WESLEY.Twelve hours. That’s how long it’s been since Allison was taken.In those twelve hours, we’ve managed to stabilize the aftermath of the attack. It was a disaster on its own. The dead were counted, the wounded were tended to, and whatever fires were still smoldering were finally put out. It was hell out there to say the least. The garden was burnt into crisp. The beautiful carpet of green grass was now reduced into a bed of ashes. It was almost unrecognizable. Debris littered around the ashy trails of the garden and the stench of smoke lingered in the air. That was precisely why we made sure that Amaris would stay inside the house. We didn’t want her to inhale or the fumes and toxic smoke out there.“Are we all here?” I asked while scanning the long table.“I think Venice is still in the infirmary. She’s still recovering from her injuries,” Emily informed.“Alright, let her rest for a while But for now, let’s start this meeting,” I announced.We were gathered in the conference
WESLEY.Quinn looked like someone had knocked the air out of her lungs. Emily, for once, was at a loss for words.Daniel broke the silence. “But how the hell can her brother control fire? That’s unheard of for a lycan.”I exchanged a glance with River.“Because they’re not full-blooded lycans,” River spoke.“What?!” Emily gaspd.River tossed a thick, leather-bound book onto the table. The cover was old, covered in strange markings.Daniel narrowed his eyes.“Wait… isn’t that from my library?”“Yeah, I found it when I was searching for books about dragons.”Quinn’s head snapped up. “Dragons?”Daniel flipped open the book. Inside were illustrations of dragons and… human figures.“My ancestors have acquired this book many years ago. It’s serves more like a collection than an actual book,” Daniel muttered while perusing the illustrations and foreign language printed on it.“Well, as you can see, it’s more than just a pretty book. It contains a lot of information about dragons,” River said
DANIEL.We left Amaris in Roan’s care for now. There was no time to waste because we needed answers, and we needed them fast.The basement was dark, damp, and reeked of blood and mildew. It was the perfect place to break someone down, but we didn’t have time for long games. We had five captives, and they weren’t going to make this easy for us.“How many did you get?” Liam’s voice cut through the silence, his tone sharp with curiosity.“Five,” I answered without missing a beat. “The rest are dead. The ones who got away won’t make it far.”Quinn stepped forward, her eyes cold. “Think they’ll cooperate?”I let out a dry laugh. “Doubt it. Last time I caught one of these masked bastards, he killed himself before I could get a single word out.”Mason cracked his neck, arms crossed over his chest. “They’re not gonna cross hell until I say so.”“We have to be smart about this,” Wesley added, his usual playfulness absent. “We don’t know what crazy shit they’ll pull. We only get one shot at thi
RIVER.Quinn stiffened, her eyes widening in horror like she’d just heard a ghost’s name.Wesley glanced at her. “You know her?”I cursed under my breath. “Fuck. I know her too. That’s the Crimson Witch who started the Bloodbath. She led the main tribe of Crimson Witches, the whole damn reason the war ten years ago even happened!”“What, you mean the one with the long black hair?” Wesley asked, his brows furrowed.“That’s her.” I nodded grimly.Liam frowned, his arms crossed.“I thought she died when she attacked all the major packs?” he asked.“She didn’t. She disappeared,” I muttered.Quinn’s fists clenched at her sides, her breathing sharp. It was as if hearing the witch’s name sent made her remember something horrible.“That woman… she’s the one who cursed my family. She’s the reason I was sick for years!”Well, that was just fucking fantastic. I swore under my breath, rubbing my temple. The more I heard, the worse this was getting.“She’s bad news. And these generals you mentione
RIVER.Something inside me turned cold. The dragon’s heart fragment… why the hell didn’t I think about that sooner? It made sense why they had been obsessed with acquiring Allison these past few months. They were after her power all along!My mind drifted back to the old book I found in Daniel’s library. I’ve been studying Latin for years so I was able to understand the text. It said that a dragonblood’s power was mainly derived from their heart. It was the single most powerful part of their body.They wanted Allison’s heart.The room suddenly felt smaller and the air almost felt suffocating. I could hear my own pulse pounding in my ears as the weight of my realization sank in.Shit.The man on the floor let out a weak chuckle, coughing through it.“Dragon’s heart, yeah! That’s what it was. I heard them talking about it before. They were going to extract the girl, I mean, Allison’s heart at the night of the full moon!”Damn it!My stomach churned as an ugly, twisted feeling sank into
DANIEL.River, brows furrowed. He crouched down beside one of the corpses. He grabbed the man’s chin, forcing his mouth open. Then, his expression darkened as he caught sight of something inside.“Shit,” he muttered. He reached into the captive’s mouth, tilting his jaw to get a better look.“What is it?” Liam asked impatiently.River exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. He leaned back and flicked his gaze to the rest of us, his expression grim. He motioned toward the captive’s tongue. Nausea crawled in my gut when I realized that there was some odd symbol attached on their mouth—as if it was burned there: a star inside a cicrle.“The witch’s mark,” River stated while looking at corpses’ tongues. “They’re cursed. If they try to speak about the location of their headquarters, they—”“Die,” Liam finished, his voice cold. His gaze swept over the five corpses, nodding. “Yeah, I can see that.”“We’re screwed. How are we supposed to know where they brought Allison when we only have three day
DANIEL."So, was she expecting us to come in the dead of night or what?" she muttered as we walked inside."This trip is more interesting than I thought.” River smirked.We moved through the small entryway and into the living room, where Brielle sat on the couch, her back facing us. Her posture was relaxed, almost as if she had been waiting for this moment all night. Knowing her, maybe she was."Daniel, I knew you’d come tonight," she murmured, her calm.Then, she turned to face me.Her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her supposed blue eyes looked cloudy, as if a thin veil of smoke had settled over them. She wasn’t looking directly at me. Instead, her gaze flickered around as if sensing rather than seeing.River folded his arms across his chest. His eyes narrowed while giving Briella a good look."She’s… blind?" He raised a brow."Okay, I didn’t expect that,” Quinn whispered.I stepped forward, walking towards her. I lowered myself onto one knee and leveled my gaze w
DANIEL.After that, I couldn’t look at her the same way again. She had betrayed me the most horrible way possible and I hated her for that. All the love that I once felt instantly dissipated as if it had never existed in the first place.At first it was grief, then hate, and then indifference.She was nothing but a stranger to me now but it didn’t matter to her. I needed her help and she’d use this opportunity to get what she wanted.Another piece of me. Another memory.I clenched my fists.But if this was the only way to find Allison… then so be it.“Do what you want, Brielle. Poke my brain all you want. Just please help us find her,” I pleaded.Something in Brielle’s expression caught my eyes. Hurt? Pain? But Brielle quickly brushed it away when she smiled.“She must be really something important to you if you’re willing to do this again,” Brielle muttered.Yes, Allison meant everything to me.Back when we were still together, I didn’t mind every time Brielle would look into my memo
ALLISON.“Yes,” I answered breathily.Wesley didn’t waste any more time and pushed his cock inside my mouth. I whimpered around his girth as Daniel’s pace grew faster. The bed shook as he pounded on pussy. He pulled his member out until only the tip remained before plunging it back inside, balls deep.“Uhhmm!” I moaned deliriously as Wesley did the same with my mouth. He grabbed my hair while slid his cock in and out of my lips, using my mouth as his own pleasure toy. I loved it so much, how they used my body to feel good and at the same time, making sure that I would get the best pleasure of my life.Daniel growled as his tempo grew faster, his thumb rubbing on my clit while pistoning his member into my folds in frantic thrusts. On my side, River was still using my hand to jack himself off, making me lose my mind.My body tingled with unbearable pleasure. I screamed around Wesley’s cock as I felt another mind-blowing orgasm ripping all over my body. I tensed, my toes curling as I cam
ALLISON.By the time we returned home, I was tired. I barely had time to process everything before Emily greeted us at the door.“Amaris is already asleep. She spent the entire evening doing a SpongeBob marathon,” she informed me with a small smile.Wesley clapped his hand.“I knew she’d grow up loving cartoons. I should’ve bought her that SpongeBob onesie when I had the chance,” he said.“You still haven’t let that go?” River shook his head.I smiled at their banter before turning to Emily. “Thanks for watching her. I owe you one.”She waved a hand.“Nah, just make sure to invite me over for dinner next time.” She winked and made her way out, leaving me alone with my five men.Moments later, I found myself submerged in warm, soapy water. Daniel worked shampoo into my hair, his fingers massaging my scalp, while Wesley soaped my right leg gently.“You did great today,” Wesley said.I smiled, leaning into the sensation of River gently scrubbing my back.“I didn’t do much. I just accepte
ALLISON.Later, we went back to our old house to eat some lunch. Liam stood by the stove, his sleeves rolled up while he was cooking. Meanwhile, Amaris was sitting on the kitchen stool while playing with her doll. She swung her legs while watching Liam stir some vegetables.“Daddy Li, I want waffles!” she announced.Liam paused, his green eyes widening slightly as he turned to face her.“You want waffles for lunch?” He glanced at me, silently asking if this was okay.I leaned down and kissed Amaris on the cheek before ruffling her soft curls.“Why don’t you try eating some veggies for a change, Ami?” I asked.She scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out. “Yuck!”Liam snickered, clearly amused. “Alright, alright. I’ll make you some waffles.” Then, he turned to me with a smirk and winked. “I’ll just add some fruits to make it… uh, healthy?”I sighed, pressing a hand to my face.“She totally takes after me,” I sighed.Daniel chuckled from across the kitchen, nodding as he looked at
ALLISON.Somehow, I was reminded again of the question our father asked us in that fateful day at the river…“What are you willing to do for the person you love?”As I stared at the stones and wooden cross that marked his grave, I found myself smiling because after everything, after the battles, the sacrifices, the loss, and the victories… I knew my answer had remained the same.“I did everything I could for love, Dad,” I whispered, gently laying down a bouquet of yellow tulips, his favorite.Beside me, Sullivan knelt and did the same, only his bouquet was of amaryllis flowers which was our mom’s favorite. He stayed silent for a moment, his fingers brushing against the wood of the cross, before he exhaled deeply.It has been two years since the war ended. The bloody battle that tore through the Outworld, leaving scars on both the land and the people. It took time, so much time to rebuild everything that has been broken. Many people died, but a lot of them survived. Still, it didn’t me
ALLISON.“Allison, stop!”Somewhere, I could hear distant voices, calling me. But the rage I was feeling inside was louder than anything I have ever heard before. So, I didn’t stop. My flames grew hotter as my anger.“Allison!”Then, suddenly, I felt an arm around me, wrapping me, pulling me. At first, it wasn’t enough to stop me. But another pair of arms latched around me, forcing to stop. There were too many of them, strong big arms that wrapped in a tight embrace. I shrieked. I struggled, clawed, lashed out. But they didn’t let go. They held on, even as my fire burned them.Then I heard their voices growing louder and louder…“It’s okay, Allison. We’re here.” Daniel.“Come back to us.” Liam.“You did it, baby. It’s over.” River.“You’re safe now.” Mason.“We love you, Allison. Please.” Wesley.Their names rang in my mind as they continued to whisper soft words in my ear.“Allison…”The word sliced through my rage like a silver bullet. I gasped as reality crashed back into me. The f
ALLISON.Quinn was already there, clutching Sullivan’s twitching form, tears streaming down her face. Celestine ignored me. She took a slow step forward, tilting her head as if considering something.“He is at my mercy now. And I can make this agony last for as long as I want.” Her lips curled into a ruthless grin.She lifted her hand and curled her fingers into a fist, tugging to some invisible strings in the air. Sullivan screamed. His body arched, his hands clutching at his chest as if something were ripping him apart from the inside. It broke me to see him like this.Quinn sobbed, tightening her hold on him. “Stop it! Please, stop!”But Celestine wasn’t done. She turned her piercing gaze to me.“Come with me, Allison. Do that, and I will end his suffering.” Her voice was almost gentle now, coaxing.I shook my head, my entire body trembling. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that I could save him. For the past few days, that was what I have been clinging to. I thought I
ALLISON.Quinn lunged, his massive paws slamming into Sullivan’s chest, forcing him to the ground. The impact shook the earth, but Sullivan barely reacted. He was stunned for a moment as he stared at his mate’s eyes.Quinn snarled, fangs bared, but I could feel the sorrow beneath his aggression. He didn’t want to fight Sullivan—his mate—but he had no choice.Sullivan let out a guttural growl and shoved Quinn off him with brute force. The sheer power of it sent Quinn skidding across the dirt, his claws digging into the earth to stop himself. But before he could recover, Sullivan was already back on his feet, his blazing eyes locking onto me.Then he charged.Faster than I’d ever seen him move before.But this time, he wasn’t alone.A blur of silver, black, and gold streaked across my vision as Mason, Liam, River, and Wesley—still in their wolf forms—slammed into Sullivan. Their combined force sent him crashing into a tree, the impact splintering the trunk with a deafening crack.The ba
ALLISON.A choked gasp left my lips, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Four dozen bodies lay strewn across the ground, their forms twisted in agony. Their skin was scorched, blackened as if burned from the inside out. My breath caught in my throat. There was only one person who could have done this.I swallowed hard, dreading what I would see when I looked up. And then, I saw him.Sullivan. My brother.He sat in the middle of the carnage, legs crossed as if waiting for us. His shoulders were hunched, his head bowed. But he wasn’t alone. Standing beside him, smiling wickedly, was Celestine.“You finally made it here. I almost got bored waiting for you,” Celestine said in her usual sickly-sweet voice.“What have you done?!” I growled in fury.“Ask your brother. He was the one who did the dirty work,” Celestine shot back.Sullivan’s face darkened. His expression was a mixture of anger, grief, and guilt. He looked as if he still couldn’t comprehend
ALLISON.Then Mason’s wolf form crashed into him, teeth sinking into the vampire’s throat. Blood sprayed as he tossed the limp body aside and ran faster.“Mason!” I was relieved that he took care of that last minute.Just when I thought that we could finally escape, Valentina’s figure emerged from one of the trees.“You didn’t really thought you could get away, right?” she mocked.Fuck!She ran alongside us, eyes gleaming in the dark. Mason tried to attack her but she just snappily avoided every attack as she kept up our pace. Her crimson eyes drifted to me.“You’re making a mistake by running away, Allison. You shouldn’t escape your destiny,” she said while running to my right side to avert Mason’s attack. Daniel ran to the opposite direction to keep our distance from her.“Fuck off!” I yelled at her, clutching the wooden stake in my hand.“You don’t realize what you are, Allison,” she muttered again.I tightened my grip on Amaris. “And what’s that?”“The key to absolute immortality!