LOGINShare
TWENTY-THREE | DREAMSCAPE
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Atticus
Honey-brown hair spilled across the pillow, tangled from hours of restless sleep. Darkness swelled outside, watching, waiting. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks, shadowed crescent moons spilling spider’s legs across his skin in the dusty moonlight.Behind closed eyelids, green eyes searched relentlessly for one thing: her. His heart ached, pulsing with need for a girl with brown eyes that saw beyond the mask he presented to everyone else. Her eyes were brown, but they shone with gold.
His fist crumpled the rumpled duvet. His chest rose and fell rapidly, breath catching in his throat.
He was in the garden again. Spring leaves formed an archway, a floating path that wound gracefully between the wide boughs of the trees. His feet followed it weightlessly. And, for once, his head felt empty, quiet, peaceful. His mind was gentle; she soothe
Related chapters
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-FOUR | MASTER OF HERBS
LilyA hazy dream blurred into reality as Lily reached her hand out, her palm aching to brush against something familiar but new. It met a soft bed of moss and, confused, she startled awake.“Hello.” A strange, wizened creature stared down at her, black eyes peering over his bulbous nose. Long fingers wrapped around a bunch of dried rosemary, but he quickly discarded his work in favour of stepping towards her.“Hi,” she croaked, her voice shaky and uncertain from disuse. “Where am I?”“My name is Hargrin,” the creature said kindly. He settled on her bed beside her, patting her knee. “I am Master of Herbs. Your, ah, friend,” he said the word with a twinkle in his eyes, “brought you here for my assistance. You are safe now, Lily.”She blinked, struggling to ta
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-FIVE | NIGHTFALL
ElijahHe didn’t want to leave.She’d glanced over at him, hair spilling across her face and down her shoulders, tumbling in thick waves. Her lips – full and red – had parted, and she’d inhaled shakily, her eyelashes fluttering against her bronzed, freckled cheeks.His heart and stomach competed for his attention and, after a moment’s hesitation, he allowed his aching, empty stomach to drag him towards the main house.Above, stars glittered. Interwoven into the fabric of the night sky, they seemed to shine just for him, just for a moment. He brushed his hair over his ears, even though their hosts knew – and had pointed ears of their own.“Hello?” He rapped lightly on the door.“Who is it?”“It’s me. Elijah,” he ad
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-SIX | PHOENIX
Lily Elijah’s still-damp body clung to his clothes as he padded back into the main room. Lily stole glances at him as he moved, watching the lithe muscles bunch and release, watching his wet hair trickle down his neck and chest. She raised an eyebrow at him as he sat heavily on the nearest rug. She’d awoken shortly after he’d gone into the bathing chamber, and had been waiting for him to return. The cold dinner beside her was making her stomach ache, desperate for food, but she’d wanted to eat with him. She shuffled to the edge of the bed. “What are you doing down there?” He frowned up at her. She longed to kiss his damp brow. Lily didn’t understand the urge, but she couldn’t deny it either. “I – I don’t know.” He smiled helplessly. His fingers trembled slightly as they met hers. The bond snapped
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-SEVEN | FAELEN
ElijahElijah awoke slowly, the world shaping around him in soft, blurred lines as the sun rose outside. He became aware of the steady sound of Lily’s breathing, finding his own lungs moving in a gentle rhythm along with hers.Her warmth seeped into his skin through the thin layers of their clothing. The night before formed itself in his mind’s eye as dawn light spilled across his frame of vision. They had shared a moment of peace, bodies pressing closer and closer as the moon had rolled across the night sky. His hands had tangled in her hair, in the fabric of her clothes, then splayed across her bare skin.Though they’d edged around the darkest depths of their buried truths, he had learned other facets of her, of who she was, under the shroud of night. They had spoken until sleep had pulled at their eyelids and, at last, they had succumbed to it, entwined toge
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-EIGHT | HOME
LilyLily hadn’t known Elijah long, but she had picked up on some of his habits: the twitch in his fingers that signalled he wanted to toy with his shaggy hair; chewing the inside of his cheeks; rocking back and forth on his heels. She hadn’t known him long, but Lily knew that Elijah was nervous.About what, she had no idea.They crossed a small, sparkling stream, wobbling across a casually placed log. Dense forest formed around them, blocking out the sunlight as they left Entra behind.They walked in silence for a while, the soft sway of their steps and the occasional slice of their swords through thick underbrush the only sounds to fill the air between them. Lily weighed her new sword in her hand, garnets glinting dully in its hilt, guilt gnawing at her insides.Elijah had paid for the sword. He’d paid for everything,
The Broken Alpha TWENTY-NINE | HONEY
AtticusOnyx eyes surveyed Atticus keenly. He sighed at Ralphin, and rolled his eyes for good measure.“I have nothing new to tell you.”Ralphin sighed dramatically, pushing away from the tree he’d been leaning against. “I’m not here for news, and you know it.”“So you truly are just here to pester me, then?” Atticus folded his arms across his chest. Before Ralphin could retort, he spoke again: “We’re meant to be running. This seems an awful lot like talking to me.”“Fine.” It was Ralphin’s turn to roll his eyes. He slicked back his inky hair and grinned. Letting out a howl that curved around his laughter, he sprinted into the grassy plains bordering the southern edge of the Blood Moon pack.For a moment, Atticus remained. He surveyed
The Broken Alpha THIRTY | NIGHT-BLOOMING WHITEDRIFT
LilyPine trees arched above them, bottle-green needles thick enough to cast the day in shadow. Lily wriggled her fingers, her hand snug against Elijah’s.“Look.” He pulled her gently to a halt. “Just there.” Using their joined hands, he pointed to the blur of green ahead of them. Even squinting, her eyes better attuned to the world than most of the creatures that shared their continent, she was hard-pressed to make out more than a smudge of brown and grey amongst the brush of green that made up the horizon.“What is it?”“That’s my – home.”She frowned over his sudden pause, loosening her grip on his hand as she wondered what it was he’d originally intended to say. She’d softened towards him during their journey – alarmingly so – and yet she still
The Broken Alpha THIRTY-ONE | CURSED
ElijahLily stumbled backwards, her dark eyes shining with unshed tears. Clenching his hands into fists, Elijah forced down the need to reach for her, to comfort her.He should have told her sooner. He knew it, and yet…And yet he still didn’t understand why she was reacting like this. Surely, if anything, his being the Alpha was a good thing? She had to know what they were to each other, and, once they’d dredged up enough courage to come clean to one another, should she want to be with him then her pack rank could only improve.Unless she’d been the Luna of the Blood Moon pack, but Elijah doubted his spies and allies would have let that information slide. Even more so, he doubted that Atticus could refrain from being smug long enough to keep his mouth shut about his mate bond.Lily swallowed hard. Takin
Latest chapter
The Broken Alpha 109 | EPILOGUE
LilyLily stared down at the letter, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. There had been something nagging at her, ever since the battle, and at last she understood what it was.Lily,Or I suppose I should refer to you by your proper title. Luna Lily,I always knew you would grow to be a completely insufferable pack leader. We last met at the Great Battle, as it is already being termed – and, really, should we not wait until longer than a few months have passed before we name things with such grandiose titles? – but you did not seem to recognise me. If I were another, I may have been hurt by that. Then again, you never were very good at seeing through my disguises.Therefore, I have decided to be blunt. I have lost everything. My home and my people are gone. I took that Alpha wolf you had a soft spot for, Atticus, to bargain with Blood Moon. To no avail, might I add. He was more irksome than he was useful, so he has been deposited back in his rightful home. The issue is this: I have no
The Broken Alpha 108 | HEARTFELT
ElijahElijah stared up into Lily’s beautiful face. “Elijah?” she breathed. He gazed at her, feeling like he was staring straight into the sun. Her warmth enveloped him, bringing heat into his frozen limbs. Elijah flexed his fingers and toes, waiting for the dark to swallow him once more.But it did not. He waited and waited, his heart in his throat, but nothing happened. He took a breath, then another. And life went on. His life went on.“I’m alive?” he whispered, raising his bloodied hands to the morning sun. “I think so?” Lily laughed; it broke, becoming a sob. Gently, he was lowered to the ground. They fell into each other, their hands clutching desperately, their bodies pressed flush. Elijah dropped his forehead against Lily’s, just breathing for a moment, relishing in the way his chest hollowed and filled with air. “You’re alive,” she whispered, pulling back to stare at him with wonder swimming in her eyes. “How? I saw you. I,” a hiccup cut her off, and more tears filled h
The Broken Alpha 107 | SUNRISE
Lily“Lily?” her dad murmured, his strong hand settling on her trembling shoulder. “Lils, we can’t stay here. We need to go home.”Sunlight fell in slanted beams through the trees, casting everything in a strange, gold-green light. Elijah looked more faelen than he ever had before, his skin pallid, his pointed ears sticking out of his long hair. She swallowed hard. Her face was dry and stiff with tears and her throat ached from screaming. And her heart lay in tatters on the ground beside him.“I won’t leave him,” she rasped, bowing over his too-still body and clutching at his torn clothes. “I can’t.”He sighed, the sound twisted and broken. “It’s okay, sweetheart. It’s all right. You don’t have to leave him. I won’t either.”She turned to look at her father with fresh tears beading along the dark sweep of her lashes. “You won’t leave me?”“Never again,” he swore. The lump in her throat grew too large for her to speak, but she nodded, her lips quivering. Silent sobs overcame her for
The Broken Alpha 106 | AUBURN
AtticusNeither Ralphin nor Trove spoke to Atticus as they went to face the Blood Moon pack. They kept sharing long glances, only looking away when Atticus tried to catch their eyes.The battle was already diminishing as they joined it. With the magic of Red Ripper gone, the wolves were shifting back into their human forms as the moon set. They had no leaders, no plan, and the Blood Moon pack were fresh and uninjured. Atticus barely had to think as he fell into the easy routine of fighting, punching and scraping and kicking. This part had always come to him with ease. It was other things he struggled with. Other things – like Lily. He slammed his fist into the jaw of a weedy, speckled wolf. Huh, he thought, it was no wonder that one had wanted to join Red Ripper and use their magical hoo-hah to get ahead. It didn’t stand a chance against a real wolf like him. He gripped its throat, squeezed, and something snapped deep within it. He dropped it to the ground, a sneer tugging at his mo
The Broken Alpha 105 | EMPTY
LilyNo.Lily could not think beyond that single word. This couldn’t be happening. She’d waited so long to see Elijah again, and now…No.She shoved out of Atticus’s arms, rage burning through her. “You,” she snarled, slamming her fists into his chest. His unharmed chest, which had been healed by Elijah. “You did this.”He looked at her blankly. “Of course I did. I did it for us, Lily. You would never have been truly happy with me while Alpha – Alpha Elijah lived. He was basically dead already.” He inspected his nails, wrinkling his nose as he picked out a sliver of dried blood.A sob built in her throat. She tore away from him and fell to her knees beside Elijah, gripping his ripped shirt in her fists and bowing her head over his. Her tears fell onto his face, blurring her vision so she couldn’t even see the man she loved. “Come back to me,” she rasped again, her whole body shaking with need.Warm hands pressed in on her. She recognised the touch of Elijah’s Beta, Ithia, and her own
The Broken Alpha 104 | IN DEATH
ElijahElijah fought through the darkness, every step excruciating. His burns seared his flesh, but he was alive. For now.His heart thrashed. The sounds of battle raged ahead, howls and choked off screams and the dull thumps of bodies smacking the ground. It was messy, undignified, and Elijah had never longed to be a part of something so badly.Because Lily had to be there. Everything in him was screaming that she was, even though the thick, pulsating magic cloying the air was throwing off the power of their mate bond. He could not pin her down – but still he knew.At last he reached the clearing. The remnants of magic hung heavy in the cool night air, sparking at his touch as he stepped through the boundary they’d made and through the ring of trees. He paused, sucking in heavy breaths, leaning heavily on a trunk as he tried to pick out Lily amongst the mass of wolves.Bile rose in his throat. Bodies were piled up everywhere, ringing the clearing, bloody and mutilated. He realised wi
The Broken Alpha 103 | KING
AtticusAtticus relished every racing beat of his heart. He was alive, more alive than he had ever felt, and each solid pound of it meant that he was still there. Still fighting.Still fighting for her.When he’d seen that arrogant, too-pretty-for-his-own-good, so-called Alpha kiss Lily, he’d seen red. He’d let that bright, burning red edging his vision become a prediction of the future: Apollo would bleed for all that he’d done. But this fight was no normal fight. Atticus was strong, brutally so, but Apollo never seemed to tire or lag. He had no weaknesses that Atticus could take advantage of, no faltering glances or too-slow reactions. He was on top form, all of the time, and Atticus’s energy was starting to wane.He whipped his head around, searching through the crowd for his Beta or Gamma. They were lost to the writhing sea of bodies, part of the blur of dark fur and bloody teeth surrounding him, packed tight in all directions. His pride kept him from asking them for help. Apoll
The Broken Alpha 102 | CEREMONIAL
LilyA howl shattered the clearing. It tore apart the chants, reverberating through each of the elements swirling through the darkness.The blade froze a hair’s breadth above Lily’s chest. She let out a ragged breath, though her eyes remained fixed on the glint of the blade. It shimmered in the moonlight, trembling in Peverton’s shaky grip.“Potentia grym,” he muttered, shaking his head. Then, again, louder, he said: “Potentia grym!” and raised the blade anew. Before he could slam it down into her chest, though, a huge black wolf smashed into him. Lily gasped, twitching away from the blade as it fell. It caught her foreleg, slicing down towards her paw, her blood dripping down onto the earth before she could tear away.The wolf towered over her on her altar, its fur alight with all four elements. The ends of its black fur were tinged red by the flames; air made its hair sway; ivy coiled up its legs; water slicked down its back. A loud sizzling noise drew her attention away. Her bloo
The Broken Alpha 101 | WARDS
ElijahThe brush of the magic skittering over the veil was cool to the touch. Elijah dipped his fingertips into it, a shiver running down his spine and raising the tiny hairs prickling down his forearms. A sense of foreboding washed over him as he stepped through, his foot landing solidly in Red Ripper’s territory.The entry point of this veil was different to the last one he’d come through. Darkness ebbed and flowed like a river in the far wood, but Elijah turned away from it. He had one goal to focus on: find the cells. Once he’d managed that unnoticed, he could worry about the incessant scratching at the back of his mind and the oppressive weight of magic hanging thick in the night air.Ducking low, Elijah picked his way towards a flickering light in the distance. He’d drawn out a scribbled map of the territory, as it was in his memory, but whether that was accurate to the reality he’d witnessed or if the Red Ripper wolves had changed the pack’s layout since then, he had no idea. I
