[--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
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Yesterday was... interesting, to say the least. Esmarie, for the first time in what felt like forever, drank with me. She didn’t argue, didn’t throw any sarcastic barbs my way, and for a few hours, it almost felt like we were normal again. Almost. I know it doesn’t fix things, and I know the quiet that settled between us isn’t a solution, but maybe it’s a start. Maybe we’ve finally found some kind of truce. I’m not sure how long it’ll last, and I don’t kid myself into thinking that everything is suddenly fine between us. There’s still too much under the surface—her trauma, the weight she’s carrying that she doesn’t like to talk about. Just like i don’t like to talk about mine. I like secrets.I hate when people make you feel bad for not being honest or telling them everything. Like fuck, are you a goddamn therapist? Fuck you and your feelings.She’s a fortress, Esmarie, all walls and defenses. I’m not under any illusion that I can just bulldoze my way through them.
[--Kaiser Volkov--]I arrived at eleven-thirty, not because I couldn’t get there on time, but because I didn’t want to get there early. There’s a certain satisfaction in showing up late, letting the anticipation build in the room without you, making sure they wait. I pulled up on my bike, the engine cutting through the eerie stillness of the night as I coasted to a stop outside the bar. It was strange—there was no usual chatter spilling out, no music thrumming through the walls. I swung my leg over the bike, took off my helmet, and balanced it on the seat before pulling the keys from the ignition. With a final glance around the unusually quiet street, I walked inside.As the door creaked open, an unsettling silence greeted me. The bar, usually buzzing with life and energy at this hour, was practically dead. What the hell? It wasn’t even midnight, and the place looked like a ghost town. My eyes scanned the room, trying to piece together what was going on, and that’s when I saw him—Elia
[--Esmarie Cruz--]The man had been pacing back and forth in front of the gate for what felt like hours. From the upstairs window, I had a clear view of him, dressed head-to-toe in black leather. His pants and jacket gleamed under the dim streetlight, and what unsettled me most was the skull mask obscuring his face. He never looked up, never stopped to survey his surroundings—just kept walking in those deliberate, measured steps, like he was waiting for something. I kept watching him, transfixed by the eerie, repetitive motion, unsure if I should feel threatened or if this was some strange coincidence. But everything about him, from the way he moved to his ominous outfit, set off alarm bells in my mind.I was still standing by the window, feeling my pulse quicken with each turn he made when Kaiser, ever so calm and collected, stepped into the room. He didn't say anything at first, just gave me that look that told me everything I needed to know: he’d seen the man too. The knot of fear
[--Esmarie cruz--]That night, I couldn't sleep. No matter how hard I tried, my body refused to relax, as if every muscle was on high alert, anticipating something bad. The room was quiet, save for the gentle rhythm of the twins’ breathing, but it did nothing to calm me. I could feel a strange heaviness settling over me, something that crawled beneath my skin and made it impossible to shut my eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. My mind kept racing, playing back everything I’d seen, everything I’d felt. The man at the gate, the skull mask, the eerie silence after Kaiser had assured me there was no one there. Was I losing it? Was it just paranoia? Or had something—or someone—really been out there, watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike?I know I’m not in the right state, fuck after the hell I’ve faced over the past nine years. I’m a bit... twitchy... maybe.The thought made my stomach churn. I glanced over at the twins, their tiny bodies nestled safely in their crib
[--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