I stared blankly at Sabrina, and so did the others."The blood tears. That’s a classic sign of that. Whoever used this spell, crushed the soul of whoever this wolf belonged to, which explains why the body is left unharmed. It would have caused insufferable pain to this wolf’s soul along with its human counterpart from the inside. Make sense?” Sabrina said.“So, because there was no damage to the physical body, it hasn’t decayed?” I demanded.“Precisely. We usually say the body dies, and the soul lives on, but with this curse, you crush the soul, leaving the body intact. It’s one of the ten Forbidden Curses that witches aren’t allowed to use because the pain is excruciating. The pain incapacitates the body, like paralyzing you, and then slowly and painfully the soul dies inside and there is nothing you can do.” she answered.“And how long does it last?” Dad asked, looking pale.“As long as the one who places the curse wants. It could be days, weeks, months and even…years.”“So you slow
Ivy“What are you doing here at this hour?” Eli demanded, raising a brow. I gulped, my mind completely blank, with no reasonable answer coming to my mind. Why was he even here? This place was at least ten minutes away from the final perimeter. Why does he need to guard around here?“Ivy?” Eli repeated. I opened my mouth to respond, but again wasn’t sure what to say. Did he see me get out of the car? That would be the end of me then. His expression was hard to read, so I couldn’t even decipher whether he was suspecting me or just curious.“I…was…taking a stroll…”Idiot. What an idiot!“What?” Eli frowned, looking blank. “You were taking a stroll here, outside the pack perimeters in the middle of the night?”“No…I was just around the lake house and I…I was following this trail and then I heard something and rushed towards it. Before I realized it, I was here…so, I was just heading back.” I steeled my voice, maintai
IvyI glanced around and was startled to find myself sitting on the gigantic bed in Asher Gray’s room. What was I doing here? Because I remember passing on the couch in the living room. Did he bring me here? Or someone else? And when?“I…what am I doing here?” I muttered, averting my gaze as he pulled off his drenched T-shirt, standing in just his low hanging track pants.His curly hair was tied in a bun and the way his body and muscles flexed and bunched as he took deep breaths was almost disorienting. There were so many tattoos on his body and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious to touch them and explore what they all meant.“Twenty-one,” Asher said, pouring himself a glass of water.“What?” I frowned.“I have twenty-one tatoos on my body,” he said, flopping down in front of me. And way too close for my liking. “My birthday falls on twenty-first so,”“Oh,” I nodded.“How many do you have?” he asked casually, taking a slow sip. It was so disorienting to watch him. And how disg
Asher“I am taking the R8,” I stated nonchalantly, pointing to my matte black Audi R8, one of my favorites.“For the Council meeting?” Noah raised a brow.“Your point is?” I grimaced.“Are you trying to show off to your mate, brother?” Logan smirked, nudging me with his elbow.“Ivy isn’t the one to be impressed by fancy cars,” I muttered, retrieving the keys. “I just…”“We get it, Ash,” Logan laughed, patting my back. “Have fun,” I scowled at him before giving my brothers a wave as they pulled out in Logan's BMW while I
Ivy“Ready?” I peeked up at my mate, his fingers firmly wrapped around mine, and managed a nod. Anxiety loomed in my belly as Asher opened the sleek double wooden doors at the far end of the polished, marbled corridor.I blinked and immediately instinctively moved closer to him as we faced a large assembly hall crowded with unknown faces peering back at us. In front of me, on a raised platform, sat three older men and on either side of that platform, sitting in long rows, were the Alphas. There were only two women present out of so many men. As my eyes scanned the faces, a part of me almost expected to see Killian. But thankfully, I didn&rsquo
Once the meeting was over, everyone gathered around in another hall for drinks. Asher introduced me to the Alphas and the Ministers, the most common reaction among them that of surprise that Asher Gray has a mate now. They wanted to ask questions about me, about my pack and what blood I was, but I was in no mood to answer. Asher agreed with me because he waited long enough to make basic introductions and then pulled me away, all the while holding my hand.When we were finally done, we looked for Noah and Asher and found them talking to a woman. She was accompanied by a young man who stood a few steps behind her.“Beta,” Asher greeted him and the woman gave him a nod. She was gorgeous but also held an aura of power to her with her silver pixie-cut hair, grayish-blue eyes and freckles dotting her cheeks and nose. She had a sharp, angular face which screamed no-nonsense."Alpha Asher. Nice to see you after so long,” she gave him a polite smile. &l
Ivy"Can we talk in private?" Minister Ashford muttered, glancing at me with uncertainty.“She is my mate,” Asher said, his voice firm. “You don’t have to worry about her. Ivyanka is family.” The guilt that hit me was almost nauseating and I inwardly screamed not to let me into whatever discussion they needed to have.“Of course,” Ashford said, much to my dismay, and headed down the corridor. Asher gave me a look, beckoning me to follow.“I can stay here…” I said.Please don’t take me!“You should know about these things,” Asher said. “You are to be the Luna of GrayCrest soon. I am sure my brothers will fill their mates in when they get home later. You should get used to this, Ivyanka.” I pursed my lips as he motioned me to lead the way, silently trailing behind me as I followed Noah and Logan.“So, what is it, Minister?” Noah asked as Asher shut the door to the Minister’s office.“This news has been un
Ivy“I like that,” Silver chimed in. “He’s trying!”“And even though this whole thing is an arrangement between us and maybe after a few months we will part ways or, I don’t know…maybe we can be a bit more amiable towards each other?” he added.“You want us to be friends?” I couldn’t help but sound sarcastic. “We can barely stand each other. Friends are not tempted to kill each other every second of the day.”“I get your point, but at least we can try. It would save us a lot of pain,” Asher grumbled.“Well, if you learn to behave, I will try,” I said flatly.“What do you mean you learned to behave?” he demanded, almost petulant.“I am not the problem here, Alpha. You are,” I pointed out, crossing my arms across my chest. “Ever stopped to take a look at yourself? How furiously annoying, egoistic, typical Alpha male you are? It’s like the entire universe revolves around you. I get it, you have the looks, the money…”“So you think I am good-looking?” he grinned, giving me a side-eye.“See
Ivy's momThe sun was barely up, but the pack grounds were already alive with activity. Omegas hurried back and forth, setting up chairs, arranging flowers, and double-checking the decorations for Ivan’s ceremony. Today was the day my son, my firstborn, would be crowned Alpha, and I couldn’t stop myself from fussing over every last detail.“Make sure the garlands hang evenly,” I called to one of the omegas, pointing at a lopsided section. “And Kiera, wipe down the Alpha’s chair again, please. It has to be spotless.”“Yes, Luna,” they replied in unison, quickly moving to fix it.I sighed, smoothing the front of my dress as I watched them work. Everything looked beautiful, but it still didn’t feel ready. Today was too important to settle for anything less than perfect.Strong arms wrapped around my waist, startling me slightly as I was pulled into a familiar embrace. “You’re doing it again,” came a deep voice, warm and teasing.I smiled despite myself. “Doing what?”“Worrying over things
Hi lovelies! I hope you are doing well. The Alpha's Warrior have ended and I truly appreciate all your love and support. For those who have joined me in this journey first time, thank you so much. And if you enjoyed my work, I would like to keep you posted about my next work. Coming up next is a story that will take you from the world of Alpha's to that of dark, brooding, sexy Mafia's. Here's a peak:Blurb: The Mafia's Arranged Bride She was his light. He was her darkness. Gianna Ammassari, the adored sister of the strongest Sicilian mafia don, thought marrying Nico Baldocchi, the man she had secretly loved since childhood, was literally her dream come true. But that dream quickly turns into a nightmare when Nico reveals that his heart still belongs to another and there ever will be no place for her there. Bound by duty and driven by love, Gianna clings to the hope that maybe one day she can win Nico’s affection.But was her love powerful enough to break the walls Nico had built
By evening, the pack house was twinkling with lights like fairyland. The afternoon went by with the usual celebrations that we do with the pack members, giving gifts and sharing the feast with them. In the evening, it was time for our guests to arrive.“Merry Christmas!” Shae and Archer were the first ones to arrive, bringing in piles of gifts with them. Their son Reign was six years old now and good friends with Theo.Lia and Jordan followed next, along with their daughter Hyacinth, born six months after the war. Natalie unfortunately couldn’t make it because she was preoccupied, but Catalina did, accompanied by her mate, Alpha Cristian, a man she met at the annual mating ball. She was totally against the idea, but it was Asher who pushed her, asking her to at least give the idea of finding another mate a chance.Catalina reluctantly agreed and, as destiny would have it, she crashed into Cristian. It ruined her expensive evening gown because Cristian ended up spilling champagne on it
Ivy4 years laterThe day was chilly as hell even though, mercifully, the sun shone bright in the sky, the snowfall finally stopping but covering the entire packhouse in a white blanket. But again, what was Christmas without some snow?I inhaled the fresh, cold air and leaned down to place the bouquet of white lilies on the gravestone. I stared at the beautiful engraved writing and felt the familiar ache in my chest rising for a moment.Our Little Angel,Forever Loved, Never ForgottenIt’s been four years since we lost her, four years since the second Cold War ended, and yet not a day has passed by when I haven’t thought of her. Every year on special occasions, Asher and I bring flowers to decorate her gravestone. And Christmas was something that we never missed.And it wasn’t just her. Around me, rested every person I have once loved dearly and still did. Just beside my unborn daughter’s grave was that of a man who was my best friend and companion, a man who was an example of what lov
IvyThe ruins of MysticWarriors stretched out before me, a haunting blend of beauty and devastation. Where once vibrant life thrived, only remnants of a forgotten past remained. The grand white marble pack house that had stood as a symbol of strength and unity was now reduced to rubble, overgrown with vines and moss. The lush forest surrounding it seemed to mock the destruction.This was home—at least, it had been.I inhaled deeply, the cool mountain air filling my lungs, carrying with it the faint, earthy scent of rain. Somewhere in the distance, the roar of the waterfall could be heard, its sound as steady as the heartbeat of the land. This place held so much of my childhood: laughter shared with friends, the warmth of family, lessons learned under the sunlit canopy of trees. Now, it was little more than a shell of those memories.My father walked ahead, his shoulders slumped, his movements uncharacteri
Asher“Why is that?” Rose asked. “The mark probably has faded now that he is dead. And it wasn’t of any significance anyway, because he wasn’t your true mate, isn’t it?”“It’s not the mark,” Natalie said.“Then what is it, Nat?” Logan demanded, looking worried. “What is it?” Natalie gazed up at us, tears flooding her eyes.“I…I am carrying his child…” Everyone froze for a bit, processing the info until the silence was broken by a resounding bark from Logan.“What?” he roared, his eyes red with fury. “What did you say?”“Logan…calm down,” Cora muttered, grabbing his hand. “Let her speak…”“I…I just found out a few days ago,” she whispered. “Killian was the only man I had any sexual relationship with recently so it’s…it’s obvious that the child is his.”“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. I don’t even want to imagine how Natalie must be feeling. Killian technically raped her and the child…it wasn’t a product of love between two people but…“I am so sorry, Natalie,” Rose said softly. “Hav
AsherI probably have never seen so much hustle and bustle in the pack ever before. People were rushing around, the infirmary crowded like hell as Avery and others who volunteered tended to the injured warriors and hunters, which was a staggering number. Shouts for medicine and bandages and what not echoed across the pack mixed with occasional screaming and shouting from the men. The priestesses and Sabrina were also helping, using their magic to mend those who were beyond mending.On the other hand, Shae, Lia, Rose and Catalina passed over steaming cups of coffee and food. Cora sat in the corner with Logan holding her close to him after they both had been treated by Avery. Sabrina’s potion has worked so the vampire venom didn’t affect Cora or anyone else in a life-threatening manner. But it certainly weakened them a lot. Logan glanced up at me and gave me a nod.I nodded back and then clenched my fingers tightl
AsherEveryone in the room froze, a collective breath held in shock. I blinked, staring at her as if I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.“I’ll do it,” Cora repeated, her words firm, unyielding. “If I can help in any way to bring that precious, innocent life back, then I will do it.”“Me too,” Rose chimed in, her voice steady but filled with a quiet determination. “It doesn’t matter the cost... we will do it.”I could hardly breathe as I looked at them, my throat tight with emotion. “Yeah, if it can help Ivy and the baby...” Logan’s voice followed, and then Noah’s, both of them agreeing without hesitation, without a second thought.Tears welled up in my eyes to see the unconditional love that my family had for me. It was a love I couldn’t fully comprehend, a selflessness that went beyond anything I could ever repay. I knew how much Noah wanted a bigger family. I knew Logan had always dreamed of a baby girl. And yet, not for a moment had they hesitated. Not for a second had they thoug
AsherMy stomach twisted, and my wolf stirred uneasily at Sabrina’s words. A sacrifice from Cora and Rose…what was that supposed to mean?“Cora and Rose?” I echoed, barely able to process what she’d said. “Why them, Sabrina? Why not me? I am her mate, after all.”“Because they are true Lunas of GrayCrest, Asher. Just as Ivy is,” Sabrina answered, her eyes darting behind me.I turned around to see the others returning—bruised and battered and barely breathing. Cora didn’t look good at all, hardly managing to stand without Logan’s support, who himself looked like he would collapse right now. Noah and Rose walked hand-in-hand, Rose’s beautiful face battered and scarred. Jordan, Archer, Shae, Catalina and the rest of them trailed behind, all of them halting in surprise as they spotted the altar and Ivy’s lifeless body lying there.“Sabrina…you can save her and the baby, right?” Cora croaked. “Please tell me