[Gil’s POV]A groan escapes my lips as the world fades in and out. Everything hurts, from the tips of my hair to my toes. I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus, but that certainly wasn’t what actually happened, right? Blinking a few times, I try to clear my vision in hopes of getting a look at where I am. I know that I can’t move; it feels like straps are laying across my body, holding me in place.“Awake?”The voice drifts toward me, mixing in with the ringing in my ears, but I’m certain that I recognize the one who is speaking's voice.“I guess the drug you were given was much stronger than expected.”“What the hell?” I growl, turning my bleary gaze in the direction the voice is coming from so that I can see the hazy outline of a person. “What is this?”“Isn’t it obvious?” The one speaking asks. “This is a kidnapping.”Kidnapping. A fucking kidnapping. Did I look like some damn kid that could be captured and held? Once whatever drug they gave me wore off, there would be hell to pay.“
[Chanel’s POV]I keep my gaze fixed on Ulrick’s as he processes what he has just been told, and when his lips twitch into a frown, I know that he truly doesn’t know where Gil is.“That is concerning.” He murmurs, rubbing his chin.“We will find him.” I announce.I couldn’t help but feel that Gil’s disappearance was somehow related to Rosalie and Diego’s. As a member of the same blood line as Rosalie, wouldn’t Gil also be somehow involved in this? Although I still wasn’t fully convinced that he was on our side, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.“Mmmm.” It is all the old man says before slumping in his seat. “Then I will leave it to you, but please allow me to send a few of my own men with you on your journey.”“Thanks,” I sigh, getting up and stretching. “Then, I believe that we’re done here.”“Yes, I believe so,” Ulrick chuckles as Anthrose opens his mouth to, I’m sure, fuss at me for so rudely getting up. “I’ll have my men lead you to your quarters.”“I’d appreciate it.”Lat
[Chanel’s POV]I whimper as pain continues to shoot through my chest, threatening to suffocate and drown me, dragging me into the deepest depths of darkness.“It’s better this way.” Anthrose says quietly, his voice sad. “Whether you accept it or not, this is how it will be.”Finished speaking, he turns and heads toward his room while I remain rooted in place. Even though everything in me screams to follow him, to stop him, to demand he take back his rejection, I don’t move. I can’t. I’m too stunned.“Why?” I whisper, collapsing to my knees and burying my face in my hands. “Why won’t you accept me?”Sobs begin to wrack my body, painful sobs that rip through me, making it hard to breathe. I don’t know how long I stay there, crying like a fucking baby, releasing all the years of pain that I’ve held so damn close to my heart until there’s nothing left and I feel hollow.Only when there’s no more tears and no more emotions do I stand and hobble to my room, where I collapse on my bed and fa
[Chanel’s POV]I stare at Anthrose in disbelief as I try to process what he was saying to me. Sure, in the past he would scold me for being too rash, too stubborn, or even too impulsive, but never did he call me easy or make me out to be an embarrassment or a whore.“Is that what you really think of me?” I ask quietly, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. “That I’m nothing more than an easy woman who continues to make a fool out of herself?”At my question, Anthrose’s expression shifts from angry to shocked, but even if he were to try to backtrack now, it was already too late. The damage that his words caused was done.“Nevermind,” I continue, feeling more tears that I was certain were already gone prick at the corners of my eyes. “You don’t have to answer that. You’ve already said enough.”“Chanel,” Anthrose gasps as I turn and start to move. “Wait.”As he speaks, he reaches out, attempting to wrap a hand around my wrist, but I pull away, dodging his attempt entirely and then sh
[Geo’s POV]I stare at the old man, the urge to argue consuming me, but I knew that doing that wouldn’t get me anywhere.“Listen to him,” Willy says, drawing my attention to him.I stare at him, watching as his body solidifies and fades again and again. When I first saw him, this terrified me because I didn’t know who or what he was, but when more like him began to appear, I understood completely.Willy was a ghost, as were all the other people who would randomly appear sometimes. He was a descendant of my family, and he was the one who taught me to gain control of the darkness that was growing in me thanks to my biological father since he wasn’t around to teach me himself and my mother never said a thing about it.Who knew that the man himself didn’t even know how to do the same, and now because he didn't, he and my mother were in big trouble. Not only them, all of us—all wolves, humans, supernatural creatures, the world. If I couldn’t get to them and help, then I feared the worse.“
[Chanel’s POV]I watch Giddeon, taking note of the clear fear in his features over betraying Diego’s trust, but trust be damned given our situation.“Please,” I say, putting as much emotion into the word as I can. “This is life or death.”“I…” Giddeon begins, his expression shifting. “I can’t…”“Fuck this,” Anthrose growls, moving forward and trapping Giddeon in a headlock. “Either you spill the fucking beans or I’m going to pop your fucking head like a cherry.”If this had been any other situation, I would have been amused by what was happening in front of me, but right now I could feel Anthrose’s killing intent pressing against me. He really intended to kill Giddeon if he didn’t tell us who Diego’s informant was.“Wait,” I gasp, jumping up as Giddeon’s face starts to turn red. “What are you doing?”“Anyone who doesn’t work with us is considered the enemy,” Anthrose responds, going full warrior. “Especially when we are in a do-or-die situation. If he can’t help us, then he isn’t wort
[Chanel’s POV]When we arrive at our destination, I don’t hesitate to get out of the car and then wait as Giddeon follows suit. Once he joins me, he leads the way up to a simple building and knocks on the door, then steps back.For a moment, we just stand there watching and waiting as nothing happens. Frowning, I move forward and prepare to knock again. If this bastard wasn’t going to answer this time, then I would kick the fucking door down. However, I don’t have to take such extreme measures as the door opens just before I pound my fist on it and a tired-looking man lays eyes on us.“Who...” he begins, until he sees Giddeon. “Oh,” he smirks, his face lighting up. “I was wondering when you would come searching for me.”“If you knew we were coming, why didn’t you come to us first?” I ask before Giddeon can say anything. “And since you seem to know why we are here, I don’t need to explain anything.”“Fiesty,” the man grins. “Just like I like my women.”“Gross,” I gag. “We didn’t come h
[Chanel’s POV]When we arrive back at the condo, Anthrose is in the living room with a look of annoyance on his features. And when we step inside, he is moving, ignoring Giddeon completely and grabbing me.“Well?” He demands, taking me by surprise.“Well what?” I ask, even though I know what it is he wants to know. “You’re going to have to use your words.”For a moment, he doesn’t speak as his look of annoyance grows stronger. “Is now the time for you to play games?”“Maybe,” I shrug, enjoying seeing him so on edge. It was a nice reprieve from his put-together and indifferent appearance; it made him seem more human. “What is it that you want to know? Whether we managed to get the help of the informant or something else. Be more specific, please.”“Will he help?” He demands.“Yes,” I respond. “That is taken care of, and since it is, I need to find the perfect dress for an event.”“An event,” he repeats, confusion flashing across his face. “Why the hell would you need a dress? Have you
[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.
[Chanel’s POV]I watch as the crevice above me grows farther and farther away until my body is hitting the wolf beneath me, who takes most of the impact. Together, we lay there, watching as the ground slowly begins to close once more, eliminating the little bit of light around us until we are plunged into darkness.Snapping out of it, I jump up and then look to the wolf beside me, taking him in while wondering what exactly he was thinking. And once I shift back into my human form, I wait as he stares at me.“What?” I demand, my annoyance flaring. “Don’t look at me like that.”Letting out what sounds almost like a huff of annoyance, he begins to shift until Tyson is lying on the ground in the wolf’s place.“What?” He asks as I narrow my gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”Why? Because he was the reason we were here right now. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was going when he saved me.“Do I really need to answer that?” I sigh, beginning to look around, taking in the tun
[Chanel’s POV]“Right.”I give Anthrose one last look before turning my gaze toward the creatures that are slowly making their way toward us. They’re different from the beasts that we’ve encountered until this point, but they’re also the same.These look almost like worms, but they have legs and buglike faces. I guess if I had to compare them to anything, it would be centipedes. Just watching them move gave me the heebie jeebies, but I wasn’t about to let them stop me from getting to what I wanted.Giving Anthrose one last look, I begin to shift, and once I’m in my wolf form, I move, surging forward and attacking the creepy crawly closest to me. When we clash, it immediately attempts to roll its body around me, but I leap out of the way.Landing on top of it, I watch as the rest of our group joins in the fray, beginning our first official battle since arriving on the island.‘Don’t get yourself killed.’Anthrose's voice reverberates in my mind, causing my heart to race and giving me t
[Anthrose’s POV]I don’t speak as Chanel’s question flows over me, settling into the deepest pits of my soul along with the loathing and disgust that I’ve felt since the day the thing she is asking about happened, and as much as I would like to say, I know that I can’t.“The plague.” I respond instead, deciding that was a good enough explanation. “It affected my eyes.”“You’re lying.”Chanel’s response is firm, and I know that due to our bond, there was just no way that I would be able to get away with lying to her.“How did it really happen?”How? That was an easy fucking response, but again, I knew that if I were to speak it out loud, then there was a good chance it would dig out the skeletons that I was trying so hard to not think about anymore.“Anthrose,” Chanel’s voice drifts through my muddled thoughts. “You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”I did. But this was something that didn’t only involve me. It also involved her, and I knew if I were to open up about it, then