Selena's fingers numbed from the worn-out knuckle cracks. A chance to escape from this place awaits. All she has to do is to endure Zaden and Grandpa Kai until they reach home. To her understanding, they can’t do anything to force her back here if she refuses to come with them from her home.
Bouncing through the room, she stuffed her pockets with vital possessions, leaving behind her clothes as she doesn’t want to raise suspicion. A knock thuds her ears and she opened the door to see Zaden, one elbow leaning on the door frame with a low-hung head. His face lack the excitement that he might find a link to prove that she is a Samrat. In fact, he looked pissed, radiating hatred to everything around him. He turned around and walked out of there, not even stopping to check if she is following him or not.&nbs
After 4 hours and 30 minutes drive, they pulled into a reasonably spacious yard. Brown framed mesh door swung open before the engine could die down. Selena literarily jumped out of the jeep and ran towards the two large-built men, walking towards them with a wide grin. She grabbed a much older man’s neck and jumped up to wrap her legs around his waist. Most of her upper body was engulfed in his tribal tattoo-covered arms. A long, hard kiss pressed on her cheeks before she thrust her face on his shoulders“I miss you, dad…” it came as a muffle.“ I missed you too, baby Bambi…” she chuckled.“Hey!!!” another man from behind voiced his discontent and Selena dropped down from her dad.“Hey bro…” she extended her hand for a shake but with a scrunched face, he pulled her hand into a hug, carrying her off the ground“I thought
A narrow gravel path led to a tall, rusty metal gate that doesn't count as any sort of solid barrier. Selena and Orion got off to open the gates for the jeep to pass. A vast piece of land expands till the foot of sky-high thick forest–fencing and filtering just the right amount of sunshine for vegetations to thrive. Sparrows shoot into fireworks when Selena's small foot trampled through their feeding ground. The monster even reached out to catch a butterfly and puckered once she failed. An old lady with owl glasses sat backing the dingy door, knitting in her rocking chair. The small, white wooden house anchored in the middle of flower gardens, vegetable patches, and fruit trees must have been her idea. A thin and thick woman crouched on the ground, pulling weeds and another picking tomatoes into her apron. Grandma Genesis narrowed her eyes at the fast-approaching figure–full speed ahead.“Grandma ma&helli
Gold trimmed thick vintage novel snapped to shut. Zaden slipped them back into a line of other, unreadable novels. They have been rampaging Selena’s mother, Daisy’s possession. Selena herself crawled under the bed, going through some boxes stored there. Piles of books, articles and her vintage dresses pile up on the cream bedsheet. A sneeze smacked a dose of the reality of how much dust has hidden beneath these things. Selena slipped out and sat on the floor, rubbing her nose and crossed legs in frustration. Her hair messed up and she swept it away from her face. Aaron’s oversized hoodie, ¾ leggings, and a white converse shoe had never looked more attractive before.“I don’t think there is anything here,” she said to Orion who was going through Daisy’s bed-foot chest. He plopped himself to the ground as if he agrees with Selena. Both their eyes darted back to Zaden, like a two-year-ol
There was another thin wooden slab in the chest box. It was written in a foreign language with an ancient vibe. After some discussion, they decide to show it to the elderlies in the village but Selena was against it. She didn’t want to let go of her mother’s possession. So, they took some photographs and sent them to Makeala and she would have to hike up and down the mountain to print out those photos. There were also some blood reports of Selena. Her blood was matched as a distant relative to an unknown DNA provided by Daisy but there was no clue of who it was. Apparently, Daisy was doing some digging on her own, mainly concerning Selena and their ancestors. She must have speculated about them being descendent of werewolves but never told anyone about it. It was about 5 pm and Selena gathered the rest“Look, yes, apparently my mom thinks that I am a werewolf but we hav
“I’m sorry... I kissed her neck… I’m really sorry” fear dripped in every word and his voice trembled. Zaden escalated to a whole new level of anger in a snap and threw him across the room, hitting hard on the wall. A crack on the brown surface resonates through the house. He strode over, grabbed his neck. Blue veins sprawl through his knuckles as his full strength constrict Orion’s throat. Clamors and panic muttered across the room as everyone tried to stop him–even Grandpa Kai was ignored. He is possessed by his own disposition. The thought of another man kissing her is revolting and the sight of Orion turning pale in his hands is the cure. The loud thud downstairs reached Selena and she took control of her anger. Muffled chaos pushed her feet to rush downstairs. She froze at the landing. Orion– he is turning blue.&
The morning after rose with much more awkwardness than the day before. The 3 of them could hardly look at each other during breakfast while Aaron and Leonardo kept shuffling between them, passing on plates and cups. Thankfully, Zaden had a meeting with one of his managers and left for the city. Orion practically ran away, keeping his distance from Selena. Every time he gets closer to her, her taste comes back to his tongue–futile consequences of yesterday.Eventually, they bumped against each other. She crossed her hands over her chest and leaned over the door frame, pursing her lips and raising her eyebrow. It made him fidget his hands and rub his neck. A quiet moment raised the thickness in the air even more. He understands that eventually, he has to face her.“Look, I’m sorry for the way I behaved yesterday. Both times… I don’t know what got into me” his brain
“Wake up, sleepyhead…” Zaden blinked his eye at the sweet, yet assaulting voice. The usual coldness that comes with nightfall had dissipated with the sun, beaming on his back. He looked around to see Selena sitting at his feet. “What time is it?” he asked in a husky low voice. “About half-past 12 pm. Why?” Zaden snapped up to sit.“How come no one woke me up?”“Who would want to mess up with a sleeping alpha?” she frowned coldly. Makeala sent an email to Selena of the translated letter and Selena got it printed out. They gathered around and sat down as Grandpa Kai started to read the printout.I am in pain, in great pain. I can feel my baby dying, his soul slipping off my grip every second. His heartbeat slowed down to almost none.It
She turned around and howled, stomping towards the woods. It doesn’t mean she has accepted them but it also doesn’t mean she rejected or intimidated by them. The other 3 howled, delighted, and followed her to the woods. Her palms wholly embrace the mother earth with each step. Her eyes looked forward in full confidence, ignoring the other wolves around her that kept stealing glances at her. The wind rippled through her fur, seeping cold into the bone. The soft cushion of the forest floor imprinted by her paws and the scent of grass mixed with dirt fused into the creaks of her toes. Full moon and the scattered stars on pitch-black canvas, not forgetting the chirps of the cricket, croaks of the frogs, slither of the snake, chittering of the mouse backing the soft whoosh of breeze–the sound of nature around her– she took in everything nature has to offer. &
Orion was greeted by a tight, crushing hug from Zaden once he stepped out of his four-wheel drive. He sure looks terrible with an undereye bag and an untrimmed beard. “How is she doing? Heard her contraction kicked in” Orion's first question is and always regards to Selena. Being next to Zaden and Selena doesn't hurt as much as it did before since he had marked her. If anything, his protectiveness of her increased noticeably. “Not good!!! I didn't expect this from Sitka” Zaden said with a sigh. “Sitka??? I'm talking about Selena!!!” Orion frowned in confusion. Has Zaden finally gone cuckoo? “You will understand soon. Come” Zaden guided him to the back of the red brick house. ... Orion, Selena's family, and friends left the next day after marking, and thank god, they did. Her pregnancy was a roller coaster and because only Zaden can handle her, he brings her along on every trip out of the mountain, drop
8 months later... A white jeep cruised leisurely through dirt road, lined by thick forest on both sides. A few human workers and a heavy auger machine hustling at the starting point of the road. Orion's eye inspected the poles and wires lying in roles by the roadside. A lot has changed since the last time he had been to Mount Manuka. A bumpy ride towards the mountain valley is now smoother, thanks to Selena who had initiated the idea of clearing trees and making a leveled dirt road so that pack members could travel faster in and out of the mountain. It has also opened the gate to civilized development, beginning with electricity. Soon, telephone lines and the internet would also be installed. Selena's friend and her brother, Aaron greeted Orion at the entrance of the brick packhouse. This is the second time they have gathered at Mount Manuka. Orion came exactly 12 days after Selena had left him in charge of Samrat Kingdom, for their wedding, a day before the full m
It took them two more days to part away from Orion and Samrat Kingdom. They discussed some basics like vacating the mansion and using it as a school while Orion wanted to stay in the cabin, as a remembrance of Selena and Zaden. They took this opportunity to explore the land, together with Makeala, Xavier, and Sitka. Selena specifically wanted to go to the sparkling river stream running in the midst of the kingdom which she saw the day she became alpha and insisted on getting into the waters and so, the rest followed her. Zaden stood shirtless behind her, embracing her waist gently just in case she slips. The rest weren't that far. Just a few feet away, and soon got into a battle of ‘Who can hold breath underwater the longest'. A war of splashing water followed and Orion quickly cruised to Selena, standing in front of her as she grabbed his arms, peeping over at the others. Orion felt a stab in between his chest as he gazed at Selena's innocent face. Zaden eyes were
Ten alphas placed their right hand over their heart and bowed baring their neck. No words uttered but acceptance by heart of Selena as their new alpha. A surge of energy greater than last night radiated from her moon mark to her whole body. Her body heat rises and her skin tingles. Zaden was right. It is a power running through her veins, diluting into her blood– her Alpha Blood, almost intoxicating her; almost. Her body was emitting a silver sheen, like an ice sculpture out of its cold storage. Her soul slipped out of the body, tethering to every single wolf in every single part of the land, and the mansion. The 10 packs actually live on their own territory within the island. No wonder why this works when the nature of wolf is territorial. No territory, no alpha, but there are 10 alphas here. So, there is 10 territory and they work in parts to defend the island border. One pack doesn't interfere with another pack's border. Some territory practices their own e
Selena slowly blinked her eyes open, softly moaning in soreness. Her whole body is aching. Last night was full of violence with hair grabbing, choking, slapping, biting, and screaming. Oddly, she manages to smile when she recalled last night, pulling her duvet up to her chin to cover up her girlish giggle. Bath time was a personal disclosure. She touched those love marks and a sudden prick of pain erupted, reminding her how and where she got the mark from. How he was hovering over her with sweat dripping from his chin and a slight frown to control his demon – His heaving breath between her thighs–how he cupped her neck gently when a war was going on the downhill– how he took advantage of her arching body by latching onto her breast– how his fingernails gently grazed her outer thighs as his lips devoured her neck, leaving behind a sweet bruise. She frowned when she felt a slip between her thighs. Not again!!! She sighed out and tried to finish her bath fast without giving spac
In a simple cotton t-shirt and shorts, Selena is tucked under the duvet, leaning on Zaden's chest. He kept her as close to him as possible, trying not to break her backbone. His fingers run through her hair, carefully arranging them into a fan on the pillow beside them, lulling her to sleep but she doesn't seem to doze off. Eyes wide as an owl. He ran his fingers from her forehead, down her eyelids to her cheeks, shutting down her eyes.“Sleep...” he mumbled and she nodded gently– eyes closed. Zaden gazed spellbound at her calm face for around 5 minutes“Are you asleep?...” he whispered in a hushed tone and she shook her head ‘NO’. Zaden slapped her butt playfully, making her chuckle, and open her eyes.“Seriously, go to sleep...” it wasn't an hour later when Zaden was sure she is asleep and slipped out of her grip. He wasn't sleepy, so he intends to walk around. At the front porch of the cabin, Orion was sitting leisurely, sipping beers.“What are you doing? They don't do an
After a long, hot scorching bath, Selena and Zaden were ready for the alphas meeting. They walked out of the room to find the whole cabin empty. They exchanged a surprised look at each other before heading to the mansion. Selena stood there, at the entry of the mansion, gazing up at the mighty building which she despise by now. The rest of the pack had joined them after a mind-link.“Welcome, Queen Selena...” Maximus with full enthusiasm at the door“Just Selena, please...” Selena smiled at him and walked hand in hand with Zaden. She needs him the most at the moment. After all, he has been doing this alpha thingy longer than she does. Maximus guided them upstairs and thank god, they didn't cross the dining hall. At the last step on the second floor, a double door with exquisite carving and gold paint intimidated Selena with its roof tall royalty. Maximus pushed open the door to reveal an extravagant hall. Row of windows lined the sides of the room, making it extremely b
Selena woke up past lunchtime and Zaden wasn't there next to her. She staggered out of bed and dragged her feet into the living room. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked for clarity. Maximus was there, with Zaden. They broke their intense discussion once they saw Selena. She paced straight to them with a smile. Some take-out boxes on the coffee table triggered her tummy to growl involuntarily. Zaden guided her to sit on the couch before grabbing a box of fried rice, stuck a spoon into it and gave it to Selena. She took it with a smile, before offering lunch to Maximus and he refused politely. She dug into her box and soon got through it–a hungry wolf. “So, what's next in your plan?” Maximus asked Selena. His red, curly hair cast a hue of sun-kissed glow on his olive skin. His hazel eye is brimming with expectation at Selena. “What?” Selena panned her head to Zaden looking for clarification, who has now leaned back on the couch, arms stretched wide on the headrest. “He is referrin
Calm bright morning, sky scattered with birds, cool weather and the greenery in front don't seem to cheer the lot. The whole Samrat Kingdom is solemn at the loss of a great man, Ozrain Samrat. His coffin is made out of rosewood and the top cover made out of glass is now filled with roses–a token of love from his loyal pack members. An ocean of black has flooded the Samrat's cemetery. His coffin lowered bit by bit into the pre-dug hole, making Selena sob even more into Zaden's chest as Zaden caressed the back of her head with his thumb, attempting to calm her down. In the short period she had known Ozrain, her grandfather had showered her with sincere love and respect. She intended to return them but fate had a different plan. Her hands are shaky and she is completely worn out from the continues crying, relying on Zaden's grip to prevent her from slipping limply to the ground. His final respect went on smooth, with no interruption. Orion wanted to throw A