ELISE POV “Is it Rygan who marked you, Elise?” Kaide's dark voice asked sternly. It felt like the ground under my feet had turned unsteady with the strength leaving my legs. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Kaide had found out I was marked by Rygan, a sign of shame without a mate to claim me. Was he going to see me as a shameless, dirty secret of his alpha now? Was he going to believe that I was shameless enough to be marked but not mated to a male? Now that I’m left with only a half-bond, I could do nothing but hide. “Elise?” I heard his voice break through the dark void of my thoughts as my eyes glazed over to his now-worrying ones. My vision is blurry with tears. “Kaide.” I tried to talk, but I stuttered as I pushed him away from me, my hands unconsciously touching my nape as I tried to stop myself from trembling. "Yes, it’s Rygan's mark; you must see me as a pathetic person now,” I said softly, not having the courage to look at Kaide. “But he is betrothed to be mated
Elise once again dreams of that mysterious soothing voice—that voice that belonged to her wolf; she wanted to talk to her and become one with her. She tried to pursue her wolf in her dreams, but then everything turned eerily silent. She heard the sound of a familiar chuckle she dreaded, and soon she turned to see Kyren right in front of her. “I’ve found you finally, my slave; you are forever doomed to be bound to me; no one will choose you but me!” He snarls with a venomous growl as he grabs for Elise, who screams. “No!” Elise screamed as her eyes shot open, and she rushed up from the bed as she was woken up from the nightmare. With cold sweat clinging to her skin. It took a few seconds for her to recognize her surroundings, ensuring herself that she was no longer in the dungeon. “He cannot hurt you anymore, Elise; you are safe,” she muttered, clutching hard to her folded arms. She thought she could hold the rising bile in her throat and the twisting feeling in her guts, b
Vienna was once again proven right by how dangerous the training had gotten and how many wolves were getting injured during the fight. It was a lot easier to help with apprentices and Elise, who did her best to learn quickly. Even helping until three days later, when the training finally ended. Elise saw it as a perfect opportunity to avoid someone, and this was a better distraction. Elise got the hang of it during the third day. There was a more serious accident that shook the arena on the last day: a young female who was fatally wounded and had broken her wrist. She cried out in pain as Vienna ushered her quickly into the back room of the arena. “Elise, you have to start with cleaning her wounds because I’ll be gone for a few minutes; I have to get another bandage for her arm,” Vienna tells her quickly before she bolts out of the room. The door was shut with both Elise and the wounded female in the room. Elise was anxious at first, but she knew to calm her anxiety and he
Taz had invited them back to his place; the walk to his home felt uncomfortable to Elise, especially after what had just happened at the ring and the misunderstanding with Rygan because of it. Rygan and Alvira's arms were still entwined as she caressed his forearm and flirted with him through the walk, while Elise, Kaide, and Tazmin followed behind. Elise was sheltered in the middle of the betas, who conversed as they walked to his home. It was very close to Rygan Mansion but was more privately covered with large trees that surrounded the space. Its entrance felt like a forest, but Elise was behind a beautiful, dark oak mansion. The pathway was lit by dim lights that gave the whole walkway and home a dark yet majestic ambiance, and right beside his home was an outdoor sitting area with a large bonfire in the middle. “Make yourselves comfortable, the new couples too, unless you want to have a chance with me instead, Red; I promise I’m good in bed,” he teased with a wink. “W
Rygan couldn’t do it anymore; he couldn’t hide the fact of his feelings that burned so strong—the way his wolf yearned, the way his eyes always followed her when she was in the room—and he knew now he wanted Elise. He craved her presence so much that he could practically still taste her on his tongue as he walked back to his chambers. He had told Elise of his promise to break the engagement, and he was going to do just that. Rygan was in deep thought as he marched to his chambers. He paused in his step the moment he was about to open the door. His nose had twitched from the scent of a familiar she-wolf that he could sense in his room. He knew that it was Alvira. “Let’s just get this over with,” he muttered, choosing that he’d break the engagement since she was conveniently in his chambers. He walked in to see Alvira sitting outside the large balcony joined to his chambers. “Alvira,” he started. “Remember when the four of us—I mean, five—used to run around the hills, having n
Rygan's POV My head throbbed like a sore blow Taz gives from a sparring gone wrong. One moment, I was lost in a blissful dream with Elise, finally free from Alvira's clutches. We'd spent the night tangled in a joyous mess, whispering promises of forever from our lovemaking. Now, a suffocating dread coiled in my gut. A scent, not the familiar lavender that usually lingered by my side, jolted me awake. Panicked, I scrambled away from the warm weight on my chest. A peek to my side revealed Alvira, sprawled naked across my bed. The mix of our scents in the air confirmed the horrifying truth. "What the hell is this?" I choked out, fury battling disbelief. A ghost of a smile played on Alvira's lips as she stretched. "Good morning, Alpha." Before she could reach for me, I snarled, "Don't you dare." Her smile faltered.now her face forms into one of a cold and brutal seductionist ready to trap her prey. "Why the sudden coldness, Rygan? We had a wonderful night," she purred reach
*Don't you touch me!* Elise exclaimed, and Rygan was more than shocked to hear her voice echo to him telepathically. “You are a telepath, but how...” Rygan let out in awe, for a moment distracted from the situation in the first place, until Elise growled at him. “You think I give a shit about what powers I have right now, Rygan?” She huffed out, her eyes teary, as she pulled her hands away from his reaching hold. “You are such a lying jerk, Rygan. I should have known you were lying last night; all those promises meant nothing to you at all," Elise replied bitterly. Her body trembled from anger. Her eyes were wet with tears, and an indescribable feeling burned in her. Rygan tried to reach his hands out for her, but she took two steps back. “Elise, please, that isn't what happened. I just can't.” “Then explain to me...why did you sleep with Alvira?” She questioned him, and Rygan froze on the spot as he watched her eyes water. “Love, listen to me,” he called, marching forwa
“I will tell you everything that I can,” Elise starts. "Yes, I do have powers, but I am still confused about my abilities, and I cannot trust anyone so easily... I'm terrified even by the thought of them seeing me like a freak, just like my father and Kyren.” "—shh,” Vienna cut her off. “You can explain to me at your own pace; I promise you that you are safe. And I will not judge you,” she assures. The strong will in her encouraging gaze made Elise's heartbeat calmer. She nods in understanding before following the healer into a warmer space, where the dark wood floors match the large brown stone fireplace. Vienna then leads her to an L-shaped sofa with two comfy armchairs beside it. She takes a seat on the soft couch while Vienna rushes to the stove by the kitchen, to place a warm cup chamomile tea, with its calm scent that wafts aruond the room, which she positions on the table to warm Elise up. She urges Elise to take a sip that calms her nerves before she mutters, "Where