Layla woke up the next morning feeling cold. Her hand stretched out across the bed, trying to find Riven and pull him close.But the space beside her was empty and cold.She snapped her eyes open and sat up in bed. Riven was not in the room with her. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she climbed out of the bed. It was morning already and the bright rays of the sun was already shining through the curtains. The snow was falling harder than ever and the entire room was freezing. Pulling on a thick robe to keep her body warm, Layla peeked into the bathroom, hoping Riven was there and was taking a bath.The bathroom was empty. "Riven?",she called out for him. There was no sign of him in the room. The bathroom tiles were dry, indicating that no one had taken a bath that morning.Tightening the belt of the robe around her waist, she exited the room. She first checked his study room, but the room also empty. Next she went downstairs.The first person she saw was Knox."Good morning Knox",she greete
"Are you sure Riven has really disappeared for weeks now?",Adromalius asked as he gazed at the bleak world before him. No matter how much he went into Tartarus, he could never get used to the chaos and agonized screams that echoed every time.He gazed at Hades, the king of the underworld, waiting for an answer to his questions.Hades held the glass dome containing Layla's blood in his palm. He swirled it occasionally, and each time he did, a devilish look would appear on his face. His plans were almost complete. Now he had the blood of the Tribrid, and a number of Riven's pack members had agreed to join sides with him when he escaped. These alphas were ready to betray their supreme alpha, just as Zeke had betrayed Riven months ago.A large number of other creatures from other realms who had a hidden hatred towards Riven were also prepared and waiting for him to give his command.The only thing left was to be free from this wretched prison called Tartarus, and the world would witness
Everyone in the room became uneasy. They could all feel the dark aura surrounding Layla as her powers were unleashed. Since they didn't know the extent of her powers, they were afraid to aggravate her further. If they did, she would go berserk and who knew what would happen?"Layla you have to calm yourself and understand the situation",Cade tried to persuade her. "WHAT SITUATION?",Layla suddenly screamed in a fit of rage. "HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO DECEIVE ME AND TAKE ME FOR A FOOL? ALL I ASK IS TO SEE RIVEN. I AM HIS MATE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! WHY ARE YOU KEEPING ME FROM MY MATE!?"Layla please...",Cade pleaded but she didn't allow him say a word. She was beyond furious."SHUT UP!",she screamed at him. "TAKE ME TO RIVEN!"Her eyes glowed brighter and angry tears spilled down her cheeks. She was clearly offended with the way she was being treated. She just wanted to see Riven. Her heart couldn't take another day without him. But his bloody warriors didn't want to tell her where he was
They journeyed for days, stopping at night to make camp, eat and rest for the next day. They didn't speak much, and Layla was grateful for it. She needed to think. She needed to know why she had that vision of Riven.She was astonished to see these other parts of the island. She had never been to these parts, and she wondered again why Riven travelled so far to hideaway from her. If he was in pain, why didn't he tell her?During their journey, Layla was oblivious to the complicated look Ren threw at her, but Cade noticed."Have you thought hard about this?",he asked her as they journeyed slowly, towards a high mountain in the distance. This was their fifth day on the road."Thought about what?",Ren reiterated."About letting Layla go to meet him",Cade stated the obvious. "The alpha would be furious with us for disobeying his order""Listen to yourself Cade",Ren said in annoyance. "Riven would be furious that we brought his mate to meet him? Does he plan to stay in hiding for the rest
The cave beneath the mountain was dark and damp. The steady trickling of water sounded from hidden corners and the walls were slippery with moss.There were two lit torches hanging from the walls and Cade picked one while Caleb grabbed the other one. Right before them, there was a flight of stone steps that twisted up the cave and disappeared at the top."Where is this place?",Layla asked softly, and her voice echoed around the cave."It's a place where many have lost their lives", Caleb answered this time. "It used to be a torturing ground for creatures who break the laws of the island""But over the years, it was abandoned because the souls of creatures who died here never left",Cade continued."Do you think it's right to tell her this?", Henrietta asked, casting a worried look over to Layla. "We shouldn't terrify her"Layla lightly touched her shoulder. "I understand your concern Henrietta, but I have to know this"They continued up the stairs silently until they got to the top."
Layla gulped hard when she heard Cade's last words. Riven knew that it was forbidden to summon the spirit beast, and yet he summoned it so he could find her.If only she hadn't stepped outside that day, Riven wouldn't have ended up in this condition.It was all her fault."Why can't he shift back to his human form?", she cried, shoulders shaking from her sobs."He can't because his body is extremely weak", Cade explained quietly to her, his voice filled with grievances. "After using a large amount of his energy to summon the spirit beast, he also fought the shadow warrior. Although the damage caused by the fight wasn't really serious, but the after effect took a toll on him. And the collapsed building also had a negative effect on him. So his human form is extremely weak, that is why his beast was forced to emerge"Layla buried her face in her arms and cried sorrowfully. Caleb held her back and tried to console her, and to prevent her from going closer to the beast unconsciously."We
"Riven...",she whispered his name softly.The beast kept his red eyes on her, growling low in his throat as if warning her to stay away.Taking a deep breath and trembling out of fright, she took down a key that hung on the stone wall and slowly unlocked the cell.The old rusted metal creaked loudly and Layla tensed, afraid that someone would hear it and rush up the stairs. She kept a wary eye on the other end of the passage, waiting to see if someone would come.To her relief, no one came. She slowly turned back to the beast in front of her. His condition was heartrending and she felt instant pity for him, despite the animosity in his red eyes."Oh Riven, what have they done to you?",Layla whispered, having a strong urge to cry. She took a careful step forward but the beast stopped her with a growl, showing her his sharp elongated canines threateningly."Riven it's me",Layla whispered to him, trying to show to the beast that she wasn't a threat. The fear she was feeling choked her bu
Ren jerked awake at the loud clap of thunder. It shook the earth and the sky was lit brightly with lightening. It would rain soon. They needed to find a better place to rest for the night.Her eyes darted around the camp and fell on the space where Layla had been sleeping.The spot was empty. The blanket lay on the ground like she had flung them away from her.In panic, she flew off the ground and dashed towards Cade."Cade!",she screamed.Cade came awake instantly, his claws emerging to fight off whatever threat was around. He looked around the camp site but didn't feel the slightest sign of danger.His eyes fell on Ren and he hurried to meet her halfway. Caleb had woken up too and he wondered what was happening."Ren what is...""It's Layla! She's gone!",Ren screamed.Cade whipped around and his eyes fell on the blanket Layla had laid on to sleep. She wasn't there. "Where is she?",he yelled."I don't know",Ren shouted in a shaky voice. "I told you I had a bad feeling about this"Cal
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