VENITA:"Did he just end the call on me?" I loudly huffed. The audacity of that man. He owns me and every aspect of my life.Sasha was out of the bathroom in no time and I got her ready for bed. We tried our best to stay out of Emily's way. She was acting like a sore bitch and I couldn't handle that. Landon had already annoyed me enough. It would take less than nothing for me to go off should she get on my bad side.Thankfully, the night soon swallowed us and we gave into it with my brain constantly searching for ways to show Landon that I couldn't be owned.The next day came and the day after that with Landon still not back. I also noticed that Grey, Cross and Dr. Grant were nowhere to be found. Alexander and Brighton pestered me like a housefly feeding on a meal. They took turns to drive me to work; while one was with me, the other would be with Sasha. No matter how I tried to fight them off, they insisted as instructed by Landon. I pitied the poor boys because I didn't want them to
LANDON:Away from Venita, I felt the weight of the numerous challenges I was yet to solve pressing on me—dead ends in the investigation, my pack's training ground under attack, the mystery surrounding Venita's DNA, an unknown child in the mix, a deadly virus linked to her blood, my wolves falling victim, manipulation threatening my company, and an unseen adversary bent on exposing us to the human world. Not to forget the secret I've kept about her parents' death. We both needed a break from the chaos, so I decided to plan a mini-vacation to help Venita decompress.We were thousands of feet up in the sky and there she was, peacefully asleep like a child with no problems. “Wake up, beautiful,” I kissed her on the cheek. “Please, no. Ten more minutes,” she protested, pulling the covers over her head. One of Venita's qualities was that, she was a sleeper for sure. She could sleep all day and still doze off once her body hit the bed at night."No, Missy, we’re almost there.” “Wait, what?
VENITA: I was still buzzing with excitement, expressing how I didn't know how I would sleep that night. Everything has been so perfect that I didn't want the day to end or sleep to wake up to find out it was all a dream.Landon pulled me into the bedroom, proclaiming he had the cure for jet lag in his pants. The next day, we packed up early, said our goodbyes to Mateo and Ramona, who had prepared a to-go breakfast of freshly baked pastries for us, and headed to Madrid. I felt a pang of sadness leaving the city, a place I now felt connected to. However, going to Spain was a dream come true. I knew that I was bound to have so much fun. We arrived in Spain around eleven a.m. and checked into our luxurious suite. I was still not accustomed to all the luxuries Landon could afford. During my previous trips to cities in Nashville, I mostly stayed in hostels and cheap hotels. I have never enjoyed luxury before Landon. I flung myself onto the plush, king-sized bed, arms outstretched, and dee
LANDON:"What do you mean she's gone?" I practically shouted, unable to fathom how someone who I trusted with her security could lose my mate. "Is she a two-year-old who can be lost? Get real and find her!" I abruptly ended the call, seething with anger. I slammed the phone down, my frustration boiling over as Cross dared to inform me of such nonsense. He shouldn't have even taken another breath until she was back in his safety.The day had been consumed by meetings, starting with Amsterdam and then moving on to Shanghai and Norway. I felt a twinge of guilt for leaving Venita alone, but I wanted her to enjoy herself, shop, and have fun. Little did I know that the day would take a dark turn. As the hours stretched on, Cross's call shattered my peace. I couldn't shake the image of Venita alone and possibly frightened in an unfamiliar city. Gathering my thoughts, I tapped into our bond, hoping it would guide me to her faster than anything else. I couldn't bear the thought of her feeling
LANDON:Returning to my temporary residence, I grabbed my phone and dialed the Spanish police. Luckily, someone picked up immediately the phone rang."Hello, this is Landon Kurt. I'm calling to report a missing person. My girlfriend, Venita Lowell, went missing in Madrid. I've been searching for her, but I haven't found any leads and it's already late." The voice on the other end was calm and professional, which annoyed me. Could they not sense the urgency of this matter? "I'm sorry to hear that and I understand your concern, Mr. Kurt. However, we can't activate a search party until after twenty-four hours. People often return on their own within that time frame." "But this is different! Venita would never leave me. She's in a foreign city, and I have reasons to believe she might be in danger. I can't wait for twenty-four hours. Is there nothing you can do?" "I empathize with your situation, sir, but our protocol requires waiting for twenty-four hours. It's a standard procedure." F
VENITA: Fluttering my eyes, I struggled to open them against the harsh and blinding brightness. Wincing in discomfort, I tried to close them back, recalling the incident that led to this moment—I had been kidnapped. The logical explanation for the cloth with chloroform over my face. Seconds later, I attempted to get out of bed, but the weight on me felt as heavy as a stack of tree branches. My legs were numb, my eyes stung, head spun, and throat felt dry. Frantically, I dashed towards the slightly opened window, only to bump into another glass I hadn't noticed. Transparent and concealed in the floor-to-ceiling length windows, it deceived the eyes. The room, though beautiful, was practically empty, with only a Queen-sized bed and four bedposts. Observing my surroundings, I decided to approach the door quietly. Attempting to open it, I found it locked. Trying to muster more strength, I tapped into my wolf instincts, but there was only emptiness, a loss of the power I once possessed. C
VENITA:After my brief yet refreshing routine of freshening up and changing into a new set of undergarments and outfits, I approached the door, reminding myself to be patient with the situation. As I turned the handle, true to Venita's words, the door was unlocked. Stepping out, I found myself in a corridor flanked by two closed doors. Moving cautiously, I tiptoed forward, heightened senses anticipating the unknown. The walls of the corridor were painted in the same oyster bay hue as the room I had left behind. Contemplating whether to open the first door I passed, I wondered about the mysteries that might lie behind it. Would it be another room similar to the one I stayed in, or perhaps something more shocking, akin to the secrets I had uncovered in Landon's basement? As I passed the second door, a sudden chill ran down my spine, causing my hair to stand on end. The curiosity deepened, and I felt compelled to open that door. My pulse quickened as I pressed forward, driven by an inex
LANDON:It was frustrating for every single person to keep saying that their lead showed that Venita was out of Madrid. For fucks sake, I was with her passport and she didn't have enough cash on her to fly out of a whole country. The investigators Greg recommended proved futile too. I was facing another dead end with Venita still not back. I couldn't function and this turned out to be the most stupid idea I've come up with for giving in to such a risky deal, thinking that I've got it. If she was in danger, it was all on me for even buying such an idea. I exposed her to threats without proper precaution.This was a whole second day of her disappearance. I was worried. Yet, Dr. Grant kept blowing my phone and when I answered, he just had another useless information on some DNA shit. I didn't care. I wanted my mate back! So, I hung up on him even before he finished his second sentence.My phone rang again and I eagerly answered it after making sure it was persistent Dr. Grant. For the las
VENITA:Things with Landon have been...different. Although having him back changed a lot of things, for one, Sasha starting to talk again, he zoned off most of the time. Each time he was in that state and I found him, he quickly recollected himself. As much as I would love more vacation days, Landon didn't allow that. He went back to work after beating the crap out of Jason and handing him over to the cops. Landon, as always didn't let any of his betrayers go free. He rounded them up and imprisoned them while he thought of a suitable punishment. Surprisingly, he submitted himself to his pack. More like asking for forgiveness. Something Landon Kurt hardly did. It felt great seeing this side of him. He was more level-headed. I guess that was what happens when you have a near-death experience.Here he was dragging me to an unknown location. It was so beautiful to have him back."Just tell me where we are headed. This blindfold is killing me," I nagged."We're here," he announced almost
LANDON:"Wow," I exclaimed as I made another mark on the glass, making know that I had been here for exactly ninety-one days. I have run out of everything and even hibernating wouldn't help. I threw a disgusted glance over what had served me for the last ninety-one days. Nothing was left of it except bones which were beginning to dry up.When I went back to the building, Dr. Grant had lazily gotten up, dragging me to the box that held Venita. He shut it before I could fight him off and the next thing I saw was a shockwave bringing everything down and burying us in the ground. Apparently, the box had been designed also to withstand such a blast, and around the building had a ticking bomb and a manual controller which the sicko head had activated."Of there's no evidence, then, they won't have a case," he coughed out before smiling. "My work is done. Now, I can die in peace. However, more of us will stand up in generations to come to fight against your kind. Our story would be told," he
VENITA:Before I left for my appointment with Jason, I headed to Landon's to check on things. Yes, Lanson's house. I took a few of our things and moved back there since it gave me a sense of security. With the situation, Sasha was in no shape to go back to school so, she only had her therapist and Cross training her. Cross strengthened security as he wouldn't take chances having almost died."She still hasn't said anything?" I asked Cross. Mr. Grumpy was more kind and interactive with me after he woke up from a two-day coma."She hasn't. Should we get a speech specialist to make sure they didn't do anything to her vocal cords back at that crazy lab?" He was sweaty, panting, having just come out from their last session which lasted an hour.Running my hand through my hair, "I think it's more of a psychological damage than physical because she spoke to me when we came out of the lab. She only stopped speaking once she was taken to the hospital," I explained."Let's give it time. The who
VENITA:Three months after...It has been exactly three months since we got rescued. Three months of grief and loneliness. Three months of having to stay strong not knowing if Landon was out there somewhere. I pray he was. My heart shattered every time I thought about him. My nights were terrible whenever memories of the blast came wrapping arms around me.I stepped up in so many things despite my loss. As the doctors said, my pup couldn't be saved. For the first month, all I did was lie down and cry. I refused to eat or even entertain communication of any sort. I pushed my limits, forcing Leah to search in every corner within me if my pup was still there. She always apologized that it wasn't. I lost my pup and then Landon. Things would never be the same.Since I was wheeled to the emergency room and all attempts to save my pup failed, Sasha has refused to speak. She was assigned to a therapist whom she wouldn't say a word to. I kept in touch with Peter and the companies, he was the a
VENITA:Barely able to get off the floor and into the car to drive off despite my lightheadedness, the building that my mate had run back into went up in flames.Boom! was the shattering sound that pierced my ear and sent our car off balance. I couldn't comprehend what had happened. The whole building came down. There was no way anything could come out of that place.I held Sasha by the waist as she cried out, "Daddy!" unbuckling her seatbelt, in an attempt to run out of the car. We had somehow ended up close to a massive gate. Despite the explosion that shook the entire place, we were now facing uncountable angry-looking masked men taking powerful strides toward us.This was finally the end for us. Cross was out and Sasha couldn't take on those countless guys for sure. As for myself, I was in no shape to help in any way. If only a miracle could save us.The world erupted in chaos as the deafening sound of another blast echoed through the air. Sasha, Cross, and I were still confined
LANDON:Even though we were lost in battle, Sean was, for the first time making plans about my future. It was funny because it didn't care whether I would survive this moment to fulfill that expectation. All it wanted was clarity of the path ahead."Sean shut the fuck up and stop whining in my head. I need to concentrate. You're not even helping as I'm fighting with my human strength. So, please, zip it!" I scolded, punching another guy in his stomach."Don't shush me. If I hadn't answered you, you wouldn't even have seen the human strength to fight with. So, be grateful to me," he retorted.Meanwhile, Sasha was leading the frontline of battle. She was fierce and intimidating. She hadn't fully transformed and still exacted such power. If she fully transforms, she was going to be a war goddess. Yet, I knew that I was going to get her all the help that she needed. There was no way I was going to make my baby comfortable with this life of chaos. She was a princess and her mother, a Queen
VENITA:The scorching pain by the side of my stomach was unbearable. I had no clue what had been done to me. Oh, my baby. My pup. Forgive me for being such a weakling. I couldn't muster the strength to save any of us.While I battled with my thoughts, an unsuspecting commotion broke out. "Sasha!" I called out. My daughter had been injected with something. If the substance was making Dr. Grant panic, I had every reason to be beyond worried.In seconds, Landon had snapped the rest of his binds with his already-freed hand. He crouched, carrying Sasha in his hands. I saw his mouth moving but couldn't hear him. The box was soundproof. His expression went pale and I saw his veins pulsing from anger.Before Thronesman could say another word, Landon dropped Sasha onto the floor choking Thronesman. He began to punch him uncontrollably on his torso before throwing him at the group of doctors, shivering in a corner.Grant shot me a displeased look, dropping everything he was doing to step out
LANDON:Seeing your whole world in boxes, reduced to nothing kills a part of you. Despite constantly falling unconscious because of what was being done to me, I reached deep within me to a place of darkness to keep me awake. When I looked around, I growled so loud that the doctor who had been injecting something into me cowered in fear. "You love the beautiful sight, don't you?" Thronesman's annoying voice rang in my ears, causing me to glare at him. I scratched and clawed toward his direction but the binds kept me in place.My mate and daughter were being tortured in my presence along with my pup who I wasn't sure was still okay yet, I couldn't lift a finger. Was this really the end for me? I always thought my death would have witnessed a happier ending compared to this sad and condescending one."Don't worry, I'm not a monster to hurt a child. Moreover, we need her more than we need you two," Thronesman informed me. The was a clicking sound and Sasha bonded on a crucifix with barbe
VENITA:When I woke up, my head felt heavy and my throat felt dry. Trying to open my eyes, the light blinded me and I winced in discomfort. The room smelled like chemicals and I couldn't even move myself. Blinking hard, I started to feel my body once more. There were beeping machines and a hand on my body like something was being drawn on it.I heard a grunt almost directly above me as someone freed one of my wrists to use a hand to tightly grip my hair. I winced from the sudden pain and reached to try and pry the hand away when another hand grabbed my wrist and held it against the bed. “I’m almost done,” a low, rapturous voice said. “What’s going on?” I asked suddenly feeling a steady, constant pressure against my stomach. The hand that was burrowed into a fist of my hair tightened. A few more thrusts followed, and then the sound of a disappointed, loud moan, punctuated by something warm started to run down the side of my stomach. The hands released my hair and wrist, and I quickly s