LUCIANO’S POV“Can you tell how long it has been in there?” I asked Sarah“The date it was sent is right here. I don’t know how you didn’t notice it earlier. It’s not a very complex one so your phone should have been acting up trying to get rid of it.”“It’s not mine. It’s Arianna’s” I said more to myself than to Sarah.“You didn’t say if I should delete it or not.” I looked at her, thinking for a moment.“No, there’s no need. I’ll take care of it.” I stretched out my hand and she handed me the phone.What the fuck had I done? I sat in my office the entire day. Hating myself and relieving the past month. “The phone has a mind of it’s own now.” “What key?” “Goodbye Luciano.”I had been an astronomical asshole. I believed she lied to and betrayed me. I needed to find her. How? “Her credit card!” I picked up my phone and dialed Gerald. He managed all my accounts and the pack’s and also Arianna’s. He had given her all her cards and information. I looked at the time and it was well
LUCIANO’S POVI was back in my office. In hindsight, I should have known I would not find Arianna in that room. The purchases and splurging was not her. Why would she leave her phone on the side of the road and her credit card in a motel?I knew the answer as soon as I asked the question. She did not want to be found. I had driven her away. For good. Even if by some miracle, I found her, she likely would not want to come home.I tried speaking to her in my mind but she shut me out. Ironic, I had shut her out first. I was staring at her phone and card on my table when Dave walked in.“Nice of you to show up, Dave.”“I heard you drove out like a maniac last night. What was that about?” He took a seat across from me instead of his couch. I guess he wasn”t staying.“Needed to check something out urgently.”“As long as you are fine.” He eyed the items on my table before getting up to leave. “You were right. I screwed up.” He sat bacl down. “Go on,” he said I explained how Sarah had con
CARTER’S POV“You little devil.” Ciara felt so good about what she had done, she couldn’t even hide the smirk on her face. “I should break your limbs where you stand. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I asked her.“It was genius. You are just mad because you suddenly want her to like you.” I threw my glass at the wall behind her and she flinched. Good to know she still had fear in her. I did need to clip those wings though.“So, stupid Luciano kicked out the most prized wolf in centuries. I can use this.”“What do you mean?” Ciara asked. I looked at her with equal parts pride and anger. Who did she think she was? going off on her own. “You are going to find your sister.” I announced.“Excuse me?” Ciara protested.I was in her face in seconds. I wrapped my hand slowly around her neck and watched fear slowly creep into her eyes. I put my lips right by her ear so there would be no confusion.“You are going to find your sister.” I said barely above a whisper. “Am I clear?” “Ye
ARIANNA’S POV“No Tess. Tell him there is no one like that here. Please, he cannot know that I’m here.” She looked at me with concern in her eyes. But nodded at me. I breathed out a sigh of relief.“It’s okay. I’ll get rid of him.” “Thank you.” I said as she walked off to deal with Andrew.Tess had been such a blessing and a friend. My mind flashed back to the morning after I arrived here in her truck.“Were you going to say goodbye?” She asked as I tried to sneak out.“I didn’t want to wake you. Didn’t think anyone was up yet. Thank you so much, but I really need to get going.”“Alright. Where are you heading? Maybe one of the guys will give you a ride.” She was staring me down. Why? “Uhmm… that’s not necessary. I just…”“Just have no idea where you are going?” Tess asked. We stared at each other in silence for a moment before she broke it.“Look, you seem like a good person and it doesn’t look like trouble is after you. You just seem hurt. Why don’t you stay a while, figure out
LUCIANO’S POVI never thought I could cause myself this much pain. I had it all, and I let her go without a second thought. I told myself I was being a leader, but I was just being used. Andrew had called days ago to say he hit a dead end. He found the trucker but she had no idea where Arianna went next. Days and nights were beginning to blend into an endless, formless, gloomy existence. I had no idea how long it had been since Andrew called. Life had lost its color and food tasted like ash. Nothing was good.I hid it well enough. During the day I worked. Dave had returned to work too. He was happy, Alex made him happy. I went through the motions with him, but seeing both of them always reminded me that I sent their friend away.She was mine. But a part of her was theirs too. And she should be here sharing in their happiness. We should all be happy together. What the fuck did I do? “Luciano!” I looked up at Dave who just walked in.“I’m right here. No need to scream, Dave.”“Sorry,
LUCIANO’S POVI had been stuck on this call for hours. Nobody had made any meaningful suggestions. It was a hot mess. Nobody was talking about a solution to our current problems. Carter had surprisingly called his wolves home a few days ago. He appeared to be the first of us to get word on what was happening. His actions made me even more suspicious. How did he know so quickly that hunters were out looking for a rare wolf? He had to have been monitoring those dark sites that dealt on mythological and supernatural relics. “How exactly did you hear about the hunters so fast? Before the rest of us even.” I asked Carter. My question made the other Alpha pause their arguments.“Well, one of my wolves happen to be a genius with computers and the internet. He brought the news to me and I immediately called my wolves home.” Carter explained.“Are they getting home safe?” Fenrir asked.“A few arrived today, we are expecting more.” Carter answered.“That sounds good. But did it occur to you
CARTER’S POV“This is really bad, Carter, someone is dead!” “Screaming at me won’t change anything Ciara.”“Do you have any idea what would happen if the other packs found out?”“Everyone knows. A tortured and killed wolf is not exactly a secret.” I was patronizing. She needed to relax.“You know that’s not what I mean. You started the chain of events that led to his death.” Ciara said.I was about to retort when Max walked in.“What can I help you with Max?” “Alpha Carter. I just got a report of another death. Her limbs were all broken. It looks like she was tortured.” Max said.“What pack?” I asked. Max looked angry, which was out of character for him.“Ours. Her peers have gone out to retrieve her body.” Max replied and walked out without waiting for a response.He was angry at me it seemed. I had more things to worry about right now. I would put him in his place soon. “There’s going to be a war for sure. All because you could not figure out a way to feed your pack.” Ciara spat
ARIANNA’S POVI had been bartending for days now. It was a fun job. Tess’s dad had put in a good word for me and I started immediately. My days had started to look less gloomy. That was a lie. I had decided to stop dwelling in everything dark going on in my life now. Tess’s mom had commented that the mother’s mood usually affected the baby, and that I should try to shake off the blues.How she knew I was pregnant was still a mystery. I had not told her, I had not told anyone. I had smiled and nodded at her advice at the time. But I decided it was good advice, I didn’t want my baby to be sad and gloomy. So I was trying to find things to be happy about. It did not help that an unusual amount of wolves had been stopping by the bar since I started. It was a roadside bar and grill. A lot of truckers stop here while enroute to deliver or back home. Not Tess’s family trucks but others from around the country.It also saw a lot of travelers, people driving cross country, or people who got s
ARIANNA’S POVAlex walked in and the sea of people standing around parted for her. She looked gracious and I couldn’t wait to tell her that her dress captured the light of the moon like she wanted. The crowd of people parted and converged around her. It was like a maze that opened up in front and shut behind you as you walked. They were leading her to the center. To her minotaur. But this time, it was no scary monster, it was the love of her life. She finally got to the center of the crowd and stood opposite Dave. Luciano stood with them to perform the ceremony. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His robe, fortunately for me, left a lot of his chest bare. There was a lot left to the imagination but just enough was open that I couldn’t help but stare. I stepped up when I was called. It was time for best friend duties. I handed over the stone. It was white but a little see through. It was supposed to represent the moon. Luciano took it and placed it in Dave’s hand, he then covered it
LUCIANO’S POV“And what’s wrong with that?” She asked me. Fuck! That question tugged at the beast in me that just wanted to take her, with zero regard. I took a deep slow breath to calm myself. We both needed this, but she needed it more. Her body needed to remember that there was a lot more than the pain she had endured. “Shhh” I whispered back to her.I traced kisses all over her body, slowly, and holding on to her hips. Those hips. I would let them move, in time. I made my way down her body till I got between her legs. I buried my face in there and took a deep breath. The smell of her arousal drove me nuts and I could feel my erection grow in my pants. My tongue immediately went to work. Licking and sucking at her mound. I could feel her shaking beneath me and it made me happy. I slipped one finger into her opening and heard her let out a loud moan, I slipped in the second finger and let go of her hips. She was thrusting against my fingers now, my thumb once again found her c
ARIANNA’S POV “Alex, you did it! It’s beautiful.” I told her as we stood in the clearing. “You should see it at night, with the lights lit.” She said. “Two days away now. How are you freeling?” The smile that covered her face was infectious. I didn’t realize I was smiling too. “It feels like a lucid dream. A good one.” She explained.“Well, it’s not a dream.” I told her. “There you two are. Your parents have arrived.” Dave announced as he walked into the clearing. I watched Alex subconsciously gravitate into his arms. There was no thought behind it. Her body just moved. I loved that they had found each other. In the midst of all the crazy, something beautiful came out of it. “Where are they?” Alex asked Dave.“Luciano is keeping them busy in the big house. They came with the mystic moon’s new Alpha, Dylan.” Dave explained. “That still feels weird to hear. Alpha Dylan and the mystic moon. Thank the goddess for that.” I shuddered. Alex squeezed my hand for a brief second befor
ARIANNA’S POVLuciano took my hand in his and we walked off into the field. I had no idea where we were but I wondered who owned this place. No way, It was just a wild field. Someone definitely took care of it. There were wild flowers around, two trees apart from each other. But the grass was not wild. From the beginning to the end of the field the grass was cut to the same length. It had this feel of a wild place but at the same time, I could see the intentionality behind it. I watched Luciano spread a blanket on the grass and place the basket to the side. He stretched out his hand for me. I took it and he led me to sit on the blanket. I had never seen this blanket before, so I wondered where he got it. “So, what did the Chef pack us?” I asked. “Chef didn’t pack it.” He answered a little annoyed. “I was just teasing.” I told him. “I know. And I told Estell what to pack. So it was partly me.” He said, sulking. I giggled at his face. He reminded me of a toddler who wasn’t gett
LUCIANO’S POV“Good for Dylan.” I muttered. “Good for the mystic moon. Good for us.” Dave replied. I nodded at him. “Would you mind inviting him to the ceremony? Some of the pack is going to be here anyway.” I asked.“Of course. I was only trying to keep Carter out. Dylan is good. I think he and Alex used to be friends before he left the pack.” “Sounds good. Anything from the other Alphas?” “Just the usual. Nothing about us or Arianna though…” he looked like he had something else to say but could not decide. “What is it?” “Collin was trying to stir some of the others but they shut him down.” Dave explained.“Can someone do the rest of us a favour and challenge him already? By the moon! It’s always something with him.” I said, frustrated.“He’ll be out soon. Without an external factor to distract his pack, they will start to realise what a terrible Alpha he is.” “That may be true, but I doubt it’ll be that easy. He lets them get away with a lot of truancy. This year alone, more
ARIANNA’S POV“Did you know that Ciara was changing the natural state of your forest?” I asked Luciano.We were sitting by the kitchen Island, eating a bowl of microwaved lasagna. I was eating anyway, Luciano was just keeping me company. He had a confused look on his face that told me he had no idea that Alex was planting flowers in his forest. I giggled before explaining to him. “She says its too green and needs other colors to pop.” I explained. “Of course it needs other colors.” We both laughed at the way he said that. It was so playful and almost like saying why didn’t he think of it. “How was your fitting. Can I see your dress?” He asked. “Sure. It’s up in my room.” I said. I could see the very minute flicker in his eyes. If I had blinked I would have missed it. And if I had not noticed it a few times before I would have sworn I imagined it. “What’s wrong?” I finally asked him. “What do you mean?” “Just now. When I said you could see my dress. There was this … I can’t exp
CIARA’S POVHow would I explain to Dylan that I wasn’t welcome at the Ice claw pack? The last thing I wanted was him associating me with Carter’s tyranny. It was bad enough that everyone knew we were together. We were together. The thought took me by surprise. I knew we were done but I had not said it out loud. He was sick and dying. The last thing I wanted was to become his nurse and in extension, the punching bag for all his pain. I would make up an excuse to not go. He had his beta. From what he said, it would be no more than two days. Just a formality. There was actually no need for me to be there. The environment around the pack had been light and welcoming. Everyone who left with Dylan during the plague was back. Families were happy and no one even spoke of Carter. It was almost like he didn’t exist. But he did.I walked by his house for what seemed like the hundredth time in as many days. I knocked but there was no answer. He had locked his door days ago. His door was never
CIARA’S POVI knew Carter was weak but I at least expected a fight. Watching him writhing on the floor with drool running out of his mouth was just embarrassing.He could not even get through his change let alone fight. Everyone who gathered to watch didn’t seem to understand what was happening. “Is that part of it? “What the fuck is happening?”“Can he stand?” I heard these questions randomly from the crowd. This was beyond bad for Carter. If he couldn’t even turn, how did he plan to survive? It actually explained why he was absent during the full moon. Dylan walked up to Carter’s shivering body and placed one leg on top of him, signaling that the fight was done. If we could call it a fight. Dylan standing with Carter beneath his feet was the signal everyone needed to stop feeling sorry for Carter. The screams of joy were deafening. It was like years of pent up frustration could finally be let out. I ran inside Carter’s house to grab blankets. When I got back outside, old man M
CARTER’S POVI looked at my reflection in the full length mirror. I looked like I was hexed. Considering I had no idea what Luciano stabbed me with, I guess I could be hexed. Hexes were the worst, it was also George’s best guess. If he was right then there was no way out of this for me. I would walk a slow pain filled journey to my death. Curse Nadia. What did I ever do to her for her to do this to me? Not only did she tell other witches not to help me, if this was really a hex then it would not matter who wanted to help. Only the witch who places the hex can remove it. I had been in so much pain lately, I actually tried calling her. All my calls went straight to voicemail.In hindsight, leaving threats on her voicemail may not have been the best approach. I did leave an apology, but she still has not called back. I would find a way, I was not going to go down like this. “Max!” I called out. He ran in seconds later. “Any idea where Ciara has been since yesterday?” I asked him.