[--Kaiser Volkov--]Elias, Berney, and Scotty arrived at my pack three days after the phone call and invasion. They were dealing with the attacks so they hadn’t been able to handle everything they’d set their minds to, so I had to wait while working on my own issues.Yes, I was avoiding Esmarie, sleeping in the office, showering there too, and speaking with doctor Jacob. I know avoiding her isn’t the right thing to do, but I’ve got alot on my head right now. Yesterday, I fell asleep on my office couch and I found myself waking up by the door. I caught myself mid-sentence where I was pounding on the door asking them to shut up.I don’t know who them is... and I’m glad the entire building was empty or I’d have thrown myself off the roof.Spiraling is an understatement at this time.The alphas sat on the other side of my desk, and they did not seem happy at all. Hell, I don’t feel happy. This is the first time I’ve allowed one of them to be here in my pack. I will never let it happen aga
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I didn’t see Kaiser for a few days, and then out of nowhere, he arrived. I was pissed. Yes pissed. The twins have gotten used to his pheromones, and I think he forgot they needed that to grow safely. Alphas are so damn hard to raise. My anger stayed with me throughout the nights when they stayed up and I worked hard to try and get them to rest. I haven’t had much more than thirty minutes nap here and there. I am exhausted, too exhausted to yell. This time I can definitely blame Kaiser. He said he’d help me out with them, and here he is flaking on me only to pop up when he feels it’s right. He spotted me in the living room on his way to the stairs.“You’re awake?”“Oh yeah, it’s hard to sleep with alpha twins who need an alpha’s pheromones to be at ease. My omega can only do so much. I wonder why we’re designed this way. Didn’t the gods think that some alphas aren’t reliable enough?”He cursed. “fuck, I forgot.”“Of course you did. Kaiser, it’s one thing to let me d
[--Kaiser Volkov--]There was something that changed in Esmarie the next morning. She wasn’t happy, she was sad but she was keeping it to herself. She was keeping her eyes on me, but there was something in them. Something that made me feel uncomfortable. Like I was a failure. Esmarie didn’t voice her problems though, she acted as though everything was fine.It took three days after I returned for me to snap. I told her I’d be home late, and she hadn’t responded. It’s been like that for these past few days. I can’t figure out what I did wrong, but I know it had something to do with my absence.I stopped by doctor jacob's office today. He might be able to open my eyes to something I didn’t see. I know I did something wrong to her, but she refused to call me out on it. Which made me feel like she was giving up. Or that she had realized something about it.It made me anxious, it made me feel like I had failed at something.Doctor Jacobs was happy to see me. Too happy if you asked me. My d
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I was lying on my back in my bedroom, the twins had started crawling all of a sudden, and I was shocked. My book on alphas said they grew faster than normal babies. Naturally, a werewolf child grows faster than an average human child. I always assumed alphas were the same but it turns out there’s a reason they’re called alphas.You’d think I would know that but no one teaches this stuff or perhaps it’s more a sign that I grew up in a really small pack with a shitty education system. A shitty everything to be honest. I was busy reading, while they excitedly crawled over my body when someone knocked on my bedroom door. I was slightly weirded out.Because I know Kaiser isn’t at home, and I’m not expecting him to come back anytime soon. My heart beat picks up speed, and I reached for the children right away. Pulling them towards my chest, and making myself take on a protective stance.“It’s me.” oh, I huff out a sigh of relief and release the twins. Placing them back on
[--Esmarie Cruz--] Kaiser gave me a genuine look. “I’m conflicted, that’s the truth. I don’t know what I want. I’m afraid to court you and form a relationship because I know the default setting in my brain is to run when things get dire. But at the same time, I want to be better. For myself, and for you. Because I’ll admit, while I tried very very hard each day to enjoy life... when I wasn’t high, drunk, or lost in a sex haze, my mind would always go back to that night what I could have done differently. It stunned me when I realized I wasn’t running from my parents, but from you instead. You were the past I was trying to keep at bay.“I hate that my family hurt you, and I hate that everything I do ends up hurting you more. So I don’t know, esmarie. If I’m given a chance to redeem myself, I can’t promise I won’t run away. But I’ve been seeing Doctor Jacobs, and I’m trying to be a better man. I don’t like i
[--Esmarie Cruz--]Doctor Jacobs pulls Kaiser out of the house to talk while my brain spins on what the hell just happened. Kaiser told me to reject the mating bond, I did it, so why do I feel like I just made a huge fucking mistake? Kaiser drives me insane. The doctor left soon after, and I focused my energy on taking care of my twins not the confusion going on in my head. It’s hard to focus with Kaiser constantly confusing me.I sigh softly, and the rest of the night passes by quickly. I awoke in the middle of the night, stumbling out of my room to the kitchen to get some water. I found Kaiser there, a bottle of vodka and coke in front of him. He poured them into one cup and looked up when he heard my footsteps approaching.“What are you making?”“You don’t wanna know.”“Back to drinking?”I inquired, reaching into the fridge for a cold bottle of water, and I was searching for some aspirin. Thankfully, kaiser drinks alot so he keeps medicine in almost every cabinet in every room in
[--Esmarie Cruz--]“Okay, I can understand that. But what about the Darkwood? How did that come to be?” I asked, leaning in with curiosity as he ran a weary hand over his hair, pushing it away from his face. Kaiser looked even more exhausted, shadows deepening under his eyes. If only he would just get some rest, but I knew better than to bring it up right now. I had more pressing questions, and the Darkwood situation topped that list. I needed to know what it meant for us—if I could finally breathe a sigh of relief, maybe even celebrate.“Elias owns the region where the Darkwood pack is located,” he began, his voice tinged with frustration. “Technically, I’m here illegally. You can’t just cross over into a new region on a whim. There’s a mountain of paperwork involved. You’re supposed to inform the regional leader, declare where you’re coming from, and state your intentions—it’s a process designed to keep everyone in check. I wrote down that I was coming from beyond the four regions e
[--Kaiser Volkov--]Esmarie’s face lit up when I told her about the Darkwood pack’s shutdown. The relief was mutual, like a weight we’d both carried was finally lifted. To be fair, I’m starting to learn that besides my past I have other things to worry about. I’m looking into the mole who told Elias about my deal with the vampires. But I’m trying to celebrate the little wins. The Darkwood pack will be gone. Right now Elias is having the people kicked out.That place held the worst memories for us both—memories I tried not to think about, memories that often haunted my nights. Knowing it would soon be no more brought a strange sense of closure, a flicker of happiness. But it was only a flicker, dimmed by the exhaustion that clung to me like a second skin.I hadn’t slept properly in days. I’d tried to make up for it by working late in my office, but even there, I was restless. Sleeplessness wore at my nerves, fraying them, and I knew I was reaching my limit. Today, I’d made the decision
[--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