I could almost see his head rolling across the giant conference table. A head rolling across the entire room before being turned to its inevitable form_dust. Elijah was about to kill Elias. Okay maybe I’m being dramatic but Elijah was mad mad. I now understood why Elijah was so particular about me being here. His constant almost wary insistence that I babysit Cece in the conference room today totally made sense now. She calmed him down enough that he wasn’t responsible for murder today, his words not mine. I finally got sworn in as an official member of the pack. Yayy I know. Elijah had been rather smug about it, scratch that he loved it.A small smile crept on his face at my line of thought. Oh did I forget to tell you. Being connected to the entire pack meant they had 24/7 access to your thoughts and feelings at every moment, well until you block them out that is. And lord knows I wanted to block out a certain big headed handsome Alpha out tonight but I have a feeling he would compl
Sobs racked through my body. Giving up on someone hurt so much. Why was i never enough for anyone? "You don’t have to be strong all the time," Elijah whispered, his thumb brushing the tears fro my face to my jawline.“I just.. I can’t. He didn't want me. He never did. Am I that awful?“No baby. Never think that. You’re awesome, He’s a jerk”“ I can feel my wolf’s pain Elijah, I…I…I don’t know what to do.”“You pick yourself back up again. It gets better love. I promise you. Please stop crying”.We were back at the pack house. It’s been a whole of three weeks after I rejected the mate bond between I and Elias. What a sight we were the Alpha soothing a broken pack maid in the Pack kitchen. Hugging me to his chest even as i soiled his chest with tears and soap dud covering my hands. The other maids didn’t know what to do when I burst into tears right in the middle of cleaning the evening dishes. Sensing my anguish, Elijah raced back to the pack house from the border.“Please baby. Pleas
Aegis's Point Of View.Life has been good lately.So much so that I can’t stop smiling no matter how hard I tried. And I’ve tried a lot.Humming to myself, I kneaded the cinnamon dough on the already floured counter. Little clouds of flour puffed into the air with each fold I turned around dusting my nose and cheeks. It reminds me of a joke Elijah made and I smile. Why does everything remind me of him?. “Mommy, am I doing it right?” Cece asked breaking me out of my thoughts. I bit my lips in amusement at the sight of her with a total flour covered face and a watered down version of a piece of dough paste in her hands.“Yes baby. Of course”“Mommy you’re lying. I’m bad at this”.“Okay maybe. But you can dust flour on the baking pan the way we did to the counter. You can do that, can’t you baby?“Yes mommy. But can I do it later? My wrist hurts.”“Of course baby.”And with that,she was out of the room. Probably to go play with the other children.“You’re going to wear that smile right o
Aegis's P.O.V"Mommy look, A big fat cloud."The day felt like a dream I never want to end. I leaned back with a smile on my face watching Elijah laugh as Cece fed crumbs to a squirrel. “We should do this more often,” he said in a calm and warm voice . “And you?” I teased “Do you love feeding squirreld as much as she does?” Everything shattered before he could answer . The mind link opened sharply and painfully ringing frantic voice through. "Rogues! They’ve breached the border!” I froze, same as Elijah. His easy smile was gone, replaced by the fierce, commanding look I’d seen too many times before. “Take Cece and run,” he said, his voice low but firm. He was already on his feet pulling Cece toward me. “Elijah—” “No arguments. Aegis not now," He handed her to me, his eyes softer now. “ Get to the safe house. The both of you” “What about you?” I whispered scared out of my mind.“I’ll fight. I’ll come back.” His hand brushed my cheek, “Trust me.”I didn’t want to leave him and
Omniscient Third person P.o.v.She woke up completely at peace. It was weird and she knew why."I’m dead?" Aegis’s voice was raw as she stared around the glowing white courtyard. Statues of faceless figures loomed around her, doing little to mask the faces and decapitated of her fellow dead pack members. They matched in a straight line with her at the very end. All ended to meet the Goddess and be judged. Then it was her turn. Selene sat on a massive throne before her basking in radiant and calm light."Am I dead?,""Yes," the goddess said softly. "And you lived a beautiful life, child."Aegis froze. Her chest tightened with rage like boiling water. "A 'beautiful' life? You call that a beautiful life? Are you insane?" she spat, her voice carrying through the stillness of the courtyard.Her nails digged into her palms but she felt no pain. "What kind of life would you define as beautiful ?"Selene tilted her head, unbothered as ever."A life of trials, yes. But beauty often grows in pa
"What the hell? She has no injuries." I opened my eyes to the sound of muffled voices. Another Hospital. The sharp scent of antiseptic hit me first. The room was cold, too bright. White walls. White sheets. White everything. I blinked slowly, my chest rising and falling. Alive. Somehow, I was alive. "How is this even possible?" A male voice. "She should be dead," said another, softer voice. A woman this time. I turned my head. Two doctors stood near the door arguing amongst themselves. They hadn’t noticed me yet. "No wounds. No burns. It doesn’t make sense," the woman whispered. "That's just not possible ," the man muttered. I sat up, the sheets falling off my chest. My sudden movement made them freeze. Their heads snapped toward me. "She’s awake," the woman said, her voice trembling. " I can see that," the man bit out in frustration.He stepped closer cautiously. "Miss...can you hear me?" "Where am I?" My voice was hoarse. It didn’t even sound like me."You’re safe," he said
AEGIS'S P.O.V"Duck."The punch came out of nowhere and slammed into my ribs like a sledgehammer.I staggered back gasping at the pain exploding through my side. Before I could catch my breath another hit came, this time to my jaw. My vision blurred."Focus!" a deep voice barked.I dodged the next blow slightly by instinct, ducking low and spinning away. My body moved like it knew what to do, but my mind was still catching up.Another strike. This one grazed my shoulder, sending a sharp sting down my arm."Is this all you’ve got?" the voice growled.I raised my head fists raised. The man towering over me had a cruel smirk on his face. Sweat glistened on his dark skin, and his eyes were sharp promptlg calculating my every moves."Is this how you're going to make them pay?" "You're such a weakling," he taunted, circling me.I lunged at him, throwing a punch. He caught my wrist mid-air and twisted inhumanly, forcing me to my knees. Pain shot through me, but I didn’t scream."Pathetic," h
AEGIS'S P.O.V."What does it mean?"We were preparing to receive the Alpha from a nearby packborders. We the adults were going to protect. The children to carry and bear gifts to the people. Five adults and Eight children.I turned my head to the short woman on my left. Kara. The beta's girlfriend."Pardon?"" The tatoo on your shoulder. What does it mean? I didn’t respond. I didn't know how to. How do I explain that it's not a tattoo per say, it just appeared out of nowhere one day."Come on, Aegis," Emery chimed in, his tone dripping with fake curiosity. "It’s an ugly thing. Just like you." Noah snorted."She’s not going to answer you Kara. She thinks she’s better than us." I kept walking, my eyes fixed ahead. Their words slid over me like ice. It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. "Hey!" Zach stepped in front of me, successfully blocking my path. "Are you deaf or something? We’re talking to you!" I looked at him then, my expression blank. His smug grin faltered
Aegis's P.O.V"We need a way in."The Boardroom is tense. Noah, Emery, and Zach are hunched over the map marking the the elder rogue’s location in red. I'm seated in my roller chair as we brainstormed on what to do.We've been searching for this particular rogue for 6 months now. He's an expert at hiding in plain sight and being able to bypass all of our attempts to capture him. From rape, kidnap and trafficking, this guy was the Lord of all of them. Pulling him down would sever a lot of thing for the trafficking and inhumane experiments business. It'll put them in chaos and we all know chaos makes people do very stupid things.That's phase one of my revenge plan. "We know he’s a womanizer," Noah says. "Always surrounded by prostitutes. That’s our best bet at getting to him." Zach nods. "We send a woman in, someone he won’t recognize or someone he wouldn't suspect at all." A pause. We all look at each other. No one speaks. Then Noah sighs. "This won’t work unless we have the right
Aegis's P.o.v I hate paperwork. I mean, I really, really hate paperwork. If I’d known being Alpha involved signing my soul away to endless reports, requests, and financial breakdowns, I would have let Brianna keep the damn title. I tapped my half chewed pen as I glare at the towering stack of documents. Yes I chewed the to part off but you can't exactly blame me. I tried to focus. I really did. But after five minutes, my brain starts to feel like it’s melting.I groan, dragging my hands down my face. "This is actual torture." With a dramatic sigh, I slam my head onto the desk. Maybe if I knock myself unconscious, I can get out of this. Or…A slow grin spreads across my face. I mind-link Noah. Hi, lovely Beta Noah. A pause.Then, "Yesss?""I need some help." "No."I gasp. "Noo? But I didn’t even say with what!" "You don’t have to. If it’s paperwork, the answer is no." I whine. "Noah, please. It’s so much. My brain is rotting." "Nope." "But..." The mind-link cuts off. I b
AEGIS'S P.O.V"Ahhhhhvggvvgvg""Please I'm begging you please it hurts.""It hurts plea..se.se.. Just let me die. Just..ju.ju.st let me d..iiii...e..Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."I don’t know whose voice it is anymore. It all got blurred together at the end. Maybe it’s mine. Maybe it’s one of the kids begging them to spare me, for mercy that won’t come.But their screams were what made me do it. The scent of blood around us is thick. It clung to my skin and seeped into my clothes to join my bleeding body. The damp, rotting walls of the Hunters’ prison press in, trapping me in the hell I was. "Bring them," the Hunter leader orders in a smooth, sickly sweet, rotten honey voice. The guards drag Clara and Mike into the room. Clara fights back and so she's pulled in by the hair. kicking and screaming, but Mike is silent. His eyes find mine and he nodded in acceptance .No it can't be."You know what I want, Aegis," the leader murmurs, stepping toward me. "And you also know what happens if you ref
The children shouldn't have been there. The girl knew it. The Boy knew it too. And yet here they were.Their mother had warned them never to wander into the deep forest. Yet here they were, standing in the middle of a vast clearing, their tiny figures swallowed by towering trees and the endless shadows of the terrifying rogue forest. "I'm telling Mom," the girl hissed, gripping her brother’s sleeve as some unfortunate animal raced beside nearly tripping her. "Scaredy-cat." The boy smirked and shook her off. He pointed to the ball lying a few feet away, its bright red surface standing out against the grass."Beta said he saw it here. It’s fine.""It’s not fine! Mom said...." "And the Beta said it was safe." He crossed his arms and glared, daring her to argue. "Who’s right? Mom or him?"She glared back. With a loud huff, he sprinted forward and grabbed the ball before she could protest. When he returned, triumphant, she huffed back. "There. Now let’s go." "Not yet," he said, toss
Aegis's P.O.VI felt him before I saw him. It's weird. Really weird.There was a shift in the air. A ripple of something. Something that my body recognizes. And Loves.What the hell?King Damien is moving through the crowd mingling like a man who doesn’t detest the very wolves he rules over. But I know better. He hates them. The same way I do. I clench my fists and forced myself to focus on Brianna who just got here."Hi Everyone.. How's our evening going?"“You’re late.” Brianna smirks and tilted her head.“Missed me that much huh?” I narrow my eyes.“What were you doing?” Brianna sighs.“I’ll tell you later.” Before I can press her, the air around us thickens. A large and very suffocating presence loomed over us.King Damien. He stops beside Brianna with a master poker face. “Hello Brianna,” he greets.Brianna raises a brow before slightly bowing, “Your Majesty.”Damien’s gaze slides over to Noah, and something in his sharp eyes softens with amusement. “And you must be the Poison Ro
King Damien's P.O.V“She’s deadly, no doubt.” “But he is insanity itself.” The voices murmured in the corners of the grand ballroom, just beyond the golden-lit chandeliers and polished marble floors. They spoke in hushed tones, stolen whispers exchanged like secrets laced with fear. King Damien. The Insanity. The man who had bathed the throne in blood. And now--The Poison Rose. A woman just as ruthless, just as untouchable. Some said she had been carved from the same darkness as him. “They say she wiped out an entire rogue faction by herself.” “They say he crushed an Alpha’s skull with his bare hands.” Silence. Then, softer... “If they ever stood against each other…” A pause. “No one would survive.” Damien heard them. Every word. He didn’t slow his steps. Didn’t even glance in their direction as he passed, his heavy black cloak trailing behind him. He hated this place. The wolves. The way they bowed, the way their voices dripped with false loyalty. They feared him, as they shoul
Aegis's P.O.VHow is it that I know every torture that ever existed but never discovered this one?.These shoes were death traps. Five-inch, pencil-thin, ankle-breaking, toe-pinching, nightmare inducing torture devices. I have fought in wars, ripped out throats, and faced down entire rogue packs but somehow, these damn heels might be my greatest enemy yet. I muttered a curse, shifting uncomfortably as I walked out of the black van we came in. Noah, ever the observant one, smirked. “Something wrong, Alpha?” I shot him a look.“If I trip and die tonight, tell Brianna she's responsible for my death .” Noah chuckled. “Noted. Should I also let the King know he’ll need a new special guest?” “You do that, and I’ll haunt you.” Talia who's currently fixing the last few details of my dress, grinned. “You look good in heels, Alpha.” I scoffed. “I look like a baby deer learning to walk.” Noah nodded. “Yeah, but a hot baby deer.” I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow, making him grunt.
Aegis's P.O.VShe cut their neck off right at the jugular vein. And from the way she was looking at me, I was next. How the hell did Brianna talk me into this? "You need to be seen,” she'd said, smiling so sweetly. I took in a spoon of the lasagna in front of me. “You’re our Alpha, Aegis. You’ve got power and presence but no one’s going to know that if you continue hiding in the shadows. Let the world see the Poison Rose. Let them see why they should fear you.”I took in another spoon. That sounded reasonable, it was making sense until she added, “Besides, there’ll be handsome Alphas at the ball. Maybe even the King himself.” I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. I'm not searching for a man, a mate, or any of it. What I wanted was to be left alone. But Brianna was like a storm, relentless, unavoidable and absolutely impossible to fight without getting drenched. I successfully avoided her the entire week but now here I was sitting at the dining table, cornered. How she expected my
AEGIS'S P.O.VSta. Stah. Stah. Stahh. Ztahh. Ztahh. Ztahhg.I snapped the rubber haur band against my wrist over and over again. Each time harder and harder. I need to feel. I need to feel. My mind echoed " Feel, Feel," with each sharp sting echoing through the silence of my room. It wasn’t enough. I snapped it again. And again. Each time, the elastic dug deeper into my skin and left welts that darkened and split. My breathing was steady, but my thoughts were mumbled and chaos. Had I become a monster? So much of a monster that Zach thought I’d kill his mate? I stared at the bruises forming on my wrist, the faint line of blood seeping through one of the deeper cuts. My mind replayed the moment over and over. Zach’s wild eyes. His stance. His words: He thought I would hurt her. He thought I was ruthless enough to kill his mate. Snap. The band dug deeper.A knock on my door pulled me out. “Come in.” Noah stepped inside holding a stack of papers. He glanced at me then at my wrist. He kn