[Ciaran’s POV]I lead my little mate through the bar and out toward the parking lot while everything in me screams to stop this and just leave her. However, unlike the first time we met, the bond feels so much stronger, and I can’t stop my wolf as it begs to have a taste of her. And frankly, this evening I wasn’t in the mood to be cautious, not when fate was continuing to bring her to me. However, there was something that didn’t make sense and that bugged the fuck out of me.She recognized me and my threat.Frowning, I reach my car and yank open the door to the backseat, and not wasting any time, I throw her inside and then climb in, slamming the door behind me. And once inside, I’m trapping her wrists between my hand, taking note of how fucking tiny they feel in my grasp. All I had to do was squeeze a little, and they would break.A human. I was mated to a fucking human. Me. Mated to such a weak being. What kind of fucking joke was this?“Why?” I grunt, trying to make sense of what w
[Rosalie's POV]“One.”I swallow down the knot that is beginning to form in my throat.“Two.”My body comes alive in anticipation of the chase that is about to come.“Three.”I burst forward, throwing myself into the labyrinth ahead of me while the blare of trumpets ring out around me.Together with many others, I rush forward in hopes of gaining my freedom and escaping doom. From this point on it is every man and woman for themselves and if you dare get in anyone's way they'll trample you.“You better run and hide, because when I catch you, you're mine, little criminal.”I don't look back as the cold voice echoes around me. It causes my heart to leap and my stomach to churn while I continue to move further into the labyrinth ahead in hopes of evading capture.This was how it worked at the auctions. You were sold to the highest bidder, but before you went to them, you were given the opportunity for freedom. Once you are sold, you are sent to the labyrinth and set free. Then it all cam
[Rosalie’s POV]“Rosalie, sweetie, this is your father,” my mother cooes, urging me from behind her. “Come out and say hello.”In the beginning, life wasn't so bad. I lived a modest life with a loving mother who worked hard to give me the things that I needed. It wasn't bad and we had each other, but even that wasn't enough and eventually led to the start of a dark spiral into despair, lies, deceit, and a struggle for power.I was born to a maid who lived in the countryside. This particular maid fell in love with a handsome warrior who just so happened to have a secret identity that he never revealed to her. And because of that, I didn’t meet my father until I was five years old. All I knew of him were the stories that my mother told, and although I hoped one day he would return and save us, I knew deep down that he wouldn't, and I had in the end convinced myself that he was a liar who tricked my gullible mother.Slowly, I began to move while clutching my mother’s skirt so that I had
[Rosalie’s POV]“You're shaking like a limb,” Diego chuckles, finding amusement in my fear. “What exactly do you fear I will do? Do you think I will fuck you here in the open for all to watch? Or do you think I will kill you?”Opening my mouth, I prepare to respond with the latter but remain silent, knowing my response didn't matter.“Just do it!” I hiss, closing my eyes. “Why waste time taunting when you've already won?”For a moment, Diego doesn't speak, and all that can be heard are groans and guttural snarls that indicate that the hunt is over and all those who have been auctioned lost. And when he continues to remain silent, I open my eyes to find that he is looking down at me with disgust in his eyes as he too listens to what is happening around us.“Is that what you want?” He suddenly asks, taking me by surprise. “For me to rape you right here and now?”My eyes widen as I take in each and every one of his words, which are laced with venom. Wasn't that why he bought me so that h
[Rosalie’s POV]My first week in the Moon Storm pack was exactly as I expected it to be. I was treated like nothing more than a pet, as Diego promised.When I wasn't leashed to his side, I was in a cage in his room, where I had to bear witness to everything from him fucking to his daily routine—wake up, workout, shower, disappear for a few hours, return, and repeat—and even his nights alone, where he seemed to be haunted by unseen demons when he tried to sleep.It was always the same no matter how many days passed, and I couldn't help but wonder why exactly I was brought here.To this point, he didn't say another word about my being a tool, which made me question if what he said from the start was true or not, but by day seven, instead of leaving after finishing his morning routine, Diego came to get me.Remaining silent, I wait until my collar is put in place before getting up so I won’t be dragged.“You're obedient this morning,” he murmurs in satisfaction. “Are you trying to get on
[Diego’s POV]Women are all the same. From the day I was born until now. They bat their eyes at you, pretending that they’re so innocent, and when you fall for their tricks and they have you in their grasp, their real colors come out.It’s disgusting and annoying, and it pisses me off anytime I see it. Even now, staring at the shaking and sobbing woman in front of me, I feel the need to kill beginning to rise, but I can’t. Not yet.When I joined the auctions, I knew what I was doing, and I knew that this woman would be there. That was the only reason I bothered attending. What other reason could there truly be? An auction involving nothing but criminals who all deserved to die. Why would anyone waste even a penny on them? But this woman was different from the rest of them, and she possessed something that I needed.However, looking at her now, sitting there pretending to be hurt because I made her show her true intentions when she lied, I didn’t see anything special. From her long whi
[Diego’s POV]“This annoying fabric needs to go,” I murmur, hooking a claw in the slip that Chanel wears and tugging it off. “Much better.”Once it is out of the way, I begin to work my way down Chanel’s throat to her breasts, where I stop to bite and lick at her pierced nipples. Groans of gratification escape her as her hands wrap around the back of my head, urging me on.Growling, I grab both in one hand and pin them above her head.“You know the rules,” I warn, sitting up and fixing my gaze with her dark one.“No touching,” she pouts. “I’m aware of that rule, but you’re letting me touch you now,” she continues, tightening her legs around me. “So what is the difference?”“The difference is if you don’t want to fucking listen, you can get the hell out of here, and I’ll find another woman to warm my bed.”“No, no,” she sighs, rolling her eyes. “So touchy. Is that woman pissing you off so much?”“Who?” I ask, not wanting to think about the woman who was most likely crumbling in the hol
[Diego's POV]I stare up at the large building in front of me while waiting to hear screams from inside, but when it continues to remain silent, I make my way inside and then up the winding stairs that lead to the single room in the whole thing.When I arrive, I once again wait as the feel of electricity presses against my skin. Even from where I stood, it was unpleasant, so why was that woman able to endure it? Was this some type of ploy to go easy on her because she was so small and weak-looking?Annoyance flaring, I push open the door and let my eyes come to rest on her. Her clothes are in tatters, and her skin is covered in burns from what is being done, making it clear that my assumption was wrong.“What the hell?” I growl, moving forward, just as another wave of electricity erupts from the cords that are attached to the woman.As it begins to travel through her, her body arches and her mouth clamps, but even when she is clearly in severe pain, she doesn't cry out.When it ends,
[Ciaran’s POV]I lead my little mate through the bar and out toward the parking lot while everything in me screams to stop this and just leave her. However, unlike the first time we met, the bond feels so much stronger, and I can’t stop my wolf as it begs to have a taste of her. And frankly, this evening I wasn’t in the mood to be cautious, not when fate was continuing to bring her to me. However, there was something that didn’t make sense and that bugged the fuck out of me.She recognized me and my threat.Frowning, I reach my car and yank open the door to the backseat, and not wasting any time, I throw her inside and then climb in, slamming the door behind me. And once inside, I’m trapping her wrists between my hand, taking note of how fucking tiny they feel in my grasp. All I had to do was squeeze a little, and they would break.A human. I was mated to a fucking human. Me. Mated to such a weak being. What kind of fucking joke was this?“Why?” I grunt, trying to make sense of what w
[Chanel’s POV]My body buzzes with a delicious energy due to Anthrose marking me. Even though I’m exhausted from the ordeal that I’ve suffered through, I feel so invigorated that it leaves me stunned. However, by the looks of Anthrose and even Gil, who silently slumps to the side, I know that not all of us are going to be able to search for the artifacts needed to save Rosalie and Diego.“Anthrose,” I say quietly, letting him slump against me. “We should let Sam and the others find the artifacts.”“What are you saying?” Anthrose demands, jerking away. “How can we possibly…”He doesn’t finish his words before he is collapsing again, and I know that he isn’t going to fight me if I drag his ass out of here. But I know that even I won’t be able to do that, not when I needed to support Gil.“Are you able to walk?” I ask, deciding to not scold him for trying to act like he was fine. “Or should I…”“I can walk.” He assures me, slowly standing. “What about you?”“I’m fine,” I admit, joining h
[Anthrose’s POV]Joy rushes through me as the taste of blood explodes on my tongue. Goddess, it tastes so good, especially mixed with the fear that is trickling from the one that I’m slowly ripping limb from limb. It’s all I can taste, all I can feel, all I can focus on.That’s it. The darkness in me purrs. Kill. Kill everyone.Kill everyone. Right. I needed to kill everyone because they’re the ones who did this. This was their fault. They were the reason I was left with no other choice but to embrace the beast that I always kept in the shadows.Kill.The word repeats itself in my mind again and again until I feel hands wrapping around me, pulling at me, all of them attempting to stop me from killing the one beneath me.“Anthrose.”“Stop it.”“We need him alive.”Bullshit. We didn’t need this bastard alive! He deserved to die because he…The rest of my thought gets lost as a sweet scent slams into me, drawing my gaze to the single figure who lays on the ground clutching their abdomen.
[Chanel’s POV]I stare on, watching as Anthrose and the rest of his group surge forward, attacking the guards who were just sneering at me, and I can’t help but laugh at the difference in their demeanors.“Cowards,” I spit, sitting up and snapping my thumbs back into place. “Acting all high and mighty until actual danger appears.”As I speak, I grab the chains that are holding my ankles and begin to pull while ignoring the pain that shoots through me. Fuck, they were strong, but I was stronger. Soon enough, they begin to crack and then break apart, allowing me to finally get up and move to Gil’s side.“Just hang in there a bit longer, alright?” I tell him, clutching his cuff and starting to fight with it. “Then we will get you out of here and…”“No!” Gil gasps before breaking into a coughing fit. “We can’t just leave!”Frowning, I take in his words, trying to make sense of what it is that he is saying, but I don’t get to question him further before pain shoots through me and my body a
[Anthrose’s POV]The next morning we move out the minute the warm sun begins to paint the ground that we sleep on. After a quick breakfast, we head out with me leading the way since I’m the only one who can get a feel for the location that we are searching for.Together, we silently move across the island while keeping our senses alert in case of a surprise attack. However, the expected never happens, and by the time we are close to our destination, I can’t help but feel like all of this is too easy, and by the tension I feel from my companions, I know that they’re feeling the same.“Up ahead,” Sam murmurs, coming to my side. “I can see it.”Nodding, I take in the shining figure that I’m certain is the temple, noting the dark aura that radiates around it. Even from here I could tell that the things residing within were something the normal wolf wouldn’t want to approach, but given what we were fighting for, I wasn’t going to let it stop me.“Prepare yourselves.” I announce, letting my
[Anthrose’s POV]For the rest of the day, I search the island for a sign of where Chanel and Gil may be, but come up empty. And when my group can’t seem to move anymore, I have to call the search to a halt. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t continue to keep my connection with the earth, searching while dinner is made.It’s a silent ordeal, as I’m certain that the entire group is feeling the weight of what is at hand and what we may encounter when we find the ones we are searching for. I could only assume that a fight was waiting for us, and it was because of that that I even agreed to res.Sighing, I close my eyes and let myself slip deeper into a trance, searching until I feel something press against my consciousness that snaps me to alertness as hope flares through me along with a longing that I’ve never felt before.‘Chanel,’ I whisper, not daring to truly believe that I’m feeling what I am. ‘Is that you?’For a moment, all I’m met with is silence, causing me to believe that
[Anthrose’s POV]My body screams at me, begging me to stop, to take a break, but I can’t stop moving. Behind me, I can hear noises of complaint and exhaustion escaping my companions, making it clear that they’re feeling the same thing as me. However, I can’t stop moving; I won’t stop moving; just the thought of stopping makes me so damn anxious I want to fucking destroy something. I can’t stop the feeling that if I stop looking even for a second, Chanel will vanish completely.Shivering, I try not to think of a world where she doesn’t exist somewhere. Sure, it was one thing to keep my distance and allow her to live the life that she deserves, but to even think of her not being somewhere alive and happy damn near kills me.‘Chanel.’ I call to the darkness, hoping and praying that by some miracle she will respond to me. ‘Where are you? Why aren’t you answering me?’“Anthrose.”I immediately freeze as the voice reaches me, but I realize a moment too late that it wasn’t Chanel’s voice, it
[Chanel’s POV]I look around me, taking in the stone walls around me, noting how they’re cracking, allowing vines to grow through them while my intrusive thoughts try to get the better of me. They’re screaming things like what if this place were to collapse. What if you find yourself at a dead end? What if you run out of air? It’s irritating as fuck, and even though I keep telling them to shut up, they just won’t.“Hey,” I call to Tyson, who leads the way in hopes of distracting myself. “Are you certain that we are going in the right direction?”Since he was the one to choose our path and take the lead, I could only hope that he somehow could track the way out of this place, but what if he was just leading us deeper into this underground labyrinth?“Hey,” I repeat when he doesn’t respond to me. “I’m talking to you.”Frustration growing, I move forward and grab his shoulder, forcing him to turn and look at me, but I’m not met with the same gaze that I was used to. Instead, I’m met with
[Anthrose’s POV]We spend the rest of the day searching for any sign of Chanel or Tyson, but all we come up with is nothing. It’s almost like neither of them existed or were somehow spirited away from earth.“We should rest.” Henry, one of Ulrick’s warriors, suggests later that evening. “We will be useless in helping them if we are exhausted.”“Are you saying that this little bit of action exhausts you?” I demand. “If that's the case, you are more than welcome to rest, but I’m going to keep searching.”“But, sir…”“I said I was going to keep searching!” I growl, not giving two fucks if I came across as argumentative or defiant. “There’s no fucking way that I’m going to stop until I find her.”Even though only a couple of hours had passed, I couldn’t help but feel like days, even weeks, had already gone by without Chanel’s presence. It was fucking maddening, and I was beginning to feel like a crazy man. How the hell did I manage to stay away from her for so many years in the past?No.