***“Paul?” Troy breathed when he heard his friend’s voice on the other end. “Are you at the police station?” He listened for a moment. “Okay, I’ll come and get you…don’t think because she looks like a nice person, she is.” He said urgently. “These people are murder…” Deloris snatched the phone away.“Alright, that’s enough.” She cut the line. “At least you know I didn’t lie to you.”“What do you want from me?” Troy asked quietly. “You’ve already taken everything that I have. My family…”“We are your family.” Gloria finally said softly as she started towards Troy, who looked at her closely for the first time.“Oh no, no, no I’m no kin of you people,” Troy said with a shake of his head.“You are, son,” Gloria said quietly as she stopped in front of her youngest son, her cheeks wet with tears.Troy stared at the woman and felt a strong wave of emotion he couldn’t understand but which made him want to comfort her, sweep over him. The feeling was so powerful he took an involuntary step cl
***“Paul is not here,” Troy said quietly immediately after they materialized in Gloria’s living room. They’d all decided that the best place to break Troy in was in his mother’s house.“He will come over as soon as you and your mother are done talking,” Philip muttered as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began to type, sizing Troy up intermittently.“I won’t say anything until I see him.” Troy insisted, a dark scowl in place. But he added after a moment; “Please.”“How about we call so that you talk to…” Jeremy began to say but trailed off when his brother began to vigorously shake his head.“How about I see him first?” Troy didn’t sound as if he was going to accept anything else. “I’ve been around warlocks long enough to know the tricks that can be played.” He glared at Jeremy. “For all I know, the voice I heard on the phone in the warehouse was not really his. I just want to see that he’s okay.” He added quietly. “Is that too much to ask?”“And what makes you think th
***Troy’s worried eyes followed Philip until he disappeared through the door. He was surprised at the sudden feeling of guilt and unease that washed over him. He wanted to call Philip back but he stifled the urge. What was wrong with him, Troy combed his fingers through his hair in frustration. He was convinced the so-called werewolves he was in the room with had cast a spell on him. Even if they couldn’t do it themselves because they were werewolves, the Deloris woman could do it for them.“Can I get some water please?” Troy asked quietly.“I’ll get it,” Jeremy said as he turned towards the dining area. He came back in no time with a bottle of water.“Thank you,” Troy said as he took the water from Jeremy. By the time the bottle came away from his lips, it was empty.“Want another?” Jeremy asked.“No, thanks.” Troy shook his head slowly, looking at the bottle in his hands.“Are you okay?” Gloria asked softly but Troy didn’t respond. He kept staring down at the bottle in his hand. Af
***Back in the dining area, Camille was laughing uncontrollably. “Philip is not a bad person, Trav…Troy. He will only take a life if it’s for a good cause.”“And you think taking Paul’s life is for a good cause?” Troy looked and sounded incredulous.“I didn’t say that.” Camille tried to compose herself. “Listen, you said yourself that your mother said no harm will befall Paul, right?”“She promised,” Troy responded.“Her word is gold.” Camille smiled. “Trust me on that. I’ll take good care of Paul. Don’t worry about him, okay?” At Troy’s nod, she added; “And remember, Philip is the most kind-hearted and amazing man. It would be great if you tried to get to know him.”“Not on your life.” Troy breathed, ignoring Camille’s gasp. “I don’t trust the guy. I know the woman meant…”“Gloria.” Camille interrupted. “That’s her name.”“Glori…”“Don’t call her that.” Camille interrupted again.“But you just said that’s her name.” Troy groaned, looking confused.“Yes but she’s your mother.” She sa
***In his room, on the tenth floor of the magnificent Stanwood building which stood proudly in the middle of the vast land of the Stanwood Pack, a naked Alpha Philip Harrington paced. He’d had a fierce run but still felt restless. He didn’t understand why Travis…or Troy or whatever he called himself, made him so angry. Maybe it was because they were close to having a full moon. That would understandably intensify his emotions. But that notwithstanding, no one had managed to get him so angry so quickly in his thirty-three years of existence. The boy knew the exact buttons to push to get him into furyland.Philip prided himself on being a very understanding person. He’d always had to be because his best friend, Jeremy, had been a handful right from their childhood because of his Ojah power. He’d had to assume the role of the voice of reason which had had a calming effect on Jeremy. Philip had therefore never had the luxury of giving in to anger like a typical male werewolf would.As an
***“You’re all idiots.” He muttered as he turned towards the bar to pour himself a drink. “The silly boy is refusing to change the bloody cat’s name.” He growled as he came back to join his friends.“I love this boy.” Paige laughed.“Lip, you okay?” Jeremy asked softly.“What do you think?” Philip rasped.“You need to go easy on him, dude,” Jeremy told his friend.“Your brother is a piece of work, Jer,” Philip muttered.“Put yourself in his shoes,” Jeremy said quietly. You first kill his family and then threaten to end his pal. You wouldn’t like you either if you were him.”“Yeah, the cactus.” Stan drawled. “Damn, that was a good one.”“From what Cami tells me, those two are just friends so chill,” Jeremy said.“Your smart mouth of a brother is not making it easy, Jer.” Philip groaned.“Easy, brother,” Paige murmured. “You’re what? Twelve years older than him, right? Come on, Lip. He’s bound to irritate you. Try not to allow yourself to be drawn into his…”“Wait till you find yoursel
***“What happened to him?” Troy raised a brow with curiosity.“He…he went out there and slaughtered a lot of hunters,” Gloria whispered.“Oh my god…” Troy gasped. “But they were innocent.”“We didn’t know that.” Gloria reached for the glass of water on the coffee table and took a sip. “Until Ryan figured it out some days ago, we all thought you and your father had been killed by hunters.”“I still can’t get over the knowledge that Reynard had a son,” Troy murmured. “I was told that all his kids died. And he couldn’t father any more kids so…”“Yeah, Ryan took him by surprise all right.” Gloria chuckled.“So you werewolves actually accept that? Marriage between men, I mean. We don’t.” Troy said, making Gloria laugh softly.“Son, you’re a werewolf too. And Luna, our goddess, decides who our soulmates should be. Jeremy and Ryan are not married by the way.” Gloria chuckled. “They are mated. Get your terminologies right.” She laughed when Troy burst into laughter.“I will learn eventually.
***“Reynard,” Troy whispered as he stared at Ryan. Everyone stared back at him. Paul was the first to break the silence.“It’s rude to stare, Troy.” Paul admonished his friend in a loud whisper. Then he turned apologetic eyes to the white-haired man. “You must pardon him, man.” He addressed Ryan. “It’s your hair that’s shocking him.” He grinned when Ryan turned to face him. “He’s still getting used to the weird hair colours that people are sporting these days. Do you blame him? Dude’s been holed up in some magical fortress all his life. You should have seen his reaction the first time he saw someone with green hair.” He laughed. “Yours really suits you, by the way. Your hairdresser did a great job.” He gave a thumbs-up sign.“That’s his real hair, Paul,” Jeremy growled.“What?” Paul gasped. “Really?” It was his turn to stare.“You must be Ryan,” Troy said quietly.“I am.” Ryan managed to tear his amused gaze off Paul and began to move toward Troy with a hand extended. “Nice to meet y