PHOENIXTEN YEARS AGO... Eight year old me sat on the semi rusty swing, letting the cool spring breeze push me back and forth. I watched as other young pups bounced around the half full play ground while I chewed on my bottom lip, biting it in furious concentration. My fiery red hair was up in pigtails and I twisted the curls mercilessly in absolute nervousness. A hand grabbed mine, effectively stopping my muscular act and I raised my forest green eyes to see warm hazel ones looking down at me. I sunk into myself. The owner of the beautiful eyes sat down on a bench beside the swing and he turned to throw his dimpled smile at me.'I saw you sitting alone so I decided to keep you company' he muttered when I kept staring mercilessly at him. I shrugged.'I am Rain by the way' he continued when I didn't say a word. I shrugged again.He sighed deeply, running his chubby fingers through his coffee brown hair. I stared on. 'I am eleven' he pressed, wanting me to at least say something.
PHOENIX 'Nixy? Earth to Nixy!' someone whispered, sending cold shivers down my spine. I turned abruptly to see Caleb staring intently at me, his green eyes ablaze with worry.'Oh Caleb, I didn't see you there' I mused, subtly shaking my head to calm my racing thoughts.Caleb merely looked at me, his eyebrows sardonically raised.'scrubbing tables is not part of your job description' he mused, his raised brows daring me to deny it.'oh come on Caleb, I can handle it. Besides you have helped me more times than I can count. I owe it to you to help' I said trying to quickly finish up before he decided to grab the sponge off my soggy hands. Caleb merely gave a sigh of defeat, breathing in deeply.'okay then, do what you want. You can be stubborn when you want to be. I am heading out. Why don't we quickly grab dinner. It's my treat' he said. 'Sure Caleb. Let me just finish with this' It was past nine when I eventually arrived home. The shadows casted by the trees kept me company, oddly g
PHOENIX The mildly chilly spring breeze blew through the warm Californian air lighting up the evening sky in a beautiful array of colours. Birds chirped as the fragrance of different flowers assaulted the noses of passersby. Caleb and I on the other hand could barely appreciate this common beauty as we stood, nerves shot, anxiously preparing for the arrival of the rustless Alpha in all of the United states. I stood peering into the refrigerator, note pad in hand as I tried to organize the cuisine we would serve our short notice visitor. Beside me, Caleb stood bouncing on his feet, his nerves present. My own nerves picked up when the severity of the situation sunk in. I breathed in deeply, steadying my breathing before turning to Caleb and handing him the revised menu I just put together. He looked royally confused, his brows furrowing. I just shrugged. 'I made that keeping in mind the short time we have to fix everything up. We better get moving' I mused. Caleb nodded.* * *
PHOENIX'mate'The words kept reverberating through my head. Mate.Mate?Mate! It took me a moment to process what was really going on. I was beyond confused. I turned sharply to looked at Caleb, scared to let the truth sink in. Caleb turned to me, his green eyes narrowing slightly, silently imploring me to stay calm. He could tell I was on edge. My wolf was prancing and pacing around in my head, not helping at all, adding to my light headedness. My hands trembled, my stomach sinking with denial. I stumbled slightly and Caleb's pale hands quickly shot out to hold me, rubbing my back to soothe and calm me. I was getting really dizzy with fear and apprehension. The Alpha growled again. My heart rate picked up, dizzying beats resounding through my chest. Caleb squeezed my hands softly, knowing I was out of my mind with fear. I slowly started to back away, taking slow but purposeful steps backwards and before long, I was running towards the kitchen, making my quick get away.
JACKSON We had left my pack - the blood red pack- behind hours ago. My mom and sister were back at my pack but I wasn't the least bit worried. My third in command, my Gamma, was in charge till I came back and even though I wasn't sure when that would be, I knew I could trust him. I made sure I surrounded myself with only trusted people and I had prided myself in testing and proving their loyalty. I was currently in a car, travelling west to the 'Half crescent pack'. I had received invitations to negotiate business with them. The Alpha wanted us to form an alliance not just business wise but also in terms of defence so we could be able to conquer in war situations. Though it sounded really good, I know he would benefit from this much more than I would as my pack had well trained warriors. Who wouldn't want to work with my pack? My pack was basically invincible as no one would be brave enough to go against me, this reputation I earned after years of ruthlessness. I could ha
JACKSON'Mate' I looked up at my mate to see many emotions swirling in her eyes, prominent among them being fear.She was scared of me? She turned to look at Caleb and he looked back at her, shaking his head as if telling her to stay calm. She stumbled slightly and I rushed out of my seat. Caleb however walked up to her and held her hand, rubbing her back and my wolf lost it. I could feel my eyes change colour from their usual sea blue to yellow. My wolf was trying to take over and show everyone who my mate belonged to. I growled, this time louder. Caleb squeezed her hands and I could feel her heart beat pick up.Was she that scared of me?Was she aware of those rumours that named me ruthless? She slowly started to back away and my wolf became alert. Is she trying to leave me? My wolf whimpered at the thought. Before long, she ran back into the area she came from. I started to follow her when Caleb stood in front of me, blocking me. I growled at him but he didn't rele
JACKSON'Caleb, I cannot begin to explain to you how grateful I am of having known someone as kindhearted, generous and thoughtful as you. You have been there for me Caleb, through thick and through thin. You have helped me when I had given up on my self. You helped me when I was sick, weak, depressed or sometimes just plain stupid. After what happened two years ago, I thought I had not only lost my father and my mother but everyone and everything I held dear to me but now I know that though I had lost a lot that day, I gained you, your friendship, your love and your undying devotion and for that, I am grateful. You were a breath of fresh air, always keeping me sane and grounded. Please forgive me Caleb. I know you must indeed hate me right now for just abandoning everything and leaving like I did but I had no other option.I had to go away. If Alpha Jackson, my mate - it's still weird I am now calling him that - finds out what happened years ago and the implications of it, if
CALEB I breathed in deeply, my breath shaking, coming in only short bursts. Phoenix had left just like that, her empty house a clear evidence of that. A pang of pain shot through me. I had cared about Phoenix, my Nixy. She was one with a pure heart and a kind soul. I cared for her maybe not only as a friend but also as a sibling. I just hope she was okay. I hope nothing was wrong with her. She was the only one who accepted me for who I was. Everyone else - my pack and even my parents - were not with me for me, they were with me for what they thought they would gain. They left when they got what they wanted or as was with my parents, when they couldn't get what they wanted. Nixy was the only one who liked me for me, she was pure hearted. A year and half ago, when she walked into my restaurant asking for a job, I immediately obliged her. We became close friends and soon our friendship blossomed into something else, I became like a brother to her.Even my wolf Kelvin, became
THIRD PERSON Krystal heaved a vengeful sigh, her mind a monotone.PhoenixShe had to kill PhoenixPhoenix had to die.'I will take you down Phoenix, all of you. You can't beat me. I have the last say' she bellowedHer body began heating up, blue strings of light surrounding her just as her men began backing away in fear. The Mistress was loosing her mind. She was out of control with hatred. Phoenix closed her eyes quietly, breathing in calmly. She remembered what Caleb had told her after he mumbled earnestly that her mom was alive. Stay focused, he had said. If you get lost in your thoughts everyone dies, he had told her. She thought about her Dad that had died to protect her, Rain, a friend she had lost and closed her eyes for a fight that may very well be her last. She was prepared to fight to the death. * * *Warm sunlight peaked through the curtains, filling the room with its golden hue just as the occupant of the sole bed opened her eyes for the first time in years.Her
PHOENIXThe eery darkness blanketed the whole compound, crickets chirping wildly. I looked on, reality sinking. My mind went back to my earlier conversation with Lana.She had dropped by, fingers trembling wildly. I looked on, my gaze resting softly on her. she sat beside me and took my hands in her trembling ones. "Luna, I want you to listen to me. It's urgent" she mused, her voice sounding rushed. I turned to her, silently willing her to speak. She sighed, heavily. "I shouldn't be doing this but I can't be quiet anymore. I think Conrad, my brother is working against the Alpha" she mused.That had me seating up, eyes wide. "He had been acting strangely, distant so I followed him one time. He had climbed up the mountain and met with a man he had called Kenneth. They talked about a woman they both referred to as Mistress. They are plotting to attack, Luna, attack tonight"I sat up. "What" I squeaked. My throat burned from lack of use. Lana got up, dashing into the kitchen. She
JACKSONThere was silence across the room, eery silence. Maximus? Maximus! I turned sharply to see disbelief, anger and confusion pass across the faces in the room - the last being on Owen. I still stood frozen. It was Caleb who broke the silence, his voice resounding through the room. 'Maximus?'Olga turned to him.'Yes. The Vampire your pack took down. Krystal had being in the fight. I thought she had died. I had mourned her' Olga's voice broke 'only for her to resurface again'.I unfroze, confused. 'She was there during the fight?' I asked. Olga nodded. 'She ran away from home. Next I hear, she was dead or was supposedly dead, killed during the battle against the Vampire Maximus' 'How then did she survive' Caleb asked.It was Owen who spoke after his initial confusion had worn off. 'Witches, unlike you believe, are powerful. We don't die easily. She must've survived the battle'Caleb sighed.I turned to Olga who looked blankly at the wall, a question burning in my mind.'
JACKSONTension permeated the room as everyone sat at the very edge of their seat. 'Why are we here again' a lazy drawl taunted me, the source, a purple eyed wizard. I cleared my throat. 'I summoned you here because I need your help' I answered, my gaze transfixed on who appeared to be their leader, a middle aged woman with gleaming purple eyes. The wizard cackled, eyes flashing. I stiffened. 'why would a mighty Alpha as yourself need help from a mere witch clan' he rambled, his taunt clear in his tone. 'Technically, it is not helping if you are fixing what you damaged' Caleb chirped in, annoyed. The wizard straightened in his seat, eye brows furrowing in confusion. The witch, the leader of their clan, the middle aged woman turned abruptly to me, fixing me a pertinent gaze. 'what does that mean'I straightened in my seat. 'You must've heard about the recent attacks on my pack' I mused. 'From investigations we have been able to deduce that with the help of a pack member, a
JACKSONI walked down the stairs, my hand mindlessly resting loosely on the banister. My mind drawled on slowly. A figure came into view, pacing around the living room. CalebHe stilled upon seeing me. 'How's she' he asked worriedly. I sighed. 'She refused to eat. I had to force feed her' I told him 'How are the arrangements coming along' I continued. 'Everything is going well. I had a chat with Alpha Rain. The funeral will hold in his pack training grounds' he mused. 'I will let Phoenix know' I told him.He nodded sadly * * *Birds chirped, wind blew, frogs hopped around, the sky gloomy. Few feet away, fire roared sadly consuming the body of Katerine Standford, Phoenix's mother. Beside me, Phoenix looked on numbly. I wrapped my hands around her, holding her to myself.As the smoke rose up to the sky, pack members of the Half crescent pack bowed their heads, silently mourning the loss of the former Beta female of their pack. Hours upon hours passed as each pack member in a
UNKNOWNThe wind billowed around as I sat on a boulder, idly watching the expanse of land that was the compound. I heard shuffling of feet and I stilled. The pair of feet moved closer coming to rest behind me'Mistress'Kenneth. I sighed, nodding for him to go on. 'The informant is here to see you. The informant insists on speaking with you in person' Kenneth scottish drawl was present. I turned stone faced to Kenneth, my eyes flashing. My eyes darted to the figure beside him, my purple orbs coming to rest on blue green ones and I stilled, my eyes widening. 'You are the informant?' I asked in disbelief. There was a corresponding nod. I cleared my throat, quickly composing myself. 'speak' I bellowed. The informant bowed. 'Mistress, I failed to get the information as you asked. The Luna's friend, Caleb, walked in on me in the Alpha's office. I had to retreat' I froze, my insides boiling. 'Someone saw you' I screeched 'Do you want to jeopardize everything we have worked so h
PHOENIXMurmurs filled my ears, moving all around me as I sat numbly. Beside me, Arizona droned on but I could scarcely hear what she was on about. I was tired, my eye lids protesting against the lack of sleep last night. My eyes closed slowly giving itself recourse for a few minutes before I bolted up. Laughter filled the air. Arizona. She kept talking, going on and on before she walked out, leaving me to my peace. I was about to go back to my restless sleep when movement caught my eye. Jacqueline. Her eyes were bloodshot, red, crease lines being evidence of her tears. She looked worse for wear. I shook myself awake before moving to her. I took a seat beside her, grabbing her hands to give it a squeeze. She turned to me, giving me a sad smile before bursting into tears, her bottom lip trembling. 'He doesn't want me Phoenix. He is leaving' she mumbled out. I hugged her, wrapping my arms around her and rubbing her back. 'who is?' I asked softly. 'Caleb' she murmured. I
PHOENIXDusk slowly set in as I sat numbly, looking out the window. My gaze rested calmly on the expanse of land that was the compound. I sighed. Jackson had been gone the whole day. And I missed him. Our relationship seemed strained. And I couldn't tell why. My head snapped up when the living room doors snapped open. A sullen Jackson and a worried Caleb walked in. Caleb nodded in greeting to me. Jackson walked on, ignoring me. I looked at Caleb. 'Where have he been' He sighed tiredly. 'He had business he had to finish at the Blue moon Pack' he answered and my heart sunk. Jackson walked back in just then, ringing for Amy. I turned to Caleb forcing a smile on my face. 'Join us for dinner Caleb'* * *The dinning room was fairly quiet as we ate slowly. The only thing that could be heard was the continuous click of our cutleries as they repeatedly hit the ceramic that was our dishes. Anger and sadness brimmed inside me. 'You went to the Blue moon pack' I murmured as I tur
JACKSON'It must have gotten to your notice that the Blood Red Pack was attacked recently' I began casually as I sat across Alpha Colin in his dimly lit office.I watched for his reaction. He shrugged. 'I heard about it but I thought it was but a rumour. I had no idea it was true' he told me. He looked fairly innocent Or he must be a very good liar. I sighed. 'That is actually not why I am here' I told him. He sat up in his seat, his red rimmed eyes narrowing to slits. 'What then brings you here''Alpha Colin, I have information that you trade with humans' i told him simply. He inhaled sharply. 'what do you mean?' I raised my brows sardonically. 'You know what I mean Colin. You trade with humans but... ''That is not fair Alpha Jackson. Your pack is bordered with water, good arable land and technology. You have everything you need even if you decided not to trade with the outside world but my pack lacks good land. We rear products that our neighbors already have. Who will