AliceThe council tried to avoid Luke’s two-day deadline, and show up on our doorstep on the third day just to prove that we won’t tell them what to do. Luke has already been making calls to our allies and I hate to admit it, but as usual, he is right.The council didn’t intend on figuring things out. They were making plans to attack and get rid of us. That way, they would be able to save face in front of everyone else. They wouldn’t have to admit to their lies, and they could just carry on lying to everyone. “What are you doing here?” Luke glares at the head of the council standing on the other side of the gates. There are no fences around our territory, so the gates are purely symbolic.“Luke, you have to be reasonable. I’ve come to ask for more time. This is not a decision we take lightly. We can’t just turn around and tell everyone we were wrong. The packs will stop believing in us and chaos will ensue.” I note that the young challenger isn’t among the group and I tell Luke throu
OliverIt quickly becomes clear that we aren’t going to win this war. The council’s packs keep turning humans into werewolves to boost their numbers, and we keep killing them, but we are also losing numbers that we can’t recuperate. On top of that, my mate is fighting for the enemy.“Son, I know you are tired. We are all tired, but we have to keep going.” My dad pats me on the shoulder during a moment of peace, but I don’t have time to even answer before the next wave of attacks comes down on us.“Dad, we have to do something. Our people aren’t going to hold out for much longer.” I mind link him. We have to plan something drastic to stop the war. “Fighting clearly isn’t getting us anywhere.” I look in his direction as he takes down another wolf and he nods.We fight until there is nothing left, and then we fight some more, and finally they seem to let up. The air is thick with the smell of death when we return home and I don’t even look at burning heaps anymore. I wonder what people w
OliverFor weeks, we follow the news closely, but it seems the human police won’t be able to find the pack that turned the humans. My father has been in contact with one or two of the council members, and they apparently want to come to a truce.We don’t believe them, of course. Any meeting that is arranged by them will only be a trap. My mind drifts to my mate as I watch the television in the hopes that I will see her being arrested. At least, then I would know where she is, and I will be able to find out who she is.Since that hasn’t happened, I decide not to tell my parents just yet. Things are tense enough as it is. The last thing they need right now is to find out that my destined mate is the enemy. Especially after all this started, so I can have a happy life with my destined mate.I know that my parents didn’t do it just for me, but I can’t help but feel the weight of it all resting squarely on my shoulders. Since we aren’t sure if the war is really over or not, my parents deci
OliverSadly, I can’t ask around about her because the law hasn’t been changed yet. Our pack has been secretly allowing destined mates to be together after my fourteenth birthday, but because of the war, many people didn’t want to actually take the step.If your mate was killed, then it could kill you. There is just so much to think about. So much to consider that I don’t even think it is worth it. Which each time brings me to step two, which is rejecting her. If I don’t, I won’t have the possibility of finding a second-chance mate.That brings us back to the packs who still believe the lie that the council told everyone. It is a vicious cycle that won’t have an end until the day it is all over. People have to believe that the council was lying. I sit in silence while my parents discuss my mate situation.I can’t see a solution, and honestly, I have nothing to add.CamilleI have been running for days. I don’t even want to shift to my human form for fear that it would hurt too much. I
CamilleTwo years pass by as we settle into our new life, and we even have the odd human family making a pit stop at our diner on their way to their destination. All the while, we are keeping a close eye on the investigation. The news reports are fewer, but it is clear that they will be searching for the guilty person until they find one.I am faced with two choices. The pack is becoming a little restless about being so out in the open. I don’t think we are, but I need to do what is best for them. I have to decide if we are going back home or if we are going to find somewhere more secluded.OliverWe’ve had two years of peace and after a long process of negotiation and a lot of back and forth with proof, we finally get to a point where there is no werewolf council anymore. After we had the chance to properly present our evidence, which of course included me as an example, they couldn’t deny it.Sadly, some still didn’t believe us and, in the end, it was decided that each pack should l
CamilleI can’t believe what I’m hearing. At first, I blame myself for leaving. If we stayed, maybe the council would still exist. But I also realize that if we stayed, humans would have found us. That is evident from the upturned homes we walked into. The humans literally left no stone unturned when they were there. I look at Ben.“Who is running things now?” I’m almost too scared to ask, but if we are going to make a life for ourselves in our own home, I need to know.“Nobody.” Ben looks even more stunned. Almost as though he doesn’t know what to do next. I tilt my head to one side and I know I have my what the f@ck look written all over it. “All the packs signed some kind of treaty. Each pack now decides their own fate within the confines of the agreed treaty, but there is nobody that is completely in charge.” He shrugs, looking almost defeated.All those lives. The weight of it falls squarely on my shoulders as I think about everyone who died for this cause, only for the council t
OliverWhen I heard that she was back, I nearly had a heart attack. My spies have been keeping an eye on the only open territory ever since we signed the treaty. I was hoping she would come back. That we would be able to figure it all out.Even if she used to be my enemy. She wasn’t my enemy anymore. At least, I hope not. As soon as I receive word that she and her pack are back, I call every alpha who signed the treaty. We put that one condition in it to protect all of us, but also because Camille’s pack was still missing.Everyone agreed that it is important for all of us to be on the same page. Before long, we met up and made our way to her border. I could smell her coming. My heart skips a beat the moment I see her. I don’t have to see her in her human form to know which wolf is hers.When she comes walking over, I have to bite my tongue to remind myself why we are there. She’s even more beautiful than I remembered, but I also just got a quick look at her. When she looks at me, it
CamilleMy pack is on high alert. We are expecting an attack at any moment because I didn’t just blindly follow the rest of the idiots in the region. With the old council, they would definitely have attacked if I did that.What is happening now is throwing me for a big loop. A couple of days go by and there is no response from anyone from this new group they have created. They refuse to call it a council, which makes me wonder if they even realize their stupid treaty had made them a council.Just as I’m on the verge of strangling a poor omega out of frustration because they are making me wait, I get the news that Alpha Oliver is at the border. I don’t want to rush there. He made me wait, so it’s only fair that I repay the favour.I’m surprised this time to find that none of the others are with him this time. He introduces me to his beta and the head of his gamma guard and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. It doesn’t matter who they are.I don’t intend on seeing them again afte
CamilleI understand the sheer shock that he is in. I felt that same way when the doctor told me about our little bun in my oven. My first reaction was also that it only happened once! It is overwhelming, but I can’t keep how I feel any longer.“Look, I don’t expect anything from you. I would raise this kid on my own if I could, but thanks to your little mark, I’ve lost everything.” I sigh deeply. This really is the last straw. I feel completely violated even though I was a consenting adult.If we had just done it, and I found out I was pregnant without him marking me, things would have been a lot different. Unfortunately, there is no turning back now and with the baby on the way, there is no use in dwelling on what we could have done differently.“Camille, I want you. Don’t you get that? I want us to build a life together. I want us to have a family. I didn’t want it all to happen so quickly, and I know I’m to blame for some of it, but I want you and our baby.” He looks really hurt,
CamilleLizzie has given me a new perspective on Oliver, even if I don’t want to see it. I’m not ready to admit that what happened might have been an accident. How do you mark someone by mistake?!“Would you like to come and see where we put everyone?” Oliver walks into the kitchen and I frown.“Are you actually asking me something?” I snap, instantly regretting it when I see Lizzie’s disappointment. I sigh and nod without Oliver having to say another word. He tries to take my hand, but I snap it back so quickly that he just frowns before stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking on.He shows me where everyone will be staying temporarily, which seems to be a huge dining area and I wonder if their pack gets together for all of their meals like some packs do. I don’t ask, however. I just nod and walk on with my arms crossed tightly over my chest.After checking with my pack that they are okay, Oliver takes me on a tour of his entire territory. He shows me where he thinks my pack’s
CamilleI know what she’s saying. I don’t need a long explanation, but I just can’t bring myself to do that. Not yet. Unable to say anything, I nod, and she helps me to pick up my things before showing me to Oliver’s room.“Where is the Luna room?” I look around and she sighs.“That my dear was never built. I also found it very strange when I was brought here all those years ago. This house only has one main bedroom and one spare for children. It’s actually a small house if you think that it’s the alpha house.” She laughs, and I find that I like her laughing.I put my things on the bed, wondering if I would be able to convince Oliver to sleep in the spare bedroom. I’m about to ask her if I can move to the spare bedroom when she shakes her head as though she already knows what I’m about to ask.“Like I said, sweetheart. Give it a chance. I also came here against my will. I felt like a slave thanks to the council. Only when I gave in to my feelings did my life change. I’m not saying you
CamilleI don’t care how much my body is screaming to be touched by him. I am not letting him touch me again. Not ever. I know telling everyone that I don’t want to be marked by him isn’t going to do me any good. They would just tell me that I shouldn’t have slept with him in the first place.Basically, sleeping with him gave him the permission he needed. One moment of weakness. That was all it took to completely lose everything. One moment of just giving in to pleasure. One moment of wanting just that one moment.I watch as my people leave our home for a second time, and this time we aren’t coming back. We will come back to help move the houses, which involves a lot of work, but we will never live here again. We will never be the same.We will never be our pack again. It makes me wonder what else Oliver is going to take from us. His pack is clearly more traditional. They still believe in things like the mate bond. Fear grips my heart as I wonder if our child will be okay.I push that
OliverI hate every second of what I’m doing, but I have no other choice. After she crossed her border, I returned home and my father was the one who insisted that I claim her. My mother is still furious with me that I was so reckless.That I didn’t respect Camille’s decision. That I put her in this position. I claimed her without her permission in the ancient ways. That means I also claimed her pack. Now I have to push through. I have to complete my claim, or we will both die.I can’t imagine us dying, but we don’t know what parts of the ancient legends are true and what is fake. I’m not going to take that chance, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to either.“You all stand before a choice.” I force myself to focus on the present as I stand in their territory and claim it as part of mine. “You can swear your loyalty to me, or leave here as rogues.” This isn’t me. I hate doing this.I’ve always believed in giving people the freedom of choice. I’ve believed in giving them happy lives. That
Camille“What the f@CK?!” I scamper out from under him. I’m furious, but at the same time, I can feel our mate bond pulling at me. I can feel it growing stronger as the wound heals and I don’t have to look to know that his pack mark is now on my shoulder.“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. It just happened.” He sounds confused, and I am at a complete loss for words for a second.“Right! You just accidentally marked me and claimed me as yours. Without my permission!” I lose my cool as my arms fly around.“I said that I’m sorry.” He growls. All I can think of is getting out of there. I need to find a way to break this bond! I whip around and run, shifting midair as I take my third step. If I can cross our border before he gets to me, he won’t be able to put his hands on me again.I make it just in time. I can hear him calling, but I ignore it. I have to get back home before anyone sees me. I have to get back to where I am safe. I can’t believe that I was so stupid. That I all
OliverI had hope. For the longest time, I hoped that the moon goddess would find a way for us to be together. She was the one who brought us together in the first place. She chose us for each other. I couldn’t imagine her letting a bond just fizzle out and die.As I run through the forest, I feel that hope just disappear. The look I saw in Camille’s eyes right before she got into the car tonight told me everything I needed to know. She was never going to accept me as her mate. She was never going to be mine.I run into neutral territory, hoping to avoid our border patrols. I really can’t see anyone at the moment. I can’t deal with anyone at the moment. As I turn the corner to go to the lake, I smell them. Her entire pack.I stop in my tracks and watch as they get out of the lake. It is the only one in the region. That is why the area was declared neutral territory, but under the circumstances, I would definitely be in danger if they find me.One by one, they leave until only Camille
CamilleBy late afternoon, Ben draws my attention to the fact that it is getting late and reminds me that I don’t want to stay with Oliver’s pack overnight. I sit back and stare at him for a moment. We have been going through all the proof the entire day.Combing through it with a fine-tooth comb, and we haven’t been able to find anything wrong with their calculations or their data. Deep down, I knew they wouldn’t have let us in if anything was wrong. I’m just not ready to admit it yet.“Yeah, have you found anything?” I frown at Ben and he shakes his head.“I’m sorry, Camille, but it seems they are telling us the truth.” He looks just as disturbed by this fact as I am. The council lied, but why? We say goodbye to Oliver and his parents and his mother, out of the blue pulls me into a tight hug.“I know this is hard to believe, but it is the truth. I hope we can find a way to live in peace.” She smiles before letting me go, and I can’t help but get that warm and fuzzy feeling near her.
CamilleBen and I spend hours combing through everything, and in the end, we agree that there must be something wrong with their data. There has to be. There is no way the council would have put everyone through a war and through years of anguish for a lie.“We have no other choice. We are going to have to go to his territory to look at this.” Ben frowns and I roll my eyes. I really don’t want to go there. Especially not after he refused to accept my rejection. I glare at Ben and he bursts out laughing.“This is not funny, Ben!” I growl.“I know. I know, but you have to admit it is a little funny though.” It’s really not! I keep glaring at him and eventually just sigh.“Fine, just make the arrangements, but I want to show our strength when we go there.” I pour each of us a drink and hand him one. My hands are actually shaking at the thought of going into his territory. How many of his pack members know that we are mates? I try to force all thoughts of him out of my mind.“If too many