At first, all Layla felt was fear. Pure hot fear that churned in her stomach. She felt that farmiliar rush of helplessness;the kind she always felt when she had dreams of Xavier. She strained against the shadows holding her but her limbs felt like lead. She couldn't move.She tried to scream out Riven's name so he would come save her like he always did but this time, her mouth was closed tight. She couldn't make a sound and all she could do was struggle effortlessly against the shadow tendrils holding her captive. Tears filled her eyes and her heart slammed hard against her chest as the fear she felt took hold of her and aroused horrible thoughts within her. She was beyond terrified.And then out of the blue, Ren's words echoed in her head. She couldn't wait for Riven to always come to her rescue. She needed to be strong. She was a powerful Tribrid with the blood of the three strongest creatures flowing within her. She wasn't weak;she was powerful!With renewed vigour, Layla forced he
When Riven arrived at the mansion, his eyes were already a feral gold and he was close to shifting. He expected to see the worst. His eyes roamed every part of the mansion, searching for any threat while he followed the scent of apples and roses. He got confused when he found Layla in the study, in the company of Ren and three of the warriors he left with her. Layla's teacher must have finished with her lesson for today because the young Bethany was nowhere to be found. Riven could also understand why Ren was there because the ancient shifter left the temple an hour ago, heading towards the mansion to train Layla and teach her how to control her shifting.What he couldn't understand was why the three warriors were around Layla in a protective stance.Without thinking twice, he marched up to where she sat on the couch and scooped her up into his embrace."She's fine Riven",Ren scoffed and rolled her eyes sarcastically. The way he acted, it was as if he didn't think she or the other w
A painful scream immediately tore out of Layla's mouth the moment the hot poker sank into her neck. She had never screamed so loud in her entire life, not even the times she had been in danger.The hot poker felt like lightning on her skin and with Riven's hands restraining her, she couldn't move. She felt like a hot knife dipped in acid was pierced into her neck and the pain only turned unbearable when Ren twisted the poker around. Layla's screams intensified as the pain mounted and threatened to claim her life."MAKE IT STOP!",she screamed in pain, struggling with Riven and trying to get away."HOW MUCH LONGER REN?",Riven roared furiously as he tried to hold Layla down with his strong arms. Her screams tore at his heart and he felt like he would die if her pain didn't stop."The progress is slow",Ren's loud voice could be heard over the sound of Layla's harsh screams. Her brows were knitted in concentration as she tried to burn off every residue of the shadow warrior's mark on Layla
The desert of no return?Layla turned slowly and looked around at the vast piles of sand that surrounded them. This was another realm? She thought there were only two realms;the human world and the hidden island. She was astonished to discover that there were other realms, and she just sent herself into one. But how?,she thought. And how was Xavier here too?Xavier held Layla tight behind him while he focused his attention on the clothed figure that had spoken."This might sound strange",he said slowly. "But we just appeared here. We don't know how...""You expect me to believe that?",the clothed figure barked again and took a step closer to Xavier. He had a large grey turban wrapped around his head and his face, leaving only his eyes exposed. But still, his eyes couldn't be seen."You have trespassed on a restricted land",the man continued harshly. "And the punishment is inescapable. This realm isn't called the desert of no return for nothing""We didn't mean to trespass on your land
Layla's eyelids fluttered as her consciousness slowly returned. She pushed her heavy eyes open and all she saw at first was blurriness. Her entire body felt like a heavy log and it was extremely difficult for her to raise a finger.She lay there unmoving, waiting for feeling to return to her body. Her vision gradually cleared up and she could clearly see where she was A cage. A steel cage hardly big enough to hold a full grown wolf. But because she was in her human form, her petite figure fitted into the cage. She was lying on her side, her cheek against the cold steel bars of the cage. She slowly pushed herself up, noticing that she was dressed in a strange attire. A dress similar to the clothed men that had attacked them.Her eyes moved round the room where she was kept imprisoned and she noticed Xavier at a corner of the room, chained to the wall. He was still unconscious."Xavier?",she whispered, trying not to make a sound. She didn't know where this was, and she was sure she hea
Strangely enough, Layla wasn't surprised one bit when she heard the words of the Sultan.Somehow she was beginning to understand why similar things like this were always happening to her. It seemed there was something in her, something alluring and beguiling that made every creature want her. Maybe it was because of what she was. A Tribrid. Or maybe it was the scent of her blood, or something else she didn't know. Whatever it was, she didn't care. All she knew was that she wouldn't sit back and watch another man try to stake his claim on her. Xavier had done enough with his obsession over her. She wouldn't let it repeat herself with another man.Squaring her shoulders, she raised her chin defiantly and stared right into the Sultan's eyes."I will be no one's wife",her voice was both cold and hard with no sign of fear. She belonged to only one man, and that was Riven.The Sultan turned back around, surprised that the girl had indeed spoken back to him. It was unheard of in his kingdom
"Riven you must cast away your pride and do what Aranna ordered!",Annabelle snapped the minute Riven arrived at the mansion. Layla was not with him, so she could only assume that he left her with the Ancient Fae.What she couldn't believe was that, Riven still had the mind to contemplate if he should actually bring the shadow warrior over or not. She could understand, or try to understand why he was hesitant. But this was something that concerned Layla, something of grave importance. It wasn't the time to hesitate."Aranna needs to find another way",as stubborn and hardheaded as usual, Riven refused. "The reason why I agreed to take off the mark from Layla was to get rid of the shadow warrior forever. How then do you expect me to bring the person I clearly don't want to see close to my mate?""This isn't the time for this Riven! This is the only way",Annabelle said in a shrill voice. She was getting infuriated and trying hard to hold herself so she wouldn't lose control. "For the love
Lying atop a bed of blue flowers were Xavier and Layla.Aranna, the Ancient Fae sprinkled silver dust over them while muttering beneath her breath in ancient language. When she was done, she intertwined a piece of silver string around Xavier's left wrist and Layla's right wrist. Next, a blue glow encircled them and began to pulsate with energy.Aranna moved back finally and stood beside Riven who was silent and looking like hell. The more Layla remained unconscious, the more he blamed himself for sending her consciousness into another realm. "Everything will be fine Riven",Aranna said and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. "She's a strong woman. She will come out of this""This is all my fault",Riven whispered dejectedly."Don't beat yourself up, you were only acting on instinct when you wanted to take her pain away",Aranna said with a shake of her head. "It's what shifters do. They don't like to see their mates in pain. Wasn't it you that came to me when she arrived at the islan
The human realm, Kingdom Of Northville....The sun slowly rose from the eastern horizon and brightened the magnificent city of Northville, welcoming its citizens to a brand new day.At the edge of the kingdom, hidden among the wild flowers and surrounded by the forest of the willows was a fancy cottage.The front door of the cottage swung open and a white haired young woman stepped outside, holding a basket of grains."Kalista, don't forget to feed the chickens",a female voice called from within the cottage."Yes, mother",Kalista responded and twirled her way towards the metal cage behind the cottage. She hummed to herself along the way, holding up her dress and skipping lightly."Good morning, my little feathered friends",she smiled warmly as she got to the cage and crouched before it. The chickens squawked in anticipation for their morning meal, and Kalista carefully tipped the basket she held and poured out the grains into the feeder."Don't rush, there's enough for everyone",she
Six years later....Riven's mansion was filled with the sound of celebration and decorated with Christmas lights. Outside, it was blazing cold and snowing hard but inside the house, it was warm and cozy as a low fire burned in the chimney.There was a large Christmas tree in the middle of the living room, decorative lights twinkling like a thousand jewels. Beneath the tree, there were dozens of presents, boxes wrapped in fancy wrappings.It was Christmas.Six year old Xavier and Cade raced around the large living room, laughing happily as they were being chased my Clarissa, Caleb's three year old daughter. The boys totally adored her and they protected her from the bullying of the other shifter's kids. Clarissa had bright blonde hair like her father, but had her mother's sky blue eyes. Her smile was enchanting, the deep dimples on her cheeks giving her an adorable look.As the children raced around the living room, Layla watched them from the top of the stairs with a smile. She had
Three years later....Riven sprinted through the large halls of his huge mansion, racing towards his room at the top floor with a woman behind him.She was a doctor, a shifter who didn't want to belong to any pack, and prefered to live on her own. She had volunteered to help Layla in her delivery for a handsome fee.She was just a young werewolf, only two hundred years old with no sign of her mate yet."Alpha slow down",she chuckled behind him as she rushed towards the room where the Luna was waiting. "We still have a few more hours before the baby comes""The contractions are getting unbearable",Riven said over his shoulder but didn't reduce his hurried steps. In a panicked mode, he sent a mind link to his mate.[My love, hold on. The doctor is on her way to you][Oh Riven, hurry. I'm so terrified], Layla's reply made the beast in him more frantic and he flew up the remaining flight of stairs.He shoved the door open and hurried to the side of the bed where Layla was.Layla was sitt
Riven felt suddenly whole. He shut his eyes, forgetting everything else and focusing on the feeling of Layla's soft body close to him. His arms tightened around her, one hand reaching up to caress her hair. The scent of apples and roses, the scent he had grown so used to, flooded his senses and made him dizzy from relief. All of a sudden, everything seemed alright. All the years he had been wallowing in anguish and guilt sudden disappeared. It didn't matter anymore as long as his mate was in his arms."Layla",he whispered in her ear, burying his nose in the crook of her shoulder and breathing in her scent. The unique scent that belonged to only her. "Is it really you?""Yes, Riven",Layla whispered back to him, tears rolling down her cheeks when she answered him. "I came back to you, my love"The feeling was surreal and it still felt like a dream to him. Only the sparks of the mate bond and the softness of her body made him believe it was actual reality.He was really holding his ma
Years had passed since the last battle with the devils and the lycanthropes, and everything was finally back to normal.Riven didn't return to the hidden island, the only place he knew as his home. He decided it was time to start a new life somewhere else.He established a new territory in the human world, a city called DeVille . He built a much more magnificent mansion and the entire lycanthropes lived in peace just as they had been living in the hidden island.His business thrived, producing billions for him every year. Soon, Riven Qinn became the talk of the city. Men respected him, women adored and worshipped him, wishing they could catch the young handsome billionaire's attention.They had no way of knowing that Riven was centuries old, and he would never love another woman.Caleb was promoted to the position of Supreme Beta and Knox was the new Supreme Gamma.Over the years, majority of the lycanthropes were united with their mates and the Dark Creek Pack expanded as babies were
Xavier felt his breath bust out of his mouth. It was only then that he realized he had been holding it. Selene, the Moon Goddess was right in front of him?Without another word, he bowed his head to the ground, trembling from awe and immense respect. For the Moon Goddess herself to appear to him was something he couldn't fathom. He wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth to be in her presence.His lips trembled as he bowed his head repeatedly before Selene."Rise, Xavier",Selene continued in a soothing voice, the hint of an amused smile playing around her perfect lips.However, Xavier shook his head and remained on the ground before her."I know you're wondering why I have appeared to you",the Moon Goddess said. "You helped the lycanthropes defeat the war, even when you were part of the reason for the war in the first place"Xavier trembled from shame when he heard the goddess. He had indeed been a part of the cause. He had made a deal with the devil and deceived Layla just because he want
A week later...A week had flown by since the bloody battle with the devils and the demons of hell. The spot where the battle took place in Red River City was scorched and blackened badly and would forever be a reminder to people, both humans and supernatural creatures, of the day the devils almost took over the world.The desert creatures had exchanged polite words with Riven, congratulating each other for their victorious battle. And when the sultan tried to offer his condolences on Layla's death, Riven declined and wished them safely back to their realm.Left with nothing else to say, the sultan nodded respectfully to Riven and he disappeared with his surviving army. The surviving minotaurs returned to their realms while every other creature that had contributed to the victory of the war with the devils returned to their respective realms, leaving only the lycanthropes in Red River City.The City was in ruins. The dead bodies were piled in different sections and burned. The entire
Layla stepped out of the shield of energy into the burning red flames. She waved her hand and the shield thickened, keeping Riven and the other creatures within. The flames didn't harm her, as her magic was joined with the spirit beast.When Riven tried to hurry out after her, he felt his body bounce against the shield of energy. He was trapped within.His eyes widened as realization dawned on him."Layla",he called out to her through the shield. "Riven... it is time",Layla said in a sad tone. Tears slowly spilled down her eyes as she gazed lovingly at her mate. "I want to make this easy for you but I don't know how...""Please, my love. It can't end like this",Riven pleaded in a shaky voice. He didn't know when tears gathered in his eyes and spilled down his cheek. For the first time since he lost his sister, he cried. "Don't do this, please. Don't leave me. We can end this together"Layla felt her heart shatter all over again when she witnessed the way her mate begged her like his
Hades let out a terrifying scream and stumbled backwards. Black smoke seeped out from the cracks on his face as Layla's blood burned him. He swiped at his face, his sharp claws ripping the skin apart as he struggled to wipe the blood away from his face. This same pain also visited the other six devils as they wailed eeriely, their faces melting off from the contact of Layla's blood."I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!",Hades bellowed at Layla in a fit of scorching rage. The devil had wanted Layla's blood to curse her with blood magic but in the end, Layla had beaten him at his own game.The spell the devil had placed over the lycanthropes and the remaining creatures was broken and they could move again. They succeeded in destroying the remaining demons and pushing the rest into the crater of flames. It seemed the power of the devils greatly diminished after Layla's blood touched them because the creatures stopped crawling out from the crater. Seeing how distracted the devils were at that poin