Cole’s POVThe woods were alive with the sounds of nature as my brothers and I moved stealthily through the dense undergrowth. Ricky led the way, his senses finely attuned to the slightest movement or sound. Jules and I followed closely behind, our eyes scanning the forest for any sign of our quarry.“Keep your eyes peeled, boys,” Ricky murmured, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. “We’re bound to find something soon.”Jules nodded, his gaze darting from tree to tree as he scanned the forest floor for any sign of movement. “I’ve got a good feeling about today,” he said, his voice tinged with excitement. “I can smell deer nearby.”I grinned, a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins at the thought of a successful hunt. “Let’s hope you’re right,” I replied, my voice low as I kept pace with my brothers.As we moved deeper into the woods, the conversation turned to lighter topics. We reminisced about past hunts, sharing stories and laughing at old memories. Despite the
Shannon’s POVI tiredly staggered towards the door and turned the doorknob walking into the house. I was so tired and my body was aching all over.It was a long day at the hospital and the fact I had to queue before I got attended to. Lately, I’ve been stressed out and this wasn’t what I needed.Do I want to dance with you to get treated? I wasted a whole lot of energy I did not even have.As I got into the living room, I crashed into the couch and let my body drown in tiredness. I stared around and there wasn’t anyone in sight.I didn’t bother standing up or yelling anyone’s name because I was that tired. I just waited to rest for a while before I even thought of doing anything.I summoned a maid because they were always hanging around in case their attention was needed.“Yes ma’am.” One of the maids replied, running to me hurriedly.“How are you doing today?” She added.“I’m fine thank you. Get me a chilled glass of water immediately.” I muttered.With that, she ran off and came back
Shannon’s POVThe news of the new Alpha, Tristan, coming into the pack still terrified me. What were we going to do to ensure that he doesn’t succeed in harming us? I thought to myself as I stood over the kitchen sink washing the dirty dishes.As I patted my hands dry with the dish towel, my heart raced, mounting anxiousness combined with the comforting smell of dish soap. There seemed to be an imminent sense of dread with every creak of the floors and every whisper of the wind outside.My hazel eyes wide with fright, I peered at my reflection in the mirror over the sink. How could our quiet life have fallen apart so fast? Though Jules’s consoling words continued to play in my head, the picture of the burly stranger, the self-styled Alpha, became even more vivid.The thin layer of calm I had managed to work myself into broke at the sharp knock on the door. The sound of rushing water whirling down the drain accompanied the furious drum solo that my heart banged into my ribs. Just a few
Jules POVI opened the door and walked into the house only to notice that Shannon and Ellie were in the living area. The smile on my face disappeared and my greetings trailed off my lips as I noticed Ellie’s and Shannon’s worried looks.My strides quickened with apprehension as I hurried over and over, concern etched deep lines into my forehead.“Something’s not right here? What took place? You both seemed worried” I inquired in an urgent tone, reaching out to hold Shannon in my arms as she appeared as though she was about to pass out from fear.I could see that Shannon was having trouble expressing what was thinking, and her hands were shaking. Finally, She managed to speak,“He… he came Jules,” scarcely raising her voice above a whisper.“That Alpha you told me about, Tristan. He was here after you left, asking about Father… and he left a message…”I listened to her as she narrated what happened in my absence, my eyes narrowing with rage. Gripping Shannon’s shoulders tightly, I turn
Shannon’s POV“Make sure he’s always with guards. Every single time. I don’t want him running around always to make sure he is safe and in his room at all times and if there’s ever an issue make sure you take them down to the hidden basement, lock the door and wait for any other instruction before you do anything. “ I muttered with a very heavy heart.This was a critical and dangerous period and one had to be prepared and be very alerted and prepared for whatever was coming.I wasn’t willing to take risks with Michael because any little mistake could cost me a lot.“But what about you? You’re not including yourself in any of these escape plans. Everything is going to be fine and hopefully, they are going to get all of this sorted out before it gets to that.” She uttered in a reassuring tone.“Hopefully, I was not being doubtful but at the same time, I couldn’t take any risk of anything happening to both of my children. ““ Everything is going to be fine and I believe that very soon we
Jules POVClad in black jeans, a T-shirt, and combat boots, I returned to the pack house, my eyes Stormy.It was a cloudy and gloomy day and was about to rain but none of that mattered to me because I was here simply to see Shannon. I had missed her so much and now that I was there all I wanted to do was hug her tight.As I crossed the entrance of the pack house, I scanned the area, ignoring the guard’s greetings.I passed the living room, calling out Shannon’s name but there was no answer.“Shannon!” I called out, walking past the living room and trying to find my wife.For some reason, I couldn’t sense him in the pack and that scared me a little bit. Where was She?A maid appeared in front of me and bowed to me as I was about to climb up the stairs to go find her. Was she sleeping?Maybe I was acting paranoid. I had missed her after all.“Where’s my wife?” I asked, my eyes still scanning the living room. She was usually here. Where on earth was she? I wondered.*Sir…” she was ab
Jules POV.I had gotten home late at night and had been able to sleep last night. I tossed and turned until finally, I came downstairs to eat something.It was the day of the fight and I was nervous. Dora was already ready to go. She looked nervous and so did I but I didn’t let my nerves show. It wasn’t that I thought I wouldn’t win, it was that if I didn’t win, I would lose everything and I was not prepared to lose Shannon.“Are you ready?” Dora asked, her eyes scanning mine.“No,” I said simply, refusing to elaborate on my answer. I was not ready but I was not going to back down. I’d bring Shannon home and get a few punches into that smug Alpha’s face.“Are you nervous?” Sue asked.“I’m not nervous. But he should be,” I said, my eyes glowing crimson.“Good, you can’t afford to lose.” She said.“I won’t,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster.She nodded.“We are leaving for the duel ground, we’ll meet you there?” It was worded as a question as if she was afraid I wouldn’t
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
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