AMAYA'S POV Blown off by Lucius' sudden request, my mouth hung open. But then we heard a shrill cry before I could speak. Someone had collapsed. Grateful for the interruption, I darted over to the place the sound came from. It was later realized that it was a prank by some of the arena keepers. Some of the people that were around complained about the silly prank before returning to what they were doing. “Do you care for anything?” Lucius asked as we went back to our position. “Uhm–”“Wait here. I will get us something,” he said hastily and hurried away before I could refuse. “Amaya,” I heard someone call my name less than a minute after Lucius left. I turned and there was an elderly woman beside me. Surprised, I scanned around to check if she had company. I hadn't heard her join us. “I am alone,” she replied like she had read the question in my mind. “How did you know my name?” I asked, still trying to grasp the whole thing. She smiled. “I would be damned not to recognize gr
“Speak, what is it?” Lucius demanded, trying to contain his annoyance. Like what was so urgent Jaxon had to make him leave Amaya at that moment. What better time would he get to be in such proximity and calmness with her again? “It better be something important,” he added, his face wrinkling. “The elders are meeting behind your back,” Jaxon revealed. “What?” Lucius leaned back, forehead burrowing deep. Anxiety etched deep into his face, the irritation on it replaced with a mixture of worry and disappointment. He'd always known they were a bunch of greedy elders but he didn't think they would start this early to show their hidden claws. Things were beginning to look good for him. He stifled a groan. “When did this start? Are you just knowing about it now?” He asked Jaxon. “I'm sorry but we have been so focused with Balus and your mate–”“Who started it? Chief elder? What is their reason for betraying me? Why can't they trust in me?”“Their reason remains that you have yet to fulfil
Lucius sprung from his seat as if suddenly overcome by something and charged outside. Tommy and Jaxon were at the door and just about to get in when he dashed outside. “Call them back!” he yelled. Tommy and Jaxon stared at him, puzzled. “I said call the men back! They are not to kill Damian!” he repeated authoritatively. “What?” Tommy was stiffened as he leaned back stunned. “We can't pull off now,” he said, eyes narrowing. “I didn't say we, I said pull off,” Lucius gritted, emphasizing on the ‘I’. “Call them back. They must return to Westwood immediately.”“You can't pull off the operation now!” Tommy slammed. “Are you challenging me?” Lucius questioned, taken aback. Their gaze held…long, icy, air thickened with unspoken tension. Lucius' jaw was set and firm as fury brewed within him. He could not believe Tommy was talking back to him. His own beta!After a moment, Tommy stepped back and gave a strained chuckle. ”I would never do that, my Alpha. I'm just saying this is the bad
Damian tried to launch an attack but then he stopped. His eyes widened. His body was not feeling the same. Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Was it because of Amaya? His fist curled. The whole set up suggested Lucius must have found out about Amaya's strength and seeing she was away from him decided to strike. He tried not to panic but it was as though the weakness of his body doubled with creating in him the one attribute he detested so much—fear. “Run Damian. Run out of the room and alert the guards.” The warning echoed in his head. But he inwardly shook his head, remembering vividly those words, those words that he had lived by all his life. “I am Alpha Damian. I do not run in the face of adversities. I am the leader and protector of Craven. The day I run from danger is the day I become useless.”No matter how weak his body had become he would not run away.“Did Lucius send you?” He clenched. “Answer me! Did that loser send you!”The men began to circle him like wolves,
AMAYA'S POV I returned to the park and sat on a bench. Outside was calm. Everyone looked so happy and it was like I was the only one feeling this enormous turmoil. Beside me was a family and on my other side were two lovers. They giggled and I couldn't help but notice how they stare affectionately at each other. They saw only themselves. They probably didn't even notice I was beside them. “Mummy! Daddy!” the little kid called out to her parents. She looked so happy as she ran into her father's waiting arm. At that moment, it faintly occured to me the kind of trust children had for their parents. The trust that he would never drop her, that his arms are strong enough to catch her and hold her no matter what. It reminded me of my parents too and it made my heart ache. Everyday I prayed to not wake up one morning and discover that I had forgotten their faces. I clung onto those memories of them I had because they were all I had. I briefly shut my eyes to bask in them. To remind mys
Nelo paced around her room. Every second she stopped and stared out of the window, expecting, hoping and praying that somehow her biggest fear would not happen. She hoped that Amaya would have gotten her letter. Although she would have hoped that somehow she didn't and that Damian would overcome and win the assassins on his own. But that was what she couldn't hope for. She had made sure to drop the Aetherleaf in his study. There was no way he would defeat those assassins after inhaling that. She sighed regretfully. She regretted it. She really did.She didn't want anything happening to Damian. She wished she didn't have to make difficult choices like this one. Damian was her end point. But then again she had to do what she had to do. She'd decided to stay back in her room and waited as everything unfolded. But when she heard Nelly barking orders at the guards and at the maids and everyone she saw, she knew it was better to be out. It would be suspicious if she remained in her room wh
“No…no… Look at me…” Amaya grabbed Damian's arm, eyes widened in shock. There was no way he would forget her. At least not so easily. Not after what they had shared. Not after everything. She swallowed painfully forcing herself to take deep breaths. “Okay. You remember how you saved me from that bar man…remember how you brought me from Westwood …you remember us…how you came back that night and you —you—”“Stop it!” Nelly barked as she stormed forward and pulled Amaya back. “You can’t force him to remember,” she shot. “Yes. He must remember on his own. Even if you try to force him to remember, it won't work,” the seer added, glancing at Amaya. Amaya’s leg weakened and she staggered back. Damian’s face was deeply wrinkled as he watched her. He then looked at Uncle Griffin, the one person he trusted with his life. “Don't think about anything else. The only thing you have to think about is capturing those assassins and their sender now,” Uncle Griffin said and offered a supportive look
“Forgive me my Alpha! I have been a fool! No, punish me my Alpha. I have been a disobedient servant! Punish me, my lord!” Tommy fell on his knees and pleaded. Lucius fumed. He reached for the sheath, drew out the sword and aimed at Tommy's neck. His fingers curled around the sword as his teeth tightened. The veins around his neck bulged and his eyes glowed fiercely. He should slash the lying betrayer before him apart that instant. He should make sure he never sees the light of the day again. “You look down on me Tommy. I give you everything! I took you in as my Beta when you were not half worth it and made your miserable life comfortable!”“Kill me my Alpha. I don't deserve to live. Please kill me–”“Shut up!” Lucius growled. Kill him so he would be termed the heartless Alpha that murdered his own Beta. “Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your life right now,” he demanded with grit. Tommy starred up, eyes clouded with guilt. “Kill me without thinking twice if I ever dare to chal
CRAVEN PACK DUNGEON “Please make sure to eat your meal, my Alpha.”Those were the exact words the guard that brought in his meal that very morning had said and for some very odd reason Damian couldn't say, both the food and the manner with which the guard had spoken kept on bothering him. Unable to wave off the bother, he decided to see for himself. Sighing, he lifted the plate and looked at the food. Nothing special. Same horrible choice of food as it had been. Since he got captured, he had tasted nothing that was given. As an Alpha that had fought wars and suffered a lot, his body was no stranger to torture and not getting food for days. As he made to drop the plate back, something white caught his eye. He stopped and glanced around to see if he was being watched–Lucius leaned on the cell rods with eyes shut and none of the guards seemed to be paying attention. He stuck his hand in and carefully drew out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and read: “Nelo is a spy. She spied
“My love, what's wrong?” Jungo asked softly. The frustration and helplessness etched in his face.“I know, the whole takeovers is toiling with everyone–”“I'm sorry, Jungo but we can't continue this,” Nelo muttered, throwing her face away. What was the need? Tommy now ruled Craven and Damian was in jail. The only reason she needed him in the first place was to spy on Damian. Jungo blinked, the confusion arching deeper in his forehead. “What do you mean, my love? Have I made you upset again?” He came closer to take her hand. Just like he had always done each time she got angry at him and always mellowed when he apologized but was roughly pushed away instead. Nelo flared up. She was tired of acting indifferent and yet his dumb self wouldn’t get it. “What part of my words do you not understand? When I said we can't continue whatever this bullshit is, I mean I am done with you! Don't you get it? You are not my type and everything that happened between us was a mistake! How can I possibl
Lyra headed towards the building the guards had pointed her to. They told her Tommy was in the private chambers. However, they allowed her to go see him there. Very much to her surprise. A few minutes later, she knocked once and entered the house. Again, to her surprise, the entrance door was unlocked. As if her visit was expected. She looked around, vaguely recognizing the house. Damian never let her enter. Although she could see the changes Tommy had made, there wasn't much difference when Damian used it. She swallowed hard, feeling a jolt of guilt at the remembrance of Damian but she shrugged it off and proceeded inside. “Alpha Tommy?” She called, meeting the empty cushions and room. She heard a sound coming from the bedroom and approached it. At the door, her heart skipped. She imagined Tommy getting furious at her unannounced visit. What if he gets furious at her and rejects her advances? She bit her lip and hoped it didn't come to that. She had asked the guards if he was on
CRAVEN PACK HOLDING ROOM Amaya’s eyes scanned the room they put her in. It had only one door. Aside from this one door, there was also the main gate to pass through. Her hands were firmly tied to the chair and three unfriendly eyes remained on her. It was obvious there was no way out. She ground her teeth and pressed back a frustrated sigh. A moment later Tommy strode in. “Bring the man out,” he immediately ordered. A hulk, over six feet tall with splitting muscles tracing all over his body lumbered in. Amaya’s chest tightened with alarm as the beast stomped towards her. He towered over her, the facial lines in his face burrowing deeply into his fat face. Awe looked at Tommy. “What are you going to do to me?” She questioned as she sucked in air, trembling with fear. “They don't like you enough, too bad,” Tommy muttered. “They won't give me what I want and you will have to suffer for it.”“I have nothing that you want! Let me go now!” Amaya gritted. “Oh yes, you do…your screams
CRAVEN PACK DUNGEON A guard carrying two trays containing two plates of dried bread and another small plate half filled with water stood before Damian’s cell. He looked at Damian sadly. “You will always be the only Alpha I will bow to,” he said, the veins in his neck surged with determination. “Don't feel bad. I am the one that has failed to protect you,” Damian told him. The guard placed the tray on the ground and pushed one of the plates towards Lucius' cell. Lucius gave him a look. “You will share the water but Alpha Damian will have the first drink,” the guard said and placed the water such that only Damian could reach it. Lucius hissed and kicked the plate of bread away. “I need no food or water. I don't deserve it,” Damian mumbled and pressed his jaw miserably. He then signalled the guard to come closer. “Did you check what I asked you to check?” he asked. The guard glanced around cautiously. “I am still on it. Tommy is very cautious and goes around with all sorts of bu
AMAYA'S POV “This is Nelo’s bracelet…how is it here?” Several thoughts had bombarded my head at that moment. When my eyes fell upon Lucius, goosebumps climbed my body and as he had tried to approach me, I drew back. “Yes, it is,” Lucius had agreed and further said Nelo must have mistakenly dropped it on her way out. He said he had called her out to ask her for ways to make me happy and come back to him as she was my best friend and knew me best. His story made sense but Nelo never told me she was out to meet him. The beeping of the clock sounded abruptly, reminding me of my environment. I shook my head as if shaking it would push the many thoughts and questions flooding into them away. This wasn't the time to doubt. If anything, I was the worst of all. I betrayed Damian. I let Lucius use me to bring him down. How could I ever forgive myself for it? My chest tightened with resentment for myself. But I didn't want to keep feeling self pity and doing nothing. Damian's eyes as he w
As the men tore the brown file apart, Alpha Lucius laughed maniacally. Their eyes registered shocking disappointment at the discovery of the blank white paper in the brown file. Tommy sneered and slammed the file on the ground. “Tell us where the deed is or else you will be dead,” he demanded furiously. Alpha Lucius continued to laugh. Now it was their turn to be filled with anger. “Traitors!” he sneered. “I will kill you!” Tommy grabbed his throat and choked. Alpha Lucius did not stop laughing even as Tommy's grip tightened around his neck and the pain traveled through him. He knew they would not kill him until they found the deed. They needed the deed badly. Alpha Kael pulled Tommy away, reminding him they needed Lucius alive if they were to get everything they needed. “Tell us where the deed is and your life will be spared,” he demanded, bending to match Lucius' height. Lucius heaped his saliva and spat at his face. “I don't know where it is,” he said with a clenched jaw. This
Early the next day, Alpha Lucius was ready to go show the Alphas the land as agreed. He was dressed in a fitted leather jacket atop dark distressed jeans. His combat boots were sturdy, especially functional and enhanced his commanding presence. Despite the oozing confidence his dressing emanated, he still felt down inside. As he stared at the bedroom door, he swallowed painfully. Normally he should be losing his patience but he couldn't bring himself to. He was going to slowly warm his way into her heart. She may be angry with him for a few days but not forever. Not when he would be making her his Luna and wife officially tomorrow. Yet it ached his heart that she would rather stay away from him than accept his love. “Please open the door, Amaya,” he begged. For another minute not one sound came from the door. “I just want to say something to you before I leave. I'm about to leave with Tommy and the other Alphas. Please open the door. Just this once.”To his surprise, the sound of
While the big meeting hall echoed and shook from the booming laughter of men, Alpha Lucius had his beauty sleep. He may be an Alpha but he knew he still needed rest and had specifically warned to not be awoken unless for an emergency. Now that he had conquered his worst enemy and Amaya was with him, well, partly, he might as well sleep the sleep he had deprived himself of for many years. As soon as he woke up, all he thought about was Amaya. When he brought her into the Alpha’s quarters, she had run into the bedroom and locked the room. All his efforts to get her to open the door failed. Sighing , he pushed aside the duvet he’d borrowed from Raze and strode to the bedroom door.“Amaya, open the door. You need to eat something at least,” he called. A knock sounded on the main door halting him. It turned out to be one of the guards who had come to inform him of the ongoing jubilation in the meeting hall. Lucius frowned. “Party in the hall? Who authorized such a party?” “Beta Tommy