*Andrew*
I watched the delivery Caspian made today, and I was surprised. He smiled as everyone was transferred into the separation cell, clearly pleased with his catch. His yellowed teeth beamed into a vast, if unattractive, smile as he feasted his eyes on the forty conquests in the cell.
"As you can see, my Lord. We have quite a variety of flavors today. From juicy young and fresh food to intoxicating sweets and protein-rich masses." He boasted, pointing to a few that deviated from the norm.
I stood in the shadows, allowing my men to select and place each group in separate cells. Their screams and cries were nothing out of the ordinary, although it should not have surprised them that they had just ended up in the sorting room when they dared to enter my territory without prior permission.
"Please. I beg you,
*Poppy*I sat stiff as a board. My knees were knocking together from the stress, and my palms were sweating like never before. I felt as if from that day on, from that moment on, not only my life but the lives of others would change, and it would depend only on me, whether for good or for foul. I haven't felt like that even the day I asked the King for help.'Breathe,' Iris advised, sending her support, although she was in worse shape than me.'Breathe, breathe.' I repeated to myself, closing my eyes and inhaling the air.When I opened my eyes, I still had before me a huge white hall filled with benches for petitioners. At the end of the hall, large dark oak doors looked at me ominously. Behind them, I would stand face to face with my fears, the Werewolf Council, and Seamus himself.I glanced at the folder with documents I had gathered thanks to Tanner and placed them on my lap, holding them in my grip, afraid that this evidence would disappear or become insufficient. This was my nigh
*Poppy*The room was vast and circular. Inside was a mix of dark, menacing wood, blood-red kilim covering the walls and flowing down to the floor, and a small patch of white on the ceiling, representing innocence trying to break through from above. At least, that was my interpretation of the chosen design.I felt intimidated, overwhelmed, insignificant, and small in the face of a government that had been upholding rights for thousands of years. The six high chairs in front of me gave me chills, and the equally terrifying door behind them was not encouraging. I was waiting for the law enforcement officers, even though I knew their favor was more towards those who silently filled their pockets.Nothing and no one has been able to change this, and with a heavy heart, I must admit that even the current King Alexander and Queen Anastasia have done nothing to be pioneers in cleansing our race of this scum. I didn't want to think about them that way because I had become friends with them, b
*Poppy*Seamus seemed to have an answer to every complaint we made. And unfortunately, each of them seemed to gain the council's favor. Logan pursued my case like a lion, not giving up and demanding explanations regarding the collected materials or the rumors he had heard circulating in neighboring packs that Seamus's men were being oppressed and forced to obey orders inconsistent with morals and fairness."I don't know where Mrs. Hopkins got this data, but I know, and I can quickly and easily prove it, that it is pure, made-up nonsense." Seamus's defender glanced mockingly in my direction before turning to the group sitting behind them."These are the members of the Larch Grove Pack who have agreed to come to council headquarters to give personal testimony regarding their Alpha. If we have time, I would like to call each of them to comment on Alpha Seamus' and his management of their pack." He turned to the Council, who were watching the group somewhat reluctantly, checking their wat
*Poppy*I sat in the car and looked through the window as snow covered every branch with white fluff, weighing down on them like unwanted ballast. That's exactly how I felt. Although the words of the Chairman of the Council should make me happy, they weighed so heavily on my heart and shoulders that I couldn't cope."I achieved nothing. And I only had ten days left until the end of the year. I lost." I muttered under my breath as I felt tears running down my cheeks, although I didn't feel them flowing into my eyes at all."Don't talk nonsense, Poppy. You haven't lost. Or rather, you've gained something I didn't count on at all: time." Logan lectured me while driving, but I ignored him.I've already seen my defeat. My daughter with no prospects for the future, Iris writhing in pain, and me drowning next to her, watching all this and being unable to do anything about it. The car suddenly jerked, and the wheels slipped on the snowy, slippery road, throwing us around. I squealed and grabb
*Gunnar*I knew that Logan was right to tease her. Poppy needed to see her strength and worth, and if unlocking her aggressive side was the key to it, I was ready to cooperate. Her eyes glowed bright yellow. Logan was overreaching by using Gemma as a catalyst, but that was the straw that broke the camel's back.Her attack was precise yet predictable. We ducked to the left, avoiding her front paws by inches, and I grabbed her hind leg and threw it back to where she had just been lying. Iris hit the ground with a thud, but the thick fluff cushioned her fall and dispersed around her, creating a curtain.Iris took advantage of this camouflage and relaunched a counterattack, this time aiming at our legs. Her mouth closed around my right ankle, but her fangs only managed to grab the fabric of my pants and tear it before a quick kick to the jaw sent her whimpering into a nearby tree."Is that all you got?" Logan egged her on, each word sliding down my throat like vinegar.I didn't want to to
*Logan*Gunnar whistled happily in my head, wagging his tail. He was highly pleased with himself. I won't say it because I also felt relieved that our, or instead my, tactic of awakening the warrior in Poppy was successful, although I was not proud of the means I had to resort to.'What if she never forgives me for using Gemma as a decoy? What if, after all this, she tells me he can't be with an asshole like me?' I wondered, but he only rolled his eyes in annoyance.'What if? Get yourself together, man.' He lectured me with a disgusted face, 'They were just words. Words that helped unlock her and show her that she has something to fight for and everything that needs to be fought for. We didn't hurt Gemma; we didn't hurt Poppy. Fuck, we didn't even scratch that asshole who turned the courtroom into a puppet show. Get a grip, Logan, and act like a man.' He scolded me, which made me feel belittled and hurt my confidence.I didn't know how to answer him; I was so stunned by his words that
*Logan*I didn't even have time to cross the state line and already knew something was wrong. Alarmed, Gunnar tested his hearing and smell and started trying to contact the nearest outpost.The night was darker than usual in the north at this time. Dark clouds obscured the stars so much that even the moon and the Milky Way could not penetrate their surface. They hung so low above the tops of the snow-covered pines that they gave me chills.'It's not clouds; it's smoke,' Gunnar alarmed, and I watched them with a rapidly beating heart.Regardless of the snowy and slippery surface, I stepped on the gas pedal. Something ominous was coming towards us, and I felt it was just the beginning. Poppy started to wake up and mumble something incoherent, but I didn't pay her mind. I wanted to investigate the cause of the smoke as quickly as possible.We were less than thirty miles from Autumn Pack, and my heart was beating faster by the second. The road was empty, and the falling snow turned gray,
*Logan*I didn't think; I acted. As soon as I broke through the wall of people separating us from the fire, I rushed towards the apartment. No one had spoken to me about Gemma, so I could only assume the girl was still inside, although I hoped I was wrong.Moon Goddess, please make me wrong. I prayed and sped up while I didn't hesitate to make decisions.People were shouting from behind, telling me not to go, begging me to stop, but Gunnar kept pushing forward as if in a trance, bouncing off the scalding ground and jumping into the burning building through the broken window.My fur caught fire from the tongues of fire melting the silicone in the windows, making me vomit. The smell of burning combined with the stench of burning skin was not my favorite, but I ignored it, focusing on finding what I came here for."Gemma," Gunnar called her name but immediately coughed as he inhaled the smoke.The kitchen we entered was ablaze with vivid colors, leaving nothing that could be identified.
*Poppy*I stood frozen, staring at the space where my mother had stood just a few milliseconds ago, asking, no, begging me not to accept anything my own old home had to offer. Her voice, gnawing with emotion, still echoes in my head, and her skeletal, crying posture replays like a looped image."What the fuck?" I asked in shock, but my stomach suddenly interrupted and forced me to act.I clamped my hand over my mouth and dashed towards the bathroom like fleeing a fire. I collapsed onto the icy tiles, and with alarming speed, I leaned over the toilet and began to retch. It was a relentless assault, each wave bringing with it shivers, tears, and a lump not in my stomach but in my throat. The most unbearable part was the strange aftertaste that lingered in my mouth after each expulsion.'What's going on here, Pops? I feel this strange taste and churning in my stomach, but I don't feel any other poisoning symptoms.' Iris, my she-wolf, began to analyze our bodies, trying to understand what
*Poppy*I sat there as if I was sentenced, feeling all the eyes on me. They weren't pleasant, but they didn't exude fear, but cold. I felt unwanted, unnecessary, and even out of place. What happened to them? Had Seamus manipulated them so much that they believed everything he said? I don't know, but something was odd here.Iris was silent, trying to ignore each one of them and not think that we had spent over twenty years of our lives with these people, laughing, having fun, and making mischief. It was pathetic that one man could turn over a hundred people against me."Let's go out of here. I feel like having breakfast outside. It stinks of rot in here." Easton threw his napkin on the table and stood up loudly.All eyes turned to him, and he gave them a challenging look. They didn't like the insult, but none dared to retort to the royal Lycan."You're right. Why poison yourself before a duel."I agreed, stood up ostentatiously from the table, and walked with Easton towards the buffet.
*Poppy*I didn't have time to look inside the pack house because I was exhausted. The whole day today, although short, was exhausting for me, and all I could think about was a hot shower, a nice dinner, and a warm, comfortable bed. Still holding me under my arm, Easton and I climbed up to the second floor, where the guest rooms were, and I went to the last door on the right, where there was an apartment with two separate bedrooms and bathrooms. On the way, we stopped by the master Omega's room and picked up both sets of keys. The woman's face was priceless because she instantly paled when she looked at me. She looked like she had seen a ghost, and she probably had. Who knows what nonsense Seamus had told them while I was gone? I knew her; she was one of the two deputies of the previous head omega who somehow managed to climb the ladder, and now they call her Luna. I am filled with rage every time I remember her betrayal. It hurt more than Seamus's. Amanda Slone, now twenty-eight yea
*Poppy*My smile was still etched when Eason swerved the car onto the road to the main entrance. Without waiting for the guards to open it, he sped up and forced it to open. I squealed and closed my eyes out of fear and excitement, but Easton only howled as he drove further into the land.Of course, as expected, our entry caused alarm and panic, which only made us laugh even more. We had just invaded the pack, and we knew there was nothing they could do to us for it. Easton sped up and turned on the music from his phone connected to the panel again, and the sounds of "Sabotage" exploded from the speakers again. Easton opened all the windows and treated our companions to our eccentric entrance. The way through the alleys flew by at a dizzying pace, and we shouted the lyrics from the bottom of our hearts, nodding our heads and getting into the rhythm. We were escorted by several giant werewolves in their animal form, growling at us warningly. Easton didn't dare stop. When the row of tre
*Poppy*The tension in the car was palpable, a volatile mix of anger, disbelief, and disappointment. It was as if these emotions were tangible, ready to ignite the air between us. Their clash was a prelude to the storm that was about to break."That was your father, wasn't it?" Easton asked, although he probably already knew the answer judging by my face."Yes, but I don't want to talk about it. Please, not now." I replied, trying to keep the sobbing coming with great strides under control before venting to it after parking the car.Easton respected my wish for silence, but his curiosity was evident in how his fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He was brimming with questions, but he held them back. Thankfully, our journey was short, and the cabin we arrived at, nestled by the river bank, was a welcome distraction.I remember it as a primitive wooden hut where patrolmen used to sleep during night watch. Although it was not of the highest quality back then, what stood before us no
*Poppy*As we ventured onto the familiar road, the first mile leading to my hometown, my heart raced with anticipation. The sun, high in the sky, cast a bright light over the treetops, creating a magical scene that marks the beginning of our journey. With the road stretching ahead like the path to a lion's cave, we advanced, armed with nothing but our courage and determination. In the background, my daughter's sweet voice, wishing me a safe journey, was a constant source of motivation.Like a coiled spring, Iris remained silent, seemingly conserving all her energy for the confrontation awaited us the next day. I, too, resolved to focus solely on the task at hand, not allowing any thoughts of my former home to distract me until the final, decisive moment.After organizing the car in the middle of nowhere and dressing up Easton, we resumed our journey to the Larch Groove Pack in complete silence while covering the remaining distance in less time than expected. Easton didn't have to say
*Rose*The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the backyard where little Gemma was playing. I sat on the bench, sipping my chamomile tea and watching her chase after a playful puppy from one of her newest friends. The girl's laughter, a symphony of pure joy, filled the air as she ran around, her pigtails bouncing with each step. The parents of Gemma's new friend sat across the playground from her, watching their daughter play happily with her dog and the new werewolf girl. Today, I promised to look after Gemma while Amara and her mother, Andrew, again set out to find his sister, Azize.Too many things that need to be added have started to play out. From what I've gathered here, Azize is the most accomplished warrior among all the inhabitants. Her killing technique is unmatched, and her dizzying precision has become so legendary that she has been given the nickname Taipan Reaper because no one kills as quickly and effectively as she does. And that's where my question com
*Rose*I purred as I cuddled into Tanner's firm and warm chest after so long. I hugged him tighter, inhaling his unique scent, which I had missed so much. He grazed his fingers over my bare shoulder, and the spark that created our contact made me moan in delight."I can't believe you're here. I was in such a dark place when I thought you were dead, and the rest after that agonizing pain is blank." he sighed, blowing breath on my hair, and I felt his pain through our bond."I don't even know what I did during that time. Maybe I was a monster like Seamus. Oh, Goddess, I probably was." He worried, and I lifted myself on his chest and looked at him over the cascade of my messy hair."Don't do that." I shook my head and held his face, leaning down, "Don't compare yourself to that man. You are not him." I denied it and leaned lower to kiss his cheeks, "You were not yourself gently. Whatever you did, they made you do this. He. That Alpha lied to you to make you believe I was dead and used yo
*Poppy*I ran without looking back. Luckily, I hadn't decided on any uncomfortable heels but ankle boots with a light heel. Thanks to this, I could quickly move between the thick bushes and the thorny undergrowth of the forest. My heart was pounding as I heard the sounds of cutting metal from behind me. I knew our transport was ruined, and my route to the Larch Groove Pack had become complicated.'Speed up, or let me run. He's already changed.' Iris urged me, ready to transform and run her fast dash towards safety.The problem was that I didn't want to change into Iris. I didn't know Easton very well, but I knew enough from Logan to know that his brother could get furious when provoked and take full advantage of it. He never said anything wrong about him to me, but I guessed that this seemingly calm man could turn into an uncontrollable beast when provoked. I sped up and turned left, hoping to find civilization to hide from him there.I know from history, stories, and teachings pass