LANDON:I sat alone at a sophisticated five-star restaurant, my patience growing thin as the minutes crawled by. Having arrived half an hour early, I dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, my sharp green eyes scanning the entrance with anticipation. Mirage was late, a predictable move, but I knew the show had just begun. Finally, Mirage strolled in, a stunning sight with her vibrant red hair trailing down her back. Her presence exuded confidence, bordering on arrogance, and I had to admit, she knew how to command attention. She was dressed in a short, strapless red gown that defined her curves, flaunting her charm and charisma with each graceful step. As she approached, I rose from my seat, putting on the front that was necessary for a meeting like this. Her ego demanded a display of public affection. I embraced her, the clinking of cutlery and murmurs of fellow diners providing the soundtrack for her late entrance. Mirage pulled me in for a kiss, her voice a sultry whisper, reminiscin
VENITA:I dropped Sasha off at school, and with Landon caught up in his business duties, I decided to wait near her school for the dismissal time. It made more sense than making an extra trip. I settled in a peaceful park not too far from Sasha's school, where the gentle breeze and the melodious songs of chirping birds provided a calming atmosphere. I needed this time alone to gather my thoughts, away from the complexities that surrounded me. Watching the kids play, and the parents chasing after them, brought a brief smile to my face. I was living a part of my childhood through those youngsters. I was determined to give Sasha the experiences she deserved. One of those was having a loving family. Despite the challenges life had thrown my way, I held onto the dream of giving Sasha what my parents had: true love and a complete family. My worries nagged at me, though. I feared I might never find the right person to be a great father for Sasha, something she longed for deeply.Sitting on
VENITA:When I explained our situation to Sasha, she displayed no negative attitude. She seemed to understand and, in a way, even looked happy about being here. Landon had her go upstairs while he and I had a talk.Landon's instructions were straightforward. "Living here is simple, Venita. I don't appreciate loudness. No snooping around. No gossiping. Keep me updated on your whereabouts; you're an adult, and I understand. Who you choose to be with and when isn't my concern, just let me know. You don't just bring anyone here. Make sure you both eat properly, and Sasha is fed well too. No smoking, drinking, or recklessness. Most importantly, stay away from those two rooms I showed you earlier. When there's an announcement about retreating to your rooms, follow it without questioning anyone. You'll be expected to work diligently, answer whenever I call, and provide me with whatever I need from you without protesting. That's all for now."Landon's rules were clear and direct, leaving litt
LANDON:As I parked the car in front of her former apartment building, I was overwhelmed with a sense of unease. I knew that I was about to witness the place where Venita and Sasha had been living, and her jittery behavior only heightened my concern.Her apartment was far from modest; it was downright terrible. It was a place that seemed unfit even for animals, let alone humans. I couldn't comprehend how she had managed to raise a child in such conditions. While she tried to maintain a smile, I couldn't hide my stern expression.My wolf raged within me, furious that Venita and Sasha had been living in such a place. It was a dangerous environment that exposed them to potential harm. He wished he could have been there to protect them from the hardships they had endured.As I stepped out of the car, I approached the building with Venita by my side. I couldn't change the past, but I was determined to provide them with a safer and more comfortable future. It was a stark realization that fu
LANDON:The next day arrived in a rush, and as I was still feeling quite sleepy, Mirage's phone call, followed by a video call, felt like an explosion in my quiet morning."Hey, Baby, what should I wear for the pack's dinner tonight?" Mirage's voice came through, full of excitement and a touch of impatience. What the fuck! Did she not understand that I have a billion important things to care for and that what she wanted to wear was the least of my worries?"Why the fuck would you be calling me this early to whine about something unimportant as that?""Come on, don't be a mood spoiler. What should I wear?" she repeated.I yawned and tried to wake up, containing my annoyance. "Wear whatever you like, Mirage. You always look great."Mirage laughed. "Come on, be a little more specific. Should I go for the red dress or the black one? Pair them with diamond accessories or gold? I think diamonds will be better to have a striking match with the ring."I rubbed my eyes, feeling more awake. "Re
LANDON:I walked into the room, where the sound of nervous hearts filled the air. Mirage, the ever main character looked absolutely radiant in her elegant, floor-length red gown. Her fiery red hair was neatly pulled back into a tight bun, and the sparkle of her diamond necklace, bracelet, and the huge diamond ring on her engagement finger was blinding, much like her dramatic smile that stretched from ear to ear. She linked her arm with mine, and I felt an overwhelming ripple of hate.In a sea of guests dressed in pristine white attire, I stood out in my sharp black suitIn a crowd of people wearing white, my black suit made me stand out. "Landon, is this what you chose to wear today? Where are your fancy suits? This one looks cheap," she said, keeping her voice low. I growled softly as a warning and gripped her arm, pulling her closer. "You will behave inside. No unnecessary comments." To anyone watching, it seemed like we were sharing sweet words. "You're hurting me," she whispere
LANDON:As the meal concluded and the table was cleared, I rose to my feet to address the gathering. "I believe everyone is content and well-fed. Let's move on. I'm genuinely excited about this union," I began. "The purpose of your presence here is no secret, so there's no need to prolong the formalities."Mirage, standing up beside me, couldn't resist the urge to add her own touch. "I never envisioned giving up everything I have for love, nor did I think I'd leave my people to seek acceptance in another pack. Settling down was never in my plans," she declared, her words a well-practised lie as she playfully tossed her hair to the side. "But I've found someone who changed my perspective. I'm willing to leave it all behind for my handsome fiancé."The crowd, particularly the young she-wolves, erupted in cheers and whistles, drawn in by her dramatic speech designed to seize attention.Mirage's father, however, gave an almost imperceptible nod, signaling to one of his wolves who promptly
VENITA:As I waited for Landon to return home, an unexpected restlessness came over me. The need to feed, to sate an insatiable appetite, consumed my thoughts. I had already put Sasha to bed, but my own hunger seemed to have no bounds. I fought to control the primal urges threatening to overpower me.But suddenly, I awoke with a growl, my eyes blazing with an intensity that startled me. My senses were heightened, and an unmistakable craving arose within. It was as if my human restraint had momentarily vanished, replaced by an animalistic drive to hunt.My gaze fixated on an antelope grazing peacefully in the nearby woods. Nothing else mattered but the overpowering urge to chase and catch my prey. The between human and wolf blurred, and I found myself drawn into the hunt, enjoying the freedom that came with it.I had to move slowly, steadily and silently to the unsuspecting antelope, feeling the bloodlust rising. I knew that I had to catch it, that I couldn't ignore the hunger any long
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