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
Brayden knew he screwed up. He almost forgotten how dangerous it is to trust someone like Asher. He’s one loyal friend, but gaining him as an enemy will be a disadvantage. He realized it now, with men in black pointing their rifles at him and his small group. “You’re a sick man, Asher.” – Brayden said in gritted teeth. He didn’t see this coming. He looked at Alora, Harper, Damon and the now-smirking Asher. Should he let them go? It’s like admitting his defeat. “One…”Asher started counting… which made Brayden nervous.Think, Brayden, think. Look at them. They’re the best of his men. They’re skilled and well-acquainted with guns. Then he observed his black wolves. They were very less and outnumbered. If these guns would blow up, they won’t be winning.Perhaps it’s okay to let them go now. They can always prepare to retaliate. Brayden cursed. He hated turning his back from Damon. He knew he was laughing at him at this exact moment. The smug on his face was a constant. “Two… I said
Harper didn’t want Damon to base his decisions on her comfortability so when he asked her if she’s fine with this, she only nodded. No one would get why it’s still affecting her anyway. No one really understands it when trust gets broken and all the effects that come after. She was still adjusting to the new place, the new people, the new issues and new experiences. “I have to go and rest, too. You can have a good talk with Asher now.”Damon understood and didn’t try to stop her. He felt stupid for not realizing it right away. He even took the woman under his wings and protection. Now, they’re both part of the white wolves. They’re family.Damon went back to sit next to Asher and asked him some information about his mission. He answered, but made sure that none of the confidential information was disclosed. Harper was indeed right. This man has a high sense of loyalty. Even now that he’s no longer under Brayden’s superiority, he still keeps his secrets. What he only got was the repe
To say that Brayden was throwing a fit when he went back to the black wolves’ pack was an understatement. Shahila witnessed it first-hand when he’s entered the gate with shouting. Because her bungalow was only close to the gate, she heard it all. There were too many but she heard the words, “incompetent”, “silly”, “traitor”, “revenge”, “Asher”.Asher.The name does ring a bell. She’s sure she heard it somewhere around in the camp. Shahila grabbed a wrap and got out to greet the pack’s alpha. When he passed her direction, he stopped.“What seems to be the problem?” – Shahila asked“You don’t know the half of it. I’ll tell you everything later.”“I’ll follow you.”And then Brayden marched towards the main hall. Like usual, there was unending music and feast in there and some of the royal members of the pack were enjoying the foods laid on the table. Brayden was famished and dug in to the plate of pumpkin pie on the center with his bare hands. Shahila grimaced. It didn’t look sanitary b
Harper knows how skillful and what kind of a person Asher becomes in battle. He wasn’t named as the Black Pride for nothing. It was because of his skills that he gained that. She’s sure Damon’s the best of the white wolves, but she has never placed that as a comparison. Not yet, anyway. “What are you both doing?”The two heard me and glanced. They haven’t commenced their “fight” yet. “Training?” – Asher said“I’m talking to the king, Asher.”Damon chuckled. He’s sensed her worry. He smelled it in the air. He excused himself from the crowd and grabbed Harper’s arm. Gently, he pulled her to the side where everyone couldn’t hear what they were talking about. He released her and she looked at him straight in the eyes.“Okay, what is it? What’s with the reaction?” – Damon asked“It’s… I’m worried about you.”The words came out automatically before she can think about it. It was an automatic response when honesty comes before logical thinking.To Damon, it was a sweet sound. It made him
The silence before the actual talk was intolerable. After a quick bath, Asher sat down with Alora on one of the benches in the open grounds. She sat there with her eyes avoiding his and instead was more focused on the waving leaves caused by the wind. Asher, on the other hand, was shaving his face with a fine razor, a handheld mirror on his left hand. “I’m waiting, Alora.”Asher warned. They don’t have the entire day to sit down and wait until she finally say the words. Or admit them. What he’s sure as of the moment was that Harper was trying to tell him something. He couldn’t blame either of the girls. He has been gone too long that many things may have happened in his absence.Alora sighed, finally giving in to the idea that the only way out of this conversation is through. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything. But please, I need you to listen to me. No reaction, please. Just listen.”Asher shrugged.“You might have known this before but in case you don’t, I’ll say it… I’m in love wit
“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