**Jarin**
I walked out of the castle gates followed by Asher and Doran. The rest of the pack would stay and protect the castle, in case it was a trap to draw me out and attack. We stood at the edge of the trees and removed our clothes, stuffing them into the packs that Asher and Doran would carry in their mouths after we shifted. If we were going to talk with the vampires, we needed to be in our human form. Once we were ready, I nodded in Asher and Doran’s direction to signal them to shift.
The familiar pain surged through my body. It was strange. It hurt every time we shifted, but the pain almost became like an old friend. It was reassuring. Asher and Doran collected the packs, and I started running in the direction of the Eastern Outpost. This was the closest place to where our territories met. Some years ago, it was further away, and the werewolves occupied more land. However, with our**Atlas**I stood up to look out of the small parlour window. It looked out onto the market place of the village. I reflected again what a dingy place it really was. All of the buildings looked like they were in various states of disrepair. Everyone that roamed the streets look miserable. The only people that looked like they might have money were clearly traders. If she really was a hybrid, it would be the last place I would think she would be.I heard footsteps approaching so I turned and watched the door open. Gurtar came in followed by…my breath hitched. The girl had dark curly auburn hair that was messily pulled back. She was dressed in literal rags, and her face was dirty and pale. She was clearly underweight and looked fragile. Despite this, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. A strange feeling stirred within me. I had never felt like this before. My wolf made a desperate cry insi
**Thea**“Now!? You’re leaving NOW?!” Gurtar was furious. “It’s almost nightfall! Do you know how indecent it is to leave with a strange man at this time of day?” “I don’t think that is any longer you concern” I said, braver than I had ever spoken to her in the past. “You cheeky ungrateful cow!” Gurtar spat at me. “After all I’ve done for you”. She smacked the edge of the bar loudly, and the few patrons that were in tonight looked up in interest at our public display “Do you know how much coin I’ve been offered by various people to fuck you? I would be a rich woman by now. But I saved you from that life!” “Gurtar, I cannot deny, you took me in when others would have left me to die. But you never showed me love, if you had, I would have shown you it back”. She looked taken
**Atlas**The castle came into view, I heard her gasp. I realised it was probably the biggest structure she’d ever seen in her life. I sensed awe but also a small amount of apprehension in the way she gazed up, her mouth parted slightly. As she marvelled at my home, I marvelled yet again at her beauty.Conflicting emotions began battling in my head. On one hand, the journey had been torturous. Being so close to her, her back occasionally falling onto me, my hands grazing her thighs as I steered the horse, her scent filling my nose…It was almost impossible to resist her. On the other hand, I knew that this journey was the closest I was ever going to get to her. Soon we would be separated and I would never have a reason to touch her again. My wolf was furious with me.We had arrived around dawn, having not slept at all since I had left
**Thea**I had never been in a place this grand. In fact, I had never been anywhere you could have called grand at all. The castle was magnificent, so magnificent, for a brief moment I forgot why I was here. Not that I really knew that anyway.I couldn’t believe how big it was. When we had arrived outside its size had intimidated me. I had not wanted to leave Atlas. I’d expected him to show me to my room. Although I acknowledged it was much more appropriate for another woman to do this. Bessie did seem lovely. She was a stunning woman, without a doubt the most beautiful I had ever seen. She had blonde hair that was elaborately braided with ribbons. It was as long as the entire length of her back. Her eyes were green with flecks of gold, and they shone whenever she smiled. Her womanly figure was clad in a pale green dress that was fastened at the back with pearls. It nipped her in at the waist, the floor
**Jarin**I had let Atlas sleep for most of the day, but I had no choice but to wake him in the afternoon to discuss the offer that the vampires had presented me with. I decided to leave the detail out about Viola. The more I thought about it, the more I was sure I must have imagined it. Probably baffled by the vampires suddenly wanting a truce. I had noticed how tired he looked. He didn’t seem to be quite himself, but I couldn’t get a sense of what the issue was. And anyway, I unfortunately had other matters that needed my attention. After a lengthy conversation, we came to the agreement that it would be wise to accept the offer.Before we left, I decided we needed to inform the rest of our warriors. I gathered them in the great hall. As its name suggests, it is the largest room in the castle. Every celebration takes place within it. As I stepped through the doors, I realised this would be the pla
*Thea*The first thing I felt was warmth. I was so comfortably warm. I stretched out to feel the soft padded sheet envelope me. Startled as to why I wasn’t cold and on a hard stone floor, I sat up suddenly looking about. As I took in the surroundings of the beautiful room, it all came flooding back. I couldn’t believe it was real and not some lovely yet torturous dream. It was light outside, and I wondered what time it was.Just then, there was a soft knock at the door. “Thea? It’s Bessie, is it okay for me to come in?” I rushed out of bed and over to the door “Just coming”. I opened the heavy door and allowed Bessie to come into the room. She was carrying a tray laden with boiled eggs, thick cuts of ham, a tankard of milk, fresh warm bread and a generous pot of butter. “Thank you, Bessie, I really don’t expect you to bring me food, I don’t want to trouble you”. &l
**Thea**Bessie all but collapsed into fits of giggles. Had she gone mad? Wait. Maybe this had all been a joke. Maybe there was no such thing as werewolves and she was winding me up. She caught sight of my face and regained her composure. “Oh, I am sorry Thea. It’s just…” More laughing ensued “It’s just, that question is quite…intimate” I still didn’t understand. Picking up on that she continued. “You see, asking someone that question directly, to see their wolf, it kind of means you want to have sex with them”. My face turned crimson. “Oh, but…that doesn’t really make any sense” Bessie grinned. “You’re right, it doesn’t really. But it’s sort of a question you ask because you hope once they shift back to human form, they will stay naked for you…and you know…” I didn’t know what to say. I felt t
**Atlas**My head was spinning with emotion. Tonight, a dinner would take place where Jarin would explain to Thea why we had looked for her. Tonight, he would essentially be asking her to marry him. Every time I thought of them getting married, of their wedding night…I couldn’t. My wolf growled with possessive jealousy. It was just as well I wasn’t able to let him out for a while due to the pendant. I’m not sure I could trust him to stay away from her. Part of me also yearned for the dinner to come. I would see her again. A mind link from Doran pulled me from my thoughts. He wanted to see me before the dinner. I knew what it would be about. I told him I would meet him in the garden near Jarin’s rooms so we could go into dinner straight after. I looked out the window for a moment to watch the last of the afternoon sun dim to an orange hue.Not long after Doran’s a link, one came t
**Atlas**I became aware of a burning sensation down the entirety of my right-hand side. The pain tore through me and I winced as I tried to focus my mind on what was happening. Then the sound of the battle reached my ears. Everything came rushing back to me, and I immediately looked around for Robert. I could see him a few paces away from me on the ground. I crawled over to him and managed to gauge that he was unconscious but breathing.I began to look around me properly, and noticed that we were no longer attacking our own allies. My eyes snapped to the general who’d been performing the charm, and then I saw her. My Queen. Her attention was completely focused on the general who seemed to be infuriated. He looked as if he was trapped without anything physically trapping him. I watched as Thea stalked towards him slowly, and I realised she was going in for the kill.I made myself move
**Thea**“Thea! Thea! You need to wake up!”I blinked against the candle light.“What…what’s…” I began hazily.I could sense Atlas was pulling on his clothes hastily.“Thea we need to go. The mages are on their way!”I didn’t need anymore information. I sprung out of bed looking for my own clothes. They were all loose fitting to make it easier to shift. We hurried to the great hall to meet all of the others. People were coming out of every door along the passages, hurrying to the destination they needed. I briefly saw Bessie ushering a woman and her young children towards the hidden chamber Atlas had shown her yesterday. We shared a quick knowing look and continued on.When we got to the great hall, some of the Alpha’s were al
**Atlas**I followed after Thea. I knew that no matter how angry she was with me at the moment, we had to focus on what was happening right now.Jarin and Viola were waiting in the courtyard for us. It occurred to me that she didn’t have a horse. Vampires were no where near as quick as us, and I mused at how they had managed to arrive together.“Back so soon old friend.” I commented, pulling him into an embrace.“Yes. Had to check up on you of course.” He winked at me.“If you two have finished cuddling up to each other, maybe we should get started on the preparation for this attack.” I blinked at the vampire’s audacity, but Jarin merely gave a shy smile.“I quite agree…Lady Viola is it? It’s good to meet you at last. I’m Thea.” Thea extend
**Thea**Despite the impending threat, I was feeling the happiest I had ever felt in my entire life. Being with Atlas was completely magical. If we didn’t have to prepare the pack for the mage attack, we wouldn’t have left our bedroom. Still, I knew that once this part was over, we’d be able to have more time together.Yesterday had been the first day of training for the pack. It hadn’t been as productive as we’d hoped, but people were trying to control something they still didn’t truly understand.It was just after dawn, and my father and I had decided to meet before the rest of the pack came down. I knew I was close to being able to use my mage powers in wolf form, I just hadn’t cracked it yet.Asher and Bessie were coming with me. I’d grown close to them, although Asher was a bit more of a surprise. When I saw my fat
**Jarin**I looked out of the window. My view from this chamber was of the newly laid vegetable patches and cleared land for a planned orchard next year. Since I’d arrived yesterday, I found new and amazing things that Viola had achieved with our people. There was something of her spirit here, and that was something that I loved.After I’d said what I had last night she’d not reacted in the way I’d hoped, although not in the worst way either. She’d told me she needed time to think about what I’d said, and what it would mean for her. What her people would think. Of course, I understood.But I couldn’t pretend I’d hoped that she would run into my arms telling me she loved me back. I went out of the chamber in search of some breakfast. I hadn’t seen the kitchen yet, so it would be worth going if only for that.There
**Atlas**I wasn’t sure how long we stayed in the cave. To me it was just a glorious blur of making love and holding her while we slept. Now that we had marked each other and mated, the bond between us was insanely powerful. It was as if we now shared the same heart, each of us taking care to look after it for the sake of the other.I was lying beside her, looking into her eyes as we allowed our breathing to regulate back to normal.I knew she’d been a virgin, and I was worried she may now be sore.“Are you okay?”She sighed happily. “I am the most content I have ever been.”I stroked her cheek gently and kissed the corner of her mouth.“We should try mind linking.”She raised her eyebrow. “I can do that now?”
**Thea**We’d come out into the garden. The same one we’d walked in some weeks ago. It was quieter here than inside the castle, and it meant something to the both of us. We stood in front of each other, him holding my hands in his. The fact we could do this and not feel guilty or ashamed was such an incredible happiness.“I feel as if I am dreaming.” I whispered.“If this is a dream, then I hope I never wake up.” He replied. He moved closer to me, and placed a gentle kiss upon my lips.I wanted so much more of him, but I didn’t know how to tell him. I was so unused to being this close to him, I didn’t know how to explain that I was tired of waiting. I wanted us to have each other. Then I remembered something from the first few days of being here.“Atlas?&rdq
**Jarin**I knew my words were going to cause one of two reactions. Dead silence, or absolute uproar.It ended up being the latter. The emotions ranged from shocked, angry and confused. People were shouting questions at me so quickly I had no idea who was asking them.“This is outrageous, how can you step down at a time like this!?”“Is Atlas even capable of being our King?”“Will you still be part of the pack?”“What if the seer is wrong and you give up your throne for nothing?!”Atlas came up behind and whispered hurriedly in my ear, “Alpha what are you doing?”I raised my hand for silence, but there was not an instant quiet like there normally would have been. I guessed that they were beginning to disregard
**Atlas**The whole hall was silent. I was panting as adrenaline coursed through my body. The only sound I could hear was my heart thumping against my chest.I couldn’t believe what I had just done. I was shocked by my own action. It was as if something had taken over my body. It had happened as soon as she’d looked at me. I wondered if she hadn’t done that, I would have allowed her to place the ring on Jarin’s finger. I realised it could only be my wolf that was responsible. Seeing her in a wedding dress but it not being me who she was marrying was horrific. It felt so unbelievably wrong.I stood, frozen to the spot. Staring into Thea’s eyes, I could not tell what she was thinking. I knew now the pendant was off, she would truly know who I was.Jarin was the first person to break the silence. He whispered something in Thea’s ear,