Alex's P.O.V I think I was still laughing the next morning when I woke up, the image of Mirage's stunned expression when she realized she had been flashing me, playing over and over again inside my head. The look she had given me after had been murderous. And I was very much anticipating what she would do next. If she wanted, I could very much strip all the way down to my birthday suit and give her a show, return the favor just the way she wanted me to. I had seen her eying my body, and the tattoo on my chest. It had made a shiver of appreciation run down my spine while I had tried my best to mask my reaction to her. Damnit! If this was the effect she had on me with just her eyes…then what would happen if she put her hands on me? 'Alex? You up?' Cameron's voice returned me back to the here and now and I wiped that stupid grin on my face to answer him mentally…even though I knew he wouldn't be able to see me. "Yes. Just woke up.' I told him
Alex's P.O.V "Alpha Krimson." Alpha Charles held out his hand for him to shake. "It's good to see you. Hope you had a comfortable flight." "I had indeed." He tilted his head to the side. "Thank you for coming all the way here to welcome me." "It's my pleasure." Alpha Charles motioned towards the exit. "Come, let's head to the packhouse." Cameron followed behind his father and Alpha Krimson as I picked up his suitcase and showed his assistant towards the car. The three of them took the SUV while I took the Sedan and rode with Alpha Krimson's assistant, who was also a Gamma in his pack. Somchai Rattakul, a man of Thai origin and a powerful wolf in his own right, sat in the passenger's seat as I drove back to the packhouse, following close behind the Alpha's car. He didn't speak much and I wondered if it was because he felt uncomfortable in a new environment or if he was just the kind of person who l
Mirage's P.O.V I didn't know why was heart was beating so fast, but seeing all five, hunky men enter the room literally took my breath away. Alpha Charles, Cameron and Alex were no doubt handsome men, but the new addition seemed even more breathtaking, especially the man with long hair that brushed his shoulders and eyes as red as blood. That was Alpha Krimson, wasn't it? It was in his name…those red eyes. Sarah told me that the man belonged to the Red Claw pack. At that time, I had thought of him as a freak that had even had his pack named after him. But now that I'd seen him in person…it seemed fitting. "Alpha Krimson, this is Mirage Valecha and our pack healer Daisy Waters." Alpha Charles made the introductions. "If you have any specific questions, you can ask her." "I do have a question." Alpha Krimson frowned. "What is that on her wrist?" "It's a monitoring device." Daisy answered from next
Mirage's P.O.V Sarah was waiting for me right outside the doors and as soon as she saw my face, she took my hand and began dragging me away. Only once we were inside the safety of my room did she let go of my hand and started to check my pulse and my temperature. "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. "Your pulse is closer to 180 again. Did something happen?" "Yes…No…I don't know!" I felt like I was about to panic. "I heard this voice inside my head, Sarah…" Now that I was no longer in front of so many people, the force of the shock was almost to the point of being overwhelming. "A voice?" Her eyes widened. "Your wolf?" "No," I shook my head immediately. "It was different. This one sounded lighter…I-I can't explain how different, but I just know this wasn't my wolf!" Was there a proper way to explain what I was hearing? How do you describe a voice in your head w
Alex's P.O.V "See this?" Daisy handed me two papers that had a bunch of bar graphs and even more complicated scientific terminology in abundance, scattered all over the paper. "Exactly what am I supposed to be looking for, Daisy?" I frowned. "I don't understand…" "Then at least you can tell me what you do understand from the graph patterns." Daisy took the papers from me once again and spread them out on top of the table in front of her, putting the two papers side by side. I wanted to tell her that I didn't have time for this right now and that I would rather just get straight to the point and be done with; but still, I complied, out of respect for our healer. Daisy was an asset to the pack and she wouldn't be randomly trying to confuse me if it didn't mean anything. However, when I took a closer look at the two graphs once again, what stood out immediately was just how similar they were to each other. "I
Mirage's P.O.V I opened my eyes groggily, feeling exhausted and completely drained. And hungry…I was so, so hungry… Darkness greeted me from all sides. But this was not the comforting darkness of the night. It wasn't the kind of darkness that made you search for the moon in the sky; gaze at the million tiny twinkling lights… No. This dark was constricting…suffocating. It made me gasp for breath, making me feel like I wasn't getting enough oxygen into my lungs. I sat up on the cold, hard floor, trying to figure out where I was. Everything here was so cold. I tried to crawl forward, because I was so exhausted that even my legs couldn't hold my breath at the moment. But hardly had I taken two steps forward…when something yanked me back with a vice grip on my throat. A scream escaped my lips as I fell back on old wounds. My body was sore all over and it was cold…so, so cold. It was only then that I noticed that I wasn't clothed. I was lying o
Mirage's P.O.V "If you see the blood-works closely, both Mirage and Alpha Krimson have the same proteins in their blood in higher quantities." Daisy pointed out to the projector screen, which had an image of several circular or oval shaped bug-like "cells" swimming in a pit of more such bug-like cells. "The two images are nearly identical. The only difference is the amount of adrenaline in definitely higher for both of them, but more so in case of Mirage." "Alpha Krimson," Daisy asked the man sitting to my left. "This is to cross-check the data you provided us with; in Mirage's case, does the higher cortisol and adrenaline level significant with the time she has been a rogue or the time she has been free of her wolf's control? We've estimated somewhere between 3 days to a week in her case and she's been injected with the antidote only five days prior. "It's the time she has been free of her wolf," Alpha Krimson co
Mirage's P.O.V "Mirage, was it?" Alpha Krimson's husky voice stopped me in my tracks just as I was about to exit the meeting room behind Alex and Daisy. Halting mid-step, I turned back to look towards Krimson with a frown. "I thought you would have learned it by now." I scowled. "Or do you prefer 'test-subject zero, zero-something '?" "Mirage sounds better," he rounded the table and headed straight for me, stopping until he was only a few mere inches away from me. "Would you like to take a walk with me? I would like to get to know you better." "Do you do that with all your test-subjects or am I an exception?" My frown deepened. "No other test-subjects of mine have ended up being females." He lowered his face closer to mine as he whispered those words to me; the warmth of his breath hitting the side of my neck. His words sent a shiver down my spine and I immediately took a step back
Lilac's P.O.V It's been a long ride and a very eventful one at that and anytime I think about what Krimson and I have been through, I'm just grateful we had the strength to go through everything we went through and we were able to come out of it even stronger than how we were before. As the sun cast its warm, golden rays across the university campus, I found myself sitting on a bench, the weight of decisions pressing against my chest. The soft whispers of the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze mirrored the conflicted thoughts swirling in my mind. Krimson, my mate, had offered a future tied to our pack, an enticing prospect for many, but not for me. I gazed at the sprawling grounds, feeling a tug in my heart that wasn't just about academic pursuits. The university held promises beyond the textbooks and lectures. It offered freedom—freedom to carve my own identity, to explore knowledge that extended far beyond the boundaries of our pack's traditions. I yearned to brea
Krimson's P.O.V I woke up to the pale light filtering through the hospital room, the faint beeping of monitors sounding in the background. My vision was hazy at first, the events leading up to this moment a jumbled mess in my mind. As I blinked and slowly tried to focus, the first thing that became clear was Lilac's form, peacefully asleep in a chair next to my bed. Relief washed over me as memories flooded back, fragments piecing together into a coherent narrative. "Lilac," I whispered softly, my voice hoarse from disuse. She stirred slightly, a faint flutter of eyelashes against her cheeks, but she remained deep in slumber. The sight of her there, unwavering by my side, despite everything that had transpired, filled me with an inexplicable warmth. I couldn't help but recall the chaos of that night—the confrontation, the whirlwind of emotions, and then the blankness as consciousness slipped away from me. But here I was, waking up to her steadfast presence. It m
Lilac's P.O.V I watched Silver hurl accusations at me, adding to my guilt. I wanted to explain, to make her understand that it wasn't intentional, that the circumstances had shifted beyond my control. But words seemed to desert me in that moment as I grappled with the weight of her accusation. However, Krimson's voice echoed in the room then, commanding even though weak. "Silver, it's not Lilac's fault," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "I made the decision. I took action to protect." Silver's gaze snapped toward Krimson, her eyes filled with disbelief. "What are you saying, Krimson? You hated her, didn't you? Then why would you risk your life to save her?" Krimson shook his head solemnly. "No, Silver. I never hated Lilac, it was our circumstances that I hated. It felt like the Goddess had played a cruel joke on me. But I couldn't run away from a bond fated by the goddess herself, Silver. I had caused Lilac enough pain as it is…I
Lilac's P.O.V I nodded, my mind racing with the urgency of the situation. I moved towards Silver, hoping against hope that all of this worked. "Silver…" I called out to her slowly, making her head snap in my direction. "Please…you need to stop all of this." But Silver's face twisted in a sinister smirk. "It's too late to stop any of this, Lilac. This ends with one of us." "It doesn't have to be that way, Silvia." I shook my head, pleading with her. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Del approaching her steadily from behind her, while I kept on engaging her in conversion. "It does, Lilac." Silver snapped at me, turning her body around so she was facing me completely. "You don't understand-" It was all Del needed, for her to turn away, so that our plan worked. Without wasting a second, he came up behind Silver and wrapped his arms around her body, holding her in place as he took her by surprise
Lilac's P.O.V For a moment, time seemed suspended, the tableau frozen in an eerie stillness. Silver hesitated, her gaze flickering between me and Krimson, the dagger held poised in the air, its lethal purpose momentarily forgotten in the face of Krimson's interruption. "Step away from her, Silver," Krimson's voice cut through the tension, unwavering and authoritative. His stance was firm, commanding obedience without question. The grip of Silver's magic lessened, the pressure easing just enough for me to draw a ragged breath. My muscles protested as I struggled against the binds anew, though I didn't dare to take my eyes off Silver, her expression a maelstrom of conflicting emotions - anger, desperation, and a hint of something I couldn't quite place. "Krimson, you shouldn't be here," Silver's voice wavered, a tremor betraying the turmoil within her. Her grip on the dagger faltered, uncertainty clouding her features. "You know I couldn't stand by and
Lilac's P.O.V The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackled around us like a storm waiting to break. "Silver, you're fooling yourself if you think you can wield that kind of power," I said softly, my gaze fixed on the gleaming knife in her hands. "You're not a true Silver Alpha Breeder, you never will be. You can't ever access my full potential." Silver's laughter cut through the serene air, a sound that held a hint of something darker beneath its surface. "Oh, you have no idea, do you?" Her eyes glinted with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "You underestimate what a witch can do, what I can do. I'm part wolf, part witch. I'm a hybrid that is already stronger than both a wolf and a witch! There's nothing I cannot do, Lilac!" "You think I chose you to lead our pack because of some noble sentiment? No, Lilac." Her voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. "I chose you because I knew the stronger you became, the more that dormant p
Lilac's P.O.V My eyes brimmed with confusion and hurt as I confronted Silver in the dimly lit room I was being held captive in. "Did you…ever really consider me a friend, Silver?" my voice trembled with a mixture of fear and desperation, my heart aching with the weight of betrayal. Silver, her gaze heavy with sorrow and a haunted past, met my eyes. "I used to belong to a peaceful pack, a pack that had been my home since the day I was born," she began, her voice tinged with a raw emotion that spoke volumes of her pain. "We lived in harmony, in unity. It was everything to me." Tears welled up in Silver's eyes, reflecting the agony of memories etched deep within her soul. "Your father," she whispered, the words heavy with anguish. "He... he attacked our pack. In the dead of night, when darkness cloaked the land, he led a brutal assault." I felt my heart ache for the woman that I had once considered my biggest alley, but now, she had turned out to be my bigges
Krimson's P.O.V The night hung heavy around us as we tore through the city streets, the engine's roar mingling with the howling wind. Del and I were on a mission—racing against time to reach Silver's apartment. It was imperative that we find Lilac before anything sinister unfolded. "Alpha Krimson, step on it!" Del's voice cut through the adrenaline-charged air, urgency lacing every word. His grip tightened on the door handle as we swerved through the dimly lit alleys, the neon signs blurring into streaks of color. "I'm pushing it as hard as I can!" I shouted back, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. The weight of worry pressed on me like a leaden cloak. We had to reach Silver's place, and had to find Lilac safe and sound. Finally, screeching to a halt outside Silver's building, we leaped out of the car. Breathless and tense, we dashed up the stairs, each step echoing the pounding of our hearts. As we reached Silver's door, our hopes soared, but a hollow silence gre
Lilac's P.O.V As I slowly arose to consciousness, I found myself grappling with the weight of my heavy eyelids. My mind sluggishly pieced together the fragments of reality, pushing through a dense fog of disorientation. The air felt heavy, each inhale a laborious effort that failed to fill my lungs as it should. A peculiar lightheadedness swept over me, a disconcerting sensation akin to floating on the edge of a dream. My initial attempt to stretch my arms, to move, met an unexpected resistance. Panic flickered through my drowsy mind as the realization hit home—I was restrained. My fingertips brushed against something coarse and unyielding, confirming my fear. The sensation sent a jolt of adrenaline through my groggy state, clearing the haze momentarily. I tried to rise, only to discover the cruel truth of my predicament: bound, not just by ropes or chains, but tied firmly to what appeared to be a marble table. The cool surface pressed against my skin, a s