mocked Dun
"Manu, open the damn door," Bianca shouted, pounding her fist like a mad woman. "No... it's okay," replied Emmanuelle in a weak voice. She'd had to put her hands on the edge of the sink and was struggling to keep her balance as she watched her eyes change color. Instead of the usual blue, blood-red lines appeared. She took deep breaths. Besides, she had to calm down quickly and find a way to get Bianca out of the house. However, she hadn't anticipated that the pain coursing through her would be so intense. "Are you going to be all right? Are you kidding me, or what? Open up!" shouted Bianca in panic. "I'm warning you, I'm going to call the boys, and I'm going to have this fucking door kicked in!" Emmanuelle grumbled under the new wave of pain that had just swept through her mind. She was trying as best she could to concentrate her soul mate bond towards her beloved and manage Bianca outside. She staggered and opened the door with a jerk. "Don't break my house," she re
"Hello?" replied Augustin.The vampire was standing in front of the long tunnel made of torii at the entrance to a Shinto temple. Tall maple trees with leaves in a thousand shades of red added a touch of mysticism to the remote location, difficult for humans to access.He gazed at the large vermilion-painted "portals ."They were, after all, a succession of two vertical wood on which rested a heavy beam. The term portal only made sense to Augustin's Western mind when it was explained to him that the torii was used to separate a sacred enclosure from the profane realm."You will have to be more eloquent, my dear. I have finally obtained an audience with the lord of the South. I should be back in France within two days if all goes well. I was very amused to learn that the term "torii" means "where the birds are ."What better way to describe the entrance to the Vermilion Bird estate?" asked Augustin as two Miko in ceremonial garb arrived in the distance.He watched i
The vampires stiffened at the mention of Emmanuelle's beloved's first name. The young blonde woman had burst into tears again, closely followed by Bianca. Augustin looked back curtly as he saw a blood maid standing in the doorway. She shyly held in her hands a square black wooden tray on which rested a box of tissues as well as a carafe of water and crystal glasses. Typically, the ancient vampire would never have tolerated such an intrusion into his family sphere. However, he had to admit that the gesture was thoughtful, and the two women in front of him were particularly boisterous. "Thank you," he said to the servant, and she disappeared as quickly as she had come. "Does Ari even know?" asked Bianca. Emmanuelle was at a loss for words and shook her head to say no. She rose from her rocking chair. "Damn, when I thought I'd said as a joke that you could take nine months to make a baby! If I could do that with the lottery numbers, it would make my life so much easier," Bianca
Emmanuelle, diligently knitting a child's bonnet, was startled. She was sitting on a rocking chair, enjoying the cool morning air and the song of the cicadas. She was stunned to see Bianca in the doorway.How could this be? She should have heard, even smelled, Bianca coming.The young brunette woman had rushed headlong towards her best friend, staring at her from head to toe.Emmanuelle gently placed her red woolen book on the oak coffee table beside her. But she remained silent.Of course, this moment would come sooner or later. But Emmanuelle had hoped to delay it as long as possible for fear of Bianca's reaction.Emmanuelle was still thinking about her best friend's lecture on contraception. But how could she have known then that she was actually able to get pregnant without a complete bond?Augustin's hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Obviously, the former vampire had done this on purpose. It would have been inconce
"Ouch!" Augustin had unintentionally crashed into someone while carrying several cartons of paper. It was when he'd backed up, and especially thinking he was alone in the office, that the accident had happened. The ancient vampire froze, then quickly turned his head towards the person. He was surprised to see Bianca rubbing her nose. The young woman had come in and tried to cover her eyes to play a trick on him. On the other hand, she had made a maneuvering error, and his best friend's father had moved much faster than expected. He was completely stunned. It was the first time in his long immortal life that a living being had been able to approach him without him being able to detect its presence. He squinted for a moment, searching for some hidden power within Bianca, but nothing. The young woman's heart was beating normally. Her big, caramel-colored eyes had that human life and light in them. And it was only after a draught of air entered the room that Augustin could smell the s
Before Harry knew what was happening, he was back in human form. He soon found himself lying on his side, in a gun-dog position.His breathing was ragged from the rapid, forced metamorphosis imposed by the Mad One's order, while a sense of emptiness gradually invaded his mind.Memories flooded back like a burst dam, and he felt a lump in his throat.However, he didn't have time to react as Black threw a pair of black gym shorts at him.It was Wayne who'd been in charge of quickly fetching clothes the second he'd seen the Mad One revert to human form."Stand up," Black ordered once he was clothed himself.Harry had struggled to his feet and dressed himself, keeping his head down. His body had begun to shake as memories returned more clearly, and he managed to organize his thoughts.The young Red Moon Alpha had to clear his throat again and blink rapidly to chase away the emotion gripping his heart.When he
The red wolf trembled from head to toe as the black wolf circled him. The disapproving growls of this fantastic beast with glowing red eyes left no doubt as to what it thought of Harry. Why did we swear to protect him?" growled the black wolf to his human counterpart. "Because he's alone," Black replied coldly, without trying to say anything more. He already knew what Harry's wolf was thinking, and he suspected perfectly well what would happen next. _He's not alone! He's got a Mate!" barked the black wolf, still showing his fangs in his mind, but also to the two trembling Alphas in front of him. Black merely sighed. His wolf was as stubborn as he was, and he knew perfectly well that his wolf would still go after Harry no matter what he said. And this wasn't even for valid reasons, but simply because he was jealous that the red wolf had been rewarded with a soulmate before him. "He's alone," Black repeated. The black wolf's growl had grown even m
Harry had seen Alpha Black's face gradually take on the appearance of a wolf with fur as black as a moonless night. This should never have frightened him so much. However, what should have been a commonplace occurrence in a werewolf's daily life had turned into a horror movie for the young man. Had it been any other wolf, Harry wouldn't have cared a lick about it. Yet he never thought he'd have to deal with the Alpha Black wolf himself. During their training sessions, the Mad One had always made sure he had the upper hand over his animal side for fear that his wolf would try to hurt the young man. Now, for the first time in his life, Harry found himself face to face with the great black wolf. The fear he felt was so great that he felt as if everything frightening he'd experienced up to now had been a walk in the park. The Mad One's bones had cracked in transformation, while his skin was covered in a long coat as black as night. A menacing growl arose, amplified by the spherical sh
Harry was now sprawled on his back. His arms stretched out crosswise to his sides. His nose was bleeding from the kick he'd received in the face, and he had to cough to get rid of the blood filling his throat. The young redhead let out a pained groan as Alpha Black lifted him by the hair. Harry's usually well-groomed brush cut had grown long enough for the Mad one to grab it quickly. Alpha Black lifted Harry so that he was at eye level and stared at the young man in front of him. He wanted to see Harry's healing speed and was shocked at how slowly his wolf's power was working. This confirmed that the red wolf was dormant, and Black knew he had to act quickly if Harry's animal side was not to sink too deep inside him. The Mad One knew perfectly well what it felt like to be deprived of his animal part. He couldn't even tell the last time he'd been able to talk to his own wolf. Despite Black's pleas, the animal remained walled in silence, communicating only by growling. Despite his
Witnesses who had seen the scene had tried to follow them, at first squealing with delight. They all felt happy and reassured to see their Alpha fit enough to go out. However, when they finally became aware of their pack leader's posture, they finally realized that something was wrong. Worse still, they had begun to cry out in horror at the sight of the Mad One heading straight for the arena. The Red Moon pack's telepathic link had been flooded with warning messages and cries for help. Beta Connor, who had spent the day organizing meetings with other packs, had lost his balance and abandoned whatever he was doing to rush out. The pack's collective panic had prevented him from thinking calmly, and his body was now only acting automatically. He had shouted to the soldiers and guards positioned at the borders of the pack's territory to join him as quickly as possible. Alpha Black tossed Harry's body without a moment's hesitation. He remained completely indifferent to the growing crow
Harry slowly opened his eyes. He had to blink several times to adjust his vision to the blinding brightness of the room. The young Red Moon Alpha had no idea where he was or what he was doing there. He took a few deep breaths and recognized the aseptic smell of disinfectant so characteristic of hospitals. Then, at last, the sound of machines reached his ears, and he became aware of the plastic tubes to which his body was connected. "Till?" whispered Harry. He couldn't understand why he was in a hospital bed or why his wolf's power hadn't been enough to heal him. It wasn't right that he should be placed in a condition where he had to be bedridden. Nervous spasms moved his facial muscles as he gradually became aware of his wolf's silence. Alone. A feeling of anguish gripped the young Alpha's heart as that single word echoed in his mind. He was alone again and unable to contact Till. But he had something else. So it wasn't just Till's lack of response that paralyzed the young Alpha