[--Kaiser Volkov--][FLASHBACK]I sat down by the riverbank, the familiar hum of the water flowing gently in the background, the kind of peaceful sound that usually helped clear my head. But today, it felt like nothing could drown out the noise in my mind. My gaze dropped to the bruise on my wrist, dark and fading, but still there, a stubborn reminder of everything I’d been through. The skin around it felt tender, and as I scratched at it absently, a dull ache shot through my arm. The pain was nothing new—too familiar, too constant. I sighed, letting my hand fall back into my lap, staring at the water without really seeing it."Hey!"The sudden sound of Esmarie’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat, the kind of reflexive reaction that always hit me when I heard her. Esmarie. Damn. I panicked for a second, hastily tugging the sleeve of my shirt down over my wrist to cover the bruise. The last thing I wanted was for her to see that and start asking questions. I p
[--Kasier Volkov--]I marched into her bedroom, and she abruptly ended the call.“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how to knock?” she scowls at me.“You’re talking to Elias. In this pack, he’s an enemy. I’m gonna need you to not do that.”Her eyes roll, and she drops into the plump pink chair next to her bed. “You cannot tell me what to do. And for the record, sleeping with a guy’s fiancee is crazy. That’s a low even for a whore like you.”I didn’t let the anger show on my face. Instead, I let it go. She wants to talk to Elias. Let her. Elias is a good alpha. Just like me. We’re alike in many ways. He doesn’t know my dirty secrets, but I know enough of his. I stepped back and left her room.Continuing my path to the kitchen when I heard her footsteps following me. I pulled out a plate, and some ingredients so I could prepare a nice meal for my breakfast.“That’s it? You’re just going to walk away, you don’t want to defend yourself?”“Why? You don’t like me, you seem comfortable
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser’s apology was bogus. But for the rest of the day, while he was at work, I thought over it. He looked flushed when I asked if they hurt him, which made me call Martha over. This time I was out on the front porch waiting for her. Elias had suggested that I take one of the twins. Open the door, and focus on them while I walk out. He said having a safety, something I love might ground me as I walk out for the first time.It was helpful. I couldn’t go further due to fear, but at least I made it out and onto the porch. Incredible. I never would have done that before without his advice. I know he and Kaiser are enemies but the guy is nice. I don’t trust him, fuck no. I’m not that dumb but I think he’s a good person.When Martha arrived she made me walk back. I held Elijah tightly and sat on the living room couch next to the bassinet where my daughter was napping.“How are you doing honey?”“I’m fine. I wanted to ask you some questions about... Kaiser.”She smiled. S
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Running a pack is not easy, and every single day I am reminded of why it isn’t. There’s always something—territorial disputes, hunting issues, internal squabbles, and above all, rogue werewolves. They’re the worst. Always testing boundaries, causing chaos where none is needed, and forcing us into battles that leave everyone worse for wear. Today had been no exception.I was sitting in my office, going over plans with a contractor for a new building we were looking to add to the pack’s compound. It wasn’t just about expansion—it was about strengthening our defenses and modernizing our structures to better protect the pack. We’d been doing well, but these days, you could never be too prepared. There were always threats looming, and a leader’s job is to anticipate, to think ahead, to make sure everyone within their territory is safe, even when they don’t realize the dangers that could be right around the corner.As I reviewed the blueprints, and went over logistics fo
[--Kaiser Volkov--]After the meeting with the contractors wrapped up, I sat back at my desk, fingers brushing through my hair, mind drifting to what I could have for dinner. My stomach grumbled, but I was reluctant to go home to Esmarie. Lately, she hadn’t exactly been my biggest fan, and every encounter with her seemed to be a battlefield where I always ended up on the losing side. Sighing, I slumped in my chair, staring blankly at the paperwork scattered in front of me, trying to push aside the thought of another awkward evening under the same roof.My phone rang, cutting through the thick silence of my office. Glancing at the screen, I was surprised to see Esmarie’s name. We hadn’t spoken much unless it was necessary-- and those necessary words were usually hate, so her calling me out of the blue was unexpected. I hesitated for a moment, wondering what this could be about, before finally answering."Hey, um... Martha heard there was some ruckus happening at the south gate, and she
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I held on to his arm, my fingers lightly tracing over the ridges of his knuckles, feeling the warmth of his skin. His hand was large, rough in places, and yet still gentle in a way I hadn't forgotten. My eyes slowly traveled over the thick muscle of his arm, the veins that ran like rivers beneath his skin, and the tattoo that curled around his forearm, a permanent mark of a past he never really let me in on. He smelled different now too, like a mixture of pine, smoke, and something earthy, something that wasn’t there before. Time had changed him, in more ways than one."Martha and I spoke," I said, breaking the silence that had hung between us like a fragile thread. My voice was soft, and careful, but there was an edge to it. "Why didn’t you tell me they used to hurt you?”Kaiser tensed immediately. I felt it ripple through his body, saw it in the slight tightening of his jaw, and the way his fingers twitched against mine. His eyes, once so clear and vibrant, darken
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Her laughter was strange, almost foreign. It wasn’t the carefree kind of laughter I’d expected or remembered, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on why it unsettled me. I hadn’t thought about her laugh in years—why was it even on my mind now? She wasn’t some old flame, not someone who left a lasting mark on my life. Sure, we’d kissed once, but that was nothing. I’ve kissed—and slept with—a lot of people since then. Yet, something about the sound of her laugh made me feel... off.“I have a patio out back,” I said, trying to shake the strange feeling from my mind. “With a pool. Wanna sit out there and drink?”She wrinkled her nose, giving me a hesitant look. “Sure, but I’ve never actually drank alcohol before. I’m kind of nervous about it. But the twins—”“Baby monitor,” I interjected, cutting off her excuse with a half-smile. “We’ll keep an eye on them from there. Hovering over them all night will only make you more anxious.”As soon as I said it, I felt a pang o
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser didn’t really open up to me, not in the way I had hoped. Sure, he confirmed that he’d been through abuse, but instead of talking about it in detail, he deflected, steering the conversation toward drinking. I let it slide. Maybe it wasn’t the time to push too hard. The weight of the truth was there between us, but it floated, unspoken, just beneath the surface. The pool water was surprisingly warm for the time of night, and the drink—sharp and unfamiliar—settled in my stomach, creating a slow heat that spread through my limbs. Not that I was a connoisseur or anything. This was one of my first experiences with alcohol, and I didn’t really know what “the best” was supposed to taste like.We sat there for a while, nursing our drinks and dipping our toes into the water, the quiet hum of the evening wrapping around us like a blanket. Eventually, the edges of the world started to blur. My head felt light, and the wooziness set in, like I was floating in the pool wit
[--Kaiser Volkov--]The website was set up as a front to buy cupcakes, but they didn’t hide anything. The moment you scroll through the first page, you can immediately find a tag asking if you want information about me. There’s a place to leave reviews. I didn’t leave one; I know a good hacker. Unfortunately, that person happens to be Sam. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to talk to her again.I chucked that conversation up to tomorrow and brought my attention back to Elias. I rubbed my face, my head pounded. What else can I say to him? I want to hit him, over and over again, until there’s nothing left of him but a pile of pulp on the floor.“Get comfortable, boys. You’ll be sleeping here throughout the night.” I gave them my best smile before waving goodbye and leaving the room. They were still tied to the chairs, so this would be an uncomfortable night for them.With nothing else to do, I went up the stairs to my office. As expected, esmarie was wide awake. I should have asked her some
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I was pissed, I don’t think I can even explain what being pissed means. Someone is dying tonight. No, no, that is the wrong mentality. I pulled on the spare clothes Will had brought on and told him to go with Jackson to the hospital. That man did a good job defending the pack, so it is me... and some of the wolves who drove Elias and his men here.I had to count to sixteen to remind myself that violence is never the first option. Yup, that’s as far as my mind can go. I headed into the room where they were being held. I know Will is not happy with how bruised Jackson was but he looks alot better than these fuckers. I actually felt like I was about to laugh.“Give us some alone time, boys. Go back to your wives. Enjoy the rest of the precious festival. Then vet the whole place and everyone. I’m gonna find out how they got in here even if it means I murder a Domeros.”Elias cut me a glare but I wasn’t fazed by that stupid attempt to threaten me. The alphas didn’t argu
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I kept myself firmly between the two massive wolves, feeling the weight of their power pressing against the air. The energy crackled, sharp and threatening, like the moments before a storm unleashes.“Elias,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline racing through me, “you’re breaking the rules. You don’t step into another alpha’s territory without permission. So, here’s the deal—I need you to tell your men to stand down, right now, before Kaiser humiliates you by making you the newest bitch on the block.”Elias’s wolf froze, his molten gaze locked on me, calculating. The sharpness of his fangs glinted in the moonlight as his lips twitched into something between a snarl and a grin. It was clear he was considering my words, and weighing his options, but he was taking too long.The sound of approaching paws thundered through the clearing as more wolves arrived, their growls low and steady. The festival, after all, had drawn in more wolves than this territory had
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I made a split-second decision since none of the options in my head sounded right. I pulled out my cellphone, and quickly took a video of the Elias lookalike while he was still distracted before ducking into the nearest booth. Which turned out to be a photo booth, with a long curtain so thank goodness.I texted Kaiser the picture then I waited for him to call me. After five minutes I peeked out between the curtains. The Elias guy was still there. Looking at everyone. I took a photo before he could turn his head, then I ducked back in. This time I dialed kaiser.He’s a busy guy, I can’t expect him to look at every notification he gets.“I just saw your message. What the fuck is Elias doing in my fucking pack?”“I... don’t know,” I whispered.“I texted Jackson, he’s nearby. He will handle it. Where are you?”“I’m at a photo booth.”“Jackson will get you once Elias has been brought to me. Stay where you are. Don’t move an inch.”“Okay.”Kaiser hung up, leaving me in th
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The next few days of the festival went by quicker than I expected. The end of the first week was exciting, and I even won one of their games. I won two unicorn teddy bears for my children, the amount of freedom I felt being here was enough to silence the the nightmares that normally plagued my mind.And Kaiser, he was different. It was kind of scary how nice and charming he acted towards me. Today was like most days at the festival: lively. In fact, I think the number of people here has tripled. The second week was kicking off with a banger.Martha’s booth was closed today as she wanted to mingle and chat as much as she could with people. I walked around, tried some new food, and finally came across a booth I’d seen on the flyer: Ralph’s fortune-telling booth.I don’t believe in fortune tellers, but this could be fun. I bought a ticket and went in. The aura inside was .... strange if I had to be honest. It felt like I was walking into a whole new world. Someplace th
[--Esmarie Cruz--]After the speech, Kaiser stepped down from the stage, and the crowd around him buzzed with energy. The sun had set hours ago before he arrived, and the festival grounds were lit by warm, glowing lanterns that cast a golden hue over everything. It was the kind of night that felt endless, with laughter still ringing out in the distance and people lingering as if they didn’t want the magic of the evening to end. Kaiser moved through the crowd with ease, stopping to talk with some of the elders who had waited patiently for a moment of his time.I stayed back, watching him from afar. He had a way of commanding attention without demanding it. People naturally gravitated toward him, and he gave each person his undivided attention as if their words were the most important thing in the world. It was...endearing. And maybe a little infuriating. Why did he have to be so him? Ugh.I couldn’t help myself; my eyes followed his every move, like a moth drawn to a flame. The twins s
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The festival today was everything I hoped it would be—fine, entertaining, and so full of life that it made it hard not to feel swept up in the joy of it all. It was a day to forget everything else, to just breathe and soak in the energy of the pack as they celebrated. The music was loud and cheerful, drums beating in sync with the laughter and chatter that echoed through the clearing. The scent of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and spiced cider hung heavy in the air, mingling with the floral undertones from the petals scattered all over the ground.At one point, someone pulled me into the center of a circle forming on the dance floor, and before I could protest, I found myself swept up in the rhythm of the music. The twins, who were strapped to me in their carriers, giggled and waved their tiny hands in delight. Their laughter was infectious, and soon I was spinning and twirling, letting the music dictate my movements. People cheered and clapped, their voices a
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I laid down on my couch, fully intending to just rest my eyes for a few minutes, but the exhaustion pulled me under faster than I could resist. It wasn’t a restful sleep—more like thirty minutes of uneasy drifting, filled with fleeting images and vague sensations that I couldn’t quite piece together when I stirred awake. My body felt heavy, as if the weight of the day, the festival I needed to make an appearance at later today, the note on my door, and my sleepless night were pressing down on me all at once. For a moment, I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, listening to the faint hum of the air conditioner and the muffled sounds of people moving around outside.Then my phone buzzed, the vibration cutting through the stillness and dragging me fully back into reality. I groaned softly, fumbling for the phone on the coffee table and squinting at the screen. Doctor Jacobs. The name blinked at me, and for a split second, I debated letting it go to voicemail. Bu
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Elias wouldn’t stop pestering me. Text after text, hour after hour, all asking for the same thing: permission to attend the Blue Moon Festival. The man didn’t just ask—he hounded, pleaded, and occasionally tried to guilt me, then insulted and threatened, as if I owed him anything. But the answer was always the same.No. I didn’t trust him, not with something this important, not with something this sacred. There was a reason I kept him at arm’s length, and his persistence only made him seem all the more suspicious. I could practically feel the tension behind his words, the kind of tension that made you wonder if someone was pushing a hidden agenda. Still, I refused. Firmly. Politely at first, then with less patience. Like telling him to fuck himself in so many words. Even the most cultured terms. Today marked day four of the festival, and if Elias thought I was going to crack, he was sorely mistaken.He couldn’t bully me about other things, so he should know better.