*Poppy*I knew that these days, I would have to challenge myself, push my limits, and even agree to do things I would never imagine. But I also knew that sometimes, we must sacrifice our beliefs and do everything to stop evil from spreading. I wasn't expecting to be part of some mission impossible that involved spying, risking my life, and, above all, playing a role that I wasn't sure I would be good at. I wanted to help, but as soon as I heard what role I had in it, Logan himself had problems letting me go alone with Azize."Don't worry about your boyfriend. He's more than capable of handling his mission alone, yet my brother and his two thugs will join him," Azize assured me while driving her SUV with her best warrior in the passenger seat."He's not my boyfriend. I am still mated, remember." I rudely reminded her, trying to sit comfortably in the back with my hands and legs cuffed."Yeah," she scoffed, "And I am the Queen of Kindness. Bullshit. I can sniff a relationship from mile
*Poppy*I requested, "Stop the car," but Azize didn't react and even increased the speed slightly."I said stop the car; I need you to lend me your friend," I repeated and gestured at the tall, lean, incredibly handsome man with a bored face on the passenger's seat."And why would I do that?" Azize nagged with an equally bored face, but I rolled my eyes at her attitude.I knew she wasn't happy with her brother's request; she was more interested in going with Logan straight to Larch Creek Valley to search for Tanner and that lab, but her brother convinced her that my part of the mission was also essential. She felt resentful as one of the best warriors in their family, and as one of the deadliest assassins known to the vampire people, she was probably not having fun playing babysitter.This woman was made of the souls, screams, and blood of the victims she killed. Her single gaze was chilling, and her quick reflexes and precise cat-like body made her a deadly and perfect weapon. Her ni
*Poppy*I winced as I wiped the blood from the busted lip with my dirty and soaked sweater. I was cold, downright freezing, but my goal of asking the assassin to roughen me up was achieved. I rearranged myself on the backseat and moaned when the bruises I received brushed against the seat belt plugs."Don't you dare to whine; you asked for this," Azize threatened while she handed me the bottle with electrolytes I requested after she took the task I gave her to the heart."I know, thanks. Remind me never to ask you for such things again." I grabbed the bottle and gulped it down while she and her right-hand man, Blaze, chuckled at my expanse."Don't worry, Blondie. Next time, I'll handle the task instead," Blaze joked as he lit his cigarette and opened the front window."How long have we until?" I asked, exhausted from the trip, the beating, the coldness of my clothes, and the frosty air from the now-open window."About an hour. So, better rest for a bit." She replied before scolding he
*Logan*We did our best to arrive at the place unnoticed, but it was futile. Andrew helped a lot with arranging our trip to Larch Valley Creek, and we managed to come in less than three hours, but when you use a very fancy private jet painted gold, you can't go unnoticed.Although the airport was around an hour away from the town, I am sure someone must have tipped the bad guys because when we turned near the mill, it was set on fire, and the firefighters were trying to put it down. Someone was obviously trying to cover up the traces quickly."So what do you suggest we do now?" I asked as we watched the firefighters work their asses to secure the area.We parked nearby to avoid detection but decided to show up naturally when we noticed the smoke, sirens, and lights."Now, we divide the plan," Andrew suggested as he scanned the nearby crowd of onlookers."You, Elmar, and Greg blend in with the crowd, and you'll start to sniff around. Everyone separately, make sure you all look like you
*Logan*My legs propelled me forward, my body moving with a speed that felt like a glide. I advanced as if the earth were a polished surface. My breaths were steady and shallow, and my heart thudded in what seemed like slow motion.I ran forward, deeper and deeper into the dark forest. On the way, I passed clumps of trees whose crowns shone with bright colors, jumped over fallen rotten logs covered with golden moss, and heard birds chirping above me, encouraging me to stop and admire their landscape.I felt something was wrong, although I couldn't describe what threatened me here. The shadows behind the white barks were hissing, whistling, and whispering. And even though I wanted to stop and assess the threat, my legs didn't stop running.As time passed, I felt a gradual pulse in my head, a peculiar sensation as if something unseen yearned to emerge from within me. Meanwhile, Gunnar commenced a haunting, melodic howl at the luminous moon. His demeanor exuded an unmistakable sense of d
*Poppy*The increasing sounds of quarreling, struggling, and shortly after, the sound of bullets being fired woke me from my lethargy. I got scared and jumped up from my half-conscious state, wondering when I let my guard down and fell asleep taking on my role too well. I tried to claw myself out of the blanket wrapped around me too tightly for my taste, but when the whistle of bullets flew past my head, I fell to the floor, trying to lie as flat as possible."What the?" I fell silent before I asked the question because the wall opposite me began to crack under the pressure of the bullets shot at it, and my fear suddenly started to give me ideas for escape.I freed myself from the tight zip ties and began to tear the blanket from the inside, using Iris's claws, which, in all this chaos, she allowed me to use. I didn't know the situation behind that damn makeshift box, and I certainly didn't intend to let myself be used as a sieve, so I decided to escape and, if possible, find Azize an
*Poppy*I was shivering, my teeth chattering, and steam came out of my mouth with every breath. I don't know how long I had been locked in here, but judging by the frosty and stiff blanket, it must have been a few hours. I jumped when a van, or rather a refrigerator on wheels, hit another bump in the road.'What the hell is going on here? This isn't a rescue unit. Who hides people in the damn working refrigerator truck? It is more like an animal transport for slaughter.' I noticed when a woman's body fell to the ground with a dull thud. The poor thing had given up.I couldn't hear her heartbeat anymore; her last sob had ended ages ago. What the hell was going on here? I don't remember when I was put here or why. And what's worse, why do the women locked here with me look like they've just said goodbye to life? I began to worry that I would never see my daughter again."Gemma," I whispered her name, almost sobbing, praying that fate would unite us in this life.'There's no point in wai
*Poppy*I felt like I was standing in the middle of a movie scene played in slow motion. Everything around me seemed to slow down, almost freeze, as I watched the slowly falling snowflakes cover the drama that took place here. I did exactly as I promised. I followed Logan's instructions and my mantra, not showing mercy and fighting as if my life depended on it because it did.I don't regret jumping out of the refrigerator truck and attacking two civilians; I don't regret using their weapons against them; the only thing I regret is that I wasn't able to help those girls whose empty, lifeless eyes were starring right at me, lying right under my feet with their heads shot.This is the one sight I didn't want to see, and unfortunately, I will remember it for the rest of my life. Screams and cries for help came from every side, interwoven with moans of pain, pleas for mercy, and the whistle of bullets fired in volleys.I stood naked, stained with the blood of people who didn't wait long to
*Poppy*The day of the funeral dawned heavy with unspoken grief and uncertainty. The air was thick, and a heavy fog was rolling over the river's surface as the Larch Grove Pack members gathered at the pier. Their eyes cast downwards, and their hearts were burdened with the loss of their Alpha, Seamus. I stood among them, my shoulders squared, forcing myself to remain composed despite the wave of turmoil. It had only been a matter of days since Seamus's death, and now I faced the moment of farewell.The makeshift altar at the end of the pier was adorned with wildflowers and tokens of respect, symbolizing the bond shared between Alpha and his loyal followers. Torches had been placed around the pier, ready to flicker to life and send Seamus off in a blaze of tribute when the time came. I could hear the low murmurs of those in attendance, their whispers punctuating the profound silence
*Poppy*I stood at the helm of the Larch Groove Pack, the warmth of the sun streaming through the expansive glass window of what had once been the grand hall and now was my makeshift command post. The air was thick with tension as I surveyed the faces of my pack members, their expressions a mixture of uncertainty and expectation. This wasn't just a new chapter but a complete rewrite of the history that had plagued them for far too long.Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath, channeling the strength of my daughter Gemma's memories, my mentor Gamma Tanner's wisdom, and the resolve hinted at in the dungeons. "We have a priority," I declared, my voice steady and unwavering. "The water supply—our lives depend on it. I'm demanding an immediate change of the w
*Poppy*The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an amber glow that filtered through the trees of Larch Grove Pack. I gazed over Easton's shoulder and saw Prince Nanyou standing solemnly among the gathered members of the pack, his princely demeanor calm yet authoritative. I finally learned his name after mistakenly calling him Nintendo once, and I almost burned with shame for misspelling it. Luckily, he was understanding, but Princes Dante and Easton made fun of me every time they could.Given the recent events that have deeply affected everyone, it was evident that the pack required a leader, a guiding voice amid the turmoil following Seamus's death. Today’s meeting was specifically held to reveal the verdict reached by the three royals."Thank you all for coming," Nanyou began, his voice resonating through the clearing where they had co
*Poppy*I took a deep breath as I settled into the worn leather chair beneath the dim light of the small room. The weight of the past days felt as heavy as the bars that kept me locked in the dungeons—the unrelenting reminder of the turmoil that had engulfed my life. Today, however, I had the chance to reach out to the most important people in the world—my daughter, Gemma, and my trusted friend, ex-Gamma Tanner.I set my phone on the table, the screen flickered to life with a steady pulse, and I dialed Tanner's number. The signals went one after another as I watched my reflection on the screen, waiting for the call to connect. As it did, anticipation filled the air. Just hearing Gemma's voice would be worth my treacherous journey."Mom?" Gemma's bright voice broke through the static, and I felt relief. Seeing her smiling face, with its blue eyes and blond pigtails, made me choke on my sobs, and I clapped my hand over my mouth."Sweetheart!" My voice blended warmth and care, and my hea
*Poppy*For the past thirty minutes, three handsome princes have been discussing my situation fervently, even though I'm sitting right next to them, hearing every word they say and wondering why no one has let me out and allowed me to contact my daughter. I have some rights, don't I? We may not be subject to the human justice system, but for God's sake, I have the right to a lawyer, to remain silent, and to make one phone call. Unfortunately, I've been denied that for the past three days. I'm not going to sit here idly wondering when and if I'll be able to hear my daughter's voice and see her sweet, smiling face. I got up from the small bed, walked toward the silver bars, and cleared my throat loudly. Unfortunately, my attempt to get the attention of the three powerful Lycans failed, and each of them began to discuss various matters, interjecting words whose meaning was a mystery to me. Well, yes, I have not learned to speak Italian or Mandarin. Spanish is the only language I have lea
*Poppy*“ How did I end up here? “ I wondered as I sat in the barred cell, pulling at my hair. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't how my case was supposed to end. This wasn't how my life was supposed to unfold, for fuck's sake. What the hell had gone wrong?! I shouted these questions like a catapult, creating an even bigger mess. I lifted my head and stared at Easton, pacing back and forth, tearing at his hair as I did, questioning our situation. His footsteps could already make a path the size of the Great Wall of China. Chairman Pullman glared at me as if I'd killed his cat with a hammer. Where had he even come from? And how on earth did he manage to convene some extraordinary council that was supposed to decide my fate? When did my life turn into a series of endless disasters?"What will happen to me? I mean, what could be a punishment for this?" I asked quietly, pondering how to escape this impasse. Easton paused and glanced my way. His eyes were eerily stormy as i
*Dante de Gallo*My head is pounding, and I feel like I have a subscription to a jackhammer. My skull feels like it’s splitting. I groaned when I tried to move just enough to grab a mug of steaming tea. The clatter of dishes, the layers of conversations, and, above all, the mingling of smells were not helping me at all. I found myself breathing through my mouth and praying for mercy after yesterday's foolishness."I told you to stop at scotch; you insisted on that damn moonshine. Now suffer." Nanyou, my best friend and partner in crime, chirped, delighting in my misery. I looked at him through slightly swollen eyelids, and although I tried to give him a murderous glare, I suspected from his amused expression that I appeared as if I had suffered a stroke."Why didn't you stop me?" I asked, even as my breath still carried a stench of booze. I had overdone it. Yesterday, or rather this morning, I had gone too far. My father would scold me if he found out that his pride and joy had failed
*Dante de Gallo*"Listen to me, Allegra, and listen closely." I turned to my sister as our jet landed at the small airport, making our way toward the VIP hangar. Our relationship has always been complicated, filled with both protectiveness and frustration. "I’m here to investigate some ridiculous case and plan to do it as quickly as possible. Don't interfere, don't step in my way, and most importantly, don't go after that insufferable royal jerk. I don't have time to babysit you, and I have no intention of instigating a conflict with the Brantfords. Keep your hands to yourself, and don't think I don't know why you're here." I threatened her with my finger, even though Allegra looked at me as if I was unjustly accusing her. "You're still obsessed with him," I confronted her, and she momentarily widened her eyes. "You better stop this because once your lycan detects your mate, you don't want to break her heart by choosing an unworthy jerk over the blessed love sent to you by the Goddes
*Dante de Gallo*"You have to be kidding me, Dad," I growled, hearing his latest request. I turned suddenly, checking if the joke on his lips matched his equally smiling face, but it didn’t. Unfortunately, his sincere expression suggested I was not dealing with a joking father but a king giving an order."You want me to go to the States as a European royal representative because the Supreme Council called a meeting for a frivolous reason?" I asked, making sure that my reasoning included the entire situation. "Yes. And as the future King Dante, you must learn to keep your grudges tucked away and perform your duties respectfully and passionately." He scolded me, recalling my quarrel with one of the Brantford brothers. I narrowed my eyes at the old man but kept quiet and nodded before he dismissed me from the damn office. How the hell does he expect me to fulfill my duties with this jerk taunting me every chance he gets?'Fuck that princeling. Let's make our father proud and resolve the