“Scott?”“Sorry, Mila. I haven’t found him yet.”Scott’s clenched fist relaxed, and strangely, he felt relieved after lying to Mila.He couldn’t help but steal glances at Ciara continuously. Hopefully, she didn’t realize that he was talking about her.There was a disappointed sigh on the other end, and Mila cleared her throat. “Alright then,” she said. “Keep me updated on the progress. I hope you can deliver good news soon so I can stop receiving calls from them.”“Of course.” Scott nodded, hoping his voice didn’t sound shaky, like someone telling a lie. “Mila,” he called suddenly. There was something he wanted to ask.“What?”Scott got up from his chair and walked away. He stood at the exit door, blocking it in case Ciara thought of escaping. From here, he could also keep an eye on her without her seeing his face.When he spoke again, his voice was quieter. “Can you give me more information about this rogue? Maybe you can inquire about it from the pack that’s hunting him.”“Is that i
Hugh, who was chewing his food, choked and coughed until his eyes teared up. Meanwhile, Gordon nearly sprayed his drink from his mouth. Scott himself froze upon hearing Esme’s words.Having sex with Hayley?It’s not like Scott didn’t know about the bonding ceremony. All this time, pack members who had met their mates and started families often raved about it, about how magical and pleasurable it was when two people bound by fate united their bodies and left marks on each other. And for the women, it was one of the most beautiful and romantic moments of their lives.But for Scott, the experience was as nauseating as eating rotten meat. There was no other effect except making him feel sick.The crease on his face must have been quite evident because Esme tilted her head while looking in his direction. The remnants of her earlier smile still lingered on her lips.“What’s wrong, Scott? You surely know about it, don’t you?” Esme asked. Her eyes widened and gazed for a moment, as if a mad p
The main patrol base is located to the north and can be reached on foot within ten minutes from Hugh’s house.When Scott arrived there, the members of the patrol team on duty that night were gathered in an open hall, receiving instructions from Godrick, one of the five main members of the Silvercrest patrol team.All the members immediately stood at attention upon Scott’s arrival, even though he didn’t do anything. He just stood quietly in a corner with his arms crossed, observing each member one by one and listening to the instructions given by Godrick.Although almost everyone noticed his presence, some of the female members couldn’t take their eyes off Godrick because, as usual, he was only wearing knee-length cargo pants, leaving his fucking perfect abs exposed for them to see.Godrick didn’t like wearing a shirt. He claimed that it slowed him down when he shifted, and he didn’t want his shirt to tear if he didn’t have time to take it off during a transformation.Scott thought it
Ciara thrashed about on the bed. The chain rattled and repeatedly hit the floor and the edge of the bed until the wooden objects shattered into pieces.“Ciara!” Scott threw the food he was carrying onto a chair and hurried over to her. Sweat dripped down her body, and her blonde hair clung to her wet skin. She widened her eyes upon seeing him. The delicate blood vessels in the whites of her eyes were clearly visible, and her iris appeared cloudy.“Let me go!” she screamed.“What happened?!” Scott cupped her face, and she almost bit him. He released his grip and jerked backward.Her wolf's fangs emerged.It seemed her wolf wanted to break free. The desire was so strong that the wolf could resist the effects of the chain that bound it.“Give me the drug or let me go!” She cried out hysterically. The pain was evident in her wide eyes, and veins bulged and strained in her neck and around her jawline.She grimaced, revealing her partially emerged wolf fangs.Something was not right.“Ciara
Scott leaped through the window, and as he found himself outside the cabin, he had fully shifted. He raised his snout and sniffed the air, searching for Ciara’s presence in the scent she had left behind. The wind carried it to him. She was running westward, towards the border between Silvercrest territory and that of another pack, Moon Ashes.Scott had to find her quickly and drag her back here before the other werewolves found her.He grumbled incessantly and cursed his foolishness for letting himself feel sorry for her and for letting his guard down when she escaped. Despite her appearing innocent, she harbored a wilder wolf within her than any wolf Scott had ever encountered. He should have stayed vigilant.His wolf growled and stopped as they approached the territorial border. Her scent grew stronger, and Scott was sure she was close.Just as he was about to decide which way to go, something lunged at him from the side and knocked him down. As he fell and rolled, he grabbed the at
What answer will Scott give? If he says he was just swimming, he must explain why he was swimming at night while he was on patrol. Come on, Scott. Think. Scott quickly drew a conclusion. It was better to tell part of the truth than to make up a lie. “I was the one who fell into the river with that rogue,” Scott said. Surprised gasps came from some werewolves. Others whispered after hearing Scott’s response. A patrol team member Scott knew, Deck, approached him and asked, “What did it look like?” “A solid black-furred wolf with eyes just as black,” Scott replied convincingly. “It was the wildest wolf I’ve ever encountered.” That was the truth. Ciara was the most reckless werewolf Scott had ever met. She didn’t have effective fighting techniques, just pure rage, and that was what made her dangerous. Deck fell silent, weighing Scott’s answer before nodding. He patted Scott on the shoulder and gripped it tightly. “You’re okay, right?” “Of course,” Scott snorted. “Who do you think
“Scott, what happened?”“Just shut your mouth and trust me.”Scott carried Ciara as they ran for about a kilometer. Once he was sure no one could catch up to them, he set her down in the middle of the woods and said, “Stay here.” Then he looked at her with doubt. Who could guarantee that she would stay here and wait for him to return?She could easily run away again.Scott sighed and roughly rubbed his face, trying to dispel the worries now clouding his mind. He needed to stay calm to find a way out of this situation.“Can you tell me what happened?” she asked. When Scott glared at her, she curled up in fear, and her face twisted in anxiety.Scott took a deep breath, feeling guilty for frightening the girl on and on. There was no harm in explaining their current situation, as she had a right to know.“My friends are there, in the cabin,” Scott said. He realized that this was bad news. Right now, his friends must be aware that a werewolf lived in that cabin. It was impossible for him t
Scott’s plan to pick up Ciara as soon as possible had to be delayed because Hugh and Gordon summoned him to the Alpha’s main house. News that he had encountered a rogue and engaged in a fight had reached their ears, and now they were sure to demand an explanation.After returning home to shower and put on some clothes, Scott headed to Hugh’s house and went straight into his office. There were Hugh, Gordon, and Hayley. The presence of the girl made Scott squint, but he didn’t question it. Hayley would surely think otherwise if Scott paid attention to her, even if it was just a little.“The rogue. Where did he go?” Hugh asked without beating around the bush as soon as he saw Scott.“He escaped into the northern forest,” Scott replied. “Seems like he won’t be coming back.”“Why are you so sure?” Hayley, this time, asked, and Scott turned his head towards her.“Since when do you have the right to speak here?”Hayley stood up from her chair and walked closer. “Since I became your fiancée,”
Ciara’s hand, which was gently rubbing Scott’s arm, fell limp upon hearing that. “What are you saying? What’s that supposed to mean?” She couldn’t think. She didn’t know what filled her mind right now. It was as if her brain’s functionality had been hindered, and she couldn’t draw conclusions from the reality Scott revealed. “Nova...,” Ciara murmured, uttering the name with confusion. “You... and Nova...?” “Yes. We’re siblings. Nova is my brother. A brother I never knew I had.” Ciara covered her mouth with both hands. It was too impossible to be called a coincidence. Nova had indeed mentioned that Silvercrest was the pack where her mother came from, but Ciara never imagined he had a blood connection with Scott. “I was as surprised as you when I found out about it from my mother,” said Scott. He shook his head. “It turns out my sibling has been looking out for you, Ciara. She saved you, my mate, from hell.” Ciara didn’t know why she stood up and walked to the riverbank, but she
There’s a nook beneath the cliff they had passed earlier. A stretch of white sand extends along the river with clear water as emerald as gemstones. An expanse of forest stretches on the opposite bank of the river, and there’s a large shady oak tree right next to the nook.Ciara sighed in amazement at the sight. A perfect place.“This is just the beginning,” Scott explained. There was a hint of proudness in his voice. “Wait until nightfall, and you’ll witness something much more beautiful than all of this.”Ciara furrowed her brow at Scott’s explanation. She was curious. “What’s going to happen?” Then she looked at the sky and remembered the expanse of stars in the Moon Warriors’ territory. “Are we going to see the stars?”“More than just that,” Scott murmured. He winked, and Ciara’s heart trembled at the sight.Scott led her into the large nook near the oak tree. There, he invited her to sit on the sand. He stretched out his legs and looked towards the river.“This is the perfect plac
“I was looking for you,” Ciara replied. “Louis came to me and Godrick, crying. He said you were missing, and he was terrified.” Ciara looked Margo up and down. “But seems like you’re okay. What actually happened?”Margo’s face appeared flushed. She bent her knees and hugged them, placing her chin there. “I... I’m okay,” she murmured. “I just wanted to... disappear for a while.”Ciara sighed. She took a seat next to Margo and sat with her. They both gazed towards the river. “What happened?” Ciara asked. “Will you tell me?”Margo picked up a stone near her foot and threw it towards the river. “I—this is embarrassing,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m not sure I can tell you.”“Tell me. I won’t judge,” Ciara assured her. “And whatever happened to you is important. Just like you, I won’t take it lightly.”Margo stared at Ciara for a while. “I... I actually like Deck.”That wasn’t surprising. However, to spare Margo’s feelings, Ciara feigned astonishment. “Oh, really? Since when?”Margo sh
“But I’m not done,” Ciara said. “I still have to train them until later this afternoon with Godrick.”Scott frowned upon hearing her mention Godrick’s name. “Who schedules your activities?”“We schedule them together.”“If there’s a rescheduling, I won’t allow you to be paired with Godrick in anything.”Ciara could only roll her eyes and choose to ignore Scott’s protests. His jealousy was entirely unfounded.“What time will you be finished?”“At four in the afternoon.”“Then we’ll meet at home later in the evening, okay?”Ciara nodded, closing her eyes briefly. Scott leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “See you later, then.”He waved and walked away. Shortly after Scott left the main base, Godrick opened the office door and approached Ciara. “I’ve been peeking through the window, waiting for him to leave,” he grumbled. “He’s really annoying.”“Don’t you act like that toward your partner?”Godrick looked surprised at Ciara’s question. He blinked and then shook his head. “Me? Do you
Ciara waited patiently, but after their meeting with Mila, Scott had yet to fulfill his promise to take Ciara around. Until now, she didn’t know what the continuation of their plans regarding the couple’s ritual would be like.“Ciara, watch out!”Something rushed towards her and almost collided with her. Swiftly, Ciara jumped to the side, avoiding the attack and successfully saving herself from the onslaught of an uncontrollable wolf.They were having a routine competition among patrol team members, and now it was a match between Deck and a new member named Louis. The one who had just lunged at Ciara was Deck.After the match ended, Deck ran over to Ciara.“I’m sorry!” he exclaimed, bowing. “I didn’t mean to attack you!”Godrick walked behind him and pressed the young man’s head. “Bow deeper,” he commanded, pushing Deck’s head further down, almost to his knees.“Godrick, stop it,” Ciara said, glaring at Godrick.Godrick gave her a grin and released his hand from Deck’s head.“You were
Ciara concluded her story with a smile. She wiped away her last tears that evening and stroked the grave marker of Nova, bidding him farewell.“We’ll visit her occasionally,” Scott said.They walked side by side, Scott embracing Ciara, and Ciara hugging Scott around the waist as they headed towards the car.“That day... I don’t know what would have happened to me if it weren’t for you finding me,” Ciara reminisced, as the car drove away from the cemetery.“You would have become a captive for sure. They would have tortured you or even killed you. A rogue is one of the pack’s archenemies, and there is no mercy for those who dare to trespass into our territory.”“But you spared me.”“Because my wolf forbade me to harm you.” He glanced through the corner of his eye. “I guess our wolves have a strong instinct about each other.”When they arrived at Silvercrest, a stack of tasks awaited them.For the next few weeks, Ciara and Scott were occupied with their respective activities. Scott was p
That day was the day Ciara basked in the sunlight. She wasn’t truly outdoors, as she had always dreamed, but in a glass-roofed room revealing the blue sky and sunshine. As usual, Nova was with her.Today, he didn’t bring anything, but his presence beside her was more than enough to make her happy.“Do you like being under the sunlight?” he asked as they both sat in a patch of warm golden light.She looked up and raised her hand, shielding her eyes from the brightness. “Yes. The sun and the sky become refreshing colors to my eyes. They are something special.” Then she gazed at him. “You must see them every day, right?”Nova didn’t answer immediately. He just stared at Ciara with his gentle gaze that always made her heart race. “Yes... I see them every day to the point where I take them for granted.”Ciara smiled faintly. “In that case, we have a different perspective on what’s special.”Nova nodded. He then lifted his face and made the same motion as Ciara. As they both lowered their h
And imperceptibly, days had passed. Ciara had fallen under Nova’s charm, and for the first time, she listened to and obeyed someone in that place.Ciara didn’t interact much with people here, and none of them caught her interest. They seemed gloomy with stern faces and rough behavior. But Nova was different.Her heart raced every time he appeared. There was a fresh and calming scent about him that could mask the unpleasant smell of the cleaning fluids she despised. He always smiled whenever he entered her room, bringing new things to show her every day.Today, he brought some new items she had never seen before. She thought they might be tools for a series of tests.But it turned out they were called a television and a VCD player.“We’re going to watch a movie,” Nova said, followed by his usual sweet smile. “Have you ever watched a movie?”“Are you mocking me?” Ciara replied curtly.Nova laughed. “Sorry.”A few minutes passed, and Ciara sat quietly on the bed, observing Nova setting u
“Nova came to the place one day after the bad guys took liters of my blood and tested various types of bullets to shoot into my body.”Ciara started her story about Nova.*It was a rough day, just like any other day Ciara spent in that horrible place.She hated everyone there and her wolf was at a peak of rage, which she could not control. Every few minutes, someone injects a large dose of anesthetic and attaches a special device that renders her immutable.As the drugs and devices took effect, her vision became blurry and she could only hear voices around her. They spoke in stretched tones and it was as if they were talking underwater.The anesthetic reaction lasted only half an hour at most. Her self-healing ability makes the effects of the anesthetic fade quickly. And when she came to her senses, she heard someone speak angrily.“What did you guys do to her?!” the man exclaimed. “She could die if you treat her like this!”Then another person answered the anger with the phrase ‘thi