Lucien“Women are the greatest manipulators.”I was beginning to understand when my uncle used to say this. They must have attended the same school because they all exhibited the same character. I couldn't take my mind off the moment Irene came to meet me. Thinking about it made my skin burn with anger. She thought she was going to seduce me just like that? I was not a sex starved man! Come on, I had a lot more going on with me than to get seduced. My room was quiet when my phone rang after all my rants. I didn’t need to check the caller ID because I already knew who it was. I had been expecting this and it was surprising it came in later than expected. I let it ring a few more times before answering. I didn't want to come off as desperate just because I answered the call quickly. “Kael. You called me. Is all well?” I asked and a smooth low chuckle echoed through the line. He was trying to make me annoyed but it wasn't going to work this time. I had conditioned my mind not t
Lucien I could feel my wolf stir the moment I saw Chris go too close to Irene. He had been trying to harass her in my very presence without fear.Had he been blind to see that I was there? Or had he forgotten his place?The possessiveness slammed into me like a rush of waves, tightening my chest and heating up my blood.My fingers clicked and my hand tightened as I took a slow breath, willing myself to stay calm.Chris had no idea what he was playing with. Maybe I had been too cool with him, and he hadn’t realized how bad what he was doing was.And as for Irene? She sat stiffly in her chair, her face tight and her eyes dark with fear, so I thought.I caught a slight tension in her shoulders. I also saw the way her body fidgeted and the way her hand curled under the table as if she were restraining herself from doing something silly.She didn’t like his presence.Neither did I, and I was going to show him that now.“Back off!” I yelled at him, my voice filled with enough authority to
Lucien I could feel my wolf stir the moment I saw Chris go too close to Irene. He had been trying to harass her in my very presence without fear. Had he been blind to see that I was there? Or had he forgotten his place? The possessiveness slammed into me like a rush of waves, tightening my chest and heating up my blood. My fingers clicked and my hand tightened as I took a slow breath, willing myself to stay calm. Chris had no idea what he was playing with. Maybe I had been too cool with him, and he hadn’t realized how bad what he was doing was. And as for Irene? She sat stiffly in her chair, her face tight and her eyes dark with fear, so I thought. I caught a slight tension in her shoulders. I also saw the way her body fidgeted and the way her hand curled under the table as if she were restraining herself from doing something silly. She didn’t like his presence. Neither did I, and I was going to show him that now. “Back off!” I yelled at him, my voice filled with enough aut
Irene's POV "You have to hurry Irene!" The twigs snapped rapidly under my legs with each movement, but I still didn't feel fast enough. We were the only wolves living in a cottage deep in the woods. I always told Dad that we had to move into the city and stay with the other pack members but he never listened."Come on Dad, the wood is so isolated. Whenever I head to the city, people call me a freak, and I don't blame them at all. I mean, we live in the goddamn woods!" I would say."A werewolf should live in their territory, not outside," He would reply.Now here I was, almost breathless from running for miles. I couldn't stop to catch my breath because I was worried—and for the first time in years, I was... Scared.Familiar faces stared at me as light shone brightly on my face at the entrance to the house, the looks on their faces horrifying, but it couldn't be compared to Silas's, my little brother. He looked like he had seen something worse than a ghost.Without talking to anyone,
Irene's POV"You're kidding, right?" I asked, ignoring the pain in my chest as I tried to steady myself. "Tell me you are, Peris," I pleaded.But instead, he looked away, avoiding my gaze. I tried to grab his hand, but he pushed mine away. He turned to me. "It's not you, Irene... It's just that... My family can't have anything to do with yours," He said and then his eyes darkened. "I mean, your Dad is a traitor—""—You know that's not true!" I yelled, trying to defend my father. "My Dad would never do that."Peris chuckled. "Oh really... Then tell me why he is lying on the floor of your living room with his body torn to pieces like a worthless—" Before he could complete the words, someone spun him around and landed a punch on his face, sending him to the ground."Don't you dare talk about my Dad like that again, especially not in front of my sister!" Silas growled. Peris scoffed as he stood up. He wiped the blood that spilled out the corner of his busted lips. "I can see the little
Irene's POV "You cannot do that!" Silas yelled out as he stood up from his seat.All of a sudden the Alpha Lucian growled, "KEEP QUIET BOY!"A chill ran down my spine, not because of the tone of the Alpha's voice, but because of what it did to my brother. I watched as Silas fell to the ground, crying out in pain as he held his throat. His face turned white as tears rolled down his eyes.Alpha Lucian had used his commanding power on him. It was one of the powers an Alpha could use on his Pack members. Right now, he had used it to force Silas to be quiet."Stop it!" I screamed as I crouched down next to my brother, trying to stop his pain."You and brother must have forgotten a few things because you both spent all your life living in a cottage outside the Pack House," Alpha Lucian said. His face held no emotion and his voice sounded calm. It was like he didn't care that Silas was in pain."Listen, Irene, you need to have a reality check," He continued. "I am the Alpha of this Pack, an
Irene's POV I felt a tear prick the corners of my eyes, but I didn't let it fall. I had to be strong."Do you understand me, girl?" Rose asked, her brown eyes searching mine I swallowed hard as I nodded. She smiled. "That's it, girl. I've watched you for these past few weeks. You are stronger than you think you are, so you shouldn't let them bring you down."She was right. I had been through a lot worse. I was left alone to pick up the remains of my father. I couldn't let Silas see, so I sent him on an errand while I had our living room cleaned up.I still remembered what it felt like. The pain I felt as I gathered up Dad's body parts. I picked up his hands, his legs, and then his torso. But what hurt more was picking up his head. It had been clawed off of his body.I raised my head, holding back the tears that tried to fall. "You are strong, Irene, don't let them see your weak side. You can't let them think you are weak," I muttered to myself."That's the spirit," Rose said. "Now
IreneMy heart hammered wildly against my chest as the words left Luke's mouth. His words kept echoing in my head like a raging storm. I could not believe all of these were happening. It felt like a dream. "Thanks for taking the traitor's daughter off my hands."I stared at Alpha Lucian, unable to process what I had just heard. Was this a joke? Indeed, there was some mistake. I was being mated to my father’s murderer like it was something normal. “Come on, Irene. You have to snap out of your illusion,” I said to myself, and I almost hit my palm against my face countless times. I watched as Lucian folded the document and tucked it into his jacket. He did all that with a calmness that infuriated me. When he was done, he turned to Luke and gave him a side-eye. “Pack up everything concerning the auction and send everyone home. It’s over,” he ordered and in return, Luke gave him a sharp nod. “As you wish, Alpha.” He glanced at me briefly, and a mischievous sneer curled on his lips b
Lucien I could feel my wolf stir the moment I saw Chris go too close to Irene. He had been trying to harass her in my very presence without fear. Had he been blind to see that I was there? Or had he forgotten his place? The possessiveness slammed into me like a rush of waves, tightening my chest and heating up my blood. My fingers clicked and my hand tightened as I took a slow breath, willing myself to stay calm. Chris had no idea what he was playing with. Maybe I had been too cool with him, and he hadn’t realized how bad what he was doing was. And as for Irene? She sat stiffly in her chair, her face tight and her eyes dark with fear, so I thought. I caught a slight tension in her shoulders. I also saw the way her body fidgeted and the way her hand curled under the table as if she were restraining herself from doing something silly. She didn’t like his presence. Neither did I, and I was going to show him that now. “Back off!” I yelled at him, my voice filled with enough aut
Lucien I could feel my wolf stir the moment I saw Chris go too close to Irene. He had been trying to harass her in my very presence without fear.Had he been blind to see that I was there? Or had he forgotten his place?The possessiveness slammed into me like a rush of waves, tightening my chest and heating up my blood.My fingers clicked and my hand tightened as I took a slow breath, willing myself to stay calm.Chris had no idea what he was playing with. Maybe I had been too cool with him, and he hadn’t realized how bad what he was doing was.And as for Irene? She sat stiffly in her chair, her face tight and her eyes dark with fear, so I thought.I caught a slight tension in her shoulders. I also saw the way her body fidgeted and the way her hand curled under the table as if she were restraining herself from doing something silly.She didn’t like his presence.Neither did I, and I was going to show him that now.“Back off!” I yelled at him, my voice filled with enough authority to
Lucien“Women are the greatest manipulators.”I was beginning to understand when my uncle used to say this. They must have attended the same school because they all exhibited the same character. I couldn't take my mind off the moment Irene came to meet me. Thinking about it made my skin burn with anger. She thought she was going to seduce me just like that? I was not a sex starved man! Come on, I had a lot more going on with me than to get seduced. My room was quiet when my phone rang after all my rants. I didn’t need to check the caller ID because I already knew who it was. I had been expecting this and it was surprising it came in later than expected. I let it ring a few more times before answering. I didn't want to come off as desperate just because I answered the call quickly. “Kael. You called me. Is all well?” I asked and a smooth low chuckle echoed through the line. He was trying to make me annoyed but it wasn't going to work this time. I had conditioned my mind not t
IreneMy intrusive thoughts were at it again but I couldn't let them win this time if I wanted to get what I wanted. Camille had told me to meet her at the training grounds at dawn, and I had spent most of the night thinking about what exactly I wanted to gain from this.Was it the strength? The confidence? The ability to protect myself?Perhaps, it was all of the above. I had been powerless for too long and that needed to change.I walked toward the training ground, away from where warriors usually trained. My mind was already running through the possible explanations I could give if I were caught. Maybe I could lie that I wanted to watch the pack soldiers on the other end who were training. I could make it look like I was just simply curious because of the penalty. But all of that fell away when I heard Lucien’s voice from afar. "Rest for now. We cut off contact with others at the border until further notice."I slowed my steps, and rolled my eyes. .Cut off contact? Why?The p
IreneFor the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel like I was completely alone. Camille’s presence at dinner changed everything and I wanted to punch her, to kick her and to yell at her for leaving me all these while. I wanted her to apologize for everything she had done to me. I had been very lonely ever since I got here. I could see it in the way Lucien stole glances at me. He was a little tense. When he noticed that I caught him staring at me, he turned to Eve. Eve's face fell every time Camille laughed at something I said. Chris was just as annoying as ever but I didn't seem to mind him. He was a retard anyway and sometimes, I think he's just the best for Eve because they are so much alike. But I? I was having the time of my life.For once, I wasn’t sitting in silence, picking at my food while the others gossiped about me or cast judgmental glances in my direction. Tonight, I was engaged. I was laughing, talking, and making sure everyone knew that I was still very mu
LucienI enjoyed the way these two ladies attacked themselves. They made things more fun and more tense. All of these make me forget my worries for a brief second. While that was good, it wasn't a responsible way of handling things. I leaned back in my chair with my arms crossed as I watched Irene and Eve glare at each other like two wolves about to tear into each other's flesh.Eve was quite predictable. She had a sharp tongue and could barely conceal her anger. But Irene? She was very different from Eve. She had a way of revenging and making you pay for the crime you committed just by getting under your skin like thorns.Chris sat stiffly beside me, watching what was playing out in front of us. He began to communicate through the mind link to me and I could see exactly what he was talking about. "She’s unbearable. Get rid of her,” he said, talking about Irene. I tightened my face, suppressing the irritation that he creeped onto me. I had expected something more intelligent fr
IreneDid I have to keep complaining in order to get what I want? I guessed so and I was beginning to give into what life already had in store for me.Lucien had mentioned something the other time and he left me hanging. I had so much pride left inside of me and I could not see myself asking him what he meant by that statement. I held my head down with my two hands and breathed heavily. This was more difficult than I thought but I might still be capable for the journey ahead. Who knows?As I soliloquized, I was able to hear him come before I saw him and From the sounds of the footsteps coming closer to me. I knew that he was here. There was a way he walked. It was different from that of others. Lucien was back. I couldn't think twice about that. I stood by the window, pretending that I didn't just confirm that he was here. I hid the smile on my face and wore a very straight look so that he wouldn't mistake me for someone happy. I was not a happy woman. I was far from that and
LucienI was unable to overcome the disappointment wrapping around me. The moment Irene said she was cursed, something inside me shattered. Was this really true or was she trying to pull my legs?I couldn't tell but I felt a feeling inside me that I didn't want to talk about. Why did she suddenly talk about it? There was no way I would want to involve myself with a cursed person. It would mean that myself and my lineage would be cursed. Oh, damn it! I had wanted to mark her. I had wanted to claim her and make her mind. But, she had the boldness to look me dead in the eyes and tell me I would die if I loved her. I was not the type that should be afraid of curses. But, there was something different about this. It sounded so much like a lie and at the same time, it sounded so true. That was what confused me the most. If it was a lie then it was a cunning and desperate attempt to push me away from her. I had never been a man who tolerated deceit. But if it was true, I had to be
IreneThat was so cunning of him. He knew what exactly he was doing and if he thought he was going to put me in a tight spot, then he was only joking. I knew what I wanted and it wasn't him. I was also not going to fall into any trap prepared for me by him. I lifted my chin, meeting Lucien’s piercing eyes which went straight into me. “Behead me,” I dared him and my eyes didn't blink. He didn’t react at first and the look on his face was far from normal, but his grip on the chair’s armrest tightened. Of course, he was not expecting that from me. He thinks I was one of those random ladies who would plead with him to mark me. I didn't need his mark on my skin. What did I need such a silly thing for?“Excuse me?” he asked and his voice became dangerously low. I swallowed hard but refused to show any sign of weakness. Why was he bent on me repeating myself? “You heard me, Lucien. If marking me is the only way you would let me go, then kill me,” I repeated. This time my voice was