NIKOLAI I’m really glad Winter insisted that we went. Jethro struck after all, the aftermath is not quite as heavy as I expected, none of my men are dead, good thing I informed them ahead of time to be ready for what’s coming. “What the hell happened here?” Winter asked, her eyes roaming the broken items in the room. “Tell me it’s not what I’m thinking.” Realization is beginning to set in but she’s pushing it away. She’s trying not to believe it. “It's exactly what you’re thinking.” I tell her and she starts to inch closer to me.“You don’t think they’re still here, do you?” I almost laugh but I manage to keep it in. She acts so tough in front of everybody else but she looks so scared right now. “They might be watching us right now.” I say seriously and she frowns and groups something beneath her dress, I don’t know what it is but I assume it’s the silver knife I gifted her after her fight with the hefty burger. “I’ll take the left and you’ll take the right.” She says and I ca
ELDER DONOVAN.“I crave death.” I never thought those words will ever come out of my mouth but after four nights in Jethro's dungeon, I crave death. The mosquitoes are the least of my problems, they bother me too but not as much as Jethro's guards. I’ve never met men more cruel. Instead of food, as per Jethro's instructions they take turns to torture me three times a day. It’s the only indication of time I have in this dark place. I have no knowledge of what is going on outside now, is Jethro going on with the war as planned or is he doing things his own way? I hate that it even bothers me.What I should be worried about now is my own life and how to keep it.I hear footsteps, my stomach is starting to churn like I’ve had one too many drinks. It twists in dread, my fragile heart is beating fast, looks like it’s noon again. The steps draw closer and closer and the beat of my heart goes even faster. The loud steps start to fade away.He just walked past my door. What’s going on? Not
ALPHA JACOB Joining a war that has nothing to do with me might be the most stupid decision I’ve ever made since I became Alpha. I can’t even explain why I want to participate in this war and now that I’m here in front of Nikolai, I know there’s no turning back now. “I don’t understand, what does it have to do with you?” He asks innocently but I would be a fool to think that he completely trusts me. Nobody trusts anybody when it comes to war and to top it all off his woman has recently been kidnapped. “I want to fight this war with you, that is of course if you let me.” I say and he grunts. “Why would you want to do that? You know how deadly this war is going to be and it has nothing to do with you so why?” he asks bit I don’t have an answer for him. If I hadn’t cut off all communications with Isador, I would have said she bewitched me out of spite. “I just thought it would be better to have you as an ally rather than an enemy.” “This is not a war that you have to pick sides, y
NIKOLAI “The goal is to get my wife out of there and to leave their town in ruins.” I tell Jacob and he nods, talking to a blind man is not weird at all. There’s no need for eye contact and Jacob is smarter than he lets on. “That's two things. What’s the most important one?” He asks patiently. “My wife.” I answer honestly. “My wife is the most important thing, my wife latter’s to be more than the honor of this pack.” “I get it but don’t you think you’re being too honest with me?, what if I decide to steal your wife?” He jokes but I don’t find it funny. “Then I’m going to show you how people protect things that are important to them.” “Woah, calm down tiger. It was a joke. A harmless joke. I will never steal your wife especially now that you just indirectly threatened my life.” The side of my lips twitches but he doesn’t see it so no one is gonna know except me. “What's the plan?” I thought he’d never ask. HUNTER. Who knew raising werewolves would be so hard? I always though
NIKOLAI I don’t know what to expect, one pack? two? I have no idea but what I do know is that I’m prepared for whatever I might face. My army and Jacob’s army together are unstoppable. I’m going to get my wife and not even the goddess could stop me. I’m going to put an end to this once and for all and focus on making my pack the best pack in the land. “We leave today and we find a place to lay low till midnight, we start to attack by then.” I tell Jacob and he chinks down his last loaf of bread. “Why do you want to strike by midnight?” he asks ignorantly. “So they won’t see it coming?” “Exactly!” I answer and he chuckles. “What’s so funny?” I ask and he wipes his mouth meticulously before turning his head in my direction. “They’ve been preparing for this war for months and you’ve struck them a couple of times already, do you really think you’ll catch them unaware?” I think about it for a while, he’s got a point but I still think our best moment to strike is when they’re asle
HUNTER. It’s funny how I went from wanting to sleep to not being able to close my eyes. I couldn’t bring myself to tell Daphne that Winter was kidnapped, she’d have too much questions and I doubt that she’ll be able to handle it. For now, I’m just trying my best to act normal around her. The weight of the pack that Nikolai has put on my shoulder is something else to worry about. How am I supposed to take care of an entire pack when I can’t even take care of my own family on my own. Should I have turned it down? Will that have been the better option? Daphne, the twins and a plot of land are all I’ve got now and I don’t want to loose them. We’re not ready for the war of politics. “What are you thinking about? I’ve been yelling your name for the past five minutes.” Normal my foot, Daphne is going to get the truth out of me in seconds. “I’m just thinking about the war and all the stress we’re about to go through.” I lie but I think I’m being too obvious. She’s narrowing her eyes at
PRIEST Priest cracks his back as he wakes up from his living room couch. He didn't make it to the bed this time around. He had had one to many jars of sweet alcohol, something he shouldn't be doing, knowing his reputation around the pack. But a man's got to do what he has got to do, especially with the responsibility of raising a grand son and helping countless wolves on a daily basis. His life is too not basic to avoid alcohol. It's the fastest way to survive, according to a few researchers who made this comment while under the influence. I don't overdo it before I get the spirit angry like that last, and then I'd be left on my own and with my half-baked wits to council Tyson wolves. What a horror. I'm glad they returned it back the last time I met them while performing the art. I hate it when I don't have the help of the spirits. It makes the work ten times worse and harder. I don't even get holidays. The boy runs off to get breakfast from the market. I'm waiting at home on a ro
NIKOLAI. I slash another guard by the throat and he falls down on the floor with a horrified expression. He looks shocked that I killed him, he didn’t see it coming. I stare at his body for a few seconds and if I wasn’t desperate to find my wife, I would be laughing at his face. When Jacob came to me and said he wanted to fight by my side, I pictured him on a horse killing men not staying in a chariot ten miles from the war front and waiting for reports every two hours. I didn’t expect too much so I’m not exactly disappointed, in fact I’m grateful. I didn’t realise how much I needed help until I was offered it. “Look out!” my right hand man yells and I turn back to see an arrow flying towards me. I throw myself out of the way and make sure that I end the life of the person that shot the arrow. “Thanks man.” I say and he gives me a small nod before returning to killing people. “I'm heading in.” I yell and I know he heard me. I need to find Winter as fast as I can. I’m starting t
EPILOGUE 2018 A Maybach gears up after the traffic lights turn green. There's a man in a suit in the back seat. He's looking out the window and staring at the billboard of an author and popular model. She's beautiful. He thinks, and he continues staring until his phone rings. "Hello?" "Liam, will you still make it for the meeting?" "Yes, Zach. I'm on my way. There's no traffic, so I'll be there in about five—" The car comes to an abrupt halt. He hears the sound of crash and mutters a curse under his breath. He will not be getting out of this one easily. He looks up and sees the angry driver of the other vehicle already slamming their door closed. He turns to his driver. "What happened?" "I don't know. She just stopped abruptly. I have no idea why. This woman is obviously crazy." He pinches his forehead and comes down from the car after his driver does. She is furious and crazy because the way she's already raving about her bashed car has him taking cautious steps forward.
NIKOLAI Winter's giving birth. I'm as anxious as a live wire. I'm pacing the halls of the house while the midwives and the pack physician deliver our son. Hunter is with me. He's carrying his daughters and feeding them breakfast on the dining table. The house has been gloomy for months since Tara died. This is the first thing that has brought joy to all of us. Our son. I can't wait to meet him. I wonder who he would look like. Deep down, I want him to look like his mother. I smile to myself, and Hunter calls me out. "Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing me." I clasp my sweaty palms together. "I guess this was how you felt when the twins were born." Hunter smiles genuinely. He doesn't do that anymore. There's no reason for joy in his life, and I truly feel sorry for him and for everything he's been through. He lost Daphne and lost Tara, and to think he will always have the memories lodged in his head is pure torture, even for me. "Yes. I'm pretty damn sure I felt much wors
WINTERSix Months Later...It's been six months since Daphne and her father tried to destroy us. Six months since we've heard anything about her whereabouts. Life seemed to go on in contast paranoia that they would be back, especially for Nikolai. I'm almost due. My bump is large, like someone trapped a volleyball inside there. The pack doctor examines me. He says I keep getting weaker and weaker. I've told no one about the conversation Isador and I had the night of Hunter and Tara's big escape. But I know why I'm being diagnosed as weak. I have little time left with my son and mate. It's breaking my heart.I know Elkan didn't survive his brothers wrath. Killian killed him and his triplets before Hunter could make do with his promise. It's beating him up, but he doesn't show it. The fact that he failed those innocent children. It only means one thing, though. Killian owes use all a life, and he will pay up when the time comes.The pack doctor shakes his head. "Your temperature and bl
HUNTER They had beaten me to a pulp, but they were going to need more than that to end me. I just need to know if Tara is alright. Since Daphne carried her into that separate room, I have seen nothing and heard nothing. My wolf is terribly weak. I struggle against the chains. I've been doing that for hours. Killian came and asked Daphne when she was going to kill me. She may hate me now, but I know she can never do something as horrendous as that. Daphne still loved me. I couldn't kill her as well if given the chance. There was just something holding us back. She stalled my execution date until two days from now. Meaning, Nikolai has 48 hours to rescue me successfully, or I have just that amount of time to break free before they sell her off to Ander. I need to save her, or else I won't forgive myself. I struggle against the chains bound to the ceiling above. It hung me up. I pull with all of my might, but nothing can save me from the weakness freezing my wolf out. I feel helpl
NIKOLAITheir weapons are laced with wolf's bane and poisons of various calibres. We are outnumbered, and it's also impossible for us to win this war against Ander. My wolves are perishing all around me, and I feel helpless. Ander is on his horse wrecking havoc with the mighty scythe in his hand.I run for him, growling as my fangs gleam under the afternoon sun. He's about to hit one of my closest wolves from behind. I dive on his horse and throw him to the ground, cartwheeling and dodging the scythe's blade by a narrow miss.Ander roars, getting on his feet. It's between the both of us. I'm not armed, and I know I've got to be careful while going against that blade. Winter warned me about that, and I promised myself I would make it out alive.I charge at him, and he comes for me as well. We clash, baring our teeth. Our wolves around us are still going at each other. Still, it is clear that Ander is winning. He shoves me to the ground. I bring out my leg and swipe it across, making him
DAPHNE Tears burn my throat. It didn't occur to me that he would actually find my replacement. I still loved him deeply, but I couldn't disobey my father. If he chose me now, I would have abandoned everything and saved him from this hell. But the man I love is interested in another woman. This must be my karma. I walk into the barren room where Tara has been kept inside. I know she's scared, but I'm so livid that I could pluck out her entire hair. How dare she steal what is mine? "Ander would love to hear you survived his trap. He would take your sorry ass back and punish you for life because that is what you deserve." Tara starts begging. She knows what it's like to be slaved under Alpha Ander. Not to mention being punished eternity by him. It's pure hell, and I want to laugh at the terrified look on her face. I do laugh. "What? Scared, are we? This is what you get for taking what's not yours." "I didn't know you and Hunter were an item. I met him by chance and he said nothin
HUNTER I told her not to go. I told her I had to stay put right here inside the damned pack house, but she just won't listen. One thing I've learnt about Tara is that she's as pig headed as they come and can't take no for an answer. She literally dragged me out from the house to come and pick herbs in the woods. Her argument is that it's close by and we won't be gone for more than half an hour. It takes only a second for things to go epically wrong, but I don't know why I can't resist her anymore. When she speaks, she always finds a way to get to me, and she doesn't even do much. She only just has to say the word. I don't what to make of it, but I'm trying to school myself into making this the only time such would repeat itself again. Sure, she can pick her herbs for now, but next time, I won't consent to something as careless as this, leaving the pack house unguarded. She's in front of me, skipping happily into the woods. I'm always happy to see her smile. The sight of it just m
WINTER I dread waking up to this morning because I know what it means for us. Nikolai wants us to do this. He wants us to pay Jacob a visit, but I don't think I'm ready. Jacob was the man who hurt me. Although he seems repentant, I still can't tell what his heart would be like. I'm stepping out of the bathroom when he meets me halfway. Nikolai hugs me. Last night brought us a lot closer intimately. I was so darn sure I would have his babies after that. He made sure of it. But then, would the curse of Rose find me now that I am Winter. Will I still not be able to have kids of my own? "Hey, babe." Nikolai calls me, resting his forehead against mine. "You look stressed. Don't be stressed." "You know why I'm stressed." "I'll be right there with you. You don't have to be scared because you have me protecting you always." He has a point. I know he will never abandon me. Nikolai loves me so much. He proved that last night, and I'm certain he will always have my back in everything. I do
HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first