ALISA’s POV
The dawn of a new day has arrived and with it comes the glory of the morning sun pouring in through the sheer soft curtains that flap in the morning breeze. Outside, birds perched on tree branches begin chirping to a symphony of nature’s music.
I get up from the couch and quickly fold the soft woolly blanket that kept me warm throughout the night. And as I do, I take in my surrounding, something I did not get to do last night when the place was dark.
Ryder's cabin is nice, open and large. I like it, it makes me feel safe somehow but as I touch the gold ring on my finger, my eyes begin to tear up.
Memories of yesterday and the day before come rushing back like a tidal wave and I have to shut my eyes and shake my head to clear my thoughts.
Don’t think too much Alisa, take things one day at a time. I take a deep breath and wipe away the tears with the back of my hand. There is work to do.
The man, Ryder o
RYDER’s POVHOURS BEFORE ALISA’S NIGHTMAREWe are at my office on the top floor of RED MOON. I sit behind my desk, drumming my fingers on its cool sandstone surface as I look at Zion, my Beta pacing back and forth. Zion as usual is agitated, he growls and shakes his head even as he wears out my carpet with his pacing.“Where did the rogues come from?” Lines mar his forehead. “We’ve set up perimeters all around and yet they still managed to break in. Had my son not been on patrol last night –““Yes, yes, we’re all safe thanks to Liam. All hail Liam,” Hayden chuckles, settling onto the leather lounge chair with hands crossed behind his head. My second in command is way more relaxed than Zion, even though he is half his age.“Are you mocking me, Hayden?” Zion arches his brow, he does not appreciate being made fun of. The man has no sense of humour
ALISA’s POVI feel his eyes of midnight bore into mine and I frown. Mark me? I’ve heard of the term before. The sisters at the convent used to talk about werewolves who would turn into human form and claim their mates by marking them.Alpha. Mark. Rogues. My heartbeat quickens as realization sinks into me. These words finally make sense.“You’re a werewolf,” a whisper escapes my lips. My eyes roam his face, merely inches away from mine and my chest heaves up and down as I try to catch my breath. Ryder does not look like a werewolf, at least not like the kind I used to imagine as a child after listening to the nuns’ stories. Ryder is kind, protective and…and very sensual.“Yes,” he answers, “Are you scared?” He leans forward, urging me back until I lean right back onto the sofa and instinctively, my hands splay across his chest in an attempt to stop him from coming closer. I can feel the be
ALISA’s POVI awake to find that it’s still dark. How long did I sleep? I do not know. I stretch out beneath a thick warm quilt, feeling the feathery soft fabric underneath and I blink, rubbing my eyes. This isn’t the sofa.A gaze around the room tells me that I am in Ryder’s bedroom and lying on his huge king-sized bed. His room is massive and airy with shades of grey and white though I cannot quite make out the colours right now. I had taken a peek into his room earlier this morning when he was out and was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of this room. But looking at it and sleeping in it are two totally different experiences.I touch my lips, they are swollen from his kisses and I feel my cheeks flush. He must have carried me to his room while I slept. He is nowhere to be seen though.My body feels sore too, very sore but at the same time, there is a feeling of exhilaration that I’ve never felt before. I feel like a bud that
RYDER’s POV The breaking dawn is such a friend; it always has been. When I was younger, I would run wild and free in the forest during the wee hours of the morning with my father in our wolf forms. The snapping of tree branches, the brush of leaves and little animals scattering at our presence…those were the days of innocence. Then came the hunting. I remember my first kill and how frightened I was, crying as my prey breathed its last. But these days, the sight of blood no longer bothers me. Not even the memory of my parents’ blood-stained wolves when they fought to protect our pack from rogues years ago. It doesn’t make the memory any less painful though. I tighten my hold on a sleeping Alisa, the touch of her skin against mine somehow helps soothe the invisible pain I feel inside. She is asleep and I as spoon her from behind, I listen to her soft rhythmic breathing. I had been rough with her. ‘She can take more of us,’ Bane coos. Bane wants
ALISA’s POV The packhouse is not what I imagined it to be at all. It’s more like……a grand hotel. I stand in front of the great white building in awe, taking in the sight of countless rooms that open up to individual baronial balconies. I lose count, there must be hundreds of rooms here! Ryder places a hand at the small of my back and ushers me into the colossal building. Two massive glass doors slide open to welcome our arrival and I am instantly transported into a world of fairy tales with polished marble floors, a grand dame staircase and sparkling chandeliers. This place is beyond beautiful. “All this belongs to your pack?” I am literally stupefied. Ryder whispers cheekily into my ear, “We’re crazy rich werewolves.” I have to smile, indeed they are. We walk up to a counter of sandstone where a young woman is busily typing into a keyboard but upon the sight of Ryder, she immediately stops her work and straightens her posture.
ALISA’s POV Everything happens in a blur next. One minute I am with Julianne at the balcony and the next thing I know, people come rushing out to their rooms yelling, “ROGUES! Then the strangest thing happens. One by one, men and women jump from their balconies, free-falling to the ground. My blood turns to ice. What are they doing? They’ll kill themselves! “NOOOO!” I scream. But as they fall, something even more uncanny takes place; their bodies change. The fabrics that wrap around their bodies rip and tear and all around, I hear the snapping of bones. The sound echoes throughout the night sky as tens if not hundreds of bodies catapult to the ground. Only, what reaches the ground are no longer the people who had jumped off the balconies, rather, what lands on the ground are a pack of fearsome black and brown wolves. They snap and snarl, all ready to attack at a moment’s notice. I lean over the balcony's railing and look down. A lone w
MOMENTS BEFORE THE ROGUES ATTACKRYDER’s POVSome say that in times of danger, you can actually sense it before it comes. Some call it the gift of clairvoyance, others, premonition. But whatever the fuck it’s called, I can feel it now.There is a shift in the atmosphere. The air feels heavier and the wind has died down. I narrow my eyes and place a hand on Hayden’s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.He immediately turns to face me. “What is it Alpha?”“Shhh.”My hearing is sensitive, more so than any other wolf in my pack. I close my eyes, then I hear it. The thunderous sound of an army of wolves charging through the forest, the branches breaking off as they plough through the woods at breakneck speed.Shit.“ROGUES!” I shout and immediately establish a mind link with every warrior in our pack. I instantly shift, as does every other man and wom
ALISA’s POV“She brought the rogues here. She is the mastermind.”What?I blink and lift my head to see everyone staring at me. Did I hear wrongly?“What are you talking about?” I ask Beta Zion as confusion swims in my head. Ryder pushes Zion’s hand away and steps in front of me, shielding me with his body from the Beta’s deadly gaze.“Watch your mouth Zion,” Ryder hisses and Zion takes one more menacing step forward, ignoring Hayden who tries to hold him back.“I speak the truth!” Zion cocks his head to one side and I see his eyes, they flash with fury.“The rogues started breaching our defence the moment she appeared, and tonight when you brought her to the packhouse, the rogues attacked!”“Beta, it’s just a coincidence,” Hayden tries to reason with him.Zion snarls in response. “I’d say it’s
RYDER’s POV I sit on my bike, staring off into the burning sun. I had just come back from the convent. Hayden was supposed to have come back with me but he did not. “I’m sorry Ryder. The wolf left in the middle of the night. I think he had given up on himself.” Those were the exact words Sister Abbie had told me when I reached the convent earlier. Inhaling deeply, I slam my hands against the bike’s handle. Damnit, Hayden. Why didn’t you wait for me? Did you not trust me, your Alpha? From the distance, I see Nana walking over to where my bike is parked on the green fields. She walks using crutches and she cocks her head sideways, looking for my missing Gamma. Our eyes meet, I shake my head and she immediately understands. Her face crumples and the crutch drops to the ground with a soft thud. Nana sinks to the ground and I immediately jump off my bike and race toward her. “I’m sorry Nana,” is all I can say as I gather her in my arms. She weeps, she weeps for a life that could have
ALISA’s POVWhere am I?Am I dead?I should be, but this place does not look like heaven. It doesn’t look or feel like hell either. I sit up from the barren floor and look at what is supposed to be the sky above me, only, what greets me in infinite darkness. There is not a twinkle in the sky. There is no moon either.The only source of light seems to come from a pond a few feet away but the light is blurred as if I am seeing it underwater. I tilt my head and find everything else also cloudy. I rub my eyes, trying to clear my vision but it does not help. The cloudiness puzzles me.Placing my palm on the cold hard floor, I push myself off the ground and stand up. It is then I realize that the wound in my body is gone.My hands go to my chest and I move my hands up and down my body. This is odd, wasn’t I stabbed by Zion a moment ago?Say, where is he? Where is everyone?“Ryder?” I call out and my voice bounces off an invisible wall in echoes. “RYDER?”There is no answer. I decide to move
RYDER’s POVThe wolves attack savagely with their teeth gnashing and claws tearing into me. I kick one of them off, sending it somersaulting across the dungeon and knocking into a few other wolves and effectively rendering them unconscious.Wow. The power of the pearl is AWESOME!I had initially thought that my body would physically tire from the fight with Zion’s warriors but boy, oh boy was I wrong. It seems that with every knock and punch that I deliver, my body becomes fueled by the adrenaline and has thus become even stronger.Another wolf charges in my direction and I raise my fist, connecting it with the wolf’s face and it slumps into a whimpering little furball on the ground. I stare at my hands in awe. This is amazing! I’ve got to tell Alisa this, she’ll be so thrilled, she’ll be –“Surrender or she dies by my hands.” A voice booms from the back of the crowded dungeon and the wolves around me back off and part like the dead sea to reveal Zion, standing triumphantly.And he h
ALISA’s POVEverything happens in a blink of an eye. One minute, Ryder is barking orders to evacuate his pack from the dungeon and the next thing I know, Zion’s warriors have morphed into their natural werewolf forms, unleashing all fury upon my dearly beloved.It is not a fair fight for Ryder is taking on a dozen or more wolves at one time and even with the power of the pearl, I fear that winning will not come easy for him.He is obviously outnumbered.Sensing this, a few of the prisoners try to turn away from the exit to go back down to help Ryder but I stop them. I simply cannot let them gamble their fate, not after all the torture they endured.One of them is Alec Winters.Quickly, I grab his arm and shake my head. “Help guide the others to safety, I will stay with Ryder.”Alec’s brow furrows with concern and he parts his dry, chapped lips to protest but I shake my head again. He may be a warrior but he is only human, plus he is suffering from cracked ribs. He can’t even seem to b
RYDER’s POVMy first memories of the dungeon were not pleasant ones. Father had brought me down there on the eve of my eighth birthday and I witnessed the execution of a rogue that had tried to assassinate my father.“It’s your birthday gift son. To prepare you for your ascension as Alpha one day. You will be faced with countless life and death decisions every day; one wrong move and you and the pack might end up paying dearly for it. So always be one step ahead of your enemies.”That execution would be the first of many deaths I witnessed. Growing up, I hated going down into the dungeon, where the stench of fear and blood usually intensify by thousand folds.But today is different. I will enter descend into the chamber of death with no fear. For today, the only death that will take place in the dungeon will be Zion’s. This I swear on the Moon Goddess’ name.My heightened senses pick up cries and whimpers of fear even before we reach the doors of the dungeon. Quietly, we make our way
RYDER’s POV It’s a nightmare. My homeland, my territory, my pack; it has all become a nightmare. My anxiety grows when I kill off the jeep’s engine. This vehicle may be a relic, but it served its purpose and for that I am grateful. But the sight before me drains away any positive feelings I have inside of me. I hear Alisa gasp as she climbs out of the jeep. My land is in ruins. Trees have been uprooted, buildings burnt down and whatever houses left intact appear to have been looted. I see dead bodies carelessly piled next to a broken shed and the glassy eyes of the victims who once called this place a home stare soullessly into the sky. This is practically a reenactment of World War Two. Is this the future that Zion had preached? At the sight of the horrific culling, a dim recollection stirs within me, a memory of a happier time under my father’s rule when the land flourished and our pack prospered. I walk over to the pile of corpses and fall to my knees with my head hung low. I fe
ALISA’s POV “Sister Abbie….” Tears flood my vision as I stare into the face of the woman who had practically raised me in the convent. She blinks a few times as if she is having trouble believing what she is seeing. “Alisa….” Finally, she breaks into a smile. Her eyes crinkle with delight and the corners of her wrinkled mouth curl up so high they reach her brows. Without another word, she pulls me into an embrace and I hug her back, tight. “My dear child. I have missed you so much. Not a day goes by that I do not pray to see you again.” Then just as she had suddenly hugged me, she quickly lets go and a look of worry replaces the smile on her face. She frowns now and shakes her head in confusion even as she holds me by my shoulders and rakes my face for signs of injuries. “But what are you doing here? I thought you escaped…” Her eyes travel to Ryder who is still carrying Hayden’s wolf in his arms. Sister Abbie’s e
ALISA’s POVHayden’s wolf shivers in Ryder’s arms and I look at his face. The change in him is frightening but I can understand why. He is consumed by rage and the need for vengeance for his pack, for his family and for his friends.Hayden’s wolf whimpers again, he can no longer see but his mind is still sound. He knows what is at stake and I see Ryder tell him through gritted teeth and tear-filled eyes, “We’re not beaten yet. I have the pearl of power now. And once this is over, we’ll find a way to heal you.”Ryder’s voice is full of conviction but I have my doubts. Contrary to what Julianne had told me, we found only one pearl. There should have been more, but there wasn’t.If there was, we would have been able to use the pearl to heal Hayden. I make a mental note to go back to the pond once more when all this is over. By hook or by crook, we need another pearl. Hayden does not de
RYDER's POV Bane’s howl tears through the forest. Alisa sits on my back, clinging onto the fur of my neck as Bane races through the trees at breakneck speed. We move and weave through the forest, swift as a coursing river but with the force of the juggernaut himself. And with the force of a raging fire, we leap across boulders, never stopping even once to rest. It took us nearly two days to reach the village, but with the power of the pearl, it will take us less than a day to get back. The power of the pearl still eludes me, it is as mysterious as the dark side of the moon. Not that I am complaining. I love how strong Bane and I have become and this will put us at a great advantage when we come face to face with the traitorous Zion. Our journey will come to an end soon. In less than half an hour, we will reach where Hayden and the rest have camped out and from there, we will plan our attack to take back what rightfully belongs to us. Th