Tony
"What?"I narrowed my eyes at her neck and tugged her collar aside. It looked fresh, so either it had happened within the past two days or her werewolf healing wasn't working well due to all the stress."Alpha is just..."I smirked and let her go. "Just?"She cleared her throat. "He wouldn't be so upset if you two would just come home and do as you're told.""I'm a grown man, Eliza," I said. "I don't have to do a damn thing I don't want to.""You will not curse at me."I met her gaze. "Fuck off."She gasped and flinched back. I hoped for just a moment she saw in my face something that reminded her of my father."If you don't come back and fix this, you're of no use to the pack," she said, her voice filled with determination. "I asked alpha for a chance to change your mind before he struck you both from the pack records."I blinked. Her words echoed through me. Surprise, maybe, but maybe something else too. A fear that didn't feel liMattTony's question had caught me completely off guard. I could still hear the cartoons Quillan was watching as I tried to understand what Tony was getting at. Tony should know me better than anyone. But lately, it felt like we were strangers who just happened to share a face. I suppose he wasn't totally to blame for that. Knowing what I know now, everything I know, and the things that I still had to figure out, I guess, in some ways, we were just strangers who shared a face. "Why would you ask me that?""Don't bullshit me, Matt," Tony's voice was firm but laced with concern. "Are you taking something?"I blinked, my brain struggling to process the question. "What do you mean, taking something?"Tony sighed, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know what I mean, Matt. Are you using drugs? Have you been taking something to... cope?"The accusation hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn't believe that Tony would even think such a thing about me. The hurt
LucyThe classroom's fluorescent lights seemed to bore into my skull, intensifying the persistent headache that had plagued me all day. I couldn't wait to escape into the fresh air and hopefully find some relief. As soon as the professor dismissed the class, I gathered my books and made my way to the exit, my friends falling in step alongside me.Duke was whistling a soothing song. Sarah was going on about finally being free of her boring classes. "Are you riding back with us?" Michelle asked. "Or is David going to pick you up later?"I winced. Though I was happy about the evening we'd had planned, my head was killing me. "I don't know...""You could have dinner with us," Sarah said. "I think Blue is making something extra tasty."I chuckled as Amy and Sarah started to talk about what was likely on the menu. Their voices mingled into a comforting background noise around the white noise that was filling my head and the throbbing. "You okay?" Amy ask
Lucy"I told you it was a bad idea to try and take the pack back so quickly."He hissed. "And you wanted me to do what? Call those two whelps alpha? Never in this or the next life."She shook her head. "It doesn't matter how you feel about it, or what you've already done. There is no changing it. We can't afford any more delays," Selene insisted, her eyes reflecting the silver glow of the moon above. "The plan must proceed as scheduled."Oren's expression was troubled, and he ran a hand through his dark hair, mirroring a gesture I'd often seen from Matt and Tony. "Before or after we starve?""Perhaps you should stop being such a barbarian and do some work."He growled at her. "Back in my day--""I know well what it was like in our day, Oren," she said primly. "But you must learn to adapt. This age isn't one of blood and war. There are suits and deals--finances that are not increased by raiding people. You can't just go around stealing wives."He
DavidI listened intently to Lucy's account of her dream, my mind racing to process the information she was sharing. It was clear that it wasn't just an ordinary dream but a peak into Selene's mind. Her mention of Selene and Oren, the crystal necklace, and a woman named Eve had my internal alarms blaring.Having a connection to the dead was one thing, but it didn't sound like Selene was dead. More than that, she was on Oren's side. How? Why?I glanced at Trent to gauge his reaction, but before I could ask, the words died in my throat. Trent, who had been quietly attentive until then, was growing visibly paler by the second. His normally calm and composed demeanor seemed to crumble, replaced by a haunted and shaken expression. I couldn't help but be concerned for him. Trent had always been the steady presence, the one who held a vast store of knowledge about the supernatural world, and it was rare to see him rattled.I exchanged a quick glance with Amos, who sat
MattI buckled Quillan in the backseat of the car. He bounced and swung his little legs, his eyes bright with hope. "You think Mommy will be awake?""I don't know, champ," I said. "But I hope so."I got into the driver's seat and let Tony sit in the passenger seat. His fists were clenched at his side, and he was silent for the whole ride to Yellow Ridge Hospital. When we arrived, we headed inside and walked through the hospital to the ICU unit. It was in chaos. There are doctors and nurses rushing back and forth, their faces etched with worry and urgency. The waiting area is filled with people, some sobbing, others deep in conversation with worried expressions. The tension in the air is palpable. My heart sped up, and my gut felt like it had turned to lead.Quillan clung to Tony's hand, his little face a mixture of confusion and fear. His enthusiasm was replaced with uncertainty as he looked in the unfamiliar and unsettling surroundings. I could see the anxiety
MattEliza's tears spilled over, and she turned away. I walked around her. My nose twitched at the sterile scent filling the hallways. She let out a frustrated sound and darted back into my path. Her eyes filled with a mix of desperation and guilt."What now?""You look sick, Matt," Eliza said, her voice quivering. "Don't you understand that you might be upset, but you're suffering by being away from the pack for so long?"I almost laughed. Maybe I did. She looked shocked and appalled. There was a bitter irony in her words. Eliza, who had never shown genuine care for me, was suddenly concerned about my well-being? She was more desperate than I thought. I wondered what Tony told her when she accosted him outside his new place of work."It's not funny. You're so thin, and--""Don't play games, Eliza. We both know you couldn't give a damn about me, and you're one to talk. You've lost more weight than I have." I smirked. "Doesn't seem like being with the pack wou
MattPanic gripped me, but I tried to keep it at bay."Matt?" Quillan asked, his eyes wide with fear. "Y-Your nose..."Matt swallowed hard, struggling to hide his unease. "It's okay, Quillan. I'll be fine. It's just a little nosebleed."His jaw trembled, and he scrambled in his little pockets to offer me a small package of tissue. His hands were trembling. His eyes were watering. "M-Mommy... got nosebleeds."Shit. I smiled, taking a tissue and pressing it to my nose. Matt managed a small smile to reassure the child. "It's nothing to worry about. Sometimes, noses bleed for no reason at all. We just need to make sure it stops."Quillan sniffled, trying to hold back his own tears. "Will you be okay, Matt?"I gently pinched my nose at the base to stem the bleeding and tried to ignore the way the tissue continued to grow red and the taste of blood and ash in my mouth."I'll be just fine, Quillan. You'll see. It'll slow down. Thank you for worryin
PeterI couldn't remember ever liking going to a healer, but I had never been so nervous before. I sat in the healer's office, trying to keep still as I awaited the healer's return with the test results. Vasil had brought me here as soon as I was able to walk on my own. I had agreed with it, but now that I was surrounded by the sterile, clinical scent of the room, I felt uneasy. After the incident during my last date with Michelle, I didn't want to take chances. I also regretted sending her home. Her scent had been calming, her concern comforting, her presence soothing. I pulled out my phone, took a deep breath, and scrolled through the messages we had been trading since she left. How did your exam go? I asked, hoping to distract myself. She replied a few moments later, and soon, the scent of the room started to fade. As I tapped my phone, my fingers danced across the screen, and a mixture of eagerness and apprehension swirled in my chest. I still wasn't sure what
LucyThe morning sun, a mischievous wink through the blinds, painted golden stripes across our bed. I snuggled deeper into the warmth of David's embrace, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest a soothing lullaby. He slipped his hand across my lower back. The warmth of his bare skin against mine set a spark of pleasure through me. He rumbled low and content into my hair. “Wake up,” David rumbled. He kissed my head and twined a curl around his finger. “We have things to do.”“You shouldn’t have kept me up all night.”He chuckled. “You didn’t say that last night.”I nudged him. He dipped his head to nip my lips. “You know, if it’s too much, you can always tell me to slow down.”He’d been saying that for five years now, and I never found a reason to tell him to. He knew that. His eyes flickered between colors. I nipped his lower lip. “Give me a reason.”He smirked and rolled me onto my back. “To slow down or…”“To get up,” I said as he kissed
LucyI sat on the cold stone, watching her, but she didn’t move another muscle. I didn’t know how long it had been, but it didn’t matter. The spectral glow around her was starting to dim, and my mind was just too stressed to do too much thinking. The light of the ritual, the spell I’d used, the blood on my hands all flashed through my mind, and part of me wondered if it was all just a dream. I looked down at the stained and ruined gown. The armor was as pristine as ever, but most of the embroidered roses were torn or stained. This dress would never be white again, let alone whole. I flicked a piece of the long, gossamer fabric and shook my head. I really liked this dress.“Lucy!”I turned my head toward the sound of David’s voice, wrung out and relieved to hear him. He was rushing through the air towards me. He dropped down a few feet from me, looking so worried I could cry.I smiled at him as he dropped to his knees beside me and threw his arms around me,
LucyI sailed through the air, landing with a jarring thud within the ritual circle. With a trembling hand, I pushed myself up, my senses on high alert. A figure, cloaked in darkness, appeared in front of me. My blood ran cold. Selene."Well, well, Lucy," her voice, honeyed yet laced with venom, slithered into the darkness. "Thank you ever so much for making this easy at last.”I grit my teeth. I wouldn't go down without a fight. Straightening my shoulders, I met her gaze, my voice shaking but resolute. "You underestimate me.” “No, Lucy,” her voice dropped, and a cruel smile twisted her lips. "You underestimate me.” The chanting grew louder around me. I lunged for the necklace, my fingers grazing its cold surface before Selene snatched it away, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. But that touch, fleeting as it was, ignited something. I felt her pushing at my mind. I felt her shoving me back until I could see the forest from before, and we were fighting in a ci
MattMy vision pulsed and flickered, a strobe light of pain blurring the edges of reality. Tony rained blows down on me, slashing with claws. Each hit chipped away at my resolve and my control, leaving behind a raw desperation to end this quickly. My armor protected me from most of the damage, but still. He was always the stronger of the two of us. I thought it was just because he was the older of the two of us, but this was different. I thought for sure he was going to bite off my head. Then, a flash of golden light arced through the air, and a spear lanced past my shoulder, catching Tony square in the chest. I turned back to see Ginevra hovering in the air. Her golden dress glowed as she passed me with a glowing winge spreading from her back. What the absolute fuck?Tony staggered, falling to the ground, and Dad darted forward, encasing Tony in a shimmering web of light. The wave turned to chains. He thrashed and howled, straining against the magical bonds, but t
LucyPeter's breath hitched, rasping, and shallow, then deepened into a cough that wracked his battered body. His eyelids fluttered, eyelids so pale they were almost luminous in the dim torchlight. He struggled to get up, leaning on his Spear and on Michelle. The light pulsing through the Spear rippled over his skin. He let out a soft sigh and stumbled a little. “Peter?”“I... It’s gone.”“What?” Michelle gasped as his hair started to change, losing the gray color and growing dark. His face turned younger until I was sure that he was all of twenty-something. He grew a bit taller, too, bigger until his shirt strained against his chest and his buttons popped. He flushed. “Well… that’s not…” He cleared his throat as Michelle smiled up at him. “So this is what you looked like in your youth?”He scoffed. “I’m much younger than you think.”He grunted, pressing a hand to his side. “Wish the Spear would heal the wound, though.”I winced. “Sorry… it’s a
PeterMy feet pounded a frantic rhythm against the uneven earth, branches whipping at my face, thorns tearing at my clothes. How long had I been running? How much further did I have to go? I didn’t know, and it didn’t matter so long as I got there. My lungs burned, legs screaming in protest, but still I ran. The trail of blood behind me and the patchwork of wounds across my body, chunks of missing and regrowing flesh, weren’t my concern right now. The creature—the wolf was after me, and unlike before, it didn’t seem willing to back off or slow down. It was going to kill me, and what happened after that was anyone’s guess. Behind me, the guttural snarl of the wolf echoed through the trees. Too close to be comfortable. Too close to make sense. This was too much like that dream, but worse. So much worse. The sky was a kaleidoscope of images I could barely make out. They flashed in the sky and in my vision, making it hard to see. I saw Lucy. I saw Michelle. The long
LucyAdrenaline surging, I grabbed Michelle and pulled her after me deeper into the inky depths of the tunnel.“Quick!”She panted. “What’s going on? Peter—”“He’s possessed,” I said. “Just keep running for now!”I saw my Allison up ahead, leading me down another tunnel. Behind us, I heard Peter's guttural snarls, the rhythmic thud of his feet echoed eerily in the confined space. We had to lose him and the other one quickly, but we didn’t seem to be putting enough distance between us. Panic coiled in my gut, urging me to run faster and push my body beyond its limits. Michelle kept up relatively well. We twisted and turned, navigating the treacherous path by torchlight and the spectral murmurs of White Moon's fallen. But the passage seemed to twist back on itself. When we were back at the forked path, the faint light that had been illuminating the tunnel went out, plunging us into darkness.Michelle shuddered. She drew closer to me and tightened her grip on m
LucyI was back in that house with that couple that adopted me. I felt the floorboards creaking as I went downstairs. I saw the men in suits. I shrieked, turning. Not again. I couldn’t be back here. Where was David? How had I gotten back here? I looked down. I wasn’t… wearing the dress or the armor. I had no daggers. My hair was just as uncombed and dry as it had been then. When I looked in the mirror, the skinny young woman who had barely had anything more than ramen and school lunch stared back at me. My stomach lurched. The door opened, and I turned to run, knowing what was about to happen. I dug my heels in as dark shadows pulled me towards the door. I felt myself being lifted onto someone’s shoulders. I fought and kicked, but all my training and all my strength were gone. I saw the calendar on the wall, but the date was different. It wasn’t my birthday. It was the day of the Crescent Moon Festival. I screamed, grabbing anything I could manage. Then, Sele
DavidOren's head arced through the firelit air, landed, and rolled. His body dropped to the ground, still spurting blood. Then, all hell broke loose.The shimmering barrier around the Ball faltered, rippling like a pond, before collapsing entirely. Hunters poured into the arena, their snarls blending with everyone's shocked gasps. “Defensive measures, now!” I yelled, my voice carrying over the sound of the attack. A group of dragon shifters took to the sky as my blade clashed with the first hunter. How had they gotten through the barrier? I saw a flicker of a ghost and growled. “Selene!” I shoved the hunter back, slicing through him before sending out a shockwave of air. She’d been behind this, and maybe she’d been planning this for years, using the werewolf virus to spy on the preparations. It would make sense to try and get rid of me. I was the direct descendant of Fenris. More than that, it was their movements. Each and every one of them moved e