One year later.Jules’ POVIt had been a year since Ricky left, and his return brought a wave of emotions. As he walked through the front door, I couldn’t help but notice how much he had changed.The beard framing his face gave him a more mature look, and there was a sense of wisdom in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.“Ricky!” I exclaimed, pulling him into a tight hug. “It’s good to have you back, bro.”Ricky returned the hug, a smile spreading across his face. “It’s good to be back,” he replied, his voice filled with warmth.Shannon greeted him with a kiss, her eyes shining with happiness at his return. And Michael, now a year older, toddled over to Ricky, reaching up to grab his hand with chubby fingers.“Hey there, little guy. Oh my god, look how much you’ve grown!” Ricky said, scooping Michael into his arms and lifting him into the air. Michael giggled with delight, his laughter filling the room.We spent the evening catching up, reminiscing about old times and sharing stor
Ricky’s POVAs we ventured deeper into the barren land, my brothers and I couldn’t help but notice the stark difference from our previous visit. Gone were the harsh wastelands, replaced instead by a bustling town that seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere.The air was clear, and the sounds of life echoed through the streets. Our curiosity piqued, we continued our journey cautiously, aware of the armed riders that patrolled the area.Before we knew it, we found ourselves surrounded, and without hesitation, we surrendered to their authority, knowing that resistance would only lead to further complications.The riders escorted us into the heart of the town, where we were met with curious stares from the townsfolk. Despite our attempts to communicate, the language barrier stopped us, leaving us feeling helpless and frustrated.As we were led through the streets, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of my stomach. Something about this town felt off, and I couldn
Ricky’s POVAs we waited there in the room for Milton, I could sense Jules’s unease still radiating from him like a visible aura. His distrust was understandable given the unfamiliar surroundings and the language barrier that separated us from the inhabitants.“I don’t like this, Ricky,” Jules muttered, his eyes darting from one person to another. “We shouldn’t trust anyone here."I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, offering what little comfort I could muster. “We don’t have a choice, Jules,” I replied softly. “We need to find that herb for Michael’s sake.”Milton soon emerged and led us to a secluded spot where we could discuss our mission without drawing unwanted attention. He informed us that the herb we sought was currently located in a dangerous part of the barren lands, far from the safety of the town.Milton’s words only strengthened my determination. “We’ll retrieve it, no matter the risk,” I declared, my tone firm.With the first light of dawn, we set out towards the
Shannon’s POVWhen Robin returned from handling the border situation, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of urgency about seeing Debbie. I approached him again, my heart pounding with anticipation, ready to plead my case once more.“Robin, please,” I began, my voice laced with desperation. “I need to see Debbie. There must be something she can do to help Michael.”Robin’s expression softened as he listened to my plea, but his response was firm. “Shannon, I understand your concern, but you know I can’t grant that request. Debbie’s actions have placed her in a maximum security cell for a reason. She’s too dangerous to be allowed any freedom.”“But Robin, if there’s even a chance that she can help Michael…” I trailed off, my voice thick with emotion.Robin shook his head. “I can’t take that risk, Shannon. Debbie’s confinement is for the safety of everyone in the pack. We can’t afford to let her escape.”Tears welled up in my eyes as I pleaded with him once more. “Please. I’ll do an
Ricky’s POVAs the man we met at the clearing introduced himself as Bill, a sense of unease settled over us. His friendly demeanor felt like a façade, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his story than he’s letting on.Despite my misgivings, I maintained a neutral expression, not wanting to reveal our suspicions too soon.“Look,” Bill said with a wide smile, extending a hand towards us. “I’m Bill. Sorry about the whole misunderstanding with Milton. He can be a bit… tricky.”I exchanged a wary glance with Cole and Jules, silently communicating our shared skepticism. Something about Bill’s easygoing manner didn’t sit right with me, and I could tell my brothers felt the same way.“Yeah, well, we’ve had our fair share of tricks with Milton now, haven’t we?” Cole replied, his voice guarded. “What exactly did he send us here to do?”Bill’s smile faltered slightly, and I sensed a shift in his demeanor. “Well, you see,” he began, choosing his words carefully. “Milton sent
Shannon’s POVI walked around the pack’s boarder, my heart pounding with each step. I had followed every lead, every whisper, hoping to find the healer I had heard about, who could save my son.The sky above was turning a dark shade of yellow, and my hope was fading along with the sunlight. The directions I’d gathered from town seemed to lead me in circles, and frustration ate at my insides.But thoughts of my sick son, lying helpless back at the castle, spurred me on. I couldn’t give up now; I had to find this healer, no matter what.Determined, I pressed on, ignoring the fatigue that weighed my bones. Hours passed, the sun sinking low in the sky, casting long shadows among the trees.Finally, I sighted a small cabin at the edge of the woods. Its timbers were old and worn, and ivy crept up its sides like fingers reaching for the sky. It looked ancient, as if it had been standing there for centuries, forgotten by time.“This must be it,” I whispered, thinking out loud to myself while
Ricky’s POVWe crouched behind the towering trunk of a tree, our breaths coming in shallow gasps as we watched the massive creature crawl past us. Its mutated form sent shivers down my spine, and I gripped my weapon tightly, ready to kill it myself if it spotted us.Once the coast was clear, my brothers and I turned to Bill, our eyes wide with curiosity. “What the hell was that thing?!” Cole said almost screaming, his voice trembling slightly.Bill glanced at us, his expression grim. “That, boys, was a mutated bug. One of the many dangers that roam these barren lands.”I exchanged a worried glance with Jules and Cole as Bill began to explain the strange nature of the world around us. He told us about the polluted air, tainted by a strange gas that had mutated the creatures living in the barren land.“No one can go near where the gas us coming from, as they would die before they got to the heart of it.” Bill mentioned. “These creatures, it’s better to avoid them. If they don’t attack y
Shannon’s POVMy heart pounded in my chest as I stood there at the old healer’s cabin, staring at the scene before me. The healer lay unconscious on the ground, surrounded by his men, while the man in the black cloak towered over them, his face hidden in a hooded cloak.I took a step back, fear coursing through my veins as I gripped tightly the knife strapped to my waist. I didn’t know who this man was or what he wanted with me, but I wasn’t about to take any chances.The man must have sensed my unease because he held up a hand, his voice calm and reassuring. “Don’t be afraid,” he said softly. “I’m here to help you.”I eyed him carefully, unsure whether to trust him or not. But his words seemed genuine, and I couldn’t sense any bad intentions in his tone.He went on to explain that the healer had planned to abduct me after seeing the royal sigil on the medallion I had given him. My mind played at the thought, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger towards the old man.“Thank yo
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