RIVER.The first few hours after the baby was born were chaotic, to say the least. Allison’s vitals stabilized, but she was still in a magic-induced coma. While Quinn, Emily, and the three idiots were down in the nursery, cooing over the baby, I chose to stay back and check on Allison. Someone had to keep watch over Allison. Wesley was busy doing another round of checkups on her.I sat by her bedside, holding her hand. It felt small, fragile in mine, very different from her usual fiery strength. I missed the sound of her voice, her feisty attitude, the usual scowl on her face. Fuck, I missed her so much. My thumb brushed over her knuckles, and I pressed a kiss to her hand.Please wake up, Allison. Please be okay. The baby needs you. I need you.Wesley’s hand clapped my shoulder, jolting me out of my thoughts. "She’ll pull through, River," he said. His voice was calm, but there was a quiet reassurance to it that somehow made me believe him. Maybe because he was doctor or maybe because
RIVER.“They’re all wonderful.” Daniel nodded in approval.“Awesome! So, what clothes did catch your attention?” the lady asked.“Everything.” Wesley crossed his arms. “We’ll take them all.”Her eyes widened. “All of them?”Wesley nodded and reached for his card, only for the rest of us to do the same. Fuck.“Woah—I, uh…”The poor woman looked utterly flustered as five black cards were thrust at her.“Put your disgusting cards away. I’ll pay,” I said in a sharp voice.“How about you burn yours? Wouldn’t want it to get declined,” Mason retorted.This bastard…“We’re in Colorado, it’s my turf. I’ll pay,” Daniel insisted, waving his card towards the poor lady.“Don’t act like you’re the prince of this state, Angel. The sales lady will get my damn card,” Liam argued, frowning.“Keep it up, guys. I have ten more of this,” Wesley said boredly.These goddamn idiots, I swear…The sales lady looked torn. She chewed on her lips while glancing at each of our cards demanding to get a swipe at the
RIVER.The third stop was the supermarket. The endless aisles felt like a maze designed to frustrate the shit out of me. I wasn’t used to doing groceries.We roamed around the huge supermarket but we couldn’t find the aisle with baby products in it. At some point, we’ve come to the women’s section where we found some sanitary napkins. This was more frustrating than I thought.“I think we’re lost,” Wesley said while looking around the nearby aisles with canned goods.“Let’s try the aisle on the left,” Liam suggested, leading us straight into the pasta section.“You might be a genius, Miller.” I crossed my arms, staring at the rows of spaghetti and penne. “Are we looking for diapers or ingredients for a damn pesto?”“You’re one to talk. You mistook a sanitary pad for an infant diaper,” Liam shot back.Fucker.“You’re all useless. Let’s try over there,” Mason groaned.Eventually, we found the right aisle and loaded up on diapers, wipes, and baby soap. Liam and I raced to the cashier, but
MASON.I tapped my fingers against the polished mahogany desk, frustration boiling under my skin. It had been two weeks since the baby was born, and I’d been in Chicago for the past nine days. I left on the fifth day to deal with urgent matters at my club and to check on the progress of the investigation. I have wasted too much time being here and yet until now, I still couldn’t get the update that I wanted.Alex stood before me, bowing while holding a thin stack of reports. His face didn’t give away much, but I could tell from the way he cleared his throat that he had news I wouldn’t like.“Alpha, this is the latest update on the vampire covens’ within Chicago.”I flipped it open, skimming the details. Vampire covens weren’t as many as the werewolf packs that existed today. In fact, there were fewer vampires than Lycans, and even fewer covens than werewolf packs. There were very few covens sprinkled all over the country and even overseas. You’d think that because of that, it would be
MASON.The next morning, I was on a flight back to Colorado. By the time I landed, it was still the crack of dawn. The Crimson Fang’s packhouse was quiet with only the occasional sounds from the guards on duty.I found myself walking to her room that has become a makeshift hospital room to accommodate her. Her face looked so peaceful and yet so still. It made my heart ache. Leaning over, I pressed a light kiss to her forehead.“I miss you, Allison,” I murmured, the words barely audible even to my own ears.Just then, a sharp cry pierced the silence of the early morning. I straightened, already heading for the nursery where the commotion was coming from.Harris was there, cradling the little princess in one arm and holding a bottle with the other. His hair was a mess, sticking out in every direction, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.“What’s happening?” I asked, leaning against the doorway.We’ve never really got along. Hell, I didn’t think I ever got along with anyone except
MASON.It was barely morning, and the sharp wail of the baby cut through the air like a damn alarm clock I didn’t set. My eyes cracked open, heavy as lead, and I groaned, dragging myself out of bed.“Fuck,” I muttered in a raspy voice as I head towards the nursery, barely awake.The closer I got, the louder the cries went. Stumbling into the nursery, I leaned against the doorframe, gazing at the little bundle of noise in the crib.Her face was flushed, tiny fists flailing in the air as her cries grew louder. Oh, shit. That didn’t look good. Her cries were piercing, almost like the a war siren in the dead of the night. She was wailing, punching the air and I didn’t know exactly what to do with her.“Fuck,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “How am I supposed to handle this?”Upon hearing my voice, the baby cried even louder. Oh, fuck. I shuffled closer, trying to figure out my next move.“Hey, hush, hush. It’s okay...” I said awkwardly while gently tapping the crib.She didn’
MASON.I couldn’t answer. Not immediately. Instead, I stared at the baby, her tiny chest rising and falling as she drifted off to sleep again. She didn’t deserve anything but goodness in this world. And I had sworn to give her that—to give her all the good things in life. To protect her with everything that I’ve got.I took that words seriously, so seriously that I had unconsciously also tried to protect her from myself. Maybe I didn’t want to admit it, or maybe I was already aware… that I wasn’t part of the good things that deserved her.I let out a shaky breath.“I don’t know how to hold a baby,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.Roan’s smile returned, warm and encouraging. “That’s nothing a little practice can’t fix.”Before I could protest, she gently placed the baby in my arms, guiding my hands into position. My body stiffened. I didn’t know what to do. My heart was pounding like a drum, and I was sure I’d drop her any second.“Am I doing this right?” I asked, panicked
DANIEL.“You know that her ability doesn’t work like that,” I stated.“Yes, but what if—”“Don’t push it. Let’s just focus with what we have on our cards now,” I cut him off, effectively ending the conversation.Sam let out a sigh and nodded his head into submission. “Yes, Alpha.”Brielle was a wildcard. I didn’t want to ask for her help… again. Not when she required a price I probably couldn’t pay.“It’s time to go back to our encampment,” I announced.As soon as we returned to our encampment, I head to my tent so I could rest. I needed all the strength now because tomorrow, we’d push further into the outskirts and into the mountains. I didn’t want to miss anything. I’d turn Colorado up and down if it meant getting more information about the masked men. I’d already begun mentally organizing tomorrow’s route when Sam burst into my tent, his face pale and chest heaving.“Alpha! I’ve received a message. It’s about Allison!”At the mention of her name, my chest tightened. I immediately s
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!