[--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
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I woke up with a pounding ache in my head, and the throbbing felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my skull. God, I was never drinking again. Not if it made me feel like this—like my head was about to explode from the pressure. It wasn’t just a dull ache; it was a relentless, stabbing sensation behind my eyes, making every inch of movement feel like a monumental effort. My mouth was dry as sandpaper, my tongue thick like it was made of cotton, and there was this awful taste lingering, reminding me of the stupidity of last night’s decisions. But I’m a mother of two; I didn’t have the luxury of just lying there feeling sorry for myself, no matter how much I wanted to. My kids were out there, somewhere in the house, waiting for me.I groaned, willing myself to get up, but my body had other plans. I swung my legs off the bed and tried to stand up, only to immediately lose my balance and fall to the floor with a heavy thud. The jolt sent a sharp wave of pain thro
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Six months had passed since the decision to leave it all behind. Kaiser and I had talked for hours that night, discussed every possibility, every reason to stay, and every reason to go. In the end, the choice had become clear: London was too big, too filled with memories, too immersed in vampire politics. We needed a place where we could breathe, somewhere small and quiet, somewhere that wasn’t crawling with shadows from the past.Switzerland was nice as well, but it was mostly dominated by humans and some of them feared wolves.That’s how we ended up on a tiny island, tucked away off the coast. It wasn’t anything spectacular to look at—a modest patch of land surrounded by clear, turquoise waters. But it was ours. It was quiet, peaceful, and, most importantly, it was far from the chaos that had once ruled our lives.The house we built wasn’t a mansion. It wasn’t extravagant or imposing. It was simple, with white walls, large windows that let the sun pour in, and a w
[--Kaiser Volkov--]The next day dragged on in a haze of paperwork and thoughts that swirled in circles. I spent the entire afternoon in my office, barely sparing a glance out the window. The harsh fluorescent lights above buzzed, and the clock on the wall ticked steadily, but time felt irrelevant. The pile of letters from the packs still lay on my desk, some half-answered, others still untouched. They kept pushing back, demanding more autonomy, questioning my leadership, and all I could do was work in silence, trying to avoid the looming confrontation that was tomorrow. I had to push back the date of the announcement to ensure i had some loose ends tied. The tension in my body only grew with every hour that passed.I thought of Barry and my mother—where they were, what Jacobs had said. But every time I tried to focus on that, my mind would drift back to the packs, to the growing resentment and fear that bubbled inside me. I couldn’t give them what they wanted. I couldn’t give them co
[--Kaiser Volkov--]After he told me where to find barry, i curled my fist up and slammed it into his face. What a doe eyed son of a bitch. Using my like that, tricking me. Making things so difficult for me. He must have known where to find esmarie. I wonder if he was the reason elias was next to the darkwood, or was that still a coincedence.I left him to grab something i could use to tie him up.Jacobs’s unconscious form slumped in the chair as I finished securing his wrists with heavy-duty zip ties. He was dead weight as I dragged him down the hall toward the basement door, each step echoing off the walls. It struck me how strange it was to use my bright, carefully designed, air-conditioned basement as a makeshift prison, but I wasn’t about to let him slip away. Not yet.At the bottom of the stairs, I tied him to one of the sturdy support beams, pulling the rope taut. He began to stir just as I tightened the last knot, his eyelids fluttering open. I stepped back and crossed my arms
[--Kaiser Volkov--]The weight of Doctor Jacobs beneath me felt surreal. My hands tightened on his shoulders as Esmarie knelt beside us, her movements sharp and determined. Her presence was a force of nature, her voice cutting through the air like a whip as she leaned in, her eyes burning with fury.With him trying to figure out his word it took time, and i was getting ansty.“Why?” Esmarie demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and disbelief. “Why are you so obsessed with breaking him down? What could you possibly gain from this?”Jacobs squirmed beneath my grip, his face pale, eyes darting between us like a cornered animal. He opened his mouth to protest, but Esmarie leaned closer, her finger jabbing the air near his face.“No! You’re not talking your way out of this!” she snarled. “You’ve manipulated him, attacked his family, and fed information to people who want him dead! Start talking, or so help me—”“Alright! Alright!” Jacobs choked out, his breath coming in shal
[--Esmarie Cruz--]When i woke up the next morning, i found myself in a bedroom. My bedroom. I don’t remember coming here, i don’t even remember where i fell asleep. It was a peaceful sleep. I got up and went i search of kaiser. Before i could there was a notebook on the drawer saying- take a bath, and dress up. I’m with the twins. Bring your phone to the kitchen once you’re done.I smiled, feeling a sense of ease. I washed off last night’s strain, stress, and sweat. After the shower, and brushing my teeth. I took my time, throwing on a large hoodie and a pair of shorts. Then i went in search of my family.The morning sun filtered through the blinds, painting soft streaks of light across the living room. Kaiser moved through the small apartment with ease, his large hands gentle as he cradled Isla in one arm and handed a bottle of formula to Elijah with the other. The twins cooed softly, their giggles a melody of innocence that momentarily drowned out the tension lingering in the air.
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I can’t believe we fell asleep on the couch again. It seems to be our spot. But it isn’t comfortable, i need to move esmarie to the bedroom with the twins.The dim glow of the moon filtered through the curtains, casting a silvery hue over the quiet room. The twins stirred faintly in their crib, their soft breathing a soothing rhythm in the silence. Esmarie’s warmth against my chest was a comforting weight, her presence grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.I shifted carefully, not wanting to disturb her, and maneuvered myself to sit up. She murmured something incoherent in her sleep, her hand brushing lightly against my arm before going still again. Her trust, her vulnerability—it humbled me. I slid my arms under her, lifting her gently, and carried her into the bedroom where the twins rested.The twins, Elijah and Eloise, lay peaceful in their crib, the occasional twitch of a tiny hand or the faintest of sighs the only movement. I placed Esmarie down o
[--Esmarie Cruz--]While Kaiser was filling me in on his day, I nodded along, giving him my full attention—or at least trying to. I was still processing everything we’d just discussed about Dr. Jacobs, and my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and theories. But I pushed those aside, focusing on Kaiser’s words. He looked tired but determined, the weight of his responsibilities as an alpha etched into every line of his face.“And then Martha insisted on giving me a basket of baked goods before I left,” Kaiser said, his lips twitching into a small smile. “I think it was her way of making me feel even guiltier. Or perhaps she wanted me to know she loves me. I’m not even sure why i stopped by the festival on my way here.”I chuckled softly, reaching out to rest my hand on his arm. “Yes, She probably just wanted to remind you that she still cares about you, even if you’re a stubborn alpha who makes mistakes sometimes.”He huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Maybe.”“Also, did you eat all
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Kaiser didn’t get home until after ten o’clock that night. The house was quiet, the twins fast asleep upstairs, their soft breaths the only sound in an otherwise still home. I paced the living room, my nerves frayed. Sam’s phone call still rang in my ears, and the weight of what I had to tell Kaiser sat heavy on my chest. When I heard the front door open, I froze mid-step.Kaiser stepped in, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion. He kicked off his boots by the door and ran a hand through his hair, his cloudy eyes scanning the room before they landed on me.“You’re still up?” he asked, his voice low but laced with surprise.Without thinking, I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. He stiffened at first, clearly caught off guard, but after a moment, his body softened, and he returned the embrace.“Everything okay?” he murmured against my hair, his concern evident.I nodded, but the lump in my throat betrayed me. “Yeah. I just missed you,” I s
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I arranged to meet Mr. Domeros in the grand hall of my work building, a room designed to project power and authority. The vaulted ceilings cast dramatic shadows, and the heavy oak table in the center of the room served as a silent reminder of the gravity of any discussion held there. My guards stood by the doors, their expressions unreadable but their presence a clear warning.Mr. Domeros strode in with an air of self-importance, his dark suit meticulously tailored and his salt-and-pepper hair slicked back. But his carefully crafted image of control was marred by the anger etched into his face. His eyes burned with fury as he crossed the room.“You will release my son immediately,” he demanded before I even had the chance to offer a greeting. His voice echoed off the stone walls, each word dripping with entitlement. This is why elias has no respect, his fucking father is useless.I held my ground, remaining seated at the head of the table, and gestured for him to s