ROSE Realisation filled those evaluating eyes, and, knowingly, Erasmos whispered, ‘I know what you’re thinking. And I’m not.’ ‘Not what?’ I feigned ignorance. If Erasmos was really with the dark whims like Ambrose once was, then he mustn’t know that my suspicions. A sudden look of surprise and then the same eyes narrowed with earnesty. His voice lowered some more when he spoke. ‘I’m not with the dark whims. In fact, I’m building an army—.’ ‘An army?’ Krissy exclaimed. Shit! I’ve forgotten that the wolves can hear from miles away. After a quick exchange of the bewildered gaze of being caught red-handed, Erasmos quickly rearranged his expression to a neutral one before turning away. Nodding truthfully, he replied in a sure tone that would burn all suspicions, ‘Yes, Luna Kristen. Alpha Errick has left this at my disposal. He’s bent on defeating the dark slave.’ ‘Keithen?’ I blurted. Ignoring the glare from the Omega, I rushed forward to grab the Beta’s arm. ‘What exactly do
ROSE A bright light, the brightest one you've ever seen, burst from the starry eyes that were vacant and bleak a second ago. And then that dark, evil roar of anguish dissolved into the background. When I pulled down my arm that shielded me from the sudden unknown shine, my star, my mate was standing before me, his gaze intense at first, as those electrifying blue eyes scanned the length of me, then anxious. 'K-Keithen?' I stepped forward. But a huge shadow barricaded me. 'The dark slave!' Umberto growled in his scratched voice. 'Umberto, please let me talk to him!' I tried to shove him aside but he was like the rock of Gibraltar. Until someone lifted him to the black sky and that handsome face of worry and strain appeared once more. Umberto shifted back to his human form and continued struggling like a fish out of water high above the Alpha's head. 'Your punishment.' Those blue eyes deepened with the same rage heaving that broad chest. I swallowed my desire to fee
ROSE Ah! Terror struck my heart and burst my eyes open, and a bewildered look stared back at me. ‘I swear I only tapped your shoulder,’ explained Umberto, his face a hint of red. I scanned around frantically, as though dark Keithen was hiding and waiting for a good chance to pounce on me and kill me. ‘Luna Kristen is out to fetch us some water,’ updated the Omega. When I said nothing, he added in an awkward tone, ‘Beta Erasmos has set the date for the attack. In two days. After lunch, we’ll head back to inform Alpha Ellis.’ Two days? There isn’t time then! Oh why did Keithen send me away? I could’ve used that year to train and conjure Quinn’s abilities at will. Goddamn it! ‘Are you… are you alright, Miss Rose?’ I finally looked at him and saw the medicinal green patches around his neck, and instantly felt remorse once more. ‘How do you feel?’ ‘Much better.’ ‘God, you sound like the desert.’ I smiled at the bandage around his wrist. ‘How do you feel?’ he asked in a qui
KEITHEN (RUM) We arrived back at the manor, and he wasted no time. Rose was carried to my room, much to my rancour, then thrown on my bed—the same one from that night I made love to her—and I felt a mocking chuckle in my mind. From him to me, of course. As though he had it all planned, and I had followed it through. Like a fucking obedient pup. Goddess blast it…. She scrambled across the sheets to face me: those pretty eyes held mine. But I could only watch as she backed away like a frightened fawn. Fuck. What was I thinking. Why didn’t I see it? Wanting me to kill Rose was part of his plan to lead him to her, in case I defied him again. So I did, and as soon as he got hold of my consciousness, the full control of me, he went back for her. Argh! You’re a dumbass, Keithen Hooks! My nose took a strong whiff of satisfaction and then my lips spread into a devious grin. 'She underestimated me, as usual.' My voice rang in a dead calmness that doesn't belong to me. 'My sweet
ROSE How much time had passed? I don’t know. The coldness kept jabbing my bones, squeezing my muscles and lungs, leaving a tiny gap of survival just enough for me to stay in the torment. Keithen… did he manage to keep his essence? What if he tried to save me and give up his essence? Will he die? He will die. Oh God—dess…. Please, Moon Goddess…. I’ve never asked you for anything. Please, save Keithen. Isn’t he one of your children? He’s been bad before but he isn’t a black lamb. He’s a good lamb—what the fuck am I saying? It’s the Moon Deity! ‘.... Rose?’ Oh hell… it’s that damn voice again. Tell me how to get out of here so Keithen won’t think that I’m in danger and tries to save me. Please! ‘Miss Rose!’ A deep, scratchy voice pierced through. Huh? I tried to open my eyes but they felt like boulders. ‘Miss Rose!’ THUD! THUD! THUD! Wait. Give me a sec—ARGH! My eyelids tore and split open slightly. The orange glow from outside entered my eyes and I caught the shadow of some
ROSEThe plan was simple. All they had to do was to distract the dark whims as I tried to get close to Keithen. Once I’m close enough, I will disperse that dark shit inside him once and for all. The cold wind grazed the tips of my white fur as I speared through the forest, towards the place where it would all come to the end. The line between good and… evil. With Keithen, did the line exist at all? ‘We’re here!’ Umberto cried and we both came to a halt, just like everyone else, who’d been sprinting along with us. An army of werewolves—human and wolf forms together—from all four packs of the last Howling Five. Through the gap between the two Alphas standing strongly in front of me, I saw an ocean of grass—various intensities of brown and grey—swaying with the sweeping wings. More werewolves. Millions of them. ‘W-What are they?’ I breathed in awe. Umberto kept his snout ahead. ‘Wolves from the other packs. The Howling Five are the largest five packs—but we aren’t the only ones
THE DARK WHIMS You wanted to see me… your wish is finally granted…. He knew who it was without looking. His sweetest. The mother of all those vile creatures borne from his essence. And her betrayal. A low chuckle of bitterness vibrated from him—he, banished to the depths of blackness, can’t be seen or heard but only felt. He should be satisfied. Fulfilled. Yet, the emptiness within him deepened another depth. Anymore and he’d be swallowed whole, vanished, worse than death. At the thought, cold sweat of fear glided down his heart. He stared at the bleakness that held his ground as tears of the unknown bit the back of his eyes. ‘Yes, finally. I get to see you again….’ A drop of his pain splattered on what seemed to be his knuckles and evaporated to steam. ‘I tried and tried… centuries and centuries… if I had known that this was all I needed to do, I would have done it sooner.’ What remained of a broken heart clenched his jaw to keep more tears from spilling. ‘Your ans
ROSE‘I used fresh tomatoes and minced beef—just the way you like it, sweetie.’ Daddy’s voice rang above me as a huge plate of bolognese spaghetti slid into my view. ‘Bon appetit, my little one!’ Oh God. Tears damped my fleeting lashes. ‘Sweetie, what’s wrong?’ Immediately, he sat down beside me. ‘Why are you crying? C’mere.’ The warm arms of protection and love enveloped me once more. ‘Hush, hush….’ The same hands rubbed my back. Somehow, they felt like feathers. Through my blurred view, I faced him with seriousness across my face. ‘I’m dead, aren’t I?’ And he froze. His eyes blinked thrice. Then, he glanced at his wife—my mother—who’d been watching me, elbow propped on the dining table and chin resting on her hand, and smiling gleefully. ‘Should we tell her?’ he asked. And she widened her smile. ‘Of course. She didn’t say we have to hide it from her.’ ‘She?’ I pouted as worried thumbs brushed below my eyes, wiping gently. ‘She who?’ ‘The Moon Goddess.’ My eyes bounced be