The Dust Paradise was packed with visitors. Smoke and the smell of sweat and wood polish filled the air. Scott wedged himself through the crowd as he walked into the place. His eyes rounded in fear when they caught a girl who was standing on the table right in the middle of the room.It was Ciara. She was carrying a bottle of beer in one hand and a glass of liquor, which looked like whiskey, in the other. She screamed and laughed along with the crowd surrounding her, twisting her body to the music.Anger burned Scott in an instant. The first thing he wanted to do was punch all the men in there, then burn the place to the ground.He clenched his fists, shoving roughly those who got in his way. They were all thrown aside and crashed into other visitors. Several people protested, but they shut their mouths as Scott glared at them.“Move,” Scott growled at the men surrounding the round table where Ciara was dancing.Ciara turned and looked at him, then a big smile spread across her face.
Scott carried Ciara out of the car as soon as they got home. When he stopped at the door and was about to open it, Ciara woke up from her sleep.She moaned and blinked, and then looked at him. “Scott?” She frowned and her voice was as soft as the early morning breeze.All of Scott’s anger subsided as soon as he saw her bright blue eyes. He was planning to scold her in the first place. He wanted to tell her to be more careful, to take care of herself, and not lose control in public. But when he looked at her now, the only thing he could do was smile back at her.“We’re home,” he said. “I’ll take you to bed. Go back to sleep.”She stretched and motioned for him to put her down. She almost fell trying to get to her feet, so he caught her by the wrist and kept her from falling.“Watch your step,” he muttered after successfully opening the door and guiding her inside.It was dark inside because he turned off all the lights before leaving. He closed the door and felt the wall for a switch.
“What?”There was a hint of surprise in that one word, and after it, disappointment etched on Scott’s face. Ciara had mentally prepared herself for his disappointed reaction, but her heart sank when she saw it firsthand. She felt like she had hurt him and herself.“Why?” was his next question. He scooted closer and changed his position. His eyes were fixed on her face, and the corners of his eyebrows furrowed slightly, emphasizing his disenchantment. “What’s wrong?” he asked again.“No, nothing’s wrong.” She shook her head, averting her gaze. She held her pillow even tighter. “It’s just... I don’t think your pack members will accept me.”“What are you saying? Of course, they will accept you! They have to accept you because you’re the mate that the Moon Goddess destined for me! No matter how resistant they are, they must accept that reality!”“But I’m not ready!” Ciara snapped, and then she held her breath while covering her mouth. “I’m... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”“Tha
It took all of Ciara’s determination to free herself from Scott. The morning practice whistle sounded and Scott pulled away, breaking their kiss. But Ciara was reluctant to let go of her hands and feet, which were wrapped around his body like a python.Scott smirked and draped his hands over her arms. “Come on. We have to get to the courtyard or someone will search and find us here.”She should have said that because she was the one who worried that their relationship would be exposed prematurely, but right now it was so hard for her to let him go.After stealing a few more seconds, she finally lowered her hands together with a long sigh of disappointment.He took her chin and looked her straight in the eyes. “See you at home.”Those words warmed her heart and made it swell with happiness. She smiled and he brushed his lips against hers. Before she could wrap her arms around his neck again, he pulled away and rubbed the tip of her nose with his thumb. “I’ll go first.”“OK.”She saw hi
Scott thought his days would go perfectly from here on. In one month, he would announce to all the members of the pack that Ciara would be Luna for Silvercrest. They would lead this pack together and live happily ever after.However, that dream would shatter on that afternoon. After their routine training was over and all the patrol team members had gone home, someone knocked on the main team office door. Scott and Burke were discussing the rearrangement of sub-team members, and they both looked up towards the door.“Hi, Scott,” it was Mila, the alliance leader. Scott’s heart seemed to stop when Mila said, “Do you have a moment? I want to talk to you.” She paused for a moment. “It’s about the rogue.”Scott exchanged glances with Burke, and Burke nodded, understanding that Scott had asked him to leave the room and give him space so he could talk to Mila.“Please, have a seat.” Burke offered Mila his seat as he stood up. Mila stepped in and smiled at him.“Thanks.” Then she sat across f
Right after Mila left, Maila and Ciara came.Maila looked back and saw Mila leaving.“What is an alliance leader doing here?” Afterwards, Maila realized her mistake and immediately shut her mouth. She glanced at Ciara before looking away while squeezing her eyes close.“Alliance business,” Scott answered curtly. He looked at Ciara, who stared back at him, and at that moment Scott wanted to scoop her up, carry her home, and pin her beneath him on the bed.She looked so fucking sexy with a tight shirt that exposed her curves and short jeans that showed her smooth thighs.“You guys looking for me?” asked Scott, trying hard to maintain an authoritative expression in front of Maila. “I thought you were home.”Maila sighed, then pointed her thumb at Ciara. “I asked her to go to a new restaurant that opened near my clothing store. And you know what? She said she has to ask for your permission first.”Scott raised his hand and patted Ciara’s head. “Good girl.”Maila rolled her eyes at his beh
What was he doing here?Scott cursed inside, and his distaste for Gordon’s appearance was reflected in his facial expressions and gestures. He clenched his fists at his sides as he glared at him.“Sorry, I didn’t knock first.” Gordon shrugged. He didn’t look sorry at all. “I was looking for you because you weren’t in the study, and I heard noises from this room,” he told Hugh.Scott knew he was lying. He must have seen Scott coming here and wanted to find out what Scott was up to.Gordon stepped inside with his hands behind his back. He smiled, the same fake smile he always gave Scott.“I heard Mila came to Silvercrest,” he said after he stopped beside Hugh. Gordon looked left and right as if searching for something, before looking at Scott and asking, “Where is she now?”“She’s gone.”Gordon sneered while nodding his head. He looked satisfied. “So, my guess was right all along, right? Ciara is the rogue the Alliance is looking for. Not the black wolf like you thought.” He half scoffe
Scott took Ciara in his car through the road in the middle of the forest. The silence between them made Scott feel tense, and it seemed like Ciara felt the same way.They arrived at their destination and Scott parked his car on the side of the road, then asked Ciara to get off.“Where are we?” she asked. She looked around and frowned. “Isn’t this the border area with Moon Ashes?”Scott nodded as he patted the top of her head. “You already know the Silvercrest area, I see.”Ciara touched his hand, which was still on the top of her head, took it down, then slipped her fingers between his. “Not really,” she said. They walked hand in hand along the small path that led them up the hill. “It’s just that this is where the rogues attacked you and Vaire and left you almost dead.”She lifted her face and looked at him with a sad smile. “I thought I lost you that day.” She caressed her thumb against the back of his thumb, then lowered her head. “It was one of the most horrific experiences of my
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