Ricky’s POVThe first light of dawn painted the sky as I slipped out of bed, leaving Shannon and the baby in the warmth of our rented home far from our pack and in this small town we now found ourselves.A nagging unease hung in the air after Shannon’s nightmare, a gnawing feeling that something wasn’t right. Feeling disturbed about her, I’d returned to be with Shannon after I and the boys left her to go back to sleep.As I left the house with Shannon and my brothers still in bed, I strolled through the quiet streets, the town beginning to wake up and buzz with activities. As I walked, the weight of I and my brothers’ secret about Selena and Leila pressed on my mind.The morning air was crisp, carrying a mix of anticipation and anxiety. I meandered through the streets, a stranger in the midst of unfamiliar faces. The town market came alive as vendors arranged their wares, each cheerful face unaware of the shadows of my past.I couldn’t shake the disquiet that had settled within me. Wh
Shannon’s POVThe evening sun settled below the horizon, casting a dim reflection across the living room of our modest home. I sat on the couch breastfeeding our baby, Ricky and Cole sat opposite me, playing a game of cards when the front door creaked open.Jules entered, exhaustion etched on his face, but there was a triumphant shine in his eyes. “I got a job,” he announced, his voice a mix of pride and disbelief.Ricky and Cole stared at him, wide-eyed. “Already?” Ricky exclaimed, disbelief filling his tone.Jules grinned, nodding. “Started today. It’s at the factory in the middle of town.”Their expressions shifted from disbelief to a mix of surprise and determination. “But how did you manage that?” Cole asked, his own curiosity clear.“I showed them what I could do,” Jules replied cryptically, a smirk playing on his lips.The brothers exchanged puzzled glances, but Jules offered no further explanation. The realization that they were lagging behind in the job hunt remained in the a
Shannon’s POVEvening approached as the triplets returned from their jobs. The air in our home, usually laced with the aroma of dinner and shared laughter, now held a tension I couldn’t quite shake off.As we gathered in the living room, the weight of the strange encounter at the park lingered. “Guys, something weird happened today,” I began, my voice laced with unease.“You finally saw sense in the name I suggested for our baby?” Cole asked, a silly smile playing on his lips.“No. Not that, Cole.” I responded, not eager to return his smile or joke.“Well then, what is it? Don’t tell me the baby pooped all over the couch again.” Jules called our from by the refrigerator as he took out a beer.“I was at the park, and this older woman approached me. She stared at me for the longest time, then gasped and ran off without saying a word.”Ricky’s brow furrowed, concern etching his features. “Did she say anything? Do you recognize her?”I shook my head, my mind still muddled by the bizarre e
Shannon’s POVNight after night, my nightmares grew more vivid, each one leaving its mark on me. The scars and burn marks that appeared on my skin served as a reminder of the horrors that haunted my sleep.The triplets tried to reassure me, but their words offered little to stop the relentless tormenting of my nights.As another nightmare gripped me, I found myself standing in the familiar darkness, the accusing eyes of Selena and Leila piercing through to me. But this time, instead of fleeing, I stood my ground.“Why are you after me?” I demanded, my voice trembling with fear and defiance.The girls remained silent, their faces twisted with rage as they continued walking towards me. Panic took over me, but a stubborn determination to confront them kept me in place. I needed answers, and I wouldn’t find them by running.As they closed in, their whispers filled the air. “You know why, Shannon,” they hissed, their voices echoing in the darkness.My heart pounded in my chest as I searche
Ricky’s POVAs Shannon’s accusations echoed in the air, a heavy silence settled over us, interrupted only by the sound of her hasty movements in the bedroom. Jules held his head, his guilt palpable, while Cole’s brow furrowed with concern.I had struggled to find the right words, but my heart was too heavy with the weight of her disappointment in us. Her words had struck a chord, the truth about her accusation cut through me like a knife. Unable to bear the feeling anymore, I followed her into the bedroom. My brothers trailed me.“I know we messed up, Shannon. I know we made a mistake,” Jules interjected when we silently stood at the door, his voice filled with remorse.But Shannon shook her head. “I need time alone. I need to figure out what to think of all this.”Before we could protest, she lifted our son from his crib, and grabbed a small bag she’d packed some clothes in from the bed and walked out the room.Both surprised and curious, we all followed her wondering where she was h
Shannon’s POVAlone in my motel room, the weight of my solitude pressed down on me. The absence of the triplets, my constant companions, left me feeling vulnerable and unprotected. But I was eager to punish them for what they did.When night came, my dreams would always turn into chaotic whirlwinds of darkness and fear. When I woke, my heart would race as memories of her nightmares glued to my mind.I longed for the familiar comfort of the brothers, their presence a huge piece of my life missing at that very moment. Tears stung my eyes as I craved for them, only to find my desire to stay away from them much alive.With a heavy heart, I rose from the bed, my baby stirring restlessly in the sheets. The weight of my loneliness settled around me and I paced around the space of the small room.Each passing moment felt like an eternity, the silence of the night increasing my sense of isolation. Just as my heartbeat began to steady, a sudden knock at the door shattered the silence.My heart
Ricky’s POVI stepped into our dimly lit living room, the fatigue from a long day’s work weighing heavily on my shoulders. Cole and Jules were already there, sprawled across the couch, their faces with concern as they eyed me.“Ricky, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Jules remarked, his brow furrowing.I collapsed onto the armchair, exhaustion seeping into my bones. “Not a ghost, but something equally grim,” I muttered, recounting the horrible sight we had discovered. A mutilated animal, its entire entrails missing.Cole’s eyes widened in horror, while Jules leaned forward, his expression grave. “That’s messed up, man. What do you think could’ve done something like that?” Cole asked, his voice barely above a whisper.“I don’t know, but it ain’t normal,” I replied, my mind racing with unsettling possibilities.“It’s not just you,” Jules mentioned, his gaze sweeping over I and Cole. “I overheard some of my co-workers talking about strange animal deaths at the factory today.”“Are you
Shannon’s POVI sat on the edge of the motel chair, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. The strange woman sat before me, her eyes intense and filled with a kind of stare that sent shivers down my spine.“What do you mean we’re in danger?” I asked, my voice trembling. I needed answers, and I needed them now.The woman’s gaze never wavered as she leaned in closer. “Have you been seeing dead people in your dreams?” she asked, her tone grave.I nodded slowly, feeling a chill crawl up my spine. “Yes, I have,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.The woman’s expression darkened. “Then you need to listen to me carefully,” she said, her voice urgent. “Soon, you’ll start seeing them physically.”My eyes widened in shock. Seeing Selena and Leila in my dreams was terrifying enough, but to see them in the waking world? It was too much to bear.“Why?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why is this happening to me?”The woman’s gaze softened, but her expression remained serious. “T
Shannon, five years later.As the sun streamed through the windows, filling the room with warmth, I found myself chasing after our energetic twins, boy and girl, who are barely five years old. Laughter echoed through the house as they raced around the living room.“Slow down, you two!” I called out, trying in vain to keep up with their energy.But Jules walking in just chuckled from the doorway, his eyes shining with amusement. “Let them play, my love,” he said, his voice filled with affection. “They’re just having fun.”I sighed, knowing he was right. As much as I wanted to keep them safe, I couldn’t deny them the simple joy of being young and carefree. With a resigned smile, I watched as they continued their game of chase and catch, their laughs filling the air with screams.Just then, I felt Jules’ arms wrap around my once again pregnant belly from behind, his embrace warm and comforting. I leaned back into his arms, relishing the feel of his strong arms around me. “How are you and
Shannon’s POVThe atmosphere in the castle had shifted since Matthew’s capture. With him out of the picture, the pack felt safer, even at the borders. Ricky and Cole had returned after several days of patrolling, their faces weary but relieved.As we gathered around the dinner table, there was a sense of peace and contentment in the air. Jules sat at the head of the table, his presence reassuring and strong. I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride as I looked at him, knowing he had risked everything to protect our pack.Ricky and Cole filled our ears with tales of their adventures at the boarders, their voices filled with excitement as they recounted their encounters with rival packs and rogue wolves. Despite the dangers they faced, they had emerged victorious and the pack now was finally safe.As we shared our meal, laughter echoed through the hall, the tension of recent events fading into the background. Even Dora and Ellie had joined in the festivities, as I’d insisted on invitin
Shannon’s POVTwo days after the investigation for Jules’ attempted murder, as I entered his room, I found him fuming in his bed, his face twisted with frustration.“They couldn’t find him,” he muttered to me before I said anything, his voice dripping with irritation. “Matthew has slipped through our fingers again.”I sighed as I watched Jules’ restless movements, knowing this was going to be a long conversation. “You need to rest, Jules. Let the guards handle this.” I said firmly, approaching his bedside. “You’re not in any condition to be worrying about Matthew right now.”Jules shot me a glare, but I could see the pain in his eyes. “I can’t just sit here while that traitor is out there,” he grumbled, shifting uncomfortably against his pillows.I gently placed a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. “You need to focus on getting better,” I urged. “The guards will find Matthew eventually. You need to trust them.”He let out a frustrated sigh, but finally relented. “Fine,” he grum
Shannon’s POVI walked back to the castle, my mind swirling with thoughts about Matthew. He didn’t deny it. He didn’t even try to. My suspicions were like shadows creeping over me, chilling me to the bone. But without solid proof, I felt like I was playing with smoke.I found Jules in his study, buried under a mountain of paperwork. His tired eyes glanced up at me, and I could tell he was bracing himself for another round of my suspicions.“Jules, I need to talk to you about Matthew,” I blurted out before he could stop me.He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “Shannon, we’ve been over this. You’re letting your imagination run wild.”I shook my head, frustration bubbling inside me. “But Jules, I just need you to listen. I know something’s not right.”He looked at me with a mix of sympathy and exasperation. “Shannon, I understand you’re scared after everything that’s happened. But maybe you’re seeing things that aren’t there. It’s understandable, given the trauma you’ve been through.
Shannon’s POV“I’m not lying to you Jules, you need to believe me when I say that Mathew is not a good person. He is trying to pot against you and why won’t you believe me?” I inquired with a very stern countenance plastered on my face.“Oh please Shannon can you please just stop all of this drama? Why are you bothering yourself over something that you shouldn’t? I don’t know what is feeding you with lies but you know better than to believe everything you hear.” Jules snapped at me, walking back to his desk, and sunk into it without giving me any more regard.I knew he wasn’t going to believe me from the start but why? I’ve been on Mathew’s trial forever and it’s enough for me to know that he is planning on hurting Jules.But why won’t Jules listen? Why is he so certain that Mathew can’t do anything to him? Why am I looking like the crazy one here? All I’m trying to do is to avert him from the danger that is heading right towards him.I couldn’t let anything happen to Jules but at thi
Shannon’s POVI knew the answers I needed were not going to come that easily. I knew my instincts weren’t wrong about Matthew and he had something up his sleeves.I intended to find out because one way or the other it was going to affect someone I cared about.I had second thoughts on the fact that I might be overthinking and he wasn’t doing anything wrong.But what if he was actually what I thought he was? Doing research won’t make me lose anything but ignoring this would.I knew he had been working here and I knew exactly where to start my investigation from. The best way to get my answers is through the maids.They were the eyes and ears of everything, all I needed was to convince a maid to tell me everything. Of course, she would resist at first but later she’ll give in to some persuasion.I paced around my room thinking hard if this was the right way to go about it. What if I was wrong and I got blamed along with being called paranoid?This just has to work so I won’t get blamed
Shannon’s POVI stormed into the castle, my heart pounding in my chest. The situation with Matthew had left me unsettled, and I know I had to find a way to make Jules listen to my warnings about him.As I entered the main hall, my eyes immediately fell on Michael, playing innocently with a toy on the floor. Beside him stood Matthew, the man I found so suspicious.My instincts screamed at me to grab Michael and run, but I forced myself to stay calm. I hurried over to my son, scooping him up into my arms protectively. Michael grinned up at me, holding out the toy he had been playing with.I turned to face Matthew, my expression hard and suspicious. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice laced with tension.Matthew blinked in surprise, taken aback by my abruptness. “I came to see Jules,” he replied, gesturing vaguely. “One of the maids told me to wait here, and I saw Michael, so I thought I’d keep him company.”My grip on Michael tightened, my protective instincts in overdrive.
Shannon’s POV.The next day Jules and I moved into the pack house.It was still so surreal to me that I was an Alpha.Jules was almost completely healed now and he kept talking about how it was all because of his training yesterday. I mentioned to him that it was probably because of the training he’s still not properly healed yet but he just laughed in my face.As soon as we arrived in the pack house, we were welcomed by the slaves. They were all lined up in the living room in a straight line dressed in black and whiteThey had to be at least fifty to a hundred of them.What on earth did we need so many slaves for?I wondered as I scanned their faces.I glanced over at Jukes who seemed a little too confident. I wish I had his confidence. It seemed like he was used to it, unlike me.“These are the palace slaves, they are always at your service, They all have been assigned different stations. You will eventually get used to them but for now, these are the most important faces you will
Jules POVI woke up in a brightly lit room. I blinked, trying to adjust to the harsh fluorescent light.“Jules!” A familiar sounding voice called out and I frowned as her face came into view.“Shannon,” I sat up a little too quickly and groaned out in absolute pain.“Hey Jules,” she smiled at me.“Don’t move too much. You have not yet healed up.” She said, her sweet voice wrapping around me like a blanket.“You’ve been released?” it was supposed to be an observation but it came out as a question. I was so happy to see her, I couldn’t believe I had won. At some point, I had completely blacked out but if she was here with me then I had won.“Thanks to you. I’m so sorry for what you had to go through for my sake.* She said, hugging me.I winced at the pain and she quickly let go of me as if I were some fragile glass.“No,” I protested at the absence of her warmth. I wanted it back but I knew she would be too afraid to hurt me. That was just who Shannon was.“I’m sorry, you seem to still