AVA'S POV
I stared into the mirror, examining my black lacy gown that cascaded down my legs. Putting my right leg forward, I smiled at the thigh high slit on the dress. I pinched my cheeks, frowning at how prominent my cheekbones had become. The stress of trying to coordinate whiny idiotic Omegas and the annoyance of hearing disappointing news last week must have taken its toll on my body. Picking up my brush, I applied a little more blush to avoid looking too pale.
A soft knock reverberated across the room. Knowing who it was, I muttered, "come in." Dropping my brush, I turned to Riley who paused at the door, his eyes scrutinizing my form. I smirked when I saw the lust in his eyes. "What do you think?" I turned around slowly, showing off the design of the dress.
NOAH'S POV"Are you sure you have everything you need?" Maria asked for the umpteenth time this morning since she came. The human was hellbent on making us pack the entire house with us. There was nothing partaining to food she didn't pack, not to mention the amount of clothes and water. She was completely ignoring the one thing I had been telling her for the past one and a half hour."We're running back to the pack, Maria. For goodness sake, we can't carry all these!"She stopped in front of yet another nearly filled bag and turned to me, a disgruntled look on her face and two cans of pringles in her hands. "And why not? I've seen you in your wolf form. You're huge!"I blinked, confused. "What does that have to do with anything?""What's the use of your werewolf super strength if you can't even carry these with you?" She lifted a brow, with her hands resting on her hips.I scoffed, taken aback by her reasoning. "It doesn't work like that! I get exhausted too, you know?"She huffed, s
CIARA'S POVI grunted when Noah jumped at me, making me land on my back as a bullet whizzed by where I previously stood. Our heads snapped towards the direction where the gun shot originated from. My eyes widened when I saw Segnor Russo with a shotgun in his trembling hands."Oh Dio," he let out in absolute fear. "I didn't believe the strange man when he tipped us about you. He said you were a dangerous creature but I… what kind of monster are you!"Someone ratted us out? But who? He mentioned a strange man so it couldn't have been Maria. That meant that someone else was aware of who we were and obviously wanted us dead if they took it to the human hunters."Segnor Russo, calm down. It's not what you think." I lifted my hands up, pausing when he gripped his
NOAH'S POVHearing those words sent a chill down my spine. Goosebumps arose on my skin. This situation just became the craziest deja vu I had ever experienced in my life because those were the exact same words I said to my mate the very first day I met her too. The same way I accused her of nothing she knew of was the way I was being held accountable for a crime I knew nothing about.Hatred. Funny thing that was. Such a strong emotion. An all consuming notion that could change involved parties' lives for the worst. An ever continuing cycle that could last for a lifetime and be passed on for generations to come. A wave of bitterness and agony that drapes a curtain of darkness over a person's life. Strings of rash actions that make up irreversible mistakes. A path that leads to a life full of regrets...just like the one I was living now. My lifetime would be spent atoning for my sins and the idea made me realize that I was a lucky one. Some people never got a chance to right their wrong
CIARA'S POV The smell of blood flooded my senses the moment my eyes traced the source of anguish. It was an animal trap. Fuck!"Ciara!" Alex yelled, rushing towards me as soon as he landed on my side of the cliff. "Hey, no, stop that," he grabbed my hand when I tried to rip the damn thing off so I could free my leg."Why?!""It's rigged to blow if you apply external force on it." He directed my attention to a spot underneath the trap. I couldn't see it but my ears picked up the beeping sound emitting from the device. "Please tell m
CIARA'S POV"Where are we going exactly?" Noah asked, his voice eliciting deep vibrations from his back which my ear was currently rested on. After the accident last night, I couldn't walk on my own without slowing everyone down.The others had met my step brother and I halfway on our journey back to them. Apparently, they had heard the explosion and my mate instantly rushed towards the sound like his tail was on fire, not even waiting for Jude or Nathan to show him the way. According to them, he almost stepped into a trap of his own. Watching Alex get scolded by Nathan was funny as hell. I would have laughed if my leg didn't hurt like a bitch while Nathan treated it."Now you ask that?" Alex lifted a brow, looking at my mate like he was the stupidest person
CIARA'S POVHis father is... "What?" I blinked, my brain trying to fathom what I just heard. "What do you mean his father is your father?""Exactly what I said."I was too shocked to even be mad at his terse response. "But..." I trailed off, thinking back to our childhood. I could vaguely remember my mum bringing me to his father's doorstep after they got married. "I thought Steve was your father?""I thought so too but he was just mum's best friend whom she left me with."I frowned. Best friend? That meant they weren't even married. What... "So, we're not even related?"He shook his head. "No, we are. You're my half sister. Mum was also my mum." I blinked once...then twice... thrice.He nodded in resignation. "You're confused." "Very. How did that even happen?""Apparently, mum was Noah's father's mate." My eyes were probably as wide as saucers by now. I was too shook to even talk and I was sure the bewildering revelations were yet to come to an end. So Noah and I were not the fir
ALEX'S POVI spread my arms out, swirling around to start walking backwards. "This is our base camp," I said, watching for my sister's reaction. Her eyes lit up in delight and pure wonder as she swiftly examined the place. I couldn't help but smile at how much she looked like mum. The warmth I wished I had gotten from her, I could see in Ciara's eyes."It's a plaque of pure stone. No one would ever suspect."Of course this unwanted piece of shit had to speak up and ruin my mood. He had better count himself lucky he was my sister's mate or I'd have hurt him beyond his mediocre werewolf healing abilities. Just who did he think he was to torture my little sister? I knew how the Golden Bay pack dealt with their prisoners especially when they were fishing for information. How much more brutal would they be with someone who they thought destroyed their integrity and pride by killing both their heads in one night?"Wait, there are werewolves here?" Was the first thing out of Ciara's mouth th
AVA'S POV "You sent for me, Alpha?"I looked up from the file Riley gave me last night, eyeing the cunning old man who currently stood in front of the court hall. What was left was the legislature who sat at the right side of the hall and to the left were the few people who liked to sit in on court hearings. "Yes, Mr. Junil," I answered curtly, opening the page of the file I needed. "You're the finance administrator of the pack, yes?""Yes, Alpha," he bowed, the feigned reverence and humility nearly making me scoff. "For three generations my family has served this pack whole heartedly without fail and when I die, my son shall take over from me."My brows twitched. We'll see about that. "Indeed he shall. I've been studying the pack's revenue and expenditure and I have to say, I'm quite confused about a few things. Do you mind explaining them to me?"He glanced at the file in my hand, a wary look in his eyes. "It would be my honour to, Alpha.""Excellent," I adjusted my glasses, starin