As soon as their emotions calmed down and the long hug quenched their misery for each other, the two women let go and sat on the side of the bed. “This is such a surprise. I thought you won’t be back for at least a week.”“I thought so, too. Thankfully, King Damon changed his mind.”Laura smiled at Damon. She was right about him. He can be trusted and he also wanted the best for Harper. The kind he could entrust her granddaughter with.Damon gave them a soft smile. He was enjoying the sight right in front of him.“Do you need privacy?” – Damon asked“No, please. Just stay.”Harper was looking at him differently. It wasn’t how she had been looking at him before. Her eyes were sparkling with joy and something else… he recognized it at first glance but didn’t want to say what it is. “Okay. I’ll just stay here in the side.”Harper nodded. She saw how dark it was outside so she wouldn’t risk him there. Though all she really wanted that night was to talk to her grandma. She guesses she ca
Damon fetched Harper the next morning from her room. The door was ajar so he invited himself in. She was caught by surprise by his sudden entry. “King Damon! Were you standing there long?” – Harper askedDamon cleared his throat. What was he thinking? Of course he should’ve knocked.“I just came in… Sorry, I should’ve knocked.”Harper frowned. Was he okay? Why wasn’t he thinking straight?“Well… maybe next time.” – Harper said and grinned. Good thing was that when he entered, she was already done changing clothes. What he witnessed was the safe scene of her combing her hair in front of the mirror. “Is there something you need, my king?” She couldn’t get why he’s here in her room this early. “None. Why?”Harper bit her lips. There was really something unusual about him today. For a moment, she worried he might’ve heard the conversation she had with Laura in the cabin. But that’s impossible.Right?She cleared her throat and just to be sure, she got up and went to her closet. She
Damon has something else in mind. It was a surprise.“Do you know somewhere here?” – A smirk crossed his lips. Exactly.Damon cocked his head to the side, signaling Harper to follow him. Hesitantly, she did. Thankfully, they didn’t tread through the cornfield. There was a clear path nearby, surrounded with fruitless apple trees. Perhaps it wasn’t its harvest season.Good thing was that it was a cloudy day. The sun’s nowhere to be found as it was hidden behind thick clouds. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you exactly where we’re going. It’s some kind of a secret. This place is something only me and my dad know. Even the pack doesn’t know this place. I intend to keep it that way.”Harper raised her brows. Wow. It was the first time he mentioned something about his father. She heard about him, though. Beta Simon. It was written in history books, but not in the correct manner she knows now. Perhaps because the historian’s Alpha Draco’s scribe, evidencing his manifest partiality. It’s kind of s
“What do you mean you were there?”Damon flinched, sensing the unbelief in Harper’s voice. It was the dire consequence of being written with malice. The historians sided with the Blacks and of course, that would give them more power to write what they want. To record history with an inclination towards them.“I know it sounds crazy. The books say otherwise, don’t they?”Harper didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. The doubt and uncertainty painted her face with a frown. “I can’t blame you if you have doubts about what I just narrated, But believe me. I was there. I was only a little tot but I was there… and I remember it all like the back of my hand. “Harper knew he deserved the benefit of the doubt. She won’t be too quick to judge. To give that privilege doesn’t amount to fully believing anyway. She can still be careful.“Actually, what you just said made sense. That’s why the whites have such irreconcilable bond with the other pack. I get it. Is that why you brought me here for? To
Harper woke up with no clue of what just happened. When her eyes snapped open, Damon was seated on a small chair right on front of her. The bottle of potion was sealed again, placed on the side of the chair. Its cords were back with the cork and Damon was looking at her intently. She sat up with her head ringing. What happened?In silence, she recalled everything that happened since she and Damon got off the bus. They entered a mysterious and strange place which was inside a huge tree, he told her something different about their clan’s history, they walked further, the trees were all red and dancing with the wind, another door with a bed, blue potion. And then she woke up.She looked down at her skirt and noted that it was back on its proper position. “I was so worried. Do you feel okay now?” – Damon stood up and neared the bed“What happened?”“You passed out. I apologize for that. I’m sure it wasn’t serious. I know how safe the potion is for the baby.”Harper closed her eyes for a
Brayden was enjoying their little game. He brought three of his men with him. Thing is, someone from their pack who works at the city saw the two get on a bus. She quickly notified him and he didn’t waste any more second to grab the chance of attacking them. It was a great opportunity because Damon was alone with his prize.He brought the gun. In case a human will see them and transforming into a wolf in the middle of the day seemed like a scandalous idea. With the three men, they rode the same bus and threatened the driver to drop them at the same place where the lady on the picture they showed did. Luckily for him, the driver had a sharp memory and remembered.And they were right. This is so much fun than raiding an entire camp. “Who is it?! Don’t be a coward and show yourself!” – Damon shoutedBrayden laughed. His rival’s eyes were scanning everywhere. They were hiding on the cornfield. Uncomfortable and itchy, but convenient for camouflage. “Fire another one. But this time, on
Damon said to himself that this is the fight of his life. He knew he needed to prove himself to both Brayden and Harper this time, once and for all. It is not only because of this has been the third time he needed to do it. It is also not for plain flattery from winning that pushed him to do it. It was more than that. “Less talk now. Let’s get this over with.” – Damon growled and advanced. He took and grabbed his chance as soon as he was only a foot away from Brayden. The latter stood in two rear feet to intimidate him as he opened his mouth. This didn’t threaten Damon at all. In juxtapose, it even incites him more. Damon, being the larger one, towered in front of Brayden and scratched him across the face. The latter was quick to move, the attack missed his eye. However, he obtained a scratch at the middle of his forehead and it stung. This angered the black wolf and he aimed for retaliation. Despite his much smaller size, he lurched forward and didn’t mind his disadvantage. He e
“Alora?”Harper spoke her name with all the disgust, rage and bitterness she can muster. How dare her still look at her straight in the eyes as if she hasn’t asked for her death twice now?Brayden’s attention was grabbed from Damon to the new man who joined their little assembly. The man had a striking resemblance to Alora. It was hard to miss. They have the same silver hair and hazel eyes. In the midst of noon, their eyes were lighter, as if transparent and only the pupils were visible. One look and none won’t suspect them to be twins. “ASHER DENMARK, BACK FROM THE DEAD!”It’s like for a moment, Brayden forgot that he’s in a middle of an important duel. Asher was an old friend of his. To add, he was also one of his trusted men.To his surprise, Asher didn’t welcome him with the same enthusiasm. He stepped back, noticing the gun on Asher’s left hand. Following Brayden’s gaze, Asher kept the gun inside the small duffel bag he carries, turning on the safety switch. “What’s up? Aren’t
“Alpha Draco requests your presence, sir.”The messenger talked in a slow fashion, careful that the Virgo Alpha would hear it properly. Marion just finished settling on an old room inside the common room. It looked like it belonged to a royal she-wolf, based on the expensive paintings on the wall and the hand-sewn dresses inside the closet. “Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”“He said it’s urgent, sir.”Marion nodded. There’s no excuses with the Great Alpha. Besides, he’s not in his territory. He’s at the Red Blood’s, the first time he got out of the roundhouse and housed in a different setting actually. The messenger left the door open. Marion put down the third pillow case he packed with him and followed the former to the main room of the common room. Inside, Alpha Draco was waiting. He’s sipping jasmine tea from a small teacup. A lady in waiting was at his side, holding the kettle by its handle. With a plain breakable plate placed under it.“You called for me, Great Alpha?”He lo
“I… I don’t understand. What do you mean, officer?”Harper was biting the edges of her nails in anxious anticipation. Surely, there’s nothing good that will come out from the end of this conversation. To mention the word “victim” mid-sentence doesn’t constitute good news. “You have no idea, do you?”Harper shook her head… then realized that the person she’s talking to is on the other end of the line. So, her nodding of head is not counted as a response.“I have no idea of what this is about. Please, just-“Harper couldn’t finish her sentence. She’s not even sure if she wants to. what has been unfolded before her eyes the entire day are facts - quickly given facts that either surprise her or catch her in the moment. And these facts aren’t even good news at all. “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t think you are clueless about what happened in this house. It’s all over the news this past week.”What is?, she thought. But then, it’s Mrs. Keevah’s house. There’s no one else in the house that cou
In front of them were the men, the woman and the little baby that they all hated: the ones they denominated as “rebels”. They were on the front of Marion and Alpha Draco.“We meet again…” – said Damon.Harper and the rest of the group stood behind their alpha. The men were carrying their own choice of weapons, their own poison against the enemy. They stood gleaming at the site of fresh dead bodies on the floor. Proudly. The look on Alpha Draco’s face says it all. He wanted the war to be over. He wanted the war to begin as soon as it can. Right in this moment. Right in this spot. “Finally… I’m tired of chasing after your tail, Damon. You and Brayden can come here and let’s finish this once and for all. I’m tired of chasing and of canceling this to another schedule.”Damon licked his chapped lips. He has the same ideas. He didn’t come here to visit his father. He didn’t come here for peace. None of them believes in peace anymore. “I cannot agree more. Later, then. Once and for all.
Just when the silence stretched between Harper and Brayden, Damon got up from his sleep and pulled Harper closer from the waist.Brayden’s eyes followed where Damon’s hands were and gulped. In a moment, he turned to the other side and tried to forget what he has seen. He managed to turn and keep his eyes and body that way.“You’re up early…” – muttered Damon with a raspy voice.“Yeah… my body clock’s messed up these days.” – replied HarperThat was a lie. Her body clock has nothing to do with it. It’s always her thoughts that keep on saying something to her. It feeds her negative ones instead of empowering her to think of solutions. And of course, the place and the ambience did help with the thoughts. It even made the way for it. It even made her feel worse.“Is that because of the war?”“No, something else.”Harper looked at the ring that’s still on her finger. If Anthony didn’t cause a distraction, would that scary man really cut off her finger? For the sake of proving a point?Are
“Elias! You wouldn’t believe it!”Elias was cleaning the Great Alpha’s office when one of the guards from the office went to approach him. The guard was panting, his sweat rolling down his temples down to his neck and chest area. These droplets of sweat blurs his vision as they get past his eyes. “Do you have some news?” – Elias already has some expectations in his head. Hopefully, this is going to be good news. And hopefully, this is about the Great Alpha too. “Yes. you should go outside to see what’s up.”Elias nodded and then he got up to check if there’s really someone inside waiting for him. As it turned out, there’s a small crowd gathered outside over something. The question is, what’s the cause? Who is there that everyone seemed to be alarmed?“Is that…”The rest of the sentence got drowned in the air. the guard who brought Elias the news did not even let him finish. Whether it was excitement or worry, none of them can tell. However, it’s clear from the circumstances that the
“…and here we are!”Everyone of them looked around, expecting a tavern or a cabin in the woods. None of those things were present. They were only surrounded by different trees and the dark moon above them. “Here?” – Anthony repeated, confused“Yes. Over there.”Brayden pointed on the cavern behind him. The boys walked closer to see what he’s pointing to. Then, Harper followed. She already knows what it is, she only got closer so the others won’t speculate. They cannot know she’s been here before. “This is where your safe place is?” – Asher asked with a huge question mark on his face.“Yes. This is what I meant by that.”They all didn’t look impressed. But then again, they’re hiding from Marion and their men. Anything safe that they can use will do. Just not to be caught. Anything. Just not that. They cannot be captured. Not this time. With Brayden leading them, they approached the mouth of the cave and got inside one by one. Among them, only Hector seemed to be enjoying the show.“H
“Goddamn it, you have a knife! I don’t care if you cut her finger!”Harper’s eyes widened when the huge man on her right got a knife from his back pockets. It’s a new one and surely sharpened just before they went to the roundhouse. The slight shin of the knife reflected the fear in her eyes. Damon’s hip still hurt with the hitting. He was held by four men, struggling as he throws all sort of cure words upon Marion.The man with the knife neared Harper and she stepped back, pulling the two men with her. They can’t be serious. They surely cannot just cut off her finger when Marion tells them to. Or she could be wrong. It’s also possible that these men are Marion’s puppets and would do anything he tells them to. No matter howbrutal or illogical that can be. “Damon, just go… “ – Harper’s vision blurred as the tears welled on the corner of her eyesDamon shook his head. No, he’s never going to leave her. Not this time. Not ever. The man pulled her hand as one man from the side brought
Damon kept on looking behind him. He hasn’t seen Harper yet, the entire time that they were inside. The last time he did was when they were sitting on the benches. Back when nothing seemed strange yet.Aside from that, he hasn’t seen her yet. The thickness of the crowd barred him from doing so. However, he’s sure she’s still inside. The slight gap on the door cannot hold a person going out yet. Whoever attempts may be squeezed. “Harper? Harper, where are you?!” – the question roared in the air. They were stuck in the main room with lots of the Virgo aiming at them. Not to mention that the great number of its members were clawing their throats to make their way out. Aside from that, there are two Virgo men who’s at his back as he shouted. They were trying to catch him and bind him with a thick rope. The rope was too thick and Damon noticed that if that will be used against him, he cannot break it with his fists. He cannot set himself free from those.“Harper!”And then, like a mira
Hearts flutter in a negative manner. This isn’t good. It couldn’t be good.Harper sensed Damon’s tenseness. She looked at his brother and it’s clear that he’s also in his fight-or-flight mode. Any minute now, something is about to happen. She’s positive about that.“I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling there’s something odd here, right?” – Asher voiced out and Damon shushed himAsher nodded slowly. He has confirmed his statement. “… and it is the duty of the alpha to put his pack’s safety first. Even at the middle of the war, the safety of the pack shall not be compromised nor put aside. The safety of the pack has to be the paramount consideration. It is because of that that any threat, no matter how small or insignificant, needs to be gotten rid of.”- Marion ended his speech with a dangerous stare at the Red Blood pack’s direction. “This is not good. Come on. We have to get going.”“What’s going on?” – Norton saidHarper and Damon looked at each other’s eyes. They already understo