ALLISON.My heart raced in my chest, a wild drumbeat as I faced the man who had just tried to pull me off the stage for a private lap dance. Behind him was Mason who looked so damn intimidating.“Hey! I called dibs on her first!” the drunken man argued, pointing at me as if that gave him some kind of claim. “You can’t just take her away, Mason!”Mason didn’t look impressed. His grip on the man's shoulder was like iron, making him groan in pain as Mason’s silver eyes shifted to a piercing gold, imposing the unmistakable and powerful aura of an Alpha.“This is my club. I’m the one who calls the shots,” Mason declared, his voice laced with a commanding chill. His presence was so overwhelming that the man instantly fell silent. As Mason released his grip, the man slumped to the floor, as if all the strength had drained from his body.It was like watching a balloon deflate, and I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. I knew that for an average lycan, being in the presence of a
ALLISON.After the Outworld Bloodbath, the landscape of power shifted, with Lycans and Vampires emerging as the dominant species among Outworlders. Though both were considered monstrous by human standards, the similarities between us ended there. We were two distinct kinds of predators.Lycans, or werewolves, thrived in packs. We drew strength from the bonds we shared with our packmates and alphas. It was a connection that fueled our power and loyalty—unless, of course, someone became an exiled or rogue werewolf, cut off from that primal force. In stark contrast, Vampires often stood as solitary hunters. While they could form organized groups resembling packs, they remained fiercely individualistic. These organized groups composed of vampires were called…. Covens. They operated under their own set of rules and hierarchies which were a bit different by Lycan standards.Among all the other covens in existence, the Hollowed Keep stood as one of the most formidable one. It was a name fami
ALLISON.My pack mates didn’t dislike me without a reason or just because I didn’t have a mate yet, although that might be one of the reasons that made it to the list of the reasons that they hated me. But there were ultimately two reasons why some of them didn’t fully recognize my position as the Gamma of the pack. One of those reasons was because I was different, always have been but it only became more apparent on the day of my eighteenth birthday.While normal werewolves acquired their inner wolf on their eighteenth birthday, I had been different. I did not get a wolf, no voice whispering in my head, no primal entity guiding my actions. At first, I thought I was broken and maybe an utter disappointment in our pack—someone who would not be able to wolf out ever in her life. But I was wrong. I could, in fact, shift at will, without needing to connect with an inner wolf because I simply didn’t have one. It felt like flipping a switch; I could turn it on and off like a light. And whil
ALLISON.Every inch of my body was aching as I slowly opened my eyes. Dark patches blurred my vision at first before I was able to adjust to my surroundings.My eyes lazily wandered around and realized that I was in a spacious room adorned with fancy red curtains covering a pair of gigantic windows. The bed I was lying on felt soft and velvety against my skin, far from the usual scratchy fabric of my trusty old room.Where the hell am I?“H-Hello?” my voice was hoarse and needles seemed to prick my throat as I spoke as if it couldn’t handle the weak vibration of my mumbling. Strange.I clutched the fresh white sheets of the foreign bed I was sleeping in as I struggled to get up. My bone felt brittle and I could barely lift myself up. The familiar feeling of fatigue and the weakness that was enveloping my body felt like a curse—it has always been like this for me during the aftermath of my shifting. It had always felt like wolfing out was enough to suck all the energy and soul off me.
ALLISON.“Dinner is served,” Melissa announced as she stepped into the room, balancing a tray filled with a steaming bowl of soup and a cup of herbal tea. The enticing aroma filled the air, but it didn’t quite reach my stomach.I raised an eyebrow at the meal. “Another bowl of soup? How original.”Melissa set the tray down, her smile unwavering. “It’s good for you, Miss Allison. You need to regain your strength.”“Right, because I’m fragile and might break at any moment,” I said, trying to keep the annoyance from creeping into my voice. “I’m fine. I just need to get back to my life.”“Eating will help,” she replied, her voice gentle but firm. I wonder if all the maids in Mason’s mansion was this persistent or Melissa was just a different breed of staff. “Alpha Mason is worried about you. He just wants to make sure you’re okay.”“Worried? Please. I’m just another problem to him,” I snorted.“Not according to him. He sees you as important. Just eat.”My brows met in a confused scowl. “Y
ALLISON.I stood there, utterly speechless, as the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. It felt as if fate was throwing a joke on me, one I never asked for. Despite the lack of light in this hallway and the fact that the only source of light was the subtle glow from the moon outside, I knew I that could not be mistaken.This blondie was one of the five Alphas I slept with. Great! Now, I have successfully collected them all. I didn’t know if I should be happy about that or what.“What… what are you doing here?” I muttered in surprise. I was so shocked to see the blonde bartender I slept with that Charlie the hellhound swiftly slipped out of my mind.“Don’t you think that I should be the one asking you that? I’m pretty sure Mason told me that you were supposed to be resting at this hour,” he replied, a playful smile dancing on his lips.Is he friends with Mason Green? Well, I knew that they were both Alphas but rarely did I find Alphas who actually get along. Alphas wer
ALLISON.I should be relieved that he’s here, considering that I was trying to sneak out of the Green residence to meet with him. But watching him sprawled on the floor, blood dripping from his lips as Mason stood in front of him, his bald fists clenching to his side made me wonder what the hell is happening.I pressed myself against the cold stone of the sculpture, heart pounding as I watched the chaos unfold in the foyer. Mason loomed over River, fists clenched and ready to strike again.“Get out of my house, Perez!” Mason barked, his voice a low growl filled with fury. “You have no right to be here!”River, still sprawled on the floor, wiped the blood from his lip with a sneer. “I’m not leaving until I talk to her.”“Fuck, if you’re looking for some beating, then I’ll give you exactly what you want.” Mason clenched his jaw as he cracked his knuckles, itching to punch River again.What the hell is happening?My heart nervously pounded on my chest. I was confused and I found myself t
ALLISON.While River looked as equally bewildered as I was, Mason looked strangely composed. Did he already suspect about this when he brought me here?Memories of how he was so eager to make me stay in his mansion flashed in my mind and how Melissa occasionally mentioned my sensitive ‘condition’. I felt a bile rising in my throat. Have they known about it all this time? Somehow, that thought pissed me off.“Allison, you have to relax.” Wesley rolled his sleeves up as he sat on the chair beside my bed.“Relax? I just bled on my thighs! And… and… my period is late! Oh, goddess. I can’t be pregnant, right? It’s just… it’s…” my voice broke.“Shh, Allison. We’re going to find out, okay? I just need you to calm down first,” Wesley gently stroked my knuckles. I didn’t realize that it had gotten white because I was clenching the sheets tightly.Wesley whispered comforting words to me and although I could still feel the panic brewing in my chest, I tried my best to relax. I have so many quest
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
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 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
DANIEL.“You’re not holding her right,” I chided him, carefully supporting the baby’s neck with my hand since River couldn’t hold a baby to save his life.River adjusted his grip awkwardly. “Hey, I’m trying, man. Stop nagging me.”His voice was a little too loud, and the baby let out a startled cry.“Great job, Perez,” Liam growled from the corner and stepped forward. “You’ve got a talent for making babies cry. Hand her over to me before you scar her for life.”River shot Liam a glare but he was already panicking because of the baby’s incessant cries so he reluctantly handed the baby over. To everyone’s surprise, her cries stopped almost immediately as Liam cradled her with surprising ease.“Shh, don’t worry, little one, it’s okay. I’m here.” Liam murmured; his deep voice soft. The baby hiccupped once but didn’t cry again, her tiny fists clutching at the air. Liam smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth twitching as he brought one of her hands close to his lips and kissed it lightly.
DANIEL.I thought it would be a quick recovery for Allison, or maybe at least a few weeks would be enough to get her all patched up but I was wrong.Eight months had passed and Allison still hadn’t woken up. Her belly had grown with the baby, but her heartbeat remained weak. She looked peaceful, but it wasn’t enough.Quinn held her hand, her face etched with worry. “What’s the plan now?”Quinn and Emily were here today. After settling the aftermath of the vampire attack in their pack, they would visit Allison in Colorado to check on her. I would also do the same thing. I would go back to Chicago for three days to tie up some loose ends in my pack before staying here to check on Allison for four days. That has been my routine for the past eight months and the other Alphas pretty much had the same routine too.I still hated the fact that I would get to see their faces every time I visit Allison. But I didn’t have the energy to fuck with them when all I could think about was Allison’s fu
RIVER.I’ve seen this scene before.How life slowly faded in the eyes of the woman who meant so much to me.“Allison!” I called her name as I struggled to dive deep into the river, catching her in my arms before she sunk even further.Her body felt so cold, like a bucket of ice, devoid of the warmth of life. No, it shouldn’t be like this. My fingers trembled as I stroked her face pale. She should be warm, alive.Not like this.“River, we need to get her to the bank. Let’s go!” Wesley’s voice snapped me back to reality.We waded through the freezing water, my arms wrapped around Allison’s body as I pulled her with me.The icy river bit at my skin, but I didn’t care. My arms were wrapped tightly around Allison’s limp body. Wesley’s voice was distant, almost drowned out by the pounding in my ears, but I forced myself to focus.“Get her to the bank, River!” he urged as he swam through the freezing water along with Mason and the remaining survivors from our men.The cold water slowed my mo
ALLISON.“Start the fucking jet. Now!” River yelled at the pilot to take off.Wesley took my hand and stroked my knuckles. He was so tensed as he glanced at the window too, checking the vampires outside. As the jet ascended, I thought we were safe, until I heard the metallic screech of vampires tearing into the fuselage.“Fuck!” Mason exclaimed.The fight wasn’t over.The sound of metal shrieking made my blood run cold. They were tearing into the jet!"They’re on the jet!" Hudson’s shout rang through the cabin.I turned in my seat just in time to see the flash of claws ripping through the fuselage. Ten vampires clung to the outside of the plane, their glowing red eyes glaring at us through the gaping tear in the metal."Bloody parasites," River growled, his voice dripping with venom. He yanked a silver crucifix from his belt, the edges were sharp, almost like a dagger. A crucifix was one of a vampire’s fatal weakness.He twisted it in his hand like he couldn’t wait to put it to use. H
ALLISON.But just when I thought that we would be doomed tonight, the white car who has been tailing them earlier pulled over. Four more of Wesley’s men poured out. Now, there was seven of us. The odds were looking better.The vampire ringleader didn’t look impressed. He let out a humorless laugh while gazing to our lot.“Oh, come on, bringing a couple of spare men to fight us? How predictable. I guess the Morgans aren’t shit, after all,” he mocked.As he stepped closer, I could see him clearly now. He stood tall and lean, his long, bleach-blonde hair cascading over his shoulders. His face was sharp, with a chiseled jaw and a devious grin that was dripping with pure wickedness.“You’ll be shitting on your grave once I’m done with you,” Wesley growled.The ringleader shook his head. He looked almost bored.“Hand that girl over, come on. I’ll give you a treat if you act like good boys,” he taunted.That only made Wesley snap. He shifted into his wolf form and I was at awe at his appeara
“Wesley… there’s still something you’re not telling me.” I gritted my teeth and narrowed my eyes at him.He took a careful breath. “They’re coming back, Allison. Daniel spotted the masked attackers a few miles away from your pack. He had some of his men with him that time, so they were able to stop them before advancing to your pack.”That must be the reason why Wesley has been acting tensed since morning and the thing about Daniel…“Is Daniel okay? Did he got hurt? Injured?” I asked, worried.“Daniel’s fine. He got off with minimal injuries and even managed to capture some of those masked attackers.”“Then why are we running?”There was still something he wasn’t telling me. I could feel it.Wesley’s jaw tightened. Then, he blew a heavy breath and gave up.“Because it’s not just them. Daniel found out during interrogation that there are… other organizations involved. They’re targeting you.”“Why?” My stomach churned.Quinn has also suspected this much but until now, I still didn’t kno