Nora’s POV My eyelids fluttered open, and I gasped at the sight before me. Leo was—was lying next to me on the floor of the limousine, his arm wrapped around my waist and his hand clutching mine. As if he was afraid to let go. His face was inches from mine, and his breath was warm on my cheek. How did we end up in this position? I tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip. I couldn’t help but look at him. His well-tanned skin was shining in the morning light, and he looked extremely beautiful up close. My fingers trembled as I forced my hand out of his grip and felt the urge to touch his face. But. He. Opened. His. Eyes. “What are you doing?” he inquired, his voice low and husky. “Um, nothing,” I lied, feeling my face heat up. He smiled—a wicked and sexy smile that made my heart flutter. “You can touch any part of my face you want, you know. And if it happens to be the part I can give you, I won’t hesitate to give.” Those words cycled through my brain like the world’s most h
Nora’s POV The phone slipped from my hand, and I stared at it in disbelief. How the hell did he have a message for me? Thomas was supposed to be locked up in a maximum-security prison, not sending messages to his victims. “Who is this?” I demanded, hoping it was some sick prank. A familiar voice answered, sounding calm and smug. “Nora, it’s Detective Ken. I’m calling from the detention center. The claw killer has made a special request to see you. He says he has something important to tell you.” My fear crisped, turning into anger. Why would he want to see me? “I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to hear anything from him. He is a monster, and he deserves to rot in hell.” “… I’m sorry, but you don’t have a choice. He is throwing a fit here. He says he won’t cooperate with the investigation unless he talks to you," he said. “Some security prevented him from committing suicide a few days ago. He is threatening to kill himself if you don’t show up.” A groan of frustration wrench
Author’s POV Rick slammed his laptop shut, feeling a headache coming on. He had been working on the payment sheets of his workers for hours, and he still had a lot to do. He massaged the corded muscles in the back of his neck and got up to answer the knock on his door. He opened it, and his breath caught in his throat. Alicia was standing there, holding a tray of coffee. She smiled sweetly and handed it to him, then walked past him into his room. He followed her, closing the door behind him. “What are you doing here? Are you finally ready to tell me what's going on?” He asked, trying to sound casual. His heart swirled, and a smile stretched across his face, impossible to control. Alicia ignored his question. She took the tray from him and set it on the table, looking around his room as if checking for any signs of another woman. She saw the pictures on his nightstand and picked one up. It was a photo of him and George, taken when they were kids. They were smiling and hugging, look
Author’s POVAlicia removed her hand from Laura’s mouth and spat out the words. “Um, I don’t want to see any shitty proof! I…don’t care what you think you know.”Laura choked out a laugh, which she quickly turned into a cough. “I’m not leaving this packhouse without delivering this file. And if you don’t want to read it, fine. I will just give it to someone else. Someone who deserves to know the truth, like Alpha George.” She tried to walk away, but Alicia pulled her back with a snarl and snatched the file from her.Her face flushed red with anger. She opened it with her heart kicking against her chest, hoping it was a lie and she was their real mother. But as she scanned the content of the paper, her hope turned to horror. It was a DNA test. It showed that Nora’s DNA and that of the twins matched. They were—they were Nora’s children. Not hers.Alicia’s hand trembled as she held the paper, her eyes glassy with tears.“No!!” She let out a scream of anguish and dropped to the floor of t
Author’s POV Jack watched Laura enter the room, her eyes wide and curious. She held a piece of paper in her hand, as if she had something important to show him. He turned to the doctor, who was standing next to him, and gave him a look. “Can you give us a minute?” he questioned. “I need to talk to her alone.” The doctor nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Jack faced Laura, who was staring at George’s motionless body on the bed. He could see the shock and pain on her face, and guilt stabbed at his gut. “…what did you want to say to him?” he asked. “As you can see, he is in bad shape, and I don’t think he will be waking up any time soon.” Her forehead creased in a pained look, and she shook her head. “What happened to him?” she inquired. “Why is he like this? I thought he was one of the greatest swordsmen in the whole world.” A rolling sigh escaped his throat, and he ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he also didn’t want to tell her t
AUTHOR’S POV Alpha Rick groaned and marched out with his warriors behind him to go and check where the noise was coming from. The night was cold outside, with the wind biting his skin. He could hear the angry voices of people demanding change and justice. He reached the gate of the packhouse, and his eyes widened in shock. He saw a large crowd of his pack members holding objects like sticks, stones, and bottles. Some of them had banners that said things like. “We want fair prices,” “Stop the corruption,” and “We want Alpha George back.” They were chanting slogans and throwing insults at him and his warriors. “What the hell is going on here?” Rick shouted, trying to sound authoritative. “Fuck you, Rick!” someone yelled back. “You are a terrible leader! You have been stealing money from us and lying to us!” “That’s not true!” Rick protested. “You all should know that the extra charges I added to things are taxes that will help rebuild the pack and protect you from enemies.” “Bull
NORA’S POV I slammed the door behind me with a loud bang, tossing my jacket on the floor like a rag. It was past midnight, and I was exhausted from the day’s events. My muscles ached, and my head throbbed. I had barely escaped from the press at the detention center. My eyes drifted to the TV screen, and I saw the reporter’s smug expression as he narrated my story. “Nora Clark, the famous forensic photographer, wasn’t scared for her life when she went to see the claw killer in the detention center. The pack members are wondering how a single mother like her could be so brave and selfless." “And what motivated her to take such a risk? But she was able to witness that serial killer take his own life. Everyone is talking about it, and they want to know the full story.” I scoffed in outrage and walked up to the TV, reaching for the power button. I didn’t need to hear their fucking praises, I wanted some peace and quiet. “What are you doing? I was watching that!” A voice snapped from th
AUTHOR’S POV The rain was falling tenderly, like a gentle caress on the skin. It was a rare sight in the Darkfire Pack, where the sun usually shone brightly and the air was dry and hot. Alicia loved the rain and the way it made everything fresh and new. Alicia woke up with a throbbing pain in her head. She groaned and sat up on her bed, rubbing her temples. She looked around her empty room, feeling an ache tearing through her insides. “That freaking bitch,” she cursed under her breath as all the memories of yesterday ran on an unforgiving reel in her brain. “Mate in pain!” Her wolf howled at her. Her stomach twisted into knots, and she ignored her wolf’s voice. A loud knock sounded on her door, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Come in,” she muttered, trying to sound calm. A warrior walked in and bowed his head at her. He was just another one of the many warriors in the packhouse, and she didn’t know his name. He looked nervous and scared. “G-Good morning, Luna,” he said, usin
AUTHOR’S POV A year later, A year had passed since Nora lost Leo, bringing her to this moment, seated in the dressing room, staring at herself in a wedding dress. Mrs. Williams, who had once been a wicked mother, now stood before her, offering jewels as tokens of acceptance and regret. The nightstand was filled with daily gifts from her and her husband, each one a silent plea for forgiveness. Nora’s gaze lingered on the jewels, her voice soft but strong. “I cannot accept these anymore,” she remarked. “Like I said before, I have already forgiven you a long time ago. These gifts aren’t necessary.” Regret formed a jagged rock in Mrs. Williams's stomach, and emotion flickered across her face. “These gifts are my punishment,” she declared. “I did a lot of awful things in the past, and I forgot that love doesn’t care about social status. The moon goddess herself would agree to that; that is why she made you my son’s mate. And no one is more suited for him than you.” The knock at the do
AUTHOR’S POV The dark hall was covered in shadows and sorrow, a sea of black clothing as mourners gathered to pay their final respects. Nora stood by Leo’s grave, her hand trembling as she placed a lily on top of the polished wood of his coffin. Leo’s parents, their faces covered with grief, stood beside her, each adding their own floral tribute. Nora turned to them, but her eyes pointed at the ground, the guilt still weighing on her. She dropped to her knees and whispered, “I’m the reason your son is gone. I took him away from you. If he hadn’t saved me, he would still be here.” But Leo’s parents would hear none of it. His mother lifted Nora gently, her voice soft yet firm. “No, honey. It was not your doing. It was the will of the moon goddess, and our son chose to save you.” His father added, “You must live for him now. Make his sacrifice meaningful.” A smile lit up his broad face, softening his harsh features. Overwhelmed by their kindness, Nora felt a tear streak down her fac
AUTHOR’S POV The afternoon sun streamed through the open windows, brightening the inside of the lab. Nora sat on the makeshift bed of clothes, her stomach growling in protest as she awaited George’s return with food. Jack busied himself with the windows, letting in light to compensate for the lack of electricity. Nora’s voice broke the silence. “Jack, where did you and George disappear to for all those months? And why did you guys make everyone think you were dead?” A masculine chuckle escaped his lungs. “We didn’t fake our deaths, Nora.” He said, shaking his head. “It was a bizarre twist of fate. We were attacked on our way out of the pack, and now that I think about it, the attacker was probably Dante.” Her mind raced through a thousand questions and possibilities. “That does make sense. Dante would want George out of the way to make kidnapping the kids easier. He must have seen him as a threat.” She muttered and frowned a little. “I still can’t believe George left the pack behi
AUTHOR’S POV A small frown touched Nora’s face, her body convulsing with another wave of shivers. “T-Then bear it, I can’t be seen getting cozy with you when I have a boyfriend,” she said, wrapping another piece of clothing around her now sweating body. But the cold was relentless, and soon the heat that followed was just as unbearable. Discomfort climbed up her spine, and heat scorched her skin. “I know you have a boyfriend, but we are in our heat period, and he is not here. You will have to ask your mate for help.” Ariana suggested in her head. “How can you suggest such a thing? If I ask him for help, he will have to have sex with me. And I can’t... I am with Leo now, and I can’t cheat on him,” she replied, with emotion roughing the syllables. “I know you don’t want to cheat on him. But this is a matter of life and death, you will die if you don’t let him help.” Ariana said in a sad tone. “I…I can’t. I just can’t. I know how much it hurts to be cheated on, I have been there a f
AUTHOR’S POV The day dawned crisp and clear as the sun poured through the streets. Alicia stormed into the grocery store, her presence as chilling as the ski mask that covered her face. The assault rifle in her grip was not just a weapon, but a representation of her desire to kill. “Put your hands where I can see them,” she hissed at the store owner, who obeyed with a tremble. “Please don’t kill me, I just opened, I haven’t earned any money!” He pleaded, but his plea for mercy fell on deaf ears. A cold laugh escaped Alicia’s throat and echoed in the cramped space. “I don’t want your money, old man, I just need to grab some supplies.” She replied and obtained a coil of rope from one of the shelves. She kept the man caged in the sights of her rifle as she closed the distance. “Stay here and don’t make a sound, if you try to act smart, I will have no option but to kill you,” she threatened as she used the rope to tie his hands behind him, securing him to the shelf like a display of h
AUTHOR’S POV In the dimly lit villa, Mrs. Williams’s entrance was as fast as lightning, her flip-flops discarded as she stopped at the sight of her husband. Mr. Wiliams sat rooted on the couch, a sea of documents spread before him on the table. Her eyebrows shot to the ceiling as she leaned over the papers. “W-What are you doing?” she inquired. Mr. Williams looked up, a dark smile playing on his lips, shadowed by the room’s gloom. “These are petitions I gathered from the pack members. I’m securing our son’s legacy; I am no longer turning my back on him,” he replied, sincere regret laced in his voice as he looked her in the eyes. “I shouldn’t have... I shouldn’t have supported the council. Rick must be Alpha again. I cannot let our line fade; after all, I went through it to keep it in our family.” She shook her head, her hand darting out to seize the document from his grasp. “Stop this madness,” she begged, her voice rising. “You are losing yourself in this grief. Are you doing this
AUTHOR’S POV The touch of the evening air was too much as Rick stepped out of the taxi, his eyes immediately drawn to the flurry of activity at the maximum-security prison. Guards hustled across the yard, their faces covered with concern, while the urgent wail of alarms pierced the air. He watched closely as two guards emerged, dragging a protesting couple out of the prison’s grand gates. “Come back another time! Visiting hours are over!” One guard barked, tossing the woman’s bag to her feet with a dismissive flick of his wrist. The woman, her face painted with frustration and desperation, clutched her bag tightly. “Why are you being so unfair? Visiting hours end at 10 p.m., and it’s only 7 p.m.,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. “I haven’t seen my niece in ages! Panic spurred Rick into action, and he stepped forward, his determination clear. “I need to get inside,” he insisted, his voice firm. “My girlfriend’s in there. You can’t deny me access; we haven’t seen each other in a lon
AUTHOR’S POV The morning sun hit George’s face, and his heart was heavy as he paced through the studio. His hands carefully placed his personal items into a mini bag. The walls of the rooms whispered memories of laughter and learning, and though he was firm in his decision, a part of him mourned the awaiting goodbye to the children he had come to adore. The sound of footsteps snapped him back to reality. He peeked outside his room to see his boss walking purposefully towards the office. He took a deep breath and secured the zipper on his bag. A pit formed in his stomach as he grasped the resignation letter that lay on the nightstand. George entered his boss's office just in time to overhear a phone conversation about him. “Like I said earlier, it’s unprofessional for a teacher to date a parent of the kid he teaches.” His boss said in a serious tone. “I’m sorry, but no amount of money can make me help you. I respect the privacy of my teachers and stay out of their personal lives."
AUTHOR’S POV They stepped into the shower area, and the sounds of bare feet stepping on the tile were getting louder and louder as they made it under one of the shower heads. The shower area itself was just a single room, blocked by a small door. There was no cover between the five or six showers, so they both had plenty of space to mess around and get each other clean. The whole shower room was tiled, so the two would have to try hard not to fall over because of how slippery everything was. “I have always wanted to do this with someone, but I haven’t had a proper girlfriend in a long time.” His voice was silky as velvet. The guard pushed Alicia against the cold tiled wall, his body squishing up against hers. Her nipples were hard and almost carved into his chest, but he didn't care. Her breasts squeezed and contoured around his chest as they both continued kissing. Their legs were moving constantly, trying to find a good footing, before eventually finding a good rhythm. The guard