“Looks like that broken nose didn’t teach you anything.’ I retorted, my hand moving to her foot and I winced as she stomped harder against my shoulder, but I didn’t let go of my grip. The second she gave me any leeway she’d be on the ground and I'd be dusting myself off.Poppy and her groupies didn’t seem to appreciate my sense of humour as a defensive growl rumbled from them. No one seemed inclined to help or interfere as pack members walked past us. Parents ushered their kids away as some of them lingered to see what was going on, and some onlookers took a second look to see who was involved and if they needed to step in, but once they noticed it was me at the mercy of their future luna they walked away. Not that I wanted their help that was. I'd managed just fine on my own against this bitch so far."You wanna say that again, rogue?" She bared her teeth at me as if to scare me.If I could’ve shrugged to show my indifference I would’ve, but I simply said, "Kind of, yeah.""Don’t you
Annabelle was waiting for me after I left the changing rooms, a mischievous smile on her face as she gave me a friendly bump and we went to the circle that was being formed by the pack. I’d managed to only just make it on time and Alpha Jackson threw me a small glare, but it wasn’t as if he could scold me since I wasn’t actually late. Alpha Jackson wore a watch and was checking the time with some scrutiny and my mind briefly went back to Poppy and how I’d taunted her that she would be late. I quickly looked around but she wasn't there of course. If she wanted to get here on time she would’ve had to sprint to catch up to me.Alpha Jackson blew a whistle that hung around his neck, looking at his pack with seriousness and pride, "Good afternoon all." He started each weekly training session the same, but when it was just the two of us all I got was "Come on, hurry up.""Good afternoon, Alpha!" Everyone said simultaneously as they banged their fist against their chest. I still didn’t see t
I knew when my twenty-minute head start was up because a large pack howl sounded, and though I’d managed to get a good distance away in that time I still kept my guard up. I'd seen wolves run before and had been chased by them, and it was not a situation I was eager to replicate. Alpha Jackson had said we could hide, and that might be the best-case scenario.If need be I could climb a tree but I didn’t want to take the chance of being stranded. So I jogged for a minute or two to give myself at least a little bit more distance.From what I'd seen of the pack during their training before, a lot of the pack when in their human forms, spent their warm-ups sprinting and were winded before the proper training had even begun because of it. Those would be some of the first wolves caught by the hunters. But speed and stamina weren't going to win me this thing. Smarts would too. Shit!I quickly looked around me to see if I had made too many tracks and cursed myself that I didn’t think of it so
I stumbled to my feet, quickly whirling around as I watched the four of them surround me whilst they growled and snapped. One went for my leg as if to chomp down on it, I'm sure it was a coincidence that it was my newly healed one too. I moved out of the way just in time as another went to do the same for my arm. She narrowly missed and I kept turning around to make sure they kept back.There was a large stick beside me so I quickly went to pick it up, swinging it around like a crazy person because this was the best chance I would’ve had against them. This wasn’t just a training exercise for this group anymore, this was personal, a way to get back at me.“Still a coward I see,” I taunted, taking another swing at one of the wolves.Poppy growled at the comment and barked a command to her wolves. The three of them stayed in a circle around me but backed away, leaving the focus to be me and Poppy. I guessed she didn’t appreciate those kinds of comments anymore. At least she was trying to
The wolf stalked towards us, head held high and fur the colour of moonlight. Unlike in my dream where he seemed scared and hopeless, he stalked towards Poppy and me with a sense of power, like the trees themselves would uproot if he asked them to. Even underneath Poppy, I was on guard against this new wolf, he could've been a bad omen and I wasn't fond of him coming straight out of my dreams.Even Poppy seemed inclined to bow her head and whimper at the new wolf joining us. I wondered if there would be a fight, perhaps. I didn't know what to expect, nor did I know if Poppy knew him either.Still, she didn’t get off of me, even as the white wolf got closer and closer. A sound like a soft grumble came from her chest. It didn’t seem like she was willing to fight this wolf for me, but she was showing her displeasure at having to give me up. The wolf glared at her, almost in surprise that she hadn't let go of me yet. Poppy's eyes drifted back towards me and another snarl rippled up her th
"Go out? We’re already outside." I stated. We’d just finished our training. How much more ‘out’ did she want?Annabelle shook her head and took my shoulders, bouncing up and down, "I mean to town! To get drinks and have a party! Your leg is better and training went really well today. We deserve a night out.""How about we talk about this after we shower and change?"Annabelle grumbled something about my lack of excitement but we quickly changed and left the training grounds, heading to the Mess Hall for food. My hands were still aching from the climb (and falling) but I didn’t see the need to go back to Doctor Heath. We layered up our plates and sat down, Annabelle looked at me with puppy dog eyes as if asking for permission and I sighed."Fine, talk."She sucked in a huge breath and smiled, "So, human town, drinks, club, are you in?"I almost choked on my food at the sound of a human town. I knew that they were allowed to go there for jobs and to buy extra things the pack needed, but
Annabelle had somehow managed to drag Christian with her as I tried on some of her clothes since I didn’t have any party ones of my own. Not that I had any in my previous pack anyway. I didn't even know where to start with picking out what to wear. When I questioned why the alpha had come with him, Christian responded for him saying that the alpha owed him."Owes you?""Big time," Christian added making Alpha Jackson roll his eyes. "And you’re wasting it on seeing me getting dressed up?" I asked dubiously. Why on earth would anyone waste a debt like that on clothing? It wasn't as if this was going to take forever. Christian sighed and moved to whisper in my ear, "Belle can get quite intense when it comes to dressing up and I refuse to suffer alone.""Intense how?" I asked, looking towards Annabelle like she was harmless."Just wait and see,' Christian promised, looking up at the sky and offering a small prayer to the Moon Goddess.Rolling my eyes I created some space between us and
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked Annabelle as we and half the pack waited in line to be let into this club. Mulligans, it was called, and it looked massive, with two floors and lots of bouncers watching the doors. Lights blared from the windows, and the music was so loud it was rumbling the floor. There were so many people already inside that I wondered how we were all going to fit inside. It made me quite nervous, even with Annabelle holding my hand tightly and excitedly. "It’s the best idea!" She responded as we got closer to the entrance, "I’m going to make sure you have the time of your life!""Just make sure you don’t leave without me," I teased, motioning towards my anklet. It would certainly be one way to end the night.Shaking her head with a knowing smile, we were at the front of the line now and the bouncers watched us with interest."My what beautiful ladies you are.""What idiots left you two all alone?"Annabelle waved them off, still smiling, "Who says I’m a
Jackson’s POVNo. No that couldn’t be true. There was absolutely no way in hell he would’ve sent his head warrior and adored witch alone to my pack, not when I’d left it in Christian’s capable hands with Clarissa supporting him,I didn’t have to worry about that. I didn’t.I had faith in my friend. Christian had done more than enough to earn his place at my side as my beta. All the warriors had also earned their spot and even the healers were no strangers to a fight every now and again.That’s why I organised the weekly training so that everyone felt like they had a fair chance in a fight. The only people I was concerned about were the elders of my pack and the pups.I didn’t want Fredrick to know that he had me frazzled by his threat and whilst I tried to control my emotions I couldn’t help but keep thinking of everything that could go wrong back at the pack:Were Clarissa’s wards reinforced?Was Melanie stronger than Clarissa?Would Christian be able to stop Marcus if the two met in
How did he know we were here? We hadn’t been gone for very long, there was no way he could’ve organised all of this in that short time. I wouldn’t have been surprised if there had been a couple of wolves chasing us or a warning howl, but everything had been silent.“Did you really believe I’d leave you unsupervised whilst in recovery?” Frederick asked snarkily as he took a step forward.Jackson tensed, looking at all the wolves surrounding us, debating his odds. If he attacked first how many would he be able to take down before he was overwhelmed? I could see the cogs turning in his head before he turned to me slightly. Another problem, he’d be trying to protect me as well. His odds of winning would decrease rapidly if he had me to think about too.“You have your Blessed Silver,” Jackson spat, “Let her go.”Frederick tutted, “Yes, yes I do, but you see, Jackson,” It was a blatant insult not to use his alpha title in front of the rest of this pack, “there are two things that you fail
We crept out of the infirmary and Jackson held onto my hand tightly, keeping me behind him. He mentioned briefly that his bracelet from Clarissa protected him from being seen so long as his movements didn’t draw anyone’s attention.I had faith in Jackson and in Clarissa so I stood behind him and let him lead us out of the infirmary. I was glad that Clarissa had done what she did, because not only did it mean she was looking out for Jackson but she wanted me back too.Even though he’d explained this to me, I was still shocked when we weren’t immediately attacked by the multiple wolves patrolling the area. It looked like no one had even seen us and I let out a quiet sigh of relief as I stuck close to Jackson.Even when someone walked close to us, they didn't seem to notice us. It gave me more confidence in Clarissa's abilities (not that I had any doubt to begin with).Jackson glanced around too, watching for even the slightest of movements like the warrior he was before he took his fir
Elise's POVI thought I was still in my dream when I opened my eyes. One moment I saw his body, bloody and broken on the floor, the next he was in front of me, touching me so tenderly and looking like he was about to cry. I relished in his touch. It was so warm and gentle and my whole body tingled. I wanted to move and hold him and cry all at the same time, but I couldn’t move, my back was still so sore.But I knew the second I opened my eyes that he was my mate. Jackson was my mate. And I had fallen in love with him all on my own even before that.“I’ve always been yours,” He said to me with a smile that made my heart jump, even as tears began to fall down his face.I pulled one of my hands away from his and stroked that stray tear away, “And I’m yours,” I said, proudly and clearly.Jackson’s smile grew wider and despite the situation we were in, no matter how horrifying or painful, he leaned closer towards me, and kissed me.He was careful not to move me too much, but I kissed him
Jackson's POV I followed Elise’s scent, my mate’s scent. I could hardly believe it; she was my mate. Maybe it was because her wolf had been suppressed before, but even still, the longing and connection I felt for her must’ve been our mating bond trying to slip through the Blessed Silver’s defences.And I had hurt her when we first met. I’d imprisoned her and tried to keep her isolated out of fear of what a rogue could do to my pack.If I knew she was my mate back then would it have made much of a difference? I tried not to think about that. Those mistakes were in the past and I was here for now, I would do anything in my power to protect her.Gradually I made my way through the pack to a dingy-looking building that had a small cross on it, one you’d see at hospitals or on ambulances. I wondered if this was their version of an infirmary. Quietly, I stepped inside, checking to see if anyone was in the room. If they were ‘d have to take them out nice and swiftly otherwise they’d aler
Elise's POVHe wasn’t dead, not yet, but he was close to it. Blood trickled from his forehead and down the corners of his mouth. His breathing was short and shallow and he lifted his head, eyes pained as he slowly realised I was there with him. Jackson made some guttural sound that I’d never heard another person make before as he slowly began to crawl towards me, no matter how broken he was.I could hear his breathing, hoarse like something was blocking it, maybe as if someone had crushed his windpipe. "Elsmmm." Was another sound he made and I was horrified to think that that was my name and he was calling it out so desperately. My heart hurt.I took a step towards him, my body trembling as I took a step forward but no matter how hard I tried to reach him, it was like I was walking in sludge trying to trap me. He was trying so hard to reach me and I wanted to reach him so badly, but I could barely move.Jackson raised his hand, and I wanted nothing more than to grab it and bring him
Elise’s POVI held onto Stella like she was going to disappear once again. I’d spent so long without her, my memory of her had been taken from me. So when this overwhelming feeling of comfort shot through my body it took me by surprise. She was my wolf. She was real. She was here.There was nothing wrong with me after all.I had waited so long, year after year as I watched other kids my age begin to shift for the first time, and whilst I knew I was in a dream, I knew that Stella was real, I knew that she'd finally been freed from the Blessed Silver.I nuzzled my face against her fur and she was just as eager to touch me too as she licked my face and nuzzled me right back. Two halves of the same soul finally reunited.“You’ve been alone for so long,” I whispered to her. Whilst I had my family, Stella was trapped in the pockets of my mind, only able to watch as I grew, was hurt and on my own too after my family died.“But I’m not anymore,” She mumbled in response.I wished she had the c
Jackson’s POVI shifted back to my human form as I got closer to the New Moon pack’s territory. I spied their routes and routines and when I thought it was safe enough, I slipped through, into the territory when I was sure the guards would be changing stations.True to Clarissa’s word, the guards didn’t seem to notice me either from sight or scent as I made my way past them. I was careful not to do anything that would bring attention to myself, even stepping on a twig or tripping over a rock felt too risky.I kept my head low and kept my senses sharp to avoid bumping into anyone and walked with my head bowed towards the centre of the pack territory.Every step I took I anticipated a fight because if even one person spotted me and knew who I was, I’d have the whole pack after me and nothing good would come from that. I needed to do this as quickly and quietly as I could. It helped that the pack members in this territory seemed content with keeping to themselves too, barely greeting or
At first, I thought I was dead, for real this time considering what had just happened. I was floating around in a sea of nothingness when my eyes cracked open and I thought “Well, this must be death”, so I closed my eyes again as if I were going to sleep.Some people say that their lives flash before their eyes right before death, but mine didn't. Mine flashed by like a whirlwind the second I entered whatever world this was. Memories of my family, of my escape, of Jackson and the rest of the friends and loved ones I had.I never had a chance in the world of the living, I'd barely lived.It didn’t feel so bad, being in this weightless world. Everything was peaceful. Nothing hurt, nothing scared me. Maybe death was a good thing, maybe it should’ve happened a long time ago. If I’d have died long ago maybe none of this would’ve ever happened. My family would be alive, Fredrick wouldn't have his hands on the Blessed Silver and the Full Moon pack wouldn't have been attacked just so Fredrick