Lola sat in the town square on a bench in the roundabout. She held her coffee cup and looked at the people roaming around in peace. The university students were jumping gleefully over the town’s annual Harvest Moon fest- they were putting up lights with various colors in the trees and decorating the benches. The town shops were all preparing their windows and facades.Lola smiled, watching everyone laugh. Dressed in coats with mittens and scarves, they took to town with a joy that only the small-town festivities could bring.Couples held hands and walked under the streetlights. The bakery had put on a pumpkin event for the children where they carved their own pumpkins, and a prize was given to the best one.“Lola.”She was pulled away from her thoughts and shifted on the bench. Jax stood behind her, his voice was low and a hint of fear seeped into her name when he spoke. He walked around and took a seat.“Hi,” she said and smiled.She hadn’t seen him all afternoon and tried her best to
Melissa and Lola were at the Clifton’s house- hiding away in Melissa’s bedroom. They sat cross-legged on the bed and Melissa hugged a pillow to her chest while thinking about Ed.“Did you see him, his eyes- I mean oh my god!” She said in glee as she squeezed the pillow tighter and screamed giddily.They had spent the good part of two hours at the cafe with Ed before he had to go. The girls went home to Melissa and it was clear as day how smitten she was with him.“He eyed you the entire time we were there,” Lola said and smiled so big that her cheeks were starting to hurt.She laughed at Melissa’s giddy response and the way her nose wrinkled when she did a little dance.“He did didn't he,” Melissa sucked her lip between her teeth.The pink floral covers moved in waves as she did a dance and Lola was so swept up in the contagious joy that she hadn't noticed her phone on the table.“You got his number, text him!” Lola urged.“No, it’s too soon and besides, he has my number too, he shoul
Jax stormed out of the bedroom. He stopped in the hallway and turned around, his eyes locked down on Lola who was still pressed against the wall as though someone held her there.“We’re going home.” He commanded, leaving no room for objections.Lola seethed when she walked out. Melissa stood in the door with the others and Lavina quickly scanned Lola when they walked out.“Are you leaving?” Melissa asked looking at Lola.“Yes,” Jax answered.“I wasn't asking you,” Melissa said and raised a brow.Ash was scanning Lola intently, watching how her lips turned and her eyes narrowed and he noticed the flushed cheeks gradually mellowing.“She’ll give you a call,” Ash said, mediating the conversation.“With what?!” Lola snapped.All eyes turned on her and she felt the burn from Jax’s scorching gaze. He was not the only one putting up walls to shield himself from the pain of caring about someone who hurt you.She felt the walls coming up one by one and soon he would be completely shut out. The
“You can't treat her like that, you’re going to end up pushing her away,” Lavina said.She and Jax were in the study, Lola was up in the guest room and everyone was coming down from the night's turbulent events.“You’re telling me I can't protect her?” Jax was on the verge of becoming Alpha and more wolves were starting to recognize the shift in his aura. His wolf was more present when he spoke and other wolves felt it.Lavina stood back. She looked around the room before mustering the strength to lock at him.“This isn't protection, it’s possession. You need to be gentle with her or you will lose her. After all these years you’ve finally found your mate, don't fuck this up, Jax,”“How am I supposed to protect her if I don't know where she is or what she’s up to?”“By trusting her!”The papers shuffled when Jax leaned his hands down on the table.His tall build towered and his hair fell in front of his face.“You’re not coming down from the high,” Lavina referred to the anger that ha
Lola and Melissa were walking on the streets in town, passing stores and cafes and listening to the music playing on the speakers. “Oh here, sweetheart, can you hold that?” Greta, the owner of the antique store, asked and handed a colorful light string to Melissa. “Of course, Greta,” she smiled and helped hold the string while Greta stood on the stepping stool and hung the lights across her windows. Greta was much like everyone's grandmother in Wild Cliff and refused to be talked to as Mrs anything even though she’d been married for thirty-three years to her husband. “Thanks, honey,” Greta said and took the last string from Melissa's hands. They walked past the street musicians who were studying music at the university, many of whom wanted to travel across the country. Beautiful guitar-strung notes traveled with the wind over the festive town and tonight was the night of the harvest festival- which meant laughs in plenty and everyone coming together. “I want to hear everything a
The mayor and his wife were standing ready by the stage that had been set up for them. The big red switch would soon be turned and the whole town square would be a light-filled park of colorful glory and joy.“Who is that talking to Melissa?” Jax asked and looked at the back of Ed’s head. A smile grew on Lola’s face from ear to ear and the giddy feeling returned.“His name is Ed, we met him yesterday. He and Melissa hit it off quite quickly, aren't they cute?”Jax’s brow raised.“You met him yesterday?”“Mhm, why?”“I don’t remember you telling me about it,” he said.She stepped back and raised a brow.“In between the screaming and the avoidance you didn't really give me a chance too.” Lola’s voice grew edgy, she crossed her arms, shielding herself off from him, and stared dumbfounded.Jax stared in silence, he rubbed his hands on his jacket and chewed down on his lip.“You’re right. I'm sorry,” Jax said.Ash joined them and pulled them both from the rising friction and yet another co
“Hi there,”“Do I know you?” Lola asked and tilted her head to the side.The smell of cotton candy filled the air as the machine started up next to them and her stomach let out a loud growl.“I doubt that but I sure know you. I’m Cyrus,” He said smilingly.The guy leaned in, he pointed behind Lola and her eyes followed his finger's direction.“There’s your friend, Melissa, and her new sweetheart. Over there is Jax and Ash Blackwood, we’ll try and steer clear of them,” he winked, “and behind that pumpkin waffle station is Melissa's parents, am I right?” He asked. Lola looked at all of the people she cared about, they could see them all clearly from where they stood.“Yes,” her voice hitched in her throat and the breath of fresh air stuck in her lungs reminded her of what it was like to not breathe. Her core clutched and her lungs shriveled up like raisins, at least that was the feeling of watching the people she loved being in the crossfire of her decisions.“Good. Here’s what we’re g
Melissa looked around when the lack of worrisome gazes from Lola became too obvious. Her hair flung over her shoulder when she frantically looked over the park. She pulled away from Ed’s arm and left him standing by the pretzel stand when she ran to Lola after finally spotting her by the roundabout.She saw them gathered around the car and Jax’s men were coming in to help get rid of Cyrus’s body.“What happened here?” Melissa asked. She looked past Lola and Ash and saw the vampire slumped back against the car.“Oh my god,” she mumbled.“Oh my god!” A loud voice said behind her.They all turned and saw Ed dropping the pretzel to the ground with utter fear spreading on his face.“Is he…” Ed began.“Drunk and sleeping? Yes, he is,” Ash said and blocked Ed’s view.Two men walked into the group and carried Cyrus away, they walked with him like a passed-out drunk with his arms flung over their shoulders and put him in a car. Anytime a human looked at them they would roll their eyes and heav
“Get your butt in here right now, young lady!” Lola scolded while running around with a towel chasing her two-year-old daughter who was running down the hallways butt naked. With her arms swinging in the air and laughing menacingly, the water traced her steps on the carpets, and she headed towards the stairs. Just before reaching the end of the hallway, she was lifted into the air by two large arms and flown around like an airplane. “Daddy!” “My darling Ophelia,” he said and lowered her gently. He tickled her nose and hugged her tight when Lola came to a stop with the towel. “That little girl is definitely wolf,” Lola panted. She halted to a stop and raised a brow when she took in Jax’s appearance. “Daddy indeed,” Lola purred when she watched her husband’s bare upper body as he stood sweating after his workout with the warriors. “She could be a Doe,” Jax said and looked into his daughters’ eyes. “She has your big, beautiful eyes,” he remarked. Lola giggled and cupped Jax’s che
They were back at the mansion and had constructed a plan on the way. The danger was still not altogether eliminated, not all enemies had been neutralized and they were those on the inside still aiming to break Jax and Lola apart.Jax and Ash walked into the mansion with Lola keeping her distance behind them. She turned away from them and hid where they wouldn't see her until it was time. Jax had called for a meeting on the way and told his parents and Lavina to meet him in the study. Nobody had suspected a thing, they were all just glad to hear that he was alright and their Alpha and son were returning home. The Blackwood boys entered the office and let the door fall to a near close. “It is so good to see you again, darling,” Mrs. Blackwood gleamed.Lavina ran up and wrapped her arms around him. The wide smile on her face and the wrinkles on her eyes deepened as relief washed over her. “I was so worried I almost went after you myself but Lola insisted she had it covered,” she said
Lucien clapped his hands, starting slow as the sound echoed in the room before he picked up the speed and laughed menacingly. He slammed his fist in the air and blew into his hands in celebration.“I have played this in my mind for months, going over what it would be like to have you all here and to tell you the things I knew but now that it is happening, holy shit, there is not a feeling like it.” He licked his lips and wiped the sweat from his face.He used his speed and kneeled next to Lola in a second. She fell back and tried to widen the distance between them by crawling backward but Lucien circled his fingers around her ankle and pulled her in with a rough grip. He gestured with his hand towards Jax and said through a deep smirk, “How I have been waiting for this. Be honest now, which do you prefer- getting fucked by a werewolf-” he grabbed her chin and forced her head back, “-or a vampire?” He asked. Jax’s mouth fell open and his eyes glistened as though all the pain came rus
Ash’s eyes glowed as his wolf stepped up, his canines extended and his growl shook the walls of the house when he pulled the knife out of his side and he flung it at his cousin's hands. They all turned their heads and watched as the knife cut through the air and went clean through the chains that bound Jax's hands. Jax fell into a pool of his blood, his heart barely beating and his body weakened from the poison in his wounds.“What the fuck?” One of the vampires spat and tried to overrun Ash. Ash grabbed the vampire's arm and spared no time as he ripped his head clean of his body and through against one of the windows, shattering the glass.“Let go of her.” He growled and walked towards Lucien. Whatever they had laced the blade with was eating at his insides, burning his flesh like acid but Ash refused to fall, not until he knew that she was safe.Lucien pulled out his fangs and lifted his head, looking toward the ceiling in a euphoric high.Three of his men jumped on Ash who was alre
They went to sleep not long after their talk and Ash slept on top of the covers. He watched Lola drift off into slumber and lay awake completing his choices.His cousin had been taken and he was making moves on his girl. Though he knew what he wanted, he now began to regret the many decisions he’d made that had led him this far. He looked at her lips slightly parted in her sleep and her eyes softly closed still, the faint freckles on her nose and her thick hair landing over her shoulder.She was a special girl, loved by many and desired by more. Perhaps it was the curse of being the Doe or maybe it was just her heart that sparked interest once she trusted people enough to show it to them. Regardless of the reasons, Ash realized now that his fighting was futile because her heart was not his to win. He should've been grateful to have felt her love, the one she gave him when she chose to trust him. The love was addictive, at first taste he wanted more, and he wanted what his cousin had.
They drove up to the Inn though it was further away from the street than advertised and they circled a sharp turn that led up a narrow path.As they arrived at a red neon sign saying ’open’ and a lady sitting with headphones on behind the desk inside they looked at each other, a lingering silence that was questioning just how good of an idea it was to go in. The rain poured around them. Drops on the roof of the car began to sound like firecrackers went off in a tunnel.Ash gave Lola his jacket to hold over her head and they shared a look before they ran from the car and slammed open the door as they tumbled inside.The lady looked up, slowly and gently as though a couple of strangers hadn't just tumbled into her hallway. She slowly leaned to the side to look past them and watch the pour outside of the Inn.“You kids don’t listen to the news, do ya?” She laughed.She wiggled her finger in front of Lola and pointed to the den.“There are towels in there, go grab yourselves some and I'll
They were back in the mansion. Ash had gathered the Alpha's warriors and filled them in on the situation. One of the cleaners had turned on the radio and Lola heard on the news that extreme weather was to be expected as she walked down after having changed clothes. Extreme rainfall was to occur during the night and the following days in and around town.She had the keys to her car and a small bag with toiletries.Ash and the warriors came out of the office and saw Lola standing at the entrance. His shoulders rose in a predatory bow as he stalked towards her.“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked. “To find Jax. Whatever he and I are, it’s my fault that he’s been taken. I'm going to bring him home,”Ash was in front of her before she could blink and ripped the keys from her hand.“The hell you are.” He put the keys in his pocket and grabbed her wrists when she tried to get them back. “It’s my fault that he was taken, he was protecting ME!” “And I will get him back!” He growled
She froze, time stilled around them and that picture would now be etched in her mind forever as it was all she saw wherever she looked.Nobody moved, she heard faint gasps and a low growl behind her but she couldn't turn around.For Lola, it felt as though hours passed without either Jax or Lavina moving but when a hand weighed down on her shoulder and forced her to turn she noticed everything moving a lot faster and people not having noticed what happened.She looked over her shoulder at Jax and Lavina and saw that they stood apart from each other, Lavina was by the table and Jax wiped his thumb over his lips and turned his head, his eyes locked with Lola’s, and his hand fell to his side. “Lola,” Ash said and tried to get her attention.Melissa had her arm hooked in Ed’s and watched with a glimmer in her eyes as her worst fear came true.But at that moment Lola couldn't breathe, she couldn't hear what anyone said and needed to get away from all of the people that surrounded her.On
“She did an amazing job,” Lola said, trying to break the thick ice coating when they were alone.“She did.” He said huskily and looked down at her. His gaze burned into her skin, his eyes glistened as they scanned her as they had many times before and his tongue slid over his lips.They stood staring into each other's eyes and Lola noticed the life in Jax’s eyes had dimmed. It wasn't what she looked into before, he seemed hardened and cold. Not just towards her but in general.Lola didn't know the first thing about being an Alpha but she was starting to realize that perhaps it entailed your persona shifting from tough but fair to cold and hard.Was it Alphas or just Jax?There didn't seem to be any in-between.“You wanted to talk.” He said.Taken aback by the hurry in his tone she realized he wanted to leave.“We haven’t talked since that night in the guest room. You slept in my bed, told me to be patient with you and then I don't hear from you for weeks.” Jax’s brows furrow and a ch