Hayden is a shadow wolf, the real deal. The moment those words left Hayden’s lips, Elise felt like she had finally found something in her heart that she had been searching for. Something had called to her ever since she read that book not long before. “You are a shadow wolf, and this is the Calhan pack?” she asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “I thought its people were all assassinated during the war 20 years ago,” she muttered to him. A tense silence followed. Hayden tried to read her intentions as he watched her carefully. Hayden’s walls immediately closed up the minute she asked questions about his home. His eyes grew cold as he studied her, wondering why she was so intrigued by the shadow wolves. “Why don’t you change out of the hospital gown, and I might answer your questions?” he called, handing her a beige sweater top and pants. She looked at the clothes and went back to him. “And why do I need to change clothes?” she snarled at Hayden, whose lips tilted si
“You are Malia’s daughter? ...moons,” Abby whispers, her face morphing to one of shock and then recognition, like she could see the uncanny resemblance to Elise. The twins, on the other hand, looked at Elise, as if that name alone brought enough bad memories to their home. “I told you that this girl is dangerous if that bastard Dexton gets a clue that she is here-.” “-He won't,” Elise cuts in. “Like I said, the monster isn’t my father; he killed my mother when he learned of her infidelity; he says it reminded him of the Calhan tribe wolves. And it seems my mother has a history with your pack, and I just want to find out who I am. That’s why I’m here,” she explains. Dexton was right about the features of the Calhan wolves; they were most commonly born with black hair, but the special ones among them, the chosen royal blood, had been given snowy locks just like Hayden’s. Though his brother Holden's hair wasn’t as long as his, its buzz cut still showed his white-gold hair. “S
Meeting with the Calhan males already felt like a completely new experience for Elise, especially since the males had different characters and demeanors. Hayden gives her a brief explanation that Abby will be taking her in, and she obliges once she knows it is the healer. A part of her had a soft spot for healers because of Vienna, her friend, who was very kind to her in the black-moon park. Her throat immediately soured with sadness as she cleared it to stop herself from showing any vulnerable emotions or crying because of how much she missed Vienna. “And where will you be staying?” She asked Hayden, whose lips curled up in a smile as he leaned against the adjacent wall. Calhan males were big, and shadow wolves were bigger, and he towered over her, almost the same height as an alpha. She didn’t want to remember anything about that place. Not now. “Are you thinking of little old me, El? Are you worried you won't see me for the night? Don’t worry, I could fix that,” he jokes.
“Because I knew your mother,” Abby confesses. Elise's gaze hardened in confusion from Abby’s words; she could only feel stunned and numb all over as she watched the healer. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Elise starts with a whisper. Her hands trembled in anxiety at her response. “Because I thought it wasn’t my place to say, but I know you need the truth; I can tell you all that I know,” Abby explains. Elise feels her body go numb; she sits up straighter as a bone links in lace before she swallows, watching as Abby takes the seat closest to her. “Your mom, Malia, was a rogue; at least we thought she was; she was beautiful, wild, and so carefree; a joy to be around,” she starts. Elise couldn’t believe that her kind, conservative mother was someone like this. She couldn’t help but heartthrob in sadness for her mother. How much did Dexton break her to change so much? “She was rescued by our shadow wolves when she was about to be attacked by rogues; we sheltered her, offering h
Elise's POV ~~~ After Abby revealed everything to me, I went back to my room to be alone, my head filled with so much emotion that I felt a dull ache worsening by the minute. "Maybe a panic attack?" I thought as I rushed to the bed, pulling the covers over myself and clutching a hand over my mouth to control the harsh breathing, to an extent. But more than ever, I wanted to find out what happened to my father, and once I found out, I would leave and seek my revenge, starting with Dexton, my ex-father who had ruined my life. Maybe I could start over after that; I wanted a clean slate, I prayed desperately.a yearning my heart desired. My eyelids grew heavy as I fell into a deep slumber. I found myself in that familiar mist, but this time it was calming. I watched as a shadow emerged, this time enormous and powerful, with those violet eyes I remembered from my wolf. She gazed up at me, the closest we had ever been. I reached out to touch her, and she extended her neck for
Elise took the dare, Leaving a wide-eyed Hayden staring in awe. To Hayden’s surprise, Elise had begun undoing her top and pants; her silk underwear remained, and his gaze was unwavering, daring her to look up at him. “Turn around, you pervert,” she says to Hayden. She hates his casually sheepish smile, his lips stretched into a grin as he raises his hands in defeat and turns the other way. Elise takes off her things and goes behind a large tree, keeping the clothes safe. She doesn’t want to ruin what Abby has given her, and she doesn’t want to take her kindness for granted. “You know… What you did today was amazing. It’s unheard of to find a gifted wolf. And you aren’t just a shifter,” Hayden says from behind the tree as she takes off her underwear. “… You’re a healer and also a shifter; that is unbelievably rare.” Elise stiffened; a known fear gripped her when she recalled how Kaide wanted to lock her up and use her for his selfish purposes when he found out she was a gi
Elise was more than relieved that she could meet that man now, but from their gaze, she could tell there was something else to it. “What is it?” She asked the twin brothers. “As we said, our father's mental condition isn’t all that stable for years now, and his chambers are hardly opened out to the public because of that, but the festival in two days will be the perfect opportunity,” Hayden explained. "So, you have to wait a few days, please.” It’s just a few days; there’s no harm since they’ve assured her that she’d be able to meet their chief, she thought, so she nodded in agreement. Though it slows down her plans to leave the pack soon, she sees something almost like relief on Hayden’s face when she agrees to stay another day. *Stop letting your heart show on your sleeves, brother,* Holden channels, but he ignores it. “I’ll take you back,” he tells Elise. She spares a short glance at Holden but is met with a smirk that has her confused as to what it means. She follows H
It was hard to miss the blaring red spot on Holden's face the next day when he came into the clinic, courtesy of Hayden, who was not amused when he found out he was the culprit in this mess and brought Elise to the pub. Elise barely spared a glance at Holden, still annoyed that he knew what was happening and let her go in there just to see Hayden with another woman. “Ouch! Can you fucking stop that?” He hissed at Elise, as she put a warm cloth to clean the bloodied area. Abby had asked her for a favor to clean his bloody face. “Sit still,” she hissed, not sorry for his pain. She was holding back from laughing at his face; he deserved it. She wanted to add another punch, too. “Don't you have healing powers or something like that? So much for being on my side.” “I am not on your side; you called bullshit and you found out the consequences; what did you even gain for letting me see that?” Elise hissed, dropping the warm cloth back into a bowl. “I thought I’d spice up your r