Back in the black wolves’ den, Shahila and Alora finally met each other. It was on the breakfast table where their seats were positioned to be facing each other. Brayden as always would be at the head of the rectangular table, seeing everyone. This time, he addressed everyone’s attention to introduce their pack’s guests.“Everyone, you may have notice that two extra chairs have been added to our table. This is not accidental. It’s only proper that this breakfast, we would welcome them with open arms (“and hopefully they’ll open their legs” - Brayden whispered) to our camp. My brothers and sisters of the moon, let us welcome Shahila Ruben and Kalla Sand. The two girls stood up to be acknowledged. They gave a small wave. Alora whispered Shahila’s name in a whisper. “Okay, you may sit down. Where’s the food for crying out loud?!”Brayden called the attention of the servers. Those belonging to royalty are the only ones allowed to dine with the alpha. The others were kept waiting outsid
Damon and Harper knew they’ll forever be bound and haunted by what they did. It wasn’t the hunt either of them hoped for. In opposition, it wasn’t what’s supposed to happen in any of the hunt. But the regret would always be late. Now panting and clinging on each other’s body as they both lay on the flat brimstone, they couldn’t help but regret. “This is a mistake…”- Harper murmured. Like she said, he thinks it was too. Now that it has been an hour past midnight, the remorse has dawned. Like the coming of the sunrise.“I didn’t…” What? What were the next words? Damon thought of anything else to add but it seems like nothing comes to mind. He was searching for words and found none.“I know… Let’s just-“Harper got up. With that, she placed her face on her palms. This shouldn’t happen again, she thought. That moment, all she could think about was that she needed to go back to the camp and forget this ever happened. As if that’s possible. Once the bomb has been planted, there’s no use
Harper finished her kill, from tissues to bones to the last drop of blood. When she finished, she was too full that she needed to lean on a huge tree to rest. She had to admit, the kill wasn’t easy. It took almost all her energy. But it was all worth it. Her thirst for the extraordinary was quenched. Now she can wait for another month to taste it. A smile crossed her face. Especially when she saw the satisfied look on Damon’s face when she went in for the kill. He was proud of her… and it was a good feeling. He hasn’t looked at her like that before. It was different. It was one of a kind. Harper transformed into a human and wiped the sides of her mouth. She looked at the brownish red blood at the back of her hand and licked it with her tongue. Hmm, delicious. She looked up. The clouds have arrived, covering the half of the moon, making shade for the trees to conceal themselves. The stars have replaced the moon as the star of the show and she couldn’t help but gaze at them. A rand
For almost a month now, there is something Damon conceals from his claimed mate: the whereabouts of her grandma. Twenty-two years ago, Laura found baby Harper behind a huge stone, where it seemed like someone abandoned her. She was a bouncing little baby, wrapped in a blanket stitched with wolf fur to keep her warm from the cold. Hidden on the blanket was a note with only two words: Harper Redmayne. Laura knew it was the baby’s name. She took her to her arms and raised her as her own, introducing herself as her Grandma. What Harper’s unaware of is that all these years, there’s more to that story than what her Grandma Laura told her. And keeping that secret for this long length of time places Laura’s life in danger. She wasn’t the only one who knows what’s at stake. Damon was well-aware of it too. That’s why after that first encounter with the black wolves, he came back to rescue the woman and place her someplace else. Isolated, with the knowledge of which is only exclusive to him a
The other side of the world had a different line of events, though unfortunate as the same. Surprisingly, Alora indeed found a new best friend in the form of Shahila Ruben. The latter felt welcomed in the new environment she’s in, much more than her entire life’s attempts to belong to the white wolves’ camp. However, there are still moments she’ll think of Damon. When she does, that’s the only time she’ll get reminded of the hurt.As of this moment, the two of them were sharing conversations about their lives below the shade of a tree at 4 in the afternoon. Brayden’s pursuit after Harper keeps on rescheduling because of some intra-group concerns which he had to attend to. This, to Alora, was a lucky event. However, despite the budding friendship between her and Shahila, there’s still something she cannot be honest to her. A topic she tries her best to cover up. Not for long. “Miss Alora, the alpha wants to see you in the main hall.” – It was Greg who delivered the news. Alora gul
Her anger hasn’t subsided yet. Perhaps never. Greg was a hundred times calmer, and she hated that fact. Inside his bungalow, he locked the door and pulled down the curtains. If anyone sees him with Alora, he knows there will be a lot of explaining to do. “What were you thinking?!” – Alora snapped“I thought she’s dead, too! I saw her drown with my two eyes. I don’t think blaming me for the slightest chance of her survival’s what you should be doing.”“We had an agreement, Greg! I should’ve known you’re not man enough to do it. You should’ve said so.”She crashed on a seat. She thought all this time, she was being guilty of being the one who said the order, but now that her plans failed, Alora realized that she needed that plan to succeed. There’s no room for her to feel any remorse about what happened. Turns out Harper dead would be more beneficial to her than being alive. “No one would take your mission aside from me, Miss Alora. They’ll all too scared of the alpha.”Alora frowned
Harper put down the phone with a thud. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”Damon crossed his arms and frowned. He has noticed it since the night before. There was something different about the wolf queen. She’s acting up on something. For what reason, anyway? He has no clue.“It’s fine. Are you sure everything’s okay? You seem… stressed.”Harper was avoiding Damon’s eyes. She couldn’t help but regret her choices that night when she followed him. She let her fear took over her. If she weren’t a coward, she already knows what was behind the door that night. The howl of the wolf she heard from a distance was from Damon looking for her. Turns out one of the soldiers noticed she was gone from the common room. As soon as their king arrived, the soldier reported her disappearance. When Harper arrived the camp again, she couldn’t think quick. What she blurted out was that she tried to escape to warn Shahila about the black wolves. Shockingly, Damon bought it. Or so she thought. Damon knew sh
Unlike most nights, this one didn’t scare Harper at all. Her heart was beating thrice the normal, enthusiasm feeling her system in the most unexpected way. The feeling of both excitement and worry filling her heart, she walked the woods with Damon’s cloak covering her head.She promised herself to be careful and alert. Any slight movement may be a sign of danger. It’s what she was thinking at the top of her head. When she was in the middle of the woods, with only a small torchlight to navigate her path and retrace her memories of where Damon was the night before, she only has herself to rely on. At most cases, that was enough.It was after 8 minutes that she saw the cabin in a distance. It was dark and lonely and grim. She cannot bear to be here any longer than an hour. She then thought of her Grandma having to deal with such solitude. And for how long?For weeks, that is. Damon didn’t give her the exact time when her Grandma was placed here. She can only guess it was too long. Given
“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