Just one for today, but I made it a bit longer for you. Next, we will see Candice's POV.
CANDICEI looked up at the ceiling of my cell, thinking about how good Max looked even after all of these years. He’d always been the most handsome guy I’d ever seen, but the years gave him a type of sexy maturity. It suited him well.Memories of us were what kept me as sane as I’d been for the past two years. Although, I wasn’t certain how sane that was any longer. Days, weeks, and months bled together until it was just a large shadow over time.It was easier to deal with before they showed me their trump card.(Flashback)Pain rushed through me when an asshole slammed a knife into my arm before dragging it downwards, slicing through the skin like softened butter. It hurt like hell but wasn’t the worst thing that they’d done to me over the years.Hunters were disgusting excuses for humans. They did whatever they wanted to supernaturals while using the guise of science. They made excuses for their deplorable actions by claiming that we weren’t human and were nothing but monsters. There
DAPHNEIt would seem that Mr. Asshat didn’t like my answer. That was made abundantly clear when he walked around the table and slapped my face hard enough that I tasted blood.Thankfully, I was used to being struck. There were times when Ron was home, but Vi wasn’t. I never told her that he would hit me because she would drown in guilt and would more than likely do something that would end up getting her hurt. I’d do everything in my power to protect her, just like she did for me.No matter what happened here, I would never betray her even if that resulted in my death.I was glad that they lost her when Ron sold her to them that night. They made sure I knew that they had me in custody because Vi escaped. If they were hoping that I’d resent her for it then they were sadly mistaken. It filled me with happiness to know that she evaded them and was safe where she was at now. Mom kept me apprised of what was going on in Vi’s life, which was helping to keep us both sane and in fighting spir
ENZOMy mate had been pissed off ever since she got done speaking with Daphne but had yet to share anything. The emotions within her were concerning, but I knew that she needed to work through it all before she could open up. So, I gave her the peace and quiet that she needed. Me, Alpha Maxwell, Eli, my brother, Kaia, and Lilac were all gathered around, watching Violet pace. We had bets going for how long it’d last. I was currently winning with twenty-five minutes. She let out a loud growl and punched the wall after another seven minutes.Violet turned around, as if just realizing that we were all still here. I went over and took a look at her hand. It was a hard punch, but Niccolò had taught her how to do it without fucking up her hand. The knuckle on her middle finger had split open, so I kissed it. Then I tipped her chin up and kissed her. It was soft and quick, but it helped to relax some just like I’d hoped that it would.‘We’re all here for you,’ I promised her.She smiled and n
ALPHA BRADLEYI walked over to the bar cart near the window and poured myself a drink. It was premium A-grade stock that was more potent than typical alcohol. The burn slid down my throat, coming to rest in my chest. Looking out the window, I wanted to scoff at the scene. People walking around the grounds without a care in the world, believing that they were safe and completely unaware of the danger that was hiding right in plain sight. My eyes scanned the Sentinels that were on duty, tasked with keeping everyone here on the Council grounds safe. The irony brought a smirk to my face.I wondered what the rest of the Council would think if they knew the truth of what had been occurring right underneath their noses for the past five years. I had to give it enough time to get my bearings once I was inducted into one of the highest positions in the werewolf world. A year after I came here, the long-awaited plan was put into motion.One might think that doing anything nefarious with six fel
LILACI had no idea why fate paired us together, but I had to believe that there was a reason for it.A part of me worried that Niccolò might not feel that I was worth fighting for. What if he couldn’t accept my crazy life? What if he’d rather just go and find a she-wolf, one that could give his wolf a wolf mate?My eyes burned when I thought about that happening. I clenched my hands into fists and focused on the blurring scenery, hoping that everything would work out in the end.Sparks broke me out of those thoughts. I looked down and saw that his hand was clasped with mine.Niccolò leaned over and placed a kiss on my head. I didn’t know why he did this, but it was exactly what I needed. I scooted closer and rested my head on his shoulder. His emotions felt much lighter right now, which helped to soothe my frayed nerves.After another hour of driving, we pulled up to a large gate. Enzo placed his hand on a scanner and spoke a command. The gate swung open, and he drove inside.The land
ENZOMy family had always wondered why I’d put so much time and thought into the design of my house, especially considering the fact that I lived alone. Perhaps there was a part of me that hoped I wouldn’t be alone in the end and would be able to build a life and family here even if I hadn’t put too much thought into a future mate.Three stories, ten bedrooms, eight bathrooms, library, gym, theater room, home office, heated outdoor pool, sauna, and jacuzzi. There was also a separate four-bedroom guesthouse that was also fully-furnished.I heard Violet’s soft gasp when the gates opened up, allowing me to drive in. There was a deep sense of awe running through her as her eyes swiveled around from side to side, taking it all in.There were ten acres of land associated with this property. The woods provided plenty of area for Titan to run and hunt whenever he was in a mood to do so. It also had plenty of coverage to hide the security devices and boobytraps from prying eyes. Security was on
LILACMy heart started pounding against my ribcage the moment that Violet mentioned my daughter. I wouldn't be surprised if it broke straight through the bone. Mom and I had done everything in our power to ensure that the three of us would never be found, but it seemed like it was futile in the end. Every sacrifice that we had made meant nothing in the end. The Appersons were downright fucked up. They skirted the line of Light Fae and Dark Fae. See, our kind originated as one with pure magic and pure purpose. Some Fae became greedy, wanting more and more power. They sought outside means to get it, which turned out to be dark magic. The magic fused with the light inside of them and corrupted their entire being. It even changed their appearance, turning their eyes dark, bodies dull gray in color, and black veins formed on their skin. The Appersons had powerful magic that kept the physical manifestation from taking hold. It allowed them to have their cake and to eat it too. Each new g
ENZOIt had only been hours that she had been here, but the environment felt completely different. This place had always just been a place where I lived and where I slept – a pitstop if you wanted to consider it as such. Now, however, I could envision filling this place with proof of our love, leaving behind a lifetime of memories.I leaned against the wall, arms crossed over my chest. I smiled as I watched Violet clean up the kitchen. She was humming and dancing around as she worked. I loved getting to know her and learning all about her unique quirks. She didn’t have to do the kitchen, especially since she cooked, but she insisted on doing it.Who was I to ignore things that made her happy? This was something mundane, as she put it, which gave her a reprieve from all of the craziness lately.An important side note was that she was an amazing cook. I’d never tasted food as good as hers, and that was saying something because I’ve eaten plenty of food in my lifetime. I would say that it
VIOLETDr. Sutton and her team were actively treating the people that had already been brought to our house.A triage station was set up, along with curtains for privacy. I knew that everyone was overwhelmed and hadn’t had time to wrap their heads around the fact that they were no longer prisoners in that fucked-up place. Hopefully, in time, they will be able to allow themselves to embrace their newfound freedom.“Dr. Sutton,” I called out to her.She asked one of the nurses to give some pain medicine to the woman that she was tending to before excusing herself.A frown pulled her lips down when she saw Rainy. I could tell how furious she was at how these people had been treated by the hunters. She wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Not by a longshot.“We’re going to be bringing in a large group of individuals who were being experimented on to test different species’ healing abilities. Some of them are really severe just by judging the outward appearances. This little one, Rainy, has bee
ENZO‘How do you feel about Reika’s revelation?’ I asked Titan.I had often wondered what my life would be like as a father. It was something that I truly wanted to experience whether or not the child was biologically mine. I had never imagined beginning a family with someone until Violet came into my life.Titan tilted his head in thought and took a few moments before he answered me. I had always appreciated how much my wolf thought about something before he answered.‘I don’t remember my past lives, but I had them. I’m certain that I had mates and potentially even had some pups. Reika is different because of the type of wolf that she is. We share a very close connection and don’t block each other out. I saw the memories of those Alpha mates that she had, but there was no affection for them except for the respect that she still holds for them to this day. However, it was completely different for the memories of Avalynn and Natalia. I felt her complete heartbreak as she watched them di
VIOLETI was not certain if she had known about the pregnancy or not. I also didn’t know how she felt about it. Not everyone could accept giving birth to a baby that was not consensually conceived. It was a decision that only they could make.Her nostrils flared, attention snapping towards Joshua. Her face paled when she saw him. She ducked her head as shame rushed through her. Not fear but shame. I could imagine where her mind went. The mate who had been fated to her came upon her being raped. Then she was pregnant by someone else on top of that.“You can do it now if you’d like or you can wait until we get out of here, sir,” she told him softly, trying her best to control her voice.“My name is Joshua not sir. What are you talking about?” he asked her, clearly uncertain about what it was even if I had a feeling where this was going.“Rejecting me. It’s okay if you don’t want to wait.”His jaw clenched hard enough that I was afraid it would end up cracking. Panic. That was what he fel
VIOLETI side-eyed the woman who was leaning against me as we walked down the corridor. Despite the bruises and scars, I had never seen her more beautiful than she was right now because she was finally back with us after everything. Her body was weak from two years of being mistreated, but her will was ironclad. I had always admired her strength. That was what kept her going no matter what they tried to do to her. Daph was on the other side of her, helping to hold her up as well. Thankfully, Daph’s injuries were minimal. The bruises from what Alpha Bradley had done to her were nearly gone. Oh, he would suffer greatly for everything that he'd done and everything that he'd facilitated. I wished that he was here just so that I could end him, but he did not deserve an easy death. No. He deserved a fate that was far worse than that. The only way that he would receive that was by us properly handling the situation. It was imperative that this was done in front of the Werewolf Council so t
ENZOWe were waiting in the shadows of the tree line for Sven’s confirmation that we could continue forward.There was a lot of nervous energy bouncing around inside of Violet right now. She was so close to her mother and sister but still so far. I knew that she would love to rush in with guns blazing but knew that it would ruin any chance of saving her family while also risking all of our safety.“The security feeds are now being looped, so you can proceed,” Sven said through the comms that we were all wearing.I looked down at Violet and asked if she was ready. A steadying breath was taken before her head nodded. I raised my hand, flicking my wrist to signal to everyone that it was time to move out.We were as silent as possible as we moved towards the compound. Surprisingly, the first guards had not sensed our approach. Niccolò and I raised our tranquilizer guns and shot them. They fell to the ground, knocked out cold.“They aren’t human…” Violet whispered, cautiously approaching th
CANDICEThis was the day that I had longed for since I was imprisoned here against my will.Violet and her people were going to storm the guild to save us all. The Goddess Selene chose her warrior perfectly. It had been amazing to watch as she grew into herself and her abilities. She was far more powerful than I ever imagined that she could be, and this was still just the beginning of her journey on both the werewolf and Fae sides.‘We’re about thirty minutes out from needing that distraction,’ I heard Violet say in my mind.‘Okay. Please be safe. If you need to turn around then you do it. Don’t risk yourselves more than need be,’ I responded to her.The sheer number of their reinforcements didn’t get rid of the risk. There was so much that could go wrong. Hunters were humans, yes, but they had a fuckton of dangerous weapons here. Their goal was the eradication of supernaturals. They spent generations studying the various species in our world – weaknesses, strengths, and everything tha
ENZOThe drive was tense, each of us caught up in our own thoughts.Everyone who came with us was trained. Not everyone was an elite warrior, but every single person was a capable fighter. However, it was imperative that we did not get caught up in complacency because that would lead to failure. Focus was crucial to our success.We had put in as much training as possible. It would just have to be enough.Reika had been an amazing asset with training us in different techniques that could give us the upper hand against the hunters. As she pointed out, reactions during a fight were typically based on memory. They used moves that were familiar to them. So, us using moves that weren’t common would most likely give them pause and throw them off, giving us an advantage.There was no guarantee that all of us who entered that compound would walk back out of it at the end of this. That was weighing down upon me. I felt responsible for each person that was on our side.My mate was bearing the wei
VIOLETRaelynn giggled as she ran away from Niccolò. He had embraced her from day one.It was great to see them together because you could see how happy it made them both. The scary ass Vittori turned into a cuddly teddy bear whenever she was around. She already had him wrapped around her little fingers. His eyes lit up every time she called him Papa. Apparently, both Cara and Zayne had spoken to them respectively, and it was exactly what he and Lilac needed to be able to move forward with their bond.I was a sap for happy endings. Sure, it was a long way off, hopefully, for any of our life stories to come to an end, but the sentiment was the same.It had been five days since I had the breakdown and ended up snapping. Everyone else was pissed off at Aunt Kaia for what she did. I was more hurt than pissed off, especially when I heard about her reasoning. I had spent two years being at someone’s mercy. Ron didn’t want to use me as a weapon, but he did use me for his own benefit. Then the
LILACI looked at Mom and was completely stunned by what she’d done to my cousin.How could she treat her like that? There was a difference between pushing someone and being unnecessarily cruel. Never once had she done that to me while I was training, so why did she do it to her?Enzo had every right to feel the way that he did. On this, I certainly sided with him. I’d be taking over her training. There were ways to teach her emotional control that didn’t involve Mom’s method. No fucking matter what the stakes were, I wouldn’t do what she had done. It was beyond fucked up.“Why?” I asked her, seething at the memory of what Violet looked like as she destroyed herself.None of us were able to get through that barrier. I was thankful that my mate had called Enzo because only he’d been able to. He suffered to get through it, but he accomplished what we couldn’t. It was crazy how powerful that barrier was. Not even Mom’s magic and mine combined had done shit to it.My mate wrapped his arm a