A low chuckle rumbled from Bryan's chest, his shoulders shaking slightly as he reached the bathroom. "This woman…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a smirk. "Easy to compliment, huh? I'll show her who's easy," he murmured under his breath, grabbing a clean towel.In the bathroom, he found a small towel as expected, wet it with warm water, and then wrung it out before taking a moment to clean himself. Once he was done, he leaned over the sink, the warm water running over his hands as he rinsed the towel thoroughly.Satisfied, Bryan wrung out the towel one last time and turned off the tap, glancing at himself briefly in the mirror."That will do," he muttered to himself before heading back to the room where Kira waited.As Bryan stepped back into the room, his powerful stride brought him closer to Kira, who could not help but stare.Her eyes roamed over his bare, muscular frame, lingering on the hard ridges of his abs and the broad, powerful curve of his shoulders. Kira h
Bryan had just stepped into the bathroom when Kira's loud voice echoed through the room. He paused, gripping the edge of the sink, her voice loud and teasing as he let out a deep chuckle. "Oh, you're asking for it now," he muttered under his breath, a plan forming in his head as amusement danced in his black eyes.After rinsing the towel and keeping it properly, he rinsed his hands quickly; his mind already set. Kira didn't know what she had just started, but he was going to show her, and he will definitely not let her go away with it. "I did warn her," he thought, turning to leave the bathroom.Meanwhile, Kira was relaxed so elegantly on the bed—maybe not much elegance with how disheveled she looked, but she looked disheveled in a good way. She had adjusted her position on the bed, still clutching the pillow to her chest, but this time, her head was titled as she stared up at the ceiling."He's probably rolling his eyes right now and laughing," she whispered to herself, giggling af
Bryan sighed after their laughs had subsided, looking around the room for his clothes. "You were supposed to leave, Aiden," he said, although he was just joking despite his words."Oh, please," Aiden shot back. "You were joking, obviously, and I'm sure you didn't believe I really left. Plus, when do you ever want me gone?"Ignoring Aiden's question, Bryan shook his head, chuckling softly as he pulled his boxers off the floor. He and Kira's clothes were scattered around, and thinking about it made him smile widely as he slipped into his boxers before grabbing his trousers and shirt to start dressing.Aiden, who was still half-in and half-out of the room, finally stepped inside, shutting the door, although he remained near it. He crossed his arms, leaning lazily against the door, as he quietly watched Kira and Bryan.Meanwhile, Kira had dropped the pillow she was holding onto earlier and had now wrapped herself in the sheets. She had not been feeling so self-conscious earlier, but bei
Five months had passed, and the pack was thriving. Everything was going so well—great victories and a sense of camaraderie. Though there had been occasional rogue reports and a few tense discussions over business alliances, the pack had managed to keep peace, and the Leader of Reykholt had accepted Bryan and Aiden's proposal. So far, businesses were doing great as well.Day-to-day life was vibrant; markets bustled with activity, warriors and their families laughing, and exchanging cheerful banter. Training grounds filled with sounds of sparring, laughter, talks, and encouragement. The members of the pack seemed happier than ever.Kira often found herself smiling at the sight of pups running through the fields, carefree and safe. She also thought of what it would be like if she were to have a pup of her own. She would smile at the idea and had even had the conversation with Bryan and Aiden, who also loved and enjoyed talking about it. They never pressured her about giving them a child
As the night settled in, warriors moved swiftly to prepare the arena for the final event of the day. They already knew what was to come, and long wooden poles were carried into the makeshift battlefield, each topped with a torch soaked in oil.Though these were modern days, tradition was never forgotten. They secured the poles into the ground, spacing them evenly around the circular arena. Sparks flew as one of the warriors lit the first torch, and soon, the entire circle was ablaze.With the preparations complete, the warriors went back to where each of them stood or sat earlier, leaving the stage set for the battle everyone had been waiting for. It was not news that Kira was going to be fighting today, the rumors had somehow spread so fast within the pack. Nothing to hide anymore. Kira herself was already dressed for a fight from the beginning, knowing fully well how it would go, so she doesn't have to change. Plus, she was quite comfortable in what she was putting on.Once the to
Kira lay on the ground, her chest pressed against the dirt. She tried taking deep breaths, and each breath she took was a struggle that sent sharp pain through her ribs."F*ck," she said to herself but inwardly. She was even surprised she was able to still think. Blood dripped slowly from her split lip, pooling at the corner of her mouth and staining the ground beneath her. She remained on the ground, arms sprawled out beside her and unmoving, except for her chest rising. This was definitely not what she had envisioned. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, and tightened her lips as if trying to hold back from crying out in pain. She already felt embarrassed and defeated, that would just make her feel much worse.She let out a soft groan, her voice low and filled with hurt. Her fingers twitched slightly as she tried to see if she could get up on her hand at least, but she didn't have much strength to push herself up. She didn't have any strength at all, and she hated how weak she felt.Wo
Elara, seated near her sons, was already worried about Kira, her concern showing all over her face. She shifted in her seat, leaning in slightly as her gaze moved from the battlefield to her sons.Leaning closer to Bryan, she lowered her voice to a whisper, not wanting others to overhear. "Will you intervene and call off the fight? It is not looking good for Kira," she said, her tone filled with worry.She looked back at the field, seeing how Kira was held like a rag doll by that hair and her hands tightened slightly in her lap, "It really is not looking good, Bryan."Without turning his head, Bryan answered in a low voice, that was very much calm. "It is not supposed to look good. It is a fair fight, Mother. No one leaves until one has submitted or been knocked out. And from the looks of things, neither has happened yet.""But Kira is down," Elara pressed, her voice dropping even lower and sounding more urgent. "This would save her from much more embarrassment or pain," she added, he
Kira's cold gaze locked onto Tahila's, her lips parted slowly as if she was savoring the power in her words. Her eyes bore into Tahila's and the crowd held its breath, every eye on the two women.Before Tahila could react, Kira tightened her grip on Tahila's fist, her fingers locking firmly around it and as Tahila tried to pull away, Kira held her fist tighter, her grip stronger than ever.Unexpectedly, Kira then pushed Tahila off her with so much force that Tahila was sent flying to the other side of the field. Tahila's body slammed into the ground, dirt kicked up around her as she skidded to a halt.Kira got up slowly, placing one hand firmly on the ground before pushing herself up to her knees. Her other hand followed, steadying herself as she rose. Soon, her posture was straightened, her shoulders back and her chin lifted."Go, Luna!" Kira heard someone yell, their voice breaking through the noise of pack members talking, gasping, murmuring and so on.Another gasped, "This has got
Kira, seated in the back seat, became exhausted from all the crying. She had put on her dark shades to cover her eyes, not wanting to draw any attention to herself when she boards her flight.She had cried the entire way, and now that they had gotten to the airport, she tried to calm herself, although her trembling lips slightly gave her away.Ryker, who had been driving, sighed heavily as he put the car in park, stopping at the drop-off area of the airport. He stepped out of the car silently, the night air welcoming him.Opening the trunk, he carefully pulled out Kira's bags. The bags were large, but she had packed a few things. Bryan and Aiden had insisted on setting up a bank account for her and filling it with more money than she would have ever expected, and even when she had resisted, not wanting to accept it, they wouldn't take no for an answer.Now, finances were not a problem for her. She would not have to worry about that for a long time.Standing by the car after placing t
Leaving Morane's home some minutes after Kira had left the pack, Bryan and Aiden stepped into the mansion, their faces cold and holding no emotion. They walked in like they were robots controlled by a remote.Elara and Orion, who stood waiting in the hallway, spotted them as they walked in, and Elara's hands fidgeted nervously. She could already sense the pain within her sons and tried to reach out to them."Darling…" She called softly, her voice trembling as she reached for Bryan, but he walked past her without a word, like he couldn't see her."Aiden," Orion called out, his voice firm but filled with concern. But Aiden did the same, not answering and just walking."I don't know about this," Elara said to Orion as she watched her sons climb the stairs. "I really don't know.""They need time," Orion said, placing a comforting hand on Elara's shoulder, his expression showing how worried he was. "Everything will be fine."Reaching the top, Bryan walked straight to the bedroom, entered i
The past two days had been a bittersweet blur for Bryan, Aiden, and Kira. They spent every second they could together, doing everything together, while Ryker took over the pack, handling pack duties and allowing them the time they needed. They cherished every moment as if they were trying to memorize every laugh, every smile, and every touch.They would walk through the woods, talk for hours and tease each other. Bryan and Aiden would laugh at Kira's jokes, even though some were terrible. They cooked together, danced in the kitchen after dismissing all the maids, and in the living room they would simply stay there all night watching movies and enjoying each other's company.Yet, beneath all that happiness, there was a heavy sadness. They knew their time together was running out, but no one spoke of it. Each hug, each kiss, and every whispered "I love you" felt like a farewell.The second day came, and it slipped by faster than they expected. Now, as night fell, it came with what w
The energy in the room remained amazing from the wild dancing and laughter, even as everyone caught their breath when the song had finally ended. And after some seconds, another song started. This new song was much slower, much softer, and it felt like it settled over them, calming their movements.It was easy for them to switch from wild dancing to slow dancing, and Orion and Elara were the first to take the lead.With a knowing smile, Orion extended his hand, and without any delay, Elara placed hers in his. He pulled her close, one hand resting on the small of her back, and soon they began to move together as one, enjoying and swaying to the sweet melody.Kira felt immersive joy as she watched how completely lost they were in each other, and how their love still remained even as they had grown older. It was a warm sight to watch.It was proof of a love that had endured time. "And sadly for me…" Kira started thinking but stopped herself from going further with that thought. "No matt
After about thirty minutes, Bryan, Aiden, and Kira began making their way down the stairs. They had changed into something more comfortable, as Elara had requested, and honestly, they felt they should have done that a long time ago, especially when they got back from Morane's home. But well, they changed now and as they descended the stairs, something caught their attention.Music.It was a gentle tune, not too loud, that came from the living room, carrying an almost nostalgic feel."Do you both hear that?" Bryan asked Aiden and Kira, his steps slowing a bit."Yeah…" Aiden answered wonderingly. "Who is playing that?""Well, I guess we will find out when we get into the living room, which we might have all figured out by now is where it's coming from," Kira, who was in the middle, said. "And, I think we have an idea of who it could be.""Right," Bryan and Aiden laughed softly. "I wonder what she's planning." Reaching the end of the stairs, they noticed the house was too quiet, except
As instructed, they all remained seated and waited patiently for her. No one said anything, and surprisingly, the silence wasn't empty. It didn't have any tension; it was comfortable, but still had the feel of emotions that weren't spoken. Along with that, Kira sat still, maybe not too still as she kept tapping her feet on the ground and her fingers lightly on her knee while glancing around and often stealing glances at Bryan and Aiden, who would also look at her from time to time and wink, even though they were all seated on one couch.And then, footsteps.It was soft but firm, quick yet steady in approach.Elara walked back into the room holding books and pens. She moved quietly, her face not giving away anything as she walked toward them."Tear a sheet of paper and place it on your book when given to you," she said, giving all of them instructions as she stopped in front of Orion and gave him a book and a pen.Then, she turned and walked to where Bryan, Aiden, and Kira were seated
Aiden shook his head softly at his mother and sighed, "We were not pretending to be happy. We were genuinely happy." "Yeah," Bryan and Kira murmured, concurring with what Aiden had said. "That is what I don't understand," Elara said to them, the confused expression still etched on her face. "How can you be happy? This is very sad news. Extremely sad, and even I, myself, am still trying to wrap my head around the whole situation. So, how?" "Mum, I understand you completely," Kira said. "I also cried, then we cuddled and then at dinner everyone was together again. Even my emotions right now are inconsistent because I don't know if I should cry, be sad, be happy or think about it, as we have been given a specific time to be together and so cuddling with them, talking and laughing at dinner helped me realize that it was better to be happy and just forget about the sad stuff for the moment. Leaving you all is already sad for me; you have no idea. But staying… even if it is my last day
Dinner was great as always—the laughing, the conversation, the playful banter, everything. It was no surprise that manners were forgotten at the dining table, hence the talking while eating, and now everyone was relaxed and chatting as they were all done eating."Dad, Aiden and Bryan are just… they just won't stop messing with me," Kira complained to Orion, gesturing to Aiden and Bryan, who were grinning at first but immediately kept their faces serious when she complained about them."What now?" Orion asked Kira after looking over at his twins. "What are they doing this time?""Nothing," Bryan answered before Kira could. "We are literally not doing anything to her except keeping her on her toes. She can't even stay still on those toes, you know. We are simply just having fun, father.""Exactly," Aiden said and nodded in agreement. "We are not doing anything to her.""Seriously?" Kira asked them, although she hid her smile and feigned annoyance, just so Orion could side with her."So
Kira's mouth dropped open. "You—!"But before she could even finish what she was about to say, Bryan, who was already close to her, leaned down and planted a quick peck on her cheek, making her eyes widen instantly.The audacity!Then, without giving her a chance to retaliate, he moved past her and took his seat at the dining table like nothing had happened.Laughing softly and shaking his head, Aiden stepped closer to Kira and stood beside her. "Bryan, I don't even know what to say to you," he muttered, while still laughing.Meanwhile, Elara and Orion looked at each other with amused expressions before turning their attention back to Kira."Well, at least he was honest about it." Orion said to Kira while chuckling, enjoying how his son teased her. "I'll get back at you, Bryan Tyrell," Kira threatened, narrowing her eyes at Bryan and crossing her arms. "Oh, I will!"Still laughing softly, Aiden leaned in and pressed a soft peck to the side of her head. "Don't mind him," he murmured a