Lara
I keep staring into his eyes and can't seem to figure out what's going on. Why has his demeanor changed so quickly? Why's he looking at me with so much...contempt? "This was easier than I thought," he says, though his voice sounds far from gentle and seductive. It's cold and hard, like a rock. "I'm pretty disappointed. I was hoping for a challenge." I frown. "What?" "They say rogue women are cheap. That they'll do anything for a dime. But what is your excuse, Lycan? I thought you were better than us." My anger flares. "Excuse me?" He stares at my face intently before asking, "What, are you offended by my words? You came all over my cock, Lara. You have no right to be offended." I try to step back but find that my back is already against the wall. I stare at him in disbelief while I try to figure out what exactly I'm feeling at the moment. Anger, betrayal, sure. But regret is shining brighter than any other emotion. I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't have given myself up to this...this...I don't even have the right words for him. When he tries to step closer to me, I flinch. He tilts his head and flashes me a cruel smile. I ball my fists and say, "Get the hell away from me!" "Don't you know why I did this?" he asks. "Aren't you even a tiny bit curious?" I keep my lips sealed. I feel so sick that I could vomit at his feet. I keep glaring at him, unwilling to answer his questions. I expect him to give me the answer freely but he says instead, "You tell your father that Michelle has been avenged. Trust me, he knows who she is. And I'll tell you what; you should be thankful that I wasn't as cruel to you as he was to her. I could've had my way with you. Nobody would've come to your aid." Tears fill my eyes. I can't believe I've been used in this way. I can't believe I let myself fall into temptation and disregard the consequences. What was I thinking? "I reject you, Lara Taylor, as my mate." I glare at him, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. His eyes are narrowed to slits and he grabs my face forcefully, making me part my lips. "Say the words, Lara. Spare yourself the grief. I'm not going to be mated to someone like you. Filth runs in your blood. Look at you, fucking a stranger on the night of your engagement. If I were Vaughan Dabrowski, I'd fucking kill myself. Who the hell wants a whore for a mate?" I shove him off me and angrily declare, "I, Lara Taylor, reject you as my mate!" "Excellent," he says before stepping away from me and wiping his hands on his pants. I watch him stride toward the metal doors and disappear. The silence in the rooftop stuns me. So does the feel of our bond disintegrating. Now that the powerful connection we had is no longer present, it's easy for me to identify the red signs. I shouldn't have trusted him as his intentions were unclear from the start. I manage to push myself off the wall and push through the metal doors. I step onto the top of the staircase and as soon as I do, something catches my eye. Not something. Rather, someone. I turn my head and make eye contact with my brother. For a moment, he's so unfamiliar to me that I question whether this person really is Finch or not. I've never seen him stare at me with this blank look on his face. He's looking at me like we're strangers. "We need to talk," he says first. I was so preoccupied with what happened at the rooftop that I forgot all about Finch and Vaughan. I cover my face with my hands, feeling stretched thin. This night can't be real. "Lara, we have to talk," he says more forcefully. "I can't," is all I can say. "I can't. Please, I can't." I start toward the stairs. It only occurs to me halfway down that I don't know what I'm going to do. It feels like I'm losing my mind. Finch follows closely behind and says, "You know there's no time to wait. I know what you saw." I stop when I reach the foot of the stairs and turn around to face him. "What's there to talk about? You and Vaughan are together. This engagement can't happen. End of story." "No, this engagement will happen," he insists before stepping down to face me. "You're still going to be with Vaughan." I frown. "What?" "People will talk if you leave him now," he says to me. "It's to present a united front. Keep that in mind. I don't see a reason why you have to make such a rash decision." "You're aware that the whole purpose of a mating between us would be to procreate, right? Have babies?" Finch shrugs. "So, what? We can come to an agreement. This doesn't have to be the end of the world. But you can't drop this engagement, Lara." I narrow my eyes at him. "What in the hell is wrong with you? You're okay with me having babies with your boyfriend? Do you realize how crazy you sound!?" "Lara—" I turn away from him. I've had enough of this night. I just want to forget everything and be able to gather my thoughts in silence. This won't do. "Lara!" My brother grabs me by the arm and I'm stunned by the force he uses. He's never used force with me before. I've never felt this much aggression from him. He says through his teeth, "You will do this, Lara. Don't make me have to do something you'll regret. You're causing trouble for no reason at all. What, are you jealous?" "Jealous?" I ask before scoffing. "I just don't want to be a part of a lie. That's all. I suggest you reveal the truth to Dad and the world. I don't see why this sham has to continue. He's clearly not into women. So, why keep it a secret? Who even cares about procreation?" Finch stares at me in disbelief. I walk away from him and ride the elevator down to my room alone. I'm practically swaying on my feet. I throw myself on my bed. Everything that happened tonight races through my mind. It’s like there’s a barrier in my mind keeping me from processing everything fully and it’s reinforced by exhaustion. I close my eyes for a moment and sink into the deepest sleep of my life, not caring about anything else. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with everything. Horrible dreams plague me and I find it impossible to rest well. When I wake up, my room is dark. I’m in a lot of pain and have no idea where it’s coming from. I roll onto my back and try to get up. A groan leaves my lips. It’s followed by a curse when the events of last night race through my mind. Words can’t describe how ashamed I feel of myself right now. And Finch? How could he make me such an offer? I can’t believe last night wasn’t a dream. My bedroom door bangs open mid-thought, and I look up and see my father rushing toward me. His face is a mask of anger, and for a painful moment, I think he’ll hit me. What’s happening? “What have you done!?” he barks in my face. His face is growing redder by the moment. “What the hell have you done!?” “I don’t know what’s going on,” I say, trying not to stammer. “That man you slept with so carelessly, who was he!? Was he your lover!?” All the blood drains from my face. How does he know about that? “I don’t—” He grabs me by the arms and shakes me. “Don’t lie to me, Lara! Don’t you dare lie to me! Who was he? Who was that son-of-a-bitch!?” His answer slips from my lips. “I never found out what his name was.” My father stiffens and releases me before stepping back. Goddess, I wish I could process this situation faster than I am. He turns away from me while running his fingers through his hair. He’s the reason why I’m a natural redhead. “You’ve humiliated me in front of everyone,” he says gravely. “You’ve made a fool of yourself and of me. To sleep with a man on the night of your engagement?” I stand up. “You don’t understand, Dad. I didn’t do it because…this engagement wouldn’t have happened anyway. Finch and Vaughan are together. They’re lovers. I could never be with him!” My father turns to me slowly, his eyes filled with anger. He strikes me so hard across the face that I fall to the ground. I clutch my cheek as I stare up at him. In a cold, trembling voice, he tells me, “You’re out. I want you out of this pack and out of my life. From now on, you’re nothing to me. Do you understand?” Tears well in my eyes. He walks out of the room and leaves the door open. He doesn’t look back, not once. Several minutes later, his men come in to pick me up like a piece of dirt and leave me by the side of the road. I’m thrown into the alleyway, scraping my arms as I collide against the ground. The door is then closed right in my face, and it doesn’t open no matter how many times I bang on it.DexterI stick a cigarette in my mouth before cupping a hand around it to light it. Things seem to be going according to plan. I’ve taken the first step to ruin Victor Taylor and it’s only a matter of time before he finds out. The envelopes were delivered about an hour ago. As per my calculation, shit’s about to hit the fan pretty soon. I stare at the view before my eyes. Tall trees, yards and yards of freshly cut green grass. Rose bushes. Intricately carved fountains. I have it all. It’s funny how sometimes, your life can change in the blink of an eye. One day, I had nothing, and the next, I had everything I could’ve ever wanted. My phone begins vibrating in my pocket and a small smile tugs at the corners of my lips. Finally. I thought he’d never call. I reach into it with my right hand after transferring the lit cigarette to the left. It’s an unknown number. I know it’s him. I made sure to leave my number for him to call. I couldn’t risk missing his rage. “Son-of-a-bitch,” he s
LaraIt's been raining for about an hour and I'm soaked. I'm not allowed entrance to the hotel. I don't think I've ever felt this kind of humiliation before. Everyone who walks past the hotel sees me standing right outside, soaked to the bone. I wonder if they know who I am and whether they're gossiping about it. Who cares, anyway? That's not my biggest concern at the moment. I have to convince my father that last night was a mistake and anyway, things weren't as they seemed. I didn't think he'd judge me for what happened, especially after he understood that Vaughan and I could never be together. I wish I'd explained to him earlier but panic made me shut down. My face is still stinging from his slap, but I try to convince myself that he's just angry. He'll apologize once he understands. I'm putting my faith in that. So, I wait. Some of the guests have already started leaving so soon enough, they'll walk through the doors. All I need is a few minutes to explain my situation and ma
LaraAnd so, my journey to Elwood begins. On the way, I sell my dress. It's designer and worth a good penny. I sell my shoes, too. They won’t help me where I’m going. I buy second-hand clothes and keep the rest of the money for food. Before, I used to have all the food I wanted, and now, I'm struggling to even have a meal a day. I’m still a long way from Elwood and basically hitchhiking until I get there. I have to do a ton of walking every day and wait for a car to stop by. Nobody drives to that area—Elwood is specifically for rogues. The only reason why I know my grandmother is there is because I heard my father mention it once over the phone. ‘Not sure how I can be her son when she chooses to live like a rogue in Elwood and I wouldn’t touch a rogue with a ten-foot pole.’I don’t know what awaits me at the end of my journey. Will I even find her there? Is she still alive? I’ll only find out when I get there. It never crosses my mind to turn back and go home. For some reason, I’
LaraMy grandmother stirs sugar into her wild herb tea as I conclude my story. I can't tell much from the look on her face. She has the kind of face that is impossible to read. Maybe if I knew her better, it would've been easier for me to differentiate between her emotions, but I've not seen her often throughout the course of my life and when I became a teenager, I didn't see her at all."I'm not sure what your father has said about me," she begins, putting the teaspoon down on the saucer. "I'm not sure if he ever talked about me to you."I shake my head. "He never said a thing.""I want you to know the reason why I left," she states. "It wasn't for no reason at all. My mate—your grandfather, whom you never met—was what they called back then a 'typical' Lycan. He was proud, selfish, and arrogant, and although my father was also the same and I grew up surrounded by such men, I never agreed with it. "When I was a little girl, I had a common werewolf friend named Anne. She was the best
LaraI glance over my shoulder and see Ander sitting on the bench outside of the shop, just like I told him to. He appears to be distracted and that's exactly what I want; I don't want him to see what I'm doing here. I'd never recover if he did. I turn back to the shelf in front of me, my grip on the hand basket I'm holding slipping because of how much I'm sweating. Although I've gotten fairly good at this, it never fails to terrify me. Besides, the shop-owner is eyeing me suspiciously and that makes me even more nervous. To make matters worse, the store is practically empty. I'm the only one here. I put a bag of rice in the basket but slip another one in the pocket of my coat. The money I have is limited and won't be enough to buy everything I need. Selling fruits and vegetables isn't that profitable, and there's a lot that we need, like toothpaste, rice, and lately, protein. Finding animals is getting harder and harder, even when I shift and prowl around the forest for hours on
LaraI keep staring at this man who claims to have a proposition for me. He removes his beanie, revealing platinum blonde hair that is neatly brushed. He extends a hand, which I hesitantly grasp. "First, I believe I have to introduce myself. My name is Ambrose. Ambrose Logan. For the record, I would like to add that I am a Lycan. I feel the need to say this because many people don't trust Lycans."My hand stiffens in his and I pull it away. He raises his hands as if in surrender. "I want you to know that I'm not like them, which is why I have revealed the truth to you. I don't work with or for other Lycans. I am self-employed, but I have been approached with an offer that could change things. Do something good for the world.""I'm not interested, thank you," I tell him. "If there's any other way I can pay you back, I'd be much obliged. You can even take the groceries, if you'd like.""That went be necessary," he replies calmly. "I would just like for you to listen to what I have to
LaraKearwood is just as I remembered it.It's what people like to call a cosmopolitan city. A lot of different types of people can be found around here, and Lycans love this place. I vividly recall my father coming here for business trips when I was younger. I never knew what he was coming to do, but it's a name I've not forgotten. It makes sense that Ambrose has a strip club here. It is said that people are more open-minded here.I've been raised to look down upon such things. Prostitution. Stripping. Dealing drugs. But the man who taught me to never indulge in such things abandoned me and didn't care if I lived or died. He's a man with no moral compass, like all Lycans. I'm not against to the ways of the world. When I was living in the streets, before finding Elwood, a lot of women I encountered had to use sex as a means to an end. I never considered it because I was pregnant and wouldn't want to harm my baby in any way, but I saw it happen. Saw women climb inside cars of men who
"So," Ambrose says while putting his hands together. "Do you have any question for me? Anything at all? Apart from what we've discussed, that is." I shake my head. "I can't think of anything right now. I'm too excited and overwhelmed by everything that's happening. I guess I just need some time to sit down and figure everything out on my own." "Perfect," he says with a smile. "Now, I have to say that tomorrow morning is when your training will start. I'll talk to one of the girls and with Medwin as well. He's going to guide you through everything. Tomorrow at seven AM sharp, okay?" I nod, feeling butterflies in my stomach. "I'll be down here." "Anything else, please let me know. Oh, take this." Ambrose hands me the keys to the apartment. I can hardly believe that this is happening. I say, "Thank you for the opportunity. Really." He inclines his head. "Let's see how far we can go." I make it all the way upstairs. When I open the door, it hits Ander's forehead and he staggers back